FastFreddy2 Posted February 15, 2013 Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 (edited) Some more ..... Edited February 16, 2013 by FastFreddy2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FastFreddy2 Posted February 15, 2013 Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 (edited) The shoes, and their part in the towns existence weren't the only exhibits. There was a Hamtun (or Hamptun?) exhibit showing 2000 years of how the town evolved. Again I would have preferred more time to read and digest. A sculpture exhibition call "Busts", was of little interest. The exhibition of recycled/reused rubbish was excellent. I was taken by most everything there, especially the Lobster made from Coke tins. (At £280. Still very attractive.) Sorry, no picture. The other exhibit there that I liked, was the black-bird 'dawn chorus'. Was really good. Colours are very muted in the photo, and had much richer blacks and yellows in the original. Cameras and walking personnel all over the place, so one had to be discreet. Edited February 15, 2013 by FastFreddy2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FastFreddy2 Posted February 15, 2013 Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 (edited) The Museum closed at 5pm and was a good time for us. Outside we walked up toward the shops, and I realised I might have missed an opportunity by arriving so late in the day. Place seems to have quite a large retail area with a seemingly endless quantity of cake and coffee shops. Not the place to go if on a rigid diet. Saw some nice boots and shoes too: We had planned to eat out, but quickly realised 14th February aka "Valentines Day" wasn't the best time to have an impromptu meal in a restaurant. With an hours drive home, we left around 6.30pm. Traffic was good, and we back for almost 8pm having stopped at a local store before arriving home. So late we all settled for a sandwich supper, rather than a full-blown meal after all. A great day out, and highly recommended. Edited February 16, 2013 by FastFreddy2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shyguy Posted February 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2013 You're right, Northampton does have a large retail base spread around that area. At least 2 different malls full of shops and a long pedestrianised area with shops both sides. Pictures look good, and I'm pleased it wasn't just me who couldn't get a decent picture in the poorly lit museum. At least you had a good day out from the tone of the report anyway, and the recommendation at the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FastFreddy2 Posted February 17, 2013 Report Share Posted February 17, 2013 Was definitely a worthwhile visit despite the 90 mile (round trip) drive to enjoy it. My mistake -if there was one- was not getting there earlier. I had grossly under-estimated Northampton's retail area, having only skirted around one end of the Town Centre in my past visits. Not only missed that, but also missed the chance to visit MK, which we passed twice on our round trip journey. I do better with places that stay open later; West End, Brent Cross, Westfield (White City). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shyguy Posted February 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 21, 2013 Well we had our visit to the "shoe museum" as my daughter calls it. When we arrived there was a school trip going on just in front of us with a teacher making more noise shouting at the children to be quiet than the children themselves were. Mrs Shyguy didn't enter into the spirit of trying on the shoes which you are allowed to try, and I was also discouraged from same. A shame as there were some different red platforms from my last visit which looked like fun. My daughter (youngest) tried on a few pairs again but that was all there was to say about that. I agree with Freddy that The exhibition of recycled/reused rubbish was excellent. there was indeed some very clever and artistic use of old beer cans and bottle tops to make interesting sculptures. As we progressed around the museum the school party seemed to be just ahead of us, and at one point blocked access to a whole portion of the shoe displays for a good 20 minutes. By the time we'd looked at the historical timeline of Northampton and gone back down and they were still there Mrs Shyguy was itching to leave, museums aren't her thing anyway and the fact it's got a lot of shoes in just made her all the less interested, so we had to leave without seeing that section of displays. All in all I still enjoyed looking at the museums exhibits, and it passed an hour or so of the day with my daughter who enjoyed herself too which was the point of the exercise. Sometimes it's disappointing that Mrs Shyguy doesn't loosen up a bit and join in the silly dress up (in the historical section at Northampton and also earlier in the day at a different museum with a Roald Dahl exhibition, in Aylesbury where you could dress in Tudor clothes) and the shoe trying but that's just her. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FastFreddy2 Posted February 22, 2013 Report Share Posted February 22, 2013 (edited) Mrs Shyguy didn't enter into the spirit of trying on the shoes which you are allowed to try, and I was also discouraged from same. A shame as there were some different red platforms from my last visit which looked like fun. ............. As we progressed around the museum the school party seemed to be just ahead of us, and at one point blocked access to a whole portion of the shoe displays for a good 20 minutes. By the time we'd looked at the historical timeline of Northampton and gone back down and they were still there Mrs Shyguy was itching to leave, museums aren't her thing anyway and the fact it's got a lot of shoes in just made her all the less interested, so we had to leave without seeing that section of displays. It was a bit weird the schools chose different weeks for the mid-term holidays this year? On a selfish note, it meant I've had to contend with children (always more attentive than adults - or less prudent when looking at my footwear) for two weeks rather than one. Was at Bluewater on Monday, felt like I was back at school so many children were there...... Surprising given the weather was so good outdoors? Shame about Mrs Shyguy being a 'party-pooper'? Museums are not my thing either, having had school visits to them thrust upon me. That said, as I age, my interest in things past become more and more interesting to me. It may be that I now appreciate the way the world changes (having experienced some first hand) I enjoy seeing how our lives changed in the past. The audio at the Pawnbrokers was particularly illuminating in that respect. Poor people pawning their clothes during the week, and getting them back for Sunday (to go to church). The comments about "skindles" was it, hot water poured over bread for a meal, were particularly moving. Those red shoes were lethal though..... They were the ones popular with the young lad who was wearing them when we arrived and had them back on when we left. I tried them briefly (while grandson was busy elsewhere) and they have VERY unstable heels. Not sure why they were in such poor condition, but they were a liability. Think we were there for well over two hours, and we barely looked at the shoe exhibit really. Our look around the Northampton history exhibit was quite rushed too. I'd say a 3-4 hour visit would be needed to take it all in. I think we might go back for an afternoon for our own amusement, when the weather improves. Edited February 22, 2013 by FastFreddy2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shyguy Posted February 22, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2013 I think it's worthwhile to visit more than once, plus they have different events going on during the year meaning different exhibits. It also appears that the shoes to try are changed around too. In other words I hope to go again at some point. As for museums, I am interested in the more mechanical and technical side of things so enjoy the likes of Beaulieu museum of motoring when I can get there (hasn't happened in some years though) and the Milton Keynes museum at Wolverton for its railway connections and telephone exhibit. History isn't my thing TBH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FastFreddy2 Posted February 23, 2013 Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 (edited) History isn't my thing TBH. Maybe social history isn't your thing, but I can't see anyone being interested in the railways, without being interested in how we got to where we are now. In fact, I'd expect more interest in previous, than current. For example, railway tracks ..... Why are they set the (standard) width they are, rather than the technically better Broad Gauge from Brunel? What gave us the 'standard' width to start with? History (my dear boy) makes us what we are today. We are nothing, if not the sum of our past. P.S. While trying to find the correct word for this: The comments about "skindles" was it, hot water poured over bread for a meal, were particularly moving. Google offered me the following article >> clicky << It's a book I look forward to reading. Edited February 23, 2013 by FastFreddy2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shyguy Posted February 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 I've absorbed some facts about history due to my interest in other things (like the history of heels starting out to make it easier to stay on a horse and the higher heels being worn by men to show off their status originally and that we got railway track widths from the original Roman chariots and I have read that there is a continuation into the space age with these widths of tracks being used on trains to ferry shuttles but that may be incorrect). I find it interesting in passing only and not really something to pursue though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FastFreddy2 Posted February 23, 2013 Report Share Posted February 23, 2013 I find it interesting in passing only and not really something to pursue though. "Same as". I find social history fascinating, but not something I pursue. Got too much building work outstanding! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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