A drive through the Titanic Quarter in Belfast

Today I spent the day at “Focus on Finance” as part of Invest NI’s Boosting Business programme.

Some of it was more relevant to my Janmary Designs jewellery business than others, but I came away with lots of information and I will be able to apply for 5 days of financial consulting.

OK, enough of the boring business bit, on to the Titanic Quarter.

I hope to shortly spend some time exploring and photographing this exciting area of redevelopement of this historic part of the city of Belfast. It is here of course that the Titanic and many other of the White Star Line ships were built and launched. 2012 is the 100 year anniversary of the Titanic’s demise, so there are lots of events planned.

Finally we will have our own Titanic Visitors Attraction– about time too!

So…..today I just spent about 15 minutes driving through the area, occasionally stopping to take some photos with my iphone.

This (I think!) is the Drawing Office, and I believe it is stunning inside. Can’t wait to see around it.

This is the new Titanic Visitors Experience – each of the 4 sides are the same dimensions as the bow of the Titanic (think Kate Winslet and Leonardo de Caprio).

You can see how the ships must have towered over the rest of the shipyard buildings.

This is one of the two large cranes are very symbolic of Belast and it’s ship building heritage.

They are known as Samson and Goliath (although I don’t know which one this is) and I remember as a child watching them loom closer as we drove past them on our way to visit our grandparents in north Down.

I also snapped this photo with my iphone of a traditional terraced street in East Belfast.

Finally, have a wee look at this new ad for Northern Ireland, and all we have going on this year.

Belfast was named by National Geographic Magazine as one of the top 10 destinations for 2012 – it’s all happening!

What are you looking forward to this year?