Thursday 5 May 2011

A bit more Brum

I liked it in Birmingham. It was the first time I had ever really been - Ive been close by a few times, but never actually done the city centre. I know it was a very sunny day, and everywhere looks OK in the sunshine, but it did seem to have a lot going for it. It was very busy for a start - which every city should be on a Saturday. It seemed to have some great shops, restaurants, markets, theatres and cultural bits - all together in the centre - which is a novelty for anyone used to Sheffield where it is all spread out.

They have some older architecture....

sitting side by side with some very new architecture.


I was thrilled to discover that the NIA Arena where the basketball was being held was actually on the canal system, so we got to have a little look around here.


I want to go back and explore a bit more as we didn't have much time..




I always think that a body of water, river or canal, flowing through a city adds something special. Its like letting nature and fresh air flow through.


The canal boats add a lovely splash of colour too.


11 comments:

Mister D said...

Think I read somewhere that Brum has the largest canal system outside of Venice - nice pix as always.

Lisa said...

The canal boat reminds me of Rosie and Jim.T used to love watching that and he loved Brum too, though that drove me and G to distraction!
Lisa x

two bones and a bagle said...

My sister went to uni in Birmingham so I have spent a bit of time there did you get to see the Mail Box its a small shopping centre with Harvey Nics - I think but part of the canal is around the back - worth a visit.

Kathy said...

We get Midlands TV as our local channel (even though we live in the North West .... long story about hills and masts!!!) so I see a lot of Birmingham. It really does look like a vibrant place, and the canals are lovely. I've never been though, only to the NEC.
xxx
P.S. I liked your fruit teabags ... very inventive!

Jo said...

I was going to say exactly the same thing as Lisa, the canal boat reminds me of 'The Ragdoll' from Rosie and Jim, that brings back a lot of memories in itself. It was Daniel who used to watch that and he's 16 now. I've never been to Birmingham, apart from the NEC.

diane b said...

It looks like Brum has been spruced up since it used to be an industrial city years and years ago. It is fun exploring new places. keep it up.

Pennyblossoms said...

Mr B works in Brum and my physio is there too.I hated it to begin with but now I love having visits there.
The Edwardian Tea Rooms in the Art Gallery and the gallery itself are worth a day visit on there own. (They do proper meals, not just tea!). The Indoor Market/Rag market are good too. And they do an Arts Fest over 3 days in September every year and that is brilliant. The Dohl Drummers alone are worth going to see! (IMHO!!).
Yep, I love Brum!
Z xx
PS I've heard that there are more canals there than Venice too. Ooo, I lurve narrowboats!

Diane said...

Nice pics from my home town. :-)

Rosie said...

The Birmingham Botanical Gardens are wonderful and the museum and art gallery has lots of Pre-raphaelite paintings. I love the canals through the city too. I want to visit the Jewellery Quarter some time. Did you see 'the floozie in the jacuzzi' in Victoria Square?

Louise said...

They say the Bullring (the shiny new architecture) looks like a gaint toilet! When you see the whole shape, I think it kind of does!

Everytime I go to Brum I think it's a dirty, crowded horrible place, but I haven't been there yet to visit the places I want to see - like the jewellery quarter, the botanical gardens, a geology museum... there are some nice buildings there though around the 'floozie in the jacuzzi' and I do love the waterstones that is in an old library (I think).

Liz Hinds said...

Our son was in Birmingham uni but we never actually got to see round the city. He took us in once but didn't seem to know where the centre was ...