Ellesmere Port Part II

Elaine here ...

Well, we decided to 'hang' here for another day - for some reason I just find it strangely enchanting here - I love the big open basin and the old boats in the boat museum.   I especially love these old 'Porter's Row' Cottages - which have been recreated to show a picture of 'domestic life through the ages in Ellesmere Port's Canal docks'.

These cottages are homes created from 1830's, 1900's, 1930's and 1950's ...

Porter's Row Cottages

 

even a geezer on the 'dunny' !

 

There is a lot of weed in pens where the old boats are moored ... so much so it looks like solid ground - it's weird ...




There are warning signs all over the place ! I wonder how many people have 'stepped' on it?!

I just love all these old boats .... (in among the weed)

There was even weed in front of the lock gate today !

Doing my arty bit ... pretty isn't it ?!

More weed !

I just love it !

Love it, love it, love it !

I have been desperate to get Bombo's hair cut - so today I was Googling mobile dog groomers in the area - I found this lady from 'Dial a Dog Wash' - and (as we were in an ideal position) I called and was lucky to find a cancellation for the afternoon!


Suzanne arrived on time, plugged in her clippers and away she went on my little sheep a.k.a. Bombo !

He was kind of happy to have his fur clipped (apart from his paws) ...

... then I had to help and hold on to his head ! 

This is the pile of fur we got from him ... it's like another little animal lying there !

She also did Bombo's claws - and trimmed Sam's face for me too !  We didn't have him washed / dried because of 'power' issues, but we really only needed him clipped !

A naked (but happy) Bombo!

I also had a hair cut scheduled for this afternoon - so, as soon as Bombo was done, I took my ten paces to the hairdressers !!!

Hairdressers - view from the boat !

Showing our boat next to the shops !

While I went to have my hair done, Paul and Liam took a stroll into Ellesmere Port town ...

Paul's report back on the town is that ...
"We have been to a lot of lovely places on our trip so far, but, sadly, Ellesmere Port is not one of them". He also added that there were "a lot of muscly, tattooed people about - and that was just the women"!

Liam reported that "it was the best place he had ever been?" 
Now, why do I think he is not telling the complete truth?!!!

Beautiful Ellesmere Port town!

I don't find this bit enchanting !

   When they returned from their journey, we had a quick cuppa and then Paul and Liam went to empty the cassette - in the VERY HIDDEN ELSAN !! For anyone who is interested, there is, indeed, an Elsan here - it is just hidden at the back of the workshops - takes a little bit of finding (and climbing up stairs with your full cassette!)

We met a chap today who said he had been charged when he came in at the locks for mooring in the basin (2 pounds) - naughtily we weren't charged anything for anything while we have been here ... maybe they will nab us on the way out tomorrow - hopefully not !

We have booked our exit up the locks with the very hyperactive lock-keeper for 9am tomorrow morning - he said he will have the bottom lock ready and empty for us ! Very efficient !

Signing off from a (now) very rainy Ellesmere Port basin !!