Pre-Departure

Despite doing my usual thing and totally forgetting about Heritage Open Weekend I’ve had a brilliant final weekend in Nottingham.  At the Roosevelt Scholarship Annual Dinner back in June I was blown away by one of the previous scholars, Deborah Stevenson and her presentation on her time taking street poetry around America.  One thing that she said that really stuck in my mind was the exhortation to, “be a tourist in your own city”.  I took this to heart this weekend and tried to look at the city with the eyes of a stranger.  It was helped by it being a gorgeous late summer day but I was reminded by all the great things that this city has to offer and what I’m going to miss whilst I’m away.  I also took the opportunity to take some photos to show people that I’ll be staying with to share some of what Nottingham is like. 

Stuff that I’m blasé about and take for granted are cast in a different light when you see them for the first time, so I made sure that I captured some things like the Council House and Market Square, some of my favourite Watson Fothergill buildings, the Robin Hood statue, The Olde Trip to Jerusalem etc etc.  I’ll post some of the shots I took later in the week once I’ve had a chance to sort them out. 

But it was the time that I spent just after breakfast on Saturday around Sherwood where I live that I enjoyed the most – it’s a great neighbourhood that I love living in (and am proud to represent).  I popped into Woodthorpe Park and could barely move for joggers and dog-walkers taking advantage of the early morning sun.  I also got a bit sentimental at seeing a father facing into that rite-of-passage by teaching his son how to ride a bike – I remember those sessions with my dad in the back garden when I was growing up and love anyone being introduced to the freedom and health benefits of being a regular cyclist.  

I’m writing this with the sun on my back sitting out on the terrace at Sherwood’s newest eating venue – Kiosk.  Tucked away on the street corner at the end of my road it opens up into a surprisingly large space and the food is excellent.  I had a Mexican themed breakfast of hash browns, spicy egg, refried beans and flat bread – a total bargain for £5. 

But I’ve got to get back home shortly and face into the final preparations – think I’ll do a dry-run of packing today so that I avoid the last minute job that I specialise in which usually involves forgetting various critical items of clothing (like trousers).