Manchester

Manchester - going north to meet real England

 Although I'd been to York one and to London numerous times, I was looking forward to going to Manchester. "You will see England as it really is", my friend, who I was going with, told me.

It was May but spring means nothing in England. That meant we were about to feel one last bite of winter. I knew that. I also knew that I didn't go for nice buildings, museums or such. I went for the experience, because that's what England is to me - experience of a particular lifestyle. So what's so special about it?

This is what you'll see during your landing: 

 

Neat green fields and then some more. That is, you'll see it, after going through cotton-wool of clouds. I love those green fields and neatly arranged houses within them. 

Compared to the majestic London, Manchester will seem to be its industrial copy. However, with more English charm. If you're keen on English culture then that's the place to go. In Manchester you'll have a chance to enjoy it to the fullest. Rough, funny, loud, messy, relaxed, drinking, partying, hard-working, quirky....

Spending our night out in a karaoke bar and continuing it later in Manchester's Gay Village gave us an insight into just a small part of the entertainment this city offers. However, it didn't let us down. Karaoke night was all English with Oasis on the repertoire. 

Local men, stylish girls, groups of friends...Everybody came up to the stage to sing their favorite songs, sometimes shamelessly.

 And later on in Manchester's Gay Village, the party went on until the morning. It's the area around Canal Street immortalized in TV series Queer as Folk. All kinds of people flock here looking for entertainment and I heard once that many straight people go to such places because the atmosphere is more relaxed. From what I could see, everybody was dancing in whichever bar we went, so, yes it's true. 

 As I wrote earlier we covered just a small part of what this city's eclectic nightlife has to offer. 

We opted for another venue - the Hilton hotel's smart cocktail and champagne bar on the 23rd floor of the landmark Beetham Tower. The reason we booked a table in this stylish bar was to enjoy the sunset over the city. If you come early enough, the view will be worth it.

During the day Manchester offers another view. Much of the centre is heavily commercial, the Northern Quarter is more fashionable and there is also Chinatown, which is, well, very much Chinese like.

Manchester often requires a little effort on the part of the visitor to make the most of its "hidden charms", such as observing the upper levels of buildings which are in contrast to, what they call, dreary fronts. However, I found all of those interesting as all the small eye-catching stores are even more peculiar once you enter them. 

 Walking the streets of this city it struck me as a place of great contrast. Yet everything co-exists in harmony and as a symbol of that I found the impressive Queen Victoria's statue in the midst of the modern Piccadilly Esplanade.

 

 Space: Neighborhood

 Who lives in a house like this?
Who lives in a house like this?

In number 69 there lives a transvestite
He's a man by day
But he's a woman at night
There's a man in number 4 who swears he's Saddam Hussein
Say's he's on a chore to start
The Third World War

Oh if you find the time
Please come and stay a while
In my beautiful neighbourhood

In 110 they haven't paid the rent
So there goes the TV with the
Repo men
In 999 they make a living from crime
The house is always empty 'cause they're
All doing time

Oh if you find the time
Please come and stay a while
In my beautiful neighbourhood
My neighbourhood
My-my-my beautiful neighbourhood
My neighbourhood
My-my-my beautiful neighbourhood

Who lives in a house like this?
Who lives in a house like this?

In number 18 there lives a big butch queen
He's bigger than Tyson
And he's twice as mean
In 666 there lives a Mr Miller
He's our local vicar
And a serial killer

Oh if you find the time
Please come and stay a while
In my beautiful neighbourhood
My neighbourhood
My-my-my beautiful neighbourhood
My neighbourhood
My-my-my beautiful neighbourhood

Who lives in a house like this?
Who lives here man?
Who lives in a house like this?

Oh they want to knock us down
'cause they think we're scum
But we will all be waiting
When the bulldozers come
In a neighbourhood like this you know
It's hard to survive
So you'd better come prepared
'cause they won't take us alive

Oh if you find the time

Please come and stay a while

In my beautiful neighbourhood

My neighbourhood

My-my-my beautiful neighbourhood

My neighbourhood

My-my-my beautiful neighbourhood

(All pictures are copyright@meninaidrisblogspot-connected)