“You take the high road, and I’ll take the low road, and I’ll be in Scotland afore ye”

Sunday 31^st May

Glasgow to the Isle of Skye

We met our tour bus outside the city council offices. Glasgow has many architecturally fascinating buildings.

To our great relief it was a very mixed group of 28 people on board the bus, aged from mid 20’s to some  a bit older than us. We were worried it would be all old codgers, or OAPs as they say here.

We drove a small village, Luss, on the banks of Loch Lomond, and of course the song was played. Our guide told the back story of the song, again, it’s all about English oppression, tragic and sad.

We stopped at several scenic spots for photos and other less scenic spots for refreshments and toilet breaks.

Just as in Ireland, it rained every hour for about ten minutes with at least one episode of hail while we are outside.

There is water everywhere! Rivers, streams, lochs, dams, weirs, waterfalls, snow, melting snow, rain, sea and peat bogs, and the constant rainbows from 6pm onwards.

The mountains are rugged, rocky (the oldest rocks in Europe) and spectacularly steep and snow covered, or patched with snow.

We left Glasgow at 10:15 and arrived in Portree, largest town on Skye, at about 6:30. The bus driver took each person to their various accommodations, which took about an hour we being the second last, enabling us a great tour of the town. Our B n B is very nice. We have a large window overlooking Portree Harbour 

and just a ten minute stroll into town. It is now 10:47 pm and still fairly light outside. We are as far north as we have ever been. All accommodation in Portree is booked out. Every house seems to be a B  n B and all the restaurants were very busy. Eventually we found a place with a great view and an average meal. Strolled home, marveling at the prettiness of Portree, and unable to charge the phone, camera, computer or even have a cup of tea as there is no power, lights but no power. Landlady not helpful. 

“We two have paddled in the stream, from morning sun till dine; But seas between us broad have roared since days of long ago.” ― Robert Burns

Saturday 30^th May

We left Belfast early to catch a 9:50 flight to Glasgow, which left at 10:45.But not to worry, the flight only takes about 30 minutes. Our luggage arrived and we were on the city bound bus within 15 minutes. 

The bus stopped 30 metres from our hotel and we left our luggage to explore Glasgow. We were overwhelmed by the crowds and realised how quiet Ireland is. Glasgow is a much busier city on Saturday afternoon than any place we saw in Ireland. There was football match on Falkirk v Inverness, Inverness winning 2-1, a final we think. Crowds of people walking through the town, walking to the football, shopping, sightseeing. It was loud, vibrant and exciting.

Buchanan Street

Argyle Arcade, 50+ jewelery stores

The main street, or one of them, Buchanan Street is a pedestrian mall, and every 50 metres or so is a busker, traditional Scottish, traditional Scottish with an almost heavy metal twist, South American Pan flutes, pop singers, punk musicians, African drummers. A group of William Wallace/Braveheart men playing drums and bagpipes had the crowd captivated. They looked wild and ferocious and played the drums accordingly.

Clanadonia

We strolled through Glasgow and found the GOMA, Gallery of Modern Art, which is in a most beautiful neo-classical building. The building far outshone the art.

GOMA

We then came back to the hotel and checked in. Belfast 5 star hotel (Malmaison) is equivalent to Glasgow 4 star (Millennium). We have a lovely spacious room, good quality toiletries and feel very comfortable. We rested for a while, catching up on some reading; We have carted around a few books to read in our “down time” and haven’t had any down time yet. Busy, busy, busy.

We set out for dinner, and of course, without having a booking on a Saturday, couldn’t get in at the first few places. Fortunately we found a place in the “Merchant City” area, and had the best meal yet, in Scotland.  Yes, it is the first, however, it was very good!  I had the Fisherman’s Platter: cod, hake, salmon and cooley (?) with langoustine (lobster), mussels and prawns and a couple of boiled spuds. When they bring out the hand towels you know it’s going to be good, and messy. It was magnificent! Langoustine – officially my favourite food in the world. Sweet, tender, delicious. 

Dick had the collets of filet beef with haggis and whisky jus.

 A nice Cote de Rhone accompanied the meal and we shared a lemon panna cotta. 

As we are in Scotland, we decided we should have a whisky digestive, and spoiled for choice, I had a 10 year Glenfiddich and Dick had a really peaty 16 year Lagavulin. I’m not usually a whisky drinker, but I could just get accustomed.

Our hotel is opposite George Square which seems to be a central hub for events, and has many statues of prominent Glaswegians / Scotsmen on display - Robert Burns, Walter Scott, James Watt and more, plus Queen Victorian and Prince Albert.

Mercury near the Merchant City area

Statues in George Square

Hey, where did we go, Days when the rains came ? Down in the hollow ("Brown Eyed Girl Van Morrison)

Belfast, Friday 29^th May

We started with a lovely continental breakfast in the most beautiful dining room yet. Followed by a Black Cab Tour hosted by Peter. As with the 3, 4, 5 or so tour guides we have had in Ireland Peter was well researched and we all equally enjoyed the sound of his voice and his stories.

Peter took us around the Shankill Road,

The eyes of the gunman in this mural follow you

Falls Road, Bombay Road to see the murals

 and to 48 “peace” walls which divide the city of Belfast into primarily English/Scottish precincts and Irish/Catholic precincts These walls are gated, and at various times between 5pm and 9pm the gates are locked, every night - in order to prevent mayhem occurring between warring young gangs (or at least to prevent the idea that there may be an opportunity for any disenfranchised youth to fight).

The "Peace Wall" near Falls Road

Justin Bieber signed the wall

so did we

Amongst the moving images, shrines and monuments built mainly to people to people who have lost their lives over the past 100 years since Ireland became "partitioned" was the scene within the Shaankill Road protestant precinct - a gigantic bonfire was being prepared each side was about 20-30 metres long made of blue and red painted pellets and will probably be the same in height.

Everybody contributes their burnables to the pile. This event commenced in the time of William of Orange in the 1600's when he wanted to conscripts to his army. He did this by lighting huge bonfires in the countryside to attract people. This one will be light sometime in July.

Peter is a friendly who said, “G’day” to all he met and explained how difficult it was to get a true picture of what was happening in Ireland as the English Intelligence had undercover agents planted deep in each side. In the IRA one of the most senior operatives was an English Intelligence officer who had ordered the deaths of over 30 IRA soldiers on account they were “supposedly” informers for the English army (google, “stake knife”). The English & Scottish who settled here 400 years ago still only marry those in their community and have their own shops and services, likewise the Irish. As Mary says, it feels as if it is very anxious peace.

Then, for a total contrast we toured the areas where Van Morrison lived and to the place names which pop-up in his songs like, “Cypress Avenue",

 the Hollows,

 Hyndford Rd, where Van was born, Beechie River and North Road Bridge”.

Peter then dropped us at the Titanic Centre. An amazing dockside development and tour of the 9 levels or more of Titanic plus information on how the ship was built,

 We took a tour of the Nomadic which was a miniature Titanic in dry dock. This ship has been in service in various roles (as a troop carrier in both world wars), a tender to ferry people from shore to the gigantic “Olympic” class ocean liners (refer Titanic, Britannic and Olympic) which were too big to get into many harbours over her 100 year life.  All the rich and famous have been on-board the Nomadic and were securely protected in “first class” accommodation from having to rub shoulders with the 2^nd class and 3^rd class passengers.

On the way back to the city we stopped for a cup of tea at. "The Dock" a coffee shop, meeting place run by volunteers from both sides and purchases are paid by a volntary donation to their "honesty box". I enjoyed a lovely lamington and Mary had a lentil and bacon soup - just delicious.

Finally, we started our evening at the Morning Star Pub established 1870 or summat with a glass of Guinness and a pint, then we headed off to the oldest longest running pub in Belfast, 

“Kelly’s Cellars”, established 1720 – a wonderful atmosphere with a perfectly pitched soundtrack, surrounded by a huge spectrum profile of society, all very happy.

We were hoping to have a seafood dinner next door at Mourne’s – but it was booked out and the maître’d recommended, “Home”, which was booked out and the maître’d there recommended, “Stix n’ Stones”, likewise, then, “Made in Belfast”, likewise, until we arrived at Howards on Howard Street. We were very fortunate to secure two bar stools on the window and enjoyed perhaps the best meals so far in Ireland, smoked haddock chowder, lamb rump roast and pork belly. Whilst we watched Belfast pass by on a busy main road.

Then on our way home we visited the dome which is look-out built atop a new shopping complex and watched the clouds roll-in over the roof tops.

Belfast feels like an international city but it is small maybe 350,000 people and not crowded.

One last observation about north and south Ireland – there is not a verandah to be seen anywhere but it bloody rains every for 10-15 minutes every hour. Why is there not a one shopfront with a shelter in any city in Ireland??? Because the shopkeepers want you to enter their shops to get out of the rain. But their very cunning plan has failed. “Why?” Do I here you murmur? Because everyone goes into a pub for a quick beer to wait for the shower to pass. HaHa.

Tomorrow we head to Scotland but feel that we have only barely scratched the surface and are just starting to really “get” Ireland and wish we could do another couple of round trips to see more.