Belfast to Dublin

I think last entry we stayed the night outside Belfast and were planning to travel in by train which we did this morning. We left it a bit latter than in Londonderry to give people time to get into the city and open up. It was raining and miserable when we arrived so we decided to do the bus tour first and get out of the rain. All the upstairs undercover seats were taken so had to sit downstairs which was a shame as you can't see as much. It was a good tour just the same, we saw all the usual sights like parliment and council buildings and the yard where Titanic was built. They also took us around the streets where most of the riots and violence occurred in the 70s and 80s. It was scarry really driving through those streets. The catholic and protestant areas are now divided by huge walls that can be seen above 2 storey buildings. " streets Shankill and Crumlin St are the site of most of the violence and are divided like this with only 2 gates that are locked at 6pm each night. There was plenty of inner city parking so we could have driven in. This is because when a building was bombed beyond repair it was turned into a car park. Confidence is starting to return and there is a lot of construction in the city area but still a lot of carparks so I'm glad we weren't here a few years ago. It was an uncomfortable place to be. Inj the week before we arrived there was a house bombed and 3 men arressted for trying to kill a cop so I don't think the violent times are over here yet. Anyway we felt uncomfortable so didn't stay too long before heading south and out of Northern Ireland. Stayed the night at Castlebellingham where ther was a police raid and 4 people arressted for armed robbery just up the road from the pub we were at. Lucky we got out of Belfast and back to a "safe area".

Today is a sad day indeed. We are waiting at Dublin airport to leave the Emerald Isle. Would love to stay longer, it is a fantastic place and the people have been great. We've had a grand time, but now it's off to Scotland for the next stage which we are sure will be just as good.

Sad to leave