Down to the cultural capital of Wales this weekend – blumming heck it was full of scary weirdos.
Initially I had planned to get the train, but as there was a car full of us, and the hotel had a car-park next door it made sense to drive. Left around midday, and drove through torrential rain, and began to get a little worried about the wetness of the day – but as we neared Swansea the sun put its little hat on..
We stayed in the Premier Inn at the Waterfront, I love Premier Inn, they are nearly all good, and reasonable value, and you know exactly what you are getting – this one was no different, great check in staff, and a great room – these new ones even get air-con – woooo!. Just dumped the bags off and set off into the town, we headed up to the train station to start with as I was keen to see where I used to arrive at Swansea all those years ago. We started on Wind Street, which is apparently known as Wine Street as it is the street of pubs. Well, I have never seen as many middle aged wino’s sucking their fags with there punch juice looking all tattooed and quarrelsome. We walked passed the Labour club, which had drunkards spilling out to the street, then going next door to the bookies, back to the club and round and round a little like a weather clock. Its rough. Very. But it does have beer…
Didn’t make it to the station as it was pointless to take everyone up there, so we walked along the top street where the last time I visited Swansea properly I was probably 19 and where we sat on the street boozing alot – not even a pub there any more. Back to the quadrant, and met up with Ant, bought a pen and a sticky tape refill and he took us to the pubs – so back to Wind Street and passed the scary men, and the odd woman. Then into the Piano and Pitcher which was the most salubrious place we saw. Student Ant has a taste for expensive beers, so I had to match that with a Peroni, two of those, a wine and soda, two cokes – 17 quid. We waited for a bit and Tom came looking like he had been caught in a river and then badly blow dried, so we had another and watched him open a package from Japan he honestly looked worried about.
Next stop was the bowling alley, which was over by the plantarium – yes plant-arium no stars. Realized I had last been here 20 years ago with the Prouts in Jase’s Granada for a quick trip from H/West. After an hour long game, which I just won by 117 points to 115, all on the last bowl. Two Stella’s here, in the nice glasses, and Ant bought one of them – which was nice.. All a little shabby here, and 35 quid for an hour – but that took us to supper time, so back down Wind street to Frankie and Bennies. Table for seven was no problem, Bud here, and a big menu to choose. I know what I should have had, but went for the biggest thing on the menu – Mixed Grill. It was crap. Chicken was overdone, steak was rubbish, gammon was okay and the sausage was alright – bonus was that for some reason I got a free pint. So another three here – lovely. Boys had some nice burgers and Kate and Becs also managed a dessert. I got a tenner off mine and a total cost of 120 sovs – not to bad. Slightly weird place as they kept turning off the lights and singing Happy Birthday to random people, they never sang at our table – don’t know why?! ;o)
Back to the hotel, Becs stayed and Kate shared with us, which meant that Sian slept on the floor for a lot of the night – I got up in the night gasping for a wee-wee, and waited for ages for her to come out of the toilet only to finally realize she was lying on the floor on the other side of the bed.
Slept okay, then we let the hotel and got in the car when it completely poured down real massive drops we were lucky to miss it. By the time we got to Ants it had stopped, rand him for outside, we were 10 minutes early, which means he had only been up for 5 mins. We then went down to the Uplands Diner http://www.uplandsdiner.co.uk/ for a big breakie. Quite a nice place in a grimy caf sort of way, I should have had the pulled pork sub – but went for the Beast Baguette which is six bacon, four sausage, 2 hash browns, two black puddings, mushrooms and two baguettes – because I didn’t have beans or eggs I has extra bacon and sausage. I made a miserable effort of eating it. It was very dry and the sausage wasn’t brilliant – but it was okay for breakfast, I just wasn’t really hungry enough – although I am not sure I would have eaten it anyway. Next time – it will be burger.
So that was it, we dropped off Ant, and set off home. Nice to have everyone together, its a pity they don’t go to Uni somewhere else! ;o) Not a fantastic place Swansea – is it butt?
Hotel – 7/10
Food – 5/10
Beer – 7/10
Breakfast – 8/10 (for the place)