Good Friday at Baboon HQ

The Easter weekend is good for us because our people don't have to work.  So, like on any proper day off we went out for breakfast.  At the Bembridge bakery Harry came across hot cross buns for the first time.

The buns were very fresh because they were made at the bakery that day.  We heard that the baker had been at work since 3 am making hot cross buns, bread and Easter cakes.  Well they certainly did a good job.  All hot cross buns are nice but these were extra special and very sticky.

After all the buns we felt a walk would be a good idea.  We drove around to the famous Toll Gate cafe at Bembridge, parked there and walked across to the Bembridge life boat station.

It was a beautiful day and Harry enjoyed feeling the sun on his fur!

We walked on past the Bembridge Coast Hotel and the Crab and Lobster pub and onto the cliff path.

Harry was surprised to have the cliffs on one side and fields on the other.  Just over near the houses there were some sheep but no lambs there yet.

Part of the cliff path is wooded and we did some climbing in the trees.

Then we came out to where we could see the sea again.  Its a very varied walk.

Usually the target of this walk is the monument you can see at the top of the Culver Down, where you can see down into Sandown Bay where Harry was a couple of weeks ago.  However, this time we didn't do the climb so we turned and got back to the Toll Gate cafe in time for lunch.  We were quite muddy!  Well yes lunch, Harry ate his toasted cheese sandwich so fast we didn't get a picture.  He was very hungry after that walking and climbing.

We are very glad we did a long walk yesterday because today the weather is bad so no sunny walk today.

Time out at Baboon HQ

Last Sunday was a lovely sunny day so we decided that Harry should visit Sandown Bay and walk along to Shanklin and back.  The walk started as you would expect.

A nice early morning view of the beach.  That looked like a good start!  However, things got a bit unexpected after that.  Harry walked along to Shanklin and met this character.

Despite his small size Harry is quite a brave baboon so he stopped to find out whether he had found himself in the middle of a pirate raid.  Well no, just crazy golf apparently!!

Reassured, he walked along a bit further and the next thing he knew he thought he was in the middle of Moby Dick!!

Well it does make you question what has happened in Shanklin recently!!  We really didn't expect this, more crazy golf we assume!! Crazy being the word!!

Harry had to get home to watch Arsenal being knocked out of the FA cup by Watford so he walked back to Sandown.  Well you might think that was the end of the craziness, but you would be wrong!!

On Sandown pier Harry met this chap, yes a giant cow eating an ice cream.  Harry stopped to warn him that he appeared to have bitten off the bottom of his cornet and the inevitable outcome would be ice cream dripping out of the bottom.  He didn't seem to care much!!  He said he does it every day.  Oh well!!  We had to conclude that Sandown Bay had got itself a bit mixed up.  Fun though!!

Today my person took a day off work to make up for doing some Saturdays, at work,  for open days.  We had hoped for good weather for a walk but it is cold and grey so we decided to go out for breakfast.  Tom, who is our Thompson Holiday bear really wanted an outing so we let him go.

Toast and marmalade at Bembridge Bakery.  They make specially good bread and cakes there!  Talking of cakes!  Tom is an adventurous bear so he went to investigate the cakes.  I can tell you he was impressed!!

That is just half of them!!  He brought home some hot cross buns.  Really we are meant to eat them next Friday for Good Friday but we thought we would have a preview!!

Days out at Baboon HQ

We have been a bit quiet at Baboon HQ while our people have been getting on with work stuff and all that.  However, lately we have had a couple of days out.  Last Sunday Harry went looking for spring flowers.  As you know our spring flowers arrived before Christmas and we have missed taking pictures of crocuses on the island, although they are still alive and well on the mainland.

Harry set off, with our people to walk to Fishbourne.  A nice village where the car ferry comes in.

First he found snowdrops,

along with a morning glory flower.

Further on he found little daffodils with a hyacinth.

Nearer to Fishbourne we found a different type of snowdrops.

Fishbourne Green is always a haven for daffodils at this time of year.

Now what are these?  They are pink and Harry thought they were pretty but we do not know what they are.

Primroses, outside the Fishbourne Inn.

Then there were these other flowers outside the Fishbourne Inn.  We don't know what they are either.

Yes, of course Harry and our people felt the need for coffee in the Fishbourne Inn.  Yes, as we have said, Harry is not Mini-Kolo and he doesn't have a caffeine addiction!  He is always interested in the treats that come with the coffee.  This one was particularly nice, not that our people know this because Harry polished them off!!

Ah now, on Friday my person took a day off work because they had worked some Saturdays for an open day.  What is the most important thing to do to start a good day off?  Answer, breakfast out!  This time we went to French Franks, which is near home, because my person had an appointment at 9.30 (new hair cut)!!  Harry loves croissants so that is what he had.

Well and that was not all he did.  At lunchtime he went to one of our favourite places in Ryde, Olivos.  Look who he met!!  Harry had not met Henry before so he was very excited.  They had pasta.  Henry had ham in his, but Harry doesn't eat meat so he had it without ham.  It was very nice with broccoli and mushrooms in a creamy sauce!!

After that Harry came home and napped for a bit as he was tired, but in the evening he went out for a mezze at very nice place in Ryde, called Ada, but he didn't get pictures!!  Harry ate every meal out on Friday.  Wow!!