…in normal times (whatever those are these days).
In Boscastle, Cornwall, where The Englishman has a holiday cottage, a local restaurant has set up a 24-hour webcam to show the outskirts of the village where the river runs down the hill on its way to the Atlantic. Yesterday I went there, expecting to find a black screen. Silly rabbit, I forgot it was England (note the time stamp):
I sat for a while, just watching as the occasional car went past on the road and people walked up and down the paths which run along both sides of the stream, and my mind went back two and a half years, when I was there all by myself…
A pint of Tribute Ale (local Cornish brew, on a par with Wadworth 6x) at the Cobweb Inn, hot fresh rolls from the little Spar grocery store behind from where we’re watching, and of course, the matchless fish ‘n chips from Sharon’s Plaice, just behind us to the right.
It’s a scene as familiar to me as my own backyard, it was one of the best weeks of my life, and I wish I was there right now.
Update: 15 minutes later:
Time to turn in.
Update 2: The Englishman writes:
I too logged on yesterday to see the sunset. The little building opposite the Old Store House has been turned into a bijou restaurant.
A lady staggered out with a bunch of flowers and meandered up the path to the bus stop which provided much needed vertical stability. It was a joy to watch, especially with the jeopardy of the stream edge which she was close to several times.
I wish I had been there.
I’ve only spent a weekend in England but thanks to Uncle Sam I got to spend a couple of years in Southern Germany, about on the same latitude as Southern Canada and the long Summer twilight that didn’t get completely dark until 10:30 or so was amazing.
Of course, the flip side was the mid January days when the sun didn’t rise until well after 0700 and it was completely dark again by 4:15. I worked in a SCIF with no windows so if I didn’t go to the mess hall for lunch there would be days when I rarely saw the sun at all.
The “bijou restaurant” menu with all the “organic” and “natural” smacks of one of those frou-frou joints where dinner for two with a glass of wine has lots of colorful swizzles on big chargers with little substance in the center, sets you back $100+ and you leave still hungry.
Hence the appeal of Sharon’s and the Cobweb, with their gargantuan portions and decent prices.
I did a two year stint in Norway, and weekend nights out on the Porch in mid July, a glass in hand and playing chess with visiting friends into the wee hours were great. It never actually got dark.
Unfortunately there was September through April.
Did 8 great years in Ol’ Blighty and enjoyed every single minute. Uncle Sam’s Traveling Air Circus sent me there twice; both times to the same base in East Anglia, now closed. Haven’t been back since 94. Miss it terribly.