Explorations in Exeter

Sunday 15 November - Drove to Exeter to see the famous cathedral. It is a very eclectic cathedral with Norman and medieval elements as well as Victorian and modern day renovations and additions. The town itself has lots of delightful old timber-frame buildings but is plagued with modern and mainstream shops. After exploring the Cathedral and a bit of the town we had a lovely lunch overlooking the cathedral and its green then joined a free tour of the Cathedral close. The tour was very interesting and informative despite covering only a small area around the cathedral. We learned about the sundial on opposite the cathedral which has no 9 as the sun does not shine on it at 9 because the cathedral blocks it. We also saw the corbels on the cathedral one depicting the stonemason's daughter and another depicting Bruce the famous pipe-smoking dog, complete with pipe. The Cathedral had one of the first clocks in the country and has nearly always had a cat on the payroll to control the rodent population; consequently it is thought to be the inspiration for the nursery rhyme, "hickory dickory dock". Exeter also boasts the smallest street in England, based on the original lines of a Saxon street and measuring only 25 inches at one entrance but is still technically a street because it a. has a street lamp and b. has doors which open onto it. After the tour we visited the ruins of the norman castle before getting back into the car and heading back to Bristol.

Vintage in Vogue in Chipping Sodbury

Saturday 14 November - Ian and I rented a car since I had the entire weekend off and since we needed to get to Swindon for a dinner party. We took advantage of the car in the morning by going to a vintage and antiques fair in Chipping Sodubury, a medieval market town not far from Bristol. Despite the storm weather of rain and wind we made promenaded up the town to the village hall. We had a good time looking at all the vintage christmas decorations, paper, fabric and other nick-knacks. Afterwards we checked out the local market and walked along the canal (which was near flooding from all the rain) before taking a leisurely drive through the countryside back to Bristol.

Graduation

Friday 13 November - It finally happened, only 9 months after I actually finished my coursework, I've officially graduated from UWE. The ceremony took place in the Bristol cathedral and was not too prolonged taking only about an hour for the speeches and reading of all the names. I was the only one present from my course. Afterwards we enjoyed some champagne and cakes at the alumni reception in a very lovely marquee erected just outside the cathedral. Ian took some photos of me in my Master's degree robes before we celebrated with more champagne at home followed by a nice meal at the Glass Boat.

Giselle

Friday 6 November - I've been dying to see the ballet, probably because all the Christmas decorations make me think of the Nutcracker, but as that is not playing we went to see Giselle at the Hippodrome. Performed by the English National Ballet it is considered one of the greatest tragic romances in ballet. Giselle is a young country girl with a poor heart, her mother fears that dancing will kill her. She falls in love with an aristocrat who has disguised himself as a local farmer. When his true identity is revealed and the fact that he is engaged giselle dances herself to death. In the second act giselle joins the Willi, the spirits of virgins who have died for love. The Willi capture young men lost in the forrest and force them to dance to death. Giselle saves her aristocratic lover from the Willi queen when he goes to mourn at her grave. It was an amazing performance (overlooking the cringe-worthy fall of the queen of the Willi in one of her solo dances) with a lot of synchronized dancing of the Willi (about 20 ballerinas). The music was lovely and the costumes were also impressive, a very enjoyable evening.

Birthday stroll at Kings Weston

Saturday 31 October - For a nice activity on Ian's birthday we took the train to Shirehampton than took a leisurely stroll around King's Weston House. It was a lovely sunny fall day and we enjoyed the scenery and the autumn colours. We had a nice little lunch at the tea room at King's Weston House before walking back to the train station and heading back to Bristol.