Our tour group is comprised of 8 persons plus the driver - 4 Australians, one from NZ, and 3 Americans. All quite nice.
The Irish (both sides) can't decide on the name for Derry - some say Derry and some Londonderry. Originally the town had always been known as Derry, but the British added the "London". None of the Irish like the "London" addition.
The Titanic Museum is an excellent display, covering design, construction, fit out, and furnishings. There are actual models of common areas such as dining rooms, and cabins for each of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd class passengers. Details of the collision with the iceberg on April 14, 1912 are shown in detail and are quite graphic and traumatising. Only about 1/4 of the passengers and crew survived.
We had a very informative tour via Black Cab through the potentially dangerous areas of Belfast. One guide was Catholic and the other Protestant, so we should have received an unbiased view of the dissent between the people.
One of the most revered leaders of the Protestant group was Stevie McKeag.
July 11 each year the Protestant group (British) build and light a huge bonfire to celebrate their win in the Battle of the Boyne in 1690. The battle between Catholics and Protestants is ongoing and likely to continue for a very long time yet - probably for many generations to come.
Have a look at the height of this wall in Belfast - one of the 48 which are built throughout the Belfast central area to separate the Catholics and Protestants and in an attempt to keep the peace. At the base the concrete is one metre thick ! There are gates in the walls which are closed at 7.00 pm every day. There is even one more wall underground in the graveyard to ensure that their spirits cannot mingle in the afterlife. This wall is covered with signatures, including ours now.
Thirty feet high and covered in graffiti makes these walls higher than the Berlin Wall.
This house on the other side (Catholic) must construct cages over their homes to protect them from rocks being thrown over.
A list of names and a memorial on the Catholic (Irish) side of the wall. Note the rubber bullets that were used in the fights with the British Army. These bullets killed 17 young people. On the left is the list of names of members of that IRA who were killed, and on the right a list of innocent people who were not involved politically but were killed.
This is one set of gates that are still closed every night at 7.00pm to keep the two sides seperate overnight.
The Titanic Museum, new and well done.
The Titanic was constructed here.
From Belfast the Titanic left for Southhampton, Cherbourg in France and then Queenstown in Ireland before leaving for New York for that fateful trip.
Coastline in Northern Ireland near the Causeway.
The track down to see the Giant's Causeway.
Steps down to the beach.
This is the rock formation we all came to see.
And again.
Another shot !
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