Dear Hull

Originally posted on Facebook in March 2020

Dear Hull,

Lately I’m missing you. I’m thinking about my favourite times, my favourite places.

The Top Deck in Princes Quay, before it made way for yet another cinema. The hours upon hours spent in Sun Café studying, reading, writing essays, but mostly drinking tea and having chats. Sharkeys and the gorgeous cocktails. Being introduced to Spiders and realising what had been missing from my weekends. Discovering Asda (we didn’t have it in Ireland). Fudge Cafe. Sleepers. Larkins bar. Larkin! Arthur Miller and our tiny class in the library. That library and the fabulous view. The beginning of my promising but never fulfilled career as a tour guide, showing prospective students the campus but selling that view!

Newland Ave and all it had to offer. I must have walked you a thousand times or more. Ever changing, ever constant. The tight little beauty box store where I purchased a box that would give me the worst hair colour I have ever had! (I mean it was orange). And then bought a second box to fix it. The Queens pub, always saying I’d go more and rarely making it.
Fruitopia!!
Princes Ave and its bars and restaurants. Dukes! The weirdly wonderful shop at the end of my road that sold all sorts of gifts, cards, odds and ends(the name escapes me, and it is long gone). Pearson Park and the untold joy of finding George the iguana living there, and seeing a real life axolotl for the first time. Afternoons spent sitting in the sunshine.

The International Office and the International Students Association. Best decision I made first year was becoming an active member.
Planet Coffee. Hull Fair.
The Bee Lady! (is she still going?)
Hull New Theatre and feeling extravagant when I could afford a ticket for a show.

The Humber Bridge and the joy I felt every time I saw it from the train, knowing I was so close to being back in my adopted home.

The random giant TV in the city centre – if anyone could ever enlighten me as to its original purpose I’d be ever grateful. Great meeting point though.

Newland Fisheries – oh my god best chips in Hull by a mile!

But mostly, and importantly, I feel nostalgic for the people, the community, the spirit and the life. The chatting for hours about everything and nothing. The shared experiences. Introducing people to movies I love (Oscar anyone?). The many, many nights spent in sanctuary bar singing karaoke. The Old Grey Mare, our regular Thursday dinner before Sanctuary. The random road trips (Spurn head?). The hundreds of games of pool.  Dancing the night away in Asylum with DJ Ferby playing the tunes! The friendships. The dramas! The stories that unfolded on the long walk home.

Why the sudden burst of nostalgia? My life has changed considerably over the last 18 months, all for good, but it’s got me thinking. And just because we may not be in contact and I may not be able to visit doesn’t mean you are not in my thoughts. And I suppose I wanted to let you know you are always a part of me.