Watching Hockey Sucks

I can already hear people moaning about the title of this but the truth is I don’t really watch hockey on tv and anyone that plays hockey knows how much it sucks to go to the rink and not play when you’re supposed to be playing . Tough decision but with this back pull I had to decide whether to play or not and unfortunately it’s best I don’t …..

Not much planned for the day so we went on the hunt for some good street art / graffiti and the perfect place is over near Digbeth . On the walk over I stopped in to grab some Brummie curry packets to take home , great place to go shopping in the Chinese quarter . It was raining but not the kind of rain that soaks you so we are ok with walking .We found loads of wicked art and made our way to a pub as we decided instead of walking so much constantly we’d break it down with a pint here and there .

First pint was the Old Crown which is the oldest pub in this neck of the woods . It was quiet in there but there were some people having lunch . The roads are all being done up in the area and it looks much nicer in the area then it did last I was here . As we were enjoying our pint I found out that there is a Banksy piece in the Jewelry Quarter so I mapped out a route to get there . Next stop was Chopstix for some noodles .

This place was introduced to me by my buddy Chris Fetters from Seattle and it was good back in the day . Think the name has changed but it’s in the same location selling same food so I’m we go …. It wasn’t that great and not nearly as good as I remember :( next stop was Good Intent for another pint and by then I realize beer isn’t really loving me and I’m not loving it so I need to switch my poison .

It was a bit of a hike out to the Banksy piece and we got there in the afternoon . It’s the picture at the top of this blog with the reindeer pulling a park bench where homeless people can be found sleeping . At least nobody has stolen the wall or done anything too overly stupid . It’s covered with plexi glass to prevent it being further defaced as some idiots can’t appreciate it without adding their touch . There are idiots everywhere unfortunately :(

There is a pub round the corner so we pop in and I switched up to get on the gin and tonics . Really went down smooth . We started our way back to town and popped into Old Contemptibles which is a really nice pub but it’s now very full with people coming in from a hard days work in their suits with their briefcases . Somehow we found a table and enjoyed a drink before making our way back to the closet we are sleeping in called Easy Hotel …. Not too sure what’s easy about it since I need to struggle to squeeze in and out of this place 😝

Kass came to pick us up again and we headed to the pub across the road from the rink in Solihull and had a pint and that’s when that shitty feeling of not feeling included starts . Anyone that has played hockey must have had that feeling ? Is it just me ? That lack of accomplishment, that feeling that I’m with people but I’m not with them really . It’s not that I was being shunned or anything of the sort . It’s just a shite feeling knowing you’re there and you’re not playing . I guess it’s worse when you’re a healthy scratch off a team . Last time I had this feeling was in India travelling with a German team that brought three goalies and didn’t tell me until I got to India that I had to play for another team . That was the worst .

While everyone played hockey I wandered around taking photos and actually sat and wrote a blog which was a nice catch-up for me . I didn’t even go into the dressing room . When the skate was over a couple of boxes of beer arrived and for some reason I was now a speed drinker ? Beer went down smoothly and I enjoyed a few as we all chatted in the parking lot before calling it a night . My back is still sore but feels better then it did a few days ago . I’m hoping to be pain free for the long flight home on Monday and really hoping I’m fine when I get back to work next Tuesday . Yeah I have a job , this isn’t a paid gig and I do finance my own trips . So I need my back in good shape to keep earning so I can spend it on flights and hotels 😝

When we arrive at the hotel I found ants on my bed ? Second floor closet with ants , very nice …. NOT ! Can’t wait to give this place a proper rating online . Only 2 more nights in this closet and I can’t wait to get out .