64 March 2015 www.womanthismonth.com LIFESTYLE | travel The Emerald Isle If you’ve got any love in your heart for great literature or a perfectly poured beverage, this is a country you will love. This month Ankita Mamgain uncovers all that makes Ireland, and the Irish, so endearing. BELFAST Here’s a city that has put its troublesome past behind and today is a vibrant metropolis. From lively bars to fabulous restaurants, rich history and culture and some great shops, there is a lot to explore in Northern Ireland's capital, Belfast. Over here the fight between the two churches has been going on for over 300 years. The best way to get a better understanding of this is to take a black taxi ride around the some of the neighbourhoods; locally known as the ‘bombs and bullets’ tours. This is not to bring the spirits down, but to help you appreciate the spirit of the city’s people, which has kept Belfast going for all these years. Situated at the mouth of the river Lough, its mix of modern and Edwardian architecture is brilliantly punctuated by beautiful parks and gardens. Today a fresh brigade of high-end hotels and restaurants makes it worthy of inclusion on the European city-break trail. Go there to experience the energetic nightlife and the fascinating streets and relax in a traditional pub with an ice-cold beverage. From the classic prose of Yeats, Wilde and Beckett to the present day verses of Van Morrison and U2, there are few places in the world where the English language, has been celebrated more. Ireland enjoys an enormous cultural heritage that has somehow helped it endure its not-so-glorious recent past. Boasting breathtaking scenery and home to a legendary dark ale, this magnificent island seems to have always seen the glass as half full. And this positivity beams through the cheerful faces that greet you everywhere. In addition to the Cliffs of Moher, Ring of Kerry, The Giant's Causeway, Glenveagh National Park and other names that can be found on a tourism brochure, how about exploring the urban underbelly. What better time to do so than during the St Patrick’s holiday?
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Mjk0MTkxMQ==