Beautiful Bristol

The Royal York Crescent is more of a thing to see rather than an attraction to do. It's an especially interesting site if you've gone to Bath as well as Bristol and seen the beautiful Royal Crescent perched overlooking the city there. Perhaps not as famous of a structure, the Royal York in Bristol is longer than the crescent in Bath. In fact, funnily enough, there are more Georgian buildings in Bristol than in Bath, which is a world heritage site because of all its fine examples of this type of architecture! The problem is that these Georgian buildings are scattered around the city of Bristol so there isn't the same visual impact to be had as there is in Bath. But I digress...

If you have any interest in architecture at all, and you're in Bristol, it's a must for you to walk from the Clifton Suspension Bridge and down the hill to see the Royal York Crescent.

So, what is a Georgian crescent??

Georgian architecture is called "Georgian" because the movement existed during the reign of three kings named George in the 18th century. The movement stressed balance and clean lines... Neo-Palladianism. A Georgian crescent is what it sounds like. It's a collection of buildings---townhouses---that are connected together and form a shape like a crescent moon.

What's special about the Royal York Crescent?

Well, as stated, the Royal York is reputed to be the longest structure of its type in Europe. Construction began in 1791, but it wasn't completed until 1818 due to some funding issues.

As you approach it from the direction of the Clifton Suspension bridge, you'll see you can stay on the street beneath the crescent or you can take a staircase up on the left to walk along it. Back in the day, whether you stayed on the street or whether you went up the staircase was a matter of class. Servants and merchants would have been down in the muck. Owners would have walked in the higher place, keeping their feet and dresses clean. Personally, I suggest you walk in both places so that you can look up from below---see the horse stable doors and merchant entrances that have been converted to garages or storage areas for modern day owners---and then down across the city.

When you're walking along the crescent, notice the plaque on one townhouse that marks where Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III in France, once lived. Further along you'll see a plaque for another famous resident, a military leader of England.

You can also look at the red mailbox around the middle. Notice the letters on the iron. In England, the ruling monarch's initials are put on mailboxes, so you can derive who was on the throne when these boxes were put in place. I used to make a game of this as I walked around Bristol. When a Queen is in charge, the script is more flowery and pretty.

Mostly, the thing for you to take in on the Royal York Crescent is the view. On a nice day, you can see for miles, and it is lovely.

After you're done, poke around the shops and cafes in Clifton Village. There are plenty of places to find a cup of coffee or a mid-day meal... After all, seeing the Royal York Crescent is completely free, so you can afford a pint after your stroll!

The SS Great Britain was my parent's favourite attraction in England, and I took them to see a lot of places, let me tell you! However, let me say, my father loves boats, and this is quite a boat to explore! It changed ocean travel forever because it was designed to be large enough to hold enough fuel in its hull to allow the ship to get rid of sails and the dependence on wind power. This allowed for a much faster, more predictable ocean crossing and was accomplished because of the engineering genius of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, a giant among men who had his finger on industrial evolution in England for much of the Victorian Age.

So what is visiting this ship like?

Well, this is really a great family attraction in the city. Park in the pay lot conveniently located right by the ship. Go get your ticket, and then you are able to take a tour of the ship in whatever "class" you'd like via an audio wand. You see, the audio tour is a wee different depending on whether or not you choose to "sail" first class or economy. It's fun to see which class your kid will choose. Most adults go first class all the way! And you listen to as much information... or as little... as you'd like.

So, how does the audio tour work?

You get your audio guide on the top deck and it takes you down below where you can see what a first class cabin was like when the SS Great Britain was first active... or how a shared bunk space would have been like if you'd had less money to spend. No matter what "class" you choose for your tour, you see the whole ship. You just get slightly different stories. I know because I've done all the choices available.

You see, if you buy a ticket to this attraction in Bristol, you keep it and can return for as many times as you'd like over the course of one year. This was massively useful to me as I had multiple visitors in twelve months. As I played tour guide for all of them, guess which attraction was always number one on my list? Though I went multiple times, the changed up audio guides kept the tours fresh enough so that I never got bored.

Anything else?

Apart from the tour, there's plenty to see on the ship. The internal section is a museum where you can see things like one of the past captain's wedding rings. It's massive, as big as both my thumbs put together. Kids can dress up in hats from the Victorian period. You can take an elevator into an environmentally controlled dry dock chamber where you can see the metal hull and special rudder that were key to Brunel's new ship's design. The engineer inside my husband enjoyed this space the most.

Bottom line?

This is a great attraction for anyone. It offers some hands-on exploring to kids, but it is especially intriguing for anyone interested in nautical history or the work of Mr. Brunel. It's definitely worth the morning you can spend there.

Technical details?

Rain or shine, the ship is open most days except the major holidays like Christmas. A family can get a combo ticket for £30, but you can check the website to calculate how much a trip here would cost you: http://www.ssgreatbritain.org

If you're a local, the free visits are an added bonus because sometimes they have special events that make a rainy day afternoon go by much quicker. The venue is also available to rent for special occasions like weddings....

John Wesley was a well-educated Anglican who was mocked when in university for his methodical lifestyle and approach to theology. Therefore, when he began to earn fame as a preacher, his followers were called Methodists. He moved to Bristol to preach in the open air in 1739. At this time, he laid the first foundation stone for what would become his home in town and the first Methodist chapel to function.

If you visit The New Room, you'll find it's much more modest than the Methodist Church in London that's near Westminster Abbey! Open every weekday from 9-4, entry is free, and it's worth a look if you have any interest in the Methodist religion.

This is certainly a site of interest for many American visitors in Bristol. In fact, much of the money that has gone into the preservation of this home has come from American Methodists as John Wesley's approach to scripture pushed forward a movement in the US that appears to have been even longer lasting than the movement he started in his home country.

Even so, the chapel in the New Room is still used for religious events, and you can receive communion on certain days or even hear a sermon.

So if I just want to see the place, what is it like?

Well, the New Room is tucked into a section of Bristol that is devoted to shopping. In fact, if you didn't know it was there, you might walk right by the gate. With that said, there are signs pointing you in the right direction!

One day when I was out poking around the sales in stores in Broadmead, walking over to the newly constructed mall called Cabot's Circus, I decided to pop into The New Room. The tiny courtyard entrance with the statue of Charles Wesley, John's brother, was a nice oasis after the jostling crowds of commerce.

I entered the small chapel with its double-decker pulpit. Supposedly, the upper pulpit was used to give the sermon, and the lower pulpit was used to do things like give announcements.

One thing I liked about John Wesley is he was very definite about how long a church service should last. He said that the whole she-bang--singing, sermon, whatever---should never exceed one hour. After that you start to lose your audience. Wise man!

After looking around the chapel, I went up the stairs to the private rooms where Wesley used to live. This is a small museum where you can see displays about the Wesley brothers including a locket of John Wesley's hair, which was auburn when he was young.

If you have no interest what-so-ever in religion, I think it would still be interesting to see the set-up of these furnished rooms from the 18th century. All is modest and functional. There is a small gift store from you which you can purchase books about Bristol and John Wesley as well as postcards.

In reality, going to the New Room might only be of prime interest for Methodists, but if you fall in this category, it would certainly be a "must-see" while in town. Otherwise, it's a nice change of pace from shopping... something different to see after Marks and Spencer gets old... or expensive.

Information about events can be found at: http://www.newroombristol.org.uk/Home

Queen Elizabeth I was right to heap such great praise on St Mary Redcliffe in Bristol. Built in the form of a cross, this medieval church still has sections standing from the 12th century. Not as large as many English cathedrals, the work of stone masons gives the building a sense of height and space. The detailed attention that has been given to the architecture here through centuries is one of those things that always makes me marvel about the power of faith. I mean, it boggles the mind to contemplate how much time had to have gone into the construction of the vaulted ceiling with no modern equipment. Yet no shortcuts were taken.

Bosses that act as functional keystones to hold the weight of a ceiling mostly erected in the 1400s gave artisans an opportunity to shine in this church. If you aren't familiar with what a boss is, it looks like a small carving the size of a spread hand that is connected by lines to other small carvings on a vaulted ceiling. Bosses can be quite lovely, and St Mary Redcliffe has over a thousand of them. Since my son is a fan of mazes, the first boss we sought out on our visit to the church was one that he had seen in a book about mazes in England. It's a boss with a gold maze that you can find near the Lady's Chapel.

Another point of interest for us as Americans was the fact that this church has a big connection to what would become the colonies. Admiral William Penn, father of the William Penn who founded Pennsylvania, is buried in this church. Also, there is a stained glass window that shows John Cabot's ship, The Matthew. John Cabot had his voyage on which he discovered what is modern day Canada funded by merchants from Bristol. He brought a whalebone back from his adventure to donate to the church as homage for a safe journey. In fact,it's thought that the word "America" for the continent may have come from the name of the Sheriff of Bristol, Richard Ameryck, who was connected to Cabot rather than from the minor Italian explorer Amerigo Vespucci. I had never heard of Ameryck before my visit to St. Mary Redcliffe, but I think it's a credible theory.

We spent a little more than an hour admiring this church. You can go on a self-guided tour, and I'd suggest doing this though I also bought another book in the small gift shop that gave more detail about a building that is rich in history. It seemed in every chapel there was something that was worth finding like the Handel window which was erected to the great composer's memory since he used to play the organ at this church.

Outside in the yard you'll see a tramline that they've left embedded in the ground because the Luftwaffe almost destroyed the church during WWII. Yet, somehow, the building was unscathed.

Truthfully, the thing I like the most of all about St Mary Redcliffe is that it is still a working church. It has not turned into a museum, and you can feel the pulse of the parish that still gives the place a living soul.

If you're interested in seeing this church, it's open Mondays-Fridays from 9-5. Again, it's a working church, so on Sunday you can attend service. Check their website for times: www.stmaryredcliffe.co.uk

The first time I visited England, I saw hot air balloons flying over Princess Victoria Park in Bath. They looked magical as they sailed through a bright blue sky, and I told my husband, "I want to do that before I die." The smart man took note, and after we moved to the UK, he bought me a voucher to do just this for one of our wedding anniversaries. However, since we lived in Bristol at that point, not Bath, Bristol was destined to be our departure point. He called Bristol Balloons and set the thing up.

To go as part of a group isn't cheap, but it's a lot more affordable than going it alone. We went as part of a group. Of course, we didn't know any of the other people, but that was fine. We went to the meeting point on a sunny---though, to be fair, freezing---day without knowing what to expect. Everyone was in a good mood, anticipating a cool experience.

Well, a lot of balloons were lifting off on the same day, but Bristol Balloons is fairly distinctly marked. The truck with our basket pulled up onto the grass field, and a gentleman called us around him to give us instructions. We all helped unfurl the balloon, and my husband volunteered to anchor one of the ropes as the balloon then filled up with gas. He said it was like holding onto a wild horse when a big gust of wind rattled it.

At a certain point, we hopped into the basket which was lying on its side. It was pretty snug in our seats, and we held hands as the ropes were untied, and the wind began to drag us up, up, up.

When it was safe, our pilot had us all stand. It was then that we realised the other people in the basket didn't really matter. You're not going to be able to walk around, but you're completely captivated by the view. You don't feel crowded at all. The fire that heats the balloon heated us as well, so we were quite happy and comfortable whenever the pilot tugged on the gas. As Bristol slid beneath us---the Clifton Suspension Bridge below---we passed around a bottle of champagne and toasted the scenery.

Before long the wind took us out of the city and over farmers' fields, the balloons shadow chasing us on the green grass, always just a few feet behind. We waved at sheep and horses. We laughed with the other people in the balloon. We talked about how lovely the West Country of England truly is... one of the most beautiful places on Earth.

When it was time to land again, the pilot picked out a safe field and told us to buckle up. The jolt on the ground was really worse in my mind than it was on my body. We were dragged for a few feet and then stopped.

Interestingly, it was our job to help refold the balloon as we waited for someone to pick us up. Apparently, it's customary to give a farmer a bottle of wine or whiskey when a balloonist lands in his field, so our pilot had this ready. We didn't see this courtesy take place though. We left in caravan to drive an hour back to Bristol. It was amazing how far we'd gone "as the crow flies." It was quite an adventure.

Prices for ballooning start at £99 per person. You can visit www.bristolballoons.co.uk for more information. Keep in mind, you're always a bit of a slave to the weather, but if you have the time, I think this experience is definitely worth the money. Especially in the UK. Plus Bristol Balloons has been floating people around England for multiple decades. They know what they are doing, and we felt safe the whole time we were flying with them.

The Clifton Suspension Bridge is my favourite landmark in England. Much less famous than London's Tower Bridge, it is a living testimony to one of the greatest engineers who ever walked on the planet. Isambard Kingdom Brunel who played an instrumental part in building the London Underground, the Great Western Railroad, and the SS Great Britian, which changed ocean travel forever, once called this bridge, "My first child, my darling." Winning a contest for the best bridge design to cross the daunting Avon Gorge and link Clifton Down with Leigh Woods, Brunel wished to create a structure that was both functional and eloquent. He achieved both. However, due to funding issues, the bridge was not actually completed until after his death. Open for first crossing in 1864, one pier of the bridge is inscribed with the Latin motto "SUSPENSA VIX VIA FIT", which means "A suspended way made with difficulty."

So, what is there to do at the bridge today?

Well, I think simply walking over it is an experience. There are paths for pedestrians on either side, which are open to the public. On one end, you'll find a tiny museum that details some of the history of the bridge as well as selling postcards. (If you drive across the bridge instead of walking, be prepared to be a small toll.)

I have spent many afternoons sitting on a bench above the bridge, staring down upon it. On nice days close to dusk, it's not uncommon to watch hot air balloons flying over the structure.

What is there to do beyond just looking at the bridge?

You can also pay a pittance to go into the Clifton Observation Tower, which houses a Camera Obscura. This was installed by an artist to help him with his work drawing flora and fauna in the gorge. Additionally, my son liked descending into the earth via the passage beneath the Observation Tower, another small fee. You end up at an opening in the rock wall that descends into the gorge. There you can stand on a balcony and have a different perspective of the bridge. This is certainly worth doing once, but don't go if you have bad knees as the way is steep and narrow with stairs.

This is also a great area in which to go running. The Clifton Downs are about a mile away, and there you can find another viewing point of the bridge.

Conversely, you can walk down the hill beside the bridge going towards Clifton Village. There is an observation point with a plaque down here from which you can look back up at the bridge.

There's also a great "Zig-Zag" path that you can walk. This used to lead to a baths facility that is long gone. Now it takes you down to a busy road. But the path itself is just fun to be on. Beware if you have bad knees again! It's very steep.

Go back up the Zig-Zag and behind the hotel perched over the gorge, you'll see ruins of some of the old bath buildings that were once popular with tourists. Tucked out of the way, if you didn't know they were there in this back parking lot, you would probably miss them all together. Keep walking into Clifton Village and down to the Royal York Crescent (detailed in another journal entry.) This is a very pleasant stroll of around 20 minutes.

After you see the Royal York Crescent, poke through shops and cafes in the area. There is an amazing little bakery that has mouth-watering meringue you can buy to eat at the end of the Victorian Arcade of shops. Anyone in the area would be able to point you in this direction.

Tip: Go back at night to see the bridge lit up. It's lovely from below, and it is the symbol for the port town of Bristol.

I can't count how many times I've wandered into the City of Bristol's free museums on rainy grey afternoons. The City Museum and Art Gallery is the most prominent on Queen's Road (beside Browns restaurant) so I think it's a great starting point.

Here you'll find rotating exhibits and a reason to visit more than once. Frankly, if you don't care anything about museums, stepping inside this gorgeous building is worthwhile simply to ooohhh and ahhhh at the marble floors and neo-classical columns, not to mention the flying machine suspended from the high ceiling. Here I've learned about Egyptian culture, the Roman influence on Great Britain, the applied arts in the area, and dinosaurs!

One of my favourite permanent exhibits in this museum is the art gallery where you can find a large collection of gorgeous paintings, some by famous artists---The Two Sisters by Impressionist Renoir is in one gallery---as well as English painters of whom I had no previous knowledge. These galleries are worth multiple wanders, which I've given them.

My second favourite permanent gallery is the natural history wing. Some folks might find taxidermy to be a wee disturbing, but we must keep in mind that the Victorians did not have the access to travel that we do today. It was common to stuff animals and bring them to the UK so that others could see rarer specimens. Children might like this section with its tiger and ape more interesting than other parts of the museum.

After you get your fill of the City Museum, go out the door and walk left towards the new shopping center, Cabot Circus, and BRI Hospital. Queen's Road turns into Park Row and you will find the Red Lodge on your right about a quarter mile down the hill before you reach BRI. (Incidentally, if you need a place to park, there's a parking deck here that's useful.)

The entrance to what was once a hunting lodge is a fairly modest door in a red building. If you keep in mind that this place was erected around 1590 and used to be more of a "dressing room" that was once attached via walkway to a mansion that has long been gone, you'll be more impressed by this museum. Get a self-guiding tour sheet upon entrance and wander the rooms that eventually housed an all girls' reform school in the 1700s. There's a lovely painting of Queen Elizabeth I in the Great Oak Room that shows off this famous monarch's hands... a feature of which she was most proud. In the summer, you can walk in the Tudor-style knot garden in back.

This museum isn't going to take you a lot of time to see, but it is worth a half hour if you have an interest in architecture or the city's history.

Next, you can leave the Red Lodge, go back up towards the City Museum. You'll see the Bristol Guild Shops on your left. You can actually access these from Park Row. Go through the cafe and into the shops---a fun place to poke around, in fact there are several stores I like on Park Row AND Park Street---and exit the other entrance onto Park Street. Then you'll need to cross the road to get to George Street.

At #7 George Street you'll find my favourite free museum in this area. The Georgian House looks small, but it's not. Go inside and see how a middle-class merchant lived with servants in the 18th century. This house is gorgeous, and I would love to own it today. Of course, you'd have to be Madonna rich! Or so it seems to me. Each room in this stunning townhouse has been decorated in period furnishings, and you get a good sense of what life was like for the residents. I get a kick out of the plunge bath that takes up one room. This is a much more robust museum than the Red Lodge, but it's nice to contrast a Georgian building with the older, Elizabethan building.

All three museums described here are open from 10-5, but the City Museum is open all the time except major holidays such as Christmas. However, the house museums are only open on certain days of the week, so you need to check on hours before planning your visit: www.bristol-city.gov.uk/museums. At this website you'll find information on other great places to see in the area such as the Blaise Castle House Museum, which is a short drive away.

The best thing about these three museums?

They are free and within walking distance of each other.