My Love Letter to Newcastle upon Tyne
Caption: View of the Tyne River.
There are many reasons why I've called this city home for much of my adult life. Here are some of those reasons.
I wrote this post for this month’s Indie Web Carnival. The topic this month is love letters. Thanks to Juhis for hosting this month's edition!
Dear Newcastle,
There are so many things about you that have kept me here for the past six and a half years. I thought the Indie Web Carnival was a good excuse to profess my love for you!
There isn't a more poetic start to how I accidentally ended up in here. Out of three universities that I applied to:
- One did not get back to me;
- Another said I needed to prove my competence in English; and
- The final uni was happy to take me as I was.
That university just happened to be in Newcastle. So I left my life in India behind and voyaged West in the hopes of finding my place in this world.
I can get around with ease
A metro, ferry and countless buses, makes getting around you an absolute breeze. A quick look at the Cycle Map and Transport Map of Open Street Maps shows just how well connected you are, easily rivalling cities that are twice or even five times the size.
With the Northumberland National Park on our doorstep, we can venture into the serene countryside at a moments notice. Making it possible to connect with nature at a whim. Switching gears from the slow pace of the country side, you make it easy to reach bigger cities as well. Being on the main line that connects Edinburgh with London also means that it is fairly easy to hop on a single train to get to either city.
Caption: A serene lake in the Lake District, two hours away by public transport.
Hobbies I have built
I have found new hobbies that I probably never would have encountered without the diverse list of hobbies that you have to offer. Most recently, I have been climbing religiously three to four times a week.
When I was interested in chess last year, I found many chess enthusiast groups and tournaments to participate in. Recently, when I looked to get into a trading card game called Riftbound, I managed find a group that meet on a regular basis to play the game and introduce new players to it's complex rules. There are limitless options for what to get into next, and to maintain existing hobbies.
A side effect of having many hobbies is finding many like-minded people who enjoy the same hobbies as you. Every time I visit the bouldering gym these days, I spend at least a few minutes chatting with the people I see there on my visits.
Indie finds
It doesn't take long to realise that you are home to so many independent venues. Independent shops, cafés, bands, bookshops, restaurants and more. Each with their own unique story, aesthetic and character that sets them apart from the name-brand counterparts.
Where I tend to spend most of my time is in the Indie coffee shops that serve some of the region's best coffee. Just in the city centre, there are no less than ten cafés that would make even the snobbiest of coffee aficionados (aka me) brim with joy.
Caption: View of Midsommar Bakery in Grainger Market.
The weather
As I’m writing this post, the sun is streaming through our french windows. The clear blue skies beyond make me want to get out there and roll around in the grass. It has been like this for most of this week.
Even through the winter, the sun makes a regular appearance, driving away the seasonal affective disorder (aka SAD) that grips a percent of our population.
What pairs best with blue skies and sunny days you might ask? Well, there is only one perfect answer to that question and that is ... the beach! It just so happens that 20 minutes is all it takes to get to some of the most picturesque beaches.
For all these reasons, I have such an admiration for you. Thank you ... Newcastle <3
One of your many inhabitants,
Tony
I wrote another article previously that I finished writing after the topic month passed. So I'm glad I got this in before the stipulated deadline.
Hope my love letter has prompted you to think about the city you live in. I encourage you to write a similar article about the place you call home. Writing and synthesising your positive thoughts has countless benefits.
This post is public, so feel free to share the URL with anyone who might find this interesting. You can also subscribe to my blog (either through an RSS feed or email). Feel free to email your comments to tony(at)tonytriesstuff(dot)com or comment on Mastodon.
Until next time,
Tony
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