Visiting friends in Northampton

We went to see 'Benjamin Button' this week. We did think if it was worth seeing a movie with a corny story line but 3 hours and 10 minutes later we realised we had sat and watched a rather moving and thought provoking story about being young and old, facing responsibilities and decisions, and how these impact on our lives. This week we also had dinner with Paul and Sheila recently back from New Zealand. I was wondering how I would feel seeing all their photos and it has made me look forward to our trip even more. They had some great times particularly in Rotorua (they loved the sulphur smell - not) and the West Coast where they walked to the glaciers (got rather wet walking back), and missed the town with a population of 2. Harry and I were trying to think where it was and even 'good old google' could only come up with Ohura with a population of 227. Still, it was in one of the guide books so it must be somewhere.
Saturday arrived and we headed off to Northampton - but first we took a little detour and stopped at that bread shop in Knowle - the one I said we probably would never make it back to and again at the clothes shop where I bought a couple of pairs of trousers. They're too long (you can buy short legged ones but not at that shop) and now I have to buy a tape measure and sewing materials to take them up and would you believe it an iron - yes we have managed to last 18 months without one - Barbara could not believe it.
Northampton is the home of Mike and Barbara who we met on our cruise in Egypt. We had a wonderful weekend, lots of yummy food and laughs, walks and car drives. During our first car drive Mike said 'Please don't put in your blog that we took you for a drive to the local sewage treatment station'...but there is a story here and it begins...there was once a static caravan site only 3 miles from Northampton where many a Northamptonite went every weekend - to fish, play and socialise. Beside it is the sewage treatment station and when the wind blows...
We went for a walk along the canal at Stoke Bruerne and up over the hill above the Bilsworth tunnel built in 1793. The town has some lovely examples of thatched cottages.

Northampton centre is an interesting mix of architectural styles. A wonderful council building with intricate carvings of cobblers (the city is the centre of the shoe and boot making industry - or was), plants and industry. The market square is laid out very much like the one in Brussels - with a number of European style buildings around each side like the Welsh House, Beethoven House, and Victoria House with the older buildings dating mainly from the 18th and 19th centuries. It is one of the oldest and largest squares in England and dates back to 1235 when Henry III stopped the selling of goods in the churchyard of All Saints and ordered that the Market be moved to a space north of the churchyard - and it is still there today and open every day except Sunday. Monday is fresh fruit, vegetables, cut flowers and plants only day. Tuesday to Saturday are the general market days. The square is now almost completely covered by outdoor markets but there are plans to make it less of a market and more of a cafe style piazza with gardens and fountains - it has huge potential. There was until recently an indoor Fish Market (in a huge building for a town that is probably the most furtherest place from the sea in England - perhaps they fished in the canal or reservoir - they must get them from somewhere as the pub where we had Sunday lunch had a large range of fish including swordfish on the menu).

Mike and Barbara have recently moved into a new house in an estate that felt like a little village on the outskirts of the town (Northampton is the largest town in England with about 200,000 residents). In the estate about 4 or 5 different building companies have built homes, which gives a bit of variety in the design and with most of them having a focus on environmental friendly (solar panels, mini wind blown turbines on the roofs etc). It has a nice feeling about it - and we did find a house we liked from the outside if we ever were considering buying a house and living in Northampton. There's a school close by, a park which the recession has managed to slow down the completion of, and a plan for shops that are yet to be constructed. We enjoyed wandering around the apartments - looking in the windows of the empty ones (yes I know we are a bit inquisitive) and admiring or not admiring colour schemes and design. There is even a block of apartments for over 50's - not many have sold (only 2 we think) and we couldn't see any advantage of the age restrictions (eg no help with the garden, lots of stairs etc) but it could make it harder to sell your home later on.

On Sunday it was warm - 0.5 degree warmer than parts of Greece - pretty impressive for Spring time. We had a great walk around the Pitsford Reservoir (that supplies all that water to the Northampton area) - took about 3 hours (excluding the half way stop for refuelling).

Not a lot in the news this week - except there are now 2 million unemployed in England. England had a great win against France in the 6 nations and Liverpool bet Manchester United (4-1) a good thing since we were staying with Liverpool supporters!!!

A couple of quotes for the week:
'The significant problems we face cannot be solved by the same level of thinking which caused them' - Albert Einstein

'Great men and women of action do not plan beforehand all the details of their future course of action' - not sure who said it but it has a Winston Churchill like ring about it. (I added the women).

And just to show you can't please everyone - the following quotes from holiday makers that made the Top 20 ridiculous holiday complaints list ...

"The beach was too sandy."

"It should be explained in the brochure that the local store does not sell proper biscuits like custard creams or ginger nuts."

"No one told us we had to bring our swimming costumes and towels to the water park."

and the one I heard in the tearoom the other day

"We didn't like Spain no-one spoke English."