Ireland, 2023 , Day Two

 

What better thing to do on a rainy day in Belfast, Northern Ireland, than to visit the Titanic Museum, located where the huge ship first set sail!

So, that's what we did yesterday after taking several spins around the downtown area.

Bill got to see the city center, including the beautiful city hall building which is more reminiscent of a state capitol than most city halls in the United States.

The museum is nothing less than spectacular and beautifully planned. 

I would post of picture of its unique interior but directions took us to the parking garage underneath before I had the opportunity to take any photos.

The parking garage set-up seemed to be the only thing planners may have overlooked in the "user friendly" department. 

Parking was okay, but getting out led to some problem solving---another staple when traveling in another country. 

We saw no signage clearly explaining what to do about paying, so we went to the car, got in line and figured we'd pay when we exited.

That's not the way it works.  You must have some evidence that you paid somewhere, or you sit in line, blocking all behind you from leaving.

We figured out that potential dilemma soon enough to back out of our "queue" and park again. 

Then, Bill took off by foot, looking for a payment center.  He told me later that he seemed to be head of the class in figuring how the dang thing worked cuz people gathered round watching his every move. 

Bill had watched a guy in front of him who walked off with a ticket receipt.  Bill put his three pounds in and got nothing in return. 

So, he came back to the car, armed with the protest that he had paid and gotten nothing back. 

Fortunately, it worked for the attendant sitting behind a window and opening the departure gate.

All that aside, the museum itself is an impressive structure with wonderful planning for folks to figure out where to go and how to get there.

Plus, I appreciated the almost high class lavatories, which, by the way, later in the day, I walked into an outdoor water closet aka shack with toilets inside only to walk out after doing my duty with two men. 

One said it was okay that I had used the men's WC, but that didn't deflect my obvious embarrassment.

Meanwhile, back at the fancy museum---we learned immense amounts of information about Belfast becoming an industrial center after the famine.  Shipbuilding, cigarettes, fine Irish linen and whiskey were among the motivators for people to move there and find work.

Out of it all came the building of the Titanic and all the hoopla that transpired when it sailed from Belfast and later sank after hitting an iceberg.

The displays were definitely user friendly and highly informative.  Most touching of all, however, was a display of requiem at the end where spectators were poignantly reminded of the magnificent ship and its many passengers who succumbed when the ship went down.

I would recommend the museum to anyone who ever visits Belfast.  Definitely topnotch and beautiful managed, 'cept for that confusing parking garage. 

The rain had really set in as we were released from the garage and on our way to the next destination, Malin Head.

So, a day in the car with a few relief stops seemed just fine for the two of us who were still feeling some of the exhaustion from our long day of flying and airports. 

As we got closer to Malin Head and our beloved accommodations at the Seaview Tavern and B and B, the wind started whipping up.  We both remembered the first time we ever pulled into the place on the north coast of Ireland and almost lost the car door when we opened it. 

Surprisingly, the wind was not that bad as we pulled in to find the parking lot full.  It's always full here because the restaurant overlooking the Atlantic is a popular spot for families and tourists. 

In the past year or so since we last visited, the owners have been coordinating and sponsoring outdoor concerts.  We're anxious to talk with Caitriona and Michael this morning to see how that new enterprise among their many has been going. 

All in all, we're so glad to be here once again.  We walked in the door yesterday afternoon, and Lauren, one of the most efficient young women I've ever met, saw me, said, "Welcome back . . . have you checked in yet?"

Bill was impressed, and so was I.  

We were later impressed to learn that Lauren has degrees in Irish and music from Trinity College in Dublin AND she's an elementary teacher. 

Seeing Caitriona, one of the hardest working women I've ever met, highlighted our dinner time. Big hugs and promises to catch up in the morning led to toward her moving on to the next "thing to do" to keep the restaurant ship running. 

And, run it does, again with efficiency and attention to detail unparalleled in my experiences.

And, so life is still over the top here in Ireland.  This morning the rain has left and it's looking like some clear skies albeit a bit brisk outside. 

Off to breakfast and catching up with the O'Doherty's and all their wonderful staff.

Happy Sunday.  Enjoy the photos.  

Comments made by the crew who found the debris pile on the ocean floor from the ship many decades later.

Shepherd's Pie. Yum!