Northern Ireland: Both new and familiar

Last weekend I decided to make sure I got the complete feel of Ireland by taking a weekend vacation up tp Northern Ireland.  Initially I had not planned on doing this because I really wan't sure what the situation between the two countries was like nowadays, but the days of 'The Troubles' are mostly a thing of the past now with only extreme radicals continuing violent notions.
The first main difference between the states is that Northern Ireland still uses the pound due to their continued connection with Britain.  You might think that this would make the journey more expensive, but surprisingly enough Northern Ireland is generally cheaper than The Republic of Ireland even when the currency exchange is taken into account.  In fact, the Euro is nearly the same value as the pound nowadays.  For instance, a pint of Guinness wouls usually cost you between 4- 4.50 Euro in Ireland, but only cost 3 pounds in the bar I visited in Portrush, which still equals less than 4 Euros.  In general I would say that this difference highlights the elevated cost of living in Ireland in comparison to many other places, however I am not sure if this difference is offset by higher incomes. The minimum wage is 7.95 euro/hour if that gives you any idea of what its like here.

There are loads of little differences that you might not notice if you haven't been living in the Republic for nine months, things like slightly different brands of bread and chips.  However, these food items might be sold in the same supermarket chains that you would find in the Republic, thus highlighting both new and familiar very well.

Outside of the city of Belfast, Northern Ireland cities and villages seem to have this feeling about them that makes it seem like their best days are behind them.  Boarded up buildings with graffiti or train stations that really have not been kept up might seem like trivial things but they can really takes away the magic from an area quite quick.  In my personal opinion, which I give no claim to its accuracy due to the fact that I was only in the area for a few days, is that Northern Ireland is feels a little bit more like a real, working country that has seen some really hard times but is still manging to get along just fine.  There tourism center is doing the best that it can to attract visitors, but I do not think the country as a whole is nearly on board with the tourism mentality as The Republic is (and believe me, tourism is a huge economy here).

Belfast is actually a gorgeous city and is well worth a visit in my opinion.  The City Hall is an amazing cite to behold as it bestows a sense of graduer upon the city.  The free tour I received of the building was incredibly informative and painted a nice picture of Northern Ireland's history and its politics.  For instance,the country's ruling body mimics that of England's Parliment and is almost equally divided among two parties, one which desires to continue the nation's current relation with England and the other which desires to unite with the rest of Ireland.  Even with a tentative piece in place, the conflict between Northern Ireland and Ireland is still unresolved, but as time continues to pass it seem more and more likely that the country's differences will be permanently resolved.