After a hot breakfast at the hotel (scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, passed on the beans), I was out the door at 0930 Wednesday for a walking tour through parts of the city center, and then across the River Lagan to the Titanic Quarter. I had booked my Titanic Museum ticket on line just before leaving for noon, just to make sure I had a slot, and allowing plenty of time to get there. I arrived at 11, provided my booking number, and picked up my ticket. Hung around until noon using free wi-fi in the lobby and visiting the gift shop.



The museum is very heavy on old black and white video and photos, including the actual video of the Titanic launch 100 years ago. The first section you go through on the second floor features old Belfast including linen and tobacco workers and ship company posters. This section features the old black and white video showing life in Belfast. On arrival on the top floor there is a Disneyesque ride through an attraction where you see ship workers riveting and piecing the Titanic together. At the very end of the tour there is a theatre showing underwater footage of the Titanic as it is today. Most of the photos I took are from the videos and photos. There are also some interactive exhibits with newspaper articles and viewing of items found on and around the Titanic (everything from cookware to shoes). I spent almost 2.5 hours there and it was well worth the visit. There are some dates in the next week that the museum is completely sold out, though those dates center around weekends.

Belfast city view:



Titanic launching 100 years ago:



Titanic at sea:



The Titanic Quarter is where the shipbuilding yards of Belfast are located. Behind the museum there is an outline on the ground and metal poles showing the size of the Titanic. The ship itself is the exact height of the museum to put things in scale.

On the way back to the hotel I stopped at the Odyssey Center which houses a movie theatre and cafes for a chicken tikka wrap. Along the way back to my hotel I passed a well-fortified police station. What is very evident is all the properties for sale or rent--there are signs everywhere. While on the bus up here the driver had the radio on , and there was a report that properties across the Republic of Ireland to the south had lost 45% value over the last couple years, with Dublin being hit particularly hard with losses up to 60% depending on type of property. Clearly Belfast up in The North has not been spared.



Dinner Wednesday night was on tree-lined Botanic Avenue, just a 5 minute walk from my hotel, at Scalini's Italian Restaurant which had red and white checkered table cloths and was listed in my guide book. I had the Scalini pizza for $15 which featured mushrooms, bacon, pineapple, ham, sausage and sweet corn. I had them hold the bacon. Very good and I finished everything except one slice.



Down for breakfast Thursday morning and did cereal, yogurt, toast and a banana. Can't do these full hot meals like I had Wednesday every day.

Titanic Museum photos:
http://tom911.smugmug.com/Travel-Eu....9630&k=5M5RzqX

Belfast city photos (not many there yet--have a bunch to upload still):
http://tom911.smugmug.com/Travel-Eu....9796&k=59LkxBK