Bimbling around Birmingham

Happy Fathers day to all daddies. My nephew pictured below, is dad to the two little girls. Also in the photo is my sister on the left, and my late brothers wife. We all met up yesterday for a day out in Birmingham. It was a very long day for me, I left home at 7.15 am to drive to my sisters house, then we got a taxi to the station and finished the journey by train. After walking for miles, we got the train back, and before I left to drive home I met up with Louise. It was lovely to meet her, she dropped everything at short notice and picked me up at the station, and we went for a drink at a pub I used to frequent many years ago. The Sump on the side of the River Trent made a nice setting to sit in the sun and have a natter. I managed to get a quick visit in to Uncle and Aunt, before I set off for home, arriving 15 minutes before midnight. I was pretty shattered by then. 

Forty years ago I used to live in Birmingham, and I don't think I have been more than half a dozen times since. I don't remember much about it, but I did like the Bull Ring shopping centre. Now it is all different, updated and new.

Let's go in and have a look around.

Shopping is no longer in my system, I step inside one of these places and want to run away shouting 'get me out of here'. Saturday afternoon is not the best time to visit a big city, it was crowded and noisy, and I spent the day dodging shoppers who were wandering around in a daze. Oh boy, I am sounding like an old grouch.
 

S'funny but I don't like the inside of shopping centre's, but I do like the outside. Modern architecture fascinates me, especially when it is so innovative. I wonder about the creative mind that comes up with these ideas. 

A little bit of the old has been left here with this church. 

Looking down from the balcony next to it.

Waterstones bookstore is inside this beautiful old building. 

More views of the wide shopping streets. I much prefer wandering around the outdoor streets rather than be trapped inside a glass and steel modern structure, and herded around like cattle.

Birthday presents for the girls, and Daddy is reading the instructions on how to make the dolly sing. Eventually it was sussed, and an hour later daddy was trying to work out how to stop the dolly singing, ha ha.

There are more photo's so I have split them, I'll post some more tomorrow.

I'm having an easy day today, pottering, sewing, bimbling, reflecting, relaxing. I hope your day is enjoyable.
Toodle pip.