With hubby away for the weekend I decieded I wanted to go and see The Secret Garden in Birmingham, so I spoke to number 1 nicely and he came to. Things didn’t go as smoothly as hoped due to da-da-dar ‘Public Transport.’ Off we set at 10.43 (got to get the time right, people who like things done right might be reading), to the train station, to find repairs on the line in progress, but they had put coaches on to get us to the next station, the next one being due at 11.20. So there we stood in the lovely hot sun shine and waited and waited. Eventually the very nice man from Centro decided to ask one of the coaches, (which had been stood doing nothing since we arrived 40 minutes earlier) if he would take us. On we all jumped and just as he was pulling away along came our coach, rather than get us all off again he said he could take us, (this may have had something to do with the look on everyone’s face when he turned round and announced ‘this is your coach,’ we were all very hot and fed up and it must have shown ha ha). In hindsight we should have got off and got on the other coach, our driver hadn’t got the faintest idea where he was going, and after missing at least three turnings we eventually got to the station and guess who was there, go on have a guess. The coach we should have got on! Anyway just as we left the coach the train pulled in, queue for a lot of people who really should not be running in the heat, to start running. Made it, with 25 minutes to spare, yep the train didn’t pull out until 12.05. So all in all it took us 1 hour and 40 minutes to do a 20 minute journey. Remember people ‘let the train take the strain’

Once in Birmingham and feeling very relieved that we had actually got there we headed for Digbeth and the back of the Custard Factory, to The Secret Garden.

love the sign

I found this idea both unusual and interesting. A mix of containers with small exhibition inside, a shed with lots of bits and pieces that had been found in the clear-up and the lovely little wooded area with just a glimpse of a small boy skipping, (if you know the story you will understand). When I read about this exhibition I will admit I thought ‘how’s that going to work?’ The more I thought about it the more I want to see it, and I am glad I did. Go have a look.

shed, full of all sorts

look at the shoes

told you

From there we went to have a look at the flea-market. This market is small and has some nice bits and pieces. By now we were very hot so headed for Bacchus for a sit in the dark and a yummy white wine spritzer.

 

Feeling suitable refreshed we walked up the town to Chamberlain Square to have a look at this,

look corn at the bottom

It’s part of the Climate Change Festival that is going on at the moment. I am not sure what it supposed to mean, it has something to do with not wasting energy, we couldn’t find any body to ask, but this pigeon seemed to be enjoying it.

how thoughtful, they have left me dinner

We then sat on the steps outside of the library and watched a very cheery little film about the tree planting that when on in the 1960s, to create ‘open spaces.’ Our attentions was some what taken away from the next film by two men trying to get themselves inside these,

I wish I had never said I would help

They then just stood outside the library and occasionally gave a little shuffle. We had the feeling they should have been making people jump, but to be quite honest it was far too hot.

We then moved on to Centenary square, where there was a fair and some tents full of ‘let’s all be green stuff, and lets not forget the pop can bull

moo, hic, moo, hic

I iz a bull

The Ikon Galleries next to see an exhibition by Lutz and Guggisberg called Impressions from the interior, (runs until 20 July, worth a look). The exhibition starts off in ‘Library’ an installation not unlike a living room, with books and lamps. Read the titles of the books as you go and you will see they are all fake. There is also a very beautiful wooden globe in this room full of carved animals and different object, take time to really look; it’s surprising how much is in there.
The next room ‘Impressions from the interior’ contains photos and some very sweet little ‘Tonies,’ pushing the wall out of place, (you need to see it).
Up the stairs to the next floor and it’s ‘Wash the world’ a short film about an engineer who turns time back and cleans the world, some really nice film of un-spilling water and a power station sucking back it’s exhaust vapour.
‘man in snow’ we nearly missed, it was only by chance I saw it and pointed it out to number 1, A very faint video projected onto a white wall of a man walking through snow. ‘Population’ a room full of birds made from charred wood, all on the floor so you have to pick your way through them, we both found this rather creepy.

By this time we were hot again so went to Wetherspoons for a not very nice white wine spritzer, it was yak! Then we decided to share a plate of nachos and have another drink. Time was creeping on now so after a discussion on how to get home, should we risk the train or go by bus. We decided on bus, our bus was running late, but number 1 said that this bus here goes by the station so we jumped on that one, it didn’t.

Never mind we had a nice walk home playing eye-spy, (number 1 cheats)

All the exhibitions were free, so go and have a look.

Be Happy