Sometimes a magical day can spring from an egg. A scrambled egg, in my case. I didn’t realize an egg could be revelatory, but my scrambled eggs this morning (from a neighboring farm) were the Platonic ideal of their kind. The accompanying salmon wasn’t too shabby either.
Our hike today hugged the Pembrokeshire Coast. For seven miles, we walked alongside turquoise water, cave-pocked cliffs, swooping swifts, and vibrant wildflowers. Add in partly sunny skies, a light breeze, and Goldilocks temperatures (not too hot, not too cold), and today’s hike was physically and spiritually exhilarating.
The walk ended in St. Davids, home to a 13th century cathedral and a wonderful restaurant (St. Davids Gin and Kitchen) where I downed a scrumptious lunch, a dessert of affogato (ice cream drenched in espresso), and a glass of seaweed-distilled gin, which was spiritually wonderful in a literal sense and bore not a hint of algal overtones. Then out to walk among the locals, all of whom seemed to be attached to at least one dog, bringing further joy to my day.
What could possibly make things even better? If you know me, the answer is being directed to a hole-in-the wall bookstore found by our tour leader, James. The proprietor is a font of information about Welsh literature, who picked out for me a detective story by a local author. Our bus ride back to the Grove was filled with gin-enhanced levity.
No magical day would be complete without a delicious dinner, and the Michelin-starred Coast Restaurant obliged. Laverbread (seaweed baked with potatoes) was a pleasantly delicious surprise as an appetizer, followed by heirloom tomatoes with smoked eel (which I’d never tried before but highly recommend), monkfish with baby shrimp, and a palate cleanser of a sweet thyme ice cream with coconut. And of course, another delightful conversation with new friends (Sam and Martha).
PuffinlessTravel 