Saturday, August 12 - Farewells and travel to Dublin

 Breakfast in the hotel, final conversations,  and hugs ended our tour warmly. Premilla and I packed once more, checked out, and left our luggage so that we could make our way to the city hall. Our tour guide, Lynn, had another guide responsibility, namely to give a 40 minute tour of city hall. The edifice is immense and the grounds equally extensive.  Outside are two impressive memorials,one to the victims of the recent world wars and the other - to the victims of the Titanic sinking. Outside also is a huge statue of Queen Victoria who decreed Belfast a city in 1888.

The inside of city hall is ornate. We visited the robing room, where city council members robe for special events. We also visited the city council chambers as well as rooms where official functions are held. There is also an extensive exhibit on the history if Belfast and its citizens as well as a description of life in the city. I am so glad for this extra time to visit this important part of the life of Belfast.  It also felt wonderful and warm to receive another hug from Lynn.

Back at the hotel we saw a huge and long traffic jam which we learned was due to police and emergency vehicles blocking many downtown streets after an accident between a bus and pedestrian which resulted in a death.  We were advised to walk to the train station, for a taxi cab would be caught in the traffic jam. 

We made our way to the train station. Thank goodness it was sunny and dry. The train ride to Dublin brought us by the Irish Sea and green fields. It was a very pleasant two hour ride.

After checking in to our hotel, near and a bit north of thr River Liffey, we were hungry. Across the street was the perfect place to eat. I enjoyed a burger with Irish beef, and a scoop of ice cream with a shot of Baileys over it. Premilla had her shot of Baileys in a glass of hot chocolate. 

We slept well and long. 

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