Notes about a long journey / part 2: North Ireland (Belfast)

I decide to go to Belfast at last moment. My dream was always visit Ireland, and being in Edinburg I bought the tickets to Belfast without thinking it too much.

I arrived in the best day: they were in the cultural celebration of The Cathedral. It was amazing see all the people in the streets, music alive, a lot of beer, dancing, acting, art expositions, food, all in the city center.

I was standing in the street with my second beer when I knew Fin. She is an Irish girl, an artist who also teach art to children. We walk through the festival, dance and drink, meet boys, leave boys, meet couples, and leave couples. I have the best time with her, but I have to admit that sometimes I couldn´t understand her.  

The next day I went to shopping and also take a touristic bus that show me the rest of the city, all the conflict, the mural, the story. It was grate, North of Ireland it is the country that Colombia use as example in a pace process so been in there and feel the environment was a great experience. In the night I was tired enough to just sleep.

In the next morning (Sunday) I wake up early to take the bus who drive me to the ferry again, Glasgow, Edinburg and my final destination: London. When I leave the hostel I found a bunch of people in the street, it was the day of the Belfast Half Marathon, so I stay and see the beginning of the race.

I have to say that I really love Belfast.  

I learn that almost every person that you meet has their own story, their own trips. 

Notes about a long journey / part 1: Scotland

I know that I don´t write in English too often, obviously it is because it is not my first language, and I hate write wrong.  But my foreign friends are more and more, and I want to they read me (Are you doing it?).

Before applying to my thirst scholarship, and receive a negative answer, I went travel around the north part of UK. Scotland and North Ireland.

Scotland

I arrived to Edinburg after 8 hours of night travel on bus, and started my trip with a free walking tour through the city. In that tour I meet Sandro, an Italian-Canadian boy who became my friend for two days. In the afternoon we went to the Whisky Experience, take lunch, I return to the hostel, I have to do check in and take a shower. After that we went to a bar to drink beer. Next day (with hang over, but with the excitement of a new country) I visited the Edinburg Castle, and meet Sandro without planning it in a restaurant, after that I walk through the city while he stay in the hostel and meet again to get lunch, next day I take a tour through the highlands and he continue his own journey. In my trip I meet a Canadian girl (Katherine) who also have a hangover (been in Edinburg and don´t go party it is almost impossible). Katherine where finished a journey to London where she support his brother who participated into a triathlon event. I love the changes in the lands scape of the highlands, the lock of Ness, the colors, the rain. It was a great tour.

Sunrise in Scotland

Whisky Experience

With Sandro

Lock of Ness

With Katherine

After three days on Edinburg I take a bus to Glasgow. I didn´t know any idea of the city, and I arrive very tired and with the worse weather (that rain that you think could not wet you, but if you stay enough time in the street you will finish more than just wet). I arrive at 9:00 am and Glasgow is a city that wake up till 10 or 11, so I felt alone in the wrong place. I went to my hostel and left my luggage, and return to the streets to search some dinner, I found the best coffee shop ever (good music, best price and good food). I stay warm there two hours, till someone activate the fire alarm and I wake from my relax time. I return to my hostel and take a shower and put some clothes to go party. Sandro teaches me how to be a girl alone in a bar: just sit in front of the barman, he will be your backup. I do it, and after a while I meet Paul. He was a Scot-Irish man (who could be my uncle). With Paul drinks some beers and we went to a heard a band to accomplish my desires, he told me he was an architect and we talk about Belfast (my next city). Before say good bye Paul ask me to write about him.

I found this t-shirt in Glasgow

Añadir leyenda

Glasgow University

My next day in Glasgow I walk to the places that I didn´t go because of the rain and I discovered the real city, the one who has music in every corner, handsome men, great architecture, and the harbor. But for been visiting all the places in just half of the day, my next bus, the one who has to took me to the ferry almost leave me. I have to run, and I arrived at 12:21 (the bus was on 12:20) and I saw how the bus start moving, I cross the street and beg to the driver to pick me up, but the bus left. So I entered to the station to fix my time problem, when someone call and say to me run, the driver just return to pick you up. I entered to the bus and all the passengers tall me “you are so lucky”, and it is true, I am really are.    

This sculture is in the entrance to the bus station of Glasgow

My first time in a ferry was the best, I love the ship, the restaurants, the sea. Some pictures of it: