Over the Sea to Skerries By Wendy Breckon

Posted on February 11, 2016 by Margaret Graham

Over the Irish Sea, but not too far away is the delightful coastal town of Skerries (Na Sceiri), 30 km north of Dublin Port. Today on my journey over, fellow travellers cling tightly to each other on the boat, as the choppy waves make it difficult to stand up or move. People naturally, are determined to avoid the perils of the upside down position… myself included. A brave few with money to burn, are trying to meander a safe passage to the bright, enticing lights of the duty free shop.

On disembarking … the car chugs along gently, through the Dublin Tunnel, on its now familiar journey to one of my favourite places. The long street with vibrant shops either side, including a charming little bookshop, is bustling with friendly people of all ages, scurrying here and there, clutching flowers or fresh bread.

Skerries is a captivating spot to rest a while and enjoy. Like a good book though, you will never want to reach the last page.

A visit to Olive the bakery and deli is irresistible. This popular hotspot in the middle of the town is buzzing with animated people, couples and young families laughing and sharing stories… blending together perfectly. Outside in the covered section, at the front, I enjoy their excellent coffee and homemade scones. Sssh… please don’t tell anyone I’ve just had my third cup.

Afterwards, we stroll along The Strand to the brightly coloured, bobbing boats in the harbour. The January waves scatter and shake their spray on our path to the beach. Aah… the sea, skip down by the edge to the curling waves, place your feet on the sand, and take a deep breath or two. Enjoy the calm… practise mindfulness… it’s free.

Just beyond the little town, lies the picturesque Skerries Mill with the duck pond, wet lands, and the old mill, its sails rising above the earth. Inside the door to the exhibition centre and cafe is a large, heavy old bell, which mischievous children love to ring.

Upstairs, if you haven’t eaten too many scones at Olive, a light lunch can be savoured over your latest novel. Mine is The South by Colm Toibin, the well known Irish novelist. Afterwards, sneak out to the award winning gift shop for a piece of Celtic treasure or a book of my favourite Irish poetry, W B Yates the perfect choice.

Outside, the site commands a wonderful view of the coast and the offshore Islands of St. Patricks; Shenick and Colt. In the early sixteenth century, where the seagulls and ducks roam now, the land once belonged to an Augustinian Monastic Foundation.

Today might be cold and wintry, but the simple beauty of Skerries is, that whatever the weather, it’s a magical… take in slowly… kind of place. Maybe when you are over in Ireland next you might want to visit and explore.

My Bangkok Life – The Elephant Parade Words and images by Alex Bannard

Posted on February 10, 2016 by Margaret Graham

My Bangkok Life – The Elephant Parade

Words and images by Alex Bannard

Alex Bannard,Frost Magazines’ Bangkok correspondent, explored Lumpini Park to see the Elephant Parade. She found that this uplifting and colourful morning provided an insight into a worth cause.

We moved to Bangkok at the beginning of August 2015, following in the footsteps of the hubby, Mr P who had arrived at the beginning of March to start his new job. We loved it immediately: the food, the culture, the people, the weather. We’ve made some really wonderful friends, settled in & it feels like home already. Now it’s time to start exploring.

The Elephant Parade has been visiting Bangkok during December & January so we headed off to Lumpini Park keen to see it. I had suggested we take the water taxi, quicker, more fun for the kids but Mr P said the traffic would be fine on a Sunday. An hour later & much whining & pressing of each other’s & my buttons from the back seat & we finally arrived.

We put the lead on the puppy & headed off to find the parade. Only to be stopped by security, no dogs allowed in the park. Seriously? For a moment my love affair with this amazing city faltered. But being a selfless character, I handed the lead to Mr P & said, ‘Well I’m going, you can stay here with the dog.’ He went for a snooze in the a/c’d car, win win all round.

Aside from passing lots of Soi (street) dogs as we walked through the park & the sweltering heat, the parade was delightful. My daughter bumped into one of her ballet-class-cohorts & posed mercilessly by almost every elephant, having recently been taught the art my one of her friend’s mothers whilst my son was chief photographer.

The Elephant Parade is the brain-child of Marc Spits who visited The Friends of Asian Elephant Hospital in Thailand with his son, Mike & meet Mosha a baby elephant who had lost a foot at 7 months old thanks to a landmine accident. She has a new prosthetic leg fitted every year & every year has to learn to re-walk again. The Parade was set up to raise awareness & money for the plight of Asian elephants, many of which no longer have work & are forced to beg for food with their mahouts thorough the busy Thai streets.

The Parade, which started in 2006 has visited many European & Asian cities including Milan, Copenhagen, London, Amsterdam, Hong Kong, Singapore & California. It is the largest exhibition of decorated life-sized elephant statues painted by celebrities & artists including Katy Perry, Sir Richard Branson, Paul Smith, Goldie Hawn, & here in Bangkok people like Nancy Chandler who makes wonderful maps & cards of Bangkok & local actors & artists.

The elephants are auctioned afterwards to raise money – I went on line desperate to obtain my favourite Elephant but rather staggered at the average bid being around 250,000bht, more then £4,500. It is an auction only for the hi-so of Bangkok, not your average expat. But miniature replicas are available on line & you can buy packs to paint your own if you are a budding artist.

The charity pledges to provide at least £50,000 in donations each year to support 25 elephants rescued from domestication or the streets, supporting the mahouts & their families with English lessons, education & even a livelihood for the wives in building their own silk worm farms. A great cause, some fabulous designs, definitely worth checking out.

Any one for Krakow at Christmas? By Margaret Graham

Posted on January 4, 2016 by Margaret Graham

No, not crackers, Krakow. We’ve been to Krakow at various times of the year, and it is one of the most beautiful and fascinating East European cities, affordable (perhaps because it’s not in the Euro?) with friendly, English speaking inhabitants.

We traveled with Easyjet (trouble free) and were upgraded to fantastic 5* Hotel Stary, with superb facilities and staff. Try the sauna, pool, salt cave and gym – though the gym was not on my agenda – I know my limits.

The main square is a rectangular space surrounded by historic townhouses and churches. The center of the square is dominated by the Cloth Hall), rebuilt in 1555 in the Renaissance style, topped by a parapet decorated with carved masks, with the interior elegantly decorated for Christmas.

On one side of the Cloth Hall is the Town Hall Tower, on the other the 10th century Church of St. Adalbert and 1898 Adam Mickiewicz Monument. Rising above the square are the Gothic towers of St. Mary’s Basilica. On the hour I gather a member of the fire service trumpets the hour. Sure enough we could see the glint of the instrument.

Yes, glint, because the weather was spring-like.

We took a free walking tour with Good Cracow Tours: www.goodcracowtours.eu (you merely tip at the end). Our guide was Eugene, formerly a lawyer and hip-hop dancer (yes really) from the Ukraine. He is knowledgeable, funny and friendly. We learned a great deal and had fun.

Around the square are many restaurants which are warm whatever the weather (there are heaters) and you can sit there and watch the world go by, as well as the horse drawn carriages.

Choose to eat within the glass-enclosed pavements areas or down one of the side streets. You must try our favourite dish, soup in a bread bowl. You can eat the lid, and indeed, pull off parts of the sides. Delicious. Don’t forget hot chocolate. I swear it is just melted chocolate. Not a calorie amongst it.

Other places to visit are the Bishop’s Palace in Kraków which is the seat of the Krakow metropolitan Curia, and the traditional residence of Krakow bishops since the late 14th century.

Between 1958 and 1978the palace was a residence of Cardinal Karol Wojtyła, who in October 1978 became the first Slavic Pope in history, adopting the name John Paul II.

At Christmas the square is alive with the Christmas Market, buskers, and events.

The bars and clubs are open into the early hours of the morning to the relief of our son.

On a more sombre note, visitors should visit the old Jewish Quarter (Kazimierz District) from which thousands of Jews which the Nazis were savagely herded to the Ghetto to the north of the district. There is now a memorial in the form of oversized bronze chairs on the Plac Bohaterow Getta, very near to square. This square is very close to Schindler’s Factory which now houses an excellent museum covering not just the Nazis occupation, but the Soviet one too.

It was from this ghetto that the Jews were transported to death camps, including the nearby Auschwitz. We took a walking tour around Kazimierz though not with Good Crakow Tours because we needed a morning tour, but left it early on because of the flippant attitude of the guide. She showed a total lack of respect for the suffering of the Jews, and their dispersal (see the film Schindler’s List).

We continued on our own, strolling along ancient narrow streets, visiting the Old Synagogue which is now a museum: thought provoking and unforgettable. It is an extraordinary experience to walk these streets which have seen so much, and which is regenerating as a thriving arts and residential area. It is good to see that there is a Jewish presence, albeit it understandably small.

Take lunch in the old market square and have a look at the small enclosed area with the menorah railings.

And what about the Restaurant Szara Kazimierz – excellent food and lovely friendly service. But this is the case at all the Krakow restaurants and cafes.

Frost totally recommends Krakow. A wonderful Christmas destination, in fact, a great all year round destination, and don’t forget to seek out Eugene or any of the other Good Crakow Tour guides – just look for the green umbrellas in front of St Mary’s and say hello from Frost Magazine.

The Subcarpathian Region of Poland

Posted on November 13, 2015 by Paloma Kubiak

I have been known on occasion to say that Poland’s not just about Vodka and beetroot.

Since my very first trip – a surprise organised by my mum and granddad when I was nine year’s old, we’ve grown up together and each visit has left a lasting impression.

From the serene Mazurian lakes in the north-east of Poland (incidentally where I’ll be getting married next year) to the ‘Polish Alps’ of Zakopane in the South and to Szczecin on the borders of Germany in the west, Poland is a vast country worthy of exploration – even if you struggle to pronounce the city names.

Which brings me on to Rzeszow – the capital of the south eastern Subcarpathian region of Poland – Zakopane’s next door neighbour.

At a presentation to highlight the tourist opportunities in Rzeszow and the region – the first time the province has promoted itself in the UK – we were greeted with red wine grown in the vineyards of the ‘Podkarpackie’ (Subcarpathian) area.

It’s green with two national parks, it’s cultural with its museums, art galleries and wooden gothic churches and it appeals to the thrill-seeking tourists with its dog team races in the snow as well as for the laid-back traveller looking for 5* pampering at the modern Hilton hotel.

And like every great tourist centre, it has its very own market square (Krosno).

At the travel event held in Hammersmith, there simply wasn’t enough time to run through all the areas of interest, the opportunities awaiting tourists and the history of the region.

But with Ryanair flights direct to Rzeszow, it should be quick and easy to get exploring.

I just hope that Rzeszow doesn’t try to compete with the likes of Krakow and Warsaw which are now the go-to destinations for stag and hen-dos.

A Travel Guide To Southampton, Hampshire.

Posted on September 30, 2015 by Frostie

Credit:www.geograph.org.uk

Great Britain is not called great for nothing. It has a lot going for it. There is an abundance of places to have a great staycation and none more so than Southampton. Located on the south coast of England, Southampton is the largest city in Hampshire, it is only 75 miles from London and has its own airport, so you can

Museums.

The Seacity Museum is situated in the heart of Southampton, in the Cultural Quarter. It is an interactive experience about Southampton and its connection with the sea. It also covers the city’s Titanic Heritage.

The Tudor House Museum covers 900 years of history all on one site. It is Southampton’s most important historic building. It has recently been restored and has a lovely garden too. Tudor Lord Chief Justice Sir Richard Lyster and Victorian milliner Eliza Simmons are just two of the many people who have lived there.

The Posted in Life & Style | Tagged A Travel Guide, A Travel Guide To Southampton, Hampshire, Southampton, travel, what to do

A Weekend In Rome: Fall For The The Eternal City In 48 Hours

Posted on July 18, 2015 by Holly Thomas

by Holly Thomas. All images copyright Holly Thomas [Twitter, Instagram: @HolstaT]

Rome might not have been built in a day, but with enough pizza bianca under your belt you can sure fall for it in one. Here are a few unmissables you should squeeze in between slices…

The Walk up the Via dei Fori Imperiali

[Make this your route to the Colloseum, and in ten minutes you’ll see enough of Ancient Rome to make your trip worthwhile]

Start early at the Piazza Venezia. Avoid the overpriced ice cream (tends to be better when found down a side street), and start down the Via dei Fori. On your right you’ll pass the Altar of the Fatherland, which looms massively over the square, a fantastic titan-scale monument honouring the city’s fallen soldiers.

Trot a little further and on your left, you’ll see the Foro di Augusto, the ruins of a forum which once served both as a temple to Mars, and space for legal proceedings. It’s classic Ancient Rome, slick efficiency coupled with due deference to conquest. If it’s dry, you can head down the steps below street level and wander through the remains.

[I never cease to be impressed by the gumption of national heritage sites which allow this – tourist footfall must be eroding the SHIT out of everything, surely?]

A little further up on your right, past the Julius Caesar statue, you’ll see the Roman Forum. It’s architectural excavation on a huge scale – like a valley of ruins overlooked on all sides by 2000-year-old temples, government buildings, and palaces. Get a guide to explain all this to you properly (on which more later).

Next on your right is the beautiful Basilica SS Cosma e Damiano. A very lovely building, but by this point you’ll be having trouble tearing your eyes away from the main event…

The Colosseum

It’s staggering, no hyperbole. This was my favourite thing in the city. See the Colloseum, and you’ll understand why the Romans thought so very much of themselves for 500 years. Even beyond the scale and majesty of the building itself, it encapsulates an idea of Rome (my apologies to Ridley Scott), that no number of churches can match. It’s brutal, imperial, clever, showbusiness, business business, it’s everything you want it to be.

Book a tour

Give yourself up to the socks and sandals legions. Ruins are very lovely to look at, but they take on such greater significance when someone explains what exactly you’re seeing, and this is history. A good guide can tell you how the cunning Romans drained their valley-straddling city, where the centre mile is (all roads lead to…), where the citizens had to apply for planning permission, and how one vestal “virgin” evaded being buried alive when she discovered she was pregnant. Go to the top of the hill where the orange trees grow for a stunning panoramic view of the old city, and don’t be shy to ask your guide to pause while you take the pictures it deserves.

Make sure that your tour includes both the under-stage level of the colosseum and the third tier. It’s a little more expensive, but a worthwhile education. Stand on the lights in the tunnels and imagine yourself one of hundreds of slaves preparing hundreds of desperate, dangerous animals for their moment in the spotlight. Then when you’ve climbed to the top, you can better imagine the view of the gladiators – the most expensive beasts in the Colosseum – making their bloody names on the stage.

Go to lunch at Al Cardello, which is tucked away behind the guide office. It’s small and sweet, with the modest seating open onto the kitchen. Diners speak softly to preserve the peace just a stone’s throw away from the busiest tourist area in the city. It helps that the food (the traditional menu you’ll see everywhere – grilled vegetables, pesce, carne, pasta) is prepared with great care, and quite delicious enough to command your full attention.

After eating, you can nip around the corner to see Michelangelo’s Moses at Basilica di San Pietro in Vincoli.

Take a wander towards the Spanish Steps. If you’re parched for green space, continue beyond the steps and into the park behind. Aim yourself at the Temple of Asceplius for photos opps. Be sure to get back to the top of the steps in time for sunset, though…

The Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel

Well, obviously, but might as well if you’re in the neighbourhood, right? It’s €16 for the museum and chapel. Give it a good half day – if you were to attempt to look at everything in the Vatican you’d be camping there a month, but a few hours will give you a good sense of the place, and get you comfortably to saturation point on the fresco-and-sculpture front.

Of course, you’ll also drop into The Basilica of St Paul. If you’d rather do so without buying the full Vatican ticket, you can enter via the Roman square, but get their early (before eight) to avoid the staggering queue. Bear in mind that the Pope likes to swing by without forewarning sometimes, and when he does, the church is closed to the public.

If you have some time to kill…

… and are in the mood for a little educational Schadenfreude, head to the Museo Criminologico. This former prison now houses the most satisfyingly macabre collection you could wish to lose an hour or so gawping at. Observe, the spiked iron collar placed on “chattering” women in the seventeenth century! The skeleton of some poor bastard left to die suspended in a metal cage! The torture seat which had a fire lit underneath! I loved every minute in this place.

The Finale of The Odyssey by Margaret Graham and Jan Speedie

Posted on July 13, 2015 by Margaret Graham

With sore heads we embark on the Rocky Mountaineer, heading for Vancouver. It proved to be a deliciously slow journey owing to an immense bush fire that had reached the track in places overnight. Though these areas were under control, the train causes such air disturbance that it must crawl along.

Shino explained that loggers stored logs in the river, to save on storage costs. How intelligent. We saw this again in Howe Sound Fjord, along from Vancouver. We travelled alongside rivers, woods, and prairies until finally we arrived, after Shino had saved the day with an evening meal as we were still trundling along, 4 hours after we should have arrived. Small beer, when you think of the firemen still battling to save the forests and towns.

In the morning we were captivated by the modernity of Vancouver. For a while we thought the reflection of the building in this glass windowed skyscraper was actually imprinted on the glass.

We were taken by a friend, Barbara, to the Anthropological Museum containing First Nation culture. It was full of totem poles, and their crafts. Bill Reid a First Nation sculptor (died 1998), created this out of over 100 yellow maple planks bonded together.

Horseshoe Bay for lunch, in glorious sunshine yet again (for once we had brought sun wherever we went).

Then Barbara drove us to a First Nations gondola.

The views were magnificent, as always and we tootled across the skywalk and explored the woods on the summit. Down in Howe sound were the stored logs.

The next day, before heading for the airport, we tore around Vancouver, seeing a small cruise ship waiting for its passengers to arrive. Some of our fellow passengers on the Rocky Mountaineer were embarking on a 2000 person cruise ship bound for Alaska. It sounded amazing, though somehow I think I’d rather see Alaska when covered in snow.

There were trolley buses, many shopping centres below ground, and just a few indications of the early buildings, with the ‘emblems’ of Canada, salmon and Canadian geese.

I have to say that I never knew there were so many different varieties of salmon, and we probably tried them all. They are so fresh that they taste quite different to ours.

Then, onto the airport.

Did we enjoy our Canadian adventure? You bet. It was the holiday of a lifetime. We’re looking up train journeys for next year, but this time ALL THE WAY. We are determined to set off from St. Pancras, heading for Florence, and this time, Dick will be on board too. Then the Ghan in Australia perhaps in the autumn, from Adelaide to Perth. Better get on with the next novel then.

The Rocky Mountaineer has started something… A few more odysseys coming up.

www.rockymountaineer.com

www.greatrail.com

Ever Onwards, The Duo Go, Heading For The Rocky Mountaineer by Jan Speedie and Margaret Graham

Posted on July 10, 2015 by Margaret Graham

Jasper reminded us of the bush towns of Australia with its pioneer homes.

Whilst there we saw many lakes, and rivers, always with the mountains in the background, and a coach which bore the wonderful sign, totally appropriate for women like us, with delusions of grandeur.

This coach took us to Maligne Lake and Canyon. It is the most tranquil of lakes where sound carries extraordinarily clearly, so it didn’t remain peaceful once our lot hit it.

Then, it was the day of the birthday. Margaret was greeted with a banner on the door. No more can she say 21 years of age and on to the station, where the Rocky Mountaineer waited. We were in a red leaf carriage, the bottom of the pile, we suppose, but it was nonetheless fantastic.

We had the lovely Shino to ply us with food and drink, and a viewing platform either end of the carriage. We began our journey along the ‘First Passage of the West’ retracing the steps of the early 19^th century adventurers. We was as always, the snowy mountains, forests and tranquil lakes. Aware that we were leaving the Rockies, we looked long and hard. Never have we seen such scenery, and never have we seen such a l-o-n-g train.

Jan had arranged a cake, so happy birthday was sung, but no bumps. Then the Rocky Mountaineer gave her a couple of prints and a bottle of champagne. Obviously she shared it all (well, not the prints)

We follow the path of the Fraser River until we join the North Thompson River to Kamloops where we stop for the night. Shino kept us entertained with stories of the early pioneers and their perilous journeys and we ware always on the lookout for the elusive wild life. The only thing we saw were bald eagles, but too far away to photograph.

Finally we drew into Kamloops, and another birthday celebration in the evening.

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