Belfast and Derry

We started our journey to the north with a brief stop in Belfast.The original plan was to stay a night in Belfast but all American citzens were advised to seek lodging else where due to the recent riots and violence. I was wearing my green Ireland sweatshirt and was advised to wear something that doesn't resemble the Republic of Ireland or anything related to Ireland. While we were in Belfast the protestants were getting ready for the 12th of July which is their day to celebrate King Billy's defeat over King James I. There were stacks of wood that reached close to 40 feet that the protestants light all around the town and they party all day and all night until the fire goes out. It's a very hostile environment and most of the Catholics end up taking a vacation to the Republic of Ireland during the parade because the festivities are difficult to be around.

Murals in the protestant side of town.

On our tour in Belfast we visited the Peace Wall which is a high cement wall with barbed wire at the top that divides the city in half. It keeps the protestants on one side and the catholics on the other. In my opinion peace cannot be reached by erecting a wall and I think it just adds to the hostility. People are able to write notes on the wall and most of them were wishing for peace and the destruction of the wall.

Colleen loves peace!

The "Peace Wall"
In Derry it was the same scene. There was a side of the town called the "bogside" where the Catholics were allowed to live. Just two weeks ago a "peace brige" was opened across the river that allows protestants and catholics to freely walk from one side of the town to the other. Both cities were hard to visit. You could feel the hostility and there was threatening graphitti on both sides. It's depressing to know that there is still descrimination in this world and that as long as there are Catholics and protestants living in the same area the violence probably won't end any time soon.

The Peace Bridge

The Protestants renamed Derry "Londonderry" and the sign reads "West Bank Loyalists Still Under Siege NO SURRENDER"