Holiday 2012 - Day 36

Not a bad looking day, weather wise.

We have arranged to go and spend the day with old time friends Gill and David Beasley, but first Di has to go and get her eyebrows done.  This took longer than anticipated so it wasn't until about 11.00 that we all met up at the moorings for their narrow boat.

As NB Endeavour was facing the opposite way to the direction that we wanted to go we had to go West for about 500m to a Winding Hole to turn.

Its looking quite busy up ahead.

This is the nearest winding hole and it was interesting to watch David at work turning in a space that was only a bit longer than the boat.

Heading back the way we came and on further, heading for Norbury Junction.

A nice patch of Hawthorn blossom, or so we think, on the tow path. It was strange to see the two different colours.

We moored up just short of Norbury Junction and walked up and over this bridge.

Looking down on Norbury Junction from the bridge.

We had a nice lunch at the cafe of Bacon, Sausage and Egg baps. Yummy!!

We slowly cruised back to the moorings for lovely dinner cooked by Gill while we talked the day away.
We got away quite late just before the rain came in.  A terrific day out.

Holiday 2012 - Day 35

An overcast morning with the promise of some light rain later in the day.

We had arranged to meet Ray in Birmingham as he wanted to take us to one of his favourite lunch time venues.

We drove into Shrewsbury and paid a fortune to park the car near the station. I cant get used to the fact that everywhere we go we have to pay heavily for parking and the parking bays are that narrow its hard to open the car doors wide enough to get out. OK, complaints over, until the next time.

The train journey was quick and comfortable but not as cheap as at home. We arrived at New Street Station and walked up through the shopping center above the station to meet Ray outside the Bull Ring Centre.

The bull was all dressed up for the Queens Jubilee Celebrations.  We had a look around some of the nearby shops and I actually found another one of Beckys elusive nail polishes.

We walked down towards St Martins church and the markets.

Passing by the futuristic facade of Sainsburys and Selfridges.

Ray and Di checking out the open air section.

Once inside I managed to find a stall that sold Bib and Brace overalls.

All the stalls were very colourful and obviously getting ready to celebrate the Queens Jubilee.

Eventually we ended up at Rays lunch venue which turned out to be a buffet style Chinese restaurant. The food was terrific, as much as you could eat, and I can understand why Ray would go there. A slow walk back to the station, said our sad farewells and the train got us back to Shrewsbury by 16.30.

Light rain had settled in for the night so we all went to the Grinshill Hotel for dinner.

On the way out of Shrewsbury I noticed these fork lifts all lined up and though they made quite a good photo.

Holiday 2012 - Day 34

The weather is perfect once again.  I just hope it lasts and doesn't rain on the Queens Jubilee celebrations.

Di had arranged to get her eyebrows 'done' in the village but it turned out that it was just a trial run to test for the correct colour!!

For the last week we have been hearing all about the movements of the Olympic torch throughout the country and today its passing through Shrewsbury so we will be staying clear. Or so we thought.

Actually we forgot all about the torch relay and decided to go to Bridgnorth, which means heading towards Shrewsbury first.  As we got close to Shrewsbury we noticed lots of people, with flags, and cars parked anywhere they could find, even on the roundabouts.  As soon as we remembered what was happening we took a detour but soon got tangled up yet again.  When we finally got free of the torch relay and on the road to Bridgnorth we thought everything was OK.  What we'd forgotten was that the particular road we were on passed through Much Wenlock, the home of the modern Olympic movement.  Just outside Shrewsbury we were overtaken by a group of police motorcyclists who were ensuring a clear passage for the torch relay.  As we approached Much Wenlock we caught up with the police.  We entered the town in our big 4 x 4 with dark tinted windows behind the four motorcyclists so we must have made an impression as all the onlookers, seemed like millions of them, must have thought we were part on the relay and gave us a rousing welcome with lots of flag waving and cheers. It was great to be part of the big event, if only by mistake!

We carried on to Bridgnorth for lunch and then drove on as far as the lovely town of Prestigne.

Back in Clive by early evening and for a fish and chip super that Glynn picked up on his way home.

Glynn has been experimenting with a sour dough bread mix from a starter provided by a friend.  Very nice indeed.

Holiday 2012 - Day 33

Another very nice day so we did a little catching up with e-mails and washing.

We went into Shrewsbury and did a bit of shopping.  We bought clothes for various little people and looked for special nail varnishes that Becky had asked me to track down. Apparently we don't have these particular ones in Oz.

We called in to Mark and Spencers to shop and found that they had a special on in the cafe. They had tea, sandwiches, scones with jam and cream, all very nicely presented, as part of their lead up to the Queens Jubilee.

When the man sitting behind Di saw me get the camera out he asked if I could wait a minute while he combed his hair!! Everyone is so chatty and friendly.

Walking back down to the car park near the river I saw a very nice hat in a shop at the top of Wyle Cop, so treated myself. Its very light weight and can be squashed up small. I just hope the sunshine continues so I can get my moneys worth out of it. It will probably rain tomorrow!!

Holiday 2012 - Day 32

We finally packed and said our goodbyes to Val and Rod about 11.00.  

We filled up with petrol near Carmarthen and had a good quick journey before stopping at Builth Wells to stretch our legs and find a rather late lunch. We walked to the top end of High Street and found a very nice cafe, aptly called the Cosy Cafe.

The beautiful old bridge over the River Wye in Builth Wells.

We drove back through beautiful countryside via Knighton, Craven Arms, Shrewsbury and finally arriving in Clive at about 1630. Clive may be very small, with one Post Office and no pub but it does have a Medical Centre. Di still isn't well and her cold is bringing on asthma so as soon as we got back she went to the doctors and they gave her an appointment very quickly, for 17.30. Very nice and helpful people who quickly sorted out anti-biotics and said any problems come back straight away. No charges involved!!

Holiday 2012 - Day 31

A lovely lazy Sunday morning. It was quite warm and Val and Rod provided us all with a wonderful cooked breakfast which we ate outside.  As is usually the case when catching up with Val and Rod, the time just flies by as we so infrequently get the chance to have a good old natter.

We finally left the house about midday and Rod took us for a ride, again through some beautiful countryside, heading for a place on the coast called Laugharne.  This was the home of the famous Welsh author, Dylan Thomas.

This is the castle at Laugharne and the start of the walk around to the home of Dylan Thomas.

Di and Rod striding out along the bay side walk.

That's the home of Dylan Thomas, called the Boathouse, but its not where he wrote.

This is actually where he wrote, its a garage that he called the Writing Shed which has magnificent views down the estuary.
 

 Looking down on The Boatshed where he lived.

 From Laugharne it was just a short drive to the famous Pendine Sands.

Pendine Sands were used for car and motorbike racing in the early 1920's. Because the sands were hard and firm they were also used for land speed record attempts.
On March 3, 1927 J.G. Parry-Thomas attempted to beat Malcolm Campbell's Bluebird record in his car, Babs. On his final run while traveling at about 170 mph (270 km/h) the exposed drive chain broke and partially decapitated him. Babs went out of control and rolled over. Parry-Thomas was the first driver to be killed in a world land speed record attempt,

After the accident, Babs was buried in the sand dunes near the village and remained there until 1969 when permission was given to excavate the car. Over the next 15 years it was restored by a local engineer, Owen Wyn Owen.

Rod had bought me here as he knew my interest in all things motoring. This very small building is the Pendine Museum of Speed, especially built to house the restored Babs.
Guess what, we were there along with many other people but the car wasn't!! Apparently its only on display for certain months throughout the year.  Its a good job we didn't have to pay to get in!

The only things on display were a couple of motorbikes and loads of memorabilia.

Disappointed, we drove back to Tegryn where we drowned our sorrows while Rod cooked a very nice BBQ, again eaten outside. I do love these long days.

Holiday 2012 - Day 30

Had a lazy morning following a late night of talking.

Val and Rod took  us for a nice ride through lovely countryside, across to the coast and then up to the north Wales town of Aberystwyth.

The town hasn't changed much over the years except to became an even bigger University town and surfing center.

This is where we are heading, for a ride on the Vale of Rheidol narrow gauge railway to Devils Bridge.

Heading towards the vale before the climb begins.

Our destination. We had a walk down to the falls but no good for photographs, too dark and steep.

Our little engine getting fed and watered for the return trip.

Passing through some beautiful countryside. In the distance is a small weir and hydro-electric station.

Nothing like a nice cup of tea after a long day out.  That's not Di's cup, its the biscuits.

A nice relaxed dinner followed, a few glasses of wine, a bit of TV and then off to bed.  Great day!

Holiday 2012 - Day 29

Today we are heading down to Tegryn, Pembrokeshire, South Wales to visit our old friends Val and Rod for a few days.

Di's not too well with her cold no better. I just hope it doesn't bring on her asthma which it has done on past trips.

We called in at Louises to pick up my birthday presents that I forgot to put in the car after my birthday lunch.

Its quite a long journey from Clive to South Wales but we were nobly assisted by the SatNav.  I don't know why I used it as I know the way and it just ended in arguments.  She thought she knew the best way considering the traffic conditions. In the end she was right but of course I wouldn't admit that to anyone else so please don't tell.

We arrived about 1600 and it was great to see Val and Rod again.  It hasn't been all that long since we last met as they came out to Sydney to celebrate their Ruby Wedding in March of this year.  It was nice to catch up and swap family news.

 Di and Rod feeding the ponies in the field at the back of their house.

We went to one of our favourite restaurants for dinner.  It might have only been fish and chips but that's with capital letters.  If you are ever in the area, do try 'Somethings Cooking at Letterston, Pembrokeshire.

No, I didnt get a free meal for mentioning their name!!

Hoilday 2012 - Day 28

We had a late start as we slept in.  Well what did you expect, we are on holiday. 

A foggy morning once again but the promise of a very nice day and a forecast temperature of 26C.

Di did a bit of washing while I mowed the lawns for Glynn.

Mid morning we drove to one of our favourite Welsh villages where Di spent her holidays when young.  The village is Montgomery which is a town in the Welsh county of Powys. It was previously the county town of the county of Montgomeryshire. The town lies about a mile from the English border in the Welsh Marches.

The center of the village sits in a bit of a dip and slopes up to the hill at the back of the village, and hill top castle, behind the old town hall.

In the other direction the village slopes up towards the parish church of St. Nicholas. 

We had a very nice lunch in a little cafe just out of picture on the right, before continuing our wandering

This photo gives some idea of hilly nature of the village.

The Old Bell Museum. Di and the lady sitting outside found that they remembered some of the same people from the village. Di used to holiday here with her Mom and Dad, staying in the game keepers cottage attached to the Lymore Estate, alongside the Offas Dyke Path.

If you look closely at the above house it can be seen that the lower right hand window has been bricked in but painted to look like all the others.

The sunken pathway up to the doors of the beautiful St. Nicholas Parish Church.

I always get the feeling that this would be a nice village to live in.

From Montgomery we drove on to Bishops Castle and all the beautiful countryside in between.  We managed to rediscover a very old property that used to belong to old friends and which we house-sat some years ago.  This very old property was misnamed New Hall and unfortunately has been turned into a horse center. I wonder how the new owners get on with the ghost, because there definitely is one, but that's another story.

On the way back to Clive we tried the local fish and chips in Wem where we found this open version of a Nissan Figaro for Alex.