Gay Pride Events in the South West

So the other Saturday there was a 'Gay Pride' event in Truro. Not long before that Torquay hosted something similar. Now I'm not on the inside track when it comes to 'Gay Pride Festivals' and don't really understand how they came about. I believe (and correct me if I'm wrong) that they have been organised to enable gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people to meet up and celebrate their sexual orientation and to also welcome 'straight' men and women into their community.

As a heterosexual I have to say that I have no problem at all with gays or lesbians. I just treat people as I find them and the fact that their sexual preferences are different to mine doesn't cross my mind if I'm in conversation with such a person for instance. Yes I feel uncomfortable with the thought of two grown men kissing each other but where I live I don't see such manifestations of affection. Without doubt the increasingly open acceptance of homosexuality in society is one of the greatest changes to have occurred in my lifetime; there just aren't so many folk who will take their cue from some obscure verses in the Bible and consider that anyone who is gay will be cast into outer darkness when the Day of Judgement comes. I'm pleased in a funny way that some of our leading politicians are gay in that this minority of the electorate does need some representation.

What I find a little odd to say the least is this determination by gay people to highlight the fact they are different to heterosexuals. I would have thought they would have taken the opposite sort of approach. But as I hinted before I don't really comprehend the mindset on this. One particular facet of the Torquay event worth mentioning is that it seems to have been organised to attract people from all over the country so would have generated some much needed and useful income for businesses in 'The Bay'. A real plus there then.

Exeter Cathedral to charge entry fee

From March 24th Exeter Cathedral will be charging tourists an entry fee. This idea had I think been mooted some time ago and now, with voluntary donations falling, it's been decided that there is no alternative but to charge those who wish to look at this venerable old building. Running costs are huge, over £1 million a year apparently, so they have decided to bite the bullet. The charge will be £4 per person, reduced to £2 for students and pensioners whilst children under 16 who are accompanied by an adult will be admitted for free. Quite rightly those who enter the cathedral to pray or to join a service will not be charged. There are a handful of other cathedrals such as Canterbury and St Paul's who already charge an admission so Exeter is by no means the first.

Forgetting the fact that this is a religious building for a moment one would expect to pay for instance to enter a National Trust house or English Heritage property and if you are going to see a cathedral purely as a tourist attraction then forking out for a relatively modest fee doesn't seem unreasonable to me. I have to say it is a great many years, decades even, since I've been in this particular cathedral. It's tempting to get a senior railcard and spend the occasional day in Exeter; the alternative is to drive to the outskirts and use the 'park and ride' but I enjoy the train and, as I found out at Christmas, there is a morning through service from Gunnislake to Exeter. Food for thought.

Going back to cathedrals for a moment, by and large I much prefer much smaller and more intimate buildings such as village churches. So I was agreeably surprised to find just how much I really warmed to Truro Cathedral when I first visited it. Although interested in all aspects of the built environment I usually have a greater rapport with the much smaller buildings and structures.

A trip to Truro and a taste of Cornwall

A couple of days ago a friend and I had to see someone in Truro. This gave me the chance to see the newly completed Goss Moor Diversion about which I had previously blogged. What a relief that is I must say but the single carriageway section of the A30 between Temple and Bodmin now needs to be sorted. I think in the old days of nearly all single carriageway roads it was a feat of endurance to say set off on from London to go on holiday to the beaches of Cornwall but people did.

Truro, like other cathedral cities I guess, has that comfortable 'we are doing alright' feel to it. In the middle of the city we popped into the 'Halzephron Herb Farm' shop after we had done our business. They had a wide variety of herbie concoctions in pots. With a supply of bread sticks it was possible to dip in and try some of these delights; I particularly liked the garlic and lemon mayonnaise and opted to buy a jar to take home. Having just finished the last of the coleslaw with today's salad I might just open it tomorrow. They state that it should be used within two months after opening. It is quite a small pot so can I make it last two months?! I suspect not. To know more about them go to their website here.