Titanic Facts

Recently I was in Belfast and went to the dry dock where the Titanic put out to sea from. In the spirit of count down to St Paddy’s Day I decided to post some Titanic facts:

It took 15,000 workers to build the ship, earning an average of $10 a week.
It would have taken 4 months of labor to get a ticket on the ship for the average worker.
It would cost almost $400 million to build the Titanic today.

Merchant Hotel in Belfast, World's Most Expensive Cocktail

If Bernie Madoff didn’t steal your money and if the stock market fall didn’t sap your strength I got a suggestion for the up- coming St Paddy’s Day, the World’s most expensive cocktail. It can be found in Belfast at the beautiful Merchant Hotel, a perfect setting for living well. Saddle up to the bar and order a mai tai, not just anyone but one made with 17-year old Wray & Nephew rum. There are only twelve bottles still in existence of the elixir. The tab for one drink is a cool $1,450 not counting tip. Bet you even Bernie hasn’t had one, after Thursday it is a guarantee he never will.

Belfast Walls

Dumb in Derry, or is it Londonderry

I am fascinated by history and three counties that have history most interesting to me are Mexico, France and Ireland. Last night while showing Lil my pictures, she brought up a phone call I made to her one night from Derry. I called because from my room I watched British troops patrol beneath my window, she could hear the noise of helicopters crossing the sky. I called because I was a bit freaked out having gone to a pub known as an IRA hangout in the Bogside. I had asked to many questions and raised some ire. I lifted too many pints as well. This was long before I wrote travel articles; I went out of sheer curiosity.

One great part of traveling to Ireland is the wonderful book stores filled with books in English; they tend to be the souvenirs I love bringing back. I bought a book called The Telling Years… Belfast 1972 by Malachi O’ Doherty. The book was a well a balanced look at the troubles by a young catholic journalist. I had to laugh at myself a wee bit after reading it. One strange night in Derry long ago freaked me out, O’ Doherty lived it day after day. I have to pass it on to Max who also visited Belfast.