What ho, pip pip, jolly good, etc. - Page 2

alva · June 5, 2003, 08:09

How come? (seriously

)

I'm an (ex)-cook, and my last post was semi-serious, just about all the ones I worked with, where really awfull (and most of them did come from more then decent hotels). Those people weren't fired either, most often, they were guestcooks.
I would say they were even worse then dutch cooks

Boris Godunov · June 5, 2003, 08:37

Quote:

Originally posted by Cruddy
Bear in mind that once a year 3 million people or so have a street party/carnival in Notting Hill. It's not always so quiet.

I don't intend to die when I retire, so a once-a-year carnival can be handled!

Quote:

AC is seen as wussish/unmanly by Brits. Also, it rarely goes over 70 degress Fahrenheit. Also, if tourists sweat more, they spend more on drinks. We see tourists less as people and more as a commodity - inhuman but we're not the only ones.

It was 86 degrees F for several days, and the Brits were complaining about it more than anyone else. The hotel staff looked rather miserable, I felt bad for them.

At any rate, AC on the Tube is at least a must. Even in 70 degree weather, it's very hot on those trains. As you said, all that body heat.

Quote:

One of my proudest moments in life was getting a Yank to confess to my face that the most disappointing thing about the UK was the food. HOWEVER, when you consider London's range is pretty much global, it has its upside. Living in London long term can be quite cheap - it's the tourists who pay through the nose.

Why so proud? Most Yanks would happily acknowledge it! It seemed to me the problem lay in ingredients as well as methods of preparation. The ingredients just didn't seem as fresh as what I am accustomed. And then boiling everything...

It's odd you say it could be quite cheap. I guess that's if one lives on the outskirts of the city, as rents were as high as NYC in most places (my bf is looking to rent a room year-round for business purposes). But it seemed to me prices in general were more expensive than here.

Quote:

I'm glad you liked it. Personally I've never had the patience to queue for it.

The British Museum? I went on a Monday morning, and it was fairly empty. Even when I left at around 1:30-2:00 PM, there wasn't a substantial crowd. The next day we toured Westminster Abbey, which I was sure would be mobbed since it was the day after the Jubilee, but it wasn't bad.

Quote:

Whitechapel is an EXTREMELY dangerous area for single tourists. Hell, it's very dangerous for solo Cockneys. You were wise to go on that tour.

We noticed the areas weren't particularly nice, but we didn't seem to venture into really dangerous areas. There seemed to be a lot of 22-30ish folks who lived there. When the tour ended, we went back to the tube on our own, and didn't encounter anything bad at all. In fact, a woman was quite helpful in guiding us to the Liverpool station.

The scariest moment I had was on Saturday night I walked down to the Thames and across the pedestrian bridge. When I came back across, I walked through Westminster near Parliament, and the streets were deserted. Two cars screeched up near I was, and the driver of the first car got out and started talking at the second car. I was certain it was a drug deal of some sort, so I hurried along...

And as for those WMD food carts -

The smell alone made me nauseous. Seeing people eat from them was disturbing...

MikeH · June 5, 2003, 08:42

The Brits as a country are really bad at complaining. So food places can get away with stuff they wouldn't be able to elsewhere. It's getting better as people demand better service and food.

Pub food is very hit and miss depending on the place.

Ecthy · June 5, 2003, 08:45

you don't *eat* in pubs, it's just too expensive, at least over here... us guys don't even drink there at leats beyond the compulsory pint. it's just too expensive in those places nowadays... if you want to get drunk and have fun, drink first a home, then go to the pub. eating is at home only.

Solly · June 5, 2003, 08:52

It's because of all your labour regulations stifling your economy.

Ecthy · June 5, 2003, 08:55

bullshit, it's... yes, it's labour regulation now that you say it... some days ago I told a friend that there can be no cheap restaurants american style in Germany because labour force is too expensive to hire.

so we're a communist bunch of losers

Solly · June 5, 2003, 08:57

So how much would it cost to get pissed in a pub?

For me, cheapest would be to go to the snooker club (in Aber), and have around 13 or 14 330ml bottles of Carlsberg Export at 5%. Those cost £1.

So, £13/$20/€19

Thing is by that point you are always tempted to have crisps or peanuts or a pizza...

Ecthy · June 5, 2003, 09:00

different... 0.5 l beer cost at least €2,50 (1 pound), and that's a heck of a lot....

then it depends on what a lightweight you are... I never "get pissed", just have my few 0.5ers and am impacted enough to have the perfect baöance between maximum fun and maximum (lack of) self control.

at my first beer right now, then going on to a mixery (strange, but had to be done that way today because this is a real tasty beer and alcohol en masse kills taste for the rest of the night), then taking 2 more bottles (0.5 l) to school where I will learn about my fina lexam results.

TheStinger · June 5, 2003, 09:00

When I was a studenr I could buy bottles of diamond white for 80p

Solly · June 5, 2003, 09:02

How big were the bottles?

Ecthy · June 5, 2003, 09:03

why is there no beer smiley at apolyton?

MikeH · June 5, 2003, 09:03

2.5 euros is not £1.

Beers in the South East/London are about £2.50 for .568L.

Solly · June 5, 2003, 09:03

Actually the best alcohol/price ratio in Aber is the Varsity on Tuesday. £1 parties. Stella excluded, but you could have Kronenbourg or Blackthorn (cider).

That was ~ 2.83 units per £1.

That ratio would be the main criteria for where to go on a night out.

Solly · June 5, 2003, 09:03

Bloody hell that's pricey Mike!

TheStinger · June 5, 2003, 09:03

Quote:

Originally posted by Boddington's
How big were the bottles?

330mls, it was a long time ago

Ecthy · June 5, 2003, 09:04

sorry, 2.5 marks is pound 1, 2.5 euros is pound 2

but still Mike, those London rates are hell!

Demerzel · June 5, 2003, 09:06

I'm glad you enjoyed your trip, seem like you had a great time.

I've spent several hours at a time in the British Museum and not seen more than a fraction of what they have to offer. Rosetta stone & pantheon are musts though, all the assyrian/babylonian stuff too.

AC is only slowly starting to appear over here, in offices mostly and I agree the tube definitely needs it. Used to commute into london and it could be hell on hot days.

Foodwise, it can vary here from superb to bloody awful - just got to avoid the places as mentioned above that production line it and find somewhere that puts a bit more individual craft in.

Did you find time to visit the tower of london? or some of the other museums?

oh and yeah the 11pm shutting time rule sucks, they are "making" plans to change this but its been happening for several years now, so who knows when we'll finally get more continental style hours.

Solly · June 5, 2003, 09:08

I remember getting a pint of water (well, Foster's) in London for £2

. In a Wetherspoon's as well, should be about £1.49.

London hasn't converged with the rest of the country yet.

Ecthy · June 5, 2003, 09:11

1.49 sterling seems alright!

MikeH · June 5, 2003, 09:13

London never will. Aside from the pull of people within the country to live in London it also has a global pull so demand for living there is always going to be higher than anywhere else in the country. That pushes up living costs, rental costs, and therefore wages and prices in shops. Plus there are all the tourists to rip off.

Bodds Whetherspoons has a whole range of pricings for its pubs depending on what area you live in.

Ecthy · June 5, 2003, 09:20

I can imagine it's basically cheaper in the north of England (Manchester, York, Hull) than it is in the south (London)?

CerberusIV · June 5, 2003, 09:27

York isn't cheap - too many tourists so the city centre can be expensive. Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds are better pricewise and certainly a lot cheaper than London

TheStinger · June 5, 2003, 09:28

Leeds is now quite expensive.

Buck Birdseed · June 5, 2003, 09:31

FP: Whaddyamean there's no English food? Cornish Pasty, Shepherd's Pie, Yorkshire Pudding, Mushy Peas, Gravy, Custard, Steak and Ale Pie, Sausage Rolls, Jam Roly-Poly, Flapjacks, Fish and Chips, The Full English Breakfast, Chicken Tikka Masala, Bangers & Mash, Macaroni Cheese, Cumberland Sausages, Christmas Pudding, etc. etc.

I'm probably the only foreigner who likes the stuff.

TheStinger · June 5, 2003, 09:32

A proper Steak and ale pie is one of the finest foods on offer

Demerzel · June 5, 2003, 09:50

Southampton dockside bars were charging £3 a pint three years ago, so god knows what they charge now. Easily on par with the most expensive of London pubs though.

Yes the north is generally far cheaper than the south, but far more boring!

FrustratedPoet · June 5, 2003, 09:53

Quote:

Originally posted by Demerzel
Southampton dockside bars were charging £3 a pint three years ago

They still were 18 months ago too.

Solly · June 5, 2003, 09:56

We got the situation in Manchester a while ago where some clubs would only offer drinks in multiples of 50p.

So, no incremental increases in price.

You'll prob see pints go to £3.50 or £4 in Southampton next.

A pub near does pints of Guinness all day for £1.09, Fosters and Carling for 99p, and John Smith's for 89p. Must be in the lowest tier for Wetherspoon's.

MikeH · June 5, 2003, 10:01

We used to get pints of Scotch Bitter in the Monk's Retreat (Reading Wetherspoons) for 59p. That ruled. Especially as I was unemployed at the time.

Ecthy · June 5, 2003, 10:04

beer smiley!