On the road (Europe 2010): Marazion, Cornwall

Finally feeling a bit rested. Now ensconced in a nice little hotel (The Marazion Hotel--ask for room 10). With our own house in the US rented out and car rentals here sorted out, I'm finally beginning to relax. Marazion is the town that most of my ancestors are from on one side of my mother's family. I had no idea that they had lived in such a pretty place. The town is one of the oldest in Britain, according to a stone monument I saw last night, having been recognized by royal charter in 1257. The church and other buildings on St. Michael's Mount trace their origins to a monastery of the 9th century, although the castle there today is from a later period.

The town overlooks Mount's Bay at the foot of St. Michael's Mount, accessible by foot when the tides are low enough to reveal a serpentine path of stonework. Today will be a day of exploring the island and the town itself. The sun is out this morning, a great improvement from the overcast and drizzle of yesterday.

Wonderful meal last night a short walk from the hotel at Ben's Cornish Kitchen. I had an appetizer of local mackerel with an olive and sun-dried tomato salsa on garlic toast and a main dish of pork prepared three ways--pork belly, loin of pork, and a pork sausage with an apple compote and Calvados sauce. Yummy. Other selections had a wonderful watercress-mayonnaise-mustard sauce. Delicious. Highly recommended if you find yourself in the area.

I saw my first authentic English (well, cornish) chaffinch last night. A very pretty bird.