I'm Blathering Now...

Going to Pinon

Meeting up with my friend this afternoon. We have heard that the set that one of the episodes of Musketeers was shot at is a short metro ride away. So we are going to see it! The episode that I call Athos' episode was shot at a former tourist attraction. Apparently it was a medieval village with blacksmith, and old traditional crafts. Sadly it appeared to have closed down and was only used by film crews now.

But first, as it is such a beautiful day I am going to the park for a wander, a beer and a bit of drawing. I fancied a beer in the park yesterday, but it was so busy with the runners I decided against it. I love sitting in Letna Park with a beer. Not only is it a bout 70p for a pint, but it's in a plastic cup, so you can take it round the park with you. So I headed off to Bakeshop first for a sandwich and cake, then made my way to the park for a quiet morning. Today I shall finish Aramis, and start a drawing of Tom Burke. There is a lovely photo of him taken when he was doing a radio recording of Cyrano de Bergerac. Gorgeous. Hoping I can recreate something that looks ok in black and white.

So drawings almost finished, I headed out of the park to meet my friend from work. We got off the metro and walked down to where it was. It was a strangely deserted place, bar for a rather dodge looking character who was lurking about. Oh well, forget about him, I was going in. My friend didn't come in with me, and I so I had a little wander around taking photo after photo of the various buildings trying to remember which scenes had been filmed in which buildings etc. It was so exciting, I couldn't believe my friend was not experiencing this excitement with me. I then looked at my phone and she had texted me to say on her travels she had found a sign saying private property keep out (written in Czech of course). Oops I thought. Well in my defence, the way I had gone in there were no signs saying anything, but I thought better get out of there. It was so good though to see an entire set that the majority of a whole episode had been filmed at. Normally it is buildings that a bit here, and a bit there, has been filmed at. This was Athos' village, and my feet had trodden where his has too!

Had a lovely walk through a few neighbourhoods before finally getting the metro back into town. Well after all of that excitement, there was only one thing left to do... go and have a restorative pot of tea!

The Pub at Pinon

Inside Pinon!

Trees Athos lent against!

A last look at the village before saying goodbye

Sunday, time for church

So I don't go to church normally. I am probably the worst (5 times over) Godmother ever! I go for weddings/funerals/christenings. So, here in Prague, my friend who sings in a choir has invited me to church. I checked out where it was, and it's a residential area I haven't been to. So it was an opportunity to see somewhere new, and to experience a Czech church service. It's not like I have lots to do today! So off I went.

It was a lovely morning, sun shining, and I made my way through Letna Park, which seems to be setting up for some sort of race. The church was magnificent, and I positioned myself in a pew towards the back of the church, not the very back, but I thought enough for me to be able to slip out if it gets too stressful for me. Please bear in mind I don't speak Czech, and I don't know the normal etiquette , so I was pretty much like a fish out of water!

The service was fine, I stood up when everyone else did, sat down when everyone else did, and the choral singing was exquisite. Only one problem. The church was packed, and I was hemmed in by people to both the left and right of me! The priest then said something, and all of a sudden everyone around me started shaking each others hands, me included. I think this was the point that my cover was blown and everyone suddenly realised someone who doesn't speak a word of Czech was trying to involve herself in their church service. They all smiled at me, so I guess it showed I was welcome!!

I had a quick hello with my friend, then I wandered back through Letna Park and to the flat. Grabbed a bit of lunch and then because it was a beautiful day, headed back out again, to the other side of Prague, to Vyšehrad. Went into the Church of St Peter and St Paul. Beautiful ornate paintings on all walls and ceilings. Couldn't make my mind up if I wanted beer or tea, after having an immense debate with myself I decided it was time to head to a teahouse, and not my usual haunt!

Now, each time I go to Prague, I have wanted to visit a specific tea room, which I always went past in the morning, and it doesn't open until 2 in the afternoon. Today I have put matters right and visited

Čajovna U zlatého kohouta on Michalská. I am glad I made the effort. This is going to become a favourite because they have some very nice saggy chairs I can read in. Plus it is hidden down a corner so not going to be too busy. Had a nice pot of white tea, and read one of Tom's plays. Have I said I have made it my mission to read all of his plays? I started to do a couple of reviews on Facebook, and someone said I do a review for each play, so I've set up a new page just concentrating on his plays!

Muskeeters all around

It's dark, it's 4am and I'm making the now familiar trip to Manchester airport. To think how much I used to hate flying and the amount of drugs I needed in my system to get from a to b. I can't say I enjoy flying, to me it is just a means to an end, but I am proud that not only am I functioning enough to get on a plane, I'm doing it on my own. No moral support anywhere, just me and an overwhelming desire to get to my destination!

Got the bus/metro from the airport and got off at Staromestska and made the short walk to my apartment. My apartment! I normally stay in hotels, so this is going to be interesting! It's gone 11:00 and check in is not until 2, but I've been told I can drop my bag off which is fantastic news. Bag dumped (I travel lightly) the first call has to be to my favourite tea shop, Dobra Čajovna. I've been up for 7 hours now, I need a really strong cuppa, and that's what I picked, a pot of Zhu Ye Pu Er Cha, don't think it's the strongest, but it will do! It's like treacle as it pours out of the pot. Just what is needed!

Time to wander up to M&S and treat myself to some nice food and then wander back to the flats to stock of my surroundings for the week. The flat is lovely, huge doors to an entrance hall, bathroom, bedroom, kitchen and spacious lounge/dining room. Oh this will be nice for the week, only unlike a small hotel room, I realise that all this space had suddenly made me feel quite lonely. How bizarre! I didn't notice that feeling last time, but then I was either out and about, or stuck in a hotel room. Not sure if the idea of an apartment is so good now, I am here on my own.

Time to get a grip of myself and do what I do best. Go for a walk, get my bearings back. I have a map with me, but I'm pleasantly surprised that very quickly I know where I am, I know where I'm heading, and I don't need my map out. With my confidence restored, it was time to take a few snaps around town and get back to enjoying the city before embarking on anything more exciting!

Even abroad rail works let you down!

Well today I was going to try travelling by train to a chateau, however, there is work on the train-line and a bus will be taking over at some point and it sounds chaotic. I'm bad enough in the UK when there's a bus replacement, I'm not going to be able to do this on my own, at least I can admit this. I need someone with me who can either speak the language, or be there for moral support/back up when I (inevitably) get lost.

So, zámek Ploskovice is going to make it to the top of the list when I come back next year. Hopefully I can take someone with me next time, and we can do some trips outside of Prague for a change, plus this time of year the chateaus are only open on weekends when it's busy!

So the idea of this trip was to write and draw. I love the city, and don't see the point of staying in the flat, so I have my art pad and a play in my bag. Do some work whilst wandering round the city!

Wandered down Husova street and I came across the Clam-Gallas Palace. I went inside and recognised this as a place that has been used for filming The Musketeers. After a little look around I carried on down Husova and noticed a church I hadn't been inside before, Church of St Giles. It seems that is also another filming place of The Musketeers! It took me back to the first series and I could imagine M'lady storming out of the church, looking for her revenge rather than absolution!!!

As I was on a Musketeer role, I popped down to Liliova and looked for Aramis' window. I thought I had it last time I visited, but when I got home and compared photo with episode I was wrong. This time though I spotted it immediately. Nice one!

Back to Dobra Čajovna and a nice pot of Dian Hong Cha. Got the sketch book out and started an ink sketch of the character Aramis as played by Santiago Cabrera whilst drinking my tea. So glad it's quiet in here today!

Clam-Gallas Palace

Church of St Giles

Tom Burke Online Magazine, Issue 1

I was on the Tom Burke forum page and someone suggested setting up an online magazine. I think my holiday has made me think I'm invincible; I've agreed to help out!

Wow, being a Burketeer is really taking me back to places I had long since forgotten, drawing, poetry writing, reading, and now possibly magazine articles! Everyone is so creative and inspiring it's taking me back to places I had forgotten!

I suppose though logically, if you have nothing to write for, you're not going to write... so the fact that someone needs someone to do research and write articles for their online magazine means I have a purpose!

At this point I'm going to explain that being a Burketeer has created some great opportunities for me. Running a house and doing an 8-5 job each day wears you down, and when you're getting no help off your other half, you have no time to do things which take a lot of time to do. All my "hobbies" are time consuming. Drawing, dressmaking, gardening, reading, writing, they're all things you need to spend a few hours at a time doing. Not half an hour here or there!

Somehow my individuality disappeared, I don't know when or how it happened but I stopped doing the things I really enjoyed. Anyway, the Burketeers had been raising money for charity, and decided to open an online shop selling musketeer inspired artwork. Seeing as the BBC hasn't got any merchandise for sale, the online shop starting doing well. I had tweeted a sketch I done when I was a bit bored at work, and people seemed to like it, so I did a few sketches more and put them in the shop. It seems they were popular with people... I'm just not used to people being complimentary about my work!

So I'm harking back to my journalism degree! I am going to write articles for an online magazine. Probably means my new blog is going to take a backseat. See I knew the idea of a blog was not going to work!

Here's a link to the Burketeer shop, money raised is going to the charity Operation Smile.

http://www.redbubble.com/shop/burketeer

I am going to re-post articles that I have written onto my blog, as I know I have some friends who are not interested in signing up for the magazine, but they are still interested in what I've written!!!

(Page layout and design by Christine @christine_ghh @TBO_magazine)

How to make tea

How tea became popular

Red Tea Page 1

Red Tea Page 2

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I just can't be happy todayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

I'm back from watching The Damned in concert! Oh what a fabulous night, I can't sleep I'm still so excited.

I loved The Damned when I was growing up. I was a Goth who would go to Afflecks Palace in Manchester with my brother and seek out beautiful vintage black lace dresses, (for me not him!). Oh such happy times, and they really were. People think Goths are dull suicidal people because they wear black and must be unhappy. Not at all. I think that was the period of my life when I was most individualistic, and consequently very happy thank you very much!

So I never got to see Dave Vanian and his crew when I was young. Anyway, tonight they played this intimate venue in Chester, and me and my mate were in the second row from the front, and had he not been wearing shades we could have looked him right in the eyes!!!!

Such a fantastic night, singing along with tracks I've not listened to since the 80's/90's and I could still remember the words! Oh happy days. It was so good I've got tickets to the Albert Hall gig to celebrate 40 years of The Damned! I think the pint of cider I had has gone to my head. Oh my poor neighbours, I've dug out some old cd's, they should thank their lucky stars I don't have a record player anymore or I'd be dragging my old vinyl out of the loft!

Bye Bye Barafundle...or is it?!!!

Whilst watching the film last night I found a new film location. Today, at breakfast, I announce that before we go home, we're taking a detour to Freshwater West Beach! The man at the hotel is chatting to us again. He has decided I'm nuts. I'm not going to take offence, he is justified in his perception of me, and more than likely right too!

We had a good chat about the Iron Man competition which sees most of Pembrokeshire shut down (there are signs everywhere proclaiming that next weekend the road will be closed) I think the whole county is pretty much closed. To be honest, hearing about what goes on in the competition, those people are nuts, not me! I do admire them though. You would never find me doing that!

Anyway breakfast over and the car packed up we headed to Freshwater. Its a grey day today. We were so lucky yesterday with the sunshine, but it's not raining, so we can't complain.

We traipsed up and down the beach trying to establish where Davy had sat chucking rocks into a rock pool. (I even had my tablet on the beach playing the film!) Sod this I said I'll just take hundreds of pics, one must be right! As I was taking photos I suddenly saw on the horizon a number of boats come into view. Oh my word, they've sent the military out after me!!! It was ok until you could hear the sound of guns firing. What have I rolled up at? Well I think that signalled time to go warm up with a cuppa and then start the long journey home. (Well one of us had to go to work tomorrow).

Well the best laid plans... as we headed back past Barafundle Bay, my friend said it was a shame we couldn't say goodbye, well I wasn't going to ask twice if she was sure, the car (now on two wheels) squealed in a dramatic u-turn down the road which would lead us back to the bay!!! So we had lunch at the National Trust café, lovely welsh rarebit by the way, another pot of tea and some welshcakes, and "goodbye sea, it really has been a weekend of fun and silliness!" And you really can't ask for much more than that!

Looking for the Third Star in Pembrokeshire

So excited. My travel buddy got herself a new job this year, less money, less holidays, but less stress so we've not been able to have a week abroad exploring this year :-( This weekend however, we're going on a little road trip!!!

I had introduced her to the most wonderful film ever, Third Star. You may not have heard of it, but I suggest you check it out. The premise of the story doesn't sound like a barrel of laughs, James (Benedict Cumberbatch) has terminal cancer and he's not going to see his 30th birthday. Rather than being a sentimental walk in the park, this is a great story about a group of four male friends, coming to terms with the news, and having one last trip together. Their trip was to Barafundle Bay in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is a beautiful place, I holidayed there way before the film was ever made, and the film portrayed the beautiful land and seascapes of that part of the world.

I should also comment on the beautiful moving script, it was fantastically written, and interestingly you can buy a copy of one of the drafts of the script, together with a commentary of the making of the film. It is a really interesting read, especially if you watch the film directly afterwards so that you can see the changes that have been made and what bits did not make it to film. It is noted in the book that the character of Davy (Tom Burke) had quit his job to look after James. In the film this is never mentioned. In some respects it would have been nice to know that Davy had made this sacrifice, but upon reflection, Davy had a lot of humility, and I doubt it was in his nature; he does things because they are right, not because he wants veneration.

There are great performances by the other two main characters Bill (Adam Robertson) and Miles (J J Field). The cameo's by Hugh Bonneville and Karl Johnson are also superb and will have you chuckling! Hmm can you tell I rate this film rather highly?!

Anyway, my friend agreed, the place was beautiful, we should go there. She wanted a trip away to see the sea, I wanted to go location spotting! So I have been doing some homework, she arrives tonight, and first thing in the morning we are making the four hour cross country drive to Pembroke!

I'm not really one for long distance driving, I hate motorways, but there are no motorways to Pembroke, it's all small winding roads, and I really enjoyed the drive. A dry sunny day, and the views were spectacular as we drove through stunning scenery of the welsh hills and valleys.

Headed into Pembroke just in time for lunch. The hotel we will be staying in is the Old Kings Head. http://www.oldkingsarmshotel.co.uk The hotel is apparently one of the oldest in Pembroke, if not the oldest. It has deeds going back to the 1500's! It was a great quirky building with friendly staff. We had lunch, and then as it was a nice day wandered up the road and spent the afternoon looking round Pembroke Castle.

It was great. All the children were back at school so we had the castle almost to ourselves! A great find was Wogan's Cavern, a natural limestone cave underneath the castle. There were 55 slippy steps to descend to view it, but all good Burketeers know how to handle slippy steps!

As we had had lunch at the hotel, we thought we'd try a local pub (The Waterman's Arms) for dinner, and we sat outside on a terrace overlooking the Mill Pond. A relaxing evening, eating great food, and supping a few well earned pints of Guinness!