Celebrating 40 Years

After yesterday's stupor I made myself get up and get out today...and I'm glad I did. I went for a swim, but when I walked through to the pool I wasn't happy to see so many people in the water. I put on my best get out of the water glare and lo and behold it actually worked!!! I cleared the pool and had a great swim.

Bayern Munich were staying at the Marriott and we watched them dribbling down for breakfast...I thought I would add a little football metaphor. There were security guards all over the place and we couldn't get any breakfast in the bar as their chefs had taken over. I had no camera with me, but I think the security guards might have overpowered me anyway. I walked home and thought...blow it, I'm going back for a pic or two. I raced back but the swines had already left for a training session...so I went home for a sulk.

After stomping about a bit I decided to see what was happening in Manchester. Today is actually the 40th anniversary of Greater Manchester and in turn 40 years of GMP. The Greater Manchester Police Museum was celebrating and as I'd never been there I decided to go for a little shufty.

I went into town on the tram and then wandered off to the museum. There were some interesting people there, it is run by ex policemen and women. As part of the celebrations the Chief Constable, Sir Peter Fahy, was making a visit...and I was there at just the right time for once. He was interviewed and filmed and also posed quite happily for some pics. The volunteers who worked there were all in old uniforms and they were happy to pose too. I had a laugh with some of the old guys and then had a look round the old Victorian cells.

BBC Radio Manchester were celebrating the date today ...1/4/14 ...they were asking people to take a photo today at 14:14 to make a photographic record of local life in 2014. I had forty minutes to go as I left the museum and I pondered what would be a good pic. I decided the Town Hall with the clock would do so I bought a drink and a sandwich and sat in the sunshine in Albert Square until the allotted time. At 14:14 I counted fourteen seconds then took a pic of the gargoyle in the fountain with the Town Hall behind, showing the exact time...14:14:14 1/4/14....perfect.

Mission accomplished I caught the tram home. As we passed the Hilton I saw three guys abseiling down cleaning the glass, I was so tempted to jump off the tram and take pics. There was a woman sitting in front of me and she was amazed at the abseilers too. Instead of getting off I ended up chatting with her, she told me she was going to Eccles and she hadn't been there for over 60 years. Apparently, she lived in Middlesex as a child and when it was bombed she was evacuated to Eccles to stay with her cousins...the day she arrived was the first day of the bombing of Manchester...an interesting lady to talk to.

I emailed my 14:14 pic to Radio Manchester and within a few minutes I had a reply to say it was on their Facebook Homepage...result!