Belfast and Furious

Today brought a drive through East Belfast and into downtown for lunch. After parking and busing into town we stopped into Whites, which having been founded in 1630 makes it the oldest Tavern in Belfast.

The sandwiches and Guinness hit the spot. We wandered out into the streets and down to Belfast City Hall, a magnificent marble laden building.

Belfast seems to be on the rebound. It is a city going through a rebirth. There are still rough areas, but large construction projects are underway and the streets will filled with people and energy.

Out of Belfast and into Holywood, we stopped by the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum, which includes a fine collection of traditional Irish buildings that have been saved from destruction.

Stone by stone, these buildings were removed from their original locations and rebuilt on this 60 acre site. Many of the buildings were presented by actors dressed in period costumes and assuming the appropriate duties of their time. Unlike the Ben Franklins and Paul Reveres of Boston and Philly, these dramatists were quite un-annoying and pretentious and did not seem focused on staying in-character but rather worked hard to answer your questions and chat.

The buildings – homes, businesses, farmhouses and churches – were great to see and the scent of burning peat in the fireplaces filled the air.

In the evening we went back into Bangor for a nice meal with Helen at a modern bistro. A great cap to a packed first day.