NORTHERN QUARTERS: OKLAHOMA

Northern Quarters is an amazing place in Manchester. It spans around a large area and hosts lots of pubs, cultural centres, shops and other little artistics places which I have not found out about yet. I have personally been to the Northern Quarters many times, but have not really explored the place a lot. However, on my first few visits to the place, on High Street , a certain shop has caught my attention. This shop is called the Oklahoma. The cute penguin welcoming its guest inside the shop is what intrigued me the most. after having crossed the shop on many occassions, I finally made up my mind one day to enter and check it out.

At first glance, the dimly lit light of the shop, which provided an impetus for the displayed lampshades to glow more brightly struck me. The shop has lots of gift items at reasonable prices that you can buy as souveniers. From lampshades to lights; cards to post cards; soft toys; trinkets and stoles; and many more items that would attract someone with an artistic taste.

I am personally neither attracted towards interior designing nor an I a great fan of art; but I could not stop myself from appreciating the shop. Right from its decor and ambience , to the quality of the stuff that it sells and customer service all appeased me to quite an extent. I even bought some really funky postcards to add to my ever expanding post card collections. I intend to go there again preferably before I leave so that I can get some cool stuffs for friends back home.

Oklahoma also has a cafe which I have never been to, but it is on my bucket list. I would definately post on the Cafe when I go there. If any of you want to visit Oklahoma, The details are below.

Where? : High Street, City Centre M4 1ES
When?: For Christmas the times have changed to incorporate longer hours. But mostly it is open on all day from around 9-10 AM to 6-8 PM.
Queries?: You can also get further information on Oklahoma by visiting their website at  http://www.oklahomacafe.co.uk/contact/

Signing off with a photograph of some of the items I purchased from there.

 

POSTCARDS THAT I BOUGHT

SUNRISE : A PLEASURE MOST GLORIOUS

DARJEELING

With the rising sun in the East on a glorious morn, a general commoner like you and me is most likely to go ahead and seek an adventure. Darjeeling – a place full of mouth shutting and awe staring beauty, encloses within itself the mysterious Tiger Hills. Traditions speak of the place to be haunted with good spirits; however, one believes to visit the place at dawn simply to catch a glimpse of the beauty of nothing but the cracking of day in the east. 

An adventurer like me did go ahead in search of viewing the breathtaking glamour of the east. In accordance to my memories, it was approximately half three when I reached the peak of the hill. Being a kid aged 14 everything around me was fun, this somehow included the darkness that surrounded me, the cold, the cup of hot chocolate handed out to me by my mother, and of course the torch in my hand. 

I waited for around 15 minutes staring at the sky. Awaiting daybreak was no fun at all. The wait simply brought in disappointment which in turn was paired with anger and irritation. However, being a kid left me with no option but to wait with my family. Somehow the wait turned out to be fruitful. My watch reflected 4 AM and the sky revealed its inner beauty. Just like magic,orange streaks appeared from nowhere taking over first the left portion of the sky and slowly and gradually went ahead and spread itself across the sky. This wasn’t HEAVEN, this was PARADISE. Ecstasy, joy, delight, rapture, calm, bliss, and serene are simply words often used by us to describe beauty; however, this wasn’t beauty, it was way more than words can speak. 

VIEW OF THE KANCHENJUNGA FROM TIGER HILLS

I lost track of time in the mesmerising scene before me that I had no idea when the clock struck  6:00 a.m. I was shocked and taken aback by surprise. The sky was gold – thick, solid and orange gold are the only words that could describe the charming beauty of the hour. Rising slowly from behind the hill was a ball of fire, the ball was not one that could be touched but was indeed one that could be bowed down to. The huge mass rose like a child who takes time to stand in order to take his first steps. As the sun rose slowly, the necks of the visitors on the peak too rose along with it, all amazed, all shocked. By 7:00 a.m.the overhead  sun blessed the universe in the same way in which a mother blesses her newborn baby. 

The trip was short, limited to a single place only, but it was one that could always be remembered and stored in the pages of our memories forever and ever. 

VANESSA FAUSTINA HODA

Author Bio: This post has been written by Vanessa Faustina Hoda. The author is an English Language Graduate from Loreto College under the University of Calcutta. she originally hails from Darjeeling but lives in Kolkata. this post reflects her emotions and feelings while visiting Tiger Hill in Darjeeling.

PEEL PARK, SALFORD

Peel Park is one of the best Parks I have been to till date. In fact, I have been to this place more than once. Its strategic layout is right beside my University and I often plan to take a long walk amongst the greenish-yellow canopies of this park. At times, it has come across  as a saviour and helped me to take shelter during rains.Many times, it has just been a serene place where I can wander around undisturbed with my thoughts to give me company. The different birds and animals that live in harmony with the natural resources of the park, has often intrigued the amateur photographer in me. At other times, I deliberately go with a frame of mind to get some good photographs out of the place- to capture the various colours and sights of Autumn and the approaching winter.

Peel Park is just like any other park and needs no special description. It functions as a beautiful ground through which the River Irwell flows. It is a regular on the list of those who have pets because on many occassions I have seen alsatians playing happily in the park or chasing a squirrel. It serves as a great picnic spot too, although I have not seen any picnics happening there. It is a great den for the morning and evening walkers to just take some time off their busy schedules and interact with nature. Peel Park also has many subjects that would interest photographers and sometimes I see some photography groups on a mission to take great photos visiting the park. 

This post curates some of the photographs that I have taken of this Park during my visits to the place.

PEEL PARK
OVERLOOKING OLD PINT POT
FROM THE MAIN ROAD

BURST OF AUTUMN COLOURS

THE DESERTED PATHWAY

PEEL PARK OVERLOOKING IRWELL

PATH TO PEEL PARK FROM UNIVERSITY CAMPUS

THE WORLD FROM BELOW 

THE WORLD FROM BELOW II

HIDE AND SEEK

THE LONELY VISITOR 

THE WORLD FROM BELOW III

THE WORLD FROM BELOW IV

THE YELLOW FOLIAGE
EDITED BY: ZISHAN ASAD

SIGHTS OF MANCHESTER CHRISTMAS MARKETS 2015

Christmas in Manchester had begun last month with the Christmas Lights Switch On about which I had earlier written on http://goo.gl/obNri9. This post highlights some of the scenes that I managed to capture in the Christmas Markets. When I wrote my last post, the markets were just being put up, but now when I write, the markets are fully functioning and people manage to find some time off from their busy schedules to visit these markets. Saturday and Sunday sees an abundance of crowd in the City Council and other adjoining areas where these makeshift markets and temporary pubs have been put up. Come rain or hail, nothing dampens the christmas spirits among the people. The markets itself cover a huge area and one needs maps to navigate if they are new to the city (like me). This is what a Christmas Market map looks like.

MARKET MAP

Let me be very honest, I have not been able to cover all the places myself. But Manchester Arndale, Deansgate and City Council have been thoroughly covered by me (not once but twice). These markets are a sensual appeal to any onlooker. From myriad hues of red, green, silver, golden, white and  pink which adorn the chirstmas trees as decors; to little brown huts which act as stalls for these markets are all appeasing to the eye. In fact, if you choose to stand in any spot and smell the surroundings, a mixture of the smoky flavour of hot sausages, savoury flaours of rainbow coloured macaroons, mulled wine and german beer hits your senses. You can hear people advertising their products, buying and selling, children requesting their parents for a certain special christmas gift and various musical instruments being played in the background.

CITY COUNCIL MARKETS

Come evening and the lights are switched on. These lights give a special feeling to the Christmas Markets. The whole area is decorated with rows of lights wrapped beautifully around the hut sheds and trees. A bunch of hanging lights also dangle from the tree branches.

There are stalls selling various things in the markets. From Fudge to macaroons; from cakes and baked breads to cheese; from drinks to special pulled pork sandwiches and mini pancakes; from christmas trees and decors to gifting items- all are found in these markets.

FUR LAMA

ANYBODY WANTS PIXIE DUST??

SNOWY, THE SNOW WHITE REINDEER

FUDGE

SAY CHEESE. . . . 

ANYONE LOVES GARDENING?

SAUSAGES 

DREAM CATCHERS 

I have not been able to make a video of the markets, but I found this video which would give you a LIVE idea of these markets .

Every time I come to these Markets, I spot something which I had not seen the last time. With so many things happening at the same time and so many sights to capture, one or two visits are not sufficient enough for these markets. I would come back with another post sooner which would highlight other parts of the markets which have been yet undiscovered by me. 

Happy Christmas in Advance !