I suppose thats a weird, backhanded compliment?
I've never been to walsall before so I googled things to do- and I have to say on looking at the tourist board website these was lots of visitors- I had an impression that Walsall was going to be quite fancy and affluent.
The hotel is about 2 and a half miles from the town centre- which was fine as Traff's course lasted from 9-5 so a longish walk was actually a welcome time wasting distraction.
On arrival Traff announced that Travelodge had sole the building off and that the hotel was only going to be a Travelodge for another 7 days.
We asked the staff if they would keep their jobs and they said they just get transferred to the next hotel- one lady was like "I've been here 17 years and this will be the 5th company I've worked for without changing buildings" so fair play, well done everyone for thinking of the staff!
On monday night I made us helen's famous stir fry (check out my recipe post for fried chicken with cashew nuts! it is truly delicious and the wife agrees!)
So we ended up leaving here at about 6- and getting to the hotel about 8.
We checked in and stuff and then went looking for a pub. We genuinely walked miles! but I will walk great distances for gin so it's ok.
We had a couple of drinks then walked back and had a drink in the hotel bar- and I was introduced to some of the other people on the course.
So that was cool- at least I know who's who!
Today my plan was to leave the hotel at midday- so that I only had 5 hours to kill (and one of those would be the walk there and back).
Unfortunately I hadn't planned on Traff getting bored before his course and waking me up at 8:10 for a chat.
There is only so much mooching about you can do in a hotel room before you start to feel a bit suspicious- and fear housekeeping bursting in on you.
I ended up going into Walsall about 10am- the walk was pretty easy and it was quiet- the area where the hotel was was pretty posh looking- like the nice parts of Roath.
And the closer I got to town the more run down and boarded up the shops were some of them looked like they'd been boarded up for a very long time- I assumed I was still a long way out of the centre because there were so many shops boarded up- and just as I'd concluded that I saw a big sign announcing this was walsall's town centre.
I went to the new art gallery- which was brilliant- they had loads of really interesting collections and a research library.
(it's just a shame it was so juxtaposed to the boarded up shops outside).
Their website boasted a Damien hurst exhibition- it wasn't as many items as I'd have liked but there was some cool stuff- the sheep in formaldehyde and the work with the butterflies on life and death.
There was also some of the art from his restaurant "pharmacy".
I particularly liked the pharmaceutical wall paper- where images of real drugs were re named with biblical terms e.g "the burning bush" under canneston duo.
Clever.
There where also some Epstein works- which I liked very much.
And all the usual kinds of art works- lots by european and american painters- romantic onwards- Which got me thinking (dangerous, I know) about our perceptions of beauty- I mean, there are plenty of victorian pre raphaelite works of art which we consider to be beautiful- and they show the beautiful women of the day. these are not images of women who would be considered beautiful now- we would probably think them "unusual" and a bit mannish. I think the painting below is probably a very good example- this is Rosetti's wife- who was a society beauty.
Now, by modern standards, She is too strongly featured to be "beautiful".
Her eyes are too lidded (this was considered a sign of excessive masturbation) where we prefer women to have big, wide open eyes, her nose, jaw and chin and too strong and sharp- we prefer women to have rounder, softer faces and smaller noses (ah, you only have to look at the cosmetic surgery celebrities have to support that one- all nose jobs and fillers and cheek implants...)
Her eyebrows are defined and heavy (now waxes off entirely) and she isn't shockingly thin (yes, I know the victorians had previously had a passion for frailty and TB victims- but here we like healthy sized women!)
(she also had an awful lot of pubic hair- so much that her husband refused to consummate their marriage- he though women looked like classical statues...)
When i say "we prefer" I am referring of course to the current societal view of beauty.
By victorian standards our idea of beauty would be their idea of plain.
I spent a long time and several miles contemplating this- I have concluded very little.
It reminded me of one of my colleagues when I worked at the museum - 2004-2008- Vera- Who was telling me that Darcy Bustle was pretty, but in a "striking, manly sort of way- when someone has something about them that makes them pretty, but it's really unconventional"
She carried on in this vein for about 10 minutes, then put her hand on my arm and told me I looked "rather like Darcy Bustle".
Perhaps she felt it was a kind way to tell me I have a face like the back end of a bus. (Although, I happen to think Darcy Bustle looks pretty good- So I'm taking it all as a compliment)
After the art gallery I decided to have some lunch and then to go to the tannery museum.
I ended up at the chintziest cafe I've ever seen.
There were other cafes.
but I had to experience this one.
I had a scone and tea- the tea was good, the scone was incredibly sweet. The cafe was full of old people, and some of them got a bit tutty as they usually sit where I was sat (I gathered from the loud conversation with the woman next to me) and they come every day.
oops.
I walked to the Tannery museum and ended up walking about a mile out of my way round the one way system as the sign posts all seem to be missing?!
The museum was pretty cool and most probably especially awesome if you're really into leather goods.
I was really restrained and didn't buy a day-glo orange hand bag in the shop.
by the time I'd finished there and walked back into town (not via the one way system) it had started to rain- I did some shopping (marks, Debenhams, Wilkos, Newlook) and then went into the works and bought a book to read- I took it to the town hall (which is a weatherspoons) and had a cuppa whilst chilling out.
Reading books is my favourite past time. I will honestly read anything- catalogues through to very serious classics.
I am now currently reading "the Debutante" by Kathleen Tessaro.
It's actually a very good and engaging read- the synopsis doesn't do it credit- I think I've read some of her books before as I recognise the style of writing, her books are really well written.
I approve!
:)
So, now I'm off to celebrate being in my own home by getting in bed, fully clothes, to read my new novel until Traff get's home from football.
What busy likes we lead.
Sort of.
Plenty of Adventure and exploration!
No comments:
Post a Comment