Wednesday, August 23 - Bolton City Center

 They has begun grey with a few sprinkles. I learned that Prashznth and Joanna and Asher will arrive this evening to spend the night before they fly tomorrow late morning to Amsterdam where Prashanth will deliver a speech.. Shyamala and Rajkumar reminded me of the directions to the Bolton city center.Armed with map and written directions AND UMBRELLA I departed. The painter is here.

After a brief conversation with the painter I departed for the town center with umbrella,  as the sky was grey. I felt only a few sprinkles; the umbrella was not needed. I followed the booklet map shown me by both Shyamala and Rajkumar as well as goggle researched before departing. I took a slightly different route from earlier in the week, Tudor Road to Spa Road. A few intersections were challenging,  without crossing lights. I usually walked further down the street, away from traffic and where the street was narrower to make a safe cross. 

After asking directions a couple times I came upon lines or lorries and cans and barriers. I found that confusing until I learned what was going on: setting up for tge 18th annual bank holiday/four day food and drink festival, set to begin Friday. I also saw the road around Victoria Square and town hall and museum in the shape of a crescent, why the address is Le Man's Crescent.  

I spent just shy of four hours in the museum. I was warmly greeted when I entered,, and informed of the exhibitions housed in the museum. Along the stairway up to the exhibits are photos of Bolton residents; they are diverse. On the first floor the museum houses several exhibitions: one is a history of Bolton,  The town was a major cotton milling town and employed more than half its residents. The industry ended after WW 1 with competition from other countries. Photos, a spinning mule, videos, opportunities for children to locate and draw what they saw.  A upper level  displayed natural history from fungi to butterflies to a grizzly bear. 

The Egypt exhibition was most informative. I spent time looking at a copy of the Rosetta Stone; in hieroglyphics and a different script, Demonic, also an Egyptian script,  and Greek. It is three versions of a decree around 196 BC. The exhibition also displayed a wide variety of aspects of daily living as well as a mummy, a young man.

The art gallery covered two rooms and showed the work of artists from the 1800s and 1900s.  Although limited I thoroughly enjoyed seeing paintings of the local area. 

The basement housed the aquarium,  all fresh water fish from warm climates.i was impressed by the information printed as well as the extensive research being done at Bolton University to breed and share with other aquariums and educate the public regarding species preservation.

It was nearly 3 PM when I found a local Cafe and requested something warm only to be informed the cook stopped cooking at 2 PM. Never mind,  I received apologies and was directed to a nearby coffee shop where I had a chicken salad toastie and a sprite.

After the repast I looked at all the shops on the pedestrian walkway around town hall as well as in the market place which is now a several-level mall with Los of shops.  Aware that you suitcase was already full I decided to resist and head back "home". I found the route easily, with the confirmation of a local policeman. I arrived back about a half hour effort Shyamala, and just before Rajkumar left for his daily walk.

We had tea and snacks and relaxed watchin the BBC, Tamil news, and a cricket match. They ate supper in front of the TV, and I only wanted fruit. Jonathan and Joanna and Asher will come in the morning yo leave their car keys so Shyamala can pick up their car and bring it here until they return Tuesday evening the 29th. 

I went to bed, happy about the 28 K steps achieved in the day.