Bournemouth Part 1

On to Bournemouth and a decent trip. Bruce needed to stop just outside Southhamptan for a break,. But made decent time arriving at the hotel about 15:00 took asking another hotel’s concierge for direction to find but all good. Dinner out at an Irish Pub, good food.

Britannia hotels advertise WiFi but it’s only available in lobbies, hence keeping up to date in word and will transfer over.

We both have contacted colds today and I had bought a German drug that worked well for me before so hoping for the best. We have a lot to do here, being a larger city than where we are going to end up for a month. Bruce broke his glasses coming down and need fixed, has a spare luckily and other things to “stock up” and put in the car.

The laundry experience. After some wrong turns I find the Laundromat. Machines need 1 GBP times 4 for wash, I don’t have so I go next door into a Hemp shop – interesting – and get change. Next soap, no soap in the machine, go next door to a grocers get soap. Finally get it done and trudge back to the hotel.

We are waiting for an electrician to come to the room. The heater broke and one of the plug-ins doesn’t work properly either. This is the same chain we’ve been staying in so far in Britain. You’ve already read what I think about it … I think we’ll change coming back.

Tribute to people died from Aids wall, Bournemouth Park

Walked down to the ocean. Very long large beach with sand, larger than Brighton and certainly can hold a lot of people which I imagine it does in the summer. Walked through a lovely park and saw an Aviary. I read there are 250 birds in there, some rescues. They are brightly colourful and flying all over, beautiful!  Lots and lots of squirrels running around the park, saw one, then another …

Beautiful bird in the Aviary

Part of the park we walked through

Then we walked slowly back up the hill through the shopping district. Many people moving quickly with loads of Christmas bags. The streets and shops are all decorated and restaurants encourage one and all to book their Christmas dinner with them.

There are a lot of stores to “let” or rent in this part of Bournemouth which makes one wonder about the economy here. Perhaps it is just due to the winter season because I can imagine they have very busy summers. It is a beautiful town to visit and we have more time to scout around!

Went by bus to a local market. It had some fruit and veg, a seafood truck, a meat truck but mostly “flea” market items. Bus fees here depend on how far you are going and you can buy a return at the same time as going. There are three bus companies operating here and I haven’t got a good handle on who goes where yet. Yes, I know we have a car but parking is an issue.

Anyone know what Kerela are those green knobbly cucumber things. Haven't looked it up yet.

Went to the aquarium and liked the otters the best, so lively and cat like, except they swim. Saw a couple of really large turtles and lots of brightly coloured fish. Windy today so chilly but there were people on the ocean surfing. Those surfers are a hardy lot! I personally thought they were nuts.

Saw a Christmas market complete with German sausage like in Freiburg and Paella rice dish from Spain, beer garden and lots of trinkets to buy from all over the world. Walked our feet off and so bused back to the hotel.

So we went to dinner at a local pub, good food, mostly congenial atmosphere except two fellows who were having a rather drunken argument whom I happened to sit next to. So when it almost came to blows I moved off  into a corner and waited. The waiter who was smaller than both intervened, as did the locals. We’d been there before and the locals hold one table, they definitely helped out this time and got the fellows removed from the pub. After a local asked me if “I was okay love” and I said yes and thanks for asking. Just another bit of excitement on the road.

No hot water at the hotel, the last straw! So I went to check out a sister hotel a block up. We were given a room key to see it but it is about half the size of the one we are in so decided not to move.  Hot water is on now. I do have to say the staff here do their very best.

Before leaving Freiburg I checked that there were pet stores in Bournemouth that carry Lexi’s food but didn’t write anything down. Found one on the web and mapped the directions. Drove there and picked up her food. She does so well on this stuff (Thanks to Dr. Rick and crew in Madeira) that we didn’t want to switch her to something else. So now she is taken care of for a while.

Today Friday December 6th outlook from hotel room. Yikes I believe a storm is coming in...

All for now my friends. Cheers Bx2 & Lexi Cat