Thursday 18 June 2009

Secret Manchester part 2


Piccadilly Gardens and the classy waterjumpers and street drinkers behind you, walk up Oldham Street. Pass the overly self conscious cool kid clothing shops and emporia of stuff you don’t need, and take a left at Thomas Street. Walk along, multi storey car park to your left, to the corner of said edifice. John Street. The curry shop on the corner – I went there after I had my tattoo so many years ago. Continue to the bend in the road. Beware! It’s a one way street, but many motorists really don’t care so you may find a car bearing down upon you from behind. Stand on the left hand side of the street at the corner. Look up at the building opposite. Brick, windows bricked up, terrace style factory building turned – unsurprisingly in this part of town – into flats. But look up at the side of the building. The wall braces which hark back to the textile background of this area, hooks for pulley systems, may or may not be original. They may well be fakery. But then, so are the things sat upon them. Brilliant tropical birds in natural poses. So realistic looking that you might expect them to move and call at any moment. Another tropical architectural curiosity that could no more thrive in this city than I can.