An iron gate was originally installed here in 1922, but it was removed during the war in 1939 to be used for the war efforts. This replacement gate was installed in 1949. >>

So after we circle around the city hall block, we head over to the bus kiosks to purchase our day passes. Oops! It's Sunday and they are closed. We asked an official who was patrolling the area because some of the bus stops here are closed for the running of a triathlon. Dean asked for an alternative where he would not have to pay a big fee to change our money, since we didn't have pounds to pay for the passes on the bus. He told us that we were "snookered" and offered up an ATM. That summed up our situation in one word. We pay the fee and board a bus going toward the Queen's University where there is a botanical garden.

 
Across from the botanical garden, a series of high-end brick houses that start with Maggie Mays restaurant.

Inside one of the buildings, a museum displays an eclectic array of exhibits.

This conservatory is called the Palm House.

Hey, it feels like Florida in here--we haven't been this warm for weeks. 

In our other two stops in Ireland, you can often hear Gaelic being spoken and all signs are in both Gaelic and English, but here, there is no trace of Gaelic. This sign also offers French and German translations.

  
After the gardens, we take a bus back to town. While waiting for a bus, Dean admires my Celtic knot earrings that I've been wearing for these three days.

As the bus approaches the city center, we get off for a closer inspection of some interesting buildings here. The Europa Hotel has the distinction of being the most frequently bombed building during "The Troubles."

The Cirque and Grand Opera House offers an over-the-top ornate style of architecture.

The Presbyterian Assembly building and a landmark building for sale in case you require a grand abode for a Belfast venture.

As we head back to the City Hall, the triathlon is still running.

We go through a high-end indoor/outdoor shopping mall to get to the waterfront and find an Apple store. (This is for you, Dana.) 

There must have been quite a party at Bittles Bar last night: look at all the empty kegs.

There are many murals for peace and about conflict. We find it ironic that this peaceful mural appears to be protected by a heavy installation of concertina wire.

St. Anne's looks like a traditional cathedral until you look at the huge metal "Spire of Hope" that was installed over its choir section in 2007.

An ugly black net covers this steeple.  We guessed it was to keep out the birds, but don't know the real story.

We board the bus going the other way out of town toward the Belfast Castle.

We walk up through a suburban neighborhood to reach the park.

And from the entrance of the park, it's another good walk up to the castle itself.

It's a beautiful setting with a lovely formal garden.

And from here we can see that our ship is still in port (A good thing!) and we spot the windmill project.

The Castle Cat legend sets the theme of the garden.

  
We climb out of the garden and go to the main entrance where a boy is overcoming his fear of walking by the dog.

Preparations are underway for a wedding here this evening. How elegant!

 
One our way back down through the neighborhood, we stop to investigate this church and wonder whether it was originally associated with the castle.  It seems too far away, but who knows? Now it's privately owned and in need of repair.
The Lenin statue on a building on our way back into town is puzzling.

We pass the Mission to Seafarers on the shuttle back to the ship. On our sail-away, we spot the castle and guess that you could spend all day on the trails above the castle itself. Maybe next time...

As so we leave Ireland with a much better understanding of her geography and a peek into her society.

Now we head back to the southern ports of Iceland.