Wrapping up, Manchester...

The highlight of my break was in Manchester. My brother and I are huge Manchester United fans, more because we become extreme fans of everything we like rather than anything else. I managed to get some tickets through Thomas Cook Sport for the match on the 21^st of December against West Ham United and the energy surrounding Old Trafford is absolutely electrifying. Songs were sung and chants were chanted, and an exciting 3 goals were shot into the opponents net. I would try to get tickets through the supporter’s site next time, but till then I am still a noob who does not know how to navigate through the supporter’s website.

 

There are many people selling match day memorabilia and some of them are actually quite nice. My brother got a scarf for £5 with the dates on it so it was pretty cool.

 

Old Trafford is an imposing stadium that towers over you making you feel absolutely tiny. It does not have the same smooth flow of Emirates Stadium but the stories that the walls hold is like a silent spirit that flies by silently. The Stadium almost lacks the glamour you would expect the world’s biggest football brand to have, especially in the players lounge where it almost look like any other old football waiting room. It is explained that the club deliberately does so to keep players grounded, I kind of like it that way.

 

A specialty about Manchester United and Old Trafford is that it is more than just a football club. The Munich disaster played a large part in ensuring that and the little stories you will hear from the guide along the way gives the tour more life than tours in other stadiums. But who am I to say, I obviously have a biased opinion.

 

In our short stay in Manchester, we stayed in the Park Inn by Radisson in Victoria, Manchester. It was quite lovely and after our tiring and jam-packed London action, it was a really nice change to have a more luxurious stay in the hotel. The hotel is close to Arndale, a shopping centre that has most things that you would want it to, Topshop, River Island, New Look and so on. It opens till 9pm on weekdays but only up to 5pm on Sundays.

 

I enjoyed the Christmas Markets in Manchester much more than the one in London due to their manageable size. The city is very compact and equipped with tramlines and free Metroshuttles. However, locals would advice you to just walk, as everything is pretty close. They also have a nicely sized China Town with food and yummy desserts too. I had dinner at T.G.I.F because I never tried it. I ordered a Jack Daniels Burger and it was so huge but delicious.

 

On our last day in Manchester, we checked out at 12.00 pm and had 7 hours to kill. From Park Inn, we walked to the National Football Stadium, which was free. We spent close to 3 hours there going through the things inside with detail. It is a really good museum for any football enthusiast. After, we walked to Arndale and had Nando’s for dinner before walking to Picadilly station to head northwards to Durham.

 

So I do not really have many useful tips for Manchester because I did not really explore the city. It is a great little city with a lot of character in corners of the buildings where everything is never too far off. It is not as expensive as London but just as enjoyable. If you like football, definitely make a stop at the National Football Stadium and take a listen to the hilarious radio recordings on floor 2. I am counting on myself to visit Manchester once more.