Breakfast of Kings

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Ah what more could you want for your Hobbit second breakfast, but mussels and chips. As you can see, she of the hairy toes is tucking in quite nicely in preparation for walking every crap, sorry craft shop in Clifden, before doing a full loop around Cleggen and Bally Kineelly (sounds too much like Billy Connelly to me).

We drove miles on some horrendous roads, but had fun, eventually stopping at Oliver’s in Cleggen for lobster. However on entering the pub cum restaurant it was like a scene from the ole wild west where the music stopped and everyone stopped talking. The place had more of a feel of the Wheel Tappers than the supposed fine dining listed on Trip Advisor, so we headed back to Clifden and the Mitchell’s restaurant where we started the day.

All told very nice, we even told the B&B owner about her mice problem to which she looked genuinely horrified, discount please,

Next stop, back to the folks for the last couple of nights before we go back see our Shangri-La of Llangynog.

Locks Can Be Deceiving

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Whilst the Dolphin Beach looks nice and is warm and friendly, when you scratch the surface you find the flaws and it is such a shame because the location and service are exceptional.

The room has massive sliding windows out to the beach, but you are given the impression that the lock has only recently failed, so “the father” has fashioned a wooden bar to stop the door being opened, as cobwebs sit on the bar. The super king size bed is actually two separate beds bolted together with a hole in the middle and a plastic cover on the mattress to make you sweat (last time I saw that was when I was 3!). Cobwebs adorn most “you wouldn’t dust there would you” type surfaces. The sheers are filthy and have never seen the inside of a washing machine, as is the same for the mingling shower screen. The piece de resistance is being woken at 4am by the mice playing football!

Nice location, but not one for the recommendations I’m afraid. You do sometimes wonder whether you have been spoilt by some top class places, but a relaxing B&B has to have a little more bang for the buck and we have stopped in some smaller places that excelled in all areas at a comparable if not cheaper rate (Gale River Motel in New England, Aspiring Lofts in New Zealand).

Still time to walk along the beach and enjoy the peace, before heading into Clifden for the day.

Flipper Cove

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So after two restful days with the folks and BBQ’d dead things with plenty o beer, we headed on to Clifden which is about 2 hours drive on UK roads, but more like 3.5 behind Sunday drivers (on a Monday) and tractors full of tuff.

And tonight we are stopping at the Dolphin Beach B & B down one of the longest and steepest single track roads sans passing places! (aptly and eyes closed driven by Mrs Fogg).

The place is glorious with amazing views from the peninsular across the North Atlantic Ocean. A slow womble down to the sea before dinner at 7.30 in their very tiny and romantic restaurant and then a night in the Super King Size bed (gonna mess up that bad boy).

On the drive down Mrs Fogg did persuade me to stop at Kylemore Abbey and Victorian Gardens. Wow was that dull! a mini castle inhabited by Nuns (I was in pun heaven on the way down, since I was having nun of it, bum tisch) with a mausoleum that resembled a 1970s gents toilet block and a few flowers. Yes I know I’m a neanderthal, but if you’re gonna take me somewhere make it interesting (and somewhere with less French and American coach parties, where each one had disclosed to each other their name, position in their company and salary within a millisecond).

A few more days in Ireland then off for a trip down memory lane in Llangynog before heading down to see the Finks.

I whooped Mrs Fogg at Scrabble from here.

Beggorah

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Oh what fun, the Holyhead Travelodge never was that nice, but when your greeting from the receptionist is “we would like to send you to another hotel 5 miles away which is much nicer than here” you gotta worry. No lights on the top floor due to water damage, collapsed beds and grot. Travelodge, scrummy!

But here we are with the Folks for BBQ, fun and food, before spending a few days exploring Ireland some more.

Tomorrow, well no Me Spike to wake us for breakfast, so for once I get to sleep in past 6am.

3rd World UK Services

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Ah, would you really want to eat in the good ole British services when this is right next door to what loosely resembles an eatery? just think yourself lucky I didn’t pan the camera up!

And what idiots would brave the roads on a bank holiday, with the Ebor festival, Paralympic Torch Relay, Leeds Festival and when it’s catting rain and dogs?

Hello from Mr & Mrs Idiot!

Come Rain, Come Shine

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It’s Always BBQ Time in the Foggy Household.

Yet another fantastic weekend of burnt dead animals, sunshine and life. We don’t care if it rains, that’s why B&Q invented Gazebos.

We will be leaving the Gazebo all week and making the most of the warm weather.

Scary Monsta

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Like a scene from Aliens, I’m sat here enjoying a glass of vino at 9,30pm, listening to the sounds of the night when a disembodied hand appears from nowhere, or is it Mrs Fogg being silly.

See this is how Sam Raimi started on the Evil Dead, I could soon be a horror movie director, well with looks like those it’s monster movie makeup or a career on the stage, sweeping it.

I’ll Be Back and I am

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I’ll be back and he is.

My monster FatBoy went back to the shop on Thursday night after I gave the dealer a piece of my mind (yes I know there ain’t much to go round, but i am a giving chappie) after the brake reservoir sealant had apparently perished creating a leak, dripping brake fluid all over the rear brake reservoir. The dealer despatched a driver from Preston to come to our humble abode to collect it and repair it, and so they should.

Since the brake fluid had dripped, it had removed the paint off the rear unit as well. The bike had apparently been through a 99 point check before I got it, so that wasn’t one of the points then, I asked. A rather apologetic dealer owner greeted me and Mrs Fogg this morning when we drove to Chesterfield to pick it back up. Here you go sir, your new 99 point check that HAS been carried out for definite this time. Time for some freebies methinks (valet kit, new chrome footplates since the existing ones have peeled and a nice discount off cleaning stuff).

Then it was the 75 mile trek back on country lanes with my very own Safety car as protection.

So yes, The Hog is back, time to get that cherished plate.

Mrs Fogg’s Love Apples

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Here you go Mrs Fogg’s very first Love Apples, home grown from cuttings from the Caddies.

And how did they taste, mmmm well maybe needed a little bit longer, but they look good and we are sure the birds, hedgehog, squirrels or wabbits will enjoy them. Still if at first you don’t succeed, go to the supermarket!

Welcome to The Hood

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A fun Saturday spent with Mr & Mrs Kiwi and Master Kiwi.

Good food (cooked by yours truly of course), plenty of falling down water, good conversation, chasing Master Kiwi with a water pistol, Bartenga championships and cracking cheesecakes.

Nice to see The Kiwi’s settling in to the not London way of life (aka, Mrs Pastie, Mr Eastwood and the young Mr Bounty the cat chaser, you have to think long and hard to get that one).

looking forward to seeing you all real soon.