Day 6 (Saturday): Got off to a lazy start. About mid-morning we walked into Hythe from the hotel, where we met Joe, Steph, and the children. We spent some time shopping, poking around in the many charity shops, bookshops, and other stores. I bought some school supplies for the children, and a few small things to bring home. We stopped at Sainsbury’s (their local grocery store) to pick up supplies for lunch and dinner.

Freya made scones and we had a mid-afternoon tea party with the delicious scones plus jam and clotted cream. The tea was so filling, we had a light dinner of fish and broccoli, which was perfect.

Most of the afternoon and evening were spent sitting around, talking, watching baseball, (Joe subscribes to MLB.tv so he can watch the previous day’s games whenever he wants), and helping James do puzzles.

Day 7: On Sunday morning, James had Cricket practice in the morning, and we walked to the Catholic church in Hythe for Mass. Pretty much everything you want or need to do in Hythe is in walking distance, and the town makes an extra effort to accommodate pedestrians. There are a number of dedicated walkways and paths, plus light-controlled pedestrian crossing zones for busier roads. The lights respond quickly and drivers respect those stop signals.

In the early afternoon, Joe, James, Jim, and I (Steph was taking Freya to a pool party) got a cab to Sandgate, the next small town up the beach between Hythe and Folkstone, where a food festival was taking place on the beach and the access areas next to it. The weather was beautiful, warm and clear, which brought out the crowds. Families spread blankets and tents on the shingle beach and some played in the water.

Small booths featuring foods from all over the world, drinks, crafts, and even plants, lined the pedestrian walkway and filled parking and delivery areas behind the sea front. Several stages were set up around the area for musical acts. We’d come to see one particular musician Joe especially likes. We arrived as he was beginning his set and had to stand for a few minutes, until someone brought additional chairs to set up in the shade of a tent. The musician was good and highly entertaining, leaving us all wanting more as he finished up.

Afterward, we wandered around, viewing the items on offer. James got a chocolate-covered banana, although ‘smothered’ would probably be more accurate than just ‘covered.’ I had a refreshing glass of Prosecco. After a while we made our way to a bus stop and took the bus back to Hythe. We went back to the hotel to freshen up.

Steph’s mother had invited all of us to dinner that evening, for a traditional English Sunday roast. She put a lot of work into the meal, serving both roast lamb and chicken and a number of side dishes, some of which included vegetables fresh from her garden allotment. I think someone must’ve told her how much I like lamb, since she went to some trouble to save some specifically for me. A choice of three desserts topped off the meal, which left us all pleasantly full and satisfied. It was a lovely time, and their hospitality was much appreciated.

The picture below was taken at Leeds Castel but includes the whole family, including Steph’s parents, Cliff and Julie Bell.