A Trip To Torquay

When dans Devon, it would be rude not to pay a cheeky visit to sunny Torquay.

A place that may not be as picturesquely quaint or olde worlde perhaps as some of the other seaside towns they have visited .....

 ...... but the marina was the perfect place for a spot of people and boat watching in companionable silence .....

..... while chowing on down into yet another mahoooosive pastie, followed by a traditional, real life, clotted cream ice-cream, washed down with a proper cup of tea  ..... sorry Mr D.

Having said that, it was a place that did offer a little retail therapy,  especially of an evocative seaside souvenir type nature the ever fragrant Alice noted .......

...... something that might jump out perhaps as purely ornamental, useful or  even fragrant to adorn her bedroom, she trilled.

So Eric, being full to overflowing with said pastie and ice-cream was really in no position to argue, so dutifully followed behind in Alice's wake, even volunteering to carry her shopping bag if she needed, bless him. 

As it was Alice didn't find anything that appealed in the usual touristy haunts near the marina, so they moved (well, she dragged) Eric into town, to find a more, she thought, salubrious type of establishment .....

..... including, would you believe, a Christmas shop, which for Eric, who absolutely adores all that is Christmas, was just a tad too early, even for him, but once they were in, well, it would have only looked discourteous not to have a "petit" browse.

Needless to say, several considered purchases were made by Alice, who can't resist anything of a fragrant type nature, on this occasion scented tealights, bath fizzers and oils plus one, two or three bars of soap, but not of a Christmassy whiff type nature, because the aroma of pine cones, marzipan, Frankenstein and gingerbread doesn't exactly spell summer do they?

And while Alice was oooohing and ahhhing, sniffing and this and thating ...... 

....... poor old, ever patient and resigned Eric only found himself surrounded by an array of wicker baskets full to brimming with snow dusted hedgehogs of all sizes ....... they really are haunting him, even on holiday!  I believe Alice made it all up to him afterwards in the guise of an ample bag of traditional Devon toffees ......... eaten once his/her lunch had completely gone down.  What are they both like?