2023 September 18, 19, 20

The last morning in Cambridge began with Sainsbury’s croissants and coffee. Ibis Hotel Cambridge is located about 100 meters from the station, a quick walk. With reserved seats in car C close to the luggage racks, the 2.5 hour trip to Birmingham began. Birmingham’s new New Street station is a transport nexus with the Birmingham Bull in the center to welcome visitors.

A flash shower started just as we arrived and ushered us back into the station for lunch. The Wetherspoon chair restaurant was busy. They have instructions to use their app for ordering, but it did not work so Becky went to the kiosk to order. My salad came quickly, hers not until she called attention to her lack of food. When the rain subsided, we began the 10 minute walk up and down hills to the Holiday Inn Express.

Judith and Andy invited to visit their home and have dinner at their favorite Lebanese cafe, and we gladly accepted. We met them on the Norway Fjord cruise in December. Serendipity seated them with us for dinner early in the tour. We saw them almost everyday to wave or have a short chat or sit together for a meal as well as attend science and art activities and ship’s daily briefings. Andy was one of the brave who did the extreme hike in the snow. We had common ground from our work involving children. Judith was a social worker, Andy a lecturer in social policy and social work, and we were school teachers.

At 5:00, they arrived in their shiny red VW and whisked us on a tour of the Moseley area of Birmingham filled with gorgeous Victorian homes. Judith told us about the history of the area and the changing demographics—what has been lost and what has been gained. After almost 30 years in the neighborhood, they are moving to a less urban area in a tech-savvy and environmentally tuned house.

Their present house is a late Victorian with a beautiful back garden. An extension on the house opens onto the garden with many windows and skylights creating light and openness. Preparing for the move, they have been discarding things or wrapping and boxing things to keep. We always enjoying seeing other people’s interesting objects which included some great pieces of furniture and beautiful art work with some by Andy’s mom who had a wonderful impressionistic style.

Their two sons, Reuben and Dominic, live not too far away. Reuben and his partner are near Bristol, while Dominic lives in a narrow boat which he kitted out and navigates along the canals. They also have a cat who invites cat friends into the garden. Some friends! They help themselves to his food and disturb his tranquility.

After wine and nibbles, we headed to Tabule, their neighborhood coffee and mezze spot for a Lebanese extravaganza: babaganoosh, lentils, spanakopita, moussaka, batata hara, and halloumi small plates with puffy puri bread followed by exceptional coffees and two sweets, a Biscoff cake and amazing pudding.

We talked and talked, until the place closed. We had a photo taken and we were whisked back to the Holiday Inn Express located on Holliday Street.

Andy and Judith organized two days of adventures for us around Birmingham. The first day took us south into the countryside and canals.

After a short stop at ancient St. Nicholas church and its graveyard in Henley-in-Arden, we spent time along the Stratford canal and were introduced to the history and operation of the canal locks.

We watched a boatman and his wife coordinate the opening and closing the locks so that the boat could proceed. The operation is labor intensive. You close the lock so it fills with water, move the boat into the lock, let the water out, move the boat out of the lock, and close the lock for the next traveler. The engineering of the locks and their age makes maintenance a big issue.

The people who live in boats along the canals have a community that reminds us of the RV community—friends who support each other in the gypsy life.

Being a good citizen means doing all this accurately because you leave other boats high and dry if you don’t. Apparently amateur boaters are the scourge of the canal community.

We walked the footpath along the canal from Lock 17 to Lock 21. In less than a mile, there were 5 locks requiring the lock opening/closing operation 5 times to get up or down the river. But there must be many rewards also for the canal life to balance the rigors.

The next stop was Fleur de Lys pub at Lowsonford where the restaurant is famous for pot pies. Judith and I enjoyed savory pies served with a thick brown gravy. Becky and Andy had warm and wonderful leek and potato soup with crusty bread.

The repast prepared us for the next stop at Baddesley Clinton, a 16th century manor house with a proper moat.

Baddesley Clinton was the home of the Ferrers family for 500 years. Much of the house you see today was built by Henry Ferrers, a lawyer, diarist and antiquarian, in the late 1500s.

FROM WARWICKSHIRE TOURIST GUIDE

Over the centuries and many generations of owners, the square building was modified in different styles and materials; one wing was torn down opening the interior square for a beautiful garden and vista. Over time, the manor has been visited by royalty, threatened by armies of both the King and the Reformation, and served as a place to hide priests during the revolution. Eventually, the cost of upkeep led the owners to turn the manor house over to the National Trust.

A nap in the afternoon was required after such a wonderful day of favorite places. Around 7:00, we roused and walked two blocks to the cultural center and entertainment complex which included the new Birmingham Library (called the wedding cake), the Symphony Hall, convention center, aquarium and the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

Many restaurants and bars are located along the picturesque urban canals nearby. The Iguana was chosen for a quick burrito and a quesadilla, then back to the hotel for a little time for Spelling Bee and Wordle and sleep.

The second day tour focused on the University of Birmingham where Andy retired as lecturer in the Department of Social Policy and Social Work. A stroll took us into the beautiful campus center which features the tall, tall campanile which Becky heard ringing 12 times for noon.

The campus was hopping with returning students. We looked in the impressive Great Hall where an orientation for new students was being held.

The Barber Institute of Fine Art was our first engagement. The core of its collection is Italian and Flemish Medieval and Renaissance art. A special exhibit of similar art on loan from the Woburn Museum enhanced the collection. The skill of these artists is impressive. The support by church, royalty, and wealthy patrons during this time led to advances in composition, perspective, techniques, and material.

A smaller gallery held art from the impressionist, post impressionist, and modern periods. Single high-quality works by many artists of the late 19th and 20th century were on display: Leger, Vuillard, Bonnard, Degas, Renoir, Gaugin, and an early VanGogh in very dark browns and grays.

Across the street from main campus is the Winterbourne House, a beautiful example of early twentieth-century building which is open to the public. The Nettlefold families were at the pinnacle of Birmingham society and grew wealthy from their metal fabrication factories making screws and other machined goods.

The red brick exterior is consistent with the Victorian sensibilities, while the interior has a less formal approach to living consistent with arts and crafts design.

The house has been preserved with original furnishings as if the family were out for the day. Portraits made of Mr and Mrs Nettlefold and all the six children were painted in the style of John Singer Sargeant. The children’s playroom was especially interesting as the family had six children spread across 15 years.

We spent at least an hour on the house tour and another hour admiring the garden which was in late summer bloom.

At one end of the house there was a gallery showing the work of Berthold and Margaret Wolpe, artists who worked with Faber publishers. They designed many book covers with a distinctive modern style using color blocking, strong simple graphics, interesting fonts including ones that they designed. Their designs approach influenced design in many areas.

Our visit was bookended by visits to the cafe at Winterbourne. When we arrived, we ordered carrot and coriander soup with a large roll to power us for the afternoon. After the house and garden tour, we lingered over tea/coffee time with scones, Victoria sponge cake, and Bakewell tart—a great time for reflection and conversation about all we had seen in the two days as well as a variety of other topics. Again we closed the cafe down; our red VW flyer took us back to the hotel buzzing around 5:00 traffic and road construction. Hugs all around celebrated our wonderful Birmingham adventures with Andy and Judith.

After an afternoon rest, we walked to the cultural complex again for supper. This time we chose Neapolitan pizza at Rudy’s for deconstructed antipasto salad with burrata and delicious white pizza with mushrooms. They served an Italian dry cider Anglioletti that was superb.

Back to the hotel and packing clean clothes thanks to Judith who volunteered to wash. We are so grateful to Judith and Andy for their hospitality and tour guiding. Their favorite places are now our favorite places.