Rainy Monday

The kids and I survived our first day of entertaining ourselves.  Steve went to work at 7:00 am and we did not see him until 7:15 at night.  Life on a start up job is crazy.  Being there to see your spouse/daddy is kind of a thought not a fact that is going to happen every day.

On our Sunday walk to the mall we had passed a Disney Store so that is where the kids and I headed on Monday.  We arrived in the upscale shopping district at lunch time on our first rainy day.  The sidewalks were filled with people and umbrellas.  I think there should be a course in using an umbrella, Sarah was especially lethal with hers.  In an effort to stay close to me in the crowd I often had an umbrella support tangled in my hair.  At least I did not have to wonder were she was.

We took our lunch at the Castle Court mall.  Their food court has so many of our home options, Subway, Burger King, KFC, Pizza Hut and Bagel Shop.  We did not try the Maple Moose but maybe in the future.  they have crepes and ice cream.  mmm

food court

Castle Court mall

 

 

cupcake shop

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We even looked in their dollar store whose name gave us all a laugh, Poundland.  Does it need explanation?  Northern Ireland is part of the UK, their currency is the Pound.

Titanic memorial

Memorials for other ships built in Belfast.  These are in the nice shopping district.

Buses every where.  There are 4 in this picture can you see them?

We had a very enjoyable time in the misty rain, checking out all kinds of shops and finding the post office.  A lot of our wandering would have been done quicker if we were as brave as others in the city.  they simply press the pedestrian walk button and then proceed when ever they feel like it is safe to cross.  we still wait for the little walk guy on the light.  Some intersections are hard to gauge when the light will change and it is easy to forget where the cars maybe coming from.  The worst is when you are facing a street and the cars come from the right side of that street not the left like at home.  The buildings are tall and cross walks are often set back from the corner.  We look up and suddenly there is a car or bus bearing down on you.

 I am amazed at the buses in this city.  There are city buses, Translink Metro, then buses to see Northern Ireland, Translink Gold, buses to see the Titanic, open top buses to see the city, tour buses to see the city, tour buses to see the country, tour buses to see Europe and tour buses that connect large airports around the Country.  Buses are as common as yellow cabs in New York movies. lol

Another thing that there is a lot of is restaurants. Restaurants in the downtown shops are about 3 to 1.  It seems that on weekends it is very common to go out for dinner and stay at the restaurant until closing time visiting.  We have not visited any with a waiting area and the servers are quick to turn customers away when they are full.  Unlike home they do not check to see if someone is almost finished eating because that is not a sign that they will be leaving.  You can then imagine our poor servers surprise when we sought her out on Friday night to get our bill right after eating.  She was very worried and kept asking if everything was alright with our meal and service.  I quickly assured her the food was great and her service was wonderful, but our poor kids were falling asleep in their dinners.  We have just arrived from Canada and the time change is doing them in, I said.  She then smiled and started asking about our trip.  Well the food was amazing so we went back last night she was happy to see us and commented on how much more rested we looked.

A short time after our shopping adventure.  The kids were starting to act like caged monkeys in our room.  They asked to go out into the rain again, so off we headed, to the southeast this time to see the Queens University.  Well it started out as a little walk to try find a restaurant that I was told to try.  But every time we reached a cross walk I could see something new to see in the distance.  So we would press on to see it.  Then there was always something new until we were at the beautiful Queens University.

Queens University

Student Housing for the University

For our return trip we took a street that ran parallel to the busy one we had walked in on.  What a treat that was it took us through the University shopping district.  Maybe more of a coffee shop, eating district.  What ever the name it was neat?  They even have a well known coffee shop.

Starbucks Belfast