Newcastle Upon Tyne – The Land Forgotten

Posted by Jimmy on Jan 17, 2012 in England, Photo Essay | 2 comments

The streets of Newcastle were as busy as I’d remembered. Some of the shops weren’t as familiar. Strolling up and down my hometown, camera-in-hand, I looked at The Toon with new eyes. 2 years in Asia left me feeling distant.

I knew these streets. I walked them more than most. Yet, maybe it was because I was looking for picture-worthy scenes, but I was struck by how beautiful the city looked. Everything seemed worth capturing. I felt a stronger sense of pride than ever as I saw the Tyne Bridge for the first time.

I wondered if anyone else felt the same way when they looked at the elegant architecture around town. I doubted it. After all, despite towering over us on every street, the wonderful buildings above are obscured by the shops that now occupy the lower floors. Our gaze is held by the shiny advertising. We miss the things that matter most – our Geordie heritage.

I can’t preach, mind you. I’ve been fighting to get away from this city for as long as I can recall. I’m not blinded by some romanticised version of Newcastle. I remember why I left. But leaving this city has instilled in me a stronger sense of not only Geordie pride, but also a pride of being English that I didn’t feel 2 years ago.

Having said that, my feelings towards England are fragmented. I love being around polite people again. Koreans are well mannered but in public they show little regard for each other, especially on public transport. In London I was taken aback when someone apologised for knocking me slightly.

I was annoyed an hour later when someone at King’s Cross train station told me I couldn’t take pictures in the station without a permit. Apparently using a tripod is illegal. I’ve never had this problem in Asia. I’d forgotten how un-trusting we Brits can be.

I’m in a bubble right now. I walk around, I meet old friends, I see my family, I visit my local barber, but nothing seems vivid or real. It feels like I’m staring at everything through a surreal lens. I stare at fields as if I never used to play there as a kid. It seems alien to me now. I feel, somehow, that things have changed. But I’m almost certain it isn’t Newcastle.

I have 10 more days here until our return to Korea. I plan to capture as much as I can through my lens while everything still seems so unique.