Manchester Temple bar is in the toilet

 Manchester is the greatest place! It is down to earth, funky weird. It would take a long time to explore it all. 

Here’s a unique part of the city. It’s called the Temple bar. It is an underground bar (literally). It looks like you are going down into the subway but it’s a bar. The thing is this was a Victorian toilet for 100 years! 

It’s very popular, especially with musicians. It’s very small and intimate “encouraging you to make friends and talk to people near you”. Two dozen people can fit in here and that’s pushing it. It supposed to have the best jukebox in the city, many songs from popular local bands.  According to local reviews “it’s not crap”. Bada bing.

There is a unisex toilet. They say you don’t have bring your phone in there because the walls are covered in graffiti to keep you entertained. Only in Manchester.

Manchester is hip to this slow traveller

 It's a new day. Here we are in Manchester.  Or “Mani” as the locals call it. The city itself has a population of 535,000 but in greater Manchester (suburbs and all) has 2.7 million. It's the 2nd biggest metro area in England. We're in northwest England now. Accents are thicker.

Manchester has two rivers that run through it so lots of scenic spots along it with shops and places to live. After Cardiff this feels really big.  Very sophisticated.

We sat outside a Starbucks today and people watched.  A wide variety of people went by.  Everything from bachelorette (or hen parties as they are called here) parties to a marriage party led by the bride to hip young women in the latest fashion. Add some good looking young men and you got the picture.(I’m not dead yet)

Manchester is a mix of old and new. Very old intricately designed building to 40-50 story modern skyscrapers. It’s sort of like a less crowded, less harried London. I love it so far. 

I’m even enjoying the very slow trams that are actually kind of relaxing and let you see the scenery. 

So a good start to a new and exciting place!