Birmingham pride was on this Bank Holiday weekend so I decided to go up. You can see pics on dontstayin.com. It was pretty poor considering it cost £10 but I did see my friend Richard and his mates and Mike and Tony were also up there.
All in all a good time.
Leamington Spa is a pleasant Georgian Spa town that really has seen better times and competition from Stratford on Avon and Warwick. The saline spring still operates but I can drink salt water any time. The library and museum are housed in an old swimming pool (the pump room) and the museum has a restored turkish bath and some water treatment rooms. Still a bit posh it has seen better days, the church is massive and was used while Coventry Cathedral was bombed out in the war. I couldn't get in though.
The highlight was Jephson Gardens, named after the doctor who promoted the Spa although the land was given by someone called Willes. This park contains a greek temple to Dr Jephson with a statue. It also contains a curious fountain in the shape of a parachute commemorating seven Belgian parachutists who were killed during hostilities. There are lakes and fountains and a tropical plant house (useful shelter from the rain) which has a saline fountain in it. The evidence that it is saline is that copper plated coins thrown in it go turquoise.
The worst thing about the park was that all the shelters were locked up with grilles. Similar to American jails. I would have thought that Leamington Criminals would be dealt with in Warwick but maybe I'm wrong. Maybe there is some kinky purpose to it. Certainly it is no help to anyone who wants to shelter from the rain.
1 comment:
Not Belgium parachutist but Czechoslovak. please check it out.
http://g3nqf.co.uk/visit-jephson-gardens-leamington-spa-warwickshire-england
Loved looking at your photos, full of interesting surprises.
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