What a plonker!!

Whitstable

When we visited the Hastings seafood and wine festival last September, I made a suggestion that perhaps we should visit next years Whitstable Oyster Festival just to see what it was all about, and being Essex folk the other side of the big river was never on our visiting list.
Anyway back in January I remembered my suggestion and booked this last Saturday and Sunday in the Marine Hotel Tankerton a nice double room overlooking the sea with a balcony. Just a brisk walk from the harbour where the festivities would be based.


Plonker me? Yer the bloody festival is next weekend the dates were confirmed in February after I booked!

So we have missed this 

Saturday

The Landing of the Oysters, the Parade and what’ was going on in the harbour and at the Beer Festival.

and this

Sunday

 Today brings the epic Oyster Challenge and Mud Tug. 

Anyway we enjoyed Whitstable, a very quaint town with quite a variation of architecture, for some reason veering towards Dutch design  and a very good "High Street" with no real sign of the "brands"

The hotel and it's food and drink were very good, but Plonker number 2 spoiled part of the Saturday for me anyway,I tried another oyster and within 3 hours I was talking to God through the big white speaker.

I tried to eat the evening dinner, but it just wasn't working, so I left it and had an early night after having another conversation with God!

Prior to that from lunchtime I had a fair few pints of the local brew Sheperd Neame, I took a liking to their Goldings, and some of Harveys bitter down in the harbour.

Sunday morning,feeling better I trusted myself to a smoked haddock topped with a poached egg breakfast, that filled the space nicely.

We decided to go for a walk towards Herne Bay to get some air into our lungs and although she appeared to be ok, Pauline needed to because last night she drunk the whole bottle of Rioja, that was to go with our lamb cutlets... I hope the hotel dog enjoyed my chops!

Our walk only took us only as far as Tankerton Bay Yacht Club, where we watched the members trimming their sails, rested, turned around and headed back,making our minds up to find a nice place for lunch.

I have to say Herne Bay after Whitstable was a bit of a let down, no real character and certainly no obvious eating venues,apart from the chippy. A typical seafront a bit like Southend but not as good.

So we headed back along to coast to Seasalter, not much there, and then on to Faversham where we found ASK Italian and had our late lunch there. As usual very good and freshly cooked.

I do like the ASK offer, I was in on probably their first venture in Marble Arch when (AS)Kaye and his family opened up under the C&A store, and I liaised with them to ensure they settled into our building, acting as a foil from those in the Company who always wanted space for the store and looked for any reason to complain about my tenants!

I'm not certain the Kaye family still own the company, in fact I'm pretty certain they don't, but they've started up a new venture, which I'm sure will become equally successful.

So back to the Marine for a wash and brush up and some more tastings in the bar until late.

Breakfast, we both went for the full English, again very good quality local products, and then the 4 hour trip home.(62.4mpg)

Lessons learnt by this prize Plonker, that I must check that dates and bookings are lined up and that I must never, ever, ever, try another oyster!!