Z-ventures: PENRITH, FRIENDS & NEW FANGLED ENGLISH URINALS!

Thursday, October 13, 2011

PENRITH, FRIENDS & NEW FANGLED ENGLISH URINALS!

Thursday, October 13, 2011 - Still in Garstang...

We went to Penrith Wednesday, the 12th, to visit the couple I met in Fiji almost two years ago when I met Geoff. They were so delightful and we visited by the pool and shared Fijian experiences while there. I got their address and kept in touch with them. I had written that I was coming to their area and wanted to see them and so when they got back from a trip to Majorca, we set the date.

On the way, Geoff took me over Kirkstone Pass and through a lot of fog, mist and low laying clouds. Not a lot of rain but a gray day and the effect was actually beautiful at times. You can see for yourself:

The stonewalls always intrigue me and these were no exception (and everywhere):

Now for some great fog/low cloud pictures:

Then the Kirkstone Pass Inn at the summit of the pass (in the fog):

Up and over and then down the other side of the pass--what sights:

It's "Brothers Water" in the distance (legend has it 2 brothers went for a swim and never came back so the named the lake "Brothers Water"):

Can't see the water now...but can see some of the low clouds:

One of the red telephone boxes out in the middle of basically no where:

Fog over the resort:

We stopped in the village of Glenridding--the air was so clear and clean. Had a bite to eat and visited a shop then continued our journey:

This was an important marker in the Sharmans shop--I loved it:

This was the start of Lake Ullswater (in the far background) and we followed it to the other end):

The Penrith Castle (ruins):

We had a wonderful visit for a few hours with Eddie and Marlene Ware in Penrith at their lovely home--yes, that is Eddie on his David Brown tractor in the picture behind them on the wall:

We headed back via Shap Pass and the Shap moors--once again it was a bit foggy in places:

Then into Kendal and along the Kent river into the city center:

We parked across from the Krakow Polish Shop in downtown Kendal:

And had dinner inside the Brewery Arts Center:

First foccacia break, pesto/marina sauces and olives (yum) followed by a beer infused pizza (all fabulous and filling)--the brewery has a cinema and live jazz plus several eating venues--a great place to visit in Kendal:

My favorite picture taken outside--used a flash and it made it black and white and it looks like it is iced up but it wasn't:

Then today it was nice and the sun even came out for a while so Geoff took me into Garstang for the Thursday market (Garstang is a markettown and every single Thursday it has a market on the main street). After I had fun walking around the market stalls he took me past the Dew Lay cheese factory where I couldn't resist another shot of the huge wind mill:

Then he took me to Barton Grange--it is one fabulous flower-shrub-tree and everything else place--not even sure how to describe it. They have done it so beautifully and now are decorating for Christmas:

And they are well known for their famous beautiful blown glass urinals (Geoff snapped these shots for me...honest!):

The women's loo wasn't nearly as interesting but did have some unusual shaped sink bowls that looked like carved out rock of some sort:

And some pretty flowers on the walls:

Then, as we leave, the arch made of terra cota pots and the trees that have LED blue lights (you can sort of tell in this picture that the lights are on):