A very Manchester family reunion

The story goes that the architect, Daniel Libeskind dropped a sphere onto the ground and from the shattered remains he picked up three shards which formed the basis of his design for the Imperial War Museum.  He wanted to represent a globe torn apart by conflict and the three shards became the three forms of modern warfare: air, water and earth.  On our hostess' recommendation we spent the morning exploring the rejuvenated Salford Quays area including the War Museum.  The museum was sensitively done and profound from its jagged exterior to the displays inside which charted all the main conflicts from a historical and chronological perspective to the fallout (both the grisly physical and mental) as well as rehabilitation and remembrance.

Imperial War Museum - Salford Quays

A quick stroll around Media City and the BBC buildings uncovered a surprise lurking in one of the forgotten corners...

The Doctor's new companion?

And perhaps even more earth shattering, perhaps the announcement about Peter Capaldi becoming the 12th Doctor was actually incorrect...behold the new Doctor revealed!

The new Doctor?!

We left the Tardis behind and made our way into the City centre where we took up Vaughn's suggestion to visit the Museum of Science and Industry.  Really a number old warehouses containing the wealth of Manchester's industrial past, it housed a formidable collection of engines, trains, planes and automobiles.

Steam engines at the Science Museum

It was one automobile in particular however that Ross came to see - a reminder of the Crossley he started to restore but sadly had to sell before leaving for Australia.

Ross and the Crossley Regis at the Museum of Science and Industry

Our visit to the museum was only brief as we needed to make our way to our scheduled meeting outside the Town Hall with Ross' long lost cousin, Russell.  After a couple of big bear hugs it was back to the car where Russell took us to Blackley Jewish Cemetery.  Hidden from the road behind nondescript gates and a high brick wall, the disused cemetery is a secret in the suburbs.  No sign advertises its existence to protect it from vandals and the cemetery can only be accessed through locked gates for which you need to telephone for a code.  Row upon row of headstones tightly fill every available space with older headstones at the front gradually falling into disrepair.  It is grey and austere and solemn. 

At the grave of Ross' father, a small white piece of quartz is placed on the headstone as a token of reverence.  It is a small stone that doesn't look out of place in these monochrome surroundings but is in fact very far from home.  Picked up during our John Forrest walk in the Darling Range it is a small piece of Australia gifted from a son to his father.  It seems fitting then that before leaving, Russell offers to say a prayer in Hebrew over the grave. It is respectful and very touching.

Goldsteins reunited

We leave the cemetery behind and for the remainder of the afternoon and into the evening, we are welcomed with great warmth and shown great hospitality by Russell's family - his wife, Hillary, her mum (who at 90+ is a remarkable lady), their daughter, Annie and son-in-law, James.  There are shared stories and remembrances, and many many laughs courtesy of that wry Goldstein humour.  As Ross says - it is like he has known them all his life and there hasn't been a gap of 50 years at all.   

Goldstein family reunion (from L to R - Hillary's mum, Hillary, Ross, Russell, Annie and James)

Goldstein family reunion