Raeann Explores — Thursday 22 December

I went back to the bridge, where I wished I'd had my camera on monday. I was slightly smarter this time, though, and took the bus. Also, it wasn't raining.

From the parking lot behind the bus/metro station across the river.

Cool little paths... And I took the one that went down because I was trying to get to the river.

Bridge, river, branches. I'm curious about how deep the River Wear is at the mouth, because it's pretty silty.

A pretty shot of the other bank, with the vines growing over the walls.

The little path with a wall!

This is why I went. I couldn't really believe that this place was in Sunderland.

Wall!

Me and the wall, looking happier than the last time I took a picture of myself. I think my nose looks much bigger, though. 

The sky kept being really pretty, but I never really captured it with my camera.

The train bridge is the grey one with the cool circular support thing.

Also, the train bridge has these huge columns underneath.

It looks too green. It's winter! Officially!

See, these trees know what's what. The grass kind of ruins it, though.

Not sure what this little covered walkway was for...

It was taller than it looked. 

One thing I've noticed here: I don't know how it is in non-washington-or-oregon cities, but I feel like the british may have a monopoly on building right up the edge of a river, and then building walls for the river. 

Walls. Also, leaf gunk or possibly seaweed.

Not that that's ever stopped me.

This was under the train bridge... I don't know what it is.

Tall columns.

I was intrigued by the flowers left around a metal box with some sharpie on it... I wonder what happened there.

Wall! This was under the car bridge.

St. Peter's campus from a distance. Not the cranes, though.

I'm curious as to what this Venus thing is for. Seems like some kind of run...

These things were everywhere.

Having seen all I had space for on my camera on the St. Peter's side of the river, I decided to climb back up and cross the bridge.
Up was very up.

It looks less imposing from the top, but it was a rather steep climb.

If it wasn't for all the mossy stuff on the tree trunks, it would look like it's autumn...

On both sides of both ends of the bridge.

Looking down the river. If you're not too close, it's kind of pretty...

That's where I was headed.

The sky, with the North Sea meeting it, was prettier in real life. I tried anyway.

The bridge. I really like the train bridge.

This is the city crest or arms or something, and Nil Desperandum Auspice Deo is on everything here. Any latin-readers know what it means?

It just sounds so polite! I'm planning on doing a "signs" post sometime, but we'll see.

Walls! I love walls. They've got pink granite-y stuff mixed with sandstone and what appears to be cement. 

I hate cobbles. That picture of the brick sloping down the hillside? This is that. It felt this steep, and it was slick.

You can tell where the river was.

I was surprised when this picture turned out okay.

They had these bushes every fifty meters or so with weird little pathways leading to them. I don't know why... 

It turns out that this side of the river is part of the Monkwearmoth trail, or something. It's a 15-mile loop that I didn't pay much attention to, since I have neither the time nor the band of adventurers required to make that loop. This part reminded me of northern Oregon, on the gorge, somehow.

Also, for the first time in quite a while, I found myself in a place that I had no idea of where it was in relation to the rest of Sunderland. It was weird.
Also also, I am now the proud owner of a potato masher. It works pretty well. And yes, I did make potatoes as soon as I got home.
Oh, and also also also (if that's not a bit excessive), no more tomatoes in the wok. I think they ate the finish, and my white sauce was a little grey tonight.