One of the highlights of our trip was a black cab tour of Belfast, during which Ken the taxi driver took us on a fascinating and enlightening trip around the political murals on both the Protestant (Loyalist) and Catholic (Republican) areas of Belfast. There is a huge wall (the Peace Wall) dividing the city into Protestant and Catholic parts, complete with doors at many points that close in the evening and open in the morning. I think we were all quite surprised that the tension between the Protestants and Catholics is still very much alive.
Mural on the Protestant side condemning IRA killings of Protestant civilians.
Dan, Matt and John at a section of the Peace Wall.
One of the many political murals on the Protestant side. These are painted on the side of houses.
The Bombay St memorial on the Catholic side. The high fence at the back is the Peace Wall, also note the 'cage' at the back of the house to defend against bricks, petrol bombs etc being thrown over from the Protestant side.
Mural on the Catholic side depicting Bobby Sands, an IRA member who died on hunger strike while in prison. There is also a Banksy on the right hand side.
Roadside murals on the Catholic side.
The Titanic was built in Belfast.
Waterfront in Belfast.
John and Rach outside City Hall.
Matt and John outside Belfast's best-known pub, the Crown Liquor Saloon.
You can't see much from the photos but it is a beautifully decorated Victorian pub with elaborate tiling, stained glass and woodwork.
City Hall by night.
Belfast-style police cars - armoured Land Rovers.
Pretty Belfast Castle.
Rach and John at Belfast Castle.
Rolling Irish countryside.
We hired a car for the day and drove the stunning coastal route from Belfast up to the Giant's Causeway.
Nice beaches.
The Giant's Causeway.
The Giant's Causeway consists of 38000 interlocked basalt columns, the result of ancient volcanic eruptions. The tops of the columns form stepping stones that lead from the cliff foot and disappear under the sea.
More huge columns on the cliff-face form the 'Organ Pipes'.
Legend has it that the Irish warrior Finn McCool built the causeway to walk to Scotland in order to fight his Scottish counterpart Benandonner. One version of the legend tells that Finn fell asleep before he got to Scotland. When he did not arrive, the much larger Benandonner crossed the bridge looking for him. To protect Finn, his wife Oonagh laid a blanket over him so he could pretend that he was actually their baby son. In a variation, Finn fled after seeing Benandonner's great bulk, and asked his wife to disguise him as the baby. In both versions, when Benandonner saw the size of the 'infant', he assumed the alleged father, Finn, must be gigantic indeed. Therefore, Benandonner fled home in terror, ripping up the Causeway in case he was followed by Finn. (Thanks Wikipedia).
Rach and MC and a well-timed frisbee throw from Matt.
The road-trippers.
Pretty green countryside.
Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge from the mainland across to Carrick Island.
You can see Scotland across the North Channel.
A soldier in mortal danger at Carrickfergus Castle...
MC at Carrickfergus Castle. It was built way back in 1177.
Matt and Rach.
The castle is on the shores of the Belfast Lough, the gateway to the Irish Sea.
The Belfast Lough, in the town of Carrickfergus.
John and Matt making friends with the pirate.
Matt and Carrickfergus Castle.
