Belfast

What an amazing birthday treat!

We were up very early this morning to catch our flight to our surprise birthday location. Check in and security were all quick and we boarded our flight to Belfast!

Once in Northern Ireland we picked up our little hire car and drove into the city. Zooming down the motorway in a tiny Kia Picanto was quite fun. Finding the Hilton was easy as it was one of the largest buildings on the quayside. Once checked in, we walked along the river to the Titanic museum. And it was still only 10am! I love the story and the history of the Titanic. I've always wanted to come to the museum. Mr J had done well choosing to come here. The museum was fantastic. Lots of interactive displays, 3D tours of the ship, reconstructed cabins and even a ride around the dock yard. Standing on the slipway where the ship was launched over 100 years ago was an amazing experience and was very atmospheric. It made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. We had a look in the gift shop and had lunch in the Bistro 401. Serving food that would've been served on the ship although I was a little dubious about the 'Titanic Burger'!

We then walked back to the Hotel for a rest before we head out again for an evening meal. We had a cup of tea and then both fell asleep. It was just the job. Once awake we got our glad rags on and went down to the bar. The bubbles went straight to my head and I was already tipsy when we arrived at the restaurant a bit later on.

We went to the OX, a Michelin stared restaurant. I've never been to a Michelin starred restaurant before and I wasn't disappointed. The food was out of this world. It was truly amazing! Every mouthful was like nothing I've tasted before. We had the 5 course taster menu along with the wine tasting menu. 5 glasses of wine perfectly paired with the dishes. Needless to say we both left the restaurant more than a little bit tipsy!

Just enough time for a quick nightcap back at the hotel before we crashed out in bed!

A fantastic day. Can I do it all again next year?