England = Jerks

Belfast countryside
see all photos »

14:06

I have never felt so uncomfortable in my life.  Belfast is beautiful and so...tension filled.  I felt safe--don't get me wrong.  Hell--how can you not with police and guards everywhere?  I had to walk through checkpoints quite often as well, which was nerve racking.

I felt like I walked into the end of an argument.

I saw their city hall, which had an England flag flying, I saw the Protestant school the children--most children attend.  I took as many pictures as I could.  There are signs saying picture taking is prohibited.  And so with that, I used my common sense and figured my comcorder was quite prohibited, too.  Safe bet, huh?  Oh man...I still have a pit in my stomach, even though I'm on on the train back to Dublin.  It was like as soon as i got off the train and got into Belfast, I felt like I walked into the end of and argument.  You know that feeling...like you walked into the end of something you probably shouldn't have.  And I just felt the tension between the whole city.  Even between co-workers and shop owners, and everyone.  The central station is in the city and most cities are loud and busy.  Not this one.  You could hear a pin drop if you really wanted to.  So crazy.

A Belfast farm
see all photos »

I knew England still had reign over N. Ireland, but I thought their power was let up a little since even three years ago (when I met Huey).  The country side was gorgeous, though.  I felt like I was back in Chesapeake before all those other all those other neighborhoods were built--even before ours was finished.  I got to pet some cows, I saw some amazing, old houses and I got to enjoy a sort of peacefuness that was missing from they city.

It's still hard to imagine, though, as I look out my window, that it's not a part of any real union.  How can anyone work and live under that stress?  And I'll be honest.  For a while, I forgot about where I was and I made some comments.  And I got some looks.  Some pitifu and some angry.  I'll never see England in the same light again.  I can't.  They think of N. Irelanders as scum and how is that right?  And the Republic of Ireland doesn't even acknowledge the struggle.  They turn their heads!  I've asked three of them when I was in Dublin before I left.  They all said the same thing:  "Doesn't matter.  As long as i have my freedom, who cares?"

If you look closely, you can see a house behind that tree. They were the nicest people, too!
see all photos »

Lucky for me, I get to leave.  I get to escape and go back to where the world doesn't suck and semi-care about each other.  I get to act like this is the biggest deal in my life and that it'll cange me...but truth is, I'll probably forget about everything i've witnessed and felt in the next week.  I'll try my hardest not to, but that's how humans work--at least most of them.

Till the next trip...

Sam