Ferries and Goodbyes and Troubles

We woke up in the youth hostel/ hovel this morning.  Tracie and I went for a walk up the hill to the castle...basically the same walk I did last night with the girls but the fog had burned off this morning.  I'm not going to post the pictures because I cheated and used them in yesterday's post.  After breakfast we loaded the coach for the final time in Scotland.  We headed toward the ferry terminal in Cairnryan, Scotland.  We said goodbye to Jimmy and loaded onto the ferry.  I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't a giant cruise ship.  We had lunch on the boat and then looked around outside for a little bit.  The ferry ride took about 2 hours.  The ferry that we will take from Ireland to Wales will take about 3.  

We docked in Belfast and picked up a tour guide at Belfast City Hall.  Our guide was great....very informative and knowledgeable.  We saw lots of murals done by both Protestants and Catholics during and after the Troubles.  

The last time I was in Ireland I didn't care for Belfast.  I chalked it up to only being there for a couple hours, but this time, having had a tour of the city....my first impression remains.  I just don't care for it.  My least favorite part of Ireland.

Harland and Wolff shipyards....where the Tianic was built.  As they say in Belfast....Titanic was built by an Irishman and sunk by an Englishman.

Parliament building

Signing the peace wall.

We had a speaker last night after supper who talked to us about the Troubles.  He was very interesting. 

I did laundry and went to bed.  Tomorrow, the Giants Causeway!!