Belfast, Ireland

Belfast is a lovely city. The people are very proud of their new government and happy to say “the troubles” are over. There are political signs everywhere since there is an election next week but it seems to be healthy diversity, not political unrest.

We walked around town in the morning Checking out the Belfast wheel and the local market square. They had all kinds of wonderful food, including a pig on a spit!

During the afternoon, we went out to the Ards Peninsula. We saw the first power generator using tidal currents. The locals think it is an eyesore and it has yet to be determined if it will be profitable. Of course we saw five lighthouses and the gorgeous countryside.

The rolling hills, fields, stone houses, and hedgerows are just as we read about.

There is a church on every corner and most are hundreds of years old.

Greystone Abbey was a treat to visit. There were ruins of many old buildings with the new church (only a few hundred years old) on the hill overlooking it all. The cemetary was very interesting with carved stone headstones and many generations buried there.

I have never seen so many people with gorgeous red hair – every imaginable shade and since many were children, probably natural colors.