Yesterday, a coach trip to a medieval town, lively, with a coffee museum - my favourite - a lively cafe which served me scrambled egg, four other museums - two interesting, one full of sicklz-painted medieval statues by somebody called Master Paul.

The fourth museum was closed for lunch from 11 to 12. The cathedral church was closed, too. A uberpompous priest padlocked in front of me, recocgnising, no doubt - clever chap - un an Unbeliever. The whole town stank of Catholic Fascism, with some nice people suffering it. Feminists, I will tell you about the cage when I can download the photo.

We also visited one of the largest ruined castles anywhere in Europe. It says here. Brilliant weather. Brilliant to explore.

The coach itself was full of middle aged Slovakians - plus me and a guy from Montreal who spoke very little English and prefered practicing his Slovakian to chatting in his nasal French to me. I - for reasons you may remember - or not, whatever - dont have even a phrase book with me, so the non stop commentary was pretty incomprehensible.

Still, I did gather that there is a grass court tennis tournament going on somehere in the country at the moment, presumablz a preparation for Wimbledon. We all applauded when reminded that a Slovakian woman has just won the French Open.

Also - although ignored by our tour guide - I saw a poster for the visit for a magnificently bearded Maharishi explaining the joys of meditation. And, just by the poster - on the outskirts of the very same town which had smelt so Catholic Churchy - hundreds of local citizesn were surging into the hall where the Marahishi would be speaking over an hour later.

Now I am no practioner of oriental religion, but the sight brought as smile to my face.