Wendy was quite insistent that today’s photo should feature one of the many cows we came across while out and about today, so I’ve included one in this shot (bottom left)!

And here’s another shot of the Penshaw Monument, a little closer up:

The Gateshead Millennium Bridge has always struck me as slightly oddly named: it is named not for the river it crosses, but for the smaller of the two conurbations it connects; and opened some time into the new Millennium. Incidentally, the ugly bollards in the river beneath are due to start being removed any day now.

This is a building in Gosforth that I find completely fascinating: it has so many different features that it somehow looks unreal, like something off a film set or out of Disneyland.

This is the fairly impressive roof of Eldon Garden, which is marred by the 80s decor which consists mainly of arched mirrors, presumably to try and make the space look lighter. Given the arty reputation Eldon Garden tries to create for itself, I reckon it would look great with a bit of a renovation and a hanging artwork – something like a mini version of Snow’s Flight Stop in Toronto – but something more local to Newcastle, of course, and perhaps more in keeping with the wrought iron supports.

This is a roof detail of Norman Foster’s £70m Sage Gateshead, home to the very fine Northern Sinfonia (lead by the charismatic Austrian Thomas Zehetmair) much more besides. It is undoubtedly one of the country’s finest music venues. Hall One’s acoustics are sublime, and whilst I’m personally less keen on Hall Two, the ten-sided performance space is still architecturally impressive.

Also, the Sir Michael Straker on the concourse is a great place to sit and work in relatively quiet café surroundings with free wifi.

The House of Commons authorities would be surprised if the clock tower fell into the Thames any time soon. It may well be raised with the Speaker on Monday. Given that Big Ben is situated over the Speaker’s apartments, he may have a view on it.

Thomas Docherty, a Labour MP on the Commons administration committee, according to this Sunday Times article.

Newcastle’s 1906 Central Arcade seems as busy today as ever!

This sad-looking Brutalist monolith is the former Newcastle-upon-Tyne branch of the Bank of England. It opened in 1971, and closed in 1997 when the Bank restructured.

It is to be demolished shortly, but – interestingly – the former gold bullion vaults underneath it are too strong to viably demolish, and so are to be left in place.

I would have thought that vaults of such strength would be enormously valuable to someone for something – even repurposed as a strong-walled emergency command centre or similar – but there they are, lying empty. And, it seems, there they will stay for many years to come!

This building, especially the i on top, always reminds me of those theme park strategy sims, like Rollercoaster Tycoon and Theme Park. In reality, it’s in the middle of Teesside Retail Park.

Were the Occupy protests about economic protest and attempting to right wrongs? Or were they harmless, spontaneous gatherings because people are lonely and were in need of a bit of excitement in their cities?

Tyler Brûlé, in his latest Fast Lane column, attributes the Occupy movement to uninspiring architecture whilst imitating the Queen. I think he’s finally cracked.