Dublin then off to Belfast

Thursday we said goodbye to Judy who was heading back to Canada and then headed off to EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum. Opened in 2016 it's a wonderful museum in an old warehouse down in 
the Dublin dockyards. We were so impressed with the stories and interactive displays that we took 2 1/2 hrs to wind our way through it. An excellent museum. Thank you Paula for suggesting it. 

By the time we left the museum the next storm was hanging around Dublin with rain and lots of wind. We did a few bits of shopping before hunkering down in our hotel room for the evening.

On Friday we checked out of our hotel room and walked over to the Connolly train station for our trip to Belfast. 

O'Connell Monument 1882, Dublin. (note gull on top of top stature's head)

Enterprise train Dublin to Belfast, 2 1/2 hrs.

Look what we found in the downtown area of Belfast.

       

Dinner tonight at this funky restaurant with the yellow bird in the window.

We shared a delicious appy of deep-fried feta cheese and candied walnuts over greens with a honey dressing. Main course of flat iron steak and triple fried fries (not sure exactly what that means but all very good).

We had noticed all sorts of sound equipment and stages being set up as we wandered around before dinner, including HUGE speakers, and then we were offered a pair of earplugs by a couple of young folks roving around with buckets full of them. When we asked what was going on they said tonight was "Culture Night in Belfast". So we got a pamphlet with the schedule and we found many events and all free, 10th anniversary of this event, sponsored by city of Belfast and Tourism Northern Ireland. The old part of town with many pubs and restaurants, had stages set up in every block. We decided to go to hear a couple of sessions inside the cathedral. First 1/2 hour with an Irish harpist and then a one hour concert with the Ulster Symphony. It was excellent and "Free". We had got in early so had good seats but there was standing room only once the symphony started.

When we came out of the cathedral just after 8 we were amazed at the huge crowds out in front of the church where there was another stage set up and some very loud modern music playing. There were hoards and hoards of folks coming in all directions. We carefully wound our way through even though we felt we were going against the tide. Finally we got out the other side and found our hotel again. Whew!