Set Fair for 2019

The mighty Bus rumbles on ….

Ice and Fire ....

Having survived the heat and excess of the recent sojourn with the Barmy Army it was back to dear old Blighty for a few days before jetting out with the beautiful one in the august company of the delightful Sandra and Steve to …. Iceland!

A cold little place but full of interesting stuff and we managed to see a lot of it 😎

The delightful thwack of leather on willow ....

October 2018 and England are on tour to Sri-Lanka and who decides it would be a wonderful wheeze to join the barmy army and participate in the fun ?

Yep, yours truly accompanied by the male heir, the legend himself and the fabulous Naish boys

Need I say more .....

saluti buoni amici

Now as our funbus chums know ... we do enjoy fine victuals and libations so where else to sample such delights but at the culinary Mecca commonly known as Italy.

Indeed my bambino’s it was decided that 2018 would be the year for the houses of Bishops and Smithingtons to decamp for the summer to Naples and along the delightful Sorrento coast taking in Capri, Pompei and Herculean.

Well it certainly didn’t disappoint ... the sun shone, wine flowed and the food was indeed deeply joyous

So first up Naples ..... certainly not for the faint hearted! It’s a working city full of intrigue beauty and a certain amount of ‘edge’. Great fun

Next to  Tthe roman ruins and then to the glorious coast and a boat trip around and onto the ever fashionable Capri.

Fantastic

Pintxos Por Favor

June in 2018 saw us decamp to sunny climes in North Spain and take our first visit to the famous Basque region and in particular the hidden jewel that is San Sebastian.
Its a jolly jolly nice place and is very highly rated by the Funbus!

A Grand Design

Once a favourite destination for Spanish royalty, San Sebastián has lost none of its lustre over the years. Elegant art nouveau buildings, ornate bridges and beautifully manicured parks and plazas create a captivating backdrop to this seaside city. Far from being mere set pieces, the grand architecture remains an integral part of San Sebastián, from the lavish Hotel Maria Cristina to the belle époque spa perched over the shoreline. Meanwhile, the old buildings lining the cobblestone streets of the Parte Vieja have been given new life with charming guesthouses, colourful boutiques and buzzing pintxos bars all part of the great and vibrant mix that is San Sebastián. 

Seaside Setting

Spain’s culinary capital is also blessed with an alluring coastline. The long Playa de la Concha is the city’s great backyard, a picturesque sweep of sandy beach that fronts gently lapping seas. Surfers head one beach over to the powerful waves that roll in off of Playa de la Zurriola, just behind the hipster enclave of Gros. Just offshore of the old town lies Isla de Santa Clara, a small hilly island that makes a fine getaway on a steamy afternoon. The city has some fine vantage points to gaze over its coastline, including the hilltop heights of Monte Urgull and Monte Igueldo.

It does a rather spiffing type of Tapas - available in most bars and the house wines are very good indeed. Definitely given the funbus seal of approval ...

Culinary Superstar

San Sebastián has a justly deserved reputation as one of the world’s great dining destinations. This is a city that celebrates the art of eating well in all its many forms – whether snacking on fresh oysters and txakoli (a lightly sparkling white wine) at a seaside cafe or lingering over a decadent, multi-course feast in a Michelin-starred dining room. Pintxos (Basque tapas) bars litter the streets of San Sebastián, and showcase first-rate ingredients from the surrounding coast and countryside combined with the culinary creativity of Basque chefs. When it comes to cooking, no other city quite 

Great fun 😎

Recommended !!!!