I visited Birmingham. Wheeeeeeeeee! Shops! I didn't think I would actually miss the sight of a H&M but having for the past two months strolled up and down High Street from Primark to M&S and back again (with the occasional stop at TK Maxx), I was really starting to miss the familiarity of Hennes and Mauritz. I bought a scarf, just to pay tribute to the shop. Sad. Facepalmsad.
Birmingham was an excellent experience, though. My guide book told me next to nothing about the city, but the little I managed to see in the 7 hours I spent there did convince me of the lure Birmingham has. The city has quite a modern flair with only bits and bobs reminding people of the days of the Empire. My guidebook told me that, for instance, the polished visage of the canal area dates back only less than three decades.
I met up with my class mate Tobias who's doing his internship with the Birmingham City Council and he kindly showed me around the city. We visited the City Museum with its collection of Preraphaelite paintings and a fantastic Steve McCurry retrospective in the Water Hall.I also spotted with my little eye something beginning with an A. Antony Gormley. I haven't had the chance to see the Angel of the North yet (and, sadly, I don't think my travel budget/time will allow for a trip to Gateshead any time soon), so Iron Man will have to suffice for the time being.
From high culture to culture of another kind: a veritable hen party sauntered through the streets of B'ham much to the horror of several ardent New Street street preachers.
The perfect place to end the day was the Old Joint Stock, where my tour guide and I each had a pint of Honey Dew. The sweet taste was somewhat reminiscent of Austrian beers, which I personally don't find to be a bad thing at all. Had there been more time, we would certainly have given other varieties a go as well.
Next stop? Who knows, maybe Liverpool. If I make it through the Literature Festival alive, that is.
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