Monday, July 14 (Belfast, Northern Ireland) – From one set of friends from my Morocco trip to another! Yesterday I flew from England to Belfast in Northern Ireland to spend two of my final three days with Helen and Justin, another great couple I met on my Moroccan tour. I had wanted to visit Giant’s Causeway and was bummed I didn’t get a chance on my first stint in Ireland, so the stars aligned when I realized I would have the chance again.
Justin & Helen in Morocco, where I first met them
After watching three World Cup games in the country of the team playing (Switzerland, Germany and Portugal), I knew I had to watch the final in good company. So I was thrilled to hear that Justin wanted to watch at a local pub with a bunch of football fanatics.
The pub we went to is the pub in town, clearly filled with locals. In fact, when one of them (holding a beer in each hand) asked me a question twice and I did nothing but stare at him blankly because I couldn't understand his accent at all! (I still have no idea what he actually said to me.) It is so interesting how some accents in Northern Ireland sound like a completely different language.
Here is a bit of a dictionary for anyone who may be journeying to Northern Ireland in the near future:
The pub we went to is the pub in town, clearly filled with locals. In fact, when one of them (holding a beer in each hand) asked me a question twice and I did nothing but stare at him blankly because I couldn't understand his accent at all! (I still have no idea what he actually said to me.) It is so interesting how some accents in Northern Ireland sound like a completely different language.
Here is a bit of a dictionary for anyone who may be journeying to Northern Ireland in the near future:
- Aye (pronounced "I") = Yes
- Bake = face / mouth
- Craic (pronounced "crack") = fun, a good time
- Dead on = alright, no problem, good
- Mucker = friend, mate
- Wee = small (used ALL the time)
- Keep her country = keep things simple, don't overcomplicate matters
Highlights of Belfast, Northern Ireland
Sawers Belfast
One of the best gourmet food stores I have come across, Sawers is in the heart of Belfast and features a variety of packaged and prepared food. They have a lot of local goods like jams and chutneys, but they also have specialty goods from around the world, including some I have enjoyed on this trip (e.g. Turkish delights, paella ingredients and kits, my favorite Turkish apple tea, etc.)!
This is a great place to stop off to get some snacks, buy gifts or just poke around.
One of the best gourmet food stores I have come across, Sawers is in the heart of Belfast and features a variety of packaged and prepared food. They have a lot of local goods like jams and chutneys, but they also have specialty goods from around the world, including some I have enjoyed on this trip (e.g. Turkish delights, paella ingredients and kits, my favorite Turkish apple tea, etc.)!
This is a great place to stop off to get some snacks, buy gifts or just poke around.
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Titanic Museum
The famous Titanic was built in Belfast, so this is the city with the largest and most elaborate dedication to the ship. The museum is relatively new, nine-gallery exhibition that covers the ins and outs of the Titanic, its creation, its passengers, and more.
The museum clearly took a lot of thought, time and money to build, but it falls a bit short in certain areas. For an entire museum dedicated to the Titanic, there are surprisingly few actual artifacts or photographs of the ship. Also, the 'ride' is an extremely poor attempt at showcasing how the ship was built. The 'factory' sounds in the background overpower the explanations in the speakers overheard, so it is impossible to know what you are looking at. I definitely recommend going even with the above in mind. There is a lot to see in the nine different galleries, but there's a great museum cafeteria for a snack when you are done!
The famous Titanic was built in Belfast, so this is the city with the largest and most elaborate dedication to the ship. The museum is relatively new, nine-gallery exhibition that covers the ins and outs of the Titanic, its creation, its passengers, and more.
The museum clearly took a lot of thought, time and money to build, but it falls a bit short in certain areas. For an entire museum dedicated to the Titanic, there are surprisingly few actual artifacts or photographs of the ship. Also, the 'ride' is an extremely poor attempt at showcasing how the ship was built. The 'factory' sounds in the background overpower the explanations in the speakers overheard, so it is impossible to know what you are looking at. I definitely recommend going even with the above in mind. There is a lot to see in the nine different galleries, but there's a great museum cafeteria for a snack when you are done!
Crown Liquor Saloon
The Crown Liquor Saloon is one of the most notable pubs in Northern Ireland. It has a long history of being a public house and was officially renovated and renamed in 1885. The pub is known for its intricate Victorian design including stained glass, individual private booths and mosaics.
While the service left much to be desired, the clientele, decor and clover atop my Guinness made this pub a must-see! Plus, it is across the street from the train station so it couldn't be more convenient to travelers.
The Crown Liquor Saloon is one of the most notable pubs in Northern Ireland. It has a long history of being a public house and was officially renovated and renamed in 1885. The pub is known for its intricate Victorian design including stained glass, individual private booths and mosaics.
While the service left much to be desired, the clientele, decor and clover atop my Guinness made this pub a must-see! Plus, it is across the street from the train station so it couldn't be more convenient to travelers.
The detailed exterior matches the intricate interior of the Crown Liquor Saloon
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Private booths in the Crown Liquor Saloon
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