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Northern Ireland has been through a lot of changes recently - and there are still drastic ones to come. There’s a concrete, graffiti-covered wall that was put up before the Berlin one and is still functioning to divide the Protestants and the Catholics.

We were a little skeptical about going, especially since there were riots earlier this week (turns out they coincide with an Orange Protestant parade on July 12th commemorating the Protestant king’s victory over the Catholic), but our fears were unfounded.

I would describe Belfast as a combination of Berkeley, CA and Providence, RI. Especially around the college area and city center, it is easy to forget that there was such a recent conflict on the streets. There’s some nice shopping, and the mall has a dome on top that provides surprisingly good cityscapes.

We took a “black cab tour” that showed us all the spots from “The Troubles” (as they are referred to locally) of the IRA and the past forty years. It was fascinating, and scary that people alive today can still harbor such prejudices.

The hostel we stayed in, Vagabonds, was brand new, having opened just four weeks ago. It was great, with a really friendly staff. I also had my first “real Guinness” - as supposedly it is very different from in the states - at a pub that is a historical landmark (the Crown bar).

It really is a pleasant city, and I could see myself spending some more time there.