Anyway, it was very cold up there and so we didn’t fancy going sight-seeing. I wanted to check out a new shopping centre that had recently been built called ‘Victoria Square Shopping Centre’. It was built as part of the regeneration of Belfast and the website looked rather nice. However, when we got there, it was very open plan –i.e. exposed to the icy winds blowing through! I have never been in such a cold shopping centre and it certainly didn’t make me want to stay and shop!
There were some restaurants on the 2nd level – like a Spur, Nandos, Pizza Express and Frankie & Benny’s – and our favourite, a chinese buffet! Of course we had the chinese. Well, it was by far the best chinese buffet we’ve ever had – and we’ve had loads in different cities. The assortment of food was new and tasty – dishes like egg fu yung, bbq pork, chicken satay – which we haven’t found at chinese buffets before. There was also a cold / salad section with things like mackerel, crab salad and various salads. And then there was a dessert section – which we don’t usually find for a lunchtime buffet – banana fritters & syrup, apple strudel and custard, chocolate cake, jelly, ice cream etc. etc. Needless to say, we stuffed ourselves.
Afterwards we went up to a look-out point in the shopping centre which has a glass dome and you can see all around Belfast. Here are some pictures from up there.
See the snow on the mountains in the distance?
We stayed at the Radisson Blu hotel, which is very near to the city centre. The hotel is lovely. We had an amazing suite.
The best part of the hotel was the buffet breakfast in the morning. Just like the Chinese buffet the day before, this was the best breakfast I’ve ever had! You could have as much of anything as you wanted and the selection was quite amazing.
There was at least 5 juices including tomato juice (with Tabasco & Worcester sauce), about 10 different cereals, yoghurt, fresh fruit, ham, salmon, cheese and fresh breads & rolls. Then the pastry selection – there were croissants, custard danish, maple pecan danish, chocolate chip muffins and blueberry muffins – I think I had one of everything and two of some.
some of the pastries I polished off
If you're not too full after that lot, there are still the hot dishes to go. These were sausage, bacon, tomato, mushrooms, baked beans, sautéed potatoes, potato farls, scrambled egg, boiled eggs and black or white pudding. The potato farls (bread) and the white pudding are the traditionally irish parts of the breakfast. The world farl originates from the Gaelic word fardel, meaning four parts. This refers to the way the bread is typically cut and served in quarters. The farls are made of mashed potatoes that have then been fried.
a picture of potato farls - to give you an idea
Anyway, so yes, it was more of an eating trip!
Belfast does have more to offer - its a very historical and cultural city - we just didn't do any of that on this visit. There are some beautiful, old cathedrals. The Titanic was built at a shipyard in Belfast and sailed from there to Southampton where she then left on her maiden voyage on 10 April 1912. And you can take tours to the more political areas, where you can see large murals painted on buildings and walls which depict history and political views.
See two examples of murals painted on the sides of buildings below - one of the Titanic and one of Bobby Sands.
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