Portsmouth & The Isle of Wight
Date: 16 December 2007 04:39:13
A lovely harbour town, and a beautiful -- stunningly beautiful -- and historic island. Thank you in particular to Smudgie for her beyond-compare hospitality, and also to MrSponge2U from the Ship who met me in Portsmouth and with whom I journeyed to, from and around the Isle with Smudgie.
Portsmouth is a lovely city, and I hope to be able to explore it more one day: it was a very quick slap-dash tour. Old is combined with new, even standing next to each other -- the new shoping, café, and restaurant district near the harbour looks stunning. I was surprised to see a First Fleet monument -- but I shouldn't have been. My history failed me and I had forgotten they set sail from Portsmouth.
The main reason for my Isle of Wight expedition was to meet the wonderful Smudgie: and she is as wonderful, generous and simply fantastic as she comes across on the Wibsite. I also met Smudgelet who is a true gentleman [at least he was when we were there! :)] and a pleasure to talk to [and to play games with...even if I foolishly mentioned something about the Tooth Fairy on a certain question asking about childhood beliefs: silly, silly git I am]. A return visit is definitely in order: to see Smudgie again [if she'll have me!] as much as seeing the beautiful island. Carisbrook Castle and its associated Museum were wondrous: truly wondrous. A constant feature on my photos, as I put them up, will be castles: I love them. And Carisbrook is certainly a castle you could visit again and again and enjoy. So much history: and it is so well preserved. The views from the castle walls, which you can walk along, are equally stunning. Smudgie took MrSponge2U and I for a drive to the Needles and through the beautiful countryside of the island.
The next morning we went to the Osborne House café for coffee [I had a rather decadent hot chocolate], and we continued to some beautiful churches, including St Edmund's which was founded in the late 11th century: my mind is still getting over having visited such historic places. It was then, sadly, time to say goodbye and set across the Solent back to Portsmouth. There were several forts in the Solent, built between 1865 and 1880.
I am eagerly hoping I can return to the Isle of Wight someday soon.