September 7 Falmouth...then on to Redruth PASTY FESTIVAL

This morning we walked around Falmouth which is quite pretty. I (David) was happy to leave the B&B as the room was small beyond description and the staircase extraordinarily steep. I can walk okay, but I run out of puff so why waste all my energy on a staircase?  It is, however, very English....stairs everywhere!!  Went to a cheese store and bought a bit of cheese. The vendor had a good whinge about how little the English are now spending. Don't really think he wants to stuff around selling fromage--that was the impression we got.

We departed and headed for Redruth to attend the Annual Miner's and Pasty Festival which runs for three days. It was quite an experience. The rain stopped and the sun shone. We both had a lamb and mint pasty with Harissa flavoured mayonnaise.  The meat (un minced) was a bit tough but the flavour good.

There were people everywhere. It was incredible. There was also a kitchen set up for people who wanted to have a go making their own pasties.  We heard a male choir sing Cornish songs and very funnily heard them chant at the end Oggy Oggy Oggy Oi! Oi! Oi!  (Oggy Oggy is the name of a pasty making firm). So it appears that we have knicked the Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi from the Cornish!!!

After the music we bought some fudge for dessert another day and some olives to have with our cheese. 

We've now arrived in Marazion a pretty little town near Penzance. We'll explore it more tomorrow. Ross also wants to visit Michael's Mount which is like Le Mont Saint Michel in France. We go there by foot when the tide is low....otherwise you have to wait for the tide to drop again if you "miss the boat" ...or rather "tide" by accident. 

We were told of an amazing restaurant in Marazion called Ben's Cornish Kitchen when we were staying Mevagissey. Tragically I didn't book it and when we rang last night they were booked out and they're closed on Sunday, so we missed out. Went to a posh hotel nearby.  Food was quite good,views absolutely beautiful, but it was dear!!!! And I was pissed off!  My monkfish curry which was nice apart from the rather rawish eggplant. However, it cost £18.50. A rip off. £10--£12 is plenty for a curry. Anyway we chatted with some lovely English people at the neighbouring table who live in nearby Godolphin. She had rung up earlier to say that she was vegetarian but they got their wires crossed and sort of forgot, so the poor lady ended up with an array of rather bland steamed vegetables. They still charged a fortune however.

Tomorrow off to Michel's Mount across the road....no my brother is not the owner.....