Manchester Aug-Dec 2006

Dpercussion, 5th August 2006

Sky Festival, Sunday 13 August

A1 GP cars driving through the city streets - no more than 70mph, unfortunately.

Hear the sound - v. noisy! (2.2MB)

We pose with the cars before the parade finishes (and the crowds swarm in)

Erika takes her turn with the car...

We were wondering what this smoke was - it didn't look good. (BBC News)

We made it to the cinema for 'make your own news'...

... and a special display of film costumes (before Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest)

First Football Match, 2nd September 2006

Quarry Bank Mill, Sunday 2nd September

As I have my National Trust membership, thought I'd check out another property... this time an old cotton mill - one of the first to introduce mechanised processes. Actually pretty interesting, and didn't get time to see it all!

Last Night of the Proms, Heaton Park, 9th September

Bit of swing music to start off with... think we got good value for money with a varied programme of entertainment... although the highlight was the BBC Philharmonic James Bond medley!!

Heather Stott from BBC Radio Manchester. Kept encouraging everyone to text in and "see your message across the screen"... became a bit of a joke as to how many marriage proposals could move across the screen. What looked like the first was "x... there's a question I've been wanted to ask for a long time, will you m........a......ke my tea when we get home?" - which produced a good laugh, as did the "We're having a nice time in Manchester, our new home, lovely clear skies, lovely music, etc.... unfortunately I have no one to propose to, but other than that...."!

Katie Melua... did you know that there are "9 million bicycles in Beijing"? I could not get that line out of my head for hours afterwards!

Andy & Tam(my)

Me, Penny, Caroline & Tam

Blurriness captured the atmosphere, we felt...

Live link to London - get ready for a bit of bobbing and flag-waving!

End with some fireworks...

Does anyone know more than the first line of "auld lang syne"?!

Little Break in Devon (yes, that's NOT Manchester)

Urbis with Erika, 17th September

Special Exhibition, the Manchester bombings.

View from top floor.

Trying to identify points in the city of Manchester...

...and "I live round about here".

In cities, you're caught on camera all the time. I left the default answers, thought they made sense!

Inside Urbis - great lift system.

Outside Urbis

Heading back across town - the old and the new (Beetham Tower)

Merchant's Bridge, Castlefield (used in various TV plotlines)

Curry with my Slimming World group

Justine's Hen Party in London

Chester with Erika

(That website reminds me of the Visit Winchester website - all the purple (ecclesiastical?) heritage to be stressed... or maybe just a template designed by the same web company!)

The Roman Heritage...

We did a complete circuit of the walls - some good views to be had all round...

High street in background

Best foot forward!

Now if we were in the States, there'd be a little spot to stand on round here saying "photo opportunity". We're not, so make up your own mind where to stand!

Stop off for a little (large!) cream tea... mmmm!

View from Erika's flat - Beetham Tower opens soon

International/20s & 30s Celidah @ Church.

13th October @ Shugborough

16th October, Site of the Battle of Bosworth

Met Steve from my skiing hols and we searched diligently for "No 4", but it was not to be found... good museum and nice walk too... I didn't get this pic - were talking too much for camera first time round, and second they'd started taking the flags down!

21st October: Dave & Jennie's Wedding

Rod Visits Manchester

Last weekend in October. We'd been dancing the night before @ Tiger Lounge (ouch!), and were heading off again to Subspace, but meantime - nice meal at the Pacific. Rod, Bex, Rajinder, Neil.

3rd November: Matt & Justine's Wedding

4th November, Charlecote Park

4th November: Gemma's 30th

Helene in Manchester, 2nd weekend November

Lal Qila on the 'Curry Mile'

The Gap Year Show - some good ideas there!

Tasteful Christmas decorations in Albert Square

New restaurant Pesto with Erika (we were going to go the Hilton in the Beetham Tower for cocktails and a view over Manchester first, but there's a no jeans/trainers code, so we didn't bother!)

Lyme Park, on the edges of the Peak District

Add some fun to the views...

Oh no, I'm hanging on...

... ha ha - not really!

Andy removes Fish Eyes for 'I'm a Celebrity' challenge for 'Tonks Morning Glory' on XFM Manchester

Urgh - that's not nice...

Noooooo.... get off me!

November 17th, Yorkshire

I was told I hadn't lived til I'd had proper Yorkshire fish & chips, so we headed to the Wetherby Whaler... very nice - and very full! Emma's a little bemused at the idea of taking photos in the chippy, but... I like a visual diary!

November 18th, Yorkshire Moors

Helmsley

Foodie alert! Mmm... Yorkshire Pork Pies (already had the curd pie)

Snapping the views whilst the sun's still out, and stopping for sandwiches...

Heading down for tea and cake...

And finishing off the Yorkshire gourmet day in style with hot pork pie, mushy peas, and mint sauce... nice! I feel a bit like I could barrel down the hill, but had some good tastes...

Heading into 2007: http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/drbexl/