10 December, 2007

Manchester Animals

Another trip to Manchester, the centre of the universe. Problems Problems. The first was that Virgin Trains were all delayed (as usual - I think they find it cheaper not to run early trains on Sundays so they don't). The second was I decided not to stay at my usual hotel and instead booked into the Jarvis, currently in the throes of refurbishment. The hotel did have some attractions, such as the flooded bathroom. The couple in the next room also provided amusement and instruction by alternately shagging extremely loudly and discussing the next session. I could almost hear every grunt, groan and word by the judicious application of a glass pressed to the wall. I had a modest evening out but the 'gay village' that the council enthusiastically promotes is more like the deserted village and a pub called the Rembrandt had so few people in it it was more like the Remnant. A secret bar was as good as usual but I was in my bed by half past ten. The next day dawned bright and sunny and after breakfast in the hotel, where my coffee was removed before I had a chance to drink it and my toast never arrived, I went out to take some pictures. I took a picture of the former Technical High School and the Sackville Gardens next door, purchased in 1900 for more than £20000 as a supreme act of municipal folly. This would be £4m today and I would doubt that the site is worth that. The gargoyles appear on the court building, and are not traditional waterspout gargoyles. I can only assume that these are present in order to keep the pigeons off the court, pigeons being the favoured diet of gargoyles. The lion is from the former fire station cum police station down by Piccadilly Station.

On the way back I called at the five towns and wandered through Stoke on Trent up to Etruria and Hanley. The five towns really merge into one and are collectively known as the Potteries, this being an area where pots are made . Hanley streets are named after London streets with a Picadilly and a Pall Mall. Nothing to see there so no pictures alas.

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