We had a slow start this morning deciding to go without the alarm wakeup, and after the mass produced breakfast that is the norm in these budget hotels we set out. We were going to go for a walk along Falls Road and Shankill Roads to have a look at the murals. Despite what we had been told before we got here, they tell us that it is quite safe to do so. On the way to get information on this we had a change in plans. We decided in the interests of time to take an open top bus tour as it would cover more ground and we would get a commentary (with the essential Irish wit inserted) to boot. It all worked out very well.
We saw a lot of the political murals, both Loyalist and Royalist, we saw one of the so called ‘peace lines’ that runs between Falls Road and Shankill Roads however it looks anything but peaceful. A very high steel wall, topped with a couple of metres of wire mesh and razor wire, interrupted along its length by big steel doors where the roads go through. These gates are shut and locked at night, and the wall is in place primarily to stop opposing neighbors from throwing things at each other, like petrol bombs. We saw a lot of memorial and memorable sites within both sectors, places and streets that we remember reading about in the news. When we asked our tour guide how things stand at the moment, he said that those that are currently causing problems are those that have forgotten to grow up and still wanted to play toy soldiers. The vast majority realise that it is going to take more than a lifetime for things to be sorted out and just want to get on with it, the extremists want it now. We also learned that there are 14 ‘peace lines’, 11 of which are in the Northern part of the city. In the wealthier parts of the city Loyalists and Royalists live next to each other without any problems, in other areas they segregate themselves, in some case leaving rows of unoccupied houses as a divide. We also learned that the perception that this is about religion is inaccurate. It was at the beginning, but then it became primarily about economics. Some criminal elements made a lot of money out of the conflict, and that element wants to keep it going. Having said all that, when you hear some of the stories about how the Irish have been treated over the centuries, you can understand why they are so angry about their situation.
We learned about just how industrial this city was. Harland and Wolff at the time of the construction of the Titanic and her sister ships (Olympic and Britannic) they employed 36,000 workers, and their competitors in the city employed a similar number. They had the largest ship yards in the world, Linen mills, Whiskey distilleries, and Tobacco. We had a look around the Titanic quarter with it’s huge slab of concrete (the slipways) the design offices of Harland and Wolff which is destined to become a luxury hotel in time for the centenary of the launch next year. With regard to the Titanic they are very quick to tell you that “She was fine when she left here” and to remind you that they can’t be blamed for the English driver. The dock area is still dwarfed by two huge yellow gantries named Sampson and Goliath, a navigational reference from most places in the central city. During WWII Belfast played a huge part in the allied war effort, building and repairing ships (creating records that are yet to broken) and armaments. A contribution to the war effort that meant that the city was flattened to a scale that came third only to London and Coventry. However Westminster in her wisdom decided that despite appreciating their contribution they refused to install defense systems leaving Belfast defenseless on the night of the Blitz.
We went out past the newly renamed George Best Airport, and as our guide pointed out ‘Belfast is very proud of its alcoholics’, up to Stormont, the Northern Ireland Parliament and grounds. A large white edifice on the hill overlooking the city. We passed by St Anne’s Cathedral, the University, countless monuments and significant buildings. Our tour complete after 2 hours, crammed full of sights, information, and opinions to take away with us. We gained an insight into the city that we hadn’t had before. We found that much of the city is much like any other city (with its own flavour of course), however there are other areas that I certainly wouldn’t venture down alone.
We spent the rest of the day meandering around. We went through City Hall (no guided tours this weekend as it is Easter), and they had some rooms set aside with items for viewing for an upcoming auction. All the items came from the White Star Line, some from the Titanic herself. The rooms were set up with display boards, transcripts and explanations. There was also a huge framed cross section plan of the Titanic that had been used by the inquiry so that the survivors could talk them through exactly what happened. It would be fantastic to own, but we’re not sure who would have a lounge room wall big enough to display it. On seeing some of the photos and physical evidence, we couldn’t help but be impressed by just how huge that boat was.
After some further walking around past various statues, buildings, and sculptures (like ‘the thing with the ring’ and the ‘big fish’ as they are locally known), we headed for home. One building that we will remember though is the Belfast City Hospital. When Prince Charles commented on a recent visit to it that it was the ugliest building in Belfast, it has now become know to the locals as ‘Camilla’. Something that we have found can always be relied upon is their wit and humor. Despite what we have learned and seen whilst here regarding the ‘Troubles’ past and present we can only say that everyone that we have seen and spoken to here has been kind, positive, and supportive of looking forward to a brighter future.
Tonight we read the newspaper for the first time in a few days and in retrospect, we probably shouldn’t have. We have been blissfully unaware of what is going on in this city. We opened the paper to hear a bout parcel bombs, explosives intercepted by police and other acts and events related to the divide in the part of the country. Evidentially this is not unusual and is going on all the time, it is just that it is common place that it doesn’t reach the news, even as far away as London. Perhaps it is a case of the Brits not caring. When reading the paper it gets very confusing trying to understand exactly who they are talking about as they refer to them by different names, even within the same article. We’re still not sure who is who: Orange. Green, Catholic, Protestant. That part is easy enough, but then you get the: Loyalists, Royalists, Republicans, Nationalists, and Unionists. As far as we can ascertain these are different names for the same thing, no wonder we are confused.
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