Here's my minder....aka Mr S in his sun hat'!
We've been to Paignton on the train, along with swarms of grockles... and swarms of flying ants!
I don't know which was worse!! ;-)
There was a method in my madness though.
About two weeks ago, I was asked if I would do a vintage stall at the Torbay Carnival Fair on Paignton Green.
It was all 'last minute' arrangements but, being game for most things, I initially said, 'Yes!'
However, having then asked a few questions, I was then told it was 'No tables provided'. Bring your own.
Thus, I decided not to get involved with it.
Being curious people, we thought we would go along and take a look to see if it had materialised.
As far as we could see, it hadn't... although there was a craft tent but nothing 'vintage' in it.
We walked and walked today!
We walked along the beach to Preston where there are rows and rows of beach huts.
We walked around the fantastic display of vintage cars, which took up a vast area of Paignton Green.
The American contingent.
But you can't beat...
The headline in this gentleman's paper says...
'How to cure all your ills. Just sit still.'
LOL!
There was also a tent with various Birds of Prey on show.
There were too many people in the way but I managed to snap this beauty...a Buzzard.
Donkey rides....
We walked around to the harbour and noticed some lovely floral displays.
There was a little plaque saying 'Smile' in one of the pots...so I did!
This is the view across Torbay, with the famous Thatcher Rock in the distance and the not so famous Orestone Rock on the right.
Sunday lunch here...
I've never eaten here before, never set foot in the place... but wow..it was lovely...the best Sunday roast I've had in a very long time...excellent service from very friendly people.
We're going back! I highly recommend it.
The Harbour Light Restaurant...best to ring and book first though .
Paignton has its share of interesting buildings..the Gentlemen's club...
Pretty thatched residences...
Rows of hotels in various colours...
Sit on one and you can 'peer' out to sea! ;-) (Groan!)
A really lovely day! ;-)
Looks like you had anice day
ReplyDeleteJulie xxxx
you must be exhausted but super photo's.
ReplyDeleteGillx
Looks like a lovely day! Those cars are fantastic....I would learn to drive it I could have one of those :)
ReplyDeleteI thought the fair was very odd as she emailed saying it was vintage/retro & she felt my things would sit well. However I then found out everyone from Handmade Home had been invited & they weren't vintage/retro. That's why I didn't do it. Think it was very last minute :)
Wonderful pictures of beach huts. I would have loved a look round all the vintage vehicles too. Lovely to see the old Morris Traveller............. :O))))
ReplyDeleteI was amazed at the amount of beach huts!! You always have fabulous days out ..... I would loved to have seen all the old cars.
ReplyDeleteThanks for wonderful pics. The beach huts, the cars... The different coloured houses were a real treat to see. xx
ReplyDeleteHow sad that people who live in Devon are so resentful of the holiday makers who come down in the summer and contribute a lot to the local economy. People who live in the West Country are very fortunate and should be glad to share a little of what they enjoy all year!
ReplyDeleteI believe Devonians go on holiday sometimes too. hopefully people in other areas are a little more tolerant.
Firstly, how sad it is that people hide behind an 'anonymous' tag!
ReplyDeleteSecondly,how sad it is that you twist words to make it look as if 'people' (which people?) are resentful of the holidaymakers here in Devon.
I never said that I was resentful.
'Grockles' is our pet name for holidaymakers and has been for years. Yes,there are times when they drive us mad with their bad manners and slovenly,disrespectful ways!
But not all holiday makers are like that.
We,in Devon, are well aware that tourism is a huge part of the Devon economy and we are more than happy to share what we have.
If you read my blog you will know I have promoted my county to the full and loads of people have been tempted to come here having read about the wonderful places to visit. I'm quite glad to share Devon!
Shame you missed the smiley face at the end of that particular 'grockles' sentence...
Maybe you just have no sense of humour!
It is sad that "Anonymous" hasn't appreciated that the term 'grockle' is actually an endearing one. In Cornwall they are called emmets which comes from the Cornish word for ant (and for obvious reasons - there are lots of them, or rather, there used to be before cheap package holidays put paid, more or less, to the bucket-and-spade holiday in England.)
ReplyDeleteI can assure "Anonymous" that people who work in the tourist industry in the west country are very appreciative of the money that tourism brings. However, not all tourists are as caring as I would hope "Anonymous" would be: I once stopped an obvious holiday maker in my home town of Paignton and asked her to allow her small son to pick up the flyer which had dropped from his magazine and landed on the pavement. He was attempting to do so whilst Mother was dragging him along, preventing him from doing so. I said that we liked to keep our town tidy but to no avail. I ended up picking up the litter myself. As in most things, it is the minority that spoil things for the majority and so, sometimes - only sometimes, mind - the term "grockle" is used disparagingly. But Sal has a warm and generous heart and knows that the area would be the poorer - in both senses of the word - if these tourists didn't come each year, fill our hotels and guest houses and enjoy for a couple of weeks what we residents enjoy - at enormous cost, make no mistake (with the dearest water rates in the country) all year round.
Margaret P
1) I am now homesick from looking at the beautiful pictures!
ReplyDelete2) We live in a "holiday" area, my husband coined the term "smog gobblers" for the people who come up from the city...poor things need some fresh air.
Jane (in Canada)
Cripes!
ReplyDeleteEr was kind with usin' Grockles
I calls em hemmorhoids, cos some of em comes down 'ere, hangs about in bunches and gets right up my ass
Oh dear, I'm not going to enter into the Grockles debate here.
ReplyDeleteSuffice it to say that your blog has inspired me to book a holiday in Cockington, and I'm looking forward to seeing your lovely part of the country soon. If you're not on the payroll of the local tourist office, you should be!
Thanks for sharing some lovely sights once again.
Janet
Such lovely pictures! The beach huts look fabulous so sunny!!!
ReplyDeleteTHe vintage cars look grest i particularly like the yellow V-dub camper!!!!
I think that the first 'anonymous' wants to go away and get a sense of humour transplant and I think that the second 'anonymous' has more than enough to donate some to her!
ReplyDeleteI forgot to add that in the 1960s my parents had a hotel on Paignton Sea Front and from my bedroom window I looked out across the Green to the sea! Small wonder I talk about "grockles" with affection (even the ones that sometimes leave litter) ... they provided my parents with income and all of us with a roof over our heads!
ReplyDeleteMargaret P
In the Cotswolds we call holiday makers "Grockles"!
ReplyDeleteT
p.s. I was hoping to be a grockle this weekend and visit Brixham, it is my birthday and to be by the seaside for a day would be heaven to me.........
Lovely pictures, how nice it would be to have a jolly beach hut like those!
ReplyDeleteSarah x
beach hut envy
ReplyDeleteBarnstaple is so full of grockles right now which makes me glad on the one hand as we do need their patronage and they should get to share in our lovely coastline (which we pay extra water rates for.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand they are very very different to the normal, slow paced, Devonians and as such stick out like a sore thumb.
I do look forward to getting our county back at the end of the season.