Having mentioned to Leah that there were a few last
things I wanted to experience before leaving Birmingham for good (for now
anyway), she, with Martin’s help, was able to carve out an evening where we
could fulfill a lot of them! (Pretty amazing, really, the number of them we
were able to squeeze into a single evening!) I had wanted to 1) see where Leah
teaches (Martin, as well, but haven’t been able to maneuver that one to date),
2) experience the festive German Market (see Day 130) and downtown area, once
more, this time as it appears at night, 3) get a look at the canal system (that
you may remember is more extensive than that of Venice itself!), and lastly, 4)
sample a Balti – a spicy Indian dish, stewed until most of the liquid has
evaporated, and served in a wok-like pot. (I’ve been curious about it ever
since I’d read that the Prime Minister of England, while in town for meetings
one day, had visited a Birmingham suburb close to where I live to have a Balti.
(Seems it was his birthday and his wife had set it all up to surprise him.)
Talking of arrangements, we had it all worked out
when I would catch the train in Selly Oak in order to meet Leah at a specified
time. Everything was going great – I was punctual, got my ticket, was just
waiting. Maybe it was ADD, maybe it was this danged virus I’ve got, but looking
at the clock that sits overhead near the tracks at every train station, I
determined I had just enough time to dash inside and blow my nose before the
train came. Famous last words, eh?! As I came hurrying out of the bathroom, I
could see that the train had arrived – a little early – and as I approached,
the doors were closing. (Well. I’m learning that once that door has shut, there
is no opening it up, unlike TRAX in my experience.) Had a little long distance
disagreement with the conductor way down at the opposite end of the line, but
finally saw how hopeless my cause was and gave it up. Darn – frustrating – this
had never happened to me before. The only thing to do is wait patiently till
the next one comes along – in 30 minutes!
Leah was okay with the delay, just kept right on
grading papers. Finally we met up at the Duddeston Station and walked back over
to her facility. (I had remarked to Leah when she first told me that the name
of her school was the Heartlands Academy, a secondary school, in the
Nechells area of town, how much it sounded like a term that could have come straight
from the mid-western part of the U.S. We call that area ‘the heartlands,’ the
bread basket of the country, because of all the grains that’s grown there. When
I mentioned the name to Myfanway, she had a good explanation: ‘Well, Birmingham
IS in the middle of the country, and after all, our county is the West
Midlands.’ That made a lot of sense! (Actually having now studied the map, I
see there is a road close by called the Heartlands Parkway – that no doubt has
something to do with it, as well.)
Anyway, Leah’s school is brand new - this very
year. They are still knocking down the old one alongside of it, brick by brick,
just like they did Deseret Towers on BYU campus a couple years back - my one
and only dormitory (I was part of the first group of students who ever lived
there). The music facilities at the school are phenomenal, state of the arts –
the equipment and technology they have in place. Anybody back home (actually
any university, as well) would be WAY envious.
Following the tour we got back on the train for
one stop, then we were in town at New Street Station, and soon walking about
the city and the German Market. Lots of people and lites and holiday music –
stalls of goods and edibles. We split a sizzling bratwurst with German mustard.
(Mmm, tasty – just to whet our appetite. We had a Balti still to go!) Also
around the canal area, which was about a 10 minute walk further along, we found
many more stalls of vendors . . . and people, people, people – everywhere we
turned.
It seems Birmingham and Manchester are fighting
over who has the best German Market. The headline from the Birmingham Mail
reads: It’s mince pies (you know, instead of swords!) at dawn in the biggest
market row – the battle of the bratwursts. Manchester claims it has the
original, biggest (300 stalls) and best Christmas market in all of Britain. While Birmingham claims it attracted over
five million visitors last year to ‘the largest outdoor Christmas market in the
country,’ according to the city council’s website. While Manchester’s market is
now in its 14th year, Birmingham’s has run for the past 11. Quoting
a City Council spokesman, ‘We hope Manchester enjoys as much success as we
continue to have. Our markets provide a very popular focal point to Christmas
in Birmingham.’ And that, I can personally attest, is exactly right, as Leah
and I added to the growing tally that evening. Though it was cold – to me,
anyway, not so much for Leah – it was a bright, festive, rousing place to be.
So many people soaking up the atmosphere (kind of what MADE the atmosphere, if
you know what I mean)! A lot of families and individuals were there solely to enjoy
the party atmosphere, some were out with Christmas shopping on their minds
(German goods aside, Birmingham is shopping-centre heaven!), while others were just out for the schnapps!
When I cried ‘Uncle, can’t take it anymore – too
cold!!’ (despite three layers of gloves and those nice warm, soft thermal
garments I brought with me for just such an occasion) and both of us had about
had our share of hobbling about (different foot problems), we popped back on
the train and returned to Selly Oak to find a suitable Asian establishment. We
ended up at the Sundarbon International Tandoori Restaurant, right down from
the train station, on Bristol road, right in the vicinity where I amble about most
days.
While I’m fully aware of what an Indian Korma is
(a mild, rich creamy sauce), as well as a Briyani (a lovely rice dish), a Balti
remained a mystery – and I was CURIOUS as all get out! (Now that I’ve had one,
probably don’t need one again. I kept asking Leah to explain what it was – she claimed she didn’t know how to put it
into words. If you ask me, now, the same question, I‘m afraid I’ll be giving
you the same answer. The best I can say is it’s a specifically spiced sauce
with some meat and a little bit of vegetables (looked a lot like a rich stew).
Full of butter, too! The thing that makes a Balti unique, and the part that
intrigued me, is that it is served in the same metal bowl in which it is
prepared. No doubt it differs from place to place, I’ve got to assume. Some
places are ‘known for their Baltis,’ but, of course, I was too much of a novice
at this point to know the difference. It was good – and now I know.
After that delicious cap to our evening, we
crazily went our separate ways (crazy because I was coming over to their house
to spend the night, but hang on_): Leah
to take the 15-minute bus ride home (strength of her ankles was beyond walking
– old war wound!) so she could get in their van and come and pick me up – with
kids asleep in bed there’s no ‘Martin can you come pick us up!’ Me to get the
things I’d need for the following day, that I hadn’t wanted to haul all over
kingdom come for the afternoon and evening.
Also in reference to Molly, here is something nice
she shared with me via email yesterday:
‘Oh,
and your email made me smile when you thanked me for caring. First off, you're
pretty awesome so how could I not care? Second, I should be thanking you! Not
to get too personal but I've been struggling lately with several things, one of
which was feeling a bit lonely/homesick ,exacerbated by being "stuck"
in nursery where I'm not able to socialize much at church. I try to get to know
people after church but ever since I was called to nursery (4 weeks after I
started attending Harborne ward) I've felt a disconnect with members my age.
It's hard because I'm not technically a YSA. But more than the socializing, not
attending classes has been hard, I need the spiritual feeding! So having you
there (a fellow chatter-box, American and someone I have a lot in common with)
has been great! You may not think it’s much but you've made a big difference
for me. So, thank you . . . and that's probably enough of me spilling my guts.’
Nice, huh?!]
Photos_
1- Heartlands
Academy
2- town
(aka downtown)
3-4 Victoria
Square sculptures all decked out:
Floozy in the Jacuzzi
Iron Man
5- Christmas
lites as witnessed in Chinatown
6- canals
at Christmas
7- multi-cultural
market
8-12 sights
of the Frankfurt German Christmas Market
baubles
balloon
vendor, unsteady in the breeze
bier
das
horn
13- a Balti
