I've been working on a new website, and man alive, men alive (that's from The Simpsons, that is), technology has moved on since I last did one. As a result I have been grappling with, amongst other things, proxy settings, encryption functions, and feed cache settings. It's like the whole website industry has decided to communicate using Klingon. Bastards.
I remember the good old days when I painstakingly created my first ever website (with the unstinting help of my chum, Clare Jones) using html code. In those days you couldn't buy things online because shopping carts hadn't been invented. Actually thinking about it, I am probably sporting a pair of rose-tinted spectacles. Using html code was rubbish, and I accidentally deleted my website at least twice. So for the time being, I am going to have to swallow the complexities of the modern day website 'control panel', and accept that websites are now cleverer than me.
Enough of that website milarky before I: (1). get a hernia, meaning I can't eat my evening curry; or (2). have a seizure and spill my Bolly.
We are now going to regress, because I am taking you back to my holiday in Cornwall with Izzy, and friends Sarah and Gary.
One of the main reasons I wanted to go on holiday in Cornwall, was that I wanted to visit something called the 'Eden Project'.
"What the blazes is the Eden Project?" I hear you cry.
Well it all started in 1996, when a group of mentalists visited a redundant clay pit (basically an enormous, inhospitable, barren hole in the ground, like a meteor crater) and decided to prove that social and environmental regeneration could be achieved anywhere.
They decided to dedicate the whole site to conservation by filling it with rare and exotic gardens, including the world's largest indoor rainforest. And they planned to do it all as a charity. If I had been involved in the planning, I'd have thought there was more chance of the Queen making a sex tape, than the project succeeding.
But they pulled it off, and in 2001, the Eden Project opened to the public.
And that is where we are going today ....... [drum roll] ...... please let me introduce ...... the Eden Project [takes flourishing bow].
Pic.No.1 This was the entrance to the Eden project
Pic.No.2 This was our first sight of the Eden Project vista. It extended as far as the eye could see, and a lot further beyond too. How can I make my camera take wide pictures?
Pic.No.3 Dominating the Eden Project were two enormous (the biggest in the world) greenhouses, seemingly fashioned from bubble-wrap and tent poles
Pic.No.4 I later discovered that only plebs call them greenhouses. Apparently, the proper name is 'biomes'. I had to look it up in the dictionary and it defined a biome as: A large community of plants and animals that occupies a distinct region. So, semantically speaking, the structures are not biomes. But the environments housed within, are. If my Dad was here, he would be shouting 'pedant' at me. Attention to detail, Pops ........!
Pic.No.5 Given that the sun was out, we decided to trek around the outdoor gardens first, rather than head straight to the Biomes (greenhouses)
Pic.No.6 The gardens were enormous and featured meandering paths, random sculptures, rare and beautiful plants, and nooks and crannies everywhere. I don't know what this sculpture was all about though. It looks like the utensil pot in my kitchen
Pic.No.7 Bloody hell. A purple flower that looks like a cabbage
Pic.No.8 I reckon that they nicked this idea from the 'Lost Gardens of Heligan' (opens in a new window). I think it is a sculpture of Boris Johnson melting into the ground
Pic.No.9 After touring the gardens, we decided to do the biomes (greenhouses) next. There were two to choose from: The Mediterranean biome, and the Rainforest biome. We chose the former to begin with, and there was a big bee with no eyes guarding the entrance
Pic.No.10 This is the sight that greeted us as we entered the Mediterranean biome. A papier mache rock next to a winding staircase dripping with Bourgainvillea
Pic.No.11 We headed up the staircase and when we reached the top, were afforded a lovely view of the Mediterranean restaurant at the bottom of the hill
Pic.No.12 Izzy was particularly taken with a wooden sheep thing
Pic.No.13 A robin red-breast
Pic.No.14 As we toured around the biome [greenhouse], we noticed that there was a circus performer doing aerial acrobatics on a rope (see the bloke in the middle of the picture?)
Pic.No.15 He was ok, but a bit samey. He kept tying himself up and then letting himself drop, only to be saved by the rope at the very last minute
Pic.No.16 A cactus. I wanted to nick it because it would make a cracking Christmas tree, but Sarah said no
Pic.No.17 Oh look! It's the Izster
Pic.No.18 I don't know .... it's got spikes on ..... a cactus ..... again?
Pic.No.19 Apparently these are Bacchanalian sculptures (I reckon someone invented that name to look brainy). I summise that the girl on the right is Kate Middleton, but I can't back that up
Pic.No.20 Flowers ..... flowers ...... flowers
Pic.No.21 Now you're talking ..... a driftwood pig. I want that one ... and when I get bored of it, it would make perfect kindling
Pic.No.22 After the Mediterranean biome [greenhouse], we decided to head for lunch at the Eden Project organic restaurant
Pic.No.23 The menu was dependant upon the crops in season. Which is why I ended up eating a quiche and salad. Apparently hot dogs and curry sauce weren't in season
Pic.No.24 Me and the hooligan having lunch
Then after lunch, it was time to visit the Eden Project's piece d'resistance ..... the rainforest biome [greenhouse]. So without further ado, we headed off to the biggest inside rainforest in the world (I know I have already mentioned that, but please indulge me. It's not often that we have the 'biggest' of anything in the UK).
Pic.No.25 This was the entrance to Rainforest biome. It constituted a myriad of paths meandering through dense jungle undergrowth
Pic.No.26 A jungle lake
Pic.No.27 Blimey, it even had a makeshift jungle shelter .....
Pic.No.28 ........ and proper jungle streams ....... all indoors and man-made don't forget. Bloody amazing
Pic.No.29 This was one of the rare plants. It's used to treat childhood leukemia. Probably not on the NHS (UK healthcare system) mind. I would want proper drugs, not Periwinkles
Pic.No.30 African Totem Poles hidden in a secluded nook
Pic.No.31 Hidden away in the undergrowth was a perfectly recreated Malaysian Hut. It only had two walls, so I guess they aren't a member of Neighbourhood Watch
Pic.No.32 A weird configuration of jungle pots
Pic.No.33 This waterfall was the highlight of the rainforest. It was at the very top of the biome and was enormous. I wish I had got a person in the photograph so that you could see the scale of it
Pic.No.34 Hurrah! It is Izzy and I posing opposite waterfall. You might not have realised, but Izzy wasn't happy. It was because it was hot, hot, hot. Yep, they had even recreated a rainforest climate. I've got sweaty glowing hair
Pic.No.35 I tried to capture the height and depth of the jungle in this picture from the top of the greenhouse, but I didn't come close. I probably captured 5% of the total area
Pic.No.36 Izzy with Gary. She hero-worships him, she does. Here they are outside of an African market stall
Pic.No.37 And another market stall showcasing Rainforest products
Pic.No.38 Our last stop involved grabbing a smoothie from the Baobab Bar (Sarah left, and Gary, right). Baobab's a type of fruit that tastes like a cross between a gone-off banana, and a mouldy peach. Not that I am a connoisseur of jungle fruit, mind
Finally, we ended our tour of the Eden Project gardens and biomes (greenhouses). I have to say that they were ten times better than I expected, and I had expected a lot (go there, it's brilliant. Hang on, why aren't I getting commission?).
But now it was time to head back home. And the Eden Project still continued to delight ......
Pic.No.39 As we made our way to the exit, we happened upon this: WEEE Man (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment). WEEE man is a three-tonne structure which represented the amount of WEEE the average British person throws away in their lifetime. I look like that in the morning after a night out
Pic.No.40 And finally, before we hit the exit, we passed 'The Core' building. It looked a bit like a hedgehog, and to be honest, I am not sure what it's purpose was ... there were a few dodgy 'hands-on' games for kids ... but that was it
So dahlink, having been there, I can highly recommend that you make a trip to the Eden Project. It is far better than the limitations of my camera.
And what the devil are you up to this weekend?
I remember it well and it is quite amazing. It rained (outside) and was chokka (inside) when we were there. At least you had plenty of room to manouvre!
ReplyDeleteI visited the place a few years ago, an excellent day out. But not somewhere I would recommend on a busy Summer weekend.
ReplyDeleteMust go and visit again sometime, excellent pictures and the place is just as I remember it.
Izzy a hooligan!!! Never!!!! I reckon she can best be described as her mothers daughter!!!
I've been there too (stalking you again). It is well worth a trip, but it does get crowded. I did like the rainforest biome. Where else would you see plants like these, growing so well, in the UK? Amazing what they've done with an old clay pit.
ReplyDeleteThat place is freaking awesome! I remember back in the way day when someone did something like that and it didn't work---they discovered they had failed to realize the importance of the decomposers---wish I could remember who/what/when/where/etc... Anyway, the Eden Project would be so worth the visit!
ReplyDeleteIt would be cool if you could remember what it was that failed because of the lack of decomposers. Doesn't that mean that they forgot to add worms?! It is well worth a visit ..... I still can't believe the whole place is a charity.
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Crikey, you really are existing in a parallel universe! I think we were lucky when we went because it wasn't too crowded. I suspect it was because rain had been forecast and it turned out sunny. You are so right, it is awesome that they have got all those rainforest plants in the UK ... the scale of it is breathtaking.
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Yeh, you aren't the first person to mention about it being chokka. I reckon we were lucky. It is totally amazing. I might go back because they converted our tickets into annual passes on the day!
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You beat me to it! You are right though, it is an excellent day out. LOL - Izzy is her mother's daughter. I'm not sure if that is a compliment ;-)
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I was hoping that you might visit this place seeing as you did the lost gardens as they are pretty close to each other.....You've done a brilliant job with the piccies and managed to capture what this place is all about. Gail and I visited it a few years back now and were blown away by everything we saw. What vision, especially when you view the before and after piccies...Surprisingly when we went it wasn't that busy even though it was August time. Like you I think the weather forecast kept people away. Would love to go at another time of year unfortunately we live too far away.
ReplyDeleteTake it as a complement!!!
ReplyDeleteHonest!!!!!
Absolutely, visiting the Eden Project was one of the main reasons that we went to Cornwall for a holiday. What you say is so true. It really does blow you away. I just can't imagine how someone would look at a barren quarry and think "Hey we can convert this to a jungle paradise"!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your kind words about my pics, but I think you would have done a better job .... you are well arty you are ;-)
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Annie, I think I'm just lucky. I haven't really got an arty bone in my body......I just look at things a tad different that's all......Love reading your escapades and looking at your piccies. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteNah, you are not lucky - you are talented. You just have an eye for a brilliant photograph (looking at things a tad differently)!
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I really likes pic 19. I've heard tales of cattle dancing like that; but only after the cowboys got them loaded on tequila. BTW- where was Tarzan? I didn't see him in the jungle.
ReplyDeleteActually there was a Tarzan type bloke swinging around on the ropes near the roof! Cowboys feed cows Tequila?! I've never heard of that before. I might try it on one of the cows in the field near where I live ;-)
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SO cool....Anne....Jim and I saw a program about the Eden Project about 10 years, it seems...so impressive. Now Izzy knows what it's like to live in the tropics....too warm! That meal looks so good...and organic, even bettah!
ReplyDeleteLooks like another real fun day.
ReplyDeleteDon't you do any work?
Ta Mash. Nah not really. But I might have to start again in January / February time.
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Yeh, it was the mutt's nuts, I would definitely recommend going there. Everything is eco-friendly and conservationist, so yeh, even the food was organic and very tasty.
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