Derry

We decided to check out Derry (also Londonderry) the day before we left Portrush, since we knew we had a lot of ground to cover the next day and this would make one less thing to do.

We had a good recommendation for an outfit that does walking tours - which turned out to be a great way to learn about city. The place has a long history (what place doesn't in this part of the world?), although its recent history is some of its most interesting.

The walk, which generally follows the city walls, includes much about the Troubles, including Bloody Sunday, and provides a great view of the Bogside area where much of the Catholic resistance was based. As we found in Belfast, the recency of the conflict and the violence added an edge to the story.

The city, like the rest of Northern Ireland, is making a big deal of progress and cooperation. One hopes that this is real and lasting - and that maybe a few other places are paying attention.