Saying goodbye is always sad

The homestay is finishing, so this blog is closing.
I've had a great month in a wonderful home. I found out a lot about Cornwall and I've improved my English, I think. I'm grateful to the Host for an unforgettable stay, thank you very much.
Apologies to my keen readers but I have to go back home.
See you soon!

Lanhydrock

Lanhydrock is an impressive country house built near the River Fowey in Bodmin, Cornwall which is owned now by the National Trust.
Most of the house dates from Victorian times following a fire in the 1880's but its origin dates from 1620.
Nowadays it is a beautiful place where you can see very tidy gardens and imagine how life was in past times.
It's worth having a look at the gallery to see more photos from outside and inside.

The wind and the trees

At first, when I came here, I was surprised about the shape of some trees.
I took this photo when we were coming back from Tintagel. It seems to me telling enough:
If you see these trees you know in which direction the wind blows.

King Arthur and The Knights of the Round Table

Tintagel is a little village on the Atlantic coast of Cornwall. There are the remains of Tintagel Castle which is associated with the legend of King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table.
This place was actually an ancient settlement which had one hundred houses and an estimated population of about one thousand people.
It was built at the top of the cliff with an impressive view over the sea. It was only accessible in two ways: a small harbour at the bottom from the sea and a footpath from the land, so this place was easily defended in case of invasion.
You also can see The Old Post Office built in the 14th century which became a tourist attraction.
You can see spectacular photos from this place at the Gallery.

The treasure trail

Today I learnt an interesting way to find out about an area. It's a sort of game called Treasure Hunt and it consists of a trip around a place or several villages which is ideal to do with the family.
If you buy a trail, you get a book where you can find a detailed route and several clues which help you to solve a mystery murder or find hidden treasure.
This way leads you to find out a lot of information about each visited place which otherwise you wouldn't know.
We went to Roseland following the way signed on the map. It was an exciting experience and an interesting way to find out more about this area of Cornwall.
You can see the photos at the Gallery.

Eliot Arms. Square & Compass

Near to the main road in Launceston you can find The Eliot Arms, a typical English pub which dates from 1625.
Inside, it is unusualy decorated with a lot of household goods and other memorabilia which remind us of past times.
You can have a look at the gallery to see more inside photos.

Carnglaze Slate Caverns

Carnglaze Slate Caverns are the only slate quarry in Cornwall set near St. Neot in the valley of the River Loveny, a tributary of the River Fowey, in the middle of Liskeard and Bodmin.
It has been worked for over 500 years, especially in the 18th and 19th century. The slate is mainly used for roofing and flooring in buildings, and it has a blue colour different from other slates of Cornwall, which are greyer.
This place is occasionally used for concerts and can seat 300 people.
At the end of the visit, the tourist guide told us that most of the slate in the area is from Spain, even the slate on the roof of the ticket hut. I was surprised and I asked the reason why and they told me that the Spanish slate was probably cheaper.
You can find more information at its web page and see more photos at the gallery.

Exeter, ancient and modern

Today we went to Exeter. It seems to me a perfect mixture between tradition and modernity.
Exeter is an ancient town with an important past as a Roman settlement, in fact, its name has a Latin origin.
Nowadays, it's a very important commercial centre and you can find chain stores and independent shops which stock designer labels from around the world in its streets, especially in the busy city centre.
Historical buildings stand by modern buildings in a perfectly balanced urban landscape.
More photos from Exeter.

The Second World War in Boyton

Today the weather was occasionally sunny, so I went for a walk in the Boyton countryside and I took some photos around the border between Devon and Cornwall.
Near to the river which forms the border, there are the remains of a Prisoner of War Camp which has been turned into a farm workshop.
Initially, the camp hosted Italian prisoners and later German prisoners. All of them worked at local farms doing general farm work. They were even given extra food to supplement their diet in exchange for making additional goods, like baskets or trays.
People were living together harmoniously until the locals discoverd that the leather which the prisoners used to mend boots and shoes was actually from the leather belts of the farm machinery.

Welcome to Clovelly

Today we went to Clovelly, a totally unique, small village on the north Devon coast.
It's built on a hillside and it has only one main street, which is completely cobbled as are the other streets in the village.
Of course, it's a car free place and a type of wooden sledges is used to carry goods; donkeys are used for this as well.
At the bottom of the village, where the main street ends, we can find the tiny harbour sheltered from the atlantic storms by a big stone wall.
You can see more photos at the web gallery.

Marconi & Cornwall

It was 1901, a few years ago, on December 12, Marconi, a brilliant Italian engineer, was able to transmit a transatlantic signal between Poldhu, Cornwall (Click on the photo to enlarge) and Newfoundland, Canada.
It was the first wireless communication and we can say, the radio, TV, Internet were born at that moment, in fact, in some areas of Latin America, the telegrams are known as "marconis" remembering its origin.
You can find more information at BBC or typing "Marconi Cornwall" keywords in Google.

I went to Truro again

Today I went Truro again. Mr. Host had to go to Truro and I came with him. He went for a business meeting, in the meantime I walked around the streets taking photos and window shopping.
On the way back, he told me about the first transatlantic radio transmission made from Poldhu in Cornwall, a place not far from Truro, but this story's coming soon in a new post.

Spain vs England

The Independent says: "England have no answer to Spain's pass masters" with reference to the Spain vs England match, last night.
We went out to dinner, so when we got home, I only saw the second half. It seemed to me that England were overtaken with the Spanish play.
To be honest, I have to say I saw this international match in a different light because I'm in England.
Terminaré en español como piden algunos/as de mis compañeros, en especial Isabel (¡Que no se pase nadie con las fotocopias!) e Irene (¡Ojo con la tabla periódica!). A todos les envío un cariñoso saludo y espero, en breve, volver a disfrutar de su compañía.

I went to Manderley

Today I went to Manderley... and I hope to go back some day.
Today's my birthday. I went to Fowey with Mrs. Host following in the footsteps of Daphne du Maurier. We'd have liked to visit Manderley (actually named Menabilly) but unfortunately, it's private property and people can't get there.
We walked around Fowey, a small town with narrow streets which could have been a fishing village in the past, but nowadays, it seems to me that it's mainly for the tourists.
We were able to see Ferryside, the house where Daphne du Maurier stayed before she moved to Menabilly. This house is on the opposite side to Fowey at the mouth of the river Fowey. It's a big white house with light blue windows and doors. It looks very nice.

Hatherleigh Market

Hatherleigh is a small town set in Devon but near Cornwall. It seems to me a very traditional farming area where the cattle market is or was quite important.
Today we visited the weekly street market which is held in the same place as the cattle market but on a different day. Perhaps owing to the weather there were not many people.
Later, we had lunch in a cosy deli, cheese and ham toasted sandwiches with an espresso.
More photos.

Cooking paella

In the evening, here in the photo, I'm dressed up as a cook making a Spanish paella.
I used chicken, pork, spring onions, tomatoes, garlic, parsley, saffron, artichokes, baked red pepper and, of course, rice.
Finaly, we enjoyed this exquisite meal with a glass of red wine to finish the day.

The Eden Project

The Eden Project is a big complex which holds mainly two different domes which recreate the Tropic and Mediterranean climate.
There you can see growing lots of plants from these areas in their natural environment and find out some information about what they are used for.
Also you can see a dome which holds an ice skating rink and a building called "The Core" where the aim is to provide educational facilities incorporating classrooms and exhibition spaces.
But, in my opinion, the most important thing about The Eden Project is its location. It's set in an old deserted china clay pit which previously had spoilt the beautiful countryside.
So, I think, it's a clever way to regenerate a desolate space and incorporating it again in its environment.
You can see more photos here.

Care of the elderly

Today I found out a different way of looking after the elderly.
It consists of a group of detached and terraced houses and nice bungalows, in a private area where the elderly can live keeping their independence but they also get medical care.
Daily, the person in charge takes care of elderly residents by visiting or calling their homes at least once. The elderly also have a way to ask for assistance, if they need it, they can pull a red chord which is in each room, then a person will come to help them as quickly as possible.
I think, its a good way to take care of the elderly.

It's snowing again

This morning, when I woke up it was snowing again.
We can see a washing line laden with snow and a layer of snow on the ground. We can see its thickness on the table, it's about 15 cm. however, it's not very cold.
Anyway, today is Friday and we're waiting for the weekend, like you.

Watching the Spanish Team

Today the weather was mostly cloudy and cold. Tomorrow's predominant weather is forecast to be sleet, so I prefer not to go out and stayed at home working on the internet.
After dinner we watched the match Everton vs Liverpool. At first we thought it would be an interesting match because both cities are very close, on the other hand, five Liverpool players and the manager are Spanish, but in the end, it was a boring match.
PS.- Everton scored in the extra time and won the match 1-0

Snow-covered Boyton

This morning Boyton was snow-covered. Last night, it was snowing but today it's sunny, so I took my camera and I went out for a walk.
I took some photos that you can see on the web photo gallery, some of them look just like a Christmas card.
Children don't have to go to school today because they are closed due to the snow, so they have the day off to enjoy playing with snowballs.

Blogging in the snow

I was at home reading comfortably, when I looked through the window and I saw it was snowing, so I took my camera I went out and took some photos to publish them on the web gallery.
Despite the weather being often wet and cold, here, in Cornwall, it rarely snows.

I'm really here

Some of you may be wondering if I am truly in Cornwall. Well, here is a photo taken at Summerleaze beach in Bude.
You can see I'm not wasting away and If you were sharp you'd see the snow falling on the ground.

Visiting Bude

Bude is a small town on the Atlantic Coast of Cornwall. It has been a popular place for tourists since Victorian times.
In the early morning it was about -2ºC and we could see frozen water on both sides on the road, however, it was a nice day. We were walking leisurely when suddenly it started to snow, so we ran to the cafe and we had our lunch.
After that, we got home safely.

Trip to Boscastle

Today the weather was awful. Despite it being sunny, it was windy and very cold. However, we went to Boscastle, a tiny village with a natural harbour.
There were not many people around, perhaps due to the weather. I took some photos and then we had a drink in the Wellington Inn, where there was a group playing live music.
At the Visitors Centre I found out about the flood which happened in August 2004. It was caused by the heavy rain which fell over this area. Fortunately nobody was seriously injured.

The biggest city in Cornwall

Today we went to Truro. Truro is the biggest city in Cornwall, in fact, it's the only city in the county.
We visited the cathedral, an impressive building, although it was recently built in 1880 and completed in 1905. It's a perfect example of the Gothic Revival architectural style.
Later, we went to the Royal Museum of Cornwall, where we could take a look at Cornish customs from the Paleolithic to nowadays.
We also walked around the commercial centre of the city and we bought cheese at the Truro Farmer's Market on Lemon St. in the heart of the city.
It seemed to me a friendly, busy and comfortable place to live.
More photos...

At the Garden Centre

Although yesterday was sunny, today, the weather is cloudy and windy. Despite the temperature being about 7º, the wind makes you feel cold. It's a chilly day.
We went to the Garden Centre this morning. It is a department store where you can buy several types of farm supplies: seeds, clothes, tools, food,... even newspapers or magazines.
During the trip, Mrs. Host told me the story of Mo and the Beggar:

One day, Mo was up on the roof of his house mending a hole in the tiles. He had nearly finished and he was pleased with his work. Suddenly, he heard a voice below call.
-Hello.
When he looked down, Mo saw an old man in dirty clothes standing below.
-What do you want? -asked Mo.
-Come down and I'll tell you - called the man.
Mo was annoyed, but he was a polite man, so he put down his tools carefully an climbed al the way down to the ground.
-What do you want? -he asked when he reached the ground.
-Could you spare a little change for an old beggar?
Mo thought for minute. Then he said:
-Come with me
He began climbing the ladder again. The old man followed him all the way to the top. When they were both sitting on the roof, Mo turned to the beggar:
-No -he said.

Find your dictionary and have a laugh!

Holsworthy street market

Today we went to Holsworthy, on the Devon/Corrnwall county border. It's a small town with a traditional weekly street market.
We walked around the stands and we bought some fruit, then we went to the old fashioned post office, which looks like it hasn't changed in decades.
Later, I wanted to buy some British cigarettes, so we went to the supermarket and asked the shop assistant for some strong flavoured cigarettes. She recommended a certain brand and I bought them, but when I tried them, I realized that the cigarettes weren't strong at all.

Beware of the cows

I was walking quietly to Boyton, suddenly a man driving a quad bike reached me and he started shouting:
- Come on, get on the quad bike quickly, get on!
I replied politely
- Oh! Thank you, I'd prefer walking.
- No, no! -He insisted- the cows are coming on the road.
I didn't understand at first, but the sooner I saw the cows the faster I got on the quad bike.
Here you are, how the cows can improve your understanding.

Walking in Boyton

This afternoon I walked around Boyton. It's a very quiet little village where you can see many nice cottages and detached houses.
Some of them are new buildings and look modern and fully equipped. Other ones keep their own ancient charm.
Boyton has narrow roads through the village and is surrounded by countryside.

Polperro, "legal" smugglers

Later, after leaving Looe, we drove to Polperro, a nice little village which has a curious name. it reminds me of the word for a Spanish dog.
Polperro has very narrow streets and the cottages surround a little fishing harbour.
We had coffee in a very typical English pub, and there I heard a strange story.
It seems, people in Polperro were dedicated to smuggling mainly, because they had an excellent natural harbour to hide their activities and the Customs Officers couldn't catch them easily, so they agreed to split their benefits and share them with the Royal Crown, so they became "legal" smugglers and could plunder Spanish ships without punishment.

The first trip

On Sunday, we went to Looe, a Cornish village which is found along the mouth of the river Looe.
It was a fishing harbour in the past, but now it has become very popular with the tourists.
We walked on the streets and had lunch in a pub, then we went window-shopping.
As we were leaving Looe, we saw a landslide that had even buried a car. I attach a photo to show this. The Host told me that Cornwall is a very rainy area, so this could be the cause of the landslide.

To Juanse

At the back of the house I saw a kayak. Immediately I remembered my friend Juanse, so I took a photo to show him.
Then, I knew the Host's son likes kayaking and I thought that Juanse would like to meet the Host's son to talk about this sport.

Meeting the Host

Finally, we arrived at the Host's house. It's a nice detached house set in a quiet neighbourhood surrounded by green grass and some trees. A wooden fence makes it looks such a typical country house.
Downstairs there is a living room, a kitchen, garage, toilet, office..., the bedrooms and bathrooms are upstairs. It is a big house but a comfortable and lovely home.

The journey

It was 7:10 a.m. when I woke up and drove to Alicante to get the plane. The weather was very windy and I was afraid of it, especially on take off. I wondered if the plane would be able to do it, but, fortunately, nothing happened.
Despite the plane being crowded and experiencing some turbulence, all was fine and the flight landed safely at Bristol.
At the airport Mr. Driver was waiting for me and we took a car and we drove to the Host's home.