Day two at the campsite. We woke up to the rain. So the decision was to go to the Eden project. It was indoors and perfect for the weather. One thing I like about Cornwall is that everything is so close. It took us half an hour to the destination from Newquay, where we were staying.
It was pouring when we got there. We sat in the car for a while until the rain weakened. A cool thing about the parking areas is that they are named after the fruit. We have parked at the Apple car park. I quite liked this fun idea.
A 5 min walk, and we were inside the structure heading for the ticket office. The ticket price is high, but you are allowed to return for free for a year from the date of purchase. It works well for locals, I guess. Eden hosts Christmas and Halloween special events with bonfires. We made sure to return the following year before it expires to rip off the benefit.
First impressions
Do you know the feeling when you see something grande in pictures, and then you see it right in front of you? Well, that jaw-dropping feeling I got looking down on the Eden project domes. Out of this world!
The Core Building
It was beginning to rain again, and heavy. We headed for the nearest building, which turned out to be the Core building. It hosts a giant smoke ring popper — a blue sculpture dedicated to the cyanobacteria. The smoke rings shoot out the openings and flow through the air until they disappear. We sniffed circles which came out low, and they smelled of life! That's how I feel when I am in the forest.
Besides the most mesmerising sculpture, the building hosted an exhibition about planets and was kid-friendly. My son enjoyed the spinning disks and soft blocks in the kids' corner. He did not want to leave. But there was still a lot to see, so we moved on to the domes.
To enter domes, you have to go into the Link building. I have been here twice, both times crowded as hell! You move with the crowd and not the other way around. To the right, you have Meditirenian Biome. To the left, you get to experience a Rainforest Biome.
From the outside, they look huge, but inside they are OK. There isn't much walking at all.
Mediterranean Biome
We have gone for the Mediterranean Biome first. The dome was packed with plants and trees I had not seen before, some rare examples. But my favourite part was not the abundance of new species but a small part dedicated to the scented plants. You could rub leaves and smell your fingers. Guess what kids love the most? Touching, feeling, they are not interested in looking at all sorts of plants, sadly. So this part is a treat for families.
And also, why wouldn't you touch, feel and smell? Isn't it how we learn? I bet it is encouraged by the project! The texture of some of the samples here is unique, especially for our UK climate.
Rainforest Biome
After a quick break, we crossed the Link building and entered the Rainforest Biome. It is very rainforesty! We had taken off everything we could but were still boiling. My advice, bring lots of water! Or at least a bottle. You can fill it at multiple locations throughout the dome.
Rice
The Rainforest Biome was a fantastic experience! We spent more time here than in the Mediterranean section. The path takes you up to the top of the dome, although everyone wants to get to the very top. So there is a queue. We waited for a good 40 min before we were allowed up. The experience is not for the faint-hearted because first, you have to go up the stairs. Secondly, the platform is a metal mesh, and you see the bottom.
My heart was jumping out of my body, and I quickly ran back down, leaving the camera with my other half. I still remember the feeling. I am not sure how tall the dome is. However, it seemed it could have been a height of a five-storey building. So don't go if you have a fear of heights, don't be a hero!
The challenging quest of walking up is broken by a cold shed, where you could cool down mid-way. It's like a fridge but not big enough. And then, at the top, where temperatures are hitting your brain, simply aim for the waterfall. The mist gently brings you back to planet earth!
Walking back takes you through the other side, which grows bananas, pineapples, cashews, cacao, vanilla and tons of other stuff. Your body will feel relief once you're back in the Link building.
Cashew
The outside
By the time we finished with the biomes, the rain dried, and we were good to wander around the outside garden. It hosts plenty of colour and enthusiasm! Here and there, you spot a sculpture hiding in the bushes. It is a pretty standard garden, similar to the National Heritage gardens. It is beautiful, but nothing that would take your socks off.
However, flowers are not the only thing you see outside. There is a building in the centre, which holds a 4D experience. I don't particularly remember the first time, but we got to experience Mars the second time. We jumped into a "spacecraft", which delivered us to Mars. We then carefully listened to the stories about life on Mars and left through the Moon to be back on Earth again. Not too bad, but a bit boring for little kids.
Leaving the Eden project,
we stumbled across the poster
of this place before.
Shockingly,
the area was an old quarry
full of sand.
I've realised how grand
the project really was
right at that moment!
St Austell, Charlestown
Since the weather wasn't the best,
we have decided to go to a restaurant.
St Austell was the nearest town.
So we drove to Charlestown,
near the sea.
It had a lovely fish restaurant
we did not get to enjoy ourselves.
Our son was throwing tantrums,
so we stayed around Charlestown beach
to see if his mood would improve.
It did not.
We went back to camp and called it a day.
To be continued...
Read about the first day in Cornwall ---> Day 1, Cornwall #1 - Setting in.