The first (half) day in Cardiff. After checking in at our hotel, we visited BrewDog Cardiff and did the tourist bus tour before anything else. Because we were ahead on schedule, we did a tasting at the Crafty Devil’s Cellar before dinner. Not our smartest idea… ?
Arrived a minute early — so no complaints there — then we went to our hotel — hub Spitalfields — to check in and have a quick play-around with the app operated controls.
Now it’s time to really get started: off to Weird Beard first, then to BrewDog Shepherds Bush and BrewDog Camden!
Accommodation
Seven days in the UK, that means six nights in a bed away from home. Well, two of those nights were spent in a train, and one of those wasn’t even in a bed… Never again!
In London we stayed in the Belgrove Hotel, mainly chosen for its proximity to our train station. Previously, we stayed at easyHotel, and we would happily have done so again, if only there would have been one near Euston station, so we can avoid taking the underground with our bags!
But the Belgrove Hotel did the trick, providing us with a clean place to sleep, breakfast, and somewhere to store our bags during the day not too far from the station. The latter is quite nice, considering the left luggage service at the train station costs £12.50.
In Aberdeen we stayed at Travelodge Aberdeen Central. For some reason, the ratings for this place were pretty low, but we really can’t understand why: central location, the rooms were clean and comfortable, the staff friendly and helpful, and the breakfast tasty and all-you-can-eat! Not to mention we paid as much for our three nights in Aberdeen, as we did for one night in London!
We had a peculiar wake-up service though: every morning a seagull came pecking on our window! It seems they’ve become accustomed to guests feeding them.
Before checking in at easyHotel, we did a bit of sightseeing. George Square was still empty, but that appears to have changed already…
Een vermoeiende dag, maar een aangename – soms hernieuwde – kennismaking met medestudenten, proffen en natuurlijk Rome! Warmer en zonniger dan we hadden durven hopen, en veelbelovend voor de rest van de week.
Dat er overal irritante verkopers zijn, was ik al gewend, maar het wordt zelfs nog een stukje erger zodra het duister valt: dan komen de lichtgevende speeltjes boven, en lasers waarmee ze je voor de voeten schijnen!
Deze avond was er niet veel animo meer om een leuk cafeetje in het centrum of bij het hotel te zoeken, dus de weinig gezellige hotelbar – in de ontbijtzaal, nota bene – moet volstaan. Nu een laatste Nero d’Avola, en dan de overvolle kamer in. Dat wordt nog leuk morgenvroeg…