Mike's Harp Adventures: Onward to the UK

Before we take off for the UK, here is a video from Ireland of Blind Mary by O'Carolan.

We drove to Rosslare Harbor ferry port, dropped off the rent-a-car, and schlepped all of our stuff onto a boat for Wales.

Cool Flag

We picked up a car on the other side and proceeded to get hopelessly lost in Wales. Sometimes getting lost is where you find the best adventures (and scenery).

I guess there was a big race going on, and there was no room at any hotel. After sitting at a starbucks searching on my laptop, we scored the last room at a chain hotel in Cardiff. We got hopelessly lost in Cardiff in the dark looking for the hotel. Eventually we got pulled over by the police. He said “I figure you are either drunk or lost.” He couldn’t even tell us how to find the place. We finally got the night watchman at a warehouse to guide us in. Very twilight zone-ish. After a much needed sleep at an overpriced dive, it was off to merry old England.

Jo Ellen took us on a self guided tour of her favorite BBC television series locations. First stop: Cornwall in the south, to the town of Port Isaac-home of Doc Martin.

Fortunately we weren't the only boobs there to look at the Doc Martin stuff. It has to be good for business. Here is Doc Martin's House.

Port Isaac is absolutely beautiful. In Cornwall many of the roads are really skinny single track slits between tall hedgerows, with barely enough room to thread the car through. As usual we got lost. We stopped to try to figure it out. There was a car behind us and Jo went to talk to the guy. While the nice man was giving her directions, a car came up behind, hit his horn and hollered "quit blocking the road you daft fu#k*r." The fellow ran up to the driver's window fist clenched ready to strike. I thought we were about to see a big fight. He yelled "don't call me a daft fu#k*r." The guy in the car said "then don't block the road!" End of conversation. The nice man drew us a map while his dog was yapping and his kid snoozed thru the whole thing. I can see how easy it is to get good material for the TV show.

There is more to port Isaac than just goofy people (no disrespect-we fit right in). It is a beautiful coastal town with breathtaking views, scenery, gardens, hiking trails, and cliffs.

We spent the night in Exeter. The next day our car kept stalling and broke down. It was a new Fiat. Now I know why the call Fiat "foot." Because if you drive one you will end up on foot. A really nice guy named Greg from AA came, we got to the Airport in Bristol, and switched the little car for a white Toyota 4 door. Much easier to load, especially with a harp. More dependable too.

I took a nice spill at the rest area. Nice bruise, eh?

With a fresh new bruise and a new set of wheels, we were finally back on our way. Next stop was the Cotswolds in Oxfordshire, home of Midsomer Murders. And so it begins. Jo was on holiday in Witney, enjoying a rest along the river after tea.

Then, suddenly she was gone!

This looks like a job for Chief Detective Inspector Tom Barnaby. Apparently in this part of England, this happens a lot.

The doves from Downton Abbey were keeping quiet about the whole thing.

Fortunately she turned up (alive). Good thing. I'd hate for her to miss this.

We stayed at the Witney Hotel. 24 years ago we had our wedding reception at the Whitney hotel. But that one was in South Carolina, not Great Britain.

The hotel was on a green with a big old church and cemetery. It was started in 1243 AD. There had been other churches on that site dating back to 800.