would incorporate it into their own
culture.
know you have had a hearty meal
once you’ve partaken.
The variety of incredibly beautiful scenery in northern England is
breathtaking. Whether you are on
the coast of the two northern seas
where you can enjoy the fresh air and
cliffs in near solitude or the rolling
valleys and hills described so beautifully in Wuthering Heights by Emily
Bronte, this is the place to be for a
connection with nature. While there
you can take a trip to the Farne Islands and see the puffins! Mountains
and lakes are plentiful in three national parks waiting to be explored.
This part of England is growing and
prosperous. Manchester is a modern
day Boom town with new businesses
and people from all over the world
flooding in and calling it home. If
you desire to have something to eat
other than the local fare, there is no
lack of international dishes available
at restaurants in the city. There are
tons to choose from if you are craving any of your favorites. You’ll
definitely want to make your way to
Curry Mile.
The food in northern England has
been labeled by some as plain or
just honest meaning that it is fresh
food with some of the best produce
around. A friend of mine living in
England said that there are copious
amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables
as well as fresh meat and dairy. You
can expect to have pies featuring local sumptuous meat, vegetables and
gravy with ornate crusts. It might
be plain, but it is delicious and you
To say that the people of Manchester
take their soccer or football as they
call it seriously would probably be a
gross understatement. They not only
have two of the premier soccer clubs
in the world – Manchester United
and Manchester City, but they also
have Wighan Athletic, Bolton Wanderers, Bury, Oldham Athletic, and
Rochdale Clubs. While in Manchester you must pay homage to the
sport and visit the National Football
Museum. There is even a restaurant
specializing in food that you would
get at a football game called Café
Football.
Not everyone loves soccer and that it
absolutely ok! If you are into music,
you are in luck because Manchester
also has a music scene that is extraordinary. You might not realize how
many world famous musicians have
come from northern England making their debuts in Manchester. One
of my personal favorite groups is
The Smiths. By the way, The Smiths
played at Numbers in Houston on
their way to world fame and signed
the wall in the green room as proof.
The Bee Gees, New Order, Graham
Nash, Simply Red and countless others also hale from the north. If you
love music then you must make it a
point to go on the Manchester Music
Tour.
There is no lack of fabulous art.
Northern England draws artists from
all over the world because of the
world class scenery. In Manchester
you can enjoy the Manchester Museum of Art and Costume which features Victorian and Raphaelite works
of art. It also boasts of 25,000 other
pieces to behold.
If you want to get off the beaten path
a little more and not do the tourist
thing, that is an easy bill to fill. Manchester’s Northern Quarter has no
shortage of interesting vintage boutiques, cafes and shops ready to entertain and stimulate your creativity
with plenty of music and art to boot.
You should also make your way to
the fabulous Canal Street which is
anything but touristy.
Although the tour stops here, I hope
you have had as much fun as I have
and that you will make it a point to
visit northern England and Manchester!
30 iF Magazine | January 2017