Belfast!

Oh, it's been a long time since I have updated you with any stories about my time here at Corrymeela. To quote my dear friend, Elizabeth Bennett, "I was too cross to write." Here are some bits about visiting Belfast this week!

Starting on Tuesday, it was my turn for time off. I heard that Elsa and Jessica were going down to Belfast for a meeting with a group that would be coming to Corrymeela. This meant that I could hitch a ride down to Belfast. Jessica was kind enough to arrange calling and emailing a family who are Corrymeela members, so we would have a place to stay. Their house was along a main road about a 40 minute walk from the City Centre. I guess a rundown of what we did will suffice, yes?

Left Corrymeela at around 5pm. We went to a Mexican place on University Road called Boojam. Very much like Chipotle, but way way better. It was great to have some flavorful food again. Then we went to the meeting. We got to the host family's home at around 8:30pm. They live around the Queen's University area of town. The husband and wife, Becky and David, offered us a glass of wine and we sat and chatted for a while. They have a really lovely home. It's part of that typical pattern of brick homes that are squished side by side, but with three stories and plenty of length. I slept in their entertainment room on the first floor (second floor to us Americans) where they had a pull out sofa bed. They offered us every convinience and gave us a key to their home. I could not imagine a better welcome into someone's home (nothing at all like the welcome I received when coming to Corrymeela. I was dropped off at my room and then disappearance).

The next day Jessica and I walked into the City. We met up with Elsa and went to the Victoria shopping centre. I found an H&M! However, Jessica, being the Bohemian-esque writer type that she is, despised going shopping and so we opted for wandering. We found a few used bookshops, where I was completely unable to keep my resolve not to buy anything. I bought High Fidelity by Nick Hornby and Where Rainbows End by Cecelia Ahern. One of the bookshops was stacked so high with books that I felt as though they would topple at any moment. And the shop was huge. So very many books.

We got lunch at a place called Cecil's Sandwich Bar, recommended by Marc, another Corrymeela volunteer. I got a chicken curry sandwich for 1.90 pounds. It's was a large enough sandwich that I thought it would cost twice that. We sat in the sunshine on the lawns at City Hall with the rest of the city populace. The Northern Irish people take advantage of every moment of sun available to them, that's for certain.

We headed down Donegall Road that eventually turned onto University Road. Along the way we stopped at Ormeau Baths Gallery where there was a Polish art exhibit. Then we went to a coffeeshop where I delved into my book. High Fidelity is excellent, btw. I really liked the movie and the book is so great! I'm really enjoying the narrative voice of Rob. Anyways...

We were planning to have dinner with our host family, so we headed back. We accidentally took the long way back by not taking the correct path when we cut through the park across the street from the house. It took an extra 20 minutes and I was very tired by then. Becky made a delicious dinner of three different curries with rice and naan! Yum! We had dinner in the garden behind their home. The family was so welcoming and so hospitable, I felt like it was a bit of home.
We didn't do much that night, though looking back I wish we had. Apparently it was the Belfast City Council Waste Week which included a free fashion show of things that had been created out of recycled clothing. Totally my thing. But, we walked a long way that day and carrying three books and a camera was a bit much, so we didn't go. Instead, we figured out our way back on the bus system and watched a bit of TV with the family. Which, Becky and David have a couple of kids and they were very sweet and welcoming. They were not the type of pre-teens that sulk quietly as they stir their dinners into mush.

The next morning we went to the Botanical Gardens, which is more like a large park with a couple of greenhouses. There was a Palm House filled with palm trees and all of it's relatives and a Tropical Ravine. The Tropical one was glorious! You walked along a balcony that overlooked a dense forest of well tended tropical plants. Water was everywhere and dripped on your face whilst attempting to do artsy photographs. I had fun with the photos. I'm hoping to upload them to the computer and then to a gallery for you all this weekend. Stay tuned!

Matt, who gave us a ride to Belfast, also was very kind and gave us a ride home. When we arrived, I discovered that all groups had left. So what does this mean? Alcohol. Because when a group is on-site, people are on "fire cover" (meaning you are resposible for investigating and evacuating the site in the case of a fire aka no drinking). We walked into town to buy wine and beer and veggie snacks. We played a drinking game using cards called "Circle of Death" though it sounds worse than it is. That is if you play several rounds you will get very drunk. We only played three with about 12 people total.

Then we played Sardines. In the Main House. In the dark. I have not had so much fun since I arrived at Corrymeela.

And that was my week.