MacKat in Ireland

We started our adventure by visiting the new, semi-indoor/semi-outdoor mall downtown.  Every one of the stores sold clothing so I didn’t find it too exciting, but there was a Salvation Army brass choir playing in the lower level which rang throughout the place.  They were really good.  And Salvation Army people have very official-looking uniforms here, not just big coats and constantly-ringing bells.

We didn’t buy anything from this mall (yet) but we went up to the top of their observation platform for a view of the city.  I don’t know of any other malls with observation decks covered by big glass domes.  The view was pretty good, but most of the notable sights in the city were obstructed by new building being built.

Later on we returned to the mall and ate at Nando’s, a Portuguese chicken restaurant.  The chicken was too spicy for me (and I got the “plain” flavoring) but the corn on the cob was excellent.  If you’re ever in Northern Ireland, keep in mind that you can get great corn on the cob at the Portuguese chicken restaurant.

The Belfastians seem to be big on Christmas.  Most of the streets downtown had lights over them and there were several signs wishing Merry Christmas to all that you can (kind of) see below.

We also walked around Belfast’s new outdoor mall and saw Santa waving to all the kiddies below.  The streets were packed with shoppers (in Dublin too) and everything seemed ready for Christmas.  The only difference was that I usually see these scenes near big-box stores in suburbia, yet all this was taking place in a European city centre amongst all the lights.