Whew

Okay, we're back. A lot has gone on in the past week so it may take a few days for me to fill you all in. Let's start with Ireland.

First off, here are my thoughts on taking a vacation to Ireland, or Belfast anyway: Beautiful and green for sure, but it rains a lot, there is not a lot to do for someone trying to live an active lifestyle and you most definitely do not get much bang for your buck. In fact, I think its safe to say you get almost NO bang for your buck. We had a great time, don't get me wrong...it's just that we won't be rushing back there anytime soon. The exchange rate is brutal. I tried not to think about it, but apparently, my brain just doesn't work that way. $12 for 2 beers is just slightly more than I can handle...although I did manage to handle it. I most certainly had my fair share of Guiness, don't worry.
Here's what we did manage to do:

1. Go to pubs.
2. Take a black cab tour. What's that you ask? This is where a crazy local guy with a horrible mullet takes you to the very divided Protestant/Catholic side of town. These two religions still very much hate eachother and it seems they take their frustrations out by making giant, creepy murals on the walls of their homes. There's nothing like seeing children play in the yard while a giant painting of a masked gunman sits above their head. All in all, this was the most interesting thing we did.

...this one sorta cracks me up. The others are painting of people from a long time ago, this looks like an Irish thug with lots of bling. I real dedicated member of society I'm sure.

3. Go to pubs.

4. Check out the site where the Titanic was built. Yep, its pretty much a really big hole in the ground. We didn't take any pics since we ran there and had no camera. I realize we looked completely insane jogging 12 miles since no one in Ireland exercises or drinks water, but it was nice to work off some of that Guiness.

5. Eat Fish and Chips. This was pretty tasty, I must admit. I asked for ketchup, because I am an American and put ketchup on pretty much everything, and the waitress reluctantly brought me one packet. Very generous people, those Irish.

6. General Sightseeing

This is the old Belfast courthouse...one of the many sights where people were hung. Cheery, isn't it?

The Culloden Hotel. Very cool, very nice, very expensive.

How do you ruin the beauty of a really cool, old building...put a Burger King underneath it.

Queen's University

7. Go to pubs.

8. Ride the terribly overpriced ferris wheel downtown.

9. Go to Pubs

10. Tour the Bushmill's Whiskey Distillery.

11. Go to Pubs

12. See the Giant's Causeway and walk over the Rope Bridge.

13. Go on a Pub Tour...ended early due to rain.

14. Attend a catholic wedding. The wedding was nice, the catholic mass is not my idea of a comfortable situation...sorry catholics.

15. And...go to pubs.

The End.