Fish and Chips

Dorset is one stunning beast when the sun is shining. The best thing to do is take a little walk and escape the masses populating the main beaches. It is amazing how the crowds thin out as soon as there is a little effort involved. I much prefer the beaches around Lulworth and Durdle Door as they are pebbly, sand drives me nuts, it gets everywhere! What a lovely weekend, good people, good weather, good food.

Spanish Sun

I was lucky enough to score a trip to a conference in Valencia in Spain (expenses paid, woop!) a couple of weeks ago. It was absolutely scorching! I then returned to similar weather in the UK, so it seems we are actually getting a summer this year :). Anyway, I'd thought I should make the most of my time in Spain, so much exploring was done. It is a really lovely city, there is a picturesque old town with lots of appealing architecture, including some very old churches. The city is on the coast too and there is a massive beach with plenty of restaurants serving the ubiquitous paella. The hotel and conference centre were out of the main town a bit, but there is a very efficient (and air conditioned!) metro so it was very easy to get around, without me having to make too many awful attempts at Spanish. I did entertain some waiters though with my appalling pronunciation!

A sexy glass of sorbet lemony goodness

Not a bad view from the hotel room :)

All the Animals

I took a trip to Bristol zoo a few days ago, and thoroughly enjoyed it! They don't have many big animals as it is quite small, but the collection is great and all the enclosures seem to be well thought-out and of a good size. They have plenty of reptiles too, which fascinate me. The aquarium is also very good, they have some really interesting species. Of course there are plenty of charismatic apes and other monkeys, and the sealions are also brilliant to watch, they have tunnels going under the pools so you can see them swimming around. A bonus Gromit was spotted too :)

Blue spiny lizard juveniles 

This guy kept eyeballing me!

Standings Day Gecko

The sealions really seemed to like swimming upside down!

Gromit as a mandrill :)

Busy Bee

Bindweed is the bane of my life! Perhaps a little over-dramatic, but my garden is over-run with the stuff, especially if I leave it for a few days. Anyway, I do like having a garden, the first raspberries are starting to ripen, my courgette plant is getting huge, and the bees are buzzing. Happy Saturday everyone!

Bugs in the System

I have squeezed in a few delightful rides in the early morning sunlight in the last couple of weeks, the only trouble being the inevitable multiplication of insects at this time of year... I have definitely swallowed more than one! A close encounter with a heron and some calm reflections on the water more than make up for that though. Unfortunately I was too slow with the camera for the heron, but of course there are plenty of other pictures for you. Having just re-read Roger Deakin's 'Waterlog', I have been feeling particularly drawn to the water, although you won't find me taking a dip in the muddy Avon canal. I do miss being beside the sea at this time of year, one day I will have that house with a view of the sea.

I'm off to Valencia in the name of work next week (oh, woe is me), hopefully there will be time for some play and photography :)

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Life and Other Stories

Some good times have been had recently, keeping busy over the weekends certainly makes them seem longer, and I am loving the long days at the moment. Lots of hours of light and plenty of sun motivates me to stop being a hermit and actually get out there and possibly even be sociable (shock-horror!). Pictures!

New rack and panniers, freedom!

The two tunnels pathway in Bath, highly recommend it, there is even music in the longer tunnel :)

On the canal, points if you can spot the heron!

A blinding peony. I have only lived in my current house for a year and there seem to be lots of surprises popping up in the garden, lots of pretty things, which makes me happy :)