Monday
July 13, 2015
Today was a big day. We
were travelling to Exeter in Devon where we had spent a few summers while Jim
worked at the Universoty of Exeter. We were eager to retrace some of steps and
revisit some favourite places.
We set out early and
stopped at the first service centre along the freeway to get a take-away
coffee. It turned out to be the
strangest service centre we have ever encountered. From the freeway to the
shops, we had to go through two round-abouts and under a low yellow gate. At
that point, we were in a circular road with no apparent exit except to get back
on the freeway. Finally, I just stopped the car and Jim hopped out, determined
to get two coffees no matter what. I continued to snake the car along the
roadway hoping that Jim would be able to find me once he had our coffees in
hand. Eventually, I had to park illegally while Jim got the coffee … from a
coffee truck, yes … a coffee truck …. The only source coffee in this service
centre! Success!! Jim found the car and
had the coffee! And it was good Costa Coffee.
We sipped our coffee as we
continued along the road to Taunton where I sent a happy hour spent in a Mothercare
store purchasing items for grandchildren and other babies. It was great fun
with good results. Nice to be able to buy some things that are slightly
different than what is available at home.
Then we turned the wheel to
our destination for the day – Exeter in Devon. We were revisiting places we lived and places
we love. We began with a late breakfast at the Imperial Pub, eaten outside on
the patio overlooking beautiful gardens, lovely lawns and in the distance the
Devon countryside
Next we drove past Balcony
Mansion, our first home in Exeter (a student house on a pretty run down street
but it served us well), and the Castle, a lovely modern home where Jim spent
much time during his second summer in Exeter. It even had an indoor swimming
pool.
Then across the Iron
Bridge, passing by the ancient walls of Exeter, into the main shopping area on
High Street and the Cathedral Green. What a delightful place! Although we did
not purchase a single thing, we enjoyed walking along the pedestrian mall,
sitting in front of the cathedral sipping fruit juice while taking in the
history and ambience of this vibrant yet ancient city.
Soon we left Exeter behind
and drove into Dartmoor National Park. We passed through Moretonhampstead, one
of my favourite country towns, as we traversed narrow, winding roads with high
high hedges and stone walls. We often had to stop to provide space for oncoming
traffic to get past us – an adventure in driving to be sure. The scenery, when
it was visible, was gorgeous.
We were heading to Fingle
Bridge, one of our favourite places, down a very steep forested hillside along
an especially narrow road with a babbling river and a 17C stone arch packhorse bridge at the end of
the road. It was a treat to enjoy an authentic Devon Cream Tea. Scones, cream, jam and tea have never tasted
better than in this picturesque place.
Following tea, we continued
our drive through the countryside of
Dartmoor to reach Denmore where we were to meet Susan and David Karoly for
dinner. Until this very morning, we had no idea that we were all in the UK,
just an hour or so apart. What fun it was to discover that and be able to make
arrangements to meet. Serendipity at work! It is indeed a small world! Dinner
in the Union Pub in Denmore was both tasty and fun. We look forward to another
shared encounter in Australia later this year.
Our drive home to
Glastonbury was smooth, taking us mostly along major highways which were much
faster and much gentler than expected. We achieved mostly in the daylight,
thanks to the late light evenings here. Dusk fell at 9:40 and we were home
before 10 pm. Nonetheless, it was very nice to arrive home!
Tuesday,
July 14, 2015
Today was laundry day so we
remained at home until two loads of laundry made their way through the washing
cycle. The weather was iffy and hanging clothes outside was a risk so we headed
to a Laundromat to dry things. It was in fact a very efficient way to finish
the laundry and move on to other activities.
It was market day in
Glastonbury. The Town Hall had tables of foods and other goods and there was a
short street lined with tents outside as well as a small fruit and veg section.
It took about 15 minutes to peruse everything that was available. We often have
to remind ourselves that we come from a community that is reknowned for its largesse
in farmer’s markets. We are truly spoiled.
After a quick bite at Burns
the Bread, we moved on to Clarks Village in Street. Clarks Village is the
transformation of the original Clarks Shoe Company site from a manufacturing
site to a retail shopping complex. (All
manufacturing is done in Chinas now.) The site was beautifully designed and
well manicured. Flower baskets and gardens lined the walkways and added colour
to the overhanging roofs along the walkways. There are more than 100 stores in
the complex, anchored by a very large Clarks Show outlet and a Marks and
Spencer outlet. We wandered and browsed but really found nothing that we either
needed or wanted. Except for a pair of shoes from Clarks for Jim.
We had been invited for Afternoon
Cream Tea with Jim and Viola Nagel, friends of our exchange partners, at their
home. Overall, it was a lovely event. There was much rich conversation,
delicious and freshly made whole wheat scones, homemade strawberry jam and
thick Devon cream. Jim Nagel coincidentally grew up in Kitchener, attended
Preuter Public School and Eastwood High School. Although a few years older than
Jim and I, we recall his name from our University of Waterloo days as the
editor and the student paper, The Chevron. It was quite amazing after that
passing of more than 50 years, how many people we knew in common. We actually
shared a couple of quite close friends. It is an amazingly small world at
times!
We spent a pleasant evening
at home. The daylight extends until well past 9:30 and Jim and I regularly sit
at the dining room table with our computers, working on this blog or our photo
book or planning our next outings. It is wonderful to be able to look out over
the pastureland that is behind the house and observe people and dogs walking along
the river, cattle grazing on the grass, birds soaring through the air –
especially the swallows that catch the air currents and appear to float.
Tonight we were not
especially hungry for dinner because of the longlasting cream tea. We were
satisfied with a light salad that mostly came from the garden … crisp, fresh,
delicious!!
Wednesday,
July 15, 2015
Off to another market town
today … this time in Wells. We started with a late breakfast at Witherspoons
Pub , a predictable hearty and inexpensive breakfast, consistently offered at
all the Witherspoons Pubs, so you really know what you are getting. Eggs,
bacon, sausage, beans, hash browns, toast and coffee. Needless to so, you do
not leave hungry.
In some ways, it is a good
idea to go to a market when you are not very hungry. The colourful stalls of
delectable foods are interesting and attractive, but the wallet remains closed
for the most part. This market is a large outdoor market, a combination of a
wide range of food as well as crafts and other products. In contrast to
Glastonbury yesterday, this was the market to be at. We took loads of photos of beautiful
vegetable displays, eggs sold in half dozen boxes, freshly made scones,
pasties, and other pastries, fresh fish and meats, cheeses of all kinds –
cheddar and stilton are our favourites.
We came upon a stall that
specialized in Scotch Eggs, a hardcooked egg covered in a thick layer of fresh
pork, coated with a crispy topping and deep fried. Those of you who have known
us since our chlldren were small will remember our much beloved nanny, Morag.
She used to make scotch eggs for us and we loved them. We have not had one
since. And so we indulged!! There were so many flavours to choose from. This
vendor had perfected the art of scotch eggs and diversified the flavour using a
wide range of herbs and spices. When we finally made a selection and bit into
the egg, it took us back to the days that Morag was a part of our family. What
a treat it was in so many ways!!
We wanted to visit the Bishop’s
Palace in Wells but, alas, it was closed today and for much of the week due to
the filming of a major motion picture, The Huntsman, due to be released in
April 2016. We will be sure to go and see the movie as much of it was being set
and filmed before our very eyes.
We were able to visit the
Wells cathedral instead. What a large and glorious building it is! Stained glass windows, arches, pillars,
graves, a magnificent pipe organ in the choir … all cleaned and refurbished. It
was possible to read the dates on most graves, to read the names of those
buried under our feet, some dating as far back as the 1300’s. It must also be amazing to hear the sound of
the organ reverberating throughout the building during worship or concerts.
An interesting feature of
this cathedral is what are known as the scissor arches. After the cathedral had
been built, it was noted the towers were beginning to sink. So enormous
scissor-shaped arches were installed inside the cathedral below the towers to
provide additional support. When you think about the immensity of that
undertaking in a time when there were no power tools, no motorized equipment,
no health and safety standards, just a man with an idea and a very large work
force, it is remarkable what was accomplished. How did they get all those
massive stones raised high in the cathedral and accurately put in place?
We left the cathedral and
strolled the High Street in Wells, stopping for a refreshing cool drink and a
chance to observe people as they scurried past. We did drop into a shop or two,
looking for a replica of a beautiful lightweight blanket that feels invisible,
beautifully woven and warm as toast which our hosts have in their home. No
success on that count today.
We drove home along main
highway until Jim saw a sign that peaked his interest. Off to the byways we
went, passing through farmland with fields of corn, pasture and hay. Wild
flowers were scattered along the ditches with such an array of colours and shapes and
sizes. Many photos later, we must have
the perfect photo!
Finally we found our way to
the main road again and headed almost directly home except for a stop at Tesco,
the supermarket, for a couple of grocery items and Tonic Water. We would not
have otherwise been able to indulge in the ultimate of summer drinks, a gin and
tonic! Whew! A near miss!
Thursday,
July 16, 2015
Thursday began as a much
quieter day. Jim is working on plan for the next several days, including a side
trip to Wales with Iain. Iain arrives in London on Friday where he will spend
the weekend. We will meet him on Monday at the train station in Bristol and
spend a couple of days in south Wales before returning to Glastonbury.
The weather was cool and
rainy in the morning. From our seats at the dining room table we are able to watch
the weather literally sweep across the hills and bring the rain and wind to our
doorstep. It is quite dramatic seeing the sheathe of rain envelop the landscape
and eventually coat the window and embrace the house. Weather here is extremely
changeable so what looks like a bleak day in the morning will often transform
into a beautiful sunny day by the afternoon. Such was the circumstance today.
By the time we were ready
to leave the house, the sun was out and it was a grand day to go to the centre
of town. Our purpose today was to capture the character of Glastonbury as well
as the characters of Glastonbury through the lense of the camera. We strolled
the High Street looking for interesting shops and people and had no trouble
finding either one. I have described the shops earlier in this blog. Let me
just reiterate by saying this small town has a collection of some of the most
eclectic shops I have ever seen. And the people to go with it ….. Women sport
as many hair colours and styles as the eye can imagine. Clothing is often
colourful and wispy, with unique lines, lengths and patterns. Hats and lavish
makeup are commonplace along the street as well as tattoos and piercings.
Facial hair on men is common, especially braided beards. And long hair to go with
it.
We paused for a coffee at
Market Square, followed by more strolling. I was delighted to find a lovely
place to get a manicure and I booked one for tomorrow. While Jim went off to
run a couple of errands, I was able to read a book at a shady table at an
outdoor café. Such pleasure.
Finally we stopped for a
late lunch at a café that serves only pancakes and crepes. We were reticent at
first but most cafes close by 2:30 so we knew we have trouble finding another
one that was open. My crepe was buckwheat filled with sun dried tomatoes,
sauted spinach, black olives and goat’s cheese. It was absolutely
melt-in-the-mouth delicious!! Jim’s was buckwheat filled with mushrooms and
sauted spinach and also delicious. We were so glad that we landed at this café
through total accident. We will return (if we have time).
We came back home for a
brief period before heading out for dinner with Jim and Viola Nagel (our cream
tea hosts). We met at a pub called Who’d Have Thought It, an ancient building
on a pedestrian thoroughfare. From the many delicious offerings on the menu, I
chose posh fish pie and Jim settled on the Somerset sausage plate. Both meals
were beautifully presented and wonderfully delicious. Good the very last
morsel. Wine and beer accompanied the meal along with lively conversation about
many topics. It is great fun to be able to ask locals questions about their
community. There is so much to learn about what makes a community work and,
generally as a tourist, one barely scratches the surface. We finished off the
meal by sharing a sticky toffee pudding, again a very good choice. We have
really struck it rich with food choices today. Mmm good!
With the Nagels, we walked
a short distance to the George and Pilgrim pub for cider. The G & P, as it
is called by the locals, is the oldest inn in Glastonbury. Its records date
back to the 1400’s. For the mostpart, it has retained its history and original
building style, creating an amazing ambience and building structure. Tiny, yet exquisite
stain glass windows welcome guests at the front of the building. A gigantic
fireplace which would feature a real roaring fire is part of the lounge
area. Original timbers and undulating
floors underfoot are also reflective of the age of the building. Over the many
centuries, paupers and kings have all slept here, including King Henry VIII
who, as the story goes, watched from his window in the inn, as the magnificent
Glastonbury Abbey was destroyed at his command. No one who lives here thinks
much of Henry VIII.
As the evening ended for
us, at the final bell in the pub, we bid farewell to the Nagels. We hope that
our paths will cross again in some way, whether in K-W or in the UK. They were
wonderful people to meet and delightful companions. A great way to complete our
day!
Friday,
July 16, 2015
Another trip to the
countryside … Following a leisurely start to the day, we headed out of town to
a pub called Sheppey Inn in Lower Godney. Once we left the main highway, the
roads became narrower and narrower until we began to wonder whether anyone
would actually come this far on these roads just for lunch. We passed through
the village of Godney (blink and you miss it) and the hamlet of Upper Godney
(another half blink) and then travelled for what seemed like a long way on
winding roads until we reached Lower Godney. A surprise awaited us. Lower
Godney was quite a good sized village with several homes all hugging the edge
of the road, a couple of businesses, a school, several B&B’s and, of
course, Sheppey Inn.
Most buildings in Lower
Godney were in very good condition with clean stone structures, brightly
painted doorways, colorful flowers hanging in pots and hedges that were
trimmed. Sheppey Inn is actually an old dairy barn converted to a new use. It
was in very good shape and inviting from the appearance of the exterior. The
only entrance was through a small grey door. Not knowing what we might find on
the other side, it felt a bit like Alice going through the looking glass.
Inside we found a wonderful
bar, fashioned totally from reused materials. We also found several dining
areas, each one occupying a room that would have been used during the dairy
process. At the back of the building is a large outdoor patio and a large room
that might have once been used to store feed and straw. It had been transformed
into a rather modern dining area, yet in keeping with the remainder of the inn.
We chose to eat in that room because of the many windows that allowed the
lovely light of the day pour in.
Drinks, as usual, are
ordered at the bar (an ale shandy and a Camden stout) and carried to the table.
The menu was extensive and innovative. Jim ordered a fish stew with both
shellfish and salmon in it accompanied by a thick sweet potato broth. I ordered
a child’s portion of the soup of the day (pea, mint and broad bean) and a
monkfish burger. The bowl of soup was huge and delicious. The monkfish burger
was a bit unusual – monkfish, thick bacon, a mustard dressing and arugula and a
bun. Not just any bun though. This was a squid ink bun. During preparation,
squid ink is added to the bun batter, turning it totally black. The
presentation of the burger along side fresh plum chutney was exquisite. The
squid had no flavour so it was like a regular sesame seed bun but it certainly
added a unique flair to the meal.
After lunch, we headed
across country on some new roads and came upon the Railway Inn near the
villages of Meare and Ashcott. Sadly, it was closed so we could not go in for a
beverage. We have been told that if we enjoyed Wilkins Cider Farm, we will also
like The Railway Inn. We will go back another day.
We also passed through some
peat bogs and huge piles of peat that have been harvested. In one are, two men
with large earth moving machines seems to be blending large quantities of two
very different materials. One was sandy-coloured and the other deep black. WE
asked if they were mixing peat with sawdust. Not so!! The black material was
actually household compost hat had been processed and now mixed with sawdust
and a few other elements to create a no-peat garden product, one of many
products that the peat company distributes.
Back in Glastonbury, the
first stages of the weekend Magic Festival had begun. Several magicians
gathered in Market Square to perform their shows. It was a pass the hat event.
In order to see the more professional magicians, it was necessary to purchase a
ticket that allowed entry into the Market Building which is where the Magic
Festival is taking place on Saturday and Sunday. Time will tell whether we
choose to go or not.
One thing I did do today
was to a much needed manicure. It was fun chatting with the aesthetician as she
did my nails, another source of local opinion and information. The manicure was
not great but at least my nails have more shape and colour than when I went into the shop.
Tonight we are off to a
movie called A Royal Night based on true life stories of Queen Elizabeth and
Princess Anne as they grew up.
No comments:
Post a Comment