Yesterday we drove to Liverpool and caught the afternoon flight to Belfast. There’s lots to see here. I got this snap of the Goliath gantry at the Harland and Wolff shipyard from the taxi on the way to our hotel.

We’re staying at a hotel in the Cathedral Quarter. It’s a compact area with lots of bars and restaurants.

This morning we had a wander to the docks on the river Lagan. There are some fine buildings. This is a splendid old hotel.

The ‘Big Fish’ on Donegal Quay.

The Harbour Office.

The Albert Memorial Clock Tower. It is sometimes described as Belfast’s answer to Pisa’s leaning tower, its tilt caused by the fact it is constructed on reclaimed land from the River Farset and its weight of over 2,000 tonnes. To halt the worsening lean and repair damage caused by the elements and heavy passing traffic, a multi-million pound restoration project was completed in 2002 which restored the clock tower to its original glory.

The Seaman’s church.

Much of the docks area has now been redeveloped into shiny offices and apartments. Here is Ireland’s tallest building, the Obel Tower. It is 289 feet tall, with 28 storeys.

Despite all the redevelopment, a few artifacts of the area’s past remain. Clarendon dry dock, which was completed in 1800.

And an old chandler and sailmaker.

The Cathedral Quarter has lots of passages and alleyways between the main streets. Some of them are really nicely decorated.

Needless to say, as a port city Belfast is foodie heaven, particularly if you like fish. We had a lovely dinner in a bar around the corner last night, and we’re looking forward to another this evening.