Wednesday, September 30, 2015

It Takes a Village...and Pudding!

We celebrated Michaelmas by taking it easy today. Sleeping late was followed by a leisurely breakfast and a bit of puttering around the apartment. No buses to catch or trains to chase after today!

Along about 1:00 pm we decided to walk over to the Mount, as the causeway was completely uncovered.




 This week is Pudding Week at the Mount, and I've had my eye on some sticky toffee pudding since we got here!  Anne had the apple crumble with clotted cream (left) and she pronounced it delicious! My sticky toffee pud (right) was delightful!



We took the village tour which was extremely interesting. It was, happily, a short tour as the wind was blowing about 30 mph out of the northeast and it was getting a bit chilly. It was interesting to hear how the islanders live and work and about so much of their history. I was especially intrigued by the state barges that were over 150 years old and are still in use!  Time now to make some supper and relax some more! Tomorrow we go to visit the villages of Gerrans and Portscatho.


Stay tuned...

The Lost Gardens of Heligan

Yesterday was a long day, spent in enjoyable pursuits, which is why this post is delayed. A bus, a train, and a bus got us to the Lost Gardens of Heligan around 11:30 am.  There are several different areas to explore, so we took the map provided at the ticket office and planned our strategy. We decided to explore the restored woodlands and the lost valley. It was such a peaceful walk, with little surprises along the way - like the Giant's Head sculpture, and Tamworth pigs that root on fallen fruit and nuts.



Coming out of the woods we passed the poultry orchard where several varieties of duck, geese, and chickens happily roam free. We also passed cows, sheep, and emus grazing in other pastures, enjoying the fresh air and succulent grasses. All the meat and vegetables served in the tearoom are raised on the estates, and believe me, the freshness and taste is exceptional.


Some of the paths were fairly steep, so by the time we made it back to where the tearoom was located we were tired and hungry.  The lunch we had surpassed all expectations!  Roast sirloin of beef with potatoes boulangere, roasted parsnips and cauliflower, and fresh string beans. Everything grown on the farm at Heligan! Even my nephew, Chris, would approve! (wink, wink)



After lunch we explored the vegetable and flower gardens. Melons, beans, greens, root vegetables, onions, pears, apples, boysenberries, even pineapples thrive under the loving care of the Heligan gardeners. Beautiful walled gardens full of flowers, with fountains and seating areas, made it a joy to explore.

While touring the productive vegetable garden, Anne got flirty with the resident scarecrow. Shameless! But you just never know what she might do.

Afterwards, we returned to the tearoom for some delicious Cornish ice cream. Sitting outside in the courtyard, we enjoyed the sunshine and the multitude of finches, industriously cleaning up any stray crumbs. Having some time to spare, we looked around the gift shop and then returned to the tearoom for some more wine before starting the walk back to the bus stop.

A bus, a train, and a taxi got us home, and after a small bite to eat, we relaxed a bit before going to bed. Today, we are walking over to the Mount for a tour of the village and some sticky toffee pudding!  Stay tuned...

Monday, September 28, 2015

The Path Less Traveled

photo credit: BBC One
Dutifully, we arose at 2:45 am to see the lunar eclipse.  The sky was perfectly clear, the moon small, and high, but we were able to see it from the lounge window in the apartment.  I managed to be able to watch for about 45 minutes, and then had to return to bed. It was the first total lunar eclipse I ever witnessed and was grateful that we had such a good view of it. Needless to say our feeble attempts at photos failed, which I knew they would.



Waking up later than normal, we opted to skip breakfast, have some coffee, and then we noticed that the causeway to the Mount was open.  So we dressed, and made our way down to the beach and walked the causeway over to St Michael's Mount for lunch. After some delicious sandwiches and skinny chips, I decided to take another look around the gift shop, then we walked back down the causeway to the village.

Some quiet time spent reading, and digesting lunch, was followed
by a lovely walk up the east end of the village to where a footpath leads to the SW Coast Path.  It was pretty steep in spots, as is the walk to the east end of the village.  We followed the path until it came out onto a wild and rocky stretch of beach.  A ladder ascended the side of the cliff, but one had to traverse some large boulders to get there, and we weren't feeling quite that adventurous. The views were breathtaking, so we lingered a few minutes before hiking back up the path and returning to the main street.

A cold beverage was called for, after all the walking and the steep hills, so we stopped in at the Fire Engine Inn. It's pretty much a locals' pub with great atmosphere, a wonderful proprietor, and a fantastic view of Mounts Bay. We had a lovely pint of Guinness, and a nice chat with Trevor, the proprietor, who gave us a little of the history of the pub and the village.

I considered a second pint, since the first was so good, but we needed to head back to the apartment because it was getting to be supper time.

After a delicious supper we cleaned the kitchen, and got our showers, and now are relaxing a bit before bed.  Tomorrow is an early day as we are heading to the Lost Gardens of Heligan. It's going to be a wonderful excursion and I can't wait!

Stay tuned...

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Back Streets, Beaches, and the Full Blood Moon


Today was another easygoing day. After a leisurely breakfast, I attended to some banking, and scheduling, and Anne did some reading.  About noon we decided to go take a walk as it was another absolutely gorgeous day outside.







Our walk took us down a street we hadn't explored before and to our surprise, we happened on an old well that had been planted with flowers.  It had a bench nearby, and on the wall was a plaque indicating that it was originally a well that served the village.




We continued walking until we came to the SW Coast Path which follows the coast of Cornwall for 630 miles. The views, wildlife and heritage have inspired numerous artists and writers and it’s regularly used as the setting for films and TV shows.
Our walk took us to an old bridge, built in 1837, that fords the Red River where it empties into Mounts Bay.


We decided to walk down to the water's edge and do some beach-combing. Accustomed to the snow white sand of the Florida Gulf Coast, it was a real treat to walk along a beach made up of pebbles and stones. They ranged in size from a grain of rice to softball size and larger.  Oh, but the colors, and textures were just amazing!  I came away with quite a collection of pebbles, a couple of interesting shells and two pieces of sea glass!  Yay me!


Tonight is the Full Blood Moon, and we wanted to try to get some good photos of it coming up, so we found a spot at one of the boat landings and waited. It was cold and windy, but we persevered and the moon finally started peaking over the hill we were watching.  Anne got the best photos of the moon, since I didn't bring my telephoto lens with me on this trip.  But I got a couple of decent ones and some nice pictures of the sunset, so it was worth the time we took to do it.

The lunar eclipse is early in the morning, here in Europe, so we are going to set our alarm for about 2:45 am so we can watch it before it reaches totality. You lucky folks in North America get to watch it at a reasonable hour!  Don't be looking for photos, because we are not equipped to take anything that sophisticated! Tomorrow's another day so stay tuned!


Saturday, September 26, 2015

Easy Peasy Day

gull on old wall near the harbor
Today was an easy kind of day. We woke up when we felt like it, ate a nice breakfast, which Anne prepared, and started our laundry.  After cleaning up the breakfast dishes, and hanging up the laundry to dry, we decided to take a little walk to get some fresh air.

We went along to one of the shops where I spotted a gift I thought my mother would like. (Sorry, Mama, you'll have to wait to see what it is!) After that, we wandered through the village a bit, enjoying the sunshine and fresh air.

tea garden

Upon returning from the walk we stopped in at the Seagrove Gallery Tea Garden, below our flat, and had a real Cornish cream tea.

The weather was perfect for sitting at the nice tables in the courtyard in front of the gallery. We had the whole place to ourselves!







The cream tea was wonderful!

Real clotted cream from Cornwall is like nothing you have ever tried before. Rich, light, fresh, wonderful!  Made from real Cornish cream from happy Cornish cows! Perfect with strawberry jam on scones!


We spent a few hours with logistics for another day trip, and then prepared a light supper. Cleaning up is done, and now it's time for a shower, and then some reading before bed. Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

Stay tuned...

Eden - At Last!

This post is late by a day because I was too tired last night to do it. Here's what transpired yesterday: After a minor scheduling snafu with the bus, we arrived at the train station in Penzance - just as our train was pulling away.  I have to give Anne high marks for actually running down the platform trying to get it to stop! I'm willing to bet not many septuagenarians would attempt it. Luckily, we only had to wait about 25 minutes for the next train, and then we were on our way.

A short bus ride from St Austell station to Eden, ended with a LONG walk to the entrance to the project. As with everyone I've met since coming to England, the staff were smiling, friendly, and helpful. We hadn't had breakfast, so we decided to get a bite to eat before starting our trek through the biomes. The Link is a grass-roofed building that serves as entrance to both biomes, and the Eden Kitchen, so we ate there and then headed to the Rainforest Biome.

Eden site 1998: photo credit Eden Proj.
The Eden Project was the brainchild of Tim Smit, who successfully restored the Lost Gardens of Helligan. It started as an abandoned china clay pit, and was transformed into a stunning, ecological wonderland, including the largest "captive" rainforest in the world. It is an educational charity, and everywhere there are plaques and exhibits to educate, and inform visitors.




There are two biomes: the Rainforest Biome, and the Mediterranean Biome. In addition, there are outdoor gardens, a stage for seasonal events, the Core (home to exhibitions, art, school programs, and a play area for young ones), as well as the Link, and Visitors Centre.

We concentrated on the two biomes, as we knew we wouldn't have time to see it all in one day, and accommodate our travel back to Marazion. If you get there as soon as it opens, and don't leave until it closes, you could see the whole place and not have to rush. But you would need to drive there rather than take public transport.

The rainforest biome was incredible! The variety of plants was amazing, and it was hard to take it all in. There were many plants I was familiar with, and many I had never seen before.

When you remember that this was once a big dirty hole, the scope of the project becomes mind-boggling! There were waterfalls, dense foliage, and an array of lovely flowers. There are even some small birds that make their home in the biome.





With all the walking, it was nice that there were places to rest here, and there. And everywhere there was a green stillness, or a blaze of color popping through. Flowers in reds, whites, purples, blues, and yellows.

There are also small exhibits illustrating how crops can be grown sustainably to support both people and the environment.





After completing our tour of the Rainforest Biome, we stopped off in the Link for some Cornish ice cream. The reason Cornish ice cream is so good is because it is made from real Cornish cream.  And real Cornish cream comes from Cornish cows. Happy Cornish Cows! It is also why their cheese is so phenomenal!  Ice cream devoured, we proceeded on to the Mediterranean Biome. While, it is smaller, it is no less spectacular.

Herbs, and food plants abound, from the Mediterranean, South Africa, and California. Both wild, and cultivated plants are represented. If you get peckish, there is the Mediterranean Terrace, where they serve authentic food from that region.

Several very interesting sculptures, and tiled walls and walkways gave it a special atmosphere.



A very long walk back up to the car park to get to the bus station was followed by a long wait for the 4:15 pm bus back to St Austell station. The train ride back to Penzance takes about an hour and then there was another hour wait to catch the bus back to Marazion. That made it a very long day, but an absolutely wonderful one!  Once again we had perfect weather for a perfect day out!

Today, is laundry day, and a day of rest and relaxation. Later we will go downstairs for a cream tea in the tea garden at Seagrove Gallery. Tomorrow we will try a walk along the SW coast path to the small village of Perranuthnoe.

Stay tuned...

Thursday, September 24, 2015

Red-hot Pokers and Paradise

village and castle seen from harbor
The Cornish spirits all conspired to make this a perfect day.  We were blessed with absolutely perfect weather for our excursion to St Michael's Mount! Glorious sunshine and mild temperatures made for a wonderful day out.

The tide was coming in when we set out so we hopped on one of the many small boats available to ferry visitors over to the island. Within a few minutes we were transported from Chapel Rock to the harbor at the Mount. One of the many guides on the island suggested we do the gardens first, and he was absolutely right!  We made it through most of the gardens without encountering a great number of people, which made photographing them much easier.

red hot pokers & Marazion in the distance
One of my favorite plants is called a red-hot poker and it is stunning! The variety of tropical plants was astounding. Sedums and succulents of every shape and size as well as fuchsias, daisies, hydrangeas, and lilies, all demanded one's attention. There was so much to see that I didn't know where to look! The views from the gardens were absolutely breathtaking! I could have gladly sat there until I sprouted roots!


The gardens are sloped and terraced, so there was much climbing involved. Anne and I decided that it was still easier than climbing Glastonbury Tor, and there were benches and sitting areas placed so that one could rest after climbing a bit. After our investigation of the gardens we repaired to the Sail Loft restaurant for a cup of tea and a rest.

western side of castle
It is as well that we rested because the climb up to the castle was not easy. The steep paths consisted of cobbles and natural stone ledges, more conducive to mountain goats than people. But the climb is so very worth it!  The views from the top left me speechless! To have such a clear day to see such sights!

After scrambling a bit more, we reached the western entrance to the castle. Since this is still the private home of the St Aubyn family, only a portion of the castle is accessible to visitors. What there is so see is still impressive.

altar and stained glass 
From priory to fort, castle to family home, you get to see much of the castle's history and transformation. The monastic buildings were built during the 12th century and in 1275 an earthquake destroyed the original priory church, which was rebuilt in the late 14th century. It is still in use today. The priory was seized by the Crown, when Henry V went to war in France and it became part of the endowment for the Abbey of Syon at Twickenham in 1424. Thus ended the connection with Mont St Michel.

The castle has been the home of the St Aubyn family since approximately 1650. Although now owned by the National Trust, the family has a 999 year lease to live in the castle and manage the viewing of the property.



Well it has been a thoroughly wonderful, and exhausting day!  Tomorrow we try to make the Eden Project again. Hopefully the trains will cooperate!

Stay tuned...

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

The Train to Nowhere and Land's End

Penzance station
Today we were supposed to go to the Eden Project. That required us to take a train to St Austell and then a bus to Eden. We arrived at Penzance railway station in plenty of time to catch our 9:35 am train, but unfortunately there were delays on the 2 trains ahead of ours. Turns out that a train broke down on the tracks somewhere and it created a domino effect. Our train was announced to be running at least 30 minutes late, and then, an hour late. Since I didn't want to rush through something as special as Eden Anne made a brilliant suggestion.  Since we were already in Penzance, and next to the bus station, why not catch a bus to Land's End?


Anne & the famous Land's End sign
Turned out to be a great idea! We had a leisurely bus ride up top, on a double-decker, through beautiful rural landscapes. Speaking of bus rides, let me give a big shout out to the bus drivers in Cornwall. Holy cow! They drive these huge buses down twisting narrow lanes and around hairpin curves and never lose their cool! Also a big "well done!" to Cornish drivers, who must be the most patient, polite drivers on the planet.  You NEVER hear them honking their horns at people, or see them flipping people off. They are the poster children for courteous driving.

Land's End, or Pedn an Wlas in Cornish, is the most westerly point of mainland Cornwall and England. It has become very commercialized over the years, but the views are still breathtaking.

Being both hungry, and thirsty, we stopped off at the Land's End Restaurant for refreshments, before exploring the area.

cliff view looking north
We had planned to walk a bit up the paths, in each direction along the coast, but some wet weather rolled in from offshore, and we decided not to get wet. I wasn't able to get but a few decent shots because of that, but that's okay.

To get out of the rain, we ducked into the shop, there and looked around, then it was time to walk back to the bus stop to wait for our ride back to Penzance. We didn't get a double-decker that time, so weren't able to appreciate the scenery as much on the way back, but it was still a nice ride.


We had to wait a bit for the bus back to Marazion, but met a retired school teacher with Crayola pink hair, and had a nice natter while we waited. Once back home, we relaxed with a cold drink (cider for Anne, Guinness for me) and then we had a lovely dinner.  Now it's time to relax a bit before bedtime. Tomorrow we go to St Michael's Mount to visit the gardens and the castle!

Stay tuned...

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Shopping, Napping, and Snapping...

kitchen window view
Last night's storm gave way to a beautiful morning and a beautiful day. The air was fresh and cool, and very breezy. After some breakfast, we decided to tour the village and do some shopping. We started off downstairs, at our landlord's establishment: Seagrove Gallery.  They have a large selection of art and gifts, and we had a good time chatting it up with Ian and his wife. They also serve cream teas, which we will partake of before leaving!



The village was crowded today, but we made it through the various art galleries and gift shops, as well as the post office/store. We topped off our tour of the village with a stop at the village pasty shop for a real, genuine Cornish pasty.  It was delectable! The pasty shop is also the pastry shop and the young lady there makes scones the size of basketballs! Just kidding, but they are pretty big!

My throat was feeling a bit sore and I felt like resting this afternoon, so I read while Anne grabbed a nap. It was delightful to be able to just sit and read with the sun streaming through the windows, and the fresh air moving through the room.

causeway and castle at sunset

Tuesday nights, they turn on the flood lights to illuminate the castle, so Anne fixed us a light supper, and we bundled up ourselves, grabbed our cameras, and went down to get a good vantage point to try to photograph the castle lit up.  We were in luck because the tide was still low enough to be able to walk partway out on the causeway and onto Chapel Rock.





Without a tripod it was difficult to get great pictures in such low light, but I managed to get a couple of acceptable shots out of the plethora of photos that I took.  But the temperature was mild, there was almost no wind, and it was nice to stroll around outside and watch the sunset and the castle light up.

Tomorrow we plan to visit the Eden Project, which I am very excited about!

Stay tuned...

Monday, September 21, 2015

Shopping day in Cornwall...

I took my time waking up today. It felt good to not have to be anywhere at any particular time. Anne fixed coffee and a delicious breakfast for us, then after we cleaned up the kitchen, and got dressed, we proceeded to plan our strategy for the day.  Main objective: grocery shopping.

Reading bus schedules is one of my least favorite things to do, but we had a general idea of when the bus we needed was going to come along. So, list in hand, we meandered over to the bus stop, and after waiting about 10 minutes we boarded the bus to the Tesco Superstore.  



For those of you envisioning Walmart in the West Country - stop. Although not of gargantuan proportions, it had a wonderful variety of just about anything edible. 

Did I say how reasonably priced the produce was?  And how fresh?  And that I'm eating pasture-raised eggs that don't cost $10 a dozen? And that "bacon" here is like "ham" back home?  Eat your hearts out! We picked up some local Cornish cheeses, that we will test drive with some wine tomorrow. You had to know there would be wine involved!

our apt is in the building on the left
After loading most of the groceries in my back pack along with two tote bags that Anne lugged around, we trudged back to the bus stop to await the bus that would return us to Marazion. Luckily, we didn't have to wait too long. Once we were back at the apartment, we slowly made our way up the stairs as we were heavily laden with foodstuffs. We quickly put the groceries away and then celebrated our return with a cold Guinness!


Feeling refreshed, we made our way to the pharmacy, and post office/store to pick up a few items we missed. We were blessed with wonderful weather today, and had no worries about being rained on. In fact we have only had to use our umbrellas once since we arrived in England!

Tomorrow, weather permitting, we are going to take a short walk up the southwest coast path to the little village of Perranuthnoe. Yes, it seems like a mouthful, but it's pronounced perran-UTH-no.
Hopefully, I'll have some good photos to share tomorrow evening.

Stay tuned!

Sunday, September 20, 2015

A quiet day of planning and conversation ~

Marazion town hall
I woke up this morning to the sound of seagulls. That is better than any alarm clock! The night was cool and quiet, and I slept very well, only becoming restless in the very early hours of the morning.
We woke up slowly, taking our time dressing, and then made our way out to find some breakfast.

The cafe we hoped to try was not open, so we ended up back at the Godolphin Arms, and had a delicious breakfast. We also had the same, adorable waiter from the night before.  We didn't catch his name, but did find out he is from Madeira.  The waiters and waitresses back home could take a lesson from over here.  These people don't get tipped, and yet I have had better service, and nothing but smiles, from every person who has waited on me, since arriving in England.

WW I & II Memorial
After breakfast we took a short walk through the village, were we spotted a World War memorial. These can be found in almost every village in England. Later, we stopped at the post office/store to pick up a few grocery items.  The rest of the day was spent, relaxing, washing clothes, and talking. We made a grocery list for the Tesco Superstore for tomorrow, and checked into bus schedules and other details for day trips, etc.

Supper was easy, delicious, and afterwards we had a walk on the beach and through part of the village.  Now it's time to get a shower and settle down to read a little bit before bed.
Tomorrow is another day!

Stay tuned...

Saturday, September 19, 2015

The longest night.....

The longest night turned into a long day, but at the end of the journey was paradise. Let me start at the beginning.,,

You know about the lovely day we had yesterday, so I don't need to go over all that.  After a great dinner at the George and Pilgrim, we went back to the room and got our packing done for the trip to Marazion today.  Little did we know that events would conspire against us, and sleep would prove impossible.  The characters of Glastonbury were out in full force last night because a) it was Friday night, b) England beat Fiji in the Rugby World Cup, and c) because drunks will always congregate underneath your window at 4 am when you are trying to sleep.

St Michael's Mount and Chapel Rock
Needless to say, we went down to breakfast a bit bleary-eyed, said goodbye to Millie the calico cat, and George, the cook, then met Sue, from Mum's Taxi for the ride to Castle Clary station.  A very, very long train ride ensued. Some of it pleasant, some of it seasoned with the melodic sounds of babies wailing. Regardless, we made to Penzance, grabbed a taxi, and made it to our apartment, where we met our landlord, got a run down of the whys and wherefores, and then made our way to the nearest pub. Yes, that's right, I was ready for a pint!

Having refreshed ourselves from the journey, we made our way to the beach to have a quick look around, and then decided to have dinner at the Godolphin Arms. All I can say is "Wow". The steak was delicious, the chips (that's french fries to you Yanks) were the best ever, and for dessert I had a malt chocolate cheesecake that had to have been made by angels, because it was heavenly!

sunset on the beach
After dinner we went back down to the beach to watch a lovely sunset, and now we are settling in for what will hopefully be a very peaceful night's sleep!

Tomorrow will be a day of rest and planning for the week ahead.

Stay tuned...

Friday, September 18, 2015

Deep in ancient history...

A very restless nights' sleep left us feeling less than perky this morning, but after we had some excellent coffee and breakfast at the Glastro Cafe, we were feeling perky! First stop was the Glastonbury Abbey ruins.

view along St Mary's Chapel
The abbey was founded in the 7th century and enlarged in the 10th, before a major fire in 1184 destroyed the buildings. It was rebuilt and by the 14th century was one of the richest and most powerful monasteries in England. The abbey was suppressed during the Dissolution of the Monasteries under King Henry VIII of England. The last abbot, Richard Whiting (Whyting), was hanged, drawn and quartered as a traitor on Glastonbury Tor in 1539.

Abbey chapel mural
From at least the 12th century the Glastonbury area was
frequently associated with the legend of King Arthur, a connection promoted by medieval monks who asserted that Glastonbury was Avalon. Christian legends have also claimed that the abbey was founded by Joseph of Arimathea in the 1st century.

The grounds cover 36 acres, and it is a wonderful place to visit! Such a tranquil setting in spite of the busy town street right on the other side of the abbey wall.

view from south lawn

After visiting the abbey we popped into a couple of shops, then went back to the room for a bit.  Then we headed for the town on Wells, which was a quick bus ride away.  There, we visited the Bishop's Palace. The Bishop's Palace and accompanying Bishops House at Wells is adjacent to Wells Cathedral and has been the home of the Bishops of the Diocese of Bath and Wells for 800 years.





Dining hall



Ancient walls, and a moat surround the palace.  The grounds, and adjacent gardens are beautiful!

The palace was originally surrounded by a medieval deer park. When the walls were built, streams were diverted to form the moat as a reservoir. In the 1820's, the grounds within the walls were planted and laid out as pleasure grounds by Bishop George Law, who created a reflecting pond near the springs. Parts of the buildings are still used as a residence by the current bishop, however much of the palace is now used for public functions and as a tourist attraction.


After a long day of walking through history, we settled down in the best pub in all of Glastonbury -- The George and Pilgrims!

Reputed to be haunted, the pub, and inn, was featured on the television show "Great British Ghosts".

It has the most amazing atmosphere, and is a must for anyone stopping in, or passing through Glastonbury.  Dinner was delicious, and of course, the Guinness was perfect!



 Now it's time to finish packing, because we must be out of here early to catch our train to Penzance.  Cornwall here we come!

Stay tuned...

Thursday, September 17, 2015

The very long, very wonderful day.

Waking up after 13 hours of restful sleep is a wonderful thing. Add to that, a full English breakfast that was excellently prepared, and you have the beginnings of  a wonderful day.  Being rested, well fed, and with the weather being partly sunny and dry, Anne and I decided to walk to the Chalice Well and then up Glastonbury Tor to the ruin of St Michael's Church.

Vesica Pool
Well head with wrought-iron cover
The Chalice Well has been in constant use for at least two thousand years based on archaeological evidence. Water issues from the spring at a rate of 25,000 gallons per day and has never failed, even during drought. Iron oxide deposits give the water a reddish hue, as dissolved ferrous oxide becomes oxidized at the surface and is precipitated.

The gardens were lovely and there was a profound sense of peace.

view from bottom of tor
 Full of ambition, we continued from the Chalice Well gardens to climb the Tor.  Let me explain something to you. The climb up is hell, if you are overweight and out of shape like I am. Oh, and       missing a part of one lung doesn't help either!  The Tor is 518 feet tall. And there are so very many steps to get up to the top. I'm pretty sure I saw a mountain goat pass out going up there, but  maybe I was just hallucinating from the lack of oxygen.  Anyway, after an absolute eternity, and many stops to rest along the way, we made it to the top. Hillary's achievement on Mt. Everest paled in comparison to ours!


view through doorway of ruin

After catching our breath at the top we had the chance to appreciate the amazing views of the surrounding countryside. Everywhere you turned there was a beautiful view. The ruin is not very large but the sense of
antiquity and history is profound. Oh the stories those walls could tell.

Anne is pretty sure we went through some sort of fairy portal or time/space vortex, because the trip down was much shorter than the trip up!



view of Glastonbury from the side of the tor
Once back down, we walked back into Glastonbury and straight to the King William Inn for a very well-deserved pint!

For those of you who like to "people watch", there is nothing quite like sitting in a pub in Glastonbury.  This town is full of "characters". It has been a blast, so far.

Dinner at the King Arthur and a walk afterward marked the end of a very long, but very wonderful day. Can't wait to see what tomorrow will bring!



Stay tuned...