Belfast by Arek Jaworski

Tag: belfast

  • Belfast City Half Marathon

    Arek Jaworski - Belfast Half Marathon - Results

    On 22 September 20024 I took part in Belfast City Half Marathon.

    My official result:

    • Rank: 3560
    • Time: 02:10:28

    This was my first and so far the only long distance run. Usually, I run for 5 or 10km. The first 15km I was doing in a steady pace of around 30 minutes per 5km. After reaching 15km I started to slow down. When I passed 18km I started to get muscle spasm. At that stage my goal was to simply complete the half marathon.

    When I signed up for this challenge my not-so-realistic goal was to be able to finish in about 2 hours.

    I was really pleased to achieve the time of 2 hours 10 minutes. As for the start of running career, I say this is a promising result.

    Unfortunately, I did not compete in 2025 half marathon. At the moment I’m more focused on shorter distances – like 5km Park Runs.

  • Fight for Freedom – The Warsaw Uprising of 1944

    Opening of “Fight for Freedom – The Warsaw Uprising of 1944” exhibition. Polish Society Belfast together with Lord Mayor of Belfast.

    30 August 2014, Belfast

  • Blast From The Past

    WW2 Warsaw Uprising exhibition - Arek Jaworski Belfast

    Unique event where I, as a head of Polish Society in Belfast (pictured left), met Alasdair McDonnell (right) and Jerome Mullen, Honorary Consul of Republic of Poland in Northern Ireland (centre).

    This photograph was shared on Alasdair McDonnell’s Facebook page on 4 September 2014 with the following description:

    Met with Arek Jaworski, head of Polish Society in Belfast and Mr. Jerome Mullen, Honorary Consul of Republic of Poland in Northern Ireland, at the WW2 Warsaw uprising exhibition in the Ulster Hall. It runs until Sunday, 10am to 5pm.

  • Getting Around (And Staying Mostly Dry)

    Walking: City centre is compact — bring comfy shoes and faith in traffic lights.

    Buses: They’re pink. You can’t miss them. Contactless works, manners recommended.

    Trains: Handy for coastal runs to Bangor or beyond. Sit on the sea side for views and existential thoughts.

    Taxis: Black cabs and apps both fine; drivers double as historians and weather forecasters.

    Bikes: Great until you discover cobbles. Then… character building.

  • Local Lingo (Survival Glossary)

    • Wee: small, friendly, or simply a punctuation mark (e.g., “a wee chat” could last three hours)
    • Dead-on: sound, reliable, good craic
    • Craic: fun/chat/gossip/not illegal
    • Scundered: embarrassed beyond redemption
    • Bout ye?: how are you?
    • Melt: someone testing your patience (could be a printer)
    • Yous: plural you. Very efficient.
    • Aye/No bother/That’s us: yes/you’re welcome/we’re done here

    Use sparingly until you’ve unlocked Level 2 Belfast.

  • Eat & Drink (Fuel for Exploring)

    Breakfast: Ulster fry — a heroic plate featuring soda bread, potato bread, and moral dilemmas about second helpings.

    Coffee: Belfast takes coffee seriously. If your flat white arrives suspiciously fast, check if you accidentally ordered a cappuccino.

    Lunch: Soup + wheaten bread — because carbs deserve a friend.

    Dinner: Fresh seafood by the lough or something spicy in the Cathedral Quarter. If a menu says “wee,” it might still defeat you.

    Pubs: Expect live music, friendly chats, and at least one person who knows your cousin’s neighbour’s dog. Small world.

    Sweet things: Fifteens (biscuits + marshmallows + cherries = happiness). Don’t ask why they’re called fifteens unless you’re ready for three different answers.

  • Things To Do (When It’s Dry — Or Not)

    1. Titanic Belfast – A spectacular museum that explains how the world’s most famous ship was built here, launched here, and… sailed elsewhere. The gift shop floats.
    2. St George’s Market – Come for artisan everything; stay for the live music and the breakfast you didn’t know you needed.
    3. Black Cab Tour – History, murals, stories. You’ll learn more in an hour than you did in a semester, and with better jokes.
    4. Cathedral Quarter – Cobbled streets, street art, and pubs with live music. Instagram will forgive your last 10 food pics if you post a mural.
    5. Cave Hill Hike – A short climb for a big view. On a clear day you can see Scotland. On a normal day you can see your breath.
    6. Botanic Gardens & Ulster Museum – Free culture! Dinosaurs, art, Egyptian curiosities, and somewhere warm to defrost.
    7. CS Lewis Square – Find Aslan and company. Great for kids and for adults who still check wardrobes, just in case.
    8. Maritime Mile – Waterfront wander among public art, history panels, and seagulls plotting buttered scone heists.
    9. The MAC – Contemporary arts venue. You don’t have to “get” it to enjoy it. Bonus: excellent coffee nearby.
    10. Day Trips – Giant’s Causeway, Gobbins Cliff Path, Game of Thrones locations. Yes, the views are real. No, the dragons are not (budget cuts).

  • Key Facts

    Capital of: Northern Ireland

    River: The Lagan (it’s shyer than the Thames, but just as photogenic if you catch it on a good day)

    Mountains: Cave Hill staring judgmentally at your step count

    Iconic sights: Harland & Wolff cranes (Samson & Goliath), City Hall, Titanic Belfast, the Albert Clock (Belfast’s leaning cousin of Pisa)

    Currency: Pound sterling (for your wallet); kindness (for the rest)

    Weather: “Layers” is not advice, it’s law

    Sports: Rugby, ice-hockey, football, and the sprint for shelter when it starts to spit

    Tea: Strong enough to stand a spoon in. Sugar? “Aye go ‘head.”

  • Belfast

    Short version: Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland, birthplace of the RMS Titanic, and home to people who can discuss the price of a sausage roll with the seriousness of a UN summit.

    Where it is: North-east corner of the island of Ireland, hugging the Belfast Lough like a cat that pretends it’s not needy.

    Population: ~350k in the city; ~700k in the metro area (give or take visitors who came for a weekend and accidentally moved in).

    Famous for: Shipbuilding, linen, murals, cracking music, and saying “wee” before absolutely everything. (Fancy a wee coffee?)

    Vibe check: Friendly, witty, a bit windy. The accent has settings from “BBC clear” to “needs subtitles,” both equally charming.

    Claim to fame: You can literally have mountains (Cave Hill), sea (Belfast Lough), and flat whites (every street) within 20 minutes of each other — traffic and rain gods permitting.

    Fun myth: Locals will tell you you’re “grand” even if your umbrella is inside-out and you’ve just stepped in a puddle that had its own climate system.

  • Home

    Hello! I’m Arek Jaworski — PhD Researcher, full-time beer enthusiast — and this is my corner of the internet about Belfast: a city where the weather has four moods and shows you all of them before lunch. Pull up a chair, mind the seagulls, and let’s explore.