Kotek's Summer Retreat

Kotek is currently enjoying his summer retreat in eastern Poland:

Below, he's pretending to be asleep, as he doesn't want to be mithered:

And below, he's enjoying catching the sun:

And getting stuck into his food:

And, of course, acting the goat:

Bournemouth: A Quick Glimpse

This was a quick 15-20 minute stopover in Bournemouth, waiting for the bus to Salisbury (on route to Shaftesbury).

Thus, I only got a quick glimpse of Bournemouth, but must say that the place looked really impressive.  Love the design inside and outside this upmarket-looking shopping centre:

With a big Gothic-looking church in the background:

Must really have a proper look at Bournemouth some time.

It looks a great place.

And, of course, it has a bit of Thomas Hardy significance, being one of the settings near the end of 'Tess'.

Shaftesbury: The Ship Inn

After a four-mile walk from Gillingham train station, we called in The Ship Inn.

This is a fantastic, old-style pub with great Real Ale (had a wonderful beer with a caramel-type taste).

Great, friendly, late afternoon atmosphere with locals chatting and good background music (The Eagles).

Galway: The Hostel

A great hostel I stayed in just around the corner from Galway coach station.  Was nice to be greeted by an owl walking up the steps:

The hostel is near a small Methodist church:

Saw a puffin when I walked up to Salthill the next day:

Vegan Sausage and Vegetables

Really enjoyed the vegan meal above:  vegan sausage; soya cheese; aubergine; courgette; potatoes and carrots; with millet buried beneath it all.

I'm not vegan but I really enjoy vegan food.  My diet consists of mainly vegan food with a bit of meat here and there whenever I feel the need.

Thomas Hardy's Wessex: Ox House, Shaftesbury

One of the jewels in the crown from our visit to Shaftesbury, seeing Ox House, the model for Old Grove Place in Hardy's 'Jude the Obscure', the place where Sue and Phillotson live after their marriage:

This was my third visit to Hardy's Wessex, but the first time I'd managed to get to Shaftesbury:

My travelling companion this time round, a good old friend, believes that 'Jude the Obscure' is the finest book written in English (as did the great, old cricket commentator, John Arlott).

For me, it's right up there, competing for the honour with Hardy's 'Tess'; 'The Return of the Native'; and 'The Woodlanders', and D.H. Lawrence's 'The Rainbow' and 'Sons and Lovers'.

View D.H. Lawrence as the continuation of Hardy with the male-female polarity theme, and the pagan undercurrent to the writing.

The New Mruczek

Today, Kotek received a visitor, the new Mroczek.  Unfortunately, the old Mroczek disappeared and never came back.  But it was good to see the new Mroczek who looks quite a character: