Devon VIII: Pirates and Mermaid

Whenever I ask the girls about their favorite memories from our holiday in England this summer, they routinely mention our day at Powderham Castle. They don't talk about the castle itself so much...instead they focus on the pirates and mermaid whom they met as part of the summer programs available at the Castle. 

It was a special day because Gran was able to join us as well. In addition to the excellent theater troupe portraying Captain Jack Sparrow and his pirate crew as well as Melody the Mermaid, we saw birds of prey and went to visit a petting zoo and playground. Someday we will return when the girls are older to learn more about the history of the place, which dates back to medieval times.   




As an aside, a few of my friends back home were wondering why pirates and mermaids would be featured at a castle. Besides it being great fun for all involved, I had to remind them that if they really want justification, it's important to remember that Powderham is very close to the sea and that Devon has a rich history (for better or worse) when it comes to piracy! 

The girls thoroughly enjoyed learning from Captain Jack Sparrow and his pirate friends the art of sword fighting, how to bury treasure, what happens when a pirate kisses a mermaid, and many other fantastical explanations. Moira even asked Melody the mermaid if she was "really real," and she had a very appropriate answer for Moira (in the affirmative of course) explaining that she is indeed real and could only remain on land for a couple more hours. She then gave Moira and Hannah "treasure" to keep safe from the pirates. They were delighted. 










After the pirate and mermaid adventure, the girls enjoyed their chocolate treasure, and I caught a lovely picture of everyone with Gran. Afterwards, we stopped briefly to explore the birds of prey being featured (a beautiful little owl stands out in my memory) and then took a long walk to the mini-castle playground, complete with a zip line that Moira loved and small animals that Hannah could pet. We finished off our day at Powderham Castle in a perfect way--with ice creams all around for everyone. 




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