Knocknagoney - City Hall

Bus Route - 3
Knocknagoney to City Hall

There was more eating than running today......

One of the joys of my childhood visits to Belfast city centre used to be smelling the coffee roasting at SD Bells shop - I think it was somewhere near Arthur Square.   They have now moved out to Knock and the fine cafe there was our first stop this morning. 

SD Bells (Est: 1887) 

We trotted over to Orangefield school, where the most famous pupil was a wee boy called Ivan Morrison.  I wonder if he wore a hat back then? 

Then down towards Grand Parade, with its collection of streets called after racehorses - Pommern, Cicero, Blenheim, Ardpatrick, Ormonde, Donovan, Manna and Trigo (who won the Derby in 1929 and was owned by Belfast man William Barnett).  

Sometimes you arrive at places a bit too late in life - and that was the case when we entered Aunt Sandra's on the Castlereagh Rd. They have a huge selection of hand-made candy in here. Brian, being a bit younger than me, couldn't resist the temptation and bought some - I settled for one rhubarb and                                                            custard  boiled sweet. 

The way it used to be - service with a smile at Aunt Sandra's

Waiting outside for pubs to open in the morning is never a good indicator of running ability - what about waiting outside chip shops at 11:50am?  When the doors opened at Spence's cafe on the Beersbridge Road, we were inside like a shot.  This is apparently the place where George Best used to eat.  It's also a good venue for the idle-retired, like Brian and me - they make great chips and have lots to read on the walls.