Can't believe the people who mentioned skiing and new York. New York is the only city I've ever been to which lives up to the hype.
Totally agree with the flying thing though. I'd add business to first class. Truly could not give a shit what class I sit in for 10 hours and banging on about business or first is a really useful way to uncover a total w**ker.
I could never tell any of my Russian relative this but - the Hermitage. Huge collection but lots of it is meh. Doesn’t really have an absolute blockbuster painting to set it apart. I prefer the Tretyakov because it has my favourite painting, Repin’s Ivan the Terrible.
He doesn’t seem to be especially well known here which is a shame because his work is brilliant. Perhaps he will “have a moment” in the U.K. at some point.
Everyone knows flying first is awesome compared to cattle, but I can think of eleventy million better things to do with cash. Work pays for my posh travel and when I pay it is upgrades on miles or slum it.
The beaches, sea and opportunities for water-sports are amazing, but you will generally find yourself on a small island you can circumnavigate on foot in 20 minutes and can feel very locked in as a result.
Everything is outrageously expensive because it is mostly flown in, plus they have a captive audience so can charge what they want within reason.
Depending on when you go you will probably get 2-3 days of heavy rain or storms in a 10 day block.
Steak is a great shout for this. It’s absolutely fine. Perfectly tasty. But there’s nothing memorable about it whatsoever, and going to a restaurant with great chefs and ordering a steak is largely a waste of your money and their time.
I love Lisbon. Most Michelin stars per square mile (or used to be) and the unithehd fan group is the most welcoming I have ever encountered, even with a language barrier. Best I've ever experienced (and yes I am the man who tracks down the local unithehd fan group when away and watches a game with them).
+1 Warwick @ 1920. The problem is everyone else has worked this out too and it's now reflected in flight and accommodation prices, in what is a fairly small city by comparison.
And good luck trying to get on the property ladder if you are a local - everything has been bought up by the Air B and B mob.
I loved Barcelona when I went, although everything seemed to be closed by 1.
I have travelled long haul 3 times in business class. I thought it was well worth the money and then some. That said it was heavily subsidised , by the tune of about 50% .
I really fancy going to Australia , but the prospect of doing it in economy for 24 hours, no. I will preplan it a year in advance and pay to go business/first and get a massive discount.
I agree with steak, and steak restaurants. It’s everything that goes with the steak, cooked well, that I pay for. The steak itself if nothing special. Same for roast dinners in restaurants, always a let down.
Cocktails is another. Rarely do I have an exceptional one in a bar. Even a standard martini is rarely mixed and served well.
Cars. Get me from A to B in comfort, safely and without costing me too much. Beyond that, really who cares?
Barcelona yes. This includes the football ground. The Nou Camp is an eyesore from the outside, outdated and lacking in anything above the most basic facilities inside, not especially atmospheric unless you’re right at pitchside, and the area around it is a desert for, well, anything really, basically a sort of sprawling office park / tertiary education campus.
My experience of attending games at the Bernabeu and the Nou Camp on successive nights made me think better of Real and less of Barca. I must say. Whatever you think about the clubs overall, the Bernabeu is a miles better stadium, in a decent part of town, easy to get to and quite comfortable to spectate in. Real appear to give much more of a toss about the individual spectator than Barca do; for the latter, getting anywhere near the temple of this mes que un Club (was just a little sick in my mouth there) is expected to be enough.
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Can't believe the people who mentioned skiing and new York. New York is the only city I've ever been to which lives up to the hype.
Totally agree with the flying thing though. I'd add business to first class. Truly could not give a shit what class I sit in for 10 hours and banging on about business or first is a really useful way to uncover a total w**ker.
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Old Etonians
Leaning Tower of Pisa
Sydney Opera House
Cuba
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Have to agree with Spurius. I love New York. So much better than London.
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I could never tell any of my Russian relative this but - the Hermitage. Huge collection but lots of it is meh. Doesn’t really have an absolute blockbuster painting to set it apart. I prefer the Tretyakov because it has my favourite painting, Repin’s Ivan the Terrible.
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Agree about sports cars. The best cars are always the newest. I’m getting an electric hatchback (maybe a Hyundai Ioniq 5 N) to complement the Rivian.
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I love Repin, especially the Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks.
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He doesn’t seem to be especially well known here which is a shame because his work is brilliant. Perhaps he will “have a moment” in the U.K. at some point.
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New Zealand
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Jersey - locals [crapauds] are kept in a reservation, and the main language is Jock. St. Helier a 1970`s dump.
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Champagne
TS Eliot
Skiing
Jordan Peterson
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Everyone knows flying first is awesome compared to cattle, but I can think of eleventy million better things to do with cash. Work pays for my posh travel and when I pay it is upgrades on miles or slum it.
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Your work doesn't pay for first.
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On long haul yes it does.
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Chin E. Chin McChinnon.
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Irony meter.gif given your fairy stories lad.
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I have something incredibly insightful to say on this subject.
However, I must finish scratching my chin first. I may be some time.
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Asimov - agree re hermitage. I much much much prefer the Tretyakov, and dare I say it, the Russian Museum in SPb.
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India, specifically Delhi.
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Thai women.
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+1 Guy @ 1131 re the Maldives.
The beaches, sea and opportunities for water-sports are amazing, but you will generally find yourself on a small island you can circumnavigate on foot in 20 minutes and can feel very locked in as a result.
Everything is outrageously expensive because it is mostly flown in, plus they have a captive audience so can charge what they want within reason.
Depending on when you go you will probably get 2-3 days of heavy rain or storms in a 10 day block.
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Steak is a great shout for this. It’s absolutely fine. Perfectly tasty. But there’s nothing memorable about it whatsoever, and going to a restaurant with great chefs and ordering a steak is largely a waste of your money and their time.
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Everything about flying above is correct. It's a bore, even in business or first.
The only exception was Concord because it was so quick. No longer an option of course.
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Barcelona, a thousand times. Crime ridden, windy grimness.
Lisbon is the city that everyone claims Barca to be.
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Once when I was in Barcelona I saw a thief grab David Mellor's [?]partner's handbag and run off with it down the street.
Of course, I shouldn't have laughed at this scene.
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To be fair that would make Barcelona worth it.
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Loved Barcelona but that was 20 years ago presume its got worse since,
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Loved Barcelona but that was 20 years ago presume its got worse since,
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I love Lisbon. Most Michelin stars per square mile (or used to be) and the unithehd fan group is the most welcoming I have ever encountered, even with a language barrier. Best I've ever experienced (and yes I am the man who tracks down the local unithehd fan group when away and watches a game with them).
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+1 Warwick @ 1920. The problem is everyone else has worked this out too and it's now reflected in flight and accommodation prices, in what is a fairly small city by comparison.
And good luck trying to get on the property ladder if you are a local - everything has been bought up by the Air B and B mob.
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Air B&B or that foreign visa thing they had which is now being tightened up.
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I loved Barcelona when I went, although everything seemed to be closed by 1.
I have travelled long haul 3 times in business class. I thought it was well worth the money and then some. That said it was heavily subsidised , by the tune of about 50% .
I really fancy going to Australia , but the prospect of doing it in economy for 24 hours, no. I will preplan it a year in advance and pay to go business/first and get a massive discount.
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You could break the trip in e.g. Singapore to make it more bearable.
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I agree with steak, and steak restaurants. It’s everything that goes with the steak, cooked well, that I pay for. The steak itself if nothing special. Same for roast dinners in restaurants, always a let down.
Cocktails is another. Rarely do I have an exceptional one in a bar. Even a standard martini is rarely mixed and served well.
Cars. Get me from A to B in comfort, safely and without costing me too much. Beyond that, really who cares?
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Good luck with that.
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Barcelona yes. This includes the football ground. The Nou Camp is an eyesore from the outside, outdated and lacking in anything above the most basic facilities inside, not especially atmospheric unless you’re right at pitchside, and the area around it is a desert for, well, anything really, basically a sort of sprawling office park / tertiary education campus.
My experience of attending games at the Bernabeu and the Nou Camp on successive nights made me think better of Real and less of Barca. I must say. Whatever you think about the clubs overall, the Bernabeu is a miles better stadium, in a decent part of town, easy to get to and quite comfortable to spectate in. Real appear to give much more of a toss about the individual spectator than Barca do; for the latter, getting anywhere near the temple of this mes que un Club (was just a little sick in my mouth there) is expected to be enough.
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The Nou Camp is basically an old skool south american football stadium, lost in the middle of the world’s second biggest football economy.
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The flying debate is just pure ROF isn’t it. Look-at-me pretenderism meets status angst in an uber-pedantic struggle to the death over defined terms.
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The Northern Lights. Fyi they are only that green through a camera lens
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