July 31/13

Headed for Newcastle, but on the way stopped in at Durham to see the Cathedral. It's not as grand as some on the outside, but is vey grand indeed on the inside. Some of it dates back to the 1100's but part was damaged in a fire and was rebuilt in the 1400's. The most unusual thing about this cathedral is the piers, which are carved with geometric designs. The stained glass is amazing too! There was even a modern window which depicts the last supper, but with just bread on the table, and it was donated by Marks and Spencer. It has an inlaid floor, and even the organ pipes are decorated. Unfortunately no photos could be taken inside, which is hard to understand, as other cathedrals from the same time period allow it.

On the way to Newcastle we stopped briefly to photograph the Angel of the North. It's the largest sculpture in England and the largest angel in the world. It's wing span is almost as large as that of a jumbo jet, and it's about 60 meters tall.

In Newcastle we walked along the Quayside, which is along the Tyne River, to see all the different bridges that span it. These bridges serve different purposes, some of which are for cars and trains, and others open to let ships pass through. The Millennium Bridge is the most unusual, as it opens like an eyelid. It was designed by the same person that designed a similar structure in Australia, and it has won many awards. The Swing Bridge turns sideways to let the boats pass. It was neat to be able to look down the river and to photograph most of the bridges together.

Because Michael is celiac we pretty much skip out on lunches while travelling, as lunch menus are typically wheat-based. But rarely do we have trouble with dinner. Tonight was an exception. We walked past many restaurants because we were looking for a recommended one which apparently no longer exists. Then we tried the other one mentioned in the Lonely Planet guide, but even though it said it had gluten-free meals, the restaurant mostly catered to vegans and vegetarians, and Michael didn't care for the few GF options listed. By this time we had past the area where all the restaurants were, and instead could only find things like Subway. Too tired to walk back down hill to where we had originally been, we drove to the B&B, hoping to see something on the way. We didn't, but amazingly the place serves dinners if they have been pre-ordered, and since they were cooking for one other family, they didn't mind cooking for us as well.