May 2024. Gjirokaster. Albania. We’d walked every street in Gjirokaster by 7, and while Albania’s prettiest city is a gem, it could really do with some tourist attractions like, I dunno, firing pellets at furry animals. I told you they had a weird relationship with teddies. We agreed to leave the castle till tomorrow, when… Continue reading Could YOU resist an Albanian bar called “Hangover” ?
THE STRANGE ALBANIAN OBSSESSION WITH TEDDY BEARS
And you thought the obsession was with Norman Wisdom ? May 2024. Gjirokraster. Albania. Our third city in Albania, and already Gjirokaster looked destined for our own personal Top 40s, level with Cologne and just above Palmerston North, possibly. You can walk its dips and climbs in 20 minutes; it felt a place you HAD… Continue reading THE STRANGE ALBANIAN OBSSESSION WITH TEDDY BEARS
“No current ! No current !”. Dramas in Gjirokastër
May 2024. Gjirokastër. Albania. You left us sitting on piles of sand on the side of the SH72 road on the edge of Lushnje, where we’d now been for 3 hours. praying silently for the 13:38 to turn up to take us to our third Albanian city of the trip in what sounded like Gyropasta.… Continue reading “No current ! No current !”. Dramas in Gjirokastër
STUCK INSIDE OF LUSHNJE WITH THOSE ALBANIAN BUS BLUES AGAIN
May 2024. Lushnje. Albania. A post for all of you who enjoy discomfort and distress befalling Mrs RM and I, as we attempt to continue our Albanian adventure on the second morning. Gjirokaster, which I continuously called Gyropasta, not helping at all, is the other big Unesco site in town, and you’d expect it to… Continue reading STUCK INSIDE OF LUSHNJE WITH THOSE ALBANIAN BUS BLUES AGAIN
LIZARDS IN BERAT
May 2024. Berat. Albania. The first afternoon of our Albanian trip took us to Berat (pop. 30,000 and falling), a town seemingly existing on German tourists arriving on the excellent coastal road in cars and coaches parked at the entrance to the castle walls, then heading straight to the restaurant with the best view. I… Continue reading LIZARDS IN BERAT
ALBANIA ON A BUDGET
May 2024. Tirana to Berat. Mrs RM sees herself as an aspiring travel “influencer” (ugh) and was about to take thousands of photos of Albanian pastries and beer for her own Instagram page. At the very first hurdle we forgot to take a pic of the breakfast spread at the just opened Mercure on that… Continue reading ALBANIA ON A BUDGET
ALBANIA TICKED
May 2024. Luton to Tirana. Back to ticking Europe. I miss Europe. When I completed the Guide two years ago I thought I’d never again have to rush around, leaping from plane to bus to ferry. May 2022 with its sixty (60) GBG ticks looked like this; But that May of Antrim and Alderney and… Continue reading ALBANIA TICKED
THE REMAINS OF THE SUN BEER FESTIVAL
May 2024. Waterbeach. The night before another venture east to tick Europe, we stay in Waterbeach to give Dad a special viewing of the major construction project across the road, order the Chinese from Chung Hwa (new dish alert : No. 61 Chicken with Spring Onion and Ginger), and wait for it over a pint… Continue reading THE REMAINS OF THE SUN BEER FESTIVAL
THE SIREN CALL OF THE PACKET OF POPPADOMS WITH MANGO CHUTNEY DIP
May 2024. Sheffield. More exciting holiday snaps coming shortly, after some haute cuisine from Walkley’s two closest alternating GBG entries that bring the boys to the ticking door. Simon didn’t warm to the Raven (GBG24) as much as the Monkey (GBG23), and it lacks the lived-in factor and quirkiness of its neighbour, but it has… Continue reading THE SIREN CALL OF THE PACKET OF POPPADOMS WITH MANGO CHUTNEY DIP
“Which beer goes fastest, mate ?”
May 2024. Sheffield. This Monday lunchtime went; Pint, Pie, Peas, Painting, Pint, Pleasantly P****d. Which is my best rum of alliteration in a year. The painting came outside Kelham Island Museum, just behind the Fat Cat’s pie and peas. Yes, a Bessemer engine makes a great still life study, but I prefer pics of pubs… Continue reading “Which beer goes fastest, mate ?”
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