Yesterday I woke up full of cold, the type when you are all bunged up but nothing comes out when you blow (sorry thats too much information). Mr Kitten suggested going to the beach to see if some sea air would clear as Mr Kitten said 'my nasal passages'??? he found that amusing, though I have no idea why? So it was off to one of my favourite places St Marys Island in Whitley Bay in Tyne & Wear. When I lived in Newcastle Upon Tyne (where I was born and bred) it wasnt too far from where I lived to visit, but now I live 100 miles away, so I dont visit the island as often now.....
Whitley Bay itself was a holiday destination in the 1950's - 1970's where holiday makers came to stay in the large victorian B&B's and enjoyed the amusements and fairground of the Spanish City and the beach. Oh how I long for those days again..... you can just imagine the excitement of small children filling the car with their bucket and spades and shouting 'Are we there yet?' Mum and Dad spending their evenings in the bingo halls or watching a black & white film in a lovely Art Deco cinema.....
The Spanish City was opened in 1910 and was a permanent seaside fairground. In the 1920's it became known as The Empress Ballroom (how old fashioned does that sound now?) It was well known for its large dome which was converted in the 1970's and called The Starlight Rooms where you could go to watch live entertainment.....
Unfortunately the whole place started to decline in the 80's and was no longer the 'seaside holiday destination of yesteryear' infact it was abit of a dump and became known for weekend revellers on hen and stag nights, like Blackpool but without the lights and entertainment..... do you get the picture? In the late 90's the fairground was demolished but the dome is still there. It is waiting demolition. It is further along the coastline where we went today to one of my favourite places, St Mary's Island and Lighthouse. You get to the island along the causeway, you have to check the times of the tide as you can get stranded!.....
The lighthouse is no longer in use and the buildings are now a tearoom and museum. You can climb the lighthouse and look at the magnificent view across the North Sea. I climbed them once and got a certificate to say I had done it... Whoopee Doo! LOL! People come to the Island to Birdwatch and Scuba Dive. Im not that energetic and prefer to have a mug of Hot Chocolate with a Marshmallow in the Tearoom. It was then a brisk walk back along the causeway to the car and an unclogged nose from the sea air. Its the simple things in life that are the best things, dont you think?.....
