Belfast 2024

[krtek a houby]

Any recommendations for two days in the city?

There's a few Belfast threads but not up to date, afaics. It's been a long, long time since visited.

Things of interest would be, alternative culture, bookshops, cafe's, historical, pubs... wanting to avoid the loyalist vibes. That said, did go down the Shankill previously.

Many thanks in advance!

 

[Pickman's model]

Any recommendations for two days in the city?

There's a few Belfast threads but not up to date, afaics. It's been a long, long time since visited.

Things of interest would be, alternative culture, bookshops, cafe's, historical, pubs... wanting to avoid the loyalist vibes. That said, did go down the Shankill previously.

Many thanks in advance!

Maybe see if there's a city tour, might give you a glimpse of some things you'd like to return to

 

[kalidarkone]

I recommend the mural/ political taxi tour.

BELFAST FAMOUS BLACK TAXI TOURS - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go

www.tripadvisor.co.uk

 

[Bus Honeygun]

For music and craft beer, I'd recommend Ulster Sports Club/Out of Office Brewing. I'm a total outsider, but I was still tickled by all their ULSTER SAYS YEEOO merch in English and Irish as well as the brews and beats.

More beers: Boundary Brewing are excellent and the Bullhouse East tap nearby is pretty good too. Again, being a total outsider, was surprised to see they were so close/in the midst of loyalist east Belfast. My evening walk there from the city centre was an eye-opener, I can tell you.

Linen Hall library is really interesting for radical history.

 

[kalidarkone]

For music and craft beer, I'd recommend Ulster Sports Club/Out of Office Brewing. I'm a total outsider, but I was still tickled by all their ULSTER SAYS YEEOO merch in English and Irish as well as the brews and beats.

More beers: Boundary Brewing are excellent and the Bullhouse East tap nearby is pretty good too. Again, being a total outsider, was surprised to see they were so close/in the midst of loyalist east Belfast. My evening walk there from the city centre was an eye-opener, I can tell you.

Linen Hall library is really interesting for radical history.

Why was it an eye opener?

 

[Bus Honeygun]

Why was it an eye opener?

Picture the scene: a freezing cold and foggy Sunday evening in the middle of winter. Just became suddenly aware that after leaving the city centre there was nobody else walking along the street, all the shops had metal shutters and seemingly every corner had a mural of gunmen in balaclavas or something similar. I'd been to NI previously so was used to some of that but this was a tad full-on.

Kept on checking Google Maps in a 'am I really going in the right direction?' way and sure enough, right opposite some pub covered in Union Jacks and Rangers crap, is the taproom of one of the best breweries in these isles right now, full of friendly youngish folk and some visiting Belgian craft brewers, with Pavement and The Smiths playing over the PA. Weird to me, anyway. I guess such things co-exist these days.

 

[kalidarkone]

Picture the scene: a freezing cold and foggy Sunday evening in the middle of winter. Just became suddenly aware that after leaving the city centre there was nobody else walking along the street, all the shops had metal shutters and seemingly every corner had a mural of gunmen in balaclavas or something similar. I'd been to NI previously so was used to some of that but this was a tad full-on.

Kept on checking Google Maps in a 'am I really going in the right direction?' way and sure enough, right opposite some pub covered in Union Jacks and Rangers crap, is the taproom of one of the best breweries in these isles right now, full of friendly youngish folk and some visiting Belgian craft brewers, with Pavement and The Smiths playing over the PA. Weird to me, anyway. I guess such things co-exist these days.

I must say that I found Belfast one of the strangest and silently oppressive places I have ever been to. Like a kind of weird stepford vibe. I felt it in Belfast and in the countryside, right up to Port Rush.

No one was rude or out of order, but everyone stared. Hard. (I do get stared at a lot anyway , but this was next level) However, once I started chatting to people - usually outside a pub, having a smoke, I found the NI people warm and friendly. Breaking the ice was work though. Alcohol definitely greased those wheels.

Despite being of Northern Irish Protestant decent (My dad) I purposefully stayed in a Catholic area. It felt safer for me, a black woman.
It was a weird time as well- June and the the ridiculously tall pyres were being built in prep for July.

I ventured into East Belfast, on the way the burnt out flats a stark warning to any immigrants/refugees/asylum seekers. (The cab driver had said that this was loylist activity) to visit my auntie who gave me quite a unwelcome reception. (It had been a long time and I was a 44 year old large black punk) .

I also got told by the excellent taxi tour guide that I may not be permitted into bars or restaurants as I had a hole in my fishnets .

 

[Bus Honeygun]

I must say that I found Belfast one of the strangest and silently oppressive places I have ever been to. Like a kind of weird stepford vibe. I felt it in Belfast and in the countryside, right up to Port Rush.

No one was rude or out of order, but everyone stared. Hard. (I do get stared at a lot anyway , but this was next level) However, once I started chatting to people - usually outside a pub, having a smoke, I found the NI people warm and friendly. Breaking the ice was work though. Alcohol definitely greased those wheels.

Despite being of Northern Irish Protestant decent (My dad) I purposefully stayed in a Catholic area. It felt safer for me, a black woman.
It was a weird time as well- June and the the ridiculously tall pyres were being built in prep for July.

I ventured into East Belfast, on the way the burnt out flats a stark warning to any immigrants/refugees/asylum seekers. (The cab driver had said that this was loylist activity) to visit my auntie who gave me quite a unwelcome reception. (It had been a long time and I was a 44 year old large black punk) .

I also got told by the excellent taxi tour guide that I may not be permitted into bars or restaurants as I had a hole in my fishnets .

I was also a bit wary before I first visited, being Sephardi Jewish and dark, plus I wear a lot of black clothes, but had no bother. I generally stuck to modern, 21st century NI, though, as mentioned above, on this visit. Previous one was with my wife and teenage daughter, and wherever I go in the world I'm always struck by how much nicer people are when you're travelling as a family, not as a lone, middle-aged weirdo.

 

[krtek a houby]

Am hesitant about it because the better half is east Asian, but at the same time we've had grief in several countries from the occasional idiots, so it's unfortunately nothing new.

Anyways, she knows not to wear her Ireland jerseys when we're out and about there

 

[bcuster]

Is there still Catholic vs Protestant antagonism?

 

[Elpenor]

Believe belboid visited very recently ?

 

[kalidarkone]

Is there still Catholic vs Protestant antagonism?

It's a class issue and tale of inequality that runs super deep. The answer depends on who you talk to.

Ime middle class folk from a Protestant background who no longer live in NI have told me no because there is now more investment in property and business then ever. However these are the same people that have the benefit of opportunities, stability and economic security that the working class from a Catholic background did not. So I do think there is something about the NI Protestant middle class not recognising their privilege. However I had these conversations a decade ago so my assumption may be wrong or out of date. Although a decade is not long.

 

[krtek a houby]

Thanks to everyone who's responded, some great suggestions - please keep them coming.

 

[Rimbaud]

Don't know if you've had your trip already but climbing Cave Hill and visiting the Castle is nice. Your other half might appreciate the high tea there.

Other than that, doing a mural tour is quite interesting. The murals in New Lodge Estate are also really cool and it feels quite edgy but the tours generally don't go there.

 

[krtek a houby]

Don't know if you've had your trip already but climbing Cave Hill and visiting the Castle is nice. Your other half might appreciate the high tea there.

Other than that, doing a mural tour is quite interesting. The murals in New Lodge Estate are also really cool and it feels quite edgy but the tours generally don't go there.

All noted, cheers for the suggestions! Not off til June.

 

[petee]

see if you can find Revol68

 

[krtek a houby]

see if you can find Revol68

Is that a bar?

 

[petee]

Is that a bar?

Immaterial services and material commodities.

Thought I'd make a new thread for this instead of derailing the other one on tips for reading Capital. On the issue of commodities having to be material, Mandel in the intro to Vol 2 makes the claim that services such as prostitution, teaching etc are not commodities because they aren't...

www.urban75.net

 

[krtek a houby]

Immaterial services and material commodities.

Thought I'd make a new thread for this instead of derailing the other one on tips for reading Capital. On the issue of commodities having to be material, Mandel in the intro to Vol 2 makes the claim that services such as prostitution, teaching etc are not commodities because they aren't...

www.urban75.net

Oh, ok. Lots of dwyer in there. Presumably revol68 is the good guy.

 

[petee]

Oh, ok. Lots of dwyer in there. Presumably revol68 is the good guy.

of those two, yes.

 

[jimbarkanoodle]

There is a gaggle of good pubs in the centre, Kelly's and Madden's which are Irish and Sunflower which I found to be pleasingly progressive, a young crowd that have grown up post peace agreement dominated, with some openly gay patrons that probably wouldn't have been tolerated in Belfast even 20 years ago (and sadly still wouldn't be in some parts, mainly the pubs with Rangers and Israel flags outside ).

An interesting and affordable thing to do is visit the old Crumlin Gaol, which is a full scale Victorian prison turned museum. Very good audio tour including a visit to the old execution room.

Don't be afraid to visit the pubs down The Falls Road. There might be Republican material plastered on the walls, but they won't bite unless your an arsehole or start mouthing off about the troubles.

 

[krtek a houby]

There is a gaggle of good pubs in the centre, Kelly's and Madden's which are Irish

Don't be afraid to visit the pubs down The Falls Road. There might be Republican material plastered on the walls, but they won't bite unless your an arsehole or start mouthing off about the troubles.

Cheers. As Belfast is an Irish city in Ireland, all the pubs are Irish. And as an Irish person who believes in a 32 county Republic, such pubs are fine.

 

[jimbarkanoodle]

Cheers. As Belfast is an Irish city in Ireland, all the pubs are Irish. And as an Irish person who believes in a 32 county Republic, such pubs are fine.

I am likewise.

 

[Thaw]

I thought the Ulster-Scots centre was worth a look, and its pretty central near the Cathedral Quarter and The MAC

Discover Ulster Scots Centre | Attractions, Indoor attractions, Museums | Visit Belfast

The Discover Ulster-Scots Centre offers information displays and free educational literature on Ulster-Scots heritage, plus a presentation space and gift shop.

visitbelfast.com

 

[krtek a houby]

Just to add, Bittles bar is the absolute best. Not as beautiful as The Crown, but full of heart.

 

[krtek a houby]

Just to add, Bittles bar is the absolute best. Not as beautiful as The Crown, but full of heart.

Kelly's Cellar, though

 

[krtek a houby]

Linen Hall library is really interesting for radical history.

Thanks for the recommendation, we visited this morning.