Out And About.

[HVC]

Yeah, Porto is either a love it or just kind of like it situation. Some people really like the aesthetic and "roughness" of it. I didn't really like the ruins/dilapidation aspect of it. But apparently in the last few years it's gotten/getting better as foreign money is moving in more (guess Lisbon got too expensive ) . Aesthetically it's getting better, but I guess for locals there's the catch the they might get priced out.

One part I really liked is that it's much better for day trips. You have Guimaraes, Braga, and Aveiro real close by, for example. Plus Matosinhos if you like seafood and shitty beaches With Lisbon there's really only Sintra, but that's only the castle and nothing else to see. Plus Cascais if you want to people watch rich foreigners playing at being expats.

Also, if you're doing trips in the future Nazare is cool. Lost a lot of the old charm (old women in traditional clothes) as the old people die off, but it's still nice, and has good views. Plus it's where my moms side of the family comes from.


*edit* close by NA standards, I guess. You tell some Europeans an hour is close and they look at you weird

Actually, there's more than the castle at Sintra, as in the palace of Regaleira and the garden.
Plus Queluz is not that far.
Goddamm crypto-judeo Moor does not even know his moorish lands. 

I should have said worth seeing at least for me. Pena was super crowded and that dampened the mood. I guess you agree about cascais, though

For the city itself I preferred Lisbon, but thats mainly because it's bigger, so more areas to meet different preferences, and the weather is better. Although I guess that depends on the time of year.

[HVC]

I love Porto. And that was before it gentrified. I think I will still enjoy it when I return, but it may have become a tad too touristy?

I haven't been in 10 years, but from what I understand it has gotten significantly more touristy. As Lisbon gentrified people started to go to Porto for a more "authentic" experience, which unfortunately leads to an area that is less authentic. Still not as bad as Lisbon, especially if you go during the off season, but then you still have to deal with the aforementioned weather. It rains more in Porto than London .

[Duque de Bragança]

Yeah, Porto is either a love it or just kind of like it situation. Some people really like the aesthetic and "roughness" of it. I didn't really like the ruins/dilapidation aspect of it. But apparently in the last few years it's gotten/getting better as foreign money is moving in more (guess Lisbon got too expensive ) . Aesthetically it's getting better, but I guess for locals there's the catch the they might get priced out.

One part I really liked is that it's much better for day trips. You have Guimaraes, Braga, and Aveiro real close by, for example. Plus Matosinhos if you like seafood and shitty beaches With Lisbon there's really only Sintra, but that's only the castle and nothing else to see. Plus Cascais if you want to people watch rich foreigners playing at being expats.

Also, if you're doing trips in the future Nazare is cool. Lost a lot of the old charm (old women in traditional clothes) as the old people die off, but it's still nice, and has good views. Plus it's where my moms side of the family comes from.


*edit* close by NA standards, I guess. You tell some Europeans an hour is close and they look at you weird

Actually, there's more than the castle at Sintra, as in the palace of Regaleira and the garden.
Plus Queluz is not that far.
Goddamm crypto-judeo Moor does not even know his moorish lands. 

I should have said worth seeing at least for me. Pena was super crowded and that dampened the mood. I guess you agree about cascais, though

For the city itself I preferred Lisbon, but thats mainly because it's bigger, so more areas to meet different preferences, and the weather is better. Although I guess that depends on the time of year.

Actually, Cascais is not something I would recommend.  Even in your own voyeur way.
Plus you can do that in Estoril too. Estoril has the great rock club by the (racing) circuit, however.

Weather in Lisbon is better as in suffocating, sometimes, during the summer? I guess I prefer Porto's coolness (literal and figurative). Technically, I'm used to stronger heat than in both in my area, though.
Remember, under 20° in Lisbon means winter for the Lisboetes. 

[Zanza]

I consider doing a roadtrip in Southern England (i.e. get a car in Heathrow and drive west) in summer. Any particular ideas that I would miss from just reading the typical tourist guides?

Hard to say, tourist guides aren't a bad start.

What I would recommend is if you go through Bristol, make an effort to visit Brunel's SS Great Britain; it's been lovingly recreated and tells civilian stories, rather than the too often naval histories of most preserved ships.

Oh and if you do pass through Salisbury to visit the 'world famous spire and the ancient clock in the cathedral' and you're not a russian  , then check out Salisbury museum opposite the cathedral's western face, it'ss main gallery gives an excellent presentation of Neolithic Britain and up until the Romans arrived.

 

We booked most of it now:

- Arrive in Heathrow
- Drive to Salisbury (three nights), day trips to Stonehenge and Paultons Park
- Drive to Newquay via Dartmoor (five nights): two days on the beach (no swimming!), two day trips to St. Michael's Mount and to Eden Project
- Drive to Bristol, not sure what to visit on the way...maybe Tintagel Castle? Three nights in Bristol, one day for We the Curious and SS Great Britain, one day to visit Bath
- Drive to Oxford, stay one night (university, maybe punting?)
- Drive to Heathrow, drop car, three nights in London (maybe the zoo or the natural history museum...)
- Fly home

Any tips along that route?

[mongers]

I consider doing a roadtrip in Southern England (i.e. get a car in Heathrow and drive west) in summer. Any particular ideas that I would miss from just reading the typical tourist guides?

Hard to say, tourist guides aren't a bad start.

What I would recommend is if you go through Bristol, make an effort to visit Brunel's SS Great Britain; it's been lovingly recreated and tells civilian stories, rather than the too often naval histories of most preserved ships.

Oh and if you do pass through Salisbury to visit the 'world famous spire and the ancient clock in the cathedral' and you're not a russian  , then check out Salisbury museum opposite the cathedral's western face, it'ss main gallery gives an excellent presentation of Neolithic Britain and up until the Romans arrived.

 

We booked most of it now:

- Arrive in Heathrow
- Drive to Salisbury (three nights), day trips to Stonehenge and Paultons Park
- Drive to Newquay via Dartmoor (five nights): two days on the beach (no swimming!), two day trips to St. Michael's Mount and to Eden Project
- Drive to Bristol, not sure what to visit on the way...maybe Tintagel Castle? Three nights in Bristol, one day for We the Curious and SS Great Britain, one day to visit Bath
- Drive to Oxford, stay one night (university, maybe punting?)
- Drive to Heathrow, drop car, three nights in London (maybe the zoo or the natural history museum...)
- Fly home

Any tips along that route?

 

Nice trip, a driving based holiday just gives you so much more flexibility when visiting Southern England.

So my hit and run train-bound daytrip approach to tourism, doesn't provide any useful tips.

I think you'd be better off just kidnapping Sheilbh for a few days, as he's the go to person for all things Bristol and along with Garbon could give you some additional London suggestions. 

If you do find yourself in Salisbury area and at a loss as to what to do with a couple of hours, do pm me and I'll
offer some left-field local guidance. 

[Sheilbh]

We booked most of it now:

- Arrive in Heathrow
- Drive to Salisbury (three nights), day trips to Stonehenge and Paultons Park
- Drive to Newquay via Dartmoor (five nights): two days on the beach (no swimming!), two day trips to St. Michael's Mount and to Eden Project
- Drive to Bristol, not sure what to visit on the way...maybe Tintagel Castle? Three nights in Bristol, one day for We the Curious and SS Great Britain, one day to visit Bath
- Drive to Oxford, stay one night (university, maybe punting?)
- Drive to Heathrow, drop car, three nights in London (maybe the zoo or the natural history museum...)
- Fly home

Any tips along that route?

Sounds lovely.

In Salisbury I'd recommend the walk through the water meadows to the Old Mill Hotel - nice enough old fashioned pub but a lovely setting and the short walk has some fantastic views of the Cathedral.

Eden Project is fantastic. On the way in betweenmight be worth popping into Wells - England's smallest "city" because of its Cathedral and then head up through the Mendips to Bristol, or maybe Glastonbury (it's not a festival year this year).

In Bristol I'd recommend popping up to Clifton for an evening - lovely pubs and restaurants and great view of the suspension bridge (and often at this time of year, hot air balloons).

If it's your cup of tea, Into The Woods is on at The Bridge theatre in London and really, really good. It's also the newest commercial theatre (maybe - I think there might be a slightly newer one now) next to Tower Bridge and opposite the Tower of London so it has a very good view when you leave as well.

[Norgy]

Sounds like a lovely stay!

I booked my budget summer holiday a couple of weeks back.

Plane from Oslo to Tiranë, Albania at 6 am in the morning for 300 Euro (roundtrip).
Studio apartment on the Dyrracheon/Durazzo/Durrës beachfront for 6 nights 280 Euro.

Weather forecast: 22 night temperature, 31-34 degrees daytime temperature. Sunny, no wind. I think I need to take at least one day in Tiranë to see what I have missed earlier. The bus takes 40 minutes and offers its own type of entertainment with the number of potholes it can hit and what clientele it brings.

[garbon]

I had to spend the better part 11 hours in virtual queues yesterday (as they had really botched the IT side of it) during the member pre-sale for the Bayeux but succesfully got my tickets for husband and I to see it this autumn. He told me he wasn't sure what was so important about a carpet.

[garbon]

I consider doing a roadtrip in Southern England (i.e. get a car in Heathrow and drive west) in summer. Any particular ideas that I would miss from just reading the typical tourist guides?

Hard to say, tourist guides aren't a bad start.

What I would recommend is if you go through Bristol, make an effort to visit Brunel's SS Great Britain; it's been lovingly recreated and tells civilian stories, rather than the too often naval histories of most preserved ships.

Oh and if you do pass through Salisbury to visit the 'world famous spire and the ancient clock in the cathedral' and you're not a russian  , then check out Salisbury museum opposite the cathedral's western face, it'ss main gallery gives an excellent presentation of Neolithic Britain and up until the Romans arrived.

 

We booked most of it now:

- Arrive in Heathrow
- Drive to Salisbury (three nights), day trips to Stonehenge and Paultons Park
- Drive to Newquay via Dartmoor (five nights): two days on the beach (no swimming!), two day trips to St. Michael's Mount and to Eden Project
- Drive to Bristol, not sure what to visit on the way...maybe Tintagel Castle? Three nights in Bristol, one day for We the Curious and SS Great Britain, one day to visit Bath
- Drive to Oxford, stay one night (university, maybe punting?)
- Drive to Heathrow, drop car, three nights in London (maybe the zoo or the natural history museum...)
- Fly home

Any tips along that route?

Add-on bits from me.

Bath has really nice city centre to ramble about in. If wanting a walk, there is, on a good day, a nice view of Bath from above at Alexandra Park across the river. Green Park Brasserie has nice casual vibe for eating with some live music in the evening.

Oxford can be really beautiful with all the greenery. I never went as paying tourist, but Madaglen College* is one of those that has really nice, extensive grounds with access available for a fee. Though I would likely just walk along Broad Walk on the edge of Christ Church towards the Botanic gardens for the nature bit.

London, obviously there is lots. One random is I went the other week to this small French restaurant in central London called Noizé. Really delicious food and attentive but not oppressive service.

*also featured recently in Guy Richie's Young Sherlock on Amazon.

[Tonitrus]

For London, if you like cheese: 

https://www.sevendialsmarket.com/vendors/pick-and-cheese/

[Sheilbh]

I had to spend the better part 11 hours in virtual queues yesterday (as they had really botched the IT side of it) during the member pre-sale for the Bayeux but succesfully got my tickets for husband and I to see it this autumn. He told me he wasn't sure what was so important about a carpet.

I saw it in Bayeux on a school trip and I'm not fully sure I need to go again

Also I read some experts who were genuinely quite worried about it being moved at all given its fragility. I'm sure it's fine but seems like a risk.

On the other hand some absolutely great exhibitions in the British Museum recently with Hawaii, Samurai and I've got high hopes for Korea (I also can't help but notice exhibitions that will obviously have lots of loaned items but also allow the British Museum to show off its more "ethically acquired" collection ).

[garbon]

Hawaii and Samurai were great. And yeah, waiting for Korea.

I have told my husband that I will likely just go to Reading at some point to look at the replica given what the crowd will be like at British museum.

[mongers]

Hawaii and Samurai were great. And yeah, waiting for Korea.

I have told my husband that I will likely just go to Reading at some point to look at the replica given what the crowd will be like at British museum.

I've seen it twice, no idea how authentic a replica it is, but on 2nd museum visit there seemed to be needlework enthusiasts studying it in great detail.

The odd thing is it takes up a huge percentage of the museum, one whole floor is dedicated to it and I'm unsure what the special connection Reading has with Bayeux?

[Sheilbh]

Looking it up just that very Victorian thing - it was displayed in a number of places including Reading and a local wealthy man and alderman bought it and gave it to the city's newly established gallery.

Edit: By the by it really struck me when I was in New York and there's just such extraordinary physical, cultural and above all civic legacies from the robber barons and the Gilded Age. And I was thinking that we're in a similar age in terms of obscene wealth - but they don't even have the redeeming feature of patronage (like the Medici before them) or connoisseurship. For such an astonishing amount of wealth - they'll leave very little cultural legacy (which should utterly shame them).