Birmingham day two discovery

Awake at six after an interesting evening with Spanish Clara and Czech Gabriella and her boyfriend, in the not-so-smart BnB. It is run by head honcho Manu, who is never present and it is his young assistant Ali who does the job, and quite well. 

It is essentially a Bangladeshi Boarding House and they are constantly renovating it but not too well, and the rooms are many and small. But mine is clean and looks onto the green so I am happy. I reserve my shower for the early morning when I feel the six or seven patrons won't be around. Clara who is from Alicante, has been there only a week working as a helper for Ali. She believes fully in past lives so when I tell them all that I am here for the ECK Seminar she is very interested and immediately gets on to the net.. I may have a few of them come to the the public session on Sunday. Who knows?

My modest cheval mirror...

Neighbouring pub...

Courses in philosophy on the corner...

Strong coffee in Java Coffee Shop..notice the hot milk comes in a tightly screwed small bottle. I wonder if this is symbolic of the Upper Midlands society?

Clientèle at Java

After my early shower I have a cup of tea with muesli I bought last night at the nearby supermarket Morrison's. So far Birmingham seems very large and quite ugly but I must reserve my judgement.

I decide to take a bus into the city proper and buy a day bus pass for £4.20 but when I give the driver a five pound note I receive no change. Must have correct money! A lesson learned. The probably Bangladeshi Birmingham woman I befriend at the bus-stop is quite chatty and asks me about New Zealand. She then decides not to take the next bus so I get on to the upstairs to see the view.

I'm afraid my earlier impressions remain. It is ugly, as well seems to be in a state of road repair and   refurbishment which makes strolls around well-nigh impossible. I alight at the Birmingham Cathedral which is an impressive building and try to enter but am told, no, not possible. Something apparently is happening there today. Perhaps later I can visit as it looks quite a piece of architecture.

 I take a walk around the area and discover Victoria Square, an enormous space next to the Town Hall so I feel I must be in the centre. I go to the Farmers' Market butcher who says Midlands beef is better than Kiwi, but Kiwi lamb may be the best. He is very nice but I don't buy any beef.

Coffee time is calling so I find a craft coffee shop, the Java, with single origin coffee and Jamaican music. After much discussion I get my long black with hot milk on the side. I'm afraid America has spoiled the coffee culture with their invasion of Starbucks and Americanos, served in big mugs and with watered down coffee. Pity about that.

 However it is a relaxing space wirh reggae music and I can do my blogging and watch the outside  weather change. Umbrellas are appearing so lucky I brought my rain jacket. Starbucks are obviously not doing too well as they had freebies offered on the square and opposite me here is a not so full Starbucks.

So I will return to the Cathedral to see if it is now open, and then take the bus back to the area of the Convention Centre which is through a lot of impenetrable roadworks. I need to discover where is New Station and also where is my prebooked Hotel Britannia. Only one more day to fill but I wonder what I can do tomorrow?

Opposite Starbucks