Where's the craic?

Belfast, North Ireland

Interestingly enough this was the 3rd visit I've done to Belfast but the 1st time I have ever seen the city. Doing a quick poll of 1 it was discovered that many people think there is nothing interesting about Belfast- there's no Eiffle Tower, Leaning Tower of Pisa, Brauhaus etc but you could not be more wrong and at the end of the trip i did a new poll where Belfast was voted "O for awesome."

Coming in on a Friday night I did what any smart traveller does on arriving in any Irish destination- found the first pub and got myself some guiness and mash potato and to be honest, this set the theme for the weekend.

i had been recommended to do a black taxi tour of Belfast by a few people (you probably have been as well if you've been there) and i have to admit i was a little worried when the driver appear without a black taxi- now i am sure that there must be some trade descriptions/consumer protection law type thingy which must apply and my brain starts gearing up to start a little complaining- and then i remember the first rule of ireland as taught to me by my father: never let the truth get in the way of a good story; and of course i assume the same for my 'black taxi tour' not in a black taxi. meanwhile all of this has taken place inside my brain in the space of 30 seconds so i am completely ready to get in the car when the door is opened and the tour is started. the tour was excellent, the stories that he told were brilliant and i had no idea about all of the murals which were around the city. i am not one of those people recommending the back taxi tours- they have to be one of the best things the city has to offer.

the next tour which took me by surprise was the city hall tour which we did cause it was freezing cold and there was a definite need to get warm and i have to say it did not suck. the building itself is gorgeous and i do have a thing for buildings (and bridges lets not forget bridges, but there were no bridges in the town hall) and the guide was good and it was FREE. you just have to love free things.

it was after this when we head over to joing the walking tour of pubs at The Crown that it was discovered that i had come to belfast at the wrong time of year. the pub tour and many other bits of fun did not start until may- that should definitely be a travel tip. But not to worry who needs a tour to do what is essentially a pub crawl.

Travel tip 1: when creating your own pub crawl tour in belfast, or any other city for that matter, ensure that all members of the tour are up to date on the international rules of pub crawl. after taking a vote and going with the majority it was decided i was right and that it is a minimum of 2 drinks per pub unless its really crap or you discover you have turned up in the trendiest pace and one of your party is wearing a Year 12 leavers jumper.you may hear differing opinions on these rules of pub crawl but fair is fair and majority rules.

Travel tip 2: in ireland leave all our normal london suspicions about cab driver behind- apparently here they are all unofficial tour leaders and you will get some awesome stories and ideas for fun out of them

Due to travel tip 2 our new friend Jim took us to all the things wee hadn't yet seen in belfast- the titanic docks (its official, it is not there, it i only an empty dock that you see), stormont which was amazing and Jim drove us right up to the front door as well as Belfast castle (you didn't think there would be european city without a castle did you) which seems to have a weird preoccupation with cats that i can't explain.

Travel tip 3: when pub crawling through belfast beware the GAP year beggar- I mean what the!!! kids on the streets begging outside of pubs to help fund their gap year- get a job instead (yes i have become the old person yelling at kids to get a job). Meanwhile it either wasn't going to well or they hadn't aimed their sights too high as one was from Belfast and the other from Dublin- no African working with the poor for those 2.

Travel tip 4: It is impossible to be a bobble head when you eat potato. Don't try to fight it. you will eat more potato than you every thought possible and love every minute of it. do not pack figure hugging clothes.

High point: now this is a toughie its either watching the black cab tour guy walter explaining that i was taking photos of a house because my dad used to live there- not cause they were in trouble or a new target OR discovering walter is Jim's uncle OR late night chips and gravy on the way home on Saturday night. it pretty hard to beat chips and gravy.

Low point: Dry retching in the Duke of York due to someone feeling the need to drop the kids off in a public bathroom .not cool there should be some rules against that.