England Musings #4

originally sent 2 May 2005
-----------------------------------------------------

Hi!

Hope this finds everyone well and in summer spirits! This will mark the fourth mass emailing sort of note since my arrival in England - are you tired of them yet? I just reviewed the last email that I had sent out and found it rather long - sorry about that - of course, I can't guarantee a shorter note with this one - we'll just have to see how it goes... Also, I realize that as these notes are churned out I may end up repeating myself with subjects or comments and so if you catch me regurgitating things, my apologies, as this is certainly not my intent, rather, just a function of poor narrative skills.

There are a group of pictures attached to this note as well - something you may have already found out. The caption for the picture(s) is at the bottom of this note - let me know if you have any questions about the pictures. Also, I have tried to downsize the pictures as I realized that the last note the pictures were rather large and may have created some havoc with your email accounts. Sorry that the collages are a bit haphazard in their assembly - I didn't take too much time to put them together this time round. Some day I will learn to better accentuate the important features and dampen the less interesting aspects - maybe by next time...

The last note was sent from here on 19 April (Tuesday) late in the evening - nearly two weeks ago. My memory is poor enough that if I don't get down what happens in a day then after a few days the details of a specific day seem to escape - apparently that is old age setting in, or something like it... I have found while here that using a journal is an easy way to keep track of events and thoughts in life and I would highly recommend it to anyone - nothing fancy mind you - just a way to record things and jog the memory. All it requires is a time commitment a couple times during the week as well as an interest in doing so. In any case it would be good to have a record of sorts that descendents can look at years down the road and at least comment on just how boring things were in your time... Also, I would highly recommend a prayer journal for those of you inclined to do so - in fact this would be the priority of the two journals in my opinion. Okay, enough with the comments on journals and how to bore your descendents - on to something more interesting...

The Tuesday that I sent this note out culminated a series of late nights attempting to complete this note and overcome computer issues. The combination of late nights and a couple of strenuous days at work caught up with me on Wednesday and Thursday of that week. Both evenings after work I took long naps, only to rise for a couple hours to have dinner and visit a bit - then off to bed again. By Friday I was back to a sense of normalcy again and looking forward to the weekend. Thankfully, Friday evening was nap-free and I was invited over to Lee & Dana's (South African friends) for dessert and a movie. The evening was just a great chance to visit and spend some time with some folks.

I have heard it said that Newcastle is a city known for some of its clubs and nightlife. Certainly this is one of the advertising tacks that has been taken on the city's tourism website and I will at least vouch for the fact that Newcastle does appear to contain quite a number of younger folks that would fuel such recognition (not that I am trying to stereotype anybody here). I haven't attempted to experience this type of nightlife, nor does it seem that I have a real desire to do so at this point. I do appreciate the speedy sound of well constructed house/dance/techno music but don't have a real push to go see this in action - odd maybe, but that is just me. Now, a nice dinner out with some friends is more up my alley and I should hope to enjoy some more evenings such as this prior to departing in June.

Saturday was a beautiful day and a hike (or walk - same thing - different words) was planned for the day by Lee. A group of us (all together something like 14 or 15) traveled nearly an hour and a half west of here to an area slightly northeast of a town called Haltwhistle. This area contains a large length of Hadrian's Wall to which one may walk any variance of distance they choose (in fact, there is a trail the entire length of Hadrian's Wall running roughly from the west coast to the east coast in this part of England ~ 75 miles or so). If you recall from a previous message Hadrian's Wall was constructed around AD 122 (the exact date seems to vary in opinion) by the Romans to provide a northern boundary to the Roman empire. The construction took a number of years to complete and involved somewhere in the range of 15,000 individuals to construct it. Please view the pictures as I have included a number from the hike (walk) and, in addition, have a picture that provides what is believed to be a typical cross section of the wall during its time. I believe the Romans occupied the wall for nearly 300 years.

So, we walked in a westerly direction beginning just to the east of a small town called Once Brewed and ending just west of a place called Caw Gap (which is just west of a place called Twice Brewed - don't you just love the names!). The distance traveled was something like just over 5 miles off a flat map, but as some of the group remarked, the up and down through the hilly areas made for a bit longer of a walk. I found it to be a beautiful area and a spectacular walk on such a nice day. The sun was out with a slightly stiff breeze. In fact, the sun was such that a number of the fair-skinned folk (like me) got a bit sun burned - but just on the left side of the face! The entire walk took us around three hours including a stop for lunch. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get a copy of the group lunch picture taken during the walk, and so you won't see that in this round of pictures, but you will see some other shots from the walk.

Following the walk a number of folks (some from the walk) gathered at Lee and Dana's flat for a barbecue (or brie {sp?} in Africanze). We had a great barbecue with some meat cooked in a fashion reminiscent of the South African way - apparently, South African's are very serious about barbecuing and the most dedicated will do so only with wood - quite a difference from the good 'ole American gas barbecue. The feast was finished off with some chocolate pears (very good) and a movie. Those who had participated in the hike that day were pretty tired by the end of it - I know I was.

Last Sunday was a day where I searched out some solitude and took off for a day on my own. It makes for somewhat of a lonely day in some respects, however, I tend to find that I need this every now and then here. Living with folks in such a close environment with three others seems to have its ups and downs just as any roommate (or marriage?) situation may have and some days I just need a break as there is no personal space or solitude to be found in close quarters. The flat we live in is by no means roomy, at least by American standards, and makes for a cozy environment. The small nature of the flat is simply just a fact in a large trend of small scale - at least that is how I see things here - everything is smaller! - I'll save those observations for another email. Maybe the desire for solitude and personal space is more of my personality rather then a function of living again with roommates (reminiscent for me of the college days).

So, I struck out from the flat in the mid-morning and walked north through the pedestrian tunnel under the River Tyne (there is a corresponding and longer vehicle tunnel) and headed west to Wallsend. Wallsend is named for the end of Hadrian's Wall (maybe you figured that out?!). In this location the Roman's ended Hadrian's Wall with an north-south end wall to the River Tyne and situated a Roman fort here that housed something like 600 soldiers (infantry and cavalry) in addition to the commanding officer in these parts. The location of this fort has been largely excavated to what remains of the original foundations (some remain, but not all) and a great museum exists here that describes what life in the Roman fort would have been like those many years ago. In addition, the museum, named Segedunum for the Roman fort, (don't ask me how to pronounce it) covers the history of Hadrian's Wall. In addition to the history during the Roman occupation there is quite a history in this location of the coal mining and shipbuilding eras as well. In fact, literally just a couple of meters north of the foundation of this Roman fort are the remains of the Wallsend Colliery "B" Pit (colliery is another reference for coal). I wish that I could remember each and every piece of history that I read at the museum as I find it terribly interesting, but alas, I will be thankful to just recall a few simple facts and the experience.

It is still captivating to me the history that can be found here and it is difficult to fathom the numerous people that have walked these areas in generations gone by. This all seems such a novelty to me coming from Alaska where the general history (Anglo-Saxon speaking) only dates back a few centuries. I was reminded, in speaking today with a British friend who resided in the US for many years, that North America does have history that dates back to times before Christ, however, this history in North America of the Native Americans is just not as well known, or rather, taught or learned by those of us who are not Native American. We shared a number of good remarks concerning this history in North America and Europe and it was a good reality check I think for me. History is certainly, and obviously, an interest for me here, but in the big picture of things as I walk these historical sites it seems that experiencing and learning of this history in this place provides a greater perspective of the world, however, it occurs to me that as interesting as the history is I seem to find more joy in spending time with folks here in relationships. Okay, getting off my soap box now...

Just one last comment on last Sunday. Following the excursion to Wallsend and a subsequent trip to North Shields I caught the ferry across the River Tyne to South Shields and poked around there for a bit, hitting up ASDA (owned by Wal-Mart, need I say more?), and then walking the beach area for a bit. On a Sunday evening this was quite a busy place as folks were all over the place - cruising the strip so to speak or just enjoying the couple of parks and the beaches. For dinner I stopped in at a local fish and chips shop (founded 1920's) and I ordered some authentic fish and chips - they were wonderful! I don't think you can compare these to anything we have in the states - taste or look. I chose to order a cod filet with chips - all deep fried in vegetable oil (I think it was vegetable oil) with tasty batter and a side of garlic sauce. Hard to describe just how good this was, but mind you if ever you are in England do find a good fish and chips place and order some!

This past week at work and the week prior went by very quickly. Every day was filled with different activities, some days varied in type of work whereas others contained similar work, and all things considered both weeks finished off with tasks completed and guys ready for a break after some good weeks of satisfying work. Over the week and a half I completed or begun work on such tasks as cleaning up butterfly valves for the oil cooler system and cutting new bolts, pumping oil sludge from various barrels into a designated tank, performing the daily log, cleaning out sounding pipes, turning wrenches on tank manholes, performing various cleanup activities, dismantling compressed air piping, preparing lengths of pipe for an acid wash, helping to carry heavier items up and down the stairs of the ship, and using a grinder to take many unused pieces of cable tray and various metal components off of a wall structure that is to be transformed into a barrel store. So, quite a variety of work, all of which was very hands on and completes little steps in the path towards getting this ship out to perform the work it is intended for.

I hope the week was an encouragement for some of the other folks there - the sense of positive attitude towards getting the ship out of the yard seems to vary from time to time. The transformation of the ship is certainly visible to all and I think the reality of the ship reaching completion has been realized for most everyone, however, there are times which seem to me to be less encouraging for some of the folks that have been here for years. This week has provided an influx of three new families (three guys to work) from Ghana to help aid in the effort and one of the head guys was here and able to provide some encouraging words for the folks here - so, this was I hope an encouraging week for most. Maybe this is just perspective that I see and that doesn't quite exist, however, some folks talk about this "work" as if it is "just another day at the office "(or yard in our case) and I just can't help but think that this effort is much more then just another day at the office. I am certain that everyone who works here realizes this and we have the daily and weekly reminders in the case of the morning devotions and weekly community meeting - but if there is one thing to request on behalf of the "technical missionaries" serving here would be prayer for positive encouragement as completion of the ship is sought in by early next year.

This past week was also a week that wore me out by the end of it. Every evening except Tuesday there were activities following work, including a community meal, a community meeting, start of a new Bible study and a Friday night playing a little basketball at the beach in South Shields and taking a walk on the beach path. So, a great week at work and in the evenings, however, by yesterday (Saturday) I was quite tired. After sleeping in a bit I ventured over to Morey and Emily's flat. Morey and I drove down to Sunderland (just southeast of here a little ways) for a drive in his friends car after which I came back to our flat, caught up on my journal and took a three hour nap. Waking in mid-evening I took the time to prepare a halfway decent meal and then tried (unsuccessfully for a time) to get back to sleep.

Morey comes from Freetown, Sierra Leone, and has been married to Emily (from Oregon) for some years now. Prior to his living in the states for a number of years ago he served on the Anastasis (another Mercy Ship) where he and Emily met (the other name for the Anastasis is the "love boat" and I can, off the top of my head, think of five couples that trace their meeting back to the Anastasis or Caribbean Mercy - maybe I should have gone to one of those ships, eh?). In any case Morey had been involved in diamond mining back in Sierra Leone and apparently experienced some of the corruption of the government first hand - as well as experienced the civil war first hand. It sounds as though part of the reason for seeking out work aboard the Anastasis was to escape the war - a seemingly terrible thing to experience and he briefly mentioned a few of his experiences. Something that I have a difficult time relating too, probably as many younger Americans, but certainly not an experience that would be sought out. We had an enjoyable time chatting, none the less, and it is terribly interesting to learn of the varied backgrounds of the people here.

Today I was invited to church at City Church in downtown Newcastle with Bernie. Bernie was born and raised in England, raised in London in fact, and lived on the East Coast of the US for many years raising a family; so, a bit of a transplanted American. The church maybe has three hundred that attended and it's size is considered a large church. It is affiliated with New Frontiers, a church organization begun in South Africa and is what one may call a contemporary and open service. Certainly a bit of a change for me and a good experience.

Following church Bernie and I went to a local pub for what she said was a traditional Sunday supper (lunch) - roast beef with gravy and Yorkshire pudding with sides of roasted potatoes, cabbage, carrots, and peas - and, yes, I ate everything! As some of you know I have quite an aversion to many vegetables, especially the green variety, and so eating peas and cabbage is quite a step. Now I must say in my defense that the peas and cabbage here tastes a bit different then the US variety, notably the peas. Well, I enjoyed the traditional Sunday supper - it was quite good. We topped off the meal by ordering a toffee pudding - a wonderful dessert. Now, the pudding here is much different than the pudding in the US - there is no Jell-O involved here. I would describe the pudding as cake, which is apparently steamed, topped with chocolate or toffee in our case and then bathed in a hot custard sauce (not like the custard in the US) - anyway, it was very good!

Today was also a day that I was a bit fatigued still, apparently after the week of work, or maybe from the hearty Sunday meal. Whatever the exact reason I took another nearly three hour nap this afternoon and am now improved. I am not sure if it was work that caught up with me or the onset of cold that was hanging with me yesterday - it felt good to take a bit of a rest this weekend from traveling around. So, upon waking and after booking a trip on the train to Edinburgh, Scotland in a few weekends, I set out to compose this email.

Of course, the weekend here is not quite over as tomorrow is May Day, a Bank Holiday here (meaning a holiday that nearly everyone has off), and so there is no work tomorrow (Monday). I have been invited to travel down to Durham for the day with John and Eileen Preston, an English couple, to whom I very much looking forward to spending the day with tomorrow. In addition, Durham (south of here by maybe a little over an hour?) has some special history of it's own and so we will check out what we can tomorrow.

Alas, it appears as though this email has nearly matched the length of the previous note to which I thought would not happen. Well, sorry about that and if you have made it this far, congratulations - I don't have any incentive to offer you for making it to the end of the note - hopefully you have enjoyed reading to the end though! Do be sure and check out the pictures if you have time.

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed, and God bless your daily activities!

Cheers!
matt