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In hindsight, this was not the best weekend for my first visit to Belfast....
So - it was my cousin's wedding. Flew over on Friday, wedding was Saturday. The event itself was amazing - had a really good time with family and friends, drank excellent Guinness, danced with pretty girls.
The problems started when the night finished, and we all got in taxis back to the hotel. The wedding was at Belfast Castle, and we were staying in the city centre. Unbenownst to us as we revelled, a full scale riot was going on in the areas of the city between them. Gunfire, helicopters, petrol bombs..
Now I got off quite likely - it just took a long time to get back as we kept being turned back by police roadblocks, and on one charming occasion, the world's fastest 3 point turn as the driver spotted a rioting mob fighing the police at the other end of the road we'd just turned down.
My brother and uncle's taxi had a more eventful trip. His driver clearly knew what side he was on and drove down through the fight to give moral support, including leaning out of the window to hurl abuse at the armed police...before some lads tried to kick in the side of the passing taxi. Luckily everyone made it back to the hotel eventually in one piece.
So yes.....exciting weekend.
Its a real shame, since the rest of Belfast is great, except for the no-necked retards who think that not being allowed to have a parade is a good reason to turn your city into a war zone.
So - it was my cousin's wedding. Flew over on Friday, wedding was Saturday. The event itself was amazing - had a really good time with family and friends, drank excellent Guinness, danced with pretty girls.
The problems started when the night finished, and we all got in taxis back to the hotel. The wedding was at Belfast Castle, and we were staying in the city centre. Unbenownst to us as we revelled, a full scale riot was going on in the areas of the city between them. Gunfire, helicopters, petrol bombs..
Now I got off quite likely - it just took a long time to get back as we kept being turned back by police roadblocks, and on one charming occasion, the world's fastest 3 point turn as the driver spotted a rioting mob fighing the police at the other end of the road we'd just turned down.
My brother and uncle's taxi had a more eventful trip. His driver clearly knew what side he was on and drove down through the fight to give moral support, including leaning out of the window to hurl abuse at the armed police...before some lads tried to kick in the side of the passing taxi. Luckily everyone made it back to the hotel eventually in one piece.
So yes.....exciting weekend.
Its a real shame, since the rest of Belfast is great, except for the no-necked retards who think that not being allowed to have a parade is a good reason to turn your city into a war zone.
