Trip with F's on a BP. Firsts, family, Food and Fun.

[drron]

Obviously AFF was having a break when i was on the last post so sorry for all the attachments.

Now this next photo was from the map the Black Sea coast of Romania. So now over the European continent.












On descent.

 

[RooFlyer]

A much better crew and my first champagne quickly brought to the seat..

I posted in another three yesterday that I consistently found the Europe to Doha crews not to be as good as the Doha to Australia or Asia crews (but you have seem to have bucked that Trend). and the Qsuites birds have the best crews of all.

 

[drron]

Once again I had to turn down a wheelchair on arrival. I need a walking stick but have been walking 12-16000 steps a day. Now the terminal 2 is a long terminal with half closed. The HI Manchester Airport naturally was at the far end of Terminal 2 so a fair way but I had no problems getting there. No one else at our smart gates. Mrsdrron straight through but after my photo was taken the light went green the gate opened but I was met by an officer and taken for a manual check which lasted less than a minute.

Then to the HI. This had been the longest travel day we have been formany years. So as breakfast is free anyway we took the drink coupons and imbibed. Then straight to room and soon asleep. first a picture from the room.


The view the next morning.


and the room.








A leisurely breakfast the next morning and check out at 1100 and got the rental shuttle to the rental car garage.

 

[drron]

I posted in another three yesterday that I consistently found the Europe to Doha crews not to be as good as the Doha to Australia or Asia crews (but you have seem to have bucked that Trend). and the Qsuites birds have the best crews of all.

I like being different. Of course the A380 doesn't have Q suites but the 787 has slightly modified Q suites so doesn't entirely buck the trend..

One thing I had forgotten was that 2 families with children were on both our flights and in J. In BKK in western gear. In DOH both women with head scarves. At MAN both women in full burqa with Hijab veil.

 

[drron]

Saturday was basically a washout - rained al afternoon. I picked up our car from Avis. had ordered a Mercedes but got a Volvo hybrid. At least got good fuel efficiency. Overall 42 mpg. However was told it had a full tank but it was virtually empty. Again Avis Manchester Airport did not respond to emails so got in touch with Avis UK who said they had notified the MAN depot who would be in touch. they haven;t.

After picking he car up it was back to the HI and picked up Mrsdrron then drove to Liverpool where we stayed at the Hilton City centre. Got there before 1400 but were able to check in. We had booked an executive room and got th oe they have on the 5th floor. Great views but a tired room. So the views from our room.














And the room.







the bathroom contained a shub with he worst shower we have ever had. Hand held but more water came ou where the pipe came out from the wall than from the head.
That first evening we ate in the lounge which was a room off the lobby. Fried chicken, spring rolls and some salads. A Marlborough sav blanc and I had G&Ts.

 

[drron]

Breakfast was in the restaurant. very busy.




















One thing I have liked is real sausages for breakfast

 

[drron]

it raned most of the morning but cleared by about 1300 so we went for a walk on the waterfront.

 

[drron]

 

[drron]

The Liverpool waterfront really is a nice place to go for a stroll. One of the better English cities.








The Three Graces.


















Not sure whether this was a protest or celebration.

 

[drron]

A memorial to the ordinary seamen.






I noticed an old church across the street. St. Nicholas.






I walked around the back.


Then went inside.






not surprisingly it is a church for those that go to sea.

 

[drron]

A fascinating history. They even used part of the cellar to store bodies recovered from the Mersey.



















Back outside. I presume church offices.

 

[drron]

I then commenced walking into the City but the weather intervened with heavier and more frequent showers. I spent quite some time sheltering in doorways. One interesting time was outside a restaurant where the street had a pull out for official vehicles only. I shared the doorway with a parking inspector who had a continual business. He was enjoying himself. Another time in the doorway of a tattoo parlour and a woman wanted to know where my tattoo was..
But lots of interesting buildings.














I gave up. Naturally when I got back to the Hilton the sun came out. A little demonstration outside.

 

[drron]

When I arrived back at the hilton there was a constant stream of people in red jerseys going to a row of busses. Liverpool was playing coughnal that night.
At 6pm we went down to thye lounge and there was only one other woman there. In the next hour only one other woman came. The spread. A bit lazy with the salads with each ingredient just piled on top of the others.






And the rest.












At 7pm the door opened and a constant stream of football fans who were a little bit inebriated. Liverpool had won 1-0 in the last few minutes of the match. The place was overflowing.. A fellow from Wales and a man and his 12 year old son sat down with us. The young lad was a great lad and we struck it off well as we were both the eldest child in our family and had 3 younger sisters. Was wonderful to see a great interaction between a father and his son.

The Welsh fellow was one of those strange moments. In the morning we were headed off to spend 2 nights in the Maenan Abbey hotel. He said he just lived around the corner from there. He then asked us why we were staying in North wales. When we said we were going to look up where Mrsdrron's ancestors lived in Blaenau-ffestinagog he said he was born there. He said he was an Owens. Mrsdrron's ancestors from there were Owens.

The night was a bit noisy. Most of it seemed to come from this place we could see from our window. We still had a reasonable sleep.

 

[drron]

Late on the next morning we headed off for North Wales. Intermittent heavy rain. Took the long way to avoid tolls, Had to stop for fuel so used a service area and had a Starbucks and shared a ham an cheese sandwich, Lovey countryside. Taking it easy in a hybrid meant really good fuel economy.. We reached our hotel just after 2pm. We chose this hotel as it was close to the place we wanted to visit but also we knew the owner from cruise Critic for about 10 years and met hum in Brisbane early 2024 for Dinner. So we had no problems checking in early.

The view from our room and the room itself.




That is a caravan park next door for those who want something cheaper. It has different owners,




The bathroom was very small. Some views of the hotel interior.










I went for a little walk of the area..

 

[drron]

We were on a bed and breakfast rate. Nothing much in the area so we ate in house. On the first night I had a venison pate which was great and the glzed red mullet. Wonderful taste and cooked perfectly.




Mrsdrron just had a main. The salmon fillet which she really liked. Mains came with veggies.




We both then had the sticky toffee pudding. Excellent.


The next morning for breakfast there were the usual cereals, yoghurt, toast etc and a choice of hot dish. Mrsdrrhose the scrambled egg and I the full Welsh.

 

[drron]

Blaenau Ffestiniog was our reason for coming through northern Wales. Mrsdrron never met her maternal grandparents and was only told they were professional gamblers. Our son has become interested in our families history. Basically he really wanted to be a member of the First Fleeters Society. Fortunately her fathers ancestors had multiple members of the first 3 fleets. However he came up a blank for her mothers family. He got us all to have our DNAs done. Mrsdrron was alone in having 20% Welsh DNA.
About 6 months after this was done our son had a call from a woman in Brisbane saying her 94 year old aunt was on DNA testijng her aunts nearest relative. With a lot of investigation one of the 2 older brothers of the 94 year old was Mrsdrron's grandfather. Their family history was known. Brothers from Blaenau Ffestiniog left the shale mines of Wales and came to the coal mines of Ipswich.

So some pics driving down to BF.




At one point there was a tourist sign to Old Roman Bridge so I had to take a look. Well there were a couple of old bridges which were unlikely to have anything to do with the Romans. The district is known as Old Roman Bridge and was the site of an US army camp leading up to the D Day landings.








Just over the hill from our destination.








It wasn't a great day raining nearly all day. As well not even a 4G signal in town, the museum and tourist information had closed down earlier this year. Fortunately I had researched where her ancestors lived and roughly where the Geufron Terraces were. Though geting there there were 2 blocks of terraces side by side.




I was about to give up when a woman stepped out of one and I asked her if it was Geufron Terraces and she said yes.
So this renovated terrace is likely to be where her great great grandparents lived and her great grandfather was born in 1866.

 

[drron]

I then took a bit of a walk around BF. The Queens hotelwas out of action.


Several different styles of building.














Not quite what I had expected for entertainment.



















So it was probably a wise move in the 1860s to pack up and go to Australia.
Raikway bridge on the way back to the hotel.

 

[drron]

Our second dinner. As the pate and fish on the first night was good I started with the mackeral pate and hadock with a ut,cheese and broccoli crumble. I worried that the crumble on the haddock would spol it but in fact it was great. i also enjoyed the pate.




Mrsdrron had the roast lamb and really enjoyed it plus the veggies as usual.




We both had a blueberry crumble with ice cream and custard which we enjoyed,


One again to the lounge after dinner and a couple of locals joined us for port and coffee.

Up at about 0900 for breakfast in tthe morning and once again went with the full welsh. Enjoyable.


Left about 1100 to start our trip to Devon. Only 360 miles to my sister's place but Mrsdrron no longer drives so stopped approximately half way at Gloucester.
A fair bit of traffice near Birmingham made worse by a couple of thunder storms with torrential rain. When those blew over we mad a stop for Starbucks and to fill the tank.

Stopped at the HIE at Gloucester south a bit later than expected as the GPS stopped short of the hotel. The HIE was very nice with great staff. We got a full breakfast as a diamond and could still have points and /or a welcome drink. In fact we got both. We were expecting just the usual small servings for our drinks but Mrsdrron had a nice full glass of Sav Blanc and I a pint of a local IPA which was very nice. As well as a drink you were able to choose a snack from the bar or vending machines. Decided we would turn it into dinner by sharing a kil of BBQ chicken wings which were very nice - juicy and tender with little fat.


And best of all our room had the premier view.

 

[drron]

The next morning a better than usual breakfast for an HIE. I could have made it full English as they had all the ingredients but I knew we would probably do a fair bit of eating in the next few days.


Was only 145 miles to my sisters place in Devon so we took it nice and easy. they do live in a lovely spot. Although the main railway line runs right behind them you don't hear the trains at all. Over the Railway line is Dartmoor.
Lovely rural views from their house.




Although only 1 fine day of the 5 we were there the rain didn't cause us any problems. Besides a lot of talking and catching up to be done.

 

[drron]

On our first day we wnt for lunch at the Riverford Farm Kitchen. A lovely place. For lunch the place opensc at 1200 but food is served at 1300. One menu only. All plant foods come from their farm and animal protein from nearby farms. So a bit of pot luck as you don't know what you are having until you get there.
















the menu.




Drinks.








The others had wine but I had a local beer.