Manchester

Hi all.

You know where the photos are, if not: http://www.flickr.com/ben-at-home/

This weekend, I went to Manchester. I would rather have gone to London to see the Socceroo's game, but I didn't know it was on. Poor planning. So I've signed up to a few newsletters so that doesn't happen again. I really should have thought about it, considering it was an international weekend. Ah well.

Manchester was busy, I think is the right term for it. It wasn't that long ago that a giant IRA bomb exploded in the centre of the town, so it wasn't quite as old looking as other towns I've been to. What it does well (or at least, in the bits I went to) was shopping. I went to the Arndale Centre (not as big as I thought it would be) and had a wander around. Saw the Manchester Eye, which continues an English tradition of not putting prices up until you get into the queue. So I didn't go.

Apart from that, they had the Christmas markets out. Like your usual high street market (think Southbank for those of you from Brisbane), with the exception that they all seemed to be German. There was some really nice looking food there, chocolate covered fruit (strawberries seemed very popular), chocolate covered chestnuts (I think, they may have been hazelnuts) and Bratwurst. I had the Bratwurst. Very spicy for a sausage, but really good. Not much to them but it is making me interested in the Oktoberfest celebrations next year.

Apart from wandering around the markets, I also went to the Museum of Science and Industry. Not as good as Liverpool, but that's probably because I'm not into Textiles. Being Manchester, they're obviously big on them. There is a very tall and skinny Hilton hotel (apparently the overhand houses a restuarant, so 20 floors up you can eat and look down through the floor to all the plebs below you) as well. Seemed kind of out of place. Back through some more markets, I found a singing Moose. So much more impressive then the singing fish...obviously harder to fit in your living room :) I also stopped into the Walkabout Pub, a chain of Australian Themed restaurants. Apart from a green and gold colour theme, the only notable difference was the music. It definitely sounded Australian to my ears, compared to the usual English style of songs. There isn't much of a difference there, but it is noticeable.

Last but not least on my Manchester experience is the store Primark. Cut price everything, and more crowded then an Indonesian fishing boat on it's way to an excised part of the Australian mainland. Worth it for the price of everything though. As long as you can put up with the crowds that is, as it is very cramped in there. Not only was there a queue for the tills, there is also a queue to try things on.

Apart from that nothing else from the weekend of note to report. Still no snow over here, and it hasn't even got to below freezing yet. Soon hopefully though :) White Christmas here I come :)