Dublin and Northern Ireland

Here I am outside the gate of the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin. This visit to the most renowned brewery in the world was much anticipated! There's guinness behind them walls you know!

One of many original Guinness drums. Just thought it made a cool photo...there was a whole wall of them, looked awesome actually.

No trip to the factory would be complete without a pint and a Guinness moustache! We had really worked up a thirst, the storehouse has like 7 levels and you don't get your complimentary pint until you've seen it all! The view from the top is 360 degree city!

A street mural on the Catholic side of town in Belfast. This one is actually painted onto the side wall of the Sinn Fein Headquarters, and tells the story of an IRA matyr.

The once funky but now commercialised Temple Bar area. Full of pubs, restaurants and clubs, you'll find all sorts here...and I don't mean licorice. This is the hub of Dublins nightlife.

Another mural, this time in the small town of Derry. For those music lovers, Derry was the inspiration for U2's Sunday Bloody Sunday Album, the street art featuring in the bands video clips. The graffiti art here is full of emotion and really sets the mood for the place.

Claire and I blocking the incredibly beautiful view of a castle wreck on the coastline of Northern Ireland. It was an absolutely magnificent scene, sorry guys!

This is me hopping about on the "Giants Causeway", a geoligists delight. The unusual formation of the rocks occured during a volcanic erruption in the region many many moons ago.

A warning or welcome? Not quite sure. This means there are..yep..you guessed it...more political street murals on their way.

Our black cab driver said that many of the people that live in the houses with graffitied walls don't actually wish to be affiliated with the messages. I guess it's just tough luck if your house faces out into a big public area like a park or main road like this one. Incase you were mistaken, our cab driver wasn't black, he was Irish but if you want to see both sides of Belfast you have to take a special 'black cab', these are the only cars given permission to drive in and out of Catholic and Protestant areas. They are the safest way to travel, and the taxi drivers always give you a perosnal account from Northern Irelands Bloody history. A real insight, I highly recommend a black taxi tour.

Other colourful examples of political paintings in the Shankhill.

UFF (Ulster Freedom Fighters) is watching you!

All this graffiti viewing is very stimulating! Here I am doing my thing on the 'Peace Wall' which divides the Catholic and Protestant sides of Belfast. People who visit from all over the world leave there mark on this wall. So I thought why not, on behalf of Perth, do my bit for the Northern Ireland Tourism cause. In hindsight, I could have done a 'sssup' for my pal Jarred.

Went out one evening and had a very traditional experience, Irish music and a jig. The dancers were terrific, very Michael Flatly sorta stuff. Toe-tapping entertainment it was, to be sure to be sure.