Today we went to Derry~Londonderry.

Some beautiful parts of the city, some disturbing parts of the city.

 

This is the head of our program. He sounds like Russell Brand.

These were British barracks when they occupied the city.

The Peace Bridge. The river essentially divides the city with

Catholics on one side and Protestants on the other. Although there are

some pockets of Protestants on the Catholic side.

The River Foyle. It was so windy, there were white-caps on the river.

There is a wall around the center of the city that is entirely in tact, with cannons to defend it

from the Catholics in the 17th century.

 

The Guild Hall

This is a Protestant neighborhood in the Catholic side.

They are building a bonfire to celebrate defeating the Catholics during

the Siege of Derry. Protestants won so they celebrate every year to aggravate the Catholics.

Protestant neighborhood

St. Columb's Cathedral,.

Gates leading to cathedral

Outside wall.

So the Protestants burn this Lundy guy in effigy every December during the marches.

There are these gates all over the city. During the siege of Derry they were shut

so the Jacobites couldn't get in.

Bought a blue and white plate here.

This was hanging on a neighborhood fence. Nothing says tourist trade like autopsy photos.

More murals.

Notice the IRA spray-painted on the sign.

Didn't need a flag to know this was a Nationalist neighborhood.

Again on the street for all to see. It doesn't seem like the

Troubles are over for this neighborhood.

Monument to those who died on Bloody Sunday.

Museum artifacts. Petrol bombs.

Newspapers after Bloody Sunday. Those are coffins in the picture.

Notice the bullets holes in the back of the jacket.

Bullet hole under right shoulder.

Mural of hunger strikers that was vandalized.

Back in the center of town.  Inside of the Guild Hall.

The stained glass windows have been extraordinary.

So we get back to the dorms and the street is blocked just beyond our driveway. Apparently they

are trying to locate and defuse a bomb. I spoke to the policeman and he told me he didn't think we were in any danger and not to worry because the university will evacuate us if they need to.

Perfect.