MISS ELAINEOUS VISITS PARADISE PARK...

Paradise Park is a wildlife attraction situated in Hayle, Cornwall.  During our recent Cornish trip we stayed in Hayle for a week and the park was about a mile away and easy to reach by shanks's pony.

It's the only sanctuary I've been to which consists mainly of aviaries- they have over 130 species, totalling 1000 birds- although we did get to see a few four-legged friends as well.

Open since 1973, Paradise Park sanctuary's stunning range includes: flamingos, toucans, parrots, owls, choughs, cranes and kookaburras, as well as rabbits, guinea pigs, mini donkeys, pygmy goats and sheep.

We passed the Bird In Hand pub at the entrance (they couldn't really have called it any other name, could they?  Well, maybe The Feathers...😁) and entered through a very well-stocked and attractive shop.  

We walked through the outdoor seating area, partially shaded by this statuesque tree, then began our walk round...

The park was well kept and adequately signposted and I liked the fact that they gave you are circular route to follow.  It meant that we got to see everything with ease.

Here are a selection of my favourite shots, but I haven't listed the names of each species as I didn't capture every written detail.  I did notice a couple of discrepancies, however, when whatever was inside the cage clearly bore no relation (literally!) to the advisory label.

I did bother to check out the name of this dazzling Scarlet Ibis as it was one of my favourites, and very distinctive.  It inhabits tropical South America and the islands of the Caribbean...

It looked more striking in the flesh, especially when highlighted against the green grass...

Waterfall next to the mini-railway tunnel...

A selection of dinosaurs.  These are not just to interest children but actually tell a tale...

...As birds descend from a group of meat eating dinosaurs called theropods...

...Which is the same group the Tyrannosaurus Rex belonged to...

These miniature donkeys were very friendly and came to see what we were about.  Mind you, I think they were maybe hopeful that we had carrots to offer them.  But we didn't- they do have a feeding time which visitors can get involved with, but we'd just missed it...

Baa-Ram-Ewe (as the chant goes, from the film Babe).  This chap was definitely a ram!

Pygmy goat...

Piebald goat...

Here's me!  That's right, I've always felt a bit of a black sheep (a position I revel in).  There were a couple of white sheep in this pen as well, and behind that a falconry display and the view over the Carnsew Pool, which sits in front of the River Hayle.

Fish pond...

The beautiful, tropical Victorian Gardens...

Note to self: learn how to use your camera properly.  It was a bright day, and these photos all look a tad overexposed!

This section of the park is beautiful and relaxing.  Here is the attractive summerhouse...

Caribbean Flamingos...

These birds live until they're about 40, and are able to breed from the age of 6...

In this exotic setting- and taking into account that it was a very warm day- it didn't really feel like you were in England!

The park is devoted to the rehabilitation and breeding of all species (especially those which are threatened) so that they can be returned to the wild...

Penguin pool...

Closer view of the two waddling friends we spotted...

This was my favourite.  It is called a Bleeding Heart Dove and gets its name from the red feathers on its breast which roughly form the shape of a heart...

This was the best shot I got, so I honed in on it...

As well as what we DID see, there were also a couple of no-shows:-

Otters- these notoriously reticent animals refused to come out to swim in their pool.

Red Squirrels- they were also not present.  I believe there were birds in their mislabelled cage!

Red Pandas- another shy animal; I did get a glimpse of one, but he didn't want to pose for a piccie.  He's the red flash to the left of the photo.

And that concludes my day at Paradise Park.  After afternoon tea in their cafe, looking out over the very quiet otter pool, we made our way back.  

I would definitely visit again as it's a lovely, clean park filled with interesting species, and a wonderful way to spend a couple of hours.

TTFN

The Miss Elaineous

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MISS ELAINEOUS VISITS PENZANCE...

Ahoy there, me hearties...  Pieces of eight, pieces of eight!

Penzance is right at the end of the London Paddington railway line, and was only two short stops from our temporary home in Hayle, so we popped down for a day trip.

Situated on the southern coast of Cornwall, Penzance sits on Mount's Bay, which in turn becomes the English Channel.  It is the most westerly major town in the county.  Popularised culturally by the 1879 Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera, The Pirates of Penzance, plays about pirates were actually ubiquitous in the 19th century.  At the time Penzance was a peaceful resort town, so the notion of it being overrun with pirates was actually laughable!

The earliest evidence of settlement in the area is from the Bronze Age (the second principal period of the three age Stone-Bronze-Iron system, characterised by the use of Bronze and in Europe considered to be from 3200-600BC).  There is evidence of only a very early and short Roman presence, although nearby villages were occupied at this time. 

Penzance, like many Cornish towns, has suffered from the decline of mining, fishing and agriculture.  Nowadays, tourism makes up an important part of its economy, along with light industry and retail.  

As we were only here for a few hours, we decided to just stroll and take in our surroundings, rather than rushing around finding specific attractions.

We headed down to Western Promenade Road.  Here are the views looking left, towards the Jubilee Pool.

The tide was in and the waves splashed right up onto the walkway...

Looking right, and the end of the country is around this headland...

If you were to travel around this curve, Land's End is just under 10 miles away...

...We didn't bother as it's a bit of a pain to get to via public transport.  Also, I've seen photos of it and it looks pretty underwhelming, consisting of only a signpost...

The sea was very choppy and lively...

I managed to get sprayed with water but that was not unwelcome as it was quite warm for May...

The lump in the centre of the photo is St Michael's Mount, which is a coastal island served by a built-up causeway...

This coast is obviously dangerous, with rocky outcrops a real shipping hazard...

The Jubilee pool was not yet open for the season.  It is an Art Deco open air fresh saltwater lido, dating back to 1935.

We walked around the side of the pool.  Here is the edge of the large harbour...

To quote Doctor Who, 'Water always wins'...

The war memorial...

The obelisk was unveiled in 1922...

The steps down.  I'm assuming that the beach area is accessible at low tide...

I decided to go as far as the top step but no further.  I really didn't fancy an impromptu swim!

We only walked to the edge as we didn't fancy a total drenching...

Another rocky island, with St Michael's Mount in the background.

St Michael's Mount is run by the National Trust and has a castle and chapel on it...

The harbour is very much a busy, working concern...

The song 'When The Boat Comes In' was running through my mind as I skirted around this section...

The only pirates we encountered during our day out were these, painted on the side of this pub and restaurant...

Looking up into the cute, historical streets...

Another harbour angle.  You can catch the Scillonian III from here but it wasn't in the dock when we passed.  Locally, it's nicknamed the 'great white stomach pump', due to passengers' propensity to suffer from sea sickness during the crossing!  

The Scillonian III runs daily trips to St Mary's, the largest island of the archipelago we know as the Scilly Isles.  The trip takes 2hrs 45mins each way.  

Just left of centre in the photo is the South Pier Head Lighthouse, which dates back to 1855...

The stairs upwards into the town...

The Turks Head is the oldest pub in Penzance and is reputed to date back to 1233.  A smugglers' tunnel running to the harbour, and priest holes still exist within the property.

Further along this road is the Union Hotel, which was the first place in England to receive the news of the victory of Trafalgar and Nelson's death, in 1805.

I took this photo from high up in the small shopping centre...

I'd always imagined the 'end of the line' to be very crumbling and coastal...

...But it's actually very urban and developed...

 Finally, I just had to include my charity shop find.  This lovely little sparkly shrug was a snip, at £3.50...

Would I return?  Oh yes!  I've earmarked the town as a possible future place of residence.  Its remoteness and history appeal to me, as does the idea of living by the sea.  I would never choose to be landlocked.

I will return as I want to traverse the causeway to St Michael's Mount, visit the Penlee House Gallery and Museum and possibly do a day trip to the Scilly Isles.  I realise that it's a long time to travel for only a four hour stay, but I've heard that the scenic journey is part of the experience, and let's not rule out an overnight stay...😉

Penzance I will return, but until then...

TTFN 

The Miss Elaineous

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NANCY DREW: THE BLUEBEARD ROOM by CAROLYN KEENE

NANCY DREW

THE BLUEBEARD ROOM

BY CAROLYN KEENE

THE BLURB:-

THE WITCHES' COVEN.

Nancy cautiously approached the disused mine's engine room, alert for any noise, but the night was silent save for the waves breaking on the rocky Cornish shore. Nervously, she entered the empty room. The floor and walls were marked with weird occult symbols and the smell of marijuana hung in the air.

Then across the moors, Nancy heard faint music. As she followed the sound, it seemed to move. Suddenly she realised she was being led into a trap, but at that moment her feet squelched into sticky mud. She struggled but only sank deeper. Nancy gasped in horror- it was quicksand!

THE REALITY:-

What, you may well ask, is the well-read and adult Miss Elaineous, who's just been accepted onto a creative writing Master of Arts degree course, doing reading a book aimed at teenagers? Well, I had my reasons.

After picking up one of the Nancy Drew mystery stories for girls books at a garage sale in the USA, whilst staying with relatives, age 11, I became a pretty avid reader of this series, devouring the books my auntie sent to me as Christmas and birthday presents and also buying more from WHSmith with my pocket money.

Aimed at teenage girls, these novels had been written by various authors since the 1930s, under the blanket name of Carolyn Keene. Given a bit of a modern update for the 1980s, the Nancy we see here has not one, but two suitors. As the book mentions, she's a clever sleuth, with curves as well as brains- you go, girl!

This book has the distinction of being my favourite as it's the only book in the series (that I've read) which is set in England. I read this in 1985, when I was a pretentious 13-year-old with a strong interest in alternative fashion and, not only does it capture London (the place in which I was born, live now, but was not brought up in- and where I wanted to be at this delicate age) in term of tourist attractions, but mentions what was happening on the fashion scene. David Bowie, Boy George and Billy Idol all get a mention, and this is exactly what I was (and still am) into. Add to that a fictional rock band (shades of Adam Ant disguised as Lance Warrick, methinks?) and this was right up my street.

My main reason for picking it up again (after buying it from Amazon- I'm not a hoarder!), however, is that it was set in Cornwall, and I've just been there. Depicted beautifully in the book, with a make-believe town and castle added to real places, this novel really picks up on the haunted, oldest part of England vibe of the place. The rugged landscapes and atmospheric coves are nicely communicated too. Well, in descriptive enough terms to keep a young person happy. I could vaguely remember the antagonists, and I like the way that some figures in authority get cast as villains. Add to that a bit o' art, in the form of the Golden Mab, true folklore with the legend of the Bluebeard Room, witchcraft and a cracking good detective story with intriguing characters, and we have perfection in a teenaged can. Just for the record, the story mentions my favourite painting, entitled The Fairy Feller's Master Stroke, by mad artist Richard Dadd.  I believe that it's right here that I first learned of the existence of this painting, and have seen it in an exhibition since.  Incidentally, when I did my art foundation course, this work inspired my final major project.

The Fairy Feller's Master Stroke, Richard Dadd, 1855-64.

This was why I read it; as I was having a nostalgia trip and also a future trip, as I have designated western Cornwall as my future home. Also, with hindsight, I can see that my life began to veer off track the first time I read this book. I maybe shouldn't have studied fashion and pursued it only as a hobby. The brilliant 80s dressing-up mentality gave way to boring crap. But now I've read it again just after my Masters acceptance, which I really feel IS my right track.

I'm tempted to read the whole Nancy Drew series, and writing ideas are forming, circulating and twirling in my mind...

Note: the cover at the top is of the book I recently read.  But this cover was on my original, back in 1985 and I prefer it...