It appears, to me at least, that blogposts are like buses and when you try too hard to come up with one, nothing happens. (I'm not sure that's how buses work, but let's go with it). In keeping with the current weather, I was experiencing a bit of an idea drought since Somerset, but then came Saltram and this beautiful sunshine. And it is the much rejoiced continuation thereof (oh yes) that leads me to write about our day in Falmouth.
The last time I went to Falmouth was in deepest November, when our friend Frosty was in residence - or near enough, at university in Penryn - and it certainly did not look like this.
No, it looked much the same, but if you picture three little students huddled on the Prince of Wales pier clutching Subway sandwiches and screaming into the bitter wind, you'll understand what I mean. So it was strange going back to Frosty's stomping ground minus two-thirds of the triumvirate and in the middle of summer, but Falmouth is a lovely town whatever the weather, whether you're a bit numb with winter windiness or slightly burnt around the edges in spite of near-constant applications of suncream (!).
After parking at Penryn and catching the shuttle bus into Falmouth, my parents, sister Mel and I headed for the Discovery Quay, which houses the Maritime Museum and a selection of restaurants and cafés, including <drum roll> a new-ish addition to the Stein Empire.
Seemingly not content with his conquest of Padstow (Padstein to the locals, apparently), celebrity chef Rick Stein has opened a new restaurant and fish 'n' chip takeaway on the river in Falmouth, but I'm not complaining, despite the fact that I've seen enough of the inside of a chip shop to last a lifetime. The menu, although there was plenty of choice, was not as extensive as that at his Padstow outlet and Falmouth is, at the time of writing, without a Stein's deli, but I have faith in Rick that his colonisation of Kernow will advance to the south coast at some point.
Thus luncheon was consumed and we progressed around the Quay to sit beside the Maritime Museum, designed in 1996 as a collaboration between the famous Greenwich museum (from which Dad is banned on our upcoming trip to London) and the then Cornwall Maritime Museum. It's an unusual but striking building.
The views from the quayside are just as impressive and we spent a while watching the little boats coming and going, and some very cute dogs enjoying the weather and the almost-sea - as I'm sure you can tell by the name, Falmouth is at the mouth of the river Fal, so it isn't really the seaside, but it's there or thereabouts. Let's not quibble over it.
After our sit-down, we ventured back through the town, which was decorated with pretty summery bunting. Our foray took us conveniently via the American sweetshop, the 'Cornish Shop' (with its impressive array of Cornish tartan and plush toy pasties), Seasalt (where I purchased a pretty vintage-style headband a la Rosie the Riveter) and another confectioner called The Secret Chocolate Box. My dad likes to tell the story of when we came to Falmouth several years ago and I was lamenting the fact that the Chocolate Box seemingly had few customers, so I like to keep it in business by buying two pink sugar mice about every three years.
Purchases in hand, we returned on the shuttle bus to Penryn and back over the Tamar Bridge into England. Even if my next visit to Falmouth might not be until the autumn or winter to visit our aptly-nicknamed friend, I look forward to it greatly. Why wouldn't you, with celebrity fish and chips, heavily import-taxed American goodies and this view to enjoy?
(: xx
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