Beningbrough Hall

Hello and welcome to Beningbrough Hall and gardens, just outside York. These snaps of me were taken when I visited in September. Although it's all cold and frosty now, it was a lovely day back then and all the flowers were still out.

The hall was built in 1716 (wow!) and and is very beautiful. It also features a lot of 'down stairs' placesto see as well. Here I am in the laundry. My word, I'm very glad I don't have to wash my clothes this way.

This is me on the front steps to the hall just before I went in. Because it's run by the National Trust, I wasn't allowed to take pictures inside. Meanies!

Look at this! This is the best giant teapot I've ever seen. It is covered with hundreds of different hand made ceramic tiles. Made me fancy a cuppa!

The best way to finish any National Trust visit is a turn around the shop. I found a few things to buy and the nice lady is just putting them in a bag for me.

Good thing no one thought I was for sale!

More next time with a visit to Castle Howard!

Lost at Fountains Abbey

My first day out was to Fountains Abbey. It's an amazing place, dear reader, and I'd really recommend getting there early before the ravening hoards.

This little chap was certainly caught by surprise and scurried away very quickly when he saw me. He was obviously looking for that last little bit of food before the people (and bears) started arriving.

This is the watermill at Fountains Abbey. It was built in the 12th century and restored in 2009 and is one of the finest examples of its kind in Europe.

Here I am at the exhibition of stonework in the watermill. As well as a mill and granary the building was also used as a stone mason's workshop.

The ruins of the Abbey itself are fabulous. Apparently it was started in 1132 and was closed in 1539 by Henry VIII. As you can see the stone is the same colour as me! Can you see me here on the bridge?

Sitting here I can't help but wonder what it would look like today if it had remained a Cistercian monastery. Certainly I wouldn't be sitting here having my photo taken!

Lastly, here I am at the Octagon Tower in the water gardens that now surround the Abbey.

Just after this picture was taken a little girl ran up shouting to her mother that she had found a bear. I had to tell her that I was not actually lost but was on my holidays. She was a little concerned that I was on my own but I reassured her and we went our separate ways.

I will leave my visit to Fountains Abbey with a titbit about the Cistercian order that founded the monastery.

Under Cistercian rules the monks lived a rigorous daily life, committed to long periods of silence, a diet barely above subsistence level, and wore the regulation habit of coarse undyed sheep's wool, which earned them the name "White Monks." Lastly, underwear was forbidden.

Ouch!

Yorkshire Ho!

So sorry, my dear readers, for not sharing my holiday with you sooner. Since returning from my week in September I have been a very busy bear and have only now had time to sort through my holiday snaps.

Well, here I am (with my friend Albert) on our way.

The nice thing about Yorkshire is that it is not all that far away. It was lovely day and we got to Ulleskelf in about two hours.

Here we are surveying our new home for the week.

The caravan was lovely. Albert was already making himself comfy whilst I checked out the kitchen.

We were on a really nice caravan park a couple of miles outside Tadcaster. Ours was the only static caravan and it was lovely and quiet there.

Albert is a very shy chap and had already decided that he would not be going on any adventures. He was more than happy to see the photos and keep the caravan warm while I was away.

One of his favourite things was to sit on the decking in the evening and look out at the sunset. And spectacular sunsets they were too. Look at this.

Wow.

I mean... just wow.

Next time, my first trip out - Fountains Abbey.

Back to Blighty

Sadly, all things must end and here I am on the last day of my cruise. We were due back in Southampton the following morning and I was going to be very sad to leave the ship.

Still, the holiday was not quite over and after a leisurely afternoon relaxing by the pool...

I made some new friends in the bar. This lady was awfully nice (although I can't remember her name) and was very happy to have her photo taken with me.

Packing was dreadful. I got very upset at the thought of leaving the ship although it would be good to get back to Blighty. Foreign places are all very well but they are not as good as home.

The next morning I was ready to go and I did not mind getting a lift as my legs were very tired from all the places I had visited.

The nice thing is that although that holiday had ended, I am on holiday again in two weeks time! This time I am going to York and will be posting pictures from the Minster, Castle Howard and lots of other places.

Stay tuned for my new adventures.

Vigo

As I've mentioned before, Vigo was very nice, if a little shut. Remember that when wanting to visit Vigo so not go on a Sunday!

Here I am claiming Spain for the English although we occupied the city in 1719 for ten days so really I'm actually re-claiming it. Sadly, no one took any notice.

The port is very smart and welcoming and there are a lot of strange statues along the waterfront. Most of them are quite new and a bit too modern for my tastes. This one is very odd indeed.

A little way from the waterfront are the remains of an old building although I have no idea what it was. The sign was in Spanish!

Eventually though there was nowhere really to look because all the shops were closed so I headed back to the ship to take in a little sun.

Now this is the life!

Lisbon

As a relatively well travelled bear I have learned not to make snap judgements about places I visit. Saying that, I did not really like Lisbon very much.

In the first place it rained - lots. Not necessarily Lisbon's fault but still not fun for a chap with small legs!

Here I am getting ready for my trip out.

By the time I reached Black Horse Square (Praça do Commercio) I was soaked but stopped for a photo at the statue of King José I. This splendid sculpture by Joaquim Machado de Castro, was cast in one single piece in 1774.

Coo.

The strangest thing about Lisbon is that it has no public toilets. What is a bear to do if he gets caught short? This bear gave Lisbon up for a bad loss and headed back to the ship.

Wouldn't you know it - as soon as I got back to port the sun came out!

Next time - more from Vigo!

More life on board

This cruising lark is a hard life, I can tell you, although unfortunately even a small bear has to do laundry every now and then. P&O very kindly provide a laundry on each corridor. Got to get those smalls done!

After that, there's just time to check out our route in the ship's library...

before getting spruced up for the evening's entertainment. Here I am in my best bib and tucker for the Captain's Dinner.

Later, there was just time for a nightcap...

before I tucked myself up in bed.

We were due in Lisbon the next day and I'll tell you about that soon.

Night, night!

Life on board

Life on board ship is rather good. There is more food than a bear can eat and there is plenty to drink too.

That particular day I decided to have a burger for lunch, which was superb. It was cooked in front of me and they didn't skimp on portions, I can tell you. I couldn't move after I'd eaten all that!

Later I relaxed with friends. Here I am with a small rum in one of the bars. Yum.

There was just time to send some e-mails home and tell everyone how much I was missing them.

Next time, I'll post some pictures of Vigo although Spain shuts on a Sunday so they aren't very exciting!

The ship

That's me on the dock at Vigo in Spain looking back at my floating home for the week. Arcadia is huge and very beautiful and I can't wait to go back.

This is the dock from higher up. The only thing is that it was a Sunday and Vigo was shut! As you can see there is very little activity down there.

It's a good thing I have a head for heights!

More La Rochelle

Still in La Rochelle and here I am on the grand steps outside the Town Hall.


According to the guide book the steps were made in the late fifteenth century.

Don't know about that, but it's certainly quite cold!

Next time I'll show you some pictures from the ship.

Welcome to my new blog

Welcome to my adventures. I'm Geronimo, a rather scruffy but adorable bear, and I can be seen here at La Rochelle, a lovely little harbour town in France.


I was there in 2006 and La Rochelle was the third stop on a brilliant P&O cruise. I'll be sharing more cruise pictures as we go along.

Behind me is the Lantern Tower. The only medieval lighthouse on the Atlantic coast that is still standing. It contains a huge array of graffiti, carved into the walls by the pirates and prisoners that were held there after it was converted to a prison in the 17th century.

Blimey, that thing's old!