Going Places: Day 8: Catching Up (Europe's Largest Hotel / Dublin Nightlife)

I didn't write two days ago for two reasons. 1) It was a relaxing day so we didn't go touring really although we did walk around Randalstown. And 2) I was too tired and lazy. Today though was a lot more touring and interesting anyways!

Yesterday morning we packed up to leave Maureen & Jim's home until Sunday evening. We met up with Carole's cousin Kay and her husband Norman at a Hilton hotel for coffee/tea/juice and scones. Then we left with Kay and Norman for a stop in Belfast on the way to Dublin.

In Belfast, we went to the Titanic Museum, which was so neat. It was also quite a sad museum because the Titanic is definitely a very tragic story. I learned a lot of interesting things about the building, as it was actually built in Belfast. It is thought that it took approximately 3,000 workers to build the Titanic, that there were 8 deaths during construction from work accidents, and that it cost £26 for a First-Class ticket. The Titanic was re-discovered in 1985 by Richard Ballard, and it is now a protected site meaning that it is illegal for anyone to take anything from the shipwreck site.

The average shipbuilding worker (called "Islandmen") made about £150 a year. The Titanic is thought to be one of the three most written about topics in literature today. The other two are Jesus and the American Civil War.

The Titanic, because of its tragic story, began a wave of movie and book inspiration all over the world. Many people sought after autographs of survivors of the wreck, and many survivors became almost celebrities. One of the earliest movies ever made about the Titanic was released in 1929 called Atlantic. The next that came was Cavalcade in 1931, which was widely successful. During the World Wars, the Nazis released a propagated movie about the Titanic making the British out to be greedy, selfish people and the hero being a German Nazi who goes to rescue Third-Class passengers while the ship is sinking.

After the museum, I slept through the entire car ride on the way to Dublin. All 1-1/2 hours of it. We got to the hotel (the Citywest Hotel) we're staying at tonight, which is one of the largest hotels in Europe! It is quite beautiful, with a carpeted grand staircase. (Anyone who knows me knows how I love my grand staircases.) The hotel has a spa, a pool, a bar area, and a restaurant.

Dinner was at a restaurant in downtown Dublin called Tampas Bar & Restaurant, a Spanish restaurant. The food was amazing. And the crepe dessert even better.

After dinner, we went back to the hotel. I watched Alien 3, and I regret it. But I'm alive and well, and I didn't see any aliens.

Today: exploring downtown Dublin.