Thursday, February 16, 2017

Olga at the Beach


The beach is a new experience for Olga. All that sand! And weird, fishy-smelling sea things!

Kelp, we learned, must be peed upon. By dogs, at least.


We also learned that chasing the Kong toy on the beach leads to a Kong covered with sand. Which of course mean's Olga's lips and nose become covered, too.

Not that this particularly bothers her.

She doesn't show much enthusiasm for the water itself. She'll approach the retreating waves and then back up when they surge forward again, hesitant to even wet her toes. My fears that she would leap into the ocean and be swept away by a rogue current appear to be unfounded.


We are in an area of Kent famous for its chalky cliffs. The porous nature of the stone leads to some very unusual, Swiss Cheesy beach rocks. (I kept this one.) There are also scattered seashells of limpets and mussels and periwinkles.


Here's our hotel. We're on a bluff atop the cliffs, and there are steps down to the sea nearby. (Not the famous "Broad Stairs" of Broadstairs, which apparently really was named after a set of steps. Technically, we're in Kingsgate, just north of Broadstairs on an inlet called Botany Bay.)

Our journey here went smoothly yesterday. Before we left home, I put my Valentine's Day tulips on the windowsill in the alcove next to the front door:


I figured if we're not home to enjoy them, at least our neighbors can!

The train trip was a little more than an hour, and Olga handled it admirably. Once off the train, we walked to the hotel, which was a bit of a schlep but allowed us to both exercise the dog and see the town.

I did a terrible job packing -- forgot my toothbrush and deodorant and Olga's dog towel! We can make do without the latter, but even two nights without the former would be unacceptable. I suppose I'll have to pop into a neighborhood shop today...

17 comments:

e said...

Looks like a wonderful holiday and I am so glad Olga did not get swept up in the sea!

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Have you got a superior double room with sea view or a suite? Either way it sounds like a nice little hotel. Love that piece of chalk you found on the beach. A great souvenir and free too.

37paddington said...

That hotel looks grand. Love the queenly portrait of Olga on the grass in front of it. Is the interior as grand as the exterior? Those cliffs look so familiar to me from movies and TV shows like Broadchurch. I wonder if they are the same?

Ms. Moon said...

A one hour train trip and you are in a completely different universe! And what a dramatic one!
I hope that you and Dave are having as much fun as Olga so obviously is.

Cheryl West said...

All that wonderful sea air! It is so restorative and stimulating. I hope your good weather continues so you can have more beach walks. Maybe Olga will try a little paddling after all.

Marty said...

Funny how differently dogs react to water, certainly tied to the type of breed. When we had a lake house there was a neighbor Doberman - huge and fierce looking, but a complete sweetie. When we would all sit out on the dock he always wanted to join us, but that meant walking down a skinny ramp with gaps between the planks. He would cry and whimper with each step, but he still made it. And the other neighbor dogs spent much of their time jumping off the dock and getting us all wet.

ellen abbott said...

So, did you run into Khan?

Sharon said...

Olga looks like she's enjoying the change of scenery. I love that rock you are keeping and that photo of the tulips is rather dreamy. This made me think of the time I took my two dogs to the mountains in the winter to see snow for the first time. They loved it, scooping it up with their noses and tossing it in the air. Enjoy that sea air!

Red said...

Empty beaches at this time of year are great for walking. Olga gets it.

Lynne said...

Beautiful cliffs! Wow. Hey, at least you didn't forget to pack underwear like Rick did on our trip to Cartegna! :) Have a great getaway!

Sabine said...

I love the pictures of a dog on a beach and nice to know about Olga's delight.
When we lived on the southern shores of Dublin Bay, one of our dogs would only 'go' in the sea and with one of us watching, which made the walk seemingly endless when the tide was out. And I mean the tide would be way way way out.

jenny_o said...

Wonderful pictures! I like your "boot" vase and the tulips are beautiful.

I'm glad Olga enjoyed the beach, and kelp does look like little trees, so ...

Catalyst said...

Wow! You are so lucky to have this spot so close to home and a train to take you there. And Olga is one handsome dog. Love the shot of her stretched out on the grass in front of the hotel.

John Going Gently said...

Go into broadstairs lots of lovely eating places
The prof's beach hut is 7 th one along from the right!

The Bug said...

That Olga is just so regal - love her!

Alphie Soup said...

Olga at the beach - there's a change of scene.

Alphie

Elizabeth said...

I love your photos -- it's like being plunged into the England that I imagine!