Cover photo collage created by LG @jayasimha78 with various pictures captured during Day 2 of the Meetup
Here is a recap of the Day 2 of EuroMeetup 2024,which My Wife and I attended in Manchester.
Click on this for recap of EuroMeetup 2024 Day 1
Our hosts @AdrianLunsong and @PeteMHW had planned Day 2 with activities packed, which included visiting one of the oldest library, Cathedral and visiting several small businesses and ending with dinner.
Day 2 started with assembling at the Exchange Square Tram Stop, which was just less than 10 mins walk from our Hotel. In the Manchester city center pretty much everything is walking distance.Shot of LGs checking their phones and chatting with each other. at the meeting point.Here is a shot of @DeniGu and @Julie_A Googlers who joined the EuroMeetup.We were divided in to two groups, our group visited the Chetam’s Library first and then the Cathedral, the other group did other way around. Both Library and Cathedral were next to each other.Activity: Chetham’s Library TourA little bit about Chetham’s library,
This is an oldest free public reference library in the English-speaking world, continuously operating since 1653.
Housed in a stunning sandstone building as you see above, dating back to 1421, originally built for priests of Manchester’s Collegiate Church.
Library holds a vast collection of printed books, manuscripts, and archives spanning medieval to modern times.
Here is a picture of fellow LGs and our tour guide going over the history of the Library.Our visit included, experience with grand rooms, beautiful furniture, and artworks.Here is a picture of books stacked in shelves in the library. Chetham’s Library is an independent charity.Here is a picture of another grand room located in the library.Here is a shot of beautiful isle in the library. Chetham’s is primarily a reference library (meaning materials are consulted there, not borrowed), researchers and scholars from around the world utilize its resources.We finished the library tour under one hour and we headed to our next activity, Cathedral tour right next door.Activity: Manchester Cathedral TourManchester Cathedral, also known formally as the Cathedral and Collegiate Church of St Mary, St Denys and St George. The hosts had arranged couple of guides in the Cathedral.Here is a little bit of information on the Cathedral:
"
- A prominent landmark for nearly 600 years, founded in 1421 with a royal charter from King Henry V.
- Originally a collegiate church, it became a cathedral in 1847 when the Diocese of Manchester was established.
- Witnessed significant moments in Manchester’s history, including mass baptisms and weddings during the city’s industrial boom."
Some of the features of Cathedral include:Magnificent stained glass windows, some created after World War II bombings.15th and 16th-century carvings within the nave and choir.Thirty exceptional 16th-century misericords (seats with carved supports) considered some of the finest in Europe.Cathedral is open seven days a week and it is free to the public.Here is one for shot inside the Cathedral.Cathedral holds the status of a Grade I listed building, recognizing its exceptional architectural and historical importance.I believe this was right outside the Cathedral, if my memory serves me right!After the tour we all met at a near by Starbucks to head out to lunch at Mackie Mayor.Activity: Lunch at Mackie MayorMackie Mayor is a vibrant marketplace with a variety of independent vendors offering global flavors under one stunning roof. Place was busy as you see in this picture. There’s something to satisfy every craving, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. My wife and I ordered Pizzas and beer for lunch.Here is a picture of our lunch table at Mackie Mayor.Here are few pictures of me with fellow attendees of the Meetup.Activity: Crafts and Design Center VisitHere we were divided in to smaller groups. We met six different artists and learnt about their crafts and business. Writing review of this place was part of team challenges our hosts had planned.Here is a collage of different pictures captured at Crafts and Design center.At the end of the tour Adrian and Pete presented gift bags to the artists at the design center.Here is a group shot with fellow LGs.Activity: Fred Aldous VisitFred Aldous is an arts supply shop that has been around since 1886 and it is still run by the Aldous family. They have huge store and also screen printing facility.We were asked to pick tote bags of our choice and get it printed from several designs hosts have created before.Below is a shot of bags being printed by one of the employees of the store.Activity: Ginger’s EmporiumThis was the last activity of the day before group dinner. This is a specialty ice cream parlor located inside the popular Afflecks building that houses several businesses. We ended up tasting couple of ice creams here. Writing review of this place was part of the team challenge.After a jam packed day with so many interesting places to visit, we had around one hour break before dinner at Purezza. My wife and I walked around, doing some window shopping. Eventually headed to our dinner place Puezza.Here is a shot of Pizza oven in the restaurant!Here is a shot of our dinner table! As usual LGs having some fun at the dinner table.Overall Day 2 was very informative and entertaining. Both Lunch and dinner restaurants selected were fantastic. We headed back to our hotel after dinner to get recharged for Day 3 activities!More in my next post about Day 3.
