Jude Marguerite & Ben's blog: Gala week 2017

This year Marguerite Snr, Emma and Adam have all joined Jude, Marguerite Jnr and Ben on their annual summer trip to Strangford and Portaferry. As always this was a whole lot of fun.

Starting things off is this nice team pic down by the water in Strangford.

As always they were stopping off at The Cuan, a great little spot in Strangford village.

The sign raised a few thoughts (in Jude's head anyway). 1. The dodgy spelling (wat, nite, goodnite). 2. Folk need to be no more than 2 feet away from the sign in order to read it, (or was that just Jude's eye sight going)?

Jude and Ben wasted no time in getting down to the water.

In the good old days, before Pixar and all these other modern way of filming, cartoons were simply drawings slightly altered in sequence and then moved fast, one after the other, to show movement. And thus the cartoon was made. Take these three pics and look through them quick.

Cool cartoon - Pic 1.

Cool cartoon - pic 2.

Cool cartoon - pic 3.

See what I'm saying? Anyone? Anyone?

Ok, moving on!!!

Ben throwing some stones in the lough.

Today Ben has his hair gelled so he's looking all cool.

Here's a little bit of history about Strangford Lough.

.

Time to go get the ferry boat.

The ferry boat carries out a very important role in connecting the Ards Peninsula to Strangford. The ferry are used by up to a thousand people daily.

Ben loves looking out from the top deck .......

...... while Jude spins him a yarn about getting the boat to school in the old days.

It's a quick crossing ........ 5 minutes max .... and before you know it .....

........ you're buying Morellii's Ice Cream in Portaferry.

Yum, yum!!

After some fun in the park and bumping into some old friends (when Jude forgot to take some pics) ........

....... it was back to Strangford ......... to settle into The Cuan.

Here's a nice pic of Marguerite and Ben (with cool hairstyle).

'Oh Ben ...... you look prettier than ever today with your hair looking so cool', said Marguerite.

But be careful - if you tell Ben he's cool he'll go looking for the sunglasses and take it to another level.

Moments later and the peace and quiet was sent scattering as Adam arrived.

Here Ben and he wrsetle with a crab / fishing net thingy.

And peeking out the windows up above are Marguerite Snr (to the left) and Emma (right).

One great thing about Strangford is the water ..... it's right there to play with just whenever you want it.

Ben and Adam love it.

Marguerite trying to convince Adam that poor auld Pluto does not like being eaten up!

So the hunt for fish and sea creatures began.

'In there Ben', said Adam.

'I'll catch some fish, just give me a minute', said Ben.

'What is it Ben', asked Adam.

'Adam ........ it's a ...... great ....... big ......... seashell', replied Ben as he showed off his catch.

Ben really enjoys playing around along the lough.

Here he is watching some Skiffle rowers prepare for the upcoming Skiffle Championships on Strangford Lough.

Strangford Fun Fair is on every summer and in previous years Marguerite and Jude would rush past it so Ben couldn't ask to get on anything (the rides would have been too big for him). However this year he was ready.

Here he is with Jude on his first ever Dodgems ride. Class!!!!

Ice creams are hard to eat when you are being thrown around on a park ride but Ben and Adam didn't seem too bothered at all!

This ride was mad. Fast and Furious would be a good description. Ben loved it but Jude's days of being flung around in one of these yokes mihght have past. Dizzy wouldn't be the word!

After this everyone retired for a refreshment or three.

On the next day Marguerite, Adam and Emma were up bright and breezy and headed down to the water side.

'It looks like a fine day Mummy'.

'It sure does Marguerite, just a few clouds but we should be ok'.

'Sure what else would you be doing on a Friday afternoon Mummy?

'Sitting here in the sun having a beer, sure this is great. Those kids are mad aren't they Marguerite?

'People watching ...... and drinking beer in the sun ....... perfect!

Meanwhile Adam and Ben had found their own little playground.

Sometimes you just gotta make your own fun!

Time for a wee walk around the village.

Emma, Marguerite and Marguerite might make you think they've left their motorbikes in the Village Square ........ or maybe they're in a rock band ....... or perhaps today is simply just black leather jacket day. Wha?

Now there's a pretty picture.

Ben has brought his Pirate swords and he and Jude are having a battle.

Meanwhile the walking tour of Strangford continued ........

...... before finishing with the group pic.

Marguerite and Ben having fun in the sun.

Ben loves this shop in Strangford.

It's got lots of small toys and whatnot ...... it can be a challenge getting him out of it!!

Ben and Jude are getting set to head over to Portaferry again on the boat.

Here's a nice pic of Marguerite, Ben, Adam and Emma (with soon to be born Rebecca too) and Pluto ..... don't forget about Pluto!

As has been seen on this blog before Ben normally heads up to the top deck for a good view. But today he went even higher!!!

Jude's friend Mark happens to be one of the Captains of the Ferry ........ so today he got special treatment in getting up into the Captain's deck!!!!

Ben was very excited and just loved the thrill of being up in the Captain's deck.

He felt like Captain Jack Sparrow!

And here are Mark, Ben, Adam and Jude.

Mark did a great job of explaining all the different screens and all about how to sail the ferry ...... or is it drive the ferry ..... wait it's sail ..... wait ...... what is it? Mark really made Ben and Adam's day today. Thanks to Mark for being allowing us up.

Talking of pirates ....... there's another one.

Where could Ben and Adam be?

'Ahhhhhh!!

Ben is clearly loving the fish on show at Exploris Aquarium in Portaferry.

This place is great. The kids loved it ..... and the adults loved it.

Ben got to hold all sorts of things ....... like Sea Urchins.

'Ahoy me hearties!

Ben loves Captain Jack Sparrow of the show Pirates of the Carribean ...... so he took no convincing to get this pic taken.

This is classic ...... brilliant!

Another brilliant pic.

The fish really were spectacular.

And the eels.

Spot Ben's cool fishy t-shirt he has one today.

Adam and Ben had a whole lot of fun watching the Otters get fed.

'Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom' ......... 'you're going to need a bigger boat' ...... 'get out of the water' ........ all sayings from the great film Jaws.

Sharks really are a beautiful yet scary sight. They're exciting just looking at them.

Ben was so keen to learn about all the fish today. Here he is chatting to the man about the Starfish.

And here he is holding the Starfish.

Well done Ben.

Everyone really enjoyed this interactive part of the Aquarium experience.

Now this is cool. Not the prettiest ..... but cool all the same.

'Honey I shrunk the parents!!!

Ahhhh ..... time for a wee break on some super sized chairs after all that walking.

After the Aquarium everyone headed back to Strangford on the ferry .......

....... and back to The Cuan for dinner.

Ben took this pic. he's getting pretty good with the camera ........ for a four year old!!!

'He's mad with thon camera ...... a bit like his Da then. Wha?

Ben took this pic too of Marguerite, Emma and Jude having a giggle.

You just can't beat polishing off dinner by eating ice cream from a bowl with a straw.

Perfect!

After dinner the gang got back on the ferry (yes I know, how many times where they on the ferry? But you gotta understand the kids love the ferry ..... it's all part of the fun) back to Portaferry for the floats.