I only recently watched the Dismaland advert on the Dismaland website
If you have ever watched any of the Disneyland adverts you will appreciate how this was made and filmed. Very clever.
Starstruck in Bristol (Parkway)
The first few Shauns (about 15) in the full list of 70 are scattered around Bristol. There are three at Cribbs Causeway whilst number four is at Bristol Parkway Station up in the north of the city. This is 4. Starstruck, a blue Shaun covered in white stars.
This is quite a challenging Shaun to photograph, partly as you really need to drive to find it (or go by train I guess) and the short term car park is full of people not just picking and dropping off rail passengers, but also lots of people like us photographing and visiting the Shaun.
See all the Shauns we have seen so far.
More Soggy Shauns
Despite the rain we went hunting Shauns last Sunday. This time we headed to south Bristol and in my previous post we found two by Ashton Gate and the Riverside Garden Centre. It was then onto the South Bristol Swimming Pool in Bedminster to find 50. Shear-lock Holmes.
To be honest though I lived for five years in Bedminster and Southville back in the 1990s, I didn’t realise or know there was a swimming pool here. So this was my first visit, and we weren’t even going swimming.
There are some really nice details on this Shaun, I liked the pictorial links to Sherlock Holmes, the violin, the pipes and the London themes that are all over the sheep. Very cleverly done.
I did like Shear-lock Holmes, though not entirely sure about the connection with swimming? Sometimes the Shauns seem very much linked to the sponsor or their location, such as 47. Championsheep, however this one, no idea what the link is.
Over in North Street is the bright orange 48. Jasmine.
Like some other Shauns this one is in quite a quiet remote part of Bristol.
Soggy Shauns on a Sunday
Despite the rain we went hunting Shauns on Sunday. This time we headed to south Bristol and the first stop was at the Ashton Gate stadium to find 47. Championsheep.
I initially thought we might not be able to get in, with it being Sunday, the building work and the shut gates, but one thing that made it easier were all the other families and people trying to find it complete with cameras and phones.
This one reflects the location it is in, and is covered in different sports.
After the stadium it was a quick trip to the Riverside Garden Centre in Southville to find 48. Posy.
Again another Shaun reflecting their location, covered in flowers by a garden centre.
I have noticed a high number of Shauns with flowers.
See all the Shuans we have seen so far, not long to go now to get the rest in…
Lego Bin Lorry
This is a Lego Recycling Lorry from 2011.
It has a lot of play features, including the ability to dump the recycling down some country lane illegally. In addition there is a sack truck on the roof, which requires breaking about three health and safety policies to get down and use.
There is a lot of orange lego in this model.
So it is Banksy!
Well, well, well, after much speculation about the so called filming for a feature film in the Tropicana in Weston-super-Mare, it was announced today that it is a modern art exhibition by Banksy and many other modern artists.
Dismal Land – a festival of art, amusements and entry-level anarchism.
Are you looking for an alternative to the sugar-coated tedium of the average family day out? Or just somewhere a lot cheaper?
Then this is the place for you. Bring the whole family to come and enjoy the latest addition to our chronic leisure surplus…
“I loved the Tropicana as a kid, so getting to throw these doors open again is a real honour,” said Banksy.
It will be on view for five weeks (or is it six) with tickets at £3 each limited to 4000 a day. If this is going to be anything like the Banksy show at the Bristol Museum, this will sell out very quickly and will be very popular.
Having passed it a few times over the last week I did wonder what was going on. The construction crew behind it all were all staying in caravans close to the railway station. There was talk it was a film crew, but once the tanker truck could be seen along with the disney’esque castle it seemed to be less a film, more likely something else. I did think it might be a crystal maze type TV show, but the more you thought about it, the more likely this was something else. Once the Banksy rumours started earlier this week, then it was pretty obvious it was going to be Banksy.
Looking forward to going and having a look, and as a local I might try and get in for free tomorrow.
Pembrokeshire coast
The coastal pathways in Pembrokeshire are stunning, as these photographs of mine from 1998 show.
Beautiful cliff paths, that as you walk along, you can see the waves crash against the rocks below.
Walking in a Woolly Wonderland
This Shaun situated in the entrance to the St Nicholas Market is very clever.
It has been completely covered in knitting.
You can see why this one is indoors.
Fountains Abbey
I have been to Fountains Abbey in North Yorkshire, once in 1979 on a school trip and then again in the 1990s when I was visiting York. These photographs are from that visit in the 1990s.
This National Trust property is ruined, was burnt down by Henry VIII following his arguments with Rome over divorce.
Though I was at the University of York in the late 1980s, I never actually got around to visiting again, in the main as when I was at University I didn’t have a car, and public transport wasn’t always an option.
I keep meaning to visit again, we went to York at Easter 2013, but the cold weather at the time (it snowed a lot) meant that we kept to indoor attractions such as the Castle Museum and the National Railway Museum.
If you are a member of the National Trust, and though I went a long time ago now, I would recommend a visit.
In the and around the centre
In and around the centre of Bristol there are fair few Shauns to be found. On our Shaun in the City journey, here are three more Shauns.
This one 36. Green Poems for a Blue Planet can be found close to the Watershed.
Quite challenging to get a picture, as it was very busy and popular with people.
In front of the steps in the centre, is 35. Beach Boy.
Looking very much at the seaside, this Shaun probably should visit Weston super Mare now and again. Though he might have trouble finding the sea…
Looking quite scary and guarding the Hippodrome, is 24. BAA-WULF.
