Flat Green Bowl

They were 32 old persons playing on this green square field. All dressed in white clothes, assorted to their hair. The trees were like a deep green scenery to this luminous shadow play, and the rose bushes were the curtain of the stage. On the field, the dark woods were lazily chasing each other on the short lawn, drawing their large curves and rolling for the jack.
When the rain dropped its first tears, the players hesitated, went for a shelter, then faced the fact. It was there, thin and persistent, bent in apology, as none can do but the English rain. With their raincloaks on, as white as the rest of their clothes, they kept on playing. They had to sweep the woods, gone slippery from the wetness.
Finally the end was close. The 21 games were done. The field drew empty, while the living room drew full for a last cup of tea and a cheese sandwich. And it was time to say good bye, and to wish to the opposing club to meet again on the next season. If fate allows it.

The day of the Lord

I already told you about that church I saw which had been converted into an auction room. Well, here it is. But it's not alone. Indeed, there are so many churches in Bristol that some of them are used in other ways. I will show you some of them in the following weeks, and hold on, some are really eccentric conversions!

So, first, an auction room. It's located on Whiteladies road.

Cycle trip to Cardiff!

Last weekend, I decided to cycle from Bristol to Cardiff! It was around 60 miles (75km), one way.

When I left on Saturday, the weather was grey, but correct. But when I crossed the bridge over the Severn, I could barely see Wales! On the bridge, the wind was so strong that it was impossible to cycle. And on the other side, the rain was with me almost all the way to Cardiff! But well, I kept on and arrived at last.

But when I came back on Sunday, I had a sunny weather all the Welsh way, from Cardiff to Chepstow. And guess what? As soon as I crossed, it was raining in England!

Well, anyway, it was a great trip! so here are some points of view.
The plain just before Cardiff.

And at on the way back. You can even see the islands in the background. They are the teeth in the mouth of the bay. (and they removed the windmill because the wind was gone)

In Newport, there is a transporter bridge. When I arrived there, I wondered: I could see no bridge, but an iron structure far over the river. How was I supposed to cross. Then something move from the other side, coming to me. You cross on a platform hanging by cables to the structure! That's the most wonderful way I've ever seen to cross a river!
It was built in 1902 by Robert Henry Haynes, following the french example of Le Pont Transbordeur in Rouen.

Now let's talk about Cardiff!
Here is the Castle.

Here is Cardiff Bay.

This is the Wales Millenium Centre (in Welsh: Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru) designed by Jonathan Adams, built in 2002.

This one, I don't know what it is, but I really love the architecture!

And on the way back, the boundary.

Bath

Last weekend I cycled to Bath. It's a little city next to Bristol, with natural hot water. Hence the name.

Compared to Bristol, it seems like a rather rich city, with big stone houses.

To go from Bristol to Bath, there is an old railway, converted into a cycle path. A very nice journey indeed.

On the road is an old train station, which is now a station buffet. You sit and eat on the platforms, beside the metal people waiting for their train. There is a really good decoration work all along the path, to animate it.

Here are the old roman baths. I couldn't visit them yet, it was too late.

And the back of the roman baths, with the abbaye in the background.

There are also new thermal baths, which I found have a good integration in the city.

Here is the abbaye. Couldn't visit it either...

The Avon also flows in Bath.

The inhabited Pulteney bridge, seen from the riverside.

The riverside, seen from the inhabited Pulteney bridge.

And the Royal Crescent, near Victoria Park.

The rainy Jubilee

I haven't told you about the Jubilee weekend. Well, maybe because there is not nuch to tell about.
As you know it was the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, which means her 60th year of reign. For the occasion we had two bank holidays, to make the weekend festival four days.
In Bristol were supposed to be 96 street parties, more than in any other city in Britain. Maybe I didn't get what is a street party, because I saw none. At least not in the city center. I found this nice party in Eastville park, which was held by the philippin community. On stage was a philippin metal group!

Apart from that, it seems that all parties were in bars... not really "street" then.

In Millenum Square was screened the giant parade on the Thames, with 1000 boats. Well, it was nice, but BBC reporters are really crap! They kept telling us about the incredible number of ships and their order and everything before it started, but during the actual parade, they didn't even show them all! It was always focused on the royal barge, and on the bells ship, and on how amazing it is to push the button of Tower Bridge to let the Queen go under while you do it every day for normal people... And most of all, always talking about the weather: "do you think the rain bothers the Queen?"
Well, it was more interesting to watch people. Kids playing in the water basins under the rain and giant lunch and red white blue colors on everyone.

The human-motored ships and the Commonwealth flags

The Union Jack

And, so, the weather!



Wye Valley

The other day I went for a hike in the Wye Valley. The Wye is the river which was originally the boundary between England and Wales. On the Welsh side, an earthwork was built, to show the limit, and now a walkpath is on it. It's called the Dyke.


Here is the Wye Valley, from the top of the hill. In the background, the Severn, and England

We started from Chepstow...
 

... and went to Tintern, then back.

I love this ruined abbay! And obviously I'm not alone...
 

 There was a nice footbridge, stone and iron, over the Wye.

Here is Tintern seen from the hill:

In fact, this very place is called "Devil's Pulpet". So I guess you're looking at the devil seated on his pulpet... hum... anyway, I like this name.

But I believe not only the devil walks these hills. The forrest seems to host the ghosts of the ancient Welsh kings, and the whole fairy people themselves. Don't you imagine them at dusk, dancing amongst the flowers, or around the twisted oak?