Odd Bits for Family and Friends

Here are some Odd Bits of images from the trip that reminded us of you -

Vickie

Remember when you could get these in the US? A caramel cup, filled with nougat and a hazelnut, and topped with dark chocolate - what could be wrong with that?

Eric

I seem to remember how you enjoyed clamping wrongly parked vehicles when you were an MP.

David

Is the name of this boat familiar?

Donovan

The next step in flavored chips, oops in England flavored crisps.

Iris 

But we know you are really #1. :)

And for all of you out there

A pint in front of the fireplace in a proper pub. In this case,
The Wharf in Hinckley on the Ashby Canal.

What Goes Up ,,,

The entire canal system and its locks work on gravity and the lifting capability of water, with the exception of places like the Anderton Boat Lift and the Falkirk Wheel. So if you go up to visit Birmingham, you go down to leave Birmingham.

Leaving via the Birmingham and Fazely canal you encounter two flights of locks. The 13 Farmer’s Bridge Locks, which lower you 81 feet, and the 10 Aston Locks that lower you an additional 71 feet. 

Here is the first lock of the Farmer’s Bridge flight. Services for filling the water tank and emptying rubbish and other waste is to the left. We took advantage of the services before we started down.

After the first lock or two you are not only surrounded by buildings, but it appears they are also blocking the way. Note volunteer “lockie” in safety vest – very important help in this case.

The solution is to take the canal under the buildings!

As the boat crossed into the lock shown above a side wind pushed the boat towards the wall. We recovered by tossing the center line of the boat to the volunteer “lockie” who was helping us. He pulled the boat back into position.

At the next lock we didn’t take the chance, the winds were so strong this day that the “lockie”  held the boat in position while we moved forward into the next lock.

Some of the locks are very heavy to work with, so after the volunteer left us I work some of the locks.

This flight of locks goes through remnants of the industrialized part of the city and is not very scenic

Here we are at the top lock of the Ashton flight. The top lock is the highest (water level) in a flight, or group, of locks and the lowest is the bottom lock.

Charlene walks across the top gate …

… to make sure there is no boat ready to come into the empty lock before we fill it to go down – saves water, if there is a boat coming up the lock.

Another lock on the Ashton flight, we are now out of the city.

Looking down the flight from the previous picture

Just before the junction with the Tame Valley Canal is Cuckoo Wharf. I couldn’t resist using this picture for the name.

After turning onto the next section of the Birmingham and Fazley at the junction, we parallel a major motorway. No congestion on the canal – sign must be for the poor folks on the motorway.

Birmingham, England

First, Sorry for the delay. The internet cable connection that I had stretched from Time-Warner Hawaii snapped. 

Now back to Birmingham --

Charlene on a bridge crossing the canal at Brindley Place.  Adjacent to the tree on the left is the Birmingham International Convention Center. Behind me (picture taker) is Barclaycard (Barclay’s Bank) Arena. Brindley Place is one the “happening places” of Birmingham.

In front of Barclaycard Arena is this sign post and the junction of three canals, called Old Turn Junction. The Birmingham and Fazely canal goes under the bridge to the left, the Worcester &  Birmingham canal is to the right, and I am standing along the Birmingham Canal Navigations – Main Line. At one time all the separate names would mean ownership by a separate canal company and toll charging entity.

Our mooring along the BCN-Mail Line, we are the second boat on the right. Old Turn Junction is about a block farther on.

Across the canal from our mooring is the Fiddle and Bone pub. Here is a night time shot of the canal, with the Fiddle and Bone on the left.

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Birmingham has a wonderful museum and art gallery. Many art exhibits, including this “eye catcher”. 

The perspective changes as you move. Here is the image from the side. The statues at the ends of the halls are on the front of the projections.

This time we spent most of our time at the museum looking at the exhibit about the Staffordshire Hoard. It is a hoard of gold and silver metalwork, 3,500+ items yet found.  The detail on some items is stunning considering they were created in the 7th to early 8th centuries. It was discovered in 2009 near the village of Hammerwich in Staffordshire. At the time the hoard was hidden this area was in the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia.

This item from the hoard is 0.83 x 0.83 x 0.53(h) in.   [21.1 x 21.1 x 13.4(h) mm]; gold, decorated with cloisonné garnets and blue glass.

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We also explored the Bull Ring markets. The most recent feature is a shopping center dating to 2003. However, the right to hold a market in this location, near St. Martin’s church, was granted in 1154. We checked out the open market and the rag market; there is a long history of various markets near St. Martin's.

In the image above St. Martin's church is surrounded by the new shopping area in the top and right side of the image, while the stalls and other older markets are to the lower left.

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We attended a performance of The Lady In The Van at the Crescent Theater, a five minute walk from our mooring. It is the real story of the relationship created when the play’s author allowed a homeless woman to park her van in his front garden – for what turned out to be 15 years. The play was also made into a movie. 

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The morning we left Birmingham we first attended the meeting of the Rotary Club of Birmingham Breakfast and exchanged banners. Great group of people, they had just finished a major fund raiser the week before – a drive in movie.