West Belfast, Northern Ireland

Well, I found the ugly buildings. Protestant West Belfast has a whole different feel from the more glamorous east side of the river. People look you in the eye a lot less in the north than they do in the south.


Even the vengeful God apparently isn't enough of a threat to potential vandals. The stained glass is all behind wire mesh.

On the main streets there are the famous murals. Machine guns, raised fists, balaclavas and tombs are all around. Going to the shops, or school, or the playground, these images are the wallpaper of life in west Belfast.

There is a memorial for some fallen soliders, under the union jack and right next to a playground.

The playground itself is, eerily, declared to be a "White Zone." Presumably this means young children are expected to reach their late teens and be totally brainwashed before being considered valid targets (and combatants) in the struggle.

With these foundations to build on, no wonder the Goddess of Peace isn't paying attention to her geography. She has her hands full trying to squeeze Belfast through the eye of that hoop.