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Tyne Bridge
Newcastle's attempt at a mini coat hanger!So from Aberdeen, south on the train to.....
Newcastle It was a quick wander around for an hour or so between trains but I managed to enjoy seeing a miniature version of the Sydney Harbour Bridge (complete with a miniature version of the Rocks) and a larger version of the pedestrian bridge over the Yarra at Southbank! Next stop....
Hartlepool So who knew what delightful tales, tall and true, orginated in the town of Hartlepool?
My interest in going there was simply to catch up with Bev and Cass who I lived with in Perth, Western Australia for a few months in 2007-08. However, thanks to Bev, the excellent tour guide, I now know plenty.
First up - the monkey hangers. Legend has it that during the Napoleonic wars, a French ship beached at Hartlepool. The only living creature discovered was a monkey replete in French naval uniform. The locals, not knowing what Frenchmen looked like, decided to try the monkey and, as he was unable to answer the charges, he was executed! Whilst this may have once been an insult to Hartlepudlians, the large number of monkey statues/trinkets around the
town and the fact the local football team has a monkey as it's mascot, suggests the locals are happy to take it all on board!
Some facts....Hartlepool was the scene of the first casualty of WWI on British soil in 1914...
John Darwin, the infamous disappearing/reappearing canoeist lived in Hartlepool.....Joseph Hansom, inventor of the Hansom cab made famous by Sherlock Holmes lived on the headland in Hartlepool....and the
Prince Bishops ruled from Durham. So far away was London that the local bishops were granted special titles and powers, including to print their own money, back in the day!
Apart from catching up with Bev and Cass, I was privileged to met Bev's folks, Cynthia and Keith and stay in their lovely home. Thanks to their membership of a local social club, I also got to play bingo and experience "genuine 1970s bar prices" - just like in Mick Molloy's movie
Crackerjack. Love it!
One of the other highlights of my visit was going to Durham and visiting the Durham Cathedral. As I mentioned in my Orkney blog, the stonemasons who worked on the Durham Cathedral in the 11th century next moved to Kirkwall in the Orkneys to build St Magnus
The Tyne
Tyne bridge and river - and pay attention to the old buildings on the right - so like Sydney's Rocks precinct, don't you think? Cathedral. Durham Cathedral is much larger than St Magnus but sometimes, as in this case, bigger is not always better. There is something a little more charming about St Magnus but Durham Cathedral was certainly worth visiting - even if I was miffed at not being able to take photographs inside the building! And Durham Castle, just across the green, looked magnificent in the spring sunshine.
Next stop....
Cambridge I was inspired within minutes of arriving in Cambridge. My first wander about towm included spying the
Univerity admissions office. What could I study to enable me to hang out here for a few years? Thankfully, these silly feelings passed within a few days - full time study is not for me anymore!
Still, the university ranked fourth in the world on academic results (behind Harvard, Berkeley and Cal Tech) is in such a pretty setting and has 31 beautiful colleges......including Kings College.....oh well!
I did the one tourist activity which is virtually mandatory in Cambridge, I went for a punting trip on the Cam. It was lovely and I did enjoy the banter of our punter who had clearly rehearsed his lines and stories very
well. I suppose the most surprising factoid for me was that Trinity College is the richest of the colleges with assets estimated at 2.6 billion pounds! Yikes!
Newmarket Just up the road from Cambridge is Newmarket, home of the thoroughbred in England. Ahhhh....horsey heaven it is.
I visited the National Stud and, as you will see from the photos, it was a magnificent piece of property so beautifully maintained and presented and home to some excellent horse flesh. Our tour guide was in his 60's but continues to ride work (race horses) every morning and was clearly passionate about the industry as both a punter, breeder and rider. So committed to his role, he was unable to read out the quote from the stallion, Mill Reef's, owner about his former champion. "I can only make it to the second line reading allowed before I lose it", he said with a tear forming in his eye. Rather infectious passion, I must say.
Aside from the stud farm, Newmarket has a racing museum (not really all that exciting and I wouldn't go out of my may to visit again) and two race tracks - the Rowley Mile and
the July Course. Like in Brisbane, the two courses back onto each other but, as it was April, it was clear the racing was not going to be at the July course!
So off to the Rowley Mile went I. And, to keep up with my overseas tradition, I had a lovely day out but could not back a winner! The only winner I did select, I did not back, because he was odds on! However, 'Elusive Pimpernel' will be worth recalling in early May when he races in the 2000 Guineas. He certainly brained the opposition on a fine day in April.
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Robert Bruce
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Horses and such/Newmarket
Newmarket/Races.....not a bad day.....Your wagering luck was much the same as mine at the Kentucky Derby this year. Our Judge John hit the trifectia and went home a happy man. Glad to see you enjoying the days given . Cheers.