Spring sunshine in Manchester

I took a quick trip to Manchester to see Torvill & Dean perform on their final tour and while I was there I took advantage of the British spring weather to get out and explore.  

I ate at Exhibition, one of my favorite haunts in Manchester. Excellent as always, even though I couldn’t have a cocktail. And then met a friend for dinner at New Century. (My life really does revolve around where my next meal is coming from!)

Exhibition is situated near the Central Library so, while I was waiting to check in to my hotel, I popped in to see their current exhibits. Particularly enjoyed the Tony Lloyd exhibition, “Our Lives, Our Privacy” and ACTING UP!: 40 years of HIV activism. 

Given the rarity of sunshine in Manchester, I took the opportunity to visit the Castlefield Viaduct (right by the Deansgate-Castlefield tram stop). It’s a disused railway viaduct that closed in 1969 but is now being revived by the National Trust into an urban park. I’m a big fan of The High Line in New York and obviously the Castlefield Viaduct isn’t anywhere near the same scale but it is always nice to enjoy green areas in the center of a city. 

One of my favorite treats is a good afternoon tea and where better than the Midland Hotel. They accommodated my current dietary needs without fuss and I drank more tea than is advisable when you’re about to catch a plane. 

Final stop before heading to the airport was the People’s History Museum. It was my first time visiting and I loved it. I will have to go back though as I didn’t have time to see all the exhibits. And it’s really close to Dishoom so that’s another meal sorted for next time I visit.