I collected the little car I rented, a smart 4 door that looks like a Lady Bug, and then my sprog and her beau and off we went to see what we could see.
I left the actual route planing to her and boy what a route she took us.
(A bit of a laugh, the day I arrived it was hot enough for this Caribbean blooded lass to lie out in the garden with shorts on getting a tan)My friend organised the car pickup and the next day I collected my sprog and B and we went to Portsmouth to stay in an hotel there so we could get an early start.
We went to a cheap and cheerful Greek place for supper. The grilled octopus was the best ever and the halloumi grilled cheese and the dolmas...we pigged out Yum!
Breakfast was the usual BIG English one of eggs, sausages, bacon, baked beans, tomatoes, toast juices and cereals...the type of breakfast we would enjoy for a week!
Starting off in Portsmouth and heading across the country to the coast on the other side kept us in the car for about 10 hours. Unfortunately we did not put my daughter on the insurance so I was the only driver....
We crossed to a lovely little fishing town at the base of a cliff...Lynmouth connected to the town above by tracks up the steep cliff side. Here we had lunch of fish...what else. Fish cakes and mussels and of course some ice cream made with Devonshire clotted cream...oh yes and fudge...all kinds that we polished off on the second leg of the days drive to Newquay.
Leaving this quaint town we headed along the coast getting more and more windswept and bleak. We stopped to see the ponies and ask an old getleman in his car with 3 old ladies if the road ahead was alright to drive and he said...'if you have a head for heights and can negotiate hairy bends'...so I asked if he had actually done it and he said about 5 times...so off we sped.
Yes it was hairy, narrow road with moss growing thickly in the middle, high on the edge of the cliff and lots of trees making tunnels through which we drove.
Just quite exciting. Then out on to the high, very windswept moors. Just so exciting.
Newquay is a seedy seaside town with great surf, a mecca for surfers and rather interesting.
That night we called a taxi to take us to a recommended Thai restuarant...not a good experience as far as the taxi went...he dropped us at an alley saying 'just nip down there and turn right, I can't go down the one-way system'...bloody hell !!we arrived out the alley to be confronted by about 8 bag-men and one bag/lady with the enevitable supermarket trolley filled with junk...so glad we had the beau with us.
The walk to the restuarant was much further than we were told but we arrived in one piece and had a fairly good meal.
I had a dish with the rice in it (this dish was discussed some posts ago and as I am not wearing my specs I cant see without straining to find that post)...it was sooo hot I sent it back and they brought another without the heat...it was awful so they took it back and didnt charge...yuck!
The rest of the meal was very delish 'specially the tom yum soup.
They called a taxi and it cam to the door so what the other chap was about I dont know...we did report it to the hotel, of course!
Next day we drove down to Lands End where we were nearly swept off our feet with the wind. Such an amazing bleak and end of the world like landscape.
Here we had tomato soup for lunch, just so scrumptious, made with fresh tomatoes. Truly just what the doctor ordered.
On the way to Lands End we went to St Ives..THIS is a place to vist. Just so quaint, here we, of course, bought from the vendors and wandered and ate our way through the streets...all the sea food, cockles, winkles, mixed, chips etc...The HUGE sea gulls, which one is asked Not to Feed were swooping down and around all the time...just such a lovely village...the drive through the farmlands with the narrow roads, tin mine ruins and quaint villages through which one drives was soooo interesting and fun. The views were stunning and the weather was sunny and warm.
Back to Perronporth where the sprogs and friends met again after a feww years..they all sailed along from SA as we did from SA many years agowith their parents.
Here the weather turned and they suggested we go to a restuarant on the beach for drinks and supper....YEAH! RIGHT...this old duck had a horrid cold and really was not too pleased to have to cross a long sandy beach being blown so much that the sand crunched between the teeth...anyway who am I to complain...they like me around, apparently.
Once inside it was fun, warm and the food was tasty...I had Asian chicken breast and great salad and a huge baked potato....beer and lots of laughter. The way back to the car was easier, wind behind us and the tide was out so a shorter walk across the beach, and boardwalk.
Next night we went to a farm in Devon (2 nights) all these farms open up for B 'n B and I looked them up on the net. Chose a good one we think...really nice there. This one has a pedigree herd of beef and some sheep. Her English breakfasts we yummy and the farm was truly in the middle of the narrowest little lanes one can imagine...I was so greatful having the 'Lady-bug' to drive...you know one of those 'quick breathe in so we can squeeze past' sort of instances every few mins.
From here we went to see the Eden Project...quite the most stunning large garden project ever....I enjoyed every min, as did the sprogs.
The weather was still warm (almost hot) and sunny and clear...we've been so lucky.
We also went to Padstow. This is where Rick Stein has his restuarant. This village is great...I too could live here...I, of course, bought yet another cookbook...I have 7 so far, my luggage is sure to be overweight by the end of this.
We had The bestmeal of the trip at a lovely restuarant in Looe called The Grapevine...how we found this was the usual ask and yea shall find...We were driving through narrow streets looking for a suitable eatery and couldnt find anything so I decided to accost a likely looking soul and ask...I chose an older man getting into his car...he looked like my dad...he laughed and said do go to the Grapevine, tell them I sent you you...Boy was his suggestion good....
The next night we went to the tinyiest, narrowest seaside town ever...had to park way up the ravine and walk down. The pub we went into on almost the waters edge was one of those wonky floored, low door (you have to duck down to go in or out) and one feels almost as if the whole scene is right for smugglers to come swaggering in and demanding their ale. I love it...A wander up through the village to find a place to eat...and found a great place called The Nelson. The meal was good but after the previous nights meal not quite up to being the best.
Next days drive took us to Swanage where we stayed in a friends caravan for the night...a motorhome sort of set up.
Swanage is delightful town and we went walkabout having of course a bowl of mussels at a street pub and then take aways of Indian to eat in the caravan.
The weather was sunny and warm but next day the wind came a howling and we drove along the coast road to see Micheals Mount but had heavy spray blowing across the road and car so we did not get to the little island.
Back to Portsmouth and some shopping and then off to Petersfield and then a few days in Wiltshire where we saw Stonehenge, Salisbury Catherdral and white horses...those etched out in the chalky cliffs.
Also had starters at a wonderful pub somewhere near Petersfield. The friends we stayed with took us to this pub that is owned by S Africans and I read the menu and said 'what a South African ounding menu' where upon they said well yes! even the chef is SA. We had borewors, very, very good one, chicken liver peri-peri and goat cheese with caramalized onion crostini lots of wine of course....all very tasty, then home to their house for supper of bangers and mash
The next day she made us the typicasl English meal of , Roast BeefYorkshire pud, gravy, roast tats (in duck fat)! and a great apple mousse...I'l post this recipe when I get home.
The rain has been coming down like the tropical rain in the Caribbean and it is much colder again. Good time to wear my gloves.
I'm off up to London for a week where I'll meet up with Sandra...can't wait and then back to Hampshire for a week.
Apparently my poor DH has lost a lot of weight since I've been gone...I'll have to feed him up when I get home.
I do have some photos of the meals we've eaten but I'll have to wait till I get home to download them.
AND I will have a lot of reading to do to catch up with news and recipes posted by all of you...
I left the actual route planing to her and boy what a route she took us.
(A bit of a laugh, the day I arrived it was hot enough for this Caribbean blooded lass to lie out in the garden with shorts on getting a tan)My friend organised the car pickup and the next day I collected my sprog and B and we went to Portsmouth to stay in an hotel there so we could get an early start.
We went to a cheap and cheerful Greek place for supper. The grilled octopus was the best ever and the halloumi grilled cheese and the dolmas...we pigged out Yum!
Breakfast was the usual BIG English one of eggs, sausages, bacon, baked beans, tomatoes, toast juices and cereals...the type of breakfast we would enjoy for a week!
Starting off in Portsmouth and heading across the country to the coast on the other side kept us in the car for about 10 hours. Unfortunately we did not put my daughter on the insurance so I was the only driver....
We crossed to a lovely little fishing town at the base of a cliff...Lynmouth connected to the town above by tracks up the steep cliff side. Here we had lunch of fish...what else. Fish cakes and mussels and of course some ice cream made with Devonshire clotted cream...oh yes and fudge...all kinds that we polished off on the second leg of the days drive to Newquay.
Leaving this quaint town we headed along the coast getting more and more windswept and bleak. We stopped to see the ponies and ask an old getleman in his car with 3 old ladies if the road ahead was alright to drive and he said...'if you have a head for heights and can negotiate hairy bends'...so I asked if he had actually done it and he said about 5 times...so off we sped.
Yes it was hairy, narrow road with moss growing thickly in the middle, high on the edge of the cliff and lots of trees making tunnels through which we drove.
Just quite exciting. Then out on to the high, very windswept moors. Just so exciting.
Newquay is a seedy seaside town with great surf, a mecca for surfers and rather interesting.
That night we called a taxi to take us to a recommended Thai restuarant...not a good experience as far as the taxi went...he dropped us at an alley saying 'just nip down there and turn right, I can't go down the one-way system'...bloody hell !!we arrived out the alley to be confronted by about 8 bag-men and one bag/lady with the enevitable supermarket trolley filled with junk...so glad we had the beau with us.
The walk to the restuarant was much further than we were told but we arrived in one piece and had a fairly good meal.
I had a dish with the rice in it (this dish was discussed some posts ago and as I am not wearing my specs I cant see without straining to find that post)...it was sooo hot I sent it back and they brought another without the heat...it was awful so they took it back and didnt charge...yuck!
The rest of the meal was very delish 'specially the tom yum soup.
They called a taxi and it cam to the door so what the other chap was about I dont know...we did report it to the hotel, of course!
Next day we drove down to Lands End where we were nearly swept off our feet with the wind. Such an amazing bleak and end of the world like landscape.
Here we had tomato soup for lunch, just so scrumptious, made with fresh tomatoes. Truly just what the doctor ordered.
On the way to Lands End we went to St Ives..THIS is a place to vist. Just so quaint, here we, of course, bought from the vendors and wandered and ate our way through the streets...all the sea food, cockles, winkles, mixed, chips etc...The HUGE sea gulls, which one is asked Not to Feed were swooping down and around all the time...just such a lovely village...the drive through the farmlands with the narrow roads, tin mine ruins and quaint villages through which one drives was soooo interesting and fun. The views were stunning and the weather was sunny and warm.
Back to Perronporth where the sprogs and friends met again after a feww years..they all sailed along from SA as we did from SA many years agowith their parents.
Here the weather turned and they suggested we go to a restuarant on the beach for drinks and supper....YEAH! RIGHT...this old duck had a horrid cold and really was not too pleased to have to cross a long sandy beach being blown so much that the sand crunched between the teeth...anyway who am I to complain...they like me around, apparently.
Once inside it was fun, warm and the food was tasty...I had Asian chicken breast and great salad and a huge baked potato....beer and lots of laughter. The way back to the car was easier, wind behind us and the tide was out so a shorter walk across the beach, and boardwalk.
Next night we went to a farm in Devon (2 nights) all these farms open up for B 'n B and I looked them up on the net. Chose a good one we think...really nice there. This one has a pedigree herd of beef and some sheep. Her English breakfasts we yummy and the farm was truly in the middle of the narrowest little lanes one can imagine...I was so greatful having the 'Lady-bug' to drive...you know one of those 'quick breathe in so we can squeeze past' sort of instances every few mins.
From here we went to see the Eden Project...quite the most stunning large garden project ever....I enjoyed every min, as did the sprogs.
The weather was still warm (almost hot) and sunny and clear...we've been so lucky.
We also went to Padstow. This is where Rick Stein has his restuarant. This village is great...I too could live here...I, of course, bought yet another cookbook...I have 7 so far, my luggage is sure to be overweight by the end of this.
We had The bestmeal of the trip at a lovely restuarant in Looe called The Grapevine...how we found this was the usual ask and yea shall find...We were driving through narrow streets looking for a suitable eatery and couldnt find anything so I decided to accost a likely looking soul and ask...I chose an older man getting into his car...he looked like my dad...he laughed and said do go to the Grapevine, tell them I sent you you...Boy was his suggestion good....
The next night we went to the tinyiest, narrowest seaside town ever...had to park way up the ravine and walk down. The pub we went into on almost the waters edge was one of those wonky floored, low door (you have to duck down to go in or out) and one feels almost as if the whole scene is right for smugglers to come swaggering in and demanding their ale. I love it...A wander up through the village to find a place to eat...and found a great place called The Nelson. The meal was good but after the previous nights meal not quite up to being the best.
Next days drive took us to Swanage where we stayed in a friends caravan for the night...a motorhome sort of set up.
Swanage is delightful town and we went walkabout having of course a bowl of mussels at a street pub and then take aways of Indian to eat in the caravan.
The weather was sunny and warm but next day the wind came a howling and we drove along the coast road to see Micheals Mount but had heavy spray blowing across the road and car so we did not get to the little island.
Back to Portsmouth and some shopping and then off to Petersfield and then a few days in Wiltshire where we saw Stonehenge, Salisbury Catherdral and white horses...those etched out in the chalky cliffs.
Also had starters at a wonderful pub somewhere near Petersfield. The friends we stayed with took us to this pub that is owned by S Africans and I read the menu and said 'what a South African ounding menu' where upon they said well yes! even the chef is SA. We had borewors, very, very good one, chicken liver peri-peri and goat cheese with caramalized onion crostini lots of wine of course....all very tasty, then home to their house for supper of bangers and mash
The next day she made us the typicasl English meal of , Roast BeefYorkshire pud, gravy, roast tats (in duck fat)! and a great apple mousse...I'l post this recipe when I get home.
The rain has been coming down like the tropical rain in the Caribbean and it is much colder again. Good time to wear my gloves.
I'm off up to London for a week where I'll meet up with Sandra...can't wait and then back to Hampshire for a week.
Apparently my poor DH has lost a lot of weight since I've been gone...I'll have to feed him up when I get home.
I do have some photos of the meals we've eaten but I'll have to wait till I get home to download them.
AND I will have a lot of reading to do to catch up with news and recipes posted by all of you...
)