Last Sunday morning I was looking forward to a gentle day of doing very little. Saturday had been a busy yoga workshop day, which I had spent some time putting together. The afternoon went splendidly.
Sunday was bright, blue and chilly, in other words a near perfect winter’s day. At breakfast I was asked by John if I fancied a trip into town! Now town means Manchester and that means frenetically busy with every conceivable goodie on sale at The Christmas Markets! My answer without any thought process was a resounding “No”. A crestfallen man looked at me across the table and it occurred to me to ask what he wanted to do ‘in town’. His idea was to simply stroll somewhere and then partake of coffee. Now I have to say it was the coffee bit that piqued my interest and the notion that no shopping was in the plan also helped sway me.
An hour later we were on the train with hoards of other people and all of us on a mission. It turned out that our mission was gentle and calm. We found a snickety way alongside one of the canals and off we went. Very few people were about and at times it felt almost as if we were in the countryside and then high above us was The Hilton Hotel which is not one of my favourite buildings but it is impossible to ignore it.
There was something rather delightful about wandering these old paths which get very little traffic when only a short distance away there were so many people. We did come upon a busier area with a whole different world of joggers, dog walkers and couples like us simply walking for pleasure.
As always I love being in this city. Manchester is not my home town but I have lived here for 28years and I feel very comfortable in the north west. Our daughter and various friends have been on many and varied trips into town over the years. We visited the museums, art galleries, Afflecks Palace and ‘the shops’. Then they got to be old enough to do their own thing and off they went.
Walking is always a great way for me to unwind and my body and mind were very glad of our outing. We enjoyed beautiful coffee and a plate of biscotti in Carluccio’s and then set a course around the throngs in front of the town hall and meandered back to the station. Home in time for lunch on a quiet train with seating available!
Sometimes, I feel like giving in to that feeling of inertia that seeps through my body. I know intuitively that I need to move, to walk and stretch but it is so much easier to stay put. I also know from experience that after my jaunt I will always feel so much happier and relaxed.
We two have wandered all over. Wherever we have been we have taken every opportunity to explore. I am known for wandering way off the tourist trail and I am definitely not entranced by shopping malls and large department stores. There is too much to see out there and a long the way we have met some lovely people.
We are moving towards Christmas and it would seem that for the majority this is a trying, stressful time. We, as a family are slightly changing the emphasis by not giving presents other that to the younger members. It is to be a simple gathering together and a day of being within the family. Now we have no idea how that will actually feel come the day but it seems worth giving it a go and it means that we have more time to take a wander and a look around!
As always a big thank you to all who stop by and read my words. May your week go well and may you feel calm and peaceful even if it is only briefly!
Namaste.