Manchester: a Grand Dame

Yesterday, we drove from Ambleside in the Lake District, down to Manchester for the night, for our early flight this morning to Dublin. Knowing nothing about this city, we were surprised to find this a beautiful city, with beautiful old buildings and stunning new ones, plus a fabulous outdoor seating area (funded by the National Lottery) in front of a huge screen mounted on the Corn Exchange. More temporary seating was there too, plus a food and bar tent, all for the Olympic Games.








That is me, above. A plaque and sculpture on a cathedral wall to the right stated one Bishop, apparently much loved, who served here was prior to this appointment, Bishop of Melbourne.



The permanent seating in a main city area, all geared for watching a big screen, with the food and bar tent in the background. Imagine it full of wild, cheering Poms. Breaks your heart, doesn't it?


These living sculptures look a little tatty now, but are a clever touch for the Olympics. They were between the seating area and the screen.








Except this one below. It was at the side of the seating and the building in the background is the old Corn Exchange. The screen was mounted u above the main entrance, up high.


Some of the wonderful buildings that captivated me, as I walked about, snap-happy.






It was early evening here, so you can just make me out in front of this huge monument to Prince Alfred, the beloved husband of Queen Victoria, which stand in the square outside what I think is the Town Hall, which has a clock tower similar to London's Big Ben.





Here is our hotel, the Radisson. The old section was a Trade Hall, but there is a slick connection to a really modern glass addition. Very posh place.




That's Woodsie, clinging to the sign post yesterday just as he was still clinging to his 50s. Too late now. He turned 60 today!!! He is standing outside the hotel. The middle section was a glass roofed lobby, joining the modern glass tower on the left to the old stone Trade Hall on the right.



This is a sense of the tradition and history here. And what better building to express it than a hotel. This old building, just round the corner from the Cathedral, has operated for hundreds of years, since at least 1552, as attested by the old building itself and an informative plaque.




Inside the modern multi storey shopping complex, where we found the Manchester Apple store and of course, Saint Zak. These levels here are for car parking.


It had a LEGO STORE, to be officially opened in two days time. All Lego. Only Lego.


Here is me in the Apple store. All the bright blue tee-shirt wearing people are Apple employees, and most were busy with customers.


And Robert, standing in this bright modern Temple to Consumerism. But will he smile for the camera? (Must have been thinking of his birthday the next day!)


And to finish, I love this shot, showing how Manchester is a mixture of diverse architectural styles. The older, smaller building of brick and stone, dwarfed by the modern glass and steel tower.


Manchester really is a Grand Old Dame.