Escape Hunt

 My Christmas present to Jo, Rich and Jacob was to spend time with me. As I didn't know what to get them and we like a fun activity I paid for us to go to an escape room. They haven't done one before and we're all super competitive so I thought it would be something fun for us to do. We went yesterday to Escape Hunt at the Albert Dock which I've been to twice already with Holly for my birthday and for her birthday. They didn't know what we were doing until we'd parked up in town and walked to the place so it was a nice surprise for them.

I booked The Fourth Samurai as that's one I haven't done yet. I forgot that it was actually the hardest one but it made sense as there was 4 of us rather than 2 so we should be better. We started quite slow but then we did eventually get into. There were different parts which we were all good at that helped us through it. We did manage to break out in 49.51 minutes. I thought we were over 50 minutes so happy with that. Not the fastest or the slowest time I've done it. They all enjoyed it and Jacob said he's been wanting to do an escape room so it turned out to be a successful present.

After we went for dinner in Il Forno - Italian on Duke Street. It's been on my list for years to try but just never went as it's a bit pricey

I got the lobster ravioli

Ravioli All'Astice - Fresh homemade ravioli with lobster, served with a lobster bisque - £27.50

Jacob

Filetto Di Manzo 10oz - Grilled prime fillet of beef served with dauphinoise potatoes, spinach, parmesan crust and Barolo sauce - £37

Jo's carbonara came out in a bowl then he put it in this giant cheese wheel and asked how creamy she wanted it!

Jo

Spaghetti Alla Carbonara - Artisan spaghetti with eggs, guanciale, parmesan, crushed peppercorns (made the Italian way) - £16.50

Rich

Tagliata Di Wagyu Di Manzo 10oz - Australian Wagyu steak, sliced and  topped with rocket and parmesan shaving - £35.50

Rich's side

Potato Dauphinoise - Thinly slice potatoes slow-cooked in the oven with cream - £5

My ravioli was nice. Small but enough as I've just needed a detox from Christmas as I had 4 roast dinners last week. I didn't actually eat that much at Christmas but have been having a lot of chocolate and had a sore throat for a few days. The dauphinoise potatoes were nice but not how I thought they were going to be as they're not usually like this. Usually really thin and creamy but this was crunchy.

We had an eventful night in Il Forno and never going back as Jacob after his first bite of his steak started choking on it. Luckily he was fine but it was pretty dramatic. Jo also felt sick after her food she just thought at first she had low sugar but then when we were walking back to the car said she didn't feel good after the food but not sure if it was because her carbonara was too cheesy - too much dairy. She ended up throwing up in the night and was fine after it so don't know whether the food was contaminated and she got sick or her stomach couldn't take it. But carbonara is her go to and think she's now been put off it for good. A good fun night turned into a bit a dramatic one but everyone is all good now!

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Christmas 2024

Christmas 2024 back in nanny Wing's for the first time since pre covid which was 4 years ago!

We had lunch at 1pm as Tracy, Chris and Amelie were going to Chris' sisters so we all had to go early. It was nice to have everyone back in grandma's on Christmas day. We did go to gran's last year but we did pre Christmas and it's just not the same as I was at home for Christmas day.

Chris took the photo

Annual cousin Christmas photo on actual Christmas day

Dress - Zara

Fur gilet - Topshop (Old)

All the cousins minus Gary, Lucas and Oliver

Furbies are now back in like 20 years later!

My mum, dad and Gavin got off early and I stayed as Laura said she'd drop me off but ended up going with her Mark, Billy and her parents to Gary's. Didn't end up going home till midnight but it was a nice unexpected night. Didn't get to watch any of the TV I wanted EastEnders and Gavin & Stacey so had to catch up on it all on Boxing Day.

It's been a busy Christmas with only Christmas day then yesterday and today I've not worked either my full time job/gym/PT'ing. No rest for the wicked hey! But I have managed to see everyone and enjoy Christmas. Back in grandma's on New Year's Day like old times!

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Warsaw

 

I went to Warsaw last weekend with Kelly and Danielle. We flew out late Friday night and came back Sunday evening. So didn't have to miss any work. Our flight was suppose to be at 7:05pm from Liverpool airport but we were delayed by 2 hours and didn't take off till 9:51pm which meant just chilling in Liverpool airport bar.

Kelly got wedges - literally 1 potato...

The flight was only 2 hours to Modline airport we landed at 12:45am and straight in a taxi to our Air BnB which was in the old town. Taxi only 20 minutes and cost less that £13.

Was a nice Air BnB - spacious and enough for just 2 nights.  Me and Danielle had the bed and Kelly was on the sofa. 

 

Saturday

We didn't get to sleep till 2:30am and got up at 9am ready for a day of exploring.

It was 3° real feel -1° but it wasn't that cold. I had fur lined Dr Martens boots, thermal pants, thermal top, roll neck jumper, coat, scarf and hat fully prepared and was sweating. My back was actually wet! It was colder at home and the temperature was higher! Really didn't need my thermals.

We walked to a bakery I'd been recommended for breakfast.

Bakery was called Galeria Wypieków Lubaszka which is a chain but has cheap pastries. I got a cinnamon bun which was only £1. We then walked to the Polin Museum of the History of Polish Jews.

 Couldn't wait to get my coat, scarf and hate off to throw into a locker but the museum was hot too. I did eventually cool down luckily. It was £8 and you got an audio guide which automatically came on depending on where you were.

It was interesting a lot of stuff I didn't know.

It cooled down after the museum so I was no longer sweating and could put my hat back on and didn't need my scarf.

After we walked into the old town

Went to a E.Wedel cafe. Danielle got a hot chocolate and Kelly got the tasting hot chocolate - milk, white, dark and bitter hot chocolate. Tried Kelly's and they were very sweet. It was basically just melted chocolate in a glass. She couldn't even finish them. 

There's a random water fountain in the middle of the cafe that was right behind us.

Danielle didn't go a very good job at directing

So take 2...

Waited ages for this to be clear!

We finally got our pierogi fix!

Mixed traditional fried

Mixed traditional boiled

Mixed croquettes

Before going to Warsaw I Googled Polish food as I had no idea what was traditional food and found pierogi which sounded well up my street. Dumplings very similar to gyoza. Think the outer is made the same as gyoza just different fillings and you can get both fried or boiled/steamed. We couldn't decide on fillings so just went for mixed traditional. This came to just over £10 each and that included drinks - water and 2 Mirinda (orange fizzy drink) and 3 random charges no idea what they were.

This was the only place that had mascots trying to pull customers in but they didn't need it as all restaurants that were doing pierogi had a queue out the door. We had to queue but didn't have to wait long at all. It was a very late lunch early dinner at it was about 4pm when we had this meal and was dark when we left.

I got conned into getting a pistachio pretzel... Bit into it and it had JAM INSIDE! All it had was pistachio drizzle on the top no pistachio inside!! Was so disappointed and sad. They had a matcha one but wasn't sure if matcha meant matcha so who knows what that would have been if I got that. Danielle got bounty which had a lot of coconut covering the top and milk chocolate inside. She didn't like it so I ended up eating my own and hers post pierogi and croquettes. I was SO full.

We stubbled on an immersive museum - Melt Museum

Danielle made up

Museum cost £12. Thought the first room was the best. They had some other random rooms where I didn't get any photos as they were crap.

After we went to a cafe and Kelly taught me and Danielle to play card games.

Kelly and Danielle got non-alcoholic mulled wines but Danielle said they were alcoholic.

I got a vanilla oat milk matcha latte that didn't taste of any matcha. The vanilla and oat milk were the only option on the menu not what I would choose for a matcha. They didn't end up charging for it either.

After we walked back to the Air BnB.

Stumbled on a Christmas market - very suprirsed there wasn't more

Kelly got this cfried cheese - pretty sure it was halloumi

Danielle got churros with Nutella which were so much better than the ones I had in Barcelona as they were actually hot and fresh and not stale! They were £5 for 6.

Sunday

We got up at 8:30am to go to the Palace of Culture and Science.

It only cost £5 to go up the viewing deck. We were going to do it the night before but I wanted to go up in the daylight but for that price we should have done it in the day and night. It's not that high only 30 floors and the second tallest building in Warsaw. It was gifted from Russia after the war as they didn't want it give them money.

 Views weren't great as it wasn't the clearest day.

After we went to The Communist Museum which cost £6. It's only small

Mixed fried

Potato pancakes

Mixed boiled

After we went to a restaurant round the corner for our last pierogi fix. Got mixed friend and boiled again and potato pancakes. The pierogi were better the night before but this had more interesting fillings as it had spicy ones and one had salmon in it.

We then got a taxi to the airport. We were flying back from Chopin airport which was 40 minutes away which only cost us just over £7 each. Airport was tiny basically Ryanair's private airport as all the flights are Ryanair. We managed to play 2 card games then it was time to fly home. We took off at 4:25pm and landed back 5:40pm - which was a lot earlier than it said as it was meant to be 6:25pm which was more Poland time.

It was a nice little weekend away for my first time in Poland. Definitely expected it to be colder but at least it stayed dry as teh weather up until the day before was showing rain/sleet. It was cheap and good food would recommend and do it again. Another capital city to tick off the list!

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