Category Archives: England

The Doc’s In

Port Wynn is the mythical home of the cantankerous Doc Martin, lead role in the hugely successful BBC series of the same name. The town in the show is, apparently, the only location in Cornwall where the sun shines everyday and is populated exclusively with eccentric and good hearted folk. In actuality, Port Wynn is Port Issac, a small and very remote fishing village that was fading in obscurity until Bert, Louisa and the Doc arrived. Now an invading hoard of tourists fills the small B&Bs and roams the streets looking for any evidence of their idols. Well, we were lucky enough to be there while they were filming season 5. We were part of a group of about 50 adoring fans that was shuffled through the streets, like a well mannered and extremely quiet flock of sheep. I must admit, it was pretty exciting.

Bert & Louisa

Bert & Louisa

Port Issac’s real charm is it’s maze of narrow streets, some only 18″ wide, the madcap jumble of late 19th century fisherman’s cottages and the small but pristine harbor.

The View From Above

View from the Tate MuseumView from the Tate Museum

London is a big crowded city. Driving and parking in it is a nightmare, walking it is exhausting, taking cabs costs a small fortune and the Underground is exactly that, underground, but the Double Decker Bus, now there’s a sightseeing vehicle.

St Pauls

St Pauls

The buses provides an affordable and fun conveyance that stops at almost every corner while providing a unique perspective of the city and everyone in it.

If You Can’t Beat’em, Join’em!

Graffiti Tunnel - London

Graffiti Tunnel – London

In London, like all cities the world over, graffiti continues to spread like a rash on most every available surface. One approach the city governors have arrived at is to designate this nasty little underground passageway as a legal “Graffiti Zone”. The walls have turned into an everchanging tapestry of art, social commentary, vulgarity and all manner of craziness.

 

Has it worked? Well, no. Artful vandals still roam the city streets.