A picture paints a thousand words

Ian after he has been told off by Leigh...

Roundhouse Fun - Everybody Dance!

The last time I went to the Roundhouse was to see Eddie and The Hot Rods circa 1977.
Scroll forward nearly 40 years and I found myself returning once again, this time to see Nile Rodgers and Chic.
Nile did not disappoint - hit after hit, as well as the first live performance  of I'll Be There.

Set list March 20th 2015

Everybody Dance

Dance, Dance, Dance (Yowsah, Yowsah, Yowsah)

I Want Your Love

I'm Coming Out

Upside Down

He's the Greatest Dancer

We Are Family

Soup for One

Lady (Hear Me Tonight)

Like a Virgin

Lost in Music

Notorious

Spacer

Thinking of You

Why

Happy Man

My Feet Keep Dancing

I'll Be There

(Live Debut)

Get Lucky

Chic Cheer

My Forbidden Lover

Let's Dance

Le Freak

Good Times

(Bish)

svi ćemo na godišnji odmor

čestitke dobri prijatelji

Guess where the houses of Bish & Smithington will be heading to in the summer ?

Here are some clues ....

The Country that invented the necktie

Alfred Hitchcock said that it’s home to the “world’s most beautiful sunset”

It’s home to King’s Landing

It’s home to the world’s smallest town

Country where animals much coveted by Cruella DeVille originated

Their money is named after a rodent

Their coins are named after a lime tree

It’s the home of the world’s biggest truffle

Let the fun and adventures commence ....

Birthday fun - Bristol fashion

Ah, my dear old things...welcome to 2015. I have a feeling in my water that it is going to be quite a year,

First up - step forward those fun bus aficionados and 80's groovers, the fabulous Gill and Rick. In keeping with Rick's inimitable generous style , close chums and family were gathered to celebrate Gill's landmark birthday upon reaching the same age as the beautiful one.  Happy Birthday Gill.

With a dress code of best bib and tucker; posh frocks, ball gowns and dickies, there was intense pressure on the offspring's inheritance as the beautiful one insisted on sourcing an appropriate outfit. Worth every penny - absolutely stunning.

Now Rick is a sea faring boat nut; loving all things that bob about on the beautiful briny so it should be no surprise that the celebration was hosted on the mother of all things that float...the SS Great Britain. IKB's master piece. So well built that if the Titanic had been similarly constructed it would have given that iceberg what for and sailed merrily on.

For those not in the know .......

Bristol genius ...

The grand stateroom on the upper deck provided a wonderful venue for fine food and wine. Many new friends were made and old chums were reacquainted with as we gorged ourselves on mushroom risotto followed by roast rib eye and a plethora of desserts. A fine, fine feast.

The Birthday girl ....

Genial hosts

With sister Rachel

Beautiful people ...

Ladies Man !

Such a good night - live band, a happy DJ and a well stocked bar.

With the run of the ship, we investigated it from bow to stern and from under the water!!!

2 quirky facts;

The first English cricket 11 to tour Australia sailed on the Great Britain in 1861. Known as the H H Stephenson team after the team captain who  in 1858 took three wickets with three consecutive deliveries. A collection was held for him, and he was presented with a hat bought with the proceeds and thus the 'Hat Trick' entered sporting parlance

won 6 lost 2 and drew 4

Anthony Trollope of Victorian writing fame wrote the novel Lady Anne whilst steaming to Australia aboard the Great Britain.

A tad hirsute!

Here's the history lesson ...

Built in 1843, the SS Great Britain set a number of precedents in engineering design. She was the first ocean-going iron ship, the first with screw propellers, and the forerunner of modern passenger liners. At three hundred and twenty-two feet long, she was also the largest passenger ship then afloat.
Brunel's curved design for the propellers, perhaps aided by his ability to draw a perfect circle freehand, proved so effective that even modern computer-aided design has produced only marginal efficiency improvements. Linked to her one thousand horsepower engine, it was perhaps not surprising that on her maiden voyage across the Atlantic she broke the previous speed record, completing the voyage in only fourteen days.
1846-1881 Australia and beyond
After three successful years on the Britain to America route, in 1846 she ran aground off Ireland. Her salvage cost enough to bankrupt the ship's owners so she was sold on to Gibbs, Bright and Co. In 1851 her new owners had her refitted, including improvements to the engine, and used her to carry immigrants to Australia.
On the Australia run she was in high demand. In an age where sailing the oceans carried high risks, sailing on the SS Great Britain meant you got there safely, and usually you got there fast. She would eventually sail this route thirty-two times, carrying the first British Cricket team among others. During the Crimean War she was in service as a troop carrier, taking 44,000 troops to the war.
In 1882 she was converted to a sailing ship, carrying freight instead of passengers. She would serve in this role for the remainder of her sailing days

Abandoned In 1886, the SS Great Britain sought sanctuary in Port Stanley in the Falklands after sustaining damage. Assessed as unseaworthy, she was abandoned in the Falkland Islands, to be used as a floating warehouse and coal store. In 1937 her retirement became less dignified when she was finally scuttled. Left to rust in Sparrow Cove, her glory days past, she was almost entirely forgotten.

In 1970 it was decided that abandoning such a historic vessel was unacceptable and the SS Great Britain project began the ambitious plan to move her from the Falklands to her home port in Bristol. Loaded onto a specially built pontoon, she was sailed halfway round the world back to Britain. The pontoon was unable to sail up the Avon, and so the ancient vessel was carefully patched and floated one last time. She was then towed, floating on her own, up the river to her home dock.

Seasonal salutations and festive felicitations ..

Funbus wishes its readers,co-conspirators, fellow travellers and all round good eggs....a very merry Christmas.

Goodwill to all ... even the not very nice ones

Fine provender

A plethora of  libations

Family feuds!

Seasonal stocking fillers ...

HO HO HO ... MERRY CHRISTMAS

Inducted into the 54 hall of fame ....

Now its time for the Bish to step forward and celebrate the passing of yet another action packed year in suitable Bishop style ...a gathering of the great and the good of the wider funbus clan. All with the ambition to share adventures and escapades in fine bonhomie style.

The provender theme was home cooked gourmet curries and associated side dishes - all eaten with great gusto and washed down with a cornucopia of wines, ales and ciders.

This meant a slow start in the morning but a bracing trek through the wilds of the Hampshire outback made sure cobwebs were swept away and appetites refreshed.

Happy Birthday to the man.

A Birthday selfie ...

The wider clan ....

Enjoying the rugged Hampshire outback in true Bish style

Interesting fauna and Hampshire beasts