Tripping 'round the UK...

I just returned from visiting some of the bars and have to admit I'm a
little bit dissapointed in the night life here. Walking into a bar
that is not smoked up was strange, but even stranger was the fact that
not that many people were in the bar. It kind of looked like the
social room in my grandma's nursing home. This could be explained by
the fact that this is a weekend between xmass and new year and most of
the people have spent most of their money and would rather stay home
than go out. From the four places that we visited, only one place, The
Burgundy, was packed.
One thing that all bars that I went to have in common is the stairs
you have to walk to get to the toilet. Therefore, I can freely say
that most of the bars discriminate against drunk people. Imagine
beeing drunk and having to climb up the stairs at the Burgundy (see
facebook for pics).
After 3 hours out, 16 pounds spent and a bit tipsy I can say that I
like walking into a bar, beeing able to talk because there is no
obnoxious music and having a place to sit down without beeing stepped
on. And the best part, I get to walk out without smelling like smoked
ham afterwards.
The smoking ban is not such a bad thing afterwards.

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Petar od Blackberry

Well the test I was gonna do with spilling cofee on someones floor to
see if they really react or pretend its ok happened last nigh and
continues during today. Not as I expected though. There were some
slight modifications to the plan and I was not implicated at all.
It all began with Lucas having projectile vomiting last night all over
his bed and floor. Our hosts were very calm and cleaned everything
without saying a word. An hour later Stefan vomits, but since he is
older he catches it in a bowl. This morning both of my cousins
vomited on 4 different spots in the house and our hosts clinned it up
again without saying a word. Hell, if this happened at my house I
would have gone nuts.
After all the scrubbing, the house still smells like vomit and I think
even the CSI crew won't be able to remove the scent for a while.
Another thing I don't understand is the temperature in the UK houses.
The smallest strike of sunshine is sufficient so the island
inhabitants turn the heat off, put shorts and t shirts and go out like
that even though the temperature is still 5 below zero. The
temperature at the place we are staying at today dropped down to 16
degrees!!! Just because there was sunshine outside.
Tonight I'm going out with the brother in law. It could be an
interesting night out mostly because the last time wew went out we
both got so drunk that on the way back, while trying to sneak in
through the back door as he had lost the keys, he managed to trip over
the neighbours garbage can and split his had on the wall. Of course we
have to take into consideration the fact that we had both gotten off
on at right train stop even though we couldn't remember getting on the
train ( but we did find the tickets in my pocket) and the sandwiches
that we apparently have bought somewhere on our way from the
trainstation to the house, but neither could remember buying as well.
Stay tuned for the outcome of tonight's adventure...

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Petar od Blackberry

Today I was hoping to go hit the sales and shop for some bargins,
however I was deeply dissapointed that most of the stores were closed
due tue Boxing day beeing national holliday. Hmm, the previous two
christmasses I spent in the UK, all shops were open on boxing day as
early as 5 am. I guess when the coorporations decide that its better
to close the store than have a early sale, you can say that the
society is entering the socialistic era and the well beeing of the
employee is before the proft.
I was really surprised to see signs posted all over Woolworths which
by the way is gone bancrupt and is closing down, saying the Woolworths
will not tolerate any abuse, verbal or physical, towards is employees.
I wander what have I missed in the UK in the last year.
After luch, we went to the local theater to see the Christmass panto.
Panto is a play that actively involves the audience and its quite
satirical. If you want clearer definition, please google it.
The thing that strike me as odd was the fact that it began on time,
and that during the entire performance not a single cell phone rang
and noone tried to do any bussiness deals during the play. I guess we
have a lot to do.
The second thing I learned about Englad is that there is no such thing
as jaywalking and that you can cross the street whenever you like.
This is a first hand info from my brother in law who is a policeman so
please don't try to prove me wrong. Even with all these pedestrians
crossing wherever they want, the Brits still have smooth trafic.
When I asked my brother in law whose fault is it if a pedestrian gets
hit by a car and killes he said that a full investigation is launches
to determine who's fault it is.
My oppinion is that in the UK you have a greater chance of beeing hit
by a car when you exit yours or any house onto the street rather than
crossing a bussy intersection. I've been here for 6 days and I still
must learn that cars are coming from the oposite direction.
My cousins got Nintendo Wii for christmass. That thing is great. I
think I'm gonna try to smuggle one across the border one of those.
Johnyy said he got a Wii board stashed upstairs so I'm sure we'll have
a skiing match one of these days.
The evening will continue with drinking British wine, which I must say
is lot more potent than the domestic one.

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Petar od Blackberry

I was awaken by the sounds of ABBA and the entire family singing to
Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie. I have to admit that it is much better than
waking up to the sounds of Lucas crying.
We went to the swimming pool for a nice swim and now we are in
anticiption of the "organic" part of the family.
In the meantime we went to something that was supposed to be a
childrens christmass party at the local brewery?!!
This first thing that should have raised a red flag was the fact that
childrens party is taking place at a brewery. Anyway, as obliovious as
we are, we decided to go.
What we faced inside was a setting similar to the one of the "Saloon"
in Skopje, with bunch of tables laid across the room, a stage with a
piano and that's it. Inside, we found bunch of drunk adults who kept
buying beer and bunch od kids who ran around out of control. Nothing
can describe my excitement when I told Em that the British childred
behaviour is not what she imagined it to be and that the behavioud we
saw can match the behaviour of any Balkan kid. So much for using the
poshness of the British kids as as excuse to sanciot Stefan's and
Lucas' behaviour.
Speaking of that, people here are really hung up on child safety.
Lucas understood that very well and the moment I refused to get him a
toy in the store he started to scream from the bottom of his lungs
which resulted in immediate queries of people in regards to the
child's safety and well beeing. Now I know why my nephews have so many
toys! Its easier to buy them than to face the juding faces of the
store's costumers when the child reacts to the firm NO.
In the meantime, the stomach flu has hit the family. It began with
Abigail, passed on to Don and now Stefan is complaining that his tummy
hurts. I hope it doesn't hit me.
The first serious problem we are facing tomorow: how are we going to
fit at the table for breakfast?
One option is to go to the cottage ( where the inlaws are staying) and
have fullu cooked (fried) english breakfast.
Quite a few pics were taken but I have a problem uploading them on the
blog from my blackberry, so please check the facebook page for all the
picture uploads.

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Petar od Blackberry

Nothing really happened during day 4 except some minor shopping and a
major incident with my credit cards.
After spending some 100 pounds in ASDA I tried to pay with my credit
card. Imagine my shock when the master card could not be red, and the
visa apparentyl had the pin blocked. I forked out the cash and went to
the nearest cash machine. There, the Visa didn't work but the master
card was fine. Off to the gas station, the master card doesn't work
but the visa is fine. Ughhh sooo frustrating.
Lesson learned: always carry cash

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Petar od Blackberry

We left the Travelodge at around 8 am. What I hate about England is
the fact that it gets dark very early (around 4 pm) and it stays dark
untill 8 30 am. Now, imagine my frustration when both of the kids wake
up at 6 am and expect everyone else to be rise and shine. I just can't
open my eyes untill I see some sunshine.
The two coffes I got this morning cost 6 pounds, but if you take into
consideration the exchange rate, its not bad at all. I think that
during the xmass season UK will be on of the cheapest places to shop.
This feeling was supported by the newspaper adds advertising sales of
up to 90%. I don't get this recession thing, and I don't want to get
it as long as I can buy cheap stuff.
Finally after 4 hours in the car we got to the cottage. My father in
law doesn't look a year older than he did when I first met him 8 years
ago. The signs of the Alzheimer are obvious but he's retained his good
sense of humor he's had. It is not that I notice the resemblance
Stefan has with my father in law.
Sharon, as always trying to please us all had prepared me ribs. I
don't know how she can tell what I'm craving at the moment, but she
always does. The presents she got for the kids kept us all bussy for a
few hours.
Once the kids got antsy, we went to Jenny's place. She is Em's sister
and has decided to let us stay there so we don't have to be out in the
cottage with the oldies. She has two kids similar in age to ours so I
expect the children will have good time together.
Its about 4 20 local time, the kids are very quiet somewhere, the
sisters are talking and for rhe first time in 3 days I get to type
this on my blackberry uninterupted.
On the way here, I was discussing with Em how conditioned British
people are. They don't hunk, they don't roadrage, they never show
emotions and, I think that they will let you do pretty much anything
you want and not show any anger.
To prove this, I suggested that I spill coffee on the livingroom
carpet in my in-laws neighbour house to see if they really get upset.
Actually, I would like to see how many times I have to spill coffee on
the carpet to bring out the human in them. I'd call this a social
experiment.
After dinner, which I admit was very delicious, we got to discuss the
shopping list which the Em's sister in law provided... It was full of
generic, pardon me, organic items including organic skimmed milk,
organic peas and bunch of other organic food.
Living in Macedonia for the past 7 years I've grown used to buying
fruits and veggies at the market and this totaly fulfils my need for
organic stuff. I mean, noone can convince me that the plastic looking
flavourless strawberries sellng at Sainsbury's organic section are all
natural and truly organic.
The whole organic thing is just a marketing trick to get more money
off of rich people. Plus, today there are so many things that are
dangerous for you, you should just relax and live every day like its
your last...

Comming up tomorow: Shopping for organic..

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Petar od Blackberry

I returned the rental car this morning at around 10 30 and spent two
and a half hours around the thessaloniki airport.
The biggest surprise was the easy jet Christmass party for the
children... Or so I thought.
They even had a buffet table laid out with delicious foods. I will try
to post the pictures soon.
Well, as hungry as my kids were, they dove into the buffet helping
themselves with delicious foods.
Later though, we found out that we crashed the Christmass party for
for some of the employees of the Thessaloniki airport. And I was soooo
close convincing Santa that my kids need toys as well.
Oh well, we finally borded easy jet. The plane is smaller than the
plane the purple airline uses.
I have to admit that the flight crew was very nice and that the Easy
Jet seats are wider and have more leg room.
However, I did find it very disturbing that some Greek tried to delay
the plane 'cause his wife forgot something at the airport.
All at all, very uneventfull flight with overpriced food and beverages.
The real cultural shock happened when I got off the airplane. The
first "British" person I saw looked like he run from the set of "The
Kumars at number 5". The second one was at the rent-a-car place where
the guy had to ask me 5 times if we need help with the bags. It's like
he didn't speak English.
My driving in the UK lasted till the first roundabout. After that I
let Emily drive. It was soo much easier for her. I mean, she HAD to
learn to drive on the wrong side of the road to get her driver
licence.
Right now we are the travellodge on A43 with about 200 miles to go to
Manchester. There is Burger King near by and I'm off to enjoy it....

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Petar od Blackberry

Emilio Estaves was right on time this morning. Lickity split we were
across the border and at the Thessaloniki airport. Since the flight
doesn't leave untill tomorow morning and Em had a hotel booked
somewhere near the airport, two nights ago I thought that we should
rent a car and do some shopping in Thessaloninik. Said and done. After
20 minues of internet shopping I got a car for 32 euros with unlimited
milage. Great.
I'm at the rent a car booth at the airport and the lady says she will
give me free upgrafe to the next size - size 1. Wow I was so happy.
The choices are peugeot 107 or Nissan micra. I opted for the peageot
107.
When I fisrt saw it I thought : "if this is class 1 than what is class 0?"
I do have some pics I will post later on, but the big suitcase we had
couldn't fit in the trunk!
And in addition to that we had 4 pieces of hand luggage and a stroller!
Somehow, the missus packed us all in (4 of us, 5 bags and a stroller)
and off we went. The poor car must have never had soooo much weight
on. It was barely mooving. Thatk god we booked a renault megane in the
UK.
The hotel which we are staying in is a different story. This is my
second experince with none brand names hotels in Greece. The first one
included prostitues walking in and out while the missus and I tried to
sleep. What this one holds, well, we will find out tonight. But, no
matter what happens, I've laernt my lesson. Next time I'm staying at
the Holliday inn.

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Petar od Blackberry

Well, me, the missus, gets home from a long day at work and find that petey has not packed. He has laid out all his clothes on the bed but not put them in the bag. So, this is now the problem! 1. the stuff does not all fit in the bag and 2. if he would have put his stuff in earlier we would not have this problem. So the missus is mad!! So here I am the night before we leave frantically packing HIS stuff. The second issue of the night has been that Petey believes a three year old does not need a stroller. So here is what will happen, no stroller, walking at the airport....mama, im tired.......and guess who has to carry him and the luggage or Petey will have a ...(edited by petey!).

So life goes, on.

Less than 12 hours before Emilio Esteves shows up on our doorstep to drop us off in HelASS so we can board Easy Jet to go to London, I am still not packed. I have a feeling I'm going to be in trouble when the missus gets back from work but I did have indeed a very productive day.
I managed to sort out all of my MP3 into separate folders, by artist and from now on, finding a song on my PC is going to be a breeze. She might think that it is trivial, but proper organization is the key to success.

I was talking to a friend who works for the UN and is a former Cop, who spent most of his life in Belfast. The topic of our conversation was the rioting in Greece and the potential dangers we are going to face there. He was very confident when he said that noone riots if it is raining. Well, at least not in Ireland, but he was also confident that the Greeks are not as brave as the Irishman.
Lets hope for rain in Thessaloníki tomorrow.

Stay posted for info from the battlefield..

We ( as in 4 of us- two adults and two kids) are going to visit family in the UK and stay with my sister-in-law for 4 weeks. While I know this has potential to turn into Xmass from hell, I will put a smiley face on and go with the flow. I do have to look forward to chicken korma, overpriced Chinese food and deep fried fish and chips and Primark's clothes whose cheapness is explained by the sub standard working conditions and child labor.

T-7 days and Emily got us all packed. The suitcases are crammed in the hallway waiting for departure. I love how women are very agile when can it comes down to packing. I just hope she didn't forget to pack my swimsuit as I am sure I will have plenty of opportunities to swim while in England.

I plan to blog more once I get there, cause I'm sure I will need a place to went all my frustrations caused by the island and its inevitable need for politeness.