Belfast? Where?

 Yes, we did approach Belfast before Mull but I looked at the wrong section first, never mind. Let's think, yes, Belfast.

I was really looking forward to going here as it had been a very long time since I had approached  Northern Island by sea and that was eating a very large breakfast onboard the freighter from Scotland. 

In those days you could travel with your load and deliver it. Now, with the onset of Brexit and all its little niceties drivers no longer accompany loads and the loads themselves have to be rigorously checked, double checked, taxed and all paperwork passports in place before they leave the dock. This it seems can take days, so many cargoes no longer travel the border. All cooked meat products fail the entry requirements so stores in Belfast are sorely lacking many commodities they used to get being part of UK.

Hey, there's no border, right? Took us ages to be able to dock and even longer to be able to disembark to the coaches.

 Victoria Terminal 1, our salubrious mooring for the day, and I do have my tongue in my cheek. The clouds hung heavy and I did wonder if those who were going off to explore the depths of the Irish countryside would actually see any of it. 

 

We slowly edged our way into berth and I watched the freight ferry being unloaded. It brought back so many memories, but watching the tugs pulling the loads instead of watching the drivers brought a lump to my throat. Oh well, it did give more work to the local drivers I suppose.

 

Just down from where we were mooring were the cranes. They were already clearing some of the containers and again, tugs were pulling them off the quayside. Wonder if the days of collecting will return?

 

Both top and bottom deck doors were open, but I saw few passengers either on foot or in cars. This was further testament to the pandemic and the border in the sea. So may people are just not travelling across. People here at the ferry terminal are worried and were so pleased to see our ship arrive. I was told it was a breath of relief to see us come in.

 

This is the first solar flower I have seen 'in the flesh' as it were. If you've not come across one of these before, they react just like flowers. They close at night and self clean each of their petals, then open come dawn and follow the sun as it moves round all day. 

 As I got on the coach to be taken to the centre of Belfast, I looked back and caught this picture of the ship.

 

As we left the docks I managed to grab a shot of the two famous cranes of the Harland and Wolfe fame. We were told you could see these two from anywhere in Belfast and I must admit you can.

 

We had a lovely walk in the centre of the town and visited the old town hall in Victoria Square and saw where the IRA and UDF decided to vent their anger with sever bombing. The Europa Hotel was the prime target suffering over one hundred bombings during that troubled time.

 

On a brighter side, a statue to Sir Edward James Harland, the architect behind the famous ship building industry there.

 We also passed the Titanic exhibition centre, built in the shape of four ships boughs and then onto the dock itself where a sister ship of the titanic, HMS Caroline is moored. She has been fully restored but unfortunately, like many things, is closed due to the pandemic.

 

I realise it isn't that clear but the weather was against me. This is the memorial to those who lost their lives in the Titanic. Death, portrayed as a woman is holding the laurel leaf in the downward position indicating death. Some of the souls who perished in the seas are being helped in the after life by the water nymphs who are reaching up to Death showing their link.

 

....and lastly, as an aside, just to make sure people realised we are in Ireland, a potato has been planted amongst the bedding begonias. It did make me chuckle.