Ireland-2-Turkey 2024

I was up around 8am and got myself ready to visit the Titanic museum. I arranged for a taxi which arrived promptly. Then off to the Titanic museum.

It was damn cold waiting for the museum to open.

I found a mural on a building next to the museum.

Some information regarding the development of the waterfront.

A little poetry celebrating the proud ship building history of Belfast.

Then inside for a brief snack before starting the tour.

Apparently, they use thirty different types of rivets when building a ship.

The museum had a series of short videos depicting the process of riveting the metal plates to the hull of the Titanic.

Building the Titanic was dangerous.

I loved the expression in the below used when referring to a person killed at the shipyard.

Boilers were the main source of power the drove the Titanic. A photo showing the large boilers for the Titanic.

There were 29 coal fired boilers installed in the Titanic.

The Titanic engines

Draft plans showing layout of the Titanic.

The Titanic set off on its maiden voyage on the 2nd of April 1912.

I find the below exchange fascinating. Warning of icebergs.

On the 15th of April the Titanic struck an iceberg.

Another message …

Depiction of Titanic sinking

Another angle

The human side of the tragedy

Finally, the resting place of the Titanic was discovered and below is a depiction of its resting on the bottom.

The temperature hadn’t increase by much while l was went through the Titanic museum.

I decided to walk into the centre of Belfast. It was only a 30 minute walk. Here are some of the sites on my walk.

Then a building

McDonald’s with a different colour to in Australia

The city hall in Belfast

To fill in some time I got on a city tour bus which took me on a 60 minute tour of the city. I settled in to a seat in the top deck.

A sculpture near the river

The entrance to St George Market.

Queens university

A film crew in action in one of the streets

The below photo shows a multi story building which the British military occupied the top two floors. They used thus building as a vantage point to overlook Belfast during its trouble time. Apparently, the only way the British could access the building was by a helicopter land on the roof.

This photo shows the gates that were locked Cronin at 7pm and the opened again at 7am. This was done to keep the nationalists and the loyalists apart.

Steel shutters to protect shop fronts.

Street art on the nationalist side

A sign of having transferred in to a loyalist area of Belfast.

Another indication which is just around the corner from where l’m staying.

The taxi driver who dropped me off last night pointed out there’s a pub over the road if you feel like a drink.

But, whatever you do, don’t say you’re intending to visit the IRA museum if you go in!

It was fine for lunch

Then l hot footed it to my lodgings.

I think l mentioned yesterday about the key pad and PIN numbers to gain access. This is the first hurdle.

Then have this to contend with the access my section.

It drops down to provide the key to unlock the door. The key is attached to a strong cable. Once the door is unlocked the key goes back in to the secure lock box.