Happy New Year!

We went to Wadebridge, looks to be about the same size as Bodmin but we found it more interesting. To be fair we were too busy getting turned around in Bodmin to see much of it. Being a Saturday the shops were mostly open in Wadebridge. They consisted of pubs, tea houses, bakeries, butchers, deli’s, general stores, a wine shop, clothing stores, charity shops, etc. What gave it some charm is that the shops are not chain stores, they are individually owned and operated so each is unique. It has a pedestrian only street which I always like since you aren’t dodging cars. Very attractive town and busy. It used to only have one bridge but they’ve added another for cars and one for foot traffic over  the Camel River. Nice lunch in a pub and a rather large shop since we had the car.

Sheep farming is big business in this area although we don’t see much lamb on the menu, guess they export much of it. We see the occasional herd of cattle and a few horses. Of course we would see much more without the hedgerows lining the roads. Really it is like driving through an open tunnel of vegetation. Hedgerows divide the fields as well so when you do get to a higher area it is quite beautiful, they also leave mature trees in the fields, many are bent due to wind. It is very green in the fields now, what I expected when in Ireland. We went in September so they had just finished harvesting causing it not to be as green as I had hoped of the Emerald Isle. Certainly I wasn’t disappointed, I was just glad to have followed up on my promise to my grandfather to visit. This was long before we applied for Irish citizenship or had even had the foggiest notion we would. Wonder what he would have thought of that!

We did find St. Maybn and wanted to go back so Sunday we got twisted around again, keep thinking you can get there by the back roads and perhaps you can but we can only manage by taking the “highway” for a small stretch. Anyway being Sunday they had a fixed menu of appy, hot meal and dessert. You could choose to have all three courses or one or two. Very, very good food, we had the one course, hot option and I didn’t need dinner! It was a busy place and included owners with dogs inside. I haven’t figured out the ruling on that yet, some allow and some not it seems. I think it depends on if they are designated Pub or Restaurant, that would be my guess.

Former mail truck outside the St. Maybn Inn, retired now.

Old beer fountains, retired as well.

St. Maybn has a twin church to St. Tudy and they share services and announcements of functions.  The pubs are quite different in mannerisms, while St. Tudy has not had food service for a week, St. Maybn does and benefits by it. Last Friday we were the only patrons in St. Tudy and mainly because I was using the WiFi.

So, yes, as you have been reading we eat lunch in pubs mostly. Doesn’t mean we always have a pint especially if Bruce is driving anywhere. I usually have tea that is brewed strongly, as they serve it here, so I have to add milk. The food is mostly good, sometimes fantastic and the atmosphere is jovial. Locals are usually in for a pint, I would say it’s their “home away from home”.  Usually the deal is you go up to the bar, order a beverage, sit and look at the menu, go back to the bar, order the meal and pay for it. The bartender will ask where you are seated and bring the food out. Maybe I’m wrong but I haven’t been tipping, it doesn’t seem expected or done. Décor usually includes many horse brasses on leather straps that were used on draught horses, lots of old pictures and a fireplace or two burning wood and coal.

Now for something completely different. This picture shows the door handle and latch on most of the doors in the cottage we are in. I’ve never seen anything so unique! The ball on the left is the spring loaded latch and goes into a corresponding hole in the jam. Wonder how old a system that is …

 Happy New Year and wishing you success and happiness in 2014.

Cheers, Bev, Bruce and Lexi Cat

St. Tudy once again

In fact the previous post didn’t get posted so now you will get two. I have found a more stable WiFi site (here’s hoping). You must have said to yourself What is she talking about? Sorry...

After posting the blog and re-booking a hotel we stopped again off at the greenhouses for a wonderful lunch. The operation is run by two sisters, one of which seems to be more outgoing than the other and calls everyone “my lovelies”. There are I think six greenhouses. One is used for potting up plants and doing, right now, Christmas wreaths and table ornaments. While there we did see a lot of product go out the door. There is a small shop in which they sell flower bulbs, bird houses, seed for them and a small array of knicknacks. They also grow chillis and make a dipping sauce for sale and use in the tea house. I did not have clotted cream but a wonderful squash, carrot and ginger soup. The soil on the driveway is quite red and mud clings to the tires. They are open year around except for Christmas week. 

Greenhouse display garden

It’s a nice place to spend some time in, good food, lots of interesting plants and other things to look at.

Close up of the lights and door

We found the manor at Hengar, an old stone building now housing apartments, laundry and an Italian restaurant which is closed for winter.

Next day, big shop for Christmas. We decided to have a proper English breakfast for our Christmas meal. Okay that’s weird but seemed fitting in a way.

Christmas day we went to St. Tudy Inn for a pint and ended up staying for two. Many locals in and eventually we started talking to some. Took a while for them to warm up to us but we enjoyed the frivolity and obvious friendships. It was the “happening” place in the village and was great to see so many folk out and enjoying themselves. Valuable information gained, St. Tudy Inn has WiFi – yeah!

A couple of events completely different happened. One: a Homer Simpson top and shorts (where did that come from, and who brought it, and why, a gag Christmas gift I ‘d guess) were given to several men to try on, no one did. Eventually after many refusals a woman tried them on over her clothes and vamped for a photographer, who immediately put it on her Facebook page. 

Two: a woman at our table took two corks from the bar and manuevered them to switch them from each hand in such a manner no one could copy. Eventually after many tries a couple did. Reminded me of playing “pick-up-sticks” in a bar or toss the coins as we did in our early twenties. Those tricks quite often bought us drinks which came in handy when we didn’t have a lot of cash. She learned the trick in Spain, in a bar, of course.

Something I didn't know - British law allows Public Houses to open between the hours of 1200 to 1400 daily and the place has to be vacated in 20 minutes, wondered why the place vacated so fast on Christmas day.

Anyway the whole experience was extremely jovial and enjoyed. Although much of the time we were not part of a conversation we enjoyed listening to everyone talking and catching up with each other. Came “home” and enjoyed our English breakfast/dinner immensely.

Fountain outside entry to St. Tudy Inn

Boxing Day we went to Bodmin, neighbouring town. Got lost in Bodmin, nothing was open except the gas station, filled up and had lunch at a very nice pub. They do a Carvery every day, what that means is buffet style, three meats, a vegetarian option and lots of potatoes and vegetables . We’ve been wanting to avail ourselves of one but, again, inclined to take too large a portion. This one had a half portion offered which would be good.

I’m finding the difference between kilometres and miles quite a lot, one mile is 1.6+ kilometre. The miles seem to take forever, l (are we there yet?”) For example, it’s only 7 miles from St. Tudy to Bodmin, anyway I’ll just get used to it and we’ll be heading to Spain and not driving.

About driving in this part of England. I have quit looking out my side of the window. When I do everything seems so close that we will hit. Bruce has hit a couple of car mirrors but basically all’s been good. On the first driving experience here in Britain I screamed because I thought he was going to hit a car. Now that can cause an accident more than anything else. So with bitten tongue and looking out the other direction I have learned again, quit bitting my tongue, quit screaming but still whince once in a while. Bruce is doing an excellent job of driving in sometimes difficult conditions so I am not complaining, just explaining what it’s like.

As said, Lexi loves it here but must go amok at night after we’ve gone to bed. This morning I found the Christmas tree (thank goodness fake and decorations plastic) down for the count and garland, decorations on the floor. Yesterday morning the bouquet Ruth gave us was over turned. Geeze cat! Ruth and Andrew are used to having animals here at the cottage so there isn’t too much to break. Mostly dogs though and with Lexi’s leaping ability I’ve removed many objects from the ledges.

Happy New Year and great success for 2014 to you!

Cheers, Bev, Bruce and Brat Cat Lexi

Still in St. Tudy and Liking It!

We went to Hengar Manor for WiFi. Perfect timing! Our Irish passports are ready to be printed early in the New Year and sent! Hoorah! And they had only posted the update today. Sometimes things just work out (and sometimes not). Anyway finished with the net and found St,. Mayban. Pouring rain, lots of puddles but warm enough. Lovely lunch there and great service. Decorations for Christmas were branches woven across the ceiling and Christmas bulbs hanging along with tiny lights, looked great! They do Christmas lunch up to the 23^rd of December so I do think we’ll be on our own for that day since most pubs seem to close for their staff to enjoy the day. Good for the staff, not so good for a couple of strays like us. Maybe I’ll put a garland on Lexi and call it done.

About Hengar Manor: they rent individual small cottages, some with whirlpool baths. They have an extensive activities menu including lessons on things like archery, cross-bow, fishing, golf, and lots of things for kids to do. There are several old stone buildings on site which could have been part of a manor but the “activity” building with reception is in a newer building and has a large indoor swimming pool. They have a general store, I am amazed at what these small shops carry. There is a restaurant on site and a café and another one in one of the old buildings doing Italian food, looked interesting but closed for the winter. Friday afternoon before Christmas I was told they were expecting about 200 people to arrive!

Roads are terribly muddy now, I wondered why the cars were all dirty, well ours has now joined the bunch. We spoke to a gent in the Shop who said a friend from out of town described the small roads as driving through a tarmac ditch – pretty much true. As mentioned, they are very narrow and are lined with high hedge rows which do not give room to pass. So you suck your tummy in, like that’s going to help the situation!

Starting to get a feel for where the towns are after a few days of driving fairly short distances. I’ve been reading the history of Cornwall and each town and look forward to more exploring. We’ll go further afield soon for day trips. We are fairly close to the Atlantic so I definitely want to get to a port. Probably get blown off my feet, so as suggested, must bring an anchor. ‘

Back to the Community Shop to – shop of course. I had thought so, but confirmed, it is run entirely by volunteers. Everything I’ve read about this little community shows that they band together like Madeira Park does. They have accounts for people so they have no need to bring money. The Post Office doubles as a bank machine, although it wouldn’t take my cards. There is a bank in Camelford so we’re not entirely stuck.

Weather has been of the “wait five minutes “ variety with hail included but not cold. It’s hailing again now as I write this. Glad I’m in a toasty place at the moment!

The tap water here is wonderful to drink! I haven’t drank tap water for a very long time.

Fountain outside the St. Tudy Inn with benches, would be lovely in the summer, you will probably hear that a lot. See the flat stones, that’s slate which this area is known for and many buildings and fences are made from.

Note: I will try to put the pictures into the email notification... humph... 

The Inn has four separate smallish rooms each with a fireplace which makes it cozy. Service is good but I find the food average, guess I’m ordering the wrong thing again.  It has a borrowing library, now I just have to identify the books we have taken out for return, aside from the library in the cottage.

Back to Hengar again for a pedicure for me and a massage for Bruce. Both done very well but not as good as what we got in Madeira. Ruth came in and cleaned the cottage so we boxed up Lexi and took her with us. She was NOT happy! I had to pluck her off the window ledge where she was Purrfectly happy thank you very much, talking to the birds. She does love it here because the birds are at eye level for her. Ruth kindly left us an arrangement of flowers for Christmas.

We stopped in at the “glass houses”, we call them greenhouses. It had a “show garden” and a lovely little tea house. They serve clotted cream there, will have to try that, have done years ago so I’m allowed once more.

So my friends Bruce, Lexi and I wish you Merry Christmas and all the Best for the New Year!

No worries, I’ll keep writing and posting when I can. Cheers!

St. Tudy, Cornwall Part 1

On to St.Tudy, a small village in Cornwall where we’ve rented a cottage for a month. Some challenges on the four hour trip, like heavy fog, rain and wind but with a few breaks for Bruce we got here in about four hours.

Get to the cottage and I haven’t written down the phone number of the proprieter, darn, major problem after we find the cottage. Look around for a key and find one at the back door under a mat. Thank You! Both tired at this point but unload the car because it is getting dark and I wander through the cottage putting on lights so we can find our way. Cottage it may be but is large and has two beds and one  and half baths. I think we’ll be comfortable here. She has decorated for Christmas which makes it festive.

Our landlord came to visit in the morning to see if everything was all right. Nice woman and very helpful with suggestions. We walked to the Community Shop, seems to have most anything, it is also the Post Office. Returned to the cottage to drop our goods and then went to the Church. It seems that Sunday afternoon and Mondays are closing times in the winter, Pub was closed as well. So unpacked and did laundry and looked for local maps and places of interest to see in the area.

Investigating our environment in the cottage we are finding out how things work. An example, there is no direct current to the wall sockets until you turn it on, the shower only works by pulling a cord to turn it on. Having said that the place is quite modern and many nice pictures from Greece line the walls. Our landlords collected them every trip they made there. There is a good sized back yard attached to the cottage which will be fabulous in the spring and summer going by what is left over the winter.

Lexi Cat alternates her time at a window sill looking for birds or doing her own investigation. There is an outside cat that came into the yard which she ignored but ran to the window when two horses went by the lane. We realized she has never seen a horse, nor has she lived in a place with inside stairs before.

The Brits still have working phone booths for communities. It was a bit strange to see one, although we do have one in Madeira Park.

Had our first of what I expect will be many lunch at the local pub. Found out it is closed for Christmas week so we’ll have to go to a neighbouring town if we want a meal to celebrate.

Went looking for the pub that is open in St. Mabyn, 3 miles from St. Tudy, down what appear to be single traffic narrow roads, but ARE NOT. Took the wrong fork in the road, no signage, and ended back up on the highway so decided to go to Camelford instead. We had a very nice lunch of Port Issac scallops at the Mason Arms. Every inch of wall and ceiling is decorated in there! Bottles, steins, well I won’t go on… Very friendly proprietor who recommended the scallops because “you can always have a BLT now can’t you, but how often do you get to sample local shellfish?” Yes, they were delicious!

Wet and very windy here today. The local shop was busy and cars parked all over town because there was a funeral happening. I only know that because I overheard it.

We found the WiFi place but kept driving. It’s called Hengar Manor – well la-di-dah, will see if it lives up to it’s name. Most buildings have house names to them, some are what I would think of as grand names that the buildings do not look like they deserve. They don’t seem to have house numbers, hence the house names I think.

Hengar Manor isn't swish but it is nice and has many facilities including an indoor pool etc. Well I can't diss it because I'm using their free WiFi!

So that's all for this week. Cheers and don't shop til you drop! Bx2 & Lexi Cat