The all new and only slightly recycled off topic thread (read post 1)

molloyjh

Podge_irl wrote: »

Switzerland don't do mince pies.

This is a travesty. My Christmas is ruined!

The fuppin' baxtards!

Buer

Podge_irl wrote: »

Switzerland don't do mince pies.

This is a travesty. My Christmas is ruined!

But you get Christmas markets! They're on thing that I love about Christmas on the continent. Nothing like walking around the market, soaking up the atmosphere, throwing a few gluhwein into you. Some of them are a bit twee but the better ones are great. Not sure how good they are in Switzerland.

Swiwi.

Buer wrote: »

But you get Christmas markets! They're on thing that I love about Christmas on the continent. Nothing like walking around the market, soaking up the atmosphere, throwing a few gluhwein into you. Some of them are a bit twee but the better ones are great. Not sure how good they are in Switzerland.

Roasted almonds, mulled wine...

molloyjh

Buer wrote: »

But you get Christmas markets! They're on thing that I love about Christmas on the continent. Nothing like walking around the market, soaking up the atmosphere, throwing a few gluhwein into you. Some of them are a bit twee but the better ones are great. Not sure how good they are in Switzerland.

The one in Clermont is class. The amount of free food and drink you get is great! God I'll miss that this year....sigh.....

Swiwi.

molloyjh wrote: »

The one in Clermont is class. The amount of free food and drink you get is great! God I'll miss that this year....sigh.....

Reminds me of when I lived in France and got to taste le nouveau beaujolais...in beaujolais. The locals wouldn't stop offering me the little glasses to sample at 2 francs a pop. Seriously sloshed by the end of the evening!

Buer

molloyjh wrote: »

The one in Clermont is class. The amount of free food and drink you get is great! God I'll miss that this year....sigh.....

I'll have to sample it some day, hopefully we get a December game against them again when I'm not broke. I'd love to try a French market. I've heard Strasbourg's market is excellent.

I was at the Cologne one last year which was brilliant. It has an extremely old style Germanic appearance with sections of the medieval city still standing all lending to a sense that your walking through something from the Brothers Grimm especially as it was snowing.

You can't help but be pleasantly p*ssed throughout the day walking around the place with the locals encouraging you to swig another gluhwein every time you walk past one of their stalls.

I'd love if there was something similar in Dublin. They've made an effort to do so but they couldn't have picked a less festive location than the IFSC if they tried.

molloyjh

Buer wrote: »

I'll have to sample it some day, hopefully we get a December game against them again when I'm not broke. I'd love to try a French market. I've heard Strasbourg's market is excellent.

I was at the Cologne one last year which was brilliant. It has an extremely old style Germanic appearance with sections of the medieval city still standing all lending to a sense that your walking through something from the Brothers Grimm especially as it was snowing.

You can't help but be pleasantly p*ssed throughout the day walking around the place with the locals encouraging you to swig another gluhwein every time you walk past one of their stalls.

I'd love if there was something similar in Dublin. They've made an effort to do so but they couldn't have picked a less festive location than the IFSC if they tried.

The Clermont one is actually pretty small but if you're there for the rugby you're like honoured guests. Picked up a few bottles of this sort of stuff at it. They're wonderful.

Swiwi.

Buer wrote: »

I'll have to sample it some day, hopefully we get a December game against them again when I'm not broke. I'd love to try a French market. I've heard Strasbourg's market is excellent.

I was at the Cologne one last year which was brilliant. It has an extremely old style Germanic appearance with sections of the medieval city still standing all lending to a sense that your walking through something from the Brothers Grimm especially as it was snowing.

You can't help but be pleasantly p*ssed throughout the day walking around the place with the locals encouraging you to swig another gluhwein every time you walk past one of their stalls.

I'd love if there was something similar in Dublin. They've made an effort to do so but they couldn't have picked a less festive location than the IFSC if they tried.

I thought the Xmas markets at Lyon were class. The old town is nice too. I'm also a bit of a WWII buff, and le centre d'histoire de la résistance et de la déportation was excellent.

irishbucsfan

I have the theme song to My Little Pony stuck in my head. I've never even seen My Little Pony as far as I'm aware.

justsomebloke

They used it in the ad campaigns in the 80's so that is probably how you know it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9J2vF3Q3o8

or the all new signing and dancing version

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXGQGsv8eBQ

p.s. if you don't want to know about this sort of stuff make sure you are using adequate birth control steps. Don't say I didn't warn you!!!

Grimebox

You've obviously never heard of "bronies"

justsomebloke

Grimebox wrote: »

You've obviously never heard of "bronies"

I now hate you

pickarooney

Swiwi. wrote: »

Reminds me of when I lived in France and got to taste le nouveau beaujolais...in beaujolais. The locals wouldn't stop offering me the little glasses to sample at 2 francs a pop. Seriously sloshed by the end of the evening!

But it's the most disgusting wine of all. I had a serious dilemma the first year - free booze but almost impossible to drink.

Swiwi.

pickarooney wrote: »

But it's the most disgusting wine of all. I had a serious dilemma the first year - free booze but almost impossible to drink.

Yeah, it's not great - even free. But I was 16 at the time, and beggars can't be choosers...

Podge_irl

Swiwi. wrote: »

Reminds me of when I lived in France and got to taste le nouveau beaujolais...in beaujolais. The locals wouldn't stop offering me the little glasses to sample at 2 francs a pop. Seriously sloshed by the end of the evening!

They have a day here in spring where all the local vineyards open up and offer free tasting of their first bottled wine.

It will not end well.

Buer

Back pain. What an utter f*cking nightmare. I think some cheap wine shall be administered as anesthetic this evening.

Swiwi.

Soccer world cup qualifiers kick-off tomorrow. Neutral eyes will no doubt be on Ronaldo v Ibrahimovic, but I'll be cheering the underdog All Whites on - hopefully they can bring a decent result back to NZ for the 2nd leg.

(I'd actually sacrifice a loss to the English in the weekend, if it meant the All Whites qualify for the football world cup...)

irishbucsfan

Swiwi. wrote: »

Soccer world cup qualifiers kick-off tomorrow. Neutral eyes will no doubt be on Ronaldo v Ibrahimovic, but I'll be cheering the underdog All Whites on - hopefully they can bring a decent result back to NZ for the 2nd leg.

(I'd actually sacrifice a loss to the English in the weekend, if it meant the All Whites qualify for the football world cup...)

Sacrilege!

Tox56

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Sacrilege!

That is actually a disgusting comment Swiwi

Swiwi.

irishbucsfan wrote: »

Sacrilege!

Tox56 wrote: »

That is actually a disgusting comment Swiwi

Ah, well I got quite into the last tournament, where NZ were surprisingly good, despite being a fairly limited side.

I have a cousin living in Brazil, so who knows maybe I'd make the trip out if NZ were in the mix.

On the flipside, I'm a little weary of reading about England's unexpected triumph last AIs, I think it would become pure torture if England string 2 consecutive victories together...hopefully England's win goes the same way as their 1966 football crown...never to be repeated.

Podge_irl

Switzerland are gonna win the whole thing. You heard it here first.

Swiwi.

Podge_irl wrote: »

Switzerland are gonna win the whole thing. You heard it here first.

Well they've done handily enough to date. Will depend on their draw, but they could always be outsiders to make the round of 16. They don't really do team success though - too polite for that.

P_1

Podge_irl wrote: »

Switzerland are gonna win the whole thing. You heard it here first.

Belgium are looking like the team to be wary of for me, only concern is that they might have peaked so soon but it's rare to see so many talented footballers emerge from the same country around the same time.

The All Whites might have a chance against the Mexicans to be honest, they really have been out of sorts since their success at the olympics. The key to success surely lies in not getting hockeyed in the Azteca though, an away goal could make things quite interesting for the second leg

Podge_irl

P_1 wrote: »

Belgium are looking like the team to be wary of for me, only concern is that they might have peaked so soon but it's rare to see so many talented footballers emerge from the same country around the same time.

This may come as a surprise but I actually know nothing about football. The further Switzerland go the more time I get to skive off work.

irishbucsfan

Podge_irl wrote: »

This may come as a surprise but I actually know nothing about football. The further Switzerland go the more time I get to skive off work.

I believe they're quite fond of the water-yachting as well. So that's more opportunity.

Living in England means any work skiving is short lived because they get knocked out of anything of interest almost immediately.

P_1

Podge_irl wrote: »

This may come as a surprise but I actually know nothing about football. The further Switzerland go the more time I get to skive off work.

That's always a good reason to support the fortunes of the Swiss footballers alright

Fireball07

We also get to see the O'Neill-Keane management duo this week, which has to be of interest.


I'm vary wary about it, but failed Sunderland managers tbh... I worry that MON is past it, although international management could suit him.

P.Walnuts

Fireball07 wrote: »

We also get to see the O'Neill-Keane management duo this week, which has to be of interest.


I'm vary wary about it, but failed Sunderland managers tbh... I worry that MON is past it, although international management could suit him.

At least it will be interesting and bring some exciting back into the national team. I was becoming so apathetic towards our team towards the end of the Trap era, we have the bones of an ok team so hopefully they can get sometihng together.

On the more negative side of things, we seem to producing very little young talent, our underage sides are terrible. That's a more greater long term challenge to overcome.

Fireball07

P.Walnuts wrote: »

At least it will be interesting and bring some exciting back into the national team. I was becoming so apathetic towards our team towards the end of the Trap era, we have the bones of an ok team so hopefully they can get sometihng together.

On the more negative side of things, we seem to producing very little young talent, our underage sides are terrible. That's a more greater long term challenge to overcome.

We had a decent U-19 team a few years ago.....may have to just hope a few of them come through.

Our last good team was based around strong underage sides managed by Brian Kerr that produced the likes of Keane, Duff and a few others.

ssaye2

pbs.twimg.com/media/BY8fkOvIIAAXlq9.jpg … Harsh view of me in new England Changing Room!! You might agree!!!


Will Greenwood
Gas

Swiwi.

Swiwi. wrote: »

Soccer world cup qualifiers kick-off tomorrow. Neutral eyes will no doubt be on Ronaldo v Ibrahimovic, but I'll be cheering the underdog All Whites on - hopefully they can bring a decent result back to NZ for the 2nd leg.

(I'd actually sacrifice a loss to the English in the weekend, if it meant the All Whites qualify for the football world cup...)

Hanging on by the skin of our teeth. Must have had maybe 5% possession. Still 0-0 though...

Until a royal muck-up in defence hands Mexico a 1-0 lead

P.Walnuts

Swiwi. wrote: »

Hanging on by the skin of our teeth. Must have had maybe 5% possession. Still 0-0 though...

Until a royal muck-up in defence hands Mexico a 1-0 lead

If you guys were offered a 3-0 defeat right now, you should take it. Could be a rout in the second half if Mexico keep the tempo up

Swiwi.

P.Walnuts wrote: »

If you guys were offered a 3-0 defeat right now, you should take it. Could be a rout in the second half if Mexico keep the tempo up

Frankly it's embarrassing. Trying our best and all that, but we barely hold onto the ball for 2 passes. It's like watching Portugal v the ABs. Our only chance, extremely slender, is to take a 1-2 out of this match, but a 0-7 seems very possible.

Podge_irl

Will be you in Switz by the time of the WC Swiwi?

P.Walnuts

Swiwi. wrote: »

Frankly it's embarrassing. Trying our best and all that, but we barely hold onto the ball for 2 passes. It's like watching Portugal v the ABs. Our only chance, extremely slender, is to take a 1-2 out of this match, but a 0-7 seems very possible.

The altitude isn't going to help you's either. Mexico have only chosen players playing in Mexico (so no Hernandez for instance) so they should all be more accostomed to the lighter air.

Swiwi.

Podge_irl wrote: »

Will be you in Switz by the time of the WC Swiwi?

Looking at the dates, should be arriving about half way thru through the tournament.

And that is now 0-3. Looks like Switzerland will be my team.

Podge_irl

Swiwi. wrote: »

Looking at the dates, should be arriving about half way thru through the tournament.

And that is now 0-3. Looks like Switzerland will be my team.

If Switz are still in it by the time you're here I'll swing by and we can watch our adopted team play!

Swiwi.

P.Walnuts wrote: »

The altitude isn't going to help you's either. Mexico have only chosen players playing in Mexico (so no Hernandez for instance) so they should all be more accostomed to the lighter air.

We're basically using Chelsea tactics CL 2012 of defend and pass it to Drogba on the break...

Just don't have the players to remotely make it work.

awec

Are you leaving these shores permanently Swiwi?!

Swiwi.

awec wrote: »

Are you leaving these shores permanently Swiwi?!

Not definitely permanently, but off to Switzerland for a year in a few months...I'll still be active on the forum though, I'm not even sure the Swiss word for rugby exists...

Podge_irl

awec wrote: »

Are you leaving these shores permanently Swiwi?!

All the cool kids live in Switzerland Awec.

Podge_irl

Swiwi. wrote: »

Not definitely permanently, but off to Switzerland for a year in a few months...I'll still be active on the forum though, I'm not even sure the Swiss word for rugby exists...

Do your kids speak French? I imagine that will be a bigger issue where you'll be then here.

Swiwi.

Podge_irl wrote: »

Do your kids speak French? I imagine that will be a bigger issue where you'll be then here.

Nah just me. But we'll live in that border area between the French & German parts...

Podge_irl

Swiwi. wrote: »

Nah just me. But we'll live in that border area between the French & German parts...

Do they speak German!? :P

I resolve about once a week to make a bigger effort to improve my French but invariably get lazy about it. Less than half of Geneva is actually Swiss people though so I get away with it. But the locals predominantly occupy the normal service jobs - bus drivers, shop people etc. so any time I have an interaction there that goes beyond hello and goodbye I feel incredibly bad. My school French is slowly coming back to me but I should really make a bigger effort.

Swiwi.

Swiwi. wrote: »

Frankly it's embarrassing. Trying our best and all that, but we barely hold onto the ball for 2 passes. It's like watching Portugal v the ABs. Our only chance, extremely slender, is to take a 1-2 out of this match, but a 0-7 seems very possible.

0-5 and counting

No need for the 2nd leg.

Ah well, back to hoping the rugby team do the job this weekend.

And we peg 1 goal back as I write...

irishbucsfan

Podge_irl wrote: »

Do they speak German!? :P

I resolve about once a week to make a bigger effort to improve my French but invariably get lazy about it. Less than half of Geneva is actually Swiss people though so I get away with it. But the locals predominantly occupy the normal service jobs - bus drivers, shop people etc. so any time I have an interaction there that goes beyond hello and goodbye I feel incredibly bad. My school French is slowly coming back to me but I should really make a bigger effort.

If you leave Geneva with no French you'll probably regret it for a long time! The worst part with that sort of thing is when you meet people and tell them you were abroad and they say "oh do you speak X?" And you have to sheepishly say no.

Fireball07

Swiwi. wrote: »

0-5 and counting

No need for the 2nd leg.

Ah well, back to hoping the rugby team do the job this weekend.

And we peg 1 goal back as I write...

That's a shock really, Mexico were bloody awful in qualifying, expected NZ to run them close.

wp_rathead

very off topic even in the off topic thread but what ever happened to Fishooks13 does anybody know?
was rather good poster i found

Also just noticed that ormond lad closed his account, which was a shame as he was pure encyclepdia of youth rugby in ireland

Fireball07

wprathead wrote: »

very off topic even in the off topic thread but what ever happened to Fishooks13 does anybody know?
was rather good poster i found

Also just noticed that ormond lad closed his account, which was a shame as he was pure encyclepdia of youth rugby in ireland

We're not allowed to discuss posters' previous identities, I don't think, but I....very very strongly suspect that both are still posting :P

Podge_irl

Fishooks left on a mission to Mars with nothing but a substandard lion for company.