A December day out in Britain

The weather is always a topic of conversation in Britain. Its never the same two days running. December doesnt seem like winter yet, as the temperatures are still mild on the whole. But we have had heavy showers and strong winds in the last day or two. Enough to make you want to stay indoors.

(photo of Russell-Cotes Museum courtesty www.picturesofengland.com)

But the Man of the House and I went yesterday to Bournemouth by train (nice cheap tickets) and went to the Russell-Cotes Museum (nice free entry). It is tucked on the side of the cliff overlooking the sea, at one of the only surfing spots on the south coast before you get to Cornwall. We could see the surfers waiting for waves, like so many seals bobbing in the ocean.

This gives a flavour of the house, imagine having a fountain in your hall! (at the moment of writing the Museum's own website is down) But a wonderful Victorian house stuffed full of artefacts brought back from their travels to the East plus a new gallery and a modern café, kept us happy and interested all afternoon.

It has some wonderful pre-Raphaelite paintings, which I cant show here as most need permission to use them and I am ever mindful of Intellectual Property Rights (though I have borrowed photos today as I didnt take my camera)

As dusk fell, and the rain stopped, we walked down to the town centre through shops with their lights shining out onto damp pavements. This is what I missed when we were away for a year in the seventies on the hippy trail to India. In the heat and sunshine I missed dark evenings and Christmas lights!?

There was a German market in the pedestrianised area at the town centre, and the smells of German sausages and mulled wine wafted out from small wooden chalets, selling gifts as varied as shiny smooth thuja wood boxes from Morrocco to reindeer fur rugs from Finland. The vendors were not German but every race under the sun! A lively and good natured enterprise that celebrated our European nature these days.

Back on the train to have fish and chips in a pub. Maybe not so European after all!