Install the app
How to install the app on iOS

Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.

Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.

Travel thread 3.0

Was working in Edinburgh yesterday and today. Never been before but what a stunning city. My wife has family in Inverness so she decided to come Inverness for the weekend and what a drive up the A9 road that was from Edinburgh today. Sadly the A9 was shut so had to do a de tour and seen some absolute wonderful sites.
 
Thanks for the recommendations. Visited Guangzhou at the weekend, which is like Manhattan in places but then has a beautiful old part too. Great atmosphere along the embankment in the evening, people enjoying themselves: dancing, exercising, having picnics, it felt really laid back and safe.
Going to Chengdu for a few days soon, then Wuhan.

Not two places id put next to one another...alot must have changed in Guangzhou.
 
Does anyone know if there's a bar in Albuferia that blues gather in to watch the games? I may need some moral support for sunday.
Wow, not been to Albufeira for over 20 years 😂😂 loved it there, I used to go to a place in the town that had football shirts from hundreds of teams hung up all over the ceilings and walls, could be wrong but I think it was called Jo’s bar….. probably not even there anymore but it was great all that time ago.
And to answer your question, no mate.
 
Well you be the judge...

Oh, you meant because there are high rises / skyscrapers?

Shanghai, HK, Tokyo, KL, Jakarta, Manila, Singapore and many more Asian cities look pretty similar in terms of buildings. Imo.

Guangzhou for me was a bit of a hole and the 'embankment' you mention had wooden cruise ships, one nightclub and a few hostess bars from what i remember.

I also wasnt a fan of Taipei either but apparently thats 'modernised' itself outside of the 101 tower area.

KL i found incredibly boring but its growing on me.
 

May be heading to Berlin with work in July, and sticking around for a few days.

Good museums*/restaurants/bars to go to? And anything to avoid that doesn't live up to the hype?

Cheers!

*Especially Cold War related.
a couple of bits of history
 
Wow, not been to Albufeira for over 20 years 😂😂 loved it there, I used to go to a place in the town that had football shirts from hundreds of teams hung up all over the ceilings and walls, could be wrong but I think it was called Jo’s bar….. probably not even there anymore but it was great all that time ago.
And to answer your question, no mate.
I've been here a few times mate and it seems to be getting more popular, this is the busiest i have seen it.

I'll check that bar out, if it still exists.
 

May be heading to Berlin with work in July, and sticking around for a few days.

Good museums*/restaurants/bars to go to? And anything to avoid that doesn't live up to the hype?

Cheers!

*Especially Cold War related.

Went there end of last year, it was a great place albeit it has a very strange vibe.

The best museum of the lot that I went to was without doubt the DDR museum (as @bigjonny mentioned), it manages to be very educational and really interactive. The Neues museum is also a must see, if for no other reason than the bust of Nefertiti which is the single most beautiful object that I have ever seen in my life (and photos do not do it justice). Next door to that is the Pergamon museum which is also really good. All these are on or near Museum Island so you could do them all in a day.


The Spy Museum would also be worth attending, if you want Cold War related things - it is also quite interactive, but not as good as the DDR museum:


I actually stayed near Checkpoint Charlie, which a lot of people did go to but it is basically a hut in the middle of a road surrounded by shops selling tat and a McDonalds, so I wouldn't say it was worth going out of your way to. It is near to the Mall of Berlin though which, as malls go, was decent, and the architecture around there is all old East German apartment blocks which are interesting of themselves.

The only other place I really liked was San Souci, which is just outside of Potsdam - its like a sensible version of Versailles, two palaces set in a lovely park. The second (newer) palace is (or was) only accessible with a tour group, but you can book tickets on the day and they'll show you all the good bits.

Food wise, I must confess I thought Cologne was a lot better in that respect.
 
Went there end of last year, it was a great place albeit it has a very strange vibe.

The best museum of the lot that I went to was without doubt the DDR museum (as @bigjonny mentioned), it manages to be very educational and really interactive. The Neues museum is also a must see, if for no other reason than the bust of Nefertiti which is the single most beautiful object that I have ever seen in my life (and photos do not do it justice). Next door to that is the Pergamon museum which is also really good. All these are on or near Museum Island so you could do them all in a day.


The Spy Museum would also be worth attending, if you want Cold War related things - it is also quite interactive, but not as good as the DDR museum:


I actually stayed near Checkpoint Charlie, which a lot of people did go to but it is basically a hut in the middle of a road surrounded by shops selling tat and a McDonalds, so I wouldn't say it was worth going out of your way to. It is near to the Mall of Berlin though which, as malls go, was decent, and the architecture around there is all old East German apartment blocks which are interesting of themselves.

The only other place I really liked was San Souci, which is just outside of Potsdam - its like a sensible version of Versailles, two palaces set in a lovely park. The second (newer) palace is (or was) only accessible with a tour group, but you can book tickets on the day and they'll show you all the good bits.

Food wise, I must confess I thought Cologne was a lot better in that respect.

Amazing. Thanks!
 
May be heading to Berlin with work in July, and sticking around for a few days.

Good museums*/restaurants/bars to go to? And anything to avoid that doesn't live up to the hype?

Cheers!

*Especially Cold War related.
Tours of the underground tunnels/bunkers at Gesundbrunnen I found pretty good. I’d echo those who posted the topography of terror and DDR museums. I found the Tränenpalast quite interesting. It’s the old border crossing point on Friedrichstraße.

I always like to take a walk along what is now Frankfurter Allee (previously Karl-Marx Allee) when I’m there. Back in the day it used house all the swinging dicks of the communist party and there’s some quite impressive architecture there from that era. If you’ve seen the film The Lives of Others it’s where the last scene of that was filmed including the book shop. Nearby is Friedrichshain which is good for drinking.

Mauerpark on a sunday is quite fun to hang around especially if the weather is good. Nearby is Prenzlauer Berg which is an old communist neighbourhood that’s been gentrified. Tends to be quite lively day and night. Lots of cafes, restaurants, bars etc
 

Welcome to GrandOldTeam

Get involved. Registration is simple and free.

Back
Top