Where To This Year Then ?

[Canada Bob]

I guess that the economy will be taking its toll on where folks decide to take their holidays this year, might be a good idea to share where we've been and if it was worth going again.

Have to say that although we had a good time in Ireland, touring Northern Ireland and the Republic, you can't "win" in either place. There's lots of great places in Ireland for hiking fishing or just sight seeing, but the cost of staying in the Republic beggars belief, the cheapest pint of Guinness was 3.60 Euro the highest was over 5 Euro, the same pint in the North was as low as ?1.60, average price was ?2.20.

I know that there's more to a holiday than the price of ale, but it was a fair indication of what you'll pay for most everything else, a bowl of Irish Stew in Galway Bay, in a middle of the road pub was 13 Euro {think almost 13 quid}

and there was nowt special about it. In the North you can get a full "Ulster Fry" on a 12" plate that almost defies anyone to finish it, for about 5 to 6 quid.

Same thing renting a car, way more expensive in the south than in the north, and so on. The problem is, the craic is better in the Republic and excepting for a couple of places like Giants Causeway there's a lot more interesting /pretty

places to see in the south.

Bottom line is, Northern Ireland is cheaper but the Republic is a better holiday, but you'll pay for it...

[Johnboy]

I toured around Donegal a couple of years ago, on a wee golf holiday... I loved the place...The craic and the music in the pubs was superb but yes, it is very expensive.

Are you not spending anytime in Scotland Canada Bob? Here in Wetherspoons in Church St, you can get a pint for 99p and steak pie and chips is about a fiver!

No such thing as a cheap holiday abroad at the moment.

[Heilandee]

For oor annual golf trip we're heading to Gullane and East Lothian,very reasonable for Accom and green fee's compared to doon sooth or abroad , weathers the only prob!! Considering Dusseldorf for a family hol due to direct flights from Sneck, but will need to research accom and food/drink prices more before reaching decision,I think the euro may make it a bit too expensive presently,mebbes have a look at B and B prices at Johnboy's in Nairn!!

[Canada Bob]

I toured around Donegal a couple of years ago, on a wee golf holiday... I loved the place...The craic and the music in the pubs was superb but yes, it is very expensive. Are you not spending anytime in Scotland Canada Bob? Here in Wetherspoons in Church St, you can get a pint for 99p and steak pie and chips is about a fiver!No such thing as a cheap holiday abroad at the moment.

I might be up there next week, have to pick some of me shaving cream from Welby Healthcare in Blantyre, Ayrshire I think that is ?

So if I go up there I might as well spend a couple of days on the west coast, might get up as far as Ullapool, to do a rekkie on where to spend next winter, I've seen enough of Ireland for a while now, spent 6 of the last 15 months there, so time for a change...

The stretch between Ullapool {or even further north} down to maybe Oban would do for me, like everyone else at the moment Applecross springs to mind, but after Monty Hall and his dog put that on the map I hear everywhere within 20 miles is booked up, year round for the foreseeable, sigh...

Might have a look at Tobermory, or anywhere with a decent beach and a decent pub, that'll do for me, some place where I can rent a cottage for 3-4 months, if I'm still around this time next year that is...

[Canada Bob]

For oor annual golf trip we're heading to Gullane and East Lothian,very reasonable for Accom and green fee's compared to doon sooth or abroad , weathers the only prob!! Considering Dusseldorf for a family hol due to direct flights from Sneck, but will need to research accom and food/drink prices more before reaching decision,I think the euro may make it a bit too expensive presently,mebbes have a look at B and B prices at Johnboy's in Nairn!!

Never been to Dusseldorf, been to Munich, liked that, and Cologne / Rhine Valley, liked that too, specially in September for the Oktober Fest, but the Euro is a killer right now against sterling. Not sure what age yer young uns are, but I don't see Germany as a place for anyone under say 25 ? I can't think of what would entertain them ?

If yer thinking of the UK with lots of entertainment then you could do worse than Blackpool, yea, I know, but if you find the right digs and you avoid coming when the rest of the world is here, you can have a good time.

We are back at the place we stayed in December, best place I've ever seen in Blackpool, and in me time I've just about seen it all here. The Hiton {used to be the Stakis} is good but pricey and getting weary, food there was never any good, then there's the Euston North in Fleetwood {great fun riding the trams between Fleetwood and Blackpool} is quite classy, good food and a decent bar, but again more for the 50+ folks than the 18-35 age group.

All in all for a decent family holiday in Blackpool you'd be hard pressed to beat the Burbage Lodge, the place is top notch, spotless, more than comfortable, very modern and very well appointed, check the link below, we are in apartment 6 until the end of this month...

Burbage Lodge, Blackpool.

The folks that own The Burbage also own this one just a few doors away, we've stayed there too, there's nowt to chose between them...

Queens Mansions

It's not often that you can spend a month or two in a place and still look forward to going back, but these two places do it for me, and that's not taking into account the Highlander pub a couple of doors away, or the brilliant Bispham Kitchen cafe just round the corner, where the steak puddings are as big as a babbies head...

I know folks think that Blackpool is "passe" now, and it's fashion to knock it, but if you know when to come and where to stay, and where to go, you've got it made.

The fact that I can nip down the road to a dozen or so football grounds, Blackpool, Preston, Bolton, Blackburn, Burnley, Bury, Man U, Man City, Wigin Athritic, even Everton or Liverpool are all within easy reach. Add to that 4 or 5 rugby grounds. Wigin, St Helens, Warrington, Salford, even Leeds or Bradford are within easy driving distances, then there's Haydock Park, Chester, Cartmel, and a drove of race courses in Yorkshire to go at.

It's not all beer and skittles either, Jodrell Bank is worth a visit, so is York and Chester for the history of the places, and Manchester when the women need a bit of retail therapy...

All in all there's a fair bit going for the NW, not that I could ever live here again, but for a visit even a few months here can be a lot of fun, yer never short of something to do or places to see, and there's something here for all age groups.

Edited April 2, 2009 by Canada Bob

[culduthel]

Trying to choose between Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. All pretty cheap down here at the moment and only 3 hours flying time from Auckland.

Might go skiing in the Southern Alps instead.

[Heilandee]

Cheers for that CB,food for thought, i dont mind a bit of tat and "kiss me quick",but hate chavvy happy hour,hen and stag type venues ,which Blackpool seemed to ooze out of every pore last time i was there. Yer linked apartments look good tho, showed her indoors and she asked if i'd paid you to suggest Blackpool to save me money on air fares to Dusseldorf!

[Canada Bob]

Trying to choose between Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. All pretty cheap down here at the moment and only 3 hours flying time from Auckland.Might go skiing in the Southern Alps instead.

Did the Fiji thing about 8 years ago, the year the nationals were kicking off against the Indians, not that we saw much of it, but I wasn't impressed with Fiji, the name and the reputation seemed bigger than the reality, there's a lot of places that have the beating of it. Wwe flew into Fiji from Los Angeles, and then went on from Fiji to Auckland, stayed at that Heritage Hotel downtown, the one with the parrot, Hector I think his name was.

Enjoyed NZ, Auckland and Southport {is it} in particular, but it's a long way to go from this part of the world...

Went on from Auckland to Cairns, liked it there, Great Barrier Reef and all that, but eating "bugs" was the most memorable thing, the ones that look like little lobsters, couldn't get enough of 'em.

[Canada Bob]

Cheers for that CB, food for thought, i dont mind a bit of tat and "kiss me quick", but hate chavvy happy hour,hen and stag type venues ,which Blackpool seemed to ooze out of every pore last time i was there. Yer linked apartments look good tho, showed her indoors and she asked if i'd paid you to suggest Blackpool to save me money on air fares to Dusseldorf!

Yer right about the chavs, but the rule of thumb is, they stay in the centre of town, or down towards the south end, odd how it's always been that way since Blackpool was built, the north end was the better end the south end wasn't.

The further you get on the north prom the better, but some of the hotels in the north are charging on reputation rather than reality, including the Hilton, Cliffs, Imperial et-al, stay away from Norbreck Castle, that dump was and still is "popular" even though they near got closed down by Environmental Health Dept when folks got food poisoning, I wunt leave a dog there, but many of these places look great, from the outside...

Yer right about the apartments here, they are the same standard as you'd expect in North America, all recently gutted and done up to a very modern standard, and kept that way. Great location too, tram stop 20 yards away, Bispham has everything you want, including a Sainsbury's 1/4 of a mile away, lots of other shops as good as on the doorstep, the Highlander pub is one of the best in Blackpool, no chavs just middle of the road folks. Then there's the Tory club for cheap ale, lots of nice classy little cafe's just round the corner, and a bowling green for us owd chaps to spend an afternoon on.

The beauty of Bispham is, you can get as much of Blackpool {or surrounding areas} as you want, but yer far enough away from it {a couple of miles to the Tower} that you don't even see the gobshytes...

By the way, if any of you fancy a week or more here and you like the look of where we stay give Mick or Sheila a call, ask them for the Canada Bob rate. We've spent a good few quid staying here for a month at a time, so they give us a break on the rates, and now that I've got to know Mick {the owner} he lets me mates have the same rate, and the lads from Wigin who have taken him up on staying here are knocked out by the quality of the apartments.

Other than Las Vegas {for a glitter type holiday} I'm hard pressed to think of anywhere that has the beating of here.

Pauline {the wife} says I've forgotten to mention the shows in Blackpool, here's a link for them...

Shows in Blackpool

PS... why Dusseldorf ? Munich & Hamburg are good, but not the type of place for kiddies...

Edited April 2, 2009 by Canada Bob

[Ronaldo]

When do the Dussledorf flights start?

[Heilandee]

CB,I was just speaking to a mate who lives down south about an hour from Blacpool and he near wiped his car oot when i suggested we were considering Blackpool as a holiday destination,reckons it's a total dump and several other colourful descriptions unsuitable for a family website.I take your point however that parts can be good away from the chav central area and will certainly do more research before dismissing it,cheers also for contacts names and poss pref rates

Dusseldorf just cos i ve never been and the conveniance of direct flights fron Sneck,see linky Ronaldo

Sneck to Dusseldorf direct

[Canada Bob]

CB,I was just speaking to a mate who lives down south about an hour from Blacpool and he near wiped his car oot when i suggested we were considering Blackpool as a holiday destination,reckons it's a total dump and several other colourful descriptions unsuitable for a family website.I take your point however that parts can be good away from the chav central

What do they say, "A Prophet is never believed in his own land" it's that sort of syndrome, when you live on the doorstep of some place you don't appreciate it. Having said that, most of Blackpool is a dump, but having said that in the last few years the council at least has poured money into the Prom {if you saw the amount of concrete you'd know what I mean}. Blackpool has been done up a fair bit in the last few years, there's a way to go yet, but it's getting there.

The thing that gets Blackpool a bad name is when folks arrive to find bad digs, and noisy neighbourhoods, that can be a disaster, if you don't know the place then it can be russian roulette, but once you find good digs it's a totally different experience.

I'd compare these apartments favourably with anywhere that we've stayed, in any country, and we've stayed in some top notch places. These apartments aren't the Bellagio {in Vegas, the best Hotel we've stayed in}, but they rival Ballys or the Paris Hotel {across the street from the Bellagio} in cleanliness, quality of fixtures and fittings etc.

If you get a place where you feel comfortable with a fair degree of luxury, then that's half the battle, although it's self catering here the Bispham Kitchen {chippy} is as good as on the door step, I could eat there day after day, great choice of food, aint just fish an' chips either, and it's a smart modern place, where the service is good and friendly.

With the digs sorted and the choice of cafe's and restaurants within 1/2 a mile, the view across the sea and the sands {100 yards away}, the trams trundling by, the Highlander for a drink, and if you've kids with you the Pleasure Beach a tram ride away, I can't think of anything that's missing for a family to have a good time here in Blackpool, but believe me, when we lived in Wigan I used to think the same as yer friend. It took us YEARS to find digs as good as where we are at the now, you'll no find a place like this is on the cheap trips to Turkey...

I could spend months here, as I said earleir, there's so many places and so many attractions within an hours drive, or less, that no matter what turns you on you'll find it round here. Another advantage is, even from Inverness you can drive here for less than the airport tax you'd pay to go to some cheap and cheerful place in the Med. I think that with the way the ecomony is now folks will be looking closer at the UK, no airport hassles either when you stay on "home ground" but you still want value for money no matter where you go, so knowing someone who's "been there and done that" always helps.

If nowt else, they speak almost the same language here, few things hiss me off more than getting those blank looks from Johnny Foreigner when they feel like b*ggering you about...

Edited April 2, 2009 by Canada Bob

[Ronaldo]

Cheers Mr. H

[starchief]

I've got a contract in Britain (Manchester) for part of what is laughingly known as the summer, so it's the UK for me! I might get up to Invranessy or somewhere that sounds a bit like that. You know, the place where Clack-ma-puddin' plays.

By the way, Dusseldorf is German for Village of the Idiots!

[CaleyJulz]

GringoJnr myself and trolls are off to Turkey in Sept for 2 weeks got a great deal booked it in oct last year !!! Never been there so will be nice to go somewhere different.

Been to Spain a couple of times to Salu was ok but the theme park was crap for kids at the age ours were just glad the paases cost us nothing !!

Was in Calella Costa Brava this holiday has been the chapest ive been on and by loads the best were 9 of us 6 adults 3 kids half board from Glasgow and cost 1700 for 1 week half board. I would go back there...just looked holiday reports people were saying like me cheap and brill but some were saying it was crap.... some people were just born to moan...But each to their own !!! Might look into going back there !!!

[Canada Bob]

By the way, Dusseldorf is German for Village of the Idiots!

LOL, no answer to that is there

[Canada Bob]

GringoJnr myself and trolls are off to Turkey in Sept for 2 weeks got a great deal booked it in oct last year !!! Never been there so will be nice to go somewhere different. Been to Spain a couple of times to Salu was ok but the theme park was crap for kids at the age ours were just glad the paases cost us nothing !! Was in Calella Costa Brava this holiday has been the chapest ive been on and by loads the best were 9 of us 6 adults 3 kids half board from Glasgow and cost 1700 for 1 week half board. I would go back there...just looked holiday reports people were saying like me cheap and brill but some were saying it was crap.... some people were just born to moan...But each to their own !!! Might look into going back there !!!

I've never been to Turkey, but a lot of the lads from Wigan have, they book "unnamed" Hotels so they get cheap flights and then pot luck when they get to where ever they are dropped off in Turkey. If they don't like the place they stay the first night then wander around the next day to find somewhere they like, again for next to nowt, but that's not for me, I want to know where I'm going, and what to expect.

Some of them will put up with owt though, they don't care how rough it is, I remember one of them telling me that the sheets on the bed dint look all that clever {think stained}, and when he drew the sheets back he said it sounded like someone ripping velcro apart, that was enough to put me off Turkey.

Been to Tunisia though about 10 years back, Port El Kantaoui, more laid back than Hammamet, some really nice hotels and the price is right, check the link below...

Port El Kantaoui

Haven't been back since though, so my only reservation is it's 10 years since we were there, money used to go a long way then, you could hire a taxi all day for 20 quid... Port El Kantaoui was good for the 45+ age group, but also good for couple with young kids, great beach, very clean and a safe place. If you're into Disco's and so on them Hammamet is where the 18-35 groups go.

If Tunisia is the same as it was 10 years ago then it's good value for money, and guaranteed sunshine...

Of the big cities I like Vegas, Rome, Quebec City and Munich the best, in that order...

I use Tripadvisor a lot to check places and hotels out, and when I can't think of "where next" the link below usually helps.

Tripadvisor

Edited April 3, 2009 by Canada Bob

[Scarlet Pimple]

Bob

Blantyre--geez, that's in Lanarkshire and is the little one street town from whence Jock Stein came. I lived there prior to emigrating to Canada in a nwly built Wimpey House and worked in Cambuslang , then Rutherglen.

I was involved with a couple of other guys in running a small football team for boys and we decided to earn some money to help out the team. So I roped in an Impresario named Andy Daisley from Glasgow ,a pal whom I fondly remember, and he arranged to get a projector and a black and white film of a match between Real Madrid and some other great team in a cup final to run in the local church hall on the main street. We delivered leaflets about and expected maybe 20 or 30 lads to show up. Holy Moly, over 100 lads showed up and we not only had them stuffed in the aisles, but in the rafters as well and had a rollicking time . Now that's a memory.

Andy was a character and got me involved in his profession.He asked me to run some of his "acts" to their gigs and since I had a Van den Plas Princess at that time I obliged. So I met Stephan Grapelli and had a very embarrassing moment when the car just had to break down a mile from the country gig into which he was booked. Then one evening in the heart of Glasgow Andy took me down to a pub to see Billy Connolly and I really enjoyed thatdespite the fact that I could hardly see him through the smokey haze. This was before he had made a name for himself and he had some choice language I can tell you but I was very amused by his humour.

Dusseldorf I do remember since I took a plane from Jever Air Force base in the North to there to catch a plane to Britain ghoing on leave once. Arriving at London the customs thought it very strange that this Air Force lad dressed in civvies was not travelling by the (free) usual cattle boat , took me into a room and strip searched me which I found to be a rather humiliating experience. Noting the pained expression on my face along with the tigtly-drawn pursed lips they decided to let me off--pity that they did not think to look in the heel of my shoe where I had hidden a watch that I had bought in Jever for my mother and did not have the money to pay tax or dues on it had I declared it. I was more concerned about damaging the watch than dealing with the Customs lads so I walked very gingerly everywhere trying not to walk with an obvious limp. That's youth for you..sigh..wish it was back smile.

[caley100]

Just back from a wee holiday in Florence, feck its dear! 7-8 euro's a beer in the central part, had to drink wine which is a lot cheaper.

Anyone going to EU will find their quid not going very far..

Managed to find an Irish bar with Guiness at 4.50 e and the footie on a big screen, barman just laughed when we asked him to put the Scottish game on.. wonder why?

[Yngwie]

Port El Kanataoui was pleasant but dull. IMO it's only worth going to Tunisia if you are going to get out and about and head way south into Star Wars territory and the dunes of the Sahara. And you get that added buzz of excitement when you are in the middle of nowhere and see a vehicle coming over from Algeria, wondering if they are going to kidnap you.

[CaleyJulz]

We are staying at a holiday village the first choice one which is highly recommened !!

[stevico1]

Off to the black sea coast of Romania again, very nice down there and still cheap in comparison to Western Europe

[Canada Bob]

Blantyre--geez, that's in Lanarkshire and is the little one street town from whence Jock Stein came. I lived there prior to emigrating to Canada in a nwly built Wimpey House and worked in Cambuslang , then Rutherglen.

Small world aint it Rod, Blantyre is where "Welby Healthcare" make my shaving cream etc, don't know much about the town, tend to stay at Troon when we go up there, handy for Ayr races too...

[Canada Bob]

Port El Kanataoui was pleasant but dull. IMO it's only worth going to Tunisia if you are going to get out and about and head way south into Star Wars territory and the dunes of the Sahara. And you get that added buzz of excitement when you are in the middle of nowhere and see a vehicle coming over from Algeria, wondering if they are going to kidnap you.

It's not Hammamet, that's for sure, but depending what you want out of a holiday it can tick a few boxes for some folks.

There's some really good deals on the Hotels, and if you check them out on Tripadvisor you'll find some really classy places with good food and a fair bit of entertainment. We didn't see much of the desert, but Carthage is worth a visit, the place still has the aura and a connection with all the things that went on there...

The there's the Great Mosque at Kairouan, the whitewashed houses with the blue windows in Sidi Bou Said, the Souks {ancient Markets} give an insight into how life used to be and still is for many folks in Tunisia.

The Souks of Tunisia

I liked the little harbor in Port El Kantoui, don't know if it's changed in the last few years, the cafe's serving coffee and a selection of cakes {a legacy of at one time being a French Colony}, were great places to sit and watch the world go by.

Tunisia is one of the few places that I'd go back to, I'd say it was one of the cheapest holidays that we ever had, but you'd never know how little you paid by the class of the hotels. If you do yer homework on Tripadvisor, you'll know what to expect and if it's the type of place that you're looking for. To me it's laid back, a place of historical and cultural sygnificance, one of the few Muslem countries where we've felt safe and welcome.

Just one thing to be aware of, don't mention football, the blokes over there are fanatical about football, most of them being Man United fans they also listen to the BBC a lot to on SW radio, not sure why that is though...

Edited April 4, 2009 by Canada Bob

[Canada Bob]

No matter where you decide on this site gives rates and reliable ratings on Hotels, B&B's etc...

Hotel / B&B rates & reviews

Edited April 9, 2009 by Canada Bob