Belfast
Belfast for a capital city was desolate. I don't know if it's because I visited at a less busy time. Much to my advantage, the emptiness added lots more flavour to my adventure. Along with me on this trip, I took my boyfriend (I initially booked it as a birthday present). We flew on a Sunday morning from Stansted to Belfast International, which only took 45 minutes. The airport was quite small so we were out from the airport in no time. We took an uber to the city centre where our Travelodge was located. Our driver who had a Northern Irish accent was very polite and our exchange of small talk was rather more comforting than anything. (The accent is very soothing but was a bit difficult to understand- there's more of that later).
The first place we visited was the Botanical Gardens. It is free of entry and it was only a 25-minute walk from our Travelodge. So we thought we better see what it's about as it was a common recommendation from most websites. The garden in comparison to Kew Gardens was a lot smaller but there was still the long range of flowers and plants. The greenhouse for me was the best part because it had more than just the ordinary plants you find outside. It was worthwhile to discover plants which have existed for so long and appreciate the different forms these plants grow in. They were all very well looked after, however, the only con for me was the humidity as we couldn't spend too much time in there as I felt like I could've passed out. If you want to spend a good amount of time there then it's better to go when it's raining or cold. There was still more to see when we left the greenhouse. Admiring the rose garden was not a complete waste of time. If you're like me and like your coloured roses then this is the spot for you. The sunny weather accelerated every mood I was feeling. It encouraged me to test my photography skills. I wasn't the only one enjoying the weather- the locals were out having picnics with their dogs. The summer vibes were definitely kicking in for me. The only thing I needed now was some good food. I heard that the burritos here are great and I could tell it was a popular option because it didn't take us long to find one.
Do you remember when I said the accent was a bit difficult to understand? Well yeah, it becomes very clear in this next section. We went into Boojum which is a Mexican Burrito Bar, looks like your fancy classic fast food place. As I went in to order I didn't think I'd have much problem communicating what I want. I immediately felt my cheeks warm up when it was my turn to order. The music did not help the situation either. I stood there like a fool nodding to most things and ended up with a burrito which didn't have my favourite thing in it (chicken). Then, luckily someone else took over and I had to stop being nervous and announce that I want chicken. He took it on board and gave me my chicken burrito - first world problems right?. I felt awful about this and I don't think I made the lady behind the bar very happy because she slowly seemed to be getting furious. In all fairness, I couldn't blame her. Anyhow, onto our next bit of adventure.
Which was crashing into our hotel and sleeping for the next few hours till our stomachs were hungry again. This next place is called Pizza Punks and oh my I wish this was recommended online because this restaurant and staff were amazing. Great quality food and as you can guess from the name it was punk-themed inevitably the music was just fitting. The restaurant was decorated with luminous writing on the walls so when it did get darker we had something that amused us. The menu had generous starters considering it's a pizza place. We went for the macaroni and cheese as a starter and created our own pizza for the main. The prices were similar to London prices so it wasn't the biggest surprise. Also, I found generally that Belfast isn't cheap so make sure you've got a bit of money before travelling. After finishing both dishes we went for cocktails in a rum bar called Revolcion de Cuba Belfast. The bar was huge and cocktails were on offer - 2 for £9 which we couldn't miss out on. After getting tipsy there we headed to an Irish pub near our hotel where we were greeted by a band playing traditional Irish music. This is where I finally got to taste Guinness in an Irish city and the difference between the ones I've had previously were drastic. There was a coffee taste to it which I never picked up strongly on before. There was a lovely environment in the pub, everyone was dancing and cheering on this band with a Guinness or two in their hands. Sadly, the band finished playing and it was time for us to go back to our room. The Guinness made me very drunk and nauseous (but it was worth it).
On our second day, whilst I was still recovering from the night before we started with a Spoons breakfast. This day was a lot more walking than anything else. After our spoons we jetted our way towards the Titanic museum, although we didn't go in, we explored the surroundings. There was a cool breeze all the way through and the sun was out for most of the time which made the walk even more enjoyable. On our walk back we visited the city centre for some shops which resulted in buying a long summery dress from Zara. Whilst searching where to go next we did a quick google and found out Belfast's oldest traditional pub Kelly's Cellars was close by so we paid a visit. The pub was busy and I felt like I walked into the 17th century. So little had changed about the pub, we were glad to find this little gem and experience another part of Irish culture so authentically.
Our last night, we decided to go for burgers in a burger place called Bunsen. They won't kidding when they say their burgers are huge (very much like Five Guys). I barely finished my double cheeseburger, the fries which were hand-cut tasted like my mum's so I felt a little a bit of home within this restaurant. Our waitress was lovely and attentive I would definitely recommend this place if you crave a burger or wanting somewhere new to try.
The next morning we flew home and that brings us to the end of my Belfast trip. Thank you for reading if you've stayed this far along and make sure to leave a comment.
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