In learning about the bus and train for our Tuesday trip with Ruth, we got a little more information about possible travel discounts for seniors (hurts to even think of myself in terms of "senior" - The English must feel the same about the title "Senior" because fares for anyone over 60 are called "consessions"). The bus system has what they call a "diamond card" that allows free around-town buses and half price fares for many of the local buses for residents over 60. To qualify we need our passport (or other proof of age) and proof of residency. We also needed a passport-type photo. We scouted around and found the city to be littered with coin operated photo booths. For a mere £3.50 (or as they say locally 3 quid 50 pence - $6.30) we can get four passport quality photos.
Friday we put our new-found facility with the bus system to work and headed off to the Broadmead Shopping Center for a photo booth. Before we got there, we had an epiphany - why don't we head straight for the big bus depot and get both the photo and the application? Besides the Bus Depot is the same stop as Broadmead. Got to the Bus Depot, got our pictures (look like real passport photo, or police booking photos - totally unflattering). Couldn't get the application. We were directed to the bus information center at City Centre (about 3 blocks).
Walked to the bus information center and got the forms without any problems but the guy behind the desk said we had to submit them at the City Council offices, but he wouldn't recommend it. There was a huge line at the Council office because the rules on the Diamond Passes had changed - the passes no longer gave us half price fares - from now on the passage on all council buses were FREE. Everybody wants one and he figured that the line at the City Council would be about 3 weeks long. He said we could apply by mail but suggested that we send our application by registered mail because we must send our passport, not a photocopy. Plus the proof of residency must be: Council Tax bill, TV license, Driving License or electoral registration. Since we don't yet have any of the required forms of proof of residency - we'll have to wait.
The bus system in Bristol is a wonder. There are several different bus companies operating regular routes within Bristol. Approximately 70 (seventy) bus routes service the City Centre and that doesn't count the incidental tour buses, charter buses, commuter buses or private buses. With all these buses, you would think that it would be easy for us to get from our flat to Temple Mead (the train station). Wrong! - all the buses that go through the center of the city require that you change buses at "Centre". The bus we have been taking actually runs south of the city and comes in the back way missing the Centre all together; sort of a huge circle. It does go through the Centre on the way back and we could come more or less straight home from the Train Station. We have concluded that buses are considerably cheaper than the trains and will probably do most of our exploring by bus. Flying looks quite attractive for longer distances and travel to the continent. A lot of the Intercity buses terminate at the Bus Station (where we went for our photos). The Bus Station is also at Centre and its buses are part of the incidental buses mentioned earlier.
The men in yellow are either drivers waited to relive other drivers or supervisors trying to keep the system from snarlling up
The full impact of the Royal York Crescent didn't hit us until the next day when we walked south and looked back. The Royal Crescent sits at the crest of the hill and has the maximum view possible. The guidebook claims that the crescent has 46 houses and stretches for a quarter of a mile, making it the longest Georgian crescent in the world.
