Dippy Jones Across The Pond: Day 54 - Only I could go be a tourist at libraries...

I got out and on my way yesterday a little later than I would have liked. I wanted to be up at 6 and out the door by 7, instead I was up at 7 and out the door just long enough after 8 to have missed my bus by a minute (I calculated it. One minute.) but that still meant I got to Manchester before anything was really open.

For once, I didn't have a printed off map, and I couldn't find a tourist kiosk with free maps as I usually get. I just had preloaded my tourist map onto my itty bitty phone and had google maps open on my phone, set to Manchester, as well. I have enough faith in my sense of direction that I was sure I wouldn't get too irreparably lost, besides which, in cities like Manchester you're almost always no more than 3 blocks from the nearest train station. Lo and behold, I was fine! Go me!

View My English World in a larger map

My knee however was not. Just on my way to the University of Manchester to see it's lovely museum and one misstep and... *pop!* OW! dammit... *grumble grumble grumble*... Luckily my walking stick was enough to get me through the rest of the day, though I did cut it a little short... Steps were a little more impossible than they usually are when my knee goes. But hopping down them on my good foot was an effective last resort.

Anyways, back to the touristiness!

So I went down to the University of Manchester to see their museum, it is such an epic building... it's like the ROM, before that stupid crystal was added. In fact, the whole museum is almost exactly like the ROM, except with a little more rampant, and acknowledged, colonialism. They had a temporary display about Charles Darwin, and after reading the quotes from his writing scattered about the exhibit I've decided I really need to read his books! They had artifacts and examples of culture from every group the Brits tried to "bring to civilization", as well as some they didn't. I was impressed with their collection of Mayan artifacts, and their Egyptian displays were quite interesting. I was especially happy to see how they handled the mummy they had on display... She was removed from her sarcophagi and unwrapped, something which had been done before she came into their possession, and before displaying her, they had covered her up. But more importantly, they had a little sign explaining all this and asking; "Do you think we should keep her covered? Should we even display her at all? Is it right to display human remains in a museum? Tell us how you feel at [URL not remembered] and your voice will have an impact on how we maintain the museum." Marvellous! I've always been rather uncomfortable with the display of human remains, be they mummies, victims of Pompeii, etc. It just feels so.... intrusive. To gawk and stare at these people. People who led lives that were often cut short by tragedy and we're now using them to indulge our own morbid curiosity? Without their permission? I'll admit, I went to see Body Works at the Science Centre, and it was really interesting and I enjoyed it quite a bit, but the difference there was that those bodies were donated. These bodies, on display in museums, have just been found, had their resting places disturbed and been passed around across the globe. In fact, now that I really think about it and am writing it down, the Pyramids themselves are kind of a testament to how immensely a lot of these people wanted to protect their earthly remains from being taken, aren't they? I mean obviously, the Pyramids only really housed Kings, but still.... I really wonder about it all... Anyways, back to the museum. They also had the biodiversity displays, taxidermy and a vivarium and a rather interesting display about money. Oh and when I say it's like the ROM, in every way, I lie... you don't have to pay a ridiculous amount of money to get into the Manchester Museum! It's free!

From the Museum I walked up through town and managed to find my way to the City Hall, which as far as city halls go, was pretty darned impressive! Not to mention huge!! Near by the City Hall is a church called "St Mary's, the Hidden Gem". It was actually the first Catholic Church to be built after the Reformation, so that's pretty cool. I didn't get to go inside because they were having Mass, and there was a huge sign outside that says "NO SIGHTSEEING". Now the thing about St Mary's is, it's impossible to find. They really don't want you to sightsee at this church, so they've hidden it. It actually backs onto a major street, but is inaccessible from there. It's flush on either side with newer buildings that tower over it, and in fact it's front entrance is behind a building on a pedestrians-only street along a tiny, winding, and eventually dead end, alleyway.

From there, I traipsed over to the John Rylands library, which is now one of the University of Manchester's libraries.

You know how Catholics have the Vatican, Muslims have Mecca... well I have this library. It is gorgeous! And has so many beautiful, and old, books! Walls and walls of them!

It was one of the first public buildings in Manchester to be lit with electricity, which was done because they didn't want gas lighting to set the books on fire. It even had advanced filtering technologies on the air inlets to help preserve the books; all this done between 1889 and 1900... It is home to the oldest surviving fragment of the New Testament, which is a little smaller than a business card. It has gorgeous stained glass windows presenting the likenesses of various philosophers, scientists, scholars... And oh so many old books! I was reading the bindings... 1608... 1511... 1726... *sigh* It was fantastic!

Although... ok, so here's the thing... They had this display of book bindings from around the world. A little overview of the dominant styles and traditions of each country. Some countries, like England, had quite a few examples, while some, like Lithuania, only had one. Canada had 3. One from Quebec, one from Montreal and one from "Ottowa"... :/ Ottowa? I'm sorry, but libraries are the one place I really expect to find accurate spelling. I could understand a typo... but it was spelled the same in at least two places, so not so much buying it as a typo. :( Also, Ottawa, Quebec and Montreal? Could they have represented a smaller geographic range in such a large country? They were beautiful, but still, I'm sure other regions like the Maritimes, Vancouver and even the Prairies have equally pretty bindings... I mean especially since there was practically one book from every state in the USA.

At the library, they had a great purple tote bag with "Library Bag" written across it. It was also cheap. How can I say no to the combination of two of my favourite things? Libraries and purple? Yes please! All it needs now is some glitter! XD

From the Library, I went up to see the Manchester Cathedral, which does allow sightseeing. Their choir was in the midst of practicing, so the whole space was filled with angelic voices. It was such a relief from the, but this point in the day, super busy streets surrounding it.

I also checked out the pub Fanny had suggested. It was called the Old Wellington Inn which is literally a very old Inn, repurposed as a(n expensive) pub, and had a newer addition in the form of the slightly cheaper Sinclair's Oyster. Unfortunately, it was such a nice day their whole beer garden was shoulder to shoulder, wall to wall, with people and the inside was no better. Instead I navigated the crowds to the Arndale foodcourt intent on trying the burritos I'd had recommended to me for my trip, though I couldn't find them. I had a steak bake from Greggs instead. Right nearby was the Manchester Eye, it looked smaller than the London Eye, but faster. They also didn't have a price displayed, so I decided not to bother. "If you have to ask, you can't afford it."

I then went to try and see the oldest English-language library over at Chetham's. Unfortunately it's not open to visitors on weekends, so I was SOL. Luckily though, I was able to gaze longingly at it from outside the gates of the music school.

Afterwards, I went down to Piccadilly Gardens. Which as I explained to my parents is north of Piccadilly Station. :P When asked "Oh where's that" I'm terrible at finding points of reference people would actually get. Especially in a town I know so very little about, like Manchester. Really, I don't know what the "big deal" places are there... other than Old Trafford of course.

From there, I went to check out Chinatown. With it's gorgeous arch. The Chinatown itself was a little lackluster and shady (there was even a crowd of large drunk guys waiting for the nearby "gentlemen's club" to open... That was a little disturbing...) but what a gorgeous arch!

The whole day I had my eyes peeled for a Sainsbury's because there were ads in the train station for Terry Pratchett's most recent book in the Diskworld series; "Unseen Academicals" saying that Sainsbury's had it on sale for 3.99. The book's usual price is 7.99. Half price? Awesome! Unfortunately, the only Sainsbury's I was able to find were lacking the "cheap paperbacks" display in favour of cards and cheap English Flag plastered Mars bars.... Oh well... maybe some other time.

Something that really struck me about Manchester, aka. Cottonopolis (I love that nickname!), was that it had really exquisite architecture. All my favourite gothic flourishes and delicately carved arches. It was beautiful.

And given that it's so cheap to go, I think I'll be going back there! Apparently in early July they're having a few All-Stars football matches, so maybe I'll head up for one of them!

Oh! I nearly forgot! I had a group of Spanish stalkers (except not really) on this trip! Ok, so I got on the bus to go to Manchester in the morning, and there was a couple on the bus speaking what I was able to discern wasn't English, but I wasn't able to distinguish any consonants, so I couldn't tell what language they were speaking. At the Newcastle bus stop, another man got on the bus and joined them. He was speaking much louder than they had been and I was immediately able to recognize "oh! Spanish!". When I got off the bus at the train station, they did too. And they were in line behind me waiting to use the automatic ticket machine as well. I accidentally dropped my cane and the third man picked it up for me. "Gracias," I said. He returned to his friends and I I was able to make out him wondering in Spanish "Did she say Gracias? She speaks Spanish? *puzzlement*"

It wound up that they got on the train to Manchester as well, and then at every tourist place I visited, I saw them. The City Hall, John Rylands Library... When I finally took the train home, I didn't see them in the train station. However, waiting for the bus to take me to Keele, lo and behold, who should come out of the train station and start waiting for the bus as well? You guessed it! I smiled sheepishly at them, laughing to myself about how ridiculous it had been. I was far too nervous to start up a conversation though... Mi Espanol es terrible. No he praticado en mucho tiempo!

Finally, being home earlier than I'd planned, I made myself some dinner and wound up sitting around the table, chatting with Faye and Katie until 1 in the morning!

Between the late night, and the wretched state of my knee, I decided to skip Chester on Sunday and go next weekend instead. A very good plan given just how angry my knee was with me for not stopping when I first hurt it. A very good plan indeed.

Also; Happy Father's Day to all you dads! To my dad, my granddad, my grandpa... And of course to Steve, on this, his first Father's Day as a Father. Yay!!!!