Gosport 1

Hello,

   Today would have been my mother’s 100th birthday. 

As I type our gas tanks are being pumped dry, cleaned, the fuel cleaned and then returned to the tank.  Sort of dialysis for Doramac.  It will keep us here one extra day.  We were planning to leave tomorrow but instead will leave Friday when actually better weather is predicted for Eastbourne.  Not sure about sea weather so Randal will check.

  There is a giant ASDA (Walmart UK) a 5 minute walk from where we are tied now for the tank cleaning.  I went bright and early to shop and will return later with Randal.  So nice to have labels (sort of) in English.  I say sort of because the calorie amounts aren’t done as they are in the US so I’m still having to figure it out.  And I’m still getting used to the idea that everyone here speaks English

ASDA

“1920s – 1950s

A group of Yorkshire farmers were responsible for writing the first chapter in the history of Asda when they formed Hindell’s Dairies in the 1920s. After a successful period which saw them expand and diversify the company was floated in 1949 as Associated Dairies and Farm Stores Ltd……..

In June 1999, now a successful company once more, Asda was bought by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and became part of the world’s biggest and best retailer.”

http://your.asda.com/about-asda/the-history-of-asda

I love their diet crème soda.

I’m still one port behind so this email is about Gosport.

Ru

Gosport/Portsmouth

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Helen and Paul visiting us on DoraMac

These are Helen and Paul whom we met in Cherbourg.  They were sailing right behind us watching as the French Coastguard boat circled us just near Cherbourg harbor.  They came into Cherbourg harbor and the marina just behind us.  We actually met them  later in the day in the grocery store when I asked Helen if she spoke English because I didn’t know if the package in my hand contained ham or some kind of poultry.  She told me she was British so spoke English and I was holding a package of sliced turkey breast as she could read/speak French.   We chatted a bit more and Paul came along and then Randal came and we made a plan for them to come to DoraMac the following evening for a beer.  They came at 6:30 and left about 11 pm.  We really enjoyed meeting them and hope to see them again.  They sailed to Gosport, their home port,  the day after we did because they needed wind and we picked the day with no wind. 

By the way, I marinated the turkey and pan fried it in about 6 minutes and it was really good and about 2 Euro per pound cheaper than the chicken. 

http://www.premiermarinas.com/  our marina’s website

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We were so glad to see this sign in the gray evening light after our very slow 15 hour, against the current, passage from Cherbourg.

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DoraMac in Gosport.

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Just outside the marina office this Swan and her cygnets who were really downy and curious.

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View across the harbor is Spinnaker Tower which is lit up with red lights at night. 

Fact File

•The Tower has been a huge success and has received over 2 million visitors since opening.

•The high speed internal lift travels at 4 metres per second, taking you to the View Decks in just 30 seconds.

•The concrete used to build the Tower would fill five-and-a-half Olympic-sized swimming pools.

•The Tower is founded on 84 piles, the longest of which runs 50m into the ground – the equivalent of Nelson’s Column.

•The total weight of the Tower exceeds 30,000 tonnes.

•The 27m spire weighs 14 tonnes and was carefully lifted into place by crane.

•1200 tonnes of structural steel used to form the Tower’s distinctive bows is the equivalent weight of 12 blue whales.

•115 metres up and in high winds, the Tower can flex approximately 150mm.

•There are 570 steps from the base up to View Deck 3, The Crow’s Nest.

http://www.spinnakertower.co.uk/about/history-and-construction.aspx

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HMS Warrior was just across the way.  It was the HMS Victory that Randal wanted to see but was included in the sold out Bank Holiday festivities so off limits to everyone else. 

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Our first Gosport Ferry ride to IMMIGRATION

The Gosport ferry from High Street across to Portsmouth.  It runs so frequently that in 4 trips we only had to wait about 3 minutes to board.  They have an area marked Cyclists but motorbikes can ride too.  Fare is 2£ 90 unless you’re 60 and then it’s 1£ 90.  But I hadn’t read the sign until too late so didn’t ask and the ticket seller, who looked pretty senior himself, didn’t offer it. 

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Opposite side of the car, opposite side of the road.

We caught a taxi to the International Ferry Terminal to meet The Immigration Man;  but as I wrote earlier,  it went smoothly and we have our official papers to stay.

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Entrance to High Street which is a lovely pedestrian way with shops and restaurants. 

On Saturdays there are street vendors.

“Gosport was founded early in the 13th century. The name Gosport is probably a corruption of goose port, perhaps because wild geese gathered there. (In the Middle Ages goose was often spelt gose, so it was called Goseport but later the ‘e’ was dropped).” http://www.localhistories.org/gosport.html  for history of Gosport.

http://www.discovergosport.co.uk/ gives you lots of travel info

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http://www.pukkapies.co.uk/

“In 1963 the Beatles were at number one, Mary Quant decided short dresses were cool and the rest of the population were discovering bell bottoms!

Thankfully, Trevor Storer our company Chairman, had other ideas on good taste. Quitting his day job he founded Trevor Storer’s Handmade Pie Company which started the smallest of bakeries and set about selling great tasting pies. His first creation was the Steak and Kidney Pie and it was Trevor’s wife Valerie who produced the recipe for the Chicken and Mushroom Pie which like all the pies, remains the exact recipe today. He baked the pies on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and sold them on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Trevor opened 13 accounts on the first day and sold 1,200 pies in the first week. By the end of the first year he employed just 12 members of staff. Pukka Pies now sell over 60 million a year and have 280 members of staff.

In a flash of marketing genius, one year later he renamed the company Pukka Pies and the rest as they say, is history. Trevor Storers pies tasted great and were an instant hit. Bell bottoms may no longer be with us but Trevor Storers pies most certainly are. Pukka Pies… Don’t Compromise!.”

One day I’ll have one just so I can say I ate a Pukka Pie!

Randal had fish and chips; I ordered mushy peas and breaded mushrooms and we had too much food.  Our favorite fish and chips place is DEKS in North Cyprus.   DEKS has better fish and chips and great calamari and even a Randal sandwich which you have to specially ask for from Denise.

Submarine visits …..

YOU never know what can surface from the waters of the Solent.

This weekend, rising from beneath the sea in Portsmouth Harbour was a submarine from America.

The USS Virginia arrived in Portsmouth on Saturday.

Sailors lined the whale-like submarine, after she surfaced, and waved to onlookers.

Portsmouth Naval Base said that the vessel is here on what is called a routine visit.

Spokesman Simon Smith said: ‘This is what we call a routine visit.

‘She is here to give her crew rest and recuperation.

‘We are not sure when she is going, she could be here right up until September 5.’

USS Virginia is a United States Navy attack submarine, and the lead boat of her class.

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/

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USS Virginia; quite appropriate for us to be there to great her.

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You can see the American flag flying

You can see part where parts of the sub are submerged. 

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And how close other boats were able to get.  Usually military vessels have an escort to keep boats away but there’s not so much waterway here and lots of boats were going in and out.

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Our first scone with clotted cream and strawberry jam and tea…. in England…this trip.