Before we leave Southwold and head off to Blythburgh Church, here's a last view of the town from the entrance to Walberswick harbour, accompanied by a gallimaufry of images left over from earlier in the week.Gallimaufry, by the way, is a word that Peahen dredged from the musty past and hurled at me one day. It means a collection of various things; a hodgepodge, jumble or confused medley; a miscellany; a mishmash. Isn't language a strange and wonderful thing?
Apparently, you're not allowed to bring cats, dogs, rats, rabbits, monkeys or mice into Southwold from the lands of Johnny Foreigner.America has homeland security at its entrepôts; we have a lone seagull on a stick to keep an eye on things.
Be sure and leave your monkeys at home when you visit or you risk a good pecking.
Seaweed, mussels and mud; a typical East Anglian harbour.
We do still have some defences up on the clifftop, unconquered by the Spanish Armada, Hitler, the Soviets and our eternal foe, those cheese-eating surrender-monkeys across the channel.
These cannon stare menacingly out over Sole Bay, scene of the historic Battle of - quel surprise - Sole Bay, which kicked off on May 28, 1672, and starred an Anglo-French fleet under the Duke of York facing off against - for some unfathomable reason - the Dutch fleet.
Of course, just before the battle started those craven, garlic-scented poltroons in the French fleet turned tail and ran away, leaving our gallant lads to fight those perfidious tulip-loving dope-smokers on our own.
After a day of knocking the shit out of one another the contest was declared a draw and everyone went home for tea.
Southwold's cannon were not recovered from that battle, but are much earlier, having the Tudor Rose stamped on them.
These days we use them to execute pensioners.
This couple were discovered eating chips on the pier and are about to be scattered severally over Sole Bay, to the cheers of happy local children.
Another military relic sits above the pier; a deactivated mine from the Great War of 1914-18. This is now a moneybox with a slot in the front for donations to a local seafarers' charity.
One last look at Lynn's House from the clifftop. This, too, as you can see in the foreground is protected by cannon.
So … That was Southwold.
Tomorrow we'll be off to look at Blythburgh All Saints Church, which you glimpsed across the frozen marshes earlier this week.
Toodle-pip!
17 comments:
You should be writing for a travel magazine! Hahaha. You have this charming way of encouraging people to explore places undiscovered by them.
Wonderful photos. And yeah, that seagull seems to be doing its job so well - keeping the unwanted out.
joy
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I didn't see any monkeys loitering about the harbour, Joy, so we can assume he makes a fine deterrent.
he he the pensioner bit made me positively guffaw and i'm not the sort to guffaw often.
Another gorgeous foray into the world you inhabit, Dive, thank you. Glad to see my house is canon-protected. I don't like strangerrrrs much.
The first beach photo, with the shadows at the shore, looks like it's raised as in island form. It's not, is it?
Why don't you and i produce a bookletette of travel musings of different areas, all honesty warts and all? What fun.
Now. Stop. Have a break, Dive. You know you deserve it. I've written some new coffee-break fiction over at my Things UK. Get over there. he he.
And anyone else who needs a break, of course. All welcome. Coffee's on the side as you go in. Help yourself.
It's good to guffaw, Lynn.
No, it's not an island, just a leftover lump of glacial moraine from the last ice age.
And the bookletette would be a splendid idea, except that we may not be allowed back into some of these places!
Right.
Off to Thinks UK for a break. Put the kettle on.
I'll keep my monkeys then. They don't want to see your silly old country anyway.
This travel series is fascinating, Dive. I'm sorry I show you fascinating places here. We don't have any.
Great Gallimaufry!
Hey that travel book idea is awesome! Would love to see one!
I took a picture of a cannon from the back exactly the way you did, atv Golconda fort in Hyderabad. Almost thought you stole my shot!
You have monkeys in Ohio?
Now that IS fascinating, Robyn.
Hee hee, Utsav. With a cannon it is always either that shot or the one with me standing beside it so it looks like a giant … well, you know.
Mishmash would have been easier to type!
I only have butt monkeys!
Okay so we'll do the bookletette, Dive. Don't worry about not being allowed back. We'll tell it like it is and run into the sunset. When they've fixed our criticisms, we'll saunter back into town as heroes. In my head.
Living in London means I can't afford to buy any houses!
However, I can finally sleep rough discretely round your neck of the woods, by kipping in the barrel of that canon.
P.S. More porn over at mine.
Pru! Eww!
Lynn: You have some very strange things in your head. Hee hee.
Istvanski: You know how to tempt a man.
Thanks for the history lesson dive. some great cannon shots there.. what kind of man says "toodle pip"???? :)))
An Englishman, Rich.
Hee hee.
Gallimaufry - what a yummy word!! i will definitely add that to my list.
Darl - Can you point that big phallic canon-thingy in the direction of my server. Blowing him to freeking kingdom come would make my day/month/year!!!
Still a bit confused by lovely photo no. 1. Where are you standing, thigh deep in the sea?
Jules: It's a bit out of range, I'm afraid. Bring it over here, hand it to a pensioner and we'll happily blow it all over Sole Bay for you.
Lynn: I'm either walking on water or standing on the end of Walberswick Harbour's jetty. I'll leave that for you to decide.
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