Beautiful Bournemouth!
Our first close up view of the shoreline was from this bird’s eye vantage point! A quick walk from our hotel, this beautiful scene awaited us. Though we had a free breakfast included in our hotel rate, we decided to enjoy breakfast with a view of the English Channel. Next Sunday, we will be cruising by this same location.
With perfect weather, staying inside was absolutely not an option! Lined with outdoor cafe’s, we looked for a location that had coffee and sunshine. Prom Cafe served us a “traditional English” breakfast complete with a cappuccino. Eggs, ham, sausage, baked beans… toast, baked tomato and hash browns I gave to hubby. So filling! The breakfast was 11 pounds per person, which seemed reasonable to us. Our bellies were filled completely… barely finished the coffee!
Continuing down the shoreline, we noticed the Oceanarium. We decided to make our “donation” to the sea life of Bournemouth by visiting the facility. It was definitely worth it. We spent about $30USD on 2 tickets. Penguins are my favorite… they show such personality! So playful and active… We learned that the band on the left arm depicts a male and on the right wing is a female. A feather is sent in for DNA testing to determine this…
Lucky enough to arrive at feeding time! We should have realized because was we walked through, the penguins followed our every move. They seemed completely in tune with us… following as we walked along the deck. With a tin full of fish, this man was quite popular with these flightless birds.
It would be easy to drive everyone crazy with all the photos taken in this Oceanarium! We saw crocodiles, jellyfish, Piranha, Clown fish… stingray and many other varieties. This was actually a bubble window looking into the aquarium. I loved the colors so… I’ve added it. However, I’ll spare you the 150 other shots I took! You’re welcome…
Sunny and unusually warm at 63 degrees, the slight breeze made it a bit too cold to hang out on the beach. There were a couple of people hanging out, playing in the sand. No one in the water. We thought it might be fun to venture down the pier but we found out you had to pay. It wasn’t much but our plan was to save it until later. Later never came…
Down this pathway, we found a little shop. Always in search for ornaments, my hope was to find one inside. Success! I got a thick balsa type wooden “post card” with Bournemouth on it. It had a hanger for the tree… it’s mine now! We also got a couple of Dr Pepper’s to drink while relaxing by the sea… As we sipped our sodas, a couple of men came by talking. They clearly had something to do with the shops or the boardwalk. The sand on the walkway seemed normal to us… it’s the beach… but these men were not happy at all! They complained that workers were sitting in the cafe waiting for something rather than working to clean the area. Brushing their foot in the sand, they noticed it was slightly damp underneath which disturbed them even more!
Moving ahead in our journey, we came upon one of the restaurants I had read about having g/f options. We stopped to check it out. If nothing else, it had a view. The menu looked pretty good. After reading the very mixed reviews, and lacking on energy, we decided we would take the advice of those who enjoyed their visit and hope for the best. I really wanted the view!
Not surprisingly, this upside-down house caught my eye. My first thought was being reminded of the Cube House we stayed in while visiting Rotterdam. It gave the appearance of a house tipped sideways. This one was actually an attraction. At a cost of 6.95 pounds, the house is built upside down so it looks like the visitor is standing on the ceiling and touching furniture. Pretty cute. There is a warning out front that those who suffer from motion sickness might have trouble.
Just off the sea shore is the Bournemouth Parks - Lower Gardens. Yesterday, we heard music and noticed a crafts fair in the gardens. We were so incredibly hungry and jet lagged that we didn’t venture over. Now we wish we would have. Such a nice setting… Beautifully manicured, flowers blooming… the creek babbling… there is a coffee shop tucked in the trees with a view of the ocean. Very nice area!
Had to take a photo of the flowers cascading down the rock bridges. They looked completely different from this perspective. I just poked my camera in there and clicked… Very pretty color! For how well maintained the gardens are, it was surprising not to see workers trimming and watering.
From this vantage point, we were able to see the Ferris Wheel… the theater and shops (in the building to the left) and the flower lined creek. This is such a great town… hubby and I have decided it would be a great place to revisit for an extended time. The intention of this trip is to explore a little as we work our way though jet lag before boarding our ship!
We ended up back at the hotel to regroup… Hubby needs some cough medicine so our next task is to find a pharmacy. This is the entrance to our hotel. At the base of the steps, just to the right, is the hotel desk. Just beyond that is a small bar… not one to hang out in, but to be served a drink to enjoy in the garden, “living room” or in your room. We are the immediate right at the top of these stairs… Room 1. Anyone who knows me well, knows I love the #1… Not sure if I mentioned this in the previous post but originally, we booked this room for only one night. It was 114 pounds, which we figured aligned with many places in the US. With a change of plans, we decided to leave a day earlier and add a day to the front end of our trip. When I called to get the reservation… the total for two days came back as 116 pounds. Somehow, the second night was only 2 pounds!
Walking straight up the hill, we were ready for a little rest in the peaceful yard at the hotel. Through a vine covered archway, we entered the area. No one around… no sounds but chirping birds. We hung out for a bit while we looked for a pharmacy and grocery store. Since we are on a road trip, we should have snacks in the car!
Our pharmacy selected… loaded on google walking map… off we set! I’m thinking I drive hubby crazy when I suddenly stop to take a photo of something he doesn’t notice. I see an arch, I stop… clock tower or cathedral spire… I stop… old red phone booths, I DEFINITELY stop! We were walking away from the water into a different part of town…
Just another “stopper”… Barry wandered ahead before realizing I was far behind.
For two days, we have watched a channel that plays videos of British musicians famous in the 60’s. Every few songs, a new commercial for funeral expenses, life insurance and other things relating to dying. At first we didn’t notice… pretty soon, we realized it was every commercial. As I write this, I figure it’s because the audience they suspect are watching the music of the 60’s are predominantly old… so this is their targe audience. Ouch!
Back to the restaurant with the mediocre reviews. Some people raved, others hated it. We arrived, walked up the stairs and instantly had a great view seat. So far a five star from us! haha. One of the biggest complaints is that no one paid attention to the guest when they walked in. I think I know why… Aruba is a night club and a restaurant. It clearly says on the first hostess stand that it was only for club visitors. Diners move forward to the next hostess stand. We did and had instant attention…
Thankfully, my husband does not like seafood… so I didn’t have to share. The shrimp was in a butter garlic sauce and delicious. The amount of mussels was too much for me to finish! But they were great…
With the sun beginning to set, we figured we better get to walking… Back to our hotel before dark would be nice. Still, we relaxed, watched the ocean and sipped our wine/beer. It’s been the perfect day!
Slightly surprised, mostly confused… we watched as a group of guys entered the water on surf boards. Since we arrived by the sea side, we have not noticed even a ripple. As far as we could see… nothing. Curious, I looked at the surf report. At 7pm, a foot was expected. Not sure that’s quite worth waiting for…
After leaving the restaurant, we walked up the coast line to check out the other side. This video shows people enjoying this uncrowded beach. There are as many sea gulls as people! There was a sign that said no BBQ’s until after 6pm but we didn’t see anyone cooking. We almost bought a pail and shovel but decided against it…
One last look at the sleepy beach town. I imagine in the high season, it is bustling but we are enjoying this time of year! We are about two weeks early for the start of tourist season. Because the area is seasonal, the businesses are quick to say they rely on locals and cater toward them. Something Tahoe could learn… Tomorrow we will be back on the road! It will be a busy day!
