More Derry

I left the Irish part of Derry to look around the medieval walls of the city. I hadn't know Derry was a walled city, so I was surprised to find it looking like something you'd see in Luxembourg or Germany. It was rather picturesque.

Derry, taken from my phone camera as I waited in the train station.

The city was obsessed with "The Siege," a battle that took place in 1689. In fact, pride about "The Siege" is likely the reason Derry remained a part of the UK when the partition took place and Ireland became a Republic. It's like a trophy city, as "The Siege" was a major battle of the post-reformation period when Britain was trying to rid itself of Catholic kings forever. They have succeeded thus far; that battle was lost to James some number or other, the last Catholic king of England. What followed was centuries of mistreatment and hell for Catholics in the isles. They were not allowed to live within the city's walls, which is why the Bogside was created. Catholics were and continue to be a majority in Derry.

You could walk all the way around the old city on top of the walls, so that's what I did. It still reminded me more of Germany than Ireland.

Peace flame next to a church.

One of the gates to the city.

Guy who died during The Siege.

Peace Bridge across the Foyle

Main road inside the walls

Do you really want to go here?

Tower

On top of the wall

One of the bastions

Overlooking the Bogside

Apprentice Boys Hall

Old cemetery at a Church of Ireland

The Bogside

"No surrender." What an attitude to have. Wankers.

World War I and II memorial

Walls, walls, walls

I went back to the Irish side and stopped for some Guinness and the worst hamburger I have ever had in my life. I only ate half of it and ate that because I was hungry. In the end I shouldn't have eaten any of it because the next day I had food poisoning.

I took the train back to Portrush for my last night there, stopping at the Quays pub and ending up meeting three guys from Omagh. I drank with them until the last bar in the city closed. I would go to Malin Head in the morning, where I'd have the best day of my trip (with the exception of the two hours of U2 a few days later.)

A few other pics from Derry:

Irish pubs line this street

Don't need to ask which side of the city you are on...