Hay Castle

"I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book."
Groucho Marx
K’s birthday so plenty to do today including an early start to see if I could sort out the Mobile Internet. I’d ordered it for K2 to provide a decent internet connection for her to work from home while visiting (the BT cable speed is pants). The package was ‘delivered’ while we were away and taken back to the post office – no attempt to contact me to put in safe place as I’d arranged. Got to Cwmbran Delivery Office to find it well and truly closed, padlocked gates, and the only signs of life were fresh notices announcing strike action. Back to the drawing board.
Headed back to prepare for 10a.m. ish departure for Llangorse to check out K2 proposed wedding venue. All looked good and we got some windfalls for a crumble later. Job done we headed off to our Spiritual home for lunch – Hay-on-Wye. Great relaxed meal in the garden of The Swan in the warm summer sunshine. Good preparation for the serious business of searching for books!
K2 effortlessly lured into Addyman’s Annexe so I headed off to the Castle, recently opened after years of restoration work. Looks good inside; a small National Portrait Gallery exhibition of Writers’ portraits on the upper level, a café and a small bookshop adjacent the main entrance hall. Then outside for an ice-cream before heading for Booth’s, the destination of choice for me.
Spent my Christmas present book token easily, and afterwards went for a coffee at the castle. As we compared notes K2 handed me a book that she’d bought for me! What a lovely thought, birthday for me too!
Back home we sat outside until the light faded to dark, a full day.