Getting out and about is a key part of our lifestyle.  It is important to have new experiences to keep your mind active.  It is not necessary to travel - you can find fresh things to see and do wherever you live if you are willing to use your imagination and initiative.

This page is long.  Our most recent feature is at the top; scroll down to view articles on Berlin, Edinburgh, Kefalonia (Greece),  The National Trust, Jersey, Liverpool, Turkish Baths in Edinburgh,  Staying at Champneys.

Amsterdam 

Pat writes: Amsterdam is a city can be visited several times, and still provide something new.

First time visitors may place the Rijksmuseum at the top of the ‘must see’ list.  If this applies to you, please be aware that the main building is closed for renovation works that are not expected to be complete until 2012/13.  There is a display of the most famous works of art, complemented with changing temporary exhibitions.  I was somewhat disappointed to find that there has been no reduction in the price of admission.

On a recent visit with Wonderful Husband, we decided to concentrate on smaller museums, and this proved very interesting.

The Museum Van Loon (pronounced lone) is an elegant canal house, restored to its appearance in the 1750s.  It is very beautiful and serene, and visitors are welcomed as guests in a private house.  At the rear of the house there is a formal garden, which is wonderfully quiet – a rare experience in a busy city.

Museum Amstelkring is a 17^th Century house with a surprise – on its upper floors you will find a rare example of a perfectly preserved hidden Catholic church.  This prompted me to find out more about the ‘religious’ history of the city.

I do not recommend either of these museums if you are planning to visit with young children.  The Museum Van Loon is full of things that are not to be touched, and the Amstelkring has extremely steep and narrow stairs.  Also, to reach the latter it is necessary to walk through Amsterdam’s rather explicit red light district.

For children, try the Tropenmuseum.  This is perfect for kids, and fascinating to adults.  It contains a vast range of displays about other parts of the world, with reconstructions of buildings and streets.  The atmosphere of far away places is brought to life with sound tracks and even smells.

There are a number of boat tours around the canals, which are fun for all ages, and give a good idea of the geography and history of the city.

We had a day of cycling in Amsterdam.  I had not ridden a bike for years, but managed to get around without accident.  There is a good separation of bikes and cars; in my experience, pedestrians are the main hazard. 

A few tips:

• If you are visiting in summer, take insect repellent.   The canals are a wonderful breeding ground for mosquitoes.
• Try to have small change if you are travelling by train from the airport to the city.  You will then be able to buy a ticket from the machines; purchasing one from the ticket office costs more money.
• You can buy a multi-use tram/bus ticket from most shops.  This is much cheaper than buying a ticket for each journey.
• As with all cities, beware of pickpockets in crowded areas.

And finally, Amsterdam is full of interesting sights and people.  Make sure you take time to sit in a café and take in the street scene.  

Brief Break in Berlin

Pat writes:

Affordable travel is an increasing challenge as the costs continue to rise.  On a recent brief visit to Berlin Wonderful Husband and I set ourselves the challenge of finding places to visit at little or no cost.

This was our first visit to Berlin and it was interesting (and free) to walk through the city looking at landmarks such as the Brandenburg Gate and the new Reichstag building.

A free map from our hotel was helpful, and we used a basic guide to the sights that we downloaded from the Virgin website.  Berlin is flat, with a fairly compact centre so we were able to walk around fairly easily.  Car traffic is light compared to many European or American cities, so crossing roads is not a stressful experience.

As with most major cities, a number of bus tours are available.  These cost about 15 Euros per adult, and take about 1 ½ hours.

For a free panoramic view of the city, visit the Reichstag Building.  The building houses the Bundestag and is topped by a glass dome with a viewing platform.  We had to queue for about 30 minutes to be admitted to the dome.  A range of guided tours of the building is on offer, including one tailored for families with children aged 6 to 14.

We learned about the 20^th Century history of the city by reading information boards that were displayed on walls at key points.  The area around Checkpoint Charlie (the border crossing between sectors when the city was divided) has a wealth of information about the Cold War and the story of the Berlin Wall.

Most of the Berlin Wall has now disappeared, but a double row of cobblestones has been used to mark where it stood.  It was interesting to trace the path of the Wall, stopping to look around to think about the implications.        

One stretch of the wall has been preserved, and the area behind the wall is used for an information display about Hitler and the Nazis. 

For light relief from such grim history, we walked along Unter dem Linden, one of the most beautiful city streets I have ever seen.  It has a double row of trees along the central median, and lined with trees on both sides.  Despite being in a city centre, there is an air of serenity.

By contrast, I did some window shopping along Kurfurstendamm, a bustling street lined with every international shop from Aveda to Zara. 

For more information:

www.berlin.de

www.bundestag.de 

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Edinburgh, Festival City

Pat writes: 

The Edinburgh Festival is the largest arts festival in the British Isles, for many people it is the main reason to visit the city.  Certainly, the Edinburgh International Festival is fun, and a good way to see a variety of events that you might otherwise miss.

This year, the Festival will take place from 8 to 31 August.  If you are planning to attend, make sure that you book accommodation in advance!

Edinburgh has plenty to offer at any time of year.  It is a historic city, packed with historic sites and grand buildings.  The castle, built on a colossal rock, is the ancient centre, and is said to contain 1000 years of history. 

The castle is actually a collection of buildings, of which the oldest is the Chapel dedicated to Queen Margaret, built in the early 12^th Century.

Princes Street Gardens nestle at the foot of the castle rock, providing a haven for shoppers and office workers.  The Ross Fountain has recently been restored, and is worth a detour to see.

Princes Street, George Street and the network of streets that connect them form the heart of the shopping district.  Here you will find a huge variety of shopping experiences, from the grandeur of Jenners department store to a selection of tartan tourists’ shops.  Many of the latter play non-stop bagpipe music for the dubious benefit of passers-by, giving the area an unusual ambience.

Shopping in Edinburgh has become increasingly up-market in the last few years, especially since the opening of Harvey Nichols at 30-34 St Andrew Square.  Even if you can only afford to look at the clothes (and wonder who could afford to buy them), try to visit the restaurant on the fourth floor.  It offers wonderful views across the city, and to the Firth of Forth.  A two-course lunch will cost about £25 per person.

Edinburgh has an excellent selection of museums, but my favourite destination is the Royal Botanic Garden.  This is a great place to visit when the weather is chilly, as it has an extensive range of glasshouses that are connected, so you don’t have to venture outside for some time.

If you wish to take time out from sight-seeing or shopping, try visiting a day spa.  I like Pure Spa at 138 Lothian Road, having experienced an most soothing facial treatment there.  Pure Spa also has a salon at the Ocean Terminal shopping centre, so you could combine going there with a visit to the Royal Yacht Britannia.

On our most recent visit, my husband and I stayed at The Point at 34 Bread Street.  This was an excellent location, convenient for the centre, but quiet at night.  During our stay we attended a supper party at the Tiger Lily restaurant at 125 George Street.  Tiger Lily is actually a boutique hotel.  It is very stylish, in a very ‘girly’ fashion; it would be the perfect venue for a girls’ weekend.  The food was good too!

We travelled to London via the sleeper train, an excellent use of time.  Click here to see a full description of the journey. For more details of venues mentioned, please see:

www.point-hotel.co.uk

www.tigerlilyedinburgh.co.uk

 

Tricia writes:

Tricia in Kefalonia

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This year I visited the Greek Ionian Island of Kefalonia. The advantage of a late May holiday for us was that temperatures were hot at around 32C but hadn’t reached their summer peaks. 

Kefalonia lives up to its reputation as a very pretty island. It is mountainous, so if you dislike driving on mountain roads it  perhaps isn’t the best of the Greek islands to visit, but the scenery is stunning.

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Spartia Beach

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We stayed just outside the southern village of Spartia, about a mile uphill from a beautiful sandy bay with beach restaurants. The village itself  also had three tavernas and a couple of Greek style mini supermarkets. Buildings on Kefalonia are almost all post 1953 as this was the year when many of the buildings were lost in an earthquake. To see original Venetian houses it is best to visit the northern fishing village of Fiskardo which was spared.

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Fiskardo

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The island is largely undeveloped, with the tourist towns being small by UK standards and the night life is fairly quiet in most places. However, if you enjoy eating in tavernas in beautiful surroundings  Kefalonia is wonderful. There are opportunities for a little snorkelling around the beaches but boat trips are limited. We could only find trips that were rather costly and involved a whole day out. There was little in  the way of crazy golf and tourist attractions but a visit to caves and an underground lake was awe inspiring.

  

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Melissani Caves

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Our trip was arranged through Sunvil, who were fantastic throughout. Our journey from Gatwick took about six and a half hours including the short transfer to our accommodation, so we were by the pool at about 2.30pm Greek time (two hours behind UK summer time). We stayed at the Poseidon apartments which were meant to be self catering. However, the lovely little pool bar provided breakfasts, lunches and drinks plus there was a limited daily cleaning service for our apartment. All we had to do was to make the occasional drink and wash up a few cups.

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Poseidon Apartments, Spartia

All four of us had a relaxing break and thoroughly enjoyed the Greek sunshine.

 

Google Map:  http://www.greeka.com/ionian/kefalonia/google-maps/index.htm

 

Tourist Infomation:

http://www.greeka.com/ionian/kefalonia/kefalonia-tourism.htm 

Sunvil:

http://greece-holidays.sunvil.co.uk/sunvil/home/destinations/Greece/Kefalonia/South_Kefalonia/properties/Residence_Poseidon.asp

 

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Jersey

Sea, Sand and Shopping

 

Pat writes:

For some years now I have enjoyed occasional weekend trips with 3 friends from college days.  Shortly after we started meeting for ‘girls weekends’ we decided to streamline the process of deciding on destinations by visiting places in alphabetical order. 

The latest stop on our 'Alphabet Tour' was Jersey, and we were all delighted with the island.

Jersey is the most southerly of the British Isles, 100 miles off the mainland.  In fact, it is closer to France.  The French influence is particularly obvious in place and road names.

It is beautiful, with a lush, green interior surrounded by rocky cliffs and sandy beaches.

The island is small, about 9 miles by 5 miles, but has an extensive road network.  This means that it is easy to tour the island.  We hired a car, but it would be possible to access most places of interest by bus.

We travelled during school term time, so did not see many visitors with children.  The sand beaches would make this a good destination for a family holiday, particularly if your children enjoy outdoor activities.

There is no Value Added Tax (VAT) or sales tax on the island, so the shops are particularly tempting!

During our stay we visited the Jersey War Tunnels.  This is a well-presented museum about the German Occupation of Jersey.  Very interesting and thought provoking.

We stayed at The Royal Yacht hotel in St Helier.  The hotel has recently been extensively renovated and has excellent facilities.  It is located near the waterfront; the more expensive rooms enjoy a harbour view.  The hotel has a selection of bars and restaurants that were busy every evening of our stay.

The Royal Yacht is a very comfortable place to stay, but could not be described as low price.  It has no on site car parking, so if you are taking or hiring a car that would be another cost to factor into budget plans.

Jersey has beautiful yacht harbours. I have asked some friends who sail whether they have ever taken their boats there.  Their advice is that because of the rocky coastline, Jersey is a destination for experienced sailors only.

I flew to Jersey on a scheduled flight from Gatwick.  Arriving at Jersey airport was pure pleasure – by the time I had walked to the luggage collection area, my bag was waiting for me.  The departure process was equally painless.

For more information:

www.jersey.com

www.jerseywartunnels.com

www.theroyalyacht.com 

 

 

Liverpool: Capital of Culture 2008  

Pat writes:

Liverpool has always had style, but over the last few years it has become an increasingly appealing destination for a short break holiday.  The city’s many attractions were officially recognised when Liverpool won the coveted European Capital of Culture designation for 2008. 

More than 350 special events are being staged to mark this special year; you can find the full list on www.liverpool08.com

I recently spent a couple of days in Liverpool, and concentrated on visiting the National Conservation Centre plus the Liverpool Maritime Museum.  The Maritime Museum has a wonderful exhibition called ‘Magical History Tour’ that uses film, fixed and interactive displays to tell the story of the development of Liverpool.  It is child-friendly, and certainly held my interest, so I recommend it for a family visit.  The exhibition will continue until 27 September 2009, admission is free. 

There are always fascinating displays at the Conservation Centre, admission also free.  In fact, all the national museums in Liverpool are free.  As many of the exhibitions have been designed to appeal to all ages, this makes Liverpool an affordable destination for a family weekend.

On the other hand, Liverpool can be  hard on the budget, because it offers such good shopping.  When I walk from the National Conservation Centre to the Maritime Museum I cannot resist stopping at the Met Quarter. This is a modern covered shopping centre with a good choice of higher end stores, including Hobbs, L.K. Bennett, Phase 8 and Whistles.  It also has a large branch of Flannels, a particular favourite of mine, but I only venture in when I have saved up a large amount of money and have a special occasion for which I wish to look lovely.

You should also pop in to the Cavern Walks shopping centre if only to take a look at Cricket, where the footballers’ wives and girlfriends allegedly shop.

I stayed at The Express by Holiday Inn at the Albert Dock.  Although this is part of a large chain, it is far from a carbon copy hotel.  It has been developed within the Britannia Pavilion, a group of 19^th Century Grade one listed warehouses.  The Albert Dock is the largest group of Grade One listed buildings in the UK, and The Express has retained many of the original features. 

The Express is reasonably priced, and very conveniently located for the Liverpool Maritime Museum and other museums.

The Albert Dock is also a comfortable walk from my favourite restaurant in Liverpool, Simply Heathcotes.  If you dine there on a Monday evening, take advantage of their special offer of starter, main course and half bottle (each) of house wine for which I paid £15 per person. 

For more information on the designation European Capital of Culture, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Capital_of_Culture

Find out about museums and what’s on at www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk       Shopping details www.metquarter.com, www.flannelsfashion.com, www.cavern-walks.com  

Hotel: http://www.ichotelsgroup.com

Restaurant: http://www.heathcotes.co.uk/simply/liverpool-restaurant

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8*

   

Turkish Baths at Portobello Swim Centre, Edinburgh

Pat commissioned Beautiful Daughter to check out the Turkish Baths at Portobello.  These are described on the website as one of the few original Turkish Baths still in use in the UK.  Here’s her report:

The entry fee was £5.40 on a weekday.  My friend didn’t have to pay anything because she has an Edinburgh Leisure Pass.

I telephoned in advance to ask about opening times. The person who advised me omitted to tell me that I was attending a women only session.  Fortunately, I went with a girlfriend

When we arrived we were directed to upstairs changing rooms, and told we could access the swimming pool as well as the Turkish Baths.  However, we could not find a door that led to the main pool.

There were notices on the wall instructing patrons to wear swimming costumes. 

Everybody was friendly, and some people were obviously regulars.  I was happy it was a women only session.

There were not very many loungers for relaxation in the various rooms, and I was disappointed with the décor.  The walls were tiled only half way up, and the paint colours above were dull.  That could be the Victorian style.

The one thing that I really didn’t like was that in every room, a very loud loud speaker delivered staff announcements and information for the public!

But, on the whole, it was quite fun, and I would go again if I had an Edinburgh Leisure Pass.

A STAY AT CHAMPNEYS

Tricia  writes:

Last August I stayed at Champneys, Forest Mere for six nights. This was booked as time to recover from minor surgery to allow  rest post-opertatively. No cooking, cleaning or working, just relaxation with the occasional exercise class thrown in.

Special offers abound at Champneys; my stay was booked with a discount and free room upgrade. For details of prices and to register for special offers see the link below. If you book with a discount the prices are really fair since they cover delicious food for the duration of your stay, most exercise classes, use of swimming pool and gym. Many packages have inclusive treatments.

Champneys, Forest Mere, is up a long lane passing through fields and trees near the village of Liphook, Hampshire. My GPS system did its work, otherwise  ensure you have clear details of the location before travelling. There is on-site car parking.

On arrival, I was shown to my room which was clean and bright, overlooking a quadrant. There was a television, fruit and water (provision depends on room type), tea and coffee  (fair trade coffee) making equipment, two beds, a sofa and en-suite facilities. Dressing gowns are provided free for the duration, or to take home, depending on your package.

For this  week I wanted to suit myself. I was content to be alone and have time to myself. However, even I would have found this anti-social for six days therefore I booked to eat at the group table in the evenings.  Those coming to Champneys alone can eat with others for the evening meal.  I met an inspiring lady in her late 70s who was having swimming lessons as preparation for her scuba diving holiday abroad. There were several other lovely people whom I would not have had the opportunity to meet otherwise.

 

Treatments.

You are given a treatment schedule on arrival if included in your package or if you have pre-booked. The treatments are often heavily booked so do book before arrival .

 

Thalassotherapy

This relaxing water treatment is available at Forest Mere. The Thalassotherapy pool is a mineral water pool with water jets at ‘stations’. Groups are taken at set times, with safety advice and instructions given at the start of each session. My favourite jets were giant taps in the centre of the pool which pounded down on your shoulders, giving an effective massage.

 

Massages and Facials.

These are often included in the package but are very short sessions. This year I noted that Champneys had combined the massage and facial together into one treatment which means you can relax more as the session is longer.

I converted my facials into massage treatments so that I had double length massages; the beauticians will do this if possible but it is not guaranteed.

A wide range of other treatments are available. You may be able to find similar treatments near your home at lower price, so consider carefully before booking. Your day can also get quite busy if you fill it up with too many sessions.

 

 Exercise Classes

There is a full schedule of classes, most included in the price. There was a charge for Pilates. The best class I attended was rebounding using mini trampolines for a great cardio workout with minimal impact on the joints. Great fun too.

 

Swimming

On first sight the indoor pool looks amazing. It’s huge but when I have stayed at Champneys it has always been almost empty. There is a reason for this: people constantly complain that the pool is too cold to swim in. The fitness staff say it is at a healthy temperature to exercise in to ensure you keep moving in the water. The reality is that most people just get out of the pool really quickly and give up on swimming. It’s not freezing, just uncomfortable and probably not too great for arthritic joints. This is disappointing. I do wonder if the cost of heating the pool to a warmer temperature is an underlying factor.

There is also an outdoor pool which I was unable to use. The weather was too poor at first then I heard that a dead rodent was found in the pool. It was then closed for cleaning. That’s just life and I’m very glad the pool was closed for cleaning!

 

Extra Options

A fitness analysis is available with the gym staff.

Lectures were given on nutrition and  fitness motivation among other topics.

Individual appointments are bookable with the nutritionists. Hint -  when I stayed two nutritionists were available. I attended a nutrition lecture with both before booking my appointment so I could decide which best suited my needs. 

Colour analysis was also available during my stay.

There is a varied schedule of options which change regularly too. As a Christian, I did find some of the options weird and wacky and some positively forbidden in the Bible so think carefully about which sessions you attend. Even if you aren’t a Christian you don’t want to attend anything that may worry you later.

 

Gym 

There is a fully equipped gym with payable personal training available. However, I did find that it lacked staff supervision compared to other gyms I have attended, little help was on hand for the novice without paying extra for personal training. The wonderful, expensive vibration training machine stood unused when I was in the gym as there was a rule that you could only use it on a paid basis with a trainer. As I use one regularly at my own gym this was frustrating. 

On balance, I thoroughly enjoyed my stay at Champneys. The basic package was good value, but extras can bump the price up significantly. On return, everyone said how well and relaxed I looked. Champneys is also worth considering for a great mother and daughter break. 

More information: www.champneys.com 

 

 Thinking of a short break or day trip? 

Why not try Chichester, the county town of West Sussex.  It offers lovely shopping, interesting things to see and do, and it is packed with beautiful buildings.  For more information, see our Hub Pages article on Chichester.