Bienvenue a Belfast

I have a TON of pictures from Ireland to post and have only begun whittling them down. Here's ten of the most interesting ones from Belfast, the Northern Ireland capital where I arrived Wednesday night... and then quickly left Thursday afternoon following several hours of traversing the rather industrial city in rapidly falling snow and sleet.


Queens University in Belfast - I left my hostel and walked to the Botanic Gardens (no pictures, although it was interesting nothing was in bloom) just as all the students were heading to class. Interesting revelation: they look... just like... us!


The "austere" Belfast City Hall (I liked it).


I really wanted to scale this clocktower, because apparently it gives a great view over the city and you can even see the two shipyard cranes (Samson and Goliath, 2nd and 3rd largest in the world) that built the Titanic - but strangely, it was closed.


I don't know what it was about the Emerald Isle, but I was quite often in an artistic mood, and both the city and countryside readily lent themselves to my demands.


The first - and definitely not the last - piece of graffiti I saw. I took many pictures in various neighborhoods, but there were a few in Belfast and one or two in Derry where I simply did not feel safe at all, so I stuffed my camera in my pocket and hurried on.


St. Anne's Cathedral.


Exterior shot of the church and some interesting public art; Belfast was quite an artsy city and I saw several more very interesting installations.


Bi-lingual signs! Gasp!


It's not part of the Peace Line, but this wall looks a little more aesthetic!


Another fascinating old building? Nope, look closer -- it's a shopping mall.

I'll post scores more from Derry and the Bloody Foreland as soon as I can!