Turn left at the crazy half man half plant and straight on till you reach mermaids!

Being down South, and with a weekend free we decided that we should really see some sights that are around (and possibly increase my knowledge of both the spiritual and historical of the region)

Accordingly, a short car journey (well 90 minutes) saw me in Hereford. I have to admit that my knowledge of Hereford was really limited to that it was sometimes inside Wales and sometimes outside (that and expecting to see a lot of extremely healthy men, with slightly longer hair than normal for the army, and with a scary look in their eyes! - The SAS are based around there - very hush hush!)

Copyright - BBC.co.uk

Unsurprisingly really Hereford was a quiet, very pretty city (think it's a city if there is a Cathedral) with lots of very picturesque green spaces, lots of very old looking buildings, and a fantastic cathedral.

The views within the Cathedral are quite fantastic. There has been a place of worship on the site since the 8th Century, and although the original Saxon cathedral was destroyed by the Welsh in about 1055 the majority of the cathedral dates from about between 1107-1158. To see pieces of architecture that have survived for over 900 years is incredible. Currently there is a large amount of repairs going on, and although they were closed when we went, you can see an open work area outside where the stonemasons are producing replacement stone work.

One of the most interesting pieces that the Cathedral holds is the Hereford Mappa Mundi. This was the 13th Century's view of the world. To see it, it is amazing to see how our ancestors saw the world around them, and how they linked this to the spiritual world, and their extremely strange geographical and anatomical beliefs. The map is currently dated from 1300 and was made from a single calf skin.

Whilst the map attempts to identify the major pilgrim sites it is interspersed with amazing images of creatures that they thought lived around the world. This includes a mandrake, which is depicted as half a tree and half a man upside down, a unicorn, and men who have no heads but whose faces are in their chests (some kind medieval commentator had likened them to lawyers......I don't know what we ever did to them!)

Copyright - Hereford Cathedral 2009



The mappa mundi was quite spectacular, but did make me wonder if this was one of the earliest A-Zs whether directions would be by way of mythical creatures, and how difficult passing the cabby's knowledge would have been.



If you are at the Cathedral I would also recommend seeing the chained library, containing volumes of books that date from as early as 1473.



Shizzle da Brizzle

Having now been down in Bristol for four weeks, and having had a whole 2 weekends to explore (couldn't include Easter.....or heaven forbid the "WEDDING WEEKEND") I should say that Bristol has some fantastic views and sights (apart from burnt out Tesco supermarkets or riot police.....although that only seems to happen when I leave the city......heav'n knows what will happen when I leave, but if there is a smouldering hole on the map where Bristol used to be.....it's really not my fault!)

If you ever get the chance to go I would really recommend it.

One sight has got to be the Avon Gorge Bridge, built by someone famous (Isambard Kingdom Brunel - I think) but the views are really incredible.

 

If you don't have a head for heights (and to be honest even if you normally do but the thought of being a very long long way over a busy road and river) there is Clifton itself, which over looks the Avon Gorge, and where there are some really nice shops (and where there is a fantastic cider bar the Coronation Tap - where Exhibition cider is sold in half pint glasses).

Bristol is also a home of some fantastic street art, having been a home of Banksy, and more young artists coming through. There is a tour that you can follow to wander round some of his more famous pieces, but there are still little pieces that can be found just turning a corner.

There is so much antiquity that you can walk down a street and feel that you should be living 200 years ago, and then turn a corner to be faced with modernity, most of which seems to have been integrated cleanly and without significant disturbance.

And whilst away from home, I have been put up in a serviced apartment, which (although a room and en-suite) it overlooks the harbour. This is not quite as grand as it sounds.....there are no fancy yachts and big expensive cars (well there are but not in this bit of the harbour) but a lot of narrow boats and seagulls. Whilst noisy many enjoyable hours have been spent watching the world go by from the harbour side, enjoying the sun.

 

Other highlights:

The Hole in the Wall - a pub that is believed to be the basis for The Spyglass in Treasure Island.
St Mary's Redcliffe - a huge Elizabethan church
Cabots Circus - A place to find pretty much anything you could want
Glassboat Restaurant - a fantastic place to eat

There once was a young blogger from Hull........

Well okay not so young, well at least not physically (mentally is a whole different thing) who started blogging after a pretty horrid time, and he found that it was fantastic, it was a way to express emotions, without having to break with the stereotypical male impression of actually explaining to people how I felt.

Whilst blogging was great he found that he was blogging every day just to blog, and there was often nothing being said........it was becoming more and more as though he was back at Primary School and was writting "What I did last night......" just writing for the sake of saying that I was blogging.

All of a sudden he had nothing more to say......what could he write about......I am really lucky to read wonderful people's blogs who always seem extremely interesting, and all of a sudden he felt self conscious and didn't just want to be one of those bloggers who just open their "mouths" (well their fingers on keyboard) and the equivalent of verbal diarrhoea appears on a page online.

So he stopped, thinking that he would come back to blogging when he had something interesting to say.....and then work (and I know that this is an excuse) started to wear him down physically and mentally and it seemed too hard to sit and think what to write.......but things have changed, and I hope to return to you wonderful people in "Blogland".

Where am I know? Well I still work for the same firm, still in Manchester, and still living in Hull, but at the moment I am down in sunny Bristol, where I am going to be staying for two months (all without the four hour daily commute) I get to explore somewhere new, and I hope to put some photographs up soon. ON a trip back up to Hull this Easter Weekend (which I hope to be able to tell you about soon) I got to meet the wonderful Gemma Noon and can officially tell you that the 'Lil Dude' really is very very cool.

So to all my friends in "Blogland" I apologise for my silence, you have never been far from my thoughts, and I have tried to keep up with all your busy lives, and hope to read more now that I am back.

If anyone ever earned their money!

This weekend saw the birthday of my lil Niece who turned 5......well to be truthful she has taken after her Mother (and the Queen) and whilst her Birthday was last Monday, has managed to spread one birthday over two weekends the first was with the in-laws who visited, and last weekend was the official party.

After gladly accepted the invitation.....well the whole family had......it was a trip down to Brize Norton to visit the Sister and co, with more pressies than seemed to be delivered at Chrimbo, and airbeds all round to crash in the living room. This seemed like a great idea before a very late, and only slightly drunken night out on Thursday night. At the moment weekends are a chance to lie in beyond 5.20am, although I hadn't really thought ahead, and which wasn't going to be exceeded too far when sleeping on a miniature bouncy castle in a house with a five year old, who was always going to be very excited given that presents were available.

My Sister and her hubby had booked out the families club and arranged for some entertainers. After spending most of Friday cutting cheese and ham sarnies into interesting shapes and frantic purchasing of party rings, hula-hoops and flapjacks these were distributed around the club, balloons inflated and banners put up. It was then that the entertainers arrived. I'm not sure if it was just me, but party entertainers when I was kid seemed to be either a magician who would do the rounds, or a clown who I remembered smelt very odd. The three young people, who looked like the cast of a children's TV programme turned up and swiftly installed two small inflatable bouncy 'things'......I thought that they were just castles.....or used to be in my day! a table for face painting, party games distributed and a magician's stand erected.

The finishing touches were just completed when the herd of tiny elephants turned up (well only about 25) and I take my hat off to the entertainment team. There were no tears, no tantrums, and no pressure. The kids were all kept entertained.......(when not eating ALL the pink wafers......not that I am at all disappointed!) I have to admit that I had been dreading the thought of being stuck in a hall with 25 five year olds running amok, but the whole day went fantastically.

So hats off and a huge round of applause to kid's party entertainers......oh and to all parents, who manage it on a day to day basis.  

Happy Valentine's Day

Wow, firstly I have to apologise for the paucity of recent posts. Somehow January and February has simply flown by and I have neglected you lovely people.

Secondly, and the subject of my post, Valentine's Day.

I really enjoy Valentine's Day, it is a time to spoil the person you are with, to share your time with them. I'm the first person to agree that it should not be for just one day a year, and some of the things that you can get are amazingly tacky (and overpriced.......how come a dozen roses will cost you about £10 on February 16 yet are £20 just two days earlier? Yeah yeah I know.................supply and demand oh and profiteering :) )

Whilst this year has been differentbut with my recent history, which I will not bore you with did make me realise how much pressure is put on you if you are single. I don't think for a minute that you need to be with someone just to be complete, although we are typically group animals, but everything is about being in a partnership or relationship. Every supermarket that you walked past was a wall of red, and fluffiness, and flowers immediately opposite the door, every card shop window was awash with more teddy bears than you could shake a stick at.......(can you shake a stick at a teddy bear? I suppose if they are Pooh sticks it would be appropriate......) oh and every mobile phone shop was advertising their pink phones especially for Valentine's Day.........(nothing says I love you like a brand new piece of plastic with multiple ring tones!) 

I pity anyone who forget about Valentine's Day......although I have to ask how they managed it. 

I really enjoy being with someone, and sharing with them, and the spirit of Valentine's Day (although as you can probably guess I can live without the pink and fluffy!) and I wish you all a very Happy, and slightly belated, Valentine's Day.

(sorry I forgot to get you a rose!)

I am (a) Kloot (convert)

When I was asked by a friend what I was doing this weekend, I really didn't have much to say ( I had hoped that I could get home on Friday night, have something to eat, maybe the first beer since New Year and then sleep through the weekend so that I would be ready for Monday morning.....well maybe go for another run if my legs will allow [see last blog] - what a lifestyle)

Instead they offered me a spare ticket to see a band that I had never heard of on Saturday night. Well after attempting to prevaricate I ended up saying that it would be great, and desperately searching the Internet for any links to their music. I know that I had heard of I am Kloot and that they had a fantastic reputation, but I really didn't want to admit my ignorance to my friend, my sister and her boyfriend, who were constantly talking about them.

I admit that I found one or two tracks online that I recognised, but was still not sure what to expect. I had been to The Duchess in York which is a great location, and to be honest, despite what I have said, I love watching live music, and don't mind what it is.

Arriving in York (always a great event for me anyway) we made our way through to the Duchess, where we had managed to miss the opening act, but the atmosphere was fantastic, and the surround music was great, and then at about 9:00pm I am Kloot arrived on stage...............and they were amazing! The Duchess is a small, intimate venue, and I'm sorry cos it sounds like I am gushing, but I don't know how to say how great the gig was. Being so intimate everyone was feet from the band, you could see everything.

And when the set was over, and queueing up to get the mandatory T-shirt I felt a hand on my back, and turning round found myself next to John Bramwell, the lead singer who was coming through to sign tour posters, CDs and tickets. It was very strange as he really isn't what you would expect of a lead singer in a band, but it just rounded off the evening perfectly.

And I think what I am trying to say is that the despite not being keen on going I would have really missed out if I had not gone! To be with great friends in a location with a great atmosphere and great music is the way to spend your free time!

Where did it go?

John Cleese (c) Independent.co.uk

I know that at the moment I am not the fittest person in the world, but I had no idea I was quite so unfit!

When I was at university it was normal for me to run 8 miles a day, and played rugby three times a week, so I was reasonably fit.

Walking round Manchester every day means that I still walk approximately 8 miles a day so I thought that I was at least reasonably fit. This year, rather than set myself resolutions (which I invariably break within a week or two), I decided that I would set myself some reasonably easy targets that I hope to maintain or achieve by the end of the year. This year I want to get fitter, loose a little bit of weight and to cut down smoking......(I know it's a filthy habit, but I genuinely am addicted to the nicotine, and whilst I want to quite completely I know that it will be difficult......I only smoke about 8 a day at the most anyway, but I would like to get it down!)

SOOOOO and the reason for this post......Saturday morning came round, and I had some books to drop off with a friend so I thought I would have a quick jog, to start my fitness regime. Having been out to my friends in the car, a couple of miles I thought, and I would be back before you knew it.......

......instead at 2 miles out, and just about half way there, my calves starting to seize up. But I was over half way there....can't be much further.....I thought. Unfortunately I had forgotten that once I got there and dropped off the books, I would have to jog back. Well after just under 8 miles, and an hour after I set out from home, I returned..............my calves locked solid. Not only did I warm up I had also warmed down.....or I thought I had.

So since Saturday I have been hobbling around, and stinking of muscle rub. Slowly I am getting movement back, but it really wasn't a professional look. I am told it looked something of a mix of John Cleese's funny walks and someone walking with a filled nappy (I am still not sure how they know what that would look like!)

Whilst I can live with the pain and discomfort, and am more than happy to be ridiculed (not a hugely uncommon thing!) I think the thing that upset me most was the fact that my friend was out so I still have the bloody books!