More Ryde

On our first full day on the island, it was wet, so we opted for a stroll along the esplanade at Ryde. An esplanade which comes with lots of benches and shelters.

Our first experience of paybyphone, already noticed at reference 1. On this occasion, I successfully used the website version rather than the app version, which was to come later.

The first long stop was the café above, which has gone through various transformations since we have been visiting Ryde. On this occasion, we got outdoor music - recorded that is, not live - and a selection of ladies with dogs and ladies who were into serious exercise. Or at least were dressed for serious exercise.

Visible middle right in the first of the snaps above, up the road leading past the old lifeboat shed, was the park that we came to on arrival on a very hot day in 2022. That is to say, Appley Park, not the Puckpool Park recorded at reference 2. A confusion which is only now being cleared up.

Proceeded from there, taking in more benches and shelters on the way, to the café which was in Puckpool Park. A relaxed sort of place, rather in the way of the Bugle noticed yesterday.

We both took one of their bacon and egg baps. Pretty good, if a little salty. It having taken BH many years to succumb to the virtues of this sort of thing.

We passed on the Pitch & Putt outside. But we did admire, not for the first time, the impressive display of red trumpets clambering over the walls of what might have been one of the magazines for the battery.

Which, this morning, Google Images quickly identifies as the trumpet vine, Campsis radicans, to be obtained from Chiltern Seeds. I learn from reference 4 that this flashy plant was brought back to the home country by early visitors to what is now Virginia in the US.

Back at the Esplanade proper we came across this heritage camper van. Google Images not quite so conclusive on this one, but I thought it was probably an early version of a Ford Transit camper van. 

A fact rapidly confirmed when I remembered about the number plate site noticed at reference 5. A 1969 blue Ford Transit: so apart from a little rust showing through here and there, in pretty good condition for a vehicle well over fifty years old.

And so ended a quiet and relaxing half day at the seaside.

References

Reference 1: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2023/07/piano-74.html.

Reference 2: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2022/07/a-half-lobster.html.

Reference 3: https://explore.osmaps.com/. An entry point for online maps at Ordnance Survey, to be found among all the shopping entry points offered by Bing. On this occasion, what they call the 'Standard' map type was more helpful than the 'Premium Topo' which I usually use, more or less an online replica of their standard printed (Landranger) maps.

Reference 4: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campsis_radicans.

Reference 5: https://psmv5.blogspot.com/2023/07/no37.html.