Supplemental Post # 5

As expected, the good talkers are good walkers. All are quite fit, though I seem to have done OK. We walked about 7 miles, much of it pretty rocky, up and down. The weather today was just excellent, brisk and blue but not too windy. We walked from the main road down Lamorna Valley to Lamorna cove and then to Penzance via Moushole and Newlyn. Lunch in Mousehole, sitting by the quay, and time to poke around, take pictures, buy postcards or have a pint in the pub. My cheese and pickle sandwich tasted grand.

I will always remember Derek talking to the robin, Geoff introducing us to alexanders (a flowering plant used in liqueur, I believe, Rosemarie (Iron Woman) out ahead and up top on the hardest climbs and Hannelore so cheerful and smiling. Today is Derek’s 71st birthday. In true engineering tradition, he is so knowledgeable, but if you ask him the time he’ll tell you how to build a watch. He described the creation of the Jurassic Coast for me at length.

Hotel Penzance has many thoughtful touches: A plate of fruit in the hall, bathrobes, bath sheets, a towel warmer, washcloths (rare in the UK), tea and cake in the lounge. Nothing beats the resident longhaired Siamese cats Tom & Jerry, though. They are floppy and friendly and make themselves at home everywhere. Jerry followed me into my room and didn’t want to leave!

PS It is hard to write about Cornwall and Hotel Penzance without using lots of exclamation points!