A new look at Newcastle

 

It was back-to-Newcastle day for me yesterday. That is, I realised it was nearly 8 years since I last visited the place. (The local one. I visited the slightly smaller UK Newcastle a couple of years ago.) See here: 2013 post  and here: 2019 post

Since I was last there they've torn up the rail line into the city proper, and replaced the last bit of the journey with a tram.

It's a nice tram, and it works very smoothly. I'll give it that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nobbys Beach is still looking good. It was full of kiteboarding birdmen.

 

 

 

And marauding ravens.

One negative change, I thought, was the demise of the Hunter St pedestrian mall. Maybe it comes to life at night. But it was pretty dead yesterday afternoon. Lots of very serviceable cafes seemed to have sprung up elsewhere though.

And then there are all the fine looking parks and open spaces. And the particularly fine looking old railway station. It's become a quiet spot to hang out, and it's filling up, or trying to, with art galleries and boutique arty shops and things.

Here's the old Customs House - now a hotel.