Bear Down Wildcats

84Cat wrote: ↑Mon Dec 11, 2023 8:27 am What were your favorite places and things to do Chi? My wife is always trying to get me to Europe for the Christmas markets

London Tower
Hays Galleria
Churchill War Rooms
Covent Garden
Carnaby Street
Borough Market

Christmas time is a great time to be here. Lots to do and see. There’s literally a Christmas Market in every central London neighborhood so your wife will be in heaven.

EastCoastCat wrote: ↑Mon Dec 11, 2023 10:50 am Did you see your Spurs?

Saving that for next year when we bring the kids. Did watch them kick the shit out of West Ham from a proper pub. It was glorious.

I will say this about London though… getting anywhere took 2-3x as long as you’d think for the actual mileage you have to go because the roads and tube lines don’t go directly anywhere.

We stayed in the Bermondsey neighborhood (south side of Tower Bridge) which we thought was fairly centrally located but it took a half hour plus to get to anything on the west side such as Covent Garden, Westminster, British Museum, etc.

We considered staying closer to that stuff but we are glad we didn’t because the crowds in those areas were unbelievable. Better to walk a few extra miles or have to transfer bus/tube lines than to have to fight through a million people to get out and into your hotel. But that being said, we probably walked 35 miles in the four days we were seeing the sights. I legit lost 6lbs from all the walking since that was often the more direct option than bus, tube, or cab/Uber.

Tell us about the food

I had the most incredible fish and chips in York (along with mushy peas). It was amazing and makes it so hard to even try to find good fried fish in the US.

Also had one pretty good full English breakfast. Pretty much all the other food in the UK sucked.

scumdevils86 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2023 12:03 pm Tell us about the food

Had some of the best Chinese (Bao), Italian (pizza & Northern), French, and Indian food I’ve ever had. It’s such an international city that the restaurants are top notch.

Had fish & chips (and mashed peas) in a proper pub and it was delicious. Washed it down with more than a few Guinness Stouts. I was in heaven.

Didn’t have breakfast outside of a couple toasties (open faced sandwiches) and croissants stuffed with ham & cheese. For one, I wasn’t hungry until like noon, and for another I am not into eating baked beans or eggs and tomato sauce.

I was legit scared of the food and I don’t know the last time I ate so well.

The best Indian and Greek food I can remember was in London. Mezedakia from Satan's vault of temptations served by Athena.

It's been a long time since I was in London. I recall getting lost and asking directions from a gnarly looking punk/goth spike-haired tat monster. He was: " Oh yeh, moit, just go down 'ere tree block and take a lefet the circu n Bob's yer Uncoo. Cheahs!" Maybe it's different these days:


If that didn't embed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT0ay9u1gg4

dovecanyoncat wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2023 2:31 pm It's been a long time since I was in London. I recall getting lost and asking directions from a gnarly looking punk/goth spike-haired tat monster. He was: " Oh yeh, moit, just go down 'ere tree block and take a lefet the circu n Bob's yer Uncoo. Cheahs!" Maybe it's different these days:


If that didn't embed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT0ay9u1gg4

People were super nice. Had some issues navigating the Tube stations (namely because some service the underground and suburban transit out of different areas of the same station) and we had people who were willing to walk us pretty much right where we needed to be.

Plus I made friends with every bartender I met. Could only understand every third word, but alcohol and sports are international languages. (Reminded me of National Lampoon’s European Vacation - “Dad, he’s speaking English!”)

Chicat wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2023 2:59 pm

dovecanyoncat wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2023 2:31 pm It's been a long time since I was in London. I recall getting lost and asking directions from a gnarly looking punk/goth spike-haired tat monster. He was: " Oh yeh, moit, just go down 'ere tree block and take a lefet the circu n Bob's yer Uncoo. Cheahs!" Maybe it's different these days:


If that didn't embed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT0ay9u1gg4

People were super nice. Had some issues navigating the Tube stations (namely because some service the underground and suburban transit out of different areas of the same station) and we had people who were willing to walk us pretty much right where we needed to be.

Plus I made friends with every bartender I met. Could only understand every third word, but alcohol and sports are international languages. (Reminded me of National Lampoon’s European Vacation - “Dad, he’s speaking English!”)

I'm sure alcohol had nothing to do with navigation issues ..... noo.

Definitely want to go to London as much as anywhere. My now wife and I are hoping to go to Scotland for our 2nd anniversary in 2025

UAEebs86 wrote: ↑Wed Dec 13, 2023 12:18 pm I had the most incredible fish and chips in York (along with mushy peas). It was amazing and makes it so hard to even try to find good fried fish in the US.

Also had one pretty good full English breakfast. Pretty much all the other food in the UK sucked.

What is Mr. Chippy?

Holy shit the fish in chips were legendary in York.
The Viking bar Valhalla was cool and fun too.
York’s Christmas market was one of the best I’ve been too, the kids love it.

We had a flat in the shambles, felt like we were living in Diogin alley.

If you like history, Romen, Viking, English, medieval, York has a lot packed into a quaint English city. We really enjoyed our time there just before thanksgiving.

It was fun walking the Roman/Norman walls.

London is just awesoem this time of year. Echo ing chi, everything is lit up so nicely and people were really cool. We had a blast.

Covent garden is the place to be this time of year.
Copy on the traffic - we were with my MIL, who is mobility challenge, so we took cabs everywhere and yeah…if you can avoid doing that , do.

Stayed near tower bridge.

Abba voyage (holograms) was a freaking blast. So was thanksgiving dinner at Duck and waffle on the 40th floor of their salesforce tower.

Any international "Bear Down"s?

I don’t think I wore any UofA gear except to & from the airport now that I think about it.