Why Bristol and Bath? They are easily and quickly accessible by air and road for a weekend visit, so why not? History, luxury, sightseeing and the chance to drink Bath water. How could we resist?
Bristol is the largest city in the UK's south-west. A former second city of England, its inherent prestige is reflected in the city's architecture, maritime heritage, and wide expanses of park land. It's a small city, however, and in a similar way to Manchester, many thousands of its inhabitants choose to live in the centre, where the harbour takes pride of place. Throughout night and day, the harbour - with its string of museums, galleries, restaurants, cafes, and bars - ticks smartly along like a fast watch. It's the sole metropolis between London and Cornwall, and part of the Bristolian charm is that it's a city that considers itself a town. Which is nice, if somewhat contradictory.
Live in Bristol for a couple of years, the saying goes, and you'll know upwards of a dozen people wherever you go. Like Dublin, it's cliquey and tends to be wary of outsiders, but if you're a familiar face - well, come on in and join the party. The city still smarts with hurtful indignity about the active role it played in slavery, yet it's an art-fuelled place with an international reputation for creative multi-racial, multi-cultural dance music (even if the city's DJs used to joke that if you wanted a Bristol crowd to move, all you'd have to do would be to throw a tenner onto the dance floor).
People were living in this part of Britain thousands of years ago. The caves at nearby Wookey and Cheddar were used for shelter and stone circles. Bronze Age round barrows and the remains of Iron Age forts can be seen and visited at many points around the area. It's thought that giant blue-stones - used in the construction of Stonehenge - were floated from the Prescelly Hills in Wales up the River Avon on their way to Wiltshire.
Although parts of the city were devastated during the second World War, the city's resilience has made it a large commercial centre, and one of the most popular UK cities for business relocation. It's also a major focus for new and expanding media industries - it makes no mistake in telling visitors that this is where Wallace & Gromit are based.
Fresh visitors to the city are advised to board an open top bus, still the only sure-fire way to orient the curious traveller who might not have too much time to spend. Besides, for all Bristol's city centre compactness, there are several sights out of city view you must see.
One is the Avon Gorge, which winds its way through cliffs over 91 metres high in places. Another, spreading out from the northern cliffs of the gorge, is the Downs. Covering 445 acres, the Downs have been used for local recreation since Victorian times when, owing to the encroachment of housing, the land was preserved for the people of Bristol in perpetuity.
Nearby is the Clifton Suspension Bridge, a thin structural wonder from the brain of Isambard Kingdom Brunel (who didn't even get to see it, as he died five years before its completion). By day, two-way traffic is its main use. By night, festooned with hundreds of lights, it provides a glittering spot for gazing over the harbour to the city.
Best instant-visit shopping bet? Try Christmas Steps, a steep alleyway that dates back to the 17th century. If you go there, you've got to take a look at Charles MacWatt Handmade Boots & Shoes shop. The product is pricey, but unique.
Thirsty? Try some Bath water. Then again, perhaps not. It's very much an acquired taste. We tasted a sip (but no more than that) directly after a superb tour of the Roman Baths, the site of Britain's only natural hot spring.
Only a short journey from Bristol, you'd be a fool to pass by Bath if you're in the area. Once standing second only to London as the social capital of England, there's a strong museum-driven aspect about the city that is difficult to shake off. Its reputation as a former centre of one of Britain's Great Meeting Places for 18th-century artists, politicians, and intellectuals is understandable, as it is quite possibly the only city outside of London to have been so frequently name-checked in 19th century English literature. Jane Austen, who used the city as a backdrop for Persuasion and Northanger Abbey, once wrote that Bath was a "dismal sight". Believe me, Jane, it's changed.
There are many things to do in Bath, but if you only have a brief time there, go immediately to the Royal Crescent and take in the clever design of John Wood. Some regard it as a folly, but on a clear day and from a certain angle, it's really quite astounding. A short walk away is The Circus, a circular residential pile the like of which you won't see anywhere else - at least not as grandiose and imposing.
And finally, if you can afford it, book into the Royal Crescent Hotel. Harking back to a class-defined tradition of service (many aspects of which are performed with total seriousness and absolute professionalism), the hotel is somewhat austere but incredible to experience. Our room, the Brinsley Sheridan, had a visitor's book. Nosing through it, we noted that the room's previous occupants had written: "We have experienced nights of passion unknown".
All things considered, this diary entry was amusing to read, but not to think about, and perhaps a little bit more information than we wanted to know. Where was Jane Austen when we really needed her?
