PHILINFRANCE

3 minutes ago, Alessandro said:

He did - and also add I feel like I’ve noticed him making good runs into the box off the ball and getting into good positions on a number of occasions, only not to be found by a team mate - he could and should well have added several more goals to his tally if he was picked out more often.

Indeed, and he should have been ‘found’ by Nahki Wells yesterday.

On GasChat, referring to the 'Scouse Mafia' on the Awards Night story.

I thought it was quite good.

3 hours ago, The Gasbuster said:

For me, Zoe Ball heads that list.

Her Dad was absolutely brilliant on kids TV; his programs were very educational. She is just a talentless bint, awful on TV and awful on the radio. 

IMO

And she’s not even Bristolian like her father.

2 hours ago, Stortz said:

Hi Phil, I appreciate your reply.

When people seek to embellish descriptions of incidents or individuals by drawing attention to the colour of the skin of those involved, it's very rarely to draw a positive connotation, is it.

It seemed that you were especially horrified in your initial post due to the race of those involved?

No further axe to grind, but language is important imo.

Have a good night.

Rare, perhaps, but not unheard of, certainly as far as I am concerned.

Back in the late 1970s, I used to play Sunday morning football and, in order to reach our home pitch, it was necessary to cross St. Paul’s in Bristol, passing via City Road or Newfoundland Road, both of which at the time were largely inhabited by Caribbean families.

On numerous occasions, I have recounted to friends and family, the vicarious pleasure I felt in seeing whole families of black people, dressed in their Sunday best, walking proudly to Church.

I am not too proud to admit that, on occasion, I had a tear in my eye when I saw, and frequently heard, these families, sometimes extended families of perhaps ten or even twenty people, adults and children alike, walking proudly to whichever Church it was in which they were headed, practicing their hymns en route.

I assure you it used to be a glorious sight and, likewise, I don’t recall having seen a similar spectacle amongst white people.

Here in France, I frequently come across markets catering mainly for the black African population.

They are, for me, a wonderful sight, but apart from the array of ‘strange’ fruits, vegetables and spices, the bright colours of the clothing the women wear is amazing - in an extremely positive way.

I encounter Arab and black people on a daily basis, and have no problem with either, and why should I?

Nevertheless, I can’t help but notice certain traits, peculiar to these people, traits that were not common among the white people with whom I grew up in Bristol.

Have you ever heard a black African man laugh?

The sound is amazing; a deep, roaring noise that comes from the pit of his stomach and seems to make everything around him shake.

It always makes me smile, just like that old song ‘The Laughing Policeman’ often makes me chuckle.

So, various personal observations of black people, which I assure you I don’t consider negative and mention only because they stick in my mind as being different from most white people I know.

You must draw your own conclusions as to whether my observations and comments are racist.

On 17/04/2024 at 12:52, Porto Red said:

Hi Phil, I take it you've already done the centre on previous visits then?

I should probably update my user name as I haven't lived in Porto since 2012 although I do go there fairly regularly (next trip I have planned is in July to see The Cult, although it'd be unusual if I didn't also go sometime between now and then, anyway I digress) - I'm up in the mountains now.

You should definitely do a Douro river cruise if you haven't before, they are available for all budgets and of varying duration, the spectacular scenery of the terraced Douro valley, home of the great vineyards of port wine fame.

Beaches, well you need go no further than Matosinhos in the Northern suburbs - take the metro from the centre and go to Praia de Matosinhos, a vast expanse of golden sands with plenty of beachfront bars. The area is the traditional fishing port so you can eat fresh seafood anywhere if that's your thing.

In the centre I often find myself lunching here, good Portuguese fare at reasonable rates and right next to Estação São Bento (although can be a bit of a nightmare getting to it currently due to the ongoing works for the subway extension):

https://maps.app.goo.gl/tK9DEKdg8hfkaiPd8

Hi Porto,

Many Thanks for your response, and my apologies for my tardy acknowledgment and reply.

Firstly, No, we have not already done the centre, nor have we ever visited Porto.

We have visited the Algarve and Madeira, both of which we loved, and I visited Lisbon many years ago on business.

This time we intend to spend a week in Porto, some days in the town itself and others exploring the neighbouring areas, including the northern suburbs as you suggest - and lazy lunches in local fish restaurants is very much our thing.

We are both keen on walking, so envisaged taking a metro or even a train away from the centre and walking back, preferably along the coast - my wife has this strange desire to walk the Camino Portugues, but that is probably for another time.

We shall certainly try and take up some of your suggestions, though, and Thanks for your help.

3 hours ago, Norn Iron said:

Top Tip For Record Decks

If you have an older turntable, don't forget to oil the bearings and motor which can be accessed from the centre spindle (normally pulls out). There used to be such a thing as Turntable oil but Sewing Machine oil (readily available from wool shops etc) is fine to use.

I could bore you even more on how to clean your vinyl to get rid of the pops and scratch noises....

 

 

 

Ha, I used to use sewing machine oil on my Technics SL 150 deck, with its Sharp cartridge - I shall have to check on the specs.

1 hour ago, Stortz said:

Could I ask why you needed to raise the colour of the skin of these people?

It's really not a good look.

In before 'describing them'.

Hi Stortz,

I understand your question and its underlying point, but I assure you that there was no racist intent in my description of these particular ladies of the night.

I suppose you would have had to have been there to understand the situation and, to understand my wife’s ultimate amusement - loud, mocking laughter (at me) if truth be known.

As I mentioned, we left the restaurant at what was probably about 22H00, and I lingered behind my wife and young daughters to smoke a cigarette.

Suddenly, about half a dozen black and buxum young ladies - I say this because they were black and buxom, and also wearing extremely short skirts and very décolleté tops approached me and tried to drag me off for some (presumably) sordid encounter.

From their accents, I could tell that they were West Africans and, in French and in no uncertain terms, I told them that I was just not interested.

My wife and, unfortunately, my daughters heard the commotion and turned around to see what was going on.

As I mentioned, my wife (who also speaks fluent French) heard the conversation and found my protestations most amusing.

I doubt that, were a single white prostitute to have asked me, surreptitiously, whether I was ‘looking for it’, this would have had the same effect.

No offence taken, but hopefully this answers your question.

Too many posters to reply to you all, but here are my views.

Firstly, for clarification, my youngest daughter studied in Sevilla for a year and, later, worked in Madrid for six months, so our visits to both Madrid and Andalusia were assisted by a knowledgeable local guide who, of course, speaks the language fluently (and knew some of the best local restaurants).

Barcelona, frankly, I found disappointing and edgy. I felt uncomfortable walking in the town, especially las Ramblas, having to constantly keep an eye out for the notorious pickpockets and scammers. The worst, though, was one evening when I went out for dinner with my wife and daughters. I used to smoke at the time and, after dinner, I chose to walk a few metres behind them so I could enjoy a post dinner cigarette. 
Would you believe it, much to my wife’s initial disgust and then amusement at my embarrassment, I was importuned by several black prostitutes!

Madrid is just a beautiful city, and, in complete contrast to Barcelona, a pleasure to walk around, both day and night.

Andalucia, of course, is a world apart.

I enjoyed Malaga, both the town itself and the numerous tapas bars.

Granada, as @Kid in the Riot mentioned, was interesting to see free tapas being offered with every drink.

We checked in to our hotel late morning and thought we would enjoy a nice glass of white wine in a small bar on a dusty square around the corner.

Our wine arrived, accompanied by a large plate of fried aubergines with honey. Absolutely amazing, and free!

Oh, and of course there’s also some Moorish building that is quite nice to look around - best to book ahead, though.

Sevilla.

A magnificent town that requires its own, dedicated post.

3 hours ago, Northern Red said:

That was Hinds. Now seems to be working as a recruitment consultant and last known to be playing for Royston Town.

Ha, I knew it was Hinds, but when I said I couldn’t remember which of the two, I was referring to Cheltenham or Wrexham, rather than TB or FH.

I may be wrong - it was a few years ago now - but I am pretty sure we signed him from Luton at the same time as Freddy Hinds.

FH scored a cracking goal away to Watford in the season of great League Cup run, but then slipped down the pecking order here before being loaned out to Cheltenham and then Wrexham.

I can’t remember which one of the two it was, but I am pretty sure his loan was cut short because of an attitude problem, which I seem to recall reading was a touch of ‘Billy Big Bollox’.

11 hours ago, Puckle_red said:

Ironically, he played a nicely weighted pass through to Conway who went on to assist the goal today. 

From memory, he did exactly the same thing away to West Ham in the FA Cup.

1 hour ago, Slippin cider said:

KEF speakers have always been held in high regard and hold their value very well .

I bought them second hand in 1975/6? for £100 from a charming old chap in Clifton, used them in the UK for a few years, took them with me to the Middle East for a few years, back and forth from/to the UK/France until two years ago, when I sold them to a relatively young man, who bought them for €400 and told me that, as far as he was concerned, he had bought some quality speakers at a bargain price.

Whatever, we shook hands on a mutually satisfactory deal.

11 hours ago, Slippin cider said:

Last proper Heatwave in the UK was 1976 , I remember it well …twer bloody boiling  

Even Denis Howell couldn’t help.

I wasn’t going to respond, but thought I would just seek your comments out of curiosity.

I recently moved house (downsized) and decided to sell a cherished pair of speakers I bought back in the mid 1970s - some KEF Concertos.

Has anyone on here ever heard of them and, if so, what is your opinion?

My wife and I are off to Porto for the last week of May.

We have booked a very comfortable central hotel, but are intending to explore outside the town centre itself.

Does anybody on here, @Porto Red perhaps, have any recommendations such as trips to nearby beaches/islands?

We are familiar with, and love, the local cuisine, but any restaurant recommendations would be appreciated.

Many Thanks in advance.

1 hour ago, frenchred said:

I've had very similar where everything tastes pretty much the same hence why we stuck to the one owned and ran by the family from Bradford. Luckily for us they spread out and opened a second one, in the centre of Toulouse which again was very good.

But I do agree with your post previously!

I have visited ‘La Ville Rose’ on numerous occasions, mostly for business reasons and, unfortunately, generally just for a day or two.

I do remember two magnificent meals there, though; one in the centre (the street directly opposite the railway station) and, memorably, in a relatively small village a few kilometres outside.

In the town centre restaurant, I was advised by my client to try the ‘magret en croute de sel’. I was extremely sceptical, but it was magnificent - the first and only time I have tried it.

The village restaurant remains one of my favourite experiences (of traditional French restaurants).

It was early lunchtime, and I had a few hours to spare, so stopped in this small village, intending to have a light lunch before my final meeting at 16H00.

Unfortunately, I was tempted by the ‘Plat du Jour’, a duck cassoulet, with which I ordered a pichet (25cl) of the local red wine.

So far, so good.

And then the owner/chef popped out to serve my starter (some homemade duck terrine) and my wine, explaining that the main course would be ready in a few minutes.

Upon hearing my accent, he sat down to chat (and share my pichet of wine).

Well, the pichet was finished pretty quickly, and he soon returned with a replacement, 50cl of a better wine, that would go better with my duck cassoulet and which, of course, we again shared - still no main course.

In fact, said my new found friend, he had some wonderful saucisses de Toulouse, which he would add to my cassoulet.

Oh, and of course, he would also replenish the now empty pichet.

And so it went on.

Finally, my cassoulet arrived (and it was truly magnificent), and I managed to leave at about 15H30 - the restaurant was long empty and, would you believe it, the lovely manager refused payment!

I slipped a generous tip under the place mat, but this remains one of my favourite ever meals, both for the food itself and the overall experience.

Can you imagine something similar in the UK?

Reverting to the subject of ‘Indian’ restaurants in France, and following on from the responses from @ralphindevon and @frenchred, the poor ones to which I referred earlier were mainly Bangladeshi or even Pakistani.

The two or three good ones were Indian managed, although, interestingly, none of them had an English background.

My main complaint was not so much the spice level, something that is easily rectified, but the generic sauces.

On one occasion, in a restaurant managed and staffed by Indians, I commented that it was a shame there was no lamb Rogan Josh on the menu (just various lamb ‘curries); the manager stated that it would be no problem to prepare me a Rogan Josh.

Et Voilà, two minutes later, our dishes arrived; my wife’s chicken Tikka Masala and my lamb Rogan Josh - with what looked and tasted like identical sauces .

3 hours ago, ralphindevon said:

Everyone was fine on Saturday, though we weren’t long in there as I had a train to catch. These things can happen though.

Enjoy Rassay, if you come back with a glowing review I might have to make a summer trip up at some point. 

Out of curiosity, did you ever try any Indian restaurants whilst you were living in France?

I have tried quite a few, most of which were embarrassingly poor, but I have also found two, perhaps three at a pinch, that have been surprisingly good - all in Paris/Île de France.

19 hours ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Struggling to believe that Huddersfield has 3,000 listed buildings and the third most of any town/city in England.

I may be wrong, but doesn’t Huddersfield also have the largest number of public toilets in the UK?

Again, at the risk of confusing Huddersfield with another northern town, is this where the most ornate public toilets are located?

Oh, and I’m pretty sure I’ve got this one right, they also have a beautiful railway station.

9 hours ago, cidercity said:

**** me I hope you never make a mistake and my grammar may be incorrect but I don’t give a shit.

To be fair to @StGeorge, it was pretty impressive.

There, their and they’re are frequently misused and, in true Eric Morecambe style, @Open End Numb Legs managed to get them all in to one sentence, but not in the right order.

I must say, though, I suspected that he might have done it intentionally, especially as he went one step further with his wear ever.

It would seem there are quite a few Jim Croce fans on here.

Digressing slightly, but I am coming over to Bristol next week - €70 return trip with EasyJet from Paris/Lulsgate.

I shall only be bringing small hand baggage, but, as @Slippin cider mentioned above, had I wanted to bring a suitcase, it would have cost in excess of €300! 

2 hours ago, bearded_red said:

I’d imagine a few of you would have seen Gab Sutton on Twitter, a completely harmless lad that tweets about the football league. 
 

The absolute ******* that used to manage Rovers decided to send him this… because he committed the grave crime of not having Paddy Madden in his team of the week. ******* pond life.

If he wasn’t so utterly nasty it would be amusing just how much he has lost the plot.

I have just read JB's tweet.

What on earth is wrong with the man.

Unless I have totally misread and misunderstood his message, JB is calling out a young lad (13/14 years old?) and threatening to flush his head down the toilet.

Obviously empty, meaningless threats, but even so.

JB has evidently lost the plot entirely.

Oh, just one more thing - it isn't possible for JB to find out our true identities and addresses is it? 

On 07/04/2024 at 11:22, Dastardly and Muttley said:

They obviously haven’t seen much of us. We’re only capable of soundly beating the best teams. 

And even then, only when we are live on SKY.