One day in Bristol (graduation ceremony in Bristol)

Hello! We are still in Bristol today.

As I said, I came this time because I was going to attend my nephew's graduation ceremony.

But before heading to the afternoon event, we spent a little time enjoying the city this morning. We started the day with breakfast.

We went to Sandiago's, a restaurant and cafe located near the bus station.

In addition to the breakfast set, they also offer desserts. The lunch menus will be available starting at noon.

There were menus everywhere, haha. But today, it has to be the full English breakfast.

This type of place is called a greasy spoon cafe by the British, and it's found on almost every corner of England. It sounds funny, but the meaning isn't negative.

It's a term used to describe a homely British breakfast place that serves breakfast at affordable prices and in a friendly atmosphere.

It's a place where locals come to enjoy a hot cup of coffee and chat in the morning.

While the name sounds unusual, it conveys a sense of simplicity and warmth. Some even say, "You can't beat a good greasy spoon breakfast."

This dish is a full English breakfast, or 'fry-up,' which combines all of the best. It includes fried eggs, bacon, sausage, baked beans, hash browns, and toast.

This breakfast has been a staple in England for hundreds of years. It's said to have originated in the 13th century, when the upper class wanted to show off their wealth by serving this hearty breakfast to their guests!

Nowadays, it's become a common dish, packed with protein and fat to prepare you for the day!

And now, we were ready to explore the city. Anyway, we didn't have so much time. The first place that we stopped at was St. Nicholas Market.

St. Nicholas Market is a historic market located in the heart of Bristol. It's been open since 1743, boasting a history of over 280 years. The buildings are Victorian and Gothic in style.

The market sells local food, desserts, drinks, souvenirs, clothes, art, and handmade items, making it a great place to stop by.

Besides being a great place to see and shop, this market also hosts various festival celebrations and music performances.

But we arrived a bit too early, and the shops weren't even open yet. Usually, this place will be lively around noon. So, we browsed around and looked at the handmade items and souvenirs on display instead.

Even though I arrived early, I still managed to get some cute tote bags to take home.

Bristol has been a major port in England for over a thousand years, making it a city full of beautiful architecture.

Another common sight in this city is a seagull! They're not afraid of humans.

Some even come so close that we have to flee! The local herring gulls can live up to 30 years and are so intelligent that they can even remember the faces of those who have chased them away!

We sew signs warning against food-stealing seagulls in almost every restaurant.

The locals even joke, "You won't own your fries until you get rid of the seagulls!" But because they're so numerous and intelligent, they've become like the city's mascot.

Besides Bristol being a classic beauty, it is also known as Europe's "green city" due to its abundance of natural spaces and parks.

It was even awarded the European Green Capital in 2015.

An essential part of the Bristol city walk is art. This city is the birthplace of world-renowned graffiti artist Banksy, whose work is all over the city. He is an anonymous artist whose face is unknown, but his work is famous all over the world.

Banksy began on the streets of Bristol and has since become an artist who inspires people around the world.

Each piece is humorous, satirical, and sharply reflective of society.

Because every place is filled with creative energy, Bristol has been called the city with "living walls."

Bristol is home to several other interesting arts-related projects, including artworks placed in public spaces for various charities.

The graduation ceremony was held at Bristol Beacon.

It's usually used for music concerts, but during graduations, it's transformed into a celebration venue for the graduates.

The event was very lively. Actually, graduates can choose whether they want to attend a graduation ceremony or not. 

There were so many cute souvenirs at the event.

To participate in the ceremony, students may invite up to four people. Before entering, they will be given wristbands instead of tickets.

This is used to enter the auditorium and is subject to a fee.

The ceremony took about an hour and a half.

Graduates will walk up to the stage to present themselves (but there will be no certificates handed out on stage).

Applause and cheers from friends and family filled the hall with warmth, pride, and laughter.

The most memorable part of the event was when the teachers stood outside the hall to send off the graduates. It was like a final send-off because after this time, everyone had to walk on their own.

It's an event where the graduates are really the main stars.

After a very satisfying ceremony, I went out to find some snacks, because I was very hungry!!!! I stopped to buy some coffee mousse from Sainsbury's. It was delicious. Most of the food in the Taste the Difference series is delicious. Even though the price is a bit higher than the normal series, it's worth it. ^^ 

Tonight we celebrated at a Japanese restaurant, as per my nephew's request.

The restaurant is called Kibou, the interior is beautifully decorated, and the atmosphere is great.

It's a chain restaurant with several branches, each with its own unique and beautiful decor.

The food tastes good, but maybe because there were a lot of people on the day we went, the service wasn't as impressive as it should have been ^^"

However, the prices are quite high compared to Thailand (and higher than the Vietnamese restaurant we ate at the day before).

We ended the day with a delicious meal. I secretly thought the name of the restaurant, "Kibou," which means "hope" in Japanese, was very appropriate for today. I hoped my nephew would succeed in life as he intended.

Our mission in Bristol is over. See you next time! We'll be in Manchester together.