Going to bed at midnight tired I hoped for a good sleep but when I woke first at two and then at four I was still optimistic but rising again only an hour later, I knew further sleep was unlikely although I did try. The obvious factor is that been out in the fresh air walking on Saturday. When there were large patches of blue in the day light and temperature was around 10 degrees. I nearly went out before the midday roast but reconsidered that it would be more beneficial later, if the weather held, which it looked liked doing, after the meal. I commenced roasting of the chicken, at 11 am, wrapped in foil adding prepared potatoes from frozen at 11.30 and lifting the foil covering at midday leaving until twenty to 1 before removing with the skin of the chicken nicely brown. All I used was about sixty percent of the breast with the pieces of crisp potato and later wearing light gloves I broke up the rest of the chicken into a bowl with sufficient for a stir fry and an omelette. I decided on a banana putting out a piece of lemon tort to defrost to enjoy with a cup of tea after the outing.
As hoped there were still patches of blue among the cloud and being high up in open space there was a fresh see breeze. In the mouth of the river a comparatively small naval ship was being coaxed through the protective piers. A little way down from the open space, along the roadside bank several hundred blue and purple crocus were in flower and then at the end of the North Marine Park the raised bedding close to the gate was covered with pansy flowers, as was one of the beds at the side of Ocean Road. It was not yet Spring but the first indications were there. My walk had two objectives with the first to view the progress made in the five million pound renovations of South Marine Park. Most of the work has been completed with very good effect although whether the local ratepayers who contributed £1.2 million with the rest coming from a European development fund, of some nature. remains to be judged via the local evening paper. I first walked up the steep hill from the corner main entrance which everyone uses who walks along Oceans Road from the town centre, the Metro, the buses and the passenger river ferry crossing. This is a wide thoroughfare with grass surrounded beds on either side, and a large area of trees to my right before the railings and a hedge to my left. The pathway is wide enough for official vehicles and has been resurfaced and strengthened and new seats have been provided. These have a wrought metal frame with wood seats and backs and the metal work is a very attractive livery of black and red with some gold, as are the predominantly red large metal rubbish bins. From the top of this hill, which is the highest point of the area, even higher than the hill where I live, there is a splendid panorama across the whole park and open and indoor amusements centres on the other side of the beach road. The vast stretch of sand after the dunes and north sea disappearing some distance into the horizon.
It is at this point that I could see the new stone stonework either side of the main broad stairways to the second level downward. This brings one to the main parallel north south thoroughfare within the park and where the rise from the entrance to where I was standing is more gently. This had been resurfaced with lots of the new seating on either side and I sat on one for a few minutes to enjoy the spectacle. Others were doing likewise with several older couples also out on an explore. The thoroughfare is even wider here and close to the main steps is the new bandstand built to the same specifications as the old which was left into ruin and had to be demolished. This, as everything else in the park is a very fine and attractive construction and is easy to understand that at the turn of century over 10000 people were recorded as attending concerts. A council workman was doing finishing work to the new stone walling which separates the bandstand and thoroughfare from the next level downward. I walked along to where the four statues of naked ladies had been returned. Originally they were intended to stand outside the Town Hall, and my understanding is that they did so for a time but such was the objection that they were moved to the Park. and similar, but more modest attired statues were made for the Town Hall where they remain to this day. In between the statues someone was painting the railings to the water fountain and features which is yet to become operational. I then took the middle of the park pathway down to the lake. To the right there is the gentle open picnic and kick about area, ever popular for the most of the seasons with families who have made outings for the day. To my left there are several pathways between areas of shrubs and trees and in both areas there is a new artwork with I will examine closely on another visit. On the map of the park at each entrance there is a shown an outside class room among the pathways. My route was to take me across the small railway track which circumnavigates the lake and go around three quarters of the Lake towards the partially completed new tea room and toilet area and which also houses the train and engines when not in use.
Half the lake was drained for several months at a time to clear and clean and improve the surrounds. This was the only way to ensure that the swans and other wildlife were able to continue for the year which the work undertook. It was difficult as usual to undertake the swan count but I would say the total is closer to fifty and then seventy five previously checked. When the park was first built the water in the lake would be lowered each winter to ensure that it would freeze solid to enable skating but the development of the wildlife has led to the ending of this attraction. The peal boats are still housed across the road in part of the fairground until the Easter week end opening.
To the South of the Park, the areas of safe play with two age levels became fully operational during the summer and has continued to be well used throughout the winter except on the coldest and wettest of days with over a thousand children participating every week.
The new tea room will have a much larger outside seating area in the future which will mean better opportunity to enjoy a seat for a cup of tea, coffee and a bacon roll from the now demolished kiosk and where I was only able to enjoy by getting up and down before 11 am on summer days. On making my way towards my second mission for the outing I noticed that the decision has been taken to construct fine mesh inner fencing a few feet inside the railings along the main coast road and the reason for this was evident a few metres on as between the railways and the new mesh fencing was a used carton for fish and chips and then further along a can
It is difficult to compare the renovated North Marine Park with the Park at Roker a few hundred yards from my former home at Seaburn because the latter had two significant outstanding features. The first is a ravine with a pathway under the coast road to the beach under the cliffs and the second is a waterfall using an area of the ravine. As with South Marine there is a special area for children, a bandstand, and a railway. As at Shields there is water although at Roker it is smaller and restricted to the use of model boats, something which was the original function of the lake at Shields. There is also the difference in how the rest of the park area is used. The Bowling Greens and Tennis courts at located in North Marine Park but are a significant feature at Roker where a large area of grass is special and protected and with little area for children to kick a ball about, something which is available at Shields. There are spectacular floral displays at Roker, something which has not been a feature of South Marine. South Marine has the spectacular view across he park and out to the North Sea horizon Both parks are now exceptional community facilities and a credit to what public money can buy. The essential differences is that whereas Roker Park is stand alone, there is there are three parklands at Shields separated only by two main roads and where I have the advantage of being able to walk from my present home through all three and back to the sea front and on to the cliff walks, all the way to Roker Park and vice versa if so wished and able to do so. When South Marine Park was created just before the beginning of the 19th century there would be an annual firework display with the park decorated with coloured lights including decorated small boats on the lake and half the town was reputed to turn out. A similar lighting extravaganza was created when Roker Park was refurbished back to the original standards. It will be interesting to see if something similar is undertaken at South Marine.
It was time to undertake take the second mission. A little way across the road from South Marine Park is the Dunes entertainment development which comprises and indoor bowling alley, a large indoor amusement area with several pool tables and arcade gambling and other electronic machines, together with a separate but under the same roof pub restaurant. Now two three story attractively designed extensions with an a new entrance directly from the car park between the centre and the entrance to the South Shields river mouth pier. To one side of the plush new entrance a second doorway leads to what appears to be a restaurant or cafe. There appeared to be staff but I could not see any members of the public or why it was such a tall building with two tall floors about the same height as the three floors my home. The answer, possibly, is that although there is an entrance just inside the main door opposite to the establishment, inside there is just a small foyer leading to a staircase to an Italian food self styled bistro, The notice indicates a new Bistro and cafe and therefore it is possible that the stairway leads over the entrance with the restaurant above the cafe. There was nothing to indicate what was upstairs which is odd. The second part of the new extension in a new indoor play any for children. Again there is special entrance adjacent to what I assume is restaurant entrance with no indication of the costs other than a small poster which revealed that between the hours of 9am am and 2.30 weekends in term time the facilities were available for young children aged between one and three years for the price of £3 with accompanying adults free. The answer was found on return on the Internet, under Dunes, South Shields, with the most extensive information including downloading menus and prices, openings times and interactive maps. South Shields has suffered from a lack of indoor activities for children when the weather is poor and families have travelled to the sea front for the day. There is the Temple Park leisure Centre but this is some distance from the coast and externally in a functional building.
The star new attraction is the new indoor facilities which comprises a galleon type structure with five levels to climb and explore, a desert island structure which includes wavy slides and soft play area for children between one and five years. The facility is open from 9am to *pm with two pricing structures with 9-5 week days of peak. Children over four years is £5.50 max with adults £1 except the special offer previously mentioned. There are four types of Party prices from £9 to £12 offering a two hour session of play and party food plus take away bag. There is an extensive menu for adults and children within the facility with All Day Breakfast from £4.75 to a Steak for £10.95 and a selection of different platters for two at £12.95 There is also snack food with a plate of chips £2.20 and a burger and chips £4.60. The New Italian Bistro is open from 9am to midnight and is called the Hub. There are two Happy Hour sessions 12 to 6 and 6 to 7 and a three course lunch for £7.95. There are 14 starters, seven salads. 22 pizza and pasta dishes as well as eight others plus the all day breakfast . A bacon sandwich and a coffee will cost £4.40 compared to the £1.50 I pay at the Ship and Royal. The Lagoon is the facility which does not open until March and there is no information if as the name suggests this is an indoor pool area.
Captain Dunes Galleon and adventure Island comprises a Galleon with five levels of activity exploring and climbing. There is an indoor mini pitch for team games. There is a second several level area called desert island which includes and wavy slide and at a ground level a party room area for separate hire. There is also a separate Toddler play area which I presume is covered by the £3 per head daytime charge. The Brig is the existing Pub Restaurant which offer a combined Bowl, Eat and Drink Packages offering 2 games of Bowling and free shoe hire and a Traditional Sunday Main Course Lunch for £12.50. This plus two drinks is £16.50 with a choice from Chef Special Board or you can Booze and Bowl for £12.50.There are two function rooms for Hire complete with Wii Fi, Projectors licensed bars and food.
Awake early meant that I was able to watch the Andrew Marr show which included Anthony Sher and a well known South African actor who are appearing in an African styled interpretation of the Tempest with a colonial occupation and freedom seeking theme, and a reminder of an earlier episode of the History of Christianity series which explained how Christianity looked the other way as millions of African were killed or survived the journey into slavery and a life long physical and sexual abuse as well as loss of their cultural identity. A second suitable subject for Sunday was the widespread abuse of their position as Parliamentarians by using he system to claim the maximum expenses allowances, and the performance of Home Secretary was pathetic as she appeared to lose the moral argument when she that the officials advised her and that anyway what she was doing was cheaper than the Grace and Favour home previous Home Secretaries were entitled to and which and been sold to help the public purse. Surely we have the right to expect that Ministers will have sufficient self confidence and personal and political integrity to challenge officials when necessary. Andrew Marr hit the appropriate nail on the head by mentioning that when he became a journalist everyone exploited expenses to the maximum and you created problems for yourself if you did not go along with the culture. What the Home Secretary and her colleagues on both sides of the House are failing to recognise is the universal public contempt for all politicians especially Labour Party Ministers who were supposed to furthering the interests of ordinary workers but have been revealed not just as putting their noses in the trough as those in the so called wealth creating activities but were directly responsible for the culture of personal wealth accumulation which has now led millions to lose their work and some their homes. The problem she and Prime Minister Brown face is that the public has seen through the argument that what happened in the UK is part a world wide development as if this was some kind of excuse instead of admission that politicians in all the countries concerned were guilty of spiritual bankruptcy as well as financial incompetence.
I have some sympathy with the fundamental Christians of the central states of the USA who attempt to retain the basic moral values of their faith until they attempt the belief that the Old Testament should be taken literally and that the unverse was created over a week and have made an multi million dollar theme park which alleges that human beings were created at the same time as dinosaurs. Science versus Christianity and Christianity versus science, was the theme of this weekend’s episode of the History of Christianity.
Professor Colin Blakemore who became Professor of physiology at Oxford University at the age of 35 years and the youngest person to be invited to deliver the Reith lectures presented a balance history of how the Catholic church embraced the development of science, then persecuted and put its development and is now, to varying degrees, adjusting its view of the Old and New Testaments to take account of scientific discoveries. He showed that at first the church supported the scientific approach as it presumed it would endorse the official view of creation.
For 1500 years after the birth of Christ the belief system was that the earth was centre of the universe but Copernicus worked out that the earth moved around the sun. It was another hundred years before his work was taken up by Galileo Galilei 1564 to 1642 and his work created the present day scientific system of enquiry, observation and testing theory through practice. Unfortunately his work coincided with the threat to the power of Catholicism from the torture by the Inquisition unless he recanted heretical statements. Galileo had drawn upon the argument of St Augustine that the Bible should not be regarded as the dictated word of God but a contemporary way of explaining the nature of the Jewish and then Catholic system of beliefs. His persecution put back scientific progress until the Age of Enlightenment. This age of Reason was to have a special significance in my life as when I first went into adult education at Ruskin College Oxford I was thrust into the study of, Mozart, Hobbs, Locke, John Wilkes, Mary Wollstonecraft, Adam Smith, James Boswell, Thomas Paine, Benjamin Franklin Diderot, Rousseau , Montesquieu, Alex De Tocqueville , Alex de Toocville, and the French Encyclopedistes, the German Adam Weishaupt to who founded the Illuminate, Spinoza, Of some 50 major figures only one Ceasre Beccaria was Italian and known for his work on Crime and Punishment which condemned torture and the death penalty, and making suicide punishable.
Professor Blakemore went to Italy and to the Papal Observatory at the Castell Gandolpho. The Papa; Summer residence overlooking a lake and where the small village is full of religious shops, pubs, hotels and churches, where on my visit, there was a wedding, the second within a couple of days witnessed, the first being at the original Monastery church of the Benedictine Order at Subacio where he spent a number of years living as a hermit in cave like cell. At the Observatory the scientist priest in charge explained that Catholics and most Christians now understood that the testaments were books of their time to communicate a faith rather than historical documents and were not the direct word of God or of Jesus of Nazareth for that matter. The Catholic mind and that of most Christian now understand the evolution of human beings from apes, as well as the known evidence of the development of earth and the universe. This does not detract from the central beliefs, moral and life systems which contemporary Christians attempt to live by. There is a gigantic gulf between them and an the Anglican Vicar at Oxford who even challenged many of the central beliefs about the life of Jesus of Nazareth and the fundamentalists in the USA who stick to creationism as a six day wonder and who argue that any scientific evidence which conforms to their values and beliefs is good and acceptable science and that anything which does not is bad science and reprehensible.
Now here is my dilemma. Most of the fundamentalist are neither mad or bad and the way that the majority live is commendable and merits approbation, but on their understanding of the origins of universe and on the writings known as the Bible they are wrong and dangerously wrong. On the other hand the way many of those who only accept the scientific view of creation live is a matter of concern as in addition to explaining what has been they are instrumental in the potential destruction of planet earth, and not its salvation.
The evil of irrationality was the subject of Lark Rise to Candleford where hatred had been built up between two villages because in a previous generation one village had accused a woman who was known to be good and truthful of stealing a hive of their bees. In fact one the older characters in the series remembered her grandmother doing so but had been too frightened and embarrassed to revealing he truth, Suspending irrationality was a prerequisite for the next episode of Lost where at least three of survivors get back to the Island although the other three had set off to do so.
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