After arriving in Bristol we had to take a bit of a nap to get adjusted to the time change.  Bristol is about 6 hours ahead of Rockford, so we really needed to adjust.

After we “caught up,” we began exploring the town.  Bristol is a large town of about 420,000 people and an amazing mixture of new and old architecture.  Bristol received its Royal Charter in 1155 and over the last 854 years remained on of the top 4 towns in population.  Because of its proximity to the coast it was founded as a shipping port.  In fact, was the starting point for John Cabot’s 1497 expedition to explore North America.

Anywhere you walk you can find Bristol’s history intermingled with the modern.  Today Josh and I visited the Bristol Cathedral, which is right next to our hotel.  This Cathedral is over 860 years old, founded in 1140, and has amazing statues and base relief sculptures.

A walk a few blocks from the hotel and you are in “old” Bristol.  We walked by a house built in 1699, the famous Old Bristol Vic Theater (where Sir Peter O’Toole and Daniel Day Lewis started their acting), and later on Josh and I will be drinking at the Llandoger Trow; which is the oldest bar in Bristol, founded in 1664.  The Llandoger Trow is also where Robert Louis Stevenson spent a lot of time, and even wrote part of Treasure Island!!

Modern Bristol’s culture is rich and diverse.  One only has to walk down the street and see many different cultures represented in the shops and restaurants.  From Kebabs, falafel, burgers to noodle bars….plenty of places to satisfy cravings.  Josh and I are staying at the Bristol Royal Marriott Hotel.  Even this Hotel has a bit of history of its own and has had many famous visitors including Winston Churchill, Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn and Gene Wilder.  Like Bristol itself, the Hotel is a mixture of old and new…considering that I am using high speed internet in a 150 year old building!

A great adventure so far!

Thanks,

Scott