The Travel Thread

[-james-]

I guess it's not hugely distinct as a cuisine. Bars serve 'pintxos' which are one or two bites of food, so you generally eat one or two with every drink. Lots of grilled meat and fish. Many of the best dishes I've ever eaten have been these in the last week or so. If you're into food I can't imagine there being many better eating destinations in the world.

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We're about done with Spain. As expected for people who like eating, drinking, and the sun, it was a winner.

Verdict:

Basque country wins. Food, beaches, stunning landscapes. Bilbao probably edges it over San Sebastián if you have to choose. Cadiz and Valencia are best of the rest.

Madrid is ace but it's Too Fucking Hot and there's no beach.

Seville is lovely but we ran out of stuff to do.

Barcelona is a tourist trap.

Cordoba and Burgos are both great day trips.

Granada is also very overrated

[Adamski]

We're off to Girona and Barca next week. Was planning on doing Bilbao/San Sebastian at the same time but figured that was too much with a 1 year old, will catch them as a city break so good to know they're as awesome as I thought they would be!

[Jimmy Floyd]

I've always wanted to do a drive along the north of Spain and into France, as far as where the French bit of France starts anyway (so about twenty miles in). Basques just get it when it comes to food.

[Spoonsky]

My friend's walking the Camino de Santiago at the moment, which is basically the reverse but you're on foot. It looks pretty great. I really want to go to Spain.

[-james-]

I was a bit harsh on Barcelona. It's definitely very good but aside from Born/Poblenou a lot of it felt a bit naff.

[-james-]

My friend's walking the Camino de Santiago at the moment, which is basically the reverse but you're on foot. It looks pretty great. I really want to go to Spain.

I'm very tempted by the walk. Asturias is definitely on the itinerary next time anyway.

I've always wanted to do a drive along the north of Spain and into France, as far as where the French bit of France starts anyway (so about twenty miles in). Basques just get it when it comes to food.

Food & drink culture here is just spot on. Small portions of everything is the key.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Spanish 'main courses' are actually not a lot to write home about, which is the key - you shouldn't eat them.

[-james-]

I was going to say that. Of any proper meals we've had, starters and deserts were always the best bits.

[Kikó]

Any recommendations for Madrid?

[-james-]

Any recommendations for Madrid?

We stayed in Chueca which was a good area to just wander about/eat/drink in. A woman would tell you that the shopping is good.

Calle De Ponzano has some pretty good tapas places. A Japanese place not far from there called Hanakura was probably the best meal we had.

The roof bar at circulo de bellas artes is a must, costs a few euros to go up but worth it.

Parque de el retiro is good for a lazy afternoon sitting about.

If you have a spare day then Toledo is well worth a visit.

[hfswjyr]

The Palace is stunning. Otherwise there's always both football stadiums to visit. Quite like the area around athleticos, though it'll cause heatstroke in summer.

[Kikó]

Cueca is Going to be rammed with gays the next few days as it's pride. I might give Toledo a go on Saturday when they're marching.

[-james-]

Do ryanair not give you seats next to each other by default if it's the same booking any more? Plenty of pairs of seats left and we've been sat at different bits. What cunts.

[Henry]

Any recommendations for Madrid?

I had my phone stolen there. Don't leave it where anyone else can get it.

[Magic]

Do ryanair not give you seats next to each other by default if it's the same booking any more? Plenty of pairs of seats left and we've been sat at different bits. What cunts.

Book your seats then. They're actively doing it to make you book next time so they make more money.

[Spikey M]

We've booked a week in Costa Sel Sol at the end of September / Start of October. The thought of sitting alone on the flight

We're flying from Southend, which is the second least stressful airport in the UK. http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/loca...thend_Airport/

Que mass baggage handler strikes and Eddie Stowbart going bust.

[Giggles]

If it's anything with Ryanair, then as a rule it'll cost extra.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I'm still surprised that they haven't made it a pound a piss on their flights yet.

Edit: Google suggests that they tried, can't find anything after 2009 though.

[Boydy]

We're flying from Southend, which is the second least stressful airport in the UK. http://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/loca...thend_Airport/

Because there's nothing in it. It's the shittest airport ever.

[Magic]

Because there's nothing in it. It's the shittest airport ever.

Sounds like heaven.

[Spikey M]

Because there's nothing in it. It's the shittest airport ever.

Turn up an hour before take off. Through security witho queing, straight on the plane.

Anyway, Stansted is the worst. Getting your baggage back takes fucking hours.

[Magic]

Turn up an hour before take off. Through security witho queing, straight on the plane.

Anyway, Stansted is the worst. Getting your baggage back takes fucking hours.

They're all shite. I fucking hate them. Swissport are a set of cunts too having seen behind the scenes at a major airport I hate it even more.

Small ones are the best.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

Least stressful experience I've had was in Dubrovnik airport.

We sat down in arrivals for a bit as we got there early to drop the car off, walked to the check in about an hour before and there was no one there. We then went through security with no one else there again (they were able to hoover the place) so straight through into a practically empty duty free.

Until we got to the departure gate we had only seen about 5 non-staff.

Can't really comment on the UK as I fly from Luton about 95% of the time but Stansted is the pits from what I can remember.

[niko_cee]

The fact that they make you walk through some sort of bizarre maze before having to board a train to get to your gate at Stansted is beyond irritating. That and the fact that quite a lot of their fucking car hire places are off site which they don't really bother to warn you about if you are one-waying it there.

[hfswjyr]

Southend is amazing. There were more staff than passengers when I went through there.

Took about 5 seconds to clear security.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Inverness Airport is the true king of airports.

[wullie]

Birmingham is normally alright but going away in April, I'd never seen queues like it. Using it again in a few weeks, hopefully it's not the norm.

[AyDee]

Southend is amazing. There were more staff than passengers when I went through there.

Took about 5 seconds to clear security.

I flew from and into Southend last week. Simply glorious.

[Kikó]

Dundee airport is great. Basically a bus stop.

[phonics]

They shouldn't be able to call it 'London Southend Airport' though. It's ridiculous. Was a nightmare when I was working for EasyJet. So many foreigners telling you they're flying to London when there aren't any flights there that day.

[Jimmy Floyd]

None of the London airports are anywhere near London, except City and to some extent Heathrow.

Stansted and Luton particularly take the piss in that regard.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

I love all the 'Welcome to London' posters that they have in Luton as you're walking to the passport control.

[Spikey M]

They shouldn't be able to call it 'London Southend Airport' though. It's ridiculous. Was a nightmare when I was working for EasyJet. So many foreigners telling you they're flying to London when there aren't any flights there that day.

We also have London Beach. just calling it a beach is generous enough. Stones and needles everywhere

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's only a matter of time until some football club sticks 'London' in its name. West Ham have done it on the badge but haven't had the bottle to change the name.

Southend United an excellent candidate.

[phonics]

We also have London Beach. just calling it a beach is generous enough. Stones and needles everywhere

Ah yes, the famous coastal city of London.

[niko_cee]

Doesn't Oxford Airport claim to be in (that) 'London' these days?

Yep

Although, in fairness, it's no further away than Stansted, maybe.

[phonics]

I'm off to London East Midlands soon.

[niko_cee]

This is still the high water mark in that regard.

[Spikey M]

It's only a matter of time until some football club sticks 'London' in its name. West Ham have done it on the badge but haven't had the bottle to change the name.

Southend United an excellent candidate.

We're the Eastiest club in London, mate.

[Kikó]

That's Norwich.

[Spikey M]

They're North London.

[Spikey M]

We should just go full China and make London a mega-city really. And Birmingham (although they won't want Coventry) and Manchester.

[Sir Andy Mahowry]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-40421811

Old cunt.

[Lewis]

It's only a matter of time until some football club sticks 'London' in its name. West Ham have done it on the badge but haven't had the bottle to change the name.

Southend United an excellent candidate.

The London Arsenal.

[Disco]

We can just amalgamate all the London clubs into one franchise, much simpler that way.

[Raoul Duke]

London United and London City

[Magic]

London Rovers and London Academical in the lower leagues.

[Disco]

Just imagine the half and half scarf but with about 10 clubs on there.

[ScousePig]

Slightly related but there are some Sunderland fans who think we should train in London.

[Jimmy Floyd]

If so they have completely lost all perception of what a football club is.