Tag: Northern Ireland

Belfast, Northern Ireland to Edinburgh, Scotland

Saturday morning we caught a plane for the short hop from Belfast to Edinburgh. Then we took the Airlink Express bus into the center of Edinburgh. Our rooms at the Le Monde hotel weren’t ready so we left our bags and went to a nearby pub for lunch.

Milner Bar was below street level.
Luckily it wasn’t too busy.
Duke and I shared the Steak and Ale Pie with buttered mash and charred cabbage wedge.

After lunch we were able to check in.

Our room is small with a very low roof but it has a great table for playing cards.

In the afternoon we rested and played cards. About 7 we went to a wine bar for dinner.

Our pizzas and wine at Veeno were great.

To read tomorrow’s blog post click here.

Belfast day 2

Friday morning we walked to the Ulster Museum. Along the way we stopped to check out Queen’s University.

Gayle and I sitting in the quadrangle at Queen’s University
The banquet hall at Queen’s University
Queen’s University from the street

Ulster Museum is just around the corner from the University. We spent a lot of time walking through the museum. It was very well done and fascinating.

These wonderful woven dragons made by an Irish artist from willow branches.
The giant deer was the largest deer that ever lived. It became extinct in Ireland barely 10,000 years ago. The antlers and skull have a span of more than 2.8 meters.

After we left the museum we had lunch at a nearby cafe called Maggie Mays. It was such a beautiful day that we sat outside in the sun.

Lunch at Maggie Mays
Duke and I shared fish and chips and mushy peas

Next we walked through the botanical garden.

Everyone was out enjoying the sun.

We took an Uber back to the hotel then rested until dinner.

For dinner we were going to walk to a pub nearby. But we didn’t have reservations and it was Friday and they didn’t have a table. We went to a few more with no luck.We were standing outside one place and some very nice ladies stopped and suggested several places. We ended up at a wonderful place called Mr Deanes.

Duke’s salmon

Tomorrow we fly to Edinburgh. You can read tomorrow’s blog post by clicking here.

Dublin, Ireland to Belfast, Northern Ireland

Wynn’s Hotel where we stayed in Dublin had great breakfasts. Here is my Eggs Benedict

Thursday morning we walked to the train station in Dublin and took a train to Belfast. The ride took about two and a half hours and there was some beautiful scenery.

The Irish Sea from the train. You can just see that a football field is coming up. It looked like it would be very easy to kick the ball into the water!

In Belfast we took an Uber to our hotel. The driver told us that there is good food and music in the Cathedral district on Hill Street. So we walked over there and did find both good food and music.

A guy outside the bar where we found the music offered to take our picture
Next we had burgers at Bunsen Burgers. This is their menu. The burgers were delicious.

We went back to the hotel, played some cards and then went exploring again. We were reading some signs about Sinclair Seamen’s Presbyterian Church. It’s right across the street from our hotel. A group of church members were cleaning the Church. A very enthusiastic man offered to open the church and show us around. Coincidentally the church is dedicated to John Sinclair who was from here and made a big contribution to build the Church back in 1856-7. Sinclair moved to Iowa, founded Sinclair Meat packing in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and died there. Cedar Rapids is only about 40 Miles from Manchester, Iowa where Duke and Roger grew up.

Sinclair Seamen’s Presbyterian Church.
Our guide ringing one of the many nautical artifacts in the church.
Steering

To read tomorrow’s blog post click here.