David and Ross: UK Bristol

Hi all,

Firstly before launching into news we'd like to thank all those people who sent us emails prior to our departure wishing us well.

We're having a lovely time here. The weather is lovely. Stayed In London for first few days with Michael and Julie. We enjoyed ourselves very much there....ate plaice (fish) which is a bit like a flounder in shape but without bones and quite soft. Gave them a little gift...a two litre cask of lovely Australian olive oil supplied by Annie--thank you Annie. They seemed very happy. Michael and Julie have a lovely outlook from their window In the living room. There's an apple tree directly opposite, laden with apples and NO COCKATOOS or PARROTS!!!!! You're not supposed to sit outside as technically you are overlooking the neighbours.....perhaps you could soften them up with an ale or two.

Michael and Julie below and Ross and I below them.
Below that is a photo from their living room window.

I don't think the Brits like to drink!!! Also I don't think that they realise that smoking is bad for your health. Have never seen so many people smoking in the street.

We have visited:

National portrait gallery--very nice

Innovative design (modern) Victoria and Albert gallery

Albert hall for a prom concert with M &J lovely--had to take a cab there for a few hundred metres as we were a bit late and Julie's feet were suffering.z

Visited Julie's work the "Terence Conran" shop in south Kensington where all the poor buggers live.

All very nice but somewhat sterile as an area.

Went to HARRODS. my God what a joint! Bought Ross some dates the cheap ones were over 30pds a kilo and some dearer ones for a staggering 75 pds per kilo (see above). Saw Wafu beef for over 215 pds a kilo! Not for the faint hearted.

Ate macarons at LaDurée in Harrods I believe the inventors of "le macaron".

Please note that the prices for the meat below are per 100g, NOT per kilo

Went to Ham House in Richmond--very Elizabethan but not very kosher!

Spent a lovely day in the Kew gardens--there was an amazing display of veggies at the front in prime position! Drank cider which tasted a bit like mouldy old boots.

There's a lovely cheese shop in Richmond. Quite unbelievably the lovely Scotsman Lyall who works there used to work at a cheese shop which we visited in Edinburgh. We discovered this synchronicity during one of our cheesy conversations.

Every day we eat cheese--of the most aromatic varieties. There is a strict rule however....only show us cheeses made with raw milk....rien de pasteurisé pour nous! Nothing pasteurised for us!

Pas les fromages de merde ausraliens mais les fromages au lait cru!!! Délicieux!!!!!

Not the shitty Australian cheeses but raw milk cheeses. Beautiful.

It'd be worth moving here for the cheeses alone.

Sorry no photos of any thing yet. Perhaps in a couple of weeks when back in London.

Une journée sans fromage, c'est une journée sans soleil.

A day without cheese is a day without sunshine!!!

Please help us to campaign against our stupid country in favour of raw milk cheeses!
Write to that Kevin Dudd and say you want raw milk cheeses to be allowed.

The problem with Australia: too much hysteria about listeria...
Because of a risk of listeria and pregnant women (if I've got it right) the entire population has to suffer. If someone's old enough to get pregnant then surely she's old enough to watch what she eats???

Yesterday went to Bath. Beautiful! Staying at Bristol which is young and funky!

Ate two nights running at a Carribean restaurant. Best pork jerk ribs ever.
This afternoon we went to a place here called Clifton and yes...Clifton Hill. Walked over Brunel's suspension bridge which was constructed with linked iron plates instead of cables in 1856.

Tomorrow we're off to Devon and Cornwall to explore and eat pasties and Devonshire tea (not at the sometime however).

Below are photos from Michael and Julie's window. I know it's hard to see, but there is an apple tree opposite laden with apples