Friday 18 February 2000
Highlights: Queen’s College, Irish pubs 

We got up early an started the second walking tour.  Unfortunately luck was against us and it rained heavily most of the time.  We walked past the Europa Hotel, the most bombed building in the world apparently and to a nearby Royal Ulster Constabulary (or police) station.  All the police buildings are like fortresses and the cars like tanks.

The other highlight was Queen’s College which was built during Queen Victoria’s reign.  It is apparently based on Magdalen College at Oxford.  We then caught a bus a Derry.

The name of the city, Derry or Londdonderry, causes controversy. It was originally renamed to Loddonderry in the 16th century to reflect close relations with London but Catholics call it Derry, as it was originally.  The Republican City Council changed it’s name to Derry but the city itself is still Loddonderry.  Your background (Protestant or Catholic) is exposed by what you call the city.

We met a fellow Australian from Burnie in Tasmania called Kent.  Kent currently plays in the State Australian Football League for Burnie.  We all went out to find a pub that plays local Irish music.  Three pubs later we had drank three Guinness beers but our search was in vain.

Since the hostel did not take our credit card we had to use the little UK cash we had left.