Hi Mum,
What a great weekend!!! Me, Rattie & Pisoni said farewell to Mr Bananas (on his way to Canada) & Baubles (on her way to Spain) on Saturday!
The 3 of us that are left then went around Bristol - we learned quite allot as we were going round about the History of the city, it is the largest City in the South West area of England! Bristol dates back to Anglo-Saxon times, and was started by a small settlement, Bristol was formally known as ‘Brigstow’.
Bristol has got some lovely green area’s & parks, I wanted to just run around all the tree’s, but the weather wasn’t very nice at all so decided I will do that another day! We headed through this beautiful park - Victoria Park, then walked along by the Harbourside in centre of Bristol - we found some ducks & swans to feed - Swans are known as the Queens animal & are protected!
The Bristol Harbour used to be used allot, but as ships got bigger there wasn't enough room & they had to close it back in the 1800's! They moved to docks to where the Bristol Channel meets the Severn Estuary - now called Avonmouth / Royal Portbury Docks!
We did get rained off though for a while - horrible English weather! We decided that would be a good time to stop off & get some food – peanuts were lovely!!
From there we went to see the Clifton Suspension Bridge - it is right above the Avon Gorge, it was amazing, with brilliant view of Bristol! We were so high up though - nearly thought i was going to fall off! In 1753 a Bristol wine merchant, William Vick, left £1,000 in trust in order that when the fund had grown to £10,000 it should be used to build a bridge. It was won by Isambard Kingdom Brunel in 1830 - He was only 24! He died in 1859 and the bridge was completed and opened five years later in 1864. The bridge is 1352 foot long, the span between the piers is 702 feet long and it is three feet lower on the far side to counteract an optical illusion.
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, did more than anyone to shape the face of modern Bristol today, his legacy also includes the boat SS Great Britain, and Temple Meads Old Railway Station.
We then went to College Green - there was a huge Council building & Cathedral there which dates back to 1140!!!
We saw a real castle too - After the Norman Conquest of 1066 this castle was built on what is now known as Castle Park.
On our way home we found an actual dinosaur - glad he was in his cage & not runny round the streets after me, ha ha!
We are all off to see Girls Aloud this week & then to theme park! Never been to a concert before – there will be so many people there, we are sat on the floor area in the middle – only 17 rows away from the front – wow!!!! Then we are going to mission around the Midland part of the UK for the rest of the weekend – me & Rattie will have such as great time with Pisoni. Julie & her friends!! One of her friends has 2 cats, hopefully Rattie wont be too scared to meet them!
Lots of Love & smiles
Claire & Rattie
xxxx
