Tuesday 14 August 2018

On architecture, comments

The volunteer near the door of Durham Cathedral made a disbelieving comment about how much it cost to keep to maintain the place as part of the appeal to donate. I countered that I could easily see it given the size and age of the building. She grumbled that wasn’t it a pity that they had built it out of sandstone. This was also a bit silly as that was what to hand.

I did make a donation to the upkeep.

Newcastle-Upon-Tyne is a city heavily dominated by large Georgian and Victorian commercial buildings to the extent that was pleasantly surprised that any of the titular castle survives. It was started by Robert Curthose, son of William the Conqueror. The surviving bits are now separated by a railway viaduct, but it was nice to see.

Newcastle is also something of a party town judging from the signs near the inside of pub doors saying please be quiet leaving the pub. It also seems to a place for geeks as there are four stores aimed at geeks within fifty feet of my hostel!

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