tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39906523687197711032024-03-13T06:34:56.070-07:00Andy & Susy's travel blogAndyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155153193501308750noreply@blogger.comBlogger107125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3990652368719771103.post-17660011731515954642020-02-19T07:55:00.003-08:002020-02-20T01:15:55.816-08:00El Camino InglésIn June 2019 we set off to walk the Camino Inglés or the English Way, one of the paths of the Camino de Santiago. It begins in the Galician port city of Ferrol and runs south to the beautiful city of Santiago de Compostela, a total of 118kms. Since watching the brilliant movie <i>The Way</i>, Susy and I had always wanted to walk The Camino and when I mentioned this to my sister and her partner they were both on board so a plan was hatched.<br />
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After overnighting in Santiago we took a coach to Ferrol where we spent a couple of nights before departing on our first stretch of The Camino. I'd recommend spending a day here before starting your trek as it's a nice city worth sampling before heading on your way. When you sign up to walk a stage or all of The Way you are issued with a Pilgrim Passport which you need to get stamped at each of the places you stay. You need to get two stamps a day and as most of the cafes along your route will have their own stamp you'll find that this isn't hard at all.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The marina at Ferrol</td></tr>
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Below is a screen shot of our route which also details the hotels or B&Bs that we stayed at along the route. They were all pretty good, in a couple of cases quite functional but all that you need for a nights stay.</div>
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Before starting I was a bit anxious about getting lost along our route and had a full copy of the route instructions issues by our travel company. We quickly discovered that at least on the Camino Inglés you don't have to worry as the signage along the way was brilliant. All along your route you'll see either a yellow arrow or both it and the Scallop tile, the logo of The Camino, as you see below. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy faces leaving Ferrol</td></tr>
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As this was our first experience of The Camino and we didn't feel the need to suffer we booked the option of having our luggage picked up each morning and transferred to our accommodation for that evening. This worked like a dream and meant that all we had to carry was our day pack and not worry about any unneeded additional weight. The other recommendation is to purchase some walking poles. If you've not used them before they may feel a little odd and not necessary but trust me, midway through the first day we were using ours and they stayed in use until we reached Santiago.</div>
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Our first days walking was in many ways the hardest. It was the longest, not the steepest but perhaps the most challenging because of the unknown. What we quickly learnt was:</div>
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<li>As mentioned finding our way wouldn't be a problem,</li>
<li>Using your walking poles really helps</li>
<li>It's not a race, taking your time and enjoying the walking is what the whole experience is about</li>
<li>That every time a local or a fellow walker says 'Buen Camino' it makes you feel great</li>
<li>When you arrive at your destination, down tools and enjoy a drink was you've really earned it!</li>
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One of the many great thinks about walking The Camino is the feeling of camaraderie, everyone is there for the same purpose so there is a real sense of community and fun along the way. You also meet a great diversity of people in terms of nationality, age and background which makes for some interesting conversations along the way. For some reason you keep bumping into the same people which helps build relationships and banter as you walk.<br />
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One of the other things I loved about the experience was enjoying the great food, some hearty and huge sandwiches for lunch and some tasty meals in the evening. Having walked for between 4 and 6 hours during the course of the day, there is no need to feel guilty as you've earned it.</div>
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Our last days walking was the shortest of the five at just over 20kms. Despite that I was happy so see the city of <b>Santiago de Compostela</b> approaching as I had a huge blister on my right sole which wasn't going away. The close you get to the city you start to feel the emotion of what you've experienced, what you've done and achieved building inside you. Arriving in the main square is an unforgettable experience, you need to take the time to enjoy the moment and everything that is going on around you. It truly is unforgettable and we plan to return to walk another stage of The Camino and hopefully one day all of it. </div>
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155153193501308750noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3990652368719771103.post-40954772804794962412019-02-27T08:28:00.006-08:002019-02-28T00:42:28.056-08:00Bilbao, February 2019, Andy's 50th BirthdayIt comes to us all sooner or later and for me (Andy) it was a couple of weeks ago. Susy surprised me with a long weekend in <b>Bilbao</b> to celebrate my <i>50th Birthday</i> which conveniently fell on a Sunday. We flew from London Heathrow on a BA flight, which at just under two hours is ideal for a weekend break away when you don't want to spend too long on a plane. Having left London at 08:20 we were at our hotel, <b>Hotel Carlto</b>n in the centre of the city by midday and lucky for us we were able to get into our room straight away. Situated bang in the city centre on Federico Moyúa Plaza, Hotel Carlton is ideal for exploring the city. We based ourselves there for almost 3 days and never found the need to take a taxi anywhere, we walked a lot.....<br />
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After hastily unpacking we emerged from the hotel, map in hand kindly given to us by our taxi driver with one goal, that being to make our way to the old town. After a slight detour in the wrong direction we got back on track and made our way down Gran Vía to the <b>Casco Viejo</b> or Old Town. One of the things we both love about Spain is the cafe lifestyle and the old town in Bilbao is a wonderful place to sample this and enjoy the food. Typical to this part of Spain is the <b>Pintx</b>o, rather than me try and explain what they are, I'll leave the photos to explain. All I need to say is that they are delicious.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mercado De La Ribera </td></tr>
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By chance when we were exploring the old town after our first Pintxo in a bar called <b>Berton</b> which we returned to on Sunday evening, we came across the amazing <b>Mercado De La Ribera</b>. This is a must if you visit Bilbao, it's a food market which also has the most fabulous gallery of booths selling the most visually stunning and delicious Pintxos. Time for some photos.....</div>
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The following morning we started the day in a relatively healthy manner having enjoyed more great Spanish food the night before, we went for a short run in Parque de Doña Casilda Iturrizar which is about a 10 minute walk from the hotel.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Parque de Doña Casilda Iturrizar</td></tr>
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Quite by chance we came across the <b>Bilbao Fine Arts Museum</b> at what I'd call the "top corner of the park" and we returned later in the day to have a look around. We weren't really sure what to expect however enjoyed what Tripadvisor describes as a "<i>collection of Basque, Spanish and European art from the Middle Ages to Contemporary"</i>. You'll see a few samples of what's in store for you below.<br />
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After leaving the museum we walked back towards the centre and enjoyed some time in the shops. You'll find a lot of nice independent shops as well as a vast El Corte Inglés, the Spanish department store which seems to be a feature of most Spanish cities. Later that evening as many of the restaurants are closed on Sunday evenings Susy booked a table at a well known Bilbao restaurant, <b><i>Zortziko</i></b> for my Birthday meal. By now you'll be thinking "they" ate quite a lot which is true however in our defence I have to point out that we walked on average close to 14kms per day while we were there. The meal, a ten course tasting menu was delicious and we had a lovely evening. </div>
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The following morning we allowed ourselves a sleep in as Susy had booked tickets for us to visit the world renowned <b>Guggenheim Museum </b>at midday.<b> </b>The museum is walkable from the hotel in about half an hour maximum. The Guggenheim is breathtaking inside and outside, it truly is a stunning building which my limited vocabulary can't do justice to so again I'll leave that to some photos. It's enough to say that a visit to the Guggenheim is something I'll never forget and I'm extremely lucky to have enjoyed it on my 50th Birthday.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Approaching the Guggenheim</td></tr>
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We were lucky to see two great visiting exhibitions as well as the permanent displays, one which featured the work of <b>Alberto Giacometti </b>and the second titled <b style="font-style: italic;">Van Gogh to Picasso: The Thannhauser Legacy</b>, featured an impressive collection from the Old Masters.</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"> By the time we left the museum it was mid afternoon and as the sun was shining we decided to follow our noses back to the old town and enjoy our own Pintxo trail. The weather was lovely and we enjoyed a mixture of sitting indoors and outside combining a spot of people watching and gastronomic delights. It won't surprise you that after a siesta that evening we returned for more. That brought to an end our fabulous weekend in Bilbao and a Birthday celebration that I'll never forget, gracias Susy, I loved it xxx. </span></span></td></tr>
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155153193501308750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3990652368719771103.post-19435992576555484772018-07-26T06:58:00.002-07:002018-08-09T06:22:01.876-07:00Connemara July 2018We've recently returned from a fun and relaxing week in Ireland, we spent the best part of five days in the west of Ireland in <b>Connemara</b>. Before heading off to the west we enjoyed a couple of days with family in Dublin. During that time we spent some time on the beach at <b>Brittas Bay</b> in County Wicklow. If you're staying in Dublin and fancy escaping to the beach, Brittas is only about an hours drive away.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brittas Bay</td></tr>
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Our destination in Connemara was <b>Lough Inagh Lodge Hotel</b> situated as the name suggests on the shore of Lough Inagh. It's a relatively easy drive to get there, roughly two hours from Dublin to Galway then another hour and a half to Lough Inagh. Once you get to the other side of Galway the scenery changes as you enter the beautiful surroundings of Connemara. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lough Inagh Lodge Hotel</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the front of the hotel - who needs the Italian lakes!</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: start;">The hotel was originally a fishing lodge before being transformed into a relaxing boutique hotel where very quickly thanks to the lovely sister and brother who run it, you are made to feel at home. If you want some ideas about what to do each day, either Maire or Dominic will give you lots of options One of the added attractions for us is that the hotel is dog friendly, your pets are welcomed in all rooms apart from, understandably the restaurant and the bar area, the latter only when guests are eating. </span></div>
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If you fancy having a day with no driving there are a number of good walks which you can start from the door of the hotel. The photos above were taken on one of these walks, you can pick up a booklet from the hotel reception which has details of the walks recommended by the hotel. Alternatively if you're a keen angler, the team at the hotel can arrange some top class fishing for you with a ghillie to make sure you get the most from your day.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diamond Hill</td></tr>
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If you enjoy spectacular scenery it's really worth visiting the <b>Connemara National Park</b>. You'll find the main park entrance situated in the nearby town of Letterfrack. There are a number of short walks ranging from just 0.5km through to the Upper Diamond Hill walk which is just under 4 kms. There is no charge for parking nor entrance into the park so in terms of value for money you can't beat it.<br />
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If you fancy a rest after stretching your legs on a mountain walk, the coastline of Connemara offers a choice of lovely white sandy beaches surrounded by the beautiful clean blue Atlantic ocean. We visited <b>Glassilaun</b> and <b>Roundstone</b> beaches, both are lovely with Glassilaun edging it in terms of it's impressive location. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glassilaun Beach</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roundstone beach</td></tr>
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Part of the fun of visiting Connemara is enjoying the great food that is on offer especially the seafood. We had a couple of great lunches in <b>Veldons</b> in Letterfrack and <b>Beola</b> at the top of the mainstreet in Roundstone. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Veldons sea food trio - delicious</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from Beola on Roundstone's mainstreet</td></tr>
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On our last full day which coincided with our wedding anniversary we felt like a walk was in order. So after a little research Susy came across <b>Ballynahinch Castle</b> which is the words of their website is "<i>one of Ireland's finest luxury castle hotel</i>s". Set in a 700 acre estate there are a number of walks in the beautiful grounds which are open to non residents, if you ask at the hotel reception they'll give you a map. We chose the 6k route which takes in part of the Connemara Greenway. The going is easy, the scenery lovely and as the castle is around 20 minutes from Lough Inagh it's well worth a visit.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ballynahinch Castle</td></tr>
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After the walk we drove to the fishing village of <b>Cleggan</b> for lunch, we'd stayed close by during a previous visit to Connemara and wanted to revisit <b>Oliver's Bar </b>where you are guaranteed a tasty lunch. After which we returned to Lough Inagh to relax, drink a toast to our anniversary before enjoying a beautifully presented, delicious three course meal that evening in the hotel's restaurant.</div>
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The following morning after a hearty breakfast, yes we did enjoy the food at Lough Inagh a lot, we drove to <b>Kylemore Abby</b>. Perhaps one of Connemara's most iconic attractions, Kylemore Abbey is a must visit. Entrance for adults is €13, which we saw as good value as you can easily spend a whole day there. As well as visiting the Abbey you can enjoy a walk in the grounds including the impressive walled gardens and if you're feeling flush you can visit the well stocked shop or have a bite to eat. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kylemore Abbey</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Farewell from Connemara</td></tr>
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From Kylemore we drove back to Dubin for our last evening before heading home the following afternoon. The week flew by, a clear sign of a great holiday, looking forward to the next one. To read more about Connemara and our first visit in 2014 just <a href="https://amwsemc.blogspot.com/2014/07/beautiful-connemara.html">click here</a>.</div>
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155153193501308750noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3990652368719771103.post-41091287780003787682018-06-19T07:44:00.000-07:002019-03-01T01:12:50.923-08:00Dog friendly holiday destinations in Ireland and EnglandSince our lovely dog Pina came into our lives, where possible we've tried to take her on holidays with us. Recently a Facebook friend asked for some recommendations which made me think I should add them to our travel blog, so here is a brief list. One thing that we've learnt from travelling with Pina is that not all hotels or B&Bs mean the same thing when they market themselves as dog friendly, so our advice here is to check exactly what it means before you travel simply to avoid disappointment or inconvenience.<br />
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We've graded the various places we've stayed with Pina based upon:<br />
<ul>
<li>How welcome they make guests with dogs feel.</li>
<li>Location and other dog friendly destinations/walks close by.</li>
<li>The degree to which they go the extra mile for dog owners.</li>
</ul>
To get <b>10/10</b> the venue has to be pretty special and allow you to have your evening meal with your pet rather than have to leave them alone in what to them is a strange room or in your car.<br />
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<b>Connemara, Ireland</b><br />
In 2014 when Pina was about 6 months old we took her with us on a trip to Ireland, it was her first 'long trip' in the car and first trip on a ferry. She passed both tests with flying colours and since then she has proved many times to be a great traveller. To read more about Connemara and <b>Cleggan Holiday Cottages</b> where we stayed, click on the following link, <a href="http://amwsemc.blogspot.com/2014/07/beautiful-connemara.html">Beautiful Connemara</a>. The great thing about staying in a holiday cottage with your pet is that there are no restrictions within reason limiting where your pet can go. There is a great pub in Cleggan Village called Oliver's Bar where dogs are welcomed not only on the terraced area at the back of the Bar but also in the bar, great locally sourced food is served in both areas.<br />
Dog friendly rating: 9<b>/10</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cleaggan Holiday Cottages</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First holiday, first holiday romance</td></tr>
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<b>The Lake District, Cumbria, England</b></div>
In March 2015 we booked a long weekend to visit the stunning <b>Lake District</b>. On this trip we stayed in a very nice 'cottage' in <b>Windermere Marina Village</b>. To read more about this trip, click on the following link, <a href="http://amwsemc.blogspot.com/2015/03/lovely-long-weekend-in-lake-district.html">Long weekend in the Lake District</a>. There is a bar on the Marina complex where you can enjoy a meal with your dog by your side.<br />
Dog friendly rating: <b>8/10</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake Windermere</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Studying the wildlife at the edge of the lake<br />
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<b>Bank Holiday weekend in North Yorkshire, England</b><br />
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In May 2015 we spent one of the bank holiday weekends staying at the <b>Laskill Grange B&B</b> just outside Helmsley. We stayed in the cosy Foxglove Cottage which in a previous life was the farm's pig sty. This is a great B&B, I guess the only downside was that breakfast, which was delicious, is served in the main house where dogs aren't allowed in the dining area. That aside, dogs are made very welcome and there is so much to do and see in the stunning part of the country, you can also order an evening meal in your cottage which in our case we did and really enjoyed the experience. The amazing Rievaulx Abbey is only minutes away. For more on Laskill Grange and the surrounding area, clock on the following link and read on, <a href="http://amwsemc.blogspot.com/2015/05/north-yorkshire.html">North Yorkshire</a>.<br />
Dog friendly rating: <b>8/10</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Laskill Grange</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">People watching at Rieuvaulx Abbey</td></tr>
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<b>West Cork, Ireland</b></div>
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In June 2016 the three of us along with Susy's Mum took a trip across to Ireland. After a few days with family in Dublin we drove to West Cork where we stayed at the fabulous <b>Dunmore House Hotel</b> just outside Clonakilty. The staff at the hotel were wonderful, so welcoming to dogs, they really made all of us feel at home while we were there. The hotel is fantastic, set on the Atlantic coastline so the views are beautiful. Dogs are allowed in the hotel bar where the food is great so a wonderful destination with your furry daily member. To read more about this wonderful part of Ireland click on the link, <a href="http://amwsemc.blogspot.com/2017/01/ireland-june-2016.html">Family visit to Ireland June 2016</a>.<br />
Dog friendly rating: <b>10/10</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exploring around the Beacon, Baltimore</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stunning view of Bantry Bay from Bantry House</td></tr>
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<b>More from West Cork, Ireland</b><br />
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Around a three hour drive from Dublin, West Cork is a beautiful part of Ireland with lots to do, great food especially if you like seafood and some stunning scenery. We made another trip there in July 2017, this time the three of us stayed at <b>Carbery Cottage Guest Lodge</b>, a great B&B situated between Durrus and Akahista. As with our pervious visit to this part of Ireland we had a fabulous welcome. Carbery Cottage is a great place to visit with a dog and as humans you're in for a treat as the breakfasts are out of this world. Interested, click on the link to read more, <a href="http://amwsemc.blogspot.com/2018/03/ireland-july-2017.html">West Cork 2017</a>. As I'm writing this for some reason I can't find any photos so hopefully the Blogpost will do the trick.<br />
Dog friendly rating: <b>9/10</b><br />
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<b>Wheeldon Trees Farm, Derbyshire, England</b></div>
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Earlier this year (2018) Susy surprised me with a trip to Wheeldon Trees Farm to celebrate my birthday. Wheeldon Trees Farm has a collection of holiday cottages converted from the original outbuildings. The cottages are fabulous with every home comfort you can possibly think of and more. They will even supply bedding, treats etc for your dog if required. Once you arrive there is no need to use your car as all your needs are catered for and there is some wonderful walking straight from the front of the cottage. I've just realised that I've not written a blogpost on this so until I catch up, here is a link to their wonderful website, just <a href="https://www.wheeldontreesfarm.co.uk/">click here</a>.<br />
Dog friendly rating:<b> 10/10</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wheeldon Trees Farm</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not a car in sight</td></tr>
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<b>Wells-next-the Sea, Norfolk, England</b><br />
Earlier in July the unusually good English summer made us yearn for a trip to the seaside so having heard good things about Wells on the Norfolk Coast we looked for a dog friendly place to stay. Susy came across the <b>Globe Inn</b> and we booked a nights stay. The Globe is great for dog owners who want to travel with their dogs, dogs are allowed in the bar area where the food is really good and at breafast there is a designated area in the restaurant where dogs are allowed so no worried about having to leave your dog in their own in your room or in your car.<br />
Dog friendly rating: <b>10/10</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Globe Inn</td></tr>
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The beach at Wells is beautiful and huge, there is a large dog friendly designated area so another great reason for visiting Wells-next-the-Sea with your dog. We enjoyed our time at the Globe and Wells so much that we booked to return in August.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Having fun at Wells-next-the-Sea beach</td></tr>
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<b>Connemara, Ireland</b></div>
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We're just back from a break in Connemara, our second trip to this stunning part of Ireland with our dog Pina. We stayed four nights at the beautiful <b>Lough Inagh Lodge Hotel</b>. This is a wonderful, very welcoming boutique style hotel situated in the edge of Lough Inagh, which welcomes guests with their dogs. Just be aware that dogs aren't allowed in the bar area whilst food is being served so you will have to leave them in your room whilst you are eating. You do have the option to order food in your room however from a reduced menu. That aside the team at this fabulous hotel are great and they make you and your pet feel at home. It's a great place to explore the immediate area and beyond. Once you've experienced Lough Inagh you'll want to return.<span style="text-align: center;"> To see more of Connemara just <a href="https://amwsemc.blogspot.com/2018/07/connemara-july-2017.html">click here</a>.</span></div>
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Dog friendly rating: <b>9/10</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lough Inagh Lodge Hotel</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the hotel </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Relaxing by the lough</td></tr>
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<b>The Malvern Hills, Malvern, England</b></div>
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Our most frequently visited destination with Pina is the <b>Malvern Hills</b> and the Malvern Hills Hotel which we found by chance when visiting the area for a family birthday. The Malvern Hills are a range of hills in the English counties of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and a small area of northern Gloucestershire which dominate the surrounding countryside of the district of Malvern. The <b>Malvern Hills Hotel</b> is located the other side of the road to an area known as <b>British Camp</b>, this is an Iron Age hill located at the top of Herefordshire Beacon. The area is a mecca for walkers of all ages and very welcoming to dogs. The hotel is 100% dog friendly and the management understand that their guests like to have their dogs with them at meal time so they'll happily serve breakfast in the bar area where you can also enjoy a tasty lunch or evening meal. There is also a nice outdoor seating area at the front of the hotel where you can relax on a sunny day.<br />
Dog friendly rating: <b>10/10</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Malvern Hills Hotel</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">British Camp</td></tr>
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<b>The Pheasant Hotel, Holt, Norfolk, England</b></div>
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Some good friends of ours recommended The Pheasant to us and we visited for the first time towards the end of 2018. Situated just outside the lovely market town of Holt on <b>The Kelling Estate</b>, The Pheasant is one of those wonderful hotels which succeeds in making you feel at home from the moment you walk through the front door. You know you're in a dog friendly hotel when you enter your room and find a complimentary dog blanket and dog biscuits. The hotel has a large restaurant which connects with the Orangerie where as a dog owner you can enjoy all your meals with your pet by your side and the food is fantastic, the breakfast is one of the best I've ever enjoyed. Dogs are also allowed in the very relaxing bar. If you fancy a walk, no need to take your car, simply walk to the road in front of the hotel, cross over and follow you nose to the beach. The staff on reception will help with more advice about what to do and see in the area. </div>
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Dog friendly rating: <b>10/10</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Pheasant Hotel & Restaurant </td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 193px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 1; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 3468px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span><span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 193px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 1; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 3468px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155153193501308750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3990652368719771103.post-11353065585070468692018-06-01T06:40:00.001-07:002018-06-01T06:56:13.146-07:00Shugborough Estate, Staffordshire<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="background-color: white;">We recently visited the <b>Shugborough Estate</b> in <b>Staffordshire</b> which the <b>National Trust </b>website describes as a " rare survival of a complete estate, with all major buildings including mansion house, servants quarters, working farm and walled garden". <span style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: "nationaltrustdisplayttregular"; text-align: center;">Once home to two brothers, Thomas and George Anson the estate was inherited by Patrick Lichfield from his grandfather the Fourth Earl of Lichfield, Thomas Edward Anson. Lord Lichfield who was one of the leading photographers of his time lived on the estate until his death in 2005. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Once you reach the carpark at the end of the long driveway, you'll walk past the walled gardens, stableyard where you'll find a tearoom and toilets and then onto the main house with it's impressive gardens. As we were with our dog we didn't visit the house itself, instead we enjoyed the gardens and the parkland.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Chinese House</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Triumphal Arch</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Farewell from Shugborough</i></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #2c2c2c; font-family: "nationaltrustdisplayttregular"; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></span>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155153193501308750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3990652368719771103.post-29397755517391760752018-05-31T06:54:00.000-07:002018-06-01T06:47:59.279-07:00Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire<b>Kedleston Hall</b> is an impressive country house in <b>Kedleston</b>, Derbyshire. Now a <b>National Trust</b> property it was the seat of the Curzon family. We visited it during the recent May Bank Holiday weekend and were lucky to chose a beautiful day for our visit.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcome to Kedleston Hall</td></tr>
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The estate is beautiful with a number of easy to follow well sign posted walks taking in the best of the stunning parklands. There are 4 walks, the longest of which according to the map you are given when you arrive is 3.2 miles long and is aptly named the <b>Long Walk</b>. We combined this with the <b>Lakeside Walk</b>, a further 2 miles. Dog walkers are asked to keep their furry friends on leads at all times.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Follow the signs</i></td></tr>
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Don't forget to visit the family chapel which you'll find behind the main house, for a building that appears quite small from the outside, its fascinating inside.</div>
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<b>Kedleston Hall</b> is one of the nicest and best organised National Trust properties that we've visited so far and one which we'll definitely go back to. One lovely touch from the team that run Kedleston Hall is the chalkboard below which gives you a great idea of other National Trust properties within a reasonable distance of this wonderful location.</div>
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<br />Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155153193501308750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3990652368719771103.post-90815806512579155742018-04-23T04:17:00.002-07:002018-04-26T07:34:41.753-07:00Sunday visit to Ilam Park in the Peak District, April 2018.<b>Ilam Park i</b>s situated in a spectacular location in the <b>Derbyshire</b> and <b>Staffordshire Peak District</b> close to the pretty market town of <b>Ashbourne</b>. Owned by the National Trust, Ilam Park from what we saw appears to be a popular destination for families and dog walkers. With a nice tea-room the park is open all year round and there is plenty to explore with lots of fairly easy going walks. It was our first visit and we had a wonderful day helped by a relatively warm and dry day. The house itself is now a Youth Hostel so the main reason to visit the Park is to enjoy the grounds and the surrounding countryside.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main entrance to Ilam Park</td></tr>
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The village is very pretty with some unique houses and as it's just outside the Park it's worth a wander. The sign posts around the Park aren't that clear so pick up a map before at the house and ask one of the volunteers before you hear off to make the most of your visit.</div>
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The <b>Peak District </b>is a beautiful part of the UK, stunning scenery, beautiful architecture and lots of wonderful places to enjoy local produce. We're lucky that it's only an hour or so from where we live so we're hoping for a good summer so we can enjoy it a lot more. Our plan next time is to try some of the walking that nearby <b>Dovedale</b> has to offer. </div>
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155153193501308750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3990652368719771103.post-49906774570468770552018-04-12T01:44:00.000-07:002018-04-26T07:32:16.538-07:00Next stop Punta Arenas - time to visit some penguins.After a fabulous few days in <b><a href="https://amwsemc.blogspot.co.uk/2018/04/patagonia-puerta-natales-december-2017.html">Puerto Natales</a></b> which left us wanting to return for more, we made the return journey to <b>Punta Arenas</b> where we were staying for New Year. We were booked to stay at the boutique hotel <a href="http://www.yegualoca.com/"><b>La Yegua Loca</b></a> which translates into English as <b>The Mad Mare</b>. This is a great hotel, the vision of a couple to renovate an old house and turn it into a hotel. In their own words "<i>not any hotel, but something unique and very special, that recovers the traditions and trades of a land of adventurers and explorers. Loaded with dreams. Also with a small dose of madness</i>". They have really succeeded in translating their vision into reality, it really captures the spirit and excitement that you experience when visiting Chilean Patagonia. We loved our time in this special place.<br />
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After an early start from <b>Puerto Natales</b> our goal had been to visit <b>Isla Magdalena</b> to see the colony of Magellan penguins, unfortunately bad weather led to a cancellation. Plan B was quickly established and we arranged a driver to take us to <b>Fuerte Bulnes</b>, a 40 minute drive from the city. The fort is a reconstruction, the original was founded on a hill overlooking the <b>Strait of Magellan</b> in 1843 under the command of Manuel Bulnes Prieto.</div>
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After an interesting afternoon at the Fort we returned to Punta Arenas and the hotel with our fingers crossed that our rescheduled visit to<b> Isla Magdalena </b>would go ahead the next day.....it did!! Situated a relatively short boat tide away from Punta Arenas the island is home to a huge colony of Magellan penguin couples and their young. As you get close to the shore line you get your first view of this once in a lifetime sight, it was quite incredible to see so many penguins close up. After docking you get around an hour on the island to walk around a roped off pathway from which you get a close up view of island life.</div>
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On our way back to <b>Puenta Arenas</b> we passed a smaller island colonised by sea lions. Again the sheer numbers and size of some of these mammals is staggering, as we had to take photos from distance on the boat which was bobbing up and down the quality isn't so good as they were on the island.</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">That evening was New Year's Eve and the staff had pulled out all the stops back at </span><b style="text-align: left;">La Yegua Loca</b><span style="text-align: left;"> to prepare a fun evening for all the guests which culminated in watching the fireworks being set off by the coast. A fitting end to 2017 and a great start to 2018.</span></div>
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155153193501308750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3990652368719771103.post-53094553591010331922018-04-06T04:13:00.004-07:002018-04-26T07:31:58.976-07:00Puerta Natales, time to experience Patagonia & Torres del Paine.Towards the end of December 2017 we flew to Chile for two weeks. After a lovely family Christmas in Santiago we headed south to Patagonia. After landing in <b>Punta Arenas</b> we took a taxi into the city centre to catch a bus to <b>Puerto Natales</b>. What we didn't know at the time as that we could have caught the bus from that airport, still you live and learn. The bus trip on Buses Fernandez took around 3 hours another example of the sheer size of Chile. Both of us were full of excitement as this was pair first trip to Patagonia so the time flew by. On arrival we grabbed a taxi for the short ride to our home for the next couple of days, <b>Hotel If</b>.<br />
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Situated just a short walk from the centre <b>Hotel If</b> offers basic accommodation, it did the job for us however in all honesty could do with a bit of work to make it feel more comfortable. The big plus is it is next door to <b>Santolla</b>, a fantastic restaurant built in a series of freight containers as you can see above. Owned and run by the family behind<b> Hotel If </b>the atmosphere is fun, the service comes with a smile and the food especially the King Crab is absolutely delicious, a 5 star recommendation.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exploring the Ultima Esperanza</td></tr>
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On our first full day we joined a cruise on the <b>Ultima Esperanza</b> (Channel of Last Hope) booked with a tour company called 21 de Mayo to see the <b>Balmaceda</b> and <b>Serrano Glaciers</b>. Bearing in mind we were visiting the region in high season the boat was busy however not to the extend that you could't move around. One thing I forgot to mention at the start of this post is come prepared for all seasons when you visit Patagonia as you can experience a mix of weather in one day and when the wind blows its cold....very cold. We had a great time on this well organised cruise, the scenery is spectacular so wrap up warm and enjoy.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some friendly locals</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Balmaceda Glacier </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Serrano Glacier</td></tr>
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Whilst you have to view the Balmaceda Glacier from the ship you get a closer view of the Serrano Glacier, the ship docks and you then have a short walk around 1km to the foot of the glacier.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption">Salud!</td></tr>
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After leading the Serrano Glacier we were treated to a glass of whiskey with ice (supposedly) from the glacier before heading to a nearby ranch for a delicious BBQ lunch.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunch stop at the Estancia Perales</td></tr>
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Our main reason for visiting Patagonia was to visit the world famous <b>Torres del Paine</b> National Park hoping to see the iconic views of the Torres (Towers). We joined our group for the day full of excitement for what lay ahead. One thing to check if you book a day tour in the park is what are the plans for lunch? You may need to book a table at one of the Lodges so especially in high season it's a good idea to check.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hidden in the clouds - Torres del Paine</td></tr>
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So unfortunately as you can see we chose a cloudy day, luck wasn't with is however we did catch some glimpses of the Torres (Towers) and Cuernos (Horns) just not quite the clear view with blue skies that we hoped for. They are spectacular and have to be seen to really appreciate their sheer size and dominance over the surroundings.</div>
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After lunch we drove on to view the <b>Grey Lake</b> and stunning <b>Grey Glacier</b>. This involved a walk of perhaps 2km of which part is very exposed and incredibly windy so wrap up warm and hold onto each other.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grey Lake & Glacier in the background, see below</td></tr>
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Our final stop for the day was the <b>Cueva del Milodon</b>. It comprises a number of caves and a rock formation know as Silla del Diablo (Seat of the Devil) and was the location where a German explorer called Herman Eberhart found the skin of an unidentified animal which was later identified as a Mylodon an extinct animal which died over 10,000 years ago. After the impressive Torres del Paine and the Grey Lake it was if I'm honest a bit underwhelming in comparison.</div>
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We had a wonderful time in <b>Puerto Natales </b>exploring the region and the town itself. The town itself is relatively small with a population of around 19,000. There are lots of bars and restaurants, we had lovely meals at Santolla and Afragonia as well as El Bote. If you're looking for somewhere to have a drink and a bite to eat rather than a full meal try Hostel Wild. If you fancy some shopping and want to take home some souvenirs talk a walk to the Pueblo Artesanal just outside the town centre, it's packed full of colourful hand craft. Next stop back to <a href="https://amwsemc.blogspot.co.uk/"><b>Punta Arenas</b></a> for a couple of days and to celebrate New Year, time too to visit some penguins. </div>
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155153193501308750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3990652368719771103.post-22406082775161882912018-03-28T08:21:00.001-07:002018-04-18T04:05:47.626-07:00Oxford September 2017In September 2017 we visited the historic city of <b>Oxford </b>to celebrate Susy's birthday. We stayed overnight at the White Hart Inn in the sleepy village of <b>Dorchester-on-Thames</b> just outside Oxford. First impressions of Oxford were slightly tainted by how hard it was to find a car park in the centre and the cost!! Oxford is a big drawer for tourists and it appears that the owners of the city centre car parks are making the most of that, so if you can, take advantage of the Park and Ride facilities outside the centre.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcome to Christ Church</td></tr>
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We only had a day to explore the city so after stopping off for some refreshments after our arrival and taking in a few shops and the lovely covered market we made our way to the impressive <b>Christ Church College</b>. To fans of the TV detective series based around the novels of Colin Dexter and his main character <b>Endeavour Morse</b>, many of these scenes will be familiar.<br />
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Oxford and <a href="https://amwsemc.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Cambridge">Cambridge</a> are two of England's most famous universities and both are really worth visiting. If I had to chose one of the two to visit I'd probably go for Oxford purely on the basis of the stunning architecture and the sense of history and achievement that you experience when wandering round the colleges and the city centre, it edges Cambridge but only just.</div>
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We came by chance upon <b>The King's Arms </b>(see above) around lunchtime and took advantage of the opportunity to savour lunch surrounded yes by fellow visitors but also students from the colleges. When you listen to the conversation going on around you, you begin to understand the level of intellect that the University of Oxford attracts.</div>
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The following morning after a hearty breakfast we made tracks for <b>Blenheim Palace</b> a short drive from where we were staying. Home to the 12th Duke and Duchess of Marlborough the palace boasts over 300 years of history to learn about and is a World Heritage Site. It's also the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill and you can visit an exhibition about this pillar of British history in the main house. It is a truly impressive and beautiful place which if you get the chance you should take the opportunity and pay it a visit. We were blown away by the experience, between the house and ground you can more than fill a whole day here so try and allow plenty of time.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Temple of Diana</td></tr>
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Hopefully you enjoyed seeing some of what the City of Oxford and beautiful Blenheim has to offer, we certainly did.</div>
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155153193501308750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3990652368719771103.post-16972136779378643702018-03-14T07:31:00.001-07:002018-06-21T03:13:38.545-07:00Ireland, West Cork, summer 2017In July 2017 some good friends were getting married in Ireland so we decided to make a weeks holiday of it. So the three of us, Pina our dog came too travelled across from Holyhead to Dublin by ferry. We broke the journey to Holyhead staying the previous night in a B&B in the lovely Welsh town of Betys y Coed in the stunning Snowdonia National Park. At time of writing we seem to have 'lost' a lot of our photos from this trip so all you see were taken on an iPhone which is why some aren't as good as we'd like them to be.<br />
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After a couple of days in Dublin we drive down to <b>Durrus</b> to our home for the next few nights at <b>Carbery Cottage Guest Lodge</b>. Carbery Cottage is an award winning, <b>dog friendly</b> B&B, situated on the <b>Sheepshead peninsula</b>. It is a wonderful place, Julia and Mike who own and run it are incredibly welcoming and are full of great advice about what to do and see. Their breakfasts are delicious and filling with all the produce sourced locally. Best of all dogs are made very welcome.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from our bedroom's terrace.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pina making herself at home</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Welcome tea and yummy brownies</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Delicious!</td></tr>
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Looking for somewhere to eat on our first evening Julia recommended <b>Arundels </b>at the village of <b>Akahista</b>, less than a 10 minutes drive from Carberry Lodge. The food was good and this pub/restaurant was busy and seemed to be the place to go in the area. For those of you who have heard of Graham Norton, the Cork born BBC1 chat show host, Akahista is where he spends his summers in a beautiful house next to the Akahista Bar (see below).<br />
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The beauty of West Cork is that there is so much to do and see which is why this is the third time we've visited this neck of the woods on holiday. One of the highlights of the trip was our drive round the <b>Beara peninsula</b>. It offers some spectacular views especially the stretch between <b>Allihies</b> and <b>Eyeries</b> as well as the narrow winding <b>Healey Pass</b>. At the start of the peninsula you'll enter the town of <b>Glengarriff</b>, do stop here and take the ferry across to Garnish Island. This small island was turned into an exotic garden in 1910 for Annan Bryce a Belfast businessman. Framed by views of <b>Bantry Bay</b> the island contains a collection of flora from around the world. If you're lucky you'll spot some seals from the ferry as you journey to and fro. if you're peckish when you get back from the island, give the <b>Park Bistro</b> a go, you'll find it on the main street.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Italian Garden on Ganrish Island.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the Healey Pass</td></tr>
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Another trip well worth doing is out to <b>Mizen Head</b>, the most south-westerly tip of Ireland. The Mizen Head visitor's centre and lighthouse are the main attraction. If you haven't got a head for heights there is an alternative route to the light house to the bridge below. One word of warning, the road to Mizen is narrow so watch out for cars coming in the other direction driving quicker than they should.</div>
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On the way out to Mizen Head you'll see signs for <b>Crookhaven</b> a pretty sailing harbour, highly recommend a stop here for lunch and a bite to eat, some great seafood if you like it at <b>O'Sullivans</b>.</div>
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As I mentioned at the start of this blogpost, Carbery Cottage where we stayed is located on the Sheepshead peninsula, it's well worth a drive to the end of the peninsula to walk as far as the lighthouse for yet more stunning views. The only downside for us that dog's aren't allowed on the walk so Pina had to wait in the car, still can't fathom out why.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sheepshead lighthouse in the background </td></tr>
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If you enjoyed this post about West Cork and are interested in reading more about the area click <a href="https://amwsemc.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Kinsale">here</a> and <a href="https://amwsemc.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Bantry%20House">here</a>.<br />
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Right in front of the hotel you'll find a bus stop, ideal for catching a bus into the historic capital city of <b>Valletta</b>. Alternatively you can hop off in Sliema and take a ferry across the bay, a great way to view and arrive at the beautiful city. Malta isn't the ideal destination for a beach holiday unless you head to the islands of Gozo. It is however ideal if you enjoy a sense of history, wandering through beautiful streets dominated by impressive architecture.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Valletta</td></tr>
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Valletta is a UNESCO World Heritage Site easily explored by foot. Some of the main points of interest in the city include: St John's Cathedral, the Grand Master's Palace and Fort Elmo. Also well worth a visit is the war rooms which give you a fascinating insight into what the citizen's of Malta went through during WW II.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Grand Master's Palace</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside St. John's Cathedral</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fort St.Elmo</td></tr>
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If you fancy a break from exploring Valetta do take a trip to the equally stunning old Maltese capital city of Mdina. Steeped in history you'll really enjoy wandering around the maze of streets safe in the knowledge that its very hard to get lost. If you come across Bacchus Restaurant & Bar whilst you're savouring the atmosphere of Mdina and feel a bit peckish, pop in as the food is delicious.</div>
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If you've had enough walking but still want to continue exploring you have to check out <b>Rolling Geeks </b>over in the area know as <b>The Three Cities</b>. You'll be given your own electric car much like a golf buggy which comes complete with a pre-progammed GPS system to guide you round your tour. It's safe and a lot of fun, if you get lost the team back at the office are tracking you and contactable from the car. Do try this, it's something not to miss out on. </div>
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Another way to explore the island is the Hop on, Hop off Tour buses, there are two routes both well worth giving a go. Below you'll see a photo taken from the shore of <b>Marsaxlokk</b>, Malta's largest fishing village and one of the Tour Bus stops. You can enjoy a nice walk by the shore line, meander through the street market and enjoy a tasty seafood lunch.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marsaxlokk</td></tr>
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We loved <b>Malta</b>, it's an island full of history, beautiful architecture and lovely food. It's relaxed, the weather is lovely and if you're not great at languages you'll be right at home as English is the main language. So would we recommend it, yes we would!</div>
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<span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 193px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 1; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 4964px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span><span style="background-color: #bd081c; background-position: 3px 50%; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; background-size: 14px 14px; border-bottom-left-radius: 2px; border-bottom-right-radius: 2px; border-top-left-radius: 2px; border-top-right-radius: 2px; border: none; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: none; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; left: 193px; line-height: 20px; opacity: 1; padding: 0px 4px 0px 0px; position: absolute; text-align: center; text-indent: 20px; top: 4964px; width: auto; z-index: 8675309;">Save</span>Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155153193501308750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3990652368719771103.post-76281576245890630392017-01-02T07:29:00.004-08:002018-06-21T03:14:25.588-07:00Family visit to Ireland, June 2016<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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After falling out of love with Apple's once wonderfully easy to use photo software I neglected our blog in 2016. Sitting here on a very rainy New Year's Day 2017 I'm endeavouring to catch up starting with our trip to <b>Ireland </b>in June last year along with Susy's mum Ana. We spent a fun week in Ireland visiting some of my family and showing Ana some of Ireland's treasures.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Glendalough, County Wicklow<br />
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,Before heading down to <b>Cork</b> and our base for a few nights at the <b>Dunmore House hotel</b> just outside <b>Clonakilty</b>, we spent a day exploring Glendalough and driving through the Sally Gap. Glendalough is one of Ireland's most important monastic sites founded in the 6th century by St. Kevin. It's a popular destination for tourists thanks to it's historic importance and spectacular setting in 'the valley of the two lakes'.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Kevin's Cross in the centre.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Sally Gap</td></tr>
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The following morning we said our goodbyes and hopped in the car to drive down to our home for the next few nights, The <b>Dunmore House Hote</b>l near Clonakility. This is a gem of a hotel, wonderful friendly staff, an amazing location on the edge of the Atlantic Coast and to top it all of it is <b>dog friendly</b> too. We had a wonderful time there, enjoyed delicious food and the staff really made us feel at home.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clonakility main street<br />
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The market town of Clonakility has a real West Cork feel about it, its a welcoming town with some nice shops, bars and restaurants. Be sure and buy some of it's famous Clonakilty black pudding, the perfect accompaniment to a full Irish Breakfast.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bantry House</td></tr>
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Bantry House and Gardens is home to the Shelswell-White family descendants of the Earls of Bantry. Whilst slightly run down the house and gardens are well worth a visit, you can enjoy a tour of the main house and a relaxing walk around the gardens which have a stunning view over Bantry Bay. The tea rooms and patio are welcoming and the perfect place to sit and enjoy this wonderful location. We really enjoyed ourselves here and recommend taking the time to enjoy this stunning house, dogs are welcome in the gardens as long as they are kept on their lead.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of Bantry Bay from the front of the house.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Italian gardens at the rear of Bantry House.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pina enjoying her walk in the gardens.</td></tr>
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Our destination the following day was Baltimore, in my opinion the centre of Baltimore itself is not the prettiest however its well worth visiting the 15th century castle which overlooks the harbour and the coastline walk out to the Beacon provides you with some spectacular views. So despite the lack of charm of the village you won't be disappointed by your visit. Baltimore's main claim to fame is the amazing story which dates back to 1631 when 100 citizens were carried off as slaves by Algerian pirates, you'll find out more about this if you visit the castle.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baltimore harbour</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Former home to the O'Driscoll clan.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baltimore beacon for boats approaching the town.</td></tr>
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On our way back to Dublin we stopped off at the beautiful town of Kinsale for lunch, despite the poor weather we enjoyed a wander round this colourful harbour town full of delightful shops. To see more of Kinsale, <a href="http://amwsemc.blogspot.co.uk/2012/03/ireland-july-2010-1-susy-and-i-got.html">Click here</a> for some photos from a previous trip.<br />
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155153193501308750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3990652368719771103.post-83783671447724402442015-10-24T04:15:00.001-07:002015-10-24T04:15:06.376-07:00Enjoying wine in the Casablanca valley, ChileDuring our September 2015 trip we spent a day enjoying a wine tour in Chile's <b>Casablanca Valley</b>. We visited three vineyards, <b>Loma Larga</b>, <b>Bodegas Re</b> and <b>Quintay</b>. This tour turned out to be one of those days when you just have a wonderful time, thanks to some good company and of course some lovely wine. The day started at <b>Loma Larga</b>.<br />
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<b>Loma Larga</b> turned out to be the highlight of the day, thanks mainly to our Guide Pamela whose personality and passion for her job helped to make the experience a lot of fun with lots of laughter. We started the tasting just sipping the wine, noticing that our companions were knocking it back. Not wanting to appear unsociable we followed suit as Pamela encouraged us all to refill our glasses.</div>
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That set the tone for the rest of the day, our interest in the wine and increased as the day wound on as did the level of laughter. Our second destination of the day was <b>Bodegas Re</b> where they follow some traditional wine manufacturing processes and specialise in blending grape types to develop their own unique varieties of wine.</div>
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Our final destination where we had a delicious four course lunch was <b>Quintay</b>. By this time everything seemed funny, Susy and I lost it in a fit of laughter on the tour as the intake of wine continued. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evidence of the consumption at Loma Larga</td></tr>
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After an hours drive back to our hotel in <b>Santiago</b> we arrived at about 6pm, adjourned to our room for a siesta and woke up 2 hours later. A wonderful day and well worth trying out if you find yourselves in <b>Chile</b>.<br /><div>
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155153193501308750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3990652368719771103.post-70682259041667060972015-10-03T07:36:00.001-07:002018-04-06T01:40:29.455-07:00Memories from the Atacama desert, ChileWe're back to normality after a wonderful two week holiday in <b>Chile</b> in September 2015. In between spending time with family in Santiago we took the chance to explore <b>San Pedro de Atacama</b> and some of the stunning surrounding landscape. The flight from Santiago to <b>Calama </b>airport is just under two hours, from there its an hour by airport or hotel transfer to <b>San Pedro</b>. We were so excited to be visiting somewhere that neither of us had been before and the excitement grew as we wound our way across the desert highway.<br />
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Our home for four nights was <b>Hotel Cumbres</b>, a great hotel just outside San Pedro, just a couple of minutes in the regular hotel transfer to the town centre or around a 15 minutes walk.<br />
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Our choice of hotel helped by Trip Advisor was spot on, the rooms are spread across the grounds of the hotel, they are spacious with the most enormous double bed we've ever seen and a luxurious bathroom with an inside and outside shower. The hotel has its own spa, outside swimming pool an a couple of outside heated jacuzzis. We chose half board and weren't disappointed enjoying the 'chefs suggestions' each night.<br />
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The town of <b>San Pedro</b> is very relaxed and to be honest you can see all that there is to see in a morning, there are plenty of shops selling local handcraft so you'll easily find some great souvenirs to take home with you. One tip, if you are planning to visit some of the higher altitude tours in the region it can be very cold. So pack for the cold, if you forget gloves and hats as we did you'll have no problem finding some in downtown San Pedro.</div>
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The amazing thing about spending time in <b>San Pedro </b>is that despite when we were there, the temperature being only between 9 and 14 degrees, it still felt warm. The Andes on one side and the mountains on the other side running by the pacific, keep clouds away allowing the sun to shine and making the sky at night something that has to be seen to be believed.</div>
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San Pedro is the base for exploring the <b>Atacama</b> region and there are a wide range of tour agencies scattered around the town offering the full range of tours that the region has on offer. We booked our initial tour to <b>Laguna Chaxa</b> through out hotel and stuck with them for the next couple of days as we were impressed with the organisation, the attention to detail and their focus on safety. If you're looking for a cheaper option, check out the agencies scattered around the town.</div>
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On the way to <b>Laguna Chaxa</b> we stopped off at the town of <b>Toconao</b> and its church. From there we drove into the heart of the Atacama salt flat to watch the flamingos. Fortunately when we arrived there were some flamingos, not many but there were some. Our guide Nicolas explained that the main Laguna is off limits to tourists and that were there are far more flamingos hidden away. </div>
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The next day we chose the tour of the <b>Lagunas Altiplanicas</b>, the high plateau lakes, on this tour you'll need to wrap up well as you'll be at an altitude of 4,300 meters and it can get cold. Hats and gloves are highly recommended. You'll visit two lagoons at the foot of their respective volcanoes <b>Miñiques</b> and <b>Miscanti</b>.<span style="font-family: inherit;"> You'll also visit </span><b style="font-family: inherit;">Piedras Rojas</b><span style="font-family: inherit;">, a unique landscape where nature combines colours creating stunning views. This tour is a must, the views were like nothing we'd ever seen before, it was a truly memorable experience and hopefully our photos do it justice.</span></div>
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Our final trip was to <b>Valle de la Luna</b> (moon valley) which is around 20 minutes from San Pedro by car/bus and one of the area's most distinctive attractions. We spent some time walking in the Valle enjoying the scenery before hopping back on our van to be taken to a nearby viewpoint to enjoy</div>
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the sunset with a cocktail and some delicious salmon from the south of Chile.</div>
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We both agreed that <b>San Pedro de Atacama</b> is a fantastic place to visit, we saw just a small fraction of the wonderful diverse landscape that you find in the Atacama and plan to go back to see more.</div>
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155153193501308750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3990652368719771103.post-25225310105267231872015-05-31T05:19:00.000-07:002018-06-21T03:15:08.913-07:00North YorkshireAt the beginning of May we spent the Bank Holiday weekend deep in beautiful <b>North Yorkshire</b>, after watching a slightly anti-climatic end of season football match between Middlesbrough and Brighton we drove across to our home for two nights, <b>Laskill Grange</b>. We stayed in one of the converted <b>dog friendly</b> cottages, the former pigsty now called Foxglove Cottage. We enjoyed a hearty full English breakfast in the main house each morning and one evening chose the option of having an evening meal delivered to us in our cottage which was a lovely experience and the food was delicious.<br />
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The <b>North Yorkshire Moors</b> are stunning however we weren't blessed with great weather on the Sunday morning as we set off to drive across the moors with the aim of visiting <b>Whitby Abbey</b>. Thanks to our Sat Nav we navigated successfully across the wet and misty moors and arrived in <b>Whitby </b>itself where the heavens were well and truly open and rain was plummeting down. Not deterred by the conditions we drove up to the Abbey and Susy braved the elements to take a quick photo (see below) over the carpark wall.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whitby Abbey view from the distance</td></tr>
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From the Abbey we drove the short distance to <b>Robin Hood's Bay</b> a village full of red roofed cottages gathered around the slipway at the foot of a deep ravine. Before wandering down the steepish descent into the village we enjoyed a coffee and cake in <b>The Victoria Hotel </b>overlooking the bay. It's well worth taking some time to enjoy the village, which is unspoilt by progress and has some nice shops and meandering streets to enjoy, we loved our time here.<br />
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Having really enjoyed ourselves despite the persistent drizzle we hopped back in the car and headed back across the moors destination <b>Helmsley</b>, the pretty market town just a few miles from where we were staying. En route the weather improved slightly and I hopped out to take a photo of the moors, still not great but proof at least that we were there.</div>
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After arriving back in Helmsley and enjoying a cup of Yorkshire tea, there is no better allegedly, we walked the short distance to <b>Helmsley Castle</b> and visited the ruins of this 900 year old castle.</div>
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The following morning before driving back to the East Midlands we visited the historic site of <b>Rievaulx Abbey,</b> a former Cistercian Abbey which in its day was home to over 600 monks. If you do visit the Abbey be sure and listen to the audio guide as it really makes the experience come to life. </div>
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If you do plan to visit the Abbey do try and get there early as this popular destination gets very busy. With a relatively small carpark which soon fills up meaning that parking overflows onto the narrow road which runs through the village making it hard to navigate your way out at the end of your visit.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dogs are welcome too :-)</td></tr>
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Despite the relatively inclement weather we had a wonderful time in <b>North Yorkshire </b>and will definitely return to explore more of this lovely part of the English countryside.<br />
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155153193501308750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3990652368719771103.post-30393122825664827072015-03-28T09:37:00.000-07:002018-06-21T03:15:37.559-07:00Lovely long weekend in the Lake District<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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With the end of the first quarter of 2015 fast approaching we decided it was time for a change of scenery. Initially we were looking for a city break somewhere on mainland Europe however after getting frustrated with the lack of flights from our local airports we decided on a change of direction. We decided to look closer to home, like many people the tendancy when thinking about holidays is to look further afield. We chose the <b>Lake District</b>, a three hour drive from our home in the East Midlands.<br />
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Having finally left the M6 and started to follow the signs for The Lakes we stopped off at <b>Kendal </b>for lunch and a mission to track down some Kendal Mintcake. We had a lovely lunch in <b>The Master's House Tea Rooms</b> before wandering around this pretty town in pursuit of Mintcake which we found in a newsagents.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kendal main street</td></tr>
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Suitably re-charged after a hearty lunch, our next stop was <b>Bowness</b> and <b>Windermere Marina Village</b>, our home for the next three nights. The Marina Village consists of a collection of modern holiday cottages and apartments. Our cottage was great, tidy, comfortable warm and equipped with everything you needed to make you feel instantly at home. An extra bonus, the marina village is <b>dog friendly</b>, dogs are welcome which was one of our reasons for chosing it. If you're feeling peckish or in need of a beverage, the <b>Boat House</b> bar and restaurant is worth a visit too, dogs are welcomed in the bar area.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lake Windermere</td></tr>
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Alternatively the pretty town of <b>Bowness</b> is a short 15 - 20 minute walk away where you'll find an ample choice of bars and restaurants to choose from as well as some lovely shops, not forgetting the Beatrix Potter attraction. If you like good cofee, look out for a <b>#4 </b>on Lake Road where every cup of coffee is ground to order, the foods good too and dogs are made especially welcome.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown Bowness</td></tr>
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After a good nights sleep and a hearty breakfast back at #4 the next morning we set off for a drive around <b>Lake Windermere</b> with <b>Ambleside</b> our lunchtime destination. </div>
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The scenary around the lake is stunning, the countryside beautiful, you have the feeling you're driving through a film set. We would our way round the lake to <b>Ambleside</b> where we parked up and set off to find somewhere for lunch. By chance we came across <b>Stiles</b>, perhaps I should say luck was with us as the food was delicious, the staff very friendly and like a lot of places in the <b>Lake District</b> dogs are made very welcome. </div>
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<b>Ambleside</b> is a very picturesque town full of the stone architecture that typifies the style of building in the <b>Lake District</b>. There are plenty of nice shops to visit, especially those selling outward bound clothing and accessories as this area is a dream for hikers, fell walkers, climbers, cyclists and many more.</div>
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The following morning we decided a lazy day was what we neeed so we meandered into Bowness to catch a ferry on the Lake. We'd already decided that we owned the Lakes another visit so we chose a short 45 minute lake trip which cost £7 per person. </div>
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Later in the day we drove up to Windermere, just over a mile from Bowness, the two merge into each other. To be honest after Bowness and Ambleside it was slightly disappointing and a very poor roast beef lunch in The Grey Walls hotel didn't help. Morale of that story is, stick away from roast beef if you have the slightest doubts about the restaurant. </div>
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We had a fantastic few days in the Lake District and both agreed we want to return to try out some of the many walks and enjoy more of the unique countryside.</div>
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155153193501308750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3990652368719771103.post-69101097117115869252014-12-06T09:09:00.001-08:002014-12-06T09:09:41.150-08:00Some of our favourite Christmas Market photos<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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One of our favourite annual trips whilst living in the Netherlands was to the lovely German city of <b>Aachen </b>and during the last couple of years to<b> Cologne's </b>even bigger<b> </b>Christmas markets. We also enjoyed a wonderful trip to Vienna in December 2011. As we're now well into December and Christmas is fast approaching I thought it would be fun to share some of our favourite <b>Christmas Market</b> photos, so here goes.....<br />
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At the end of November we visited the Christmas Market at <b>Chatsworth</b>, one of England's many fine stately homes. Whilst the setting was impressive and the stalls full of lovely things to buy it lacked the unique atmosphere of a German or Austrian Christmas market. If you get the chance hop on a plane and head for mainland Europe to experience the unique atmosphere of a 'real' Christmas market.</div>
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<br />Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155153193501308750noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3990652368719771103.post-55084432304058102722014-08-31T06:51:00.001-07:002014-08-31T09:29:45.038-07:00Bank holiday weekend in EdinburghWe spent the August bank holiday in the beautiful Scottish capital city of <b>Edinburgh</b>, a city we'd both wanted to visit for sometime. The wait was definitely worth it as Edinburgh is beautiful, a great destination for a short break with lots to do and see. We stayed in the <b>Stay Central Hotel</b> on <b>Cowgate</b>, the location is great as the name suggests its very central and just a few minutes walk from the <b>Royal Mile</b> and E<b>dinburgh Castle</b>. So that makes it ideal for seeing the city, the downside is its next door to the Three Sisters Pub which stays open till 3am and specialises in Stag and Hen nights. Suffice to say, rooms overlooking the courtyard are very very noisy, so you have been warned.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grass Market</td></tr>
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The hotel was also very close to <b>Grass Market</b> where you'll find lots of places to eat and drink and a small outdoor market. Our visit coincided with the last weekend of the <b>Edinburgh Festival</b> so it was also busy with street performers. Our favourite act was a 30 piece street orchestra called <b>Journey of a Thousand Wings</b>, we caught the end of their Sunday night show at the <b>Liquid Rooms</b> which seemed to go down well judging by the smiles on the faces of the orchestra and the reaction of the crowd.<br />
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We arrived in Edinburgh on Saturday afternoon so having dumped our cases at the hotel we set out on foot to explore this very walkable city. One of our favourite spots was on the corner of <b>West Princess Street Gardens </b>looking up at a spectacular view of the castle enjoying a glass of Pimm's on a nice sunny afternoon. That evening after a short 'siesta' we headed to <a href="http://www.bistromoderne.co.uk/#!about_us/c161y"><b>Bistro Moderne</b></a> on NW Circus Place, run by chef Mark Greenaway this french concept style restaurant is great value for money, the food is delicious, the service excellent and the ambience just spot on. Do give it a try if you can.</div>
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We finished the evening in <b>The Bow Bar</b> on West Bow just round the corner from Grass Market. This is a really nice, relaxed and welcoming bar where you can enjoy a good chat about a great day in Edinburgh. The following morning despite a slight headache we were up and out early and off to <b>Edinburgh Castle</b>, a top tip is to either get your tickets online or get them early, after mid-morning the queue for tickets was enormous.<br />
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The castle is spectacular and it's well worth getting an audio guide as its history is fascinating. As you may already know some of it or can easily find it online I won't attempt to summarise it, instead here are a few images from inside the castle.<br />
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After a wonderful morning learning about the Castle's history we spent the afternoon enjoying the area around the <b>Royal Mile</b> where if you like Cashmere you will be in your element as there are a multitude of shops selling Cashmere products.</div>
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That evening we enjoyed a nice meal in <b>The Atelier </b>on Morrison Street, whilst not quite in the league of Bistro Moderne the food was very good so no real complaints. That bought our short break in Edinburgh to a close, one thing is for certain, we need to go back.</div>
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155153193501308750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3990652368719771103.post-57643148612747894072014-07-13T07:51:00.000-07:002018-08-09T06:23:42.954-07:00Beautiful Connemara<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Towards the end of last month we spent a lovely week in <b>Ireland</b>, we drove from our home in the East Midlands to Holyhead to board the Stena Line to <b>Dun Laoghaire</b>. The drive took just over 4 hours and the ferry crossing was about 2 and a half. This was the first holiday for us with our puppy Pina which was the main reason for catching the ferry and not flying.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Farewell Holyhead.</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: left;">We arrived on a Saturday morning and spent the next couple of days enjoying the time with my parents and Pina. On the Sunday afternoon we took place in the Rainbow Run, Ireland's 'most fun' 5K run. Five thousand participants ran or walked a the course in Dun Laoghaire Harbour. When registering you are given coloured powder which in turn you then throw at anyone you get the chance to hence the title Rainbow Run as by the end of the Run you are quite a colourful sight.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">pre-run build up listing to 'Spring Break'</td></tr>
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Our main destination for the week as<b> Connemara</b> in the West of Ireland. We left on Monday morning taking the Galway road from Dublin, from Galway you head on to Connemara via Oughterard. As you leave Oughterard you start to get an idea of the spectacular scenary that lies ahead of you. In all it took about 4 hours to get to our destination <b>Cleggan </b>and the lovely <b>Cleggan Farm Holiday Cottages</b> (<b>dog friendly</b>) where we were booked for 4 nights.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cleggan Farm Holiday Cottages</td></tr>
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<b>Cleggan</b> is a small fishing village that lies 10km northwest of Clifden and is situated at the head of <b>Cleggan Bay</b>. It's a sleepy little village that comes alive each day just before the ferry to Inishboffin leaves and the tourist cars and coaches arrive. Apart from <b>Oliver's Bar</b> and the Pier Bar theres not a lot else. That's not a complaint, its just the truth. We can recommend <b>Oliver's Bar f</b>or breakfast lunch and dinner, if you are travelling with a dog they are welcome in the bar or decking but not in the restaurant area.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the back of Oliver's Bar</td></tr>
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We were blessed with good weather and the next morning took the ferry across to <b>Inishboffin</b>, tickets are €20 per person so not cheap but trust me, if the sun is shining and the sea calm this is more than worth it. It only takes 30 minutes to get there and you are in for a treat when you arrive.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flat calm crossing to Inishboffin</td></tr>
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With about 160 inhabitants the island of Inishboffin is a great way to escape. We'd not really done our homework beforehand so we weren't really that clear what to expect when we arrived and to be honest there's not too much in the way of signage to help you. We hung a right and came across the <b>Beach Bar and B&B</b>, what a stroke of luck as we were ready for a drink and a spot of lunch. Try the fish & chips, the sweet potato chips are amazing.</div>
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Stomachs full we set off in search of a beach as we knew that there were some beautiful ones on the island. We hung a left out of the bar and walked for about 30 minutes hoping to find what we were looking for, some clues would have helped however there just aren't too many signs on the island. Fortunately we were in luck and our prayers were answered, Pina's too as this was only her second time on a beach, the first being the day before.</div>
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After a lovely afternoon on the beach we walked back giving ourselves pleanty of time for a drink in the Beach Bar. Top tip, the ferry leaves at 5pm and on a busy day can be very busy and the queue starts from about 4.30pm onwards. So if you don't want to queue get there early.</div>
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The following morning we set off for <b>Kylemore Abbey</b>, if you head for Letterfrack its hard to miss it. Formerly known as Kylemore Castle it was built by Mitchell Henry for himself and his beloved wife Margaret, construction started in 1867. The story of of the Henrys is sad with Margaret dying in her forties. Mitchell built a gothic style mini cathedral in her memory and both their remains are housed in a mausoleum close by.</div>
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In 1920 the Castle became an Abbey when it was purchased by the Irish Benedictine Nuns who were forced to flee Ypres in Belgium during World War 1, it remains an Abbey to this day. If you do visit <b>Connemara</b> be sure and visit Kylemore as you can easily spend a day in this wonderful setting.</div>
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<b>Connemara</b> is a wonderful place to explore by car but be warned as some of the roads are very narrow and the potholes are almost as spectacular as the views. We spent the afternoon following our visit to Kylemore and the following day exploring and made it up as far as <b>Westport </b>in County Mayo. </div>
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Choosing the photos to share on this blogpost has been an impossible job as we have so many lovely images from a great few days in Connemara. So time to end here, have a re-read and maybe make some changes. In the meantime thats it for now. </div>
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To read more about our latest visit to Connemara in July 2018 simply <a href="https://amwsemc.blogspot.com/2018/07/connemara-july-2017.html">click here</a>.</div>
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155153193501308750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3990652368719771103.post-68212216663120805212014-06-08T12:02:00.001-07:002014-06-08T12:03:09.719-07:00London's Borough MarketDuring a recent trip down to London to meet up with my sister and her partner, I spent a lovely Saturday morning with them exploring <b>Borough Market,</b> a wholesale and retail market in Southwark, Central London. It is said to be one of London's oldest markets and sells wonderful produce from all over the world. If you enjoy good food add this to your list of places to visit<br />
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whilst in London, in my opinion it has to be up there as one of the best markets in Europe.</div>
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One word of warning, the market is not open on a Sunday morning so if you are visiting London for a weekend break, skip breakfast on Saturday morning and head straight to <b>Borough Market</b>, you won't regret it. Hopefully the following photos will give you some idea of the delicious experience that lies ahead for you at this paradise for 'foodies'.</div>
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Once you've visited London's more widely known tourist attarctions there is no real need to revisit them, not the case with <b>Borough Market</b>, this is once place you'll want to visit over and over again.</div>
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155153193501308750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3990652368719771103.post-27015990547011263692014-03-29T11:03:00.000-07:002014-03-29T11:03:29.072-07:00Getting to know our new surroundings in the East Midlands<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Since our last post we have been settling into our new home in <b>Leicestershire</b> and not travelling too far afield. That said we have taken the opportunity to enjoy some of the surrounding country side and to visit some of the lovely market towns in our new home county and slightly further afield. Here are some images of what we've come across and enjoyed so far.<br />
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We are lucky to have <b>Bradgate Park</b> almost on our doorsteps, perhaps a slight exaggeration as its about 10 minutes away by car. Set in the Charnwood Forest it covers 850 acres and is a magnet for walkers with and without their dogs as well as running enthusiasts. After 8 years living in the flat lands of the Netherlands, which I have to say does have some lovely countryside however it is very flat, the scenary in Bradgate Park is a wonderful change.<div>
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<b>Oakham</b> is the county town of<b> Rutland</b>, around 28 miles from Nottingham and slightly less from Leicester. It lies just to the west of Rutland Water one of the largest man-made lakes in Europe. Close by you'll find the very pretty market town of <b>Uppingham </b>which is home to Uppingham School one of the leading British boarding schools.</div>
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<br />Perhaps best know by many who visit as being the home to Warwick Castle, <b>Warwic</b>k is the county town of Warwickshire. We spent a lovely morning there during Susy's mum's recent visit to the UK.<div>
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So whilst we've not travelled too far afield in the first quarter of 2014 we've quickly realised that there is lots to do, see and explore on our own doorstep. Until next time, goodbye for now.</div>
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155153193501308750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3990652368719771103.post-56583292655839285952014-02-08T09:14:00.002-08:002014-02-08T09:21:34.498-08:00A short break in Cambridge<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The start of <b>2014 </b>was very significant for both of us, after around 8 years living in the Netherlands it was time to move on, our destination <b>Leicestershire</b>, England. After packing up our house we travelled across staying one night in the gorgeous Belgian city of <b><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://amwsemc.blogspot.nl/search/label/Ghent">Ghent</a> </span></b>before taking a Euro Shuttle across to <b>Folkstone</b>.<br />
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After a quick 25 minutes across to Folkestone our next port of call was the lovely university city of <b>Cambridge</b>. We stayed overnight in the <b>Doubletree</b> by Hilton hotel, which I have to say was very nice. It's location is very handy for seeing the city and with ample parking it is hassle free. Our welcome at the reception was quite unique. On arrival we were handed a paper bag with two freshly baked <b>chocolate cookies</b> just out of the oven, they were delicious!<br />
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As we arrived in <b>Cambridge</b> mid afternoon and had to leave relatively early the following morning, we dumped our bags and set off to see what we could of this historic city before it got dark. Hopefully the following photos will give you an idea of what is in store for you in Cambridge.</div>
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Sadly with so little time to explore the city we didn't really get a chance to fully enjoy all that <b>Cambridge</b> has to offer. The good thing is that its only a couple of hours from where we now live in the <b>East Midands</b> so we can pop back and explore it fully.</div>
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As darkness ascended temperature dropped we decided it was time for food and we walked back towards the hotel and <b>The Anchor Pub</b> where we had a great meal before getting ready for our shortish trip to Leicestershire the next morning and Moving Day Part 2.</div>
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155153193501308750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3990652368719771103.post-22108853472173947502013-12-21T06:26:00.000-08:002013-12-21T06:27:04.874-08:00Prague, the lost photosWe are preparing for a move next month to England and whilst clearing out one drawer full of assorted bits and pieces we came across a memory card. Much to our delight it contained some of our photos from one of our first trips together, to <b>Prague</b> in December 2006. As one of our cameras was stolen during a break in, these are the some of the only photos we have left from this trip. <br />
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This should really have been one of our first blogposts however now that the memory card has been recovered it becomes one of our last of 2013, so rather than talking too much I'll let the photos hopefully show you what a beautiful city <b>Prague </b>is. A great starting point to explore the city is Prague Castle, from where you can enjoy some wonderful views of the city. Its quite a steep walk from downtown but well worth it as you can easily spend a day exploring all that there is too see.</div>
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Much of the history of the city's <b>Jewish Quarter</b> is preserved in the synagogues around the Old Jewish Cemetery. </div>
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The <b>Old Town Square</b> in the centre of Prague is surrounded by baroque buildings, vibrant cafes, street entertainers and artisans selling their wares. If you visit during December you'll also be able to enjoy the atmosphere of the Christmas market.</div>
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So after a gap of close to 7 years and some missing photos, this post is a little incomplete but hopefuly you can see from some of the photos we still have that <b>Prague</b> is an amazing place to visit.</div>
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<br />Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155153193501308750noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3990652368719771103.post-71466515590517892862013-11-02T09:15:00.002-07:002013-11-02T09:20:56.454-07:00A short October break in Hamburg<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Towards the end of October we spent a couple of days in <b>Hamburg</b>, Germany's second largest city. In part it was an opportunity to see this impressive city however the main reason for our trip was to meet up with a friend who lives close by.<br />
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Having come across a good deal online, we altered our plans and stayed two nights in the impressive <b>Sofitel</b> on <b>Alterwall</b>. The staff are great, friendly and professional and the location is perfect, just a couple of minuites from the <b>Rathausmarkt</b> which puts you smack bang in the centre of the city. The only downside of the hotel is the price charged for breakfast; €14 for an express breakfast, €24 for a continental and €29 for the buffet breakfast. We chose the express breakfast which was ok but you have to stay seated whilst they serve it which feels a little bit like being at school. Having experienced it once, the following morning we went across the road to Starbucks and paid less than €10 for the two of us, much better value for money.</div>
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Having driven from where we live in the Netherlands, we arrived in <b>Hamburg</b> early afternoon and set out to explore the centre of the city on foot. Our initial impression of the city was one of surprise as despite having a population of around 1,7m the city feels relaxed and not too crowded. The centre is elegant and full of lovely shops, so be warned. The city centre can be easily explored on foot, including the area between the main railway station and the lake (Binnenalster), along with the rest of the old town and the port. </div>
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That evening we were looking for somewhere not too formal to eat, the hotel concierge recommeded one of the <b>Block</b> steakhouses of which there seem to be a few in Hamburg. The food was good, the service fine, our waitress spoke very good English, so worth a visit if you like a decent steak. The following day was our change to get a feel of the city and as always one of the best ways is to catch one of the <b>Hop on/Hop</b> off tour buses which we did at the stop in front of the <b>Sofitel</b>.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hamburg Dungeon</td></tr>
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Situated 104km inland along the <b>Elbe river</b>, the port of Hamburg is Europe's second largest after Rotterdam and our tour guide recommended taking a boat tour of the port. As our time was limited we stayed on the bus until we got to the impressively restored <b>Hafen</b> (Harbour) <b>City</b> where we hopped off to enjoy some of the impressively restored warehouses.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maritime Museum</td></tr>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Rejoining the bus tour we stayed on board and completed the tour hopping off back in the city centre with the plan to spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the city on foot. By this time we needed a break and some lunch, so by chance we came across </span><b style="text-align: left;">Restauant </b><b style="text-align: left;">Alex</b><span style="text-align: left;"> in the </span><b style="text-align: left;">Alster Pavilion</b><span style="text-align: left;"> on the edge of Binnenalster where we relaxed before setting out on foot. </span></div>
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Fully recharged and ready to go we set off on our afternoons "walking tour", starting with a walk around <b>Binnenalster</b>, the lake at the centre of the city to enjoy the view back towards the city.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Binnenalster</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St. Petrikirche</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michaeliskirche</td></tr>
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That evening we met up with our good friend Norbert and he took us to the <b>Fischmarkt</b> area (Fish Market) for dinner. We had a delicious seafood dinner at <b>Lührs Fischmarkt Restaurant</b>. The actual fish market is an attaction for early risers as from 5am (7am in winter) on Sundays, the Auktionshalle and the nearby waterside turn into a colourful marketplace.<br />
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The following morning after a great evening out and a good nights sleep, we left <b>Hamburg</b> for the drive back to the Netherlands. We only really spent the best part of a day exploring the city of Hamburg, its a diverse city with lots to see from the Port to the Altstadt to the neon-lit Reeperbahn in <b>St Pauli</b>. So is it worth visiting? The answer is <b>yes</b>!</div>
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Andyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05155153193501308750noreply@blogger.com0