Birmingham

Glum Brum

Birmingham. Britain's Second City. At least in terms of population and area, in terms of arts, culture and scene, sadly not.
Last Sunday, I was still recovering from that nasty feverish cold that shipwrecked any Barcelona Mk.II photo ops, I took the chance to load up the Leica to document what I am on about when I say "No, don't come to visit. Please, wait until we've moved to Shanghai. Save the money."
And while I will not set out to diss an entire city, I guess I have now spent enough time here to pinpoint what this place looks like. Neutrally. So I took this sunny Sunday afternoon to put every effort in to portraying exactly what the game is here.
Widely destroyed by my grandfather's buddies in the 40ies and in the heart of Britains economic powerhouse, the city council took the gamble to pour millions of pounds into the Next Big Thing of architecture: Brutalist.
Now home to the largest financial center outside London and the gros of Britain's manufacturing, the fattest city in Europe will be undergoing major redevelopment. I won't be around to see it, I'll be off to Shanghai this summer and shall be returning only for occasional company visits. So here you go, check it out, it's one of the most earnest and realistic blog posts you're going to find on this site. Have a look.

This is Birmingham.

You can also go back home if you get depressed.

A Good Chat
Right smack city center, High Street, Birmingham.
New Street, Corporation Street the Bullring and this make up most of Birminghams shopping experience. It's a big city, so you get anything.
Leica M3, 135mm Elmar, Ilford HP5+

Bullring Shopping Center.
I thought the Leica was more stealth, but three seconds were enough to have two Community Support Officers telling me off for taking pictures. Obviously because I am a terrorist.
Leica M3, 50mm Summicron, Ilford HP5+

Rolling Into New Street Stn
Birminghams main train station and number one railway hub ouside London. It used to have a giant, large glass roof, which got destroyed in the 40ies. Rebuilding involved a lot of solid brickwork and a nice station front, but all that got torn down again to build a rather large and now mostly core less shopping center on top.
Leica M3, 50mm Summicron, Ilford HP5+

Paradise Place
Part of the Birmingham City Library complext, most of this city center development is now empty and shut down. Recently, the main library building has seen some revitalising, with a couple of food shops, a McDonald's and, to great enthusiasm, a Wetherspoon's pub. You also find a seriously good Jazz pub just next door.
Leica M3, 50mm Summicron, Ilford HP5+

more Paradise Place
These are real pidgeons.
Leica M3, 50mm Summicron, Ilford HP5+

Aston Uni Charges Same As Oxford
And why not? Anyone can have aspirations.
Leica M3, 135mm Elmar, Ilford HP5+

Central Shopping
A couple of off-Highstreet shops, all wrapped into a rather nice little development, just off Corporation Street.
Leica M3, 135mm Elmar, Ilford HP5+

In'n'Out
Paradise Place again.
I mostly wanted to use the 'Out' option.
Leica M3, 50mm Summicron, Ilford HP5+

Subway
Queensway.
Theres an almost Elephant&Castle-style labyrinth of underpasses underneath the Queensway roundabout, connecting the city center with the canal section.
Leica M3, 50mm Summicron, Ilford HP5+

Canalside
A bit off the main streets, Birminghams canals have seen some serious housing developments to create attractive living space for the workhorses of the nearby financial centers. Sadly, they built most of this ON TOP of the old canals, leaving little to be canal-ed about.
Leica M3, 50mm Summicron, Ilford HP5+

New Street
I don't know what this used to be, but it sure looks like a sweet opportunity for some flatshare a la grandeur. The two people up there should agree. This is right on New Street, Birminghams premier shopping street. Theres a bookmakers on the ground floor of this and thats it. Move in!
Leica M3, 50mm Summicron, Ilford HP5+

Beer You Beer Me Beer Us Together Naturally
Palisades Shopping Center (the one they whacked atop New Street Station)
Leica M3, 50mm Summicron, Ilford HP5+

Departures, New Street Stn.
You really are in the middle of the UK, get anywhere nonstop!
Leica M3, 50mm Summicron, Ilford HP5+

Walkway Roof, New Street Stn.
No comment.
Leica M3, 50mm Summicron, Ilford HP5+

Back Garden
Hey! We've got one!
This is Wylde Green, Sutton Coldfield.
Leica M3, 15mm Voigtländer, Ilford HP5+

Loo House Wheel
This is also Wylde Green, Sutton Coldfield.
Leica M3, 15mm Voigtländer, Ilford HP5+

Bright Skyline
We're back in city center now. Youre looking across the main shopping and financial districts. No, really.
Leica M3, 50mm Summicron, Ilford HP5+

Foggy Wylde Green
This is all the way back in November, but it looks nice.
Leica M3, 50mm Summicron, Ilford HP5+

Found A Shoe
I had this up on flickr and TWO blokes messaged me askind whether they could add this to their collection of pictures of ladie's footwear.
Oh well.
Leica M3, 50mm Summicron, Ilford HP5+

Council House
Also, right smack city center.
I walk past it every Friday on my way to chinese class!
Leica M3, 15mm Voigtländer, Ilford HP5+

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