The Bristol Quay is part of the city center. "The Fountains" feed into the water of the quay and restaurants and bars line the water. The famous Pedro's bridge crosses the quay. Houseboats and ferry services occupy most of the dock space along the quay. It is a lovely area to walk on nice days and from across the river you get a beautiful view of the city.

Blaise Castle Estate

Sunday, January 27 - Ian and I had breakfast in bed and then caught the bus to Henbury to see the Blaise Castle Estate. The estate is a 650 acre park with fields, forests, a gorge and a castle. The Castle is actually a folly built in 1766. There is also an 18th century mill and an estate house which now acts as a museum. It was a beautiful day with lost of sunshine. There were lots of Brits enjoying the playground and the walking trails. Ian and I hiked around for awhile before having a picnic lunch. After lunch we did some more walking, had an ice cream and soaked up the sun. Just before heading home we strolled through the museum. It was wonderful to have some sun and a break from the city.

January flowers

Thursday 24 January,
Ian and I have made it back from our winter holiday across the pond and are starting to settle back into English living. We've had almost nothing but rain since we've gotten back but yesterday was dry and I took the opportunity to visit the Royal Fort. I walked around the grounds enjoying the landscape and gardens and to my surprise found some daffodils in bloom!