lethargic_man: (reflect)
Lethargic Man (anag.) ([personal profile] lethargic_man) wrote2004-01-28 09:45 pm

Penshaw Monument

A propos of nothing (bar displacing)...

I dislike the Angel of the North. Not very much, it's true, but still. It's supposed to be a eyecatching monument dominating the view from road or rail on the way into Gateshead, but unless you get a good close look it just looks like a 'plane has flown head first into the hillside and stuck there.

The fact of the matter is there already was a impressive folly overlooking the road and rail lines -- Penshaw Monument, located not far from the Washington from which George Washington's ancestors hailed. It's a scaled-down version of a temple in Athens, and is a damn sight more aesthetically pleasing than the Angel of the North, IMNSHO. As a child it always used to intrigue me as we drove past, because the number of pillars supporting its roof kept seeming to change due to the changing parallax between the pillars on the near side and those on the far.

The only problem is that it is a long way from the road and rail, ten or so miles, so does not loom over them like the Angel of the North does. But it deserves to be more widely known, IMO; and I'm doing my little bit here to help that.

[identity profile] compilerbitch.livejournal.com 2004-01-27 02:08 pm (UTC)(link)
* nods in agreement to all of above *

Geordieland

[identity profile] lethargic-man.livejournal.com 2004-01-27 02:15 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh, you're from the northeast, aren't you; or at least I recall you saying you had family there (but didn't get around to asking any further). Where exactly are you from, if you don't mind me asking?

PS: Hope you enjoyed the remainder of your time in Dundee.

Re: Geordieland

[identity profile] compilerbitch.livejournal.com 2004-01-27 02:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Family are from Shotton Colliery, born in Peterlee, grew up in Billingham/Stockton, spent lots of time in Newcastle, lived in Northumberland (relatively) recently. So, not strictly a Geordie, but not far off.

Re: Geordieland

[identity profile] compilerbitch.livejournal.com 2004-01-27 03:00 pm (UTC)(link)
And, yes, Dundee was great! :-)

[s]

Re: Geordieland

[identity profile] doseybat.livejournal.com 2004-01-28 02:28 pm (UTC)(link)
well, a certain computer scientist was helping solve protein interaction puzzles *rollseyes* and i can now reassemble that couch in 30 seconds with my eyes shut!

Re: Geordieland

[identity profile] lethargic-man.livejournal.com 2004-01-29 02:09 am (UTC)(link)
[livejournal.com profile] doseybat as heat shock protein to a sofa bed? It's a novel image...

Oh, you mean those two sentences of yours weren't connected? ;^b

Re: Geordieland

[identity profile] compilerbitch.livejournal.com 2004-01-29 11:17 am (UTC)(link)
*catches eyes*

*rolls them back again*

Re: Geordieland

[identity profile] doseybat.livejournal.com 2004-01-29 01:31 pm (UTC)(link)
oi! they are *sensitive*!