Tranquility base

We're just back from an overnight trip to St Michaels on the Eastern Shore in Maryland. No, not a giant M&S but a very picturesque seaport. The weather has been fantastic this weekend, so we've been running around in t-shirts and enjoying the feeling of sunshine on skin.

We were later than we expected leaving yesterday morning - after we had the wood delivered, packed, watched the grand prix (I know, I know!) it was about 11am before we left the house. We had just stopped at the traffic lights which take us onto the Beltway when a huge cavalcade of motorcycle outriders zoomed past us, then a coach, then another huge bunch of police outriders. I'm guessing that whilst the G7 Economic Leaders were working out how to fix the global economy in DC, their wives and kids were doing some sightseeing and then going to the Redskins game! The police literally held up all the traffic on the Beltway to ensure clear passage for the coach....which nearly gave us clear passage too. We were only 3 cars behind, but the car at the front hesitated pulling onto the beltway and we ended up in the throng along with everyone else.

We stopped off at an outlet mall on the way down to St Michaels and stocked Stephen up with jeans and a new pair of trainers. All LONG overdue!! The lovely assistant in Calvin Klein was helping us to find a pair in the right size for him. We dispatched him off to the changing room, and had to laugh when he came out...the jeans were both far to big and far too long! It was a bit of a "Honey, I shrunk the husband" moment!

The hotel at St Michaels was charming. We had a room with a private balcony overlooking the marina, and there were plenty of vessels to look at, both modest and rather extravagant! We went out for a wander round the marina and ended up in a bar. I just don't know how that happened...one minute we were walking, the next we were sitting at the outdoor bar drinking wine! It did rather seem that the wine was about 40 proof - it certainly went directly to my head! We continued our wandering (and I really was at this point!) round the town. It is a really quaint little town, full of houses with wraparound porches complete with rocking chairs sitting on them, and lovely shops selling "stuff". It was in one such shop that the owners picked up on Stephen's accent (apparently mine has "rounded out" and I don't sound so Scottish) and told us about the Scottish guy who makes ice cream in nearby Oxford. They also said that the ferry journey to Oxford was worth doing (its the oldest continually running ferry in the US), so we decided that we'd do that on Monday.

After a little more wandering we headed to one of the restaurants overlooking the marina and opted for a table on the patio. The food was superb. Stephen had salmon and I had crab cakes, and both were delicious. They had a exceedingly delicious chocolate and peanut butter ice cream on the menu, so we had that too. Turns out that it was made by the Scottish bloke in Oxford. Although as it was now about 8pm, dark and getting rather chilly, ice cream probably wasn't the most sensible dessert choice!! We were sitting there in short sleeved t-shirts and everyone else was wearing jumpers and jackets!! Towards the end of the meal I was trying to wrap my arms in my napkin under the table in an effort to get warm!!!

We went back to the hotel, grabbed jackets and headed down to the bar with the hope of sitting out on the patio. Nooooo....that was all a bit difficult! There were plenty of tables, but when we asked the head waiter about sitting there, he looked hassled, and said "Well, I suppose you can sit at that one. But you'd need to go to the bar yourself as its going to be a while before anyone can take your order". Well, we didn't "want to be a burden" as Stephen was muttering, so we went to sit at the bar as instructed. And we waited....and waited..... They only seemed to have 3 staff on, so it was simply ages before anyone came to take our order. Hmmm, surely if we were having to wait this long we'd be as well sitting out on the deck overlooking the marina??? Oh well, never mind, lets not stress them....

The people we met seemed to fall into two camps. The shop owners and locals out walking who were charming and welcoming, and the wait staff who seemed to have a "f off and die you stranger to these parts" kind of attitude. We had asked a waitress (granted she was on a break and having a fag) where the entrance to the restaurant was (as we couldn't see it from the marina side) and we got such a look and an exceedingly grudging "round the side" that it did make you wonder what charm school she went to!

Monday dawned slightly overcast. Stephen was trusting the weather forecast which was bright, clear and 80F. I was trusting my eyes... what a fool I am! I dressed in jeans and long-sleeved t-shirt, Stephen in shorts and t-shirts. You can guess who was more comfortable!!!

We went for another walk and snapped more photos, before packing up the car and heading off. There was a slight hiccup getting into the car as someone had parked very close on the drivers side, so Stephen had to climb in from the passenger side. Not easy for a man of his advancing years with a bad back!!!

We got to the Oxford ferry to find that it was in Oxford and had to wait for it to come back over. We were stopped by a tiny beach waiting to embark so I leaped out to take photos. I got chatting to the couple in the car behind us. Turns out they were from London and doing a tour of the area. I suspect that every tourist that hits St Michaels is told to take the Oxford ferry!! We found the Scottish ice cream shop - and they were closed! It seems they only open at the weekends off season. D'oh! I was really looking forward to it! Not least because they also sold "British goods" according to their sign... Anyway, it seems that Victor was from Edinburgh (yay, lets hear it for the Best City that I come from!!) and had grown up above an Italian ice cream shop where he had worked from age 15, later becoming the manager, before meeting his wife and moving back to her native US. Apparently as well as the favourites, and the fantastic chocolate peanut butter we'd tried the night before, he also makes more unusual flavours like tomato and basil. I'm really sorry not to have found it open, but it gives us a reason to go back!!!