Culture Archives - Page 19 of 65 - Jim Murty’s TravelTravelTravel

America, Countries, Culture, Deals, Europe

What happened to the Mini Ms Mouse?

28th January 202228th January 2022 funtime65

Did you see how Stella McCartney togged up Mickey’s lass which makes me wonder… what happened to the Mini, Ms Mouse?

Now nobody’s doubting Sir Paul McCartney’s daughter would have made it in fashion on her own.

Dublin housewife chic

And, of course, nobody would mistake me for a fashionista but this Minnie Mouse does more like a north Dublin housewife or Killing Eve.

In her pyjamas and supermarket shoes.

Rather than in her iconic red and white polka-dot dress.

Minnie’s makeover is all part of the 30th anniversary celebrations for Disneyland Paris.

Whether it will make a blind bit of difference to excited kids (and big kids) when they meet their favourite characters we’ll see.

Because the most important thing is that Disney retains its place as the Happiest Place on Earth.

Twitter trolls

You see it is being excoriated on the Twittersphere as The Wokiest.

Now let’s examine some of these brickbats…

And the Peter Dinklage-led complaint that Snow White and the Seven Dwarves is dwarfist.

Yes, it’s a caricature but they are portrayed as happy, hard-working and fraternal.

A little problem

Maybe Prickly Pete would prefer us to see dwarves portrayed as defensive as I witnessed myself.

When I bumped into them drunk (them, not me) in the pub My Father’s Moustache near His Majesty’s Theatre in Aberdeen.

Historical characterisations of Disney films have also been put under the microscope.

And The Aristocrats, Lady And The Tramp and the Jungle Book are all now carrying disclaimers.

Song in our heart

While The Song Of The South has been removed from streaming services.

That movie famously spawned James Baskett’s catchy Zip-A-Dee-Do-Dah song.

Which we were treated to on the first morning of our Disney trip in Orlando.

When Minnie arrived with her pals Mickey and Goofy.

And most importantly (and here’s what really matters most) hugged us.

And I defy anyone to gurn when that song is playing.

Your hand Ms Mouse

I don’t know whether I’d ask What Happened to the Mini, Ms Mouse?

But I’d hope she wouldn’t object to me kissing her hand.

We found this deal… four-nights, five-days, two-parks stay at the Hotel at the Hotel Cheyenne for mid-February.

In Woody’s Roundup Standard Room with one double bed and one standard room for under a grand (£977.44).

Culture, UK

Shetland the best wedding gift in the world

24th January 2022 funtime65

Maybe that’s why my Dear Old Dad was so grumpy at my wedding… he was expecting a dowry along the lines of Shetland the best wedding gift in the world.

Orkney too was part of the package.

Next month marks 550 years for the two archipelago of slands north of Scotland as incorporated within the Alba (that means Scottish) territory.And it was all down to the resolution of a taxation dispute over the Western Islands, the Hebrides.

Through a dowry from King Christian 1 of Denmark (who were the overseers for Norway) to King James III of Scotland.

Christian had hoped to keep hold of the two sets of islands (and why wouldn’t you?).

And he was willing to stump up 60,000 Rheingulden which were gold florins from the Rhineland and a popular currency in Northern Europe at this time.

But he couldn’t stump up the money and so matched it against the hand of his 13-year-old daughter Margaret instead (lucky her!).

Treasure islands

Follow our leader: Let the marching begin

The rundown of the value of the islands is said to have been 50,000 for Orkney because of its rich farming lands and the rest for exposed Shetland.

Now if only they had the knowledge and technology to look below the island towards the seabed.

Because there was, and still is, a rich dividend of golden oil which has made the island rich since the 1970s.

The islands may have undergone five and a half centuries being Scotified but they have been loath to abandon their old Norwegian ways.

Fire, I give you fire

The first months of the year hold a special significance to the Shetlanders when the Fire Festivals rage.

Starting in Scalloway they include a Viking parade and burning of a replica Viking longship in the picturesque harbour.

Throughout Shetland, there are ten Up Helly Aa/Fire Festival celebrations between January and March.

The one we all know best is in the capital, Lerwick, but alas because of Covid the festival which would have taken place tomorrow has been cancelled.

The organisers explain rightly that the event is a year in the planning which will mean that the Norse Gods being good we will be able to enjoy it next year.

Shetland friends

And as luck (and judgment) would have it we have friends in Shetland where we have an open invite to stay.

All of which comes in handy as I guess the limited accommodation on Bressay Sound hikes the prices up.

And so you want to know more about the fiery festival?

Well, the Guizer Jarl (no, me neither) and his squad begin their preparations in February.

And there are 46 other squads taking part which judging that there are only 6,880 residents in Lerwick must mean that everyone is involved.

Watching the detectives

Jimmy’s land: DI Jimmy Perez on Shetland

With such mythology and you’d hazard ghosts and secrets, Shetland is the perfect backdrop for a detective show.

Step up the laconic and world-weary DI Jimmy Perez, the hero of Ann Cleeves’s book which has become an international hit.

Not that you need to worry that this archipelago of islands is a hotbed of crime…

No more than our other winter TV pleasure Death In Paradise, set in the fictional island of Saint Maree, but filmed in Guadeloupe, is murder island.

How to get there

When the boat comes in: Ferry to Shetland

Well, do you want the long or the short story?

The long way around (13 hours overnight) is on North Link Ferries from Aberdeen to Lerwick.

Either as a foot passenger or with your vehicle.

It’s £46.40 return if you want to bunker down on a set of seats, or £156.40 for a cabin.

But if you would prefer to fly… we found £425pp with Loganair.

I guess we’ll hunker down in our sleeping pod then.

And perhaps take in a film in on the ship’s cinema, a drink (or four) and a meal in the restaurant.

Don’t worry, this is one ship that won’t catch fire.

A postscript

No man is an island: But we could do with one

Now Jimmy G, Jimmy Snr if you will, has departed to be with the gods in the heavens.

But as his Son and Heir and with the Outlaws still around I don’t mind taking possession of that dowry we never did get…

Something to match Shetland the best wedding gift in the world.

I have my eye on Tobago in the Caribbean.

America, Countries, Music, UK

Meat Loaf, Vegas and a life in the fast lane

22nd January 2022 funtime65

Marvin Lee Aday truly is a sinner before the gates of heaven, but I’d back him to get around St Peter with tales of Meat Loaf, Vegas and a life in the fast lane.

Old rocker Marvin was known as Meat from an early age.

And that is the name he answered to Meat Loaf, Vegas and a life in the fast laneof course through his adult life and fame.

And that is how Northern Irishman and editor Martin was invited to address the rock legend, who passed away this week aged 74, when they met in Vegas.

Now obviously I would have loved to have been a bystander.

The Whip-Its: Rattling out 70s and 80s standards in Harrahs in Vegas

As Meat invited Mart to party the night away in Sin City.

And not least because as large as Meat was Mart is certainly more of the greyhound variety.

As our party in Las Vegas found out when he dangled mid-air on the Slotzilla zipline across Fremont Street in Downtown Vegas.

And had to be rescued… there was not a dry eye in the house!

Meat you in Vegas

Meat was, of course, no stranger to Vegas… in fact they were made for each other.

In fact the larger-than-life rocker from Dallas, Texas played there right up to near the end of his career.

Meat’s stories were the stuff of legend and he cheated death on three occasions.

Which I dare say was more than JR Ewing.

Meat ran off the road, in a car not a bike like the hero of his famous Bat of Hell song, while he also had heart problems on stage.

And then he was hit by a 12lbs shot putt by the Dallas champion.

No taste

It was though in Reading, England at the popular music festival that our paths almost met.

Meat was playing there in 1988 across the road from where I was working.

When a punter filled his plastic bottle with his urine and hurled it on stage towards the rocker.

And hit him squarely on the nose and broke it.

Brave (and pretty grotty) fella.

Now Meat sang about the Lord’s place (Heaven Can Wait) and the Devil’s gaff (Bat out of Hell).

But it was here on Earth that he made his biggest splash.

And it’s here we toast Meat Loaf, Vegas and a life in the fast lane.

Countries, Culture, Europe, Ireland, UK

Yappy 150th Anniversary Greyfriars Bobby

15th January 202215th January 2022 funtime65

Yappy 150th Anniversary Greyfriars Bobby, the loyal dog who slept by his dead master’s grave, and let’s put more animals on pedestals.

There were pipes and prayers to mark the milestone in the Edinburgh kirkyard.

And I dare say a whisky or two in his memory at the local inn, named after the West Skye Terrier who Walt Disney brought to the world.

Bobby’s statue is, of course, the best in the Scottish capital, nay the world.

And, yes, those no-name figures of Empire should be taken off their plinths.

Pets on plinths

And let’s be radical here… women.

And animals.

So here’s our menagerie of all creatures great and small.

And on the grounds that we’ve got the best wee doggie, here in Scotland.

And that all God’s creatures have a place in my choir let’s sing the praises of…

The Puck stops here

King Puck, Killorglin, Ireland, Now we’re not acting the goat here.

And I’m all about the goats, from my time racing them in Tobago.

In Kerry, in the south of Ireland they have been crowning a goat and throwing a festival around it since the 17th century.

When a goat alerted the village of Oliver Cromwell’s coming.

King Puck is in truth a better fit than any of the chinless wonder monarchs England imposed on them.

Before they broke free a hundred years ago.

On the Bosfurus

Tombili, Istanbul: And no, I’ve not lost my dictionary… and if I had I’d always return to the book section of the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul.

Cats have a special place in the hearts of Turks, and none more so than diva Tombili.

Tombili became a global hit after she was photographed reclining on a pavement… give her some Kite-Kat turkey treats.

Bear with us here

Winnipeg the Bear, Canada: The silly willy-nilly all stuffed with fluff is, of course, more prone to napping than scrapping.

This is the real Winnipeg, a Canadian military mascot bear cub, whom AA Milne and Christopher Robin visited at London Zoo.

The Wolf of Rome

Capitoline Wolf, Rome: And where’s a she-wolf when you need her?

Rome, that’s where. And lucky that she was for Romulus and Remus.

Because she rescued the babes from the Tiber and they went on to found Rome.

The Romans have never forgotten, and you’ll see fountains adorned with wolf taps around the city.

While they’ll wish each other well with the time-honoured greeting: ‘In bocca al lupi (in the mouth of the wolf).

Those wacky Germans

The Town Musicians of Bremen, Germany: And why celebrate one when you can have four?

The story goes that four old domesticated animals, a donkey, a dog, a cat and a rooster, escape their mistreatment.

To go in search of their fortune in Bremen as musicians, obvs.

They get distracted by a house robbery, take over the gaff and live there happily ever after.

And so as we say Yappy 150th Anniversary Greyfriars Bobby and all your furry and feathered friends.

All of whom are deserving of being pets on plinths.

Countries, Culture, Europe, Sustainable Tourism

EU Freedom of Movement and Mdina

14th January 2022 funtime65

Sure aren’t we all Europeans (sore point!) anyway, and thanks to my old pal Vincent for flagging up EU Freedom of Movement and Mdina.

I’d challenged the €5 charge mooted for Venice and as is our wont here we’ve been sharing our own experiences where we are.

And guide par excellence and photographer without peer Vincent has clued us up.

On the debate that raged in Malta regarding The Silent City.

The city was populated by Phoenicians in the 8th Century.

And it grew to three times its present size, taking in neighbouring Rabat.

It also plays a key part in the St Paul story.

When the apostle was shipwrecked on Malta in 60 AD, the governor of Melite, the Romans’ name for the island, greeted him.

And in return, he cured his sick father.

And unsurprisingly the locals took to this new religion and stayed with it ever since..

Keep it in the family

Mdina was the capital of Malta throughout the Middle Age until the arrival of the Order of St John.

And his story is all around one of Europe’s great cities, Valletta in 1530.

There was a revival in the early 18th century and several Baroque features were introduced although it didn’t lose its medieval character.

It remained too the centre of the Maltese nobility and religious authorities.

And property is largely passed down from families and from generation to generation.

On the whole it retains a calming quiet feel which freezes it in time and which marks it out as The Silent City.

You’ll want to check out the ruins of the Domvs Romana, with several well-preserved mosaics, statues.

And other remains and the podium of a a Temple of Apollo.

Not the answer

The Maltese Archipelago: And an earlier Jimmy

The argument is that overtourism is threatening that.

But again like the Venice debate this strikes me as anti-libertarian, and my fear is that who would make money out of this.

And whether it would all go back into the protection of the site as it will no doubt be argued.

Malteser Vincent tells us that the Mdina charge idea was largely shot down.

But that the 300 residents have a concession.

They are allowed to drive their cars into the city while non-Mdinaites need a permit.

Bubbly Bugibba

Malta, as I’ve mentioned once or twice, was where I made a certain young lady the Happiest Woman in the World.

When I bent down to tie my shoelace.

And she screamed yes.

Back then we were both working for the newspaper arm of Thomson.

And as well as Malta being highly recommended we got a discount.

We’ve stayed loyal to TUI, its successor ever since, and have never been let down.

And so, without further delay, let us offer you four nights self-catering in the Sunseeker Holiday Complex in Bugibba.

For £177pp, down from £191pp.

You’ll be leaving London Gatwick on Monday, March 7.

America, Countries, Culture

The letters S and D for San Diego

10th January 202210th January 2022 funtime65

Today’s show is brought to you by the letters S and D for San Diego.

In Europe that’s Amsterdam with its cats, cheese, tulips, smoking pipes and spectacles museums.

And I dare say a few others, with a notable mention to Zagreb in Croatia.

It’s there where a separated couple set up the Museum of Broken Relationships.

And so in the spirit of catharsis they kicked it off with their own artefacts, asked others to donate, and it took off.

It even popped up in Hollywood for a time although research shows it is in abeyance while looking for new premises.

It’s all Geek to me

Now relationship tipping points are endless and I’m sure I’m crossing off plenty.

I’d say though that an obsession with comic characters must be right up there.

Not that that’s one of them for us but I take my cue from the super geeks of The Big Bang Theory which is set in SD.

Although if you’re in LA, and you can’t get down to San Diego on this trip, you can check out the Big Bang flat set in Warner Bros studios.

Or sit in Sheldon’s place in our recreated living room, put up for us for the American Travel in Anaheim.

Child’s play in San Diego

San Diego really will bring out the big kid in you.

And we have even more to look forward to this year.

With the opening of the Sesame Place, a theme and water park in March.

There will be seven Sesame Street-themed rides, an interactive musical play area.

And 11 water attractions including one of the largest wave pools in southern California.

It’s a fantasy

Then there’s the Comic-Con Museum in Balboa Park in July.

Museumgoers can expect rotating exhibits, an education centre, a 4K video theatre.

And a gift shop filled with comics, graphic novels, branded souvenirs and more. All from $14.

It’s not for nothing that it’s nicknamed America’s Finest City…

So let’s spell it out in true Sesame Street style. The letters S and D for San Diego.

How to get there

For us here in Edinburgh in Scotland we’re told Aer Lingus, Finnair and numerous operators fly to San Diego with stops and under 20 hours.

Countries, Culture, Europe

The Swede Life

5th January 20225th January 2022 funtime65

Ah, the Swede Life… again our Scandinavian friends have been recognised as the Happiest Place To Live.

The Global Citizen Solutions’ Quality of Life index shows the Sverige passport heading the top ten for quality of life.

Now this is obviously all good for the Swedes of Swedeland.

And I’m reminded here for context of the travelling Irish Green Army and their chant towards their rival Swedish fans at a past Euros.

To the tune of The Village People’s ‘Go West’.

‘Go home to your gorgeous wives, go home to your gorgeous wives, go home to your gorgeous wives, go home…’

Let’s all move there

And talking about home, Global Citizens Solutions are reminding us here with their survey that Sweden awaits us…

Because their audience here is ex-pats yes, but also international retirees and digital nomads.

So what is it that GCS likes about ABBAland?

Well, the many beautiful landscapes, obvs.

But also its corporate culture that has fully embraced a good work-life balance.

And a country that leads in global development.

The six indicators

Pretty as a picture: And in the kitchen too

The six main indicators considered for the Quality of Life Index are

*Sustainable Development Goals (weighted at 30%)

*Cost of living (weighted at 20%)

*Level of freedom (weighted at 20%)

*Level of happiness (weighted at 10%)

*Environmental performance (weighted at 10%)

*Migrant acceptance (weighted at 10%).

Index of happiness

Flagging up Sweden: And Homer’s a fan too

And Sweden scored 87.2 in the Quality of Life Index.

So in layman’s language that means they’re high in sustainable development, level of freedom, environmental performance (pause for breath).

Happiness levels, and migrant acceptance categories.

Sweden only ranked unfavorably in the cost of living category, which is considered high.

However, the country has relatively high salaries for its population, which increases the cost of living.

The top ten

Now don’t shoot me here, they’re not my findings.

Because here they are in descending order…

1. Sweden

2. Finland

3. Denmark

4. Canada

5. Germany

6. Netherlands

7. New Zealand

8. UK

9. Spain

10. Austria

An expert writes

See, happy: The Swedish Chef from The Muppets

Mapping it out, Patricia Casaburi, Managing Director at GCS, said: ‘From kindergarten, there are 16 months of paid family leave.

‘That can be split between the couple after a new child is born, with free daycare also available.’

And though I’d never complain about rearing my family in Ireland, mmmm?

Over to Patricia again: ‘While most passport rankings focus solely on the number of countries that one can visit visa-free with a certain passport, Global Citizen Solutions believes that a passport’s true value has so much more to offer.’

And wouldn’t that just be Bra (behave… it’s Swedish for good)?

Ah, yes, The Swede Life.

Countries, Culture

Lego building blocks for 2022

2nd January 20222nd January 2022 funtime65

And as we all aim to build back better (the official mantra) how about Lego building blocks for 2022?

With a prompt from my old pal Mr Orlando himself Kevin from Universal who has showcased his Lego Friends apartment.

Lego is the world’s favourite toy and there are ten LEGOLAND parks around the world.

Anyone for fussball? Joey and Chandler’s pad

But first our own sets, and as The Son and Heir drops in on on us (or rather drops his washing in on his Mum) a reminder of a time when he called them Talls.

And he spent hours building them.

While Daddy’s Little Girl spent her childhood watching Friends… now if only there had been an exam in that.

Kevin’s collection includes iconic moments from the series including when Joey put on his entire wardrobe, his and Chandler’s fussball table and screechy Janice.

Friends for ever

Friends for life: Kevin and his Friends apartment

The Seventh Friend, of course, is New York.

And while the show was filmed in LA the Big Apple is where the Super Six are set.

And Friendies will want to check out The Grand Army Plaza in Midtown West in Manhattan which is believed to be the inspiration for the opening credits dance.

While Bloomingdale’s where Rachel worked as an assistant and The American Museum of Natural History (Ross’s workplace, the Museum of Prehistoric History) are actual well-visited and much-celebrated landmarks.

As is the Friends’ apartment block, well the outside anyways, where you must get a selfie outside 90 Bedford Street, Greenwich Village.

A history of Lego

Lets’ go back to the start then with Leg Godt, as they say in Danish but which isn’t an exhortation to the Almighty but actually means ‘play well’.

And it is of course where the name derived.

Great Dane (and isn’t everyone from that peninsula and its islands thus named?) Ole Kirk Christiansen built his company in 1934 into what has become the most enduring toy on Earth.

And how he isn’t remembered with his own statue (made out of building bricks we’d expect) as Hans Christian Andersen is is an injustice which should be put right.

But there was a set of Ole Kirk’s house from his birthplace in Billund given to Lego employees in 2012.

The beauty of Lego

Petra lego: In fine detail of the Jordan landmark

And the beauty of Lego is obviously that you can build whichever world you like to live in around you.

That applies, of course, too time and history as we were treated too when we emerged out of the first lockdown to visit the Ancient Wonders of the World at the National Museum of Flight in East Fortune, East Lothian, near Edinburgh.

Mini-Grand Canyon: In East Fortune in Scotland

And also boarded a real Concorde interior and the next best thing got selfies next to a Lego version.

The world’s Legolands

Billund in Southern Denmark is the mothership and has its own hotel.

And although it is not made out of bricks it is a celebration of all things building blocks.

With plenty of surprises for adult and child alike.

My old stomping ground of Berkshire in the south of England is the home of Legoland in England where once I visited the Windsor Safari Park.

Carlsbad (significantly Scandinavian sounding) an hour south of Anaheim is Legoland Central in California, 51 miles from Tampa.

While go north-west of New York City and you’ll get to Goshen for the NY version which is rollercoaster happy.

A tall order: But not for The Son and Heir

Around the world between Stuttgart and Munich in Germany you’ll find der Legoland.

While in the land of the talls, Dubai, they celebrate all things Lego.

And in Asia where they love to celebrate the childish, you’ll find a LEGOLAND in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea.

Now if you like the world in miniature, check out too the Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg, the world’s biggest miniature railway museum.

And with that I’m back to dig out the talls for the Son and Heir.

Countries, Culture, Europe, Pilgrimage

Let there be light today Saturnalia and Apollo

25th December 202125th December 2021 funtime65

On this day of days let there be light today Saturnalia and Apollo.

And as we share best wishes to all our friends and family around the world to Pope Gregory and my Greek buddy Evi from Athens and Kythera expeditions.

For it was Greg who set this date (kinda) as Christmas Day.

And Evi who reminded us, like everything in Western civilisation, that its roots are Greek.

All Greek to me

Greeks are the word: With Evi in Kythera

Dies Natalis Invicti Solis as astrophysicist Dionysis P. Simopoulou probably says today.

Dionysi who? Well, only that Dionysius, the honorary director of Evgenidius Planitarios, which is the Athens Planetarium.

Take it away Dionysius who tells us in The Sky of Greece…

The sky is the limit

‘December as one may see it, is inseparable linked to celebrating Christmas on the 25th.

‘The gentleman, in fact, reason that made the Church to identify the celebration of Christmas on December 25 is the attempt of the Fathers, as Pope Gregory, states…

‘To gradually convert the festivities of Nationals into Christians.

‘Since December 25th was for Rome the central celebration of the Saturnalian and the birth of the “Sunlightless”, known as Dies Natalis Invicti Solis.

‘At the same time, the ancient Greeks celebrated the Chronos (dedicated to the Chronos) and the Dionysia.

‘As well as theophants or surface of the solar god Phoivos – Apollo.’

Now you don’t have to be a Latin and Ancient Greek scholar to follow where he’s going with theophants or Phoivos.

Heaven help us

Only to say that just like the Maji 2,000 odd years ago we look to the heavens at this time of year.

Or for Santa and his sleigh.

OK, it’s not The Nativity Story or Elf but Dionysius is onto something here.

Whatever is up there has brought us here in the first place.

And isn’t it exciting and poignant that today is the day the James Webb telescope is launched from the European Space Centre?

In French Guiana (no, me neither!)

But we should look to the skies, as I did in Tenerife, and who needs a reason, but it’s calming and humbling.

Happy Evi after

And Evi’s words here… ‘In nature, these days, light always begins to record its first small victories, minute by minute, on the every power of the night..

‘I hope so true light enters our lives, expelling the darkness of the false.

‘Even when it is combined with the most loved sheep.

‘Let there be light! Many years to come, Health and Prosperity!’

And mine’s too… Let there be light today Saturnalia and Apollo.