Newcastle upon Tyne Hotels
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New home close upon Tyne
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I met my parents, who were driving and transporting Keri's spoiled cat, at the ferry terminal. I was surprised at the size of the ferry, particularly since it runs every day, but what a cool way to travel. It is an overnight ferry ride across the North Sea direct to Newcastle itself and is quite comfortable with plenty of bars and entertainment available. A very comfortable and enjoyable way of getting there.
We pulled into Newcastle upon Tyne (such an English name, love it), the new home of my sister's family. It was overcast but not too cold and we pulled up to the house to find Julian and the parents already well on their way to settling in. We settled in, helped them to unpack, put together closets, set up stereos and computers, and chilled out with adorable Julian. They live in a house with plenty of space, which seems a little like the house in the Harry Potter movies (the stairs are directly in front of the door, with a space underneath- but it isn't a cupboard). A nice backyard with a large patio and space to grill, and open trails nearby through green farm fields.
It is a quiet neighborhood, and people seemed to be much more friendlier than in Frankfurt. I was struck by the similarity to some neighborhoods in the U.S.- no big surprise there I guess- and although I thought we had a overabundance of identical-looking cookie-cutter houses, some of the areas in the English countryside definitely have it worse. Also it wasn't very convenient to walk around- things were spaced a little far away and the roads were designed with only an afterthought to pedestrians (roundabouts do not make for easy road crossings on foot). But unlike the U.S., there was still a good subway and public transportation system.
We went downtown one day and explored. England has put some money into Newcastle in recent years and they have a new music hall, modern bridges, and a nice walking area in the center. Of course I forgot my camera. It is a town also known for its party atmosphere- one coastal suburb had nightclubs on every corner- but being in 'hang out with family mode' I didn't see too much of that, so next visit. I extended my stay an extra week and spent most of that reading, playing with my nephew, and relaxing- a great way to procrastinate before returning to the real world.
Some of my impressions of England- they may be known to have some of the best media sources in the world (BBC) but it must be at the expense of others, since nearly every newspaper I came across was almost exclusively gossip, trash, and worthless public interest stories. They have stuck with the pound for currency- although I can't imagine that lasting forever- and they have Darwin on their 10 pound notes, which impressed me. I can't imagine the furor that would cause in the U.S., with our stubborn, clingy adherents to creationism and intelligent design. The countryside is very attractive, but space is limited, and the real estate costs are insanely high. English food isn't worth commenting on (okay I mainly tried pubs- not recommended), but Indian food is everywhere, so it's bearable.
Books: Archangel by Richard Harris. A well written "what if" novel of the modern Soviet state. A good book to just read and be entertained. Woman An Intimate Geography by Natalie Angier. I know what you're thinking, but this was a fascinating, intelligent book about the astounding bodily changes that mothers go through and the development of the human body. Extremely informative and although written from a feminist perspective isn't a diatribe on hating men (even if all we do is supply the Y chromosome). The United States of Europe by T.R. Reid. An impressive review of the historical development of the EU and the huge role it is already playing on the world stage, and why the U.S. needs to pay attention.
Definitely an attention getter especially in this uncertain economy with a weak dollar. Dark Matter: The Private Life of Sir Isaac Newton by Philip Kerr. A funny, engaging mystery loosely based on historical fact involving Newton's work at the Mint in the Tower of London. Hard to put down and written extremely well- lines such as "... an excellent stew, because for all her lewd ways and probable distempers- during the summer her cunny parts smelt as frowzy as a Scotman's dog- the landlady was an excellent cook." ha ha ha, classic.
Where I stayed:
sister's house
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