Warsaw: Ratusz Arsenał Metro Station

A few shots from Ratusz Arsenał metro station before Christmas.

Some kind of army film or series seemed to be advertised and it made the metro station more picturesque.

Kotek's Grass

From time to time, Kotek surprisingly has a break from meat and fish and goes vegetarian.

Here, he's enjoying some grass that was specially prepared for him.

Passing through Bude

Spent a night in Bude on the way to Boscastle/St. Juliot to see the Thomas Hardy sites (e.g. St. Juliot church and Beeny Cliff).

Unfortunately, the weather was attrocious,  so it was a case of finding a campsite as fast as possible before it started pouring down.

Thankfully, a kind Yorkshire-man, who lived in Holland but knew Bude well, pointed me towards the nearest campsite, and told me that the building below was some kind of world-famous adventure centre:
 

The next day I was up early for travelling on to Boscastle, and the rain somehow held off, allowing me to see a few of the fine buildings in the centre of Bude:

The bridge below seems to have a lot of character:

The Methodist church across the water, facing the bus stop:

The small bus shelter, people were literally huddled up in here from a biting wind:

Have just read that Thomas Hardy visited Bude with Emma in the summer of 1870, four years before they got married.

Despite the awful weather, which was even worse in Boscastle/St. Juliot (heavy wind/rain), I loved the big delicious pasties in Bude.

London: Six Quid a Pint

Missed my connection to Cornwall through the National Express coach from Canterbury to London being late.

Had a few hours to wait for a coach to Dorchester (Dorset) as I couldn't get one to Cornwall, so I rang my London friend, Piers, and he kindly agreed to meet up for a pint.

Was flabbergasted when Piers bought a round for 12-pound, had to do the decent thing and go half.

Thankfully, it was a decent pint, but still a shock to the system after drinking Doom Bar for less than two-quid in both Canterbury Wetherspoons.

Warsaw: The Men Who Live in the Bushes 2019

As usual, the men who live in the bushes took up their spot near an underground station in Warsaw between April and November last year.

The men who live in the bushes seem to be well-organised and don't make a mess.

Thankfully, the local authorities don't appear to hassle them, although occasionally they have to move to a different bush if their bush is being pruned which happened this year.

Kotek Waiting Patiently

Somebody took this great shot of Kotek waiting patiently at the breakfast table. Kotek's favourite breakfast is chicken with gravy.

Exeter Wetherspoons

Had a bit of time to spare waiting for the bus from Exeter train station to Bude in north Cornwall. Nearby, I came across the stunning Wetherspoons building:

Unfortunately, didn't have time for a pint (didn't want throw one down and be dying for the toilet on a two-hour bus journey).

Visiting Maiden Castle

This was my fourth visit to Dorchester, but the first time I'd walked the 1-2 miles out to Maiden Castle, an Iron Age hillfort:

Had to visit Maiden Castle because of its connection with my favourite writer, Thomas Hardy.

Have just read on the internet that in The Mayor of Casterbridge (Hardy's Dorchester novel), Maiden Castle is the setting for the romantic meetings between Donald Farfrae and Elizabeth-Jane.

Somehow, the machinery below fitted in with the ancient setting:

Kotek's Book

Nice shot of Kotek making himself comfortable on one of my books.