England Guide
The Northeast
Newcastle upon Tyne
At first glance NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE may appear to be just another northern industrial conurbation, but the city has a longer history and a greater breadth of attractions than many of its rivals. An extraordinary revival has seen Newcastle emerge as a vibrant European arts and nightlife destination. Its city centre has been transformed, particularly along the banks of the River Tyne, where the famous bridges link the Newcastle and Gateshead districts. On Gateshead Quays are the BALTIC contemporary arts centre and Norman Foster's Sage music centre, while Newcastle's Quayside is scene of much of the city's contemporary nightlife.
In October, Europe's biggest half-marathon, the Great North Run, sees 50,000 competitors running across the Tyne Bridge. Undoubted highlight is the New Year's Eve celebration on the Quayside, an exuberantly good-natured rival to the traditional gathering in London.
Tyneside and Newcastle's native inhabitants are known as Geordies, the word probably derived from a diminutive of the name "George". Geordies speak a largely impenetrable dialect and accent, heavily derived from Old English, and locals can derive hours of innocent amusement by asking tourists for a "tab" (cigarette), requesting directions to the nearest "nettie" (toilet) or confusing a female visitor with a non-gender-specific greeting ("haway man!"). Top drinking brew is, of course, Newcastle Brown – an ale known locally as "Dog" – produced in this city since 1927. Geordies evince a partisan pride in their city and an endearing, if self-delusional, optimism, most obviously manifested in their fanatical support for the perennially underachieving Newcastle United football team.
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