Trip To Another British City

Trip to Birmingham

There are 3 parts of this journey:
(1)Brunei Hall to Euston Station
(2)Around Birmingham city
(3)Euston Station to Brunei Hall

14 of Brunei A level society students went on this Birmingham trip to see Maher Zain concert and tour the center of Birmingham.We planned to take the cheapest and fastest mode which is to use bus 205 to Euston station.

2 hours from Euston Train Station to Birmingham New Street Station.ton 

As we arrived, we ate lunch at Buffet Hut restaurant. It is an all you can eat buffet that cost £5 per person +  £1 for drinks + it's Halal! The first thing I realized about Birmingham was that it is a modern city which reflects from it's architecture. I started realizing it inside the train when we arrived in Birmingham station. 
I also realized that there are so many friendly people especially the elderly. They are really sweet and patient. 

The place that will ultimately mark that Birmingham is a modern city is Bullring which is a shopping complex. It is the "Westfield of Birmingham" but it is very modern looking and the exterior are mostly made of glass. Some parts of it reminds me of stadium from far but when I go nearer, the design actually looks like big thumbtacks. We wonder how they construct them. 

What is the history of the name "Bullring"?

We were also really curious about the name " Bullring". Our theory is that it was once a place where bull fighting were held but it sounds ridiculous. I searched and found that decades ago it was a place used for bull betting and was a sport that even the Queen was interested in. Hmmm. I don't really understand what it is. 

    

BULLRING   

We checked in into Travelodge to spend the night in. 3 rooms which is 5 girls in one room, 5 more girls in the other room and 4 boys on the next room. At about 5:10 out on the windy weather we took 2 taxis and went to The New Bingley Hall. For what?

MAHER ZAIN CONCERT!YAAAAAY!

It was my first concert and it was an awesome one. I really love Maher Zain's music and just know most of his songs by heart. I missed the concert years ago in Brunei due to exams but now I was able to enjoy and watch one live with friends in the city of Birmingham. We were ecstatic about it and sang along to his songs (clapping all the way I can feel my arm aching after that). We managed to get his autograph on his album. He spoke to me but I was just speechless but now I regret it. My friend described that he has a charisma that can make people speechless.It's true.He's now officially my favourite singer ( been so long since I had one ). 

At 00:00 when the date changed to 26th of October, my friend Aliana turns 18. We sang her a Happy Birthday song while walking back to the hotel. We planned a surprise birthday party but there was a problem with the pizza delivery that we had to cancel it because we were all so exhausted.

In the morning, we had a nice breakfast that we bought from nearby tesco and then went window shopping at Bullring. It is a really big shopping centre, we didn't have a chance to look all around the building. We drank bubble tea at Moocha stall inside Bullring. I ordered Taro Bubble tea but the waitress asked if I want to include tea in it. I was so confused. I thought it was meant to have tea in it?Bubble tea? 


It was really hard to plan a party when the person to be surprised was tagging along all the way. It eventually went well when we get back to our hotel and surprised her with a birthday cake and her present from the "Babus". What a great time even though there was a big shock at the end of it. I cannot mention what it is here, no I cannot. 

We get back at Brunei Hall at 5 and then had a nice " Nasi Penyet" dinner!

The concert
Maher Zain's songs he performed;

1. Baraka Allahu Lakuma
2. For The Rest Of My Life
3. Number One For Me 
4. InsyaAllah
5. Allah Hi Allah Kiya Karo
6. Ya Nabi Salam Alayka ( International )
7. I love you so 
8. Mawlaya
9. Man In The Mirror ( not his song)

And some duets.

Some other things that stands out was Omar Regan the comedian from USA. His jokes are quite funny such us his Hijab jokes and his funny " MaaaasyaAllah". He was confused with Chris Tucker from Rush Hour 2 but he was actually his double on that movie. I have never seen the movie though.