A Trip to Cornwall: The Eden Project and Poetry

I got back last night from a few days resting and recuperating in St. Ives with my boyfriend. We left around Wednesday lunchtime for the three-hour train journey, and got there early evening. The B&B we had chosen was absolutely perfect: cosy, well-lit, and very friendly. The view from our room was fantastic too – I always find it worthwhile to pay a little extra for good views! We could see the town and the seafront, which looked especially beautiful at daybreak.

On Thursday, after a delicious breakfast, we trekked off to the Eden Project. Well, we caught a short train to St. Erth, another to St. Austell, and then a bus to the Eden Project. It wasn’t too bad, really: we were there within two hours. I’d been to the Eden Project as a child just after it had opened, and loved it. My mum’s always been a bit of a nature and plant enthusiastic, so I recall being bombarded by all sorts of facts. Now I did the same to Chris, who had never been, but ended up enjoying it. He particularly liked the chillies in the Mediterranean Biome and the whole of the rainforest dome, apparently. In a rather typical manner, I loved – and got very excited over – the poetry extracts in the Mediterranean Biome. In the desert section there was a T.S. Eliot quote, in the vineyards a portuguese proverb, and in the most flourishing sections Andrew Marvell and Sophocles.

There was also a classical resonance to be found in the vineyard: Dionysian sculptures were arranged within it, alongside a plaque describing ancient myth and ritual. Ideas such as these add such a wider level of enjoyment and cultural learning to the Project, and I really enjoyed their inclusion.

The Rainforest Biome is perhaps less cultural, but it’s more exciting for children (and boyfriends). The humidity is a lot stronger than expected, you can see birds hiding under shrubs, and apparently they’ve now introduced lizards and geckos to the ecosystem! It’s also more enjoyable than you expect to see bananas, mangoes, chocolate, herbs, and spices growing naturally. It certainly adds another dimension to your perception of your kitchen cupboard.

I must say that the beach made our mid-week break even more enjoyable. We walked along it often, despite the extremely frequent rainfall and low temperature. Despite how often I complain about being tired and wanting a break, I love walking. Especially when your surroundings are like the photo below. Seeing beautiful and natural views is very healing, I believe. As is art – I loved a lot of what we saw in the Tate St. Ives, for instance. And you can’t have a mini-holiday without lots of good food, which I certainly made the most of.