I don't know where we're going, but it can only be 5K away (Part whatever)

Sardonicat

thomil wrote: »

I'm more of a Rotterdam guy. Not quite as touristy, plus there's the MS Rotterdam to stay on, a former ocean liner.

As for Lidl, just look for the package below. Mug for scale

Thanks, I'll instruct Mr Sardi to look for the blue packaging. I think pain au chocolat might be on the list, too.

I've never been to The Netherlands si so don't know if I'd like either Amsterdam or Rotterdam but I suppose Amsterdam is a place I've been meaning to visit for a long time now. I can imagine myself going for an aimless amble over bridges hither and tither. Is Rotterdam a good place for aimless ambles?

Alejandro68

I am just curious, but why is there such interest in American elections here? My housemates at the moment are in a slightly heated debate on who wins.

Princess Calla

Leg End Reject wrote: »

I really need to try these. Has anyone any idea where I might buy some?

Flying tiger also stock them.

thomil

That depends on what you're looking for. If you're more into the galleries, the traditional old town and architecture and the history in general, then Amsterdam is generally the better choice. A lot of the wartime damage was restored and the city is really pretty. Unfortunately, it's also overrun with tourists, most of whom go there for the red light district and/or certain "agricultural products". The smell of these products was so strong in some parts of the city that you could get high just by walking. But, as I said before, the city itself is absolutely beautiful, and despite my poor first impression, I'll definitely give it another chance once this is over.

Rotterdam is less overrun, and has quite a few interesting museums and galleries as well. However, the city was effectively flattened during the war, and very little of the traditional architecture remains. The city is almost American in appearance with all the glass high-rises and contemporary architecture, some of which is really quite breathtaking. Rotterdam Centraal has to be seen to be believed with that roof! That being said, there's a very clear maritime tradition in Rotterdam that was particularly appealing for me, given my maritime connections while growing up in and near Hamburg. There's a really good maritime museum, the aforementioned MS Rotterdam is not only a hotel and restaurant but also a museum in its own right, and so on.

Gremlinertia

Alejandro68 wrote: »

I am just curious, but why is there such interest in American elections here? My housemates at the moment are in a slightly heated debate on who wins.

For me it's because it feels like America has become a wayward superpower, global impact on this decision plus of course brexit the other side to add economic uncertainty

thomil

Alejandro68 wrote: »

I am just curious, but why is there such interest in American elections here? My housemates at the moment are in a slightly heated debate on who wins.

Personally, the politics in ANY country that can park a good-sized airbase off a country's coast with just a few days notice should be watched and scrutinised very closely. Then of course, there are very close economic and to a certain degree also social ties between the US and Ireland.

Alejandro68

But why is America given such what is the word, dominance over what happens to other countries and their economies? Europe is much bigger than America. I hope that makes sense and I have been drinking tonight so I apologise for that.

Purple Mountain

I'm a bit naive when it comes to illegal substances and I remember getting a 'different' smell around the streets of Amsterdam. It was the ladies I was travelling with who enlightened me
I didn't like the city. They're not friendly to tourists and I thought it was a 'grey' city much like how I found Glasgow.
We went out the country to a tulip plantation and that was very nice.

Leg End Reject

I keep thinking the thread about what you would like to see banned says 'who' instead of 'what'.

That would be quite cathartic!

*evil laugh*

thomil

Alejandro68 wrote: »

But why is America given such what is the word, dominance over what happens to other countries and their economies? Europe is much bigger than America. I hope that makes sense and I have been drinking tonight so I apologise for that.

Simple: They managed to keep their economy together while their biggest competitors on the world stage over extended themselves and crumbled. Post WW2, the US moved into many of the roles that the crumbling British Empire left unoccupied, helped by the fact that their industry had supplied basically all Allied powers with weapons during said war, including the USSR. With such an industrial and financial might behind them, it was kind of inevitable. Of course some highly visible missteps of the USSR in Eastern Europe helped as well, beating down the workers' revolts in Eastern Geramny in 1953, Budapest in 1956 and

In addition, due to a confluence of state policy and sheer luck, a certain part of California saw a perfect storm of available venture capital, a well-working high school and university system and an open-minded and experimental atmosphere in the late 1970s and early 1980s. It was this confluence that allowed companies such as Apple or even Microsoft to get off the ground in the first place and gave rise to the Silicon Valley and today's tech companies. And yes, that includes later companies such as Google, VMware or Facebook, as they grew in the ecosystem and culture established back in the early 1980s.

In contrast, western Europe spent most of the second half of the 20th century just learning to trust each other again. While a number of very important treaties were signed in the 1950s and 1960s that would form the basis of the modern EU, European Unification proper didn't really start until the very late 1970s and early 1980s, with the Schengen Agreement only coming around in the 1990s, around the same time the foundation for the Euro was laid. A few months back, someone stated that Europe now was in the same state that the US had been in in the early 1800s, a relatively loose confederation that had yet to be properly unified.

There are many more factors, but I don't want to drag this out for too long, so I'll leave it here.

JupiterKid

Up late watching the USA election coverage on the BBC. Unprecendented 100 million Americans voted early, by post. Turnout believed to be very high.

Gremlinertia

JupiterKid wrote: »

Up late watching the USA election coverage on the BBC. Unprecendented 100 million Americans voted early, by post. Turnout believed to be very high.

Keeping an eye on it but too much for me to watch full-time, what will be will be..

SnowyMay

Seems like it will be Biden.

Yaaaaaaawn. But this insomnia is useful for watching the auld elections. It's interesting though. Last one I watched was the 2008 Obama v McCain.

Must. Sleep. Soon!!!

Happy Hump Day all!!

votecounts

Got up early, couchside with a coffee watching the election, Trump still in it, so much for the wipeout predicted:)

smurfjed

Gremlinertia wrote: »

Keeping an eye on it but too much for me to watch full-time, what will be will be..

I have looked at CNN / NBC / FOX and a couple of website, between the lot of them I have no idea what the counts are, some show Trump in the lead, some show Biden, none of them show the same figures.

Gotta love agenda based media.

smurfjed

How can you guys/gals not like OREOS, they are the survival food of all road warriors thanks to hotel vending machines :)

Was up later then I wanted, not watching the US election, but Omackerals greatest landmark of the world competition. Very addictive stuff!

Also, I would recommend Utrecht in the Netherlands, just spent one short night there,but will return when I can.
Very laid back.

At work, day one of seven........

Princess Calla

smurfjed wrote: »

I have looked at CNN / NBC / FOX and a couple of website, between the lot of them I have no idea what the counts are, some show Trump in the lead, some show Biden, none of them show the same figures.

Gotta love agenda based media.

According to rte the figures are very close.

The size of america and 2 men in their 70's is the best they can do. It's all abit mad.

Gremlinertia

smurfjed wrote: »

I have looked at CNN / NBC / FOX and a couple of website, between the lot of them I have no idea what the counts are, some show Trump in the lead, some show Biden, none of them show the same figures.

Gotta love agenda based media.

It's quite startling to pop from site to site for comparison

The Donald. Lord save us all.

I am Mespil Road side.

IamMetaldave

Happy hump day all!

This morning shots are Dalkey Island from Bullock Harbour and a random one from the top of Vico Road! That road never gets easier to walk up! :rolleyes::pac:

Hope everyone has an excellent day!

Princess Calla

IamMetaldave wrote: »

Happy hump day all!

This morning shots are Dalkey Island from Bullock Harbour and a random one from the top of Vico Road! That road never gets easier to walk up! :rolleyes::pac:

]

First one is very star wars with your 2 suns

Both beautiful.

Gremlinertia

Trying to motivate myself for physio.. Trying not to look at election stuff.

Purple Mountain

IamMetaldave wrote: »

a random one from the top of Vico Road!

I believe Ross O Carroll Kelly lives around those parts

IamMetaldave

Princess Calla wrote: »

First one is very star wars with your 2 suns

Both beautiful.

PC, haha! That little spec follows me around! Would you believe some people believe they're spirits caught in pictures? :pac:

Purple Mountain wrote: »

I believe Ross O Carroll Kelly lives around those parts

So I believe

thomil

Trying to motivate myself to do anything. I just have zero motivation and energy and I'm feeling pretty down in general.

Princess Calla

IamMetaldave wrote: »

PC, haha! That little spec follows me around! Would you believe some people believe they're spirits caught in pictures? :pac:

Yeah actually I've heard that one, totally forgot about it, you're just given me a giggle.

Maybe ask in the photography forum about how to prevent lens flare? You might get a simple answer.

IamMetaldave

IamMetaldave wrote: »

PC, haha! That little spec follows me around! Would you believe some people believe they're spirits caught in pictures? :pac:



So I believe

Maybe you're not secretly batman, maybe you're secretly RO'CK!

Beautiful photos as always Dave. I love the first one.:)

thomil

thomil wrote: »

Trying to motivate myself to do anything. I just have zero motivation and energy and I'm feeling pretty down in general.

Maybe a little rest would be good thomil?

IamMetaldave

Princess Calla wrote: »

Yeah actually I've heard that one, totally forgot about it, you're just given me a giggle.

Maybe ask in the photography forum about how to prevent lens flare? You might get a simple answer.

Ah it's my iPhone, there's none on the shots with taken with the big camera. So much better detail (obvious statement I know ) with it.

Deleted User wrote: »

Maybe you're not secretly batman, maybe you're secretly RO'CK!

Beautiful photos as always Dave. I love the first one.:)

Eh... no... I am Batman :D

Thanks Buile

Gremlinertia

Thomil *huggles* I hear ya, struggling with anything and everything of late..

thomil

Deleted User wrote: »

Maybe a little rest would be good thomil?

That’s the thing, I’ve just had two weeks off. Today is just a bad day, I even forgot to add sugar to my coffee this morning.

It’s not all bad though, a change of playlists did have a positive effect, meaning I moved from “Ugh, I can’t take this” to “I’ll probably get through today without doing anything I may need to apologise for”...

Autosport

Morning my lovelies I’m in great form today Sorry to be so positive

I loved living in the Netherlands and especially Arnhem Stooped in history and I was there for their 70th year anniversary of the battle. It was great to meet and chat with veterans from all over the world who fought in it

Amsterdam is grand for a few days but it’s fierce cold, you can do all the touristy stuff but you need to move out more towards the country Den Haag also a great spot

Off out on another ramble

On the Beach

Ridin with Biden. He's very gentle...

Gremlinertia

Back home feeling very sensitive, ouch ouch etc whinge

NewRed2

Sipping coffee in work. Decided to treat myself to a breakfast roll and a lovely cold can of coke on the journey in the van this morning. Won't make that mistake again. Let's just say I'm half way through the day at work with a massive tomato ketchup stain decorating my clothes and also couldn't manage to heat up in the van so had heater up full and ended up with a very refreshing Luke warm can of coke to go along with my ketchup stained clothes. Back to toast and coffee tomorrow onwards...

NewRed2

On the Beach wrote: »

Ridin with Biden. He's very gentle...

Yeah it would be more bumpy with Trumpy

Jordan 199

Trying on my new trainers. They are damn comfortable

Gremlinertia

Jordan 199 wrote: »

Trying on my new trainers. They are damn comfortable

What you get? I finally bought fila ray tracers recently

Jordan 199

Gremlinertia wrote: »

What you get? I finally bought fila ray tracers recently

Puma Smash Suede trainers in grey and white. I'm a big fan of Puma trainers.

Gremlinertia

I do love fila but hard find the ones I like, I'm a fussy ould git.

3d4life

NewRed2 wrote: »

Sipping coffee in work. Decided to treat myself to a breakfast roll and a lovely cold can of coke on the journey in the van this morning. Won't make that mistake again. Let's just say I'm half way through the day at work with a massive tomato ketchup stain decorating my clothes and also couldn't manage to heat up in the van so had heater up full and ended up with a very refreshing Luke warm can of coke to go along with my ketchup stained clothes. Back to toast and coffee tomorrow onwards...

sounds like breakfast was an absolute car crash


Homeside, urgent need to get off backside ( to turn off Joseph Duffy's radio program )

3d4life

Jordan 199 wrote: »

Puma Smash Suede trainers in grey and white. I'm a big fan of Puma trainers.

Demands photos








( on behalf of Frosty )

Samsgirl

smurfjed wrote: »

How can you guys/gals not like OREOS, they are the survival food of all road warriors thanks to hotel vending machines :)

I will slide the plate to you Smurf

3d4life

3d4life wrote: »

Demands photos








( on behalf of Frosty )

I have been summoned

I'm having an x Ray on my poor poor foot on Friday. It still isn't right since I fell. I will be posting updates here

3d4life

Deleted User wrote: »

I have been summoned

I'm having an x Ray on my poor poor foot on Friday.....

A fellow traveller

My feet have been X rayed within an inch of each of their exceptional bunions


I can see it now...your feet meet up with my feet to compare photos and a cuppan o' tae ( yours might prefer a hot chocolate )






( Think of all the medics that would be unemployed if it wasnt for us )

JupiterKid

Deskside, busy working away. Gave two lectures via Zoom earlier, no hiccups or hassle. Have a deadline to make for 6pm so it’s all systems go here.

Was checking the US election coverage at lunchtime... seriously close run fight but looking to be in Biden’s favour. We can only hope and pray!

Gremlinertia

3d4life wrote: »

A fellow traveller

My feet have been X rayed within an inch of each of their exceptional bunions


I can see it now...your feet meet up with my feet to compare photos and a cuppan o' tae ( yours might prefer a hot chocolate )






( Think of all the medics that would be unemployed if it wasnt for us )

A toemance as it were....

Princess Calla

JupiterKid wrote: »

Was checking the US election coverage at lunchtime... seriously close run fight but looking to be in Biden’s favour. We can only hope and pray!

They seem to be very much born blue/red die blue/red.....the best candidate for the role doesn't come into it.

They know what they are getting with trump, so if he wins and America rips itself apart in the next 4 yrs they only have themselves to blame.

IamMetaldave

Deskside. Work done for the day, have CNN on here watching the US election.. I can't turn it off.

Just found out that Amazon have their own delivery trucks in Dublin now, this pleases Dave. I guess I'll just get all the useless stuff I order quicker now :pac: