Drove Izzy and Kit down to Bristol today to visit the Aquarium there of which we have fond memories. I think they enjoyed themselves, I must admit I was left wondering "Where have all the fish gone?" Last couple of times I went they had teeming shoals of huge Rays, a guddle of Terrapins, sizeable sharks and other huge fish gliding around and over one in the tunnel...where have they all gone? They had some great stuff but the numbers were distinctly on the thin side. The food in the restaurant which used to be good, took ages and was nothing special....? Perhaps the answer lies in the similar absence of people, given its half term the place should have been crowded, it wasn't even busy. A sign of the continuing slump in salaries and security?

We were going to go round the corner to see the Ardnam Animation exhibit but the building was shut up and pretty much inaccessible due to building work going on in Millenium Square so we went for a walk along the docks. I did try to raise enthusiasm to catch the ferry down to the SS Great Britain but although they seemed interested it was reserved for "another time". It's possible they were being concerned about my walking so far, I do hope not. It's probably unfair to compare previous trips to Bristol in better weather to this one at the extreme end of October but there's usually a quirky, things going on atmosphere round the revitalised docks that I just didn't feel today.

Back at the car park we noticed strange little doors with balconies, bridges, ladders and man hole covers in odd little places all over the building. Borrowers? Ninja rodents? Kit, a fan of the Septimus Heape novels, suggested it was the Messenger Rat access ways.