Friday saw me catching a train to Exeter, Devon! I should add that this was after a 6am and 8am charge down the garden to scare off the ducks - they like to land on the swimming pool and make a right mess.
When I booked the train, not being a horse racing fan, I did not realise that Friday was a big day for the races at Cheltenham!! Consequently the train was full of rowdy race goes! I stood for 50 mins before we reached their station! I've never seen so much alcohol being consumed on a train!
I did make it to Exeter and after checking in went for a wander around the city. I went into a museum and then, with the sun shining brightly, found a teashop serving Devonshire cream teas. I had to have one of those!
From the Cathedral I found a walk to the quay so had the opportunity to walk off some of the cream!
Saturday morning saw me pick up a car and then head to Exmouth where my aunt and uncle live. I have not see them for about 16 years. I also met a couple of cousins who I can only remember seeing as babies just over 50 years ago!! It was a lovely catch up.
I then headed to my hotel which is full of history. It is the oldest Coaching Inn in the UK. In the snug bar stands a granite standing stone which was carved by Neolithic man 1000 years before Stonehenge! In the late 1100's Benedictine monks built a monastery around that stone.
The room I'm staying in is called the Lustleigh room - say no more! It was added to the front of the monastery during Edward 111 reign about 1350. Charles Dickens stayed in this room in 1836 and wrote much of Pickwick Papers here. At that time, what is now my bathroom, was a study and library. The wardrobe has been here since 1840 - I've found no skeletons! Although I think there must be a ghost because at 3am I was woken by the TV suddenly turning on!!!!! I had not turned the TV on at all!! I have now turned it off at the socket - let's see a ghost sort that one out! This is my bed - I could do with a step to get into it😆.
This is the bar where I had a delicious dinner.
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