A summer's day in Manchester

After a refreshing shower and two bowls of rice with soy sauce for breakfast this morning, I finally mounted my bicycle again for an outing to Manchester on a lovely day.

Well, the ride there was quite okay, I passed time by reciting the dialogues from Pulp Fiction (which I've watched quite often for my subtitles recently and I do know the lines of the first three scenes quite well now) and around noon I arrived in the Manc city. First thing I parked my bike and hopped on one of the free Metroshuttle city buses for a little round trip (and to rest my bum, haha) and as we pass the square in front of the town hall, what do I see? Manchester German market!! Of course I couldn't pass up the opportunity to eat some authentic German food in Britain, and so I went inside the Bavarian Beerhouse. The menu was a bit on the stereotype side and the stuff was all hopelessly overpriced but fortunately I happen to like the dishes that are German cliche and the prices, well, I just had to condone them cause, hey, how often can you eat German food in Britain? Anyway, I had some Bratwuerstl (roast sausages), Sauerkraut (you know that) and Mass (1-litre-tankard) of Hacker-Pschorr (a Bavarian beer brand). Hmm, after that I felt like a new man!

With my stomach full and my wallet pretty much empty, haha, I went on to see what else is going on and happened across a bicycle fair which was part of the events of the Manchester Bike Week. So far everything tailored for me, haha, German food and stuff about bikes... The best thing about it was though that they had a well crazy mountain bike stunt show: Those kids jumped over ramps and ladders onto platforms as high as nine feet, dropped down from that height, smashing energy drink cans with their rear wheels (!) and even had a guy lie on the floor and then lowered their front wheels so far over his face that he could almost kiss it... absolutely crackers! lol You'll notice that I've put a lot of pictures of it on - that is because it's impressed me pretty much...

Then it was already a lot later in the afternoon and I went on to the Manchester Big Screen where, who would have thought it, a footie game was on! And in front of it no drunken crowds but people sitting on benches peacefully watching the match. I mean, to Liverpool's defence I gotta say that the game was Portugal vs. Iranso you couldn't expect too heated an atmosphere anyway and probably they're not airing England games in Manchester as well but still, the show of discipline there was exemplary.

Around six then I went back to where I'd parked my bike and started on the journey back. I realised that after more than 500 miles my bike's starting to show some signs of wear and that I'm going to have to oil the chain and fasten a few screws and bolts before soon. Probably I should also change the rear tyre the profile of which is pretty much worn off by now - all that breaking...

Anyway, I had a really good day, Manchester's a great city I think (and fortunately within reach) and it seems to me that to spend a Saturday or Sunday there is always a good idea. Although it is quite far and the cycling's a bit of a bitch. Maybe next year I'ma gonna buy a Railcard and go back and forth between Liverpool and Manchester by train then - if it's cheap enough...

The Bavarian Beerhouse where they had great beer...

...and dark bread they had as well - a rarity in Britain!

Bike fair - the Manchester Bike Week


Best thing was the mountain bike stunt show - take a load of this: he's jumping down without his front wheel!


With their rear wheels they smash cans...


...jump over people lying on the ground...


...and almost make them kiss their tyres. To think of the fact that I volunteered for one of their stunts too...


Footie on the Manchester Big Sceen

Here we go, Manc-hattan for you...