First time I checked this thread since 2012. Just got back from Cornwall.

Next year really want to go abroad and surprise other half by going to Shipwreck Island in Navaigo.

Anybody been? Any recommendations?

I haven't been abroad in 10 years and am at a bit of a loss. Am I best to organise some sort of package holiday with plane tickets etc or sort it out myself?

We arrived at Crieff Hydro a few hours ago for a couple of nights. Absolutely superb facilities for those with kids, and crucially plenty of places to enjoy beer in the sun while they're distracted.

We use that to separate the kids and adults.

Unlikely wrote:

We arrived at Crieff Hydro a few hours ago for a couple of nights. Absolutely superb facilities for those with kids, and crucially plenty of places to enjoy beer in the sun while they're distracted.

Yes. Crieff Hydro is fucking boss. Hopefully they’ve fixed all of the fucked consoles since I was last there.

Gremill wrote:

Unlikely wrote:

We arrived at Crieff Hydro a few hours ago for a couple of nights. Absolutely superb facilities for those with kids, and crucially plenty of places to enjoy beer in the sun while they're distracted.

Yes. Crieff Hydro is fucking boss. Hopefully they’ve fixed all of the fucked consoles since I was last there.

Unattended Bone and PS4 when I walked past the games room earlier. Taking E to the soft play...

three1ne wrote:

First time I checked this thread since 2012. Just got back from Cornwall.

Next year really want to go abroad and surprise other half by going to Shipwreck Island in Navaigo.

Anybody been? Any recommendations?

I haven't been abroad in 10 years and am at a bit of a loss. Am I best to organise some sort of package holiday with plane tickets etc or sort it out myself?

If there is a decent agent where you live then it's good to talk it over with them, then go home and google/trip advisor it and see if you can beat any prices they give you.

We have Trailfinders here in Bristol which are good at helping you plan, giving you ideas and helping you tie it together

Because I'm a shit lord and can't be happy I'm trying to make myself positive about Rome rather than Japan. I'm aware I'm an entitled asshole.

Anyway, we are going to restorante Marco Martini which is a Michelin starred joint. Here he is criticising carbonara

https://youtu.be/bnZ_70XyVAk

Again, the walk up to here is amazing...

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-aventine-keyhole-rome

Across from the Circo Maximo... The world oldest and largest doggy toilet.

More ideas:

1. Visit the Romeow vegan cat cafe.
2. House of the Owls
3. Crypts / Catacombs
4. Quartiere Coppedè
5. Go and see the 22 Papal hearts
6. Ospedale delle Bambole Aka The Creepy Fucking Doll Hospital
7. The National Pasta Mueseum
8. The Fascist Film studio Cinecittà
9. Campo de Fiori market
10. The Keats-Shelley memorial house
11. La Resurrezione

I can’t vouch for all of these - I know some people who have visited and enjoyed some. But they’re all off the beaten path, apparently, and a bit different from the usual. Have a gander and see if anything here takes your fancy.

Reg is a catholic from the west of Scotland, of course he doesn’t have a religious bone in his body.

Right, so we will be in Jakarta on our wedding anniversary. Not the way we had planned, but we didn’t have much choice around holiday dates due to work and other (family) commitments.

Anyone know a really nice (don’t care if a bit expensive) restaurant we can go to where we can also take kids?

We will be staying quite central. Hotel Kempinsk, not far from the square and memorial ex.

Gremill wrote:

Reg is a catholic from the west of Scotland, of course he doesn’t have a religious bone in his body.

Never. A. One.

Some random things for Amsterdam, not sure what kinda stuff you're looking for?

There's Radion Amsterdam, it's close to where I lived. Area ain't much but if you rent a bike it doesn't take a long time to get there. It's a nice restaurant, kinda artsy as the building connected to it houses a lot of (starting) artists. They have a good selection of beer, food is good and atmosphere always nice. There's a club as well, but not sure if there's anything going on.
Louwesweg 1, 1066 EA Amsterdam

Pllek. It's in the other side of the Ij. Which was the place to be 2 years ago and apparently I went there.
T.T. Neveritaweg 59, 1033 WB Amsterdam

Café de Ceuvel. This one I really like, it's a bit vegan oriented but there's still good food to have. Lot of woodwork going on, has this hippy vibe. If the weather is OK no one will mind you if you jump in the water.
Korte Papaverweg 4, 1032 KB Amsterdam

The whole NDSM werf area was a hip place to be, often there was music going on, the IJ hallen had a big flea market, not sure if that's every weekend though. Might be worth it to look them up on Facebook and see if there's anything going on.

Eye filmmuseum is an interesting building and the restaurant inside has a nice view of Central Station. Always liked sitting there when the sun was setting.
IJpromenade 1, 1031 KT Amsterdam

Next to Eye is the A'dam Lookout, which might be touristy but I like high views. You need to pay to get up there, they have some kinda "biggest swing" in top of it and if course the view is good. I thought the elevator was scary though, it's super fast.

Apart from Radion that's all Amsterdam Noord, was very hip with an art and hippy vibe. I'm sure there's more in that area. Rent a bike, take the ferry and have a look. There was not much 10 years ago, so you will still see dead areas.

The Movies is an old theatre with restaurant. I'm sure they do an meal + movie deal. Screens aren't the best out there, so don't go and watch something that's all about sfx, but I've seen some interesting stuff there and I like it.
Haarlemmerdijk 161, 1013 KH Amsterdam

Movies are always subbed in Dutch, so make sure you watch an English spoken one. If you want to check for the more interesting movies, have a look at the Cineville website. They'll show everything that's playing in the independent theaters.

If you still want to do a museum thing, but not the standard ones (Anne Frank, Rijksmuseum, van Gogh etc) I think you can visit Rembrandt's house, I enjoyed that.
Jodenbreestraat 4, 1011 NK Amsterdam

That's next to Waterlooplein, which often has a flea markets going on and there are some vintage stores in that area. Not sure if the market days.

If you like markets, get a stroopwafel at the Albert Cuyp one, but that might be seen as touristy? Most of Amsterdam is tbh.

If you want jazz, check out Bimhuis, very easy to get to from Central Station. I like that place a lot, again has a nice view.

Other music venues: Melkweg, Paradiso, Sugar Factory. None of them are really clubs but I don't remember names of them. Paradiso is worth it just because it's inside a church. Just be warned, if it's sold out it's sold out and too crowded for me. Bouncers aren't nice.

Then there's the Westerpark, which is a nice park, has some good food options and the Tonton club, which is an arcade. Pictures on Google are not how I remembered it, and they also have a place on the Red Light District, so might be worth to have a look at both.

If you search for Gollem you should get 3 options, one at the Overtoom (nice place to sit if you went for a stroll on Vondelpark), one near Rembrandtplein (close to Guerrilla Games so I've been there quite often) and I'm not sure if the other one is open these days. That was definitely my favourite one, but last time I checked it was closed. Seems to be open now. Go to any or all of them for your beers.

If you want pizza, order here
https://bestellen.ciro1939.nl
You can't sit there, but you can pick up. Best pizza according to a lot of people, they import there meat and cheeses from Italy I think and the meat is so good. There's a park nearby and also the Albert Cuyp market. De Pijp has always been a good area.

Hot tips from B:
Meneer de Wit heeft honger
Witte de Withstraat 10, 1057 XV Amsterdam

Café de Walvis
Spaarndammerstraat 516, 1013 SZ Amsterdam

I don't know anything about events going on anymore, so can't help with that. I also hope you weren't looking for shopping tips as I can't help with that. There are plenty more restaurants that I could think of but my brain won't recall them right now.

It's also perfectly fine to cycle with flip flops. Don't worry about that, just don't end up in one of the canals.

Bitterzoet might also be a thing for music and party.
Spuistraat 2 HS, 1012 TS Amsterdam

Here are a couple more:

If you search for "Burgermeester" you'll find some nice burger places (not always the best to sit down, so if the weather's good just order and find a nice place to sit down next to a canal or something).

Cafe het Gasthuys does some nice burgers as well, plus you can sit outside next to a little canal
Grimburgwal 7, 1012 GA Amsterdam

Bierfabriek for beer and chicken, they have taps in some tables if my memory works. Not a big beer selection, as that's also the brewery and they only have their own I think.
Nes 67, 1012 KD Amsterdam

Segugio, again, only a few places to sit down but some amazing Italian food. Only went there once with B (it was close to work for him so often picked something up for lunch there) and we sat down at a table with a couple other people. Was pretty fun and we got some stories, don't go there if you can't stand the idea of sitting next to strangers while eating. It's one big table and maybe two or three smaller ones.
Utrechtsestraat 96, 1017 VS Amsterdam

Café de Klos for spareribs
Kerkstraat 41-43, 1017 GB Amsterdam

If you like browsing vinyl, Concerto might be worth a look. New and second hand. Also on the Utrechtsestraat and thus close to the Italian place.

If you enjoy browsing for second hand clothing, on Monday mornings there's a market at the Noordermarkt. My mom loved that and there are a couple of good vendors there. One always sold a lot of out of season King Louis clothing, brand new but labels cut to prevent reselling. Got some good deals there.

If you're there July 6th, go watch a friend making music. It's hard to describe what they actually make, a little bit of punk, pop, new wave, alternative but with unusual instruments. They're having an ep release party. Band is called Jerboah and they are on Spotify.
"July 6 | Release show of our double EP ‘Bristly + Gnaw" w/ Johan Frauenfelder and DJ JUHA | Café Noorderlicht, Amsterdam-Noord"


Oh man, I miss having so many good food options. There are more places that I can remember going to but I just can't recall names.

And no problem, just have fun. Still think it's an amazing city!