Where: Birmingham, England
When: February 22 - 24, 2013
With: Dave, Richard, Helen
There is a very big battle raging on here in England, and it's one we don't often hear about back in the states. The battle is not one where wars are fought, but pride is very much on the line. And that is the battle for northern recognition. Recognition from the south, from other northern cities, and the world.
A few months ago, I went to Manchester with Emma to see why this northern city is so great. Well, just a little ways south of Manchester is another northern city that may not have the fame of its northern sister's football teams, but is actually the second largest in the UK. And Richard simply could not have me go to Manchester without subsequently experiencing Birmingham.
So a couples weekend was planned. Richard and Helen would take us back to their home city and show us why it is amazing. For making such an epic journey, I was surprised to find it was only a 2 hour train ride. However, we stock piled ourselves with food and booze and thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Tick number one for Birmingham: it was close!
Our first stop (after the casa de parents of course) was for a proper curry. Birmingham is rumored to be the birthplace of the Balti curry, so there was only one thing in my mind to order. Balti is known for the type of bowl its cooked in: a small, flat wok-like thing. Other than that, since I'm no food expert, I can only say that it was amazing. Seriously, one of the best curries I've ever had. Tick number two: excellent food.
The next day, our activity was to venture to the Black Country Museum. Many associate the north of England with industry, and rightfully so. This museum was meant to celebrate this particular region of the north (the Black Country) for its prosperous mining industry. It's said that in this region's heyday, the sky was black with smoke by day and red with cinders by night.
The museum itself is a living museum, so an entire mining village has been recreated with employees running and operating normal activities of the time in the authentic, old-fashioned way. Upon entering, you feel as though you've stepped back in time.
The first stop along the way through the town is an authentic, 19th century carnival. It was complete with rides, games and food.
A game that apparently is still popular at British carnivals is the "coconut game". Large wooden pins sit on top of posts and participants get three small wooden balls to try to knock the pins off their posts. If they win, they get a coconut.
We decided to buy tokens for a ride on the swingboats. This definitely made me feel like I was a little kid again. A person sits on either side of the boat and gets one half of the same rope. By pulling back and forth, your boat gets higher and higher.
The only proper thing to do after a fun session at the carnival was to get serious and go to school. And luckily, class was almost in session.
We practised our handwriting skills, recited the times tables, and learned what happens to small children who spend their money on sweets rather than school supplies (hint: the teacher hits them with his cane).
By this point, we were starving, and our hunger could not have been more satiated by the traditional fish & chips shop on the main street. Seeing the sign and watching them make it only made our mouths water more.
We curled up on wooden benches, with the hot, oily goodness wrapped in paper. It was quite possibly the best fish and chips I've ever had.
The sweet shop was all you'd expect it to be: a small bell tinkling on the door as you entered, a little old lady behind the counter, rolling the sweets by hand, and jars and jars of pretty-colored sugary things that are impossible to choose between.
The town was starting to close up by this point as the day was nearly over. Luckily, we had enough time to find the toy store still open with its best selling toys out and about for use. We took advantage of some good ol' fashioned jumping rope (or "skipping" as the Brits call it).
There was also the old steel hoop game. This old man was very good at it, but I couldn't get the hoop to go anywhere.
After that day of good wholesome fun, it was time for a night on the town in the city of Birmingham itself. We took a cab from Richard's house, and the driver was an event in and of himself. He had the "typical Bromie accent" and said funny things like how 'e would never take a plate of wormy pasta over a big ol' steak.
He dropped us off at the highest point in the town so we could wander downhill, right along their main shopping thoroughfare, the Bull Ring. While basically being a brand new, shiny mall, there were hints of the old city sprinkled about, giving quite a contrast in architecture.
Another little known fact about Birmingham is that it has more canals than Venice. These canals are lined with bars, restaurants, and house boats, adding a really fun vibe to the atmosphere of the city.
Let's just start with the fact that the first thing you do is get a cup of liquid chocolate, mixed together with your favorite topping...an entire cup of liquid chocolate.
Upon entering the factory tour, you are handed 2 bars of chocolate to enjoy while you peruse a re-creation of South American jungles and explanations of the origins of the cocoa bean. I'm not going to lie, when the doors opened and I saw this, I thought I actually was in Willy Wonka's factory and couldn't stop humming "Pure Imagination".
Our trip had sadly come to an end, but we stocked up on food for the train and enjoyed the journey back. Though we had no seats, we had a blast picnicking on the ground between cars.
When: February 22 - 24, 2013
With: Dave, Richard, Helen
There is a very big battle raging on here in England, and it's one we don't often hear about back in the states. The battle is not one where wars are fought, but pride is very much on the line. And that is the battle for northern recognition. Recognition from the south, from other northern cities, and the world.
A few months ago, I went to Manchester with Emma to see why this northern city is so great. Well, just a little ways south of Manchester is another northern city that may not have the fame of its northern sister's football teams, but is actually the second largest in the UK. And Richard simply could not have me go to Manchester without subsequently experiencing Birmingham.
So a couples weekend was planned. Richard and Helen would take us back to their home city and show us why it is amazing. For making such an epic journey, I was surprised to find it was only a 2 hour train ride. However, we stock piled ourselves with food and booze and thoroughly enjoyed the trip. Tick number one for Birmingham: it was close!
Our first stop (after the casa de parents of course) was for a proper curry. Birmingham is rumored to be the birthplace of the Balti curry, so there was only one thing in my mind to order. Balti is known for the type of bowl its cooked in: a small, flat wok-like thing. Other than that, since I'm no food expert, I can only say that it was amazing. Seriously, one of the best curries I've ever had. Tick number two: excellent food.
The next day, our activity was to venture to the Black Country Museum. Many associate the north of England with industry, and rightfully so. This museum was meant to celebrate this particular region of the north (the Black Country) for its prosperous mining industry. It's said that in this region's heyday, the sky was black with smoke by day and red with cinders by night.
The museum itself is a living museum, so an entire mining village has been recreated with employees running and operating normal activities of the time in the authentic, old-fashioned way. Upon entering, you feel as though you've stepped back in time.
The first stop along the way through the town is an authentic, 19th century carnival. It was complete with rides, games and food.
A game that apparently is still popular at British carnivals is the "coconut game". Large wooden pins sit on top of posts and participants get three small wooden balls to try to knock the pins off their posts. If they win, they get a coconut.
We each had a go, but apparently, rigged carnival games go back to the 1800s. Dave hit one square on and it didn't budge.
Thankfully, at the end, the man gave us all a coconut anyway. I'm just not entirely sure what I'm supposed to do with it now.
We decided to buy tokens for a ride on the swingboats. This definitely made me feel like I was a little kid again. A person sits on either side of the boat and gets one half of the same rope. By pulling back and forth, your boat gets higher and higher.
The only proper thing to do after a fun session at the carnival was to get serious and go to school. And luckily, class was almost in session.
We lined up at our desks, slates at the ready, and waited for the teacher to enter.
However, once the teacher came in, he split us up and made boys and girls sit separately.
We practised our handwriting skills, recited the times tables, and learned what happens to small children who spend their money on sweets rather than school supplies (hint: the teacher hits them with his cane).
By this point, we were starving, and our hunger could not have been more satiated by the traditional fish & chips shop on the main street. Seeing the sign and watching them make it only made our mouths water more.
We curled up on wooden benches, with the hot, oily goodness wrapped in paper. It was quite possibly the best fish and chips I've ever had.
Further along down the lane, there was an old miner's house, decorated as you'd expect for the time.
And continuing along, we got to the "busy" part of town, where most of the shops and the town pub sat.
The sweet shop was all you'd expect it to be: a small bell tinkling on the door as you entered, a little old lady behind the counter, rolling the sweets by hand, and jars and jars of pretty-colored sugary things that are impossible to choose between.
At this point, it was high time for a pint of ale at the pub. The floor covered in sawdust and a fire raging in the corner, this was such a cozy place to stop for a drink.
The town was starting to close up by this point as the day was nearly over. Luckily, we had enough time to find the toy store still open with its best selling toys out and about for use. We took advantage of some good ol' fashioned jumping rope (or "skipping" as the Brits call it).
There was also the old steel hoop game. This old man was very good at it, but I couldn't get the hoop to go anywhere.
Dave was an absolute pro at the ball-in-cup game. What a surprise, look at that smug face.
To end our trip, we hopped on the town trolley and enjoyed the ride back to the entrance, mouths full of sweets the whole way.
After that day of good wholesome fun, it was time for a night on the town in the city of Birmingham itself. We took a cab from Richard's house, and the driver was an event in and of himself. He had the "typical Bromie accent" and said funny things like how 'e would never take a plate of wormy pasta over a big ol' steak.
He dropped us off at the highest point in the town so we could wander downhill, right along their main shopping thoroughfare, the Bull Ring. While basically being a brand new, shiny mall, there were hints of the old city sprinkled about, giving quite a contrast in architecture.
The main mascot of the Bull Ring. I wonder if he knows his brother is in downtown Manhatten.
We hopped around to a couple of bars in the area as we toured the sites. The bars were surprisingly stunning. High, high ceilings, ornate architecture and woodwork, and historical relicts made them quirky, unique, and really fun atmospheres.
We came upon the Birmingham Council House and Town Hall, both beautiful buildings, especially at night. I particularly liked the fountain in front of the council house that has a modern sculpture of a lady. She is lovingly nicknamed the "floozy in the jacuzzi".
Another little known fact about Birmingham is that it has more canals than Venice. These canals are lined with bars, restaurants, and house boats, adding a really fun vibe to the atmosphere of the city.
Definitely got a couple people loving Birmingham so far.
The next day was the literal icing on the Birmingham cake: a trip to Cadbury world, the UK's answer to Hershey Park. Part factory, part tourist attraction, and 100% like being in Willy Wonka's world, this was a really fun place (but seriously, who couldn't have fun at a chocolate factory?)
Let's just start with the fact that the first thing you do is get a cup of liquid chocolate, mixed together with your favorite topping...an entire cup of liquid chocolate.
Upon entering the factory tour, you are handed 2 bars of chocolate to enjoy while you peruse a re-creation of South American jungles and explanations of the origins of the cocoa bean. I'm not going to lie, when the doors opened and I saw this, I thought I actually was in Willy Wonka's factory and couldn't stop humming "Pure Imagination".
A little bit of magic: they had water falling from the ceiling, speiling out chocolate-related words.
You couldn't take many pictures in the actual factory, but as they gave you more chocolate bars, no one complained. It wasn't until the end that they did demos of the craftsmanship of chocolate making that you could observe and photograph. For example, a lady working on the biggest chocolate easter egg ever.
Before we left, they had this really fun interactive game centre. We kicked out the small children from this screen where imaginary balls fell on our heads and we could catch them with our shadows. I love how you're never too old for these things.
Our trip had sadly come to an end, but we stocked up on food for the train and enjoyed the journey back. Though we had no seats, we had a blast picnicking on the ground between cars.
Birmingham may not get much respect from its southern counterparts, but I think the Bromies won over two Americans who will spread the word about the awesome things to do around this city.
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