I'm gone

[Mac66]

Food and drink

Ireland
Fish & Chips several times. The mushy peas are quite good


Irish Stew a couple times...


Afternoon snack...Jameson and almonds from Costco which we brought with us.


We did have sub sandwiches for dinner which we picked up at a deli a couple times. And we had full Irish 'b'fasts at the B&Bs we stayed at. Usually skipped lunch.

We did have a gourmet dinner one night at one of the hotels we stayed at courtesy of our travel agent. I think I had rack of lamb, don't remember with my wife had.

Iceland
Dominos pizza twice, expensive hamburgers once, very, very good hotdogs once. Can't remember what else.





The rest of the time we ate on the cruise ship.

[Bmyers]

Interesting about the wall.

Lots of beautiful pictures.

[Mac66]

Interesting about the wall.

Lots of beautiful pictures.

We did a bus tour of Northern Ireland to the Giants Causeway which is on the north coast. On the way back we stopped in Belfast and had the option of taking a side tour with some taxi drivers. Most of us on the bus went so they split us up into small group among the drivers. Some drivers were Catholic, some protestant. We convoyed to the various murals on both sides of the wall then one of the drivers would explain from the Protestant side, and one from the Catholic side. It was very interesting.

Lots of famous people i.e, celebrities & world leaders have signed/put messages on the peace wall. There are literally 10s of thousands of notes/messages on the wall. Both my wife and I signed the wall as well. I signed it "WTF? mac66" My wife was a bit more magnanimous.

[Bmyers]

So are the tensions still as high between the Protestants and Catholics or has just become more of an old grudge?

[Mac66]

So are the tensions still as high between the Protestants and Catholics or has just become more of an old grudge?

Tensions are still high due to Brexit. Catholics throughout the rest of the country are against it, loyalists (protestants) for it. However there are some trade restrictions in Brexit that were unfavorable to Northern Ireland which the loyalists openly protested/marched against. When the police stepped in to enforce covid protocols the protests turned to riots. The riots then became secular as the different groups turned on each other and against the police.

Another series of riots started after the funeral of an old IRA official that was attended by reps from both sides. The loyalists protested, rioted again, attacked Catholic groups.

Judging by what the cabbies said (both Catholic and protestant) and how they said it, there is still a lot of resentment, bitterness and animosity between the two sides. Both are just looking for an excuse to open the troubles back up.

There are gates about every mile along the wall which are left open during the day but still closed at night to keep the Catholics in and the protestants out.

[Bmyers]

Wow, I didn't realize tensions were still that high.