Today I was happy to go out again with my friend Trigger for another adventure exploring the Cornish coast. He picked my up at 10AM and we set off for two villages about a half an hour away. First stop was Looe. It's another village on the sea with a lot of shops. The weather was a bit grim but wasn't chilly so it was fine to walk around.
It amazes me to see how clean and clear the water is everywhere around the Cornish coast.
The architecture that is so old is stunning. I would be willing to bet that the archways above are from the 12th century. Next stop, Polperro.
Polperro is a village along the Cornish coast that is nestled in a valley surrounded by trees and rolling hills of pasture. As you walk down the street (it's the only one for about a quarter of a mile) there is a tiny river, The River Pol, that flows down to the sea. On the other side of it are lovely homes which have tiny bridges to access the street lined with lush ivy and beautiful begonias.
Even though there are all kinds of tourist shops there it manages not to spoil the warmth and beauty. As you walk along there are a number of inns, tea rooms, an antique shop, and restaurants with outside gardens. I couldn't pass up an opportunity to wander around an antique store. We met the nicest lady who owns it. I ended up getting an old pewter teapot. I'm going to have to research whether or not it is safe to drink from.
After several hours of sightseeing we'd worked up an appetite. We decided to go to a pub called The Three Pilchards that I felt perfectly cozy in. The pub takes its name from a type of fish that was once plentiful and caught in the harbor a few hundred yards away. To get the vibe of the place I've got to give a tiny history lesson on the area. A history similar to The French Quarter in some respects.
The pub is small and has an underlying mysterious air about it. I was told it is the oldest pub in the village, built in the early 1600's. But the first known documentation of Polperro itself is from 1303, but it was a port in the 1200's! If you know New Orleans, think Jean LaFitte's, very similar in vibe, only brighter and it offers food and locals actually go there because there are only a fraction fewer tourists behaving badly. I now am learning that that is not where the similarity ends. You see Cornwall's history is also rich with smuggling pirates, particularly in the late 1700's when Britain was at war with France and America. The Three Pilchards pub was definitely one of the spots receiving and selling contraband such as gin, rum, tobacco, and tea. What made these items hot was getting them directly from the source and avoiding the fleecing of the taxman. I only wonder, and it does stand to reason that I was sitting in a pub where Jean and Peirre LaFitte once sat and negotiated over rum, women and smoke before returning to New Orleans!? Though I am totally intrigued about learning more of the history of pirates who were so acive along the Cornish coastline, I was honestly only interested in ordering some of the amazing food I was seeing delivered to other tables, particularly a delightful looking sandwich that I promptly ordered. It was chicken salad on seeded brown bread (chicken and mayonnaise on granary as it is called here) with a side of fresh cole slaw and homemade crisps served on a wooden cutting board.
The bread was quite possibly the best bread I have ever eaten (not exaggerating. It was amazing), so fresh and delicious. Between these soft slices of heaven was the freshest chicken, arugula (rocket) and a mild farmhouse cheddar. The coleslaw was served in an adorable glass jar, again with incredibly fresh ingredients and a wee hint of beet juice that gave an interesting yet not off-putting rose color. The crisps were hand-shaved parsnip and beetroot and so tasty. The last time I remember enjoying a sandwich this much was in 1999 in San Fransisco. I'm telling you, this was one hell of a sandwich man! I was very disappointed when we later took a trip to the bakery and they informed me they were all sold out of it.
An interesting acrchectural design that is a hallmark of the area is called the "Looe ripple". It is the wave-like pattern on the exterior of buildings in the area.
After our wonderful lunch we wondered around the ridiculously narrow streets that are actually the norm in villages. We saw a house that now serves as an inn and seems to defy any logical rules of architectural integrity. Then Trigger took me to a special house called the "shell house", for obvious reasons. If Yemaya or LaSirene had a home on land, this'd be it.
It was such a nice day. I was honestly tempted to stay in but I am so glad I followed my urge to get out and enjoy the day in spite of gloomy weather. It didn't rain on us one time, and yet again, I got to see an area that few Americans know exists let alone get to enjoy. And to spend time with a friend who is hilarious and very good company. It was a very good day.
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