Brecon

Lou and I are in a little cottage halfway up the Charles I steps in Brecon. I’ve not been here before for any length of time. I think we came through here one time with Fitzrovia Radio Hour back in the day. But that was a whistle stop. I’m here for a few nights this time and I have no reason to be here other than as a chauffeur to Lou. She’s here on a crash driving course. I picked her up from Victoria at half ten and, dear reader, I got absolutely bollixed last night with Siwan. Lou found me mainlining coffee and pastry, still bilious, having woken up just an hour earlier and spent the whole morning looking for my spare keys before giving up, leaving and finding them in my car.

We got as far as Leigh Delamere before I had to stop for coffee. We got as far as Aberystwyth Waitrose before I knew that the only viable hotfix was to go into the disabled loo and perform the Ayahuasca detox shuffle.

We arrived in Brecon and immediately ate a glorious burger from Hills. Grease replacement. Now I’m just out of the bath. I feel nearly human. I’ll be in bed again soon though and then a few peaceful days in the Welsh spring.

Lou will be driving all day tomorrow so I’ll explore this little city, find the points of interest, switch into a different pace for a wee while. Unless something comes up I’m not going back to London until Wednesday. Four hours to get here but it feels peaceful and calm and different.

We are right opposite the cathedral. The doors were wide open when we tracked in from the graveyard and we were both taken with literal awe at that vast breathing building. It’s a good one, feels really alive but old, like some of the churches on Camino. I lit a candle for mum as is my way – she believed in purgatory so I’m doing what I can to speed things up for her. We both just looked at things. History and piety there. Sadly we had missed evensong but we might go to compline one day and hear that huge space lit up by the Welsh voices.

Now I’m gonna take an early bed, recover from my foolishness, and get ready to face a few calm days in a relaxed place. Another little Al and Lou cottage adventure…