belfast
I recommend using noise-cancelling headphones for a more vivid feeling as you walk with me and experience the sounds, voices, languages, and cultures in the city.
ST. GEORGE MARKET
Tracks:
1. St. George Market
Recorded:
October 2, 2022
Belfast, Northern Ireland
United Kingdom
Click HERE to walk with me for a full version listening experience.
On Sunday 2 October 2022, I walked St. George Market and immersed myself in the cultures and languages as I zig-zagged the stalls and bumped into shoppers buying a hat or slurping a gelato. I encountered people of all walks of life, families, couples and youth enjoying the live music at the sound of "Let it be" while long-time friends chit-chat on a bench catching up on their old high school stories.
According to locals, there are approximately 248 market stalls selling a variety of products including fruit, vegetables, antiques, books, records, pastries, art, clothes and fish. One of the things I liked the most was its fusion of tempting specialty foods from around the world as well as handmade crafts, flowers, plants and local photography, pottery, glass and metal work.
CITY CENTRE
Tracks:
1. City Centre Part 1 - Walk from point A to B
2. City Centre Part 2 - Walk from point B to C
Recorded:
October 8, 2022
Belfast, Northern Ireland
United Kingdom
Click HERE to walk with me for a full version listening experience.
On this Saturday afternoon, my walk starts in front of the City Hall with a demonstration of a group of people showing support for those suffering the crisis in Iran. This resonates with posters in the Persian language I found supporting the worker’s strike. I can feel a sense of solidarity today in the city. I feel a welcoming space to celebrate diverse identities from all walks of life: from the LGBTQ community advocates, the buskers and musicians, and the pro-choice and Christian preachers - we all share these GeoSpaces.
CHRISTMAS MARKET
Tracks:
1. Christmas Market
Recorded:
November 20, 2022
Belfast, Northern Ireland
United Kingdom
Click HERE to walk with me for a full version listening experience.
A Christmas market in Belfast is a truly magical, plurilingual, pluricultural and plurisensorial experience. The city comes alive with the sights, sounds, and smells of the holiday season. The market is typically set up in the city center, with dozens of stalls selling traditional Christmas gifts, food, and drinks. The air is filled with the aroma of roasting chestnuts, hot cocoa, and gingerbread cookies. As you walk around the market, you can hear carolers singing traditional Christmas songs, adding to the festive atmosphere as well as local music or "American" music over the speakers. The market is also a great place to pick up unique gifts for your loved ones, as many of the stalls offer handmade crafts and goods crafted all over the world. Overall, a visit to a Christmas market in Belfast is a must-do during the holiday season and as a researcher I could experience how all languages, cultures and identities are interwoven creating the mere fabric of a vibrant city.
SOUNDS OF THE NIGHT
Tracks:
1. Sounds of the night
Recorded:
November 18, 2023
Belfast, Northern Ireland
United Kingdom
Click HERE to walk with me for a full version listening experience.
Click HERE for a full text of the reflection below.
The night in Belfast, like any other city, is an intricate tapestry woven with the threads of diverse experiences. It's a journey through the ups and downs of human existence, a nocturnal symphony where disparate elements harmonize and collide in a cacophony of sound and sensation. As I ventured into the city last night, the atmosphere was charged with a palpable energy. The screams of joy, laughter, and perhaps frustration permeated the air, creating a vivid soundscape. Yet, amidst the chaos, there were whispers of the rain—a soft, soothing undertone that seemed to connect the city's pulse with the natural rhythm of life.
[...]
In the final chords of the night, as the echoes of the city's vibrations lingered, it was a reminder that Belfast, with all its complexities and contradictions, is a living entity—an ever-changing, dynamic force that pulsates with the collective heartbeat of its people, reminding us that - it’ll be grand.
Click HERE for a short film on reflection of this night.