Belfast Titanic Museum

This past weekend, B and I went up to Belfast for an overnight stay. There was a big tattoo convention on up there at the Titanic Museum. The drive up from Dublin is only about an hour and a half, and is a simple easy straight shot up on the M1. We left early Saturday morning and arrived to Belfast about Noon. This enabled us to go through the Titanic Museum and then on to the convention.

First the museum. It’s on the waterfront of the harbor at Belfast (view above) where many ships were built about 100 years ago. Among others for the White Star lines were the Olympic, the Titanic and many others. To commemorate the building and launch of the Titanic, and its subsequent sinking -there is now a museum built in a modern architecture style – which is designed to look like the prow of a ship. You can see it just behind us, below.

The museum itself is 5 stories and it costs 17.50 for the basic entry to the museum and the ship nearby. What I expected was not quite what it was though. The place was packed full of people (it was a weekend) and you went up to the main museum based on the time on your ticket. We started out by visiting the large ship nearby – the SS Nomadic. This was the ship that ferried passengers for the Titanic from the port of Cherbourg, France to the Titanic. The vessel itself is dry docked, and has been restored on the inside. There are a few tables, some wooden benches, and a partially interactive museum system. There are some displays of old luggage and some history of a few of the passengers that crossed on the Nomadic to the Titanic. The ship itself is a “supplement” to the larger titanic museum, so while it did lack in information and history (they could have told more about the service of the ship itself) it was ok. The decks were easy to wander and it was good for the 45 minutes we were there.

The main steam pipe for the Nomadic

Iceburg Lettuce Ahead!

After touring the SS Nomadic we headed inside the main building and were herded into a line with everyone that was on the 1:15 walk through. They promptly had us stand in front of a green screen to take a picture (to be super imposed on a deck of the Titanic, in front of the museum or any of 5 other poses you could later buy for 7.50 each). Then we were sent up an escalator. What we were expecting was a museum of history and artifacts and lots of details on the people who were aboard the Titanic. It’s not really what we got. There were lots people – and as you shuffled through – it was walls of reading and posters and old blown up pictures that were about Belfast, the manufacture of the Titanic (and other ships) and then about the white star line. You walked though area after area like this – much of which in such crowded conditions was impractical to try and read. (It was also quite warm). Eventually, you get to a point they send you up an escalator to the third floor and you stand for about 20 minutes to take a “ride” in a bucket around a room that comprises most of the 2nd and third floor). The ride moves you about from video screen to video screen while you listen to a radio broadcast telling you stories from those that worked building ships. They talk about the heat, they talk about the riveting process, and so on.

Once done with that, you’re marched into another room with more reading / large photo displays, a replica of two rooms of the titanic, a display of carpet samples, and some china samples from the manufacturing process. Eventually, you end up in an area with a repeating video of an ocean (and a fake railing which everyone poses in front of) and the lone item from the time – a letter sent before the Titanic disembarked from Ireland. Finally, you’re sent into a theater room with a repeating video of the underwater oceanographic view of the wreck itself. It is pretty much the same video you see in the movie Titanic with DiCaprio. Here, you take a breather – and then are sent through a bunch of oceanographic displays of old diving gear and modern technology (scuba type subs). There’s also an interactive display on multiple screens where you can “pilot” the subs over the computerized video of wreckage and try to pick out what’s there.

The last rooms are dedicated to the telegraph dispatches from the titanic, the lifeboats, and the survivors. There’s also an interactive computer system set up where you can look up individuals on the ship – and get some other very basic details. Again though -with the crowded nature of the museum – there were bottle necks and folks just didn’t try to read what was there -because it was almost impractical.

After leaving the museum, we headed downstairs for some refreshments at the cafe. I ended up getting a sandwich and white star lines piece of carrot cake:

The cake was fine, but it was served on a replica Titanic plate (let’s all ooh and ahh):

After that, we went up to the 5th floor of the building and into the Tattoo convention. This was very cool (though I didn’t take any pictures – how did I not take pictures?!?). Before heading to our hotel – the Tara lodge. The Lodge is straight downtown Belfast – and within walking distance to just about everything including the bars, the Queen’s College, and the Botanical Gardens. More on the botanic gardens tomorrow.

Crochet – Lattice Scarf Necklace

When I was in the US for my Sabbatical back in June, I brought with me two lovely skeins of cotton thread to the US. The previous December – I had an idea to make a summer lattice scarf necklace with some flowers. The scarf itself worked up quickly but get set aside in the shuffle of other orders in the new year. Picking it back up for the trip from Dublin to London (and a 3 hour layover before an 8 hour flight to the US), I managed to complete it.

The scarf itself was easy to make. Basically a series of single crochet on the beginning and end rows – then a V stitch followed by 7 single chains, skipping the 6 stitches, to v stitch in the 7th over and over again. It’s worked in the round and lets you have a nice open work almost chain mail type scarf as wide or as thin as you might like.

I turned mine into a cowl – and then added a flower. The flower closeup is below. This is actually the correct color of the yarn – as the flash seems to have caused it to be much brighter than the lovely peachy tan with blue flecks that it was.

Modelling the scarf at the London Airport. Forgive the hair, and the lack of make up (and the slight scowl). I had been up since 4am – my flight was delayed – turning the 3 hour layover into 4 (thank goodness I brought plenty of yarn) and the flight to Chicago being later than expected. I did make it though – and get plenty of other projects completed while on my holidays in the US.

Taking Flight with the Fairies

Wishing Trees (aka May Bushes or Fairy Trees) are hawthorn trees where people tie ribbons to ask blessings from the local saints/deities/wee folk. The hawthorn usually flowers in May, time of the Bealtaine festival of rebirth (now generally known as May D

Yesterday, I mentioned that S. was in town and we went over to several places including a place new to me – Duleek Abbey. One of the other places that we went was the Hill of Tara. I have posted a blog about it before (you can see it here – Hill of Tara), but I decided that maybe I should go into one of the interesting things about Ireland and ancient faiths that is relevant to the Hill of Tara (and other places around Ireland).

Here in Ireland, the people are considered mostly Catholic / Christian in faith. Now this is changing as time moves on and immigrants from other places arrive, but one thing that is interesting is that if you know where to look – there is evidence of far older beliefs. Celtic beliefs. When you go to Tara, you wander the grounds up the ditches, down the ditches. You see the stone of destiny, and you feel the ever blowing wind at the top of the hill. The smell of grass is thick, and the bleat of sheep and moan of cows are carried from the fields below. There are kids running about, dogs playing fetch, and others that are just enjoying the view. One thing that most people miss – because they don’t walk the perimeter of the site – are the the Trees.

To most people, the Hawthorne trees / Hawthorne bushes edging the Hill of Tara are trees are nothing special and most of them are what they seem. The reality is that trees are among Ireland’s most ancient. They can live to be 400 years old. The trees grow in a knarled fashion with rough trunks that have deep divots and curves. In spring time, the trees bloom in white flowers and as their leaves come in they have thorns just under each tiny little sprout. These thorns typically 1–3 cm long. In autumn, they bear a red fruit type berry. The hawthorn has been regarded as the emblem of hope, the ancient Greeks used to carry Hawthorn branches in wedding ceremonies, but somehow during medieval times the tree took on a lore that might help, in part, to explain why people avoid them. The crown of thorns that Christ wore during his crucifixion is said to have been made from a Hawthorn tree.

In Irish legends, the first humans on the Island encountered a “fairy” or “mystical people”. They were called the Sidhe (pronounced Shee-hey). Something happened (was it a fight?) and the Sidhe were banished to the Realm of the Fay. Some of the wee folk chose to remain, however, and they live underground or sometimes are said to reside in certain trees or bushes, usually of the hawthorn variety. You don’t want to disturb the fairy folk or you might bring some kind of misfortune upon yourself.

Other legends say that a pair of Hawthorne trees serve as a portal to the Land of the Fay and if you’re not careful, you can fall through the portal and wake up ‘on the other side’.

What’s interesting is that at the Hill of Tara, there are a pair of “Fairy trees” (aka Wishing Trees), despite the negative connotations around the “portal” and the “wee people”. While you could walk through the portal between the trees into the netherworld, those that visit these trees are bringing wishes and gifts for the Sidhe to take on to the other side. Over the years of visiting Tara, I have come across these Hawthorne trees in various seasons. In the Winter, the OPW who is in Charge of Tara clears away all the debris and cuts off all of the “ties” and “tags” that have been put on the tree. Come springtime though, the people bring their offerings to the trees. By summer, they are covered in decorations, and by autumn, it is nearly impossible to find a place to put your own. It is a very interesting place. Each wish is different – but they tend to be in similar forms.

Children’s pacifiers / bracelets or toys – Perhaps in mourning for a lost childhood, as a symbol of growing up, or as a wish for children (more children)?

Pet items (like a collar, a leash, or a poop bag) – Perhaps their pets are lost? Perhaps they want a pet? or perhaps they are hoping that people will learn to clean up after themselves.

keychains or little plush shaped like animals

Notes / messages and paper items:

Ribbons, hair ties, and barettes:

Bells, chimes, things that move with the breeze or catch the sun and sparkle.

I think for me, the fact that the belief / wishes are still being placed on the trees makes Tara that much more magical and the cultural tradition very sweet. I’ve not seen any other trees, though I hear that they are all over Ireland – one even having had a petition to have a road routed around it successfully. For me – I always take the time to leave a little something for the fairies – just in case. ;).

For a legend about the trees, you can checkout a blog post at – http://www.derryghosts.com/tree.htm

Phoenix Rose's Blog

The Chronicles of a Girl, Her Dog, and a Lifelong Journey…

Travel

Belfast Titanic Museum

Crochet – Lattice Scarf Necklace

Taking Flight with the Fairies