Belfast - Day 2

On Thursday, we all walked towards the University bus stop together, but were essentially divided for the day. Wayne and the teachers were driven off to spend the day at various schools around the district. Wayne went to Carrickfergus (how Irish does that sound?!) Grammar School, which was a posh one. I think most of his day was actually on the bus, as it drove all around Belfast dropping off and picking up other teachers, so it was not too interesting.

The spouses and children set off on another bus. We went to a big science museum - a bit like Questacon in Canberra, all interactive things to play on and help your learning. The children had a great time. There were three families of big kids, and one Indian family with a toddler. Most of the spouses there did not have children, actually. They are with teachers either just starting their careers, or who have been teaching for ages and their kiddies are all grown up. These ones hovered around for half an hour or so, then snuck off to the coffee shop for most of the morning. I admit I joined them for a brew, but then went to play with my kids. The poor American woman had four children, two under 9, and felt obliged to chase after them for the whole time. The Indian woman was likewise fully occupied. I won out, I guess, getting to play with the kiddies but not feel stuck with them.
So here are the children at various points in the museum. Annie, at the 'flight' bit, near a machine that blew balls up in the air, the river Lagan in the background. Jack is hamming it up near some electric gizmo, playing at being a mad scientist.

Here are Eleanor and Annie with the two American kiddies, Aria and Devin. They are working a crane loaded with cushions. Eleanor and Aria got on great guns, although the American girl is a couple of years younger.

The morning passed very quickly for us, and we did not see nearly as much as there was on offer.

Back in the bus we got. Most of the people asked to get off in town for more exploring, including the family with older teenagers. The American mother, Mary, and I could not organise the troops at such short notice, so we went back up to the University stop. Everyone was hungry, so we wandered along the road together until we found a Chinese food shop, "Foo Kin", as in 'all you can foo kin eat', ho ho. We paid, and ate a buffet style lunch, which was very good with pernickity little children and ravenous 13 year old boys (Jack and Julian) with hollow legs. Annie became close friends with American Annie, of a similar age. And once the children were stuffing their faces, Mary actually got to have a chat to me in a few unoccupied moments! (These pictures are actually from the pizza night the night before, just substitute spring rolls and crab and corn soup in your mind's eye.)

When we had eaten, we walked back up to the Botanic Gardens near the University. We had a little look in a greenhouse. Then the Americans went off to the museum we had looked at yesterday, while we headed towards 'home'. I couldn't resist a university bookshop nearby, and came out with "A Poet's Guide to Britain," which I intended to quote extensively in this blog, so of course could not find anything suitable just at the moment!

We rested for the rest of the day. Wayne joined us at about 4. He had also eaten well, so we just had a bit of fruit and toast for dinner. We needed an early night this day.