Belfast Black Taxi Tour

As soon as my friend and I got to the center of Belfast, we were harassed by two competed black taxi tour companies. They were so loud and obnoxious, we had to tell them to calm down or we would look somewhere else.

Our driver told us that his mother never had all of her children present during the holidays because every year at least one of them was in jail. When I was growing up, a "terrorist" was Italian, Basque or Irish. The generation after mine (at least the ones I talk to) are barely aware of that. When they hear the word "terrorist," they only think of one region.

My friend and I were both glad we didn't leave Ireland without spending a day in Belfast.

At the end of our black taxi tour, your driver is supposed to tell you where their loyalties lie. Belfast felt as safe as any other UK city I've visited. Che Guevara is considered a hero in Northern Ireland. The people are very aware that he had Irish blood.

My friend Chris writes on the wall.

The occupy movement was in full force in Belfast.

We were told this hotel was bombed and rebuilt several times. It would have been interesting to stay here if we weren't just doing a day trip from Dublin.

My friend and I really wanted to try Irish food. We talked around the area near the bus station a bit and couldn't agree on anything........until we found a Lebanese restaurant. It didn't disappoint. Yes Mediterranean food is still my favorite!