New BISC Website

New BISC website is now launched so please check it out - http://www.bisc.org.uk/.

Please note that the events blogsite is now integrated in the website and so this blogsite will no longer be updated!

Farewell BBQ - June 2010

I always find this one just a little emotional! The Farewell Barbeque. Well, once again Dr Chill’s request to head office for good weather was truly answered, and we had an excellent summer’s evening. It was an evening marked by merriment, gaiety and some sadness.

Joe Bain, who is joining BISC as a team member for the next academic year, introduced some games and fun. This was held further up the lawn, whilst at the lower end were the more seriously minded discussing the attributes, (if there are any) of post modernism traits in English fish and chips! The barbequed food was exceedingly good and the catering was undertaken by the BISC staff and cooked by two stalwart volunteers from Yate Community Church. The barbequed sausages with the sauce were my favourite.

This year for Dr Chill has been one of his happiest yet, having just finished his second year as a BISC Team member, and staying on for a third year. I now know where the kitchen utensils live, and Jacqueline just loves the bespoke washing up and the clean toilets! Yet BISC could not have happened without your support. International students are important to us, and for those leaving or who have already left, we hope and trust that your stay in Bristol was a good experience and that BISC was part of that experience.

If you are staying on in Bristol over the summer recess, for example, postgraduate and doctoral students, we are still here. You can come in from 1.00 pm to 5.00 pm for a coffee, tea and a chat until the end of June. After that, it’s best to phone to check if we are open as we need to have our holidays too! Don’t forget, Dr Chill’s advice regarding proof reading and general academic advice is still available.

Perhaps think of your experiences of BISC as a new start to your life. Indeed perhaps you will view the British culture as having something positive about it. I have gained much experience over the past two years in working with international students from across the globe. Indeed the experience has taught me much about improving my own character and skills. Much has happened to me during my lifetime, not all of it pleasant. Two years ago I thought that I would never be able to use my academic and other skills. But the Boss at Head Office raised me up from my sickbed and directed me to BISC. This is the only organisation I have been involved in where there is no ‘backstabbing’ or ‘backbiting’. Also I now know a few words of German, French, Italian, and Spanish. I’m still trying to master a few Persian words though.

I will conclude now, the photographs speak for themselves.
Cheerio God bless and may your God go with you.
This is Dr Chill signing off until the start of next term.

River Cruise - JUNE 2010

Hi there all of you lovely international students! This is Dr Chill reminiscing about the River Cruise. It was a beautiful summer’s evening (yes that’s right, England can have beautiful summer evenings: it’s the England football team that is dodgy!) Dr Chill had spoken to Head Office requesting favourable weather and his request seemed to have been heard.

The boat was built for fifty and we all boarded her on time except for one guest who was waiting at the other end of the Watershed, but she made it in the end!. The Bristol docks area is quite fascinating. As a young lad Dr Chill remembered Bristol docks as a fully functional working dock. The main cargo was bananas from the Caribbean islands. The company was called Fyffe’s and the banana boats were painted white. Cruising along the docks, we passed the artificial cut. This was constructed in the early 19th century by French prisoners of war captured during the Napoleonic Wars. The cruise took us past the back of Temple Meads and a derelict concrete 1960s office block; I remember it being built and opened. Then out into the suburbs, the fishermen and ducks. The ducks seemed to be interested in us when the food was served. There was much jollity and waving on board when we passed other boats coming in the opposite direction. One boat that we passed appeared to have had a champagne party on board.

We cruised along the rural part of the river, where we passed some wonderful houses that looked onto the river. Some people were having a bbq and watching the England World Cup match. The journey was three hours long, and I think we all enjoyed it and thought it was definitely worth the money. It was Hazel’s birthday and we sang happy birthday and applauded and gave her a present.

One of our guests was on another cruise the following day, from Bath to Bristol, so our River Cruise was used as a preliminary training ground for the big trip the next day. Well done E, I hope you made the Bath trip on time!

International Feast - May 2010

Yummy yums, it was the International Feast evening and what a spread of food representing varying cultures and dietary needs! The food ranged from Indian lamb curry to traditional British; yes someone brought fish and chips! Perhaps a tad too much vinegar on the chips! I digress, as there was Libyan rice, Iranian dishes and potato salad from Germany There was laughter and merriment, social interaction and fun. The food was absolutely delicious and Jamie Oliver was nowhere in sight! The overseer of the event was Ruth, and Dr Chill undertook the washing up!

The beauty of the International Feast and indeed BISC generally is the international guests who visit us from all over the Globe. It is part of the extra-curricula activity, where we learn more about nations, customs and traditions.

Between the main course and the sweet there was half an hour of fun and games, led by the CU. For instance there was a game that appeared to resemble the concept of ‘Chinese Whispers’ but involved miming. There was certainly a lot of laughter coming in through the kitchen windows from the BISC garden.

Once again you lovely people, another glorious success for BISC! There are two more functions this term the river cruise on Friday 12 June and the Farewell Garden Party on Wednesday 16 June. See you then. This is Dr Chill signing off until next time.

CAMBRIDGE – a town like no other

On this trip my lovelies, Dr Chill’s contact with head office concerning the weather appeared to go unheeded! It was chilly and wet for most of the trip. Nevertheless we all set off in cheerful mood despite the hour of 7.30 on the morning of Saturday 8 May 2010.

Most of the journey was on motorways, and on leaving Bristol we skirted the slopes of the Cotswolds, and then Wessex Down, where there were hills close to the motorway and onward to Reading services for a 10-minute convenience stop. Then onward to the northern end of the M25, turning north to Cambridge. As we travelled near Cambridge you may have noticed that the landscape was now very flat. Many large fields were covered in yellow carpets of seed oil rape. We were now in the eastern part of England that is called East Anglia.

After about three and a half hours of travelling we arrived at Cambridge. The first part of the fun was queuing up outside a local public house in order to use their washroom facilities. Then we joined another queue for that most academic of English of leisure called punting. Most of you mastered the punting skill very quickly and enjoyed the River Cam sailing past the rear ends of the colleges. This stretch of Cambridge is called ‘The Backs’. Well done!! We were very proud of all our BISC students.

Following a short lunch break it was off for a guided tour of the old Cambridge town. We met outside the entrance to King’s College and were divided into groups of 16 to 17. The tour included a visit to St John’s College. The gatehouse is decorated with the coat of arms of the Duchess of Beaufort who was the financial founder of the College. There is a West Country connection here in that the present Duke and Duchess of Beaufort’s estate is just north of Bristol. For those on the previous Cotswolds trip we went passed the Beaufort estate. Every year during the Easter period famous horse trials take place!

Back to Cambridge, did you notice the round church? Why is it round? Was it to stop students in medieval times from hiding in the corners when the collection was being taken? The market was very interesting as this was the original medieval site of Cambridge, and close to the original bridge over the River Cam. ‘Cam bridge’ that is how Cambridge got its name. After the guided tour had finished Dr Chill with two international students made it to ‘Aunties Tea Rooms’ that was a pleasing experience. While it was raining and cold outside, we all slurped our hot chocolate, and were joined by Jacqueline.

Dr Chill was touched by the kindness of one of our students who insisted that I share her umbrella as we made our way back to the coach pickup point. We all made it on time, just! The sun began to shine as we left Cambridge and travelled back to Bristol. I think 18 nationalities were represented on the trip, which was livened up by a quiz – then sleep! We had a second convenience stop at Reading Services and we were home by 9.30pm.

All in all a wonderful trip despite the weather. It was a wonderful experience for Dr Chill who experienced the warm friendliness of all of you lovely people. The weather may have been wet and chilly, but your company compensated for this.

This is Dr Chill signing off until next time.

BRISTOL 10K RUN – BISC was there!

Sunday 9 May 2010 was chilly but dry and probably the perfect setting to run 10k through the streets of Bristol. Dr Chill and the BISC supporters positioned themselves opposite the Hippodrome with a BISC banner for all to see, and waited for our 3 BISC runners to pass, hoping we could catch a glimpse of them to cheer them along.

The crowds were overwhelming and the runners seemed to be of all ages and abilities. There were experienced runners and amateur runners as well as part-time soldiers (Territorial Army) in their camouflage clothing, carrying large rucksacks and jogging in formation. Other runners were dressed in the most amazing costumes. Scooby Doo, Cinderella, Cowboys on their horses, Lobsters, and many other characters brought colour to the day.

At 10.30 am the BISC cheerleaders were joined by student A who had just left her church service and we stood in the cold cheering on the brave runners. Jacqueline was across the road, taking photographs of the event, some of which are included with this Blog. Big cheers and clapping occurred when three or four disabled runners went by, including one in a wheelchair.

After the race we strolled back to BISC where we had a small reception laid on for our runners, who were wearing medals to prove that they had completed the 10k run. All in all a good morning especially when you were a spectator rather than a runner! Yes! Despite the rumours circulating around BISC, Dr Chill did not participate in the race. Maybe next year! Hope to see you again at BISC in the not too distant future.

Don’t forget the BISC team will support you throughout the exams. Join us for exam lunches, starting Monday 17 May – Friday 4 June (excluding bank holiday, 31 May). Lunch will be served every day from 1-2pm. Come and put your feet up, chill out, have a chat, while enjoying lunch and a mug of tea or coffee. The BISC team have previously had examinations experience, so we understand how you feel!

Well this is Dr Chill signing off in order to start his training for next year’s 10k run.

Ice Skating – and a Meal to Boot

The evening began with a meal at BISC that was excellent. The vegetarian dish was out of this world. There was also a superb chicken-honey dish and an ‘o so delicious’ pudding. BISC had a visitation from E, a doctoral student originally from Russia who had just arrived in Bristol that day. She simply followed the noise and the lovely atmosphere and landed up in the BISC lounge. We all made her welcome. E, even commented that she had never experienced such a friendly and warm place.

After the meal we all trekked down to the Ice Rink where we performed our varying displays of the art of ice-skating. It was great fun and a good break after constantly concentrating on our studies. Dr Chill and a few others, who stayed behind to clear up and make BISC ready for the following week, noticed no broken bones or dislocated joints after the ice-skating event, which was excellent as Dr Chill is also the BISC First Aid officer and he would not have enjoyed a night at the ER after such a lovely evening.

Well, we look forward to seeing you again at BISC during the next few weeks. Remember that as part of the Summer Program BISC will provide exam lunches (see the program or website for exact dates). BISC will be open to you during this time for lunch and reflection or advice if you require a friendly smiling face to talk to.

Regards and best wishes in this busy academic time.
Dr Chill

PHOTOS TO COME

A JAPANESE EVENING to remember

Personally I found the Japanese evening held on 28 April 2010 a very culturally stimulating event. The Bristol University Japanese Society excelled themselves. The range of experiences from Japanese food to a Japanese fashion show was outstanding. The lady arranging the women’s fashion display, where she assisted dressing women guests in traditional Japanese Kimono, was amazing! I saw Ruth of BISC transformed as she was adorned in a white Japanese Kimono.

The Japanese calligraphy being undertaken by all was very enjoyable but perhaps a bit messy! I got ink all over my hands. It was like being at school again! I preferred the kitchen and Japanese food and was shown how to cook noodles to perfection. It was perhaps the first time in the history of BISC that Dr Chill was seen wearing a hair net. Perhaps this should be seen as a complement as he has so little hair. A medical student who came from West Malaysia kindly supervised my cooking of noodles. Funny, I didn’t know that West Malaysia was in Japan!! However the noodles and the sushi (taught by an experienced sushi chef) were excellent. Dr Chill spent the remainder of the evening hanging around the kitchen in case there were some spare noodles going.

All in all this was an excellent evening and culturally pleasing. Let’s hear it for the Japanese Society and please visit us again.

Keep smiling, and remember BISC is there for you especially during the exam period.

Regards from your own Dr Chill

THE COTSWOLDS – England at its best

To all our BISC Blogger - this is your own Dr. Chill reporting on the beautiful visit to the Cotswolds in the company of beautiful people. We set off on a very sunny and warm day and enjoyed excellent weather throughout. Soon we saw the characteristics of the Cotswolds, lemon coloured stone walls that were set without cement or mortar. The route took us through some picturesque villages and towns, including Tetbury. We even drove past Highgrove House where Prince Charles and Camilla live. I did not see anyone on the coach saluting though!!!

The first stop was at Cirencester, a funny name. It derives from Latin and the town was built 2000 years ago at the time of the Roman occupation of England. Evidence of this could be seen in the Museum. Did you find Jack’s Café in the Museum? Dr Chill sat there doing the crossword!!! The town market was also worth a visit, where you could taste locally produced cheese.

Then it was onward to Bourton-on-the Water to the north east of the Cotswolds. The countryside en route was extremely beautiful. This part of England is called the ‘chocolate box’ scene, as the rural photographs of stone walls and stone thatched cottages often appear on boxes of chocolate. I hope that you like chocolate; I do but am not allowed any for health reasons!!

Next in line was the Little Venice of England, ‘Bourton-on-the-Water’. The River Windrush flows through the village and there are numerous bridges where you can cross and re-cross. Dr Chill sat on a bench and continued to proof read A’s assignment. He started this on the coach and completed it in the Horse and Hounds at Broadway. There were noisy ducks that were being fed by a large number of tourists. Bourton on the Water is a small village with a population of about 4000, and tourism is the major industry of the village and surrounding area. What did you have for lunch? I found a quiet café and had a baked potato filled with tuna and mayonnaise.

Our journey continued to Moreton-in-the-Marsh, where we had a short break and Dr Chill was locked up in the stocks – and quite rightly too. About two/three hundred years ago people who committed anti-social behaviour and traders who undersold were locked in the stock, where the local population would throw rotten eggs, vegetable and fruit at the incarcerated offender! Moreton-in-the-Marsh is where the Headquarter of the UK Fire Service Staff College is located, most of it burnt down last May! Someone had to call the fire service so that they could put out a fire in the Fire Service College! The College lost 14 fire engines and a training block!

Just north of Moreton-in-the Marsh there is a crossroads called threeways, and this is the boundary of five English local government administrative districts called counties. Our coach took the left road and we descended down a steep hill that is called Hangman’s Hill, where at the bottom we arrived in the village of Broadway and into the Horse and Hounds for a pre-arranged cream tea! Very delicious!! A little stroll through the village was worth it, as I saw two horses and learned that the name called Broadway was due to the wide with of the road in the medieval period.

Then it was onward home, down the M5 with the sun setting in the horizon, arriving back in Bristol safe and sound. We hope you had a wonderful trip. Until next time then this is Dr Chill signing off so keep on rocking and rolling, and see you around BISC sometime soon. Do not forget to book for the River Cruise and the Farewell Garden Party!!

Oxford - March 2010

Well it was a cold, dry and sunny start to our trip as we left the confines of Bristol to head for the dreamy spires of Oxford. However not all of Oxford can be described as the City of Dreaming Spires! These were the parts that were not included in the programme. Dr Chill had laid on the good weather through contacts he has with Head Office. We all went in one coach and our driver was Hugh.

The trip took us along the M4 to Swindon and we turned on to the road to Oxford. Swindon used to be a famous railway town where steam engines and carriages were built for the Great Western Railway. The last steam engine to be built in Britain was constructed at Swindon and was called ‘The Evening Star’. However I digress. The road took us through the Vale of the White Horse, and from a distance the horse was carved into the side of a chalk hill at a small village called Uffington. It is not the one we passed when going to Stonehenge. The horse in the vale is the oldest being prehistoric, probably around the time of the late Neolithic/early Bronze Age. You may not have noticed this but we went through a small village called Shrivenham, and here is located one of the two campuses of Cranfield University. The Shrivenham site is also called the Royal Military School of Science, and Dr Chill worked here part time for a year in 2002/03 as a research assistant.

So we arrived at Oxford where town and gown as a university and city were established about one thousand years ago. There was a walk with a Badge Guide in the morning looking at places of interest, as well as a visit to Trinity College, not the advertised Brasenose College! Trinity College was founded in 1555 some 40 years after Brasenose College. The monarch of England at this time was Mary (Tudor) the eldest daughter of Henry VIII, known for his gluttony, overweight stature and having 6 wives. Mary was married to King Philip II of Spain and this was at a time when your religion could lead to persecution. Mary was a Catholic and she imprisoned and executed many non Catholic Christians loosely termed Protestants.
You may have noticed that Trinity College is situated in the centre of Oxford, close to the University’s libraries, laboratories and lecture halls as well as the City’s amenities. The academic community consists of over 300 undergraduates and 100 graduates. Originally the Colleges at Oxford were founded by the Church and were seminaries for the training of priests. Until the mid 19th Century all of the academic staff of Oxford University, called dons, had to be celibate. Most of the curriculum focused on the studies of classics. Matters gradually changed over the latter part of the 19th century.

Some new colleges were formed but were styled ‘Halls’ rather than colleges, dons could now be married and the University curriculum was slowly widened to include modern studies as for example Politics, Philosophy and Economics, (the famous PPE degree)! Science and Technology were also slowly admitted to the Oxford curriculum but not without protest from the traditional dons and politicians, most of whom in the 19th century had been educated at Oxford. The classical tripos was still more popular than the modern tripos.

Well I hope that you enjoyed the trip and that these few notes in this Blog will give you additional information about Oxford. Don’t forget now on 8th May 2010 is the Cambridge trip; book on line early to reserve a place. Do not leave it until it is too late otherwise you will be disappointed.

photos to come

‘Stonehenge and Salisbury’ – a step back in time

Last Thursday it was snowing, yet I promised Jacqueline that we would have dry weather with sunshine for the Saturday trip. There were two coaches waiting for us, and we came aboard at 08.30 just as the Sun began to peek through the greyness, and we were off. We drove through some spectacular English countryside on the southern edge of Bath. Shortly afterwards we could see the ridge of Salisbury Plain in the distance. Perhaps most of you missed it but there was a fleeting glimpse of the Westbury white horse calved into the hill. If you missed it don’t worry, Dr Chill has photographs of the seven white horses located in Wiltshire.

However I digress. We drove along the Nadder valley, the River Nadder being an example of a chalk river in southern England. The waters are clear and the River is popular with fly fishermen. The road lays between the ridge of Salisbury Plain and the River Nadder. We turned on to the road that proceeded upwards to Salisbury Plain. You may have noticed that there was a whitish tinge to the soil on the farmland; this is chalk. Also you may have noticed round bumps (small hills) scattered in the fields. These are burial mounds called round barrows and were placed there in the Bronze Age and were contemporary with the later stages of Stonehenge. I only saw one long barrow. This is also a burial mound, but relates to the late Neolithic and early Bronze Age contemporary to the early stages of Stonehenge. Most long barrows are situated on the northern part of Salisbury Plain, a part of the Plain that was not included on the trip.

I won’t say too much about Stonehenge as you had previously received an email attachment giving an outline of the continuing archaeological exploration around Stonehenge called the Riverside Project.

After Stonehenge we moved southwards to Salisbury, a small city in Wiltshire. The Cathedral is spectacular and no doubt you had the guided tour. I was interested in the origins of the name cathedral meaning the bishop’s seat, and his subordinate, the Dean who is in charge of the cathedrals administration and the building. The chair and position of dean have been inherited by the English university system. For example, a professorial position is called a chair, and the head of a faculty is called a dean! Not surprising really, given that the origins of the English university system began with the church in the medieval period, notably Oxford and Cambridge.

There will be more on Oxford University next month, on 13 March, when we set off on another BISC trip. If you wish to come, please book early, as all places are competitive and places are likely to become very limited. By the way did you visit Salisbury market? I bought some bargains, socks and undies at a knockdown price. Well that’s all for now my lovelies. This is Dr Chill signing off for now as the washing up waits.

‘Pancakes, Pancakes and MORE Pancakes’ – Shrove Tuesday with a difference

How many pancakes did you eat at the BISC Pancake Party on Tuesday 16 February 2010? Wonderful weren’t they. There were all manner of savoury delicacies that went into the first course. It included beef fillings, chicken fillings, a delicious mushroom filling and homemade bake beans with side salads to ‘encourage healthy living’. The sweet fillings for the second course were out of this world and we were encouraged to choose our own combination using apple mouse, chocolate sauce, bananas, caramel sauce and mush mallows. You could even make your own pancake under strict supervision. From my observations it looked like a lot of fun.

The team from Nailsea who provided the food for the evening were really wonderful and professional. If you remember from the talk, Pancake Tuesday is a tradition that goes back to medieval England or even before that. Pancake Day falls on the day before the beginning of what is known as Lent in the church calendar and Lent leads up to Easter.

The time of Lent was a time of simplicity and reflection and most of society during medieval times ate bland basic food. Lent begins on the Wednesday after Pancake Tuesday, called Ash Wednesday. So in order to use up their remaining food stock and not let it go to waste, the medieval Christian society came up with the concept of a Pancake Party.

Well we certainly ate all our pancakes on Tuesday. BISC was a full house and the aroma from the kitchen was mouth watering. I was hoping for a second serving of the first course, unfortunately this did not materialise, so I went for the sweet that was pancake with an apple filling. I did notice that a number of New Year’s resolutions about trying to lose weight were broken on pancake night.

I hope you really enjoyed your Pancake Party particularly if it was your first one.
Keep rocking and rolling folks,this is Dr Chill signing off. I hope to see you at our creams teas and lunches. You will not be disappointed!!

‘Happy Chinese New Year’ – music, food and lots of fun activities

I was at BISC most of the day on Friday 12 February 2010, when our colleagues from the University’s Chinese Chess and Calligraphy Society arrived to prepare for the evening. At about 4 pm a really savoury aroma came from the kitchen with the cooking of spring rolls, and I was invited to try one, yummy yums. I could not wait until the evening proceeding had begun so I could have another one, two or ten!

At 7pm BISC was transformed into a Chinese world of fun, laughter, music, food, Chinese chess, calligraphy and paper cutting. The Chinese chess looked very complicated but I noticed that some erstwhile members of the Christian Society had been practicing in the BISC lounge on Friday afternoon. Their practice paid off and they were well into the game by the early evening.

The Chinese calligraphy too was very skilled and entertaining, and certainly artistic. Dr Chill’s wife was there too learning some of the skills. Actually Mrs Chill is a well-practiced calligrapher and she has displayed her talent in this field at numerous local exhibitions.

I did like the making of Chinese decorations; I think there were fish, lanterns and quite a few other shapes and forms. Mine turned out like bits of red paper hanging from a string. I noticed that Ann’s fish were very well done except for the last one. This looked something like mine!

Then there were the nibbles including those wonderful spring rolls, prawn crackers and other savouries.

All in all everyone had a jolly evening, and may have learnt something from Chinese culture. We must all say a BIG BIG THANK YOU to the Chinese Chess and Calligraphy Society at Bristol University. When the proceedings finished at about 10 pm and the clearing up had been done, Dr and Mrs Chill went for a Chinese takeaway and I had another spring roll!

Until next time then, this is Dr Chill signing off. Keep rocking and rolling, and don’t forget to hand in your assignments on time.

‘Banksy’ – a criminal or an artist?

On Wednesday 10 February, shortly after a delicious Soup Lunch, we continued with our explorations of what wonders Bristol has to offer for Internationals and Locals alike.

This time, our local guide John Rosewell treated us to his extensive knowledge on Banksy, the British street artist with an international reputation (amongst his client list counts, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie) for thought-provoking art.

John discussed Banksy using a remarkable slideshow, showing both the recent Banksy show at the Bristol Museum and his work in and around Bristol and other cities. It was an afternoon of wonder and amazement at the hidden messages in his art and the mystery surrounding the identity of this famous Bristol born artist. If nothing else, at least his birthplace is known to the public.

As at all BISC events the afternoon could not be enjoyed without delicious snacks and drinks being provided. And in between us munching away, John invited us to share our own views and opinions on Banksy. We felt inspired and deeply encouraged to explore the idea of street art as an art form in itself.

Do join BISC for other similar events. Watch and discuss the films ‘Black Gold’ on Wednesday 24 February at 2.45pm and ‘Elizabeth I – the golden age’ on Wednesday 17 March at 2.30pm, at BISC.

‘Ice Skating Evening’ – Skating through the ice on the ice

With the cold weather and snow that we have had, BISC could have had its ice-skating in house on Friday 22 January 2010!

The evening began with a meal at BISC that was excellent. The vegetarian dish (pasta with pesto, mushrooms, peppers and feta) was out of this world and the meet option (beef mince with lots of extra goodies on pasta) was perfect. Afterwards we all trekked down to the Bristol Ice Rink where our varying displays of the art of ice-skating were performed.

I did not notice any broken bones or dislocated joints after the ice-skating event, and I assume that we all had an enjoyable and safe time. Certainly the reports were that all had such a marvellous time, they want to organise another Ice Skating evening as soon as possible. Speak to Jo Bain about this if you are interested. We want to thank the Bristol University CU in particular for being so helpful in teaching all those more uncertain skaters a few tricks of the trade.

The ice rink in Bristol has been there for over forty years. Dr Chill, as a teenager, use to take his girlfriend ice-skating there. Later as a teacher in a Bristol secondary school he took students ice-skating on Thursday afternoons.

Well I trust that you had a jolly evening and unwound after a busy week with your studies. I look forward to seeing you again at BISC for our famous Cream Teas and Lunches or on another BISC trip.

Regards
Dr Chill

‘Stratford-Upon-Avon’ – The world of Shakespeare

Hello there once again you lovely BISC rock and rollers! This Blog is about our trip to Stratford-On-Avon, the actual birthplace of the Bard himself, William Shakespeare.

With Tony as our driver we were well on our way by 8.30am on Saturday 30 January as we travelled through some beautiful countryside. Stratford-Upon-Avon is one of those picturesque English market towns, where the original Tudor buildings still stand. The Avon is the name of the river that flows through the town. And just to confuse you, there are three rivers called Avon in England. Avon derives from the Anglo-Saxon meaning water. The river that flows through Bristol, including the dock and Gorge area is also called the River Avon, and there is a third River Avon near Stonehenge. The Bristol Avon begins in the Cotswolds and flows through the countryside east of Bristol including through another ancient small market town called Bradford-Upon-Avon. Dr Chill lived around here when he was a teenager. It was not uncommon to see international tourists who had ended up in Bradford-Upon-Avon rather than Stratford-Upon-Avon some 100 miles away.

To start with, we visited ‘Shakespeare’s Birthplace’ where we were part of a famous lineage of people who had previously visited the place, notably English writers including Keats, Dickens and Hardy as well as Dr Chill! Nash’s House/Newplace and Hall’s Croft followed thereafter, both with very interesting connections to Shakespeare and amazing gardens to wader in. The guides at all three the venues were very entertaining and knowledgeable, even though they were slightly overwhelmed by the size of our group.

To end off the day we were treated with a Cream Tea out of this world served at both Henley Street Tea Rooms and at Benson’s. The creams teas were the crown of the trap which overall was a phenomenal success and gave us the time to catch up and share our experiences of the day.

Some related points of interest for you to note: On 30 January 1649, King Charles I was executed and England became a republic for 11 years until 1660. The execution of Charles I occurred some 33 years after Shakespeare’s death. Also: some years ago there was some controversy, questioning whether Shakespeare or Francis Bacon wrote his plays? Certainly there was intrigue with a number of Shakespeare’s contemporaries, including the dramatist Christopher Marlowe. Marlowe was murdered in Deptford London, then a naval port. It has subsequently been suggested that Marlowe was a spy and was killed on orders of the King! The opinions that Bacon was the true author of Shakespeare’s plays or that Marlowe was a spy have never been substantiated.

Well that’s enough history for today, and we at BISC hope that you enjoyed the trip. Don’t forget our activities for February, including Chinese Chess and Calligraphy night on Friday 12 February, and a Pancake Party on Tuesday 16 February, followed by a trip to Stonehenge and Salisbury. Please book early for all our events so not to be disappointed. Also don’t forget the our very own Cream Teas on Mondays from 3.30 - 5.00 pm at BISC.

Have a happy week and this is Dr Chill signing off, see you at BISC.