Nina's Blog - Saturday 27th September 2025

Saturday 27th September 2025, 11:42

My usual practice when visiting a new place is to search the maps for a café near me limits of the distance I feel like walking and head for it. I often don't get there because I find interesting things along the way. So I set out for the Arch café near the station but now I've walked halfway through the gardens in the centre of Bournemouth I've ended up in the Botanist on the top floor of Bobby's.

Having an ok mocha. No cakes available though and I think they are losing out because of it. Most of the people at nearby tables are of an age with me, just the sort of people who appreciate a slice of cake or scone and all of us are just drinking coffee and not having any food at all.





Now I've got to the bottom of the mocha I've decided that it's below average. The chocolate is thin and gritty. On the saucer were also three sachets of what I at first assumed were sugar. But look at the label
That's a rather deceptive label in my opinion and makes me suspicious of the drink too.

Saturday 27th September 2025, 12:26

I ended up in the Botanist because as I walked into the garden after passing the Obscura café I noticed a set of stalls selling locally made arts and crafts. As I walked along the row of stalls I ended up in a tunnel under the road in which there were more stalls, a DJ with a desk made of the front of a lorry, and an open space filled with more stalls and shops. I had a chat with one of the sellers who noticed me admiring a carved finger and fingernail about 35 cm tall on a rotating display stand. He said he had admired it for some time and when he got the chance he bought it. He went on to say that the reason it is on a rotating stand is that even he had not noticed how finely carved it was on the underside of the the finger tip. We chatted briefly and I expressed surprise that I hadn't noticed this place on previous visits to Bournemouth and he explained that the tunnel and the rooms had only recently been reopened after being disused for many years.





It turns out it's under Bobby's which I presume used to be a department store. Now it has a cosmetics and beauty products shop on the ground floor, some co-working places on the next two and the Botanist on the top

Here's the view from my table at the Botanist

Saturday 27th September 2025, 16:54

Was still feeling slightly peckish as I hadn't really had anything to eat so I've dropped in to the Obscura café because I noticed a sign for cream tea. It's good value at 6.90 GBP. Almost as good as the previous one that cost me over 11 GBP.

This one also came with butter in addition to clotted cream and jam. I'm pretty sure I hadn't encountered that before having a cream tea somewhere in the north of England earlier this year, so I assumed it must be a northern habit.

So, can anyone tell me where the idea came from and when? It's certainly not traditional in Cornwall where my mother's side of my family come from.

Saturday 27th September 2025, 14:49

In the Four Horsemen having a pint of Dorset Draft cider. Quite pleasant for a carbonated cider. But I noticed some bag in box Lilly's behind the bar that the barmaid didn't mention, perhaps I'll ask for them if I come here again.

I wanted some food but apparently they don't serve food until 15:00 so I'm having a packet of chilli crisps instead.
WiFi poor here pictures later.

Saturday 27th September 2025, 12:03

Today's outfit, part of it at least. Is a sort of camouflage print long sleeved top, yesterday's tartan skirt, opaque black tights because I'm feeling a little cold, and Primark flats because walking without them would shred the tights. :-)

Saturday 27th September 2025, 16:48

After my pint at the Four Horsemen I strolled down to the Lower Gardens just in time to see the Giant Wheel starting it's second performance.

Saturday 27th September 2025, 16:40

After the Botanist I went out into the Square and encountered the Autin Dance Theatre company performing their Giant Wheel parade.

Saturday 27th September 2025, 12:17

Seen on the way to the Botanist.

Under the Town Bypass

Saturday 27th September 2025, 20:10

Seen at the Botanist