BLAYDON

Yesterday a card came through the letterbox - one of those " while you were out " cards - it said my parcel had been taken back to the sorting office.  So this morning I made the trek to the sorting office in Blaydon.  Walked down to the village to get the direct bus to Blaydon shopping centre.  Then it was just a short walk to pick up my parcel.( Inside my parcel was a handbag I won on Ebay.  The other day I bid on 3 handbags hoping I might win one of them..... I won all three! )

Then I did a bit of shopping.  Also popped in to see Neil as he works in Blaydon.  Then I got 2 buses to get back home.  Weather was bright and sunny and a bit warmer than it has been lately.

I took my blip shot in Blaydon.shopping precinct. Not such a good shot as the sun was too bright.  Its a mural titled 'Blaydon Races' and depicts characters in the popular song “The Blaydon Races” written in1862  by Geordie Ridley
 
Painted on canvas using acrylics the mural reflects each verse of the song. We see Balmbra’s music hall in Newcastle on the left, and a journey up Scotswood Road in the middle. The arrival of characters, such as Jackie Broon, Coffy Johnny and Geordie Ridley, at the Blaydon Races, is depicted on the right.

" Blaydon Races"  is a traditional Geordie song. Here are a couple of verses and the chorus written in Geordie dialect

.
Aw went to Blaydon Races, 'twas on the ninth of Joon,
Eiteen hundred an' sixty-two, on a summer's efternoon;
Aw tyuk the 'bus frae Balmbra's, an' she wis heavy laden,
Away we went alang Collingwood Street, that's on the road to Blaydon.


(chorus)
Ah me lads, ye shud only seen us gannin',
We pass'd the foaks upon the road just as they wor stannin';
Thor wes lots o' lads an' lasses there, all wi' smiling faces,
Gawn alang the Scotswood Road, to see the Blaydon Races.


We flew past Airmstrang's factory, and up to the "Robin Adair",
Just gannin' doon te the railway bridge, the 'bus wheel flew off there.
The lasses lost their crinolines off, an' the veils that hide their faces,
An' aw got two black eyes an' a broken nose in gan te Blaydon Races.

Steps today 9,022