Category: Uncategorized

Categories
Activity Amsterdam City Cycling Europe Heritage Netherlands Uncategorized

Amsterdam, Netherlands

An organised canal boat cruise is actually a very good way to get your bearings in the city. A bit like a hop-on hop-off bus excursion that you will find in most European cities today. The fact you are lower down on the surface of the water will give you a different perspective. Life seems more sedate on the water. You might well enjoy yourself so much you will want to book a night cruise and see the city in a whole new light.

Amsterdam at Night – The Netherlands

A visit to Amsterdam would not be complete without a visit to the Rijksmuseum. It is the principal national museum in the Netherlands. There are 8000 objects including paintings and books, in 80 rooms that illustrate the art and history of the country over the past 800 years until the present day. On display are paintings by Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Fran Hals, Jan Steen and Johannes Vermeer whose “The Milkmaid” is shown below.

The Milkmaid – Johannes Vermeer – c. 1657–1661

The most famous picture on display is Rembrandt’s “Night Watch”, it its time it has been attacked with a shoemaker’s knife, a bread knife and sprayed with acid. One thing that will strike you is the sheer size of the painting. What you probably didn’t realise is that the painting was cut down in size when it was moved to the town hall. Operation Night Watch is a project by the museum to reconstruct the missing pieces based on a copy and you can now see these on your visit.

Night Watch Restoration

After a day of culture, then turn your attention to the Amsterdam’s markets. There are over thirty of them and some have been going for over 100 years. You will find everything and anything at these markets. According to Time Out if you are only going to visit one market then it should be the “Albert Cuyp Market” otherwise known as the “the Cuyp”. Since 1905, it’s a one-stop shop for fresh meat, fish, fruit and veg. Today you can buy clothes, jewellery and just about everything else.

Dappermarkt – Amsterdam – The Netherlands

Another highly regarded market is the Dappermarkt. National Geographic Traveler judged it to be one of the Top 10 Shopping Streets in the world. Why don’t you visit it and judge for yourself. With 250 stalls you are bound to find something of interest.

One thing to do in advance when visiting Amsterdam is to make sure that you pre-book your tickets to the Anne Frank House which can be found at Prinsengracht 263. On 6 July 1942, the Frank family went into hiding in the building. The building consisted of two parts: the main house and the annex. The eight people hid on the top floors of the annex. Anne’s father Otto, who was the only member of the family to survive the Holocaust published her diaries in 1947 .In 1960, the Anne Frank House opened its doors as a museum, but at his the annex stayed empty.

Anne Frank’s House / Museum – Amsterdam – The Netherlands
Categories
Uncategorized

Tulsa, OK

Tulsa is the second largest city in Oklahoma and was once known as the “Oil Capital of the World”. Today Tulsa is known for a bit more than oil and is considered to be desirable place to live. Tulsa is home to two art museums, supports full-time professional opera and ballet companies, and one of the nation’s largest concentrations of art deco architecture.

In part Tulsa’s development as we know it today stems from Route 66. It was a Tulsa business, Cyrus Avery who in 1925 established the U.S. Highway 66 Association, hence the city also took on the name of the “Birthplace of Route 66”. Tulsa became a popular rest stop for travellers which brought money into the city. Route 66 icons such as the Meadow Gold Sign and the Blue Whale of Catoosa greeted visitors on their journey.

Tulsa – Paper Boy

The Philbrook Museum of Art is located in the former villa of oil pioneer Waite Phillips. It is considered to be one of the top 50 art museums in the USA and has works by Picasso and Rodin amongst others. The Gilcrease Museum holds the world’s largest collection of art and artifacts of the American West. It includes the collection of the Native American oilman and art collector Thomas Gilcreaese with works by Remington, Moran, Bierstadt and John James Audubon.

Tulsa Hostility Sculpture

Fans of the singer-songwriter Woodie Guthrie (1912-1967) might like to visit the “Woodie Guthrie Center” which houses thousands of his personal items, sheet music, books, manuscripts etc. Guthrie was one of America’smost influential songwriters and the space we have here cannot do justice to his impact on American society. The Bob Dylan Archive which is currently not open to the general public but can be visited by appointment is due to open on May 10th 2022.

Tulsa – Humiliation Sculpture

From the UK you can get to Tulsa in less than 24 hours, flight times with a connection are between 13 and 16 hours depending on the carrier. Why not fly to Chicago or LA and make Tulsa one of your stops on Route 66.

Since 1969 Tulsa has used 1% of its budget to fund public art and those are the images that we have used to illustrate our trip to Tulsa today.

Categories
Activity City Europe Iceland Rejkjavik Uncategorized

Iceland

Iceland is on the UK government’s green list and might seem like a strange destination for a summer break.  Many people view Iceland as a winter destination with the northern lights and various cold related activities to pursue. However, in the summer you will be able to benefit from the long almost endless days.  The average day starts at 3am and ends at midnight.  Plenty of time to get more done.

Sunset – Iceland

The summer will also give you better access to the Highlands which can be impossible to access in the winter due to the icy conditions.  You will be almost wandering into the unknown so double check the weather before you set off in your 4×4. Even if you are not heading for the Highlands, then why not hit the Ring Road, which Icelandic style will take you round the country rather than round a city.  The roads are well maintained and in the summer, they will be snow free!  Travelling the Ring Road will give you access to parts of the country might not otherwise see.

Iceland by road.

Summer is a prime time for hiking and Iceland provides routes for both beginners and experienced hikers alike. Every region of the country has something different to offer, whether its waterfall, beaches or volcanoes that take your fancy.  For serious hikers look out for the Laugavegur trail from Landmannalaugar to Þórsmörk, the Fimmvörðuháls hike between Skógar and Þórsmörk and Hornstrandir in the Westfjords.

Vesturland – Iceland

If you are not that brave you will find a number of escorted tours that will take you to see the best of the Iceland and this can be just what is needed to give you the confidence to head out on your own. Iceland is sometimes known as the land of Fire and Ice. You can take an escorted trip out to one of the glaciers where you can glacier hike, snow mobile or ice climb is you have the nerve and energy.  On the fire side, after a hard day exploring why not visit one or more geothermal baths and natural hot springs. The Blue Lagoon is one of the most popular but there are so many other interesting pools to discover.

Blue Lagoon – Iceland
Categories
Activity Camping Hiking Uncategorized Walking

Grand Canyon, AZ

The Grand Canyon is over 270 miles in length, at some place up to 18 miles across and a mile deep.  Located in Northern Arizona, the Grand Canyon is managed by the US National Park Service and is an officially designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Grand Canyon – Arizona – USA

Around 6 million visitors will head for the Canyon and yes it can get busy, but the majority of those will head for the Southern Rim.  Here you will find the Grand Canyon Village and the Bright Angel Trail.


Grand Canyon Village holds some of the best scenic overlooks in the park, including Yavapai Point and is the focal point for most people who are visiting the Southern Rim.  From here you can access the many activities on offer, including helicopter tours, horseback rides, a scenic train ride, and mule trips. If you are planning to hike and camp, then you will need to purchase a permit.  Most of the trails are permit free if you are just hiking for the day.

Horseshoe Bend, Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA

The Bright Angel Trail in one of the most popular trails and originates in Grand Canyon Village and descends 4380 feet down to the river.  It is regularly patrolled by Park Rangers so help and assistance is never far away should you need it.  You don’t have to walk the whole thing, you could turn round at 1.5 or 3 miles along the 9 mile plus route if you just want to hike just for a day. Should you choose to do the whole trail, then you will need to camp or rent a cabin at the bottom.  It takes a good 5 or 6 hours to hike and its slower coming up than going down.

Grand Canyon – South Rim, Arizona, USA

For visitors who aren’t up for a hike into the canyon and driving round winding roads and seeking out parking space and finding change for the parking fee sounds like stress. You might be better off relying on the park’s free shuttle buses, they transport visitors along the rim of the canyon, stopping at many vantage points, giving you great views along the ways. Many of the restaurants in the area also have fantastic views of the Canyon.

Whilst the Southern Rim is open all year, the quieter Northern Rim is only open for the summer. The Northern Rim is where you will find hardy campers and hardcore hikers.  There is a lodge and one camping ground.  If you are not a hiker, then you can take the scenic Northern Rim drive which includes a visit to Point Imperial which is the highest point of the Northern Rim at 8,803 feet.

Grand Canyon – North Rim, Arizona, USA
Categories
Activity Battlefield Europe Italy Monte Cassino Uncategorized

Monte Cassino, Italy

Over 1000 Poles lost their lives in the taking of the Monte Cassino Monastery during May 1944. The Polish words of a song that recount the events have translated into English below:

“The red poppies on Monte Cassino Drank Polish blood instead of dew… O’er the poppies the soldiers did go ‘Mid death, and to their anger stayed true! Years will come and ages will go, Enshrining their strivings and their toil!… And the poppies on Monte Cassino Will be redder for Poles’ blood in their soil.”

Monte Cassino, Italy
Monte Cassino, Italy

We visit Monte Cassino this time, as an increasing number of tourists each year will travel not just to Italy, but throughout Europe, the USA and South East Asia to walk in the footsteps of those servicemen and woman who bravely fought in years gone past.  Each has their own reason for doing this, some want to see where their relatives were posted, others out of historical interest or to give their visit to a country a purpose.

This story of the taking of Monte Cassino by the Allies is actually a very sad one.  The Germans said that Monastery was to be a neutral zone, but the allies didn’t believe them and thought it was a ruse.  It wasn’t and so it was bombed by the Allies killing innocent civilians and religious staff sheltering inside.  Once attacked by the Allies the Germans then decided make the most of the strategic position on the Monastery and the hill to fortify the ruins and they proved to be a worthy foe.

War Cemetary
War Memorial

There were over 55,0000 Allied casualties in the effort to take Monte Cassino, but its taking was part of the long and bitter struggle led to the taking of Rome, the first Axis capital to fall to the Allies and the turned the tide of the battle for control of Italy.

Paestrum, Salerno, Italy
Paestrum, Salerno, Italy

Paestrum was a major Greek city on the southern Italian coast which is famous for its three temples that date back to around 550 to 450BC. The temples themselves are well preserved, as are the city walls and amphitheatre. There are many other wonderful sites that can be visited as part of your “Italian Campaign”.

Categories
Activity Beach City Uncategorized

Los Angeles, CA

It might seem strange to suggest that you visit LA because of the beaches, but it actually has some of the best beaches in the US. The names of them are easily recalled by most of us due to their locations being used in numerous US films and TV series. Venice Beach is one of LA’s most known beaches, with its numerous galleries, quirky shops, street performers, what is less well known are the Venice canals. Whilst in the area dont’t miss out on Muscle Beach. The perfect place for people watching.

Guitar Player – Venice Beach LA

Many people prefer Santa Monica Beach to Venice, I will leave that up to you to decide. Santa Monica attracts more than 7 million visitors a year who come primarily for the beach connection. It is also close to other Los Angeles attractions. Santa Monica is very attractive as a walkable and bike friendly destination. Don’t miss a trip to the world famous Santa Monica Pier, yes they have them in the States as well.

Santa Monica Beach, LA, CA
Santa Monica Beach, LA

For the kids and young wizards at heart. Los Angeles is home to the brand new Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Hollywood. Complete with its own Hogwarts Castle and Harry Potter themed rides. Of course you can not really visit Los Angeles without doing something celebrity / entertainment based. You can make your own tour if you plan ahead or book yourself onto many of the themed tours. Fully recommended are the tours of Universal Studios, Warner Brothers, Paramount Pictures or Sony Pictures. Finally we can not do justice to all LA has to offer so we will be back.

Categories
Activity City Europe Heritage Italy Uncategorized Venice

Venice, Italy

Venice or Italy for that matter can be visited any time, not just the summertime. In fact you could say that the Spring or Autumn were preferable for city tourists as the day time temperatures are better suited for wandering around.

Canal Grande, Venice, Italy
Canal Grande, Venice, Italy

If you are looking for a single city destination then why not head for Venice.  With tourist numbers down this year, a trip to Venice at this time just makes so much sense.  Imagine not having to queue for restaurants, museums and other attractions, taking leisurely walks around the main thoroughfares, plenty of space on the water taxis and being able to book a hotel at a reasonable price right in the middle of hundreds of years of history.

For those of you who have been to Venice before, you will not need convincing to return.  For first timers then this is what you have missed so far.  Venice comprises of over 100 islands, separated by canals but connected by over 400 bridges.  As capital of the Republic of Venice from 697 until 1797 Venice became the financial centre of the world and was at the cross roads of international trade between east and west.  This gave the city to wealth to build a city that rises out of the lagoon, with its domes and spires.

Piazza San Marco, Venice, Italy
Piazza San Marco – Venice, Italy

Try to get to the Piazza San Marco at least once during your visit.  It is the most famous square of Venice and probably the most photographer destination within the city.  It is here that you will find the Basilica San Marco. Entrance is free to this stunningly beautiful church.  Visit early in the morning or late afternoon to make the most or your time in Venice.

And whilst you are in the Piazza San Marco make sure you visit the Palazzo Ducale (Doge’s Palace).  The palace is worth a visit in its own right because of the architecture, but today it also houses many important art works. It’s a good idea to book your museum tickets in advance, thereby making the most of your time in the fantastic city.

Venice at Night, Italy
Venice at Night, Italy

One to save for the evening is a walk across the Ponte Rialto where you experience a stunning view of the bridge and the city lit up at night. Remember that gondola rides have fixed prices. Standard gondola rides in Venice have cost 80 euros for a private 25-30 minutes tour in the day and 120 euros at night. Gondolas normally take up to 6 passengers.

Categories
Activity Bratislava City Europe Heritage Slovakia Uncategorized

Bratislava, Slovakia

Slovakia is sometimes forgotten as a tourist destination.  For nearly 1000 years it did not have much control over its own destiny.  Even during the period of the First Slovak Republic 1939 – 1945 it was a client state of Nazi Germany.  Around the year 1000 it became part of the Kingdom of Hungary and today over 9% of the population state their mother tongue is Hungarian.

Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia, stands on the banks of the Danube and as such borders both Hungary and Vienna.  Bratislava markets itself as a 72 hour city as that’s the average length of time tourists spend in the city.  In those 72 hours there are plenty to keep you occupied.

Bratislava Castle, Slovakia - Peter Tóth
Bratislava Castle, Slovakia

Due to its geographical position and history a good starting point is Bratislava castle. Not only does it house the Museum of History but affords tremendous views across the city.  Down in the town, the Michael’s Gate which is the only preserved gate of the city fortification system dates back to the 14th century gives you a great view back across the Old Town and the castle.  The tower at the gate houses the Museum of Arms.

Bratislava houses the largest war memorial in Central Europe. It rises over 50 metres and dominates the city skyline.  It is the burial ground of 6845 soldiers of the Soviet army who died during the liberation of Bratislava in World War II.

St Elizabeth’s Church (The Blue Church) - Hans Hansen
St Elizabeth’s Church (The Blue Church)

On a religious note, don’t miss out on a visit the 15th Century St Marin’s Cathedral, the Art Nouveau style St Elizabeth’s Church, also known as the blue church and cubist style synagogue built between 1923 and 1926.

You will be spoilt for choice with a wide range of restaurants, cafes and bars and for those of you with a sweet tooth, patisseries something they do so well in Central Europe. Whilst in the city look out for the amazing sculptures.

Sculpture, Bratislava - Sebastian Mies
Sculpture, Bratislava
Categories
City Europe Heritage Road Scotland UK Uncategorized

Scotland, UK

Starting and ending at Inverness Castle the North 500, is a 516 mile route that takes in some of the more remote parts of Northern Scotland. The route works its way along the west coast to Applecross and then northwards towards the towns of Torridon and Ullapool. From there, you’ll embark on a drive to some of the most northerly coastal points of mainland Scotland, including Caithness. From John o’ Groats you head south through Dingwall back to Inverness.

How could you not be tempted to drive the North 500 yourself? In fact you could even cycle or walk the route. If driving allow yourself the best part of a week and you are advised to book your accommodation in advance particularly during the summer season.