Out for another prowl around a Midlands metropolis yesterday. To Birmingham. Despite living oop norf for the past 10 years, we've only been there twice, neither time making it any further than the Bullring shopping centre. I had no idea there were canals going right through it.
Popped into Pizza Express and parked ourselves at a window table to
nose at people going past people-watch. Unfortunately we timed our arrival to within minutes of the end of the Disney on Ice show up the road, and the place was soon heaving with pastel taffeta as hordes of little girls in Princess frocks, clutching souvenir light-up wands, descended on the place with their families. There was even a dad dressed as Buzz Lightyear....
Afterwards,
to walk off the chocolate fudge cake dessert to recover from the decibel damage, we had a bit of a poke around the city centre, admiring the tall, beautifully embellished old buildings, and some of the even taller shiny new ones. We will have to go back several more times to get to know our way round better. Charity shops next time!
6 comments:
Oh no, poor you getting stuck in the Disney parade! I had no idea Birmingham had a canal either, despite having stayed there twice.
It strikes me as a rather desolate place, but you have captured some really beautiful bits of it.
The Gas Street basin's one of the nicest parts of Birmingham. it's come a long way from the dereliction I was used to in the Eighties.
I can't bear the Bull Ring, retail hell. There's some great second-hand shops round the Custard Factory and Pershore Street Market's well worth a Saturday Morning visit! x
What pretty buildings. We have nothing truly old in America and I just love old architecture.
Karlene
Looks like an interesting city, I love that mix of old and brand spanking shiny new architecture.
On princesses and Buzz Lightyear dad's consider yourself lucky...my daughter figure skate's (yes in Australia! Crazy!) so if Disney on Ice ever makes it to Perth guess who will have the misfortune of sitting through it???
Oooh, my neck of the woods. Sadly there are no charity shops in the city centre.
As Vix mentioned above the custard factory is worth a visit as is the out door and indoor markets.
Lisa-Marie - we weren't there v long; sort of sidetracked myself from any desolation (underpasses, roundabouts, falling down buildings) by choosing only to see the tops of buildings... worth more visits though. x
Vix - hooray for your local knowledge! - will be putting custard factory and pershore st market on me list next time we go back. though the shininess of the selfridges building will be calling to my jackdaw-eyes;) x
Karlene - I love "noticing" any bits of old buildings; we're lucky to have the ones we (or Hitler) haven't knocked down;) x
Kylie - figure skating - wow, that's brilliant. Would your daughter notice if you had headphones and a dvd??? or a good book??? old'n'new architecture is interesting isn't it - when the planners get the balance right. x
Peas and Carrots - forgot you have Local Knowledge too; thanks for the tips about the markets - will have a look next time. x
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