South Bank - some pictures :)

I've actually stuck to my plan and cracked on with my novel. Hence the lack of posts on here. I'm well over 60,000 words at the moment. So I'm hoping I'll have the first draft finished by the end of August. Just in time for the elections and second lock downs (?). It's also good timing as I'll have to crack on and get an actual job soon too lmao. Though with the economy so shot to pieces it's probably the first time in my life I actually have a decent excuse for not having one.

Anyway, with the unbelievable heat today I haven't done much work on the novel. It's been too warm to think. So I thought I'd post something instead. I had a walk to South Bank earlier and took a few pictures. So that's the theme.

For context South Bank is kind of a suburb of Middlesbrough, though it's also a place in its own right - if that makes sense. The little commercial heartland of the area is a bit derelict and rundown now, but there are some nice buildings and monuments. I remember going on a few nights out there when I was younger, but the pubs and clubs seem to be mostly closed down now. It's unfortunate. There used to be shipbuilding and whatnot back in the day, in the long, long ago, but since that has gone the place is now a little bit out of the way. So the footfall is focused elsewhere.

Firstly I have a few pictures of the war memorial. I really like this.

Next up a few Christian images;

(The Crucifixion of Christ)

(Someone who I'm guessing is Saint Peter,

replete with golden keys. Also note the little gargoyle)

(A close up of Saint Peter)

Now we have a few images of an ancient-style statue. I think it's Bacchus / Dionysus, but I'm not entirely sure. It's situated outside the Saabat Gallery. I really like the way the whiteness of the statue is offset by the colourful flower basket. Very cool.

Next some contemporary art. A very northern-looking sculpture by the artist Ray Lonsdale.

...and finally, this is the sign from the Fat Katz nightclub. I can't remember if I ever actually went there, though the name vaguely rings a bell. It's all a bit hazy. My main recollection of those nights out are of me being warned not to act like a clown by my more streetwise friends because the area was "a bit rough" and we might get beaten up or something. That and how far away from Middlesbrough proper it seemed at the time. It's funny how distances seem so much further when you're young. South Bank is literally just a half an hour walk away from where I live, but at the time it seemed like an adventure to some far off region.

That's one of the positive things to come out of the lock down to be fair. It's forced me to wander round parts of the local area for want of anything better to do. It's amazing what's on your doorstep really when you look.