Coffee plays quite a part in our lives, possibly too much time is spent reading the papers and imbibing caffeine in coffee shops. But today we ventured to a special seaside cafe, one perched on the edge of a promenade in Roker, Sunderland. This is the Cat & Dogs cafe. It has been here for decades, battered by storms in the winter, but when not being battered is a haven for walkers, holidaymakers, or anyone out for a gentle stroll along the windswept coast of this part of Tyneside (strictly speaking Wearside). My mother and her girlfriends walk here every Monday and then giggle over a tea and macaroon before walking back. It is a fantastic place. We had coffee and a bovril, £1 each in a big mug and one can sit in the sun and watch the surf lashing the concrete seawall.
Interesting too today was that I met up with an old friend by chance and his wife. I'd not seen Paul since 1993, as we had both moved away from the North East but now they have returned. Great to catch up, but he then told me why this area is called "the cat and dog steps". A bit gruesome. Apparently in Victorian times a lot of pets were thrown into the River Tyne and the River Wear to be got rid of. The way the North Sea currents form here, the bodies of these disguarded pets were washed up on the small beach where the above photo was taken on. Lovely. So hands up who says life was better in the old days?
No comments:
Post a Comment