July 29th 2005

It was a reasonably good day, meteorologically, warm and not raining for a change, so I suggested a trip to Belfast might be a good way to put in the day, – after all, I’m meant to be resting this week… And with me went Janette, my long suffering wife, and the Nikon FM3a.

So we caught a train at Antrim Station.  If you’ve visited here, and never used Northern Ireland Railways, you should put that right on your next visit. The trains are modern, clean, warm and safe, and best of all, they are mostly on time! Not bad from a state owned company! 

The train makes a circular tour of Belfast, stopping on the north side of the city at York Road, then Lanyan Place, in the Markets area, where many new offices are located, round to Botanic, the student area, close to Queen’s University and the bustling cafe-culture of south Belfast, the City Hospital, and finally terminates its journey at the brand new Grand Central Station, a short walk (or in my case, a stroll) from the city centre.  Janette disembarked the train at Lanyan Place, to go to Victoria Square, the high end shopping mall on Victoria Street (There’s a lot of ‘Victoria’ around Belfast) and I stayed on board until the end of the train’s journey, at Grand Central.

Leaving the station, I walked through the new food court at ‘Halt’ – the now-converted former station, out onto Great Victoria Street (I told you there were plenty of ‘Victorias’) where I encountered a group of revellers making their way into the old Crown Bar, built in 1849 as a Victorian gin palace, and now owned by the National Trust, and a popular tourist destination. The inside is said to be unique, with period gas lighting and cosy snugs, – not that I have any personal experience of that!

Past the Assembly Buildings, in Fisherwick Place, the HQ of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, and next on the photographic shortlist was the famous ‘Black Man’ at the junction of Wellington Place and College Square East.

The photo shows the Henry Cooke Memorial statue standing proud against the backdrop of the Royal Belfast Academical Institute (Inst.), – a tribute to an Ulster-Scots Presbyterian worthy of the 19th century – his statue often referred to as ‘The Black Man.’  The monochrome tones of Kodak T-Max100 bring out the character of this historic site, reminding us of the history woven into the fabric of the city.

My perambulation towards Victoria Square and my rendezvous with Janette for lunch took me past the City Hall,

and through the old Corn Market where I found a street performer (Sorry, I didn’t catch his name) doing a routine of juggling and stunts – including juggling with knives and a chain saw, (yes the chain saw was actually going at the time) and juggling the knives at a precarious height whilst riding a very high unicycle, which he mounted by standing on the shoulders of ‘volunteers’ whom he pulled from the audience. (And he had gathered a substantial audience!) 

At Victoria Square I joined some of the tourist visitors to the city at the dome, that sits atop the mall, affording magnificent 360 degree views across the cityscape. 

Lunch in the city centre, then back to Antrim by train, to retrieve the car from the Park & Ride and back home in time for tea. Not a bad day’s outing for little cost, – culminating with a roll of Kodak T-Max 100 film to develop in the evening, after continuing the railway theme, with a walk with my daughter and the dogs along the former railway path at Randalstown and over the historic viaduct.