PLYMOUTH TODAY.

We hadn't been to Plymouth for a couple of years now, so again being such a lovely day that's where we decided to go. Going back 15 or 18 years Sue and I used to go the 30 odd miles to Plymouth on our bikes regularly. We always stopped off at the "Barbican" this is a harbour side area, where loads of pleasure, fishing and hire boats are moored, (see picture). It also was where the trawlers berthed while unloading their catch. At the time there was a little wooden hut right alongside of the quay wall, this served up cheap, basic but great food and mugs of Tea, at the time a proper crock mug of tea was 10p and a Bacon,Egg and mushroom or similar butty, ran out at just over a £1 each. As you can imagine it was always busy with Trawler men, boatmen, local workers, bikers and people who just stopped by. This wonderful little hut was called "Cap't Jasper's". After this we would walk the famous "Plymouth Hoe"(of Sir Francis Drake fame), then up the hill for a stroll around the numerous shops. Today then would be a similar trip down memory lane. On arrival things had really changed, a Hugh big super Marina and Quays, Dartington glass had a Hugh shop and Glass blowing viewing area too. Across the Harbour was the massive new Aquarium, also a new harbour swing bridge allowing access to the inner sheltered harbour. The only really good thing was the Captain's cabin was still there!!!, much bigger and posher but still reasonably cheap, Mug of Tea 60p, Bacon, Egg, Sausage, mushroom, onions all in a half French stick for £2.65, scrummy, naughty but nice.After eating our way through that we proceeded to follow our route around.
Please do click on any picture to enlarge it.
Below the inner harbour,
This lovely 3 masted Barque "The Earl of Pembroke" was built in Sweden in 1948, she was one of the last trading Schooners built and started life as "Orion" plying Timber in the Baltic. She had a complete restoration job that was completed in 1994. Since then she has gone on to star in at least 9 films the most famous being "Cut Throat Island" or "Shaka Zulu". She is now part of the "Square sails experience", which aims to give all a chance to share in the sailing of a traditional square rigged ship.
Again another view of her, it was a shame that at the time of photographing her she was mostly in shadow.
This board is placed next to her on the quay side, it explains most of her history, if you enlarge the image.
This view below is across the inner Harbour, showing a few beautiful boats in the back ground.
This one is "my little day boat" I wish. Just around the corner there was a similar boat for sale in a Mariners window, Second hand £59,000 !!!!!!!.
Here we have just a few of the many bikers that abound here on nice days (Jaspers in the back ground). This Special is some ones pride and joy, lovely it was too, just not my cup of Tea.
This early 200cc Yamaha had been rebuilt and finished to a very high standard.
All in all a nice afternoon out doing something different, the only problem is now Sue wants to go back to do some Christmas shopping.
This video was taken on the way home at a stop off at Endersleigh Garden centre, just thought I would share the array of decorations with you. It might be as well to point out the "Sleeping Santa"isn't real but a buyable moving dummy.



Joke of the day.

A woman brought a very limp duck in to a veterinary surgeon. As she lay her pet on the table, the vet pulled out his stethoscope and listened to the bird's chest.
After a moment or two, the vet shook his head sadly and said, "I'm so sorry, your duck has passed away."
The distressed owner wailed, "Are you sure?"
"Yes, I am sure. The duck is dead," he replied.
"How can you be so sure," she protested. "I mean, you haven't done any testing on him or anything. He might just be in a coma or something."
The vet rolled his eyes, turned around and left the room, and returned a few moments later with a black labrador retriever. As the duck's owner looked on in amazement, the dog stood on his hind legs, put his front paws on the examination table, and sniffed the duck from top to bottom. He then looked at the vet with sad eyes and shook his head.
The vet patted the dog and took it out, and returned a few moments later with a cat. The cat jumped up on the table and also sniffed delicately at the bird from head to foot. The cat sat back on it's haunches, shook its head, meowed softly, and strolled out of the room.
The vet looked at the woman and said, "I'm sorry, but as I said, this is most definitely, 100 percent certifiably, a dead duck." Then the vet turned to his computer terminal, hit a few keys and produced a bill, which he handed to the woman. The duck's owner, still in shock, took the bill.

"£150!", she cried, "£150 just to tell me my duck is dead!!"

The vet shrugged. "I'm sorry. If you'd taken my word for it, the bill would have been £20, but with the lab report and the cat scan, it's now £150.00."