SUNDERLAND

When I got up this morning it was raining quite heavily.  But I decided to stick to my plan and take a trip out into enemy territory (in football terms anyway ) ---- Sunderland. When my husband was alive we used to go there regularly but since he died I have only been back a couple of times. (Don't know why as I like Sunderland )

So I got the bus to Gateshead and then the Metro to Sunderland.  By this time the weather had changed and it was warm and sunny.  I had a wander atound The Bridges shopping centre and then explored the surrounding streets.  Saw THE STADIUM OF LIGHT in the distance- home of Sunderland Football Club  and  THE WEARMOUTH BRIDGE which is similar to the Tyne Bridge.

I came across a new area - Keel Square  - which contained the artwork in my blip shot - The Sunderland Keel Line which celebrates Sunderland's shipbuilding and industrial heritage. 

The 3.5 metre high interactive sculpture ' Propellers of the City ' includes photographs of up to 500 Sunderland people who worked in the shipyards, in roles from blacksmith to loftsman, riveter to cleaner. Sunderland residents were asked to submit photographs of family members for inclusion.  The sculpture can be rotated via a handwheel enabling the photographs to be viewed.

Next I made my way to the Museum and Winter Gardens. The Museum contains hundreds of interesting  objects like the first Nissan car to roll off the production line at their Sunderland factory in 1986. Galleries cover the shipbuilding, glass and pottery making industries, the Anglo-Saxon period and many other aspects of the city’s past.

The Winter Gardens, a 21st Century addition to the museum, is a tropical paradise. Over 2,000 plants thrive in the glass rotunda and from the tree top walkway visitors have bird’s eye view of beautiful Mowbray Park. THIS is the view from the walkway.  Then I went outside into Mowbray Park.  In this PHOTO you can see the Lake and the Winter Gardens building.  There were lots of ducks, seagulls and a few swans on the lake.

Around 4.30pm I caught the Metro to go back to Gateshead.  I really enjoyed my trip to Sunderland and I won't leave it too long before I return.

Late blip this evening ----- internet problems!

I didn't do the abstract Thursday challenge -  mainly because I didn't really understand the brief - " using a Long Exposure or Panning while exposing." ????? Thought it best to give it a miss. I know my limitations.

Steps today - 11,401