Meeting with the Mines Consultant

Hospitality here is excellent.  I was met yesterday by one of Harik's senior mines consultants, Bhraz.  He's a very pleasant chap, organizing lunch and updating me on many of the goings on around here before we head off to the new site tomorrow.

He introduced me to one of Porzakk's specialities – a splendid line in roasted badger.  This is a dish that is more easy to find out here where it's closer to the surface, but Porzakk's mushroom and cheese sauce goes especially well.  Whenever we've had Badger back in Enzknn they've always been tough old animals, which is not surprising when they travel so far, but this meat was light and delicate.  Washed down with Porzakk's dark beer, it's even more special.  It seems they've only just started doing this line of food – I've been to Porzakk's a few times in the past, but I've not had this.  In my travels I'm always been keen to try out the local dishes as I made my way around the delves, but I don't get much closer to the surface than I am now very often, and so I'd normally avoid badger.

Bhraz was telling me that the new dig is well under way, that the entrance chambers are open and that, as I'm here, I could give them the once-over and issue their safety stamp.  I might do that, we're going right into that new works anyway to look at this potential new seam.  It's quite unusual that I'm involved with a site at this stage of its construction, most of the work force have usually moved on by the time I get to see it.  I'm quite looking forward to the change of scenery.  The new tunnel is off to the east of a smaller settlement called Raskna, and that name seems to be used for the new tunnel area too.  I think it's only a few hours walk from here.