Belfast

On Easter weekend, Reuben and I took a trip up to Belfast, Northern Ireland. Our main intent was just to go up and hit the IKEA (the only one on the island), but we ended up on one of the best city bus tours. The tour guide was treating the sensitive subjects of Belfast's history with great humor... there is obviously an attempt here by the city to be viewed as progressive and peaceful. The reality is that there still seems to be a bit of tension in Belfast. The "peace wall" still exists between the Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods (a 40ft tall wall topped with barbed wire), and my co-workers tell me that kids will still throw rocks at your car if they see you have Dublin tags on your car. All of that said, there's a beautiful new mall right in the middle of downtown with high end shops, Ireland's only IKEA and Apple Store, and they're planning an enormous Titanic museum (the Titanic was built in Belfast).

The highlight of the day must have been the amazing display of political murals up and down the Shankill Road.
Click here for Belfast photos

One of the murals - this one not so political