Day 1- Belfast

We like to live life dangerously.... flying on broken planes and running full speed through airports.  After a three and a half hour delay in Phoenix, they fixed our plane and re-boarded everyone.  We landed in Chicago at 2:52pm, our flight for Dublin was leaving at 3:50... we felt a sense of urgency, but not rushed.  The airport tram that takes you to the international terminal was outside security....

OUTSIDE SECURITY!  

Meaning that when we got to the international terminal we would have to go through security again!  Now we felt rushed.  We got to the security line at the international terminal at 3:30 and the line was looooooooooooong.  While standing in line they announced the final boarding call for our flight.  There was no way we were going to make it.  Then they asked any passengers in line booked on the Dublin flight to raise their hands... they plucked us out of line, rushed us to the front, where we frantically tore off our shoes and jackets, ran through security, and were told by the gate attendant to RUN down the hallway to the gate.  And ran we did!  We were the last passengers to board the flight.  PHEW!  We made it!  

We made it to Belfast today.  We walked through the Royal Gardens at the Queens University,

 went to the Ulster Museum

(Egyptian mummy at museum)

 and took a black cab tour.  The black cab was the best part of the day!  It drove us through the Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods of Belfast which, to this day, are divided by walls, barbed wire and metal gates.  The neighborhoods have a curfew, and the gates close each night at 7pm and open each morning at 7am, to try and keep the violence down.  Both sides keep to their own, not crossing over the line unless it’s to throw a pipe bomb or murder someone.... it’s very eye opening to be here.  The neighborhoods paint famous murals on the walls depicting  the political stance of each side. 

Wall separating neighborhoods

Some people paint peace murals on the separating walls.  Our driver gave us a marker to write on this peace wall.  

We are staying near the Queens University, which seems to be pretty neutral territory (neither predominately protestant or catholic).  

It has been a long 48 hours.  It feels like we haven't slept for a week! Tomorrow we head up to the coast!