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America, Countries, Culture, Europe, Ireland, Music, UK

Rainy Days and Songdays – Sweet Caroline, so good!

14th September 202014th September 2020 funtime65

Hands, touching hands/Reaching out, touching me, touching you – Sweet Caroline/Neil Diamond

And this’ll have you bopping on land or sea… Sweet Caroline, oh, oh, oh, good times never felt so good (so good, so good, so good).

You always know you’re onto a rousing stadium song and party favourite when the crowd know their cues.

And so randomly here are some of the places where those good times with Neil Diamond have never felt so good.

The duel in the crown

I don’t know what you’re having

Pat O’Brien’s duelling pianos, Universal Orlando: And you’ll need to bring a fistful of dollars with you (no, not the film though I dare say they’d play that soundtrack too).

Somebody will almost certainly ask for Sweet Caroline, and Piano Man, so that leaves the field open for your other faves.

Randomly I asked for (and got) Barry Manilow’s Mandy… ‘And I came and I gave without taking, and you sent me away, I’m Murty.’

Summer in New York

Holding hands… well, almost

The Beast, The Hudson River, New York: And on the hottest day of the summer with no space on the sidewalk (remember that) then the best place to go is the Hudson.

You’ll want to take the 70ft powerboat The Beast building up to 45mph around the Statue of Liberty.

And as you pass by New Jersey on the other side there’s a nod to that state’s favourite sons Bon Jovi and Livin’ On A Prayer.

Check it out as part of your New York CityPASS.

A gran old time in Austria

And that’s Ehrwald Presley there on the keyboards

Ehrwald, Austria: And what do you give a group of Irish senior walkers for musical entertainment?

The octogenarian oompah-oompah man laid on by Top Flight for Schools had tried some Austrian music and some Elvis.

But one of our group pointed out that we were an Irish group and ran off a list of Irish Wedding Songs… and obviously Sweet Caroline.

Booze cruise

And wait till the party gets started

Royal Caribbean, the English Channel: And we’re in the main shopping and entertainment area, of the Independence of the Seas rockin’ on our final night.

We’ve had the DJ belt out Hi Ho Silver Lining, 500 Miles, Delilah and It’s Not Unusual.

But the one that really rocks the boat is… you guessed it Sweet Caroline. So good, so good, so good.

America, Countries, Culture, Europe, Ireland, Oceania, Sport, UK

Football’s back – take your pick

12th September 202013th September 2020 funtime65

Now it all depends on whether you’re American, English, Irish or Australian who all embrace their football game.

It’s in the human DNA you see since the day Cain decided to kick Abel’s skull into a ditch.

So here are some thoughts on some of the teams I’ve adopted from my travels.

Off Pat

New England Patriots: I don’t know if you’re allowed it but I adopt all the American sports teams wherever I go.

It does make it easier to pick a winner if you’ve got the New York Jets (my Long Island cousins’-team), the Washington Redskins who are now looking for a new team, and the Denver Broncos.

It’s just that you go with the team where you spend the most time… and that was my summer after university in Boston.

Hoop dreams

All’s Well: Celtic v Motherwell. www.celticfc.net

And I had little choice growing up in Glasgow in the Seventies where Catholics and Protestants didn’t mix to choose Celtic.

Particularly as my Great-Uncles had built Celtic Park.

But Scots kids were allowed too to have an English team and I chose Liverpool.

Forward fast to the Nineties, had a son on Merseyside and it came full circle with The Son and Heir becoming a fully-fledged Red.

GAA-GAA

In Ireland, soccer (football) was known as a Garrison game, a preserve of the occupying British Army.

And Gaelic Football, Camogie (the female version) and the stick game hurling were the Irish sports.

I could pick any of Donegal, my Dear Old Mum’s county, Dublin where I worked for 13 years or Co. Wicklow, my adopted home.

But as my Mum drummed it into us as kids that Donegal was the best place on Earth.

And that the rest of Ireland hate serial winners Dublin, it has to be Donegal.

Perth, WA

My bonds with Western Australia started when my parents took me back a jersey of the West Coast Eagles. Minus the sleeves of course.

And continued when I joined a Top Deck booze bus to the Oktoberfest in Munich and discovered they were all Aussies and Kiwis.

Fast forward six months and Brownie and Smutley had arrived on my Aberdeen doorstep and went on to set up a WA colony there with their friends.

My one and only Aussie Rules football game was with an English guy at Surrey’s cricket ground, The Oval.

I remember Collingwood were one of the teams but don’t recall the other.

Collingwood are the New England Patriots, Dublin or Manchester United of their country.

Everybody else dislikes them unless you’re one of them.

MEET YOU ON THE PITCH

Countries, Culture, Europe, Food, Food & Wine, Ireland, UK

Sweden unmasked

12th September 202013th September 2020 funtime65

Bork, Bork, Bork… and for those of you under the age of 50, that’s the indecipherable Swedish Chef from the Muppets.

I reckon what he’s actually saying is Told You So, Told You So, Told You So!

It went almost completely unnoticed but the UK put Sweden back on the exempt list this week.

Perhaps because their much derided ‘no lockdown strategy‘ to Coronvarius is proving to work with rates right down.

Which makes it the perfect place to travel to find out how they’ve done it.

Perhaps because they have the self-discipline to be able to keep a social distance from each other.

And that is even more difficult when you look like them.

Although I guess Swedish men probably take their Swedish women for granted and vice versa.

I’m reminded here of the Irish football fans’ song in defeat to Sweden at the European Championships… ‘go home to your gorgeous wives.’

Of course, you’ve worked out that this is mainly an excuse to show some gorgeous Swedish women.

More than 850,000 British nationals visit the Land of Agnetha every year.

And despite how virulent we are (and it has to be repeated how welcoming the rest of the world are to welcome Britons) the Swedes are still happy to see us.

The closest I’ve got thus far to Sweden is seeing the 16km Oresund Bridge between Denmark and Sweden.

On my MSC trip around the Norwegian fjords.

So what’s so great about Sweden?

Stock in trade

Stockholm: And what do we know? Yes, it’s got the Abba Museum, but also the Viking Vasa Museum and the Fotogrofiska. And 30,000 islands.

And although I feel I’m being intrusive and was on the Hollywood Walk of Fame… Greta Garbo‘s grave who really only wanted to be alone.

I’m here for the beer

Gothenburg; Yes, and it’s got water too, waterways, and try them on a kayak or paddle board, and I mastered the last, right?

While you should also check out their craft beer Poppels or Stigbergets.

And, of course, more ships… the 17th century Goteborg. Aye, aye Cap’n.

Have a sauna

Malmo: And because it’s Sweden, and I love a sauna, Ribersborg Kallbadhus at the end of the pier.

There are actually five saunas, a steam room, a sun deck and access to the ocean.

Fika is Swedes’ cafe downtime and great for people watching. I fancy that cinnamon roll he‘s having.

And further afield:

Work out Wallander

Ystad is Wallander country and you can check out Greyfriars Abbey and the Church of the Virgin Mary.

Swedish Lapland: Drive the 223-mile route up the Wilderness Way from the canoeing centre at Stromsund to Vilhelmina via Fatmokakke with its wooden huts.

You want reindeers? Well, Jokkmokk must appeal to Scots!

And then there’s also the James Bond Museum in Nybro. We’ve been expecting you.

SAS Scandinavian Airlines is who to go with.

America, Countries, Europe, Ireland, UK

The rapids adventures of an old Bandanaman

10th September 202010th September 2020 funtime65

In the event of injury and you dying, and the rapids are nice and lively today. Woaaaaah! Give me a Yeaaah!

Maybe rewind to the bit about dying!

We’re driving down the highway to the Colorado White Water Rafting Center.

And tattooed, man-bunned Brad is banging the top of the roof with the palm of his hand.

Out Travel providers are turning to Adventure tourism as a plank of our comeback.

But will you need a plank yourself, or oar, to dig you out of choppy waters!

Here are five thrills and spills for the future:

Rapids eye movement

White-water rafting, Colorado: Rub-a-dub-dub, three men and three women in a tub.

And one goes overboard, the first ‘jumper‘ of the season.

Thankfully not from our raft, and a support kayaker is there to rescue her.

Your bandanaman hangs in there througb the rapids and my beer at the end of the course has never tasted so good.

Will I try it again? Well, the dudes at Yosemite Tuolomne are trying to tempt me to their Californian canyon. Yeaaah!

Zip-a-dee-doo-da!

Zip-lining, Las Vegas and Barcelona: And yes this should be flying through the air on the Cloud scraper Zip Line the highest in America.

12,000ft above the Arkansas River from one side of the Royal Gorge to another.

But it’s gentle zip lining on SlotZilla through Downtown Old Vegas, Frenont Street.

Where a member of our party got stuck halfway across the street because he was too light!

No such trouble for Bandanaman, or on Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas where thankfully the harness kept the shorts up.

A surf bet

California and Barcelona and Portugal: And I’d backed myself to surf after being put through my paces on Royal Caribbean‘s FlowRider in Barcelona.

You see international surfer and Sligo’s own Gearoid McDaid walked on water on their surf simulator and had me doing the same (ŵ

Trouble was when I got to Anaheim later in the year I double booked (not for the first time) and missed out on the surf class.

So I did the next best thing and pulled a surfing pose on Huntington Beach instead.

California is synonymous with surfing but the biggest wave pulled was in Portugal.

And you can check out the water sports at VILA VITA Parc in the Algarve from €330p per night.

While Original Travel offers four nights from £975pp based on two sharing a garden view room or £795pp based on four sharing a family suite.

Hottie for Trotti

Downhill Trottibikes, Switzerland: Now you always have to be ready for the challenge when it is thrown down.

Which it was in the Grindewald area of Switzerland when a Korean took me on.

No, not the slopes, but these scooters… through the forest and onto the main road, weaving between onrushing cars.

Until I passed her and swerved into the bar for my celebratory Aperol Spritz.

OK, it’s a bit of a leap to mountain biking in Mammoth Lakes, California, but I can only work with what I’m given.

And besides I did hone my cycling skills in the Campus, Quinta do Lago, Portugal… til I took a corner too sharply and fell off!

Life is a…

Yes, Ronan Keating, but I bet you’ve never been on The Incredible Hulk at Universal Orlando or SheiKra at Busch Gardens.

You won’t like me when I’ve got an angry stomach, and, yes, I was green around the gills by the end.

Will I be back? Well, I’ve been on rollercoasters from A-B, Aberdeen to Blackpool to C Coney Island to Ooooooohlando.

So yes, and I’ll have my motion sickness tablets with me too.

MEET YOU ON THE THRILL RIDE

America, Countries, Europe, Ireland, UK

Let the train take the strain

8th September 20208th September 2020 funtime65

As we’ve been planning a wee train trip when we can again, and I don’t mean North Berwick to Edinburgh, I’ve been checking out my friends’ recommendations.

And I’m indebted here to my old friend Aileen, who is more Roaring Twenties than Boring Twenties, for her shout in Paris.

With Aileen flagging up Le Train Bleu Restaurant (formerly the Buffet de la Gare de Lyon) located in the Gare de Lyon railway station in Paris.

So I’ll pull up to the bumper, baby, and give you my fave trainy-related places I’ve been.

And all those Eastern European and Central Asian palaces will just have to wait.

The only way is up

An Alpine hand

The Jungfraujoch, Kleine Scheidegg, Switzerland: They had me sold when they said my ears would pop.

The journey from Kleine Scheidegg up to the Jungfraujoch is Adolf Guyer-Zeller’s major feat of engineering.

That’s 9km up to the top of Europe between the Bernese Highlands and the Valais.

And you’ll get an ice bar with Swiss whiskey, a Tiso watch shop, and a Bollywood restaurant to accommodate those sari-clad ladies on the peaks.

Golden touch

Golden, Colorado: And the Wild West was built on the railway.

The Colorado Railroad Museum gives you an insight into what life was like for those pioneers puffing through the plains.

With a guided tour. The only thing that’s missing is Butch and Sundance standing down on the banks.

Also check out the Art Deco frontage railway station in Mile High City, Denver where dreams of the Gold Rush were hatched.

A Wales of a time

Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch, Anglesey, Wales: And far from being a party pooper here but this long Welsh name is a Victorian Age contrivance.

It used to stop before the ‘wyng’ bit but a tailor from the village added the rest to form the word.

Which means: ‘St Mary’s church in the hollow of white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the church of St Tysillo near the red cave.’

Alas, the bigger they are the harder they fall.

And the jobsworths have closed the station because the platform is too small because of social distancing.

And ten minutes later you’ll be on the water

Water way to travel

Padova to Venice, Italy: Now I grant you there are more romantic ways to first see the Grand Canal.

By water, of course.

But for most of us we’ll first approach the city on the lagoon by train and through that bottleneck at the station.

But the thrill when you enter Venice is worth it.

Just bear in mind the erratic Italian trains, and forget what Mussolini said.

And leave yourself enough time if you have a cocktail reception to get back to in Padova’s Botanic Gardens.

Particularly if you’re in your boardies, Dragon, and haven’t brought a change of clothes.

A familiar trip

Dublin to Greystones, Co.WicklowA: And as much as I gave out about the DART through Bray Head on my daily journeys to work…

No matter how I felt about going into work. this is a stunning stretch past Dublin Harbour.

It is not for nothing that it is compared with the Bay of Naples and used as a film substitute. And that Bono bought the view.

And, of course, it has the ultimate seal of approval in that Isambard Kingdim Brunel built the tumnel.

Countries, Deals, Europe, Ireland, Sport, UK

Holiday Snaps – the Venice ghetto

6th September 20205th September 2020 funtime65

Much has been made about how Venice has been allowed to breathe again.

As the crowds have eased with dolphins leaping in the Grand Canal and mermaids sitting by the Rialto Bridge.

Of course, in spite of what everyone says you can get away from the crowds in St Mark’s Square.

One obvious place to go is a church and don’t worry if you’re not religious you’ll be bowled over by the art.

While you can leave the young (and old) lovers on their gondolas while you retreat for a bit of history in the Jewish ghetto.

Although you won’t make the same mistake and turn up on their Sabbath, Saturday.

Anyhoos, while there is never a bad time to go to Venice, there are some great deals just now.

With Ireland’s national airline carrier Aer Lingus offering Dublin-Venice from €29.99 for travel until November 30. Book by September 14.

Hitting the slopes again

location-vacances-residence-le-sequoia-pyrenees-2000-PYL_62148_34 — Snow business: In the Pyrenees

I can rarely be accused of not keeping my social distancing on the slopes… I’ve usually veered off piste, heading obviously for a fall.

But, of course, like everywhere and everything the ski industry has had to adapt to this virus, and they are.

And the good news for the punter is that they are bending over backwards (a bit like me in a heap on the snow) to lure us back on the slopes.

Pierre & Vacances have ‘a new flexible rate’ only requires a €1 deposit to book.

And you can cancel free of charge if you change your mind.

They also have an early booking offer with savings of up to 20% for all winter dates.

For bookings until September 23 while they pledge to refund the difference if you find it cheaper elsewhere.

You want a deal? Of course you do and this a Christmas one too.

You’ll get seven nights at the Residence Le Sequoia in Font-Romeu in the Pyrenees down from €609 to €488 from December 19-26.

That man Van again

Put your hat on it: Van Morrison at the Europa

And this is tailor-made for social distancing, Van Morrison in a cabaret setting at the Europa Hotel, Belfast, which I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying.

The concerts will take place over three nights on October 29, 30 and 31.

Tickets which you can get from Ticketmaster will be sold in pairs or by tables of eight and the maximum number at each show will be 184.

You’ll get a drinks reception beforehand (remember them!) and a two-course supper.

Prices for the first two rows are available at £250pp, or £2,000 for a table of eight.

And all other tickets are £150pp or £1,2000 per table of eight.

8And there are a host of attractions on the doorstep.

If you can pull yourself away from the nearby Crown Bar such as the excellent Ulster Museum, Grand Opera House and Titanic Belfast.

America, Asia, Countries, Culture, Deals, Europe, Food, Food & Wine, Ireland, UK

Hungry and Thursday – super soup

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My Dear Old Dad would never tire of telling us that he studied Higher Spanish.

So when the gazpacho was served up in the hotel in Ibiza on our family holiday he insisted he knew that it would be cold.

A meat and two veg man, my Mum was up all night with him, cradling him as the gazpacho came back up.

Anyhoos, here are five soups around the world…

Vietnamese please

Vietnamese Pho: No, that particular pleasure awaits me but who knows as we plan to visit the Far East next year?

So, Son and Heir get yourself out to teach English there so we can come visit.

Ally introduced us to a Vietnamese speciality Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup in, of all places, Belfast at Madame Pho’s.

And when we do get out there we will, of course, go to our friends Wendy Wu first.

Bustin’ Boston

Boston chowder: American diners give a special flavour to food.

And while San Francisco has its harbour and Florida its Keys, you never forget where you had your first chowder.

And for me that was in Boston where I spent a summer after university and would set myself up for night work.

With Boston chowder and a sealed packet of crackers.

Johnnie Fox‘s. the highest pub in Ireland, up in the Dublin hills, runs it a close second. With a pint of Guinness, of course.

Life is a minestrone

Minestrone: As Manchester 70s band 10CC said…

And that staple of your Mum’s cupboard is unrecognisable from the real thing.

Try any trattoria you like but mine’s is in Padova, upstreaam of Venice.

Onion bag

French Onion soup: Talking of your Mum, or maybe it was just mine but French Onion soup was always her go-to for dinner parties.

Not too heavy to fill you up before your main meal.

And if you want to get really fancy then top it off with bread and gruyere cheese.

It should be gooey. Like it is in Biarritz.

Cock a leggie

Cock-a-leekie: Now anything that conceals the taste of leeks which seem like just a green receptacle for water.

This is eaten at traditional dinners like Burns Suppers and I’d recommend the Sheep’s Heid in Duddingston, Edinburgh.

And the Yacht Club in Bray, Co. Wicklow particularly when Yours Truly is giving his Toast to the Lassies.

Out of India… and England

Mulligatawny: Now that surprised you, yes!

But as Indian curry is the English national dish then this isn’t such a big leap.

Its got carrots, potatoes, celery and much else as well but most important is the curry powder and that it’s creamy.

MEET YOU AT THE FIRST COURSE

Countries, Culture, Europe, Ireland, UK

Greek plate-smashing

2nd September 20202nd September 2020 funtime65

Never mind the dishes, I’m smashing the whole cabinet after Scotland jumped the gun and took Greece off the exempt list.

Plate-smashing dates back to classical times when it was seen as a display of ostentatious wealth.

Quite why modern-day dictator Georgios Papadopoulos banned it from 1967-1974 you’ll have to get there and ask yourself.

But alas, those of us of a Scottish variety, or who live in Scotland, will have to wait.

In this disunited kingdom of ours we all do things differently and we are now waiting to see which way the English go.

And while we expect they will bring the hammer down on the Greeks.

There is a glimmer of hope in the west where the ancient Britons went.

Yes, Wales, where their assembly is employing a selective approach.

With two COVID tests for those returning from Zante, one in 48 hours and another in eight days.

And this breakthrough in common sense is something to sing about.

Which is, of course, why it will be ignored by everyone else.

With TUI putting Zante on hold, if only there were any other Greek islands to visit.

As we contemplate going through England and Wales.

Funky Portugal Centro

Oh, and in this game of hokey-cokey, as my friends in the Scottish Passenger Agents Association coin it, Portugal is set to follow tomorrow.

I’m intrigued to see that the lowest rates are in the less-visited but captivating Portugal Centro.

Where my old friend, Jose ‘The Special One’ Madomis, will tell you that everything good which ever happened in Portugal started in his home town, Coimbra.

Countries, Culture, Deals, Europe, Ireland, UK

Forza Italia

2nd September 20202nd September 2020 funtime65

Back in the day in the 17th, 18th and 19th Centuries, the poets and dreamers all took the Grand Tour… yes, all odes led to Rome.

Being a rhymer myself (Forth Stanza, Edinburgh Fringe/2002) it sure as heck is tempting to follow them to Italy just now.

Which it’s worth repeating we can do with Italy, the first visited by the virus in Europe, open again for business.

Rome, it has msn a lovely dome

With the world shrinking because of COVID Grazie Dio per Italia.

And so say our holiday providers, our dream-makers.

I can’t say if Byron, Keats and Shelley relaxed by the banks of Lake Garda but if they didn’t they ought to have.

Our friends at Travel Department are offering a seven-night guided tour with extras under the label of Incredible India.

Explore the lago by water on a private boat trip and visit the region’s picturesque towns.

Before heading up into the Dolomite Mountains.

And special treat, you’ll be taken to the ild university town of Padua.

And see St Anthony’s tongue, Giotto’s fresco and a main piazza of imposing statues… well, it is Italy.

Then up to Bolzano, the Gateway of the Dolomites.

TD are offering flexible low deposits from €100pp on all new bookings until September 30.

And check out too their helpful cancellation policy.

Prices from €939pp for seven nights including 4* hotel accommodation with return flights, transfers, excursions and local guides. Depart September 22.

MEET YOI IN THE TRATTORIA

America, Countries, Cruising, Deals, Europe, Ireland, UK

Cruiseday Tuesday – Mrs Happy in Mississippi

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It wouldn’t be the Mississippi without the steamboat, and standing on the Dolly Parton Bridge (think about it) in Memphis gets you thinking about when you’ll hop on one.

Which might be earlier than you think.

Because their small ships are exempt from the no-sail order issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The American Queen Steamboat Company is offering an eight or nine-day New Orleans to Memphis (or reverse).

Running from now through November you will have a choice of ships… American Countess ($2299pp), American Queen ($2499pp) or American Duchess ($2999pp).

Now here’s a beauty from Dolly to get you in the mood https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9UzdIcnLv-w.

And some memories from Memphis and Mississippi while, of course, for all things Deep South, visit https://www.deep-south-usa.com/.

Girls’ getaway

You know when you wish you had just kept your thoughts to yourself.

And thanks my friend Jennifer from Royal Caribbean and my old stomping ground of Greystones, Co. Wicklow in Ireland for flagging up this one.

And you’ll always find a cocktail

Because she’s flagging up A Girls Getaway taster cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas.

Five nights full board (all meals and entertainment) for May 4. Two sharing £390pp/€463pp. Deposit £150pp/€165pp.

You’ll depart Barcelona and visit Provence, Florence/Pisa and Rome. Just add a flight to Barcelona.

She also mentions that it would be just as suitable for a lads or family trip but the fact that they headline it as a Girlie trip..

Well, that only alerts You Know Who. Again, thanks Jennifer.

And a reminder of what I get up to when I’m away (that’s printable) A Royal Party and https://www.google.com/amp/s/jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/2020/03/24/messi-around-on-the-water/amp/.