Bits and pieces, news, views, reviews and stuff
Many of the sculptures this year have been sponsored by bug companies, in the case of 38. Cracking Build Gromit! Lego went one step further and actually built their Gromit out of Lego.
Built with over 30,000 bricks it certainly looks the part.
Close up you can see the bricks.
Back in 2015 I attempted to see and photograph all 70 Shaun the Sheeps I managed to get 62. This time I am aiming to get all 67 sculptures.
I have created this page to record all the sculptures we find.
So 2018 sees another trail featuring Aardman’s characters from Wallace and Gromit. Back in 2015 I attempted to see and photograph all 70 Shaun the Sheeps I managed to get 62. This time I am aiming to get all 67 sculptures.
Guarding Clifton Suspension Bridge Park is 12. The Bristol Hound which you can tell is very much a Bristol Gromit with the amount of Brizzle (the language of Bristol) on the sculpture.
It’s in a great location with the Clifton Suspension Bridge in the background.
I have created this page to record all the sculptures we find.
In the galleries is 35. Caractacus Paws, which sees Gromit riding his version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
Nice touches include the scarf and the GROM 11 number plate.
Back in 2015 I attempted to see and photograph all 70 Shaun the Sheeps I managed to get 62. This time I am aiming to get all 67 sculptures.
I have created this page to record all the sculptures we find.
In Quakers Friar is 37. Fromage McGraw we see the cheeky penguin masquerading as a cheesy chicken.
Looking quite mean and nasty.
Back in 2015 I attempted to see and photograph all 70 Shaun the Sheeps I managed to get 62. This time I am aiming to get all 67 sculptures.
I have created this page to record all the sculptures we find.
So 2018 sees another trail featuring Aardman’s characters from Wallace and Gromit.
In Gromit Unleashed 2 Nick Park’s Academy Award®-winning character Gromit has returned to Bristol for his second starring role in the award-winning charity’s sculpture trails, but this time he’s not alone; the loveable pooch is joined by his pal Wallace and arch nemesis Feathers McGraw! The criminal mastermind penguin is on the loose again and the dynamic duo is out to track him down! Gromit is raring to go, but Wallace can’t resist having a nice sit down to soak up the scenery, and enjoy a lovely cup of tea at every opportunity. The trail features over 60 giant sculptures designed by high-profile artists, designers, innovators and local talent. Sculptures are positioned in high footfall and iconic locations around Bristol and the surrounding area, perfect for a family day out around the city and beyond.
I have captured a couple, but am planning to capture them all.
In the galleries is 35. Caractacus Paws, which sees Gromit riding his version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
In Quakers Friar is 37. Fromage McGraw we see the cheeky penguin masquerading as a cheesy chicken.
Back in 2015 I attempted to see and photograph all 70 Shaun the Sheeps I managed to get 62. This time I am aiming to get all 67 sculptures.
I have created this page to record all the sculptures we find.
Now I am no expert in this area, nor do I really like random graffiti being sprayed onto buildings, however across Bristol is some really nice street art appearing on the sides of buildings or on building site hoardings.
On a recent stroll around Bristol I found these two pieces which I really like.
The ten most popular posts from 2017 in reverse order.
9. Trenchard Street, Bristol, circa 1970s
8. Things never said in the office…
7. Cinematic Advent Calendar #05 – Leon
6. Bristol Harbourside in the 1990s Part Five
5. Bristol Harbourside in the 1990s Part Four
4. Bristol Harbourside in the 1990s
3. Bryan Brothers’ Garage Demolition, Bristol, 1999
Canopy & Stars at Crane 29 is a unique treehouse built around one of the cargo cranes outside M Shed. The treehouse will grace Bristol’s skyline from June until September 2017.
I don’t know if you can really call it a treehouse as it’s not built in a tree, but it certainly looks very nice (see more pictures here).
To register for the ballot to stay in the treehouse, visit www.canopyandstars.co.uk/crane29. A night’s stay costs either £185 for a weekday or £250 for a weekend, with the final ballot open until July 3. All profits from Canopy & Stars at Crane 29 will go to Friends of the Earth.
Across this blog I wrote fifteen posts in 2016. As might not be expected most of the top ten posts that year were from 2016, and I was pleased to see how popular my 1990s photographs of the Bristol Harbourside were.
I visited Legoland in 2013 and felt that it was A bit tired and this was the tenth most popular post, dropping one place from last year.
Also about Legoland Miniland was the ninth post.
The eighth post was about Time travelling by train which was a post on the newly painted GWR High Speed Train in the classic 1970s blue and yellow.
The seventh popular post was inspired by a newspaper article and talked about the many Changes at the railway station in Weston-super-Mare.
The sixth placed post was from my 2012 series of Cinematic Advent Calendar posts, this one was #07 – The Eagle has Landed. There were quite a few films in the advent calendar that have significant memories over and above the film itself. Queuing for Star Wars was significant for example. With The Eagle has Landed I went to see it at the Aldeburgh cinema with my grandparents.
When I used film, I didn’t take than many photographs, but I did take a fair few of the Bristol Harbourside, so the fifth post was of the Bryan Brothers’ Garage Demolition, Bristol, circa 1999.
Three of the next four posts were similar and all contain photographs from the Bristol Harbourside in the 1990s.
Fourth was this post Bristol Harbourside in the 1990s and third was this one: Bristol Harbourside in the 1990s (second part).
The second most popular post was a comparison of Trenchard Street, Bristol, circa 1970s and the view today.
The most popular post of the year on the Stuff blog was a series of photographs of Bristol Harbourside in the 1990s.
So quite a few posts from 2016 in the 2016 top ten.
From the 11th to the 14th August this year is the annual Bristol Balloon Festival.
The Bristol International Balloon Fiesta is Europe’s largest annual meeting of hot air balloons, attracting over 150 Hot Air Balloons from across the globe. The Fiesta truly is a sight that can only be seen in Bristol. Held over four days in August at Ashton Court Estate, the event is completely free with charges made for parking on the event site. Tickets can be purchased here. Alongside the fantastic site of hot air balloons filling the skies, we have a large number of great trade stands, fairground rides and entertainment.
One of the highlights for many people at the balloon festival are the themed balloons. Here are some more photographs I took at last year’s festival of some of those balloons.
Due to the windy conditions last year as the mass ascent I was at, some of the shaped balloons weren’t inflated or took off.
There were lots of other balloons though.
