BRASHLEY PHOTOGRAPHY

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Doesn’t time fly

I can’t believe it really? It is 2 years ago that we visited Minehead in Somerset. And what a strange visit it was. We had booked a holiday down in North Devon and Cornwall for the first full week in July, and then the dreaded Covid hit us as a nation. We had accustomed ourselves in thinking that this holiday would be cancelled due to lockdown measures and places being forced to close their doors.

However, much to our surprise Boris Johnson gave his long-term plan of coming out of the Lockdown and informed us that as from the 4th July the holiday industry would be opening up to the public. Whey Hey! Our holiday was on. As it was booked from the 4th July.

We didn’t know what to expect or what would be open and what wouldn’t. But that was not going to dampen our holiday, even if I was in a wheelchair waiting for a hip replacement. It was great to be away and semi out of lockdown.

Day Trip to Minehead

Off we travelled, and headed to North Devon. It was strange though. People walking around in masks and one-way systems in shops and pubs. Anyway, that didn’t deter us, and on one of the days we visited Minehead in Somerset. It was a beautiful drive through countryside to Minehead from North Devon, with rambling hills and plenty of green space.

At one end of Minehead is Butlins… which was still closed down to our surprise but at the other end was the Quay.

We decided to have lunch out at a pub on the sea-front. Boy we hadn’t been to the pub is ages… in fact, it seemed like a life-time ago since we walked into our local yet alone a place, we were unfamiliar with. And you had to book your table. As we were sitting outside the pub… we didn’t have to book and could have a refreshing beverage before heading down the sea-front.

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Heading from the public house towards the Quayside we passed by the quaint and quirky cottages photographed above.

Quayside

The quayside was a lovely place to sit, with people enjoying the pubs being open and being able to relax. However, it was still bizarre to see people walking in and out of places with their masks on. That was something I never got used to… and I hated wearing a mask. It made me feel claustrophobic, especially in a wheelchair with people towering over me.

Sitting by the Quayside which had a little harbour on a summer’s day was pleasant. In the little harbour were the boats, sitting on the sand waiting for the tide to return.

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That whole holiday seemed surreal… as if we were living in this crazy fantasy world of the fear of Covid. People steering clear of each other. Huddled in their little groups frightened to stray near another person. One-way systems in shops and pubs operating in full strength. Butlin’s that would’ve had been bustling with people standing there closed, the amusements covered in and standing idle. How things have changed in 2 years! I think Covid is now something that we know we’ve got to live with and everyday life is nearly back to normal… hopefully forever.

Posted as part of:

• Cee’s CBWC: Made by Humans
• Tracy’s Lens-Artists Challenge #209 – Surreal
• Andre’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge 208: “Summer Vibes”