Swaffham is an historic market town with an active weekenl outdoor market. The Peddars Way sign designates the 2,000 yer old Roman Road, a footpath connecting area towns which travelers and peddlers used. Now it is part of the National Trail System network for horses, walkers and cyclists. A town-to-town walk on these footpaths is in our plans. As Bob described it, a pub-to-pub walk sounds more accurate (and attractive).
Perhaps the most interesting bit of history relates to my family. The man depicted in the Swaffham sign (photo above) is named John Chapman. He was a local business man who supposedly found buried treasure in his garden and used the money to build part of the town church in the 1500s. My grandfather was named Clyde Chapman, a descendant of the John Chapman who was Johnny Appleseed in the US. I wonder how close the connection is between the Chapman families?
Swaffham has a terrific little gym, which we hope survives the onslaught of Bob. It is in an old converted barn. When I say old, I mean a few hundred years. Check out the ceiling beams.
The low ceiling beams are generously wrapped in foam and provide a home for displaced primates. Bob feels right at home here. He bought a month's membership immediately.
We had lunch at The George Hotel and Pub and watched a car pull up at the the light. Do you recognize (recognise) the contraption on the roof of the car (above)? I didn't either, until Bob noticed the Google sticker on the car. We surmised this is how Google Maps gets their "street view" shots on Google Maps online. Did you know a photo of your house might be online on Google Maps Streetview? Be careful about nude gardening.
After lunch we walked over to visit Win's older sister, Rene. She's a young 83 and her husband, Jack is 84. Rene apologized for her garden being "completely gone". As the photo above shows, she has a different set of standards. I'd say it has a bit of life left in it.
The next day I attended my first professional soccer game. Luton (Bob's home team) vs Tamworth (a small town south of Luton). In brief, Luton had been in the premier league until this year, but atrocious losses resulting in their relegation to the next lower league, much to the shame of Lutonites.
Happily the team won today in spite of poor playing. It was a bittersweet victory to Bob since they have fallen so low. I enjoyed trying to decipher what the fans were singing. They sang well, loudly and cleverly. I only caught ever tenth word, which sounds the same in every language.
Before the game I was so hungry I didn't have time to photograph my curried vegetable lunch at the Rising Sun pub south of Luton. It was perfectly spicy and disappeared way too fast.
See the tap on the left? That was a good half pint of Wells Bombardier I had with lunch.
I've seen a lot of these signs outside pubs fo Greene King, a brewery in this region. This sign is on the outside Three Tuns pub in Ashwell. Of course, Bob knew what a "tun" is. Do you?
Bob has educated me about how to select a good pub. Evidently many of the pubs have been purchased by big companies such as Pubmaster. A Pubmaster sign means that pub is right out. Not acceptable. Another unacceptable indicator is a listing of foreign beers such as Stella Artois. I'm learning. Slowly.
This thatched roof is in Ashwell. Thatched roofs are more common in Devon, where I visited last trip to England. The roof seems unfinished because one end of ridgecap looks as though it needs thatching. It also needs to be covered in netting to keep birds from nesting and to keep the thatch in place.
The Three Tuns in Ashwell.
A terrific dinner of a baked potato, baked beans and veg (the locals don't say "vegetables". It cost 4.95 (British Pounds), What a deal! Paired with cider AND a half pint of ale, much to the horror of the bar maid and Bob. Faux pas number one. My next post will have an even greater faux pas.
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