Stonehenge & Salisbury

It's quite strange seeing this major tourist attraction just standing there by the highway. One can actually see the entire structure quite clearly without paying the entrance fee; which loads of people just did. We did pay to go in; the experience wasn't really great, but it wasn't too bad though. We had the most fun trying to figure out which angle the photo featured on the brochure was taken from (we tried to take the same one). Pretty soon others caught on to what we were trying to do; seemed to think it was a great idea, and so they did the same. Hehe.

We then headed for Salisbury, famous for its cathedral which has the tallest church spire in the UK. Salisbury is quite a pretty place, but we weren't there for long since we didn't want to get back to London too late.

I managed to drive part of the way and made it to the car rental place to drop off the car (it was stressful though- given the rush hour traffic). So now I can say I drove in London! Haha :p

We met some dear friends for a late dinner, and had a great time catching up. I met cute little George for the first time- and he is ever so adorable!

Gorgeous George :)

Penzance to Tintagel

The next day saw a drastic change in the weather. It was cold and rainy, with strong winds all round. Not so pleasant when one is near the coastline! :(

We drove to St Ives , but didn't get a chance to see much of it because it was raining so heavily. We sought shelter at the Tate St Ives for a while but finally decided to go on with our journey because the rain and wind showed no signs of abating.

So on we drove to Tintagel, which took a couple of hours- given the weather conditions. Tintagel turned out to be a really touristy place. We took the walk to the castle- only to find it was closed!! They couldn't let anyone go up there due to the strong winds. We were so disappointed, but just had to make do with exploring Merlin's cave and wandering around the area a little bit.

Leaving Tintagel, we drove back to Plymouth, ending our trip to Cornwall. The trip was lovely- but shame about Tintagel Castle! Sigh.

Cornwall: Minack Theatre & Land's End

We left Marazion and drove to Porthcurno to see the Minack Theatre. The drive was a tad scary, as the roads were narrow and winding, with either stone walls or hedges on both sides (thereby leaving no road shoulders). It was a bit stressful when cars came up close behind us (probably the locals) and we had to find suitable spots to pull over and let them pass. Plus, it was quite unnerving to suddenly go round a bend to see a car coming headlong towards us! Not for the faint-hearted, that drive.

We were so glad when we arrived at Minack Theatre. I would never have known about this place if not for my mum- who saw it featured on her favourite travel show, hosted by the ever-so-entertaining Samantha Brown. Minack Theatre is an amazing open-air theatre created from the cliffside at Porthcurno with spectacular views of the bay. The theatre was built by a lady named Rowena Cade- who actually transported stones from a nearby quarry in a wheelbarrow; thus building it with her own hands! Wow.

The scenery from the top of the cliff was simply breathtaking. We were so blessed to have beautiful weather that made the visit such a wonderful one. When we saw the theatre, I was shocked at how steep it was! I am terrified of heights, so walking around and looking down (especially near the edge) made my knees go weak... :p

Can you think of a more gorgeous way to enjoy scones? :)

Leaving Minack Theatre, we drove on to Land's End- the most westerly point in England. The views of the rocky cliffs and the ocean was breathtaking, and it was lovely to see locals and tourists alike out enjoying the beautiful weather.