August 14 - Bristol to Calgary

Rain, rain, rain

Well, this is the last blog post for this vacation. We did very little today apart from packing and having lunch at the hotel. Bristol is about 150k, so we have a car transfer booked for 5 hours before the flight is scheduled to leave. The driver is about 455 minutes late, which doesn’t make me too comfortable, but we get here with plenty of time – not loads, but plenty. I was a little anxious during the car ride – but it all worked out. I even had time for one more in-airport-shower.

August 12 – Bristol, UK

 Sunny, warm, 23 degrees

Our day revolves around a visit to the Clifton Suspension Bridge. This is a bridge 90 meters above the Avon River Gorge. The walk here isn’t far about 2k, but it’s all uphill. It’s a cool walk through the university area of Bristol. The actual walk across the bridge isn’t anything spectacular, but the views are.

On the way back we find ourselves in a derelict graveyard that I think is quite spectacular. It’s overrun with foliage, so much so that some of the graves are hard to see.

Well Hung Man

To quench our thirst we stop at the Botanist – less of a pub and more of a cool outdoor and indoor space for a drink. We only have a pint as we know Jamie Oliver’s “Jamie’s Italian Kitchen” is around the corner. After the Botanist we ducked into Jamie’s for another drink and a snack.

Along the way we stumble upon Bristol's 'Well Hung Man'. Bristol is known for it's street art - especially this mural by graffiti artist Banksy.

Soon we are back at the hotel for a quick nap before dinner.

More chips were found today.

the Botanist

Clifton Suspension Bridge

August 11, Bristol and Bath, UK

Overcast, then sunny…18 degrees

Bristol Cider Shop

We spent most of the day in Bath. Initially we considered renting bike and cycling there, but were told it is just a bit too far – it is about 25k. We decided to take the train rather than the bus for the charm of the train and apparently the train is faster.

The main attraction is the Roman Baths. These are similar to baths in other excavated ruins we have seen before, the main difference being the infrastructure built around them for tourism. Here there is an audio guide, descriptive plaques and some added elements for affect.

Visiting the baths takes about 90 minutes after which it is lunch time. We try our hardest to find a pub.

hotel's bistro

Next we wander to Bath’s Circus - a circular (only half circle) of townhouses. Then to the river-side park and back to the train. I think I’m glad we opted for the train. It’s not crowded, takes no time (about 9 minutes versus the bus that was supposed to take 45) , and has wifi (although so does the bus.)

On the way back to the hotel we stop at a grocery store for a bottle of wine (no new chip flavours here) and then a pint.

There is a shop near our hotel called the Bristol Cider Shop. I thought there would be more to this place, but there’s not much to it.

Roman bath

Tonight’s dinner is in the hotel’s bistro.

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Bath Circus

August 10 – Bristol, UK

Woke up to tons of rain, rain fall warning on news, dried up and sunny later, 22 degrees

Today was the day for the hop-on-hop-off touring bus. It takes about 75 minutes to see and hear about all of the sights. There were only 3 of us on the bus, so the guide was pretty interactive. Of course we drove by and heard about Bristol’s major sights. We could get off anywhere we wanted to, but decided to hear about all of them first and then decide where we might go back to as we have a 2 day pass for the bus. About half way through the tour it started to pour rain. We were on the uncovered upper deck, so just got a bit soaked before we caved and went downstairs.

Clifton Suspension Bridge

River Avon - huge gorge

By the time the tour was over we were thirsty and hungry. We decided on what turned out to be a bit more of an upscale pub. I had a new cider that I sadly can’t remember the name of – my favourite one yet – very sparkling and dry.

One of Bristol’s famous sights is the SS Great Britain. This is a passenger steamship in use from 1845 to 1933. This ship was used to bring emigrants from Great Britain to North America and Australia – that’s my recollection of the story at least. Apparently it took 14 days to cross to North American which I find very fast. This ship was has been restored and it now a museum. It was quite interesting to see the accommodations and the hugeness of the ship.

The River Avon meanders through Bristol having carved a deep gorge.

Another one of Bristol’s important sights we see is the Clifton Suspension Bridge – depending on the tide and how high the river is, can be 90 metres above the water.

Somehow we were once again thirsty and found pub with outdoor space that was quite nice. Again I found another cider I liked, but not as much as the last one. At least this time I took at picture of it - Aspall.

Next was some grocery shopping (more chips or should I say ‘crisps’?) and dinner of pizza.

August 9 - Bristol, UK

Overcast, but warm…23 degrees, rain later in the day.

dinner

No alarm today was glorious – when is no alarm not glorious? By the time we got moving it was noon. Today being Sunday and also during Bristol’s hot-air balloon festival is busy around the old town. Out hotel is in the old part of the city so it is a short walk to the water – Bristol Harbour. The Harbour doesn’t seem to be a harbour in a functional sense, but is a tourist zone, with restaurants, bars, a market and other very touristy amenities.

lunch on the water

After a bit of a walk around we decide on a pub lunch. I had lamb skewers and Chris had lasagne – neither were great unfortunately, fine just not great. What is great is that all pubs have cider and not just Strongbow. I’ve had Thatcher’s Cider and Blackthorn. There is a Strongbow Dark Fruit that I’m interested in, but I suspect it’ll be on the sweat side.

Somehow our after-lunch stroll ends us up at another pub with a soccer match on. It’s a bit of dude central, with a few families thrown in. It’s still odd to see little kids at pubs.

not fake tasting enough

In the evening we tried for dinner in a pub, but of course no pubs seem to serve food in the evenings. At least this is what we found out last night and again tonight. We weren’t exactly up for a fancier Italian meal, but that’s what we found. 

Our quest for foreign chip flavour continues. Today it is roasted chicken and thyme. I think these are my least favourite so far. They are very authentically flavoured, which is somehow just a bit weird. Of course they aren’t so weird that we don’t eat them!

We have officially gone from the smallest (at least one of the smallest) to the largest showers we’ve ever been in. There are 2 entrances to it on either side. It was hard to take a shot of, but is behind this giant tub – note the 2 doors to the loo…that is a first also!

HUGE shower

August 8 - Bordeaux to Bristol, UK

I don't really get towel art

Pascal - he fed us for the past week

Rain and cool in Bordeaux, clear, sunny and 21 degrees when we arrive in Bristol.

Regret is not how I feel getting off of the boat today - no end of vacation sadness I often feel when heading home from Mexico or some other shorter vacation. I’m not happy to be leaving, but I’m ready for the next leg of this journey. Although it’s been a great 7 days on the boat it’s also been very busy - I’m ready to hang out in a pub for a while.

small but efficient

Our plan was to spend the morning before our flight with perhaps a stroll in town or sitting on the boat’s sun deck, but there is NO sun this morning. We hung out in the boat’s lounge instead. The weather forecast seems like it’ll be better in England than it is here today at least. I’m hoping Chris will soften a bit more to the idea of spending more time in the UK…I don’t love the rain, but like the cool gloominess and accompanying lushness compared to blazing hotness.

good sized bed - called it a double, but it is K sized

I realized when doing using the en-suite laundry facilities (the sink) last night that I could get by with 2 outfits. As long as the fabric is thin enough things dry overnight. I don’t get sick of clothes and would be happy having less to deal with. I also feel a sense of satisfaction when all of my clothes are clean. Chris figures he couldn’t possibly be seen with someone who only has 2 changes of clothes being the fashion plate that he is!!

I tried to get some boat shots to remember where we’d spent a week of our lives.

Getting to Bristol was an adventure in itself. We flew with Easyjet, one of the UK's discount airlines. The check-in, security and bag drop off was in what seemed like an old hanger. It worked, but was interesting. Although to us there seem to be little rhyme not reason, it all works and soon we were in the air. 

"say cheese!"

Getting to the hotel was entirely more difficult. There is a hot-aiir baloon festival in town coupled with the fact that there is only one taxi company that either is allowed to go to the airport or who chooses to go to the airport it too us forever. In fact, it took us longer to get a taxi and get to the hotel than it did to fly from Bordeaux to Bristol.

Anyway...we are here and settled in. 

biggest TV we've ever had on a boat

at least we can have a beer on the curb while waiting foe a taxi

August 7 - Arcachon

Cloudy in the morning, likely around 28 degrees for a high.

About a 90 minute drive gets us to a bay off of the Atlantic Ocean called Arcachon Bay. Here we take a boat ride to learn about oyster farming and taste some right out of the ocean.

These oysters are tastier than any I have ever eaten. I’m not an expert, but I’ve eaten a few and these are not remotely close to the same. The texture is similar, but they are much sweeter. I’ve never seen a group of

squid

lemon tart

people descend on food quite in the same way as those on this tour with us did. Chris and I ate one each in the time it took others to plow through at least 5! Later when they heard we didn’t get a second, they told us we should have been more aggressive…right…we were supposed to throw elbows at all the old people around us! Although I’ve always liked o

ysters I’ve never really gotten what all the fuss was about them…now I know. I think we’ll have to start ordering oysters a bit more often at home…although not being fresh out of the sea I suspect they won’t be as tasty.

 

We saw how small the oysters still are after a year which was pretty interesting. Apparently the ones people eat are about 3 years old.

Next are sail around the bay before heading for lunch. This bay is lined with pretty huge ‘villas’ that are perched above the water. Each has stairs that zig-zag back and forth down to the bay.

Lunch is in town of Arcachon. This town is bustling with tourists. Passenger ferries come in constantly.Lunch is grilled squid, cod and a lemon meringue tart – accompanied of course by wine. The squid was some of best I’ve eaten…tender, sweet and grilled so that some parts are crispy.

Today is our last day on the boat. The last week has flown by. I’m not sad to be off to England tomorrow for a vacation at a slower pace. Our flight tomorrow isn’t until 4:30, so we can t

ake the morning at a relaxed pace. We have to be out of our room on the boat by 9:00, but we can stay on board as long as we want. We have a taxi ordered for 1:30, so we plan on having breakfast at 9:00, stroll around town, lunch on board and off to the airport.

Oh and about the sardines…I liked them, but that’s about it – just like any flaky, white fish.

Another thing...it seems as though there was a mal-function at the junction with a post from July when we were in Paris. Evidently I wrote but didn't actually post.

July 27 - Paris

Pompidou

Pompidou

Cool and partly cloudy, great for touring, no rain.

Matisse

Matisse

Visiting the Pompidou Centre was our number 1 task for the day. It is quite a distance from our hotel so we take the Metro. We decide to get a museum pass, so pick up a couple of those first. The museum pass is a 2 day (there are more day ones avail) pass that allows unlimited entry to many museums and monuments. It also allows you to skip the queue. Today being Monday has most of the museums closed, but we only really have today and tomorrow to hit museums, so we decide we can make it worth our while even if we start today when most places are closed. Plus, the Pompidou is pretty much #1 on my hit list for Paris, so today is a good day for that.

The Pompidou is a museum in Paris dedicated to modern art – art from 1920 until now. The building itself is something to see. It’s described as a building ‘inside-out’. The escalator and heating and cooling mechanics are all on the outside of it. There is no queue to skip, which means inside isn’t too crowded. Our visit takes about 2 hours.

Taking the Metro always gives me a sense of accomplishment and of ‘hanging with the locals’. A Metro ticket was €1.80 – about $3.00.

After the museum we wander around the Marais area a bit and have lunch. A chicken, tomato, avocado, mango and papaya salad. I’m reminded that I DO NOT like papaya. Chris has roast chicken with rice. Of course this is washed down with a bottle of wine and an espresso. We notice after sitting for a while that we are in what seems like ‘little-Africa’. We’ve noticed that the areas of Paris we’ve travelled doesn’t have many visible minorities until now.

We make an effort to get to another museum at the end of the day, but this one doesn’t let the museum pass holders jump the queue and the line is LONG – we skip it and go for a pint. I find a new Irish cider I haven’t tried before that is quite tasty.

Dinner today of meat, cheese, bread and wine is provided courtesy of a visit to the grocery store conveniently

located in the basement of the shopping mall across from our hotel. While it seems pricy at first – I think I’d pay more for the same at home and we certainly wouldn’t get wine from a piggly-wiggly.