"So where are we going tonight?" asked Michael, the army man with a charming Scottish accent.
"Guess"
"Maggies," was his quick reply. Magnesia Bank pub is where my hosts Jana and Michael met. Jana caught Michael's eye because she was wearing more clothes than anybody else around. Geordies in Newcastle like to save on clothing material, I would later find out.
On the walk to Maggies we discovered that there is a difference between waterproof and water resistant. Michael's water resistant jacket gets soaked in anything more than a drizzle. The pub was nice and warm, especially when Jana and I began dancing to the live music. Someone has to start the dancefloor though it didn't quite catch on.
The next day Michael and I went out to walk along the coast and grab some ice-cream. Looking like kids, we wandered along the grey sand licking strawberry and bubblegum ice-cream cones, topped with sprinkles of course. The beach is a flat stretch of shallow water. Despite the dogs prohibited signs, a dozen dogs ran happily from one side of the bay to the other. In comparison to Australia, the Newcastle coast has a very different view; St Mary's Lighthouse off in the distance, a castle turned radio station, and a few surfers who braved the freezing water.
Back in the city we walked around lost. Michael is fairly new to Newcastle and hadn't explored the terrain. The easiest way to locate oneself is by Grey's Monument, a tribute to Earl Grey for passing the Great Reform Act. Lucky chap got a massive statue of himself in the middle of the city AND a brand of tea! We had lunch at Cafe Neon on Bigg Market; my Neon Burger was so tasty and filling but it was a shame the side of fries were thin, crispy and cold.
It was to be a killer day food-wise. My next host for the evening, John a lovely English guy and a perpetual offerer of tea or coffee, was cooking pork tortillas. It was so good I ate the crackle off the pan. His friend Julia joined us for the evening and shared her insight to the infamous Geordie culture, which I was yet to fully experience. Unfortunately neither John nor Julie are true Geordies so that didn't have the accent but could do a fairly good imitation - "
Ye knaa what ah mean leik"