Yulemoot

[sally_maria]

Yesterday, I went to the the Tolkien Society Yulemoot in Birmingham - a new event for this year, just an evening sitting around in a pub, more or less, but a nice chance to catch up with friends, and meet some new people. I hope it's something they'll do again next year. It was lovely to meet kizzia again, and to travel home with adaese.

Birmingham is well worth visiting at this time of year in any case, as the German Christmas market takes over more and more of the city centre. Lots of wonderful things to see, eat and drink - one of my favourites was the bar in a giant wooden advent calendar, being entertained by a steel drum band. :-)

Having gone to Centenary Square, I decided it was time to actually visit the new(ish) Library of Birmingham, which I'd admired on television. I wasn't a fan of the old Brutalist concrete building, and find this one much more appealing. A number of years ago, when we first moved TS committee meetings to Birmingham, we were able to use a hidden away treasure- the Shakespeare Memorial Room, originally built as part of the Victorian library - because of a member who worked there. With the building of the new library, it was moved again, this time to the very top of the new building, and freely open to the public, when not in use as a meeting room. I enjoyed the chance to take some pictures, both of the room, and the view from the gallery outside, over the cityscape.



(Click through to Flickr to see the rest of the pictures)

Comments

[heliopausa]

Sitting around in a pub with friends is always pleasant, and sounds fittingly Hobbitty. Thanks for the glimpses of and from the new/old Library. :)

[sally_maria]

You're very welcome. :-)

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Sounds like an excellent day. I do wish, sometimes, that our island was only a couple of hundred yards off-shore and it would be easier to get to such nice events.

[sally_maria]

Yes, I can understand that. Most of the time, I'm sure I wouldn't want to live in a big city, I love the countryside and the sense of community here, but there are times I wish I had the kind of easy access to bigger events that we simply don't get. And then, at least we don't have water in the way.