Showing posts with label Cornwall. Show all posts

A Steam Train Journey

I've been wanting to do this for sometime and this steam-train experience
was finally organized!

Here is a photo of our steam train waiting for us to climb aboard
in London's Victoria Station.

Look at the comfortable plush armchairs and the white cloth and napkins
on the table ready for us to have breakfast!

Each carriage had a name painted on the side
the one I was in was called 'Amethyst'.

Here's the locomotive. Isn't she grand?
Look at all that steam.
This was at a station during one of our numerous stops.
Steam trains need a lot of pampering
including long stopovers for water, oiling various parts
and screws tightening up and the metal wheels checking over.

Here's the engine driver in the cabin of lovely burgundy coloured locomotive.

The name of our train is Princess Elizabeth

This is a plaque to give a little royal information.

Look at some of the workings of this marvellous machine

Puff, puff, puff
Here she comes after a rather long overhaul.

Champagne before the meal!

We were travelling from London down to Cornwall
on the west coast of England.
I took this from the train as we neared Devon

This is the Brunel Bridge which spans the River Tamar
from Devon into Cornwall

Here's a view down on the river from the train which
is going across that bridge.

Now we're travelling alongside the sea.
It feels quite exciting.

We arrived quite late at night after dinner on the train.
Here is our hotel on the outskirts of Newquay.
We stayed here for three nights.

We were so lucky to have a sea view
and excellent weather.
There were different outings organized each day
if we wanted to do them.
I chose to visit two gardens,
one of which is called The Lost Gardens of Heligan
a most wonderful place to visit.

As a parting photo, here is a pink sunset taken from my hotel room.

***


Here is a short video of the very train I was on
during the 17-20 September period



One Last Look

Goodbye frothy waves, soft sand and black granite rocks...

... endless horizons where boats disappear and craggy walks far away from concrete jungles...

the coloured quiet depths when the waves churn up the surface
the sound
the smell
of the sea.

Goodbye chapel on the hill presiding the azure seascape

and the bell on the chapel with the lichen-covered roof.
What is it about bells against the sky?

A slanting roof and a beady eye
and a wonderful, wonderful clear blue sky!

Magical moments in the sky, imprinted in my memory
This one is my favourite.
(click on the photo to get a full-screen size to be engulfed in the whole atmosphere)

Standing in the soft sand and gazing over the watery horizon
where my soul meets the sky

Little seashell with your belly full of salty water

Rows of tiny flags, reminding me that I was home, for a while...
before returning to my land of adoption.
Au revoir England
until we meet again!













Changing moods

A diver in his black suit looks out across the turquoise sea from his rock

and the small boats move across the calm water.

The beach takes on a pinkish, golden hue as the sun lowers in the sky

and creates shadowy patterns on the ridges left by the waves at low tide.

The almost unreal colours fill the sea and sky making it look like a subdued painting

The clouds swirl and change  behind the
 belfry -  promising a colourful sunset.

These are the moods  and colours  to be enjoyed by the sea, ever-changing, always surprising...










Holidaymakers

I love to watch families with buckets and spades and fishing nets
and the little legs of the youngest going fast to keep up!

Thank goodness for Daddy's shoulders!
Now second daughter wants an ice-cream...

The surfers are happy when the waves whip up a frenzy
Who cares about the grey sky?
It's just a colour!

"Come on George, don't drag your feet, we're going to have dinner at the Seafood Café!

George: "I can't believe we're walking along the beach in the rain with umbrellas..."
Red umbrella says: "Cheer up! The weather forecast says it'll be sunny  tomorrow!"

The next day the sun returned and the wind blew the clouds away
 the holidaymakers were happy and smiles returned
and ice-creams were bought

... and the surfers put their waterproof sunscreen on again

and  the people-watchers smiled kindly as the holidaymakers strolled by!
They'd seen and heard it all before!












Moments by the sea

Sparkling sea moments

and frothy wavelets

Tiny grains of multi-coloured sand on which a mussel shell nestles

My eyes drown themselves in the blue-green depths and where the sea meets the sky

A seagull points his beak to a faraway point of interest

and I follow his gaze to the clock tower against the blue sky
and it looks like the right time...

to sample a Cornish Cider. Quite perfect for a hot day!

Up the hill past the twin bells on the little church above the beach

A wicker chair by the window to read awhile overlooking the water

and the evening brings in shades of grey with a hint of pink - and the lovely hues of dark and light
illuminate the sea and the sky.