A BIT OFF

I seem to have played bridge almost every day this week.  Has made it difficult to get out into the garden and do some work (I haven't been very upset about not getting out there though and I don't think the jobs will go away, so I can do them later).

Yesterday though we also went to a talk about Japanese gardens.  It was a little disappointing.  He hadn't been to many interesting gardens (he didn't even cover the main gardens of Japan) and didn't have anything much to say about them anyway. 

The trouble with visiting places like Japan is that you end end up being side-tracked and fascinated by irrelevant things.  So we had a 10 minute explanation about the bullet train (with pics) and how lovely it was to travel on it, followed by another 10 min section about the ferry to Miyajima, with pics of that too!  Then some pics of meals and shop windows, several pics of Mount Fuji, umpteen pics of a temple gate ('this is a very famous gate and I expect you've all seen pics of it before'.  'Yes!!  So why are you showing us more??').  He even gave us a guided tour of the temples at Nikko.

One lady complained that the talk was all statistics.  Actually it sounded a bit like a Japan Travel Bureau guided tour for foreigners (they don't like you to leave without seeing all the 'sights' whatever you're supposed to be there for, and they always tell you about areas and heights, etc, so maybe that's what he was given and that's where he got his speech from).  So I don't know any more about the whys and wherefores of Japanese gardens.  But I can tell you that they are nice.

Tomorrow we are off to Teignmouth again for the annual Jazz Festival.  I'll no doubt have some pics and videos for you when I return.  Til then, be good.

AUTUMN TO ODE

We went to Shaldon last week.  It was surprisingly glorious weather.  I have posted on Shaldon before, so I won't go through all the town again.  We went there on the ferry of course, Britain's oldest ferry, which has run continuously since at least the 13th century.  I think I've posted on that before too.

But Shaldon is becoming an organic foody heaven.  Most places now offer locally sourced or home-grown ingredients, often wild or organic.  The last time we went there it was to visit a tea shop which had just been voted the best teashop in England, or some such.  This time we sought out a new cafe on the Ness which has been voted the most sustainable restaurant in Britain.  And it has its own microbrewery.  Here it is in its Halloween glory. 

It has a sister restaurant in town which has already received AA stars for its sustainable fine dining menu.  But this is the view from the cafe

  

The tide was out while we were there, as you may be able to see along the beach.  At this time, the distance between Teignmouth and Shaldon looks short enough to jump across.  You can see the beach on the right and the famous backbeach on the left.

 

At low tide, you can almost walk across the Teign in fact at its widest point.

Shaldon is also the only place I have seen a milestone marked in miles, furlongs and poles.

 

On our way home we stopped as usual at the roadhouse just past Dorchester on the A35.  Even here, they offer only locally sourced products, including local venison burgers and locally roasted coffee.  But I'd watch out for the barleysugar.

LOAD OF RUBBISH

One of the reasons we seem to keep gravitating into Teignmouth while we are in the West Country is that they do seem to have a disproportionate number of festivals and events.  This month is the 9th annual Environmental Sculpture Trail or, as I call it, the recycled rubbish art trail.  The sea front is lined with sculptures (I suppose there's no other word for them) made out of bits and pieces recovered from the beach and countryside.

This piece is call Project Milkman.  It is made from milk bottles recovered by local.senior school students.

It's a man and a child and a dog - hard to see them all I've just realised.  Here's another angle.

And this one is called Ring of Fire.  It was supposed to be a celebration of creatures rescued from extinction, but, the artist admits, maybe now it looks like creatures threatened with extinction . . .

And this is called Last Voyage.  It is supposed to be a joyous piece acknowledging that we have at last begun to take steps to save our planet.

Here it is sailing on the sea  ¦ )

MOOR OR LEES

While in Devon, we returned to the Dartmoor reservoirs I visited before (here). This time we walked right round the perimeters.  The start point we chose turned out to be not the best . . .

but the view of the Tottiford reservoir was unaffected.  This was the first of what are now 8 reservoirs in Dartmoor, built in 1861 (which is probably why refurbishment works are needed).

I've already posted a pic of the Kennick reservoir, so won't post it again; the Trenchford reservoir was frankly just a body of water, so I'll stick to the footpath pics.  The walk ran along the 'main road' for a while.  These are actually stone walls on either side (somewhat reclaimed by Nature).

Just before we left eventually and drove down this road, a gigantic earth-moving excavator came the other way to the dam reconstruction site.  We were relieved not to meet it in our car!  But we were equally disconcerted on the walk to encounter cattle in the forest.  Rather sinister appearance.

But mostly the views were buccolic.

We entered a fairly extensive forest.  I think this tree had been strangled by ivy before it was felled.

And this one looks as though its about to strangle anyone who passes.

It actually rained heavily for a while (can you see?), but the canopy was so thick, we stayed quite dry.

We eventually returned to Tottiford, crossing the head and following the right hand bank.

Close to the reservoirs we passed the village of Hennock.  This is the view from the pub garden.

Typical of the views we'd had of the surrounding Devon countryside.  The Palk Arms is famous for its home-made strawberry jam and clotted cream teas . . .

FAME AND FORT

Whilst travelling in the West Country, we visited Dartmouth, home of the famous naval college. 

But Dartmouth is famous for other things too.  Apart from all the seafood, it is famous for its castle in one of the prettiest locations in England.

Like everywhere else in Dartmouth, the best way to get there is of course by boat.

And here it is, located right at the mouth to the harbour.

This is the famous mermaid's cottage.

And this is the church of St Petrox, which was there when the castle was built around it.  It claims to have been built in 594, though the earliest mention of it in documents is 1192.  Anyway - old.

The castle was built in the 14th century and has survived rather well.  It was the first castle to have a specially built tower (above the church) housing cannons specifically for sinking warships (which it also did rather well).  The view out to sea is a bit boring, but here's the view into Dartmouth harbour.  You might be able to make out the College on the hill to the left.

  

We were just in time to see the garrison have their lunch.

 

As you can see, they strive for authenticity.

 

On the walk back, we were struck by the unoriginal street names.

And of course the famous view of Kingswear on the other side of the river.

This is the famous trattoria of Alf Fresco (famous mostly for Sunday brunch, but you have to get there very early to get a seat.  Hmmm, perhaps it's really breakfast then.).

And this is the famous husband creche at The Dolphin.

But mostly Dartmouth is famous for just watching the boats.

NOT UP MY STREET

Went to a street art exhibition in Newton Abbot while I was in Devon.  Not sure it really lived up to its title though.  This is the entrance to the exhibition:

 Was the street furniture supposed to be art too?  Anyway, you will note the Banksy motif on the car.  There were others inside:

I guess they were there because a) they were street art and b) they had 2 original Banksys inside.

 

  

But that was it really.  There was an installation by an artist who makes everyday objects out of felt:

 A copy of Sgt Pepper's Bastards:

 And one other polemical poster artist:

But it was nice I suppose to reminded of the wit and creativity of Banksy. The exhibition was housed in a sort of arts collective or creative cooperative of studios.  None of the artists appeared to be at home, which was a pity, as there was almost every discipline represented from ceramics to knitting (is that a range?).  The only piece on display that caught my eye was this extraordinarily detailed mural produced in ball-pen:

NAVAL GAZING

Teignmouth in Devon is famous for its local music festivals.  We always go down for the Jazz Festival in September and usually for the Folk Festival of Morris dancing and music.  But we were also there for the Classical Music and Folk Song Festivals earlier this year.

One reason we visited Teignmouth this month was for the Sea Shanty Festival.  Sadly, our friends were unable to take part this year, so here's one excerpt of the Tavy Tars set at the Oystercatcher in which they would have featured.

MAN OF SPORTS AND CULTURE

Inspired by Murray, the Lions and now the England cricket team, I felt compelled to get out and engage in sporting activity myself.

Then we joined the boating community for a real work-out.

 

After that, in need of a little relaxation, I took Her to a concert.

 And then out to dinner.

 

Phew, what a full day!

BOTANY BAY

It was open garden weekend in Torbay.  Here are some pics from the gardens we visited.  The first one is my favourite house in the area.  If it became available, and if I was retiring to the seaside, this is where I would live.

View of the sea from the far corner.

 

 

Slightly out of focus, but I thought I had to put this one in.