Holidays 2015

[Dr Gloom 21924]

yeah, i'd be getting among the if i were you. they're a far cry from the nutters in italy or turkey. german football atmospheres are brilliant, generally, and very friendly.

[Meenzer 15531]

If the tarmac at Tegel is anything to go by, winter has already hit Berlin. Bring hats.

[Jill 0]

Which are the neutral blocks, if you know?

Cheers

Just seen the tickets and we're in block 18 but the research I did suggested blocks K-O so fuck knows.

 

I'd say I've packed scarves, gloves and hats but that'd be very dishonest as so far I've packed naff all.

Edited November 27, 2014 by Jill

[Monroe Transfer 0]

Aye, with minimal exceptions "Ultras" in Germany just means folks who like a beer and some proper vocalising. So what we used to call a "fan", basically. You'll have seen far worse.

 

Wasn't worried about myself, just wasn't sure if Mrs Zanetti would prefer sitting in a quieter area. My first ever visit to Germany.

 

Appreciate all the advice.

 

As for the weather, sounds like there might be a bit of snow by the time I get there too. Should be class at the markets if so, as long as it's not stupid/sludgy amounts.

Edited November 28, 2014 by Monroe Transfer

[Alex 35083]

Lad at work went for Sunderland's pre-season tour (last year iirc) and he absolutely loved the place and the people. Germany that is, rather than Berlin.

[Jill 0]

If the tarmac at Tegel is anything to go by, winter has already hit Berlin. Bring hats.

 

Bloody hell you weren't wrong. That's a biting wind they have out there, isn't it? The match was the coldest I've ever been in my life. Genuinely wondered if I'd ever get the feeling back in my fingers.

[Idioteque 0]

First time I've been on since getting back

 

First day got to Berlin and had to many beers and fell asleep when we went back to the hotel in Berlin City Centre, went back out for a walkbut couldn't find anything open and it was a completely dead everywhere (it was a tuesday night, don't think we looked hard enough, Berlin is bloody massive)

 

2nd day we got up sharpish and went on a pub crawl whilst using the metro a fair bit, ended up going walking round the government buildings and then found a ramones museum which was brilliant, found an Irish bar then found out Bombay Bicycle Club were playing that night so went up there and paid on the door only to get in there and they were half way through the set. I ended up staying out on my own that night till about 3am as the rest shyed off back to the hotel knowing we had an early train to Hannover. Trying to find my hotel for 90 minutes just walking round the big spike TV tower was a bit of a struggle when pissed.

 

Woke up half an hour after the train had left for Hannover (none of us had set alarms, I hadn't charged my phone) so had to pay another 60 euros each with the hangover from hell. Got to Hannover checked in hotel and got on the train to Wolfsburg. Wolfsburg there was fuck all there apart from the Volkswagen plant, the football stadium, a christmas market and about 4 irish bars/restaurants full of blues, but really nice people/police were on top form. Went the match where it was about -3 coldest I've ever been at the match, watched Everton win in Europe then back to Hannover after a couple of pints. Walked round for a bit but couldn't find anything in Hannover so went back to the hotel for a few pints then to bed.

 

Knackered by the last few days we had a lie in on the last day and then got out for something to eat and a few pints but then we found this sort of indoor market with stalls round the outside then the middle was full of little bars with seating, quite surreal really but it was really brilliant and very cheap too, ended up going up to Hannover 96's ground via the river It was fucking freezing then back to the market for hours drinking wheat beer and eating currywurst. Then we went for a walk through the town centre by the shops and found the 'Jack the ripper London tavern' I was lured in because it had a Newcastle Brown Ale sign. It was the best bar we went in all week, sold newcastle brown on tap and had over 50 whiskeys/bourbons and it was very cheap aswell. It was like a cave you had to go downstairs to get in, ended up with a load of evertonians and rangers fans in there all night and nearly missed our flight the next morning.

 

Was a brilliant trip and can't wait to go back Hannover just as much as Berlin.

[catmag 337]

Off to Peru to do some voluntary stuff in 2016. Something to look forward to anyway - it's been a while since I had a proper travel adventure.

[Meenzer 15531]

Canny about Peru, even cannier about Hannover actually not being a dump. I might check it out properly some time.

 

Off to Gran Canaria early morning. Haven't started packing yet. #hardcore

[ewerk 30616]

Away again?!

[Meenzer 15531]

This is the right time of year for it, when it's proper grim out there.

[Park Life 71]

Away again?!

Gays are always on holiday.

[Gemmill 44894]

[Tooj 17]

Off to Peru to do some voluntary stuff in 2016. Something to look forward to anyway - it's been a while since I had a proper travel adventure.

Jealous!

[catmag 337]

Jealous!

I thought about you when I was told about it Going to Iquitos - a city you can't get to by road apparently. I was instantly smitten.

[Monkeys Fist 42458]

Don't forget to take plenty Marmalade to keep the local wildlife at bay.

[wykikitoon 20151]

Just got back from a week in NYC. Fuck me, what an amazing place!

[Monroe Transfer 0]

Just about to leave for Berlin. Pwopa excited.

[wykikitoon 20151]

Just about to leave for Berlin. Pwopa excited.

Superb city, love the place.

have fun

[catmag 337]

Roll on April 1st - Florida cannot come quickly enough. I've managed to keep it a secret from the bairn for 6 months now and it's killing me!

[Monroe Transfer 0]

Back now - gutted. What a wonderful city Berlin is.

[Dr Gloom 21924]

how was the match?

[Dr Gloom 21924]

Roll on April 1st - Florida cannot come quickly enough. I've managed to keep it a secret from the bairn for 6 months now and it's killing me!

 

ah man, that's one lucky kid. i'm definitely doing that holiday in a few years.

[Monroe Transfer 0]

how was the match?

 

Didn't go!

 

Couldn't fit it in our timeframe and all the cheap tickets seemed to have gone anyway. If I was with a mate we'd have found a way but I was with my missus who's only got a passing interest in football (she was fairly up for this to be fair) so I didn't really push it after a certain point. Had we'd gone we'd have missed out on a few things that day which I'd honestly rather do now looking back.

 

Dead on our feet by the time we got back to the hotel each night but it was well worth it. Went to loads of museums (loved the interactivity and feel of the DDR Museum, and the Jewish museum is probably the best museum I've ever been to), Christmas markets (glad we went now rather than wait till Summer although we'd have gone to Potsdam and the like if we had), restaurants and pubs. Did all the obvious stuff like the East Side Gallery, Reichstag, Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial church, cathedral, Checkpoint Charlie, TV Tower, Bernauer Strasse, Holocaust Memorial etc. Loved the architecture for the most part.

 

Our hotel was in Alexanderplatz and was spot on location-wise, and in general.

 

As a side note, I doubt I'll see as many Italian restauarants as I did in Berlin without going to Italy itself. We had a pizza in one, L'Osteria (next to Bikini Berlin and some hotel) which was great if a little on the huge side.

Edited December 15, 2014 by Monroe Transfer

[Jill 0]

You're right about Italian places mind, we had pizza twice one of the days we were there (due to forgetting to eat later on until we were passing the last takeaway before the hotel) then the next day all we could fucking see were more Italian places. Ended up in an Irish bar for lunch just because it was the first other type of cuisine we saw.