Hull 2017 - Part II

The concert was great. Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott performed many of their hits, as well as a lot of Housemartins and Beautiful South material. I sang along and danced to my heart's content with every song (my kids weren't there to tell me that I was embarrassing!).
The following day could have been a let-down after the big build-up to the concert, but it was a perfect day. We travelled up the coast to Bempton Cliffs, a nature reserve run by the RSPB. Bempton Cliffs is best known for its breeding seabirds, including northern gannet, razorbill and common guillemot. We were lucky enough to see Atlantic puffin too, which made me happy after our big disappointment over a planned birdwatching trip in Scotland. It was a really lovely place to spend a little time just enjoying the majestic cliffs and the marvel of the seabirds clinging to the chalk cliff face.

Afterwards we drove to Flamborough Head, a chalk headland with sheer white cliffs. The cliff top has two standing lighthouse towers, the oldest dating from 1669 and Flamborough Head Lighthouse built in 1806. The older lighthouse was designated a Grade II* listed building in 1952 and is now recorded in the National Heritage List for England. The cliffs here also provide nesting sites for many thousands of seabirds, and are of international significance for their geology.

Our next stop was Bridlington, a seaside resort where we used to spend many holidays. Bridlington is a minor sea fishing port with a working harbour and is also a popular place for day trippers. We walked through the harbour area and past the amusement arcades, then stopped to look in the new leisure centre, before wandering onto the beach and then along the promenade. I had a great time photographing the seagulls, the lines of wooden posts of the groynes holding the sand of the beach in place, and the weathered walls of the seafront.

My concertgoing friend was still with me and together we decided to head back into Hull the following day, giving Dad a day off and time for a nap. The weather let us down but we anyway joined a walking tour of the Old Town of Hull. Though I grew up in Hull, I haven't visited that area of the city for many years. Our guide took us around the Old Town, down Humber Street to the pier, past the Millennium Bridge and around the Museum Quarter. I enjoyed seeing and hearing about the many buildings, both old and new, and learning about historical events in Hull, the Land of Green Ginger, William Wilberforce, and much much more.

Later we dropped into the Ferens Art Gallery which was showing Skin, a dramatic exhibition of major works by Lucian Freud, Ron Mueck and Spencer Tunick. Reflecting the city’s maritime history, the stunning and hugely anticipated images from Spencer Tunick’s 'Sea of Hull' were being shown for the first time since the commission, which took place on 9th July 2016. Over 3,200 participants from across the world painted their skin with blue body paint and took part in the largest nude installation in the UK to date. The Ferens has had a really good make-over for Hull 2017 and the Skin exhibition was well worth seeing, especially the 'Sea of Hull' photos.

The weather had taken a turn for the worse by now and so, with just one more day in Hull, we decided to make it a museum day. Dad and I went off to visit the Streetlife Museum of Transport, a lovely little museum with carriages and bikes, trains and trams, with shops, a railway signal box and more, all arranged in a street-like setting. My Dad enjoyed reminiscing and I was happy to hear his tales.

As far as I can tell, Hull 2017 has been a roaring success so far, with a few transport and other teething problems along the way. I certainly enjoyed my visit. It was nice to spend quality time with my Dad, it was good to see my hometown with fresh eyes, and it was especially nice not to be moving from one place to the next, as we usually do when we visit the UK. My friends here in Israel think that the only place to visit in the UK is London. Of course London has a huge amount to offer, but I had a brilliant time in Yorkshire too!

* This post has been shared on Travel Tuesday, Wanderful Wednesday, Outdoor Wednesday, Wednesday Around the World, Little Things Thursday, Thankful Thursday, Floral Bliss, Floral Friday Fotos, Friday Foto Friends, Friday Photo Journal, Welcome To The Weekend, The Weekly Postcard, Faraway Files and Seasons.