As we’re in Park City for six months my blog will just have diary entries on days when there’s something significant to report, or I have a rant, a religious outburst or a joke to share.
Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Hell of a busy day here in Paradise. Wendy’s volunteering at the Pantry. Meanwhile I’m off on one of Bubs hikes up to the top of Sky Ridge Peak, 4.8 mile and 915 feet elevation gain.
Then dash back home to get ready to lead an Easy Bike Ride – I’m Cream Crackered after the hike but at least I think it’s got my body believing it’s at 6,000 feet, just another 1,000 feet to go and I may be able to hike and breathe.
Another dash back home for a quick shower and then we’re off to the Gun Range with a 9mm Walter PPX. First 5 shots have 4 in the bulls eye and then disaster strikes as the gun starts jamming – needs cleaning. Time for a YouTube on how to clean.
Then we’re back to Mikes for Dinner with MariAnne, Joe and Dan. A nice bit of Omaha steak, some great food followed by a few large XO brandies – helps me sleep. There’s Artichokes for dinner so we get instructed on how to eat them and how to cut out the Heart. They’re ok but it is a lot of messing.
Home and stagger up to bed.
Sunday, 25 May 2025
Start the day with a fluffy buttermilk pancake smoothered in Maple syrup and fruit.
Then it’s a bike ride down to the coffee shop for a Dirty Chai. Gorgeous weather, ideal for a bike ride.
In the afternoon we’re off to the Memorial Day extravaganza in paradise, Sheep Dog trials at Soldier Hollow. It’s just amazing to see these dogs make the Sheep navigate a course. Two hours hot and sunny then it’s a luvly shade o’ black o’er t’mother-in-laws, the heavens open up and it’s raining like a cow pissing on a flat rock
Amazing.
Sheepdog Whistle Commands & How to Use a Logan Whistle:
LIE DOWN. Action: Lie down.
GET UP & WALK ON (WALK UP) Action: Stand and walk straight towards livestock. …
COME BYE (LEFT FLANK) …
AWAY TO ME (RIGHT FLANK) …
STEADY OR TAKE TIME. …
LOOK BACK. …
CALL OFF (THAT’LL DO)
I think Wendy’s going to get one of these whistles to try and herd me into the kitchen.
Finally Mike comes round for Chicken Pot Pie, complete with Corn on the Cob – awesome.
Saturday, 31st May 2025
Weather’s back to normal – sunny and warm. Time to put the warmer gear away.
Hike around Bonanza Flats before they introduce the $8 parking charge. Awesome day for a hike, but sadly the Loop trail is closed off after a mile due to rewilding. Pity they didn’t notify that at the trail head. But still Mark and I get in a great Hike. Views are stunning.
Sunday, 01 June 2025
Just strolling around town.
Sunday evening Bob and Marilyn come round for dinner. The first pizza of this stay, and of course there’s wine.
Monday, 02 June 2025
Lead an Easy Hike around my favourite Road to WOS hike. Fortunately all the snows gone and the views are awesome.
Okonomiyaki, Tilapia and Mahi mahi, also known as dolphinfish or dorado, is a popular, lean, white fish with a mild, sweet flavour.
Mahi Mahi
Tuesday, 03 June 2025
Up at the crack of Sparrows Fart for a 09:30 hike with Bub, out and back along the Moose Hollow Trail up to the top of Parleys Summit to see the telephone masts. It’s 4.5 mile and 1001 feet of elevation gain. Awesome views from the top.
Then in the afternoon it’s a bike ride with Mike down to the coffee shop with Mike. Bump into Wendy and Marilyn at the coffee shop, who have just finished some intensive and expensive retail therapy. That’s enough calories burnt to cope with two bottles of Red Wine tonight.
Chilli and cornbread for tea – awesome.
Wednesday, 4th June 2025
Lead an easy bike ride and then in the evening we have friends round for dinner.
Thursday, 5th June 2025
Death ride up to Deer Valley cafe, but I just about survived.
After lunch we all take a stroll around to Dan’s for an espresso.
Evening we finally go to Heber for their Thursday night concert. Mexican junk food for me.
Friday, 06 June 2025
Short walk in the morning; bowling in the afternoon; TGIF in the evening.
Tuesday, 10 June 2025
Early morning death march led by Mike up East Canyon – Big Mountain trails. Awesome flowers and views.
In the evening I lead a group of us try axe throwing. Great fun. Then Alberto’s takeaway at ours for Mike and family. Lovely fun evening.
Scientists have found that penguin guano releases high levels of ammonia into the atmosphere. When this ammonia mixes with sulfur compounds from ocean phytoplankton, it triggers the rapid formation of aerosol particles. These particles grow into clouds, which may have a cooling effect on the Earth’s surface.
The study focused on a colony of 60,000 Adelie penguins on the Antarctic Peninsula. As the penguins eat fish and krill, they leave behind large amounts of nitrogen-rich guano, or poop. When the wind blows from the colony toward monitoring equipment, ammonia levels spike to more than 1,000 times the background level.
The researchers say that even after the penguins leave, the leftover guano continues to release noticeable amounts of ammonia for days. What’s more interesting is that researchers noticed that cloud formation closely followed these ammonia surges. In one case, fog appeared just a few hours after the chemical levels spiked.
Early start again, crack of Sparrows fart, 06:00. The flight to Las Vegas was awesome. Security was a breeze and the flight was comfortable with plenty of free booze, food, movies and time for the odd snooze. Brings back the joy of flying, could almost do this again just for the fun of it.
Mike’s there to greet us in his mega truck and we spend the night at Mikes, rather than messing around getting into our condo so late at night.
Start the day with a 2 hour 40 minute call to EE trying to get my mobile working. Tech support guy was not the brightest knife in the box. He had trouble explaining why they were charging me £36 for call when I have free roaming and a £20 spend cap; why they charged me for 0330 calls when my contract stalls ALL calls beginning with 03 are free. Ended up suggesting a new eSIM.
Arrive at Manchester airport early but as usual with anything to do with airports we can’t check in early. Screw the customer and let’s create a queue.
Typical of the EU we spend 50 minutes getting through immigration. You have to ask yourself do they really want visitors?
Breakfast is awesome, just about everything you can imagine apart from Vodka and Champagne.
Then it’s the rest of the bus tour, followed by a pleasant stroll through the old town, it’s lovely. Stop for lunch and a beer in the Old Town square, it’s just buzzing. How come these places all have a “famous bridge” the Charles Bridge this time. 
Find a decent restaurant and of course they serve beer.
Day 2 in Prague starts with an awesome breakfast accompanied by live piano music. Then it’s the Old Town bus tour. Stroll across the famous Charles Bridge and settle on another beer. In the PM we stroll around old town in the warm sunshine. 
For evening entertainment we go to a medieval banquet, complete with not so exotic dancers; acrobats; more dancers; whirling flame dancers and swallowers. The dancers are a tad better than Hooters.
Another musical, awesome breakfast. Checkout, and then have a stroll around the Old Town in the sunshine. Try some of the Local street food in the market square. Then it’s another beer.
Stroll back to hotel to pick up the suitcase, stopping for a wine on the way.
With hindsight I think two full days would have been enough. Our last day was just lounging around.
Settle in for the obligatory afternoon cup of tea – yes, even in 3rd World EU countries we still have standards.
Despite the forecast of rain all day the weather turns out mainly dry with scattered sunny outbursts. After the journey from hell we decide to have a lazy day and just do the major shop for essentials for the next week.
Never mind Wendy settles down to watch “Greys Anatomy”, it’s not yet 1700 so thankfully I get to pass on it.
A gorgeous sunny day and it’s even warm, not quite shorts weather but cargo pants weather. Up and Uber into Split Old Town to catch a guided walking tour. One of Guru walks guided tours. They’re free you just tip for what you think it’s worth – and yes I do tip them.
A pretty good tour around the Diocletians Palace (apparently some ancient geezers Roman palace built in 305) Split in the gorgeous sunshine. The palace is really a walled town. Not quite as impressive as Dubrovnik.
Another sunny stroll around Split Old Town.
Then at dinner they tell me it’s not available. Totally pissed off. Food is great, but service is very slow and they screw up Wendy’s cocktail. Considering there’s only us in the restaurant, god help them if they ever get busy. Finally get to try some Dingac wine, wow it’s very good, fruity, smooth and expensive.
Lazy start to a great breakfast, despite only a handful of guests in the hotel. We’ve been told we can have a late checkout – 1800, how’s that for late. The manager comes to see us over breakfast to apologise for the slow service last night. Lunch today is on the house as an apology. I relate the Brodet saga and he goes away to the kitchen, comes back and apologizes and tells me that there will be Brodet for my lunch. Very professional.
Got up a tad late, 0920 a new laziness record. 
A nice lazy start to the day, rain is forecast. By 1130 the rain has stopped so we Uber down to the Pile Gate. 
I go to the Ethonological Museum (Ethnography is a branch of anthropology and the systematic study of individual cultures. It explores cultural phenomena from the point of view of the subject of the study). Wendy takes one look at the steps, yes there’s 80+ of them, so she goes for a coffee. Unfortunately I’m stupid enough to go for it, as it’s free on our 1 day pass. What a waste of time, fortunately no money. I wouldn’t bother going up one step to see this.
Plastic bottles have retainers (or tethered caps) on their tops to reduce litter and improve recycling. These retainers ensure that the cap stays attached to the bottle even after it is opened, preventing the cap from being discarded separately, which often leads to environmental pollution.
Get to Budapest for 1300 so a sunny afternoon in Budapest. Hotels great, Crowne Plaza, and thanks to Ross Platinum status we’ve been upgraded to a suite.
Catch the red bus for a tour around Budapest. Great way to see the city. Get off for a boat tour down the Danube, with great views of the Parliament building. Then it’s a beer lunch by the Danube, followed by a vernacular ride up to the Art Museum, Ross is most keen to visit. As a complete Philistine not really my cup of tea, but actually enjoyed it.
Too many beer stops, before 1700, so I’ve sinned yet again. Weather is fantastic.
Dinner carefully planned for the evening, after yesterdays screw up. Choose Mazel Tov, with a name like that it has to be Jewish, a great Pastrami on Rye and fantastic friendly service including free Palinkas – equivalent of Slivovitz (plum Brandy) or even Schnapps, mainly brewed over farm kitchen tables.
Another awesome breakfast. Try a Vodka and Orange – “when in Rome”.
Catch the Red bus for a guided walking tour down to the Parliament building. Some interesting and bizarre facts. 
Stop at Shoes on the Danube. The shoes are rusted, made of iron and set into the concrete of the embankment – need to be to stop Croats stealing them. They are a memorial and monument to the Hungarian Jews who, in the winter of 1944-1945, were shot on the banks of the freezing Danube River by the members of the Arrow Cross Party, some were just pushed in the freeze to death, couples were tied together and one of them shot and both pushed into freezing Danube. Mans inhumanity to man never ceases to amaze.
Never realised that Hungary sided with the Nazis. Probably explains why, like America , they now side with Russia.
After yet another liquid lunch we walk up to the Széchenyi Bath, the largest thermal spring bath complex in Budapest and throughout Europe, is the height of European elegance. Missed out on the beer spa which you have to book in advance. Another one of Ross ideas, again not something I would have done but quite enjoyed it, of course there was beer – more sins.
Catch an Uber back into town to the Sima Liba restaurant. Almost put off as there’s hardly anyone in. Glad we didn’t as it has to be one of the best meals ever. Even had 3 courses. All very romantic with strolling violinist and weird piano – we must have looked like a couple of gays. Actually violinist got on my tits as he kept playing in my face with a 5,000 Forint note on the side of his violin.
Decide to go a stroll around Margit Island and a walk up to the Japanese garden. Surprised it was free, but given the state of it not that surprising.
Lazy start to a grey day, but at least no rain.
Have a stroll into the market in La Haye. Amazing for the first time ever we buy something, sausage and pork steak for my tea.
The strategic importance of La Haye-du-Puits was not lost to either side in the conflict, lying as it does on an important crossroads between Cherbourg and Coutances. Surrounded by hills, the Montgardon ridge lies to the west, the Mont de Doville and the Mont Etenclin to the north, and Mont Castre to the east. These heights were where the Germans had set up their defensive positions known as the Mahlmann Line. To break through this front and liberate the town, the Americans, coming from Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte, had brought up 3 Divisions of the 8th Corps, deployed between Portbail and Baupte. To the west was the 79th Division, to the east the 90th, and between them the 82nd Airborne.
The battle for La Haye-du-Puits began on the 3rd July and lasted nearly a week, partly due to the strength of German resistance, and partly to the drenching rain which prevented the Americans from making full use of their firepower and mobility, and rendering efficient large-scale air operations difficult if not impossible. Between the 3rd and 7th July, the 82nd Airborne was dropped on Mont Etenclin and the Poterie Ridge. The 90th took particularly heavy casualties on the slopes of Mont Castre, which was only captured on the 10th July; the 79th got off more lightly in taking the Montgardon heights and Mont Doville, but encountered some difficulties clearing the Germans out of La Haye du Puits, which only completely freed overnight between the 8th and 9th July.
It’s the big day, Brett and Karine getting married. Meet them in Chichester, along with Karine’s two children. There’s just the six of us, Brett daughters wouldn’t come.
This was a phrase found in a 1085 marriage contract overseen by the bishop of Salisbury.
Bonny: french for good. Buxom: German for obedient or compliant. “In bed and at board” means in the evening and in meals. Board apparently refers to sideboard where food would be kept. It is a promise to be good all day long and to feed the husband well.
Actually, buxom could be flexible…maybe there was another connotation after all.
