AnglOrony

Manchester in Colours In the midst of the busy metropolis, there are many charming,  unique corners.    One of them is the well-established  Chinatown  with the must-have, must-see  Chinese Arch  (upper-left) on Nicholas Street, off Portland Street. Many oriental restaurants and Chinese shops are in the vicinity. Manchester is twinned with Wuhan in China, and it has the second-largest Chinese community in the UK.  Shambles Square (upper-right) contains the timber-framed buildings, the oldest in the city - Old Wellington Inn and Sinclair's Oyster Bar . Near the Piccadilly Station interesting lamp-like shades amongst the glass offices of some importance. A few people know that you can walk a large part of the city centre almost entirely through narrow alleyways . They are hidden in plain sight, and had a fantasy feel of the Harry Potter calibre. Dalton Entry (lower-right), for example, has some surprising art - in the memory of the famous sc...

Manchester is a world famous city for many reasons. Here, the Industrial Revolution had a full steam power ahead, making it 'the parent' of all modern cities around the world. The city gave the world the  weather report , the  atom , the  railway , the  computer . The city where both socialism and capitalism were pioneered, and the S uffragettes fought so fiercely for women's right. Above all, the city's story is stepped in the global textile industry (it is almost impossible to live without fashion). The city unique way to develop as a world metropolis , came from its special moist climate along with the supply of soft water from its three rivers . This allowed cotton processing on a huge scale and in the best setting. Cotton mills , factories and elaborate warehouses  had risen in the city’s in the 19th century to clothe millions of people and their furniture.  Nicknamed ' Cottonopolis ', Manchester accumulated wealth which enabled to buil...

The first St Patrick’s Day Parade in Manchester was held on the 17 March 1990, organised by the Irish World Heritage Centre. It led to St Chad’s Church and finished with a Mass before returning to the Irish Centre. It was for the Irish community, kept rather private. A lot has changed since then. Now Manchester's St. Patrick's Parades is part of the Irish Festival , over four days. The celebrations include music, dance, literature at the launch night, Irish Markets, and various charity events, and finally, St Patrick's Day Parade, on Sundays - closest to 17th March, each year. This allows many onlookers and participants to join in and to promote the Irish culture over a wider spread of society. The parade still starts at the Irish World Heritage Centre , at noon, but goes through the city centre, along Deansgate. Over the years, there have been numbers of the Irish Government representatives present, including the Taoiseach of Ireland and ministers. Usually...

A welcome in the Year of the Pig in Manchester had been happening in Chinatown and around the city between 2nd and 10th February. Exhibitions of art, traditional New Year Chinese decorations,  installations, street food markets, martial arts displays, the Dragon parade - there was plenty to get the vibe. In Chinese culture, dragons symbolize wisdom, power, protection. Every year in Manchester the Dragon dance is performed to bring good fortune to the city and to chase away any evil spirits, especially in the tight Chinese community in the heart of Manchester.  A giant, glittering Golden Dragon was at the Exchange Square.   2019 is a Year of the Pig according to the Chinese calendar. UK artist, Alex Rinsler, had been commissioned to create a Giant Piglet  that landed in St Ann’s Square. Around the sculpture were piggy banks for contribution to the two charities, The Big Change and the Wai Yin Society. As the charming red lanterns appear in the ci...

Manchester was really buzzing with bees during the summer of 2018! Bee in the City was a free and amazing art and history trail from 23 July - 23 September. Over 100 super-sized Bees, each individually decorated, and over 130 equally artistic little Bees were displayed across historic places in Manchester. With a special map of the trial, one could easily reach for the nearest bee in the city centre and walk along. So, we could start to explore the trial anywhere, but the great focal point certainly was Manchester Piccadilly. There, a Bee Number One stood, gloriously intriguing. Six-foot golden chrome, the ‘Au’ bee, was there to reflect the rich, leading culture and atmosphere of the city with the meaning behind: 'Fly high and free. Set new standards. Make an impact and never be afraid of a challenge. You can "bee" what you want to "bee".  The Bee in the City trail paid a homage to famous elements of Manchester’s history. The iconic worker bee has symbolised ...