Incursion into Wales--extra pics

The Sunday trip to Wales

I couldn't get these photos into the previous post for some Blogger tech glitch reason. So here they are!

Shall we pop in for a pint?

That's Wales over there, across the Wye. Note the rope-pull ferry!

Lovely people enjoying a lovely pint.

Keep it local, please.

The view from my guest room. Harsh life, huh.

Tea time. Scones!

 Thai dinner in Evesham

Thai dinner

Naam jim

Royal Enfield Bullet Re-conquers England! Part 2: Going Native

 Dawn of Conquest

The day dawned bright and clear and warm in Devon. I tucked into a full cooked breakfast before piling my belongings back onto the seat and fastening them down with bungee cords.

 I had time to ride as I pleased, since Richard said to meet him in a village called Tetbury after 2:00 pm. 
So off I went to look for green twisty lanes and quaint Olde Worlde villages and pubs.
Turns out they're everywhere!

Up for Rent as of last month. King George slept here in 1942.

Cheddar Gorge is Gorgeous!

It is true. I bought a huge wheel of aged cheddar here for Javi.

 I eventually wound my way to Bath but the traffic was horrid, the weather hot, and parking my bike seemed impossible anywhere near the city centre. I was still a bit green as a gringo in England so I scurried back to the countryside. Besides, I had spent 4 days in Bath about 20 years ago.

Devirtualizing with Richard Jones

 I moseyed my way to Tetbury by about 4pm and found Richard right in the center of town. The guy on the Harley! A historic occasion for Google Plus! Richard is nice, funny and calm; Angela is very nice too. They welcomed me to their home, put me in a great guest room.

History!

Richard Jones in the Cotswold town of Broadway

Angela is totally great!

Ang made a lovely steak and salad dinner!

As Ang had to work on Saturday, Richard took me out and about the region. We went to Stratford for a pint and to look up Billy Shakespeare, but he wasn't home.

Can Billy come out and play, Mrs S?

Tea time?

Time for a pint of Doombar

Bridge

You wanted quaint? You got it.

More bridge!

Bridge with tower!

Lady Macbeth. Naughty, not nice.

After a great day, blue skies and all, we headed back and went out to a Thai restaurant in Evesham.

On Sunday Ang was off work and the day looked fine, so we went westward towards Wales for a pint.

The last morning, a Monday, the weather was STILL sunny and warm. Richard joined me for a walk around Evesham.

There we said our goodbyes and he put me on the right road to Redditch.
Coming Up Next: Part 3: Return of the Native Bull

Royal Enfield Bullet Re-conquers England! Part 1: the journey there.

Felipe II tried it back in 1588, and again in 1596 and a third time in 1599. Total failure.

So a few hundred years later I decided to retake England on the back of my Royal Enfield 500 cc Bullet Electra, La Balita Roja.

So off I went from Madrid on May 29 2013, bundles tied and boots on.

 I took the back rodes up into the Navacerrada mountain pass, covered in frost. -5ºC at 1880 meters. Shite!

 First stop was in Turégano, over the mountains in Segovia Province. What a pretty town with its plaza and its castle.

 Lunch in Roa, further up. Nice to get warm.

 I high-tailed it (100kph) on the new motorway to Santander so as not to miss my ferry crossing. It was raining cats and dogs for the last 100 km. By the time I got to the port, I figured I'd be alone on the ship. Wrong!

 Ugly wet rainy face?

 Raining. 110 motorbikes in line to get on. All Brits but me!

 Once inside it was all comfort in my little cabin!

 The captain anounced rough to very rough seas, waves at 3 meters, swells up to 5 meters. Would I get seasick and spend the whole time barfing?

 Naw. The rocking movement gave me an appetite. But I stuck to the salad bar and some nice cheese for dessert. And a bottle of red wine.

 There was free wifi in the common areas. I eventually turned in and slept like a baby.
Next morning, shower and no shave (I forgot to bring any shaving cream) and in search of breakfast. The food on board was actually good and not all that expensive considering where we were.

 As breakfast finished, the storms stopped and the clouds gave way to sun. We approached a very green looking island call England.

 The port of Plymouth was underdefended so I had no problem defeating them all and riding inland to conquer and invade at my leisure, up to my B and B at a little inn in a town called Uffculme (no idea how to pronounce it). Time for a pint of ale!

 This was the view from the tables outside where I had my ale:

So far, the invasion was going swimmingly. Recalling Felipe II's defeat due to terrible weather, though, I was fearful for how it would go later.
Stay tuned for Part 2: Going Native