Misty City and quaint area

2006-12-23 12:23 a.m.

“A winter’s day, in a deep and dark December,”
I am a rock, by Simon and Garfunkel

Well yes, truthfully, I am alone in Tennis Courts, Birmingham, UK. But I can’t say I’m regretting my decision to remain in hall during the winter break. Even though it isn’t going to be a white Christmas as I hoped it will be, I am still quite content. I’m not exactly all the time in my room, I’m spending part of my time in the city centre, part of my time in Harborne, a district not far from Tennis Courts and well the university itself.

To use Simon’s and Garfunkel’s words again, yes I do have my books, but no poetry. But I wouldn’t exactly say “to protect me.” Stacey remarked “don’t study too hard,” and maybe I’m heeding her words, maybe I’m not. Theirs is really “life outside my apartment”, especially since is the days before Christmas. I’ve already mentioned the bustle in the city centre. It’s my second time that I’ve attempted to shop alone (the first time was in Frankenberg, Germany, although I was hardly alone by myself there), and there’s really so much to grab, if only I had the dough. But as for the art of window shopping, I think I’ve mastered it. Must have been all the training every holiday in Australia, where my aunt, mother and cousins would drag me along shopping.

The crowds have naturally intensified and a newcomer has entered the city—that of mist. Around the early afternoon, mist hung around the area from St. martin’s Church downwards. It is a pretty picturesque sight, but an extremely chilly.

Harborne is different. It’s a sort of sloped climb up to this district and perhaps the distance is about the same as that to Selly Oak. The first sign you know you’re in the area is this rather large pub (which I also think is an inn). As I mentioned previously, pubs here hold quizz nights every week and this one is main frequented by the businessmen and elder folks. Even before you reach that pub is a Marks & Spencers branch. Food here is by no means cheap, even takeaways, as you’ll soon discover. About a block or so after the pub ar a couple of banks and a on that side and more are shops and takeaway joints and restaurant. Not bad, you can even find a Japanese restaurant in such a quaint suburb, but the prices are of course way beyond my reach. Iceland is probably the equivalent of Singapore’s NTUC, from food prices to food variety. It’s a really self sufficient area of Birmingham and just the place to be to unwind your mind from the piles of books and notes.

Ok, that’s it. Short entry.

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