Mount Stewart

Mount Stewart is an amazing property held by the National Trust.

"Mount Stewart is one of the most inspiring and unusual gardens in the National Trust's ownership.
The garden reflects a rich tapestry of design and great planting artistry that was the hallmark of Edith, Lady Londonderry. The mild climate of Strangford Lough allows astonishing levels of planting experimentation. The formal areas exude a strong Mediterranean feel and resemble an Italian villa landscape; the wooded areas support a range of plants from all corners of the world, ensuring something to see whatever the season.
Engaging tours of the opulent house reveal its fascinating heritage and historic world-famous artefacts and artwork." from their web site.

We took my mom to this gardens that the kids and I had yet to visit.  It had been recommended to us and was everything we had been told.  To get there we had to catch an Ulsterbus from Belfast to Newtownards, not pronounced anything like it looks, we had to switch to a new bus for the short ride to the gates for Mount Stewart on the Strangford Lough.

Our fist stop was right through the gates at the visitor center.  They directed our view through a telescope to the seals playing on an island in the Lough, it is tidal.  The distance was to great to get them with a camera but it was cool to know they were out there.

island where the seals were playing

Samuel was excited about this guy they share the same name

Next we came to the coach house where the Marquise of Londonderry's coach is on loan for a while.

The gardens of this house are every gardeners dream.  They host a variety of tress and shrubs from many parts of the world.  And it has a lake with swans in it, perfect.

The house tour was very interesting.  The kids even found it easy to listen as we went along.  The family gave the gardens over to the National Trust first then years later part of the house.  Several rooms are still in the possession of the family and can be used for their visits.  As you may guess it is a huge house.

front of Mount Stewart

back of Mount Stewart

dining room set with pink diner ware

library

fancy bed

sitting room

main entry

After the house tour we visited the formal gardens.  They are close to the house and are very manicured.

garden area that is outside of the drawing room window

a harp is shaped into the hedge

Spanish garden

Like all good things it was too soon time to head for home.  The gates would be closing and supper time was fast approaching.

waiting at the bus stop

this is the view we had on our walk home from the bus station

rainbow reflecting on the River Lagan

Entertaining Day

Yesterday we took the kids to see Madagascar 3 in 3D.  It is a very funny movie with a good plot for a 3rd installment.  As usual though King Julian throws in just enough questionable talk to make you wonder why you are watching it and just how much our growing kids are understanding.

Then it was home where we spent some time doing school work with the girls.  The kids all love their mapping workbook it is the first workbook finished every year.  Sabrina is close to finishing hers before we leave Belfast.  Sarah is motivated to try catch her or finish to before we go home.  The girls are also reviewing their preliminary music theory so they are ready to start intermediate.  They are keeping me busy with marking but it is great to see them enjoying their studies.

In the evening we took the kids to another Belfast Giants hockey game.  It was on our list of things we needed to do again before we leave.  They were playing the Cardiff Devils last night and won 6 to 3.  The one sad part of the night was an accident.  A player from the Devils team was lobbing pucks over the boards to kids watching them warm up before the game.  He saw some kids in our area and lobbed a puck our way.  Well it hit a dad sitting in front of us right on top of the head, he was there with his 4 or 5 year old son.  His hand immediately went to his head and he tried to stand.  He fell back into his seat discovering he was to shaken up to do that.  He pulled his hand away and it was covered in blood.  All the ladies around him quickly reached into pockets and purses for kleenex and napkins.  The lady right behind him put a hand on his sons shoulder to comfort him.  He didn't cry or anything a very brave little guy.  A gentleman on the end of the row had immediately rushed off to get a medic so the injured dad and son were taken away quickly by medics.  We felt bad for him and his son.  I kept thinking hopefully he has people to help him out and he is able to get out to another game soon.  The little girl sitting in front of us could not stay where they were seated to watch the game she was too afraid of the puck, so their family was moved up in the building.  Everyone around our area was super jumpy all night every time a puck whizzed around the glass on our side we jumped and when one came over the boards right through our area we all ducked and covered.  The people who arrived later must have thought we were nuts but it can happen.  We had seen it.

faceoff

check

Giants mascot during the chuck a puck

hand shakes

Titanic Museum and Covenant Parade

We started out the door to go and see the Titanic Dry Dock and Museum on September 28th.  Our choice was to stay close to our area because it was the day for the Ulster Covenant Parade and parades here can bring a clash between church groups.  It was our intentions to stay on our side of the river and away for the parade route, until ... we stepped out the door and could hear the drums.  Sarah, Samuel and I have seen a parade before and ours don't compare.  The band is composed of a big drum that is beat in a manner to stir your blood, several smaller drums and then fifes, flutes or accordions.  The sound of 30,000 men and women parading was to great a temptation to pass up.  We knew the route they planned to take a guessed that there would be a good place away from churches, where most of the alterations take place, to get a peek.  We decided we would go look and try get a feel for the mood of the crowd and decide whether to stay and watch or turn back.  Well we found a great place up on a small overpass the marchers passed right underneath of our feet.  And as the news will have said the day went off very well.  Here are some of the picture we were able to get while standing there in the cold.

young boys in the parade

We got really cold and the metal on the side of the Odyssey was so nice and warm.  A group of young Italian guys saw us and touched the siding when they felt the warmth they joined us.

Titanic Dry Dock

The best part about living in Belfast's new exciting area of the city is all the events we get to see, some quiet by accident.  When we got on our way to the dry dock after seeing some of the parade we discovered they were hosting a VW car show.  We were able to look in the dry dock area and see some pretty tricked out cars.  They were holding a remote control car race on location as well.  Fun stuff for every one.

After the Titanic and many other ships slid down their slipways from where their hull was laid they would come here.  At the dry dock the ship was sailed in with the dock full of water after the gates were closed the mighty pumps got to work.  This pump house could remove 21 million gallons of water from around the ship in 100 minutes.  This left the keel accessible for the next step adding the propellers and rudder.  When the workers were done the water was replace and the ship sailed out through the sea gates to begin her sea trials.

looking to the aft end of the dry dock and the sea gates

pump house that could pump 21 million gallons of water in 100 minutes out of the dry dock.

sea gates

looking to the fore end of the dry dock.

Some VW and RC cars

RC cars

Titanic Museum

The Titanic Museum was a nice display of the industrial and political environment during the building of the Titanic, facts about the ship, stories of survivors and victims, and a peek under the ocean to see where the mighty ship lies now.  It was not easy to get pictures so here are a few I did get.

first class cabin

first class cabin

second class cabin

third class cabin

tableware

first class china

slipways from above

Kate and Leonardo's costumes from the movie Titanic