A lake









Part of a country park





Flowers outside restaurants





An old lady attending a drawing class

It was a summer course on monochrome drawing run in an art museum. Students ranging from kids to the aged sat in a big circle with a model standing in the centre. This lady told me that she was seventy years old (and jokingly asked me not to tell others),that she was also a teacher and that this course helped her to brush up on her artistic skills.

Construction

The cranes dot the sky. So,the implied construction sites tell us that Ireland is enjoying a robust economy.

A street lamp

Oh, how I love the design of their street lamps!

Street lamps





A bridge

Even the bridge is an art work!

A sculpture in the street

The sculpture was put there on the eve of the new millennium.

A block of restaurants

This block is in the bar area.



Guess what it is.





What about this one?





An ancient house

It is inside a tourist spot.



A metal globe in a Dublin university





The waterfront

I don't know the name of this thing. It reminds me of the opening scene of the film "the French Lieutenant's Woman." I was really thrilled walking along it. Most people, including me, bought snacks such as an ice-cream nearby before ascending it. Quite a number of people were enjoying water sports such as sailing that day. It is the first time I have ever seen people sailing live. A man yelled out for customers to a boat trip to the nearby outlying island. He was gone when I was on my way back. It must be very cold there in winter as the breeze was pretty strong even in summer days.

Crows

Not a day passed without the piercing chats of crows. Wherever I was, some were there. Now I realize how accurately the Chinese word for crows portrays their dark looks and coarse voice. Luckily Hong Kong is not a favourite place of theirs.

Paper bags

I have never seen such gorgeous paper bags. You would think you were in a Tokyo department store! But of course, they are very expensive!

Birthday cards

Simply amazing and thoughtful! Cards literally for people of all ages.

A birthday CD

How touching and educational as well! The most meaningful birthday present for a person who cares about history.

Bookshop in the Irish Writers' Museum

I bought "Collected Works of Oscar Wilde" here. The adjacent restaurant serves great soup!

Books

I would these books if they were available in Hong kong.

A funny title. Based on what criteria?

The West Side Story is boring to me, but Natalie Wood is certainly a beauty.

How many Chinese students or Chinese people have read the original version? It is a delight to find a classic of your country to be introduced to a foreign country as a school reader. You can't help admiring the choice of the local education department. Their students are fortunate to be exposed to classics of different countries.

The kettle in the hotel room

One of the things I like most about Ireland is that a kettle is put in each hotel room to make it possible for guests to get boiled water. Hot water is especially important to me.

A poster on a play to be staged in Abbey Theatre,Belfast

I went to a play, which was also written by Oscar Wilde. I bought several books of collected works by him as well. Very thick books!

An ancient-style hotel

Wow! I wish I had chosen this hotel, which is actually just a three star. A journey in the time tunnel.

Bono

This is one of the best things I bought during this visit. He talks about his charity work for AIDS patients in Africa, life, religion, social affairs, music business, etc. A thought-provoking book for thinking people. Please refer to my essay on this book.

A book on punctuation

Last year, a colleague of mine introduced the title to me. I also read a review on it. I didn't buy a copy as copies may be available in H K. A panda eats shoots and leaves. A panda eats, shoots and leaves. A comma makes a big difference.

Street drawing, opposite the main entrance of a Dublin university

They had just started their work when I happened to pass by. I asked them the name of the picture. The man said he had no idea, that he had drawn too many big paintings and that he had turned to cheaper ones. In the summer of 97 when I was in Cambridge (taking a summer course), I also saw this kind of art practice. I planned to return later on to see their finished work, but then I forgot. Actually a few strokes already showed his artistic talent.

Bas-relief on the wall of a building

Magnificient works of art on the walls! However, there was only me spending time in front of it. Was it just because it was too early for tourists? My camera and I were nearly swept upside down by the morning wind. I was really lucky to have been able to hold the camera firmly above my head.

It is actually a law firm! Can you believe that?









A river in the centre of Dublin

The river is flanked by beautiful buildings.

On the train bound for Belfast from Dublin

Each journey is about two hours. (or two and a half) The train on both ends leaves five to six times every day.

Belfast houses



Opera House, Belfast





View from the Parliament, Belfast




A department store, Belfast

Lots of department stores there are housed in ancient buildings

A street, Belfast





Bell Tower, Belfast





Cathedral,Belfast





A shop for the aged

While I was wandering in the street, an old lady came up and asked me if I was an ethnic Chinese in Ke Jia, a dialect of Southern China. It really took me by surprise. She wanted me to show her the way to the nearest branch of Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. I told her I was just a tourist. Then I went into this shop for help. The assistants had no idea either, but later on they managed to find the address in a telephone directory. They also sent for a taxi for us. While we were waiting for the taxi, I asked her why she did not ask her family to come along. She said her children are all in London, but then she said she stayed with a daughter. She came from a village in the far north of Hong Kong, which happens to be less than an hour's drive from my neighbourhood. I wonder how she can survive with no English other than 'thank you'. I waved goodbye when she was safe in the taxi.

A veteran soldier, Belfast

This gentleman greeted me when I entered the War Museum in Belfast. He asked me where I came from. My reply was naturally Hong Kong. The next question was which part. "Hong Kong. What do you mean by which part?" I said laughingly thinking that he never heard of our city. His next question really took me by surprise. "Kowloon?" Now I understood and so I said,"The New Territories." "Which part?" This time I said,"Sheung Shui." "Is it near Fanling?" That is the most exciting answer I have ever heard during overseas travel, especially from a local. Without hesitation, I said,"Yes, yes, it's next to it!" He married a lady from Guangzhou in the City Hall in Central, Hong Kong, in the forties. He is going to come to H K on 1st November later this year (2005) as his 56-year-old eldest daughter,a teacher, has never been here. His son is a high-ranking civil servant, who often travels around the world. "He's very smart, like his mum!" His grandson has just passed an exam on accountancy. So, a family with respectable jobs. He tried in vain to show me a newspaper photo with him on any of the display boards. He had been to many places including India and Burma during war time. I had forgotten that this year is the 60th anniversay of the ending of the WWII, otherwise I would have asked him more about his experiences. Before I left, I took a photo of him. "It's a good photo,"he said when he saw the digital screen. He said he had never taken a photo properly in the Museum. I haven't sent him a hard copy yet. I thought of giving him my e-mail address so that his daughter can contact me when they come to H K later. But finally I didn't.

Belfast flags

The Sinn Feinn office is nearby. This is the area where most Catholics live.



Bobby Sand

An IRA member who died in a hunger strike.

Sinn Feinn





Sinn Feinn office





Jerry Adams, a prominent leader of Sinn Feinn

Another important book bought there. Please refer to my book review.

Murals appealing for peace





















































Residential areas

I joined a two-hour tour to the city including the mural areas. I asked the driver-cum tour guided whether people chose to live there for political reasons. He said they just live there generation after generation like what other people do in other areas. As simple as that.

Answer: Pencil cases

Conclusion

Why did I choose to visit Ireland? For its geographical position. Over last few years, my summer visits to most parts of Europe proved to be unbearably hot. That's why I decided to escape to the far north. I knew very little about Ireland except for the notorious IRA. A travel agent said he didn't what is worth seeing in Belfast. Despite the huge expenses on plane tickets (HK$9,000 plus) and hotel rooms (HK$800-$1,000 a night), I went ahead. I stayed in North Star Hotel in Dublin, and Days Hotel in Belfast, which I booked on line.Both hotels are opposite train stations. That meant a lot to me considering the weight of books I bought there.            I'm glad my choice was right. Both cities are beautiful. Belfast, in particular, is full of pleasant surprises. Its centre is much smaller than that of Dublin and has less to offer in terms of quantity. Yet, it is like a minute but sparkling jewel. You can't believe you are actually in the place which is associated with nothing but IRA bombing in TV news reports. It is like a soft-spoken elegant young lady waiting to be understood. Their antique-like buildings are well-preserved. Once you step inside, your eyes will be very busy. You would think you were in Tokyo stores. The designs are simply impressive. "It's nothing like what I expected. So fighting is not a daily routine," I said to a staff member of a member. She replied,"No, of course not. Violence is just found among a small group of people in a small part." She added that things are often exaggerated. "You don't say that just to tourists, do you?" I joked. Once when I was chatting with a local tourism staff, I expressed similar amazement at the peacefulness of this city and suggested that their government should do more promotion overseas. She thanked me and suggested I tell my friends when I am back. I have already done that and I will go on doing that.            If you are a thinking person interested in literature and world affairs, this is the right place for you. I did't know that Bernard Shaw and Oscar Wilde were Irish. (I read Dubliners a long time ago, but didn't immediately remember James Joyce being an Irish.) And so are Bono and Geldof. I wouldn't have known anything about Bono without this trip. His book is so rich in thoughts. Belfast and IRA made me think a lot. I came to realize that you cannot fully trust or rely on news reports to understand a place. Reality and reports could be worlds apart. But of course you need enough money to see the truth. And then IRA and terrorism. Most ordinary people want peace. But then you must get to the root of some terrorist acts to be able to give impartial judgements. Nothing is as simple and straighforward as black and white or what it is seen. Jerry Adams' autobiography gives me some insight into the rise of IRA and terrorism as a whole.            There were two things that disappointed me. Construction was underway in the heart of Dublin at that time. In Belfast Many of their famous museums were not open until August and I was there in July. Even some public toilets were closed unbelievably. Well, nothing is perfect. What I have learnt from this trip is two-fold: First, see things for yourself before you give any judgement. Second, there are stories behind terrorism, which is actually a good starting point to understanding many political problems.