Plymouth.

After a rather bad nights sleep due to a small snoring issue (me I must confess ) we dragged ourselves out of bed had a very nice breakfast and headed to Plymouth for the day.

The weather is still very very cold and the wind is still bitter, however the sun was out which made it a bit better!

Once in Plymouth we headed for the Plymouth Gin distillery which is in the Barbican area where we were able to book for the afternoon quided tour. We then headed off for a walk about the quay and of course just had to stand on the Mayflower steps from where the Mayflower famously set sail to the new world. What is not commonly known is that the Mayflower and her sister ship for the voyage, the Speedwell purchased in Holland, met up with the Mayflower and actually set sail for the new world from Southampton, only to find that the Speedwell leaked so badly that they had to turn back and dock firstly in Dartmouth for repairs and then into Plymouth. The Speedwell was then abandoned and only the Mayflower set sail in the end and as they say the rest is history! This is the very place , or near as they can get to that place where it all began.

The tour of the Plymouth Gin Distillery was extremely good and included some tasting too! We both felt we had learned quite a lot about the gin! The huge copper distillation tanks are the oldest working in the uk and for Plymouth Gin to be called this it must be distilled in Plymouth and must include Dartmoor water!

Back to Dartmouth for an evening glass of wine and then out to eat at The Sea Horse. All I can say that it was expensive but not too sure it warranted the prices. Poor Mr Tbay had to send his kidneys back twice as they were raw! Eventually he just couldn’t eat them! They did take them off the bill I am glad to say. My meal was very nice and the head waiter told me I had the most beautiful eyes as we were leaving. Flattery will of course get you anywhere.

Now well fuelled with the afternoon gin and tonic, the early evening glass of wine plus my share of a nice bottle of Rose Home should have been our destination. But no! Mrs Tbay Jnrs father rang to say that they were launching a new Gin at The Dolphin Pub so it would have been rude not to check this out. From what I can remember it was a very nice Gin!