Isle of Wight

Shanklin Beach

Shanklin beach overlooking the mainland

Thank you so much for all the lovely comments in the previous post. I've always been camera shy but what a wonderful welcome! The compliments had been walking around on cloud nine the entire day!

The weather was glorious throughout out short stay on the Isle of Wight. The English weather is a little like the Russian roulette. You just never know when you're going to be drenched by yet another downpour. I took the advice of a B&B owner and booked the trip via Raileasy instead of buying the train/ferry separately. The island is a mere 20 minute ferry ride from the mainland which is a handy getaway for many mainlanders during the summer months.

The Isle of Wight was Queen Victoria's favorite vacation spot but became her permanent residence after the death of Prince Albert. Since this is the UK we're talking about, there were plenty of thousand year old churches and castle ruins to be seen. Having seen plenty of the two, I decided to spend the 3 days wandering aimlessly through the different towns to get a feel for the place instead.

Church at Godshill

Sundial at Godshill with thatched cottages in the background

If there's one thing that Shanklin and Godshill are famous for, it'd be these charming English thatched cottages. These thatched roofs as I'm told need to be replaced once every 10 years or so but are thick enough to be a good sound barrier.

Cowes is the place to go for anyone who's obsessed about yachting. In fact, the little town held the world's first regatta and the original America's Cup before they lost it permanently to the Americans. The stores that lined the High street sell all sorts of sailing paraphernalia that will certainly satisfy any yachting enthusiasts. Cowes was bustling with tourists on the day we were there. There were bands playing, yachts racing across the finishing line and shops doing a roaring business.

How could we leave the place without sampling two of the most iconic British fares? The Victorian sponge and fish and chips.