• Geezers in Paradise
  • Geezers in Paradise

Where the Heart is

253-päiväinen seikkaillu — Geezers in Paradise Lue lisää
  • EEK!

    7. toukokuuta 2017, Englanti ⋅ ⛅ 55 °F

    We knew they drove on the wrong side of the road over here but actually driving on it is little challenging. Gordon and I are both inexplicably running off the road to the left.

  • Chapel Downs Barn

    7. toukokuuta 2017, Englanti ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F

    After a hair-raising drive on the wrong side of the road we arrived at Chapel Downs Barn. The photo shows our HUGE bedroom in the loft of the old grainery. There is a whole beautiful open-plan apartment below. The first photo is the view from our bedroom. The other landscape is out the ground floor window.

    We thought we were coming to Cornwall, but it turns out we are a bit north in Devon. Devon? Heyyyyy ... isn't that where Devonshire cream, the lucious clotted cream served on scones with jam in cream tea, comes from? Well here's a clue: the local grocery store had about 6 brands. Guess what we're having on our toast in the a.m.? We MIGHT not make it out of here to Cornwall.

    The Devonshire cream is not the only plus for being here in jolly old England. I commented this morning on how happy the birds sounded. Gordon said, "Yes. They're happy because they understand what everyone is saying cause everyone is speaking English."
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  • Exeter

    8. toukokuuta 2017, Englanti ⋅ ☀️ 54 °F

    Dashed into Exeter to pick up a data sim so we can navigate. We were just 5 minutes from the famous Exeter cathedral so we took a short walk through this historic area. Ate lunch at "Proper Burger" which it was. We were both too busy and terrified to take time to photograph the traffic. What's wrong with these folks? Still driving on the wrong side of the street.Lue lisää

  • Driving home

    8. toukokuuta 2017, Englanti ⋅ ☀️ 54 °F

    Oh how bucolic. But where's the road! Some places we were hard pressed to squeeze even ourselves through.

  • Dartmoor National Park

    10. toukokuuta 2017, Englanti ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F

    We drove through the Dartmoor National Park today hoping to get a good view of the moors. The landscape was bleak and rocky. What does not come across in the photos is the effort that generations of farms made in clearing rocks from the fields and building stone fences everywhere. The other thing that I noticed was the wide spread use of hedgerows right next to the sides of the road. It is now on my to do list to see if they are a self defense feature should England be a invaded.Lue lisää

  • Lunch at the Three Pigs

    11. toukokuuta 2017, Englanti ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F

    It was a dreary cold day, so we moseyed on down to the local pub for an English pub lunch. The Three Pigs was cozy and we warmed ourselves at a fireside table. We chose the chef's special of steak and Stilton pie, peas and chips, along with real ale, pumped from the keg.

    The ale was Muck and Straw from a local brewery. There is an organization that must give its stamp of approval for an ale to be called "real." Something about traditional methods, no added carbonation, etc. Though it was not quite up to the Belgian standard, it was a tasty accompaniment to our traditional English food fare.
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  • Leaving Devonshire

    13. toukokuuta 2017, Englanti ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F
  • The Rose Cottage

    17. toukokuuta 2017, Englanti ⋅ 🌧 50 °F

    This is our base for exploring the Cotswolds. It is a very cozy cottage, I bumped my head several times. It came complete with a cat.

  • Here we are again

    20. toukokuuta 2017, Skotlanti ⋅ ⛅ 48 °F

    Only this time it's raining and the wrench that came with the car doesn't fit the bolts on the wheel. Fortunately, a cheerful Jamie, who had the most endearing Scottish accent, showed up just 10 minutes after we called the rental company. He just happened to be 5 minutes down the road.

    We both needed to use the facilities at this pullout. It consisted of a stone fence corral, very private.

    Jamie changed the tire with little fuss, but commiserated with us that we would need a new one. None of us was wild about the idea of driving the remainder of the day on our decidedly slap-dash appearing spare. Cell coverage had been spotty most of the day and we were heading into extensive no-service territory.

    Jamie's place of business had a tire, but it was an hour up the road. It was heading the right direction, however, and we liked Jamie, so we got directions and headed off. It was a hilarious ride to Stevenson Rescue through the misty hills along winding one-lane roads. His garage was at his residence, surrounded with 6 massive rescue trucks. His frisky Jack Russel was excited to meet us. While Jamie was taking care of the tire, the pup went sniffing around in the oil spotted repair bay til he found a rubber part that was the perfect size for playing fetch. He dropped it at our feet, and we dutifully kicked it (we did NOT want to touch it) and he fetched like a ninja, pausing only to mark his territory on a large rusty truck muffler lying on the garage floor.

    Jamie was as good as his word, rescuing us from getting "fetch ankle," and sent us on our way feeling that providence had smiled on us.
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  • Ullapool

    21. toukokuuta 2017, Skotlanti ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F

    After our adventure with the "puncture" we still had 2 hours to travel in the rain. We were so glad to arrive at our Airbnb in Ullapool. The cottage was a newly converted garage and was simple elegance and comfort. (Except even I bumped my head in the loft bedroom!)

    Ullapool itself was a complete surprise. A beautiful small town sitting right on an ocean inlet. We ate several delicious meals there (French toast with bacon and mushrooms of all things!) and enjoyed poking into the shops catering to tourists and locals alike.
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