"Gun" Day 7 - Deal

The weather has been good to us, mostly it has been cloudy and warm, with rain between mid-night and 5am.  This morning there was bright sunshine, sitting at the table for breakfast the sun was casting our shadow on the back wall, and it was painful to look directly across the channel (nothing to do with the French being there!)
Today we made the short trip to Deal.  The shopping centre has a mass of independent shops and is much more interesting and varied than Billericay.  Deal is an old port town, although it never had a harbour, the boats where simply dragged up the pebble beach.  Well 'pebble' is the town council description - stony would be more accurate.  The stones vary from fist sized downwards. We walked through the main shopping area, stopping to look for various things that Jo wanted for her Christmas productions.  Then we walked down the pier.  A strange place the pier, the only place I've visited where they request a donation for allowing you dog in, but let you in for free!
At the end of the pier is a restaurant, we had a cup of tea and tried the diabetic biscuits we had bought from the little market place:  (A stall called the Gentleman's Fine Food Company)

A stall in the market place selling cookies

I'd like to say "and very nice too" but that would not be true, not that there was anything wrong with the cookies, excepting a lack of sugar.  That of course is necessary to them being suitable for diabetics.  Why diabetic biscuits - because I am preparing myself for that diagnosis after my next blood test.

Back from the end of the pier we walked north along the coast until the path ran out.  The gentle breaking of the waves, the bright sunshine and the level terrain made it one of the easiest walks we had done. Then returned to town, but diverted from the sea front to find some food.  A dog friendly, family friendly pub advertised on a board looked good, so out came the phone and a course was plotted to the Saracens Head.  When we got there is was closed.  We found the Middle Street Fish Bar just in time for Fish and Chips before they too closed.  Back in town we picked up some fresh vegetables for tea.

We had intended to visit Walmer Castle, but it is only open at weekends this time of year, so we continued on back to the cottage.

After our evening meal we took one last walk down the hill to "The Coastguard" for a pint (Incubus tonight) and Jo had a piece of their Fridge Cake. My taster told me that it was very nice, but I was still full from tea.  Back up the hill there was just time for some packing before bed.  An alarm will wake us in the morning for the first time this week.