Montpelier, Bristol

A particularly brutal week of cycling to work in sub-zero temperatures before 7am, to be met by moody teenagers and exam targets, was broken up nicely by a trip to my old patch, Montpelier.
Matt met me off the train at Bristol Temple Meads on Wednesday, and we headed straight towards the Thali cafe. It was a little early for dinner, so we popped across the road to the Beaufort for a drink first. It smelt strongly of wee. We ordered our drinks then sat watching Eggheads on TV as the barlady coughed loudly next to us.
Then to the lovely Thali cafe, which has changed since my last visit. They now serve meat, and have extended the restaurant beyond the cluttered front room into the back, which is now a spacious, pleasant dining room. There are four Thali cafes in Bristol, each one a different size but with a similar laid back ambience. I used to think it must be the easiest place to waitress, as most people order the same thing: a tray of pickles followed by a Northern Thali. It's delicious, and must be very cheap to make, as it consists of cheap ingredients such as rice, lentils, salad and spices. A winning formula, leaving diners full and satisfied. The menus vary slightly in each cafe, but basically consist of just a few dishes, and I imagine huge pots of lentils and rice on the go all night. They also do an eco-takeaway in the form of a tiffin, just like traditional lunchboxes in India, which can be refilled for cheaper than a usual takeaway.
I love the Thali. I also love Mela which is opposite the Thali cafe in Montpelier, a friendly takeaway which offers thali and many other dishes, at very low prices.
Nearby, most people have good things to say about Herbert's bakery, Bell's Diner (I always wonder how people feel eating an expensive meal as they look out at the bins and remains of bric-a-brac sales on the corner), Yogasara studios, Licata Italian supermarket, the Radford Mill Farm shop, Galliford Stores, and even the chippy on the corner. They all add something to the community feel, relaxed vibe, and slightly smug quality of Picton Street, Montpelier.
At first glance it may look a lot like a crowded, scruffy street strewn with rubbish, but this week Montpelier saved my sanity and carried me safely through to the half term break.

Slad

We are considering a move away from the city, so when a friend invited us for a pub lunch in Slad we jumped at the chance. It was blowing a gale, and we started with a bracing walk in Burnham, then drove to Slad where we lunched in the Woolpack. The sky was clear, the view beautiful and the company lovely. The food, however, was outrageously overpriced. Before long we took advantage of the bright day, walking up the hill to look down on Slad, which is very pretty. This is a land of rolling hills, grey stone buildings and green everywhere. It seems like a pretty, pricey option.

Goat gully

After a long lie-in and a really good clean of the house, we needed some fresh air. We headed to the Downs, where many games of football were being played, and down the gorge through an area known as the Gully. This area, in the Avon Gorge, overlooked by the suspension bridge, is home to 20 or so rare species of flora, some of which only grow here. To keep the area in top condition for them to grow, a small herd of goats has recently been introduced, whose job it is to nibble away at the brambles hemming them down. We joined the goats on the steep walk down the gorge, passing a rail ventilation shaft, then turned around and headed back up the hill, emerging back onto the football fields.

Gwenvor

27th December 2011

My best friends from school and I met again at Sennen for a walk two days after Christmas. We don't get many chances to meet up during the year and relished the opportunity to chat and enjoy time off together.
We set off across the beach, skipping over the rivulets of water running to the sea, chatting our way across the sand until we got to the stony bit. The decision was made to scramble across the rocks to reach Gwenvor, nearly cut off from the incoming tide, and head back to Sennen via the coast path above the beach.
As usual I was at the back of the group. I like to think of myself as quite sturdy and not easily scared, but the others just kept skipping from rock to rock as I stumbled, negotiated pathways, jumped, lunged and used all fours to get across. The further we got, the further Gwenvor seemed, and I was grateful when the others decided to rest in a particularly beautiful spot.
This is what life is about. Moving, sharing, breathing sea air. I might be a bit of a wimp, but I love to be outdoors with good friends.
After an easy stretch back across the coastal path we met up with my sister in the Old Success, where I had a couple of drinks and left feeling very merry. Back to Penzance to greet yet more loved ones. A lovely day.

Seasonal Swim at Sennen

25th December 2011

We often go to Sennen for a walk along the beach on Christmas Day, but somehow this year we ended up there earlier than usual, and Lucy decided it would be a good day for a dip. I pondered the idea but decided against it as I had no bathers and couldn't really be bothered. Bad decision.
We arrived just before 11am, and were greeted by a throng of seasonal swimmers. People of all ages, shapes and sizes were stripping to their cozzies, ready to run to the waves at 11. This happens every year but we never realised at what time, or just how many people were prepared to take the plunge. I bumped into a few old friends and congratulated them on their brave choice of Christmas activity, while secretly wishing I could join them.
We counted down to 11am, a whistle blew and in they ran, hundreds of them, jogging down the beach for a quick dip. Lucy lingered the longest, claiming that once she was in it wasn't cold anymore.
Despite not actually getting into the water, I was very happy to be part of the occasion. So Cornwall, so Christmas, so crazy. Most of the swimmers huddled in the Old Success afterwards for a drink. We rushed home to greet neighbours and nephews, drink champagne and celebrate. A great start to Christmas!

St Andrew's Park, Bristol

St Andrew's Park has been many things to me over the years. I have whiled away the hours waiting for friends to finish work when I was visiting Bristol, come for quiet autumn walks alone, barbecued with friends, jogged around it in half hearted attempts to get fit, taken my little niece to the paddling pool, celebrated friends' kids' birthdays with picnics, come to find sunshine and escape the hassle of sunbathing anywhere near my house when I lived in St Pauls, watched the sun rise on long nights out partying, and came here to drink away the first hot day this year.
On Tuesday, for the first time, I joined in the annual 'Carols in the Park', and saw the park transform once again, this time taken over by churches to spread the Christmas cheer. I love to sing, and was so glad I made it out amongst the families, friends and couples, singing in the rain and celebrating Christmas in a very well used and well loved place.

Bath Christmas markets

Bath is so close to Bristol and so easy to shop in, as the new shopping centre is opposite the train and bus stations. Lucy was visiting for the weekend, and as I'd heard of the legendary Christmas markets in Bath, I decided it was time for shopping.
We had a lovely time buying gifts, mulled wine and bratwurst from the stalls, but the best part had to be Lucy acting as elf. She made all my Christmas dreams come true, phoning Santa when I saw something I liked and making sure I'd be well dressed for 2012.
The markets, set around the cathedral in a beautiful and historic city, are very pretty, but they were not quite as exciting as the ones I went to a couple of years ago. Bath is a great option for a Christmas shopping trip, but if you can be up north, a trip around York and Leeds is magical at Christmas time. In York it was snowing, and every bit as pretty as Bath, and in Leeds the German markets come complete with a huge marquee with a bar and bands.
Wherever I am before Christmas, I love days spent shopping for presents, and coming home to wrap them with Lucy and put them under our lovely big tree made me very happy.