ireland

i absolutely loved my trip over to ireland

(more specifically belfast).

i took a 2 hour train ride down to dublin,

and although the scenery on the way down was amazing,

dublin looked just like any other big city-

tons of people, shops, etc.

but belfast...

whew. it was wonderful.

i really enjoyed the people i stayed with-

susan & jonny mcewen that i met at greenbelt.

i also got to check out their 'community'...

 (i don't know that they would use that word)...ikon.

i really like ikon, though sometimes it's hard to get my head around what pete rollins is saying.

i'll try to do a couple posts later on about what i got from their gathering.

lots of philosophy & theology...two of my favorite things.

belfast is also a place rife with violence, anger, hatred, oppression.

the city isn't that big-reminded me of the town i grew up in, tomball.

but there are so many people crammed into one little space.

literally, if you crossed a street you would go from one allegiance to another.

in the past it was always catholic vs. protestant,

but now it's more like all the northern irish vs. the immigrants.

it is a tumultuous place and since susan and jonny both work for peace in the city and are brushed up on their history so i got plenty of tours and stories.

so, if i had to pick a word for belfast, 

it would be

LOYALTY.

those people that fight and hate, 

regardless of where it's coming from,

are loyal to a point i can't understand.

but it's not just them,

the northern irish are a stern, 'we don't do bullshit' kind of people,

but they're also some of the kindest most hospitable i've ever known.

i hope to have them as friends for a long time.

in addition to learning, i had a blast there too.

the mcewens' are friendly people and two of the nights i was there got personal invites from performing musicians letting them know their names were on the list at the door for entrance.

(like i said, it was a blast).

ikon was a great plus though...

and i'm excited to take back some of what i've learned once it's processed.

i think belfast will always have a tender little piece of my heart...

and maybe one day, if i'm lucky, i'll get to go back.