There is a strange contrast in Plymouth and sometimes it’s hard to see both sides of the city’s life. You could say that this is a good way to show both sides of it. In the harbour and marina area, there are big, expensive boats of all sorts tied up against little wooden jetties, much as you’d see in any posh harbour around the coast or even around the world. Yet Plymouth still has a fishing industry as this Plymouth-registered fishing boat testifies. It’s moored up in front of a row of fancy (in the loosest sense) bars/restaurants. To be honest after eating in one of these places a while back, we vowed “never again” will we be suckered into location over quality. That’s actually how we came to bump into my Jess a few weeks back. We’ve been back onto the quayside today to have lunch at her pub so I can keep my newly recharged friendship with her going. And lovely it was too – thanks Jess.

The real purpose of my visit was to go to a stationary shop to buy things for my children’s new project – the World Cup. As it turned out, she was able to contribute to that by giving me a World Cup wall poster that had been free in the Times today so again, thanks Jess.

My eyes were opened to the real Plymouth by my history teacher some months back when he took us PGCEs on a tour of the city showing us how to become history detectives. Now I keep stopping and saying things like “look at that” there are two fireplaces on the outside of that wall – there once must have been a building here…” I LOVE it. Real life still exists in the city, not just the tourist industry. Real scenes of change still exist in the city. My fondness for this strange place continues to grow!