It's not that obvious, is it?

Slightly bizarre conversation today with a pleasant-looking young Sikh gentleman in the queue for Metro tickets.

Him (in beautifully accented but very clear English): Are you coming from England?

Me: Yes.

Him: Manchester?

Me (slightly perturbed): um...well, yes.

Him: Ah.

Me: Er, how did you know that?

Him (as if it were the most obvious thing in the world): Your face. (followed by impressive look of impenetrable and ineffable wisdom).

I got home and studied myself in the mirror. Now, obviously English I can understand....but obviously Mancunian? Let's have a look at some of the more famous people to have come out of my home town:

Maybe I'm flattering myself, but I don't see the physical similarity that would lead me to jump out as a Mancunian to a random bloke in Delhi. Now, if he'd guessed Edinburgh, I'd have just assumed he was a Proclaimers fan and thought nothing more of it.

But anyway, it gives the lie to all of you who think I've lost my Northern roots. Now excuse me, I have to carry on with my research into where I can buy fruit tea, hummus and sun-dried tomatoes in this city...