Mundus Casus Pars Duo

Friday 29 August 2025 We’re to leave Wales tomorrow. This may sound strange but Wales is like another country. Albania maybe! You do not expect to see so much Welsh language on signs, shops and posters. Nor, as we are in Great Britian, do you expect to hear a living language that is Welsh, spoken so much. It is quite shocking, when you have been in England, Scotland and Cornwall, the latter two have a smattering of the local Celtic/Gaelic, to hear so much Welsh spoken. We asked a bloke for directions yesterday and he replied in Welsh. Then he saw our puzzled expressions and switched to what  can   only be described as some sort of English. So, in the beautiful town square, near Carnarvon Castle, Lady P engaged in conversation with a local. He, in English, explained that in most of rural and non urban Wales, the Welsh language was widely spoken. Well, we can vouch for that. Being the true gentleman he was, he happily spoke a lilting paragraph or two in Welsh for Lady P to...

  Thursday 28 August 2025 Cold rain today. We did see the cat, twice. She came in for a feed then left. Tough pet sit this one. A short drive in the rain to a local farm shop for some vegetables, then to Cosyn Cymru, a Welsh dairy come cheese shop, where we bought some sheep and goat’s cheese.  The GPS also took us to a distillery to sample some gins and a bottle of Aberfalls Orange Marmalade Gin was purchased. We are in fits of laughter listening to the GPS try and pronounce the Welsh words. Not that we would know mostly if they are accurate or not. She said “At exit seven turn left for Abergwyngregyn.” It sounded like Abergobblegooblah. And you thought French was hard!

  Monday 25 August 2025 We nearly missed breakfast today. We’re on weekend time, where breakfast goes to 10.00 am. So, arriving at 8.55 am, we were surprised when chef took in the pastries and the surly waitress did not ask if we wanted the cooked crap. You see, its Monday and breakfast finishes at 9.00 am. Not to worry. We managed cereal, fruit and yoghurt and toasted a few pieces of the brown bread to use with the smoked salmon at lunchtime. They went into the puffer jacket pocket. Our route today took us along the West coast to Ayr, where we stopped for lunch. In 40 knot, howling Atlantic wind, we managed to have some excellent smoked salmon on brown toast for lunch, sitting in the car. Then on to the Lighthouse at Corsewall for tonight. The lighthouse, which is still working, was built in 1815, with the founding stone laid on June 18. A date that has gone down in infamy if you’re a Bonapartist. We are staying in the lighthouse keeper’s cottage at the base of the lighthous...

  Sunday 24 August 2025 We are planning a lazy day today. A bit of a walk around and a beverage sort of thing. Catch upon phone calls back home. That sort of stuff. In the afternoon, after a long boring walk, we found a pub for a twinkle and a Guinness. Then back to our own hotel. There is one young lass in attendance. No one else about but the lights on. She hasn’t done the bar before but seems to know how to pull a beer and can go into the band lounge out the back and get us our gins. The comfortable ladies lounge is all ours, so we open our Tesco crisps, have a couple of gins and watch the world piping championships on the telly. We are in Scotland. For dinner, we like those canny Scots, have decided to have some hot smoked salmon over our salads from Tesco, in our room. So, Flashy askes said lass if she has a wine list. Thinking that a nice bottle of wine might be good with dinner. She says “I’ll go and see what’s in the cupboard.” Apparently, they don’t sell much wine....

  Friday & Saturday 22 & 23 August 2025  Breakfast in our hotel dining room was excellent and so 1960’s country house style. It reminded Lady P of her nanna's house. Today was the day we decided to chase up our Scottish ancestors. After much research from Joanne, we had a good plan to track down some of the Scots that emigrated to Australia around the early 19 th century. I mean, it’s really a chance to drive in the country, looking for churches and graveyards and perhaps stopping for a wee dram and an ice cream or sausage roll. Both of these are highly regarded hereabouts. So, off to Boleskine church which was not too far away.   Alas, no Eureka moment. Then off to the Falls of Foyers. This is where Lord Lovat hid after the battle of Culloden. Another Scottish defeat at the hands of the English. Wandering a little further along the loch, we actually found a Clan Cemetery. Here were many graves of the Scottish ancestors whose kin emigrated to Victoria. Upst...

  Wednesday 20 to Thursday 21 August 2025 We drove into Fraserburgh today. It’s about three miles. We’re hunting the charity shops, of which Google says there are four or five in the town. On the third shop we had our Jack Reacher moment. A nice dark blue business suit. £20. That will do day one of the three day Grand Chapitre in Bath in September. A little later, at Tescos, we managed a white dress shirt for £12. Now only chasing some black dress shoes and possibly a nice pair of tartan braces. Fraserburgh is a large fishing port and we saw two new fishing trawlers that were worth a  look. Pelagic fishing trawlers in Fraserburgh use midwater trawls to catch fish that swim in the open ocean, rather than near the seabed. These trawlers tow large nets through the water column, targeting species like herring and mackerel. Back home to a picnic of cheese and biscuits in our room. Later that night we drove along tight country roads to Pennan, a small waterfront village of 12 ...

  Sunday to Tuesday 17 to 19 August 2025 The domestic rhythm of our pet sit continues. Kevin the cat comes and goes as he pleases and shows no inclination for a pat. We know he is alive because his food gets eaten. Where he sleeps and shits, nobody knows or really cares, as long as the latter is outside. Lady P walks the glens and mealls each afternoon. Flashy manages to walk down hill to the pub. The fridge is almost eaten out and the washing is done. Time to move on to the next destination. In off the black is still a loss, so Flashy is nill two to Lady P on the billiard table. Tuesday was pack up and hit the road day, along the A90 to Fraserburgh. We are staying at the Davron Hotel just outside of the town, in a little, well to do fishing village called Rosehearty. The whole town is constructed of grey stone, which matches the cold, grey of the North Sea that seems to come right up the main street. Apart from a small convenience store, there is no other commercial activity i...

  Friday to Saturday 15-16 August 2025 Our time in Dollar is running out. Only four days left. It’s and interesting town, quite up market and home to one of Scotland’s premier boarding schools and of course Castle Campbell. Dollar derives its name from Celtic origins, not from the currency. It likely comes from the Gaelic words "dol" (meaning field or valley) and "ar" (meaning arable or high), or "doler/ar" which could mean "hidden place" or "gloomy place." Not that it is now gloomy or indeed, hidden. Anyway, off to the Festival again for the last time, which means an easy 40 minute drive on the motorway to Edinburgh Airport Park and Ride; 25 minutes on the clean and fast tram to Princess Street and a short walk to “The Underbelly.” This is the precinct around the university and the Royal Mile that is home to the Night Owl Productions, among others. Lady P has booked “Wanted,” a three women comedy. As we wind our way down the step...

  Monday to Thursday 11 to 14 August 2025 This week England’s heat wave is due to return. Mid to high 30’s in some southern parts but a nice mid 20’s for Scotland. Western Europe is likewise sweltering with fires in France and Greece. Some buggar also set Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh alight yesterday and I see it’s snowing ferrets and frogs in Victoria’s snowfields. Strang old world at the moment. The Donald is sending in the National Guard to Washington DC and federalising the cops. Australia seems such a quiet place. We went to Falkirk on Wednesday. First up was ‘The Falkirk Wheel.” This is a remarkable piece of engineering. The only boat lift (72’!!) of its type in the world. Architects and engineers from British Waterways, under the leadership of Tony Kettle from architects RMJM, did the mechanical concepts with the final design completed in a three-week period during the summer of 1999. Two caissons, one up and the other down, rotate, thus lifting and or lowering boats up or...

  Saturday & Sunday 9 & 10 August 2025 Saturday was a bit of a lay about day and some shopping for chicken soup and beef curry. Sunday, we drove to Kirriemuir for coffee and then on to see Shamus for a Kedgeree lunch. He offered Flashy a Fosters. Blimey, haven’t seen one of those since the 1970’s. Then we all went to the Cortachy Highland Games in the grounds of Cortachy Castle. The sun came out and so did the pipes and drums and a few men in kilts. It was a nice family day and even the Earl of Airlie, Lord David Ogilvy strolled about the grounds. We were last here 25 years ago for Emma Louise Ogilvy’s wedding. Lady P has a photo (of course she does) of young David in his teens and he was interested in looking at it. Another Ogilvy said, “hey Shamus, I just saw your nanny!”  The various children in our party participated in the running races. Others did the egg and spoon, three legged and wheelie bin race. No health and safety people here. Put you little sister in ...

  Thursday & Friday 7 August 2025 Back into town this morning for ‘Feelin Happy – The Jive Aces.’ This eight piece band featured keyboards, base, drums, sax and trombone and a lead singer on four string guitar. Then a stubby signoria on piano accordion and a sexy lass with a jazz voice helping out on a couple of numbers. It started at 12.00 noon and went non stop for an hour with amazing energy and entertainment. Cool swing to the roots of rock and roll and even a Dean Martin impersonation. We came out at 1.00 pm buzzing. Off to the gardens again for a snack. This time for a very good, wood fired pizza and another couple of negronis. These little babies come in a small can with a plastic ‘glass,’ ice and a slice. Amazingly good negronis. A reliable bus ride back to the hotel for a nap. We are out past Murrayfield Stadium, famously home to the Scottish Rugby Union. Oasis is playing there for three nights starting tomorrow, so that explains all the comings and goings at our...