Chester with Areandare
December 2013
If I have a fault, and I very much doubt that I do, it is that I suffer partial blindness. But not blindness in the usual optical context but rather bus blindness.
I have suffered this affliction all my adult life and whilst I can see them to step out of their way as they rumble their smoky way down the road, I have always been blind to their use as a credible means of human conveyance.
But Sandra and Barry rely on the vagaries of public transport and we were duly inducted into the dark ways of the omnibus to journey into Chester, suffering rain and chill to add to the heady mix of life's rich pageant. As you can tell - I am a convert, I love buss's (not)!
Chester's Jubilee Clock
But the redeeming feature of the bus journey was that it followed the canal route into town and we crossed the ribbon of silver repeatedly. We immediately scaled the wall at the second most photographed clock in the UK and found ourselves looking down on the canal as it runs beneath the walls, under the bridge of sighs and down past the Northgate Locks.
Chester's Bridge of Sighs
Below Northgate Locks, Chester
I have never completed the full circuit of Chester's walls during my earlier visits but this time we remedied the omission, completing all 360 degrees in a couple of hours. A two hours I hear you ask.... why so slow?
Walls of Chester
The answer lies in Albion Street in the shape of the amazing Albion Inn - a pub decked out in the style of the First World War. We crept in 10 mins after the notional 3.00pm closing time but negotiated out way into four delicious pints which we consumed in the company of the bar staff and two pub cats who had a taste for discarded crisps.
Chester was looking fine decked out inits Christmas lights, a stunning town and well worth another visit on the boat.
Illuminated Chester at Christmas
The weekend held one final novelty - Helen on the radio. Saturday morning found her sharing the delights of WildSide on air - a novel experience which she entered into with great enthusiasm and no little skill.
How can you not love the buses lol! You got to chat with Barry non-stop all the way there and return, no worrying about finding a car park or having to negotiate crazy christmas drivers! Shame the first bus was a tad late, but hey, that's life, gives you time to stand and stare ;-)
ReplyDeleteLove the photos Andy, you can just make Helen and I out on one of the clock ones, hehe!
oh 'we' negotiated our way into the lock in, did 'we'??! That's not how I remember it! I seem to recall that you & Barry arrived AFTER Sandra & I had already done the the negotiating!!
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