West Yorkshire

[glatt]

What wonderful photos. I enjoy it when you post pictures. You got some great ones this time. Good subject matter too.

[xoxoxoBruce]

A horse, donkey, or ass that will stand still make great pictures.

[BigV]

re grooming ... your likelihood of getting scratched is far less. hm? think about it.

I loved this trip too! Thanks Sundae.

[limey]

In a way, you might find it less painful than caring for cats 'cos you'd want to take all the pussies home, but there's not room in your flat for a horse, nor a donkey nor even a wee Shetland pony ...


Sent by thought transference

[Sundae]

I suppose it would be less painful really.
I think more about the arriving and handling than I do about the leaving and the long journey home alone.
(I am talking about volunteering for a cat charity here, not dating).

Yesterday I went to Leeds to meet my Support Worker at Roundhay Park.
I had looked forward to it; certainly in my eagerness I set off far too early, but I figured as it was a warm day I could feed the ducks before she arrived. I did faff about in Leeds a bit, but I was over an hour early at that point.

Only to have her call to check I was on my way, on the understanding that we were meeting 30 minutes before the time I had written down.
Things that make you go hmmmm - I wrote down the time of the meeting as we discussed it, in front of her. We had also never met on a half hour before, only on the hour, so it would have been a break from our usual pattern. And who calls someone 25 minutes before a meeting? Surely you either call them early enough to get them going if they've forgotten, or you don't call at all.

Anyway, it was all rush rush rush from then on as I had 25 minutes, not 55.
I switched from foot to foot to make the connecting bus come more quickly, and rolled my eyes at every traffic light we got stuck at for the same reason. I then ran (well, trotted) all the way down the hill from the bus stop to the lake where we were meeting. Made it by the skin of my teeth and was actually impressed with my own fitness. Although it wasn't very far I admit.

I didn't call her out on my suspicions that she changed the time of the meeting. I owe her for not giving up on me when I was going through a patch where I found it very difficult to stay in contact.

The plan was to have our meeting outside the Lakeside Cafe, where she bought me lunch.
Which we did.
My little eyes nearly popped out of my head at the cost though. All things considered I'd rather have had a nice veggie curry at one of the many independent fast food places along the road. Still - I won't be eating here again, so I just settled back and enjoyed it.

The lake.


The rest of the deck.


My club sandwich (no tomato). It took 30 minutes to arrive and the toast was burnt. I daren't ask for a replacement.
£7.50 for the sandwich and crisps, £2.00 for the half pint of Diet Coke.

[Sundae]

Back to Leeds - it was too windy by the lake to spend the rest of the afternoon there, and I really wanted to see the Food Festival while I had a bus ticket.

On the way from the bus-stop to Milennium Square I stopped to listen to a jolly group of musicians. No sousaphone though.


At this point it was warm and muggy, but the brilliant blue sky had already clouded over. People still seemed glad to be out on a Friday afternoon anyway. I think Sunday will be the best day of the lot - we've had very blustery wind today, which played merry havoc even with Otley's little market.


I was glad I'd eaten, because otherwise I would have been very tempted by so much that was on display. It would have been cheaper (for them) and more fun (for me) to meet here to be honest...

[Sundae]

Lots of outside bars, which is why they have a specially cordoned off entrance (even though entry is free). It gets around street drinking laws.





Took this one for Mum - she is a fan of sitting in the sun drinking Prosecco.
Which she is probably doing as I type this, as she's on holiday.


Don't feel sorry for the empty stalls, certainly not those selling booze. They'll be doing a brisk trade this weekend.

[Sundae]

Hands up who wants a burger?
I suspect they were not actually made from dogs' hearts.


Colourful Indian street food. And it did smell good.


So it turns out we do call them gyros in this country.
Or at least the Greeks do. The rest of us go with the Turkish name of kebab.


Mussels; whiten your smile and put hairs on your chin. Apparently.

[Sundae]

As this pot is best friends with so many types of dead animal, it's probably best it's not vegetarian.
Does sound good though.


I wanted to taste this. Trouble is I really like rhubarb and have been known to be a bit partial to Limoncello. Decided it was better to give it a miss.


This one did not even tempt me.
See there's wine, and there's chocolate. I like one too much, and the other not as much as many other of my gender.
Putting the two together seems to lessen the attraction still more.


I liked this. Even if I know old-fashioned deckchairs demand a blood sacrifice before opening properly (bruising at the very least).

[Sundae]

All the foreigners were there...


Lots of burgers and hot-dogs available, all pushing their Unique Selling Points and their quality meat credentials.


I'm not really sure ow happy the pig would be. It is standing in front of a stall where they are selling the dead after all. Which isn't to say I didn't want to join in and eat one.

[richlevy]

Originally Posted by Sundae

Lots of burgers and hot-dogs available, all pushing their Unique Selling Points and their quality meat credentials.

I think I now understand where Terry Pratchett came up with Cut Me Own Throat Dibbler.

Described as Discworld's most enterprisingly unsuccessful entrepreneur, a 'merchant venturer' in Ankh-Morpork, he is most famous for selling meat by-products to unsuspecting souls. His name originates from his catchphrase 'I'll sell it for less, and that's cutting me own throat.'

When Dibbler's business plans fail, he falls back to selling (mostly) 'pies with personality' and 'pig' sausages-in-buns on the streets of Ankh-Morpork. He has been accused of 'not being able to make both ends meat.'

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by BigV

See: Slenderman.

Sorry, V. I was being deliberately disingenuous (aka pretendy-confused). Dr Who is prime time TV here, so even those who don't watch the show would probably recognise the characters. The Scouts did a bang tidy job though.

Originally Posted by richlevy

I think I now understand where Terry Pratchett came up with Cut Me Own Throat Dibbler.

See, I always thought of Dibbler as a cockney geezer.
But mebbe he does work as a Yorkshireman.

[Sundae]

And finally!

I found Pintxos/ Pinchos in Leeds! (I can't take any credit, they weren't hiding them or anything).
They're like tapas, but more substantial, and based on bread. They're held together with a toothpick or little wooden stake; the name literally means spike.

I haven't ever had them in this country - the last time I had them was in Amsterdam.
If you're eating alone they're better than tapas, because you don't have to eat a dish of the same things, or over-order to get some variety.

I stood and chatted to the ladies on the stalls for a little while; they're used to having to explain the concept. Still didn't get a sample...

[BigV]

Food on a stick is very common fair fare here. Most often it has been fried. I've even had a deep fried Snickers bar. I've heard tales of deep fried sticks of butter. I heard a story on the radio once where the fellow deep fried his microphone. While it did produce a nice buzz, the result was static-y and altogether too crunchy sounding for my taste.

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by BigV

While it did produce a nice buzz, the result was static-y and altogether too crunchy sounding for my taste.

Must've been the extra-crispy.