Hello Northern Ireland! We came to Northern Ireland pretty much exclusively for Game of Thrones, however we did base ourselves in Belfast so we did get to see the capital as well. I'll be honest, I didn't know anything about Belfast other from its rather unpleasant history. I didn't even know the Titanic was built here. So naive, so much to learn!
We ventured out to the Peace Line which is covered in murals promoting peace, remembering historical events and loved ones, but also others making political points and glorifying terrorist groups. I thought the wall was up as a symbol of the troubles of the past, but it actually still remains to keep the two rival neighbourhoods separated. Throughout this area of the city there are spiked gates, barbed wire fencing and security guards roaming the streets. Definitely not a place you want to be walking around at night. We spent some time after at the Ulster Museum learning more about what took place on these streets during the Troubles.
Belfast is such a strange place, there are some of the most beautiful buildings in and around the city, and they are surrounded by so many run down shops that have closed up for business. We walked through streets and streets of out of business shops, many of them now covered in graffiti and smelling of urine. Then we'd walk down old industrial streets, covered with incredible murals and art, filled with quirky shops and hidden beautiful pubs. Belfast is quite small so all of this is crammed together in a relatively small area.
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