Having traveled through Newcastle several times en route to Edinburgh I decided it was time to visit this rather re-invented city. A previous visit to the Sage theatre across the river at Gateshead confirmed that the area was not the coal dust encrusted tough shipbuilding centre it used to be. In fact you are more likely to see en point ballet shoes rather than boat builders' boots and certainly the echoes of varieties of music now hang in the air rather than the death dealing coal dust.
Our visit to the ultra-modern Sage was to a performance of the Scottish folk band Capercaille. Gaelic singing and performing at its best and a fitting introduction to this area with their melodies, harmonies and rhythms of past times in a modern high tech performance. A nice reflection of the past and present of Newcastle & Gateshead, from across the border. If you are partial to Gaelic music try Capercaille. They have been together for over 20 years and are masters of their art.
Lead singer Karen Matheson has a voice described by Sean Connery as 'a throat that is surely touched by God'. It is a voice of startling purity. To me their performance resonated with the informal displays of excellence I have seen in many Kiwi performances. An almost casual display of virtuosity. Certainly not English!
So on Thursday I left Harrogate at 8.16 am, changed to a Virgin train at York
Our visit to the ultra-modern Sage was to a performance of the Scottish folk band Capercaille. Gaelic singing and performing at its best and a fitting introduction to this area with their melodies, harmonies and rhythms of past times in a modern high tech performance. A nice reflection of the past and present of Newcastle & Gateshead, from across the border. If you are partial to Gaelic music try Capercaille. They have been together for over 20 years and are masters of their art.
Lead singer Karen Matheson has a voice described by Sean Connery as 'a throat that is surely touched by God'. It is a voice of startling purity. To me their performance resonated with the informal displays of excellence I have seen in many Kiwi performances. An almost casual display of virtuosity. Certainly not English!
So on Thursday I left Harrogate at 8.16 am, changed to a Virgin train at York
and arrived in Newcastle at 10.30, to a crisp sunny, still morning. Perfect! It turned into a walking day. Firstly to the Centre for Life in Times Square which presents the development of the human footprint upon the earth and has some very interesting displays on how we have managed to populate even the most inhospitable parts of our planet. There is a computer programme, controlled by the viewer, which shows the progression of the early human forms from the centre of Africa 2 million years ago to the evolution and spread of our selves, Homo Sapiens, from 180,000 years ago into all parts of the globe.
I had taken my own lunch and so I asked if I could by a coffee and eat my lunch in the Centre for Life cafe. To my surprise the manageress said yes, as they were very quiet. Indicative of the friendliness of all I spoke to today. One thing I did notice about the young people, perhaps they were students, was the popularity of drain pipe trousers on boys and girls. Which proves that things come around and go around.
I had taken my own lunch and so I asked if I could by a coffee and eat my lunch in the Centre for Life cafe. To my surprise the manageress said yes, as they were very quiet. Indicative of the friendliness of all I spoke to today. One thing I did notice about the young people, perhaps they were students, was the popularity of drain pipe trousers on boys and girls. Which proves that things come around and go around.
And so I continued my wanderings, got lost frequently, although I had a map and was found again by helpful taxi drivers and workmen. I passed a barber and decided I'd risk it, so into Henry's I ventured. Just like the barber shops of my youth: 4 chairs: two operating and 6 quid for a cut. Well that's under half what I usually pay and some will say I got what I paid for, but it was done quickly and in a friendly way and I'm not complaining!
Then down to the waterfront as I couldn't find the very old Blackfriars part of the city. However on my way to the river I found some very old looking alleys and streets, still cobbled and very narrow, so that will do for now. Also in some of these places strong hints of the appalling living conditions once found here. And a sense of modern poverty in patches. However the new water front has little of that, of course!
Then down to the waterfront as I couldn't find the very old Blackfriars part of the city. However on my way to the river I found some very old looking alleys and streets, still cobbled and very narrow, so that will do for now. Also in some of these places strong hints of the appalling living conditions once found here. And a sense of modern poverty in patches. However the new water front has little of that, of course!
A fine job of development and redevelopment has married the old with the new, often happily. However I did find that the Sage, across the river in Gateshead does remind me of a shiny undulating slug, or more disturbingly, of the peristaltic action of a bowel.
It is probably meant to herald a new and artistic time for the area and in that it is successful, I think. Certainly the interior is a masterpiece of theatrical modernity and functionality.
It is probably meant to herald a new and artistic time for the area and in that it is successful, I think. Certainly the interior is a masterpiece of theatrical modernity and functionality.
After rambling the waterfront for some miles I returned, crossed the Millenium bridge, so simple, elegant and again functional, and visited the Museum of Contemporary Art in the restored Baltic building on the Gateshead side of the river. I have decided that I do not have enough experience or education in this field to comment. It included 5 floors of interesting, sometimes shocking displays which I could not engage with.
And so back to the architecturally famous train station to catch the 4.56pm GNER service back to York. This is a service which travels from Edinburgh to London more than hourly so I was on the train for just a short part of its journey.
Arrived at York and then on to the local bone shaker to Harrogate. Tired and happy. And for 18 pounds return a bargin!
Arrived at York and then on to the local bone shaker to Harrogate. Tired and happy. And for 18 pounds return a bargin!
