This weekend was really hot. I was in Bristol on Saturday, and when I left my house in the morning it was a bit overcast so I put some jeans on. Big mistake - by the time the train got to Bristol the sun was out and I was already overheating. Still, you have to make the most of these things, so buy combining the powers of ice cream and beer, I got through the day.<br /><br />We went to the Glass Arcade in <a href="http://www.stnicholasmarketbristol.co.uk/">St Nicholas Markets</a> for lunch where I tried some Caribbean 'Ackee and Salt Fish'. Tasty, although the women running the stall did her best to warn me that I wouldn't like it (nobody there, including her, liked it). I thought it was pretty good though - it sort of melts in your mouth. In a nice way.<br /><br />We checked-out <http://www.arnolfini.org.uk/whatson/exhibition.php?id=32">'Encounters'</a>, a Manuel Vason exhibition at the <a href="http://www.arnolfini.org.uk/">Arnolfini</a>. Despite the clever walk-activated lighting stuff, it rather suffered from a lack of context, but hey, it was suitably disturbing in parts to tick the right 'art' boxes! The Arnolfini do struggle to run their bar very efficiently when it's busy though, and it does get pretty busy on summer days.<br /><br />During the afternoon we went to Brandon Hill and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabot_Tower_(Bristol)">Cabot Tower</a>. I don't know why I haven't been up it before, but I did this time. A great view is to be had from the top of it, and we had fun squeezing past the fat people on the thin spiral staircase. The tower is nice and cool when it's hot and sunny outside, so it was a bit of a welcome respite.<br /><br />There was an intention to catch <a href="http://www.puressence.co.uk/">Puressence</a> at the <a href="http://www.bristolveganfayre.co.uk/home.htm">Vegan Fayre</a> (the worlds biggest, no less), but a few drinks in the sun sort of messed-up our schedule. Still, we sort of heard the end of the set from the other side of the fence!<br /><br />As I type this I'm watching Mick Jagger prancing about on stage singing Sympathy for the Devil at the Isle of Wight festival. He's not doing too badly for a pensioner! A few of my friends were there, and with the great weather and lineup, I'm sure they had an excellent time. My own festival excitement is for Glastonbury of course, but it has been ever so slightly tempered by the awkward Wednesday morning coach we are forced to get. Not so much a problem for me as a couple of the guys I'm going with, so hopefully it will turn out for the best.