OUR OWN DAY

                                    Scraping the Itinerary

       England was coping with a big epidemic of hoof and mouth disease so many people had cancelled their trip. However, it did not hamper our trip in any way and I was glad I stuck with my plans.

     One day in Cornwall, England the ten of us all found the day’s itinerary  unappealing. At breakfast as a group we decided that we wanted to scrap the original plans and do something else. I was sort of elected spokesman of the group and our decision  stymied our guide. However, she was a trooper and turned the day into a marvelous one for us.

     We started the day by hiking down a lovely deserted lane. The narrow paved road was covered with a natural canopy of natural trees and vines that had reached across the road and tangled into a wonderful cover. A footpath at the end of the road led us to a deserted sandy beach. Another footpath brought us to a quaint village where the houses were topped with picturesque thatched roofs.

     Both paths ambled through areas of lush vegetation where many wildflowers were in bloom. But at the village we found the next footpath closed because of the cow epidemic.  The guide used her cell phone to call the van driver to come pick us up.

     Looking at a map, the driver discovered we were not far from a seal sanctuary. There I saw several species of seals I had never seen before. Often babies would be bashed against the rocks in the rough waters, so the sanctuary often has nearly a full house.

      Laughingly I often ask people if they know anyone who has ever been to Qweek, England. Following narrow lanes just wide enough for one vehicle brought us to the village and its single pub where we enjoyed a delicious lunch. It’s a typically  quaint small English village.

     Early afternoon found us wandering around a century-old garden. This garden was a very natural one, not manicured as are many English gardens. I walked the many paths enjoying the garden’s varied and lovely foliage and flowers. At the end of one path near the ocean cliff was a memorial plaque to the WW II soldiers who had gone to the battlefield from that point.

      I paused to sit on many of the benches scattered around the garden to thoroughly enjoy the peace and quiet of the lovely old garden.

      It turned out to be an interesting full day on a beautiful day with many unexpected surprises. Ah the advantage of small groups!

SOME FRENCH REFLECTIONS

                                      Remembered well

     On two of my trips to France I experience a strike of Air France pilots. Fortunately I had arrived in country both times. It was on the second strike when biking the wine country that I got quite peeved at my roommate who got spastic over the strike. I listened to her fuss one time to many when short of yelling at her I told her I didn’t want to hear a thing more about it. There was absolutely nothing we could do until we were ready to leave anyway. And sure enough when several days later we arrived in Bordeaux we all had been rerouted home on other airlines.

     Because disease will strike rose bushes before they attack grape vines, all the vineyards in Bordeaux had a rose bush at the end of each row of grapevines in the vineyards. The roses were a colorful addition and a safety precaution for the growers..

    To get to where we wanted to be we had to cross Archachon Bay. The fellows formed a chain to pass the bikes down several steps to  be boarded onto a small boat.  It was a rather rough water day so all the bikes were securely lashed down before we boarded another but larger boat for the twenty minute crossing. Disembarking at the end of a very long pier we walked the bikes to solid ground.

     Our mesquite-lined bike path winding through forest and sand dunes was covered with lots of sand and pine needles and cones as the wind was blowing close to a gale. This is where I had my only flat tire on any of my bike trips. Darn those mesquite thorns!

    We learned more about wine from a couple lectures on this trip than we ever wanted to know. But the best part about the wine was that it flowed generously every night at dinner. All of our facilities were small boutique hotels or B & Bs, and since the president of the company was along on this trip we figured the facilities were just saying thank you to him for his business. We all benefited from that and the fellows were not a bit shy about holding up an empty bottle for another. It is the only time in all my travels that wine flowed so generously and for free.

    Our local city guide in Bordeaux was a flamboyant little fellow who spoke English with a very heavy accent. Whenever we  crossed the street during the 3-hour walking tour he would run into the street, stop traffic  by madly waving his hands and yelling ,”Hurry, hurry” at us. Watching him was a show in itself and you couldn’t help but smile.

    Stopping for a picnic lunch in Malconx I was most fascinated in the center of the small town

where some trees  were covering a large ‘patio’. The numerous trees were trained to follow overhead wires to fill in and create a canopy. I’d never seen anything like it nor have I seen anything like it since. I do not know what kind of trees they were. It was a very clever idea.

    The produce we bought at the open markets was vine ripened and absolutely delicious! However, I would not want to shop daily as the French do. They all carry their own basket or bag to carry home their groceries----way ahead of us in the US.

     In the countryside, where we spent most of our time, homes and yards were small, but flowers were everywhere. Window boxes were very popular. Besides the cultivated flowers, wild flowers were in bloom all along the roadsides and in fields. Lovely! Bright red poppies were a marked contrast to the white Queen Anne’s lace in the fields.

REYKJAVIK SITES

                                              Lots to See

The church

 The famed Hallgrimskirkja Church  Completed in 1986, the church is designed to look like a mountain of lava and is the city’s most unusual structure. Named for a poet, its 246-foot tower affords a panoramic view of the city. Outside the church is a statue of Leif Eriksson presented by the US in 1930.  Many think the Lutheran church interior is stark, but I rather think it is elegant in its simplicity. The all white interior makes it very light inside. The plaza surrounding the church is paved with 9-inch charcoal and grey tiles that are laid to form several crosses in the design. The parish built the church taking 40 years to complete. Architect Samulson designed the church plus many other buildings in the city. In 1920 he was the first to graduate from architectural school. The church is the tallest building in the city, but I understand an office building is in the process of being built that will be slightly higher.

      The ten-story Perlan, Pearl Building, 1990, is where geothermically heated water and power is supplied to the city.  The building sits on six huge storage tanks. On the fourth deck of the building is an observation platform that offers wonderful views of the city. A revolving restaurant is on the top floor and a café below that.

       Old town is fascinating with much of the city’s past as well as where green parks and museums are located. The city was the site of the Reagan-Gorbachev summit in 1996.     Government offices are housed in a white building that was originally the 18th century jail. It is one of the oldest buildings in the city. A statue of the first prime minister in 1904 is on the right of the building and a statue on the left is of Christian IX. However, the oldest house in town, dating back to 1752, was Sheriff Magnusson’s weaving shed. Destroyed by fire in 1764, it was immediately rebuilt on the same site and now houses a pub.

      The City Hall, Radhus, was controversial when it was built. Located on the north end of the lake, its front pillars and part of the building are actually in the lake. It is an unusual building. The lake, Tjornin, is in the city center and is more of a pond than a lake.

      Reykjavik is relatively small and very walkable. There are sights outside the city and we took the time to travel to see the magnificent Gulfass, golden waterfall. The picturesque two-tier waterfall often showcases a rainbow shining through the mist and spray. The wind was blowing and we got a pretty good shower of spray. At one time a hydroelectric plant was proposed, but there was such a citizen uproar that the government bought the land to preserve the waterfall. West of Gulfass is the Strokkur Geyser, “the churn”, which spouts a 60-100 foot jet about once every five minutes. The geyser performed for us a couple of times as we walked by.

      The drive around the Golden Circle was a lovely ride into the countryside on a beautiful sunny day. The beautiful historic site of Thingvellir lies 30 miles from Reykjavik. It is the site of the world’s  oldest existing parliament. Starting in 930 AD the parliament met annually to enact laws and govern the island. One law in 1000 AD introduced Christianity.  The lake in the area, 84 meters long and 114 meters deep, is the largest in the country. Shalholt was the historic site of Bishops for 740 years. An early school dates to 1056.

 

A Friendly Greeting

     Since 1902 natural thermal heat from springs in the center of town has heated greenhouses at Hveragerdi, Greenhouse Village. Artificial light and hot water prolongs the growing season for flowers and produce. A thin layer of soil covers boiling water underneath. Many residents make regular treks here for fresh produce long after the normal growing season is over. It was an interesting visit to a unique facility. The southern low plateau is an agricultural area.

Visit posts 4-6-11 Reykjavik, Botanical Garden9-4-11, Blue Lagoon7-17-10, Famous hot dog12-31-10

BIRD’S EYE VIEW OF CORNWALL,ENGLAND

                      Picturesque Countryside
     Cornwall is a world of its own with spectacular landscapes and stunning rugged coastline. Hedgerows climb the hills defining and dividing the rolling green pastures. No place is Cornwall is more than 20 miles from the coast and the ocean.                 

    We often passed under natural green arches over the roads where the trees and vines on each side had grown across the road and entangled with those on the opposite side. Most roads in Cornwall are narrow two-lane roads, with one lane going in each direction. Some roads are no more than a one car lane and it got real interesting sometimes when we met a vehicle going in the opposite direction. It is easy to understand that people living in this part of the country would want only a small vehicle.    

    Cornwall is the land of legendary shipwrecks, with over 3000 recorded along the rugged coastline. In Charlestown, on a rainy afternoon, we visited the Shipwreck Museum. The museum was quite well done, with video narration of several famous shipwrecks. The museum was full of shipwreck relics.

    Prince Charles has an estate in Cornwall. The eldest royal son has been the Duke of Cornwall for ages.  If produce or a product is labeled duchy, it means the tax goes to the Duke's trust. Prince Charles’ trust makes loans/grants to small business enterprises.

   Mevagissey, a quaint small fishing village, has a history of smuggling. In fact smuggling was a common enterprise years ago all along the Cornwall coast. One evening we had fish and chips in the Fountain Inn, a 15^th century pub where even today the bar, oak beams, and slate floor are the original. The meaning of history certainly comes alive!  George Bernard Shaw wrote The Doctor’s Dilemma  in 1906 while living in Mevagissey.

Hedgerow up a fell

  Driving over the narrow country lanes was a delight. The hedgerow-lined meadows became part of panoramic views as the bushes and flowers along the roads thinned. Wild flowers were in bloom everywhere. Taking one wrong turn our van driver said, “You can’t get lost in Cornwall, you just take the wrong route.” Every once in awhile we’d find a small village or a thatched roof house, but we saw no tourists, buses or fast food restaurant. Ah the pleasures of a small or private group and a van!

Penzance is a seaside community with an ocean promenade that offered a delightful view of Mount’s Bay and St. Michael’s Mount.  In the 16^th century Spanish raiders destroyed most of the town, so most buildings were 18^th century.

     St. Ives has been known as an artist colony since the 1880s. Whistler came  to paint. Daphne de Maurier and Virginia Wolfe wrote here. I visited the Barbara Hepworth sculptor garden. I had a heck of a time finding it, but eventually did after asking several people for directions. Her sculpture was very modern, and it didn’t take me long to get through the garden. The harbor exported tin, wooden barrels, and fish, and imported coal for the mining industry. I did wander the beach area, but generally walked up and down the cobbled alleyways looking in shops. It is a delightful picturesque village. The streets are only lanes and the area is very hilly. A shuttle runs from the carpark down into the village. Coaches, and there were many of them, had to park in an area high above town. We also parked the van in the carpark and took advantage of the shuttle.

Previous post include: Cornwall in a Nutshell 3/10/13, Tin Mine 1/11, Cornwall surprises 7/12, Buckfast Abbey 5/13, Minach Theater 6/10/13 and Eden project 3/21/13