I am here.
The clouds broke up enough on the short flight to Manchester so that I could get a good look at the Pennines – they’re beautiful!
Manchester Town Hall lives up to its reputation. Also there’s Sackville Hall, part of the University of Manchester, just across the canal from the central downtown area – some drop-dead gorgeous Victoriana. The doors were locked (it was after 6) so I couldn’t go in to gape at the amazing stained glass and ceiling decorations; I plan to go back today and do that.
Geoff and Rick took me along to their Skeptics in the Pub yesterday evening – an excellent talk on Burzynski. Unfortunately the jet lag kicked in and I kept falling asleep – but now that I’m not exhausted any more I’m glad I went.
21 comments
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deludedone
March 9, 2012 at 1:30 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Manchester is fine but, you have to come across the Pennines into Yorkshire to really appreciate the North of England! ;o)
Ian
dirigible
March 9, 2012 at 1:36 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Welcome to the UK.
Ophelia Benson
March 9, 2012 at 2:02 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I know, I know – but pending that, I have spent a lot of time exploring the Dales via Google Earth, especially the area around Gunnerside.
David
March 9, 2012 at 2:05 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Welcome to Madchester.
anne
March 9, 2012 at 2:17 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Welcome to England. I hope you have an umbrella.
Soren
March 9, 2012 at 2:31 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
My flight is in 6 hours, first time in years my wife and I have a weekend without kids. Now I just have to feign doing work for a couple of hours more
Egbert
March 9, 2012 at 2:44 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I’d be interested to see if you notice any underlying sexism within British culture (especially Manchester) during your visit.
Dan
March 9, 2012 at 3:36 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Have you seen the Peterloo massacre plaque/memorial? See http://www.peterloomassacre.org/index.html
Dan
Ophelia Benson
March 9, 2012 at 4:48 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Dan – yes – saw it this morning (i.e. after I wrote this post) – while admiring the Free Trade Hall.
Walked down Oxford Road as far as the U. of Manchester. Saw a magpie – I love magpies, and we don’t have them.
Rosie
March 9, 2012 at 5:16 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
One magpie! That’s terribly bad luck.
One for sorrow
Two for joy
Three for a girl
Four for a boy
Five for silver
Six for gold
And seven for a secret that’s never been told.
latsot
March 9, 2012 at 6:10 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Visit the Dales in person if you can, it’s a beautiful part of the world. Astonishing, beautifully stark scenery and great people.
Vijen
March 9, 2012 at 6:21 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
And then there’s this:
http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1487068_digging-up-the-past-archaeologists-reveal-grim-secrets-of-angel-meadow-manchesters-filthiest-slum
Matt Penfold
March 9, 2012 at 7:19 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
In today’s money it would have cost between £40 and 50 million. Manchester was a seriously wealthy city in the C19th.
Ophelia Benson
March 9, 2012 at 7:31 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I know – all this stuff just screams money. “Look at us we got lotsa moneeeeeeeeee!”
AsqJames
March 9, 2012 at 8:59 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Don’t want to be a downer, because the Industrial Revolution truly gave us some awesome heritage, but Vijen’s link highlight’s one aspect of the human cost incurred by the Victorian 1%ers who created such a beautiful legacy in Cottonopolis. Liverpool has an even denser concentration of historical architecture and beauty, much of it founded on the slave trade (as fundamentally was Manchester’s textile wealth).
Ian
March 9, 2012 at 10:08 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Ophelia, one of the best ways to find out about our heritage, as you know, is through the folk music and the Spinners (That’s the Liverpool Spinners) are, without doubt, the best. If you can get hold of any of their CDs that would be great.
Rosie
March 9, 2012 at 10:28 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Not just money, but loads of civic pride. Glasgow is the same. Sometimes I think this country lives on its nineteenth century capital architecturally, philosophically and in literature as well.
The murals in Manchester Town Hall are marvellous – the ones by Ford Madox Brown. They show a very positive attitude towards immigration – Flemish weavers are greeted with enthusiasm. The art gallery is great as well. The people are very friendly – at least in my experience.
boggle
March 10, 2012 at 6:14 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
AsqJames: so the cities were built on money made using slave labor. So what? Long time ago, brother. I suggest you don’t visit Italy, Greece, Spain, North Africa, Japan, China, NYC, Vegas, LA, or anywhere in the South.
Damn, but depending on your definition of “slavery”, you’re probably best moving to a self-built ranch and living off food you grow/catch yourself, because we live in the middle of one of the most exploitative ages ever devised by man.
Torquil Macneil
March 13, 2012 at 2:37 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
“One magpie! That’s terribly bad luck.”
Simple enough to inoculate yourself against the effect: just repeat ‘where’s your wife Mr Magpie?’ three times and you’re done.
Simon Blake
March 16, 2012 at 6:25 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
My favourite fact about Manchester Town Hall is that its design is by the same architect who did he equally lovely Natural History Museum in London, my all time favourite building.
Free Games
March 20, 2012 at 6:47 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
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