Out And About.

[mongers]

Cardiff and Bristol today.

I can't quite put my finger on what makes Cardiff one of my most favourite UK cities, perhaps the modest size, about 1/2 million in the metropolitan area, but as a capital city it has much of the associated state and cultural institutions.

[mongers]

Oxford today.

Had enough spare time to 'do' one whole floor of the the Ashmolean.

Also popped into the Pitt-River's as I was passing, it has to be one of the more bonkers museums in the country; exploring the top floor, it's a vast array of ethnographic weapons, but where else would a full cabinet of Polynesia war clubs have, 6 feet opposite it, a display showing the development of automatic weapons in the 20th century.   

[mongers]

Yesterday was Gloucester, nice cathedral containing nearly as nice toilets. And Cardiff, nicer parks, but the temple of peace was closed when I got there. 

[mongers]

1450 miles on the trains over the last two working weeks; no cancellations and only one major train delay of 10 minutes.


Though the getting to the stations via 160-170 miles buses and 160 miles on the bike was a bit more tiring. 

[Tamas]

1450 miles on the trains over the last two working weeks; no cancellations and only one major train delay of 10 minutes.

I am sorry but this goes straight against Tyr and The Guardian's opinion of non-state ran railroad being pure hell.

[Tamas]

Nice reminder about Oxford though, we made a slingshot around it once on our way back from Blenheim Palace (and my wife did visit it once), it is high time we did a roadtrip there, it ain't particularly far.

[mongers]

Nice reminder about Oxford though, we made a slingshot around it once on our way back from Blenheim Palace (and my wife did visit it once), it is high time we did a roadtrip there, it ain't particularly far.

Yes, it really isn't far from anywhere in the Home counties.

More museums than you could throw a free audio guide at. 

[crazy canuck]

1450 miles on the trains over the last two working weeks; no cancellations and only one major train delay of 10 minutes.

I am sorry but this goes straight against Tyr and The Guardian's opinion of non-state ran railroad being pure hell.

The fact that Mongers got lucky is no reason to doubt all the other evidence of people who are not so lucky.

[Tamas]

1450 miles on the trains over the last two working weeks; no cancellations and only one major train delay of 10 minutes.

I am sorry but this goes straight against Tyr and The Guardian's opinion of non-state ran railroad being pure hell.

The fact that Mongers got lucky is no reason to doubt all the other evidence of people who are not so lucky.

Well I had delays on occassions when I was commuting by train of course. But IIRC the biggest problems lately in and around London have been caused by strikes (mostly justified I think - some companies want to remove guards from the trains, and I don't think the engineers themselves should be expected to manage such a mass of people).

My issue with the overblown complaints is seeing the massive infrastructure around train travel around London, and how good a general state it is in, the trains are mostly clean etc. I find it impressive, so I am slightly annoyed by the doomsayers.

[mongers]

The swallows arrived a few days ago and this evening I saw several dozen new born foals in the forest 

Also numerous MAMIL out in the fine evening weather, so that confirms Summer is here 

Beautiful evening ride in the national park, left at 6.40, after the local traffic had gone, back by 9.15 with still some light left. 

[KRonn]

The swallows arrived a few days ago and this evening I saw several dozen new born foals in the forest 

Also numerous MAMIL out in the fine evening weather, so that confirms Summer is here 

Beautiful evening ride in the national park, left at 6.40, after the local traffic had gone, back by 9.15 with still some light left. 

Excellent! The swallows must be fun to see. I used to see lots of gold finches but lately not so much. I have put out a hummingbird feeder and have seen the birds a couple times. Just for a few seconds as they go in and out so fast.

I've mainly been out walking, did a good brisk walk for a few miles today. Mostly just around my own and the nearby neighborhood streets but quiet, nice areas of mostly modest, well kept homes. There's a good sized area that I can walk while avoiding busy streets. 

[mongers]

The swallows arrived a few days ago and this evening I saw several dozen new born foals in the forest 

Also numerous MAMIL out in the fine evening weather, so that confirms Summer is here 

Beautiful evening ride in the national park, left at 6.40, after the local traffic had gone, back by 9.15 with still some light left. 

Excellent! The swallows must be fun to see. I used to see lots of gold finches but lately not so much. I have put out a hummingbird feeder and have seen the birds a couple times. Just for a few seconds as they go in and out so fast.

I've mainly been out walking, did a good brisk walk for a few miles today. Mostly just around my own and the nearby neighborhood streets but quiet, nice areas of mostly modest, well kept homes. There's a good sized area that I can walk while avoiding busy streets.

KRonn, sounds like a real nice location for impromptu evening walks.

[mongers]

Went on an evening bike ride to Stonehenge today, first time I've been there solely by bike for more than two years. 

[Malthus]

Went on an evening bike ride to Stonehenge today, first time I've been there solely by bike for more than two years. 

Presumably this was the soundtrack to your voyage:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAXzzHM8zLw

[mongers]

Went on an evening bike ride to Stonehenge today, first time I've been there solely by bike for more than two years. 

Presumably this was the soundtrack to your voyage:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAXzzHM8zLw