This post originated from an RSS feed registered with .NET Buzz by Sam Gentile. Original Post: Seeing the "Old Belfast" Feed Title: Sam Gentile's Blog Feed URL: http://samgentile.com/blog/Rss.aspx Feed Description: .NET and Software Development from an experienced perspective - .NET/CLR, Rotor, Interop, MC+/C++, COM+, ES, Mac OS X, Extreme Programming and More! Latest .NET Buzz Posts Latest .NET Buzz Posts by Sam Gentile Latest Posts From Sam Gentile's Blog

Today, after being reluctant of venturing out even in the “New Belfast” all week, my hotel arranged a private car tour of the “other” Belfast, the area of The Troubles to show me the differences. The Troubles were another chapter in the long-running hatred between Northern Ireland's Protestant and Roman Catholic communities. Today, my tour took me to both the Roman Catholic (Falls Road) and Protestant “(Shankill Road) sides” and the Peace Line that separates the two, separating the Falls from the Shankill. The Belfast Murals are both amazing and sad. You are left with a profound sense of sadness but a profound sense of the people who after the Belfast Agreement (commonly known as the Good Friday Agreement) are trying to move on. I took 3 cameras full of pictures and hope to have some up soon. 

Belfast is lively, friendly city. It is  a testimony to the spirit of Belfast that the long years of sectarian violence have not dimmed its vivacity. Belfast is looking to the future with tons of world class restaurants, shops, bistros. The people are warm and friendly and have treated me with some kindness that I won't forget. They tell me to tell everyone to come to visit here, to invest in Northern Ireland.