Villain - Salisbury!

[Col ISIHAC.]

Before our esteemed RayMac regulars get all huffy; do let me explain. And, yes; I think Salisbury is a superb place to spend a weekend! Have done for ages and always will do.

Monday 5th was our wedding anniversary. So important was this to the calendar that it was actually decreed as a public holiday! It WAS!

Jack & I decided to escape and as we only had around 24 hours between her shifts to play with; we opted for somewhere close but nice - Salisbury. Found a hotel (Rose & Crown) and off we toddled.

Hotel OK; nice big room, bar horrendously expensive, staff generally surly. Still; the surroundings compensated. A ground floor room, with access to the garden and views which were little changed from the time Constable painted his landscapes.

We walked into the city for a meal on Sunday evening - taking a short cut through the cathedral grounds. Ate in the Market Inn; splendid - staff likewise; then supped a few in the Haunch of Venison - quite simply everything a pub should be

Got pished.

Got lost - well actually; Salisbury got lost. We tried every route back through the cathedral grounds, but all the gates were closed - in fact we nearly got locked in! Salisbury was shut as well as lost.

Not as shut as the hotel though; when we finally got back to it, we spent a fruitless 15 minutes or so ringing the night bell and swearing; my wife is as patient, considerate and caring as can be until she's pished and miffed! 61" fron the tip of her head to the ground, she damn near bust the door down.

eventually I tracked the night porter down - he was around the back of the hotel, faffing about on the patio. We spoke - or rather I did, then he had the cheek to try and blame me for the fact he had not heard the bell....


Eventually we got in, crashed out...

the fecking fire alarm went off just before 8am - all out into the
car park. In the rain; stood there like a bunch of fools for more than half an hour. The new alarm system - installed just 2 weeks previously had tripped. For the second time in 12 hours (we missed the first occurrence, thanks to being out).

Laws; what a kerfuffle!

Have to say that a nice sunny day in the city yesterday did wonders for the blood pressure - but a quiet, relaxing break it was not!

[davetscfc]

Sounds like it should be 'Villiain - alcohol' if you got lost trying to walk from one end of the cathedral close to another.

There's 3 gates with staggered closing times (while the close constable staggers from one to the next I guess) so you shouldn't get locked in!

Glad you found the Market Inn ok. Used to be a regular haunt (landlord Mike is a top bloke) but I drifted away as it became more food joint than pub (sensible for him bearing in mind the central location, but lost it's atmosphere as a pre/post match hangout). And the Haunch is a must if you're on the tourist trail.

Least you'll remember where you spent your 1st anniversary!

[Col ISIHAC.]

Market Inn seemed to be a fair mix of early evening revellers and foodies - the staff we spoke to said that generally food upstairs; pisheads downstairs was the norm. Three ales on - one from the Hampshire Brewery and the beer was good. Strange in a way, but we left a tip - and given that we received at-table service downstairs throughout felt entirely justified in doing so. Rather likes the place oi does.

Some of the rooms in The Haunch are smaller than my shed, but wonderfully quirky and the Summer Lightning was cool and near perfect.

I'll blame the alcohol for Jack's insistence that at least one of the gates remained open until 11.30 - and as I have suggested; she is either right or you get thumped! Add the fact that the dear girl has absolutely NO sense of direction and the only practical way to prove her wrong is to let her discover it for herself