We had a really good time down in town yesterday. We didn't go to watch the carnival as it is more for kids and really not Peter's thing but there were unreal sights around as we walked from the car (we parked in Pilton because Peter was worried about parking spaces) to the other side of town. First there was a beautifully restored US army jeep complete with large flag parked on one side of the road while a boy in military uniform sat on the pavement (very unusual for Barnstaple) eating fish & chips. Later we passed an adult Bo Peep resplendent in pink, tennis players swinging rackets and a man with a green face. Crossing the library car park was a witch carrying a large drum. I love these evenings when the whole town is out walking about. Some were returning home after the carnival but most were heading towards the bridge and fun fair beyond. We both saw various people we knew and exchanged a few words but one of my class who I said hello to at the fair looked totally shocked to see his teacher out of school.
A lot of people were gathering on the public space that runs alongside the river. From here they would have a good view of the fireworks which would be set off from a defunct factory across the river.
We got ourselves up onto the bridge. The bridge and the main road had been closed to traffic all afternoon but most people preferred to lean on the stone walls of the bridge. It is such a relaxed and friendly time. Everyone is there from family groups with kids waving lighted sticks & granny and grandad to young people parading in their idea of high fashion. 
It was a beautiful evening , not cold and the clouds making a good backdrop for the fireworks which were excellent. I am a sucker for the bangs and flashes of fireworks and I thought this year's were pretty good, (photos tomorrow or this post will be pages long). I don't know if this happens anywhere else but there is always a delayed boom as the sound bounces off the high town buildings.
Then it was down to the the fair. Once past the sellers of lighted items there is the walk down 'torture alley' as we call it. On either side are stalls selling all food; sweets (candy), chocolate coated apples and marshmallow, crepes, a whole stall of different kinds of liquorice, fresh coffee, hot dogs and burgers, chips, candyfloss, and roast pork to name but some. If I wasn't on a diet and didn't mind paying the high prices I would have settled for chicken & noodles,£5 with prawn crackers £2.
Then you hit the main fair. From the numbers and duplication of rides there must have been at least 2 if not 3 travelling fairs gathered together. I hadn't thought that there would be many young children at the fair in the night but there were plenty around. Being at the fair is a pleasant assault on the senses, the smell of the food, the bright lights, the music so loud that it shakes your body and the general excitement. There were many stalls where you could try your luck, ha ha, at throwing darts, hooking ducks, or aiming at tin cans. The prizes of course being tacky rubbish. Goldfish are still offered as prizes but due to RSPCA pressure they have fish bowls to buy should you win one. But of course the main attraction is the many noisy brightly coloured rides .
We stood for a while and watched some dodgems. I'm sure that when we were younger there weren't any signs pointing which way to go, you simply aimed at as many people as you could. It was fun to watch the roustabouts skipping through the cars, clambering on the fronts and spinning the steering wheels to release people from their traffic jams.
Great photo opportunities and here I went to 1/2 sec exposure to get a feel of the movement.
There were many rides where you could be spun,bounced or suspended upside down 50ft above the ground and generally get your adrenalin flying and your brain rattling but I actually like the old fashioned Merry Go Round. While we were watching I noticed several ladies at least 10 years older than me enjoying riding the colourful horses.
That did it, I paid my £2, cunningly sat next to a child so that it looked as if I was simply accompanying her and had a wonderful time. It was great, rising and falling predictably with the wind blowing through my hair as we spun round to the sound of an old fashioned carousel organ.
A lot of people were gathering on the public space that runs alongside the river. From here they would have a good view of the fireworks which would be set off from a defunct factory across the river.
We got ourselves up onto the bridge. The bridge and the main road had been closed to traffic all afternoon but most people preferred to lean on the stone walls of the bridge. It is such a relaxed and friendly time. Everyone is there from family groups with kids waving lighted sticks & granny and grandad to young people parading in their idea of high fashion. 
It was a beautiful evening , not cold and the clouds making a good backdrop for the fireworks which were excellent. I am a sucker for the bangs and flashes of fireworks and I thought this year's were pretty good, (photos tomorrow or this post will be pages long). I don't know if this happens anywhere else but there is always a delayed boom as the sound bounces off the high town buildings.
Then it was down to the the fair. Once past the sellers of lighted items there is the walk down 'torture alley' as we call it. On either side are stalls selling all food; sweets (candy), chocolate coated apples and marshmallow, crepes, a whole stall of different kinds of liquorice, fresh coffee, hot dogs and burgers, chips, candyfloss, and roast pork to name but some. If I wasn't on a diet and didn't mind paying the high prices I would have settled for chicken & noodles,£5 with prawn crackers £2.
Then you hit the main fair. From the numbers and duplication of rides there must have been at least 2 if not 3 travelling fairs gathered together. I hadn't thought that there would be many young children at the fair in the night but there were plenty around. Being at the fair is a pleasant assault on the senses, the smell of the food, the bright lights, the music so loud that it shakes your body and the general excitement. There were many stalls where you could try your luck, ha ha, at throwing darts, hooking ducks, or aiming at tin cans. The prizes of course being tacky rubbish. Goldfish are still offered as prizes but due to RSPCA pressure they have fish bowls to buy should you win one. But of course the main attraction is the many noisy brightly coloured rides .
We stood for a while and watched some dodgems. I'm sure that when we were younger there weren't any signs pointing which way to go, you simply aimed at as many people as you could. It was fun to watch the roustabouts skipping through the cars, clambering on the fronts and spinning the steering wheels to release people from their traffic jams.
Great photo opportunities and here I went to 1/2 sec exposure to get a feel of the movement.
There were many rides where you could be spun,bounced or suspended upside down 50ft above the ground and generally get your adrenalin flying and your brain rattling but I actually like the old fashioned Merry Go Round. While we were watching I noticed several ladies at least 10 years older than me enjoying riding the colourful horses.
That did it, I paid my £2, cunningly sat next to a child so that it looked as if I was simply accompanying her and had a wonderful time. It was great, rising and falling predictably with the wind blowing through my hair as we spun round to the sound of an old fashioned carousel organ.Can't wait till next year!
Today not so good, I've had a rotten sinus headache all day but we did manage a short walk at Morte Point before I got stuck into school planning and Peter into his OU work. He's now gone off for a pool competition at the Reform and I'll be winding down with a little browsing and some tv.
