Trying to find normal in Belfast = Difficult

My first night in Belfast was hardly a day in Belfast. I arrived in the city just after dark, incredibly worn out after an incredibly long drive from Donnegal (including stops at the cliffs at Slieve League and a minor detour in Coleraine). I had to do some wandering after I found the hostel to find an ATM so I could pay them in pounds (of which I only had £10 left over from London/Luton). I found out quickly that the neighborhood I was in was a really cool one. I was right in the middle of the Queens University of Belfast so there were lots of little pubs, student centers, bars and large important looking collegiate buildings that were lit beautifully in the dark. I stopped briefly at a bar called the Globe for some dinner and then headed back to my hostel to write and go to bed early.

My second night in Belfast was after going to Scotland and picking up Brian and promised to be more exciting. Only. It wasn’t. Brian and I got to Ireland at about 1:30 PM. Naturally, his first priority was to have a Guinness (his first in Ireland). We walked around for about 2 hours before we ended up just coming back to the Globe to grab a snack (not really finding anything else that looked inviting or that offered snacky bar food). After this, we went back to the hostel, showered and changed and then plotted our big night out on the town. We left again, this time looking for a pre-dinner drink which we grabbed at a nice pub down the street called Auntie Annie’s that appeared to be having a rather large birthday party. They also boasted to have a full menu, but weren’t serving for whatever reason (it was only 9 PM). So we walked. And walked. We walked all the way downtown and back, twice. Literally. We couldn’t find a damn pub that just served quick food. By about 11:30, we were STARVING, thirsty and sick and tired of walking past closed restaurants, bars with no food and cocaine boasting night club after night club.

At this point, I’m getting REALLY cranky and I’m thinking Brian is rethinking coming on this trip with me. Finally, we found a fast food baked potato shop and walked in to order some baked potatoes which actually turned out to be some of the best hunger curing food ever. I got a giant spud with cheese and bacon (bacon cures all grumpiness). After this we headed back to Auntie Annie’s since that seemed to be a normal place and it was hopping. After closing time tho, at about 2:30, we headed back home and not out to the 4 or 5 “unce-unce” clubs we passed on the way home.

So by night #3 in Belfast, we were determined to find something more like what we wanted – a more traditional pub, more like what I was used to in Galway. A place where we could sit down at the bar or in a snug and have a Guinness with other normal people. At the suggestion of our wonderful Paddywagon tour guide, we headed to the Crown Liquor Saloon which is this REALLY amazing old bar closer to downtown with incredible architecture and the look and feel of an old saloon or soda pop shop. Very cool. Next door was Robinson’s which was a really cool pub with a great crowd, live music and a beautiful little courtyard outside. Finally. Brian and I finally felt at home and we instantly made friends with some Aussie kids at the bar (If there are Aussies in a bar, I will find you, and we will be friends – it’s just how life works). Belfast passes my Ireland test, though barely, and we catch a cab home late night and rest up for our early drive to Dublin in the morning.