Wild Storytelling

I just came back from Bristol Festival of Puppetry. Starting from today, 30th August, until 8th September, there is an opportunity to explore different worlds through a puppet's eyes in the Tobacco Factory. The programme includes good quality performances between 10-15 pounds (ask for a student discount!) even though some performances are free. 

The venue: The Tobacco Factory is the last remaining part of the old Wills Tobacco site on Southville, Bristol. It was saved from demolition by the architect and current mayor of the city, George Ferguson, and through his vision has become a model of urban regeneration. It is now a multi-use building which houses Teoh's restaurant, animation and performing art schools, loft-style apartments, a café bar, offices and a theatre.

As I am not an expert of puppetry, I selected one of the performances from the programme: Wild Storytelling with Martin Maudsley. Martin is a professional storyteller based in the South West of England. He tells stories in theatres, festivals, schools, village halls, pubs, tents and outdoors. Basically everywhere! His repertoire of stories consists of fresh re-tellings of traditional tales using poetry, music and songs. BLABLABLA. He will repeat the performances tomorrow and the day after (1st and 2nd September) from 12.30-1.30pm, and it's for free!

LINKS
---------------
Bristol Festival of Puppetry: http://www.puppetplace.org/festival/
Tobbacco Factory: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobacco_Factory
Martin Maudsley: http://martinmaudsley.co.uk/

Something old, something borrowed

"I need to check that store someday...", she must have repeated to herself more than once. She might have passed by the shop in Gloucester Road more than ten times this week, and other ten times last week. But she never had enough time to stop by.

Eventually, she did. Today, there she was, gazing at the old vinyl record player inside the Reclaimers. She was listening to a song from the 70s, although according to the expression on her face, she couldn't identify which song it was. It was not important, though. What it was important was that every single thing in that shop reminded her of a story.

As soon as she entered to the shop, the strong varnish smell teleported her to the deepest memories. When dad used to varnish doors and shutters when sun beams have worn them down, or when mom was feeling inspired to take the paintbrush. Varnish brings a lot of memories to her, as well as the old typewriter, those wooden armchairs, the smell of the vintage furniture, the milk cart, the fireplace...

She wanted to take everything home, all the memories, and decorate it in a similar way to the place she was raised. 

She knew it was impossible, anything would fit in the flat she was now living in. But it might fit in yours!

The Reclaimers Reclamation is open Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm in 347A Gloucester Road, BS7 8TG.

TEDxBristol

"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly" 

Robert F. Kennedy

Under the topic "Failure", Colston Hall will held the most amazing, inspiring and unique talks on Monday, 11th November 2013. Eight-hour annual conference where world-leading thinkers, speakers and doers talk for 18 minutes each.

Tickets are already available, which are £25 for adults (£10 for students) but they are giving away earlybird discounts if you sign up for the newsletter and you could get the ticket for just £15.

There are four speakers officially confirmed at the moment:

SOPHIE MATHER - Sophie is passionate about sustainable textiles and clothing, failures in the current processes and the groundbreaking impact changes the industry can make. She works to engage and inspire clothing brands, retailers and suppliers through relevant innovation to reduce impacts on key resources such as water, energy, finite raw materials and chemicals, whilst at the same time driving reductions in waste. Read more

LUKE WILLIAMS - Luke will be presenting and running one of his innovative Failure Swapshops at TEDxBristol this year, creating a space for delegates to discuss their failures in a safe and supportive way, sharing only the lessons learned with those outside the room. Luke has an unusual work history that includes failing at a couple of start-up side projects, working brieftly for the Government, taking part in a very amateur Loch Ness expedition and spening over a decade presenting on local radio. Read more

PAUL ARCHER - Paul, 26, conceived the "It's on the Meter" expedition: a trip where three friends tried to drive to Sydney in a London Black Cab in February 2011. They didn't stop at Sydney though, returning to London 15 months later having cincumnavigated the world, broken two Guinness World Records. The team battled constand breakdowns, snow, sand, deserts, monsoons, arrests, a double murdering mechanic, deportation from a rogue state and mountains on red tape with a smile of their faces. Read more

DAVID NUTT - David Nutt is currently the Emond J Safra Professor of Neuropsychopharmacology and Head of the Centre of Neuropsychopharmacology in Hammersmith Hospital, Imperial College London. He was dismissed from his Government position as a chariman of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs for repeatedly clashing with ministers over issues of drug harm and classification. David broadcasts widely to the general public both on radio and television including BBC and Channel 4 science and public affairs programmes on therapeutic as well as illicit drugs, their actions, harms and their classification. Read more

The TEDxBristol team is looking for professional photographers who will be responsible for capturing speakers and main stage pictures as well as audience, team and general event moments. If you are a professional photographer interested in joining the TEDxBristol team, get in touch with them. 

REFERENCES: All pictures and descriptions of speakers have been entirely taken from TEDxBristol website.  

Two years in the UK

Time flies, that's a fact. It's been two years already since I first stepped on this country and it is unbelievable how fast it went. 2 years, 24 months, 104 weeks, 730 days. Time goes fast, and we must make the best of it. They say "time and tide wait for no man" (or woman), and that's exactly what I have done: enjoy it as much as possible.

Studying in the UK has provided me an easy way to get to know people from all over the globe. I have met many English, Irish and Scottish (no Welsh! Why?) from whom I have learnt and improved upon my English, but also French, Spanish, Basque, Catalonian, Palestinian, Indian, Latvian, Italian... and probably many more nationalities I cannot think of right now. I have laughed with most of them, cried with some, shared all my secrets with few and kissed just a couple. But loved them all!!

My eating habits have changed too, as I discovered new food here. I have never heard of the rhubarb before, and despite its look, it is surprisingly tasty. I have learnt uncountable amount of English names for berries (blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, cranberry, blackcurrant, redcurrant...) for which I don't have enough equivalent Spanish or Basque translation. Bulgur, quinoa and couscous have become alternative ingredients for my rice recipes, and international food such as houmous and fajitas are now more than familiar. I have also bought a British cooking book which has more recipes than I expected!

I have travelled around the country as if miles were kilometres and distance just an illusion. Five-hour bus travel for a one-day visit. Leeds, Oxford, London, York, Manchester, Cardiff, Dover, Brighton... Just crazy! 
I have spent my birthday in Peak District, with a hell of a weather, on a 14-mile walk with some friends who convinced me it was the best plan for my 25th birth anniversary. Also, I went to Manchester (which is a three-hour drive) right after class to witness the best match I have ever watched, where my team Athletic Club Bilbao beat Manchester United. 

I have become a more active person. I have taken up salsa classes, played in a music band and start up my French again. My interest for running blossomed during these two years, and I have also experimented with climbing. I have been in many concerts and festivals in fancy dresses and have been cider-tasting too. I have hosted couch surfers and participated in English-Spanish language exchanges.

I have felt very English during this time. I have suffered a terrible English summer, but a sunny charming one as well. I have complained about the weather as much as any local English person: when it was too hot, because it was too hot; when it was rainy, because it was rainy. I got excited with the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games and I have tried to predict the name of the Royal Baby when he was born some weeks ago. I got used to having lunch at 12pm, and dinner around 7pm.

Nevertheless, there are some things which will never change. I will never get used to missing my family and friends back home, I will neither wear tight short dresses to go out (as some British girls do), and I will always prefer a glass of kalimotxo rather than a pint of cider/beer.

My TOP 10 House-Hunting Rules

1) Check property websites several times a day. New ads are added normally early in the morning, but also anytime during the day. Do not take into account ads added more than 3 days ago, they are probably arranged already. There is a website I used the most called Zoopla. Most of the agencies use it, so I found it a very useful searching engine when I was house-hunting. Other websites that might be useful too: Gumtree, Primelocation and Rightmove.

2) Arrange viewings on the phone. Although some websites encourage contacting agencies by email, if there is a telephone number, call. Some agencies take a while to reply to emails, and other might not even reply. I found the telephone the most efficient way to arrange viewings. Visiting the agencies physically do not help much. Most of them will tell you to check their websites to see what's on the market.

3) Arrange viewings three days in advance. No more. This is applicable to those who are not in the city yet and would like to arrange viewings in advance. The market, specially in September, is very dynamic. In three days, the flat could be gone. 

4) Leave at least 30 minutes between viewings. You will need time to go from one property to another, or even to take some notes about the property you just visited. It is very common to forget things when you are house-hunting, so I suggest you take notes of the impression you had about the house.

5) Prioritise your priorities. Ask yourself what the property must have and what it should have, for example, number of rooms, furnished/not furnished, washing machine, parking slot, central heating, double-glazzing windows... and check them all during your visit. 

6) Ask for extra furniture. Some landlords have several properties and do not have any objection to move sofas, wardroves and so on from one property to another. If you think you need more chairs, for example, ask for them while you are visiting. 

7) Bills included or excluded? It makes a difference if bills are included in the renting price. Normally, if you are renting a room, bills and council taxes are included. If you are renting the complete property, bills and council taxes are excluded. Make sure you know the council tax band for each property, from A to H, because you will pay depending on the band. Remember, students are exempted from paying council taxex, or a discount will applied in the total bill if there is a tenant in the property who is not a student.

8) Make sure you understand what happens after the minimum contract term. We always worry about the minimum term and very little about what happens after. In some cases, you need a one-month notice if you want to leave the flat after the first 6 months, in other cases, it may be longer. Make sure you understand what happens if one of the tenants wants to leave the house, whether it is your responsibility to find someone to replace the previous tenant or not... 

9) If you are visiting a property which is not empty yet, take the chance to talk to the current tenants. They will give you more information that the agent is not able to provide; experiences, neighbourhood, noise in the area... If you are sharing a house, it is also interesting to get to meet them. First impressions are always important.

10) As soon as you get in love with a property, make the appropriate to close the deal. 

To read the post about my own experience house-hunting, click here.

Let's go house-hunting!

About a year ago, I was a house-hunter. It was September, new fresh arrivals of UWE and Bristol University were also house-hunting at the same time. Anybody who's been in my shoes will agree that house-hunting is an absolute nightmare. Mostly because you never have a stable place to stay while house-hunting and the simple thought of it stresses. But I was lucky. Some friends of friends offered to host me for a couple of nights, without even knowing my name or seeing my face. Totally uninterested help, which I am very grateful for. So, I basically found myself jumping from couch to couch for more than a week during the hunting period.

Not everybody is as lucky as me. Some people are sharp enough to send couchsurfer requests on the Couch Surfing website. And if they are not lucky, they don't have any other option rather than paying for a bed in a hostel until their definitive place is available. Either way, I can assure that it is not a very comfortable to wander around with one huge suitcase and a handbag.

I knew my priorities, I knew how I wanted my flat to be like. First requirement: I wanted a flat very close to the city centre. Previously, I was living in Horfield and I felt like I was not living in Bristol. It was too far away, and life is too calm there. I also needed it to have good public transport connections, one/two bedrooms, furnished (I couldn't afford to furnish it myself), if possible with a washing machine... all of that within my budget!

My prior contract finished in August, and leaving everything I owned in a Yellow Box (Self Storage Company), I took some days off and went back home. I arranged some viewings before I arrived back to the city, through the telephone, paying very expensive (and long) international calls. Nobody rents a flat without seeing you face-to-face and making sure you have a job or a feasible way to pay at least 6 months. Estate agents know that if it is not yourself, someone else will rent that flat. The demand is bigger than the offer in September, it's peak hunting season, and landlords are never worried: their flat will surely have a tenant.

I had 3-4 viewings arranged beforehand and I arranged a couple more when I visited some agencies. I walked the city from one corner to another, from agency to agency. I also contacted some landlords in Gumtree website but I didn't get any reply. The more flats I visited, the less I liked them. My day finished as it started: I still didn't have anywhere to live. 

I might had been too optimistic. I thought six viewings were enough to choose one among them. The first one had more people interested who paid the deposit before I took any decision. In the second one, I didn't like the landlord. Yes, I know I shouldn't jump to conclusions at first sight, but he didn't look very trustworthy to me. In short, I didn't find my future flat. Each flat viewed had a least one inconvenience.

I went to "my couch" and suddenly, I started to cry. I surprised myself. I was not sad nor disappointed, but the anxiety of getting a flat overwhelmed me that day. Instead of closing the subject, I switched on my computer and started searching for flats again. And that's when I found mine.

There is not an optimum way to find a flat. You can be more or less lucky. The most important advice is "Do Not Panic!". Eventually, you will find your flat.

The Telegraph published an article sharing tips for finding the perfect home and National Student Union created a downloadable YES/NO checklist for house-hunters. Their advice is "do not rush into any decision", however, I slightly disagree. If you view a house that covers most of your expectations, take it before it runs away!

For further help and tips, read my Top-10 House-Hunting Rules

1-day trip: Cardiff

My football team played against Cardiff City last Saturday. It was a final pre-season friendly match between a club that was about to complete their Premier League preparation and my team from back home: Athletic Club of Bilbao. So, the game was an excuse to go to Cardiff one a one-day trip.

Cardiff, spelled Caerdydd in Welsh, is the capital and largest city in Wales. It was made a city in 1905 and since 1990s, Cardiff has seen significant development. 

There are two main areas in Cardiff: the waterfront and city centre. The waterfront area at Cardiff Bay contains the Senedd building, home to the Welsh Assembly, and the Wales Millenium Centre arts complex. 

City Centre

After a 45-minute trip by train, you will get to the city centre. The central railway station is the largest and busiest station in Wales and one of the major stations of the British rail network. 

By the river shore, heading left as soon as you get out from the train station, you will find the Millenium Stadium. It is home of the Wales national rugby union team and hosted 11 football matches as part of the 2012 Summer Olympics, including the games' opening event and men's bronze medal match. The outstanding design is a work done by a team led by Bligh Loob Sports Architecture and opened in 1999. As a curiosity, it is the second stadium in the world with a fully retractable roof.

If we retrace our steps and go back to the train station, the pedestrian city centre will be located at our right. It consists of three shopping streets: Queen Street, St. Mary's Street and the Hayes. Along these road you will find large shopping centres as well as smaller specialized shops and boutiques. The Hayes has been scene for BBC's Doctor Who and Torchwood TV series. 

The new Central Library and the Alliance sculpture in front of it caught my attention: the building was specifically designed to be energy-efficient, and includes a sedum grass roof to improve insulation and reduce water run-off. The coloured glass panels and solar shading prevent excessive heat gains and a full Building Management System provides climate control to each of the five floors.

At the end of the shopping area, you will find the medieval Cardiff Castle. If you pay attention to the front wall, you will be able to identify parts of the original Roman fort. 

The essential admission ticket is £11 for adults  (£9.50 if student) and the daytime visit includes a presentation film, the visit to the interiors of Cardiff Castle and a free audio/guided tours. I have never visited the castle so I cannot tell you whether it is worth it or not, sorry!

UPDATE (4th Feb 2014): I have visited the castle in a later visit to Cardiff and there is not many things to see there. However, the views from the views from the tower are very very nice!

Cardiff City Hall, which was built in Portland stone, opened in 1906. It is a very beautiful building in the civic complex of Cathays Park. The clock behind is 194 feet high and it is very distinctive. It has one hour bell and four quarter bells which are each inscribed with mottoes in English or Welsh.


The National Museum of Wales, founded in 1907, is located right next to the City Hall. The entrance is for free thanks to a grant from the Welsh Government. The museum has collections of archaeology, botany, fine and applied art, geology and zoology. In 2011, it was transformed into a hands-on exploration centre.

Behind the National Museum of Wales, in Alexandra Gardens, there is the Welsh National War Memorial monument which conmemorates the servicemen who died during the WWI and WW2. On the frieze above the collumns are inscriptions in Welsh, on the outer side, and in English, on the inner side: "I FEIBION CYMRU A RODDES EU BYWYD DROS EI GWLAD YN RHYFEL MCMXVIII" (to the sons of Wales who gave their lives for their country in the War 1918).

Cardiff Bay Area

Mermaid Quay, it is called. You can smell the chic and cosmopolitan atmosphere in Cardiff Waterfront where you can find restaurants, cafes, bars and shops.

The bay is supplied by two rivers: Taff and Ely. The Bay forms a fresh water lake and the access to the sea is limited by three locks. I found it very beautiful the walk around the lake. It takes around 1.5h to walk it, and you get a very nice view of Cardiff from the other side of the lake.

Do not rush the walk, it is really worth it!




LINKS
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Cardiff Castle: http://www.cardiffcastle.com/

Make a wish!

There were clouds in the sky, some. Nevertheless, we were optimistic last night. 'Where there is a will, there is a way', they say. We took our car and drove until Ashton Court, where lights don't reach, where everything is darkness the moment we shut off the side lights.

It took us 20 minutes to get used to the darkness. As the minutes passed by, more and more stars appeared in the sky. Sadly, the sky was not fully clear. However, stars seem to be fighting against the clouds to reach our sights.

Silently, we started thinking about the wish we would make, in case we saw a shooting star. And suddently, out of the blue, we saw one! A big shooting star, travelling across the clouds! It scared us, it was so unexpected that none of us was able to make a wish!

Picture taken from Earthsky.org

Perseid Meteor Showers happen every year in the Northern Hemisphere, around 10-12 August, even though they are probably visible nights before or after too. The natural occurrence is a result of material falling from the tail of Comet Swift-Tuttle. The comet last passed the Earth in 1992 but its trail collides with the atmosphere during the Earth's orbit of the Sun. The clearer the sky is, the better you will appreaciate the Perseid shower. 

Tonight, apparently, clear skies are predicted for much of the UK. So, I suggest you take a blanket and leave the heavily light polluted city to witness a natural firework!

Please, steal my bike!

It appears that all bikes in Bristol have a sign with a "Please, steal my bike!" written on it. Social networks have recently become a meeting spot for angry victims, who post descriptions of their stolen bikes along with pictures as a desperate act to recover them. Some of them fortunately found their bikes somewhere nearby, others never saw their bikes again.

When I first arrived to Bristol, someone told me I shouldn't buy a bike I couldn't afford to be stolen, because apparently all bikes disappear at some point. An article in Road.cc says "one in five bike owners have their new rides stolen within six months". That's exactly the time my flatmate had his bike: 6 months. After that, Booom!, the bike disappeared. 

Last November, Avon and Somerset police "stole" bikes to show "how easy" is for a thief to get away unchallenged. In fact, 4,500 bikes where stolen last year in Avon and Somerset. However, a third of those whose bikes are pinched do not report the thefts to police, either because they don't feel it is worth reporting it or they simply don't think the police will be interested. Nowadays, social media is becoming a very useful tool for recovering your bike. In Bristol area, there is a website where you should report your stolen bike: Stolen Bristol Bikes. 

What to do to avoid your bike being stolen

It could seem a lame advice, but you should buy an old crappy bike, not a bike you can't afford to be stolen. Statistics (and people) show you are more likely to have your bike stolen if the resale value of your bike is higher, obviously. Some online sites also suggest you make your bike look unattractive.

Always lock your bike, even though you will come back fast or it is parked at your own home. Home is not a safe place anymore. Three in ten of those who have had a bike stolen say it was taken from their shed, garage or balcony. ideally with two locks. If you are using just one lock it reduces the safety of your bike. 

Lock your bike to a secure, immovable object, not to a fence or tree that could be easily cut, ideally to an object designed for that purpose.

Although the bike you own is a crappy bike, spend money in the best lock you can afford, using the smallest possible not to give space for bike-stealing tools. Make sure you have the frame and both wheels inside your lock.

LINKS

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

http://road.cc/content/news/73062-bike-owners-have-average-23-months-their-bikes-are-nicked
http://www.heart.co.uk/bristol/news/local/4500-bikes-stolen-avon-and-somerset/
http://www.stolenbristolbikes.com/

Perfect Spot for Ballooning

Yesterday, we saw the first mass balloon ascent of the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta 2013 from the best spot possible: Brandon Hill. 

Located on hill close to the city centre, the park is steep and divided into informal gardens, a small natural reserve and open grassland.

It was not a packed as I thought it would be. Just in case, we arrive earlier than 6pm and there were only 10 people waiting for the balloons ascent. So, we sat on a bench and waited. We don't even need to mention that the mass ascent was late, for some reason. Children started to feel impatient, "Mom, where are the balloons?" and suddently, they started shouting very excitedly as soon as they saw the first balloons appear in the distance. "Here they are!!"

We were lucky. Yesterday's ascent was the "Special Shapes Launch" and the wind pushed balloons towards us. We saw all kind of balloons lighting up the sky. Underwear-shapped balloons, Playmobil princesses, Scottish FA cup, Panasonic giant batteries, dragons... Hot air balloon design has no limits!

If you don't feel like going to Ashton Court, Brandon Hill is a great place to see the balloons and even the fireworks.

Australia

When I was a very young girl, I had a dream of living and starting my own business in Australia. The reason why I selected Australia and not any other place in the world for my imaginary business is unknown, yet I'm sure koalas and kangaroos had an influence.

What it is true is that anything related to Australia makes me travel back in time, back to when that dream was the plan for my future. So today, I travelled back in time when I came across a guy playing a didgeridoo, a wind instrument developed by indigenous australians around 1,500 years ago, at Broadmead.

His name is Dave Johnson and he is a performer, teacher, composer and recording artist. He came to Bristol with this project Didgera. He mixes modern melodies with traditional Australian music, playing all instruments simultaneously. Saxofone, native american flute and didgeridoo, but also keyboards, guitars and marimbas.

I recorded some of his music for you, I hope you enjoy it!

Air balloons will light up the sky

Once upon a time, a newly graduated aeronautical engineer called Don Cameron came to Bristol with a whole career in front of him. He joined Bristol Aerospace Company and one day, he met Giles Bulmer, who showed him a new type of ballooning that had just been invented in the USA. They both felt inspired by that technological advance and gathered a group of engineers to produce, after some difficulties, the "Bristol Belle": the first modern hot air balloon in Western Europe. This was how it begun.

Teams from UK decided to held in Bristol an air balloon festival which would later be the largest festival in Europe: Bristol International Balloon Fiesta. Crowds from all over the world come to this annual 4-day festival which takes place in a large county estate called Ashton Court.

35 years passed by since then already, and Bristol International Balloon Fiesta is now the largest free ballooning event. Between 8th and 11th August 2013, over 150 hot air balloons will take off (if the weather permits) from Ashton Court Estate twice a day: 6am and 6pm. This is the only place in the world, apart from Alburquerque (USA), where so many balloons go up all at once. Unfortunatelly last year, weather was so windy that some of the take-offs had to be cancelled. We hope weather gives respite this year!

Evening nightglows are undoubtedly a must-see. 30 ballooning teams take the centre stage whilst lighting up their balloons as night falls, to a backdrop of spectacular fireworks and music display. This will happen Thursday and Saturday night, at 9.15pm.
For a perfect spot to see the balloons, click here. 

(Picture from dontpaniconline.com)

During the day, activities will keep everybody entertained: fairground rides, food stalls and bars, face painting, arts and crafts, dance stage... And some other events in the sky: RAF Red Arrows will take the sky Friday at 4pm, female Breiting Wingwalkers will show off on Saturday (12am and 5pm) and RAF Typhoon will be seen over Bristol at 1pm on Saturday and 4pm on Sunday.

HOW TO GET THERE

A shuttle bus links the city centre with Ashton Court for £2.5. It could take you more than one hour if you decide to go at peak times. A huge traffic jam created last year metres away from the bus stop in Ashton Court.

I have never gone by car, but organisers suggest booking your car parking in advance to guarantee your space at the Fiesta. The other option is to go on foot. I used this option to come back, as everybody wants to leave at the same time when fireworks finish. Organisers suggest it takes 20 minutes on foot to get there and I absolutely disagree. It took as around one hour to walk back to the centre last year...

USEFUL LINKS
--------------------
Website: http://www.bristolballoonfiesta.co.uk/default.aspx

As far as I saw last year, this event is a perfect occassion to picnic with family or friends and to spend a very entertaining day off.

History of Bristol

Living in Bristol has different effects on each of us. Some, we love the city, others might not like it that much. When I started writing this blog, my main objective was to enjoy the city even more, to take the best of it, and to express my love for the city posting for you, reader. Some other people express their feelings in other ways, through pictures or videos for example. A spaniard living in Bristol for the last year has found a very beautiful way to show his love for the city in a very inspiring way.

I recently came across a documentary on Youtube on the history of Bristol and I found it very interesting to learn about the past of the city I am living in. The video itself is divided into parts and I have been able to find the first 6 parts on Youtube. The rest are whereabouts unknown. 

Below, the first part of the documentary. I added small descriptions of what each part talks about. The quality of the video is not very good, which makes the images blurry and colourless, and you can also notice it has been recorded a couple of years ago. However, the content of the documentary, as far as I am concerned, is very interesting.

The first part covers the birth of Bristol city, Avon riverside and its tides, and the build up of first castle and churches. The second part focuses on St Mary Redcliffe, how Bristol grows and a defensive medieval wall is constructed around the city and in 1497, John Cabot lands in Bristol. Part 3 describes how the conflict between Spain and England affected Bristol, Queen Elizabeth visits the city and the beginning of the exchange of corn. Relationships with american natives and the "discovery" of the "new world" is described in Part 4, the beginning of the sugar trade, King James' monopoly over Bristol, Bristol taking the side of the Parliamentary Army during the civil war, Edward Colston, and the slavery. The new business of privateering florishing, the Corn Exchange, John Westley and the first methodist church in the city, America's independence and its influence in trade, industrial revolution, the new dock diverting the flow of the Avon, improvement of road services to benefit trade, and Isambard Kingdom Brunel and the idea of a suspended bridge can be found in Part 5. The last part available on Youtubes covers the railway linking Bristol to London, S.S. Great Britain, Clifton Suspension Bridge's opening, and Portishead and Avonmouth new docks.

LINKS
--------------
"A Charming City" by Moises Pérez:
http://www.moises-perez.com/#!/documentaries/

1-day trip: Cheddar

Cheddar is a village of the English county of Somerset. The village has a population of 5,093 (ONS Census 2001) and it is located around 19 miles away from Bristol. After leaving work early, we decided to go visit the village and the famous Cheddar Gorge, as a friend of our suggested.

We took the car, and trusting the Navigator in my phone, we drove 45-50 minutes south along the A38. Apparently, it is the shortest way to get there, but until the moment you actually get to the A38, roads are extremelly narrow. At some point, there is not enough room for two vehicles, which brings moments of tension. Unless you want to have an exciting/risky drive, I would suggest you take the M5 South until Burham-on-Sea and then the A38 North towards Cheddar. It is probably a longer route but it takes the same time and the driving experience is more relaxed.

Cheddar Gorge is a limestone gorge in the Mendip Hills, and it is possibly the most famous attractions in Somerset. It was formed by meltwater floods during the cold periglaciar periods occurred over the last 1.2 million years, forming a gorge with a maximum depth of 137 metres. There are show caves in Cheddar Gorge where Britain's oldest complete human skeleton was found in 1903. The Cheddar Man, as it is commonly called, is estimated to be over 9,000 years old.

Once you get to Cheddar village, it is very easy to get to the Gorge. Everything is well indicated and there are lots of parking spaces along Cliff Road (B3135). We parked our car and walked along the road. Visiting Cheddar Gorge is free of charge. However, there are some signs around the parking areas to remind charges apply between 8am and 6pm.

The Gorge is magnificent. When you look up, it is very hard to believe you are still in England. Just one one hour away from Bristol and yet you believe you are in Thailand or New Zealand. Gorgeous place, definitely, a must-see.



We didn't see many people around; maybe some families, experienced climbers enjoying the walls and some other local people. It is also true that we got there late (around 6pm). If you are an experienced climber, you should check the information here.

And of course, there is a Gromit welcoming visitors at the entrance of the Cheddar Gorge. 

Cheddar Gorge and Caves are open everyday from 10am to 5.30pm in summer. We arrived a little late for any guided tour but for £18.98 (£16.11 online booking), you have access to Gough's Cave (+ audio guide), Museum of Prehistory, Cox's Cave and The Crystal Quest, the Lookout Tower, Cliff-top Gorge Walk and Open-top Bus Tour. 

After visiting the Gorge, we went the village. Unfortunately, everything is closed after 6pm... everything except Tesco Express! However, we followed some young guys who seemed to be locals, we found an open bar/restaurant called Riverside Inn & Restaurant. We had a beer in the airy conservatory, where the atmosphere was great, and the food they were cooking had an excellent smell! 



INTERESTING LINKS
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Cheddar Village: http://www.cheddarvillage.org.uk/
Cheddar Gorge: http://www.cheddargorge.co.uk/