Snow??

So much for snow we were promised this weekend… Yet again we didn’t get any, would’ve been right on queue with last year too, as it first snowed on the 25th – yes I’m sad enough to have photos from last year, it also happened to be the day we set out to Manchester to see Nightmare Before Christmas in 3D at the Imax. Big mistake that was!

I hate Manchester, with a passion. After going to Uni there I have very little desire to ever return – I even commuted for my final year rather than live there a) it was far cheaper to commute than rent b) it’s just as bad as London, no one has manners no one says please or thank you, no one smiles. Not somewhere I want to be c) I forgot just how much it rains.

We set off from Sheffield, sunshine and such. Got to Manchester and it was teeming it down, now anyone attempting to buy trainers these days will know how hard it is to get modern girls trainers that aren’t in the ballerina style, the same style I was wearing. By the time we made it to the Imax my feet were squelching, even with an umbrella.

I spent the entire film with my shoes and socks off, freezing cold with my coat around me because they didn’t seem to understand people don’t want to be cold in the cinema. Aircon was on far too high.

After, as my trainers were ruined (they’d turned a lovely shade of grey thanks to the dirty water) I braved the Arndale centre *shudder* and shopping area in an attempt to buy some trainers. They didn’t have the only style I wanted in my size, so I ended up paying £50 for some trainers I didn’t really like, then I had to also buy some more socks as the original pair were soaked through.

Eventually we pretty much ran back to Piccadilly train station as quickly as I could to get out of the city and on our way home.

My brother also realised what a god awful place it is, and was more desperate than me to get home. After telling me off all the time for slating the city he finally also saw it for what it is. I think the main problem is you get lots of ‘scallies’ coming in from other areas such as Stockport, Oldham, Rochdale, Liverpool, Bolton, Salford. A scallie is the scouse version of a Chav, commonly used in Manchester, but pretty much is used as a chav these days rather than just for scousers. So it’s full of ‘unsavouries’ piling in off the trains heading straight for chav central, or the Arndale centre. Sadly, in order to get to the nicer areas like the Print works, triangle centre, Urbis and the Selfridges and M&S building you have to go through the Arndale, or round the back behind a rather scary bus station.

Yes there is amazing architecture – certainly more recently with the fantastic new law courts, but seriously if you dislike London for the earlier mentioned reasons, don’t bother with Manchester.

*btw, here in Sheffield chavs were/are called townies. Before the media got hold of the word Chav. In Newcastle they’re known as Charvers.

Anyway, that was quite a rant, but similar to Pete’s tour of England (and mainly the south) I pretty much gave you all a spiffing report of Manchester! Hahaha.

Onto the reason for me even writing a post:

We had a Wren visit this morning, it was very close to the house and posed rather nicely for me! Shame the weather was dire – why couldn’t it wait an hour when it was lovely and sunny?!! Although, it was still freeeeezing.

Well, I did some Christmas shopping today! Woo hoo, got some out of the way! Still got a way to go though, and should probably take some money out of my savings to cover it - just in case! :D