The difference between Northern Ireland and Dublin has been striking. For me, it began with the weather. In Belfast and Donegal, I battled rain and chill; in Dublin, the sun has been shining, and the air feels almost warm. But the greater contrast is in atmosphere. Belfast and Dublin are both capitals, but their scale gives them quite different personalities. … Read More

On my final morning in Belfast, the sun was shining, and the air was warm. My Uber driver chuckled when I commented on the weather. He said, “It probably won’t stay this way. We get more than two hundred days of rain. Sometimes just a short downpour, but often the whole day.” Belfast’s Central Train Station was modern and easy … Read More