Travels...

Only minutes after getting home from Spain, we went to Cornwall. It felt like minutes but really it was a week. We had a weekend aboard Amelie Poulain, a converted barge. It sits on the River Fal, a stones throw from the Falmouth estuary at a permanent erm.....berth... mooring?
Fortunately, you don't need nautical knowledge. Luckily, in the case of certain landlubbers!
I didn't take any pictures of it as a whole, there are some on the Facebook page - search Floathouse. It's big...got 3 double bedrooms and a proper bathroom. By 'proper' I mean big - enough room to shower or bath and step out of either and dance yourself dry.

Not posed...brunch on deck.  Would like to be there now, I must say!

These barges were of course, for carrying goods, and they had little 'sheds' on the decks for the bargees to live in and steer from. Actually, that might be navigate from. I don't know. You don't need to know, this is a permanent dock! So the 'shed' has been removed and more glamorous 'top' has been built as you can see. Such a delicious design to allow for the view, it's hard to tell where the glass stops and the view begins!

When the tide goes out, there are birds feeding from the revealed sand, cormorants and seagulls crabbing, a host of swans and erm, lots of others! On Saturday night, we simply at without any lights and let the lights on the river entertain us;  just as we thought to turn in, we were treated to a huge fireworks display somewhere over the estuary! We had armchair ringside seats. A lovely bonus! Amelie has a kitchen of course, a proper one with a big fridge and a dishwasher. Or...you can jump onto the quay and visit the popular and busy café on the wharf. Couldn't be more convenient! The wharf also boasts some lovely artisan studios. Jewellery, art, clothes..you know!

See my little sunspot in the open front door? My word it was gorgeous. Hot. The wall in front of my chair is the quay side. When the tide is in, the floor is level with the top of the quay. At other times, you make like the French Lieutenant's woman and climb the stone steps from erm, ship to shore. It's not hard or dodgy, but for a land lubber, it's sort of romantic!

Of course, you water-life-familiar types will probably cheerfully jump in and out of the dinghy and row yourselves across river or down to the shops. We loved the idea and no doubt that Mr D would have enjoyed it. But then we considered my wonky-fat-woman status and thought better of it! There's no dignity to be had trying to get in and out of a rowing boat I can tell you!  Perhaps next time, I'll still be wonky, but I may not need to roll! We did enjoy a leisurely break, I must say.  We walked and explored locally and then summoned up the strength to get in the car and go further afield. I've never quite got over that about Cornwall - nothing is very far away! 

Cornwall in late spring is a gift of wildflowers and promise. We really were lucky with gorgeous weather all weekend.

Not that we actually went into the water you understand.....

My cousins built and own Amelie, are letting her; if you are on Facebook, you can find their page and contact details by searching Floathouse . You'll know you've got the right page if it says Jubilee Wharf as the address and some of the pics will look familiar!

Mr Dunnit says you can tell you've had a good weekend when you're photographing the stones that are acting as door stops!!