Sweet dreams in Brum

“Alton Towers or Cadbury World?'' came the question. “Cadbury World!'' the unanimous cry seemed to blast the room.

But then that's what you would expect from five kids, ranging from 3 to 30-plus years (err, don't ask who the 30 plus was).
My querying cousin's heart skipped a beat at the exuberant response.

We were in the kitchen at her house in Bolton, planning our week-long summer holiday in the UK.

Being a family holiday our focus was children's activities and we had done quite well charting out the week with loads of kiddie stuff and just about squeezed in a couple of evenings for us adults.

Varying shades

The next day turned out to be bright and sunny after a couple of long rainy days (not that we didn't enjoy them!). About mid-morning we set out to visit the “mother-of-all-chocolates'' factory in Bournville, Birmingham.

The pleasant two-hour drive to our destination promised a great day ahead. But the weather seemed to have other plans.

As we stepped off the car, large grey clouds began to gather and the wind picked up.

What had started off as a bright sunny day suddenly threatened to be a washout.

But we needn't have worried when we arrived at Cadbury World for the tour we were straight away handed a couple of Curly Wurlys to begin our journey on a “sweet'' note.

The tour of the museum began with The Cadbury Story, a 3-D audio-visual show depicting the birth of the Dairy Milk chocolate.

After the show, we were asked to create our own chocolates by mixing whatever we liked — from marshmallows to peanuts — to help the company discover their next best flavour.

Groan … by this time I thought I could never eat anymore chocolate as I watched my companions gobble up their favourite combinations.

Just as the little cups of melted milk chocolate were polished off, the threatening clouds burst and everyone scurried for cover.

Time-tested taste

We entered an already full museum to view the creation of the factory. Interestingly, the Cadbury brothers, Richard and George, founded the Bournville village, a community much ahead of its time.

Richard and George had a modern outlook and looked after their workers, unlike many other industries of the time.

Enter the Aztec Jungle and the Journey to Europe to learn about the origins of cocoa and it's shipping to Europe. Don't be scared if you find George Cadbury looking over your shoulder here!

A quick run through the packaging section (and more chocolates) led us to Cadabra, a fun ride that kids of all ages love.

Check out the advertising trend of the trademark Dairy Milk over the century and create your likeness in chocolate at the Purple Planet.

And of course, you can't leave without picking up some of the sweet stuff for family and friends from the Cadbury Shop.

By the time we finished with the museum, we had spent almost a quarter of the day there.

Tired and hungry, the lot of us headed for the B&B we had booked into for the night.

Where food is concerned, Birmingham takes the cake as one of Britain's premier eateries.

There are more than 500 restaurants in the city offering world cuisine.

It is most known for its Balti food. However, we were too tired and had pizzas for dinner before turning in early for the night, promising ourselves to sample some of the exotic cuisine the next day.

Coinage history

We woke up to another bright day and after a hearty English breakfast set out to explore the city.

First stop: The Museum of the Jewellery Quarter. For more than 200 years Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter has been the home to some of the most skilled jewellery makers.

Here, the Birmingham Mint is an interesting place to visit. In 1786, Matthew Boulton set up the original Birmingham Mint at his workshop in Soho.

This was no ordinary coinage mint, as it was the first to use steam-powered presses. Up until then, coin presses had been hand-operated.

Another important landmark is the Chamberlain Clock. Located at the junction of the two main streets of the Quarter, Vyse Street and Warstone Lane, it was erected in 1903 in honour of Joseph Chamberlain, the famous MP for the area in the late 1900s.

Next on the agenda was the Blakesley Hall where the kids entertained themselves in the traditional herb garden and orchard with butterflies and birds while the elders admired the 400-year-old wall decorations in the Painted Chamber.

By this time, we were hungry and decided to visit the café at Blakesley Hall for a quick bite.

Sadly, our sampling of Balti food would have to wait another visit.

Abode of the rich

Our last stop for the day was the ruins of Weoley Castle, a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

According to the Doomsday Book, the 700-year-old castle has been inhabited since the 12th century.

Excavations have revealed the wealthy status of its occupants.

Although the ruins are not accessible, there is a viewing area with information panels for the public.

The most interesting part of the castle is the sole surviving apple tree from the original orchard.

It was late afternoon by the time we left the ruins, tired but happy.

A day isn't really enough for Birmingham. But it was one of the most interesting and unforgettable visits.

Matthew Boulton

The year 2009 is the bicentenary of the death of industrialist and entrepreneur Matthew Boulton (1728-1809), one of Birmingham's most important historic figures.

The centrepiece of the bicentenary celebrations will be a major exhibition focussing on Matthew Boulton's life and times at Birmingham Museums & Art Gallery (below), Gas Hall Exhibition Gallery, from May 30-September 27.

Titled Matthew Boulton: Selling What All the World Desires, the exhibition will showcase important material from Birmingham's own world-famous collections, as well as significant loans from national museums, private collectors and other institutions including the Royal Collections.

For more information, visit www.matthewboulton2009.org

Other attractions

Birmingham is rich in art and culture, with museums at almost every corner of the city.

To cover it all, one would need more than a day. The other places of interests are:

Nightlife

With the largest population of students in the country outside London, the city's nightlife is throbbing.

Big-time DJs hit the town each weekend. Check out:

— Information courtesy: www.visitbirmingham.com