Postcard from Exeter

I am assured that, on a sunny day, Cathedral Green in Exeter is full of people sitting, eating, walking, talking, and generally enjoying themselves.  Here's what it's like on a grey and cold day.  What a lovely bit of evening sun that's just caught the windows of the medieval-looking building in the far corner of the square though.  Shame the sun didn't show its face earlier.

The people of Exeter were still sitting, eating and talking though; they just did it indoors.  For example, Michael Caines' restaurant (not "my name is" Michael Caine's) in the Royal Clarence Hotel behind the lamppost here was enticing people in with "The Best Sandwich in the World".  They have an award from a competition held in Paris to back up this astounding claim.  Vegetarians: look away now - the world-beating filling is Devonshire beef.

It does sound good but, unwilling to part with £10 when I was only looking for an afternoon snack, I tried a different Devon speciality: scones.  It may not have been the best scone in the world, but I can confirm that the eating opportunities around Cathedral Green do not disappoint!

Postcard from Ferry Meadows

I can only apologise for the 'frozen lake' theme I've adopted in recent weeks.  The weather is entirely to blame. Although, both recent photos feature winter sunshine: a phenomenon which is always worth celebrating.

Ferry Meadows is on the outskirts of Peterborough.  As the city expanded in the 1960s, a smart solution to both the problem of how to use land which formed the floodplain of the Nene, and the desire to leave some areas undeveloped for wildlife and recreation, was found in one place.  The lakes were left over after gravel extraction, and now attract plenty of wildfowl.

Most importantly, the park makes a great venue for a new year's day walk: plenty of crisp, clear air to freshen the mind, good exercise as you make a circuit of the lakes, and great cakes at the rowing club cafe.  OK, so the cake consumption might have negated the healthy bonus of the length of the walk, but on a day that cold it was impossible to resist!

Happy New Year.

Christmas card 2009

The Cannon Hill boating lake has frozen over in the current cold snap.  Birmingham is fortunate to have had just enough snow and just enough sun to make this kind of weather pleasant.  For walking in the park, anyway.  Although, the Canada Geese are angrier than usual.  Blaming passers by for the frozen lake.  And frustrated geese lack Christmas spirit.

If you're somewhere that has had far more snow, and your life has been as disrupted as that of the geese, you have my sympathy.  But I hope you'll forgive me posting a pretty picture.

After all, a significant number of the real Christmas cards I've received so far feature pictures of snow.  It's unusual in Britain to have actual snowfall so close to Christmas Day.  So how could I resist using this icy image to accompany my virtual card? 

Whatever the weather with you, I hope you have a happy Christmas. 

Postcard from the arcade

It is a well known fact that High Streets are hell and shopping centres are soul destroying.  So, when undertaking Christmas shopping, both are best avoided.  Lucky me then, that I managed to support some independent traders in Birmingham's arcades and markets, and am now wearing the smug expression of she who has completed her Christmas shopping.

I also got to enjoy the 'even brighter than New Street's' lights on Birmingham's Piccadilly Arcade (pictured), having spent the previous weekend shopping with a glass of mulled wine in hand on York Road and Poplar Road in Kings Heath during their Christmas shopping event - an experience which can be recreated any evening at the German and Craft Markets in the city centre.

Of course, in Birmingham city centre, much of the shopping available is of the identikit chain type.  Smaller towns fare better.  For those in southern England, may I recommend Antique and Contemporary Furniture and Gifts in Princes Risborough?  OK, I admit to a family connection, but it really is a lovely shop.  And, while I'm confessing, I also admit that I did some of my Christmas shopping online; so now have the tense wait to see if everything arrives on time.  Perhaps a glass of mulled wine while I'm waiting will help...

Postcard from Topsham

Just one final glimpse of the seaside for this year although, I admit it, this photo dates back a few months.  And, to be absolutely technically accurate, it's an estuary rather than the sea.

 

One thing Topsham is known for is the large number of pubs for the size of the town.  This photo was unsurprisingly taken from the front garden of one of them where I was sipping at a pint of locally brewed cider.  Sometimes folk from Exeter (ok, students) travel to Topsham to take part in a pub crawl around as many of the pubs as they can manage.  My question would be: why move from this one when the view is so perfect?

 

Winter sunsets can be magnificent of course, but they're not often experienced from pub gardens whilst quaffing cool cider.  I'm looking forward to next summer already.

Postcard from autumn

Recent wet and windy weather means the best of autumn is behind us.  But, only a few days ago, this tree in my local park was putting on its autumn colours.  I love the traffic light effect.






Of course, the use of red in nature usually does mean 'watch your step'.  So I didn't pick this fairy tale-style toadstool and bring it home to make mushroom omelette with.  Might have written a few interesting fairy tales of my own if I had though.



Birmingham's been in the news for all the wrong reasons this weekend: concert disasters, hideous car crashes and stabbings. Thought you'd like to see that it's not all bad here. Some of it is beautiful.

Postcard from Delft

I have a good excuse for the poor quality of this photo: on my trip to Delft I was a little less 'Girl with a Pearl Earring', a little more 'Woman under an umbrella'.  The rain couldn't hide the fact that the old town of Delft is charming though.

I visited for work, but found time for a wander along the cobbled streets which run over and alongside deserted canals and into this, the main market square. At night, illuminated tall windows on the upper floors of the townhouses drew my eyes upwards to admire stylish interior design.  Best not to look for too long though.  The cyclists are fast, silent, and convinced they have right of way.