Ha! Ha! Oh Ha-Ha-Ha!

How stunning! . . . Stunning in the bad way not the good.

Our alarm was set for 5:00 this morning so we could have time to shower, dress, have a little coffee, tidy-up the apartment and make our way to Glasgow Airport for a 9:30 am flight to Belfast. The flight was a 45-minute trip, gate to gate, but actually only 25 minutes flying time.

Once we landed we tried UBER to get us to our apartment but it simply could not lock-in on the Belfast address, so we chucked it and grabbed a taxi - this is usually a big no-no for us. The older through-and-through Irish driver said, "Oh I think I know this place." and he started out. Granted, yes, he was familiar with the area but he did not KNOW it and he didn't put the address in his GPS. RED FLAG! RED FLAG! Ok, so, our fare was a couple of pounds more than it should have been, but he sang an Irish ditty or two for us along our drive. We had to call our host for final directions, but he finally got us to our apartment.

That was the good part.

Our apartment is not an apartment.

Just imagine Stan's wide eyes, and my wide eyes and gaping mouth when we realized our lovely apartment with kitchen, bath, living room and patio, just minutes from city center is actually a bedroom in the apartment owned by the host. His bedroom is next door to ours and we share everything, I mean, everything else. Talk about a sinking feeling!!!

I don't know who felt more nauseous, Stan or me.

We made the best of it. First we booked another place for the next two nights then we looked for hotel accommodations for tonight. Did I say this is a three-day weekend for the UK?? It's not Memorial Day as we celebrate it in the USA, but it is May Day for the UK, a bank holiday. Everyone is celebrating their three-day holiday. No hotel rooms were available for tonight, Saturday night. So stay in the apartment bedroom tonight we must. It surely beats an overpass.

Still in our stunned state, we hardly knew what to do or what to see. We needed food. We walked a few blocks toward city center and found a place called Graze. Wow! How delicious! It made us wonder . . . . Are we in Northern Ireland??? Stan had lemon sole with a beautiful display of baby greens beans and mash and I had squid with rocket greens and carrot soup. There is a great and talented chef at this place.

Then we caught the bus to City Centre. We bumbled around a bit, saw some sights but had a tough time trying to get into the moment - we kept thinking about sleeping in a room with our host only next door. We made ourselves visit the Information Center. After about an hour of consultations we left more confused than when we entered. It's complicated here - for example, a train coming to a Dublin from Northern Ireland does not stop in the same station as a train leaving Dublin to destinations in Ireland. Passengers must take a tram from one station to another. My Lord!

We left the Info Center with a fog in our heads and a bunch of brochures, bus schedules and train schedules to ponder. Sheesh!

We found a City Food Festival at the foot of Belfast's big and grand City Hall. We walked through all the stalls; they looked fun and inviting but we bought nothing. We were still in a stunned state. Then we met a policeman - you know we are on the highest alert here in the United Kingdom and rightly so - but this policeman was very friendly and eager to talk. He gave us probably the most true to life tips on the best things to see here, in Northern Ireland and he told us where to find the nearest grocer. We liked this man and we are glad he is guarding our safety.

We bought our grocery items and caught the bus to our "room." We had the apartment patio all to ourselves for an hour then our host and his guest returned. They are very, very nice people, I must state. We just did not sign-up to stay in a bedroom. We chatted for a few minutes and then learned they will be away for the evening. Hallelujah! I can sleep in peace tonight and go to the bathroom in the middle of the night without worry. Oh Hallelujah! Then we will be on to another home tomorrow night and the next. Yes, the change will cost us double but I'm sorry; I truly am. Our Belfast host is a wonderful and interesting man; he is delightful and his place is nice but . . . . sheesh, we just cannot do it.