Grub Crawl - Altamonte Springs and Apopka: Stonington's Fried Shrimp and Nauti Lobstah *Spain Travel Notes

I tried these spots on Wednesday night and Thurday afternnon. The first is in a strip mall south of 436 on 434. It runs perpendicular to 434, so, you can't see it from the street. An Outback Steakhouse was across the street. Near a Metro Diner. The second is in a place that was the Catfish House or something like that. You make a right after the bbq place (Porkie's?) on 436 onto Forest Ave. After a McDonald's. 

Stonington's Fried Shrimp - I ordered the three piece shrimp with three piece fried chicken strips and two sides for $11.55. I think they gave me five pieces. I was eating blindly on the way home after a long series of plane trips and lost track. I recall both being ok. They butterflied the shrimp. The chicken tenderloins were a bit dry and chewy. A selection of honey mustard and a sweet garlic (?) dipping sauces. I had french fries and the six cheese mac and cheese as the sides. Plenty of fries. They coated them in that icky starch, but, I guess I was so hungry that I didn't mind. Mostly fried to completion. The mac was in a metal tin. Good. Pasta was to temp. It came out pretty quick. It was near closing, so, they could have half assed it just to get rid of me. It didn't seem like the did. They also fry cod, oysters and crab cakes. Corn bread, chop salad, onion rings, spicy red beans and rice and cole slaw as other sides. Shrimp only orders come in 5, 10, 15, 25 qnd 50 pieces. Shrimp platters in 5, 8 and 11 pieces. Mixed platter in 3 and 5. Cod in 4 pieces. Prices run from about $8 to $25. Lunch Special (includes drink) at $10.50. The place is basic. Both walls have five booths. In between are two rows of five tables. TV. Open for seven years. Open seven days a week. Until 9pm. They have a bigger place on South Kirkman. I may have gone there. Seems familiar. They added a 50 cent cc fee. Pretty good meal.

Nauti Lobstah - I almost drove here the night before. It closes at 8pm. I wouldn't have made it and been pissed. I grabbed a fried shrimp po boy with a side for $12 because it was a value compared to the $12 lobster bisque bowl (one of the cheaper items). It was ok. I can't really opine one way or the other because I didn't eat the shrimp until that night and they were soggy by then. They looked good (and likely were) when I got it. Plus I ate the bread and l and t at lunch the day after. The bread (roll) was buttered. L and T could have been fresher. Tartar or cocktail sauce on the side. Didn't try them. Ate the shrimp with the leftover Stonington sauces. The shrimp were small. Uncut. No idea if they are bought breaded or not. I had mashed potatoes as the side. Good. Real ones. Skin on. Garlic-y. Chunky. They said this portion of the menu (ie fried stuff) was left over from the old place. I think I had catfish there. This is where the cheaper items are. I just couldn't get the other items to go as I had already had 62 pieces of sushi at Koy Wan for lunch and it wouldn't have been eaten until dinner (if at all that day). Plus the prices required trust. And it is a catch 22. I need them to prove they are worth the upcharge and I can't get that unless I gamble. That's not going to happen on my side. They need to give out samples or make low priced small portions to grease the wheels. I'm not dropping $60+ on lobster thermidor in a wood shack in the middle of Apopka. Nor $28 for a lobster roll or $35 for a one pound lobster that I saw selling (at a seafood market) in Maine this Spring for $7 a pound. A grouper sandwich with two sides I just ate in the Keys for $11 was over $30 here. They also put Ritz Crackers on things. As if that is a sign of refinement. The guy is from Rhode Island. He was there. They opened two years ago. Three rooms. Wood. Didn't seem to change much inside. Service was pleasant. About one eighth full. No Sunday or Monday. I guess the Nauti is word play. Nautical. It probably could have stayed the Catfish House as far as I'm concerned. 

*Travel Notes - Spain: I flew to Barcelona through JFK for $525 on Delta. I'll list the airfares here. I bought a RT to Madrid on Vueling for $80. Didn't end up using the return. Madrid to Sevilla on Iberia for $57. Sevilla to Barcelona on Vueling for $54. Most purchased close to departures. Had to buy one ways because three city ones were $400+. Stayed night one at the Hotel Brick on Gran Via Cortes Catalanes near Placa d'Espana for $167. Prices were insane! Plus they charge city tax separately. This was the cheapest. Took the Metro from airport for 5.15E. You had to transfer at Torrassa Station. Walked down to the port because room wasn't ready. I can't list all the spots I saw because this report would never end. Get a map and get on it. Once again I ate mostly from the supermarkets. I'll list oddities at the end. Woke up and took Metro (from Espana) to Montserrat. 25E-ish for the RT and gondola ride. It's a famous Cloister. Aeri station stop. Funicular may be faster. Takes about one hour. You can connect from other stations in Barcelona. Don't take the tours they offer at 40E+. I slept there at Hostal Abat Cisneros because of the prices in Barcelona. It cost $78 and was fun to be up there. I walked many miles of the trails up there as well. Ate a good lunch of 1/4 pollo with french fries at La Cafeteria. They had services up there. Back to Barcelona. Found a "deal" on Expedia for the Caledonian Hotel (same street) near Universitat Station. $237 for two nights. I thought this was at the final stop from the airport called Zona Universitaria that didn't require a transfer. It was not. Ok area though. Near Placa Catalunya. Went to the top of this mall called Arenas. Looks like one. Good photo ops up there. Walked north on Balmes to Tibidabo. It's an amusement park on the highest hill. Great vistas. Park is more charming than cheesy. Has a Temple up there. You take a 12E funicular there. Around 30E for park pass. Not worth it. You can walk it for free. The next day I walked to La Sagrada Familia and Placa de Toros and over to Torre Agbar area. Then down towards water on Rambla de Poblenou. Ate a slice of pizza at Madre Levito. Down to the beaches. Back to center along the beaches. Had McD's. Through Port Olimpic. Goldfish statue. To W Hotel. Through old town. Ate pollo almendra and xiao long bao at Pai Mei. Woke. Metro to airport. Idiots made us an hour late because they didn't move the loading ramp. 203 Bus from Madrid airport to Cibeles stop for 5E. Prices were high here too. Found Hostal Palacios on Fuencarral. $254 for three nights. A bit spartan. Good location. Right off Gran Via. I needed this central area because the bus pick up location for the tours I was taking was near the Palace (down Gran Via). Went to the office. Bought tickets for the Segovia/Avila tour (55E) and Escorial and Valley of the Fallen (62E). These tours are why I came back to Madrid. Ate curry chicken taco with peanuts and cochinita pibon (their spelling) with pickled onions taco at Trek Taco on Gran Via. 1.50E. Woke up and went to Segovia. Roman aqueduct and Alcazar (I didn't take their option and bought entry myself there and saved about 13E) are the highlights. Ate a Hojaldre (puff pastry) con jamon and queso at Limon y Menta. Onto Avila. Idiots on the tour took too long at lunch and there was a car accident and it started to rain, so, the tour was short. Only 45 minutes. I split off. Avila is a totally walled city. Known for St Teresa and yemas (egg yolk sweets). I bought yemas. Wished we had more time and/or stopped outside the city for a photo op. Took other tour. Not as good. Escorial is a monastery/summer palace/burial place. They still have a real king. Walked the grounds (basilica, tombs, etc). Onto Valley of the Fallen (Valle de los Caidos). Their Arlington/Gettysburg. Franco was buried there. They moved him out three years ago. A trippy masoleum. Big cross. Back to Madrid. Ate at Trek Taco again. Curry chicken again, pollo a la mostaza with potato sticks taco and chili carne taco. The tour was only a half day, so, I walked some areas I didn't go to last year and areas in the park I missed as well. Found a mercado (Latin/South American stuff) near Trek Tacos called Mercado los Mostenses. Had some time before flight out the next day, so, I walked to train station. Had Tostada Tortilla and McPops at McD's. 5E bus back to airport. Weather was colder and gloomier in Madrid. Onto Sevilla. These idiots made us two hours late because of a microphone failure. In at dark and rain. Took 4E bus from airport to Plaza de Armas (last stop). Stayed near there off San Eloy at cute Hotel Un Patio Al Sur for $287 for two nights. Prices high here too. Found a tour operator and booked tours to Jerez/Cadiz (99E) and Zahara/Ronda (79E) starting a day and a half later. Did this because buses to these places weren't running on the weekends (or at all) and I was a bit scared there would be issues with them. Train station seemed too far away. Almost chose to go to Faro Portugal. It was 40E RT. Walked the city. Mercado de la Encarnacion (awesome structure above it), Cathedral, Alcazar, etc. Moved hotels to NH Sevilla (even nearer the bus station) to be nearer the tour pick up spot. Room was "discounted". Three nights for $430. Let me in at noon. Went along river to Plaza de Toros, Torre del Oro, Plaza de Espana, etc. Ate an empanada Africane at Empanaderia at Mercado Lonja del Barranco. Walked across the river through an area called Triana. Went to Mercado de Triana on the spot where the HQ for the Inquistion once was. At days end, I read a book on NH roof garden. Watched the sunset. I had been to Sevilla once before, so, I was just refreshing. Gardens were mostly closed because of storm damage. That was a shame. It was hot here. Started tour. We went to a sherry bodega (Bodegas Ligures) in Jerez a la Frontera. 4 kinds of sherry (fino, olarosa, almontilado, cream) and a vermouth. All made from Fino Palamino grape. Then into the city proper. Cathedral, plazas, church, Tio Pepe Sherry HQ, Alcazar. Only 15 minute tour in rain. Onto Cadiz. Same sort of things plus ocean. Walked to the end. Ate a chicken and turkey empanada at Piggy. The next day I went to Zahara de la Sierra. White houses. Beautiful area in the mountains. Molina El Vinculo live oil bodega. Same sites. Resevoir. To another pueblo called La Sierra de Grazalema. They ate lunch. I walked the town. Bought some cubilete de chocolate (kind of a shortbread with a chocolate center) at Ibericos Grazalema. Saw trees they use for cork. They shave the bark off the lower half of the tree. Onto Ronda. This is considered the birthplace of bullfighting. Hemingway loved it. Great little city. Started at Plaza de Toros. Walked to Main Gate and back under the wall by Arab baths to the three bridges around this huge ravine/stream. Great photo ops. Up the main drag. Etc. Cookies from this bakery in a church. Back to Sevilla. Bus to airport in the am. Plane to Barcelona. Stayed along the Metro route at a stop closer to airport called Parc Nou. Stayed at Centre Espial Albergue for $85. Metro to airport in the am. No discount for being closer. Full trip. Still many tourists everywhere. Drank much wine. Some for 2E. Some 7E. Most around 5E. Food: Xorico Culatalls, Verduras Asadas (turned out to be vegetable fake meat), Ibericos Pate, Navajas (razor clams), Boquerones (sardines), Poton del Pacifico (Humboldt Squid), Agujas (Gar fish), Almejones (clams), Lomo Horno Pimiento, Bacalo Ahumado, Mortadella with green olives, Lonchas, Gublins (corn chips), Formatge Barreja and Queso Cabrales. Plus the usual cured meats. The jet stream was screaming, so, the flight there was way shorter and the way back much longer. Customs at Barcelona (out) took an hour. Two minutes at JFK. Delta can never leave on time. They blamed the tower in NY this time. I'm not sure if they ever explained the other delays. 

Grub Crawl - Altamonte Springs and Sanford: Paris Banh Mi and Pa'lla Voy

I tried the first last Tuesday night. It is in the strip mall on 436 just off I-4. North side. The second is on Rinehart Rd over by the Wal-Mart and Hertz location. I went there for lunch on Wednesday.

Paris Banh Mi- I was unaware that this a chain. I reviewed the Mills location in 2019. I'm only re-reviewing it because I liked the Pate Chaud at $3.36. It was a pastry filled with pork. I also liked the shredded chicken banh mi.  They put pate on that. $8.21. Not sure why they added those weird cents to the listed prices. Opened a year ago. Lots of desserts too. They put all of their meats on baguettes, croissants or burgers (burger buns). 

Pa'lla Voy - It means "I'm going there". Not sure if it's based on a Marc Anthony song. I had two chicken empanadas to go for $3.50 a pop. Pretty good. They made them fresh. Potato, carrot and peppers also. Nice menu. Things like: chicharron de cerdo, mofongos, soups, eight sandwiches, juices, desserts, picadillo de res, cuajito con guineo (chicken gizzards), roasted chicken, fried chicken, roasted pork, beef hash, hamburgers, fried cod, sides, etc. A special each day (ie albondigas or carne re res guisada (beef stew). You can also go down the "buffet line" route.. They also sell merch New look. White. Rectangular. Mural of Puerto Rico on right wall. Food on the left. I'll go back for a real meal. Nice find. Might be closed on Sunday.

*It looks like whatever bot/ai craziness there was is over. Views back to usual levels.

Grub Crawl - Milk District and 50: Primrose Lanes, Adelitas and Fluffy Fluffy *FL Keys Travel Notes

I tried these places at lunch on Wednesday. The first is off 50 on Primrose. The second is in a strip mall slightly east of Primrose. The last is back west on 50 near the Publix. They weren't plan A. That was a banh mi place on W50 that the Orlando Weekly has twice said is open. It is not.

Primrose Lanes - I had the second cheapest thing on the menu. A chicken blt for $ 15. It was good. Buttered toast. Mostly ok chicken. The last bite was a bit mushy. Good bacon. Fresh veg. A remoulade sauce and extra in a cup on the side. Sweet and spicy pickle spear. A bit rubbery. If you wanted french fries it was an extra $3. $6 regularly. They said the menu was changing. They had two salads. Two entrees ($27 beef). Four sandwiches (smashburger, hot dog, sliced beef). Eight apps. Two sides. There seems to be two dining area. I was probably in the "b" room. It was like a sports book. The bar is in front of it. There is another dining area to the right of the entrance. A swag shop past that. In the rear right portion are the seven bowling lanes. Kind of retro looking. The whole place looks sharp. Nice atmosphere. They had parking. Open for three months. You should check it out.

Adelitas Mexican Cocina - I have invented an acronym for these. JAMMR. Just Another Mediocre Mexican Restaurant. I had the Milanesa de Pollo for $17 to go. Came with beans and rice. The chicken looked like fish filets. Not much flavor. Not much rice. Had canned carrots and green beans in it. The beans were a bit bland too. A big menu. Lunch specials at $12. Twelve booths. Tables too. Bar in the rear. Blue, white and black color scheme. Tries to look modern. Red brick wall on the left side. Open for six months.

Fluffy Fluffy - They said they were a Canadian chain. Open two weeks. Pricey. A tiny quarter of a Big Mac sized cheesecake was $6. Chocolate, chai and one other flavor. They also sold souffles (took twenty minutes), craffles (croissant pressed in a waffle iron with ice cream) and other things. Japanese style. I had the $6 chocolate roll cake because it was already made. Bland cake (almost seemed steamed) rolled around whipped cream. It's well known that I'm not high on Asian desserts. They are like vegan desserts. Tastes off. Watery. I wonder if they don't use dairy (and eggs)?  My receipt says Fuwa Fuwa. Maybe that is Japanese for Fluffy Fluffy? JAMAD?

Travel Notes - South Florida and the Keys: I rented a car from Budget for $255 for the week. Drove to Boynton Beach to see the Ralfonso Kenetic Sculptures near City Hall. Not impressive. Continued down AIA through Del Rey and Boca. Finally found some hotels in Deerfield Beach. Stayed at the Carriage House for $139 (rack rate). They said the only had ones with a kitchen left. A normal was $99. I checked the bad looking Comfort Inn next door. It was $150 before tax. I did some swimming and sun bathing. Ate 1/2lb of ok textured (but bland) brisket and a Dirty South sandwich (pulled pork, sausage and slaw) at Fat Boyz BBQ. The next day I drove to Hallandale (exit 18 on 95) to Gulfsteam Park Race Track and Casino (east off 95 to 1). Then onto Florida City. Had a Mediteranean Salad with yellow tail snapper at Golden Rule Seafood in Palmetto Bay on 1. Stayed at Fairway on Friday and Saturday for $164 in total. Drove to Key Largo for dinner at Salty's. Just bacon wrapped peppers. Had beers at Cactus Jack's and Sundowner's because they were all next to each other. Saw the sunset. Lunch of fried chicken, mp and fries the next day at Keys Bite in Key Largo. Laid out at Harris Beach. $8 on weekends. Key Lime Ice Cream with cheesecake and graham crackers at Sparky's. Chicken soup at The Juice House. Drove to Marathon on Sunday and had three $6 apps (ahi sashimi, conch ceviche and 1/4lb of shrimp) at Shannon's Shucker's & Shakers at Keys Fisheries. Had more lunch (grouper with baked potato and tots) at Boardwalk Bar and Grill on Big Pine Key. Drove to Sugarloaf Key. Stayed at Sugarloaf Lodge for $106. It was cloudy and their beach/water wasn't that nice, so, I drove to Key West and back. Wine and cheese at hotel. Drove to Cudjoe Key and got a pound of floaters (deformed stone crabs) for $14 at Low Key Fisheries. It was the first day of the season. Ate them on a bridge on Summerland Key. Ate a shrimp blt with avocado and ff at Tonio's Seafood Shack. Sunbathed at Annie's Beach. Had dinner of ahi tacos and a rum runner at the Famous Tiki Bar at the Post Card Inn in Islamorada. They invented it here. Stayed at the La Jolla Resort for $110. Grabbed one more pound of stone crabs (mediums) for breakfast at Key Largo Fisheries for $25 (lowest in years).

Downtown Diner, Titusville

I tried this spot on South Hopkins Ave on Wednesday. I grabbed $6.50 breakfast sandwich to go. I chose sausage, fried egg, English muffin and American. It was good. They had a decent sounding menu. Not just dull diner fare. It's attached to a dingy motel. Inside was drab. Brown. Wood. Quick service. It was full. 

Peruanisima Bakery, Altamonte Springs *SWE/NOR Travel Notes

I tried this Peruvian bakery on Wednesday at lunch. It is in a strip mall near Lake Brantley HS on 434. I just grabbed a chicken empanada for $5 because I just had all you can eat sushi and the prices were a bit high. The empanada was ok to below average. Small. Not too filled. Poor flavors. They also sell eight sandwiches. $9 egg salad to $13 pork lomo saltado. Six breakfast items. $6.70 tamal to $19 plate with fried pork. Two sides. Both $9. Nine empanadas. Eleven cakes and pies. $28 to $60. Fourteen dessert. $4 arroz con leche to $8 picarones. Eight pastries. 75c yuma bread to $12.50 Choco Alfajores. Small space. Maybe one table. They charge for credit cards. Open for six months. I was around here to also knock out Torchy's. Still not open. I did see a hidden (from view) place around the corner called Stonington's Fried Shrimp. I can't recall if I've been there. Couldn't find it on the blog. They also have one on Kirkman. 

*Travel Notes - Sweden and Norway: Exchange rates were about 11 Swedish krone and 10 Norwegian krone to the dollar. I flew Delta through JFK to Stockholm for $635. Mid to late morning flights. The weather was only overcast with drizzle on the first and last day (and most early mornings). I also took two flights while there and I might as well list the prices now. I bought a ticket to Trondheim Norway from Stockholm when I booked the first flight. A one way on SAS in the afternoon cost $59. I also scrapped the train idea in Norway and bought a one way from Trondheim to Oslo for $78 on Norwegian (out of bankruptcy and flying domestic) the day before. In Arlanda airport I eschewed the Arlanda Express train that was like 360SK for the 148SK Vy Flygbussarna from Terminal 4. You come in the new terminal 5. It takes slightly longer. Like 45 minutes. Pay at a kiosk or driver. It makes a few stops (6). Final stop at Central Bus (and train) Station in city center. I forgot the layout and booked the first two nights on the South island. The Stockholm Classic Hotel for $71 a night for two nights. It was a bit of a walk. There is a subway stop right there though. It was interesting to see a new area. They let me in at 10am, so, I just took a nap and then walked the area when the sun came out. The next day I went to Lindigo via the subway. 39SK for a 90 minute pass. You have to take a bus over a bridge as well. In Lidingo (one of the fourteen islands), there is the Carl Milles Garden. He is their number one sculpter. It cost 170SK. It was cool. Back via another 39SK subway trip. I walked to an island called Langholmen and back towards the old town on Gamlastan. Saw the Royal Palace and Cathedral and Parliament (Riksdagshuset) and Nobel Prize Museum and some churches (kyrka). And then back through Riddar Holmen to the hotel. You can't buy wine in the supermarket. The best wine shop was called System Bolaget. Good selection and prices. I will interject here that you shouldn't expect many non-supermarket or fast food meals eaten by me. It was either full sit down (too tired) or kebab/pizza dives where everything started at 130SK and over or overpriced Asian (Thai, Viet and especially sushi). And coffee and pastries. I'll list the stuff from the market at the end as usual. Walked to the station through Kungsholmen (island) on day three. Saw the City Hall (Stadshuset). Bus to the airport. Every twenty minutes. Unibuss Express bus from front of Trondheim airport (nice) to city center (seemed to be the way everyone took) was 220NK. About an hour. Some stops. Credit card only. These idiots want cash to be done away with. Oh, that's another reason for fewer real food purchases. They wouldn't take cash. Even BK! I should add here that I prefer cash because of foreign transaction fees and I prefer (even though I seem to be freely telling the whole world my business) not to participate in unfettered surveillance. Stayed three nights at the P Hotels Brattora for $85 a night. I should add here that none of the hotels had heat. Few had more than a couple tv channels. None had bar soap. Bed pads on box springs. I got in near nightfall, so, I just found the Rema 1000 market (had Rokt Orret Smoked Salmon and beer) and a McDonald's. Wine shop was closed. The next day I walked the town. Marina, Radhuset, Nidros Cathedral, river, old town bridge, fort, etc. Got answers I didn't want from the train people. Had skole brod and kanel bolle at Rosenberg Bakerias. Had more McD's. I will say that I had the 25NK (and SK) McVegan burger and Truffle CB quite a few times. Just because every other fast food cost much more in relation and these were by far the best values Ronald had. Tasted good too. Dinner of Rokt Laks and salami from Rema 1000. Asked the bimbo there if things would be open on Sunday. She said yes. Answer was no! That skewed and screwed my Sunday meals up. Walked this pleasant path around the city. Saw the uni, sports complex, art museum and another marina area with more restaurants. The next day, I took the bus back to airport. To Oslo. Slower Vy train (not by much) to Central Terminal for $118NK (vs 220NK for the fast one). Machine took cash. The buses were more than the trains. Stayed at the P Hotels Oslo (up the road from the terminal) for $83. Peppar Makrell (good), roast beef, camembert, Krydder Laks and cider from Kiwi. Wine from Vin Monopalet at the station. Train to Goteborg for 615NK. Should have taken the bus. Didn't remember if the station was close. I will add here that I learned that trains in Norway are known as the most expensive in the world. Stayed at the Sure Stay Hotel near the station for $85. Almost stayed on a ship. Should have. It was easy enough to find. Next to it was a ferry they turned into a floating parking lot. Somebody tell Scarlett Johanssen that her husband should do this with the Staten Island Ferry. Walked the city. Down to Johanneberg and Landala neighborhoods+. Stadium, arena, uni, park, water front, opera house, etc. Grabbed a Thuringer Bratwurst and a Kosaken Wurst at Sausage Haus in the terminal. One of the better meals. Tried to get a train ticket. Some jerkoff in power has made it so you can only buy local tickets from the ticket office and other ones through a machine that only sell four hours in advance (and never seemed to have any train ones only buses). I found a Flixbus machine and bought a ticket to this town just south called Helsingborg in hopes that they had people you could interact with (they did). 109SK. By far the cheapest. I later found a VY bus ticket office with people. Oh, well. The next day I roamed around a bit more. Arts (3) museum complex, some churches, fort on a hill (Skansen Kronan), Haga shopping district below it, Briggen food hall, Salu food hall, Garden Society Park (Tradgards Foreningen) with Palm House and Rose Garden, etc. I will add that so may places were only taking credit cards that I bought a tuna sandwich at Subway. It was the best ever and one of the best meals I had. No kidding. They put (my choice) curry sauce on it and the bread and veg were so superior to here that it isn't funny. Sesame bread too! Had other types. Bus to Helsingborg the next day. Stayed at the Comfort Hotel for $73. Cute city. Walked to the city hall, fort on a hill, marina, churches, stadium, etc. These cities are on the southwest coast. You can see Denmark from there. Tried pork pastrami and Swedish beer from Hemkop. More McD's because of the credit card bs. Bought a train ticket to Kalmar the next day (they told me no advanced purchases) from a person for 331SK. It went through Lund. There was a fire at some relay on the track. It looked like I may be stranded there. They fixed it. I spent two hours in Lund. Uni, Cathedral, food hall, cute streets, Radhus, Stadshall, etc. I bought a Kardemumma bolle at Mormors (Grandmother's) Bageri. Some Gallerpokt Peppars Skinka (pepper ham) at ICA. Kalmar is on the southeast coast. It was smaller than I thought. Stayed at the Profil Hotel next to the Cathedral for $158. It was a Friday and they had some festival on the neighboring island (Oland). That was the real reason I was here. Didn't end up doing it because of the lack of hotels. Got in late because of the delays. Bought a Flix Bus ticket to Stockholm (which was good because these idiots don't work on Saturday or Sunday and there were no machines either) for $309SK. Trains were double. Walked the city walls, etc. Some feta and roast chicken from Coop. Wine from System Bolaget. The next day had breakfast buffet at hotel and walked to the castle and that area. Long bus ride. Stayed at the Thon Partner Hotel Kungsbron (across train tracks from where bus drops off) for $111. Breakfast buffet. Walked to marina to buy a boat tour to Vaxholm for 365SK for the next day. Walked to Djurgarden and the Nordiska Museum, Vasa Museum, Viking Museum. Did them before. Not this time. Went into Skansen (like Williamsburg with a zoo, etc) for 185SK. Back through the National City Park to the Opera House, shopping district, etc. Next day took the boat tour. It rained. Stayed on the boat. No Vaxholm. A bit more walking around. I stayed the last two nights at the same hotel. $73 a night now. Bus to airport in the am. 

Other foods: hvete bolle (sweet rolls), kokos bolle (coffee coconut chocolate balls), priokig korv (salami), cognac medwurst, Marabou chocolate (bad), Vasterbotten (cheese from north Sweden) and Norsk Granddost (cheese from Norway). Drinks: Ramlosa water, Grevens cider with pear (Norway), Aass Pilsner (Norway), Norrland's Ljus Lager and Guld Lager and Melleruds Utmarkta Pilsner.

Good trip. Probably the last week you should go. I wish I did northern Norway as planned. However, it was supposed to rain and the trains and buses there were more expensive and more of a pain than I expected. Flights were reasonable. Less so if you factored in the transport to and from the airport on both sides. Everyone spoke English. They were a little over the top with the eco-madness/smugness and the automation. I may have done other things if I had a local human to consult with. Maybe a wasted day or two. I tried to find good seafood places. I swear. It was next to impossible. Few sites were free (inside). Also, few banks. Mostly ATMs. I used Bankomat in Sweden and Nokos Minibank in Norway. Reminder - never take their conversion inducement. It is always a worse rate than "risking" it. They aired Rules of Attraction (the Brett Easton Ellis one) in Sweden. There is a scene where this guy tells of his trip to Europe in rapid fire. I seem to have become that guy. And why do I get so many views from Singapore? It must be bots. I had nearly 90k views last month!? And you don't have to drill down to other pages.

Grub Crawl - Azalea Park and Casselberry: Old Cuban Cafe and V's Diner (Closed)

I tried these spots on Tuesday night. The first is on Goldenrod near Underhill. The second is in the strip mall on 436 that has Buffalo Wild Wings and Wa Sushi. It has no sign, so, it is easy to drive by it. 

Old Cuban Cafe - In an abandoned gas station. Hard to relate facts because they spoke no English. Some pre-prepared baked goods, sandwiches and a by the container assortment of cooked things. Mostly chicken, veg and pork. I think a plate with sides started at over $13. I just gave up and ordered a Cuban sandwich. It cost $9. They don't list any prices anywhere. It was like pulling teeth. Sandwich was ok. Alot of ham and what was either thinly sliced pork or turkey. They didn't really fawn over it. Maybe they were just trying to make it fast to get the gringo out of their hair? No oil or butter on the outside of the bread. So, dry. Not much decor. Big space. Open from 6am to 8pm. No reason to search them out.

V's Diner - A vegetarian place. Open for a month or so. We all know I'm not one of these herbavores, but, I may become one. While I was overseas (notes to follow in the next post) I had the McVegan burger four times. Because it was only around $2.50 and Ronald's burgers are getting so bad that it was superior in comparison. Here I just tried the large fries for $6 because their normal dishes were around $13 and I already had the Cuban. They were great fries though. Soooo many. Thick, carrot stick like ones. But, fried long enough that many edges were crisp and insides were toasty. They also sprinkled them with a nice, powdered (bbq?) seasoning. I ditched the second half of the Cuban and ate these the rest of the drive home. I still have a third left. They can cover these fries with cheese and chili or both. They also do all the fake stuff. Chicken, beef, etc. Around eight main items. Some more sides. Manageable. Those platters seemed very large as well. The place looks like a 50's diner. All white. A little odd juxtaposition of themes. I saw Asteroid City on the plane. This diner would have been perfect for that slightly askew fantasy world. They have a small staff. They were nice. And honest. They were going to send me off with a small box of fries (I wouldn't have been the wiser) and the cook called them back when he realized the ticket said large. It has about ten tables. There may have been another room with more. Half full at 7pm. I am intrigued enough with what I saw that I think I will go back. And I really was just trying to cross it off the list. I think they said they open at 11am and close at 8pm. They are the closest establishment in the strip mall to 436.

Grub Crawl - Ocoee and West Colonial (50): Mi Querida Colombia, Sun Pearl Bakery, Pho Saigon (Closed)

I went to these spots last Monday at late breakfast/lunch. The first is in a strip mall before that toll road that you pass before Winter Garden. The next two are in Chinatown.

Mi Querida Colombia - It means my lovely Colombia. Open for ten years. Expensive for rustic food. Therefore, I settled on the arepa con huevos y jamon y queso  for $8. The menu says it comes with coffee. They said it does not. White corn arepa. A bit thin, raw and burnt. Ok eggs and ham. Nowhere near as good as my own. I fork whip them and add some liquid and then continually fork them in the pan. Most people just let them sit and become an omelet. The menu has the usual Colombian stuff. Steak platters rise to $28. That's a mar y tierra. They have rump cap, lengua, sobrebarriga (brisket), mondongo (tripe stew), etc. Four booths. Two rows of four tables. Mural on the wall. Glass pastry case across from that. A bit disappointing.

Sun Pearl Bakery - They said they have been there for twenty years. I have to have been there before. Taiwan bakery. Cash only. Tax included in the price. I grabbed a coffee flavored chiffon cake with vanilla icing for $3. It was ok. A pretty big selection. However, I think of Asian desserts like I think of their rice noodles versus pasta. It just tastes less good. It's towards the rear on the more built up side of the complex. Closes at 5pm.

Pho Saigon - Even more towards the left rear than Sun. Ten years old. They hide the prices on the outside menus. I had the small brisket and meatball pho for $11. It was pretty good. Brisket was a bit tough. Meatball was one half of a big one sliced into thirds. Ok.  Veg and noodles were fresh. Broth was ok. Big enough serving. A bit more than the usual items. Pho and rice dishes run from $12 - $15. $18 summer rolls. The place is pretty drab. Never very many people. 

*I was in Chinatown to try a new Vietnamese place across the parking lot. It doesn't seem to have opened yet.

The Nine Thai, Lake Mary - Closed

I tried this new Thai place on Saturday at lunch. It is in the strip mall on the opposite side of 46A from the Publix at International Parkway. It was ok. I had the $14 Tom Zaab Pork Feet soup and the $17 chicken in yellow curry. It was a first on the soup. Seemed like the same sour broth with one quartered mushroom and some scallions with mostly the bones, fat and skin of pigs feet. It's funny how there seems to be a point when you stew things when they become tender. This did not reach that point. What meat there was was tough. Didn't help the broth either. The rice with the curry was mushy. The flavor was ok. The chicken was ok. The potatoes were undercooked. I will give them some rope because I was the first one there and it was a to go order. The rest of the menu was familiar. A few rare ones. Everything was pricey. $12+ apps and $25+ mains. Things like satay (just learned that means speared), larb fried rice. Shrimp, beef, pork, chicken, tofu. I think there was a fish. Maybe gyoza? $14 lunch special on weekdays. Big room. Modern. Bar on right. Metallic. White. Open 11:30 - 3:30 and then 4:30 to close on weekdays. No break on weekends. They just opened a week ago after a year and a half build. They have another in Ellicott City, MD. Not a destination spot.

Pisco, Lake Nona *England Travel Notes

I tried this Peruvian restaurant in a strip mall off Narcoossee (I took Hoffner off 436 from the airport) on Tuesday at dinner. It's a bit pricey. I had the cheapest main of lomo saltado at $26. Some of their apps are near this price point. I think I remember one or two $25 soups. The lomo consisted of chunks of what was suppossed to be beef tenderloin. It wasn't the most tender of loins. Either an offcut or poor breed of cow. But, I wasn't really expecting it to actually be tenderloin. I just wish I didn't trust their assurance and ordered it a bit more cooked. They surrounded the slightly salty beef with potato wedges, halved cherry tomatoes, rawish red onions, micro greens in a brown sauce. Side of mildly flovored white rice with kernels of Peruvian corn. Both served in bowls. Not bad. Healthy portion size. Came out very quickly. I also almost chose a fried seafood platter at the same price point. But, you can never predict the assortment or portion size. Plus I was going for AYCE sushi the next day. The menu is large. The usuals like chaufa and ceviche. A few more ambitious options like a $150 tomahawk steak. They want to be high end. The layout revolves around the central bar. It has a gray stone countertop. Bottles of booze all around. Open kitchen in the rear. A half wall separates tables/booths in between. Same at the front. Booths on the sides. They have garage doors up front. Maybe these get opened in the cooler months? They have a few hanging objects of dried vegetation. Interesting. Muted tones with splashes of color. They pump up the Pit Bull type music. One tv tuned to Big 10 network. It was almost full at 8pm. People (with little kids) were still arriving past 9pm. Mostly Hispanic looking/sounding. Staff were dressed up (vests and ties). Four bartenders. More table staff. I love Peruvian cuisine. So, I was bound to like it. I'm not sure it (the cuisine) benefits much by being upscaled. Seems like being irresponsible with money to expect it to. But, I guess you can say that about most cuisines. They add (they informed me of it) 18% to the bill. I don't drink (at restaurants), so, it doesn't affect me that much. But, I suppose they apply that to the tip too. That breaks the old "you don't tip on alcohol or tax" rule. Probably why they do it. All in all, it was what I expected. A bit more lounge-y. Give it a try. You might even get them to sing Happy Birdday to you (happened three times). I believe they opened this spring.

*Travel Notes - England: I flew NS to Gatwick on Norse for $395 at 9pm on the Saturday night (return on a 2pm) of Labor Day weekend. Not crowded. No road traffic. No food or headphones or drinks or anything. But, a brand new 787 (three rows of three seats). No issues. No stupid digital boarding pass. You couldn't even check in online. Fine by me! Bought a ticket from airport to Eastbourne (they only have machines now - no one to make inquiries to) for 20L. Stayed at the modern View Hotel on the ocean for $76. Bought a 10L (24hr) pass for the Hop On Hop Off bus for 10L. It goes through the town to East Dean and back (mostly along the coast). Through the South Downs National Park to Beachy Head and Birling Gap. Famous for being the place they first sighted the Spanish Armada (learned that the weather was really the hero of the day and the English sent their own Armada the next year and got their asses handed to them as well) and where the WWII pilots last saw England on their missions. You can see the chalk cliffs and take amazing hikes through here. East Dean is the town Rick Steves stops at after his. I didn't bother. I also walked through EB and the path along the ocean to the pier and beyond. I saw an old Triumph car show and listened to some free jazz at the bandshell. I was pretty tired, so, I just bought some wine and snacks and watched the sunset from my balcony. The next day I got back on the bus and re-saw some of the stuff from the day before. Did a little hike from the start of Beachy Head. I then went to the train station to get a ticket for Hastings (10L). I found a bus station on the way and that (98 or 99) was only 2L. Took longer though. I had time before that bus and I saw a sign (finally) for the tennis facility. They do a pre-Wimbledon tournament. Went there. This is kind of why I went here. Scouting the area for next years tournament. Grabbed a great and huge chicken salad and bacon sandwich at the Poppyseed Bakery near the bus stop. At Hastings (train and bus station are at same location), I grabbed the (I think) 1066 bus (2L each way) to Battle. To see the field where William the Conqueror fought the famous Battle of 1066. It cost 14.50L to get in. They let you on the field! Back to Hastings. Stayed at the Landsdowne Hotel on the ocean near the pier for $72. Remember that I use travel sites to book and sometimes they charge in US dollars. Walked the beach route to Hastings Castle and St Mary in the Castle (seated into the mountain the castle rests on). It was getting dark, so, I walked into DT and got food at M&S and called it a day. FYI - they had the best thin sliced smoked pastrami for 3L! I hope it is new and I haven't been missing out on it for years. Hastings was grubbier than Eastbourne. Both had stone beaches. Back to the train station and onto Portsmouth for 19L. Stayed at the George Hotel at the harbor for $102. You can stay one stop earlier in the city center or here. I think here is better. Either way, it's not that long of walk to the other. I was going to go to the Historic Dockyard to see Nelson's HMS Victory and Henry VIII's Mary Rose. But, they wanted 44L! Maybe some other time. FYI - you can't get a view any other way. Maybe by boat? I tried. I did get a pic of the HMS Warrior though. Started a walk through the shops at the Gunwharf Quay all the way down the esplanade to Henry the XIII's Southsea Castle. It's a long walk (goes beyond here) that passes by the Emirates Tower, Ferry Terminal (to Isle of Wight 34L), Spice Island, the Hot Walls (castle walls with a beach on the outside), arcades, Hovercraft ferry, aquarium, D-Day museum, etc. I then backtracked to the arcade area and took a right into the city center. Passed the university and shopping streets to the Guildhall. Dickens was born somewhere in the city. Through Victoria Park to Queen St and back to my hotel. Tried to get some fish and chips, but, they tried a bait and switch so I just got some fresh strawberries, etc at Coop. FYI - I will admit that that I had a bottle of vino every night as well. Next day, 28L train (22L after noon) to Bournemouth (bus was 9L but left already at 10:30am). I stayed at the Burley Court Hotel for $90. This was in between the station and the (sandy) beach. It's a university town with a beach. Not so much history. One art museum. I walked the beach to a few miles went to Poole and back (the pier/arcade). Then maybe a half mile east. A little stroll through the park. Dinner at Baghdad Arabic and Kurdish Kitchen. My first Iraqi food. Don't fret, I think they were Kurds. Ground lamb kebabs with rice and freshly baked pita (maybe lavosh). Tasty. They also tried a bait and switch/upcharge at bill time. I had to haggle with them. On food! With prices written on a menu! Why do these people love to do this so much? There is nothing I hate more. The hotel had a nice pool, but, I was too tired to try it out. Bournemouth was very diverse. Lots of young people. The beach was packed. Oh, it was around 90 and sunny this whole trip. Plus I think school started the next day. You can take a Coaster bus trip from here to my next stop. I, stupidly, took another train (19L). Destination Weymouth. I almost skipped this. Would have been a mistake. Cute town. Older crowd. Sand beach. I stayed at the Hotel Rex for $91 (sea view room). I extended through them for a lower quality room (but on a Friday) for 67L. I had fried cod at Shooter's Fish and Chips. I took the 2L 55 bus to Durdle Door. It is a WHS site where they film alot of things. Especially Bollywood stuff. So, it is a huge tourist attraction for them. Learned that they love Switzerland for similar reasons. That was why I saw so many there. This is also a beautiful beach spot (two sides) with a natural stone arch. I then walked along the coast from there to Lulworth Cove. Saw that and had a clotted cream fudge ice cream at Jake's Homemade Ice Cream. Another 2L bus back. It passes a hill side chalk horse man. Some din din at M&S. The next day I took a 8L RT train a few stops back east to Moreton. This is why I extended. A two mile walk to St Nicholas Church to see some stained glass by Whistler and where TE Lawrence was memorialized and buried. His grave is a few hundred yards down the road. That's Lawrence of Arabia btw. He's an English guy. He came to fight the Turkish. And if you can name the movie that is from, you have my respect. Back to Weymouth and I took another 2L bus to this spit of land just south called Portland. The bus was a million degrees, so, I just stayed on because I was so tired. Seemed like all they had were beach walks anyway. Dipped my feet into the water at the beach in Weymouth. A bit chilly. Like all the others. Dinner at M&S again. This time because all the food shops were closing/closed. On a Friday night?! Yelled at them for being lazy. The next day I bought a chicken and a ground beef empanada at an Argentinian bakery called Finna's. Train to London Waterloo for 34L. Stayed at the Cheshire Hotel up Charing Cross near the Tottenham tube station for $222 for two nights. I did this because it was nearest to the Waterloo Station and I had never stayed around there before. It's basically Soho. I decided to see shows. I think I f'd up by buying ticket one at a resale location, but, I hadn't looked up what was playing or where the theaters were and it was getting late and I saw this sales office. 53L (with the 5L fee) for second level the next day for Back to the Future. I asked others later if this was a fair price and no one seemed too shocked. Before I left, I saw an interview with Aaron Rodgers and the Jets where they said he was making them see shows and this was the best. They should not be trusted No good new material. Only good moments were after they get to the prom (saved both Huey Lewis songs until after that). I then walked past a theater doing Noel Coward's Private Lives. A fourth row center was 25L. I saw that that night. Ok. Dated. FYI - they let you bring in drinks and food. No dress code. Dinner from Sainsbury. I walked around the area. Soooo many food and drink places. Soooo many hot girls. The next day I went to the Seven Dials Market and had my first Uzbeki food at the Oshpaz Noodles stall. Plov. Chicken on rice. Good. Also had Lag-Man Noodles and samsy (pastry). Many other stalls. Even one that used that conveyor belt sushi places use. But for cheese! Walked through Covent Garden area to Somerset House. First time no scaffolding! Saw the 3Hr BTTF that started at 3pm. Dinner of fried chicken strips at Wing Wing. Ended up here because so many place wouldn't take cash. The next day I walked through this large digital art installation near the tube stop. Back to Somerset House via the British Museum (too long of a line) to go to the art museum. But, they charge 10L (I knew that) and would only take credit (I didn't know that). Told them they were so tech forward and Orwellian and where they could stick it. I went to the FREE National Gallery instead. Then down The Mall (between Buckingham Palace and the Arch near Trafalgar Square and above St James Park to Victoria St. Down Vauxhall Bridge Rd to the Carlton Hotel ($111) because I had to leave from Victoria Station to Gatwick the next morning. Lunch of xaio long bao and har gow dumplings and duck spring roll at Choi. Saw that guy who played the old rock star in Love Actually there. Walked down Vauxhall to the Thames. To the Tate. Also FREE! Along the river towards Big Ben and over back to Victoria Station to buy a ticket for Hamilton. I had never seen it and it was 9/11. Seemed patriotic. 39L for second level. Great musical. It really lived up to the hype. Shitty potato and mozz corn dog (with no dog) at Wok and Fire near the theater. Gatwick Express for 22L. You could tap on a normal train (a bit slower) for 9L. But, I want a receipt on everything! Judge Judy tells me so. Didn't trust it not to screw something up that I would later have to waste time unscrewing. A regular train ticket (no tap on) was 19L. Great trip. Great prices. Great time to go. Heard from locals it was the best week of weather all summer. Happy Happy. Joy Joy! No delays. Easy through customs on both sides. Should I start a site called Orlandora the Explorer? Or Carmine Santiago? Where am I off to next? BTW - getting like 4k viewers a day now. WTF! Has to be a computer glitch.

Summer House Bar, OIA

I tried this place in Terminal 3 at MCO last Saturday at dinner. I had the grilled chicken sandwich with bacon and avocado for $14. It also had l, t, o and a decent bun. Oh, and good french fries. Big piece of chicken. Cooked correctly. Two thick pieces of maple smoked bacon. I was thrilled. Let me put this in perspective. I popped into Wendy's (not even at the airport) before this and their chicken combo is $12!. For shit, tiny, chicken. Btw. When did this get that expensive? I swear it was $7 the last time I had one of those combos. Here they also have a typical Southern Cal menu. Even a breakfast sandwich. It looks hip and clean. Mostly white paint and light wood. Light gray accents. Big windows. On the second level. Open kitchen. Bar in the center. Large. Modern furniture and tableware. A good value. How often does that phrase and airport appear in the same sentence? Service was good. Attractive too. Dressed up. A nice find.

PB & G Tutorial

I invented the peanut butter and gummy sandwich. You nuke (20 seconds) some gummies on some substance like a tortilla. Add pb. Done. Can you believe I ran out of jelly? It isn't great. Too sticky.  A full portion probably clogs the digestive tract. I also contemplated a pb and t. Tootsie roll. Didn't try it yet. 

I also bought this Mexican meat in a roll (like cookie dough). $1.50 on sale at Winn Dixie. 9 oz or so. You can make 3 or 4 meals out of this. They had pork or beef. I did tacos with a third of a can of black beans (75 cents) one night. Rice (pouch) at $2.29 for four and a third of cup of black beans another night. And with a fifth of a box of macaroni ($1.25 a box) on another. You really don't need other seasoning for any of these.

AJ Chocolate House, Winter Park

I tried this US franchisee of a Belgian chain on Saturday at lunch. It wasn't planned. They are on the corner of Fairbanks and Park. They have parking in front. I had the Brussels Waffles for $16. It was actually waffle. Ok. You could choose two toppings. I chose dark chocolate. Because. It is a chocolate place. And bananas. Because. I needed some substance. Good, melted chocolate. You could probably get their $25 chocolate fondue experience doing it this way. Bananas (two rows) were fresh. Some good whipped cream too. They also offer up loads of chocolates at $2.50 per. Boxes for them are bit overpriced. Not included. Also, ice cream, cakes, wine, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, etc. A few plush seats. Big glass case of chocolates in the center. Enough staff. Clothed. Open for three weeks. Window views. There are a few high end chocolate places around (Lake Ivanhoe, UCF area). I think they might be the best value. And I'm not a Belgian homer. Same with their beer. But it isn't without its adherents. The name is a bit bland, right? I think you could give it a perusal if you are the neighborhood.

* I also saw that next door is a new Peruvian place (Mares) that was to open on Sunday. It will be my next victim. And who the hell is reading these posts. I just had over two and a half thousand daily views per day to start the month. With few new posts. And many more last month. Haven't checked since the 2nd if it is becoming a trend. Oh. It's 13k+. WTF!

Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken, Winter Park *Switzerland Travel Notes

I tried this biscuit chain in between Bulla and the new library (also think Shake Shack and Trader Joe's area) Wednesday at lunch. The name kept making me think of Aaron Judge. I grabbed the Righteous Chicken Biscuit (buttermilk) to go for $6.75. It was fine. Ok seasoning. Thicker and squatter chicken than the fast food places. Ok biscuit. Not excessively salty or dry (or moist). There you go. Not much offered. Not much to write about. They stick to their knitting. A cheese biscuit. A roll. A blueberry biscuit. You can add fake chicken and sausage. Real sausage, bacon, egg and maybe ham. A few sauces. Cheese (pimento and another). Almost all variations cost more. Sides included tots and a few other things. Donuts. They try and to avoid any inter-personal contact. You order at a kiosk and they put the bag in a locker. The guy directly behind the counter (ordering tablet) never even looked up once. I'm not sure what his job was. They open at 7am and close at 2pm. It is a small, long, rectangular foot print. Like a Domino's. Much more cheap, take out like than I expected (or saw in Savannah). Modern. White. Only seating (limited) is outside). I believe they started in NC. Finally opened this store around a week ago. Two others here while I was. Not much new or mindbending. You can just go to say you have. I don't get the biscuit (or bagel or muffin or donut) as bread line of thinking anyway. Just seems like being different for the sake of being different. These things are too thick to get into your mouth or too flimsy to keep their fillings in. And a biscuit is just formed sawdust.

*Travel Notes - Switzerland: CH is for Swiss Francs. Exchange rate was 1 to 1.15. Not in our favor. It was over 90 and sunny every day. I flew Delta through JFK to Geneva for $770. Late PM there. Midday back. Three hour delay in JFK for air-con issue. A minor air-com issue delayed us on the return. Same plane? Took the bus to hotel for 3CH. Internet said they had a free one. It stopped two years ago. I took train for same price back. I think that was faster. Stayed at Hotel de Geneve that first day for $105. All hotels had some city tax that sometimes the booking sites included and sometimes did not. I will leave those out. Figure 2-4CH a night. Maybe per person. I was alone. I walked the old city and lakefront. Cathedral, Rousseau's house, Parc des Bastions, Red Cross birthplace, beach, waterspout. Not my first time here. I'll add at this point that I did almost no eating out. Just supermarket buys because everything was double even our inflated prices and the selection was good and I was usually tuckered out. I'll list the goodies at the end. I also bought a train pass. Last time I remember choking (and telling them to f off and get me a ticket to Milan) at the prices. It was worse this time. I do think the tellers (especially if you get a jerk) quote you the first class price, etc. There is on online site called Trainline.com where you can by exact time departure tickets for less. I wasn't sure if it was legit though. A conductor told me it was later on. I decided I just didn't want to play 20 Questions while jetlagged with an extra three hour delay and bought a six day Flex pass for $384CH. It was smart. This is why. You start getting more for your money the more days you add. I could have done eight. That might have been perfect. Maybe one day too much. If you stay two or three nights in each city, you can make it all the way back to the start with no drama. And I advise you to hit two or three cities in one day to squeeze the most out of these cheapskates. You will see how I did this as we go on. To Basel the next day. Through Neuchatel and Olten. Stayed at the Hotel Metropol near the station for $197 for two nights. It was supposed to be the Hotel City Inn. They ran three hotels next to each other. This listed for more, but, had no AC. I didn't notice the switch. Just decided to leave it be after I did. Easy walk to city center. Saw the usual. Rathaus, cathedral, tower, museums, city walls, etc. Bathed in the Rhine River. Walked both sides of it. They have Art Basel here. I had never been. I expected more. Still it was cute. Took train through Zurich to a town in the north called Schaffhausen. I should add that many of these place I learned of through this guy on PBS that has a show where he rides trains around Switzerland. It was cute. Paid 6CH (though I learned later that my flex pass probably was good for this) for a return bus pass to these waterfalls about four miles away (you pass them on the train) called Rhein Falls. Came back and walked the town up to a fort (Munot). Back on the train (this was a slow one) aside the Bodensee (we call it Lake Constance) to St Gallen (named for an Irish monk). Stayed at the Hotel Elite for $224 for two nights. Same sort of things. The best part was a trail above the city. You pay 2CH for funicular that is behind the Cathedral. I only walked it a few miles. You can take it to the lake. It passes by these three ponds that the locals use to swim in. Great views of the city and beyond. It was Sunday and almost everything was closed. Next I took the train to Zurich and on to Chur. I should say at this point that I never checked a schedule and just showed up and no matter where I was going (big city or small) that I never waited more than 15 minutes. Chur is on the way to St Moritz (in the southwest). I came here to check out a small ski village nearby called Arosa. It was cute. Slow train to there. Oddly, it was full of Hassids. I read about in USA Today. Before that, I checked with the ticket office to see if they had open spots on the Glacier Express. Amazingly they did. I paid the extra 49CH you need to reserve a seat. I used my flex pass for the rest (it is usually $100 just for that). If you can get a seat. My seatmate said he booked three months ahead. I probably shouldn't have jumped at that opportunity. I should have asked if they had seats two days later. They might have. Then I could have done St Moritz too. But, I have been there before and hotels were in the $200 range (outside of the center) and I did end up having fun not doing much at the end of the journey. So, because of the jaunt to Arosa, I didn't see much (not much anyway) of Chur. Cathedral. museums, etc. Stayed at Hotel Franziskaner for $90. Glacier Express to Brig the next day. Most go to Zermatt and the Matterhorn. But, I have already been there and wanted to stay on the main line because I wasn't sure how up to date it was. It was just like the rest of the country. I probably should have gone on to Zermatt. The ride was ok. Not life changing. Brig was cute. Very busy rail/bus hub. Same things. It was some stupid holiday, so, all the stores and markets were closed. Had to scramble for food. I had a room with a balcony at the Hotel Victoria across from the station for $112. Onto Lausanne. Stopped at Martigny. Roman ruins (arena, etc), cathedral, fort, Barryland (St Bernard dogs museum). You can get to Mont Blanc from here. Stopped at Montreux. This is back on Lake Geneva. Walked the lakefront to the Chateau de Chillon. Lord Byron made it famous and some say it started the whole "Grand Tour" romantic movement. It took about 45 minutes. I think you can get a bus or train too. Onto Vevey. Same things. Charlie Chaplin ended up here. His grave is here. You can tour his house. It was too late for that. Onto Lausanne. I stayed away from the lake this time. It was grimy up there. Up two stations on the funicular to the Hotel Crystal at $256 for two nights. I also chose to stay up here to hear the town crier at the Cathedral. Went up there for a great view. 3CH. Walked the area. Took funicular down to the lake again. They have the Olympic Museum here fyi. They have some new area of converted warehouses called FLON. Too many addicts, etc though throughout the city. Lots of young girls. Onto Bern. First time. Now my favorite city in Switzerland. The capitol. Uncorrupted. Feels like the old days here. On the Aare river. I rented a locker at this park (Marzilibad) for 5CH and put my stuff in there and floated/swam down the river five times. Or you could buy a dry bag for 50CH. The best part of the trip. Dove off a bridge. Would have gone five more times, but, I got a huge blister walking barefoot from the point to point. That was day two. On day one I walked the town. Clock tower, Parliament, casino, Einstein's house, bear zoo, waterfall, bridges, other side of the river, churches, museums, theater, etc. Stayed at the Hotel Pergola for $210 for two nights. It was slightly west of DT. But, in a great, quiet neighborhood called Monbijou. The city was so clean. Quiet. The people were well dressed. Not so many tourists. My pass ran out here. A ticket to Geneva was 51CH. I stayed at the Hotel Astoria for two nights for $212. Near the station. Quiet somehow. They had AC. Cute hotel. I immediately put on my suit and walked to that beach on the lake. It was Sunday. So crowded. Still good. So many girls. Swam, etc. Walked a bit further to a private beach area and back and past Park la Grange on the other side of the street. The next day I walked past the WHO complex on the opposite side of the lake in the morning (great stroll) and back to the beach after lunch. Not as crowded. That's it. I won't list the wines I had. Mostly Swiss. There were so many vineyard areas throughout the country. 

Ate alot of roast chicken and smoked salmon. Tried these meats: chorizo, ochsenmaul (like beef head cheese) and schinken (ham). Samuel Bell was the brand. Cheese: Frontal, Helvetikuss, Aarganer Traum, Moron de Jura, Herzstuck, Tome Aletsch, Fromage frais au lait de Brebis (sheep), Ziger, Tomme de Geneve and three other goat cheeses. Most were Swiss. A few French (ie the goat). Maybe a few misspellings in there. I also had Johannisberren, watermelon and hazelnut yogurt. Some cheese topped bread called Langenkase Knopf. I bought from Coop and Migros. Migros doesn't sell alcohol. The best values were Migros .60CH dark chocolate bars and 2.50 CH pasta salad. Coop had 6.50CH half a roasted chicken, $4.50CH smoked salmon, .60CH liter soda, .60 yogurt, 1CH mozz, and 1CH rice cakes. That became the go to with goat cheese. Watch for prices marked in 100g. I really only had two other purchases - great cassis gelato at Cuckoo in Bern and some cheese and beer and bad cider (oh yeah, I tried about five Swiss beer brands) from Zenhausern (a fancy market) in Chur. I also had one McD's hamburger for lunch at 2.50 (or a cb for 2.90) a pop on most days. Too hot to eat much else. I think the increase in my page views may be ChatGPT related. I understand that you can ask it to make you a travel plan. It scours the Internet for the info. Maybe I'm being scoured?

Duck & Drake, College Park

I went here two Mondays ago because I believe the OW had written that this was their new address. Nope. Just the same food truck at Digress. They did say that they plan to move to DT at Radius condos or something soon. I won't be attending based on this unimpressive display. I tried the butter chicken pie because I thought it would be pre-made and come out quickest. Nope. And that just makes it worse. It was a tiny thing that they felt unembarrassed to value at $16. I did mention it was a food truck? I've had better pasties or meat pies for $3. Bland. Boring. They married it with a mail order bride of a dry field green salad. Sad. They have about a dozen snacks on the menu. Three were unavailable. Priced from $9 to $18. Not much new or inventive. You can pass and maybe wait to see if they improve the menu when they go brick and mortar. Although, would you be shocked if the prices grow more imbalanced in the process? Next!

Pho Drive Thru, OBT

I must have some serious brain damage to interrupt my current drunken repose in a secret location to inform you of this mediocre Vietnamese play.  I'm really doing so to hip you to some time sensitive travel info. It will follow.

I had a pork roll and pate banh mi for a ridiculous $10.  Hey, auto correct coding imbeciles! It's not bang mi. And if you correct banh. Why not the mi part? Anyway. Thin, Publix bought baguette. Sloppy with the butter. Not much roll or pate. Veg ok. Fresh. Limited menu. Just around six sammies (not jammies mfers) and two phos. Chicken or beef broths with noodles for $10. You can add the usual meats for up to $8. The place looks like an old fast food restaurant. They tried to spruce it up with some color, but, it looks worn already. A hodge podge of reclaimed, bankruptcy restaurant furniture. It had a few customers at 2pm. Surprisingly mixed crowd. It's at OBT and Central Palm Parkway. That is about half way between I-4 and the mall. You can avoid it. Just go to Chinatown or Mills for better at half the price. Open for around a month.

*OK. If you were interested in England or Scandinavian bargain flights, I think Norwegian Air has become Norse Air. I just booked a non-stop to Gatwick last night on Labor Day+ for $395. It was like $1200 in June. Stockholm and Oslo were around mid-$600s. Connects in London. Dates didn't really matter. It might have been a five day flash sale. So, hurry up. They aren't paying me. I'm too lazy or stupid to monetize. They go all over Europe. FYI - one more post in a few days for the dinner before I left.

Grub Crawl - Milk District: Otto's High Dive and Smoke & Donuts

I tried these two spots on Friday night. The first is on East Robinson and just off Bumby. Next to Stasio's Deli. The second is closer to 50 on North Primrose. Next to Seven Bites.

Otto's High Dive - It is upscale Cuban inspired fare with a rum bar (I think they call it Abandanza or something). I wonder why it is called Otto's? It opened in December. Only dinner. Seven days. It will be on the Favorites List. I had the pork belly for $28. It was one of the better dishes I've had (not just in CF) in a while. The pork belly was so tender and succulent. Maybe the best I've ever been served. Like buttah. I would have eaten it even if it was all fat and no meat. It sat atop a corn puree with pickled blueberries that may have been even better. They said there was no funky aged cheese accent added to it. Through some accidental (or purposeful) alchemy it tasted like there was. And it tasted magical. The portion size isn't huge, but, it packs so much intense flavor that you won't need more. The menu is smallish. Media noche is the cheapest at $16. Ropa vieja at $24. A few other things (like chicken) from the low twenties to over thirty. $2 imported oysters. $18 tuna ceviche app. A few more apps like that. I think I remember an interesting fish tiradito for $20. They have a section of finger foods like croquettas. They were $6. Sides as well, of course. The dishes I saw around me (and comments) all were encouraging. The dish came out fast. But, not too fast. I sat at the bar because it was full to capacity. There is also a patio in front and a slender area in between. Some other bar like seats at the window. There are so many people on the staff. Seven alone around the bar area. Two hostesses. And it is a small foot print. The staff is hopelessly on trend. Nose rings (on the men now) and tats galore. You know. Comformist originality. Though it really has been going on for so long that it is probably better described as retro or normative at this point in time. At least they aren't back to slicing their tongues in half. The crowd was diverse (not just in superficial tones). The place has a black, white and maple color palette. The bar is well stocked. Many "curated" cocktails. It is separated from the main room by a half wall. Maybe ten seats at the bar and ten tables in the main room. Five outside. Parking is an issue. I forget the story about the man behind the magic. I think he has some credentials. If not, this place should supply hin with them. I was ambivalent (mostly because I have found that Cuban cuisine has a low ceiling) about the place before I ate here. Just the next on the list to try. Now I'm convinced. The standards seem high. The creativity is present. The execution is flawless. I just wish there was a special or two to really push the boundaries. And I'm not even complaining about the prices. You know it's good! I would find my way here asap. Ohh, they add in a 18% gratuity. But, at least they informed me of it. Query - is mandatory gratuity going to be the new participation trophy? Because, you know, apparently any kind of praise is no longer OPTIONAL. And ownwership is another Gen X parent. I will end by stating that when I compare them to some of the questionable selections in the Michelin Guide that I have eaten at recently, I surely hope they put these guys on the next list. Or make them the bar you have to surpass to get on it. They present you with a praiseworthy product. Not just a praiseworthy product that fills a slot. Though (if they aren't vile Anglo appropriators) they do that too. And that goes for all the other ratings entities or individuals engaged in diversity scale im/re/un/balancing.

Smoke & Donuts - Now the flip side. I had the pit sampler for $18. It was a choice of three meats (I did brisket, pulled pork and sausage) with one side (I did mashed potatoes) and cornbread. The cornbread was the best. And that's the rub (no pun). The baking side seems solid. The bbq is not. The brisket tasted like roast beef or prime rib. No smoke. Rubbery. Tough. Not sliced right. The pork was thick strands of tough and flavorless meat. The sausage was ok (some nice earthy flavors). But, I'll bet they buy it. The portion sizes were also not too generous. And they bragged about how well they do this. Reality check? The mashed potatoes (with gravy) were a goopy mess. Sort of like runny Boston Market mp. The sauces were also not great. And man do you need them! They also had ribs and chicken and maybe turkey. The usual sides. Not cheap. I think sandwiches started at near double digits and single meat plates at mid teens. The best bargain seemed to be a chopped brisket on a donut for $6. You order at a counter. They have a few tables. The donuts (behind the counter) looked amazing. I think the do breakfast too. Not much ambience. I think it was an ancient diner/cafe before this. Parking in front. Don't expect too much (or hope I had a bad sampler) and you may not be disappointed. Maybe avoid the "smoke"? Open 7 days. L & D. Open for a year or six months? I forget what they said.

*Congratulations to those old crones Downtown that spent 3 million bucks for the next homeless encampment at Lake Eola. And have you seen this meat crust pizza from Argentina? Am I late to the table on this one?

Aurora, UCF Area *AL/IN/OH/WV/VA/NC/SC/FL Travel Notes

I tried this restaurant in the Celeste Hotel Friday at lunch. It is on Alafaya Trail in between the front entrance and the theater entrance. They have valet parking, but, you can self park. Get a pass for the window. I think they said they have been open for a year. Light gray walls. Plates with primitive symbols on the wall. Maple tables. Purple-ish and lavender seats. Cloth napkins. The hostess desk was mostly unmanned. There for a short time when no one was present. Not there when they were. I had to chase down employees to get a table. I think they rotate the lobby and bar hotel staff. Only two on the wait staff. Rectangular floor plan. One big private room on the right side. Some two seater booth aside it. The rest are four seaters against the window. The menu was a bit dull and overpriced. I had a grilled chicken sandwich with bibb lettuce, tomato and avocado. The chicken was ok. A tad dry. Good bun. Fresh veg. Like a Chick Fil-a sandwich. However this cost $16. Came with ok fries. It was the cheapest thing. I recall a burger, two salads, an app with burrata and a sliced filet sandwich with goat cheese. I expected it to be a bit more engaging. Just the usual hotel restaurant fare. Service was good. It was mostly empty except for the private room. 

*Travel Notes - Alabama/Indiana/Ohio/West Virginia/Virginia/North Carolina/South Carolina/Florida: I rented a car from Budget for two weeks. $507 with tax. This trip was just a filler to avoid flying. I was going to go to Texas. But, it was too hot. Many, if not most of the things, I wanted to do did not get done. Mostly because things were closed on the days I was driving through them or teams were elsewhere. I drove the first day through Atlanta to 20 to Oxford Alabama. I was trying to get past Atlanta without traffic. And I had never driven that stretch of highway. I stayed at a Sleep Inn for $109 (rack rate). Watched the Wimbledon final. I then drove to Birmingham for lunch at Niki's West on 378 (on Bizarre Foods). It sucked. Overpriced cafeteria slop. I then drove north through Tennessee and Kentucky. Forgot about Fort Knox. Some distilleries were too far off the highway. I was intending to hit Memphis and St Louis, but, things wouldn't have been open and weather reports were bad. Diverted route northward. Got stuck in traffic for hours north of Nashville (downed cable). Had to sleep in Seymour Indiana because most hotels in between had jacked up prices or were booked due to kids' baseball tournaments and a Beyonce concert in Louisville. Found a Quality Inn for $106. I bypassed Hamilton Indiana because destinations (breweries) didn't open until 4pm and some had shuttered. Went through Cincinnati. Ate at White Castle (burgers) and Skyline Chili (coneys) in Sharonville. On through Columbus via 70. To Cambridge Ohio because I have this 2015 copy of Food Traveler (with Adam Richman on the cover) sitting on top of my toilet and they put an ad in there that I have been re-reading for eight years. It's on the SE border. It sucked. Like a more neglected Scranton PA. None of charm promised in the ad. I stayed at a Microtel for $85. Had a bad brownie and Swedish tea pastry at Kennedy's Bakery. Good blackberry pie at Theo's. Horrible (probably packaged and nuked) sopapilla at Mr Lee's. Beer from McKenna's Market. The next day bought ok peanut butter cup and chocolate covered graham crackers and chocolate covered rice crispy treat at Nothing But Chocolate. All these were in the ad. Drove south an exit to Lake Seneca. Had ok fried cod with mac and a baked potato at Dockside in Senecaville. Drove some backroads to see the northern edge of the lake. Through Wheeling West Virginia on 470 to 250S. I wanted a new route. Back on 79 to 19S. Stayed the night at a SureStay in Summerville WV for $101. Went white water rafting from 2pm to 5pm on the New River with ACE Adventure in Oak Hill WV (like 20 miles south) for $132. By far the highlight of the trip. Had a chicken salad biscuit and a blt biscuit at a chain called Tudor's Biscuit World. Kept seeing their stores. Drove over to Charlottesville Virginia via 64E through Staunton. That was a longer drive than I thought. Slept two nights at a noisy Super 8 on 29 just north of 250 loop for $98 a night. This area is gentrifying. Waited a half hour for a shitty chicken burrito at Torchy's. And they put it in a bowl. Not a tortilla. Tried wineries in the NE and NW quadrants over the next two days. Sampled wine from these: Barboursville Vineyards, The Barn at 678, Reynard Florence Vineyards, Stinson Vineyards, Grace Estate Winery, Glass House Winery and Hark Vineyards. Visited but rejected (mostly over pricing): Merrie Mill Farm & Vineyard, Keswick Vineyards, Horton Cellars, Well Hung Vineyard and Knight's Gambit Vineyard. Some of these idiots wanted $25+ for a flight (4). $17 for a glass. Most of the places I went were under half that. Good quality. Especially the reds. I ate a late lunch the first day at the Blue Ridge Cafe on 33 and 29 because I kept missing the places I wanted to eat at and ended up here by chance. Had liver and onions and mp and a baked potato. The red wine was talking. Got a pulled pork sandwich at BBQ Exchange in Gordonsville because I passed by it. The next day I ate a good pizza from the Crustworthy food truck at Hark Vineyards. I should say that I lucked out on the wineries I went to. Didn't review any of them before hand. Nice people and locations too. Beautiful drives through the country. This has to be the most livable city in America. Stayed night three at a Red Roof Inn closer to 250 loop for $98 because I extended the stay and didn't love the Super 8. Drove 64E through Richmond to 295 to 95. Had a spicy fried chicken biscuit with honey at Biscuitville in Roanoke Rapids NC. Stayed the night at a Comfort Inn in Lumberton North Carolina for $93 because I overestimated the time (and traffic) to Charleston. Ate good fried chicken at Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Q. Drove 95S to 26S to Charleston South Carolina. Ate fancy hard boiled eggs and pickled shrimp on toast at Baba's on Meeting (HSR). The following restaurants were either from How She Rolls on PBS or a Travel and Leisure article. HSR and TL from now on. Had beer at Baker & Brewer. Met the beer guy there and he told me to go to their other brewery (Holy City) in North Charleston. It is in an area near the Naval Yards called Park Circle. A new hip area. I did after some fried chicken to go from Leon's (HSR). Then over Rittenberg Blvd to Frothy Beard Brewing (TL). Then on to 17 to West Ashley and a Sleep Inn. Stayed there for two nights at $112 a night. Dinner of bad chili cheese fries and pulled pork at Hugh Baby's. It was new. Hockey puck burger the next day at Little Jack's Tavern (HSR). Near Leon's. King and Race. Back to Park Circle to Wind & Waves Brewing. Coneys at Park Circle Coney Island and fried cod at the Codfather. Both surprisingly good and cheap. Visited the Naval Yards. The place that houses this old sub (Hunley) was closed. Went to Riverfront Park. Cute area with nice houses. Back to Spruill St (that Meeting St turns into) to Firefly Distillery. Willie Nelson is playing there in late October. Did a tasting for $13. Over to Coast Brewing Company. They weren't open, but, this guy inside just gave me a four pack for free. Over to Common House Ale Works. I should say that some of these places are really visually impressive. Back to West Ashley. Bento with enormous portion (like 4x) of teriyaki chicken at Konnichiwa. Maybe because I scolded them for $12 two piece nigiri that I still think must be a typo. Breakfast of chicken salad from East Bay Deli. On to Vilano Beach Florida. That brewer told me about it. It is north of St Augustine Beach channel. More pristine. I'm glad I learned of it. Will go there from now on. You take 16 off 95. You can see the fort and downtown from the channel side of the beach. I stayed at the too dog friendly Magic Beach Motel for $110 a night. There are new hotels (ie Hampton Inn, Hyatt Place, BW) there too. My hotel was almost on the beach. They have a Publix too. A few restaurants. Beach road connects to South Ponta Vedra in the north. Bought some rum the first night and drank rum and coke on the lifeguard stand at dusk. Had iffy sauteed mahi and wild rice (awful pairing) and ok veg at The Reef the next day. Good ahi tacos with bean and chick pea salad and cole slaw at grubby looking 180 Vilano Grill for dinner. It rained that afternoon/night. I guess it was an ok trip. More booze and food and less sights and adventures than I would have liked. But, the next trip should make up for it. Where could it be? They gave me a new SUV instead of a gas friendly compact, so, I tried to compensate with low priced hotels. Gas is actually more expensive here then anywhere I traveled to. The weather also effected where I ended up. Dodging heat, hail and tornados. Thankfully, the car had satelitte radio. How conflicted am I that I like to listen to Larry the Cable Guy's talk show and Tom Popa and Fortune Feemster's too? 

Grub Crawl - West Colonial (50): Meet Fresh, Friendship BBQ (Closed) and Paul's Unique Gourmet (Closed) *UK Travel Notes

I tried these spots last night. They are on West Colonial. The first two are in "Chinatown" on either side of the Enson (I know that is incorrect but close) Market. The last is closer to I-4. John Young intersection?

Meet Fresh - I think they opened just a few months (or weeks ago). They said they are a world wide chain. I believe it was Taiwanese sweet items. I had the almond pudding with sweet beans for $3.50. Or something like that. There were too many new things to absorb. Add in a single terminal that would not display prices until check out and I was awash selecting anything. They also did "soups", bowls, waffles, mochi, drinks. Many things. The non-"snacks" were near $9 to $10. My dish was like a coconut custard with sweet red beans around it. Ok for water and tofu. The place is hospital white. Lots of open space. MODERN. If it is a choice between this and boba places, I choose this.

Friendship BBQ - They opened very recently. I think they have some prior association with the post-apocalyptic wokeland of New York. I don't think their target market is the West. The sign (and clientele) is mostly in Chinese. Tiny English lettering. I almost couldn't find it. It is mostly a skewer place. And their presentation was a bit gross. The waitresses just carried them from the kitchen to a table like they were a bouquet of flowers. Add in a waste trolley hanging out in plain site and it all started working against the modern interior design. Is this mod-cuisine or a street market stall? I settled on the lamb and potato burrito for $12. Firstly because most of the menu was mostly skewered meat and secondly because they said they had already raised the price (by 25%) on the menu on the fired rice with lamb and thirdly because it sounded weird and fourthly because I didn't feel like eating in before I began a road trip. It was just skewered lamb (2) in a naan like fried bread. Didn't taste any potato. Just wilted lettuce and tomato. It was ok. I had to cook the meat a bit more in the micro. Cumin flavor. Some spice paste. The menu has crazy things like: cow aorta, lamb kidney, bullfrog, chicken heart, bone marrow, quail, skeleton, lamb spine, and abalone. The place looked cool. Modern. Three columns of seats. Around six rows. A bar (with no stools) in back. Alley like lay out. About 1/5th full. Good, young, cute service. It just needs to clean up its act.

Paul's Unique Gourmet - I had them on the list and then I went by months ago and the place looked closed. I guess it was a break. They opened in October. Haitian. They seem to be big in Miami. Let's not get into that. I already had dinner, so, I ordered their cheapest thing (tenders were not available). 6 wings for $10. They turned out to be ok. Plump. Three of each type. I had to cook these a little bit too. Jerk flavor. I added no flavor because they seemed not to be dips. Maybe I was wrong on that. Most meals were around $20. Goat, pork, seafood, ribs, chicken. Around eight sides. Fried and grilled. No one was there. Still looked half done. The half done part was modern and clean. An upgrade over the place they replaced. This place may have potential.

Travel Notes (continued) - England: I left you while I was on a National Express bus to Bristol. It doesn't appear that they factored in Friday traffic when they planned the route (nor explained all the stops or e-cig breaks). However, we were so late getting through Manchester that there was no traffic to Birmingham and I make it in time for the transfer. And guess what? It's canceled. The only one. They promise cabs. That they will pay for. It takes an hour, but, they actually come through. The driver was probably drunk and there were eight to a cab, but, they get us there. At 11pm. Started at 11am. I stay at the Holiday Inn near the bus station for $107. See nothing of Bristol. Wake up early and thankfully check the bus web site and run to the station and claim a 10L fare to Taunton at the station. So much more money later on. Arrive in Taunton (in North Somerset) and stumble upon the other bus area that has the bus I want. I just jump on it. A 2L fare (each way) to Minehead. Pretty drive. I like it and decide I will book a room there the next night. So, I just go back to Taunton after a brief investigation. FYI- Minehead seemed as close to Exmoor National Park as I could get without a car. I was wrong. You can get another bus at the same price along the coast westward. I did that the next day. Back to Taunton. Cute town. I stayed at the Royal Ashton for $74. Near the station. Walked the town. Saw cricket stadium and Minster. Bought a train ticket for the next day. Back to Minehead. The other bus (Exmoor Coaster) to Porlock and Lynmouth. It goes on to some cute towns (ie Ilfracombe) on the Bristol Channel. I will do this (but from Barnstaple) next year. This is really hidden gem of an area. Also Lorna Doone country. That's a book (and a character). In Minehead I stayed at the Duke of Wellington for 72L ($91). Most things closed earlier than I expected (Sunday). Back to Taunton in the morning. A 32L train to Salisbury. I think they lied about the anytime fare being the same as a directly timed one. Machines seemed to be rigged to get you to buy those too. FYI - those 2L buses ran all the way to Glastonbury or Wells. I would have done that if they ran on Sundays. I figured out a different route. In Salisbury, I stayed at the Kings Head Inn for 89L ($113). Saw the Cathedral (Magna Carta) and Church of St Thomas Becket. Cute town too. It was rainy. Ate a chicken and leek pasty at Reeve the Baker (and bought a baguette). Had a Saveloy Sausage at Stoby's. Bought a timed train ticket to Bath for 10L. They were starting to strike that week. In Bath, I found the bus station (down the block on the left) and the bus to Wells was there. So, I hopped on. Also 2L. Endless trip. More stops than a school bus. 17 miles took almost 2 hours. It was raining hard. so, I just took a few quick pics of the Cathedral and the Bishop's Palace. Missed the Rector's Close. Cute town. Back to Bath. Bought a timed ticket to Manchester (through Bristol) for $44L. Most were near 100L. Still raining. Stayed at Z Hotels for $105L. I have been there before, so, I just watched tv and kept my things dry. Walked the town a bit in the morning. Train to Manchester. Stayed at the noisy Easy Hotel (near train station) for two nights at $84 per. The next day I bought a 5L unlimited bus pass and took one to Manchester United's stadium at Old Trafford and back (Picadilly Garden) and one to Manchester City's Etihad stadium and back. Ate chicken in black pepper sauce and some nigiri at Sushi Mami. Bought 7L train ticket to airport the next day. Flight back was ok. Had to circle for an hour before landing. Saw Avatar and full season of White Lotus (Sicily). Breezed through customs. 

Things I ate in England: Blacksticks Blue (ok), Abergavenny Goat's Cheese (ok), Aldi duck liver and orange pate (horrible), Moroccan hummus, Scottish seeded oak crackers, white crusty bloomer. Some other sights 

I saw: Inverary Castle, Eilean Donan Castle, Dunster Castle, Thurso Castle, Bristol Suspension Bridge, Isle of Hoy, Old Man of Hoy, Isle of Lismore, Duart Castle, Aston Villa Stadium. The UK was already jammed packed. All the Euros and even some Chinese and Japanese. Tons of Yanks. I was mostly on the west side (and north). More south coast next year. Air fares seem to drop in August. Maybe that will change if the demand stays high? Still love my Gogglebox, QI and Top Gear repeats after a busy day. Plus some Rick Stein. He was in Mexico this year. Their knowledge of Mexican culture is so comically behind the times. BTW - my page views are exploding. Any idea why? You idiots seem to like the travel stuff more than the Orlando stuff.

Mongolorian, East Colonial (50) - Closed *UK Travel Notes

I tried this Mongolian stir fry spot on Saturday at lunch. I have only seen about five minutes of the series that it borrows its name from, but, I hope it isn't as disappointing as this place. I have heard that it has been a hot ticket since it opened around two months ago. It was nearly empty on this day. Maybe the word is out. And the word is not good. It already looks ten years worn. Red and black coloring. You order and pay at a terminal. And of course they still have a tip prompt. You add a number. They call it. I paid $15 for a small bowl of Mongol Empire (beef and chicken on rice). A bit tough. Scant veggies. Not much rice. Not very spicy. They have some kind of (4) cement mixer spinning next to the flat top where they were cooking the meat. I'm not sure if that's where they mix the dish. It was only spitting out water (cleaning?) when I espied it. They have a few "predetermined" options. Or you can make your own. Same prices. Pork, beef, chicken and I think a fake meat one. Maybe shrimp. A few types of noodles and rice. A few sauces. Eight or so apps (ie wings or edamame) around $7. Six tables for four at the window. Two high tops of four in the middle. Open 11am-3pm and then 5pm to ? Adequate parking. Near Bumby on East Colonial. Just low level take out that should cost half as much. Avoid.

*Travel Notes - United Kingdom: I will split this into two parts (Scotland and England). 1L = $1.28. I paid $960 for a NS to Manchester on Aer Lingus. London was $300 more. Red eye there and 11am return. Our terminal 3. Breezed through customs. It cost 6L for a train from the airport (you have to walk very far now from their new terminal 2 to airport station) to Picadilly Station. Thankfully, I booked Motel One at the last minute before I left for 90L ($166). They let me in my room at 9am. I have been to Manchester a few times (and seen most things), so, I just slept and grabbed dinner at a market and bought a train ticket. All the missing meals from now on were supermarket meals (mostly Co-Op or Sainsbury) of cheese, hummus, bread, charcuterie and wine or beer or cider. A few trips to McD's too. I went to Edinburgh by train (no xfers added around 10L to cost) for 57L. Stayed at Royal Princes Suites for two days at $166 a night. It was almost impossible to find mid-priced accomodations. I walked to Leith via some great old train paths in a park. Saw the Royal Yacht. Came back. Wandered around this side of town. It was drizzly. Went to National Portrait Gallery (free) the next day. Bought a bus ticket. Ate lunch at Oink on Royal Mile. It was whole hog sandwiches. I had one with haggis spread and apple sauce. Very good. Walked up to Arthur's Seat (hill at end of Royal Mile). Mostly why I was there. Came down and walked over to some stadium that I saw from up there. It was the one for Hiberian FC. Back past some sights already seen (and you should find) to a newish mall with some interesting food options (and retail) that I didn't eat at. Ate lunch of Bunny Chow (chicken and potato curry in bread loaf) the next day at Mowgli. Some famous Indian chef (Nisha Katona) there. A dish for South African train workers. Walked to Haymarket station and saw the Cathedral and National Records building. Tried to find other soccer stadium (and rugby). They were too far. Boarded the bus back in city center to Inverness. It cost 21L. Stayed at horrible Castle View for 60L ($76). It was also hard to find rooms here. Took train to Thurso (most northerly point) for 36L (RT) because bus ticket office was closed when I came into town and I needed certainty. Stayed at Royal Thurso for two nights at 58L ($75) a night. Walked the coast. The next day I walked a mile or so to Scrabster Ferry (nice path) because the bus wasn't working and a taxi was 10L. RT Ferry to Stromness on the main Orkney Island for 43L. Just there and back. Didn't see the main sites. Bought Donaldson's of Orkney smoked beef (tough) and The Island Smokery Orkney Kirkjuagr Gin Flavored Orkney Cheddar at The Bay Leaf Deli. Saw Guns and Roses at Glastonbury on tv. Back to Inverness the next day. Bought a three day pass for 56L. Stayed at Travelodge for 70L. Had to book direct on their site. I think a few chains are off Booking or Expedia. This was a Sunday. It was double the next day when I tried to extend and triple days before. Saw Elton John phone it in at Glastonbury on tv. Took a rt bus over bridge to Portree on Isle of Skye the next day. Past Loch Ness and some other cute towns (Kyle of Lochalsh). Stayed at Columba in Inverness for $144 (see the price swing?) again. Better this time. Had Cullen Skink (almost a chowder) and Curried Mallaig Mussels at a stall in the Victorian Market called Red Shank. Mussels were tiny here too (see Ireland Notes from last year). Had a beer at Uile Bheast Brewery. Used pass for bus trip to Oban through Fort William. Saw Loch Ness and Ben Nevis and Loch Lomand again. Stayed at Kelvin Hotel near the train station for two nights at $130 per. Had lunch of haggis roll the next day at Food from Argyll at the Pier. RT ferry to Mull for 8L. Three island tour was 81L and it was rainy. Dinner of haddock at Oban Fish and Chips because this chef on tv that I love over there (Rick Stein) said it was the best in UK. Or they wrote on the front of the store that he did. It was very good. On to Glasgow the next day on that pass. Bought bus ticket to Bristol (44L) for the next day. Of course it was a shit xfer because Citi MC thinks it can send me a code overseas on my phone that I seem to need to use on web site purchases and the good bus was sold out by that point. I don't swap sim cards when I travel! Walked to areas not explored yet. To Banksy exhibit at art museum. Weather was not great. Stayed at Grasshoppers near train station for $114. To Bristol the next day. That was an ordeal that I will get into later on. Could have bought more bus passes and hit other remote ports and onto islands but I was getting sick of the rain (or threat of it). Will do that next year. 

Some things I consumed from supermarkets to this point: Austrian smoked cheese (bad), Wensleydale with cranberries (bad), Wookey Hole Goat's Cheese (ok), Creamfield's French Brie (good), Belton Farm Cheshire (bad), Brussels pork pate (ok), Ardennes pork and mushroom pate (ok). I'll leave out all the charcuterie (mostly cheap and good and from Spain or Italy) and wines (mostly South African or Australian whites). Beer: Lerwick Brewery 60 North, Loch Ness Brewery, Fyne Ales Farm Brewery, Six North, Belfield Brewery. Cider: Sxollie (South Africa) and Thistly Cross (Scotland).

Grub Crawl - Sanford: Sweet & Salty Island Grindz and Yugari Ramen Project *Guyana Travel Notes

 I tried these stalls at Henry's Depot on Sunday. The first replaces Current. It moved where the burger one was. The second replaced Taglish. I think the pizza place was under a new name. Git n Messy replaced another. Hot dog one?

Sweet & Salty Island Grindz - Hawaiian. I tried a spam and spicy spam musubi. Both $4. Ok. They offer up a typical menu. That one with the egg and burger. Pork. Prices in mid teens. Opened in  Feb.

Yuguri Ramen Project - I tried the chicken karaage for $10. Ok. Some dry. Some stringy. Some ok. Fried to order. Timed. He said these and gyoza, edamame and okonomiyake were not from scratch. Focus on ramen. I think they were vegan. Around four types. $16.  He said he worked at Sushi Pop and Kabooki. Opened here in Nov? I may go back for the ramen.

*Travel Notes - Guyana: I flew AA to Miami to Georgetown for $576. Late into Miami. Flight back was five hours late the day before because crew hourly overage. Only flight of the day. Mine left on time. Miami to Orlando was delayed two hours because late crew and pilots. They left us on tarmac for three hours because it was breezy. Then back to gate because crew was over allowed work time.. Then I rented car and drove home at 9pm because I had another flight the next day. They didn't rebook until 9pm the next night. Total screw ups. Stayed at Brandsville Suites for $235 for three nights. Taxi was $33 each way. Saw Stabroek Market and St George's Cathedral and Court House.  Terrible country. Next to nothing to do. A taste of Africa in SA. They have done nothing for themselves since England left. Now Exxon has found oil and did all the work for them and they are bitching about being exploited. That the money is going for infrastructure. There are some waterfalls and pretty territory in the south. Not utilized. Beaches left as is as well. All I saw them hauling was sand. Glad it is off the list. It has been a while since I was this glad to leave. I was having heart palpitations at the thought of getting stuck here. Barely left the hotel room. Ate canned tuna and cookies and tortillas I brought. Hot and rainy too.