In Bristol for first leg of my break. Never been to Bristol before and I hoped to spot some major culture differences but England gets smaller all the time. Even the accents seem quite normal to me!
I went to Clifton Bridge and have had a good look round the city just having a very quiet night as I have walked 7 miles today already.
The train went like clockwork (arrived early). I am posting on a ten year old laptop via my mates broadband stick as its the only laptop I had which was small enough.
Will post on this thread to update my week :)
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Not far from us today then Rattle. Why is that a train from Manchester arrives on time, but almost every time I take the train from Weston to Bristol (albeit infrequently) it's running late?
You must have spoken to the wrong people though - I've been here more than 15 years and still find the Brizzel accent a bit odd at times ;)
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I think I am so used to hearing all sorts of different accents its normal to me. Really tonight is nothing more than a stop off to break the journey.
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You are in the wrong bit of the world, Rattle, "Darn sarf" is South London speak. :-)
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>> and its dahn sowf
>>
Sorry I only lived there for my first 20 years, the pronunciation depends how tight you define the area within South London. Dahn Sarf is also an option. :-)
Last edited by: Old Navy on Mon 5 Apr 10 at 23:11
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Missed the edit:-
I find the South London accents very distinct as I have not lived there for 40 years but visit family in the area frequently. They think we have Scottish accents, but the locals say we have English accents, it's all relevant.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Mon 5 Apr 10 at 23:22
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South London is definitely Sarf London innit .....
Places like Forn eef and Clarm, St Reatham , Peoples republic of Tooting and of course Balham , gateway to the Sarf.....
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My father was a Bristolian. His father, who started work aged 12 in the late 1880s or early 90s, spoke with a Bristol accent.
It is a rather peculiar one with a characteristic that may have given the city and county of Bristol its modern name. He pronounced my grandmother's name, Ida - she was a country girl from Gloucestershire I think - 'Idle'. No irony or insult was intended. That's the Bristol accent, or one of its features. Bristol may once have been called Brista or Bristow by non-Bristolians.
It's a pity you haven't taken your car actually, Rattolo. They are such dedicated mimsers in Bristol that you would have loved it. Never mind. If you want to endear yourself to the locals, point to the nearest grand eighteenth-century building - there's no shortage - and remind everyone that it was paid for with the sweat, blood and suffering of countless African slaves.
I have never been in a Bristol pub that was half as luxurious and welcoming as the toilet in a Lusaka nightclub. And believe me, that's really saying something. If you want a drink, go somewhere else.
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The title and spelling was supposed to be ironic because certainly by the time I get to Cornwall Manchester is only about 60 miles further than London but to northerners its all down south.
If I was here for a few days I may notice the Bristol accent but for one tonight I probably won't meet enough people to notice. The staff in hotel all have the Bristol Polish accent.
I am trying not to drink too much but the plan is not going well.
Thankfully I have a 12 quid spending budget today so I can't afford to have too much.
I have noticed that in my three hour walk round Bristol this afternoon I saw one speed camera. Do a three hour walk in Manchester and you will see 50 and I didn't think Manchester that many!
I am planning to visit a FIAT dealer while I am down here just have another look the Panda before mine is delivered.
I was thinking on the train before this by far the best way, no cameras for police to worry about just me, my music and food.
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>> The staff in hotel
>> all have the Bristol Polish accent.
>>
>> I am trying not to drink too much but the plan is not going well.
>>
>>
>>>>
Autoglym is better, but still not very good for you to drink.
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The Harbourside area is supposed to be redeveloped and full of the sort of trendy bars a man such as Rattolo might feel comfortable in.
Pitcher and Piano anyone?
Alternatively head out to St Pauls where you can have a riot of a time.
According to this website - tinyurl.com/yb5aryw - the unrest in Bristol in 1980 was months before the bother in Brixton and Toxteth.
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all he'll get is bitter and a nastly little rash in St pauls.
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>> all he'll get is bitter and a nastly little rash in St pauls.
>>
One of the best bands of all times.
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>> >> all he'll get is bitter and a nastly little rash in St pauls.
>> >>
>> One of the best bands of all times.
>>
well it is cool for cats up the junction...........
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I'm from Devon. London is oop North for me. Enjoying the Holiday Inn at Luton at the moment for the next four days.
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I rather like some of the buildings in Bristol and its slightly posh, or posh feeling, neighbour Bath. Some of the people are a little odd admitedly but there are some very nice ones too. Applies to most places I suppose.
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Bath is a city living on its past glories. Its been that way since the roman time and worn a little thin. Dislike Bath, it has no sense of soul or community.
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I visit Bath as infrequently as possible - to me it's nothing more than a tourist trap with a slightly run down feel to it. Got a parking ticket last time I was there too,
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I have lived in London and found it stimulating but oppressive, in Bath where I found it fun but somehow transient, in Edinburgh which was the best, in Brazil which was exciting but a bit dodgy, in Italy which was relaxing, in the Scottish Borders which was pleasant but quiet and now in Cheshire which is flat and wet mainly.
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Ashmolean Museum in oxford
i loved it especially the Egyptian stuff
only thing i remember about bristool was i had a bad kebab there
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>>I am trying not to drink too much but the plan is not going well. >>
The prices and quality should make the plan much easier to follow...:-)
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Ended up popping out for a pint in a Lloyds bar next to the hotel in the new habour development. Was ok but the DJ played chart music and looked bored. It also seemed to be full of 18 year or 60 year olds with nothing inbetween. I felt too young and far too old at the same time - an odd feeling.
Now back at the hotel with can of beer and planning the next leg of the journey. Listening to Bowie. Will prob grap a proper Bristol pub lunch tomorrow before heading off to Summerset.
I feel so relaxed, its so sad being on my own but I just needed a break so much. I feel relaxed for the first time this year because I am not working tomorrow. Although I am still expecting to work but just via remote connections or phone.
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>>..because I am not working tomorrow. Although I am still expecting to work..>>
You can't have it both ways Rattle...:-)
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But at least I know I don't have to go to jobs or put up with people trying it on (thats for a new thread).
Its a nice escape for all the crap at home too, although when I get back its time to empty my room :(.
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>> Bath is a city living on its past glories.
Aquae Sulis you mean Zero? That was a long time ago. But because of the hot springs, it was reinvented in the 18th c as a place for the rich during the 'season' (whenever that was). Its pretentious but quite elegant Georgian architecture dates from that Butlins-for-toffs period.
Bristolians tend to despise Bath. The money was made by (among others) Bristol merchants and slave traders, then married by lordlets and the like and spent on, among other things, poncing around in Bath.
I was raised there from 1 to 7. My mother loved the place, my father Bristolianly despised it. I can't help having a certain nostalgia for it but I don't often go there.
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All I can say about Bristol is I am very impressed with the way it has become very modern but still retains its heritage, Its done a better job than York.
Can't really comment on the night life but some of the pubs looked a bit rough. I think its just like most cities it has its problems amongst the parts.
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>>Enjoying the Holiday Inn at Luton at the moment for the next four days.
???
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It's probably two years or so since I was last in Bristol. The parking people were very helpful when machine swallowed my money and i didn't have any more change. Very helpful and no problems when I got back to the car. Bristol was still being built at the time. Cranes and building sites all around the centre. Have they finished now?
JH
Last edited by: Tooslow on Tue 6 Apr 10 at 13:07
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rattle must have fallen off the cheddar gorgiousk as hes been missing in limbo for 2 days
maybe hes gone back to the dark side
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I dare say he's trying to escape Bristol. It's virtually impossible to do by car unless you're a local; you simply end up back at the same roundabout every time you try if you follow the road signs.
A bit like Hotel California but without the music. Or the hotel.
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Birmingham is like that too. All the signs point to the city centre, but none leading away.
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Sounds like the Leeds inner ring road. I just seemed to go round and round until it spat me out in roughly the direction I wanted.
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>>> rattle must have fallen off the cheddar gorgiousk as hes been missing in limbo for 2 days
<<<
If he's entered Cornwall - on his tod - at his age ... he may NEVER be seen again!
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Maybe he's found some cider!
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>>> Maybe he's found some cider! <<<
We call it Cornish Calvados down here - The we being Z & I.
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I think I may have sighted Rat & Smoke in The Duchy this morning!
Is he about 6ft tall, of medium build, bit of a paunch/BB, quite good looking (for a Northerner)
He was sat on a bench talking to some bird,
but from where I was I couldn't ascertain whether it was a Gull or a Kittiwake.
He had a bottle by his side wrapped in brown paper so I couldn't quite make out the name.
Probably Vimto because the the name began with a V.
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...the name began with a V...
Sure it wasn't the 'v' in Emva Cream?
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>>> Sure it wasn't the 'v' in Emva Cream? <<<
Nah mate - they use KY jelly these days!
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VP* sherry? That was a favourite wino drink. I remember I went to the chemical plant in kingston that made it. A large bulgarian tanker would draw up, dispatch 5 gazzillion litres of dark red stuff into a drain in the yard, and VP sherry came out the loading bay in bottles at the other end.
*Known as Very Poor.
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Thats the stuff - look where its made
Kingston on Thames, Surrey.
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i was always partial to a drop of vp at my fathers sisters at christmas
didnt like the xmas cake though,still dont like it
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>> Thats the stuff - look where its made. Kingston on Thames Surrey.
>>
Yep. Now blocks of flats. The council tip is a couple of hundred yards away. Perhaps that added a certain **** to it ? ;-)
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Marketing is all, sadly.
'er indoors has 'ad a drop of VP tonight methinks.
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Co's she Very Persistent 'bout something. I ain't ristening though!
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wife cant have anythink with grapes in it tonight on doctors orders so ive opened one of her bottles and drunk her half to get to mine
very nice it is too but ive had to have my personally carried johnie walker shots also to conpensate
(it is friday)
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I've lived in Bristol for nearly six years now, and am growing fond of it. I wasn't too keen when I moved, having lived previously in Leeds and Sheffield (probably my favourite city) and being a Brummie by birth.
Bristol is a city that demands a lot of patience before you really get under its skin. I found the people rather stand-offish, but that apparently is because so many of them escape down the M4 from London. However, most of the locals are pretty decent. There is a very thriving arts scene here which I like, and some very good pubs indeed. Having said that, weekend nights in town are horrific. Someone mentioned the waterfront (Watershed and Arnolfini areas) - great in the summer in particular, with some very nice restaurants, and most of the lairy, loud bars there have now shut; the credit crunch, I presume, having seen them off. I hope they're replaced by something a bit more tasteful.
Bath's been mentioned: I don't really know it - too choked with tourists for my liking, so I try to avoid - pop across to Bristol for a much more varied experience! I don't, btw, work for the tourist board.
CM
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Had reason to drive through Bath today. Coming back (South to North) I went round that bit in the centre three times before I found what I think was a way out, but with the way the pedestrians were ambling about in the road I'm not sure it wasn't a precinct of some sort. The route then took me along the front of one of those high up regency terraces which would be very pretty but really the streets are not made for cars down there...
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Perhaps his PC broke and he cant fix it?
Probably met some lass, with a smock and straw in her hair, saying
"come year lad, Oil show ee a good toime"
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Three whole days since Rattle's last post.
Has he -
1. Fallen off the edge of the world.
2. Drunken 10 pints of Scrumpy and found out it's stronger than than his usual tipple.
3. Discovered he can live without posting every five minutes.
4. Found a good woman.
5. Found a bad woman.
6. None of the above.
When do we send out the search party?
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Hopefully the absence of postings indicates he's managed to go three days without some calamity or other.
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The only contact of mine that over-stayed in Bristol went there Steve and came out Stephanie! They do a good line in nip & tuck I understand.
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Should we be looking for Rachel instead of Rattle:)
Pat
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I've no ideal. He's probably somewhere in the areal. On the other hand, he may have gone to Australial. Who knows where he's to.
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>>> Who knows where he's to. <<<
A SouWest expression if ever I've erd one.
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Yes, it threw me completely the first time I heard it, at work. Had no idea what the questioner meant.
I don't agree with Rattle's assertion that there's nothing remarkable about the Bristol accent. It's very distinctive, and rather pleasant to my ear, especially after a pint or three. Maybe he ended up in the posh bit.
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>>> Maybe he ended up in the posh bit. <<<
or amongst the refugees from sowf lunden :)
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>> or amongst the refugees from sowf lunden :)
>>
These days it is often rare to hear English spoken in South London let alone a local accent!
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>>>These days it is often rare to hear English spoken in South London let alone a local accent! <<<
Hahaha! D'ya know, we escaped from S. London in 87, so that's ... let me see now = 23 years ago.
I've still got a few relations around that area ~ E. Dulwich, Hither Green (think Lewisham!)
But from what I hear through the grapevine + the ww - I probably wouldn't recognise the ole place now!
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Our southern contingent are all within 4 miles of Tooting, take my word, if you haven't been back for 23 years it will seem like a foreign country.
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Well O/N - I used to be a lorry driver in the paper trade so I know all about Tooting and surrounding areas and I think we'll be staying in Cornwall.
I was actually born within walking distance of Tower Bridge, at least they haven't changed that,
yet!
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Back home now, had poor 3G access and was too busy hence no posts.
With regard to Bristol it does have a strong accent, it was just when I made the first post I hadn't heared it yet. I got back to Manchester at 10:03pm, I got home at 10:20 via a taxi and was out again by 11:00 to meet my mates in town. I didn't drink much though as I am working tomorrow.
I will make a full post tomorrow but this what I had planned
Bristol
Minehead
Plymouth 2 nights
Torquay
I found Plymouth so rough that I cancelled the second night and went on a long treck to New Quay and strangely fell in love with the place. More on that tomorrow.
Being down south and coming back to Manchester I just cannot believe how different the music tastes are. I did find a rock bar in Torquay last night but even that mainly played modern indie (considered too commercial in Manchester) and that bar was full of fellow northerners.
Now there are some great bands from down south such as the Clash and The Cure so I cannot understand their obsession with chart and RNB. I may have just gone to the wrong places but I was told that RNB is apparently what they play in bars and clubs.
I don't care if its Paul Simon, New Order or the Sex Pistols I need my music to have guitars.
Both Torquay and New Quay were lovely in in terms of views probably helped by the temperatures of upto 19c. It wasn't forcasted at all so it was a nice surprise.
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Full reviews of hotels coming tomorrow. I was also want to thank Network Rail, First Great Western and Cross Country - I travelled about 900 miles in total with these companies and caught over ten trains. Not a single one of them was delayed. It convinced me that the UK really does have the best rail system in the world.
Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Sun 11 Apr 10 at 03:34
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- - - Torquay, Newquay, do I detect a naughtycall theme?
S'funny, I was going to recc Newquay to you as all the locals moan & whinge about it,
So it must be good ;-)
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It convinced me that the UK really does have the best rail system in the world.
>>>>
>>>>>>>>>hahahahahaahahahahahahaahahahaahahaahahahahahahhahahahaaahaha
hahahahahahahaahhaaha
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...hahaha...
Once again, we can't let the truth intervene, can we?
OK, best in the world might be pushing it a bit, but we have an honest guy in Rattolo who has taken several trains over a few days and found the service to be good.
All the other passengers on the same trains thought the same, on the basis if Rattle arrived on time, so did they.
Knock when there's a reason to, but knocking for the sake of it is just a load of old...knockers.
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I didn't find what the fuss about Newquay is. It has a reputation even as far as Manchester for being 'lively' and a bit of a place to avoid. I didn't find it rough at all though, yes it was a bit lively and not the place you will go for a quiet relaxing holiday but its certainly not rough from what I could tell.
I think the trick is to get the right hotel, I stayed in the Great Western and for £30 it was truly amazing value for money.
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>> I didn't find what the fuss about Newquay is. It has a reputation even as
>> far as Manchester for being 'lively' and a bit of a place to avoid.
>>
Newquay reminds me of Blackpool, which is not a compliment.
At least there's great scenery along the coast either side though, I really must try the Newquay to Padstein coastal bus route one day, so I can admire the scenery rather than concentrating on not driving into those hard stone Cornish walls like I usually am.
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>> I don't care if its Paul Simon New Order or the Sex Pistols I need my music to have guitars.
Closest you'll get down that neck of the woods is "Never Mind the Bullocks" by the Wurzels.
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Or ' duelling banjos '...............squeal like a pig, boy
Ted
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>> I found Plymouth so rough
If you'd told us you were going to Plymouth we'd have told you to avoid it! Spent a month delivering parcels to council flats in the area and used to sprint back and forth between the van with an ultra-bright head torch.
Saltash is nice though.
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I was supposed to use plymouth as a base so I had some where to leave my stuff for two nights. I quickly realised I didn't feel safe in the city on my own and saw too many fights including what looked like a driver been beaten up by a pedestrian. Luckily my travel lodge booking was flexible so I cancelled the second day and went on the long hike down to Newquay.
What I did notice although the trains were reliable they were slow, how can it take longer to get from Newquay to Torquay than it does from Manchester to Brighton?
Why I was impressed with the railways is I was able to go to all these places from Manchester and I spent much less than £100 in total on train tickets. A top tip to do it on the cheap don't put in long distances on trainline.com because the prices can be stupid, if you book a ticket from Manchester to Taunton then say Taunton Torquay the price will be much less than half even though you're on the same trains.
Train prices are still far too complicated and I still do not understand it.
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Train prices are still far too complicated and I still do not understand it.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> which is why i laughed
abroad all the trains nearly run on time but are also dirt cheap
in comparison i travelled in spain 2 weeks ago frequently on mixed trains both expresses doing 137 kmh and also local trains to say figueres and not only were the trains spotless and on time (except once) but the timetables were exemplary in that a british man abroad being able to read them
(no fines this time either for not validating tickets)
did i mention you can go anywhere on the barcelona subway system for e 1.40?
try that in london
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did i mention you can go anywhere on the barcelona subway system for e 1.40?
try that in london
try the oyser card.
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>> did i mention you can go anywhere on the barcelona subway system for e 1.40?
>> try that in london
>>
>> try the oyser card.
>>
Try the fact that it's over four times as expensive as Barcelona at peak times. Call it a "public" transport system. What a crock of uh, effluent.
The true public transport system is a flat rate fare, such as Barcelona or even Tunis.
Last edited by: Alfa Floor on Sun 11 Apr 10 at 18:49
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I have traveled a lot in the Barcelona area and found public transport to be exellent there. I traveled from Barcelona Airport to Barcelona but we were skint students at the time so then had to get a train to Lloret Del Mar half way through as the hotels were so much cheaper there!
The problem is Eurupe doesn't have the same amount of stations we do in the UK, even though Beaching has done a lot of damage most places in UK still have a train station, everywhere is easy to get to in the UK via public transport providing its not some remote village.
It is not perfect but things are being improved all the time just don't pay £330 from Manchester to Newquay which is what the fair is on the day if you don't say Taunton then Newquay!
To put this another way I have to got Warrington some time this week the train fare is £7 something single (car back) and that seems very poor value since all the tickets down south all cost me less than £10 for much longer journeys.
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The last time I caught a mainline train it was an early afternoon Birmingham to Liverpool Lime Street and I jumped on it to go to Lime Street from South Parkway (about 10 minutes from Liverpool).
It was due at 13-54pm, arrived at South Parkway bang on time and was clean, modern and very comfortable; it was virtually full.
I was impressed, including appreciating its smooth ride at around 80mph for much of the rest of my (short) journey.
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>>so then had to get a train to Lloret Del Mar
IIRC you have to get off at Blanes and go by bus to Lloret.
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>>local trains to say figueres
Dali museum by any chance?
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>> >>local trains to say figueres
>>
>> Dali museum by any chance?
>>
>>>>> yes but it was far too busy to queue and this was on a tuesday
you do indeed change at blanes but you cant go anywhere as its in the middle of a small forest with the new high speed train set going overhead to barcelona i was stuck here for an hour but the cafe was open and i could have a beer but you can get off down the coastal line and walk /bus to lloret its only two miles approx i believe
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Plymouth isn't all bad, there are good & bad parts of all Towns & Cities.
Plymouth Hoe is quite nice, so is the Barbican area ... just stay away from Union St.
Unless you're a Sailor on shore leave looking for 'entertainment'.
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..Plymouth isn't all bad...
Well said.
There's an honourable tradition of navy towns being rough and very ready for a good drink and a punch-up.
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My hotel was basicaly on Union Street so I had to get out of the place. I am sure anybody having the mis fortune to stay in Picciddily in Manchester on a saturday would find it rough too - I know to avoid that part of town but tourists may not!
That said the noise from the drunks at 7pm in Plymouth was unreal. All I could hear was roudy chants, in Manchester that dosn't happen until much later and dosn't happen much at al during the week.
And yes I had to get off at Blanes and get the bus :) I completly forgot about that, only remember getting the train. It was six years ago.
I think with drunks there are three types
1) The drunken waster
2) The hooligan who wants to fight - this what Plymouth felt like
3) The party people who have too much to drink and act stupid but won't harm you - this is the drunks I am used to seeing.
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Damn straight, us Mancs are well behaved and if we do have to fight, we do it quietly.
Though I remember Manchester being cheap to live but having spent a few days house hunting in Didsbury it's anything but.
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South Manchester has always been expensive (at least in the past 15 years) due to all migration from other areas. People go to Manchester University get jobs, tend to stay in the area and and that pushes up house prices.
I remember when my parents bought their house in Chorlton prices apparantly were only a bit more expensive than other areas and cheaper than Didsbury. Places like Sale were more expensive.
Now Chorlton is more expensive than Sale and prices are similar to Didsbury when comparing like for like. Its risen from £15500 in 1980 to about £250k now (although in the current climate its probably no longer worth that).
Certainly when I went down south I noticed property was a lot cheaper than south Manchester until I got to Torquay!
Manchester probably was once a cheap city to live in but things have changed and it is probably a much better city now than it was. The city centre is a lot nicer than the first memories I have of it of around 1996 (IRA bomb era).
I think now Manchester just needs to focus less on the buildings and more on the people in it, too many people from bad backgrounds are still commiting too much petty crime.
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The cultural learnings of a northerner darn sarf - AshT
