Belfast 2026

 Photos are at:- https://photos.app.goo.gl/pgELc4Q7C4UGLNNc9

Monday 11th May

That was a long day! Up at 05.30 to catch the 06.25 train, but actually was on the 06.13. 07.19 from Cardiff to Holyhead, nice views of the North Wales coast. Got to Holyhead at 1200, convenient time to take a call from Chris Parr. 13.15 sailing on Irish Ferries got in 1645. 
      Bus driver said he was leaving "Now" and then waited forever before leaving, drove as slowly as possible with the result that I arrived at Connoly Station in time to see the 17.50 leaving the station. Staff said I could use my ticket on the next train so I had an hour wait for the next train, arriving Belfast a couple of minutes past 9pm. Found the accommodation by 21.30.
      There is a Holiday Inn which does breakfast just across the road, I checked, but it is expensive £13+. Struggled with the TV it being an internet linked machine.

Tuesday 12th May

Wandered across to the Holiday Inn and attmpted to purchase breakfast and the guy said "Go on in" so I did, maybe he thought I was a resident. Anyway, after that we wandered down to the river and made our way to the Titanic Exhibition. £24 Not sure about it, it skated around Belfast and while there was stuff to read a lot of it was repeated. The fairground ride failed to make an impression, it was not as busy as the shipyard would have been. At least it covered most aspects, but none in any detail.
    From there it was on to City Hall in time for the 2pm tour. A spectacular building, the decoration was wonderful and the stained glass exquisit. On to McD for a Hot Choc, tourist centre for a fridge magnet and then back by around 4.15. Rest of the evening spent editing photos and playing on computer. What to do tomorrow is the question.

Wednesday 13th May

So I wandered across the road to the Holiday Inn Express and handed over £14 for my breakfast, A bowl of granola with fruit compote, orange juice, beans on toast, scrambled egg and four sausages, two croissants with butter and honey and two cups of coffee. So I won't need to eat again today.
     The weather forecast was for strong NE winds with heavy showers so I gave up on the idea of going up the hill and figured that following the river would be more sheltered. So I wandered down the Ormeau Road and picked up the Lagan Towpath. The first bit went quite well and I decided it would be possible to walk to Lisburn. Having decided this I got stubborn, the second half was a lot longer than the first, but I did make it to Lisburn Station. £5 for a train ticket back to Beelfast Central and a 25min walk back to the accommodation. Komoot says just over 11mls on Towpath, Health says just over 13miles walked in total. Not good, I was pretty tired. 
    Turns out the train is booked for noon tomorrow so I will need to do something in the morning. Can't check in for the flight from Dublin until 10pm.

Thursday 14th May

So a elatively gentle get up and wander to McD for breakfast. Time to kill so a wander through the Cathedral Quarter, noticing various plaques about the architecture. Hot Choc at McD and then on train to Belfast.
    Here it was a walk south of the river. It was crowded, lots of Japanese tourists looking at the Oscar Wilde statue. Molly Malone Statue, Bank of Ireland, Trinity College and Weatherspoons for an all day breakfast. Had to get some change as I could not really work out how the bus pass would work. Hailstorm as I waited. Turnsout the direct busses are 11Euro, the local bus cost 2.60Euro to the airport. Once again the plane was delayed and a 45 min wait for the 304 bus (radar said it was going to rain, but I think it passed pretty quickly. Home at midnight.

2026 May - 1 Spain

 Photos are at:- https://photos.app.goo.gl/FdAUXBsH4X45whDz7

Saturday May 2nd

Having got off the boat and with Google telling me I could not get to Ribes de Freser before Monday it was great to find a very helphul young man who put directions on my phone and showed me where to get a ticket (which was Gratis). Free because engineering work meant one train ride and two rail replacement busses. Hostel is OK. Went out and spent 10Euro on a charger, since I had failed to pack a continental adaptor. Various gadgets will have to share it, the problem is the compute doesn't like it and gets very tetchy using the USB port for charging.

Sunday 3rd - Rives de Freser

Up and out at just after 8am and able to have a wander around the rack railway exhibition before the 08,40 train up to Nuria. Really pretty ride and setting. Lots of photos taken. I guess I was feeling the lack of oxygen - not too enthusiastic about walking but I did one of the shorter ones on offer. I was rather worried to find a gully with snow still in it, slide down that and there was a large drop at the end. I missed a turn in the trail, but this time I turned back - mostly because of the prospect of further gullies need ing to be crossed, I did take a

large stick with me thinking it could act as an ice axe substitute. Anyway I survived and got back early but was able to change the booking on the train from 15.40 to 13.40. Killed a bit of time looking at displays and waterfalls. Went all the way to the end of the railway in the hope that the supermarket there would be open - but despite a notice yesterday I think they closed at 2.30. Found a shop in town and got a couple of KitKats. Back in the room with a green bar (ie 12,500steps done) at 1500. Most of time spent editing photos and at 2000 I really should be thinking of sleeping. I did while the computer charged slowly, it was squabbling with the phone this time. At 3am woke up finished photo editing and put them online.

Monday 4th - Tarragona

Overslept to 8am but that was OK. Wandered to station. Rail replacement seems to be the thing here at the moment. No problem, on the 0925 bus to Vic. Here I was determined to get a ticket, which I did Gratis to Barcelona. That got me to Barcelona Saint for nothing. Getting a ticket to Tarragona was another thing. They had ticket window by ticket, so you had no idea how long the queue was. The internet site put you in a queue with over 7,000 waiting so taking 6-7 minutes and there was a line for the automatic ticket vending machines.When I did get onto the vending

machine it didn't like the Lloyds card and sent ma back to the beginning. Second attempt seemed easier - it didn't ask for my passport no. and I got a ticket for the 14.03 train for 8Euro. Problem was an incident meant a bus replacement for over half the trip, so train to El Prat - bus to San Vicenc de Calders and then train to Tarragona. Turned out that becuse I left early the train from San Vicenc was the one I had a ticket for! Arrived in time for a couple of McD's before meeting the appartment host. Pretty neat appartment, apart from the fact that alll rubbish has to e removed at the end. Very modern vith all conveniences. Got food. Need to plan tomorrow. Which I did during an evening stroll. The guy at the ticket office said it was free and gave me a ticket ! ? !

Tuesday 5th - Montarell

What with breakfast and a sleep in it was past 9am when I got to the station. Had to change to R4 at Sant Vicenc de Calders but didn't trust myself and anded up with a one hour wait. During which I discovered that all Catalan regional trains seem to be free until the 8th of May.
     At Martorell I should not have been able to get to the Roman Bridge as there was construction work blocking the route, but there was a thin track down by the river. I then fell flat on my face at the observation place. From there it was uphill, under the motorway, onto the ridge and a walk past a

number of old forts or castles. The rock formations were fantastic and photos just don't do them justice. The track down was pretty hairy, some big drops off the side, hidden by vegitation. Navigation was difficult in a number of places. Got back to the station and had another almost an hour wait for the train, luckily at Sant Vicenc the Tarragona train was waiting although not at its usual platform, so I got back around 6.30 with pizza and an apple which was good unlike the trail mix which is very hard work.

Wednesday 6th - Tortosa

Went out to ctch the 08.44, which didn't arrive until 09.15. That is the reason that travel is free until Sat, apparently it is compensation for bad service. Anyway it was a nice hour and a bit journey. Wandered down to and along the river and then along the old city walls to the forts and generally enjoyed the scenery. Trains were every two hours so I decided not to bother with the last hill and caught the 13.11 train bacl to Tarragona and was back at the flat by 14,30.. Wandered out about 1600 with the intention of getting a magnet but they were still in siesta mode so went to McD and thought "Dam the expense" and had two coffees., while I played on the internet. Suddenly it was 18.00 and I secured the magnet and returned to finish off my pizza. Charging the laptop has been a problem, it has been plugged in all day to no effect but for some reason it seems to have aquired charge while I edited photos. Haybe because I turned the screen brightness right down. Who knows?

Thursday 8th

Out by 10am. Train all the way to airport nd as suspected nice views of the sea. Airport was well organised and we got directed to passport control before the gate was announced. I seem to be in the system as I could use the egate. Long wait and even longer as the flight was delayed by about an hour, not that they gave us any information as to why. Dublin was the usual long walk only to find that flight connections closed at 1300. Re-entered, wondering what advantage flight connections offered. Flight to Cardiff was delayed. Got in with the display saying 44mins for the bus and 55mins to walk home. Began walking but the app said 25mins so I waited at the bus stop at top of Porthkerry. The rail link stopped just to check. 304 had two of us on it Back by midnight but 2hrs unwinding, before sleep.