Just Visiting – Page 14

Dunfermline – 1 March 2017

Posted on March 1, 2017March 1, 2017 by Zogman

Scamp suggested that we get up and go for a walk in the park in Dunfermline. Sounded like a plan except I fell asleep after she got up. Still, we did manage to get out by just after 11am which isn’t bad going, considering that I wasn’t in bed until way past midnight.

It was a beautiful run over the Kincardine bridge to Fife and on to Dunfermline. Got parked quite easily, and for free! Walked through the park and stayed a while in the hothouse in the park. The heat, humidity, plants and colours reminded us of Trinidad. Unfortunately, when we went outside it reminded us of Scotland, a Scotland that was just above freezing. No mosquitos though, so that was a bonus!

Walked up the dreary main street with shops either closed down or advertising their closing down sale – everything must go, including fixtures and fittings. Not a good sign. However, the sun was still shining and there were loads of people about.

Lunch was in a Wetherspoons and was cheap and cheerful. Not exactly cordon bleu, but neither was the price. Wandered round Waterstones after that and was tempted by a copy of an Anne Blockley book, but at £19 it’s a hefty price for something I would read once and then cast aside perhaps. It’s £13 on Amazon and that’s a bit more reasonable. I’ll try to get it in the library first and get a chance for a good look through it before deciding.

Run home wasn’t quite as picturesque as the earlier journey, but was still showing signs that winter is perhaps on the back foot now, despite it only being a week since there was snow on the ground.

Gave the Megane a treat when we got home and took it for a run through the car wash. I’m sure it drives better after that! MOT tomorrow.

Jamie G was absent from salsa tonight, leaving Cameron to struggle through with the level 2s. Worse still, it was Colin who took the advanced class. Who knew that Slow – Slow – Quick – Quick was salsa timing? Nobody tonight, that’s for sure. Next he’ll have us waltzing round the rueda. So that’s what I drove for 45 minutes through awful traffic for? If it happens again, I’m going home.

Hope you like the knitted sign Hazy. Saw it in a craft shop in Dunfermline today.

Flying Home, Going Home – 13 February 2017

Posted on February 13, 2017February 16, 2017 by Zogman

It was really one of those ‘all good things must come to an end’ days when nobody wants to actually mention the departure, but you can see it’s uppermost in everybody’s mind. So here I am sitting in a chair in a metal tube travelling at 592mph 39,000 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. I’ve just finished watching the confusing Dr Strange and the still funny Monty Python and the Holy Grail after rejecting the reworked Ghostbusters. Why do they think they can improve on the classics? In TT (that’s Trini TIme) it’s just gone midnight, so I’m really writing this the next day, but this is my blog and I’ll call it the 13th.

The holiday is done now, but what a holiday it was. We saw amazing things, we did amazing things, things we would never have dreamed of a few years ago. Now it’s just the long slog home.

Earlier today M&J took us to a shopping mall, and it was interesting seeing the variety of shops there, but to be honest, shops in malls are shops in malls wherever you are in the world.

The traffic was really heavy for our drive to the airport and I wondered for a while if the polis had set up a roadblock where they checked a random selection of cars, but it turned out to be just a slow day on the freeway and we made good time once the volume of traffic reduced further out of Port of Spain.

I got today’s sketch done at the airport, Piarco. It’s a mixture of perspective

and a couple of folk. I must try to sketch more folk. I keep falling back on perspective and buildings to get me out of trouble, but if I don’t start pushing the envelope, I won’t progress. Must try harder. Will post the pictures when I have time.

Lunch at Crews Inn – 12 February 2017

Posted on February 12, 2017September 9, 2017 by Zogman

It’s Sunday and Scamp was going to church with Madeleine and Jaime and I thought I should get up and do something too. So, after they’d left leaving Ori and I in charge, well, really it was Ori who was in charge and I was just getting in the way of his morning nap. With Ori concentrating on his sleep pattern,I started a sketch of the house from a viewpoint at the front gate. I gave myself a time limit of one hour and managed to get it completed in just over that time. I’m quite happy with it apart from one little mistake. By the time I was finished, I just had enough time for a shower before the others came home. Ori was still sleeping.

We had a light breakfast because we were booked for lunch at the Crews Inn at the place that begins with a C and I can never remember its name. I’m going to look it up now. Ok, it was Chaguaramas. Bing had the answer. I hate Bing – It’s like most things Microsoft. It’s crap. I did say ‘most’ things. Excel is brilliantly powerful and Live Writer is the best blogging prog I’ve used, but Bing is just painful to use. Why is it called Bing? Apparently because it was short and memorable(?), but we all know it’s Because It’s Not Google, and in my opinion, it never will be. Anyway, we were going to Chaguaramas for lunch at the Crews Inn. In the mean time I managed to capture a couple of shots of the Monarch butterfly that’s been annoying me all holiday. It thought it was out of reach, high in a tree, but it reckoned without the power of the 200mm lens on the Oly 10. It was snapped! As was the wee bit of bright pink blossom.

The Crews Inn is a lovely place, especially if you are a sailor. I’m not, but it’s still a great location, right on the seafront with a vista that takes in fishing boats, skiffs, real yachts and big mega pretend yachts owned, no doubt, by millionaires. We weren’t coming to see the boats, we were coming for lunch and I was going to have a glass of their very alcoholic Sangria. It turned out to be not as good as the last one the others had, but it was still very rich and tasty. I think we were all a bit disappointed when we were told that it was a buffet on a Sunday, but hey ho, it’s still food. Indeed it was food and food a plenty. We started with a salad and then went for the meat and fish option. Then there was the dessert menu to investigate. Really, I think Jaime and I did overdo it a little bit, well, a lot really. It’s hard not to when there is this much food on offer. That’s what I love and hate about buffets. I love the selection, I hate the fact that I just pig out. One day I’ll learn, maybe!

When we got home, I had to go for a snooze. The food and the heat just got to me. It was lights out for a while.

Later, we started the inevitable packing. I’m about half packed just now. I’ve now got to decide exactly what to wear on the plane and the train as we move from 25^o to 5^o.

Listened to some ‘pan’ from the semifinals at Savannah. It’s nothing like the real thing. Jaime is still listening to it on TV now. Despite my wee snooze this afternoon, I’m beat and beddy byes is calling. Good NIght.

Is this your minky? – 11 February 2017

Posted on February 11, 2017February 13, 2017 by Zogman

Today we set off after breakfast for Chaguaramas to walk into the Bamboo Cathedral.

I don’t know what I expected, but I wasn’t ready for the sign warning us to

Walk in groups
Don’t display cell phones or jewellery
Stay in well lit areas

I thought we were going for a leisurely walk. I forgot to pack the AK47 and stab proof vest. Bummer. However, once we walked past the entrance gate, I forgot all about that. This was jungle! Well, jungle with a wide tarmac road through it. The trees round us were enormous and there was some bamboo too, but nothing ‘cathedral-like’. Then we turned a corner and there was the bamboo. Not one or two clumps, but hundreds – everywhere. Now I could see the ‘cathedral’ reference. The bamboo arched over our heads from both sides and met in the middle making it look and feel as if we were walking through a green tunnel. We walked the length of the bamboo tunnel and then started climbing the hill at the end. As far as we could see, the bamboo was finished. We turned to go back and Madeleine stopped to ‘rescue’ a piece of vine from the depredations of some weeds. Jaime managed to wrap some banana leaf round it and tie it off with a bit of creeper to keep the roots damp until we got it home and could replant it. It was a rescue vine. We walked back through the Bamboo Cathedral and just before we got to the high trees, Madeleine notices movement in the bushes at the side of the road. I started mentally ticking off the warnings on that sign, then we all saw the monkeys.

Madeleine said they were Capuchin monkeys. I was too busy trying to get a decent shot of them in the low light that filtered through the canopy. Eventually, I gave up, switched on fast continuous shooting and fired off seven or eight shots at a time, gave the camera time to deal with them then fired off another seven or eight. I tried a video, but the Oly 10 isn’t really up to that kind of task, and when I checked later, there was nothing useable on either video. Everyone had a great time looking for new groups who seemed to appear from nowhere, climb high into the branches above our heads and jump the gap across to the other side Adult and babies all made the journey without injury although some were better at jumping than they were at catching the branches on the other side and there were a few almost tumbles. Once they were all over, they started feeding and it was time for us to move on. Great fun for all. All the time we were watching the monkeys, people were passing by, all saying “Good Morning” and none really batting an eyelid at the monkey gymnastics. I’m guessing this is a normal occurrence here.

When we got back to the car, we drove on to Macqueripe Bay where we descended the stairs, under the screaming people on the Zip Wire above us, down to the beach. Lovely little beach with what might have been a harbour at one end and a sort of short promenade above the sand. The water looked lovely and clear and I wished I’d brought swimming stuff. The whole place had a strange 1950s look to it and reminded me of the Lido at Bothwell Bridge near Hamilton. Lots of folk swimming and just enjoying the sun, but then it was Saturday after all. I got photos of some crabs before they dived down their holes. They were well back from the sea and I wondered if they sneaked down the steps onto the beach at night. From the promenade you could look out past an island to just see Venezuela in the distance.

After the short visit to the beach, we walked back up to the car and Madeleine drove us home via the supermarket which seemed to stock a lot of Waitrose goods. Which made me wonder if it’s an offshoot of that business. We saw all the usual supermarket stuff and then some things you don’t get back home, like Chicken’s Feet again. Scamp even took a photo of the aforementioned delicacy to show to the disbelieving ones back home. On that subject, I did spot a cafe on the road advertising Cow Heel Soup. Apparently it’s a local delicacy and the soup is really good. I just hope they wash the cow’s heels well before making the soup, having seen the stuff that cows walk through!

Lunch was stewed chicken with fried plantain and salad, followed by coconut ice cream. Maybe a notch down from the ice cream we got in Karawak, but still better than anything we get at home.

Today’s sketch is of the house across the street with a bit of M&J’s house added in to set the scene. Actually, after I was finished, I preferred the lightness of M&J’s house to the lumpy looking other house. The perspective is much more pronounced with the viewpoint closer to the small house. Worth another go, I think. Maybe tomorrow.

A Jump, Skip and a Hop – 10 February 2017

Posted on February 10, 2017February 11, 2017 by Zogman

Today we said goodbye to Tobago and caught the plane to Trinidad. Madeleine and Scamp weren’t very impressed with the pilot’s driving skills and I have to say it was a bit of a bumpy ride at times. What I did wonder about was the fact that before it landed in Tobago, it hadn’t appeared on Flight 24 on my phone and there was no airline insignia on the fuselage. A pirate of the skies perhaps? Anyway it got us to Piarco airport on Trinidad and from there Madeleine drove us home, stopping on the way to pick up some Roti which are Indian flatbread wraps holding the main course which for three of us was chicken and for Scamp was veg. Possibly my best favourite of these lunch wraps so far.

When we were at the airport on Tobago, Madeleine showed us the bright yellow fruit she’d picked from the hedgerow along with its delicate wee yellow flower. I think it was a Carailie Vine, but I may be misspelling that. I’ll check tomorrow. It tasted good. Just another of the fruits available on these islands. Even better, this one is free as it grows wild in the hedgerows.

Ori was pleased to see us and after being fed, fussed over and having a run round the garden at top speed a couple of times, lay exhausted in the livingroom. Such a relaxed dog.

While Madeleine was watering the garden earlier on, Jaime picked a Guava from one of the trees in the garden and we all had a piece. Beautiful green colour with soft pink flesh inside. They really do have an amazing selection of fruits here. Unfortunately, one he was trying to harvest looks like it’s been invaded by ants. It’s a Sour Sop. It is a big dark green fruit covered in spikes and is supposed to have a sweet white flesh, but I doubt if we will taste it because the ants have been there first.

Today’s sketch is of a wee sea urchin shell that Scamp found yesterday on the beach at Pigeon Point. It’s a bit rough, but at least it’s done and on time. Maybe I’ll find something more interesting to draw tomorrow. It won’t be the little beastie that Madeleine showed me today, asking what I thought it was. I took a photo and it looked for all the world like a caddis fly larva, but it was much, much smaller. I searched on Google for it giving as much info as I could and it turned out to be a Household Casebearer and it turns into a moth after pupating. Nasty looking little thing. Now gone along with it compatriots under a spray of bug killer. Oh, yes, one more thing. Out of the corner of my eye tonight I thought I saw a bright green light flying around the room, turning on and off. Couldn’t quite catch it though, then I did and it was a Firefly! First time I’ve seen one. It looked like a wee moth with an LED on its bum! And with that thought, I’ll say goodnight.

Pigeon Point again – Still no pigeons.

Posted on February 9, 2017August 24, 2017 by Zogman

Out early again and got to Pigeon Point before the resort was fully open! The benefit of getting there early is that you get your pick of the beach huts. With our one selected and with sun screen slathered on, Scamp and I went for a walk in the shallows. The water was cold, but then it was just after 9am. The sea was much calmer today, so it was time to grab the mask and snorkel and head out to the reef.

Despite the lack of wind and only a slight swell, there was still a fair bit of silt in the water and visibility wasn’t that great. However, it was good to swim in the sea without getting hypothermia. After a while I swam back to the shore and met Scamp who wanted to have a deeper paddle and test the improved buoyancy you get from sea water. We just messed around in the fairly shallow water for a while and she did try a few strokes before we got out again. Sat watching the colours in the sea and sky for a while then had an early lunch of biscuits and cheese, washed down with some fruit juice. After that Scamp and I went for a walk along the beach and watched the pelicans diving for fish. Scamp found a wee bit of coral to take back and then she found a sea urchin shell. Walked back to the beach hut and did a quick sketch of the lifesaver’s hut.

Back at the beach hut, a hoard of americans arrived (lower case shows my respect for them).

The older ones were about our age and were quiet and quite biddable. The younger ones were noisy and american. What more can I say. Each one seemed to want to project their inherent stupidity louder than the last. Big Chief Stupid had his hair shaved at the sides and left long on top. Such a good look. I may grow my hair long this year and emulate him. I won’t, however, plaster my arms and legs with ‘artistic’ tattoos. To quote from Lou Reed “Stick a fork up their ass and turn them over, they’re done!” Actually Lou was quoting from his friend, Donald, so maybe that’s a cyclic quote!? We stayed a bit longer, I had another snorkelling mission then I went looking for a Sarong for Scamp, it being Thursday. Bought one from an old guy sitting on the beach with the sarongs hung up and drying in the breeze. He even demonstrated the different ways to tie it.

Back at the apartment, I wanted to go out and get some pics of the pelicans fishing from the beach that had disappeared yesterday. Today was better, but the waves were now attempting to cover it. Walked along to where the pelicans were, and found a white bull in the field behind me – no fence! I said bye-bye to the bull and made a hasty retreat. On the way back, I found a dragonfly, right next to me on a bush. Dragonflies in February, now there’s a thing! Got lots of photos.

Out to Karawak again for dinner. Two waiters instead of waitresses tonight and it was Cajun Chicken for me and Mahi Mahi fish for the others. I didn’t enjoy it as much as last night, but I was in the minority.

Back at the apartment, Jaime, Scamp and I went to watch the limbo dancer. I think now we saw him the last time we were here, but he was entertaining with his fire eating and his clowning around.

We went to bed early because we’ll be up early tomorrow for the plane back to Trinidad.

A Grand Day Out – 08 February 2017

Posted on February 8, 2017February 9, 2017 by Zogman

This will be a rushed post. It’s been a long day and we’ve crammed a lot into it, although it might not seem so with this compressed or condensed description.

The day started well and we left the apartment with the intention of visiting Scarborough and then heading to a beach, but that’s not how it turned out. Firstly we made a stop at the Magdalena Grand Hotel to see how the other half live. The hotel, which is quite grand and quite magnificent is surrounded by a golf course which has the usual water hazards. However, the water hazards on most golf courses don’t have warning signs saying ‘This lake contains caimans’. Thankfully we didn’t stop near the water. We did continue on to see the hotel and to walk the grounds as if we were staying there. It’s a technique I must learn some time. We were both impressed with the size and look of the building, but there weren’t very may folk staying there, so we did wonder how profitable it was. While we were there I got my first decent shots of Frigatebirds.

As we were leaving the weather seemed to take a turn for the worse with squally rain appearing. It had been threatening while we were trespassing on the hotel grounds, but now it was doing more than threatening. We carried on to Scarborough, and it did remind me of the English seaside town with the steep hills around it. Madeleine drove us to Fort King George and old stronghold, now open as a museum. Loads of interesting stuff to be seen and most of it was open to the public. That’s where we saw the cockerels and the hens. They seemed to have the run of the place. Jaime bought us some Tamarind Balls which are made from Tamarind paste with added pepper made into balls then covered in sugar. A strange sweet/sour/salty taste. Hard to define. Great place to visit. It was there too we found all these lovely butterflies. Butterflies in January? Who would have thought it? Aha, but this isn’t Scotland.

By the time we were leaving here the rain had started for real. No longer squally, but a proper downpour. After an attempt to outrun it, we gave up and headed with our sandwiches and juice back to the apartment where we had a picnic on the balcony. Not quite what we’d intended, but at least we were dry for a time. Then the rain started again and we took shelter inside. These showers continued all afternoon. I got fed up after a while and went out to walk along the beach. Unfortunately, the beach had disappeared under the heavy breakers of high tide, so I sat down and sketched a concrete seat as a possible subject. It rained again and I had to give up. At that point Jaime appeared wondering where I’d got to. We walked back and he showed me the fruits on one of the trees in the hotel grounds. I must remember to ask him what it was called. Before we got ready to go out to the restaurant Scamp wanted to dip her feet in one of the hot tubs. We sat in it for about half an hour while the rain made little soldiers on the surface of the water around us. What a strange feeling that was. When we finally gave up the hot tub, we went for a swim in the pool. The water was remarkably warm.

After our swim we went back to the room and Scamp went to shower and wash her hair. I grabbed my sketchbook and drew the view from the balcony. It’s not technically perfect, but it’s a better, and more interesting, drawing than the concrete seat. IMO.

Dinner was in Karawak restaurant and it was fabulous. Callaloo soup followed by Tomato, Basil and Olive salad then a main of steak or shrimp with rice, pumpkin and a sort of ratatouille served in a hollowed out half aubergine. Dessert was coconut cream cake with ice cream, sorbet or ice cream. It’s hard not to compare that with what we had on our first night here at the steak and lobster grill and it’s hard to see now how the S&L Grill survives against competition like this. The waitress worked the table with a great sense of humour that you couldn’t help but appreciate. The only fly in the ointment was the owner or manager, it wasn’t clear which, who only seemed to be interested in her regular customers and only gave us a cursory glance. She needs to take a lesson from our waitress. Nobody it that high and mighty that they don’t need to cultivate new custom.

Well, that was meant to be a condensed description of the day. I missed out the Karaoke because it was so bad, it wasn’t even funny, and no we didn’t take part.

He swims with the fishes – 07 February 2017

Posted on February 7, 2017February 8, 2017 by Zogman

This morning, Jaime said that he’d prefer to drive to Pigeon Point rather than take the hotel minibus. We’d already agreed that hiring a car would be good, so this just meant that the hire would be a day early and it would give us more flexibility with travel arrangements, so off he went to arrange the hire. When he came back, he told us there was one problem, his driving license was out of date and needed to be renewed. It could be done on Tobago, but with the present backlog in licensing, it would probably take a whole day. Since my paper license is no longer acceptable for hiring a car, the easy way was for Madeleine to hire the car. With that settled, they both went back to the hire firm to seal the deal and soon arrived with the car. Our bags were packed and we then went to Pigeon Point and parked ourselves under an almond tree on the edge of the glorious beach with that beautiful blue sea beyond. Pigeon Point hadn’t changed much since we were last there. The beach huts had been painted and had new roofs and there was now a new reception room for weddings and big parties, but apart from that it was the same.

Once we were settled, Scamp and I went for a paddle, but I couldn’t resist the pull of that blue water and the prospect of little brightly coloured fish in the reef just a few metres offshore. After all, for once I’d remembered to bring my snorkel and mask, so it would be a much closer look this time.

The water was much colder for swimming in than I had anticipated, but like always, you quickly become accustomed to it and are able to concentrate on looking for interesting things on the seabed. Unfortunately, the sea was rougher than it had been three years ago and the sand was being lifted from the floor by the waves, so my vision, even with the mask was limited. Further round the corner there is another smaller reef and it proved more interesting. At least there were some fish there. I didn’t want to stay there too long as I was out of visual contact from the shore and I thought Scamp would be worried I’d be swept out to sea or eaten by a giant crab. Actually it was Madeleine who was worried, not Scamp, but no matter, I’d snorkelled and I’d seen some fish. The next time we come back to Tobago – oh, yes, there will be a next time – I’ll bring flippers too. Ungainly on land, but so much more efficient for swimming.

Lunch was Bake and Shark from one of the booths on the beach, but three of us agreed it wasn’t a patch on the offering from Maracas. That and a couple of drinks kept us fed and watered until it was time to go home to Sandy Point. I got one sketch done in the interim and that’s this little doodle here. Not very impressive, but it fits the bill.

When we got home, Scamp and I went for a walk along the beach past the airport runway and passed a big poisonous tree. The sign said BEWARE of touching bark, leaves, fruit or anything to do with the tree as it poisonous and corrosive and can kill. Then at the bottom of the sign there’s a not to say ‘Don’t Panic’! Watched the pelicans fishing for a while. When we got back from the walk, we sat with our feet in a VERY hot tub. Then Scamp went back to the room while I did a sketch that I would fake as yesterday’s for the 28 Drawings Later page on Facebook. Just a slip of the pen really. I meant to write 7-2-2017, honest officer Winking smile

Dinner was a marvellous Stewed Chicken with Plantain and Macaroni Pie. Sorry Sim, yours was good, and it was a close run thing, but your mum’s had the edge this time.

Two rum ‘n’ coke’s while listening to the entertaining Calypso singer in the bar rounded the day off.

Just a hop, skip and a jump – 06 February 2017

Posted on February 6, 2017February 8, 2017 by Zogman

This will be a short post, because it’s been a long day and we’re up early tomorrow to go to Pigeon Point.

This morning we finished packing and got ready for the drive to the airport. Traffic on the road through Port of Spain was heavy, but Jaime managed it smoothly and we arrived in plenty of time to check in. Found that we could change to an earlier flight to Tobago and took that. A smooth flight, but a bit wobbly on the final approach. Scamp and Madeleine were not impressed, especially when the pilot bumped the plane down the runway. It was very windy which probably explained that

Our room was ready early, so we could just go and dump our stuff before heading for the cafe for lunch which was roast chicken and chips. After that Scamp, Jaime and I went for a walk along to Sandy Point beach. Jaime took a shortcut through a hotel and seemed to be deliberately ignoring the signs that said ‘Residents Only’, but maybe he just didn’t see them!! As usual, he was a mine of information and on the way he took us through the ruins of Fort Milford. It’s a place we saw when we were last here, but didn’t investigate. We should have, if only to see how many times it had changed hands over the years.

When we came back, Scamp and I went to soak our feet in the hot tub, then went for a wander round the beachfront because they were giving away free rum punch. It was rough, but it was free. Then we all sat for a while on the balcony and watched the stars appear.

We went for dinner in the Steak and Lobster Grill next door. Big mistake. We had hoped that the really slow service there had improved. Oh, no it hadn’t, in fact it had got worse. A whole catalogue of disasters that I won’t go into here, but you’ll appreciate what I mean JIC and Sim. Finally got served and I got my first real taste of lobster and an hour and a half later I’m still alive, so I imagine lobsters have more in common with crab and prawns than mussels and clams.

Had a rum ‘n’ coke at the hotel bar and Scamp had a Strawberry Daiquiri. Then it was time for bed which is where I’m typing this.

Night, night, until tomorrow! Photos will be posted later.

Just another Sunday – 05 February 2017

Posted on February 5, 2017February 6, 2017 by Zogman

Scamp went to church with M&J in the morning and I stayed home to clean up the blog and hopefully get some photos, but the rain came on. In fact, the rain came straight down. Ori (the dog) and I looked at one another and the silent message passed between us “I’m not going out in that!” So we waited and eventually the rain abated and became a drizzle, a warm drizzle that dried on you almost immediately. Also, the rain that had fallen had dried up too. Five minutes later the sun came out, but didn’t stay long because more heavy clouds came in. I gave up and sat watching the birds having their early morning bath. We really must get a bird bath for the garden at home.

When the promised rain failed to appear I changed into swimming trunks (they dry quicker than shorts) and went for a walk in the garden. Found an empty shell of a wasp’s nest and marvelled at the construction. Entrance / exit tunnel and all those little identical hexagonal cells, and all made from something as thin as paper. Amazing. I found a shield bug on a leaf looking like it was guarding its eggs. Even saw a little orange dragonfly, but it was far too quick for me. Gardens are wonderful places if you just have time to look.

Scamp returned with M&J bearing Doubles. Doubles are two squares of thin fried dough, wrapping up a paste of chickpeas, onions, pepper and spices. Apparently it used to be considered poor man’s food, but we all agreed it was delicious. By then the sun had come out and it was hot, so it was time to get some serious sketching done. So I put on my sketching hat, some sun cream and some insect repellent and went in search of a suitable subject. I finally settled on some plant pots hiding away at the back of the garden. I had a reasonable rendering of them when Scamp came to tell me it was lunch time. Lunch was a pork chop for the carnivores and salmon for Scamp the pescatarian with cassava root. We’d never had cassava before, but it was really tasty. Scamp described it well, as a nutty potato. We must search it out and try cooking it some time soon. Definitely on our to-do list. With lunch out of the way, I found a new subject. One that could be drawn from the comfort of the veranda. I chose Next Door’s Utility room with its big square plant pots on the roof. Both pots overflowing with roses. It was basically architectural with strong perspective, a happy marriage for me. I even added a wee touch of colour to add a wee bit of brightness. I liked it. Still do.

Remembered to take the photos of the wasp’s nest and got it done along with the flower photos before it got totally dark. Haven’t posted them on Flickr because it went into one of its ‘Bad Panda’ strunts again. Why do these things always happen on weekends? Because Yahoo don’t employ enough people to fix it. They want rid of Flickr which is becoming a money pit for them.

The remainder of the day was spent packing. Off on our travels again tomorrow with a bit of luck.