Belfast, Northern Ireland (UK)

After one glorious day in Dublin and a good nights rest, i was mostly over the jet lag, and ready to move on to my next location: Belfast, Northern Ireland. I took a train and arrived in Rain. I loved it as I am a big fan of cloudy and rainy weather.

The reason i came to Belfast was to go on the "C.s. Lewis Trail" as this is the city he grew up in and gathered inspiration to create his "Chronicles of Narnia", a favorite series of mine. If you want to follow the trail yourself, go to the tourist/information center in Belfast and ask for a map.

Due to the weather and my poor timing, i could not enter many of the locations, but i went to as many as i could. The first picture shows the Linden Hall Library which has a collection of books about and by C.S. Lewis. It was closed when i got there, much to my chagrin.

The next five pictures show "The Searcher" Sculpture. The description of it is pictured as well as a quote from C.S. Lewis about Christianity which i really liked. Below is another quote about C.S. Lewis:

“C.S. Lewis did not just hang clothes I a wardrobe, he hung ideas-great ideas of sacrifice, redemption, victory, and freedom for the Sons of Adam and the Daughters of Eve- set within the commonplace, revelation within something that looks ordinary on the outside- revelation through investigation. We should not stop looking, some of the greatest things can be found in the most ordinary of places, like a wardrobe.”

There was also a letter from C.S. Lewis to a little girl named Anne that he wrote long ago, but as it has plot spoilers for the Chronicles, i have not posted it :)

I really liked this statue a lot, and standing there with the sound of the rain on my newly purchased, extremely touristy, "Ireland" umbrella, i could hardly help losing myself in the world of his amazing literature. The whole atmosphere of the day, rain and cold included, just seemed fitting for what i was looking at.

The next stop on the trail was "Ty-Isa", which was the house of his paternal grandfather. I was not sure exactly which one it was, as it is now privately owned, but i took a picture of one in that neighborhood which i have posted.

Next was St. Mark's Church, where C.S. Lewis was baptised (1899) and confirmed (1914).

I also have a picture of Belmont Tower, a "Gothic styled, late Victorian" building that has a exhibition about C.S. Lewis, but which was also closed when i arrived...alas.

The final stop i was able to reach on the trail was Queen's University of Belfast, where C.S. Lewis' mom attended (graduated 1886) and where C.S. Lewis considered working. Even if you are not a C.S. Lewis fan, this was a pretty impressive looking university (as you can see in the two pictures of it i have posted below).

THE HIGHLIGHT OF BELFAST: Walking in the footsteps of one of my favorite authors and realizing, upon looking at "The Searcher" how similar we all are as we search for answers in our faith.