Tales of the journeys of a piecemeal adventurer as a discontinuous narrative
Overlooking Newcastle upon Tyne the is the Angel of the North
An imposing piece of public art that hovers on a hill above the Tyne and Newcastle.
There were also some angels of the north at Mo Tech the Moto Guzzi dealer in Newcastle.
The provided me a bit of space out the weather to make a running repair.
Angels come in different forms
A hundred and fifty years ago Glasgow was the second city of the empire
A centre of heavy industry such as shipbuilding and textile manufacture
A centre of design, typified by the Glasgow architecture.
But a century or so later Glasgow was struggling to survive as a city.
Unemployment, poverty and significant population decline challenging the future of the once great city
While in the UK, in Australia, there is tension and a struggle about accepting migrants and refugees.
For Glasgow, have stabilised it’s population.
The cities motto “People make Glasgow” a reflection of the more diverse international city it has become.
People make Glasgow proudly on the new skyline.
Maybe we should all be thinking about people, humanity.
It’s been 17 years since I visited the UK
December 1999
A cold wet winter of long nights and freezing days.
This trip its summer and the days are long, damp and cool. Not all the different from the Australian winter I left behind.
With help from local guzzista I have the mighty breva II ready for this adventure.
This adventure starts in Stoke on Trent, once the porcelain capital of the world. Here I collected the Moto Guzzi, I’ve bought in the UK.
I rode up the motorway to Glasgow through the damp air and rolling green fields.
To be greeted by the march of the orange men and woman.
The loyalists.
Flying the flags trooping the colours and beating the drum
I reflected that this is what confronts and challenges the UK.
Great glories of the past celebrating victories a century or more old. Masking an underlying anger and frustration that divides the country. Orange VS Green, North VS South, the pro brexit VS the anti brexit. It’s a challenging time.
And as I ponder this there is the beautiful architecture of Glasgow.
The great Victorian design from designers like Rennie Macintosh.
And the music
In the streets and pubs.
Cold and damp Glasgow has struggled through some tough times.
But as the city’s new motto says
People make Glasgow