Tag Archives: beaches

Reminiscing

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To Juno I was an old git long ago! However, now that the retirement thing has arrived I can truly say it brings the opportunity to trawl a wealth of memories and time to revisit some… hopefully… health permitting.

It’s been at least 2 years since I thought about doing my first visit of the 21st century back to Porthcawl in South Wales. A place so frequently visited in my childhood and so rarely since. The expanse of beach out to the tide and walking amongst the sand dunes brings back memories of holidays way back in the early 1960’s. Yes, reminiscing really can connect us to vivid memories.

But it’s not only the geography that changes so little. Beales is a Porthcawl institution.

It’s difficult to find much finer fish & chips. Why use the takeaway when you have the restaurant to savour freshly prepared food. A glance at the menu also provides the family history reflecting the passion they have for serving for your pleasure.

But it’s only when that plate arrives that memories of halcyon days return. Fine flakes of delicate Cod fish in a light batter served up with chips of the highest quality. Of course, a side of mushy peas is a must for the connoisseur. I didn’t even eat fish with chips when I was young, so this part of the reminiscing was more on what I missed out on.

Until we speak again, Porthcawl serves up fine memories. But it also has its cool contemporary coffee place in an old harbour building. Perhaps Corner Coffee will become a source of future reminiscing.

L’ile De Beaute

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Corsica is widely referred to as the island of beauty… so, let’s check out this bold claim. Bearing in mind that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, or so they say. I guess it depends on what you expect when you decide to visit a place. Stunning landscapes, maybe historical legacy, culinary delights, and a place to simply relax and unwind.

Corsica certainly has an abundance of stunning beaches for the dedicated sun worshiper…

There are very few areas of flatland, with mountains rising almost immediately behind the beaches, making for dramatic visual backdrops in all directions…

And don’t expect any speedy train journeys across the island. The few trains spend most of their journeys slowly navigating the inclines and meandering through the mountainous interior. If train journeys bore you, I challenge you to try and stay scrolling your social media without becoming more entranced by the views outside…

Its history is a complicated succession of Italian (Genoese) and French control, though their widely represented proud flag is one of the head of a Moorish man representing a strong sense of freedom…

Look closely, and you’ll even witness a rare graffiti message for their more recent French overlords…

The historical architecture is dominated by seven citadels located in key places around the coast (six in coastal fortresses and one being inland at Corte)…

As for culinary delights, there is no shortage of places to sample genuine Corsican cuisine… Veal & Olives, Risotto a la Creme, Sanglier (Wild Boar) pate, a local stew, and Poulpe (Octopus) on a base of citrus confit and humus to name a few! They have a wealth of their own wine to sample as well. And, yes, that French bread comes with everything and really does taste fabulously fresh…

As for those moments of pure relaxation, just sit and listen to the boats bobbing in Marina’s in Ajaccio or Calvi with the sound of ropes knocking against masts. Alternatively, there’s the sound of waves lapping the shores of those stunning beaches. Simply empty your mind…

Until we speak again, Corsica definitely seems to have cornered beauty. Even that blue sky instilled a feeling of awe…

Time Was…

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Memories of romance struck up on the ballroom dance floor on a Saturday night; and whatever went on beneath the boardwalk a little later on!

Until we speak again, may the remains of Brighton’s West Pier keep on stirring those pre-1970’s recollections… for those of you old enough to creatively distort any!

Anatomy of a beach

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BatmanJuno was often known to occupy her strategic position while she pondered the meaning of life in her adopted home of Cardiff. As summertime struggles to make itself known the reflection currently coming to mind is that ‘life is a beach‘, or so they say (I think that needs to be deciphered in some sort of southern European accent for the meaning to be realised!).

Opening day [2]

But a beach is surely a design of nature… or is it? Not for the first time, strange things are happening in the city of Cardiff! Beware men at work, particularly as the kids school holidays are arriving imminently:

Beach 2015 [2]Beach 2015 [3]

 

 

 

 

 

The phenomenon of the ‘pop-up shop’ or ‘pop-up street food gig’ now seems to have crossed the divide from the artificial world of commerce to the natural world.

Nature may have taken thousands of years to erode rock formations in order to create beaches along our shorelines, but in the commercial world what’s a week between glances at the balance sheet?

Beach 20 07 2015 [2]

As the bones of the beast begin to take shape it is time to add a little flesh…

23-7-15 [2]

Then as the sun rises on an opening day, no sooner can you utter the most fashionable of terms in the commercial lexicon… transformation… while adding that most crucial of money generating ingredients… people; hey presto, you have a playground for cats both local and from far away…Opening day [5]

Does the lapping of the shore against the beach make a noise if nobody is there to hear it? Who knows, or even cares! Where there is fun to be had, with the occasional tug on the purse strings, there will always be the sounds of the beach to be heard at strategic times of the year in the face of the old dockland.Opening day [6]

23-7-15 [3]

 

 

Transformation in action:

<<<<Before & After>>>>

 

 

 

 

23-7-15 [1]

 

Transformation in action:

<<<<Before

Opening day [4]

 

 

 

After>>>>

 

Until we speak again I’m sure Juno would wish that all of your beaches be bathed in sun and filled with smiles.

Opening day [1]