I love the wit in Birmingham’s subcultures. Mario, is that yow ar kidder?

Yes, I love Brownhills, and I’m very fond of Walsall and Lichfield too. But there will always be a special place in my heart for Birmingham – like most kids who grew up in Brownhills, I hopped on the Midland Red and developed an attachment to Brum as a teenager. Working there, passing through, after decades I still adore the place.

Sorely maligned, this wonderful city has so much to offer. Visiting early yesterday before it got too busy, the first thing I did was visit a high multi-storey car park to catch the view in the beautiful morning sun. Afterwards, a little shopping, the German Market, big wheel and new library.

I’m not a fan of the exterior of the new one, but inside, despite the clear corner-cutting in construction, it’s very much a temple to learning, and I was very impressed. The views from the terrace garden are incredible. It’s a great asset.

It was liberating to visit without the bike once in a while, but the crowds soon got to me, and having done my shopping I returned home happy.

As ever, loads more of this stuff on my 365daysofbiking journal.

Digbeth is a hive of industry.

On the side terrace, there’s a bird garden. This pied wagtail was having a ball.

I’m sure the model for this drinks in Brownhills….

Not often you get such a good view of Brum

Across the rooftops to Lee Bank.

Of course, the fruit and veg market was up and bustling way before we got here.

Over there, Barr Beacon and Walsall.

Over to Eastside, the new development frontier.

The density of the sprawl is breathtaking.

Cute chocolates on the German Market.

I can’t get used to the legobrick feel of the new library, but it’s an interesting new focus as you cross Paradise Forum.

Alpha Tower, one of my favourite Birmingham buildings.

Sadly, with the dismantling of the microwave network, the BT tower is looking very forlorn without it’s antenna.

This wee dancing puppet was accompanying a busker in High Street. I never noticed the interesting array of surrounding stuff when I took the photo.

Beneath, the city is waking up.

The sun was beautiful, and the city very quiet.

The colour. The characters.

I love the way the new Bullring made a centrepiece of St. Martins – an otherwise odd but handsome church.

Camp Hill, Tyseley incinerator running in the distance.

Lines and circles are very much the theme of the library architecture. I was surprised how open the terrace was.

That terrace is ace, and open to the public.

The sunken coffee shop was a surprise. A great view from the Big Wheel, and only £4 a pop.

Beneath all that, a sprawling, mostly flooded nuke-prrof telephone exchange, called Anchor.

That skyline. I could look at it for hours.

Oh, brave new world.

Love the elegant curves of the Bullring car park ramp. (No, seriously I do).

I adore the Selfridges building. The aluminium discs were made in Walsall, too.

So many spires, towers,cupolas and yes, even the odd minaret.

The wheel fascinated me. I spent ages looking at the hydraulic drive wondering how it all packed away.

The Moor Street Viaduct. It must have been one hell of a project. ‘Paddy, will you lay us some bricks?’