The Land of Biscuits and Bantering, IE Bristol

This past weekend I had to opportunity, or I guess made the opportunity fit into already jam-packed schedule, to visit my dear friend Carmel in Bristol, England. Arriving on Friday evening around dinnertime, I had a plane booked to depart at 6AM Sunday morning. Talk about a short but sweet trip! With all the travelling I’ve been doing and have yet to do, however, it was all I could manage. (And plus the airline messed up my booking so I lost a day.)

Friday night was a quiet night. We ate dinner in, met up with a few of her friends at a local pub, and went in early to get some shut eye. The next eye we began our adventures. 

This is from an artist who goes from city to city painting on buildings. 

Carmel took me all around Bristol … and shopping which I’m sure was a big mistake (however, I WAS in desperate need of some clothing items so maybe a good thing). I managed to resist the first two stores she led me into, but then, I was warmed up. It’s OK. I have a job in Germany now and I will work more when I arrive home as well!

Yum!

Anyhow, that night we had dinner at a local Asian Cuisine place which was delicious as I haven’t have Asian food since arriving in Europe. After that we meant her friends at another local pub where they insisted I taste a sample of the local cider. It was pretty delicious!

Then, Carmel, a few of her guy friends, and myself all went out dancing! At about 2AM, remembering that I had to catch the coach to the airport at 4AM, we heading back to Carmel’s to pack up my things and grab some grub at a food stand ‘opened late’. Haven’t not slept, I took the coach (wait, in American English it is Bus), and headed for the airport. Once there and through security, I hustled to my gate, set my phone alarm for 10 minutes pre-boarding time, hugged my bag, and took a catnap. 
*Does anyone else find it a bit funny and ironic that as the sun was rising outside the airport window, "I'm Leaving on a Jetplane" was playing in the background speakers?
Anyhow, I managed to sleep from before take-off to after landing (only an hour and a half but still good).

In Amsterdam, where my connection was, they speak Dutch, not German. Man is it different! Now and then I would catch a couple words similar to German, but Dutch is way harsher of a language than German is. I had to explain to many other American travelers that what they were hearing was, in fact, not German. I don’t want the bad rep German has of being an extremely harsh language wrongly perpetuated!  

I didn’t get to sleep on my next flight, or my train ride home. However, on the train I did get to warm-up my German again with two long-haired Swiss hippies.  

Back in Konstanz, after eating and beginning homework, I set an alarm for a quick hour-long power nap … only to be awoken 5 hours later by Remy, who knowing me too well, figured I accidentally slept though everything.

It was a short, whirlwind of a trip, but fabulous nonetheless!