A little trip to Dartmouth for Mrs C and me.
Google maps made the journey an adventure by sending us through a series of narrow lanes, but we’re getting used to that kind of thing.
The disconnect between sat nav systems and the rural lanes is a feature of daily life, and I refer to it a few times in the Devonshire Mysteries. Anyway, we arrived in Dartmouth safely, and we had time for a stroll along by the water, admiring the boats and the old buildings.
In the first picture below, you can see an old railway station that had been converted into a champagne bar, and it was doing good trade. Indeed, many pubs had set up tables on the pavements, and everyone was looking refreshed and relaxed. We’d have joined them, but we knew we had to drive back, so we settled on searching for a cafe and a cup of tea.
This was harder than it should’ve been, because it was almost 5 o’clock, and British cafes love to close early. Some had shut their doors as early as 3:30. The last thing these cafe owners want is to have customers traipsing in and spending money. Eventually we found a sort of cafe/craft shop/bar, where an eclectic mixture of objects were for sale: broken statues, leather satchels, electric guitars, and teddy bears. At least, I think the statue was for sale. It was hard to tell what was merchandise and what was simply decor. But there were plastic models of Thunderbirds hanging over the bar, so we decided that we rather liked the place.
They brought us a proper china pot of Earl Grey, along with mismatched cups and saucers, and the tea was hot, good and much appreciated. Many of the customers seemed to be locals and regulars, mainly silver-haired gents, and they were enjoying a few tales and jokes over a glass of wine. I love people-watching, and I’m sure I got some good material, but above all else, it was lovely to be in the company of people who were having fun. After a fairly dismal year, it was good to feel the sparkle of life in the air.
I took quite a few photos in an effort to sum the place up for you, and I hope you enjoy them.
An iconic red telephone box
Comments are always welcome.
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It is important to visit places where people all want to have a good, clean time. Everybody seems on their best behavior because they are invested in making their visit a success. Nobody wants conflict or disappointment. Treat the service staff well, be polite and help people in need.
Quite agree.
I love the buildings with the intricate design and the pub sounds intriguing to walk into but your description as always is just enough to keep us reading to the end.
Thanks, as ever, for the photos. Fascinating architecture!
We’ve just purchased a coffee house back in my hometown, and will be relocating soon. (Hence the book purge-that-isn’t.) First thing we did was extend the hours to 8 p.m. Can’t make money when the doors are closed.
I love the buildings with the intricate design and the pub sounds intriguing to walk into by your description as always it’s just enough to keep us reading to the end even a true story. The telephone booth does it work!?