Monthly Archive for January, 2008

LLoyd’s Stag Weekend in Turin

So, last weekend saw a bunch of us go to Turin for LLoyd’s Stag Weekend.

LLoyd, Owain (his brother & Best Man), me, Tim, Rich, Rob, Ben, Damian, Marty, & Doctor Damian.

Up at 4am on Friday morning, Stansted Airport by 5am for a 7am Ryanair flight.

Graham met us over there (he’s been living there for three years), & spent the weekend being extremely helpful by acting as our guide & translator.

We stayed in twin rooms at the Hotel Genova (Best Western Hotel) near the train station (apart from Graham obviously…no need for a hotel when you have a flat!).

Graham showed us around on Friday, & we went to some really good self-service buffet place called “Brek” for lunch.

Almost every shop in Turin seems to be a fancy clothes/shoe shop!

Friday night, we went out to a very nice Pizzeria, followed by a Mexican restaurant for drinks, & then a bar for more drinks… didn’t go to bed until around 4am (so had been up for 24 hours, with sod-all sleep the night before!).

Very tired on Saturday. Graham took us to the old Fiat factory, where there’s now a fancy food market place called “Eataly”, where you can also sit & eat at various counters, as well as browsing all the fancy food. Opposite was another part of the old factory (the part with the spiral ramp & the old test track on the roof), which is now a huge shopping mall.

Saturday night, we went for some huge multi-course meal, followed by a bar, followed by the hotel bar. Bed at 6am…

Sunday, everyone else somehow managed to get up & go out around midday, & went off to visit the cinema musem.

Tim & I both slept in ’till late afternoon though, & then went for a wander near the hotel & station (so we wouldn’t get lost), & found some random cheap tat shops.

Sunday night we all went to another pizzeria, then another bar. Early night this time…2am

We all checked out on Monday morning, & spent the day wandering around the city, seeing endless clothes & shoe shops, plus walked over to the church from the church steps scene in The Italian Job, and also went to some old replica medieval village.

Bought some stuff in a very nice chocolate shop on Monday evening, & then we went for an early dinner at Brek, before heading off to the airport.

Got back to Stansted around midnight, ending a very good but expensive & tiring weekend.

Oh, & I smoked over the weekend, whoops. Still, it was a stag weekend, & I did get very very drunk. I have at least managed to not smoke through the week since being back at work.

Photos: Turin – LLoyd’s Stag Weekend