ON THE TRAIN AND THROUGH THE ISLAND...OFF TO NORTHERN IRELAND WE GO!
After a wonderful stay in Dublin exploring the Whiskey Distilleries and enjoying St. Patrick’s Day, we headed north to Belfast, Northern Ireland. There was much contemplation about how to execute the journey between the two countries sharing one island. After much thinking and mulling over driving on the opposite side of the road, we decided to take the train north. Now let’s take a drive on the left side and cruise through the first 24 hours in Belfast.
The train station in Belfast is centrally located downtown. We were able to disembark from the train and walk to our hotel, Grand Central Hotel Belfast. Our rooms were not available, but the hotel graciously stored our luggage and we promptly headed off to the first stop of the day, the Titanic Museum. https://www.grandcentralhotelbelfast.com/
*The Titanic Museum
Most people have heard about the fateful incomplete journey of the luxury Titanic cruise ship but may not realize that the cruise liner was built in Belfast. After watching movies and reading articles dedicated to this melancholy misadventure, visiting this museum was a must. We purchased our tickets at the museum for £19 or about $25. Additional discounts are available for students and seniors. The tour took about 90 minutes and had reserved entry times. The Museum was immersive as well as informative. The museum did an excellent job providing information, not just about the Titanic, but about Belfast at the time. The Shipyard for the White Star Line ships was located in Belfast and helped bolster the economy. At the beginning of the 20th century, Belfast’s economy was fueled by the shipbuilding industry and the Textile Industry. https://titanicbelfast.com/
After the exploration of the Titanic Museum was completed, we had limited time to make it to our final stop of the day, the Ulster Museum.
*The Ulster Museum
The Ulster Museum is a free museum in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The museum displays artwork from every corner of the globe and also houses a dinosaur exhibit. We had less than an hour to explore, so we had to prioritize. There were two main exhibits on my list, the Spanish Armada Treasure and the Game of Thrones Tapestry.
The first stop was the Spanish Armada Exhibit which displayed partially recovered artifacts of the sunken treasure from the defeated Spanish fleet in 1588. Our second stop was the long-awaited Game of Thrones Tapestry. The Game of Thrones Tapestry is a 77 meter or 252-foot handmade linen Tapestry. This medieval-style tapestry is made from linen sourced from one of the last linen mills in the area. All major scenes from the show are displayed using intricate stitching on this beautiful tapestry. The Game of Thrones Tapestry was not yet completed because the series was not over yet over at the time of our visit in March of 2019. The controversial Season 8 had not yet aired at the time of this trip. https://www.nmni.com/our-museums/ulster-museum/Home.aspx
We were in the museum until closing time and the staff cheerfully escorted us out. You know it has been an efficient and productive day when you have shut the museum down and the staff waves you off with smiles and chuckles.
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