What did you do today?

[mercrocker]

On the other hand, I see them as a quite clever piece of niche marketing.....Imagine you are an old cruster of better-than-moderate means in early post-war Britain. Everywhere you look there are sleek new designs - Standard-Triumph's own Vanguard apeing America c.1942, the fabulous Javelin, Studebakeresque P4 Rovers and bulbous Austins.

Facing dotage and disturbed by 6 years of War, you hanker for the days when razor-edged coachwork and upright styling (don't forget those creaking joints) permitted ease of access and a commanding road-view for that slightly deteriorated eyesight.

You do not necessarily want a car the size of the companion Renown/1800/2000, cannot afford a Bentley or Jaguar MkV (in any case both much too large) and the tubby A30 or cramped Minor do not fit the bill. Fords are out of the question as are Vauxhalls (not quite nice, either of those....)

Along comes the Mayflower and ticks all of your boxes - in much the same way as the Princess 1100/1300 (I have made that analogy before, I know) would do to Son of Postwar Man as he reaches the same stage in life during the late Sixties.

We should be as happy that the Mayflower existed as we are about angrydicky taking one into his well-tended flock!

[Hooli]

Fair enough, valid points there.

[SiC]

Just come back from a few days in Amsterdam. Never been and it's only a short flight, so thought why not. Very interesting place and I think we'll go back sometime to explore more. Mostly did the main shopping area and a gander through De Wallen. I think my wife was more intrigued than I was - even if there was some ... beautiful architecture there.  



Went to a few museums. Some good, most not brilliant. Highlight was the very interesting Red Light Secrets museum. Disappointment was the Anne Frank museum. 

Not a huge amount of interesting automotive stuff out there unsurprisingly. Did see a few 80s Saabs and Volvos parked up, but their location wasn't somewhere I could get away with taking a picture - I don't think taking old cars as an excuse would have worked. 

Anyway there was quite a few of these tiny quadracycles buzzing around on the cycle lanes. Tbh less dangerous than the many high powered e-bikes carving up the lanes. 



Also quite a few electric car brands about that I've never heard of. Presumably the Chinese automotive invasion in action?


This is a terrible picture as it's just a reflection of me but can Google the brand. These shops are on the main high streets and take up a lot of retail space. So these brand must be going all in.

 
Presumably this beetle hit a tin can in the road, crumpled and became an art installation?



Old tram appeared on Saturday in the square. Didn't see this around until yesterday so I guess only comes out for weekends.



Quite a lot of the city stank of weed. Reminds me of University and doesn't bother me. However my wife hates it - not helped by the smell being ingrained into her mind that it's a welfare issue at work and something she needs to note down. So not the best smell brain contentions.


Bunch of 20-somethings Welsh lads in the queue to board the plane stank of weed and looked still stoned as they boarded. Naturally as they walked through the customs nothing to declare, they were picked out and went very wide eyed quite quickly. Rather silly considering customs will know exactly when a flight comes in from Amsterdam and will be like shooting fish in a barrel. We had to wait an hour for the bus, so hung around the airport. Didn't see them coming back out of departures door...

Anyway definitely will be back to explore more. 

[Eddie Honda]

VinFast is a Vietnamese Bunch of Lads.

[mercrocker]

Sounds more like a bunch of automotive document forgers....

[mercrocker]

Just come back from a few days in Amsterdam. Never been and it's only a short flight, so thought why not. Very interesting place and I think we'll go back sometime to explore more. Mostly did the main shopping area and a gander through De Wallen. I think my wife was more intrigued than I was - even if there was some ... beautiful architecture there.  

Went to a few museums. Some good, most not brilliant. Highlight was the very interesting Red Light Secrets museum. Disappointment was the Anne Frank museum. 

Not a huge amount of interesting automotive stuff out there unsurprisingly. Did see a few 80s Saabs and Volvos parked up, but their location wasn't somewhere I could get away with taking a picture - I don't think taking old cars as an excuse would have worked. 

Anyway definitely will be back to explore more. 

Haven't done Amsterdam for a long time, the interesting vehicles must have disappeared.....Were quite a few the last time I went. Next time you feel conspicuous taking a photo get the wife to stand in front of the car for one of the shots - it dissipates suspicion I find.

[SiC]

Just come back from a few days in Amsterdam. Never been and it's only a short flight, so thought why not. Very interesting place and I think we'll go back sometime to explore more. Mostly did the main shopping area and a gander through De Wallen. I think my wife was more intrigued than I was - even if there was some ... beautiful architecture there.  

Went to a few museums. Some good, most not brilliant. Highlight was the very interesting Red Light Secrets museum. Disappointment was the Anne Frank museum. 

Not a huge amount of interesting automotive stuff out there unsurprisingly. Did see a few 80s Saabs and Volvos parked up, but their location wasn't somewhere I could get away with taking a picture - I don't think taking old cars as an excuse would have worked. 

Anyway definitely will be back to explore more. 

Haven't done Amsterdam for a long time, the interesting vehicles must have disappeared.....Were quite a few the last time I went. Next time you feel conspicuous taking a photo get the wife to stand in front of the car for one of the shots - it dissipates suspicion I find.

Narrow streets, a lot of people and bikes don't make it a car friendly place.

That may work for some but Mrs SiC tends to walk on when I'm taking pictures of old cars. It's embarrassing apparently.

€250 fine if you take pictures of any of the window workers and get caught.

Southampton to Amsterdam looks to be around £200 per person return. Not a bad price - albeit more than the £80-£120 per person return prices from Bristol. Our flight wasn't too much more than an hour in plane in total. I only read the Golf GTI MK1 to Mk8 reviews in the Practical Classics magazine I bought in that time before we were landing again.

[LynehamHerc]

Last time we went we brought back a couple of bullock yokes we'd bought at a market there.

Needless to say we got a few strange looks, especially at Schipol, but Easyjet were fine about us taking them back.
Before anyone makes an obvious comment they've only ever been ornamental. The missus reckoned that they'd fit in in the new kitchen and they do, well she thinks so and that's all that matters.

[mercrocker]

Southampton to Amsterdam looks to be around £200 per person return.

Think it was £36.00 each way last time we went, from Southampton. I know it was a late flight too as we literally went straight to the airport from a rock and roll club night.

[Eddie Honda]

Better going to Eindhoven and visiting the DAF museum.