Sunny and coolish
Today started slowly – we had booked a taxi tour for 11am so we took it easy, and I blogged and we took time to do quiet things.
The taxi tour is about the political history of Ireland, Belfast, Britain.
I never really understood what the conflict in Belfast was about. Finally we understand! Dermott outlined what happened and where it is today. Black Taxi Tour included Shankill Road and Falls Road to see the murals of the troubles that occurred here. We saw the infamous Peaceline, a wall built to keep Nationalists and Loyalists apart and in the process divided the communities. Also, the women who were involved in the troubles – separate from the men.
We went to the Eileen Hickey Irish Republican History Museum. https://eileenhickeymuseum.com
You can drive around the long way.
Some tension remains but most people just want to get on with their lives peacefully.
The themes of most of the murals is human rights. The catholics support the Palestinians and the Protestants support the Israelis. The women who were imprisoned during the troubles used large handkerchiefs with notes written on them like letters from their loved ones who visited them. There are numerous examples in the Women’s museum.
The image on the left wall is a handkerchief signed by all the women in the prison. There is a folder full of examples with messages of hope and later political messages from the outside to the prisoners.
A very enlightening and very thought provoking tour. Glad we did it.
Travellers, Not Tourists - my time and travels around the world and in my own backyard! 