Northern Ireland

Aug 12 2009

Twenty-four Hours in Belfast

Published by Julie under Travel

Belfast Map

That’s all the time we had. More to the point, it’s all the time I allowed for on a three week journey through Ireland and the UK with my cousins. A last minute substitution for Dublin, Belfast was unexplored territory for me and therefore, way more enticing. It’s also the hub for a handful of low-cost airlines, and proved a handy and economical base for catching flights to Edinburgh, Scotland, our next destination. Airlines aside, the city was the surprise hit of our trip. It is full of character and characters, history, and endearing people who stopped their conversations with pals to walk us where we needed to go, even when completely out of their way.

Arriving early in the afternoon allowed us precious daylight hours to explore our home base, the university district. In a scene which reminded me of Greenwich Village, our flat (apartment) lay in a row of attractive brick buildings on a tree-lined street. Dominating the street was a gorgeous stone church that we admired from the bay window of The Barking Dog restaurant, a culinary highlight. Our charming waiter served up delicious meals and endless conversation in the unique local accent that I could have listened to all day. My favorite phrase, “So I did.” Burning off the amazing salmon pasta I had for lunch, I walked a few blocks further to the botanic gardens, so I did. Its maze of lawns was alive with picnicking college students, its benches full of book readers.