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Parish holiday 2008

On Tuesday we were given a coach view of the mainland, onto the northern coast after a tantalising sight of St Michael's Mount, an
abbey-fortress reached by causeway, modelled after Brittany's Mont St Michel. The day was to resemble a trip into a time-tunnel. Outside Helston the Flambards Experience transported us back into the days of the Blitz and to an immaculate recreation of a Victorian village of fifty shops.

On Wednesday some of the younger ones should have brought along surfing hoards as we visited Newquay with its six beaches. Like most seaside resorts offseason
the place seemed rather drab but some visited the small fishing harbour or the Blue Reef Aquarium. Most enjoyed a Cornish cream tea or pasty.

The afternoon visit to Padstow was a different kettle of fish. This was a pretty fishing town with a large harbour with some spectacular views of the adjoining sand bays from the Memorial cross up the hill.

His fish and chip shop outlets at the coach park seemed busy and two of our number took advantage of lunch at Rick Stein's restaurant. The eagle-eyed may have noticed the turnstones at the harbour. Evening entertainment at the Ship and Castle Hotel -song and cabaret-was cheerful and popular especially with the table that won the guess- this- tune competition. Trevor enjoyed the 4-4 Arsenal-Spurs match instead.

On Thursday morning we went on a 2-hour passenger-boat trip up and down the estuary. Most stayed below deck as it was 'shiver me timbers' weather- blustery wind and rain.

En route to Falmouth we passed a mussel farm, a lonely seal, little egrets, seagulls and local sights
such as the Trellisick Gardens, the King Harry chain ferry and embarkation beaches for the DDay
Normandy landings.

At the modern maritime museum in Falmouth one could see a model of one of the famous
Falmouth Packets, fast boats that delivered mail from Britain to destinations in the Mediterranean.
Unfortunately time and weather did not allow a visit to Pendennis castle.

On our last day we finished at Truro—the county town of Cornwall. The neo-gothic Cathedral was completed in 1910 by Pearson and is impressive both inside and outside. Dwarfed by the stain-glass windows we found the alabaster casts of a Jacobean couple, the matchstick model of the
Cathedral (42.000 matches) and notably something of Fr. Patrick's family history -a plaque of the Hendersons - one of whom was Lord Mayor of Truro.

This was the last opportunity to indulge in a Cornish pasty or in a pre-Halloween drink -a Cornish bitter named Doom Bar. In the evening Andrij and Trevor won the hotel written quiz thanks in part to a local, met at the aptly named Victory pub next door and some quick research at Truro Library.

Marguerite too won a prize at bingo. We had a very early Friday breakfast before our return home. It was now a fine day. However in our free newspapers we read of the snow and hailstones in North London, worse than our rain. On the journey back we learnt of another wedding anniversary - that of Irena and Fr. Patrick on Saturday. Our congratulations and thanks for another well-organised and enjoyable holiday.

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