When will this shit end?

[steviewevie]

Think I need to get out more.

Talking of shitholes where you get mugged, my partner's parents over from Japan got robbed here in Manchester. Kind of ruined the trip.

[squirrelarmy]

I’ve only really noticed high crime in tourist areas where there is also a high percentage of drunken Brits. Easy pickings.

[efcfanwirral]

14 minutes ago, Homer said:

One jab isn't much help with going abroad is it? You need both don't you?

Ah ignore that- its vaccinated people obviously 

Edited May 24, 2021 by efcfanwirral

[thewayiam]

35 minutes ago, Barry Fish said:

I have a love hate relationship with Barcelona - been lots but I can't decide if I think its a big shit urban sprawl or a cool city which offers lot.
Either way - cable ride up to the old Olympic Park is a must do.

I didn't do the cable ride. I have however never been mugged either but there was a warning about it entering the Nou Camp.

[efcfanwirral]

Actually that's a question about Spain - are they going to allow people to take a test if they're not fully vaccinated yet? I'd presume not but feel sorry for all those younger people who have shut themselves away for 18 months to protect older people yet have to watch when the older ones are allowed to to Spain over the summer when they can't til September...

Edited May 24, 2021 by efcfanwirral

[Hannibal Schmitt]

20 minutes ago, Homer said:

One jab isn't much help with going abroad is it? You need both don't you?

Rules are different everywhere (some also accept pre-tests), but to play it safe I would say both is the best bet.

[Homer]

8 minutes ago, thewayiam said:

I didn't do the cable ride. I have however never been mugged either but there was a warning about it entering the Nou Camp.

Barcelona is crazy for it. I was leaving a club on the Ramblas and a girl started following me home. As I was telling her to go away another huge girl ran at me and bodyslammed me against a wall while screaming. Within seconds there were hands all over me. I remember actually laughing because it was so surreal (and I was pissed).

Luckily as it was December I was wearing a duffel coat that went down lower than my jeans pockets so they didn't get anything.

And I'm 6ft and about 16 stone, so they really are pretty fearless!

My best mate got pickpocked in daylight the next day too. We all saw it coming but still couldn't stop it.

[balthazarstarbuck]

If we’re talking German cities with good beer, I’d like to put a good word in for Cologne. Not as touristy as the other 3, but a very nice cathedral and spoilt for choice Brauhaus wise. Doable by train from London as well.

[MEGABOWL]

1 hour ago, Homer said:

I much prefer Munich personally. Berlin is very disparate, maybe because of the former divide, there's no obvious focal point for going out! I went on a boozey weekend to both though. If you're after history, I'm sure Berlin offers more (I need to go back and do that side of it properly with the wife).

Munich is great, much prettier place than Berlin and from a history/architecture POV it has more old buildings left. However Berlin is brilliant, you can go there for pretty much anything-unique history, boozing, clubbing, food, it’s even great with young kids as a City Break.

[MEGABOWL]

Just now, balthazarstarbuck said:

If we’re talking German cities with good beer, I’d like to put a good word in for Cologne. Not as touristy as the other 3, but a very nice cathedral and spoilt for choice Brauhaus wise. Doable by train from London as well.

I liked Cologne but it’s only a couple of day thing. The Cathedral is great, what’s left of the old town and the area around the Rhine is nice but then the centre is a big sixties monstrosity. We did find a couple of nice bars though, the Chocolate Museum and from a history POV the Eldehaus is very moving

[Homer]

I think this is a clear sign that everyone needs a f@cking holiday! My second jab isn't until mid-July though - I actually put it back a few days too as the original date offered was the day before the final of the Euros (sob!).

[steviewevie]

what you think the rules will be with taking kids on holiday who haven't had a vaccine...I assume they'll be ok to travel still?

[Homer]

1 minute ago, steviewevie said:

what you think the rules will be with taking kids on holiday who haven't had a vaccine...I assume they'll be ok to travel still?

With a bit of luck you'll be forced to leave them behind.

[Homer]

9 minutes ago, MEGABOWL said:

Munich is great, much prettier place than Berlin and from a history/architecture POV it has more old buildings left. However Berlin is brilliant, you can go there for pretty much anything-unique history, boozing, clubbing, food, it’s even great with young kids as a City Break.

Yeah, the English garden is stunning. We spent a day drinking outside the massive Chinese beer hall there.

Such a pisser that Kultfabric, the old noodle factory that got converted into rows and rows of clubs and bars, has shut down. I've had four nights out in Munich - and I spent every single one of them in the indie club/bar there.

[thewayiam]

25 minutes ago, Homer said:

Barcelona is crazy for it. I was leaving a club on the Ramblas and a girl started following me home. As I was telling her to go away another huge girl ran at me and bodyslammed me against a wall while screaming. Within seconds there were hands all over me. I remember actually laughing because it was so surreal (and I was pissed).

Luckily as it was December I was wearing a duffel coat that went down lower than my jeans pockets so they didn't get anything.

And I'm 6ft and about 16 stone, so they really are pretty fearless!

My best mate got pickpocked in daylight the next day too. We all saw it coming but still couldn't stop it.

Wow. Yeah Madrid was nothing like that. There was a guy trying to be a pain though in the stadium who bought a different seat and wanted to swap to a superior seat. I was like nope I've paid through the nose for this.

[Fuzzy Afro]

To be honest the only areas of Spain I've been to that weren't complete dives were the areas that were Brits abroad enclaves like Salou, Benidorm and certain parts of the islands.

 

One time I went to Valencia. Never again.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Absolutely crackers.

[MEGABOWL]

18 minutes ago, Homer said:

Yeah, the English garden is stunning. We spent a day drinking outside the massive Chinese beer hall there.

Such a pisser that Kultfabric, the old noodle factory that got converted into rows and rows of clubs and bars, has shut down. I've had four nights out in Munich - and I spent every single one of them in the indie club/bar there.

Yeah the Garden is stunning, you really don’t feel like you’re in a big German city. Shame about Kultfabric, I never made it there but heard about it.

Been to Munich for Oktoberfest, in the Summer and just before Christmas and it’s been great each time. I still prefer Berlin but I’m fascinated by the history there so it has an advantage in that sense.

[Fuzzy Afro]

Cummings still tweeting away. This thread going on longer than those Chilean miners were stuck.

[Andre91]

1 hour ago, Homer said:

Another German city I need to revisit and do properly having only been there on the piss (four nights for my first stag do - fairly brutal!).

There's a famous bar there with a glass ceiling we were told about. Didn't go - sounded disgusting!

Have you ever been to Stuttgart? I’m supposed to be going in December…

[Eks101]

57 minutes ago, Homer said:

I think this is a clear sign that everyone needs a f@cking holiday! My second jab isn't until mid-July though - I actually put it back a few days too as the original date offered was the day before the final of the Euros (sob!).

If it’s AZ and that is your 12 week date you can log into the national booking system and book it for earlier (8 weeks minimum).

[El Matador]

33 minutes ago, Fuzzy Afro said:

To be honest the only areas of Spain I've been to that weren't complete dives were the areas that were Brits abroad enclaves like Salou, Benidorm and certain parts of the islands.

 

One time I went to Valencia. Never again.

This has to be a wind up surely? Nobody can genuinely believe that benidorm is the best Spain has to offer. 

[Memory Man]

14 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

Have you ever been to Stuttgart? I’m supposed to be going in December…

Stuttgart is fine but pretty small. Theres not a massive amount to see or do, we went to a bundesliga game and then train next day to Karlsruhe to see another game in the 2nd division. Good stuff but that was just some lads out on the beers. Fine but not memorable in any particular way.

 

Edited May 24, 2021 by Memory Man

[Fuzzy Afro]

4 minutes ago, El Matador said:

This has to be a wind up surely? Nobody can genuinely believe that benidorm is the best Spain has to offer. 

Was nearly impossible to even order a meal in certain parts of Spain, their grasp of English is very poor.

[Hannibal Schmitt]

20 minutes ago, Andre91 said:

Have you ever been to Stuttgart? I’m supposed to be going in December…

Stuttgart is quite nice, I remember many shops like Kaufhaus there. But it`s not a tourist town with not that much to see. The surrounding villages in the Schwarzwald are really great and unique. In Germany I like the smaller towns - been to Bremen, Dresden, Lübeck, Rosenheim, Freiburg - only town I didn`t like was Frankfurt.