Newcastle upon Tyne

Chris and I were not ready to take in the sheer grandness of Newcastle. This city is not like ours in Australia. It is a full on, wall to wall demonstration of Victoriana. But I'll get to that.

The drive up was uneventful. We passed the Angel of the North statue but in a goodly amount of traffic and so did not stop. We can say, we've seen it.

Once safely ensconced in our top floor apartment overlooking the Tyne Bridge and the High Level Bridge, we headed out for a walk. Our amazement at the buildings in this city just grew by the moment. There was little use in putting your camera away, as every angle, every vista brought something new and incredible.

From Grey Street that culminates in a 'Nelson's Column-like pedestal with Earl Grey atop it, to every side street, all the buildings are ornate, tall, highly decorated Victorian grandees. Newcastle Australia might have one or two, but nothing like this.

St Nicholas' Cathedral has THE most amazing tower I have ever seen on a cathedral. It is like somehting out of Tolkien, and it did used to burn beacons in times past.

Newcastle Castle, from which the fair city gets its name, is intact and in good repair. We had a wonderful couple of hours walking around its labyrinthine structures, up so many flights of spiral staircases, its keep has a grand hall, an entrance hall, a chapel, royal rooms, and military placements.

After our castle morning, we decided we would walk across High Level Bridge one way and back over the river on the Tyne Bridge. For some reason now, I tend to get mild vertigo at heights, and once again, I found my legs feeling a bit weak crossing the first bridge and just wanting to get to the other side. I have learned from experience - don't stop, keep going. I managed a few pics from High Level Bridge but none on the Tyne Bridge, the little cousin of the Sydney Harbour Bridge was too much for me with whoooshing traffic on one side and the water and drop the other.

We both did a small spot of shopping, Chris got some graphic novels and I bought some Chopin Ballades in a large traditional music shop, the like of which we don't seem to have anymore at home. A nice memory for me. We've eaten out most days, and finished up tonight at a Quayside Restaurant overlooking the Tyne.

Newcastle has been a working class town. You can see it in some of its history. It has a really good feel to it. Chris and I both feel safe here. Relaxing in a very comfortable loft, itself in a gorgeous old Victorian building with lions adorning our windows, this has been a good place to decompress.Les mer