Into the Big City

Time for a touch of urban life!!!  But not too much.......

Anyone for chocolate........we have never stopped to explore the factory!!

Passed the huge Queen Elizabeth hospital as we approached

right in the centre now going through Gas Street Basin

I am told that Birmingham has more canals than Venice but I can never quite visualise that........mind you I have never been to Venice.    But I walked over Birmingham yesterday in an effort to find a similar nail place to that which I visit in London.  This is where you sit in a massage chair, feet soaking in hot water and a very competent person deals with your feet!!!!!  Brilliant.   Anyway I eventually found what I wanted at the far end of the BULL RING (Birmingham's big shopping centre)....On the return journey I had a detour to the Mailbox to ascertain that our chosen restaurant (Cote) did their Early Bird meals on a Friday.  In total I had walked 3.53 miles and there was an awful lot of Birmingham WITHOUT canals.   When I read books centred on Venice (eg Inspector Montalbano series) the characters are forever hopping on and off water taxis...well there are none in Birmingham!!!  I can vouch for that.....maybe I should visit Venice to obtain a real comparison.

WE managed to find a mooring spot, just outside the Barclaycard centre

We are close to a plethora of restaurants........take your pick and all look good.   However we had the Early Bird dinner at Cote last time we came through and it was such good value for money...3 course meal for £11.90 (£2 supplement for the steak)  When you look at the prices of their A la Carte it is a dead good deal.

For the first time this year we have seen more boats around.   Boats were coming in both directions all day, some people seem to be arriving quite late in the day........not our style!!  We like to be in early to find a decent spot and then relax.......especially at the moment as we have Wimbledon in the  afternoons......well I do....Geoff still has his siesta.....old habits!!

I am told by he who occasionally has a look at my blog.....that I have omitted an incident from a couple of days ago......I did mean to include it but it slipped my memory.!!

Coming along a straightish stretch (I cannot remember where) it began to rain.  Since Geoff was down below I had to cope with trying to close up the hatch...not easy with one hand because our pram cover is folded down on top of it..........and move anything I did not want to get wet.   There was a moments slight inattention to the steering with the result that I bumped a moored hire boat....very slowly and only gently.......but they did notice......I gave profuse apologies.......very embarrassing.   Confession time over............

Total distance:5.17 miles 

Elapsed time:2h17m58s 

Locks:0

Bridges:12 
Average speed:2.25 mph (2.25 lock/mph)