Having followed the Troubles in Northern Ireland since childhood, I had more than a few notions about both the country and capital.  Belfast would be grim.  It would be gritty. Bomb-scarred buildings would line the streets. Police would pound the pavement, poised to quell sectarian violence. Everywhere I turned, I would see evidence of not just decades but centuries of fighting.

That’s the problem with preconceived ideas. So often they are wrong.

Thanks to generous revitalization funding from the EU and Great Britain, Belfast resembled an active, modern city.  Sleek, pricey hotels like the Malmaison dotted the cityscape. Huge, glittering shopping complexes, such as the newly opened Victoria Square, drew in hordes of spendthrifts.  Briefcase-wielding business people, not gun-toting police officers, dominated the sidewalks. Cranes and construction equipment filled the skyline.  

In spite of this hustle and bustle, Belfast was a quiet tourist destination.  During our time there most of the sites — the Ulster Museum, the St. George’s farmers’ market, which originated in the 17th century, and the Belfast Cathedral — were closed.  In the case of the 19th century St. Malachy’s Church, reputedly the best example of the Victorian architecture for which Belfast is known, the building was encased in scaffolding, missing all of its windows and not slated to re-open for several years.

A few renowned locations were open,though.  One landmark, the ornate, 19th century Crown Liquor Saloon, buzzed with business.  Probably the North’s most famous pub, it served authentic Ulster food such as champ, oysters, and Irish stew.    

Across from the pub stood another busy site, the 4-star Europa Hotel.  Attacked 33 times by the IRA, it held the distinction of being the most bombed hotel in Europe.  As perverse as it sounds, the war correspondent-wannabe in me found this wildly intriguing. 

So, what did Sean and I do while in Belfast? Well, we did what the locals did.  We went shopping.  Actually, as the dollar remains so weak (1 pound = 2 dollars; 1 Euro = 1.60 dollars), I browsed through all the stores while Sean hung out in Starbucks.  Like I said, it’s a modern city.