England on the road

England is from a well organized tour, though in some city or country has some incredibly unexplained gaps
Places to see are many and varied, from beautiful natural landscapes of the interior and the coast, castles, the beautiful cathedral, the magnificent gardens, the picturesque villages of the Interior, the legendary monuments, numerous parks and fun attractions . We have something for everyone, for all ages and all tastes!
Exchange against the pound, as is well known, for us Italians is quite poor and the cost of living appears dear. It spends a lot and especially for everything from parking tickets to get in any place can be used to draw money to the tourists!
The nightlife inside and away from large cities (especially in Cornwall) does not exist, there is a culture of pubs at all hours, as in Ireland ...
The kitchen is a controversial issue. For lunch you can spend quite a lot and eat in restaurants or inns, or settle for a Pizza Hut (if any), but certainly the popular Fish & Chips which is everywhere is not the maximum and is nauseating. For dinner there are just the restaurants, very popular everywhere (even pizza).

To all those who want to go:
Choose the Bed & Breakfast for housing, are the most widespread in almost all locations and offer more tourist without a doubt the best value for money, allowing you to appreciate the hospitality and the British housing
Choose carefully and select the destinations to visit, without deceive you by martellante advertising brochures and pictures, which sometimes overly inflate the attraction
Look for the Tourist Office (Office Information) of the city or country you visit if you want to get an idea of what you can do and see, even in the surroundings. The offices are filled with all sorts of brochures and tourist guides with maps and accommodation
and rented a car, expected a modest figure in car parks, because even more scattered in the country you can park in general only in special areas to pay (depending on the time that remains). And remember that you drive by holding the left!
If you want to know details about various stories and legends of King Arthur, scattered to the various British cities, you can not miss the story of Vincenzo di Marco!


For all the photos and other information, please visit my site:
www.ivanweb.net

 

Flight Alghero - Stansted; Canterbury

Starting from Cagliari taking the bus to Alghero arriving at the time of the Ryanair flight to London-Stanted. The price of this airline is unbeatable in any situation, even without any special offers. The flight is on time, and indeed even comes with ten minutes in advance, and I will stop at the airport to await the arrival of my great friend Carlo (which have already been in Ireland), which has come from Dublin around 18:00.
We planned this trip quickly in two weeks, looking through everything we could find on the Internet sull'Inghilterra, printing maps, experiences of other people, list and addresses of housing. The first thing we do is to sit at the bar of the airport and relax for a moment to celebrate our meeting again, then go to the Hertz counter and pick up the car which we booked in advance for a week.
A blue Fiat Punto and brand new polished us, of course, with typical English guide to the left (I think certainly if the conditions in which the show will certainly be no more and no flaming or shiny ...). Armed with maps of all sorts, take the highway down through the ring in London, noting exactly the opposite of how we would have imagined that the traffic is orderly and scorrevolissimo even close to the metropolis.
From the ring road, going clockwise, we pass a huge and modern arch bridge, which crosses the Thames at a point where the river is pretty wide, and ends at the toll booth where you pay a toll (motorways in England are in fact all Free but you pay tolls on bridges). Then turn into a detour to the south-east, towards our first goal which was Canterbury.
The highways are well marked, but you must understand the mechanisms, because sometimes the signs are so many confusing and disappear at critical moments ... Another that does not slow to point out is that the work in progress: only pignoleria and precision of the English can lead to a similar spectacle: thousands of records placed in the road so incredibly symmetrical, exactly equidistant from each other and to a long, sometimes kilometers! (even miles). And the real gem is that, despite the accurate records of work in progress, there is no one who works and does not appear the slightest hint of the work, perhaps a Loaders, a truck, anything! Sure it can happen once all this, but in one week we will find out with great surprise that this is absolutely normal: to find the same restrictions on the highway to one lane, slowing traffic, and no sign of work in progress! Without considering that there are speed cameras and photographic machines hidden in the records pylons for work, ready to shoot if you exceed the limit of 30 miles per hour ... ahhh the British!
Closed parentheses of the motorway, we reach after about an hour and a half in Canterbury, a smiling and beautiful town, where we find with little effort a hotel / BED & BREAKFAST 3 stars, the Ersham Lodge, only ten minutes' walk from center. The price of 25 pound a head there seems acceptable, since it is already dark and we are tired, and the inside and the room are very characteristic and beautiful.
After a quick look outside and cooled to 22:00, excited as always happens at the beginning of any journey, and with a great desire to do. Walk to the center trying to find the majestic cathedral, a symbol of this town, but it is impossible to approach because it is surrounded by homes and closed, with only one entrance gate of a course that is held open only during the day. Sit down to drink a beer in a nice pub in the center, and then walk to the perimeter of the town where still in the partial foot high medieval walls. There remains, therefore, that hurled in bed, relax and recharge the batteries for tomorrow!

Canterbury; Dover; Hastings; Brighton; Winchester

The morning after a succulent breakfast, we head back towards the center of Canterbury.
In the light of day you can see here are the architectural details of many houses in the quiet streets, the peaceful life of the town which takes place entirely within the center, dedicated to pedestrian area. Our goal is obviously still the Cathedral, so we return to the main street, with the only access to the majestic courtyard leading to the monument, and enter. The impact is not just being the first English cathedral of this type that we visit, which is really great and beautiful.
After a few pictures and shooting, spending buy in a market and we continue suffered to Dover in search of White Cliffs, which are the white cliffs, famous for their color, due to the conformation of the rock that composes. First to arrive at St.Margaret Cliffs, typically a tourist village with cottages on the scenic coast, then back to Dover, where, to be honest with some difficulty in understanding the direction of cartels, finally there are the famous cliffs.
Pay parking in a parking area and take a walking trail that runs along the cliffs from above. The landscape is varied around behind the background there is the huge castle of Dover, at the bottom (only initially) there is a port with a merchant going ships continued to dock and in front of the cliffs, really white which contrast with the grass turned green. From the brochure shows that the trail continues for several miles below the scene, arriving at an old lighthouse, should be even more beautiful.
But we have hundreds of things to see ahead of us again, and after an hour to relax on the lawn where we take a nice little tan (it is indeed a beautiful sunny day!), Going towards the castle. Make a nice car ride around the castle, really majestic, and then continue to the coastal road, passing a succession of beautiful tourist towns where the British are to spend their holidays.
The first is Folkestone, and very nice, then after a few more than that we stop at Hastings, was built behind the high stretch of coast and home to a typical fishing port. In the parking lot of the great harbor, the scene appears interesting background on the cliffs overlooking the ocean give a sense wild landscape on the beach in front of children playing football and the port you see some 'of everything from old trains cargo boats to fishermen. We walk towards the center, noting a particular right on the cable car that leads to the summit of the coast, where there is certainly some monument to visit. It 'full of fast food and restaurants with outdoor seating, which we know not resist, because we have a hunger abominable. Sin you in a hurry to swallow anything, the classic Fish & Chips, findable everywhere here in England, which offers precisely the fish with fried potatoes. Although the cod is fresh and we are in a seaside town, the dish appears nauseating and a brick to the stomach ... will be that we Italians are not used to this kitchen, but we intend not to commit the same mistake twice!
The second gem of the day comes near the end of lunch, when a dreadful certainty assails us seeing a sign in front of the port: we have not paid parking! Acciderbolina, we are not yet accustomed to the habits British touches make a beautiful race in the hope that nobody has noticed the fact. Among other things, and come back with good pace and we return to the car, we realize that the fine would not be at all a cifretta: its a good start for our trip! Fortunately, the luck we supported and no security guard is in the area to give stanga ...
Released in a few nanoseconds from the port still take the coast until you reach the beautiful city of Brighton. And 'This is the most well known tourist city and organized throughout the South of England, a true meeting point for young people and the English who come here to spend the holidays. The coast is at the heart of the city, with a magnificent coastline organized impeccably. Both for instance, the beach is not a big thing, so coarse, sometimes its pebbles, and the sea is not an example of clarity and transparency, but when the British organized the one thing they do well and truly turned this city in a playground.
The coastline is very long, you have never seen the end, and everything is used as a relaxing and fun field trips, sports equipment, various kinds of shops, kiosks, bars, small inns. I have thousands and tourists of all ages, from babies to old tricycle with cycling but, of course, most are young and boys. We enter a tiny shop that sells "marine craft, or items and souvenirs made from shells of all kinds, small and huge, with the most varied forms that I have never seen before.
Later the highlight of the coast: the Brighton Pier, which is one of the many piers along the coast with the peculiarity of having over a playground. Indeed, walking along the narrow pier between a succession of points Refreshments and games (very popular slot machines) and arrive in the wider part at the bottom, where there is a track Go-Kart miniature , and no less than three different roller coasters, of course small, but very suggestive because the ocean! There is a continuous street of people, huge seagulls flying everywhere and taking food from tourists can no longer, giving real spectacle. The landscape is very impressive because the sun starts setting and the rays illuminate the whole city in the background, with the buildings and hotels that serve as boundary wall (seems to see a postcard of Miami), all visible in the excellent pier. In the other piers, other fishermen will delight with the line and some tourists in a boat or motor boat you can enjoy the beautiful landscape.
Loaded from this peaceful atmosphere and fun, me and Charles decide to participate on a plunging roller coaster of which attract more than the one with the lap of death! When ever Ricapito to make a roller coaster over the ocean? And so we go on this intrepid striking attraction ... Un po 'rintontiti leave the pier and we head towards the center of Brighton, inside. After a tour we discover the most famous monument of the city, the Royal Pavilion, a sort of huge mosque architecture created entirely with East Asia. We enter the beautiful park, well-kept and decorated with beautiful flowers, looking at the splendid mosque in its various facades, even if it is almost dark and it is time to leave.
For the night we plan to go to sleep in Southampton, one of the largest cities in the South and the commercial port, but once arrived at destination, the city will disappoint some. Do not see anyone around the streets, it seems a sad and empty and, among other things, not even notice for housing structures. Not yet tardissimo, therefore we decide to risk a pulled up in Winchester. In practice one day cross the middle England! At Winchester we come in pitiful condition, tired from the long journey, and we think we quickly find a BED & BREAKFAST where to stay, this being a popular tourist town a lot. But does not go so far: we turn empty for a long time 'until you find, now desperate to 22:00, a sort of BED & BREAKFAST right above a pub.

Winchester and the round table; Salisbury; Stonhenge; Sherbourne; Yeovil

We go to visit the town of Winchester, really beautiful and pretty, which also has a nice pedestrian area in the center lanes and much features. Parking not far from downtown, in the usual area for a fee, this time with a more decent automatic machine, paying for a time of 4 hours. Fell from the machine the eye falls immediately into a Pizza Hut, famous chain of restaurants in England, where with a fixed price you can take a buffet every kind of pizza and many salads in quantity you want, but only in relation between the 13: 30 and 14:30. "At 13:30 we will be here!" I think both Charles and this is certainly the only safety of the day! Going towards the center, follow the signs to the conquest of the legendary first stop: the Round Table of King Arthur, which is located in the Great Hall. The famous table is shown in a huge hall hung on a wall, and you can visibly see the 24 portions in which it is divided, each with the name of the knight to whom it was. We enjoy a little 'our legendary Round Table, and then continue on longer, at the end of the country, where we visit the Cathedral of Winchester, also together with that of Canterbury is considered among the most beautiful in England. On the right of the main front is a courtyard, where peace and tranquility reign absolute, as typical of these religious places. In a beautiful green lawn all'inglese lies a strange sculpture of a fantastic artist, representing two men, which is really a beautiful photographic subject with the background of the cathedral.
It made the 13:15 and we have an urgent and inevitable appointment to meet. Returned to racing in the country, and accurate to 13.30 seconds, punctual as a Swiss watch, the emotion we attacked and we do not just go down the tears for joy, in the face of this shiny and colorful shows of Pizza hut with a sign for the buffet!
After lunch we go to Salisbury. We arrived more or less around 15:30. It is part also of the famous English town famous for its cathedral. In fact, this Salisbury seems to me the most beautiful ever, and the huge bell tower spire top (well 127 meters if I remember correctly, the highest across the UK).
We come in to visit the cathedral which is magnificent, with its towering Gothic naves and chapels decorated. A particularly curious is the oldest clock exposure of England, and probably one of the oldest in the world, of course, but everything seems like a clock today intend.
Just outside the cathedral, however, has exposed one of only five authentic copies of the Magna Carta in the world, and the friendly guide of the place, a poor man among some 'collapses on the floor from what is old, he says the words "eating several history of this important piece of paper, which appears to be the best preserved and readable of all the other four.
The trip to Salisbury is short because vogiamo absolutely see, before the closure, another mythical legendary stage win from our trip: Stonhenge. We arrive at this monument, undoubtedly among the most famous in the world, directly from the motorway, after a short ramp on the right. The impact from it is strange, because it exceeds a hill and suddenly sprout in the distance from the remains of Stonhenge so beautiful and isolated, immersed in an endless green meadow. Seem more majestic coming from the road to watch them closely in fact. Certainly the location of an important historical monument, famous mainly for its aura of mystery, is definitely not happy just a short walk from the motorway, with the wind of all the machines. Despite all confirm the vision of Vincent, who rightly says that looking at these stones, so full of legends and mysteries, with emotion that they can finally see live and not just in documentaries, the place makes it incredibly fascinating.
Is the entry ticket and receive a guide, a sort of phone numbers where you can choose the language, while the right is the classic shop equipped with everything. Walk along a short stretch of road show, designed on the walls, as was once the site: huge, absolutely huge, and much more impressive now, whereas the circle of stones outside it remains today only one standing.
The tour starts with a path that runs through a ring at 360 ° on the hill around Stonhenge. Every time you present with signs of the numbers who pressed on the telephone can hear the description. From the guide had not been sure about the mysteries of this site, the exact how and why it was built, what purpose it served, as was used, but are all the possible scenarios, from the astronomical calendar to ufo.
The most beautiful is the end, where you can better appreciate and see the remains, preserved intact and more numerous, the monoliths, and is also more suggestive towards sunset when the sun illuminates them against. Excited by our achievement, we can not fail to capture this moment and taking advantage of the fact that we are at closing time and there is hardly any tourist, I Carlo ingenuity and the usual self, this time lying on the floor!
Shortly after we tucked the highway to the South West of England, and that is not yet dark, deviamo for a scenic ride to Sherbourne, a village was incredibly out of civilization and intact as centuries ago. The road to get there is an entire program, and close curvosa, with high stone walls surrounded by a green overbearing, that sometimes give space in a beautiful stone houses with sloping roof. Life here seems to have stopped, we feel almost intruders with this technology stuff as the car ... The country then it is absolutely wonderful, a small town inhabited by favoletta, a perfect scale model of a historical reconstruction that seems to have been created on purpose to shock the tourists, but this time it's all true (and not pay anything!). Even here there is still tourism, and the proof is that we can not even find a place to sleep. There is only the classic country pub with people of a certain age who drink their tasty beer, and the streets of downtown are desolate. A real museum piece, absolutely incomparable to understand the real English countryside, as was once and how, even if for a few strokes, is still today.
After Sherbourne, now dark, yet we continue down coming up to Yeovil, a town where anonymity is finally without difficulty, a discrete BED & BREAKFAST at a price significantly cheaper. After a while leave refreshed 'through the streets of this town, ending up drinking a beer in a strange pub, full of kids who are giving a kind of party. It was not exactly the most, and begin to realize that the nightlife certainly will not be the highlight of this trip: here we are in England and Ireland, the culture of the pub every day at all hours, even in the most lost, no!

Camelford; Tintagel and King Arthur's Castle; Watergate Bay; Newquay

We follow the highway down to the extreme southwest of the island, passing through Exeter where we tangled with the cartels, end up making the rounds of the city a couple of times in search of right deviation to the north of Cornwall.
We leave after an hour of motorway at a junction, by taking a secondary road that leads to Camelford, a small town that some guides are considering Camelot paid more (for example, but Vincenzo appointment South Cadbury). Stop here for lunch in an inn feature of the place, where we are practically only me, Carlo, the girl who runs the local and the other two or three local people who enter and leave the gossip of the country. Do not see a single tourist, even in the streets, we are totally immersed in the real life of a remote site of south-west of England!
Left this small town we continue to miss the stage of Tintagel. This time we go to the conquest of King Arthur's Castle, or the ruins of the Castle where the legend is born King Arthur. Earlier this beautiful tourist town, we leave the car in an area dedicated to the Tourist Office, where we enter to look at the brochures and guides. A map shows the path traveled to reach the castle, towards the end of the country. So we walk to the main street, in a succession of wonderful small shops of every kind, located in beautiful stone houses, which make the atmosphere truly impressive with the long cold and overcast. Stands out in particular the distinctive Old Post Office, the famous and super popular in the cards, considered the oldest still working in England.
A little later, by a deviation to the left from the dirt track that descends rapidly towards the coast and is surrounded by a beautiful walk in the green zone. After about twenty minutes smile at the sight of the notorious disgrace for which our mythical Vincenzo Marco speaks, a modern hotel in the shape of a castle built on the left above on a promontory, which we agree strongly with the 'stonatura' with the magic of this place.
At the end of the path we come close to the ocean, and we pause to observe the beautiful scenery: the ruins of the castle on the left, with a strange wooden bridge connecting the two headlands, which arise from a part of the old castle of King Arthur and on the village, facing the ocean and moved quite angry, and a succession of green hills on the right paths where other small climb. Below there are even several caves, which at low tide can be reached on foot.
So we go around the bridge, where it can not miss the farm to pay the tickets, and we as the first choice to go to the right, towards the ruins of the village. On the left, a steep staircase leading to the castle, built in a truly unique and exceptional, with the walls at the end of the promontory overlooking the ocean from a considerable height! This is a fantastic place and impregnable! (the legend, we learn from Vincenzo, seems to say that was conquered only by deception through the magic of Merlin).
Cross the wooden bridge going up on this promontory, where a scenic walk is absolutely necessary. In the first part you can admire the few remains of walls of old houses, and the trail continues high on the coast to the other extreme point where the cliff towards the ocean is accentuated. From here you can enjoy a fantastic view of the place, you can see the coast, the ocean, the remains and ruins, even the village of Tintagel in the distance. All this is hugely impressive, and other small details help make this one of nature's most beautiful places in Cornwall, as a small waterfall, the flowers, hidden caves, the continued presence of huge seagulls flying everywhere. Charles is lying appisolando even in relaxing while enjoying the superb view! Continuing on the back of the promontory, the tourist trail to the top of salt and disappears along with the tourists, leaving room for the desolate prairie, where you can stroll and admire the view to 360 °. Some cartel sporadically on the ground says the discovery of ruins, some still with a mysterious significance of how and why they have been constructed.
Back to square one, having circumvented the whole promontory, climb the steep stairs leading to the ruins of the castle itself, of which the walls can now only guess from the few remains of the fences of the foundations. The far end wall overlooking the ocean and is not a right for those who suffer from vertigo! Another trail starts from here and back to half way to Tintagel, where we return to the 16:00.
Resumed the car, walk a fine piece of secondary road, almost desolate, in the north of Cornwall, and we stop in a bay called mammoth Watergate Bay, famous mainly for British tourists who love the surf. The glance is exceptional: miles and miles of beautiful beach, surrounded by even more game tides, with the high costs overhanging shoulders, and the ocean waves that are retreating slowly, creating hundreds of meters of shoreline where a fun run and walk trying not to sink into the wet sand too! And that's just what we do for a good mezz'oretta in this beautiful stretch of coast, which goes further than many other miles in various famous bays, some even with high stacks, but we can not find.
Reach however, when it is almost dark, the happy little town of Newquay, also meta mainly British tourists almost exclusively. A brief tour of the coastline immediately makes us understand that this is a wonderful place and well organized, chock full of shops and entertainment and not remain delusoi. Easily find a BED & BREAKFAST near the center, among other very cheap and most characteristic in terms of domestic furniture, upholstered with a vividly colorful and cheerful. The lady who welcomed us was very kind and helpful.
After properly rested and refreshed, leave promising to visit this town, where in fact there are now almost all closed, while only 22:00. Our tour is definitely fortunately revived and made exciting by the beautiful views that the coast offers us with a wonderful beach squeezed between the high walls of rock. Two to be exact, both very large and well organized, easy walk down the stairs. One in particular strikes us dramatically, where sighted with a wonder fully insulated house built high above a tall rock, and connected to the "land" only through a long modern bridge arc. We head towards this incredible building, but the bridge is only accessible through the entrance to a private home, so we descend the long staircase down to the wall that leads to the beach, and walk in this beautiful bay. Risaliti for another tier in the vicinity of an aquarium, we continue around the green lawns and squares, as noting in this town, so absolutely more pronounced than in any other, the huge-sized seagulls lambs dominate everywhere. We are everywhere, often in groups, and feels virtually their only cry in the streets well-lit but desolate (the only tourists seem to be in circulation). All this creates a charming and magical, that makes Newquay one of the most beautiful characteristics that has seen so far.

Newquay; Land's End; Penzance; St.Michael's Mount; Mullion Cove; Lizard Point; St.Austell

We return next to the bay with the famous house, the lady of the BED & BREAKFAST tells us belong to a rich old lady and egocentric, to take the necessary photos. Moreover we have the same value as any other attraction, a work so unique and unusual! In light of the sun we see that these are the hours of low tide, as well as last night, seeing that in the harbor in the distance there is no water and the boats are supported on the ground. The beach is quite large, but with the high tide the ocean makes sure to cover the base of the tall rock, making it even more impressive villa.
After visiting the villa take the highway that leads to the far western tip, not only in Cornwall but throughout the British island. It comes in fact in a place called Land's End, or where the land ends, much publicized not only for the natural beauty of the coast but also for the amusement park that resides there.
Leave the car in the usual parking fee is passing through the park, divided into several parts with different attractions. We sincerely do not inspire much and continue directly to the coast. The landscape here is really beautiful, that's not to say, there are several places to enjoy a spectacular view of the coast, in particular for pursuing the path that leaves a little 'from playground. We pass through a bridge and overturned a promontory, tourists are getting less and takes place much more savage. Left the main path down freely behind the green coast, to see more closely the many colonies of birds and the ocean. Obviously shooting several photos I can, excited by this beautiful landscape, until Charles does not attract my attention that mean something by the waves and check that appears to a head. It is Perbacco! And 'nothing less than a seal! And 'know that this stretch of coast, with a little' luck, you can spot the seals, but not believed seriously! In fact, we discover that this is a seal with two guys who have the binoculars and look in the same direction, is pretty far away, goes back only occasionally and it is sometimes difficult to distinguish. However excited by this dramatic sighting for us, we remain a little 'time to wait for the seal dates back to the surface several times and I try to photograph them, even if the definition with digital zoom, unfortunately, is rather low.
Left Land's End, we go back to Penzance, the only graceful country town in this desolate area with St. Ives. Parking the car in the picturesque harbor and walk to the center, stop to eat at a nice local place (the Pizza Hut there!).
Having dutifully bought several postcards, we continue to Marazion, tiny country with very narrow streets, made a key step to get to St. Michael's Mount, island famous for being the poor relation of S. Michelle in Normandy. The characteristics are the same, or can be reached by land via a paved path that appears "magically" with the low tide. With the high tide you can reach by boat. Tide Timetables you can ask from somewhere or are exposed. For our luck when we arrive there is high tide, which lasts until tomorrow morning, and then decide to skip this stage limited to watching from the coast, on a day among other things, to poor visibility.
Then we reach the uninhabited stop Lizard peninsula in a bay's breathtaking called Mullion Cove. It 'a very small country with a kind of marina surrounded by incredibly beautiful place. Children calmly swimming diving from the small pier, while we shudder from the cold only to watch them. You see many paths that go up and follow the coast and spectacular high, certainly a fine ideal for trekking, but we only have time to climb a steep hill in our way, literally, by climbing to the top excited about this great panorama. The view is breathtaking and unique and deserves a break more of our hour long, which we use to admire and photograph everything meticulously, by imposing rocks overhanging the green, which were launched headlong into the deep blue of the ocean.
Shooting the car arrive, after a long and narrow country road quite impressive, up at the Lizard Point, this beautiful, which is the most southern point of the whole of England. Here rest properly in a kiosk of the place and admire the view, before reaching the end. The postcards we realize that there are other beautiful bays in the area's similar to Mullion Cove, the peninsula that make this a destination absolutely unmissable for its natural beauty.
Just before it is fully dark we reach St. Austell, the main town of the area surrounded by mountains, unlike so many coastal towns in Cornwall. We find a huge BED & BREAKFAST, very distinctive, on two floors plus the third just below the roof, where is our spacious room. The air outside is pretty cool, feels the move from the coast to the mountains, but of course within the BED & BREAKFAST heating control is a duty.
The night we go out we are still rather disappointed by the fact that in one of the main towns there is nothing open, and obviously I am not talking about shopping, I mean a pub or some place to get something to drink or have fun: there is no nothing! In total desolation, we turn to the empty streets of the center at least to say that I have visited this town.

Eden Project; Cheddar; Wells; Glastonbury and the Thor; Bristol

Predestined for the stage today is to dell'Eden Project, near St. Austell, and seen a lot of publicity, rather exaggeratedly, almost a wonder of the world. These are the greenhouses currently the largest in the world, built to create ambitiously (and the name shows) an environment which encompasses a huge amount of plants in the world, from most common to the most rare.
Once you bought the ticket, paid the most expensive in the entire trip to see a single attraction, take a long scenic path that descends into the greenhouses. The impact is certainly not just the wonder and is guaranteed to see these huge greenhouses in the form of bubbles! The complex is divided into two sections, differing only in size, each consisting of three large domes of which the largest is the central one. The first feeling that we try entering the sub-tropical belt is that of a choke-General, at the limit of endurance, and it is no coincidence that every time they are within the angles of refreshments. The sense of oppression is accentuated by a crowd of tourists crowded, virtually all British and this is all old people! The scenery is quite amazing, including artificial waterfalls, several bridges, tropical plants, and a high roof and huge built with the enormous hexagonal cells of the greenhouse. It all reduces to a simple walk through these giant domes built by man, rather than a real visit nature, perhaps even to the discomfort of the crowd and temperature that is not possible to fully enjoy the place and they want quickly output. Carlo and I make no secret of being a little 'disappointed in this regard, while fully appreciating the uniqueness of this extraordinary place artificially created by man (perhaps, in fact, too artificial and the market).
Eden left the shooting and the highway, pulling up to a single crossing Cheddar, famous for its cheese production and the natural point for the presence of a huge gorge. Arrived around 15:00, refreshment in a decidedly local handicraft, the only open at this hour of the afternoon, run by a nice gentleman who also serves as a waiter and his wife cooking in the back. Indeed, it seems to be in the living room of a house, guests of this gentleman, friendly and available, with a menu and very good home cooking traditional dishes of the place. Soon after we move to the Cheddar Gorge, a deep throat very beautiful, with high vertical walls and a particular shape, you can cross safely drive through a winding road that passes in between. After a brief stop for photos we continue south to Wells to see the beautiful cathedral, but in fact we have already seen several others, we stop and not let other priorities. Almost 17:00 when, always go to the South shortly after Wells arrived at Glanstonbury. Apparently going in the car on the streets seems a commonplace town, like many other British usual houses with gardens, lawns, and so forth. But parked in the middle and down the road are sufficient for only ten minutes to figure out exactly what Vincent wants to say in his memoirs! First, we agree now that the mysticism here is inherent in the place and atmosphere is truly unique and charming in this city considered the capital of the New Age. Every inhabitant is a character, there are people of all kinds and all colors, some very untidy in clothing, others in the look in general: in short, seems to walk among vagabonds and travelers from who knows what part of the world, with backpack on my shoulders, because, as Vincent told before us and as we say here in the place, nobody ever comes to Glanstonbury "by chance". Everyone is looking for something, lighting that can change the lives of religious ritual that allows you to go beyond the world common to mortals. We decide to take the fateful purifying traipsing down, climbing on top of Thor, a hill with a tower on top, where you can enjoy a magnificent view of the valley, and many legends associated with even the Holy Grail. While the hill is approaching with its tower that dominates the landscape, we remain impressed dall'incredibile number of characters of the place, and the chicken is another one behind the other! One person stays with open arms as if to form a cross for more than ten minutes on the top (while we are amazed we ask what is doing), and during the last part of the climb some boys in a circle, visible in the distance, are working chissà as a ritual or making strange. On the trail we noticed several spots that constantly seem to melt wax, a strange smell in the air, and a girl, now near the tower, we stopped talking about strange things, those guys over there and the fact that it is a witch (and I do not doubt that I believe to be real, must have smoked the impossible ...).
Obviously not badiamo you and reach the top, where the view is really great! Can be seen throughout the valley, the small town of Glanstonbury against, as the sun set quickly, and the panorama sweeps across the green English countryside. Our efforts are rewarded with great! After contemplating this again breath taking beauty and the necessary photos of the monument Thor, descend from the main path this time, much less steep and less long. Unfortunately we are mortified in not having had time to visit the Chalice Well, the garden mentioned by Vincent, a place of peace and silence where a spring of water ferruginous would (according to legend) wonder-working powers.
However more than happy to stop at this unforgettable Glanstonbury, a town outside of any common standard, take the car to climb to reach the North and Bristol, where we look to find accommodation for the night. We arrive with all calm to 20:00 pm, and we remain impressed by the landscape around surrounded by majestic forests, along the river with the very high bridge that almost became a symbol of this great city. Entered the center, begin to turn round to find any accommodation, but we do not find anything dramatically to accommodate a poor tourists in search of a place to sleep, not even a sign of a hotel! We observe only so many young people that come and go have fun (it's Thursday night) and we have after an hour of unnecessary research to move out of town hoping to find some BED & BREAKFAST in some village near.
In the end, despite losing the orientation we are in possession of a map at hand and no longer able to understand our position and direction, vague on isolated roads in the surrounding woods apparent almost disturbing and gloomy, a hamlet inhabited by finding time to time but without any alternative accommodation. Our hopes are now fading around 22:30, we are exhausted and destroyed, with a strong allergy to the passenger of the car after hours of research, like a mirage when we see the writing of a guesthouse in a house with some around. Stop without delay in this particular house, furnished in very well respected by the mistress of the place, where there seems to be in a fine hotel with all the red carpet and all the mirrors placed everywhere, in corridors, stairways, rooms and even in bath before the shower! Who knows where we are finished ...

Oxford

Lauta consume a breakfast room is also surrounded by mirrors of this unique guesthouse, and riprediamo the journey back to Bristol and follow signs for Oxford. It 'a shame not to have much time, because Bristol, on the inhospitable part of the previous night, it seems a really interesting city that deserves a more thorough visit.
After a long traverse through the center of England, among other things the wrong highway, which means to stretch a lot and not miss a short time, we come finally to the famous Oxford. The best solution would probably be to leave the car out of town and take the bus in special areas called "Park & Ride", following the advice of the English signs, but we realize this is too late and we go directly into the center, beside the dear parking fee (but this time we had in mind the account of the hours and the passage of time ...).
Once you left the car go first in a Tourist Office to pick up the map of the city and a list of BED & BREAKFAST, then walk through the center continuously until lunch, where we choose to eat the now more than Pizza Hut tested.
Oxford is a really nice town, nice to make life as a student, full of young, green spaces, parks, college and universities. The history and art are inherent in the streets of the center, rich with well-preserved monuments, churches, even the university are grand and showy. We do not have much time to stop and see everything there is to see (it would take no less than three days), so we opt for a tour of illustration, at least to breathe the atmosphere of this town so famous in the world.
The streets of downtown are completely closed by a large pedestrian zone, and the most used to move (and of course cheaper for a student) is the bicycle. If we find everywhere, quietly left the streets without protection (especially those who steal, ce l'hanno tutti!). The souvenir shops, needless to say, everywhere and plenty of everything and offer more to tourists. Walking freely in the crowded and lively streets of downtown, we are attracted by the construction of the library, one of the most beautiful sights of Oxford. We visit only the entrance, very impressive, where we learn that the archives contains the beauty of more than five million books!
Back at BED & BREAKFAST, we have tried just after lunch, a little 'in the suburbs and definitely more expensive than the average of the other British, rest and leave for the night, convinced that on Friday evening, the weekend has already started and we have good certainly possible to find a lot 'of movement. And so it is partly, although we expected something more from a city so full of youth and students. Enter free of charge in many pubs, but then no one inspires us that much, until, at a certain time, only the disc and night clubs stay open to pay.
So we return to the BED & BREAKFAST, where we put in place another legendary night gem. Because the parking lot of our BED & BREAKFAST ago with a street corner and ends at the back, and there is no plaque or sign at least indicate that the bright, dark pesto and ultimately turn the corner to try to open the wrong door, that first of our BED & BREAKFAST. The key of course to run empty and not open for anything, so after several attempts to start knocking worried (the one at night!). I will always remember the face of the lady afraid that suddenly occurs on the glass of the door, without opening, and yells: "Next door! Next door !"... We realize in a moment of our second beautiful corner, and we run into the port side (the right one this time) into a smile (but would rather laugh at tears) in the BED & BREAKFAST, thinking that after all we are certainly not the only ones to have been wrong and that she should be more accustomed to these poor tourists ... distracted!

Cambridge

After leaving Oxford Cambridge we reach the last leg of our journey, specially chosen for its proximity to Stansted. Usually tram-tram to the parking lot, and patrol the town, which appears to my eyes even more charming and welcoming of Oxford. Probably the average age is lower but otherwise it's all in the style of Oxford: a wide pedestrian area which makes a pleasant walk to downtown, lots of little shops, beautiful monuments and beautiful college, so many bikes, beautiful parks and green of course a myriad of young students. All this creates a wonderful, and this is definitely a town that deserves a thorough visit of several days to be fully appreciated.
After lunch try the BED & BREAKFAST in the streets marked on our map, bought the Tourist Office, and we find one at the same price of Oxford, also a little 'in the suburbs. This time to welcome us was an Irishman, who when he heard that Charles lives in Dublin began a long and pleasant speech, and offers us a room not bad.
Spend the evening with a bit of shopping, from market place to the many shops in the center, having to recover some memory that the race of our trip we have not yet managed to buy. The latest gem is that of a singular character who, for the classic coins on offer, have the courage to go in a rubbish bin (typical British-shaped cylinder, blacks, with two slits on the sides at the top), where he plays the guitar. The particularity of the thing is that initially you hear the music and voice without understanding the origin, until you start to see half tick handle the guitar slot of the bin and a half on the other side of the slot man. Several people close to you ask him to leave, but he insists Undaunted to sing! Certainly there is no laugh at these scenes are actually pretty painful, but there is no denying that the time it seemed quite funny (also because the character sings and plays well to come!).
The night we go out again in search of some fun pubs, and this time we find it almost immediately, much easier than yesterday in Oxford. There is beautiful music and quiet people, pretty sophisticated add, and is quite good. After a lovely evening we return to the BED & BREAKFAST, without sbagliare door, dovendoci up tomorrow at 6:00 to go to the airport.

Return flight Stansted - Alghero

Get up early in the morning, load their bags and depart from Cambridge to Stansted Airport. We arrive in just over half an hour of motorway scorrevolissima, all row smooth, return the car, I accompany Charles to check-in of your flight to Dublin and we salute doing breakfast at the bar with a good warm the English, briefly summarizing the chicken of this wonderful journey. My flight to Alghero is one hour later, and I also expect the bus to Cagliari, a whole day of travel ...