Douglas Diary Summer holidays 2018
Birmingham Gas Street
It was pretty chilly this morning and Max was first up for his walk, my bearded one was having a bit of difficulty getting out of his warm bed having checked on the outside temperature.
It was proposed by Captain The bearded one that we should up anchor from our mooring, as soon as he was ready, leave Oldbury and head off early (08:00) into Birmingham centre. It was only an hour or so away by his calculation, and we would all have breakfast in a cafe that he recommended.
After three hours of interesting albeit urban sprawl and decay, with several stops for more removal of propeller rubbish we arrived at the threshold of Gas Street. Birmingham is well restored and clean at this point. We came to a cordon across the canal. Much to our surprise, we were told to stop by a policeman and to wait for a sniffer dog to search our kennel! He was a very nice policeman and one of several that slowly appeared from every corner, all armed to the teeth with weaponry. I got off my kennel and we waited for the inspection. (See my photo – inspecting the sniffer dog from the Spaniel tribe).
It turns out that of all the Sundays that we could have chosen to visit Birmingham, we chose the opening day of the Conservative Party’s Conference at the ICC which is next door to our mooring! All was explained to us that we had to be checked out that we were not terrorists and we were allowed to pass, through three more cordons before we could moor up for our breakfast. The cafe he had identified for breakfast was closed!
A very hearty and welcome full English was served to us on board by my long haired one and Diane. We are to spend the day exploring.
Because of the Conservative Conference at the ICC the area all around us was swarming with G4S officers, Police and SWAT teams and demonstrations. We felt very safe. It made for an interesting walk around the city with demonstrations (all peaceful) at every corner, by, to mention a few – Sikhs, fighting injustice, Women – Hands off my rights, self sex ID, Indians, Caste in GB and Quality law, Gay Priest Rights, Vote for a New Referendum, Falland Gong. All seeking our support and admiring me.
I am going to be left in sole charge of my long kennel tonight, they are going to Cafe Rouge, I am not invited, I will enjoy my Chappie. The fire is lit and I will be nice and warm.
Love Douglas x
Great! Love the photo of you being checked out for drugs and/or bombs! Just make sure you don’t nip the ankles of any Tories you see.
Wow, tight security where you are right now. You know, I applied to be a police dog – I was happy to be either a sniffer or a growler. They told me that I was overqualified.
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Are we right in thinking your bearded one has joined the police force !!!………….. his boots are very big ………