The Off Topic Thread **Non AS Content Warning**

[Father Ted]

Before we had kidneys we did lots of "places". Camping with mates and walking and getting thrown out of Portmerion for pissing about and pretending to be the prisoner, to working on the FFestiniog railway and sleeping in the old station masters house.

We did Amsterdam the year after we were married, Copenhagen, the Black Forest, Paris I have done (but not with the wife), And quite a few other Euro city weekend breaks.

 

Then we had kids.

 

And life went tits up in terms of having reckless fun and generally shagging our way around Europe. I can heartily recommend Copenhagen for a fun weekend, and surprisingly IJmuiden is an excellent place to get pissed in. One of the best weekends was grabbing an overnight ferry to St Malo where we planned to stop in a hotel in St Vincent - we never made the hotel instead we struck up a conversation with the couple behind the counter in a Bar-tabac in the village and spent the weekend speaking Franglais, drinking calvados and cidre eating bread, cheese and horse meat stew and sleeping in their spare bedroom.

 

These days we have a few kids and one of them has additional needs so the missus doesnt like going too far away - Cumbria is far enough for a week long holiday, but that suits me as I love the lakes and can never tire of the view. I quite fancy pampering her somewhere ( you know, massage, reflexology, bit of colonic irrigation) which will of course earn big brownie points for me and I can possibly trade those in for shite purchasing points or a blow job.

 

I think so far its possibly a toss up betwixt Edinburgh and York. Next march.

[Father Ted]

Just as an aside we had a day trip to London this year which went:

 

08.40 - Arrive London Euston

08.45 - Fight with the bloody tube barrier

08.50 - Arrive Tower of London - Queue with Jap Tourists for tickets

09.15 - Get into Tower, look at crown jewels, then go on Beefeater walk, the look round the bit we didnt see.

12.00 - Head to Oxford Street, bit of shopping for the wife, then down Regent St for some more shopping, then Carnaby St for me, then to a little bistro in Soho for dinner (lunch if you are from South of Wigan)

14.30 - After a quick walk around Chinatown we go to the Theatre to see Ghost the Musical

17.00 - Wader round Picadilly circus looking at the lights & more shopping for the wife

18.00 - get tea.

20.00 - Train back to Preston.

 

Missus loved it and it earned me big big brownie points.

[Justin Case]

Don't laugh, but BIRMINGHAM

 

Loads of good shops (Bull Ring) if you like that sort of thing. Also world class Art Galleries and Concert Halls if you like that sort of thing. Eating out has improved a lot; I suggest that first you look at the menu in Jamie Olivers, then everything else will appear a bargain. Don't forget either that Birmingham is the home of the Balti and the Chinese quarter is also very good for authentic Chinese food.

 

And if all that is too much, then in the summer you can take a steam train trip to Stratford on Avon, home of the Shakespeare Experience(s), and even enjoy a bacon butty on the way there.

http://www.shakespeareexpress.com/se/

[trigger]

Stratford on Avon is a good call, I went there a couple of years ago for a few days, Had a great time and even drove up to Coventry for the day and looked round the motor museum which is free, although your misses might not like that, (I'm lucky as mine did), then done a bit of shopping in the town afterwards which pleased 'er indoors.

[pompei]

Birmingham was GR7894 when I went a few years ago - and so was Glasgow. Sometimes it's the off the trail places that turn out to be the best. I was brought up in Newcastle and that's a canny place to visit too. I wouldn't risk Grimsby though...

[warren t claim]

Problem solved!

[Father Ted]

Problem solved!

 

Or:

Jobbed - 9.4 miles from home. They speak English too.

[sporty-shite]

If she wants pampering, why not try Harrogate? The Turkish baths are ace, you can get a hot stone massage there if you fancy, there are plenty of restaurants, decent alehouses (not alcopop soaked neon shitholes) and it's not that far from your neck of the woods.

 

We stayed at a place which was a bit of a disappointment, but then again, we did it at short notice.

 

We wanted to stay here but couldn't get in. Ate there on the Saturday night, and it was very good.

 

Just a thought.

[eddyramrod]

Another vote for Stratford, we honeymooned there in 1998. York is also a good call, and you might consider Bridlington or Scarborough too, where at least you'll get something resembling a beach. Or what about Whitby, with all the attendant Drac legends?

[binhoker668]

York is great, but if heading there I'd consider basing yourselves in Leeds, its now only 30 mins via train to York, but has better choice of restaurants & bars on an evening and loads more shopping. Easier to access from Motorways, and there's loads of nice City centre places to stay in - I'd take an apartment over a Hotel, only because it's what I do for a living, but gives you more flexibility and space for the same money.

 

No shit fella, Mr Volks talks true. Leeds is a GR9 place to stay in itself, and the train to York is waaaay better than stressing and driving (York will sting you like fuck for parking). Late train back to Leeds after nice long day in York (everything is very close at hand - a day is plenty enough to pack it all in), and then comfy and cheap accommodation. Day 2? From Leeds there are loads of awesome and cheap destinations. Steam train (with on-train real ale bar) ride in Haworth? etc etc.

I take my kids out in Leeds and West Yorkshire every month.

Do it!

Best of luck whatever you choose fella.

C.

[binhoker668]

Is the big* shopping centre still in Ballymena-high?

Fucking AWESOME fella!

You might be the third only person on this here forum what understands such shopping pinnacles....