After a few drinkies last night I still woke at 5:30. So up and atem again. Sunday mornings down the quayside are a tradition in Gateshead and this market is pretty fine. Lots of choices of gluten free food of which I partook. A delicious crepe with blueberries, malt syrup, lemon and cinnamon. Yum.
We were finished the market just in time to walk across the ‘eye’ so that we could witness the daily opening. We were ‘super prepared’ with cameras ready in perfect vantage points only to find that after around fifteen minutes wait they announced there was a technical issue and it wouldn’t happen today.
My friend and I had a photo on the ‘seaside on the quayside’.
So back to our home base where we were treated to stotty cake (which is really a flat bread) with sliced ham and peas pudding. OMG there are times in this world when things ‘gluten filled’ should be imperative! A touch of indigestion followed but if I wait another two years perhaps I can repeat the exercise?
There’s a kind of cute fixation with elephants in Newcastle, and perhaps other areas of Britain.
As we headed towards Hexham I saw a sign for Ponteland and asked if Pontyland (my pronunciation) was a theme park? This seemed to cause an unreasonable amount of mirth in the car. I really thought it was uncalled for but my friends just couldn’t get the smiles off their chops. 😆 Apparently I have a few issues with pronunciation and this was no exception. It’s pronounced Ponteeland and is a proper place near the Newcastle airport. So for all those Geordies reading my blog I sincerely apologise. 😂
We arrived in Hexham and made for wetherspoons to buy a well earned(how I don’t know but I think I earned it having to put up with them! 😂) drink. I was getting a whisky and coke but it came out really light. So I asked if they could check their post mix. The boy checked and saw it wasn’t working so went off to change it. I waited twenty mins for him to bring a new one but had to chase it up myself. Was this poetic justice for me being a little sacrilegious in this part of the land? Maybe😬
We walked around Hexham Abbey which was a real treat. A beautiful old building built originally in 674! Quite amazing. Whilst we walked around the organist was practicing so the music filled the atmosphere making it an even more spiritual experience.
We were allowed down to the Catacombs to see the oldest part of the church too.
It is always fascinating to me that it doesn’t matter what the religion, the shrines that are erected in their honour are magical. I’ve been fortunate enough to see these wonderful religious buildings in the Scandinavian countries, Russia, turkey, Italy, Spain, Germany and many more countries and ALL of them are exquisitely adorned with the finest of details. A celebration of the artisan as well as a holy tribute.
There were some more photo opportunities before we headed back to have our last evening meal in England at Wetherspoons. Then a short drive back to Newcastle where we have the jobs of checking in to the flights tomorrow. I also have to book a car. So thankfully easyjet is pretty easy to complete that then the car was easy enough but required me to download the app on my phone. So after a deal of stern words to my iPad it finally all came together and with any luck tomorrow’s journey will be reasonably smooth.
Off to bed now. Northern Ireland tomorrow….
Lady Boomer 