England continued

Christy arrives in London

George is very happy to be watching her team, Everton

Hayley enjoying a devonian pasty on the walk from Beer to Seaton

Romance begins with a Pasty

So sayeth the devonians (residence of Devon, a south west County). I'm not sure about romance, but I have been called 'my love' 'my lovely' 'my dear' and 'my popett' more times in the last 3 days than in my whole life.... if that is romance then it definatley did begin with a pasty.

I have just come back from 3 days in Exeter, Devon. Every man and his dog wants to know why I would want to go to Exeter and my reasons are simple
1. It is the same name as a pub I like in Adelaide
2. I'm after a good pasty, and
3. Hannah (friend of George's lives there)

So off I went on a train to a city that has been around since the romans. One of the first things I did (after having a pasty for lunch) was go on an underground tour that took you through these tunnles that used to house water pipes. These tunnles were also used as storage, secret escape routes and bomb shelters during the 2nd World War.

Rather than pay the 5 pound entrance fee to the town catherdral, I went around the back to the catherdral cafe where I had a delightful cream tea (pot of tea, scones, jam and clotted cream) and sat in a wing of the cathedral that had the same achitecture and leadlighting as the cathedral. That evening I went on a ghost and legends tour. Thankfully it wasn't too scary as I had to walk home by myself, in the dark!

Exeter is a nice sized town, with only about 100,000 people and lovely old buildings and on the banks of the river Exe. I was lucky enough to have sun on my second day, so I hoped on a bus and went to Beer, a small seaside town where I procured a very tasty pasty and walked along the cliffs to the next town Seaton where I basked in the sun, bought some local cider and then caught a bus to the next town Lyme Regis. Lyme Regis is famous for its concentration of fossils. I visited the museum and walked along the cobb, the artifical harbour. At about 3pm is started to get grey and drissley, so I hoped on the bus and went back to Exeter. The day ended with pints of cider with friends from the hostel at a lovely pub around the corner.

On Thursday Hannah and James picked me up so we could go out to Dartmoor National Park for the day, however it wasn't to be as the radiator cracked and we were left on the side of the road waiting for the RAC. But all was not lost. We were able to get into town and walk all the way along the river to this lovely little pub near the lock where we had tasty pie for lunch and then walked back in time for me to go to the train station.

So my reasons for visiting Exeter, I think are worthwhile and justified.
1. I visited only nice, friendly pubs reminicent of my time drinking at the Exeter in Adelaide
2. I had 2 tasty pasties
3. I got to spend the day with lovely Hannah