1-day trip: Weston-super-Mare

Weston-super-Mare is a seaside town located on the Bristol Channel coast, 18 miles south west of Bristol. First group buses cover the route between Bristol and Weston-super-Mare for £6.50 return ticket. Bear in mind that week and month ticket holders will be able to travel for free during the weekend.

It takes around one hour to get to town and the bus stops in front of the Wheel of Weston. From there, we could already see some people relaxing in the sand, kids playing in the colorful swings in the beach while braver ones were bathing in the cold sea... and some donkeys and horses as well! Apparently, donkeys have been open for ride 7 days a week from Easter to October in Weston-super-Mare since 1886. 

Opposite to the yellow sand and blue sea I expected to find in Weston-super-Mare, the sand was very muddy and quite dangerous according to the signs ("Beware soft sand and mud, it is dangerous to approach the water at low tide"), and the sea, it was anything but blue! As you can appreciate in the picture on the left, the water has a brownish colour.

The Grand Pier is probably the most famous attraction of Weston-super-Mare. It is privately owned and was opened in 1904 as a theatre for music, opera and ballet performances. A fire destroyed the theatre at the pier in 1930 and next owners opened a new pavilion for undercover funfair, shops and amusement arcade to convert it into what it is now. It reminded me to the one in Brighton, in smaller scale.

Streets around are full of amusement arcade and casino as well. Between casinos and fish-and-chip restaurants, we spotted the 'Silica', a piece of art, an advertising sign, a retail kiosk selling newspapers and hot food, as well as a bus shelter. Although it is meant to symbolise man's harmony with the sea, it has been criticised by local residents who liken it to a carrot or a spaceship.

We followed the promenade towards the Marine Lake and walked around it through the causeway. Birnbeck Pier, which is a little bit further, is probably the most mysterious thing you can find in Weston-super-Mare. There is no explanation around to explain why the pier is in such conditions nowadays. It was the only pier in the country which links the mainland to an island, linking Weston-super-Mare to Birnbeck Island, a 1.2 hectares of rocky island. The pier was designed by Eugenius Birch and opened in 1867. Between 19th and 20th centuries, it was popular both with locals and tourists to the town. As a boarding point for steamers plying their trade in Bristol Channel, it underwent various extensions and modifications over the years. However, the pier has been closed to the public since 1994 and it is impossible to access as the decking is badly decayed now.

On the way back and before heading back home, we stopped at the Cove Bar and Restaurant to have a £2.4 coffee (which was very good, by the way. Very special taste!) at the deck, where  we could enjoy the nice views of the bay as well as the sunny weather.

INTERESTING LINKS

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Weston-super-Mare: http://www.weston-super-mare.com/

The Cove Bar and Restaurant:
http://www.the-cove.co.uk/

Caribbean Cuisine @ Turtle Bay

The other day I had lunch at Turtle Bay, in Broad Quay. The restaurant group was founded by Bristol-based Ajith Jayawickrema in 2011 and has other restaurants in Milton Keynes, Nottingham and Southampton. This has been my first experience with caribbean food. 

Although it was Friday lunch time, the place was not busy. Some curious people approached and checked the menu, but did not make up their mind. Customers inside on the other hand, it was obvious that it was their first time in the restaurant; they were checking the decoration, taking too long with the menu...

When I went into the restaurant, waitresses were very attentive and nice. They told me I had to take a seat first and then go to the bar to order the food. As I love duck, I chose Duck Rolls as a starter and the main course 'Pulled Jerk Pork Bun'. (Check the menu here) 

They asked me whether I wanted to pay at that moment or after having lunch. I chose the second option. To my surprise, they asked my credit card anyway and store it in a plastic case whose key was given to me. Confusing. Maybe they had loads of customers that ran away after having lunch and before paying the bill, I don't know. The fact is that my credit card was not in my wallet anymore.

I sat outside as the weather was good. I didn't have to wait much before rolls arrived. Rolls were very tasty, although not many in my opinion, for the price I paid (almost 4.95). There was a very nice and tasty orange chutney to dip rolls in. The main dish arrived right after finishing the starter, which was basically a burger. Nothing special, really. In my opinion, 6 pounds for a simple pork burger was excessive.

I have heard very good comments about the restaurant and perhaps I didn't choose the right dishes, but this first experience with the Caribbean food has been far from what I expected.

Turtle Bay website: http://www.turtlebay.co.uk/

Spotted Cola Cao in Town

Nesquik VS Cola Cao: eternal battle. Ever since I was a child, I considered myself member of Cola Cao team. When you are a kid back home, depending on which one of them you had for breakfast along with the milk and cereal, then either you belonged to Cola Cao team or to Nesquik team. It was as simple as that.


It is not easy to find Cola Cao here in the UK. I know they sell it in the big Tesco in Eastville, in the International Food section, but it is not easily accessible for people like me who don't own a car. To my surprise, I  have recently discovered another place in town where you can find it, closer than big Tesco: El Colmado,  the 10-days-old Spanish Deli located in 57 Gloucester Road. 

They have my beloved Cola Cao, but also Paladín for more traditional chocaholics. Both are energy chocolate drinks with vitamins and minerals originated in Spain. Paladín, however, is a thicker drink, particularly suitable for dunking churros. To complete the breakfast, you could also get Galletas Maria, a traditional spanish sweet biscuit similar to Rich tea biscuit.

Paella ingredients such as rice and colorants are nicely located in wooden shelves in a beautifully decorated shop. At the very end, they have a good number of paella pans (paellera) and pottery plates. If you feel lazy to cook, you could opt for tins of prepared lentils, white beans (Fabada Asturiana), spanish style meatballs, Ortiz tuna, olives, three types of gazpacho, cheese... and much more!  
A very good variety of spanish origin food brought right into the centre of Bristol.  

One of the owners assured the business is going very well so far, with a very big smile in his face. They opened the delicatessen on 13th June. I sincerely hope all the best for the business and I encourage you all to go have a look!

PS: I borrowed the pictures from your Facebook page. I hope you don't mind! ;)
El Colmado on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elcolmadospanishfood

The Big Market: Highlights

The Big Market located in Corn Street and surrounding roads gathered all type of organic food and crafts. I would like to highlight a couple of interesting stalls starting with the smelly organic body oils two women from Opulentia Organics were selling. You can see their business card and you might be able to appreciate the softness of my hand after applying Ylang Ylang and Lime oil in the second picture. 

I felt in love with another stall as well. The Metal Press was selling original jewelery inspired in the life under the sea. All earrings and necklaces had the shape of different molluscs and crustaceans. Check the thirds picture out and you will see!

In another stall in Wine street there was a guy selling very different style of necklaces. He happened to be the Californian/Mexican guy who I happened to meet in a National Express coach a couple of days ago. It's a small world!

For chilli lovers, Wiltshire Chilli Farm was selling spicy products: chilli plants, oils, sauces and spices. At the end of Corn Street, Shiatsu professionals inside a tent were providing 20-min-long  Shiatsu sessions for £10, if I am not wrong. Riverford organic farms was advertising their organic veg and fruit boxes starting from £6.95 as well as White Lake Cheese brought a good selection of goat cheese for the Big Market. Very good cheese! (I tasted some of them). Severn Cider had also its own corner in front of the Walkabout.

My morning ended with a very tasty lamb bun with salsa verde and salad. The lamb was very tender and the salsa verde gave a special touch. I have to give a big congratulation to the three boys who prepared it!

LINKS
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The Metal Press: www.metalpress.co.uk 
Opulentia Organics: www.opulentiaorganics.co.uk 
Riverford Organic Farms: www.riverford.co.uk 
The Wiltshire Chilli Farm: www.wiltshirechillies.co.uk

Countdown to St Pauls Carnival: 14 days!

Early in the month, the artwork covered the wall on the Blue Mountain Nightclub, in Stokes Croft, as a reminder of the upcoming event. St Paul's Carnival will make its long-awaited return next July and the date is getting closer and closer. 

The event was cancelled last year as the City Council and the Police decided 'they couldn't ensure the safety of revellers due to increasing cost in health and safety'. The traditional event started in 1968 will be back next 6th July and the St. Pauls African Caribbean society has promised to deliver a memorable event this year.

Some important roads will be fully closed to the traffic; purple shaded roads will be closed from 05:00 on Saturday 6th July to 07:00 Sunday 7th July, and yellow shaded roads only for the parade, 11am-2pm on Saturday. Organizers advise neighbours to make the proper arrangements for any vehicles to be removed during that time. 

Click on the image to make it bigger.

What's on?

29th June, St Pauls Adventure Playground will host Bristol's Got Talent. You will just need to turn up to take part. There will be 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes. The event is free. (12-6pm)

A week-long exhibition in Kuumba (BS28) will show the history of the Carnival from 1st-5th July between 11am-7pm. It is a free event to watch the film 'Carnival Vibes 2001'.

St Pauls Afrikan Caribbean Carnival will be happening the 6th July between 11am-2am in the heart of St Pauls. You can check the programme HERE. The party will not finish at 2am, though. There are some official venues across Bristol for the afterparty.

How can I help?

If you want to put your two cents in to the event, there are many ways to do it: volunteering or working for the carnival. Complete and submit the forms they have on their website indicating how you want to get involved.

Organizers are encouraging people to make a donation to keep the carnival going by text service. Text CARN45 followed by the amount you want to donate (including  £ sign) to 70070.

Visit the official website for further information.

A Midsummer's Night Dream

Saint John's Eve (which is called San Juan or Donibane where I come from) coincides with the June solstice. I used to celebrate the longest day of the year along with my parents and neighbours back in the Basque Country. Kids from the neighbourhood used to meet up and spend all afternoon gathering things to burn in the bonfire. At night, each family had to bring something to the table and we used to have a dinner altogether before lighting the bonfire. After dinner, it happened what we all have been looking forward to: jumping over the fire! 

It was a happy day; all of us knew that school year was over and we had 2 months of holidays ahead of us.

I am not aware of any special St. John's Eve celebration here in Bristol. Nonetheless, there will be some activities related to the summer solstice happening in the following days:

The Looking Glass (BS1 2AW) is hosting an exhibition starting from tomorrow 21st June titled 'Sweet Summer Solstice'. There will be a launch party tomorrow from 9pm to 2am and they say they will be serving "Crocktails and Sweet Toof Punch". If you go there tomorrow, short films will be projected and there will also be some art performances. 

On Saturday, Bristol's Green Week will be promoting solar and renewable energies in Collage Green, where the Bristol Solar City solar-powered pavilion will be located. 

MORE INFORMATION

-----------------------------

The Looking Glass Website

Bristol's Green Week Website

Green Day

Bristol's biggest market day is here. Next 22nd June, 200 stalls will invade Corn street and surrounding streets. Anything will be selling there: food directly from producers, local artisan products, crafts, vintage and ethical stuff,... The open air event has it all.


The BIG market will start at 11am and it is part of the BIG Green Week. During the week, there will also be numerous activities related to art, music, family events, walks and tours, talks and debates, comedy and many more. I suggest you visit the website to check the programme. 

Follow the BIG Green Week on Facebook for latest news and updates or in the official website. 

Bike VS Bus

I was sitting in the bus when I heard someone shouting from outside: an old man. He was riding his bike home and was almost knocked down by the bus. When the bus reached a bus stop, the man approached the bus driver and started cursing. Even though this time it was nothing more than a scare, cyclists are not that lucky all the time.

Bristol, also called Britain's First Cycling City, received £11m pounds from the Department for Transport to transform the city: new on-road cycle lanes, traffic-free routes, new cycle parking spaces and other projects to encourage thousands of people to use bikes. However, every effort is in vain if the City Council does not make sure other drivers are aware of cyclists.

Gloucester Road. for example, is a very busy road, especially during rush hour. Buses, taxis, cars and bikes fight for space in a two-way street. Bus lanes and cycle paths usually merge and intertwine at different points of the road. Usually, bus drivers do not check the road when they turn, and bikes crush into the bus.

I know that cyclist not always follow road rules. They don't always stop at traffic lights and pedestrian crossings. They don't always wear a helmet or light-coloured clothing. However, car and bus drivers don't drive properly either. They should expect cyclists in any unexpected place, check mirrors and blind spots very often, and shouldn't drive aggresively around cyclists. As important as investing in infrastructure, Bristol City Council should also educate Bristolian drivers in cycling awareness to learn how to drive safely around cyclists. 

A must-read: 'Advice for drivers and cyclists'

Bristol City Council 'Cycling' website.

Guess Who?!

Man. 54 years old. Born in Oxford, 11th June 1959. The youngest of four children. Scottish descend parents. His father was a doctor. Do you know who I am talking about? Not yet? What if I say he pretended to be a doctor for 8 years? 

Yes, I am talking about Hugh Laurie. The famous Dr. Gregory House. He may be in Bristol at the moment. Or he might arrive tomorrow, who knows. What is certain is that he will be in Colston Hall tomorrow (13th June) at 7.30pm. The highest-paid TV actor in America will be in Bristol supported by musicians the Copper Bottom Band. 

The second album, Didn't It Rain, was released in the UK on 6th May 2013. He branches into the Southern US and South American genres including Jazz, R&B and Tango. 

There are still some available. They are a little bit expensive (£32.50-£35) but I am sure the show is worth every penny. 

Second star to the right

The most misterious meteor shower in history might have returned this morning. Known as Gamma Delphinids, the meteor shower had only happened once before on 11th June 1930, and yesterday nobody knew for sure if it would happen or not. They were predicted to peak at 9:28 BST.

This phenomenon is called "mystical" as it was recorded for the first time more than 80 years ago and had never been observed ever since.  Projections show that the shower peaks early morning which approximately corresponds with the time when Delphinus is highest in the sky. According to scientists, the probability to observe the meteor shower in 2013 and 2027 is the highest. Unluckily, with the sursunrise at 4.54 BST and the amount of clouds today in the sky, it would have been impossible to visualize the shower in the UK at the predicted peak time (9:28 BST) anyway.

In August, however, there is a good meteor shower to watch: The Perseid Meteor. The Perseids are so-called because the point from which they appear to come lies in the constellation Perseus. The shower is visible from mid-July each year, with the peak in activity 12th August. 

NASA and Bristol Astronomy Society suggest to put some warm clothes on, allow  20-30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the dark and lie on your back looking at the sky after midnight in a place away from lights with a good Southern horizon. 

The Bristol Astronomy Society has an observatory near Bristol which is open on clear Saturday nights. Located in outside the city, the observatory is equipped with telescopes that we could use to look through. They publish a message on the front page of their website if the observatory is opened or not. Contact them to know the exact location of the observatory.

INTERESTING LINKS

-----------------------------------------

• Bristol Astronomy Society: www.bristolastrosoc.org.uk
• Article 'Expected return of gamma delphinid meteor shower': http://thewatchers.adorraeli.com/2013/06/07/expected-return-of-the-gamma-delphinid-meteor-shower-on-june-11-2013
• Article 'Rarely seen gamma delphinids meteor'; http://space.brevardtimes.com/2013/06/rarely-seen-gamma-delphinids-meteor.html

Chocolate!

As Joanne Harris' novel Chocolat whets you appetite, the exhibition currently in the MShed does the same. Tastiest exhibition called Chocolate! has been extended until 23rd June due to popular demand. The exhibition unwrappes secrets and stories of chocolate makers who lived in the city over the past 300 years, exploring the history, mystery, magic and science of the product.

But... why do we like chocolate that much? There are actual studies to back up some of the physical effects you can experience while eating chocolate. The stimulation your body gets provides a pleasant feeling to your taste buds, making you always come back for more. In the exhibition, you will also find out why chocolate tastes so good.

According to some sources, as chocolate comes from plants, it contains many of the health benefits of dark vegetables, acting like antioxidants, protecting our body from free radicals, which can lead to heart diseases. However, chocolate does contain fats and sugars, which are not healthy, but as long as you eat in moderation, the science suggests you can add as much as a year to your life.

See the leaflet of the exhibition HERE.

MORE INFORMATION
-------------------------------

Articles:

• Why do we like to eat chocolate? - Article - Here
• Five reasons why we love chocolate - Article -  Here

Other links:

• MShed Chololate! Exhibition Here
• Joanne Harris' Chocolat Here

Uthanda ukudansa nami? (Would you like to dance with me?)

My friend and I had the pleasure of witnessing a spectacular voice performance at The Canteen on Sunday afternoon. Teachers from Project Zulu performed some South African folk music and dance while everybody was enjoying the sun at the terrace. Dressed in colourful outfits, they sang around 8 songs, together with the noises they could make with hands and feet. They were raising money for some solar panels for an African school and people seem to be more than happy to donate a couple of pounds.

The Project Zulu's aim is to bring the choir and dancers from a school in Kwazulu-Natal (South Africa) to the UK for a three week concert tour in Summer 2013 to raise money for the school. They will earn the fund to install solar panels on the school roof by performing here. You can make a donation in their website. They have recently recorded an album which is now available for download. You can listen to some track previous and purchase the album here.

They will be performing in Colston Hall next Thursday, 6th June. This gala concert, shared with some of the region’s finest youth ensembles from Bristol Cathedral Choir School, Clifton College Preparatory School and The University of the West of England, is the finale to their three week UK tour. Tickets are worth £8 (£5 concessions) for an extraordinary ensemble of singing, drumming and dancing children from Sithobelumthetho Primary School in the Madadeni Township, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Website: www.projectzulu.org
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/theprojectzulu

Beyond the pale

I have been living in the UK for more than a year and a half already, and my skin colour started to blend into the environment and turning white.

I have my graduation day coming up next week and I wanted to have a healthy  (no offense, British friends!) skin colour in the pictures. My girl friends and I have been considering all the posibilities: tanning wipes, lotions, spray tanning, sunbeds... My skin gets tan very easily so I personally went for the most "natural" option: sunbeds. I had a very nice tan when I used to go to the beach on holiday and I am aware of the risks of sunbathing, but I thought a couple of sessions will not hurt my body. At least, that's what I thought!

There are not many places with sunbeds in Bristol city centre. As far as I know, there are just two: The Clifton Beauty Company in Clifton and Golden Tanning in Bedminster. Apparently, british women prefer other types of tanning: St. Tropez, one of the leading self-tanning products in the UK, sells three bottles of bronzing mousse a minute around the world and 41% of women in the UK use those products.

It was my first time in vertical sunbeds and I expected some advise from the beautician of how long the session should be. But she didn't even look at my skin. Instead, she laid the responsibility with my "expert" judgment and after a brief (not to say none) explanation about how the sunbed works, left me alone in the cabinet. She did not even offer any type of goggles to cover my eyes, which I have read I should wear. Luckily, I had some of my own.

9 minutes. 9 minutes in Hell. By the 6th minute I was having a stifling sensation. I activated the ventilator, which was not a good idea either, as the air was very hot. When 9 minutes were over, I was feeling sick and dizzy. I got dressed and left the place as fast as I could. The next morning, I had some reminders of the experience in all over my arms and back: skin rashes.

Needless to say, I feel very disappointed. I cannot understand why people behind the counter of a tanning salon does not give accurate information about tanning safety to their new clients. I will never go back.