The Ulster Folk and Transport Museum

On Saturday we decided to visit the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum just outside Belfast. It's an outdoor museum telling the story of life in NI in the early 20th century. First we went to the tea shop for breakfast and a planning meeting, as the museum is set in 170 acres planning was important. The first part of the museum is the town centre with loads of cottages, shops and, surprise surprise, churches to go in. As the museum wasn't very busy, roped areas were climbed over, pulpits trespassed and motorbikes climbed upon. It was great fun.









Then after another trip to the tea shop we trekked out into the pretend countryside and visited, farms, farm workers cottages, a watermill, oh yes and more churches.




After the Folk Museum we went to the accompanying Transport Museum. As luck would have it this particular Saturday was model railway day! Mick was beside himself with excitement. The car park was packed, we nearly didn't get in. On arrival we stood on a raised walkway and looked down onto giant steam trains which were very impressive. Then we went down onto the shop floor to visit the various model railways which had been set up by very enthusiastic model railway anoraks. Model railway exhibitors had travelled from America to show off their trains.




From a girls point of view I felt that not enough effort had been put into the scenery on these railways, too much emphasis was on the trains. Asthetically speaking I was disappointed. For example the man who set up the Blackpool tram stand (I know, it's not a train, I have no idea how he got in) well he had a straight stretch of Blackpool prom with identical houses along the prom?? No hotels or anything, zero for effort I am afraid. The model train operators (who I am thinking probably don't have girlfriends) had huge boards with buttons and bows and allsorts on to "drive" their trains (or trams). Realistically they can only go forwards and backwards, that's two buttons needed.


We then went into Belfast for tea at Avoca which is a fabby restaurant, up market gifts and clothes (clothes way too expensive, even for me) and high class food and goodies, all singing and dancing really. Then we came home and watched Atonement which is highly recommended. Even if you dont like Keira Knightly.



On Sunday we were going go to Armagh City but changed our minds as the weather was still lovely. Instead we walked from Lisburn to Belfast along a tow path which was about 14 miles if you ask me or 11 miles if you ask Turnip. Sat on a bench and ate our butties which we shared with the ducks. Once in Belfast we got the train back to Lisburn as we were beginning to show our age with creaking joints. Anyway we felt we deserved a bottle of wine and big helping of shepherds pie for tea.

Life bobs along

Afternoon friends. I think I am just about getting the hang of this blogging although, I do have to contact the Salford Helpline quite a bit. It is however one of the best helplines I have used, I get an immediate response from well trained professionals who enjoy providing good customer service, (and also know how impatient I am regarding these matters). This weekend they have offered me a short training course which I will of course accept, firstly because it is free and secondly, I hope to learn how to reply to questions I have received via the comments option (hang on in there Mags)


Today the domestic goddess has made sausage casserole which is rather tasty. I do realise that walking into the off licence and buying wine at 11am doesn't look good, on reflection, I think it was when I went into explanation mode that I made it worse. I bet every gin soaked housewife says "I need it for my cooking".


Yesterday we had a chair delivered. For those of us with short legs, sitting on leather settees isn't a problem, for those with slightly longer legs it means he spends most of the evening, fidgeting endlessly, moving from one settee to the other (I don't know, they are both exactly the same) and ending the night sliding unceremoniously onto the floor. A real mans chair was needed. It's totally the wrong colour but beggars can't be choosers and throws are such useful additions to any lounge I always find.

Famous Five (minus 3) travel further afield

Hello again readers. Yesterday (Sunday) we were up and out by 8.55am and travelled to Port Stewart up on the north coast. Port Stewart is another seaside town which isn't as pretty as Newcastle but it did have coffee shops open on a Sunday! (Unheard of over here, the only places that open on Sunday are churches and pubs). So we duly partook of sweet goodies and then walked up onto the hill to view the scenery. Next stop was Bushmills Distillery where 6 million bottles of Irish whiskey are produced each year, soon to be 12 million.









Then on to Portrush which had been described by one of our Irish friends as a "tatty wee place", it live up to its reputation so we kept driving. Next, the Giants Causeway, a polygonal basalt rock formation which is a result of a massive subterranean explosion 60 million years ago. A mass of molten basalt was spewed out onto the surface which on cooling solidified into what are actually crystals (but to me and you look like rocks) these crystals/rocks are all nicely shaped hexagons and pentagons, which is very handy for walking on, although it was surprising the number of women that turned up wearing high heeled stilleto boots? Its actually hard to believe that the formation is natural it looks so tidy. The coastline along the causeway is spectacular and we went for a bit of a hike, in our sturdy timberland shoes. We will be awarded many brownie points by the National Trust for our footwear.








Next stop was the rope bridge at Carrick-a-rede Island which is a very wobbly bridge that has been erected from the mainland to the island. I think its just a way of the National Trust getting money out of tourists that want to be photographed walking over it, see action man below.









Unfortunately, I wasn't able to go across it as I had to stay on terra firma to take pictures and videos. But it was ok, it was a sacrifice I was prepared to make.