Belfast City Centre

City Hall. The City Hall fronted by Queen Victoria Gardens in front of the City Hall. Gardens between the City Hall and Donegall Place Victoria and Richardson Owden building. Victoria and the Richardson Owden building Belfast Go to another site. has changed out of recognition to a visitor such as myself in the last 30 years. Gone is the grim reality that the troubles laid on the city. Now it is bustling, vibrant yet relaxed, and new buildings decorate its skyline. Go to another site. People wander just as they do in Glasgow or Manchester, and the lack of army and bomb blast protection, so conspicuous in other cities, has returned Belfast to normal - its sad that its politicians are failing to run the place and have to leave it to civil servants; so the troubles still lurk. Facade of the City Hall. City Hall facade Gardens in front of City Hall. The gardens in front of the City Hall offer plenty of space to idle Albert Memorial clock The Albert Memorial clock in Custom House Square Bank building. The Bank Building on Donegall Street from Castle Place Donegall Place and City Hall. Looking up the main shopping street of Donegall Place to the City Hall Electric tourist wagon. Electric wagons run in circles around the city centre, suddenly and silently (bar the on-board hen parties)
popping out of side streets Mural on sports club. Mural on the side of the Ulster Sports Club Queen's Square. Queen's Square by the river Andy Scott's sculpture 'Beacon of Hope'. Thanksgiving Square is dominated by Andy Scott's 'Beacon of Hope' The sculpture in stainless steel and bronze is over 60 feet high (20 metres) Sculpture in stainless steel. Basically it shows a female figure offering symbols Go to another site. to suit all tastes Explanatory plaque in Thanksgiving square. A plaque explains some of the interwoven symbols Looking up the River Lagan. View up the River Lagan by the Waterfront Looking down the River Lagan. View down the River Lagan to the weir The weir by Queen's Square. Weir on the Lagan by Queen's Square The big fish and the weir. The 'Big Fish' Go to another site. and the weir on the Lagan. This ceramic mosaic was constructed by John Kindness and celebrates the re-vitalisation of the river Bridge and gulls. A flock of gulls near Queen's Square Big fish and tourists. A flock of tourists by the Big Fish Big Fish and tourists with H + W behind. A photo that says much about contemporary Belfast. Modern sculpture, tourist boom, clean river, but always in the background reminders of a past, here it is H+W (Harland + Wolff) a name conjuring too many ghosts that may not yet be laid to rest Next week's page takes you to warmer climes; to central Vietnam and the tourist town of Hội An where the temperature varies between 27 and 33 for nearly all the year. The Japanese Bridge in Hoi An. line
Saturday 13th January 2018 Murphy on duty

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