Today we ventured out via bus to our neighbouring city, Newcastle.  A friend that volunteers with us at the Cathedral wanted to show us around Newcastle.  We had really wanted to see the Castle at Newcastle.  I knew in the beginning upon moving here and flying in to Newcastle that there must be a castle there somewhere.  You don’t give a city a name like that when there is no castle.  Right?  I also suspected that it was not “new”.

We had only been to Newcastle a few times to the Metro Centre, a retail shopping mall, but we had never experienced the history side of this city.  Our friend planned a great tour of so many wonderful things.  Right out of the bus station we caught a red express double decker bus AND the kids managed upstairs, front row seats.  Score!

Not two minutes down the road our lovely bus over heated.  Everybody off……… wait for a new bus to come pick us up.

The driver was very nice and tried to make the best out of a short wait on the side of the road.  A blue double decker arrived , the kids STILL landed upstairs, front row seats.  Meg would probably say, “It’s my freckles.” 🙂

So we were once again on our way.  Not quite as quickly as this bus was not a express but it was Field Trip Friday.  Enjoy!

We arrived in Newcastle.  We saw beautiful parts of the city including Grey Street, named after Earl Grey of afternoon tea fame.

We even had a chance to listen to some lovely Northumbrian Pipes.

We saw the Black Gate, named for a man originally, not the colour of the stone.

We walked under the train tracks, more about those tomorrow.

The castle was really amazing.

It contained so many twisting corridors and spiral staircases that we became lost from each other and found each other again like a great game of Hide and Seek.  I will tell you more tomorrow about the castle, the amazing library that our friend showed us as well as some other interesting things about this city with a not so New Castle.

Cheers,

Beth