CORNWALL 2017: The Looe Fishing Port

If all I did was visit the fishing ports all around Cornwall, England, for the rest of my life, I'd be one happy camper.  Seriously.

I really love Google maps, don't you?!

The coastal fishing port of Looe is 25 miles from our St. Austell homebase.

The population is ca. 5K.

When you pass a shop window like this from the parking lot to the coast, you know what's coming.

THIS.

Just pay attention to both sides of this bridge across the River Looe.

As you see, we arrived while the tide was still mostly in.

It was raining off-n-on the entire day, and we didn't care.

But once on this side of the bridge, it felt like a good stopping point for lunch.

Maybe it was the "DO NOT FEED THE SEAGULLS" that made us hungry?

Pauline says it was the BEST fish-n-chips she had ever eaten.  So fresh.

I'll take her word for it because it was, indeed, excellent.

It was also a delight to sit by the window and look out on the Looe world.

When we came out from the pub, this is what we saw.

Just give it an hour or two and look what happens to the tide!

We KNOW it in our heads...but to SEE it is another thing altogether.

Think about all that money spent on these boats!

I think I'd want a berthing dock for my investment, too, at low tide...every day.

See what I mean about wanting to see this the rest of my life?

We walked along the quay towards the sea where the river was still mostly full.

We were short of eyes...looking towards the sea and back towards the bridge.

Both sides of the river!
[BTW, did you know the Brits say towards and the Americans say toward?
So why does it sound normal for me to use the British English?  HA!]

THIS on our walk back to the bridge!

We then walked across the bridge (top) to the other side (bottom)....

and then back to where we began the day, but now at low tide.

To there and back again with myriad impressions.

It doesn't take much to fill our cups, as you know by now!

CORNWALL 2017: The Facebook Preview

Let's take a break from our Venice/Verona trip!

We just got back from Cornwall late last night, minutes before midnight, and are now up and at it in getting settled back in.  You know how that it.  It's always good to get back home.  Astrid even went back to work today after maybe 4 hours of sleep.  What a trooper!

What you are about to see is a learning curve for me away from the laptop and PhotoShop!  We took only our iPads for this 6-day trip, so I learned how to make collages with the Live Collage app, figuring out every new day how to tweak images the way I wanted there as well as in the Photos app.

So, here goes:

Friday, May 12:  Arrival in Exeter

As soon as Chris and Pauline picked us up at the airport, Pauline said she had a surprise for me!

We think it represents the  Red Arrows from the Royal Air Force aerobatic display team,

even though they usually fly in teams of 9.

Ironically, it was the only weathervane we found the entire trip, other than a couple of arrows.

But it more than made up for the lack elsewhere.

We ate out at a pub that day but that was basically it, before driving home near St. Austell.

Saturday, May 13:  Mevagissey Fishing Port and the Spit Cliffs

Pauline and Chris racked their brains for us on what to see and where to go each day.

But they found out it doesn't take much to make us happy!

 So we first went to the fishing port of Mevagissey, 16 km away.

Lucky for us, we were there during low tide.

Do beached boats enthrall you like they do us who never see them??!!

After eating lunch back at home, we three girls went out to take a walk along the Spit cliffs.

Actually, Chris dropped us off at the beginning and then picked us up at the end in Charlestown.

 During the 4 miles, with the English Channel on one side and a golf course on the other, 

we had intermittent rain but didn't care a hoot.

Sunday, May 14:  Tintagel Castle and King Arthur's Birthplace

When Astrid and I found out there was a legendary birthplace of King Arthur 39 km away,

we made it absolutely clear that THAT would be a highlight of our trip!

So we picked the best weather day to go, which was Sunday.

OMG.  Wait till I show you more later...but for now, that's the statue of Merlin with Astrid, 

overlooking the Atlantic Ocean on the north Cornwall coast.

Monday, May 15:  St Mawgan and St. Eval Parish Churches

After Sunday's gorgeous, sunny day on the north coast, it rained the rest of our time!

Rain limits what you can do, of course, but it didn't stop us from going out to do something.

We didn't need much, especially after the full day on Sunday.

So off we went to see two parish churches, both from the 13th century:

St. Mawgan (top row) and St. Eval (bottom row).

This time on the inside, St. Mawgan (top row) and St. Eval (bottom row).

I love these wee parish churches almost more than the cathedrals, to be honest.

I always think of my preacher dad loving and choosing them for his pastorates.

Tuesday, May 16:  Looe

Knowing we love the seaside ports, Chris and Pauline came up with our final adventure, 42 km away.

We actually arrived while the tide was still in but, after first eating lunch, we got lucky.

Look at that.  Pure magic for us!

Wednesday, May 17:  Exeter Cathedral (and home)

Wednesday started off with a 2-hour train ride to Exeter for our flight back to Amsterdam.

Dear friend, Lisl (from Bath), came by train to join us (including Pauline) for the rest of the rainy day.

After a lovely, leisurely lunch, we walked to the nearby cathedral and had a peek.

No time for a good look that came with an entrance fee, so we did just peek.

For me it was enough...or at least better than nothing.

A great way to end a good week with friends!

You know me...this is but the skeleton to which I will add the flesh in the days to come.

The good news is that we have no further trips on deck till America in October,

so there's a nice, gentle sigh being released as I take my time, now, going forward.