First stop: Plymouth

Until we arrived at Paddington Station, we weren't sure where we were heading today. Turns out there still wasn't a train to Newquay but there was one to Plymouth. So we're spending the night in Plymouth and then taking a train to Newquay in the morning. 

Our goal is always to snag a table.

Thanks to the Marks & Spencer at the train station, we had a perfect picnic on the train.

While on the train to Plymouth we booked a room at this little guesthouse. Nothing special, but clean and located close to the harbor.

Gorgeous architecture on the walk to the harbor.

The Port of Plymouth is operated by the UK Ministry of Defense, and most of the traffic is military or military support. The port serves the biggest naval base in western Europe, with vessels including nuclear submarines, large warships, and visiting ships receiving Operational Sea Training.

Five marinas provide space for a slew of sail boats and pleasure crafts.

Stopped here for a light meal.

Rattler's Cider.

Lamb kabab and fish & chips.

Several ice cream vans all along the coast. Of course we get a cone (a double, actually).

Swimmers!

Lots of kayaks and SUP.

This plaque is above the steps that are presumed to be the ones the Pilgrims trudged down to board the Mayflower. I learned that there were actually two ships set to carry the Pilgrims to the New World: the Mayflower and the Speedwell. The Speedwell proved to be unseaworthy and was abandoned after two attempts, thus never making it into our history books.

This fascinating creation is the Barbican Prawn, a metal sculpture that is an amalgamation of local marine life past and present. The head is an angler fish, the upper body a lobster’s shell and lobster claws, and the lower body and towering fin are a John Dory. The creature stands with cormorant feet on a pole, with a plesiosaurus tail curling all around. Nightmare stuff really.