Belfast New Years Eve, Amy’s Bed and Breakfast and Safa Indian restaurant,

In true BBC form due to situations beyond our control we had to change our program, this meant going to Belfast on New Year’s Eve instead of spending it with Bob in Kilkeel. We booked in a B&B on the Antrim Road, Amy’s Guest House, it was a small, clean affair in an Edwardian terraced house, it had recently had some renovations done and a slap of paint, though there was still some work to be done (the en-suite door was very ill fitting) it was well worth the money. 

We arrived and Nick the owner was on duty, he had given his “girls” the New Year off, he is a dried out alcoholic, so as he said, “it was better to stay out of the way of temptation”. He showed us to our room,which was small with the bed taking up most of the space, though I have been in smaller cabins at sea, it wasn't much bigger, but for a couple of nights it would be more than adequate.  

There was a small newly furnished en-suite, it would do us for our main reason for being there which was to be near to the Stena Terminal for the ferry to Cairn Ryan the next morning and still central to town.  Down in the residents lounge/dining room  Nick made us a smashing pot of tea, showed us the workings of the TV and after answering our queries about buses into town and a Taxi the next morning left us to our own devises.

On the ground floor, adjacent to lounge/dining room is a well equipped kitchen which Nick said we were at liberty to use.

We decided as it was New Year’s Eve to head into town on the bus, there is a stop just across the road at the corner of Cliftonville Road and Antrim Road, this takes you straight into the centre of Belfast, we hopped onto the number 12A paid the 3 quid each and were soon set down on Royal Avenue. In front of us was the well adorned, tastefully, in its Christmas lights. 

Friends who live and work in Belfast had informed us that Safa was a very good Indian restaurant and was very central, we found Bank Street and a light trail set into the pavement led us to the famous Kelly’s traditional Irish pub, next door and upstairs was Safa Indian Restaurant

We were cordially greeted at the door, inquired if we had a reservation (were these the wrong sort of Indians?). Answering no, he consulted his large diary and seating plan and gave us a nice table for two not far from the door. Inquiries as to what we would like to drink, saying they had Kingfisher beer on tap. We were presented with the menu, this is quite extensive and covers most of the foods from the Indian sub-continent, but what hit me right between the eyes was “goat”, but before I could inquire my hopes were dashed, sorry sir but there is no goat on the menu, it is out of season,the goat-meat  that is supplied in Northern Europe is kid that was born in early spring, raised throughout the summer and slaughtered in autumn, this was very late December so I was out of luck. “But we do  have some very nice lamb, sir” came the offer. So we ordered our meals.

Papadoms to start for both of us, this came with three dishes consisting of a light vegetable pickle, a mango chutney and a spiced yoghurt dish.

Next the true starters : A mixed platter for two consisting of onion bhajee’s, chicken and lamb tikka pieces, Samosa's, spiced chicken wings and small kebabs.  All very well cooked and tasting fantastic.

For the mains: I had ordered the lamb tikka cooked in the tandoor oven, it was succulent pieces of Irish lamb, perfectly seasoned, this was accompanied by a vegetable tandoori sauce, perfect absolutely perfect.

Linda had ordered a chicken Balti, which she said was also perfectly cooked and the chicken was butter soft without falling apart, with the sauce had just the right amount of heat (for her). 

We had plain boiled rice, a chapatti and an onion and garlic Naan as the accompaniment.

The waiter service was perfect, it was prompt and well organised, very friendly without being overbearing, just a polite” is everything to your liking” a couple of times. The whole bill came to 65 quid for the two of us, now that was a gift.

We decided to have a look in next door at Kelly's Cellars, we walk along the outside passing a fella having a fag, he said in a broad Belfast accent ”aye get yersels insoid noy, ter’s a waam foyer and gud Craic in tear”, we took him at his word, so inside we went, it was quite full and most of the tables were taken, but we managed to squeeze onto a couple of seats at the table nearest the door, I ordered a pint of the black stuff for me and a gin and tonic for Linda, plonked them on the table and just then the chap that had accosted us outside, came back in from his fag break, and seeing us said with a twinkle in his eye,” I tol yi a liddle loy abaut ti foyer”. But the Craic was good and though they had no live music, the canned music was great, something for all tastes, from fiddle and pipe to modern cat-a wailing. The clientele was as varied as the music, flat capped and over coated wizen old knackers  to high heeled scantily dressed young fillies a veritable mixture of Belfast night life, what a wonderful place, a must for visitors to Belfast.

We decided to move on to the Titanic Quarter, but before we reached there, Linda needed, urgently, the little girls room, so we back tracked to a bar we had seen a few minutes earlier, The Garrick Bar

this is a real old bar with cut-glass mirrors and hanging chandeliers, well-kept and so Linda ordered us drinks and promptly disappeared to the toilets, we found a couple of seats in the well frequented but not overfull bar and savoured our drinks while pondering what to do next, we decided that we would head back to the B&B and watch the New Year in on the tele. We grabbed a cab and in next to no time we were back on the Antrim Road and our B&B.

Linda wanted to watch something on TV so I went up to our room, and switched on my PC, to read my e-mails and catch up with the news via skype from my daughter who is back packing in Laos (following in her fathers footsteps). I then decided to stream tv and just then it was time for Mrs Browns Boys film and then Jules Holland Hootenanny, Linda came up and we started watching it together, I must say I did not see in the New Year as I was fast asleep by that time.

Next morning we had decided on no breakfast s, we were travelling Stena Plus and would eat on board, Nick had actually taken 10 quid off for not taking breakfast.  The taxi arrived as ordered and it was off and in plenty of time for the ferry (Linda likes to be super punctual).

A good night was had in Belfast, I do believe that I would do it again if catching the early ferry as it means it is stress free, though I will also say if travelling only to Ireland I would prefer to travel via the France to Rosslare ferry, it is much more civilised, cuts out the England crossing with the Oscar wild, the Oscar Wilde is a fantastic ferry with excellent meals, though saying that, the DFDS from Newcastle to Ijmuiden (Amsterdam) also has very nice restaurants on board and I do get to see my sister only 15 minutes from the DFDS terminal at North Shields.

We had a safe journey from Linda’s brothers, where we had left the car across the breadth of the UK (Port Logan to Backworth), stayed the night at my sisters, went shopping for a few necessaries at the local Morrison’s and caught the ferry the next day.

We had a nice meal onboard, then decided to have an early night and have a read and I done a bit of writing up for my blog. There were a few bangs and crunches as the vessel ploughed through the Troughs and over the peaks, but I slept through it,  it would seem that Linda did not.

Next morning I was up early and caught the watery sun coming up over the North Sea as we approached the coast of Holland. If I have a long journey ahead of me I never eat breakfast as if do then I have to take my diabetic medicament, this can cause a violent bowl movement 2 hours later, it is not nice if caught between service stations. So I tend to starve myself instead, Linda had a continental breakfast and read her book.

The Blue Ribbon Restaurant

Blue Ribbon Restaurant Menu

The Explorer Restaurant Breakfast Buffet, but not for me!

The breaking dawn over the North Sea

The Bar and lounge area

Entrance to Ijmuiden Harbour

The Fort Island at the river mouth

We arrived on time, docked

From there is only the journey across Holland and North Germany and Home.

THE TITANIC EXPERIENCE

Our Shipyard visit

During the following days we visited Belfast and went to the Titanic Exhibition. I had read a lot about it and it had very good press, this added to Ivan a family friend saying it was a must,this finally made our minds up.
The exhibition is encased in a building, which really does have the Wow factor; I would put it in a class not far behind the Sydney Opera House and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.

It is built at the head of the slipway on which the Titanic and the Olympic where built in 1909-10. A massive Arrol gantry was built like a steel ribbed corset along and above the slipways; this made the building of the two mighty ships much easier and quicker than in previous builds.

We first went inside and got our tickets as we had an hour to spare we  then went outside and had a look at the mighty slipways (now-a-days many of the great tankers are not launched but built in a covered graving dock).

The bows of the ship would have been about at the front entrance door and some of the original slipway and tracks are still in place. The modern lighting pillars stand in the position once occupied by the lattice steel Arrol gantry supporting towers.

Towards the position of the stern is a replica of the poop, this would not have been built when the launch took place, but is there for reference, this looks out into the specially dredged Victoria channel.

 

The ground where the original slipways had been is now marked out to show the size of the ships and also the position of the few life boats and the four massive funnels. It was a bit chilly so Linda and her Dad popped in to have a cup of coffee and a bite to eat.

 

Inside the impressive building you get to the ticket booths (advisable to book in advance as when we went it was booked out for the next 4 days). The hallway is dominated by the mighty chandelier suspended in the centre of the building

The inside of the building has been constructed so that you are led through the whole of its life from the conception through the keel laying to the construction, to the fitting out, to the sailing and its sinking. But the story doesn’t finish there as there is a very well put together visual section that shows and explains the search and eventual discovery of the might liner lying in her final resting place.

The replica Arrol gantry that serves as a lift to start you off on your journey through the Harland and Wolf shipyard 

 

 

The drawing office, very similar in layout to the one I worked in while serving my apprenticeship, we wore white smock coats thank goodness

 

I served my Engineering apprenticeship in a shipyard on the Tyne, this was at a time when many of the building practises such as riveting, caulking, steam triple expansion engines were nearing the end of their days, but luckily I did work on ships that still had to be maintained and repaired using these time old processes, it took me back to my youth almost 50 years ago.

Wonderful, it was so vivid, so real; it was as if I had been whisked back through time. The “Shipyard Ride” is a wonderful adventure in itself, passing through the wonderland of a shipyard without any of the dangers, noise and smells.

If you have ever worked in a double bottom, like the one above you will know what noise is, the riveting and hammering goes on all the time from the start of the shift until the end, there is no respite and no end to the din.

 

There was also a large display showing the cabins, there fittings and the different classes, some the toffs of the turn of the century.

The Bridge with its paraphernalia and the last messages to be sent after striking the iceberg.

 It was for me one of the highlights of this holiday and will live long in my memory, I could have spent another couple of hours just wandering and looking at all of the fantastic exhibits and visual displays. From the hemp for the hawsers and ropes, to Gallaher's snuff, the ticket punches and the advertising of the period.
 

 

Well done Belfast, I will certainly visit again, it was well worth the 9 quid (over sixty does have its advantage and as Bob paid it cost me nowt).

 

 

Some of the large and small vessels built in the once proud shipyard, the gates that the hoards of workmen once poured through at the start of each day are now to be admired in part of the experience.

We headed for home and got some fish and chips at the Pit Stop in Kilkeel, I’d dropped Linda and her dad off, and so when I got home, the tea was ready and the bread and butter.

I then set about finished off some of my Blogg

and Bob watched the footy on TV

Well it's hard graft doing a couple of shifts in the Shipyard!!!