A Walk in the Park

Today was our day out in Manchester and first meeting with great niece Eden.  Being so remote near Knutsford, it soon appeared that watching the Uber app tell us it was trying to find a local driver was a little like waiting for a browser to load.... well on the campsite wifi tbh.  So we resorted to the old fashioned version which are apparently called 'Taxis'  Our taxi man insisted on masks as he had had a bad case of Covid and we dutifully complied - he is the first person in the UK we have come across who reminded us that it is still possible to catch Covid.  His life story also turned out to be both fascinating and harrowing at the same time.  Near dead from heart disease he moved to the US where he actually found a doctor who helped him stabilize and he wasn't bankrupt after picking up the prescriptions.  Unfortunately the US was not kind to him and he returned to the Manchester area penniless with a wife and 4 kids and had to sleep on the streets.  A long and painful process of procuring a house in Knutsford then ensued which involved drug addicts living next door biting the head of a squirrel and throwing the body at his kids and having both front and back doors broken into.  He has finally managed to secure a house in Knutsford but not before procuring a meeting with his MP and now has 10 kids and runs his solo taxi business as his means of income.
Anyway, we arrived safely, though for somewhat more than it cost us to Uber back again later and had a great time catching up with Julia, Tom, Eden and Grandma Daveen plus we were even fortunate enough for Paul to rail into town and had lunch, held the baby, chatted and laughed - feeling encouraged that D's kids extracted the Michael out of their parents in similar ways to our own!  Spend a pleasant but short walk in Platt Fields/Park.  (Extra of aviary on top of the pavilion - No extra of the rats)  Ended the time with them on the Curry Mile at an excellent Indian restaurant where I enjoyed a Tuk Tuk Kari and Gulab Jamun.  Uber was driven by a gentleman from Somalia who was very pleasant and safe driver.  Time for bed after an enjoyable time with family!