Travelog for: Mara-Joy

Tyneside has been a focus of regeneration in recent years, and a lot of the new artwork shows the links between the ship-building/ shipping/ fishing industries and the local area.

Here's a huge mural on the side of a building!

We got back on the Metro, and travelled to Gateshead, which is across the Tyne from Newcastle.

Here I am sitting next to the driver's booth.  It was like being on a rollercoaster!

Gateshead has been compared - unfavourably - with Newcastle-Upon-Tyne for many years, but lately has had a cultural renaissance.  There are lots of new and exciting buildings, and public artworks like this one pictured (Isobel's friend says it's a genie, but we're not sure ...  )

We saw this beautiful building Wendy, like silver chrysalises that shone in the sun!  Isobel says this is 'The Sage' a specially built music venue, built in 1994. 

We also went inside and Isobel bought a musical instrument that croaks like a frog!  The Sage is made of glass, so you can see out over the whole of Newcastle, with its famous Tyne Bridge.

Hey Wendy, we're still in Gateshead, and here's another picture of the Tyne Bridge (Isobel loves it, and has taken way too many shots of it!).

The next bridge is award-winning! It is called the Gateshead Millennium Bridge, and was built in 2001. The bridge won the James Stirling Prize for Architecture in 2002.

The next picture shows a converted flour mill.  It is now an art galllery, The BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art.

We didn't go in (not enough time) but it's full of great artwork.

Wendy, you might not know this author yet but this plaque commemmorates Daniel Defoe, the writer of 'Robinson Crusoe' and 'Moll Flanders'. 

I think fam-united's ToyVoyager 'Robinson' might have been named after his most famous character!

Anyway, Defoe lived around here many many years ago, so we thought we'd show you this!

So we crossed the River Tyne by walking across the Millennium Bridge, stopping to enjoy the sunshine and listen to buskers as we went.

When we got to Newcastle's quayside, we turned back, and Isobel took this picture of me and the Tyne Bridge (again!) between the buildings of the Quayside.  She really does like that bridge!

Then we started a steep climb up Grey Street into Newcastle city centre,  here's a pic of going up Grey Street, with its beautiful Georgian buildings.  You can see the view down Grey Street if you would care to look at my friends' Boone and Beak's Travelog

It was voted 'Best Street in the UK' in 2002 by BBC Radio 4 listeners, and was designed by John Dobson and Richard Grainger in the 1830s.

It was even declared by Sir John Betjeman (famous English poet and Poet Laureate) to be "pefection".

At the very top of the hill is Grey's Monument (Lord Grey was a British Prime Minister).  We were quite out of breath when we got there!

Can you guess that Grey Street is another one of Isobel's "Likes"?! 

Today we went to the Blue Reef Aquarium Wendy!

It was great - there were lots of fish, some sharks, otters, lobsters and seals (which you can see if you go to Boone and Beak's Travelog), and lots of other sea creatures.  It was really interesting, and I learnt lots!

Isobel took many pictures, but they all look like she stayed at home and kept me in the cellar, because they all look dark and gloomy, and you can't see any fish at all!  (Boone's pics are a bit better than mine  )

But here is one that did come out ... it's me, looking into a rock pool at all the little animals.

Look!  Can you see the starfish and the sea-urchins Wendy?

On the way back home, we stopped off to look at the 'Angel of the North' statue which stands overlooking Gateshead.

Some quick facts:  it is wider than the Statue of Liberty is tall, it's as tall as four double decker buses, and Isobel likes it a lot! 

You can learn more about it, and even see all the way round it, here, on Gateshead Council's own website.

It made me feel tiny! 

Anyway, Wendy, that was our North of England experience. 

I had a great time and have tried really hard to give you a 'flavour' of the North-East. 

I hope you enjoyed my updates.

I'm sending you these flowers to keep you cheery and to let you know that no matter how good a time I'm having I still miss you and think of you all the time.

Lots of Love,
MJ

Well, Wendy, we've been in England for a while now, but we are never bored ...  We have had lots of very important jobs to do during our time here. 

So I thought I'd show you the sort of things we've been up to (when it hasn't been raining, of course! )

I was often asked to arrange flowers


I helped to feed the birds by filling up their feeders.


And I did LOTS of watering!

Then I was sent out to check on the plants ...  I looked out for ripe tomatoes ...

had to look VERY hard for blackcurrants (ungrateful birds not bothering to eat from those feeders!)

I ckecked out the ripening damsons ...

And counted up the many apples on the apple tree ...

I've arrived, Wendy.  I don't know where, but, look!  It's Ballet Cindy! I'm with Ballet Cindy again. Oh, Wendy, I'm sooo happy.

I'm very tired from my journey.  I'm going to go to bed.  Ballet Cindy and I are going to sleep in the bunk beds because we are sisters. Good night, Wendy.

Today I met many new friends.  We played pirates and castle.  I'm not sure playing pirates is ladylike but Ballet Cindy is shy and is more comfortable playing with the princess and the castle.

The neighbors had a bonfire and we roasted marshmallows.  They are so gooey, Wendy.  The evening air was cool but the fire was hot.  I could barely see friends across the fire pit because the flames were so high.