Looking for a sandwich, in Sandwich, Kent, England

        Habit is a funny thing, it keeps you going back to the same places, at the same time. Or journeying in the same general direction at least.  It's not a good thing is it, to take the same route every time. Maybe getting favourites, and perhaps eating the same dishes off a menu. Or cooking the same food, "it's my favourite", we say. Perhaps it's only me, this getting stuck into habits, but I don't think so. I think we all fall into habits, either through choice, perhaps through lack of choice, or is it lack of imagination. The silly thing is, I really pride myself on being a more adventurous type, of enjoying trying new things, be it food places, or adventures. So what's going 

              I could end up somewhere different, like this swish cafe, nowhere near Sandwich.

           The thing is, today I made more of an effort to break the mould. Mainly becasue it had only them occurred to me, I might be in a rut. It was cold, bitterly cold, I found myself more than tired of the fact that spring had regressed back into winter. I was already so happy that we had avoided a harsh winter, like the one before. Particularly, after last year, which we shivered through, suffering the coldest, longest winter in many years.  I found it hard, really hard to get through it, my health suffered, and my equilibrium even more. I was virtually house bound, for months. This year I knew it had to be different, I could not just let my health deteriorate further.

           Lately though, the weather has been picking up, daffodils dancing, soft green buds on the trees, all showing promise, that warmth is, at last in the ground.  'Its finished', I thought, 'the dread of harsh weather'. I can relax, enjoy the onset of Spring, and, I was sure, a hot Summer to follow. Boy, did we all deserve it, especially myself. Who, not only had the hardest Winter, but also missed the (very hot summer, thank you) by having to travel to be with my Mother, ill on the other side of the World. I was not happy, on so many levels. Still everything came right, my Mother's health, an easy winter this year, but now....this! This return of the cold, and winter weather. Just when I thought I had seen the last of it.

            Today, on impulse, trying to do something different because of all the above, I turned the car in the opposite direction to the usual. Away from my favourite place of Broadstairs, and towards the further destination of Sandwich. Now, Sandwich has an excellent fish & chip shop, ' Papas', with the freshest fish ever! Also, a great French delicatessen, called 'No Name', after the street in which it stands, and a couple of quite ordinary pubs...I thought. The lovely hotel, 'The Bell', near the river, and swing bridge, is too expensive for a snack today, I thought. Although, I just love the place. One day, I vow, I am going to have a great weekend, or longer there, enjoying everything it has to offer, including being spoilt, and pampered by old fashioned service. Already, over the last few years, I have had some nice lunches in the restaurant, with family, as treats. Always good food, served traditionally,with crisp white tablecloths, subdued conversation, and attentive waiters.

                          The Bell Hotel, Sandwich. A grand old lady.

        Although today, It is more expensive than we want to spend, and I want to relax. I love the foyer of the hotel too, we could sit there, with its sumptuous seating arrangement of couches, and plump chairs, around a large open fire, yet it is out of favour for many months. The fire is probably old news too. Or, more honestly, we are all just too hard up at present for buying real lunches. Better to keep it simple I decide. At least, we are out of the house.

          So, why am I heading to that particular town today? When I have no idea where to go for the best. The third member of our party wants to eat fish & chips, but that's a big meal, and the dining room is not the most comfortable in the world, nor the cheapest. I always seem to be on a strict budget lately, as are the other people with me. A direct result of the enconomy, with fast rising prices, and incomes staying the same. It is impossible to have any kind of social life!  Except for the very cheapest of reasons, to leave the house. I have to get out, with space inside so restricted, and no outside space at all, the only alternative is to get out altogether, away from the house. It gives a pattern to the day,  staves off boredom, or depression for a while. 

                           Papa's wonderful fish & chips..Hadock for me.

             I resisted dropping in for fish, after all there must be places so far, untried. Again on impulse, we spotted the two closest establishments to the Bell as we came over the bridge into town, the pub, 'The Crispin', a wonderful old original 'Medieval building. This originally, I discovered later, used as a meeting house for leather workers, who have 'st Crispin' as their patron saint. Along with the little restaurant by the river, next to it, a little riverside cafe. For unknown reasons I don't have good memories of either. Reluctantly, perished with the cold on the short walk from the parked car, dived into the nearest of the two places. St Crispin. Intent on keeping right on going if it did not look appealing. Ridiculously, the lover of fish& chips spotted the specials board outside, full of West Indian, or. Jamaican food. Curried Goat, jerk chicken and the like, unbelievable really. Of course he went into raptures over the idea he could get typically London style food down here, in this quaint little Medieval town.

       St Crispins pub, closest, painted yellow, and white.

           It was a lovely little pub inside with dried hops hanging from the beams. Plenty of couches about, and bar seats, but the waitress took us through to hard chairs, and the dining area. Empty on a Monday. We snacked, the bread was fresh, and fillings generous. We didn't stop long, not liking the chairs, we should have insisted on a move. No one could be bothered by then, as she was a nice little girl, who thought she was doing right. Deciding to coffee later, elsewhere, comfortably, we left. But just then the hail came down, large lumps, and fast. Bouncing like tiny cannon balls along the pavement before our feet, as we huddled in the doorway. The nice man in the pub found us two abandoned umbrellas, and off we scampered. Completely frozen in double quick time. Five minutes later, we hustled into a new doorway, of the New Inn. Near to No Name deli, discovered they did a much bigger menu, for cheap snacks, vowing to return again another day.

         I tell you, it's a neat trick. Finding the right ambience, the right price, and decent fresh food. It can be done if you take time to explore. I vow now, to explore more often and not stay stuck in a rut. After that, epwe braved the cold again....only to pleased to peach home, and comparative warmth of the tiny living room.

            Oh well, warmer weather is coming soon..... So the weather reports say. I can only hope....