Christmas buzz - Strood, Kent

Christmas buzz in the air -- delight, but a bit stressful, too -- so we decide to keep things simple today, heading east to Rochester, our favourite default Kent destination.  We park at the Castle Carpark and opt for adventure... walking back across the Medway River into Strood.  Ah, Strood, not on the touring coach itineraries!  Really, just the entry into Rochester with petrol stations, chain stores and...

an early-opening breakfast cafe!  The sign way up the side of a building catches our eye, but we're not sure where to enter.  Yes, The black metal door behind the dumpster is it!  
In we go.

Down the long corridor -- not to worry, we've entered by the back door!  Big smiles and cheery voices welcome us into the "Rest 'A' While Cafe" of Strood.  
Still dark outside, the cafe glows with florescent illumination and just enough tinsel to ring in the season.  The entire place shines with cleanliness.  No TVs and soft radio...yes!

Ozzy brings mugs of strong piping hot tea (indulging us with hot milk).  That makes for one Happy Husband, indeed!  Turns out Ozzy's home is Izmir, Turkey, where Global Ministries (http://globalministries.org) has sent missionaries for decades. We remember that in May we read of the death of missionary Fernie Scovel who served as a science and maths teacher from 1949 to 1991  (49 years!) at the American Collegiate Institute (Ozel Izmir Amerikan Lisesi) in Izmir. 

Back to Happy Husband at the Rest "A" While Cafe.  What does that "A" refer to anyway?  We puzzle over its significance, or lack thereof.  The eggs present a delightful design,  and HH's full breakfast includes fried bread, edible and delicious this time, thank goodness.

Thinking ahead to our next holiday, we inquire of Ozzy where we should visit in Turkey.  Without hesitation, he declares, "Nevsehir, Kapadokya,"  whips out his smart phone and proceeds to show us numerous YouTube videos of stunning 4000 year old rock formations in Kapadokya, including a cartoon version of the geological history -- with a Turkish narrative!  Luckily animated cartoon volcanoes look alike in any language.  If we write about breakfast in Nevsehir, you'll know when and by whom we were inspired to head in that direction!


 By the time we are ready to leave, the sun has risen and the day has arrived for Strood.  Ozzy offers to take our photo, and is happy to have us mention him on our Breakfast in Britain blog.


Strood greets us with local art, a couple charity shops, and a walk into the rising sun silhouetting Rochester Castle and Cathedral, across the Medway River again. It's a beautiful day in Britain!  

 People are out, but all the commuter cars are gone.  The tide has come in to fill the banks of the Medway.

So we look back at Strood on the Medway, stomachs full and spirits lifted.