Cats, a cataclysm and exploring Exeter.

Before we set out on our holidays I put the suitcases out to air – here is our Pushkin reclining in what he fashioned into temporary quarters.  He has an unerring ability to avail himself of maximum comfort.

                                                      

 

On our return to Greece, we learned that there had been continual and then, latterly, torrential rain. These two shots show what our ‘road’ was like on our return, days afterwards when the ground had still not been able to absorb any more water.  When you see the claggy mess on our tyres, you can imagine how hard it is for me to negotiate on foot!

 

                                                                    

It’s always good to get home after an absence, but with heavy hearts we learned that Pushkin had been missing for some days. Now he had always had what seemed like an Aboriginal urge to go walk-about, exploring the local terrain, but he had never had such an extended absence before. After ten days had passed we began to fear the worst and had to accept that his safe return would be unlikely. We had learned that the surge of floodwater had swept away a neighbour’s car in its force - what hope had a cat of surviving in such conditions?
 

 Imagine then how I felt last night when I heard a wailing outside - turning down the TV volume I suspected my wishful thinking had overpowered all logic - but no - the wail increased to a caterwauling that could only have been Pushkin-produced. I opened the door to our mog, swept him into my arms and gave him the biggest cuddle of his life! H was speechless when he saw Pushkie who was now clamouring for food.  He bears no scars, but is uncharacteristically timorous, starting at any sudden sound, and almost insatiably hungry. We certainly know that he was well out of his comfort zone and still feels very insecure - he cries if we leave him on his own. We will probably never learn of his adventure but we are just so grateful and happy to have that prodigal puss back! Here he is after enjoying his breakfast on his first day back home.

                                               

Our first holiday destination was Exeter to visit Pam, a flat-mate of long-time-gone in Thessaloniki. Her adopted city is outstandingly beautiful: here is the Cathedral, dedicated to St Peter, and dating back to 1050, although the imposing Gothic spires we see now are mainly from around 1400. 

                                                            

Below we see evidence of Elizabethan architecture in these beautiful buildings looking on to Cathedral Green, where students and tourists sat out enjoying the brilliant sunshine. And H found what claims to be possibly the narrowest street in the world: Parliament Street which measures only 25 inches at its narrowest, increasing to 45 inches. You can just see that slim gap behind him - can anyone top that ??

 

                         

Walking along the banks of the River Exe, we see the recently refurbished area where warehouses tell of the booming woollen cloth trade here at its peak at the end of the 17^th century. The local museum exhibits and information testify to the significant city that Exeter was throughout history; its name suggests that the city was of Celtic origin, while excavations have shown there was a Roman military fortress there around AD 55.  Now it is the university that gives it an international tenor. 

We take a short drive down to Topsham where the Earls of Devon had weirs built to prevent boats from travelling any further than here, so that they could exact tolls for transporting goods to Exeter.  So it was that the Exeter Canal was built to bypass these weirs; completed in 1566, it is one of the oldest artificial waterways in Britain.

 We take long walks, enjoying the peace and quiet, with ducks and swans keeping us company in this beautiful backdrop.

 

                     

Of course, you work up a really healthy appetite with all this fresh air- here we are relaxing and catching up on our news, enjoying some pizza and pasta.

 

 And just as we began with a cat so we end with Pam, our gracious hostess, and her feline friend, Jojo.  Now you may see that Jojo is suffering from the Tomcat equivalent of ‘red-eye’   in this shot, but I was reluctant to photo-shop it out – the turquoise shade matches the shade of Pam’s clothes and jewellery too well!