Scene: Birmingham | Take: 2

After the almost complete failure of my last trip to B'ham I thought I should give it another try. This time was much better.

On Monday I headed back to Birmingham to do the touristy things I had been planning for Friday.

Like any good law student my first destination was the Court House. The building is made from terracotta bricks and looks incredible. Inside is polished sandstone and marble with wood panelling and very ornate lighting fixtures. Unfortunately you aren't allowed to take photos inside Court Houses no matter where you are in the world. After wandering around the building for a while I slipped into the public gallery of one of the courts about to start hearing a matter. The Court Clerk wasn't impressed with the fact that I was wearing shorts and warned me that some judges may ask me to leave! I actually hadn't thought of what I was wearing at all when entering the Court House...oops! Obviously Queensland courts and judges are far more relaxed than UK ones. The Magistrate didn't even notice in the end as I watched him sentence a guy to 14 weeks imprisonment for being an all round drop-kick!

This is just the entrance!

After the Mags Court came a couple of cathedrals with some incredible stained glass windows and sandstone blocks the size of my little 121 bubble! I then found my way over to the Council Hall which is the equivalent to Brisbane's City Hall. However, the Birmingham Council Hall is far more impressive and about three times the size!

Currently there is a German food and wine festival happening in the courtyard outside the Council Hall...it smelt good!

After the Council Hall came the Art Gallery (again) which is at the back of the Hall. In the same town square is the Town Hall which boasts a pipe organ similar to Brisbane's. I'm still not sure if I was supposed to be in there...but I had the "I'm just an Aussie tourist" excuse ready to pull out!

Entrance to the Art Gallery

From there I headed over to the National Sea Life Centre, The Symphonic Hall, Repertory Theatre, Hall of Memory and a few other hidden treasures. Most of these buildings are grouped together around another set of canals and mooring areas.

Lunch (pronounced pas-tee not pay-stee as I soon found out!)

The buildings were amazing...oozing history out of the giant blocks that made them. The architecture inside them is incredible also. Before heading home I headed back to the shops (they were on the way to the station) hoping to have a look in the markets...but of course the only day they are closed is the day I was there! Perhaps another trip to beautiful Birmingham is needed then!