It's Good to Be Back

It’s been thirteen months since I was last in England, and I am so happy to be back.  It feels different, no question - it’s not exactly my city anymore, is it? - and so much has changed in my life in the past year that it’s no surprise things feel different.  But Manchester is also so familiar.  It’s still rainy and grey.  The people still dress in flashy British fashion.  I can still find chips and beer in virtually every shop.  The things I’ve missed are still here! 

I am also taking care to check out the places I failed to see when I did live here.  I visited four museums already: MOSI (The Museum of Science and Industry),  is full of hands-on learning exhibits about the science behind Manchester's industrial revolution but is much cooler if you are eight years old.  The People's History Museum was quite good and age-appropriate.  It covers the struggle for democracy and human rights throughout the past few centuries, which is really relevant in the city that gave birth do the industrial revolution.  I really liked the Manchester Art Gallery for its collection of paintings depicting lesser-known Greek myths, as well as the Raphealite collection (depicting dirty, everyday life) and the temporary West African art exhibit.  The National Football Museum was not really my thing... but David tried to educate me on all the football things and I tried to keep up.

Proof that I'm funny.  See?  He's laughing.

Another place I missed completely is the seaside.  I really wanted to take a daytrip out to Southport last year, but it never worked out.  I finally got to go on Saturday.  You'll have to forgive the childish excitement here, but I have never seen the tide go out, and it was SO COOL.  The beach extends for 100m!  You can walk on the wet sand!  Little sand dunes are uncovered!  I liked Southport, too, for being quaint and so old-fashioned.  I absolutely insisted on fish and chips.

Can you see the tide???

I've spent the other days of the past week meeting with David's friends and visiting pubs he's discovered since I left.  We both really like the massively pretentious Brew Dog, and I think I've discovered hipster paradise in a pub called the Castle Hotel.  It's the perfect mix of outdated, avant garde, pretentious, and shabby.  We saw one of David's friends perform with his band there.  We also discovered a microbrewery that serves an Earl Grey IPA, and if you're into beer you should definitely try to taste an Earl Grey IPA at some point.  Strange and good at the same time.  And so very British, isn't it?

We also went to David's parents' house for a classic British Sunday dinner.  I had an absolutely fantastic time, though I'm sure they attribute that to my American excitement for everything.  I promise you it was purely genuine. Good thing David's family promised I could come back for dinner again before I leave Europe.  Looking forward to it already.

P.S. Yeah... most of the pictures don't match what I'm talking about.  I didn't take my camera to any of the places described, excluding Southport.  I'll have more appropriate pics in the next post!

Teaching me to pout like British girls...

...but I'm not very good at it