Dunster Castle and Dunkery Beacon

[blur_kiwi]

Although they have been back in Poland for more than a week now, I must continue with the photos I took while I was showing Monika and Marcin around. As I've said many times before, I love showing people around my part of the world. It often helps me put things into perspective.

With Monika having been here before I wanted to strike a balance

Comments

[meathiel]

Hm ... I actually think the castle looks fine ... :D

And Exmoor is beautiful - love the heather!

[blur_kiwi]

Thanks. I think the castle looks fine too, it's just that, well,....it just seems to look a lot bigger from a distance and when you're close it just looks like an exaggerated house, and then inside it's just a few uninspiring rooms. And that's a shame because thousands of people go there and I'm sure most are expecting more. I feel bad that I don't think much of it because it's part of my heritage and everything, but I would rather have something looming and magnificent.

And yes, Exmoor is looming and magnificent, and very heathery, which is great! :))

Sorry, my English has reverted to a Dr Who impression. That's because I'm watching the van Goch episode on BBC3 at the moment!

[meathiel]

Aww ... I love that Dr Who episode! It's so sad!

[ideoteca]

ARGH. I can't ever pick one favourite photo, ever! I love love love the one of the chimneys, and the castle-from-the-castle (hehehe...), and the one with the wee boy, and the PERFECT picture of the swan fountain. And the picture of the 'patchwork'-like countryside made me immediately nostalgic for Bristol, because that was my first glimpse of England from the plane when I got there!! And the tiny road looks a bit like the road you initially take from the Bristol Airport into town. Ramble over.

One day I'll buy a huge, wall-sized print of one of your UK photos and put it in my bedroom.

The weather was, at best, unpredictable. There were showers, mini storms, sunny intervals and mean cloudy spells in between.
XD! Great Britain. Greatest.

[blur_kiwi]

Thank you. :)))

I remember once, flying back into Bristol from Amsterdam and I was sitting next to a young French woman. (My experiences generally of sitting next to young French women on flights are not great, a story I must tell you one day, but this one was fine.) She had flown up to Amsterdam from Toulouse and was now on the last leg of her journey. She was by the window and as we began to descend for Bristol she just said (at the same view you describe) 'My God, it's so beautiful! I just didn't expect....awww.' That patchwork of fields and hedges, woodlands and ponds does it every time.

When that day comes, you won't have to buy the print, it will be a gift, and a warmly given one too. :))

[ideoteca]

Haha, yes, the English countryside is quite enchanting. I couldn't believe there was a big city nearby. I even went through a thought of 'I want to live in the country forever!' until I remembered I'm afraid of 99% of insects and that there would be no shops and that I'd probably die if I had to commute to a city for a job. But it was a nice thought while it lasted. :P

You will have to tell me about this French woman in a plane with me story ASAP.

And thank you! I think I might end up wallpapering all four bedroom walls with a huge picture each, so you could just autograph them for free. XD

[carla_flydance]

What an amasing castle...I love such castles and small villages...these smart houses and road throught the meadows...It is so magical.

[blur_kiwi]

There are lots of places like this around here. That list of places I want to show you is getting longer! :)))

[carla_flydance]

That is so beautiful. For me these are the most beautiful places that I'm willing so much to see.

[ghymoreids_mum]

you might have found a decent pinot! [and the Birthday Bear would have felt right at home]

I notice that you still managed to show us some wonderful photos

[blur_kiwi]

Sadly, it's not that kind of a shop. I knew about it but had never actually seen ti before. For my birthday, back in January, some very kind friends gave me a mounted tile of a cartoon pukeko playing cricket which they had bought in that shop. The shopkeeper had taken the trouble to point out that a pukeko was a native New Zealand bird on a handwritten slip of paper stuck to the back of the tile. I've probably seen more pukekos than they ever will, but it was a nice thought.

I agree with you, this is definitely a shop for The Birthday Bear! I will have to treat him. :))

[ghymoreids_mum]

tourist kitsch, oh dear. [though sometimes amusing, and quite good fot gifties]
I really hope they also have some of the *good* stuff.

[gaia_child]

I must say I really enjoyed Dunster Castle and surroundings, though you claimed there's really nothing to admire there:) The views from the castle were really amazing, and the village itself was atmospheric:) We didn't see that lovely swan figure - it's funny that we travel together and photograph different things and discover them afterwards:))

I was really happy I could climb Dunkery Beacon this time! I'll never forget our rainy walk up, windy top (and meeting a Pole there - though he looked English, and spoke with no trace of Polish accent), and sunny walk back. The views, the colours, changing weather, the rainy 'wall' in the distance - all these things made this short trip unforgettable!

You were truly honorable - here I say THANK YOU for letting us see the Doll Museum:))

[blur_kiwi]

I'm really glad that you got to climb Dunkery Beacon. I'm ashamed by the weather but at least it gave you a 'fuller' experience.

As for the doll museum, you know I would never have said 'No'. I may have given you options and alternatives, but would never have said you couldn't do it. :))) I must have been a real pain trying to work out how long we had to do things to allow time to do other things, like a proper tour guide! :)))