We arrived in Birmingham late at night and it was well after midnight when we finally collapsed into bed. As we had exited New Street Station the night before, I had noticed there was a painted model of a bear at the bottom of the station steps. I googled Birmingham and bear statues and discovered there was a 'We're Going on a Bear Hunt' trail around the centre of Birmingham until the 6th of September. It only involved ten bears so I thought: "I will come across most of them and if not, I will track them down."
The bear at the foot of the station steps was called 'Clarence the Climate Bear' by Mary and Janice. I got to photograph him next day when I went to the station to buy our breakfast from Gregg's.
Clarence the Climate Bear.
Clarence the Climate Bear.
Because of the Birmingham Bull Ring there's lots of bull statues in Birmingham, too.
I contacted Catherine to check if we had left Eddie there and fortunately we had. She had found him when she stripped down our bed. It would take around a year till we would be there again, but at least he was safe. However, Catherine suggested that she could post Eddie to us. I thought: "Well, at least we will have him back in Hong Kong." But Peter said: "Ask her to post him to my brother." We will see Peter's brother several times this holiday, so this made good sense. I sent Catherine, Peter's brother's address and she said she would post Eddie later that day.
Later on we met up with our friends Chris and Pat. They came to our hotel and we treated them to a drink in the bar downstairs. Then we all went to The Dragon Inn Wetherspoons in Chinatown, just behind our hotel. The funny thing was Chris and Pat live in Birmingham, but had no idea there were lots of restaurants and bars in this area. I think it's because it's been redeveloped here in recent years. Peter decided to have a brunch wrap which is nice and small and I had a chicken burger. It was fun to catch up with friends.
Chris and Pat in the Dragon Inn.
Peter and I in the Dragon Inn.
Chris had a curry.
Pat had fish and chips.
Next day was a Saturday and we planned to go to a football match. As I was wandering around looking for a cash machine, as we had almost totally run out of money, I found my second bear. This one was just outside the entrance to the Bullring Shopping Centre. She was called Mother Paw'd and she was by Jessica Perrin.
Mother Paw'd.
Mother Paw'd.
Mother Paw'd.
Mother Paw'd was right next to another Birmingham Bull statue.
Not far away, between the Bullring and the markets, is the beautiful old Church of St Martin's. There has been a church on this site since the thirteenth century, though the present church dates back to 1855. It's a friendly and welcoming church with beautiful stained glass windows.
Inside St Martin's.
Stained glass window.
Stained glass window.
Stained glass window.
Stained glass window.
Later that day we took the train to Bescot Stadium and met up with Peter's brother, Richard, and his son Jack. We all went for a drink in The Locker before the match. Jack was very excited because he and his girlfriend are about to buy their first house together. I told Richard that Eddie was being delivered to his address and he said: "You'll be lucky if you ever see him again. Our post keeps going missing or is delivered to the wrong address." Oh no, I had stopped worrying too soon. Would I ever see Eddie again?
I'm not a big football fan but Peter needs my help nowadays getting to his seat, so I come along and to be honest I am starting to get into it. I can now name quite a lot of Walsall's players and I am starting to follow the action out on the field . This match was Walsall v Morecambe. Walsall scored in the first half and the rest of the match involved just hoping they didn't let any goals in. It was a relief to hear the full time whistle. Walsall one Morecambe Nil.
Peter, Jack and Richard in The Locker.
Peter at the match.
Walsall v Morecambe.
Walsall v Morecambe.
Walsall v Morecambe.
After the match Richard and Jack had to head off, but Peter and I went for another drink in The Locker. I must admit I really don't like it in there as the queues to be served are enormous.
Peter back in The Locker.
When we got home, Peter said he wasn't hungry and didn't want any dinner. I wasn't pleased with this, because I was absolutely starving, so I went and got myself a Chinese chicken curry take away, which was absolutely lovely. I eventually got Peter to take some cuppa soup. I think he's pining for Eddie.
Next day we were changing accommodation from the Ibis to the Adagio. We had a free late checkout, so left The Ibis when it was time to get into The Adagio.
We had booked a studio apartment at The Adagio, but the girl on reception insisted we had booked a superior apartment with two double beds. I think we had been given a free upgrade due to Peter's gold card and the receptionist just wasn't aware of this. Anyway we were being charged the correct price for a better room, so who were we to argue? I mentioned that it was fine just as long as it didn't have a bath. The receptionist said: "But it does have a bath." I pointed out that baths were difficult for Peter, so she tried to find us a different room. Then she took me to both rooms. I told her the one with the bath was no good and asked for the other one. She said that was fine and I left my rucksack there and went back down to complete check in. At check in the girl said: "I'm sorry the new room isn't available for your whole stay. Can you move rooms in the middle." I said: "No, I don't want to do this." Eventually she found another room of the same kind that had a shower and was available for our whole stay. She then had to go back to room one where our welcome gift had been left, then room two where I had left my rucksack, then to room three to give us those things. Check in had been quite exhausting but our new apartment was great with ceiling to floor windows in the living room, a separate small kitchen, a separate bedroom and a toilet with shower. Our own wee home. Eddie would have loved it.
I had to go out to the shops to stock up our fridge, because I was able to cook here. I bought most of it from Marks and Spencer's Food.
Our living room.
Our kitchen.
Our bedroom.
View from the window.
View from the window.
Next day was a free day. Peter wanted to take a much needed rest and I thought if I was going to find all those bears I'd better get on with it. I decided to combine the bear hunt with looking at Birmingham.
The first bear I found wasn't too far from the Bullring it was on Corporation Street. I really liked this one. It was called Groovy Bear-by and it was painted by Caroline Daly.
Psychedelic looking Groovy Bear-by.
Groovy Bear-by.
After Corporation Street I headed up to Birmingham's Cathedral. It was a hot day and the graveyard here was filled with people drinking and sunbathing. This struck me as very odd for a graveyard. Even odder was the fact that there was a big wheel here. Again strange choice of location. However, thinking about it, I guess the problem is that Birmingham lacks a big open green space in its centre.
The big wheel.
Birmingham Cathedral.
Birmingham Cathedral.
There was no bear near the cathedral and I couldn't remember why I had thought there would be. Fortunately, I was able to look up the trail and I discovered that the bear was actually in the nearby Great Western Arcade. I don't remember if I have been in here before. It's a beautiful old historical shopping centre and there right in the middle of it was the beautifully hand painted Bobby Bear by Jenny Leonard. This was another of my favourites.
Bobby in Great Western Arcade.
Bobby.
Bobby.
Great Western Arcade.
Wandering around this part of town, I noticed there were many beautiful old buildings around.
There's some lovely old buildings from Birmingham's past. This is Birmingham and Midland Eye Hospital from 1825.
There's some lovely old buildings from Birmingham's past. This is part of Birmingham University.
Colmore Row.
I ended up at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery and the Town Hall. I'd have liked to go into the museum but most of it is still closed until October. The whole place has been undergoing refurbishment. I knew if I headed left I'd come to another bear on Victoria Square, but I decided to go right first and head to the Canal District.
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery.
Paradise Circus next to the Town Hall.
The museum on the left and the Town Hall on the right
I passed by the war memorial, the library, the Rep Theatre and the golden boys statue. On the other side of the road was The Exchange, University of Birmingham.
The War Memorial.
The war memorial and library.
The Rep Theatre.
The Golden Boys.
The Exchange University of Birmingham.
I passed by the former Crown Inn Pub. When I reached the Black Sabbath Bridge I was at the Canal District. This time I went towards Brindley Place first, but then down at water level I headed the other way along Gas Street Basin. I was trying to reach a shopping mall called The Mailbox which was home to my next bear. The Canal District has been done really nicely with waterside pubs and restaurants and lots of barges.
The former Crown Inn.
Black Sabbath Bridge.
Looking down on the Canal District.
Brindley Place.
Brindley Place.
Gas Street Basin.
Go under the bridge.
Gas Street Basin.
The Canals.
Barges.
Pubs by the waterside.
Pubs on the Canal side.
Canal Barge.
When I reached The Mailbox I saw it had fancy stairs where you could sit and relax amidst greenery. The bear was supposed to be on The Mailbox steps, but I couldn't see it.
The Mailbox.
Restaurant in Mailbox.
Beer promotion at Mailbox.
More bulls inside Mailbox.
Inhale Exhale Relaxing Stairs.
There were several restaurants around and there was an interesting building next to The Mailbox. It was called The Cube. It seemed to be a hotel and offices. It had some interesting statues of people where the faces were always bright red love hearts. Rather strange!
The Cube.
Inside The Cube.
Art in The Cube.
Art in The Cube.
Art in The Cube.
Art in The Cube.
I walked everywhere looking for the bear and eventually when I was on the verge of giving up, found it at the opposite end of the building at the bottom of steps and near a major road. The placing of these statues was a bit odd. This bear was called We are Bear-mingham and it was painted by Ekaterina Sheath.
We are Bear-mingham.
We are Bear-mingham.
We are Bear-mingham Bear.
I walked all the way back to The Black Sabbath Bridge, then headed back to the town hall and on to the front of The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery on Victoria Square, where I found the Biodiversity Bear which was painted by Jodie Silverman. Victoria Square is filled with statues and fountains. It's recently been renovated.
The Museum and Art Gallery on Victoria Square.
Victoria Square.
Biodiversity Bear.
Biodiversity Bear.
Biodiversity Bear.
Biodiversity Bear.
Queen Victoria on her square.
Fountain on Victoria Square.
Fountain on Victoria Square.
Fountain on Victoria Square.
Statue on Victoria Square.
After Victoria Square, I began to head in the general direction of home. On the way I dropped into Piccadilly Arcade, another old fashioned shopping mall to see Jester. He was a very popular one. Lots of people always seemed to be around him. Jester was painted by Amanda Quelling.
Jester.
Jester.
Next day was an evening football match Walsall v Exeter in the Carabao Cup. We had to go to Bescot earlier to collect the tickets. I also nipped into Matalan to do some shopping. Then we took a train to Walsall and a bus to Pelsall to put flowers on Peter's mum and dad's grave. Peter's brother had decided to meet us there, too then take us to the match by car.
When we met Peter's brother he said nothing about parcels, so I wasn't hopeful, but I had to ask. He told me: "Yes you are lucky. It has come." Of course as soon as I got it I had to release Eddie. He was looking amazing. He's always been a small scruffy bundle, but Catherine had groomed him and given him a big blue ribbon. He was so pristine neither of us even felt sure it was him.
Eddie looking drop dead gorgeous. I suspect he may have liked to stay with his Auntie Catherine.
But Eddie wasn't the only excitement. The football match itself was amazing. Exeter scored early on and it looked like Walsall would lose. Then in the second half in extra time they scored. The whole stadium erupted. It was one one at full time, but because it was a cup game it went to penalties. Peter and Richard are always bemoaning the fact that Walsall doesn't have any strikers, so this could have gone very badly.
Walsall took the first penalty and missed. Oh no! Exeter took the next and scored. Then Walsall scored. Unbelievably Exeter missed. Then to cut a long story short Exeter missed again. It all came down to the last Walsall penalty and they put up a player who is really good at tackling, but never ever seems to score, to take it. No one around us could even look. The atmosphere was so tense .... and he scored. Everyone including me was up dancing to 'Rocking All Over The World.' It was such an exciting match.
Peter at Bescot.
Walsall v Exeter.
Walsall v Exeter.
Walsall v Exeter.
Next day we were meeting Chris and Pat in the evening. I decided to find another bear so I took A Walk on the Wild Side. Well, not really, but that was the name of my next bear. He was located at John Bright Street. Again it felt like an odd location, though apparently there are restaurants and bars nearby. This bear was my overall favourite, though I really liked Groovy and Bobby, too. A Walk on the Wild Side was half leopard and half zebra. It was painted by Rachael and Phillippa Corcucutt. There was another sculpture nearby.
A Walk on the Wild Side.
A Walk on the Wild Side.
A Walk on the Wild Side.
Statue that was nearby.
This time to meet up with Chris and Pat we took the number 50 bus to Mosely Village and went to The Pub in Mosely which was very good with very reasonable prices.
Peter and I in The Pub in Mosely.
Peter, Chris and I.
We had thought of going for an Indian meal, but Peter isn't good with spicy food any more so we went to The Wetherspoons next to the pub. This one was called The Elizabeth of York. I had a pepperoni pizza and Peter had Wiltshire ham, egg and chips.
Chris, Pat and Peter.
My pizza.
Peter's ham, egg and chips.
Next day I decided it was time to track down my final two bears. The first one was called Spectrum. It was painted by Christine Joplin and was located inside Selfridges.There was yet another bull statue in there, too.
Yet another bull.
Spectrum.
Spectrum.
Spectrum.
Spectrum.
The last bear was in Grand Central just upstairs from New Street Station. I had been there repeatedly but hadn't gone upstairs, but it was finally time to find my last bear and conclude my bear hunt. The final bear was called Luna and the Moon and she was painted by Marnie Maurri.
Luna and the Moon.
Luna and the Moon.
Luna and the Moon.
That was the end of my bear hunt and of Eddie's bid for freedom. He'll be first in the packing when we leave.
This featured blog entry was written by irenevt from the blog Trip To Europe 2024.
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