Just back from a Monday to Friday break in Carcassonne. Ashamed to say we knew nothing of this Unesco site until we saw a “48 hours in” feature in one of the Sunday papers, decided it looked promising and made a note! Decided we needed a boost after a few health issues (some ongoing) and hoped October would still be holding some warmth and that the worst of the tourist crowds would have diminished a little.
Travel
A London Two Nighter
Back from two nights in London yesterday. Had a couple of bits of less than stellar news recently so decided to catch a couple of theatre shows to compensate, coupled with a couple of nights stay at the Rubens in St. James. Even managed to squeeze in a visit to an English Heritage site.
North Yorkshire / Bakewell
Just back from an eight day break in Yorkshire and Derbyshire. Spent the first three nights at a lovely hotel between Skipton and Settle and although the weather was mixed, we were lucky to avoid the worst. Skipton and Settle both worth a visit, as was the lovely village of Grassington. Then dropped down to Bakewell (via a stop off at the lovely Bolton Abbey …
Ten Days In Malta
Just returned (in the early hours of May 27th) from a ten day break in Malta, where we were blessed with the usual sunny weather, perfect for both a relaxing and interesting holiday. Although we’ve been to Malta on a couple of occasions, we were astonished when looking back that the last time was way back in 2004. So, it was good to return, this time using Sliema as a base.
Aldeburgh Long Weekend
Just back from a three night stay at the Wentworth Hotel in Aldeburgh for Denise’s birthday. This is something we did last year and we enjoyed it so much we decided to repeat it. Another excellent stay, lovely food and comfortable country house feel. Managed to get in a couple of reasonable walks as the weather was a little better than 2015, which made us …
Antipodean Holiday (December 2015)
After a couple of abortive attempts to organise a trip “Down Under” we finally managed to get there for the last week or so in November, arriving back in the uk on the 20th December. Originally, we were going to tour, but after our indifferent experiences in Japan we decided to spend a significant period of time in one city and then cruise to various other points of interest.
Last Minute Sunderland trip – August Bank Holiday
A flying visit to Sunderland for Denise on Bank Holiday weekend, to be at the official opening of the new Keel Square and the Propeller monument structure. Inspired by Sunderland’s shipbuilding and industrial heritage, the maritime-themed art feature is set to be a new focal point for the city and will host a number of events in the future. The Propellers of the City sculpture …
Sunderland Sojourn – August 2015
Just back from a short trip back to the North East, combining a three day stay with Scott and Ginnette and a three night break in Durham. Astonishingly, blessed with reasonable weather throughout. Never needed a coat, unheard of in this part of the country (unless you’re a Newcastle supporter of course)!
Puglia, Italy
Just back from a lovely week touring the Puglia region of Italy. Although this was an escorted coach tour and there were around fifty on the trip, it proved to be a reasonably relaxed affair. Normally, this type of travel would not be a preferred option for an old grump like me!
A London Three Nighter
Just back from three nights in London, which culminated in the Leadbelly Fest at the Albert Hall on Monday night. Managed to fit in a couple of other events while we were there, just for good measure.
Japan In A Hurry (April 2015)
Not long returned from a two week tour of Japan (or the main Honshu island at least). This was a trip we had been promising ourselves for a while, and decided that a tour was on balance probably the best way to get a sense of Japan in the time we had available. On reflection, we both agreed that the ratio of travelling to ‘experiencing’ was a little off kilter and might be improved by extending the length of the tour, but more on that later.
Leeds – Business and Pleasure!
Just back from a three night stay in Leeds. Based around a visit to the Department of Health in Quarry House (see below), we at least managed to get a look around the City Centre, fit in a play and film and have a couple of decent evening meals to kill the pain!