Bits and pieces, news, views, reviews and stuff
For the first time in nearly thirty years I was up early enough to head to Ashton Court for the morning ascent of the International Bristol Balloon Fiesta.
Since I moved to the South West in the early 1990s I have visited the Bristol Balloon Fiesta a number of times, but the last time I managed to make the 6am morning ascent was back in the 1990s.
We were lucky and we had green smoke and a lot of hot air balloons ascended and drifted across Bristol.
Over the last thirty odd years I have often visited the Bristol Harbour Festival which takes place in July in the heart of the city around the docks.
I made a visit there this year and though I enjoyed my visit I do feel that it both wasn’t as good as previous years, but also wasn’t as busy. I was expecting there to be a lot more market stalls and food places, but Queen’s Square which is usually heaving with stalls on both sides of the road on all four sides was quite bare in comparison.
The highlight for me was the Spanish galleon, the Galeón Andalucía at Bristol which was looking magnificent. Though back in the day there were a lot more ships and boats in the harbour compared to this year.
There were a lot of stages and bands playing, and I enjoyed some of the music in Queen’s Square.
I have been visiting the Bristol Harbourside for years now, well actually decades. It was a lovely sunny day and I thought I would take a walk around the harbouside in Bristol. I parked close to Whapping Wharf and took a nice leisurely walk around the harbour.
I passed the SS Great Britain and the Undersell Yard. I crossed the Merchants Road Bridge before heading back towards the centre. I did consider grabbing some lunch from Ritorno Lounge, but in the end walked away from the Harbourside and up Wine Street to grab a coffee from Caffe Nero. I then finished my walk, crossing the Prince Street Bridge, walking past the MShed and then heading back to Whapping Wharf and my car.
