Walking in the Shadows

Random musings from Warwickshire on life in general... Things that make me laugh, make me cry, things that wind me up beyond all endurance - and everything in between.

Showing posts with label Cornwall. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cornwall. Show all posts

Back from my travels – Part II – the Eden project…

On Tuesday, Mum and I travelled from our overnight stopping point at Barnstaple, to Bodmin, where we’d planned to visit the Eden Project at St Austell.

This is the first thing that you see as you enter the Eden Project - the Eden Horse. It's a driftwood sculpture, and it's one of those things that sticks in the mind...

As Mum and I had gotten what they call fast track tickets, it meant that we didn't have to queue up to get our admission sticker. Once we’d gotten our admission sticker, the Biomes came into view…

The Live 8 stage was still in place - it was located in an outside exhibition area, and behind it, the Tropical Biome on the left, and the Temperate Biome on the right…

As the Eden project was built in the remains of a quarry, the walk down would have tired Mum out, so we got the Land train down to the biomes. This land train was a series of carriages (of a fashion) pulled by a tractor! (They're in the top left hand corner of the picture below)

Once we got to bottom, we saw the second of the things that will always stick in my mind – the bumble bee statue!
As we got into the main entrance, we had the option of going right to the Temperate biome, and left to the Tropical Biome – we opted for the Tropical Biome.

The humidity was an awful lot higher than either Mum or myself could remember it being and this was confirmed by one of the guides who said that the humidity hadn’t been as high as this for a couple of years!

But, I managed to achieve one of my ambitions: - and that was get to the top of the stairs of the biome, and gets a view of things from the top!

At the top, there was the most welcome thing of all – a waterfall!


I will admit to standing in front of the waterfall as I took the picture and enjoying the spray that came off it – wonderfully cooling!

But that wasn’t the reason that I’d gone up there. I’d wanted to take some ‘photos of the Biome from a viewpoint that I’d not been able to manage in the past…

This shows the side of the quarry that the biomes are situated in - as well as showing the mist that was swirling in the top of the Biome...

 This shot shows just how lush the foliage really was - the view was something to behold!

This shot shows Pete the Panther - and I thought his expression was really sweet!


These are the famous Amazon waterlillys - the full sized leaf can hold a small child!

Then, it was into the Temperate Biome - which tends to be far more seasonal than the Tropical Biome.. Not to mention cooler and more comfortable to explore!


The Temperate Biome had a real mix of planting schemes, with plants from various regions of the world...
It also had an exhibit of vines -with statues in it, called The Rites of Diyonisus


There was also a waterfall in the Temperate Biome, but as the heat wasn't as great, I was able to appreciate the beauty a little more...


Unlike the Tropical Biome, the Temperate Biome had quite a few statues - this one made me smile - they're pigs.....


Then, it was out of the Biomes, and head for the outdoors...


But the one thing (apart from the Bumble Bee statue) that took my breath away was this:


It's amazing to see just what was used to make this statue - I was able to identify about 6 different items.

When we got back to the main entrance area, there was an announcment over the tannoy to say that London had won the 2012 Olympics... There were some French tourists in the same area as Mum and myself, and they looked really sick - as Paris had been expected to win!

Hmm... Suppose I should think about doing some w*rk....

Back later, if I get the chance...

Karen.
I walk where others fear to tread

So I dub thee unforgiven...

That's the way that I'm dealing with my ex. Ok - I know that it sounds like I'm being incredibly vindictive and nasty, but given the way I'm feeling, I feel entirely justified to react like this.

If I'd had my way, I would have spoken to him face to face, instead of showing the distinct lack of courage and splitting up with him in a 'phone call.

What I've felt
What I've known
Never shined through in what I've shown
Never free
Never me
So I dub thee unforgiven

You labeled me
I'll label you
So I dub thee unforgiven


As for my holiday next week, I'm still going to Devon and Cornwall - but I'm traveling with Mum instead. After I'd split up with my ex, Mum made the suggestion that I still went, but that she came with me, as she said that it would be the best thing I could do - get away from the area for a few days, and try and get myself back to some semblance of normality.

Ok - I appreciate the thought - and the best bit (for me, anyway!) is the fact that we're going to go to the RHS garden at Rosemoor in Devon. (See http://www.rhs.org.uk/WhatsOn/gardens/rosemoor/index.asp)

That's something that I couldn't have done with my ex, as he wasn't that interested in gardening, despite agreeing to go to the Eden project with me (see http://www.edenproject.com/)

So, whatever else may have happened recently, I've got the better end of the deal - I'll be able to go and see things that I want to see - with the added bonus that Mum's a member of the RHS, so the admission will be free, and she can tell me about the plants that I don't recognise!

Suppose I should answer my 'phone before the damned thing drives me mad!

Back later.

Karen.

I walk where others fear to tread