If you are once in Ireland, one of the most important places to go is Northern Ireland, Belfast. It is the city with interesting, powerful and sad past. I went there with Katharina, well actually there was around 60 other international students from Maynooth also because the international society had arranged the trip for the same weekend so we had a great parties on Saturday night but we still preferred to arrange trip by ourselves going to couchsurfing instead of hostel.
Two of the main things to see in Belfast is the Titanic museum and the murals, we saw them both - impressive! When arriving on Friday evening we had some time to walk around city before meeting our host. Because Christmas is getting closer of course there was a Christmas markets which mean lots and lots small booths selling different things from different countries: There was even one that sold out Finnish Christmas decorations / souvenirs :D And on the markets I did taste a kangaroo burger, interesting, not that special but now I can say that I've tasted kangaroo :P While going around Chistmas markets we also stopped by in City Hall where was told some history of the city, did you know that chocolate (mixing coco with milk, wow!) was invented by a man named Sir Hans Sloane from Belfast.
Visiting the Titanic museum was an unique experience.. It wasn't just about the ship it was all about the industrial revolution rising in Belfast and how the ship building industry did get started. From there they told the story of the ship, the people that were on the board and people who were connected to the story of the ship... Whole exhibition were very interactive with videos, touch screen, voices that made possible to focus and go deeper for the topics that specially felt interesting.
The Murals, It is hard to find words to describe it how the history still lives on the streets so strongly and it can be sensed in the air... Different areas for different ideologies / religions and a peace wall between those two worlds. Still there are gates that are closed every day separating these two neighborhoods when it starts to get dark. The murals tell the stories about history, or present since some of the murals were not older than few years.
This last chapter is for our hosts.First night we stayed at Robyn's place and second night Pouki's place. Both of our host were extremely kind, showing us places round and telling stories about the city.. Things that we wouldn't ever discovered by ourselves. We had interesting conversations, fun time and most of all, great experience that wouldn't be the same without them. Thanks!
Two of the main things to see in Belfast is the Titanic museum and the murals, we saw them both - impressive! When arriving on Friday evening we had some time to walk around city before meeting our host. Because Christmas is getting closer of course there was a Christmas markets which mean lots and lots small booths selling different things from different countries: There was even one that sold out Finnish Christmas decorations / souvenirs :D And on the markets I did taste a kangaroo burger, interesting, not that special but now I can say that I've tasted kangaroo :P While going around Chistmas markets we also stopped by in City Hall where was told some history of the city, did you know that chocolate (mixing coco with milk, wow!) was invented by a man named Sir Hans Sloane from Belfast.
Visiting the Titanic museum was an unique experience.. It wasn't just about the ship it was all about the industrial revolution rising in Belfast and how the ship building industry did get started. From there they told the story of the ship, the people that were on the board and people who were connected to the story of the ship... Whole exhibition were very interactive with videos, touch screen, voices that made possible to focus and go deeper for the topics that specially felt interesting.
The Murals, It is hard to find words to describe it how the history still lives on the streets so strongly and it can be sensed in the air... Different areas for different ideologies / religions and a peace wall between those two worlds. Still there are gates that are closed every day separating these two neighborhoods when it starts to get dark. The murals tell the stories about history, or present since some of the murals were not older than few years.This last chapter is for our hosts.First night we stayed at Robyn's place and second night Pouki's place. Both of our host were extremely kind, showing us places round and telling stories about the city.. Things that we wouldn't ever discovered by ourselves. We had interesting conversations, fun time and most of all, great experience that wouldn't be the same without them. Thanks!
Ei kommentteja:
Lähetä kommentti