British Grandmother Dreads Build Up To Christmas!

         After spending two weeks in the highest hotel in Europe, eager shopper Penelope, her daughter Mandy and her three and a half year old grandson, Jack, were starting the daunting task of Christmas shopping. A task many Brits dread every year. “It’s really difficult to buy something for everyone. Normally I end up receiving the same things every year, Soap, body wash, stuff like that, it’s like they don’t put much thought into it.” Described Penelope, 63, as her daughter and grandson tried on shoes. “This year, I brought a lot of the Christmas presents for relatives when we were on holiday in Switzerland.”

 Penelope explained how she and her family had stayed in the highest hotel in Europe, the “Riffelalo Resort” in Zermatt and that they had explored 150 tunnels in Europe as well as visited the highest town in Europe, Davos. She continued to explain how the town of Davos, which was built on a fort, is in the Swiss Alps, which she and her family also explored, describing it as a beautiful and breath-taking experience.  After shopping in Switzerland she compared it to shopping in Southampton, saying that Southampton shopping was more of a rush than when they were on vacation.

 “The last few weeks in the lead up to Christmas are the worst! Long queues and lots and lots of toys!” making a glance at her grandson, who was sat grinning at his grandmother. “I miss the peace and quiet of the Alps, Christmas away would be perfect!” she reminisced. Losing her concentration slightly in thoughts of the last few weeks she’d had away. Finally, leaving with saying that the one thing she dreaded more than Christmas shopping was her upcoming trip to the dentist!

Two pints of coke and a bowl of chips (more of a rant than anything else tbh)

Two pints of coke and a bowl of chips.

After a long evening of shopping with a friend, a glass of coke would go down a treat! Little did we know how much of a struggle it would be to quench out thirsts!

After deciding how to fill our stomachs, my friend and I headed towards the newly opened American diner. Planning on indulging in some unhealthy cuisine to supplement our unhealthy shopping addiction. (Which being a student is a serious challenge!) after being seated by a acne-infested waiter, we shrugged off his grumpy attitude and took it as he was having a rough day. After all student lock in is a really busy night!

After glancing over the menu, already knowing what we wanted to order, we tried to grab the attention of the waitress. After we had located her, with great difficulty! I guess however the clue is in the name, WAITress. After, what seemed like forever, the waitress showed up at our table to take our Order. Greeting us with no apology for the delay, and informing us that we couldn't have a glass of coke as the machine was broken. Typical. Orange juice and water it is. Healthy!

Gradually the diner filled with happy customers, leaving with full bellies. Everyone around us receiving their orders AND glasses of coke! After once again asking for a glass of coke from yet another waitress we thought that we were in luck, with everyone around us having coke, surely we would actually receive the glass we had ordered primarily this time...

Orange juice! Excuse me?

The waitress had just given us yet more orange juice! Gaining the attention of the staff yet again, was impossible. After several more attempts of asking the waiters to come to the table we had service, we explained the mysterious OJ situation, not that he was much help. The waiter simply just explained the machine was broken, even though clearly everyone around us has coke in glasses as well as tiny glass bottles, and then left.

After an hour or so of waiting our food arrived. Thankfully, both of our stomachs were starting to growl. (Embarrassing!). Again with no apology! Finally something good about this place though, food! Or maybe not, cold and soggy food doesn't go down too well when you have hungry grouchy students in your diner. If food takes that long to come out of a kitchen that's right in front of the customers, it has to be good. Not only was it lacking in taste, the chips weren't completely fluffy, still containing bits of raw potatoes! Yuck!

Again, having to wait around to pay... It's like they didn't want our money! (Just like we didn't want their food, with half of it still being left on out plates) we left the diner, and I for one, am not likely to be returning anytime soon!