Exeter II

After all the rain, Tuesday morning broke bright and sunny. Of course! That's because we were leaving Cornwall. Actually, we had two beautiful days, when the weather forecast said rain, but we had blue skies instead. So, I'm not complaining at all. I just hope that all of the CreationFest campers have a brilliant rest of the week. (That's one of the British things I'm learning to say.)

We had a fourth great English breakfast, and then said goodbye to Sharlotte and Reynold (I spelled Sharlotte's name wrong earlier.) It was great to meet them.

After we paid our bill, we said goodbye to Debbie (on the right) who owns and manages the B&B with her husband, and her helper. If you come to CreationFest next year, or, if you're ever in Cornwall, I really recommend it.

By now we're old hands at the buses, so we caught the 555 back to Bodmin Parkway to pick up the train to Exeter. We aren't leaving for France until tomorrow, but our flight leaves at 11:00 am, and there was no easy way to get to the airport in time if we stayed in Wadebridge. While we were waiting for the bus, Reynold came down to see us off and we chatted for a bit.

On the bus, there were two young fellows sitting near the back who asked us if they had missed the stop for Bodmin Parkway (since the bus also goes through the town of Bodmin). We told them that they hadn't and that the bus route ended at the Parkway. We got to chatting and it turns out they had been at CreationFest as well. They are from Calvary Chapel Westminster in central London. When they found out we were from Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, they couldn't stop talking about how much Chuck and Brian had ministered to them, especially during the Bible conference at City Temple last month.

Bodmin Parkway has both the regular lines, plus a smaller offshoot rail line that is only used for steam locomotives to the nearby villages. It's a very popular attraction.

Instead of going with the guys to London, we caught a little earlier train to Manchester (getting off in Exeter). It was pretty crowded and we had to change seats a couple of times (because others had reserved that particular segment.) When we walked off the train, the first thing I felt in my pocket were the keys to the room at the B&B back in Wadebridge.

We walked the couple of blocks to our hotel (The Bendene, a Georgian townhouse that was very reasonably priced). 

Inside the room, we called Debbie back in Wadebridge, got hooked up to the Internet and emailed her as well. She was very understanding, and told us just to mail the keys back to her. So, we set off in search of the Post Office. Thanks to a kind stranger, who noticed my puzzled looks (and the map I kept twisting upside down in my hands), we easily found the Post Office, and got the keys off for next day delivery.

One very neat thing that they have in Exeter is city-sponsored free "Red Coat" walking tours. We hurried up a bit and attached ourselves to the half-dozen tourists (English and German) on the "Center of Exeter" tour. It was really, really great.

The guide (all the guides are unpaid volunteers) was funny and very informative. We walked around the Cathedral and learned a little bit about its history, and the history of the two Roman settlements that predated it on the same spot; the first in AD 54 which was short lived, and the other in AD 200 that remained until the middle ages.

It's so neat having a guide, because just walking around you don't realize the significance of the buildings you're walking by. The tour has permission to visit one of the only remaining medieval courtyards in Exeter, in the private residence of the Dean of the Cathedral.

You enter the courtyard through a characteristic "wicket door". (There are 4 of these left in the city). People can enter through the smaller center door, but the whole door can be opened to allow horses or carriages to enter.

After visiting the Cathedral area, we walked over to High Street and saw some of the merchant's houses. While the facades of these houses are original, the houses behind them are modern, with the originals being destroyed in the bombing of World War II.

Further down High Street we visited the Guildhall. This was the center of government, when the commercial interests (specifically the woolen trade guilds: weavers, tuckers and shearers) we given control over the reigns of government. You enter through another "wicket door" like the one at the Dean's house.

In addition to being the "city hall" of the time, it was also a center of justice, where the prisoner was sent to "stand in the dock".

There were lots of very fine paintings on the walls, including a portrait of Charles II's sister, and a statue that looks very familiar. Kathy claims to be Irish and German, but I can't help but see some small resemblance.

As you leave the Guildhall, in a display case, they have the ceremonial hat and sword that is presented to the King or Queen if they ever visit the city.

By this time, Kathy was feeling poorly. (She may be catching another cold. It doesn't seem fair because both of us had the cold that wouldn't quit in In the month leading up to our trip.) In any event, we found a nice chain restaurant (Cafe Rouge-think Mimi's Cafe but with really good, authentic French food.) We had some onion soup (of course). Kathy had stuffed ravioli with spinach in cream sauce and I had medallions of pork with spinach and garlic potatoes. I'm not sure what we had for desert, but it was really good.

On the walk back to the hotel, Kathy asked where the city walls were. As it happened, we had just walked past the park that bordered the wall. Instead of going right home, we took some time walking through the park and exploring a small section of the wall.

Then, back to our hotel, and a hot bath. Tomorrow, off to France.