All the B's

There seems to be a bit of a theme for my holiday this week. It started off with a weekend in Bruges. Bruges is bloody brilliant. The food is ace and you can wander around the 12th century buildings for ages.
I can hardly believe some of the priceless stuff on show which you can touch without any sort of barriers.
Got a bit of a surprise in the market square when we decided to sit and have a beer. The choice was small or medium, so we have gone for medium and the waiter comes out with these two huge yard of ale style glasses. It's a good job they didn't do a large or God knows what we would have ended up with!
One chap staying at the same hotel as us had a rather novel idea for getting his money's worth. At the buffet breakfast (cheese, meats, bread and stuff) he piled his plate high, came back, wrapped it all up and popped it into his bag. He did this SIX times before finally filling up and actually eating something!
Still, the food was pretty great. We had one meal (which cost an arm and a leg) which took two hours to eat and ended up with me thinking I was going to explode. I looked like I was about to give birth to triplets which is not a good look when you have on a tight dress.
Staying with the B theme and it was off to Brighton and noodles on the pier. I love Brighton, there's just such an odd mix of people.
And, it seems, B is still a running theme as me and Bloke make our way to Broadstairs to see a few morris men shaking sticks and that guy who is always there in a dress, pigtails and his big hairy beard.

Forsooth

EEEK!
When I said I would be dressed up as a lady of Henry II's Medieval court I wasn't being strictly accurate. One look at me and they chucked me into the role of a 12th Century kitchen wench. Humph.
I may not be winning any awards for fashion in this get up but have to say living history at Dover Castle's Great Tower was quite good fun.
The Past Pleasures reenactment guys really know their stuff, not just the acting but the history too. Hardly surprising when the crew consists of historians, a PHD student, archaeologists and, obviously, actors.
More pictures and the full story in the Dover Express and the Deal and Sandwich Express on Thursday.
Til then pass me the mead cos it is the weekend.

Rolling back the years

IT'S deadline tomorrow. So, as usual, I will be proofing the pages and sending them off to press. This week will see the lowdown on what the new filming bill means for Dover district, Tributes to two much-loved residents and the news that Dover District Council hasn't ditched Bond City from the DTIZ project yet.
Usually I would then start the weekly hunt for new and exciting tales to pass to our readers.
But tomorrow lunchtime will be slightly different. I'm going to be garbed out as a lady (stop laughing) of Henry II's court at Dover Castle's Great Tower.
Re-enactors are at the castle this summer giving visitors a real taste of 12th Century life in Henry's chaotic and sometimes volatile household.
So, a brush up on my history, a change into costume (no idea what that will be like) and then off out to greet the public!
Oh dear. I'm not really renowned for my acting skills and wonder how many 12th century ladies had a slightly cockney accent (25 years in Kent but the twang is still there).
I'm feeling slightly nervous but will let you know how I got on (unless they throw me in the dungeon of course).