When we left Dublin, we drove over the border to Northern Ireland and went to Belfast. Once in Belfast, we went to a flat with the most comfortable beds that I’ve ever slept in!
From the flat, we could see some H&W cranes, which I learnt were shipyards and that the Titanic was made in one of them! They are enormous and look really cool.
H&W shipyard in the distance then went to Crumlin Road Gaol, which is now a museum after it closed.
The gaol
Me as a prisoner
Stocks at the gaol
When we went in the museum, I got locked in a holding cell and was stuck in a tiny enclosed space. Then we went into a tunnel which led under Crumlin Road and to the court building.
In the underground tunnel
Out of the tunnel, we went up to the Governor’s office where we saw the Centre Circle where all of the wings join together next to the Governor’s office.
Circle where the wings meet
We then went down the C wing and saw where prisoners would live, eat and work.
Wing C
If prisoners weren’t behaving, then they got beat with a birch rod 18 times if they were under 18, or if they were over 18 they could be hit by the cat o’ nine tails (the cat) or the birch rod 36 times. The cat was a rod made of nine ropes of cotton twisted together. It was a type of whip. There were some old army vehicles outside as well.
Military helicopter
We then went to a restaurant called Mourne Seafood Bar, where I had langoustines, a lobster burger and a buttermilk panna cotta with strawberries and really crumbly shortbread.
Languistines
Lobster burger
When we were going back to our flat, we saw lots of murals on the walls of houses and other buildings.
A mural
A mural
The next day, we went to the Titanic Belfast Experience.
Titanic Belfast
There were lots of parts of it including the makers Harland and Wolff and how they made it. It took over 10 months to decorate the inside of the Titanic with furniture, carpets, etc. We also went in a 360° cinema to take us on a tour of the Titanic in her beauty days. After she set off from Dublin she went to Southampton then to Cherbourg, France and then to Cobh, Republic of Ireland then the bottom of the ocean when she sunk in the North Atlantic Ocean. We went in a cable car and had a look around a shipyard that was built into the museum. Finally we went to the cinema and saw what she’s like today, resting under the ocean.
A map of where the Titanic was made in the shipyard
View of where the Titanic was put into the water from the Titanic Belfast Experience
H&W logo
Me using a morse code telegraph transmitter
When we got back to the apartment I saw the film Titanic for the first time.
Titanic
The next day, we left for Londonderry, but on the way we went to the Dark Hedges and the Giant’s Causeway. The Dark Hedges are made up of beech trees and look really interesting.
The Dark Hedges
The Giant’s Causeway is only 12 miles from Scotland and if it’s a clear day you can even see part of Scotland from the Giant’s Causeway. The Giant’s Causeway is a lot of hexagonal shaped rocks that were made from lava fissures but look like they have giant’s features in them. The main giant was called Finn McCool and got into a fight, which was how the Causeway was made. He had a camel as well to ride home on. It was really interesting and I would love to go back again.
Giant’s Causeway welcome stone
Lots of stones
Me with a view of the sea behind
More basalt columns in different colours next to the sea
Me climbing on some basalt columns
Some basalt columns
Finn McCool’s Camel
To find out what happened in Londonderry and Portrush visit my blog again next week!
