You're right on Bologna, one of the finest places to eat and I can't wait to go back, but can't think of anything for young folk, just an old city with a big park.
I took my mother to Lisbon for a week 20 years ago (after my father died). I remember it as a slightly ramshackle but very vibrant spot with decent food and lots to see/do.
And very hilly! To the point of needing outdoor elevators to get up to some neighbourhoods.
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
Think I'm off to Flushdraw country for a retreat for a week in last April or May. Is Malta worth spending a few days extra to experience?
Off to New York and Vegas with Channel 4 in a few weeks, fist trip to Vegas, I actually can't wait
Malta is beautiful, especially Valletta. I stayed with the flushdraws a few years back so was shown all the sights. .although I had been before back in 1996 but that was obv a booze hol. I'd say three days more than enough for you to see stuff.
If they've not been then bring them to Krakow for a trip to Auschwitz
I'd second this, myself and Mia had an absolute Brill break in krakow, actually stayed in a hotel GAB recommended. Mia loved Auschwitz. Was plenty to do there. Very affordable and she learnt alot of history too.
I actually must do another trip to Poland. Anytime I visited it, it was very enjoyable
Strewelpeter did you happen upon the lorry perched on top of the bridge in Caragh?
No I was home before it happened the others got stuck.
Any idea how much damage was done? Last time the road was closed for 6 months and they put in concrete barriers that were supposed to stop the gobshites driving onto it again.
Edit: see this on the local FB page, looks like whatever sort of a yoke it is it might have neem just narrow enough to fit on.
Off to New York and Vegas with Channel 4 in a few weeks, fist trip to Vegas, I actually can't wait
Malta is beautiful, especially Valletta. I stayed with the flushdraws a few years back so was shown all the sights. .although I had been before back in 1996 but that was obv a booze hol. I'd say three days more than enough for you to see stuff.
Planning a NY/Vegas excursion myself, but probably not until next year, so I expect an in depth trip report when you get back
Plan your road trip or vacation with the best itinerary and trip planner. Wanderlog travel planner allows you to create itineraries with friends, mark routes, and optimize maps — on web or mobile app
I'm on a private group on fb and finding it very helpful
Now this whole break could go very random as herself is hard work and it's her way or no way. So we'll see.
She wants to see and do absolutely everything Inc two helicopter trips she can feck off bar she's willing to invest some way. I've four days in each place. I'll try do as much as I can. I just wish I could get over my phobia of navigating the tube, while also trying to get the Warriors movie out of my head. This would be a great help like lol.
I'm not really gonna plan anything for Vegas only shopping maybe a show and deffo a gordon Ramsey restaurant
What's the crack with a room upgrade. Staying in the venitian shur the room looks fab anyway so is there any point in asking?
Off to New York and Vegas with Channel 4 in a few weeks, fist trip to Vegas, I actually can't wait
Malta is beautiful, especially Valletta. I stayed with the flushdraws a few years back so was shown all the sights. .although I had been before back in 1996 but that was obv a booze hol. I'd say three days more than enough for you to see stuff.
Due to fly to Florida on Monday for ten days golfing with the daughter. If either of us bink a positive covid test I'll kill a penguin. Dreading it.
The test has to be done within a 24 hour window which is also the closing window for cancelling most things for free. I'll be like a rabid monkey I tell ya.
Prayers and one times welcome all.
Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product. ~Eleanor Roosevelt
Due to fly to Florida on Monday for ten days golfing with the daughter. If either of us bink a positive covid test I'll kill a penguin. Dreading it.
The test has to be done within a 24 hour window which is also the closing window for cancelling most things for free. I'll be like a rabid monkey I tell ya.
Prayers and one times welcome all.
I am absolutely shitting the covid thing too. I'm like letting everyone practically spit on me in work currently as if I'm gonna get it, I may get it soon.
Plan your road trip or vacation with the best itinerary and trip planner. Wanderlog travel planner allows you to create itineraries with friends, mark routes, and optimize maps — on web or mobile app
I'm on a private group on fb and finding it very helpful
Now this whole break could go very random as herself is hard work and it's her way or no way. So we'll see.
She wants to see and do absolutely everything Inc two helicopter trips she can feck off bar she's willing to invest some way. I've four days in each place. I'll try do as much as I can. I just wish I could get over my phobia of navigating the tube, while also trying to get the Warriors movie out of my head. This would be a great help like lol.
I'm not really gonna plan anything for Vegas only shopping maybe a show and deffo a gordon Ramsey restaurant
What's the crack with a room upgrade. Staying in the venitian shur the room looks fab anyway so is there any point in asking?
Vegas was my dream holiday and when we went I had plans to do absolutley everything. When we got there, we just went with things and it was a great trip. Most memorable show was One by Cirque du Soleil, a Michael Jackson tribute.
Vegas was my dream holiday and when we went I had plans to do absolutley everything. When we got there, we just went with things and it was a great trip. Most memorable show was One by Cirque du Soleil, a Michael Jackson tribute.
Assume you've been before so just go with things.
Never been. Michael Jackson is actually the show I want to see. Adele would have been awesome but she's not playing the nights I'm there and tbh would prob cost a fortune.
Never been. Michael Jackson is actually the show I want to see. Adele would have been awesome but she's not playing the nights I'm there and tbh would prob cost a fortune.
Ah defo just go with it. I tried to make some kind of plan for each day/night and bar going to a show and a restaurant we wanted to try, everything else was unplanned.
Go shoot guns at The Strip Gun Club. Savage craic. You said you're staying in Venetian, we ate in Cut restaurant there. Very expensive but top class and the food highlight of the trip.
After the success of our family Halloween city break last year in Copenhagen, I canvassed opinions this evening for a similar Euro-break this year (limiting them to 'direct flights from Dublin' ) and got these suggestions:
Bologna ('because my friend is from there')
Lisbon ('because it'll be warm')
Berlin ('they let you drink if you're 16' )
I'd be leaning towards Berlin myself - thoughts on the above for teens\tweens? Doubt there's much to do in Bolgna besides eating.
There's a lot to be said for the big hit of Rome. Thats just a beast of a city with everything going for it. Athens for the same reason, but a bit of a messy city.
For the same reason, Berlin is fantastic. Just endless great things to do. Its 'famously' good for families. Plus the accidental bit of history. Bratwurst also. Maybe Prague in the same camp as Berlin?
We're thinking of Translyvania for our next weekender, although it might be a while before we can safely afford it.
I'd be a layer at those kind of prices, maybe he gets through PMQ tomorrow but I think he will struggle to laugh this one off.
Rumors there are videos featuring him and Carrie coming. Hell hath no fury like a Cummins scorned
If it's legal then fair play to him, it's not his job to work out what intention the government has with their regulations
Maybe he could offer a deal that if you buy 30 plastic cups as a teenager for €30, then he will throw a neatly packed slab of cans in the wheelie bin. With a sign over the counter saying the lock on the wheelie bin has a code 1111. Thats also legal, presumably. That you can't be stopped disposing of your product. And he even has a lock on the bin. How is he to work out what the government means by minimum ages or minimum prices.
Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To...View Post
Maybe he could offer a deal that if you buy 30 plastic cups as a teenager for €30, then he will throw a neatly packed slab of cans in the wheelie bin. With a sign over the counter saying the lock on the wheelie bin has a code 1111. Thats also legal, presumably. That you can't be stopped disposing of your product. And he even has a lock on the bin. How is he to work out what the government means by minimum ages or minimum prices.
In the late nineties nightclubs could only open late if they served food, so you could get a plate of the cheapest curry possible for free in a couple of clubs if you knew to ask for it, but it wasn't advertised and 99% of the ppl there would be blissfully unaware.
In the late nineties nightclubs could only open late if they served food, so you could get a plate of the cheapest curry possible for free in a couple of clubs if you knew to ask for it, but it wasn't advertised and 99% of the ppl there would be blissfully unaware.
I distinctly remember being in The Kitchen many times and loving the chicken curry.
In Steers in the Red Cow there was a supper break afair. Definitely a big part of the evening. That was the early nineties though when people still drank pints in nightclubs.
I hold silver in tit for tat, and I love you for that
Mid-late 20s about perfect so will look at that now (last week June is what I'm looking at), thanks.
Yeah, Valencia. You're not really selling it there. What's to do for teens/tweens?
so weather aside Valencia offers a fair amount, we even have a cricket club
If you get decent weather which isn't a given end oct/start nov. it will be warm but it can be quite rainy too, there's an element of pot luck about it around that time.
We have the biggest aquarium in Europe with the usual attractions around it, they also have a lovely restaurant underneath where you can eat as you watch the fish swim by. Valencia zoo is also handy, with the added advantage of being a 5 minute walk from our house so we have annual passes and go a few times a year. The city is designed around cycling everywhere so there's a booming bike rental industry and the whole city is accessible by means of the turia river..I say river but the river was diverted decades ago and instead you now have a massive park that runs straight through the centre of the city with various cafes, playgrounds, pitches and what have you.
At the end of the turia, is the city of arts and sciences. The aquarium is part of this but they also have imax dome for immersive experiences such as walking with dinosaurs, exploring the galaxy etc and science workshops for kids/tweens. On either side of the turia by the city of arts and sciences are two shopping centres and food courts and you're only 10-15 minutes from the beach. You could use valenbici (dublin bikes) to get around and enjoy the full length of the turia in an afternoon.
The beach is probably out given the time of year but you could go for a walk along it if you got decent weather (water would still be 12-15 degrees but not sure that works) there are tonnes of shops and markets as you would expect in a reasonable size city and there are constantly events happening all over the city. Everything from language exchanges to cooking classes, theatre and music gigs (lots of cover bands doing English sets), plenty of sports entertainment, arts classes and you could wrangle a few hours for yourselves by dropping them into an immersive Spanish course while they're here. 2-3 hours each morning/afternoon in one of the academies in the city where they could mix with other kids their own age.
Then you have day trips, north to sagunto to explore the old roman ruins, west to the vineyards and mountains/natural parks, or south to the Albufera. That's the region they grow the rice for paella in and the albufera lake has some of the most stunning sunsets, go out on a boat and just enjoy the views. Peniscola castle is another day trip worth doing not to mention any of the food/wine tours.
There are lots of escape rooms etc if that's your thing and of course plentiful and very good value food and drink to be had.
Then of course there's the historical and cultural side, including Valencias 'sistine chapel' the torres sorreno and quart which are the last remaining gates from the old city complete with holes from Napoleons cannons. You can climb them and look out over the city. la lonja de seda world heritage site and Valencia cathedral and the usual museums etc.
Originally posted by Hitchhiker's Guide To...View Post
There's a lot to be said for the big hit of Rome. Thats just a beast of a city with everything going for it. Athens for the same reason, but a bit of a messy city.
For the same reason, Berlin is fantastic. Just endless great things to do. Its 'famously' good for families. Plus the accidental bit of history. Bratwurst also. Maybe Prague in the same camp as Berlin?
We're thinking of Translyvania for our next weekender, although it might be a while before we can safely afford it.
We're trying to steer clear of places that we have been to multiple times and Mrs D3 has been to Rome a few times (for non-religious reasons).
Berlin just seems potentially great. I do have some trepidation as I have booked to go there three times in the past and each time I have had to cancel my plans as someone has inconsiderately died.
In terms of Mitteleuropa, I'd personally rate Budapest above Prague (which is still pretty good, Czechs are an odd bunch though). Bratislava too is good for a weekend break. I've heard good things about Sofia too.
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
you could wrangle a few hours for yourselves by dropping them into an immersive Spanish course while they're here. 2-3 hours each morning/afternoon in one of the academies in the city where they could mix with other kids their own age.
.
This would be considered as breaching several UN Conventions.
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
Iago, is there any time of the year where the weather 1) isn't too hot (like over high-20s every single day) and 2) it doesn't rain very often? Definitely sounds like a great spot for a family visit, and in my experience Spain & Portugal are just great for bringing small kids, as the people love them so much and they are welcome in restaurants, etc...
Berlin is a wonderful city. I would imagine easier to do with a family than many places (definitely Rome, which I do love but can be a messy experience). The museum where you get to see the Ishtar Gate is mind-blowing, so cool, up there with the British Museum for jaw-dropping stuff.
"At this rate, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation forecasts that more than 50% of the population in the region will be infected with Omicron in the next 6-8 weeks," Kluge said, referring to a research centre at the University of Washington.
Seems the WHO has finally recognised what we've all known for weeks.
Evidence, however, is emerging that Omicron is affecting the upper respiratory tract more than the lungs, causing milder symptoms than previous variants.
But the WHO has cautioned more studies are still needed to prove this.
Maybe not quite there yet.
"I can’t find anyone who agrees with what I write or think these days, so I guess I must be getting closer to the truth." - Hunter S. Thompson
Iago, is there any time of the year where the weather 1) isn't too hot (like over high-20s every single day) and 2) it doesn't rain very often? Definitely sounds like a great spot for a family visit, and in my experience Spain & Portugal are just great for bringing small kids, as the people love them so much and they are welcome in restaurants, etc...
Absolutely, April can be showery and oct/nov as well. December for example was 20 most days with very little rain and so far January has been perfect, 15/18 degrees each day and no rain. In general though Mar-May or Sept and early Oct are probably ideal times if you don't want to burn but want good weather.
March is Fallas...which is definitely worth a visit but very very loud. It's an incredible spectacle though, fireworks every day, parties every night and you can walk around the neighbourhoods and see all the edifices, then on the final night they burn them all.
actually one other thing to add is the museum de fallas where you can see all the saved fallas from each year. it's only €2 entry too.
PMQs could be a bit of a blood sport today. Nice to see Boris squirm.
I can't see the Tory MPs turning on the man who delivered them a landslide though. In the same way the GOP has consistently backed Trump. They are just not subject to the normal rules of political gravity.
These events can take on a whole new momentum of their own though so here's hoping I'm completely wrong.
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
After the success of our family Halloween city break last year in Copenhagen, I canvassed opinions this evening for a similar Euro-break this year (limiting them to 'direct flights from Dublin' ) and got these suggestions:
Bologna ('because my friend is from there')
Lisbon ('because it'll be warm')
Berlin ('they let you drink if you're 16' )
I'd be leaning towards Berlin myself - thoughts on the above for teens\tweens? Doubt there's much to do in Bolgna besides eating.
One dream in life, win the lotto buy an apartment in Manhattan. Went twice and just fell in love with it. It just is an amazing place.
For some reason the lotto seem to think the only aspiration potential winners have is to build water parks in inner city areas of Dublin. WTF is with their ads?
PMQs could be a bit of a blood sport today. Nice to see Boris squirm.
I can't see the Tory MPs turning on the man who delivered them a landslide though. In the same way the GOP has consistently backed Trump. They are just not subject to the normal rules of political gravity.
These events can take on a whole new momentum of their own though so here's hoping I'm completely wrong.
I thin he's only a little bit better than 50% to get through next weekend. It's only a matter of time before he's before he is brought before the back room committees with the only outcome of that being a succession plan.
@ sp, I see our friend Novax is now lying like mad and hopefully digging himself into a hole big enough that the Aussies will feel justified in deporting the fucker.
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
I know we have been through all this before and probably will be again with Trump but these Johnson and Novax stories feel like a further test of just how far people in positions of power can lie black is white while openly laughing at both the gullibility of their supporters and the impotence of their opponents.
Seems to be the model for doing business in the modern world from Sam's Gala to Downing street.
I know we have been through all this before and probably will be again with Trump but these Johnson and Novax stories feel like a further test of just how far people in positions of power can lie black is white while openly laughing at both the gullibility of their supporters and the impotence of their opponents.
Seems to be the model for doing business in the modern world from Sam's Gala to Downing street.
It's a simple playbook - first divide the people using fear, rage and disinformation. They are far more effective tools than hope and rationality.
Then do whatever you want as 'your' half will support you through anything, in fact the more you enrage the other half, the better they like it....even as it impacts them negatively (see; Brexit, anti-science nonsense).
"We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."
If the govt was pretty much able to flick a switch and introduce MUP so quickly, why don't they do something useful with that power and introduce maximum rents. It would seem far more beneficial to the population than MUP.
I know we have been through all this before and probably will be again with Trump but these Johnson and Novax stories feel like a further test of just how far people in positions of power can lie black is white while openly laughing at both the gullibility of their supporters and the impotence of their opponents.
Seems to be the model for doing business in the modern world from Sam's Gala to Downing street.
Surely it’s just because there is nowhere to hide these days. Politicians , et al have been lying to us for decades. They just look less like Politicians now and more like Circus Clowns. Top of my head liars Bernard Hinuault Rock Hudson, Bertie, Charlie, JFK, Nixon CHURCHILL (mass murdering SWINE) Mudder Theresea The ROYAL FAMILY Danny Diamond. Bunny Carr
If the govt was pretty much able to flick a switch and introduce MUP so quickly, why don't they do something useful with that power and introduce maximum rents. It would seem far more beneficial to the population than MUP.
Maximum rents seem very complicated.
There are some houses/apartments, often relatively small (3/4 beds whatever), that genuinely deserve rents at the 5k/10K a month price point because of some exclusive selling point.
I know you mean 'ordinary' rentals, but that becomes quite hard to define. You almost have to do it on an area by area, house type by house type basis.
Limiting the yearly percentage increase was probably the best that could be done.
Prediction.
"There were lots of meetings held in various parts of the Downing Street complex, including the garden. In fact the world leading vaccination program was largely conceived in such outdoor meetings in the summer of 2020. I was briefly at the meeting in question with the incredibly hardworking staff, but wasn't the organiser. Sue Grey will look at that meeting in the context of her overall investigation. Deep condolences to all who suffered grievances, wibble. Things would have been far worse if the right honourable leader of the oppositions and his party had been in charge".
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though halloween tends to be just as wet as Ireland 
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