Manchester We Stand With You

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Woolly says – With our time in Kidwelly at an end I had worked my paws to the bone in planning a bit or R and R, well I know that the women both love a bit of rum and raisin ice cream, although once suggested they seemed to spend a lot of time looking rather puzzled for some reason.



With a few days before heading to our next place we ignored the ice cream ideas and thought to try a city that we have been into many many times but never actually seen.



Woolly says – Manchester for us has also involved a flight to somewhere but the large city was bound to offer us a few days of entertainment and new experiences, we didn’t realise quite how new these experiences would turn out to be. Having navigated the busy streets and stopped Jo from driving on the wrong side of the road yet again we had finally tracked down our accommodation and took in the views of Manchester City’s home ground. Our first passed day passed quickly with the women insisting on haircuts and shopping as I languished on the greenery of Piccadily Gardens chuckling at the numbers of people who attempted to dodge the water torrents from the colourful fountain. Having met up with one of Zoe’s former uni friends I was delighted to tuck into the most scrumptious Caribbean meal of all time in the colourful and friendly environment of the Turtle Bay restaurant in the Northern quarter of the town, with bellies full and whilst trying to suppress the need to burp hot jerk fumes at everyone we headed back to our base for the evening.



With only the occasional tram passing by below us the sudden sounds of sirens racing across the city shook the night air. As we peered over the balcony we could see police cars and ambulances speeding through the roads as reports started to reach us of a bombing at Manchester Arena during a concert. Hours passed as more and more deaths were reported and our hearts went out to the victims and their families as we felt helpless in the face of terrorism.



Woolly says – The next morning dawned with glorious sunshine and our sombre party contemplated our plans for the day, my plan involved food and with this in mind I took over in directing operations and led the way into the centre of the city. Everywhere was quiet as people gathered in groups, holding each other and shaking their heads, snippets of conversations as we passed by involved the previous night’s terror and despair at the loss of life, the streets were heavily patrolled with police officers whilst ambulances remained stationary at strategic points. Trying to lighten the mood I suggested a visit to the Police Museum and set off at a trot as the others followed more slowly behind. The big blue doors of the building looked most impressive but being of a short stature I wasn’t able to jump high enough to read the sign.



He looked like a practicing kangaroo as he bounced up and down in his attempts to read what it said, I didn’t except it to be good news for us.



Woolly says – CLOSED!! Due to refurbishment!!! Why does the world do this to me! Having scowled and attempted a sulk I ambled behind the women as they peeked into the vintage and retro shops that lined the nearby roads. All things psychedelic and hippy were on display as Jo ohhed and arrhed over the items telling us abuot her lack of fashion sense in the 70’s. My tummy let out a large grumble as lunch was suggested and I implemented my plan for a slightly different experience. Even with a map and the use of Zoe’s gps on her phone we managed to get lost and just as there were mutterings in the ranks about finding somewhere else we literally fell into the road that we had been looking for as Jo stumbled over the kerb. When local entrepreneurs Nicholas Curtis and Andrew Underwood decided to branch out and open a tea room and cocktail lounge in the heart of Manchester City Centre, who knew that it would become a tourist destination. Their traditional English style tea room, which gives a nod towards a Tim Burton inspired design had been high on my list of things to experience, not to mention the chance to eat cake.



We felt as though we had been transported back into 1930’s Britain, with the décor and music as we settled down amongst the tea cups and tried not to look to shocked at the prices on the menu.



Woolly says - £28 for afternoon tea!!! How many pistachios could I buy for that I wondered. Having made our food choices (not the afternoon tea I hasten to add) I wandered around the different areas admiring the hanging tea pots and the themed Alice in wonderland environment, the food was amazing and as the poached egg dribbled onto my fur I surreptitiously attempted to wipe my paws on the pristine tablecloth before earning a glare from Jo. Having thanked our charming waitress and with bellies filled to bursting we set out onto the streets once more.



Thinking that a change of activities for us would be good we set off to find the Museum of Science and Industry. In 1978, the Greater Manchester Council had purchased the former Liverpool Road Train Station from British Rail, which had been closed in 1975. The council paid the nominal sum of £1 for the site. The museum opened at the site on 15 September 1983 and continues to be enlarged. With four huge buildings to investigate I felt that it should keep the small one entertained for quite a while.



Woolly says – I could hardly contain my excitement at the first exhibit where I was able to pose for a snap which was then added to the digital sculpture high above my head, within minutes of having given my cutest grin I was there on the screens for everyone to see, I chuckled at the staffs faces as they realised that a mammoth was now on display. As we strolled through the large halls I was fascinated to find out how much had been created and built in Manchester over the years. Baby, the first memory storing computer was taking pride of place next to a display explaining about the Whitworth screw and how standard sizing for screws had been developed here along with the mackintosh. Moving into what had once been a cotton storage area for the railway I thoroughly enjoyed the demonstration of how cotton was made into calico from a very friendly gent called Joe. Manchester was once known as ‘cottonopolis’ for its production and shipping of over seventy percent of the worlds cotton needs, that’s a lot of bobbins to consider!



Having watched him creep closer and closer to the active machines I managed to catch hold of his tail before he became part of the permanent display and plonked him outside to admire the small steam train, Planet, that was chucking slowly up and down the small area of track.



Woolly says – Trying to ignore the pain from my tail and not consider the amount of fur that the mad women had probably removed I limped towards the original and oldest passenger train station in the world. Downstairs showed us pictures and prints of how the station would have once looked and the trains that would have visited it, the old ticket office with its huge fireplaces to keep passengers warm in the cold months were now quiet and bare of staff. Across the track we found ourselves in the 1830’s warehouse with it’s interesting displays detailing the influence that Manchester has had on public television with the longest running soap opera having been filmed locally for many many years and the music industry that had erupted from the city with the likes of the Smiths and Oasis. Having paused for a short break in the warm sunshine I was eager to enter the last open area of the museum for what I knew would be my favourite part of it all.



The smell of oil greeted our nostrils as we entered the Power hall, with water wheels turning and steam pumps gushing we were delighted to catch up with demonstrator Joe once more as he showed us how a steam train would work using a cut apart engine, and detailing how the different steam pumps would have generated power or provided power for textile machines to work.



Woolly says – What a man and with so much knowledge, I wondered if he might consider swapping lives and leaving Jo to do his job whilst he joined me on my travels, before I could ask him the question the bossy one chivvied me along and having admired the steam loco’s that were on display we seemed to have covered everything that was open. With tired paws and feet we plodded our way through the streets once more and plonked ourselves onto the grass of the central gardens again. More people had arrived and tv and radio crews were carrying out interviews, I primped myself in case my services and comments were required as we sat enjoying the warmth and letting our thoughts and sympathies drift to those that had died last night and the families that they have left behind.



Manchester we stand with you.

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Comments

[D MJ Binkley]

Very cool
So much music is rooted in this part of the world.

[traveltalesofawoollymammoth]

I hadn't .....
..... realized how many artists where from the area having looked into the Liverpool and Birmingham music in the past I had completely ignored Manchester, this will be rectified on the next visit there.