Royal Wedding Celebrations

I said I wouldn’t bother and would perform instead other much more useful things on board. But in the end I spent the whole of yesterday morning listening to the Royal Wedding on Radio 4 and I have to admit I found myself quite moved by the whole event; like a lot of other people I suspect. As with all good stories, I didn’t want the occasion to end and felt a bit let down when we were brought back to Earth with ‘The World at One’, to be informed that the populations of Syria and Libya had more pressing things to think about than fairy tales! However in spite of our Royal Family’s poor record in such matters, I hope these two young people make a go of it and live happily ever after.

Later in the evening we were treated to a great firework display above the castle high on its cliff and for a few minutes the clear night was filled with flashes of bright colourful light, loud bangs and lots of ‘Oohs and Aarhs’ amid the pungent smell of barbeques all around.

Fireworks above the Castle Mound

This afternoon, as it was such a beautiful day, albeit remaining chilly in the north easterly breeze, I went ashore and ventured into the city. It is my first visit here ever and I find it is rather like Leicester but with a canal running through it instead of a beautiful wide river. However the City of Nottingham has lots of the usual lovely shops in many pedestrianized areas which are most useful. I managed to find a barber’s shop and was invited to sit straight into the chair. I didn’t need to wait at all for my haircut, which I desperately needed.

As everybody will know probably, Nottingham has a castle but so far, I have only seen it atop its steep sided mound and plan to walk up there before I leave. But I’m a little disappointed to note that its square features give away that it is not the fabled castle of old that was inhabited by the Sherriff during his feud with Robin Hood. The architectural features indicate that it was probably built no earlier than the late Seventeenth Century and it looks even as late as ‘Georgian’. It certainly needs to be confirmed with a visit anyway.

The Castle from the Canal

Crowds of people in front of the City Hall Nottingham

The Old British Waterways Warehouse, now pubs and offices

A very modern Nottingham Tram

I am so pleased with my solar panel!

With all the lovely Sun today it has managed to fully recharge my batteries, without any help from the engine at all. In other words in a day filled with sunshine, like today, I am getting all my electricity free of charge. I haven’t needed to start the engine once. I realise that on a cloudy day the output will be less but I am still so pleased with the panel’s performance and it is currently laying flat on the roof. When I get it to be directional the output should be even better.

It’s wonderful and I’m amazed!