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My trip to Cornwall, bookended by weekends in London

My trip to Cornwall, bookended by weekends in London

Old Oct 12th, 2016, 07:04 AM
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Oh, wow, you have really hooked me with that Sunday roast!
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Old Oct 12th, 2016, 03:27 PM
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Ugh, lost a post.

It was a wonderful Sunday roast lcboniti.

Going to try the post again.
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Old Oct 12th, 2016, 03:46 PM
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Tour Cornwall, Fowey and the Moors, Minions, More Cider, and the Rental Car

Monday dawned gray and misty. Perfect for visiting the moors.

This was our longest foray and I had wisely booked a full day tour with Tim Uff of Tour Cornwall. And honestly I wish I had booked more days with him. He was knowledgeable, interesting and fun to talk with. And it was really, really good to leave the driving to someone else.

We chose to do the Fowey and the Moors tour as we felt we could get to a lot of the other places fairly easily on our own. Here is the link to the web site and specifically a description of the tour we took. I'm not sure I will be able to describe it better than he does here!

http://www.tourcornwall.com/the-moor...ast/4559813295

I'm going to try to post this and see if it works before writing more.
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Old Oct 12th, 2016, 05:42 PM
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This all sounds wonderful, Toucan2! Thanks for posting.
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Old Oct 12th, 2016, 07:07 PM
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Since that worked, I will continue.

Our day is pretty well outlined in the description at the link. First stop at St Winnow where we walked down to the river. Beautiful, peaceful, egrets and other water birds about. Back up through the churchyard, and a discussion about the Celtic crosses. Someone famous, or maybe a sister of someone famous, is buried there. Might be du maurier's sister.

Lerryn, really

On to Lerryn, which is simply beautiful, and, has a free toilet. These things are important. Dang it, maybe it was Lostwithiel. Started with an L. Nope, definitely Lerryn, found a receipt. Plus I google mapped it to make sure.

We walked along along the houses lining the lane along the river. Lots of small boats moored in the river, and on the creek that we crossed. You feel as if you have stepped back in time.

We stopped in the grocery and got coffees, and for sis and I, sausage rolls. We hadn't had anything for breakfast, poor planning on my part.

St. Neot

On we went. It might have been St Neot next. But no matter the order, we definitely went there and visited the church. It is one of only 2 churches in Britain that have full sets of medieval glass designed for them. It was a really interesting visit, and reading about the Windows.

On to Minions and the Moor

We had more interesting short stops with standing stones, graves, etc, and then stopped at Minions on the moors.

There is an abandoned tin mine/museum which was really interesting. We walked out across the boggy land past small pools of water lined with reeds. We were headed to the hurlers, standing stones that are said to have come into being because ball was either played too late on a Saturday or on a Sunday so they were turned to stone.

The wind was whipping, and I turned to gaze at the the old tin mine, outlined against the gray sky, scudding with clouds. The weather fit the stark beauty of the moors perfectly.

As we returned from The Hurdlers, Tim pointed out the chimney and side of a house where someone in the town of Minions had painted, well, minions. The skies started spitting rain and this seemed like a good time to stop for tea. Except the two places Tim thought he would take us were closed.

No problem, we stopped for lunch at the local pub. Lunch and....

Cider!

This time I had Rattler, and I liked it a lot.

Fowey and Charlestown

I think we headed to Fowey next. Tim let us out for a short walk on our own. Took me five minutes to stop at a gallery and buy a stained glass fish. It's Sis's fault, she pointed it out.

We walked to the water and once we turned the corner and were no longer protected it really howled and got a little cold. Sis' Mary Poppins bag to the rescue again as she gave me a hat. Big sisters are the best. We watched a small boat that was apparent,up a passenger ferry as school kids got on board, then turned back into town.

I spotted a sign that said craft sale, and I was curious to see what crafts might be on offer in a Cornish town. The answer is pretty much the same crafts you find in Midwest towns. Sis did buy some scarfs and some knit dolls, and I admired some pottery I didn't want to buy and carry back with me.

We got back to the corner we were to meet Tim, and spotted a butcher and picked up stuff for dinner, as well as eggs for breakfast. We came out pretty much right as Tim pulled up.

There was more wandering, more great views. Amazing the variation in our day, from the peaceful river, to the picturesque village, to the stark moors, to the rugged seaside.

We stopped at the quay in Charlestown, where a tall ship was moored. And the skies opened up and the ice cream shop was closed. I think Tim felt bad, but you can't control the weather. It was fun to see one of the spots used in filming Poldark whether it rained or not.

Car Rental

I had arranged a car rental pickup for the end of the day, and for Tim to return us at the end of the day to Enterprise Car rental in Truro, so off we went.

We arrived to a rather panicked young man who couldn't reach me to let me know that they didn't have an automatic. I think he was relieved I didn't freak out . I did ask that he give me the smallest car he had.

The first fifteen minutes of the car rental in Cornwall went like this:

First time diving on the left in three years. First time ever driving a stick using my left hand. In the rain. During rush hour. Up a long hill.

Amazingly, I never killed it and I only made my sister gasp in terror three times as we drove back to the farm.

Wrapping up the day

When we got back, sis laid out Stilton, crackers, and olives while I made dinner. And dinner was pretty darned good. The kitchen was well-stocked, and had a fan oven which I think must be like a convection oven. Chicken, rice, and nectarines.

Oh, and cider!

Cornish Gold Cyder

Then we planned the next day and went to bed!
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Old Oct 13th, 2016, 07:54 AM
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The day tour sounds wonderful! I'm bookmarking in case I make it back to Cornwall. I spent several days in St. Ives a few years ago & loved the area. My friend and I took a bus to several places. We had signed up for a couple of day tours via a local company, but they cancelled both the day of, very disappointing.
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Old Oct 13th, 2016, 10:16 AM
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That would be very disappointing Jennifer.

We took the train from St Erth into St Ives, and I am glad I didn't try to drive there!

I think it was the week before we were there that Rick Steve's had just spent three days with Tim Uff (and his crew). If you are in the us, it will eventually air on PBS.

We went to St Ives on Tuesday, and I will try to write that tonight.
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Old Oct 13th, 2016, 11:39 AM
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>>Amazingly, I never killed it and I only made my sister gasp in terror three times as we drove back to the farm.

Love your descriptions and the day tour. I really enjoy a good and knowledgeable guide. Will definitely keep an eye out for the Rick Steves program.
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Old Oct 13th, 2016, 04:52 PM
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Thanks lcboniti.

I just realized that Monday night was the night sis introduced me to Doc Martin. Discovering Doc Martin in Cornwall seemed appropriate. She filled me in on everything, and we had fun watching it.

And then Law and Order UK came on! I had no idea such a thing existed. I tried to make sis watch it but I looked over, and her chin was in her hand, eyes closed. And then her head fell off. So I made her go to bed and turned everything off.
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Old Oct 13th, 2016, 06:28 PM
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The train from St Erth, St Ives, and Barbara Hepworth

Thanks to our shopping trip, we had eggs in the house. They came in convenient six packs. Why don't we see that very often here? Usually they are sold in dozens here, and sometimes you don't need that many! The egg carton had a picture of a pretty red hen and I am pretty sure that made the eggs taste better.

So I made sis breakfast and we headed out, destination St Erth. We spent £3 for parking, and £4 each for round trip tickets from St Erth to St Ives. It was a short train ride, and MUCH better than trying to drive and park in St Ives.

It's not a long walk to the center of town, but you do go uphill a little way, then steeply down hill into the center. I could see that sis was slightly concerned about the return, but it turned out okay in the end.

We were in no hurry, wandering was fine with both of us, and if we saw something interesting, we stopped and took a look. Once I saw a Christmas shop, so I made sis go in. At the craft place the day before, a seller had an ornament inscribed with what she said was Merry Christmas in Cornish. But the ornament was bigger than I wanted so I thought I would look in that store. No such luck, but it was a fun browse.

Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore

I did have one main thing I wanted to do and that was visit the Barbara Hepworth museum.

I mentioned that Rosamunde Pilcher's books were part of what got me intrigued with Cornwall in the first place. And in many of those books, artists and their studios were featured. So I had read about the artists there, and about the museum.

I was a little turned around but a quick look at google maps got us on the right path and soon we were headed to the museum. It was uphill, but sis was game. Until we stopped and saw an extremely steep, and extremely long set of stairs going up a hill in front of us. I was a little horrified myself.

Sis got out her folding trekking sticks and starts to unfold them when thank god I turned to the left and realized we were actually standing right in front of the place!

Believe me when I say we were both relieved.

We both got the Art Pass instead of single admission. I knew I wanted to also visit the Penlee Gallery in Penzance, and the art pass gives you admission for 7 days to the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden, Penlee, Tate Modern St Ives (closed while we were there) and Leach Pottery in St Ives. £10.

When I was looking at photos of Hepworth's work, several of them reminded me of Henry Moore's sculptures. Not that they looked just like them but just something made me think of Moore.

I live outside Kansas City (I think I mentioned that above in relationship to BBQ . ) the Nelson-Atkins museum there has a large number of Henry Moore sculptures, in fact the largest collection of Henry Moore bronzes in the US.

So anyway, I start looking through the exhibit on the ground floor which was a sort of timeline of her life and career, and there was a picture of Hepworth with Henry Moore! Turns out they were colleagues and friendly rivals.

On the first floor some of her pieces were on display, and then out to the sculpture garden. It is smaller than it appears to be in the photos. I loved it. The garden is lush and somewhat tropical, and 30 some sculptures are placed throughout. There are some benches where you can just sit and enjoy the gardens, and a small pond. There is a small hut like building with what looks like a day bed inside. Staff are working on some art restoration.

This was her home and studio, and you can picture her living and working there.

http://www.visitstives.org.uk/things...garden-p136973

Sis had found a place to sit inside so I retrieved her and we set out again for a little wander. We window shopped and wandered through the lanes. We passed a bakery with a display of Cornish pastys, and I really should have bought some for our supper!

More Wandering, Lunch, and Home

By this time we were ready for lunch and so we walked down to the road lining the harbor, read a few menus, and settled on the Lifeboat and got a table at the window so we could enjoy the view. I had not had fish and chips in England yet, so that is what I got, and sis had a crab sandwich which was delicious (I snuck a bite).

I would have loved a cider but I would be driving. So I had a cappuccino after lunch. Cappuccino became my other daily habit while on vacation.

After a leisurely lunch, we walked along the harbor a bit. There was a seagull, and I have no idea if it was a Laughing Gull, but I swear that gull was laughing his way through life. He really put on a show.

More wandering, and I spotted a sign that pointed to the train station. This was a different way than we had come into town, and probably the way we should have walked in the first place.

In any case, we started up the lane, lined with cottages (looked like many if not most) were for let. A little shopping, and I bought another fish to hang, this time made of slate.

When the buildings petered out it became a wall and tree lined lane, and soon there were places where you could pause and look out to the sea, or take steps down to the rocky edges. We did both of these things a few times. Just sitting and enjoying the view was a worthwhile activity.

Pretty soon we approached the really big beach, and you could imagine it teeming with people in the summertime. And then, the railway station!

Back to St. Erth, and the short drive back to St. Day.

As we had eaten a largish, late lunch, we weren't terribly hungry, and neither of us was keen on going back out. Unfortunately I did not buy those pasties, so I improvised. We had milk, butter, Red Leicester cheddar, and prior renters had left pasta and some whole wheat flour.

So I made mac and cheese although a roux made with whole wheat flour is a little different. And along with some more of the Cornish Gold Cyder, that was dinner.

The evening was mostly spent planning the next day and reading guidebooks.
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Old Oct 13th, 2016, 06:54 PM
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Sounds lovely. Enjoying your report.
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Old Oct 14th, 2016, 02:33 AM
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Loving this report.

Tuscan, I hope the folks at Enterprise gave you a rebate, since automatics tend to cost a lot more than manual rentals. (Does it sound like I know about this?)

And thank you for letting us know about your manual-on-the-left-side experience; it is something I am considering trying in the future.

Free toilets, or indeed any public toilet - even for pay, are extremely important. I rate them amongst the highest attractions.
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Old Oct 14th, 2016, 04:44 AM
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Wonderful report, Toucan. Thanks.
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Old Oct 14th, 2016, 04:52 AM
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Thank you Jubi and Sue.

Sue, they didn't give me a discount but I already had a heavily discounted rate that I had prepaid. They only charged me pump rate for the gas which I appreciated.

Shifting on the left wasn't too bad, but I really had to concentrate. The times I had the most problem was if I was slightly confused about directions (as when encountering traffic circles that were really figure 8's) and my attention got divided.
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Old Oct 14th, 2016, 08:19 AM
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"(as when encountering traffic circles that were really figure 8's)"

Sounds like a double roundabout to me.
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Old Oct 15th, 2016, 06:44 AM
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Double roundabout = 5th circle of hell

We had a full day Wednesday. So full, I don't have time to finish the post, errands call. Still, it's a lot to read.

Lost Gardens of Heligan, Round houses of Veryan, The Cornwall Driving Experience, and Midsomer Murders

I would have written this post earlier, but I started reading the guidebook I had bought at the Lost Gardens of Heligan (hereafter known as LGH so I don't have to keep typing the whole thing!) and I got lost in the memories of the day, and getting even more context for what we saw. What fun it is to relive our adventures.

Lost Gardens of Heligan

Visiting Cornwall at the end of September meant we weren't going to see masses of blooms, but I wanted to visit at least one garden. Talking with Tim Uff and a friend, we decided LGH would be the best one to visit. There was an incredible history to the place, a really varied landscape, and a good cafe to boot. And a farm shop next door, which was important for reasons I will expand upon later.

Based on traffic, we decided to leave at 9 am so I made sis some eggs (scrambled eggs with the cheddar I think) but we had run out of milk so I didn't have any coffee. I knew there was a cafe and I could have some there.

Google maps took us on our way to St. Austell but I had read on the site for the gardens to not follow Google maps all the way to the gardens as it takes you on tiny little lanes. Rather, they said to just follow the brown tourist signs to the gardens. We had driven through St. Austell before and I had noticed the signs, so I knew they would be easy to spot.

We arrived a little before opening, and I kid you not, the parking lot was already full. I dropped sis at the entrance, and searched out a parking spot, which ended up being next door at the farm shop. She probably thought I got lost in the gardens.

First stop was for coffee, where I continued my cappuccino a day habit, along with a chocolat au pain. I have no idea what sis had. I was pretty focused on my coffee. It was a pleasant setting and we sat and had our coffee made a sort of plan for the gardens.

We also noted that the cafe stopped lunch service at 2:30. We had been told that the cafe was quite good, and we wanted to lunch there. So we agreed to plan on being back no later than 2:00.

In brief, the history of the gardens is that they were once the gardens of a large estate in the Tremayne family. WW1 started the decline as gardeners left for the war. 9 of the at least 13 outdoor staff who served in the war never came back. Soon after, Jack Tremayne left Heligan, saying he could not live with the ghosts, and the gardens became 'lost.'

Fast forward to 1990 when a descendant, John Willis, brought Tim Smit, an archaeologist by training, to visit the grounds. The temperate weather of Cornwall meant that the property gardens had all but disappeared in the growths. They started exploring and discovering and ultimately that lead to the gardens as they are today.

I won't repeat any more here, but it is a truly fascinating evolution.

A few highlights:

Mud Maid

There are some unique woodland sculptures, one being the Mud Maid. She is a large reclining sculpture planted with moss and ferns and ivy to form her hair etc. Just beautiful, and unique. One of my nieces had posted a picture on Facebook before, not knowing where she was. It was fun to take a picture and send to her.

Productive Gardens

Vegetables, herbs, fruits, pineapples (yes, you read that right, and they were producing pineapples there in the 1800s) melons. There was a passage through what turned out to be the former gardeners toilets. But, why you walk through them is that those gardeners who had left for the war had written their names on the wall and you can still see them there.

The Italian Garden

The passage led to a small walled garden called the Italian Garden. It had a pond with a small statue and koi, and benches in the small grassy error. We sat for awhile and enjoyed the garden.

More wandering, sundial garden, gigantic rhododendrons, a small alpine ravine, and back out to the cafe before lunch service ended.

The Cafe

This was cafe style and the food was both excellent and reasonable priced. They source as much as they can from the property. In addition to the gardens, they also raise animals. Sis had pork cheeks, maybe over rice, I can't remember. I had an excellent savory pumpkin tart with sage, and spoonfuls of some different salads but now I can't remember them all. I think one was carrot with cashews and cilantro.

Here's the LGH IRL

http://heligan.com

Lobbs Farm Shop

Right next to the gardens was the farm shop. I needed to stop there because I would be making meat loaf the next night for friend. Yes, meat loaf. There had been a series of conversations about meat loaf, which apparently is very American. So, in a silly turn of events, I was making it for them!

I also needed the makings for a salad my sister wanted me to make for her.

While I browsed the market, sis went to the craft show attached. Do you see a trend here?

It was fun to browse (and buy) but in a state of disorganization, I neglected to buy dinner makings for that very night! Or cider! But I did get the meatloaf makings, salad ingredients, eggs, milk, and cream.

As I did not know how much longer we would be out, I also bought an insulated Lobbs farm bag (for all of £3) which folded flat and will be a fun souvenir .

I'm going to have to finish this later (can you believe there's more?)
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Old Oct 15th, 2016, 03:30 PM
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The round houses of Veryan and the Cornwall Driving Experience

My friend suggested that we check this out after LGH and we were so glad we did! But first we had to get there.

It was quite an adventure, on tiny little lanes lined with hedgerows. It really was beautiful. Streams and fields and farms and critters. Of course, when you met a car (or farm equipment hauling hay, one of you had to blink. And those hedgerows look pretty but cover stone walls so you don't want to go to far over.

Right after we encountered the farm equipment we turned onto a lane that had a sign saying it could not accommodate wide loads. And we immediately started laughing because the hedgerows lining the lines were covered in hay that had clearly just been left by the farm equipment we passed.

A few minutes later I came face to face with a Land Rover and got to back up a very long way, slightly up hill, with a stick. I feel I had the full driving experience.

Veryan

http://www.cornwalls.co.uk/Veryan

What a beautiful village. The main draw was the round houses. It looks like at least a couple are vacation rentals. There are two at each end of the village, and one in the center of town (we missed that one). I had a little trouble finding parking but right by two of them a car was pulled up with two wheels on the sidewalk and so I did the same.

The story goes that a reverend built them for his daughters. They are round so that the devil has no corners in which to hide. Each has a cross at the peak of the roof, and each cross was different. They were really unique and fun to see.

I took a video of a snail and sis took a picture of a goat or a cow or something. I explored a side path. Eventually we got back in the car with a goal of King Harry's Ferry.

Unfortunately, even with google maps I got turned around (probably at one of those double roundabouts aka figure 8s) and eventually we decided it was best o head back as traffic was starting to pick up.

When we got back to St. Day we decided to try to find a grocery or butcher so we could get something to make for dinner. We pulled up in front of a butcher we found and as we sat in the car discussing what we should try to get, he locked the door!

Turns out it wasn't personal, they close early on Wedneday

We headed back to the barn.

Midsomer Murders and Prosecco

I am notoriously bad about going back out again once I have gone home for the day, no matter where home might be at the moment. I need to have a plan, and then I'll do it. We had no such plan that night, and so I again browsed the cupboards to come up with something. (We really should have driven five minutes down the road to the pub. Sorry sis)

One spice mix was kind of spicy, and there was salt and pepper. I had ground beef and ground pork (more than I needed for the meat loaf) and there was a package of spaghetti in the cupboard. So I made a spicy meat mixture with spaghetti. I actually liked it, and sis ate it and didn't complain.

We settled in to the lounge, each with our guidebooks and travel brochure, and sis with her knitting, and discovered that Midsomer Murders was on. I hadn't watched that before either, so sis had fun again introducing me to all the characters.

Then my friend called, and showed up with Prosecco (and a bottle of cider!).

We had a fun chat and it turns out she was taking the next two days off and we got t spend that time together!

Time was passing too quickly (unlike my trip report). Hard to believe that the week was half over.
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Old Oct 15th, 2016, 05:24 PM
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Lovely!
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Old Oct 15th, 2016, 05:58 PM
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Thank you!

St. Michael's Mount, Penzance and Penlee House, Newlyn, Mousehole, and The Merry Maidens

We set out Thursday morning with my friend A driving (yay!). We had plans that afternoon for seeing Peter Pan at the Minack Theatre and had purchased the tickets online last summer. A and her family had made plans to join us.

So with that in mind, sis and I had sketched out what we wanted to see on a timeline that took us to the theatre on time. With A driving, we managed to hit all the spots.

First up was St. Michael's Mount. Upon seeing my picture on Facebook, a friend commented that at first she thought it was Mont St. Michel. When we were there the tide was out, and people were walking across the causeway to the island.

It was a beautiful day, and made a beautiful sight.

http://www.stmichaelsmount.co.uk

On we went to Penzance. Having been in a production of the Pirates of Penzance in the 4th grade (at the Western Washington State Fair--this was big time!) Penzance called to me. Also, I wanted to visit the Penlee House Gallery and Museum.

A walked us through some beautiful gardens to Penlee House. In addition to exhibitions, there are historical displays to see. There were some school groups, all wearing protective artist smocks, so cute.

There was an exhibit of Wilhelmina Barns-Graham, subtitled A Scottish Artist in St. Ives. I enjoyed it very much. In particular I like how it was done on a timeline that showed her evolution as an artist.

Time for a cappuccino in the museum cafe. And an almond biscuit for me. Sis and A had coffees as well, their own pastries.

http://www.penleehouse.org.uk

Penlee House is set in some lovely gardens. Right outside is a statue of a man holding cauliflower although apparently they call it broccoli there.

Well I just looked it up, and it is called The Broccoli Juggler. It refers to the precarious nature of farming in the region.

http://www.museumsincornwall.org.uk/...m/Museum-News/

On through a small walled memorial garden, and off we went through Newlyn on to Mousehole. I enjoyed being a passenger and looking around!

Mousehole is a must visit. We parked right on the harbor. The tide was out and boats were standing all through the harbor with their lines spreading out in a sunbeam pattern. I don't know any seafaring terms so I have no idea what terms to use to correctly describe it! All I know is that the colorful boats and their lines made a beautiful pattern.

Kayaks were standing on end in additional colorful displays against the harbor wall. Have I mentioned what a beautiful day it was?

What did we do? We wandered the lanes. We stopped in some shops. We enjoyed seeing door knockers shaped like dolphins, stone cats lining steps, a pet turtle wandering a garden, and reading the cottage names such as Virgin Place (I doubt it)

Then we went to a pub. Sis ordered fish and chips and A and I stole her chips. I drank cider. I discovered I had lost my phone.

Before we departed the parking area, I had to take a picture of a van completely covered in leopard spots. Camouflaged we think.

http://www.cornwall-online.co.uk/wes.../mousehole.htm

On to Merry Maidens, just past Lamorna. We had read about it in the Rick Steves guide, and A had not been there either. This circle of standing stones was another where it was said that the maidens were dancing on a Sunday, and so turned to stone.

Although I touched the stones, I felt no vibrations and did not hear any rushing noises. I remained solidly in this century. One Maiden had an hourglass figure, and sis dubbed her the Curvy Maiden.

Next up, The Minack
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Old Oct 15th, 2016, 07:41 PM
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I had started reading your report and then lost track of it. Glad I found it again -- really loving the whole thing.

>>First time diving on the left in three years. First time ever driving a stick using my left hand. In the rain. During rush hour. Up a long hill.

Amazingly, I never killed it and I only made my sister gasp in terror three times as we drove back to the farm.
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