Poems on the floor

Today, I saw a guy writing poems on the floor with some chalk in Broadmead. I don't know who he was or where he was from. I couldn't see any signs nor flyers. Unknown chalk-poet, I will call him.

At the end of the day, chalk-poet made   some shoppers take a break from their rush lives, who stopped to read the poems written on the floor. It feels good.

 

Welcome to this city

welcome to this town

this land built by heroes

and nasty villains too

I've walked for many miles

I've walked for many days

just to see you smile

and laugh at words which say.

I could have been a banker

I could have built a house

but poems are my skill set

in this long game called life.

I have read a couple of his poems, there were more than 6 when I passed by! And I smiled at him and left. These little things make an average day become special... Thank you!

Speaking of Love...

I have never celebrated St Valentine's day. Never ever. Neither did I celebrate when I had a boyfriend nor when I didn't have; neither did I celebrate it when I was in love nor when I wasn't. St Valentine's day means nothing else than an ordinary day for me.

I walked around Broadmead today and Mr. Valentine followed me everywhere I went. Big red hearts and discounts all over, on basically anything: jewellery, clothes, lingerie, complements, perfumes, electronics, stationary...

Shops were basically suggesting I should indulge myself buying chocolates and sweets I never buy, that I should get a sexiest lingerie and undress for my lover, and that I should have dinner in a fancy restaurant to prove my love for somebody.

It makes me sick to realize there are people whose world revolves around a person, whose personality vanished the moment they began the relationship, and decide to make the St Valentine's day a very special day. Why just on St Valentine's day? Why not on any other day?  Why not on every other day?

We are surrounded by people we love, who had always be by our-side and we keep forgetting about them. I personally can't remember the last time I said "I love you" to my mom, dad or the rest of the family; or even to our closest friends who have been there, come hell or high water. Even more important than saying it is prove it, though. And a couple of flowers and chocolates don't achieve that.

Keep in mind: you don't find love, you build it.

German Christmas Market

For the 5th time, the German Christmas Market set up in the shopping quarter in Bristol. Why go to Germany or Austria, when a the market itself comes to your town? 

The market opened its doors the 8th November in Broadmead and they will stay open until few days before Christmas day (22nd December). The 38 festive stalls will be selling food, drinks and all kind of gifts. 

Home Christmas decoration, traditional handmade wooden games, all kind of cheese and ham, wool clothes and blankets for cold days, scented candles, salt crystal lamps, chocolates, glass crafts, hot chestnuts, bags... Everything!

In the German outdoor bar, they claim to have an authentic German Sausage which you will be able to enjoy in exchange of 4 pounds along with a mulled wine (3.5 pounds). They also have other choices such as hot chocolate, coffee, German beer, and something I've never heard about called "Grog", which is actually hot water with rum. Very interesting! They serve the drinks in very nice wintery mugs and you will have to give a 2 pounds deposit. 

The market is open 10am to 7pm Monday to Saturday, and on Sundays, it is closed an hour earlier. It gives you plenty of time to buy a couple of nice presents for family and friends and warm up afterwards with a glass of mulled wine.

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!

French Market

According to the flags around Broadmead, something "frenchie" is going on. Bristol Shopping Quarter is hosting the French Marked for the weekend.

Soaps from Provence, traditional French dishes such as Ratatoille, honey, saucissons, Dijon mustard, foie gras, sweets... They are some of the things I could identify in the market.

My french friends will have to judge if those goodies are really French or not, but I found something in the cheese stand that made me smile and miss my country very much.

P'tit Basque cheese has its heritage in the Basque Country, a proud region between Spain and France, where the culinary tradition very much alive.

For more information about the market: http://www.bristolshoppingquarter.co.uk/offers-and-events/news-and-events/2013/3/1/french-market-on-broadmead-a2093