Truro Cathedral

Its difficult to believe that this Gothic styled Cathedral was actually built in the late 1800s.. And Victorian instead! Though a church  has stood here since the 1200s, it was only ever a tiny and up till the 1800s, pretty insignificant.

It certainly gives tribute to the restoration efforts of other , older churches and to the skills of the stonemasons in the Victorian age.

I 'm always drawn to the tiny chapels and the macabre sculptures.

A little reminder to the masses that death comes for us all.. And is the equaliser in the end..

I'm a big fan of the beauty in rose windows . So many stories held in each section.

This must have been quite a rich area to have afforded so many stained glass windows.

A candle for Age

Though we are not Catholic, I doubt even the Pope would deny our little tradition. Lighting a candle for clarity, for prayers and pure wishes - is something consistant over many world religions. So, ever since Age and I began to travel and visit Ancient Holy sites, if there was an opportunity to light a cande for reflection and intention setting, we would do it.

After his diagnosis, our intention setting focused on health, love and opportunity. I've no doubt these were answered every day.

Through the Camino and on our Europe trip last year, the kids and I lit candles for Adrian's  continuing health.

Its the first candle we lit in a Christian Church since he died. We lit this for peace.

We will continue lighting our candles... And set our intentions .... Sometime in memory of a wonderful man cruelly torn away from us.. Sometimes in memory of so much love we shared...... But now also for the love that surrounds us and for our very bright future.

As I was going to St Ives

Well, we all know the rhyme don't we?

The kids eating their first Cornish Pastie on the harbour

It was advised to us that we took the train into St Ives as parking is very difficult to secure.  It was a bit of a pain, as trains only went once an hour; and it was pretty windy and cold up on the platform - though ti was exciting for the kids to be on a train and for us to buy tickets. The train took us along the seafront and the view into St Ives was very pretty.

Originally a fishing village, St Ives is now a very popular seaside resort and holiday destination. Though mostly closed, the harbourside shops were setup for the summertime, with every second shop being an icecream parlour or a cafe.

We stopped in for our (now traditional) hot chocolate at the oldest pub in St Ives - and possibly of all of Cornwall. The Sloop Inn has been dated back to the 1300s, and it would be easy, once your eyes adjust to the gloom and your head stops hurting from bumping into the low beams, that the tiny bar was once filled with dirty pirates and low lives spilling from the ships docking at the harbour.

Though far too windy and wet to sit in the front, I can imagine how atmospheric it would be to sit on the cobblestones with an ale and look out over the seafront on a sunnier day. The front basically runs straight into the harbour ( so I think you'd need to be careful if you'd had a few too many one night and had to walk home!)

No doubt too, the tiny cobblestoned streets would be filled with holiday makers in spring and summer; but to day it was slick with rain and hurried locals desperate to get into a warm spot.