Titanic bullshit.

First impressions count, and Belfast looked like a hybrid of Dublin and Liverpool, but things only got worse as I hiked out to my lodgings, past grey shopping centres, boarded up factories and run down houses.

The place that looked reasonably inviting on Airbnb was an unclean hovel, with two lovely dogs that had no proper bedding but instead lived in the kitchen. I can't imagine that the floor would have been cleaned in the last 3 months either.

However, things got better when I ventured out the next day, back into Belfast central and through to much nicer neighbourhoods, one of which housed the Ulster Museum. Full of interesting exhibits and presented in an erudite, easy to understand manner, I spent a comfortable few hours dawdling through its halls.

Heading back, I crossed the River Lagan, and made my way down to the docks, where a flashily designed building had caught my eye. It was the new Titanic museum, Belfast being where the ship was built. Interested, I made my way inside. Then back out again when I learned they wanted 20 fucking quid to tour a building 1/4 the size of the Ulster. It was noisy and full of American tourists and I hated it.

Back outside, I found that I could visit the now filled in dry dock where the ship was built, and read informative billboards placed along the way, for free. So I did this instead. Heading back into the city, I got myself a haircut from a barber who had an Irish accent so thick, I could understand only 1 of every 5 words. Eventually I gave up, and just nodded, and laughed when he laughed, and said 'ha ha, yeah!' with a conspiratorial nod.

Today dawned cold and dreary, with the rain gusting in from the west and pissing all over my planned day trip. I nodded back off, and when I awoke, the day had come good. I walked out to see Belfast Castle, situated at the base of the Cave Hills. A lovely building, it was built at some point by someone. I couldn't find out any further information because they didn't provide it. The castle itself is the starting point for walking trails into the Cave Hill Country Park, and I ascended the mountain to a beautiful viewpoint, where I took lovely photos that I can't show you.

A kid who looked to be about 8 asked me if I'd sell him the water bottle I was drinking out of, but when I declined he said 'your loss!' and headed down the hill. Strange.

Tomorrow, I board a bus at 6:30 am so that the bus can board a ferry and take me to Glasgow, where I  can be miserable. Looking forward to it.