Tricked by the GPS (31 October 2024)

 

The Titanic Museum

We left Dermot’s having enjoyed staying at the place.  The only drawback was  lugging our bags up and down the very narrow stairs.  However, I suppose it was good for ensuring my muscles maintain some tone. 

 

We picked up the car we were to be driving around in for four days.  It was a Seat Ibiza, essentially a Polo with another set of clothes.  I tried for a few minutes to see if it had GPS but, no it did not.  Also the car was manual.  It is a long time since I have driven a right drive manual.  We were informed that automatic cars in the UK they are considered to be a luxury.  Not so in NZ now.  The car was also missing a backing camera and Adaptive Cruise Control, but at least it had cruise control. 

 

We took a relatively fast route to Belfast avoiding tolls, but for the most part we were on a motorway. It seems motorways in Britain are not tolled. 

 

I had a moment on the motorway when I was travelling at the legal speed limit of 120kph  and we crossed the invisible border into Northern Island and the UK.  The GPS suddenly showed 70.  I slowed down but every car was flashing past me.  After ten or so kilometres I figured out that the 70 meant 70mph not 70kph. 

 

On arriving in Belfast we found a car park near our hotel  then waited to check in.  We had chosen to stay in the Cathedral Quarter as it was close to the Titanic Quarter where there was place called the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI).

 

The purpose of going there was to find out more about my Northern Irish roots.  Whilst I went there, Bev went to the Titanic Museum. 


 

At PRONI there was a very helpful man who asked what information I had.  He provided me with a microfiche to see if I could find baptismal, birth or marriage records for the parish in which I knew my great grandparents had married.  I did find the marriage record but no other information. 

 

The helpful man told me that because my great grandfather had a very Scottish name it could well be that he had come from Scotland. 

 

Bev in the meantime had a wonderful time at the museum. 

 

We had a drink and a meal in a pub near the hotel.  It was very cute and even had live music.  Outside there was a lot of noise and loud bangs.  Halloween celebrations were in full swing with adults dressed up in all sorts of costumes and all out for a good time. 

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