Blog 2 18.6.17

We spent this morning at the “Harewood” House Country Fair. This was held just a short distance south of Harrogate in Yorkshire where we have been staying for a week with Marg’s brother. The fare was remarkable, as there seemed to more activities for dogs that there was for children.

British Stickmakers' Guild

There was a whole row of exhibitors that were focused on the needs of dogs and across from them there were various doggie challenge courses. An interesting exhibition was of riding outfits through the last few hundred years focusing on clothing needed for fox hunting. In the main ring there was a man who managed to get a peregrine falcon to fly through the legs of the horse he was riding.

Our last blog finished when we were still in Corfu. We continued to explore the old town and swim every day and were lucky enough still be in the town when there was a celebration. We think it was a celebration of the Trinity. 

The Band!!

On the Sunday evening everyone was dressed in their best and were out walking the streets. There were marching bands, open air church services and entertainment.

Prop Power @Athens Airport From Kerkrya to Dubrovnik!

Dubrovnik was more than we expected. Some of you will know the story of our trip to the then Yugoslavia in 1977 and how our car broke an engine mount on a bridge near Skopje that had not been repaired after an earthquake. 

Dubrovnik Apartmnt Sunset

Not wanting to attempt to get it fixed in what was then a communist country we nursed the car up the Dalmatian coast. In those days the road down to Dubrovnik from the coastal highway was quite steep so we decided not to attempt it with an unreliable car.

Dubrovnik Aprtmtnt

This was our first trip back to this area since then and we were blown away by how different it looks. The place looked rebuilt with hardly any of the communist era houses still standing apart from the old town.

Our air bnb hosts met us at the airport and showed us where the beach, supermarket, way to walk to the old town all were. The apartment was up the equivalent of 5 flights but was really nice once we were up there. We had a sea view from the deck. All the 5 days we were there the weather was in the high 20 degrees or warmer so swims were again a big part of our stay with the beach at the bottom of cliffs another 5 stories down. Lovely clear warm water.

The old town did not disappoint.

Walk into old Dubrovnik 

It has been reconstructed after the damage during the homeland war of the 1990s. We walked the fascinating streets and walls that are only 2 kilometres long.

Marg @ Old fountain - built in 1438

The old town is quite small. On every rocky outcrop there seems to be a café or bar. People were diving off the rocks just outside the walls to swim. There is a gondola ride above the old town and this gave us great views of the coast around the old town.

Strada or Placa via Pile and Ploče. 

The only drawback was the number of tourists and this in not high season. There were 3 cruise ships in on the days we were in the old town.

Old city

Quick apartment exit!!

2Km of Old city wall walk

On one of the days we escaped all this and went on a day trip by boat to visit the 3 Elafiti Islands the first of which is only half an hour from the new port. There were about 30 of us on the boat and we swam and walked on the first island, Lopud. The beach was sandy unlike the pebbles back on the mainland. Visited the captain’s house for a 5 course lunch on the second island, Sipan. The food was freshly caught mussels and mullet. It was a real family affair topped of with the captain singing and playing his piano accordion! We then went to the third island, Kolocep where we swam again and had the option of exploring a cave. As the entrance was underwater no one chose to do this.

Cable car from old city

Towards the city

Towards the city

Our cruise boat, others!

Olds and selfies!!

Lupod Island

We have been in the UK for a week now and it is really great being with family and catching up with all their news. Our niece and her husband have moved to Harrogate since we were last here and we have been to see their new home. 

Ehh Ooop its Yorkshire "the Strid"

It has been a week of setting up stuff for our stay and travels but apart from that we have been out for some great walks. Apart from the first couple of days the weather has been warm and dry. 

Marg, Isobel, Helen, Colin

We walked in the Yorkshire Dales National Park near Bolton Priory along the river Wharfe.  We visited Nostell Priory and gardens south of Leeds where we had a good look at the old house and a walk around the grounds. 

Doug searching for the correct time!

Marga & Doug @ Nostell Priorory

Us amateur Beekeepers @ HarloweCarr gardens

The house is unusual as it has much of the original furniture in it. There was also an exhibition of clocks. We have never seen so many clocks together.

One of Marg’s brother’s friends is a bee-keeper and he was giving a demonstration at the local Royal Horticultural garden, Harlow Carr. 

A bee not in their bonnets

We all donned protective bee gear and watched as he took the hive apart and showed us where the baby queen bees were hatching. 

Birds, bees and flowers

We watched while a couple of guard bees killed an intruder. Dramatic stuff. We then enjoyed the gardens and some amazing ice-creams from Harrogate’s iconic shop Betty’s.