Bristol Favorites

Favorite thing: or the Saint James Barton roundabout and underpass, as it is properly known. Not a Favorite thing at all. The ghastly collision between modern unban planning and ancient city that spawned Broadmead is aptly terminated to the North by this sunken urban wasteland.

The charming meadow flowers are are the result of intervention by the prsc who do much good work. What the bear pit is notororious for is congregations of street people. And indeed I was assailed by an inhoherent alkie twenty seconds after taking this photo. Jerk thought I was photographing him. But generally, certainly during the daytime, its fine. As indeed are the street people...here because it's hard by the bus station, because the magistrates court is nearby too (it's the po-mo confection behind the bus-station), because its the gateway to Stokes Croft: because that's who urban spaces like this are for.

I hate going below street level to cross roads, especially when the layout meeans you are deviating considerably from a straight line. But, on foot, you pretty well can't avoid it here.

Fondest memory: Curiously, the roundabout itself is in a funny way one of my 'favorite things to do in Bristol' things, but in a very specialised way. You need a decent bike and to get the lights entering it from Stokes Croft absolutely right. Cars eat your dust as you paste round it, hitting the lights mid roundabout just as they go green and whacking down into into St Lewins Mead at a good 20 knots, leaving powerful horseless carriages eating my dust. Reduces the time spent in the vicinity dramatically.

Favorite thing: There's no official memorial to IKB in Bristol - the man's works are enough - but there is this thoroughly lamentable thing. Words almost fail me but I am obstinate at times.

It appears to have been made by somebody who had never bothered to look at a human being, let alone a picture of IKB. It is ridiculously out of proportion, the head maybe twenty percent oversized. And don't give me any 'distortion for expressive ends' guff, it won't wash.

And it bears no resemblance at all to the great man, other than the top hat. And the chain links he is standing on, which of course refer to probably the most famous photo of Brunel. The cigar is presumably missing for health and safety reasons.

If you're truly interested, it is to be found on Temple Quay, which is the back approach to Templ Meads staion.

I've recently read a book on public sculpture in Bristol and was glad to find my opinion is not unique: apparently when it was unveiled the revelation provoked muffled tittering. And the author compares the chains in the plinth to pretzels, as well as pointing out that the walking stick is wrong (and is reminicent of the same sculptors statue of Charlie Chaplin, presumably recognisable by the bowler hat.

A statue of Brunel in South Wales was recenly nicked for it's scrap metal. Over here, boys.....

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Favorite thing: I found very useful the Tourist Information (located next door to @Bristol). They provided me with a nice free map and answered all my questions (which bus, what cost, what time) about everything.
I had free internet access at my hotel but I’ve heard that there is free internet access at Bristol Central Library (behind the Cathedral at the bottom of Park Street) at the second floor.

If you want to see a concert you can buy VENUE magazine and buy tickets at Bristol Ticket Shop(pic 1). It is located at the city center(26 Union St, Bristol BS1 2DP). Their telephone:08704444400. The ticket office is open Mon-Sat 10.00-18.00 (Thursday till 19.00) http://www.bristolticketshop.co.uk/

I wanted to check some places (especially nightclubs) on the map to see how far they are from point A to point B so I used this extra helpful online interactive map for directions :
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&cr=countryUK|countryGB&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=CITY+INN+BRISTOL,&fb=1&cid=0,0,12936187965074725688&sa=X&oi=local_result&resnum=1&ct=image

If you don’t have a guide book and need some basic info about Bristol check: http://www.visitbristol.co.uk

If you want to buy food from a market try TESCO(pic 2). It has good prices and I saw several around the center (one next to Old Duke pub, another opposite the Bristol Mall etc)

If you get lost ask a policeman, they seem friendly to tourists and kind of funny on their horses :) (pic 3)

Favorite thing: If you are looking for what's going on, local venue information and event listings can all be found in the excellent Venue magazine. This is available in local newsagents, and is Bristol's answer to London's Time Out magazine.

There is also a website, so you can have a look in advance of your trip: www.venue.co.uk

Favorite thing: Bristol has no less than five (!) Tourist information centres. They are located at Harbourside (@ Centre), City centre (Colston Avenue), at Broadmead (Shopping centre), Clifton (Bristol City Museum) and Temple Meads (British Empire Museum).

I visited one at Harbourside - they had the usual selection of free maps, brochures and leaflets as well as some small souvenirs. Bristol Guide and Bristol Pocket Guide are free brochures where you can find the essential tourist info about Bristol.

General info can be found online at www.visitbristol.co.uk

Fondest memory: One of the things that is excellent in Bristol are tourist signposts that are located throughout the city, pointing to major points of tourist interest. Posts are well designed, always displaying the map of the surrounding area as well as arrows pointing in directions of surrounding sites.

Favorite thing: If you see a naked man dangling by his finger tips from a window ledge in Bristol it could be (a) an actual naked man hanging from a window ledge in Bristol or (b) one of the latest artworks from the international graffiti artist, Banksy. I had known about Banksy for a long while, but had no idea that he was born in Bristol. Apparently the naked man stencil is very recent, appearing in June 2006.

See BBC News Article 'Naked Man Mural Allowed to Stay'

There are other Banksy artworks around the city (this was the first one I'd noticed) and also across many parts of the world. Noone is quite sure of his real name and identity. His early work can now be valued at over £100,000!!

http://www.banksy.co.uk/

Location: Bottom of Park Street opposite College Green.

See also 'Free house as part of Banksy sale'

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Favorite thing: My favourite thing in Bristol is to walk around the Clifton area. Away from the bridge, a whole part of the city unfolds with its own distinct atmosphere since it used to be a spa village. It is full of parks, pubs, wine bars, cafes and shops and feels very friendly and intellectual. Clifton also has lots of lovely houses such as these with their lovely balconies and other really colourful ones, looking like I expect parts of San Fransisco or Sydney to do.

Fondest memory: This would be my last photo in Bristol...Capturing the sight just outside the station where buses were waiting, people were running catching their trains etc.
Me, I just strolled by...
I felt good, being in Bristol; Managed to capture some good sights for my memory forever !Wanna see what's the station look like ? Please click HERE !