Juno was always very clear… “The beach is a place for dogs, don’t bother me with all of that sand and sea stuff.” And I have to agree, I’ve seen plenty of dogs being walked on or near beaches (don’t forget those pooper scoopers dog owners!), but a cat on a lead flouncing across the dunes is something that belongs only in the strange recesses of the imagination.
On a recent visit to the infamous Barry Island in South Wales (for anyone who has seen the UK TV programme Gavin & Stacey) I was reminded of a lyric by one of my favourite bands of all time… Steely Dan… “Over there in Barrytown they do things very strange”. So, maybe a cat on a lead, blah-blah-blah…
Following on from the unseasonal wintery start to this June a couple of days ago, it was good to experience Barry Island’s ability to create a mysterious draw of that sea and sand. It has the ability to entice all living creatures (except feline’s it would appear):
![Barry [8]](https://stevemorgan57.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/barry-8.jpg?w=579&h=1024)
But the sea here is not for the faint-hearted; my memory of childhood visits was of a hike to get to it, and that still seems to be the case. Juno would certainly not have been the slightest bit inquisitive about something so wet that was also a distance away. It seems that people only travel to it in packs these days!
![Barry [4]](https://stevemorgan57.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/barry-4.jpg?w=584&h=330)
However, for students of classical architecture, you might think that Barry Island has the doric column vibe going, in order to stimulate those with an interest in culture:
![Barry [1]](https://stevemorgan57.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/barry-1.jpg?w=584&h=330)
But close up… you begin to see the cultural vibe is more of the ‘they do things very strange’ (or even ‘Gavin & Stacey’, who are serially referenced in this arcade):
![Barry [6]](https://stevemorgan57.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/barry-6.jpg?w=584&h=330)
It is safe to say that many things at Barry Island have not changed since those long forgotten days of my childhood. A fading but familiar sign might have been the subject to prick up Juno’s ears, something to do with food. John’s is still going:
![John's cafe [1]](https://stevemorgan57.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/johns-cafe-1.jpg?w=584&h=330)
Though a few spare penny’s were
lavished on the entrance…
… not too many are required for daily specials:
![John's cafe [4]](https://stevemorgan57.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/johns-cafe-4.jpg?w=300&h=170)
But for a true stroll down the seaside memory lane, and to prove to the Juno’s of the world that in Barry ‘they [just might] do things very strange’, just gaze at the internal decor:
![John's cafe [3]](https://stevemorgan57.files.wordpress.com/2015/06/johns-cafe-3.jpg?w=584&h=330)
So until we speak again, enjoy your memory lanes, and feel free to go ahead and do something very strange! Why not let me know about it with a comment on this blog post?