Early Sunday morning, John took me out for a walk along the seven bridges whereby my constant mocking of the Tyne Bridge, a miniture version of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, must've gotten annoying. John is very keen on photography and so was a great walking companion as we both frequently paused to set up a shot. Along the river Tyne, markets were set up boasting interesting nicknacks and delicious treats. I was powerless before a Malteaser brownie which was really really good!
Across the river is the BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art, a huge disappointment. Each floor was reserved for one or two artists displaying abstract mounds, painted geometry sets and videos that induce epilepsy. So much good gallery space wasted! Only one exhibition I liked, thread masks sewn on to black and white portraits, courtesy of Maurizio Anzeri.
Further along the river there lie four isolated pubs. It's popular to trek from one to the other in a single night, however they're a good 10-15 minutes walk away from the city centre and even John can't explain why people go to them. I wonder if Geordies look forward to or get sick of the routine of Sunday roasts? We stopped for a roast in a pub called The Cluny in Ouseburn. It's hit and miss with pub roasts, especially late in the afternoon when what's leftover is either piled on to your plate or scraped off pans into a sad little heap. Our lamb roast, mash, peas and yorkshire pudding looked hot and yummy, though it was the first time I tried yorkshire pudding - it's just pastry and gravy. I don't get the appeal?
