Today was our last full day in Belfast. We started out the day at the Belfast Zoo. It was about a 20 minute Uber north of our hotel and felt like a ghost town when we pulled up. There were very few cars in the parking lot. The staff greeted us by telling us that both cafes were closed for the day. For a while I thought we were the only ones in the zoo but as time went on, we ran into a few families here and there and eventually some young school children.

We saw a bunch of different animals like penguins, sea lions, giraffes, monkeys, chimps, alpacas, lions, bears, and more. In one of the indoor monkey enclosures, we walked in and saw one adult and one baby. When the baby saw us, it ran out to the outdoor section, rounded up its family, and brought them back to where we were. It was too adorable. All the little ones started bouncing off the walls and were literally swinging across the enclosure using the adult monkeys tails as swings. It felt like they were waiting all day for some company.
The penguins were almost equally entertaining. A couple of them were zooming around the water as if they were trying out for Sea World. They were definitely trying to show off.

One of the last animals we saw were the lions. As we walked up the hill to see them, they were at the edge of their enclosure staring at us like they were waiting. Matt got way too excited and started making a lot of animal noises. The lion and two lionesses were pacing back and forth for several minutes. Matt continued teasing them with weird noises. Just then one of the lionesses locked her eyes on him. She walked up to the front of the cage as close to him as possible, peed, and then wiped her paws in the dirt. She walked back keeping her gaze on him. Then Matt pretended to also mark his territory and wipe his feet on the concrete. The lioness was still locked on him. “You’d better stop.” I told him. He didn’t.
Seconds later Matt realized he had 3 lions staring at him. “Alright we can go.” He suggested. As we walked away, we heard lion growls getting louder and louder. A family passing us going towards the lions looked bewildered trying to figure out if it was the lions being so vocal. “They don’t like him,” I say, pointing to Matt. They giggle and continue up the hill. Just behind them was a group of school children also going to see the lions. Matt wasn’t ready to say goodbye so after a few minutes, we turn back upward. The family we saw tell Matt the lions have been happy since he left. We all laugh as the lions threw themselves into the grass for an afternoon nap. Matt apologized to the lions for previously taunting them and then we headed toward the exit once and for all.

We were picked up in the parking lot by our black taxi tour. Our driver had been living in Belfast his entire life and therefore experienced a lot of the turmoil. He took us to different parts of town showing us murals and memorial gardens for both sides. For about two hours, he shared so much about the history of Northern Ireland, wars, British occupation and how the city is currently divided. It was eye opening to see how many civilians have died from the conflict.

Even now, with all the “peace” walls, Catholics and Protestants do not mix. He told us how each side doesn’t cross over into the opposite neighborhood as they have no business to. There are so many gates between neighborhoods and during the evenings the gates are closed. Cameras are constantly monitoring the divide between neighborhoods. Our driver said the last census was the first time the catholic population in Northern Ireland exceeded the Protestant population. He feels within the next 10 years there will be even more Catholics and a big possibility that Ireland will unite.

After our tour we headed to the mall for some shopping. It didn’t last for too long before closing at 6 pm. Matt picked up some clothes from brands I’ve never heard of.

Dinner tonight was at Holohan’s restaurant which seems to be very popular here. We had delicious “boxtys” which were yummy meals in gravy wrapped with a fried bread/oversized taco shell. Mine was chicken and mushroom and Matt’s was seafood. They were both very good!


After dinner we walked back to the hotel. Part of our walk was down an alley way with what seems like a bunch of abandoned dorms. There weren’t many streetlights either. But everyone else that walked down that alleyway seemed to have the same mindset of just walk through quickly and don’t talk to anyone. This part of town is mostly students anyhow.

Back at the hotel we had to start packing right away. Tomorrow is an early day for us as we bid farewell to Belfast and head back to the republic.