Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

A tourist in Belfast

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    A tourist in Belfast

    So, I'm off to Belfast this weekend, to see one of my daughters, who's in her first year at Queen's. Never been to Belfast (or indeed anywhere in NI) before. Any tips for how to spend a few spare hours there as a tourist? (I'll be there Sat morning to Sun mid afternoon and I dare say my daughter will take care of much of that time.)

    #2
    A tourist in Belfast

    It's a decent city overall. The area between the city centre and Queen's tends to be a banker for places to eat and drink (insert obligatory recommendation for the ornate old Crown Liquor Salon here). The Morningstar a good place too. Worth a trip past the old Harland and Wolff shipyards too if you're into a bit of industrial heritage. Nice botanic gardens just by the uni as well.

    Comment


      #3
      A tourist in Belfast

      go to the crown, don't leave. it's so pretty

      Comment


        #4
        A tourist in Belfast

        Irish Cup semi-finals: Ballymena v Portadown is at the Oval Bomb Crater near City Airport. Crusaders and Glentoran meanwhile head into the sticks (Lurgan) for their game.

        For a slightly edgier drinking experience, try Cassidy's bar (Limestone and Antrim Road corner). Local Green Party venue

        The Bot and Egg near the University will be full of rugger buggers on Saturday.

        Comment


          #5
          A tourist in Belfast

          Duncan Gardner wrote: Irish Cup semi-finals: Ballymena v Portadown is at the Oval Bomb Crater near City Airport. Crusaders and Glentoran meanwhile head into the sticks (Lurgan) for their game.
          The Ballymena United v Portadown semi at the Oval starts at 5.30pm and is an opportunity to see the old girl in all her spring glory.

          The Ulster Museum beside Queen's has had a face lift since my day but the Egyptian mummy's still there. You'll also find a few pubs and plenty of cafes and restaurants as you walk away from the university, past the museum and down Stranmillis Road. In fact, if you keep going until you reach the river you can then head back north along Stranmillis Embankment and back into the city centre on Ormeau Road.

          While at Queen's, walk through the main entrance of the Lanyon Building and out the back to the Quad. You may even get lucky and find someone to show you around the Lanyon.

          I was home last month and went into Linen Hall Library on Donegall Square North for the first time. Founded in 1788 it's the oldest library in Belfast, with a famous Irish collection. They're running tours these days, which I'd recommend because it's surprisingly small and so if merely wandering around yourself you'll be in and out in 15 minutes. Fantastic collection of Northern Irish political posters from the last 50 years on the back wall on the first floor. Waterstone's is just around the corner on Fountain Street, which is much like any other Waterstones but with an excellent Irish section - sport, politics, culture, The Troubles - on the right as you enter. Think that's where I last left DG.

          Comment


            #6
            A tourist in Belfast

            Welcome back, Sir. Best wishes to the Hill clan.

            That'll teach me, second day in a row: last night I was chatting to a bloke in a Glens jacket at, of all places, Stourbridge v Ilkeston in the Northern Premier League (ie Regional Division 7). The visitors came back from 1-3 down despite having only 10 men for most of the second half.

            Comment


              #7
              A tourist in Belfast

              The thread title reminds me of the old joke about the tourist walking in Belfast and suddenly he feels a gun in his back.

              "Are ye a Protestant or a Catholic?" the gunman wants to know.

              "Actually, I'm an atheist," the tourist replies.

              "Aye, but are ye a Protestant atheist or a Catholic atheist?"

              I know, it's the way I tell 'em, folks.

              Comment


                #8
                A tourist in Belfast

                And variant:

                "Actually, I'm Jewish/ Muslim"

                "OK Mustafa/ Hymie, it's your lucky night"

                (Apologies)

                PS to G-Man: your help is needed on the X-Word page, ta

                Comment


                  #9
                  A tourist in Belfast

                  thanks all for the advice

                  Comment


                    #10
                    A tourist in Belfast

                    Indian chap walking down the street

                    'Where ye from?'

                    'Delhi'

                    'Thet's LONDON Delhi, ye Fenian bastard'

                    I'm here all week.
                    Unfortunately that's been true for nearly half a century.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      A tourist in Belfast

                      You're welcome to join me at a thrash metal all-dayer, EEV?

                      No pestlist, unfortunately. Charidee gig.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        A tourist in Belfast

                        Try Clifton Park Avenue. A seemingly unremarkable suburban street at one time home to an Israeli President, his chief rabbi da, cabinet minister uncle and the Soviet foreign minister. Local spides have vandalised the blue plaque outside the house of the first two, alas.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          How did you get on, EEG? I'm now going to Belfast on a whim with the Roginettes for a short break in May, just because

                          a) I've never been to Northern Ireland (in fact haven't been to Ireland in almost a decade)
                          b) younger Roginette loves GoT and we've been to Malta and Croatia and
                          c) it's a convenient place to all fly to when we'll be variously starting in Exeter, London and Manchester.

                          Now I need just to book a place to stay for 3 adults for 3 nights, somewhere central but nice - is it that bit between the centre itself and Queen's that will be fine? We'll probably end up self catering in an apartment so want close enough to cheap and cheerful bars and restaurants to walk out to at night. Studenty is fine for me (I never grew up) and them (who are both about to become proper students).

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Lovely to see this thread come up. My daughter just did her medical finals (it's her 6th year as a student but her 5th year of the medicine course, cos she did an "intercalated" year of clinical anatomy at Leeds Uni). I plan to see her in Belfast again next month n her "F zero" phase (a kind of unpaid internship that medics do in the few months between their final exams and their formal graduation).

                            Anyway, re Belfast. Had a good time on all my trips to see my daughter. Back in 2015 as a newbie I did the "black cab tour" of the Troubles sites - see the places in the flesh that you remember seeing on the news back in the 70s and 80s. Fascinating, had a great tour guide. Later trip, did the Titanic Museum - expensive, but worth it if you have enough time to do it justice. On some trips I either had a hire car, or was taken places by my daughter in her car - one time I drove over to stay with friends in Derry and another time did a trip to Giant's Causeway, which, like famous people, doesn't look as big in real life as it does on screen. Didn't do the dragons + topless princesses thing I'm afraid Rogin, I've never been tempted to pay for whatever subscription I need in order to watch GoT.

                            Re places to stay, I've always been v happy with Malone Lodge, which is a comfortable contemporary hotel in the university area. Safe and middle of the road, the kind of unadventurous option I instinctively go for. But your instinct is sound I think, Rogin, that side of town (south) from the city centre to Queen's and beyond, is definitely the most appealing bit of the city, unless you like things rough.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              The Maldron in the city centre was ok as bland new build corporate hotels go, it was nicer than the really disappointing and pricier and crying out for a refurb Malmaisson (which is in a wonderful building tho).

                              Comment


                                #16
                                I had a great time in Belfast last year. Do the Titanic museum. That was exceptional.

                                Comment


                                  #17
                                  Originally posted by Rogin the Armchair fan View Post
                                  c) it's a convenient place to all fly to when we'll be variously starting in Exeter, London and Manchester
                                  Maybe not for much longer. Flybe will likely fold without an open-ended subsidy; when that happens Glentoran Airport shuts too.

                                  Alternatively, meet the girls in Birkenhead and sail overnight.

                                  is it that bit between the centre itself and Queen's that will be fine?.
                                  Yes, hotels are all in the area South of the city hall (BT 2, 7, 9). An AirBB or apartment might well be in 13, 14 or my own manor 15. Grittier as above

                                  Last edited by Duncan Gardner; 03-03-2020, 09:31.

                                  Comment


                                    #18
                                    Ps EEG is teasing. Most of BT is neither student/touristy nor rough, but fringe suburbs are- as in other cities- less well provided with entertainment choices

                                    Comment


                                      #19
                                      To paraphrase Samuel Johnson the Giants Causeway is worth seeing, but not worth going to see (that's an exaggeration to be fair- there are tens of more interesting places to go in Ireland but it's worth a look). Likewise the expensive but interesting Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge (which is a few miles from the Giants Causeway)- you'll probably need to book that one in advance. Johnson's soundbite probably applies equally to all of Belfast and Northern Ireland. If you're spending more than about 24 hours in the North the getting out of Belfast is a necessity, and th enorth coast is the obvious place to go. The Titanic museum is grand and a wonderful building, but it all feels like a bit of a con- there's a LOT of underwhelming filler. The city itself has come on a lot in the last couple of decades.... in that it's now about as cosmopolitan and continental as Liverpool in the 80s.

                                      Comment


                                        #20
                                        Alien tourist at Drumcree

                                        Local : Are you Protestant or Catholic ?
                                        Tourist : I'm Martian
                                        Local : Not down this fucking street you're not.

                                        Comment


                                          #21
                                          Heh. Put firmly in its place by the sophisticated metropolis that is Dun [drug] Deal(g)an . Other outer suburbs of Drogheda are available...

                                          "Tens more interesting" is clearly exaggerated although to be fair I recommend anyone with a limited time in Ireland to head to Galway first of the cities

                                          Belfast isn't at all cosmopolitan or continental, and never was- that's part of its charm. It's also only half the size of Liverpool.

                                          In recent years, there has been a noticeable influx of visitors from China and Italy (particularly from Cruise ships). The disappearance of that will have a stark effect.

                                          As you mention literary visitors, Trollope was also underwhelmed: "150 miles to see that?". But Swift liked Tiger's Bay long enough to stick around (Lilliput Street where I played as a child marks the site of his house)

                                          https://www.onetouchfootball.com/for...glish-glossary
                                          Last edited by Duncan Gardner; 03-03-2020, 11:25.

                                          Comment


                                            #22
                                            Oh if I must. Drunk wanders into Belfast pub where local Rabbi is enjoying a pint.

                                            D: Here, are youse Jewish?

                                            R: Yes, as a matter of fact I am. How to help?

                                            D: You bastards sank the Titanic!

                                            R: Don't be absurd- the Titanic hit an iceberg

                                            D: Iceberg, Goldberg, what the fcuk

                                            Comment


                                              #23
                                              Q: How do you think the unthinkable?

                                              A: Thail it into an itheberg.

                                              Comment


                                                #24
                                                Originally posted by Duncan Gardner View Post
                                                Heh. Put firmly in its place by the sophisticated metropolis that is Dun [drug] Deal(g)an . Other outer suburbs of Drogheda are available...

                                                "Tens more interesting" is clearly exaggerated although to be fair I recommend anyone with a limited time in Ireland to head to Galway first of the cities

                                                Belfast isn't at all cosmopolitan or continental, and never was- that's part of its charm. It's also only half the size of Liverpool.

                                                In recent years, there has been a noticeable influx of visitors from China and Italy (particularly from Cruise ships). The disappearance of that will have a stark effect.

                                                As you mention literary visitors, Trollope was also underwhelmed: "150 miles to see that?". But Swift liked Tiger's Bay long enough to stick around (Lilliput Street where I played as a child marks the site of his house)

                                                https://www.onetouchfootball.com/for...glish-glossary
                                                Jayzus man I'm not directing anyone to Dundalk ;-) Unless there's football on!

                                                Comment


                                                  #25
                                                  Talking of which, I won't recommend a local game following a feistier than usual Crusaders- Glentoran Cup semi last week. They usually keep propah naughtiness for clashes with Criminville and Linfailed respectively, but this one included a sending off for slapping the ballboy, the visiting keeper miming shooting his gun into the crowd* and more predictably Stanley Baxter offering to fight random passers by

                                                  * "I lost it after the sectarian abuse"

                                                  With apologies to Mesdames Rogin and Dad...

                                                  Comment

                                                  Working...
                                                  X