Good morning, I'm multitasking today, uploading these photo's while I sew another shopping bag. Computer and sewing machine side by side, swapping from one to the other. Here are the last few pics from Saturday's visit to Birmingham. I noticed while walking around the city that there was hardly any litter on the ground. I saw several street cleaning personnel with their carts, tidying up and emptying the litter bins. I believe that if you have a tidy place people are less likely to drop litter because then it is seen as an anti social act. If you leave litter lying around people are more likely to add to it. Thumbs up for Birmingham for keeping it under control.
The parks and gardens department also seem to be doing their bit to make the place look attractive. The splash of colours in the border here show the architecture behind them to their best advantage.
I like the way the trees soften the sharp lines of the buildings. A perfect balance.
The Library of Birmingham is in Centenary Square, I love the way the circles are overlapping. A very innovative piece of architecture, don't you think.
Here is a link to their web site.
This is the Hall of Memory, a war memorial built in 1922. It is made from Portland stone from the Isle of Portland in Dorset.
Additional information here.
The Symphony Hall is also on Centenary Square.
The gold statues are just across the road from the Square.
Next to the Library is the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.
Who is that strange woman, ha ha.
Time for afternoon refreshments. The family sat down for a drink next to the canal, and I spotted a sign for the Gas Street Basin. Worth a look I thought. Nephew came with me. The Birmingham canal network has an amazing network of junctions, locks, and tunnels, where visitors come back year after year to explore the hidden nooks and crannies.
Additional information here.
Nice to find this peaceful little haven in the middle of a bustling city centre.
Time to make our way back to the station and part company with sister in law as she headed for the London train. It was a smashing day out, a bit of everything, and lots of different contrasting views of Birmingham. It wouldn't have been my first choice of place to meet knowing how busy a city would be on a Saturday, but I'm glad I went. Worth another look sometime in the future, maybe a weekday. I want to look inside the library, and find some art galleries and museums.
It's a bit chilly this morning, I'll carry on with the sewing. Toodle pip.
Sometimes it's nice to explore places that wouldn't be first on our 'to see' list isn't it. Some lovely photos there Ilona, and it's always nice to spend a bit of time with family isn't it :-)
ReplyDeleteWe really enjoyed seeing all your pics of Birmingham. Such a lot of great architecture and what about those gold statues!. Loved the canal bits best, also your family look very happy to meet up with you.
ReplyDeleteWendy (Wales)
Thanks for sharing your pictures. I love seeing pictures of England, having never been there.
ReplyDeleteThose canal pics look more peaceful than the shopping mall. I don't like big malls too, and prefer the outdoors. The library pic looks good contrasting with the old building.
ReplyDeleteI've got some of the same photos!!
ReplyDeleteBirmingham is reckoned to have more miles of canals than Venice.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that canals were built for industry but became a part of the landscape. The civil engineering behind them is amazing, all the surveying that had to be done to find long level stretches of land and the tunnels and aqueducts that were built in the hills and valleys.
The gold statues of Boulton,Watt and Murdoch, the steam engine pioneers and engineers that built the machines that built the industrial revoloution is good to see that they are remembered.
I wish they remembered what built my town,Bolton, but the council seem to think we should look forwards rather than backwards.
Dave.