Uncategorized Archives - Page 25 of 54 - Jim Murty’s TravelTravelTravel

Surfing the seas in Barcelona

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Only one man walks on water in Barcelona. He’s everywhere – in every shop window, on the backs of every family of tourists.

Or parading his skills before 100,000 worshippers at the cathedral of football, the Camp Nou.

Only on the day I visited the Spanish city, he’s not.

The ubiquitous Lionel Messi is back in his native South America on international duty playing for Argentina rather than curling in free-kicks for his adopted Barca.

Barcelona has a vacancy for a sporting hero then… and I’m thinking that if I nail it I might just my name off the back of the football top that fluffy bear is wearing.

He’s sitting in a sports car in the shopping area of a cruise ship in port at the bottom of La Rambla. Such are the trappings of fame, and I want some of it.

And I have the chance.

To walk on water on Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis of the Seas’ surf simulator FlowRider.

And I only have the best in the business to get me up to speed, Irish surfing superstar Geared McDaid.

We’re lucky to have Geared here, his feet rarely touch the ground.

Geared is not long back from a couple of months surfing in Chile, was in Indonesia before that and is on his way to Portugal.

Geared is not what I expect though, no man bun, goatee beard, beard, tattoo sleeve.

Just a regular Sligo boy, although he is pals with Kia Egan!

Thankfully there is one Fifty-something who keeps up appearances with his bandana and windswept beard.

But boy can he surf. Gearoid, that is.

The simulator is on the 15th deck of the €1.4bn Oasis of the Seas cruise ship which is on it way to Majorca, France and then Italy with 6,300 passengers.

Each enjoying five pools and numerous bars, restaurants and shows. And a park. ‘Central Park’, you’ll forget you’re at sea.

*Keep your shorts on: With Kai, my instructor*

But alas without us who will have to get off kicking and screaming before sail time.

If they can’t find us hiding away down in the staff quarters.

The idea of the simulator which is 40ft long, is that a rush of water shoots out to build up the swell which you then surf against.

It’s all in the knees, back and arms – and the trick is to sway and not panic.

*I’m not the only one who is bushy: In Central Park on Oasis of the Seas*

Too late, the road went that way and the bandana and everything under it the other way.

It’s official. I don’t walk on water (but my family could tell you that!)

Maybe I’ll have better luck on my knees.

Eureka or ‘goooooal.’ as Lionel Messi might shout. I manage to master those waves in the prayer position on a boogie board with more than a little help from Mauritian teacher Kai.

*Zip slidin’ away: And I’m off zip lining*

Suddenly I feel indestructible. And here I was worried that I’d be caught with my shorts down, and quite literally I almost was at half mast.

I hadn’t pulled the cord tightly enough before the surfing class and the waves carried me away.

To be avoided – particularly if you’ve booked up for my next challenge, the 82ft zipline

No-obe nine deck below on the Boardwarl want to have Stars and Stripes board trunks land on them, believe me, when they’re out there shopping.

Or having an early-afternoon drink or are on their way to lunch.

Thankfully, I can’t do much damage in the Spanish restaurant, other than embarrass myself and my party by getting my maracas out (steady!).

Well, once in we weighted into the plats of tapas and a big jug of sangria (when in Spain).

Fuelled with patatas and shrimp al ajillo we swagger off the ship.

Only taking time to pas by an eight-year-old boy twisting and turning on the other simulator and onto Barcelona’s famous La Rambla shopping and market thoroughfare.

Christopher Columbus is still there where I remember him from the last time I visited Barcelona 15 years ago and drew back the curtains of my balcony cabin.

He is proudly guarding the city and pointing out to sea.

To be fair, the arm is right, though I’d maybe bend the elbow and those legs are way too straight.

Sorry, Chris, but you’d be no use on a surfboard either.

Travel facts

Oasis of the Seas: Sail the Western Mediterranean for seven nights on Oasis of the Seas from €1,049pp based on two sharing. Departing Barcelona. Visit Palma, Marseille, Florence/Pisa, Rome (Civitavecchia), Naples and arrive back at Barcelona. See http://www.royalcaribbean.ie. Flights not included.

How to get there: Aer Lingus http://www.aerlingus.com. and Ryanair http://www.ryanair.com both fly to Barcelona.

Where to stay in Barcelona: Hotel Concordia http://www.hotelconcordiabarcelona.com is a central hub and has a rooftop pool that will tempt you to linger. Pride was on when we visited and the neighbourhood was jumping. €135 per night.

You want more cruise fun… what about these adventures https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/im-a-celebrity-get-me-out-to-here/ https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/the-call-of-the-fjords/ https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/a-royal-party/

This article was first published in the Irish Daily Star

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Countdown to Japan: Monkeys

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There will be Pumas and Wallabies, Springboks and Bears and Eagles… it’s the Rugby World Cup in Japan.

The Bears are the Russians but you’d probably work that out with my help.

And the Eagles the Americans. Again, that’s self-evident.

But what of the host nation, the Japanese?

Well, no, they don’t take their name from their indigenous animals but their flower, the Cherry Blossom.

But if you get the chance then you’ll want to see some wildlife when you’re there.

And like these monkeys they do come up pretty close.

*Flyin’. Photo by Ivandrei Pretorius on Pexels.com*

Craic with a macaque

Yes, to give them their Sunday names they are macaques.

But we know them better as snow monkeys.

Travel to Jigokudani Monkey Park in Nagano Prefecture and you’ll see the hot spring bathing wild monkeys in their natural habitat.

You’ll need to be around in December to see them surrounded by snow… who knows you may decide to stay, or even come back?

But you’ll not miss out in the Autumn either.

Whooper Swans

There will be plenty of whoops in the rugby but these guys are whooping all the time.

Or why else would they get their names?

These fellas live further north in Hokkaido and are one of the heaviest flying birds weighing an average of eight to eleven kilogrammes.

They migrate to Japan in the winter settling in the Hokkaido Prefecture.

Where they spend most of their time in the water as their legs can’t support their weight.

Steller’s Sea Eagles

The Americans won’t like it because we all know that everything is bigger and better in the Oo Es of A.

But these fellas are the largest eagles in the world with a 2.5m wing span.

If they swoop down by you you’ll get a closer look at their white and chocolate brown livery and yellow beaks.

Or you might have turned tail by then.

Each winter they gather on the north coast travelling to the Nemuro Peninsula in Hokkaido to hunt for Pacific cod.

We’re advised to take an ice drift cruise from Nemuro or the fishing village of Rausa.

Again it’s probably the wrong time with you being there for the World Cup.

January and February is better so put it in your calendar.

Red-crowned Crane

Over half of the world’s red-crowed cranes call Hokkaido home with just 3,300 wild cranes across the planet.

The Japanese believe they are lucky and bring happiness, longevity and peace.

Though from the looks of them they appear to be making a lot of noise.

They can be found in Japanese folk tales, paintings, prints and decorated sliding doors called fusuma.

Kushiro City, Tsurui village and Akan village are three major feeding sites.

Again the best sightings are between November and March.

So maybe it’s best just to book your return trip to Japan to see its natural wild life.

And in the meantime celebrate the menagerie of rugby players grunting and running around the field.

Japan National Tourism Organisation promotes Japan. Visit http://www.facebook.com/visitjapanuk, http://www.instagram.com/visitjapan_uk, www.japan.travel.

And I’ve been keeping you up to date with other aspects of Japan and deals out there… https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/2019/08/19/bug-in-japan/, https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/2019/08/10/this-sporting-weekend-rugbys-big-in-japan/, https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/2019/07/24/turning-japanese-2/.

MEET YOU IN THE BARS

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Flyday Friday – Ryanair

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‘If only I’d known being nice would be good for business I’d have done it earlier.’

Michael O’Leary’s much-vaunted volte-face (remember the picture with the golden labrador) was either just for our benefit…

Or it failed.

Ryanair has come last of 100 brands for customer service in a Which? survey.

Now it is unapologetically no-frills, and why should it be?

So is the onus back on us to get it right, read the small (and even larger) print before you book.

And you may have to swallow it if you get hit by a surcharge at the airport.

Yes, that’s easy to say if you’re not the one with squealing kids.

But to bring a little light relief to proceedings…

A story.

Lining up in Barcelona Airport, a little girl asked their mother if they were priority…

And if not why were they standing in that queue.

Out of the mouths of babes.

This survey, of course, comes at a rotten time for Ryanair, what with the pilots’ 48-hour strike.

Check www.ryanair.com for the latest developments and latest low-frills and low-price deals.

When September comes

Sorry for dropping in a random Green Day song… it’s just they’re The Scary One’s favourite band.

And I’ll tell you what else she likes… getting away.

So I’ve been a bit sheepish as I’m scuttling around the house, and she knows I’m off to the Canaries next month.

You can too courtesy of Aer Lingus www.aerlingus.com.

It’s offering 20% off a 5* Gran Canaria getaway, staying at the Radisson Blu Resort & Spa Morgan, as part of their September sale.

The cost of the holiday is €654pp and that includes return fares from Dublin.

Use the promo code SUNHOLIDAY.

Homage to Christ

Rio by the sea-o: Christ the Redeemer in Rio

Some things confuse me (heck, most things do). I mean the New World is supposed to be new and the Old World old.

But this threw me. In Lisbon there stands a statue of Christ with his arms outstretched, just like in Rio.

The Rio statue, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, all 98ft of it on a 26ft pedestal with 28ft outstretched arms was put up in 1931.

The Lisbon story

Lisbon followed suit in 1959 in gratitude for being spared the worst effects of the Second World War.

They were neutral.

The Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon, we are told, had been so moved by his visit to Rio as to suggest a statue in Lisbon.

The Portuguese one is a lot more pedestal in truth, 269ft, with Christ 92ft.

All stuff of which brings me to TAP Air Portugal’s new connection from Dublin to Rio, via Lisbon from €767.

With the option of a five-day stop-off in Lisbon at no extra cost. ww.flytap.com.

And here’s a taster of Portugal Secret Portugal.

MEET YOU IN THE SKIES

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Jocktails – the Sazerac

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Now we all know that Cocktail Hour is 6 o’clock but did they stipulate that it had to be 6pm.

So picture the scene: the Preservation Hall Jazz Band of New Orleans are belting out the tunes.

Before they lead us into the hall, naturally playing When The Saints.

They’ve got gumbo and jambalaya on the tables in front of us.

And there are bartenders fixing Sazeracs.

There is orange juice, coke, water and coffee.

But I’m not having that.

*Hustle and bustle of New Orleans. Photo by kendall hoopes on Pexels.com*

So a little bit about the Sazerac.

It’s reputed to be the oldest cocktail in the world.

And it is a variation of the Sazerac de Forge et Fils brand of cognac brandy that was its original main ingredient.

These days it’s usually made with rye.

*Golden vision: Rye Photo by Prem Pal Singh on Pexels.com*

The history bit

The Sazerac Coffee House proprietor Aaron Bird and drinks importer Sewell Taylor are credited with inventing the cocktail in the 1850s.

Our friend Bird made it with Sazerac cognac imported by Taylor.

It was allegedly made with bitters from the local apothecary, Antoine Amedie Peychaud.

The primary ingredient changed from cognac to rye whiskey in the 1870s.

Because there had been a phylloxera epidemic (to do with grapes) in Europe that devastated the vineyards of France.

Absinthe was banned in the US in 1912… perhaps they had seen what Vincent Van Gogh had done after drinking it.

And it was replaced by various anise-flavored liqueurs, most notably the locally produced Herbsaint.

So you want to see how you make it? Thought you might.

*Sweet stuff. Photo by Suzy Hazelwood on Pexels.com*

How to make it

You’ll need 2 1/2 oz. of rye whisky

One sugar cube

Two dashes of bitters

A dash of Angostura bitters

Herbsaint (or ask at your off-licence).

lemon peel.

*A garnish. Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com*

Directions

Muddle the sugar cube with a few drops of water in an old-fashioned glass.

Add several small ice cubes and then the rye whiskey and bitters.

Stir well.

Then roll the Herbsaint around a second chilled Old-Fashioned glass until its inside it is thoroughly coated. Pour off the excess.

Strain the contents of the first glass into the second. Garnish with a twist of lemon peel.

It’ll have you singing and dancing.

Visit the Museum of the American Cocktail in New Orleans. https://natfab.org/cocktail-museum and http://www.neworleans.com. And http://www.visitusa.ie

And for a trip down the Old South then may I recommend my series The King of Kings on Tennessee and Mississippi https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/the-promised-land-martin-luther-king/ https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/the-story-of-the-blues/ http://The King of Kings.

Just a reminder – your weekly food column too…. https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/2019/08/22/hungry-and-thursday-hamburgers/

And how Sazerac will get you into the New Orleans spirit…

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Hurry up – sale is in the Cannes

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The weather’s lousy here… well, the rain is what makes Ireland so green, I guess.

But I bet it’s nicer down on the French Riviera. In fact I know it is.

Travel Department http://www.traveldepartment.ie has a flash winter sun sale for customers booking select seven-night holidays until tomorrow.

You’ll get €40pp off the cost of your holiday using the code VP-SUN40.

Let’s pick out Cannes and the Cote d’Azur for you.

But there’s also:

Tenerife,

Highlights of Andalucia,

Costa De La Luz & Seville,

Nerja,

Grenada & Costa del Sol,

Estoril & the Lisbon Coast,

Algarve Coast & Country,

Ancient Greece

And Highlights of Sicily.

What’s on offer

The French Riviera was the first foreign holiday I had on my own with my pals, after school.

And thankfully the gendarme were looking the other way when I returned in style when I became a Travel Editor.

And didn’t remember me holding up la rue in St Raphael 30 years earlier.

Mais oui!

Your Travel Department Cannes trip will include excursions to Monaco and Monte Carlo with entrance to Rothschild Villa & Gardens.

Another day trip will bring you to the medieval town of Grasse, which is the perfume capital of France & the painters’ village of St. Paul-de-Vence.

You will also visit Antibes & Nice, a one-day excursion which includes the Old Town of Antibes, Millionaire’s Quay and the magnificent Nice Promenade.

And there will be some time left to just relax and enjoy the laid-back Riviera life.

*History all around you: On the French Riviera*

For departures until March 31.

And read all about my adventures in Cannes. https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/the-boat-dazur/.

Prices start from €749pp for 7 nights including return flights, 4* B&B hotel accommodation, transfers and excursions with an expert local guide, departing September and October 2019

For more information or to book, call 01-6371600 or click HERE.

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The debate – Greenland

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Maybe Donald Trump has a spare half a trillion down the back of his White House couch to buy Greenland.

But wouldn’t that just pay the interest on the $22 trillion national debt?

But amid all that incredulity that a country could just buy another country, or land, then frankly…

*And the Americans only wanted New Orleans*

They don’t know the history of the USA.

The 49th State, Alaska, bought from Russia for $7.2million in 1867 ($109m today) was considered a huge white elephant by many Americans.

The Russians had been looking to get rid of it after running up big costs in the fruitless Crimean War and had first sounded out the British.

Who thought it a wilderness too.

It wasn’t… there was gold in them thar swamps and oil in the fields.

And before that there was the Louisiana Purchase from the French of 828,000sq miles which doubled the size of the country,

Now Louisiana was a great bit bigger than New Orleans and the bayou back in 1804.

It stretched from the Gulf of Mexico and swallowed up part of 15 modern-day US states.

Including Colorado where there’s still a French influence and much more besides. Read my review in Go West.

And the Louisiana Purchase even included slithers of two Canadian provinces.

Not bad value for $15m ($220m in today’s money).

And again it was a case of its owners, in this instance France, and Napoleon, needing money.

In his case to wage war with Britain.

Then there was Florida, a swamp back in 1819 for $5m ($90m). About the price of a row of houses on South Beach now.

Now not playing Trump’s game, and we live in very different times now…

But if Greenland is a $700m a year drain of a dominion on Denmark as he says…?

Then with all his powers of persuasions in completing the deal.

*It’s a deal: Aw, hell, I’ve just sold Scotland*

Now there couldn’t possibly be oil there, could there?

So you want to see how you can get to Greenland…?

A cruise is probably best. Check out www.greenlandtours.com. Or www.global.hurtigruten.com. And http://www.visitgreenland.com.

And if you want to know a bit more about Donald Trump’s fellow New Yorker and the original NY businessman Alexander Hamilton https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/2019/08/21/old-new-york-hamilton/

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Hungry and Thursday – Hamburgers

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You know when you think you’re being clever and you discover someone has been there before you… Ich Bin Ein Hamburger.

It’s a headline I put on a review of Hamburg. And a play on John F. Kennedy’s solidarity with the Berliners ‘Ich Bin Ein Berliner’.

It transpires though that the clever Haguers of Den Haag, or The Hague, came up with the same idea for their restaurant.

Now this feature, Hungry and Thursday, will revisit the Netherlands, and Dutch/Middle Eastern fusion food next week.

But for now I’ll look at burgers.

Again someone had the idea before me to seek out the origins of the hamburger.

My efforts were less successful.

Being the lost tourist that I am, and even with the help of The Scary One who knows how to get from A to B, I couldn’t find the restaurant I wanted.

It transpired as well that the place we’d identified to serve us our rundstuck would have been shut that day anyway.

The Hamburger, of course, is the world’s favourite takeaway food.

And it has the German emigrants to America to thank.

And now for the history bit

Who brought the rundstuck to America in the 19th Century.

Being good wholesome food it proved popular and a good source of nutrition for refuelling for manual workers.

And served in a bread bun it proved portable.

It has, of course, served the same purpose for future generations on the go.

Or just as a well-priced and quick alternative as a sit-down meal.

*And of course Hamburg is famous for St Pauli and the nightlife*

So what are the best burgers?

Well, they have expanded and you can get vegan, bison, chicken, you name it.

This is just a filler

And all manner of fillings… tomato and lettuce are staples.

I like mushrooms with everything but please, no gherkins.

And you can choose from a multitude of sauces.

For the best hamburger go to Hamburg. I can thoroughly recommend Dulf’s Burger www.dulfsburger.de and my review Ich bin ein Hamburger. And visit http://www.hamburg-travel.com

Where you’ll find what makes a hamburger a hamburger.

And it’s not ham which means ‘bend of the river’ or burger which means ‘inhabitant of a fort.

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Time flies – Ryanair’s €9.99 UK sale

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That’s the thing. If you sit still then you miss out on the big Ryanair sale.

Ryanair has a seat sale on for the UK with flights from €9.99.

Now bear in mind that a single coach trip from Aberdeen was twice that 30 years ago and it gives you an idea of what great value this is.

Heck, you don’t need a reference point. It just is.

He’s waiting for us. Photo by Samuel Wölfl on Pexels.com

The thing is you have to be quick. Because the sale runs out at midnight tonight, Wednesday August 28, or when the seats have been sold out.

I’d bank on it being the former.

Yes, London, obviously is in the destinations in the deal. http://www.visitlondon.com.

And I know a bit about it although you know me by now… I come at it from my own particular angle… https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/2019/06/23/carole-king-youre-beautiful/ And https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/the-london-life/

But Ryanair flies to Liverpool too, the friendliest city in England. Heck, the most welcoming city anywhere. http://www.visitliverpool.com.

I’ll gather my thoughts and my old photos and put together a Day in the Life on Liverpool. Hold me to it.

*Evertoians, don’t shoot me. Photo by Tembela Bohle on Pexels.com*

And, of course, Scotland is still part of the UK. At least until after Brexit.

So that means Glasgow and Edinburgh. http://www.peoplemakeglasgow.com. And http://www.edinburgh.org.

Now you all know about Edinburgh although that won’t stop me sharing some random thoughts from time to time.

But you might not know as much about my native city, Glasgow. Here’s a good starting point http://I belong to Glasgow.

Ryanair http://www.ryanair.com knows that those of us who call Ireland home don’t all live in Dublin.

And so they have deals out of Cork, Kerry, Shannon and Knock too.

So what are you waiting for? Check in and get over to the UK.

And when you do, just mention my name.

They’ll either ask when am I coming back or plead with you on their knees to keep me here.

And because it’s good to share then read my fellow blogger’s culinary post on London gracethoroughgoodbeauty.

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Eat my shorts… it’s Voldemort and Bart

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How do you explain to US customs why you need to take a brick through?

Just say it’s because you’re rebuilding Diagon Alley brick by brick.

Our guide tells us that’s what a member of the Harry Potter film team did to ensure everything met with JK Rowling’s approval.

The very same JK would visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in both Universal Orlando theme parks to make sure everything is as she wrote it.

And here we are standing outside the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley, near Gringotts Bank with its imposing fire-breathing dragon frontage.

I am in need of some butter beer after escaping (just) in one piece from the clutches of the Dementors.

Those Dementors have been besieging Hogwarts Castle, situated in Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

Wizards get taken to Dragon alley by Ernie Prang and Dre Head, the dreadlocked skull drivers of the Knight Bus.

Ably conducted by assistant Stan Shunpike whom we meet. Muggles though must use their feet.

Us Muggles are allowed on the Hogwarts Express from Kings Cross Station, London, to Hogwarts Castle.

But watch out though for those Dementors silhouetted in the carriage window. There are enemies everywhere.

The Forbidden Journey

It helps, of course, that Harry and Ron are there to help.

We are on the Forbidden Journey 3-D cart ride at Hogwarts Castle.

The dynamic duo lead us on our broomsticks.

And we skirt the cliffs on a dizzying simulator ride which puts us right at the heart of the battle.

We were well prepared though.

Because we had already been to Olivanders to discover who would be selected for a special wand.

These wands as everyone knows pick you, not the other way around.

And Emma Jane was the lucky recipient of a shiny new one given to her by the sage Garrick Olivander.

It was not dissimilar, it must be said, to Harry’s. His is 11in long, made of holly, with a phoenix feather core.

You can buy your own keepsake from the store for a competitive $36.95 (€33).

*And I got to see the Dark Arts show in Hollywood*

Empowered, Emma Jane leads the way through Gringotts Bank on to our carriage for a dual with the Dark Lord.

Our anaemic and hirsutically challenged nemesis and his shaggy-haired accomplice Bellatrix are not so easily shaken off.

Our group must tangle again with them in the Gringotts vaults.

It’s a banker

Gringotts, it is said, is the safest place to be.

And the animatronic goblin chiefs do leave you with a sense of comfort that they would guard your worldly possessions with their life.

Lockers with thumbprint recognition do the rest.

Saving wizards and half-bloods is thirsty work though and this muggle needs refuelling.

*And me either: Bringing you all the news*

Only one place for it… Moe’s Bar.

Universal Orlando is all about family fun and The Simpson, as we all know, are the family who put the fun into dysfunctional.

On the way to a thirst-quenching beer in Moe’s you can get a meet, greet and snap with Homer and Bart.

Tuck in at Moe’s

Pass the Krustyland stalls, Lard Lad Donuts and Duff Gardens.

The lure of a Krusty Burger takes precedence over The Simpsons Ride.

Krusty’s piece de resistance sees the clown coming under threat from Sideshow Bob is a seat-of-the-pants six-minute ride.

My pants though were firmly wedged into a seat into a sat in Moe’s and my lips wedged into his signature burger.

It looks a lot like a normal 6oz burger with cheddar cheese sauce, a giant tomato slice, iceberg lettuce, served on a speciality bun.

But with an extra special sauce ingredient.

*One of the family: With Bart and Homer*

That it’s served in Moe’s. Well, worth ten bucks.

If you’re feeling adventurous you can try the chicken waffle sandwich (so wrong, it’s right).

You feel as lazy as Homer, and you’ve every right to be, you’re on holiday after all then while away the afternoon at Moe’s.

But if you’e got kids tugging at you to hit the rides – then you better sup up and get back over to the Islands of Adventure.

There are seven themed islands:

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter (a magical escape)

Marvel Super Hero Island (pumped-up action)

Toon Lagoon (a water ride extravaganza)

Jurassic Park (prehistoric mayhem)

The Lost Continent (myths and legends

Seuss Landing (childhood wonders)

Port of Entry (the shop-centred enhance).

Spider-Man proved a particular favourite of the group, a 60ft freewill, emulating the webbed one’s descent.

Green monsters

Your correspondent meanwhile was taking a breather after unleashing his inner Hulk.

The Hulk is a vengeful superhero (so, they all are, yes).

But he has taken out his anger in a particularly brutal manner.

Launching you 150ft in the air, with an acceleration of zero to 40mph in two seconds flat, it reaches speeds of 67mph.

The Hulk has seven inversions and turns you upside down in a weightless zero gravity before sending you crashing back down to earth.

If lots of inversions send you loop-the-loop it may be best staying off this one.

And it wasn’t just the Hulk who was green about the gills after this one.

*I met up* with Shrek in Hollywood… https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/2019/06/22/my-weekend-with-marilyn/

A friendlier green monster is Shrek.

There is no better way to sign off your trip to Universal Orlando than to sit back and join everyone’s favourite ogre and his sidekick Donkey as they battle the evil Lord Farquaad.

Shrek is a 4D cinematic experience, you’ll go on a thundering gallop through a haunted forest ride on a fire-breathing dragon.

You’ll plunder over a waterfall.

All in the quest of Princess Fiona.

You’ll have ‘spiders’ fly out at you and be sprayed in the face and be tilted back forward and back in your seats.

Kick-ass entertainment and few do it better than Shrek and the magical cast of Universal Studios.

*Relaxing: The Loews Portofino in Orlando*

Fly me there

How to get there: Aer Lingus fly from Dublin to Orlando four times weekly; Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Fares start from €259 each way including taxes. Visit aerlingus.com for more information.

Aer Lingus customers can pre-clear US customs at Dublin airport. http://www.aerlingus.com

Where to stay

Where to stay: On-site at Universal Orlando at the 5* Loews Portofino Bay Hotel with American Holidays, from €1,109 per person.

Price includes return direct flight with Aer Lingus to Orlando, Florida.

Seven nights’ accommodation at Loews Portofino Bay Hotel. Selected dates September & October 2015.

The providers

Go with Attraction Tickets Direct http://www.attractionticketsdirect.ie. Check out their latest packages.

This article was first published in the Irish Daily Mail.

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Hogwarts and all… Harry Potter

21st August 201921st August 2019 funtime65

They’re the stuff of fantasy, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast, the Wizard of Oz and Hogwarts Castle.

They are the castles of our imagination, so think about the chance of seeing them come to life.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, to give it its proper name, rises majestically from the pages of JK Rowling’s books…

And into the magnificent Hogwarts Castle in Universal Resort Orlando.

All fantasy castles are based on real ones and every Potterhead knows that JK Rowling was inspired by Alnwick Castle.

In Northumberland which is in the north-east of England. www.alnwickcastle.com.

But back to Orlando.

And the village of Hogsmeade where young wizards bedecked in cloaks, and brandishing wands, sing and dance for our entertainment.

School was never this much fun.

You’ll get right into the heart of the castle where the pictures follow you and even rifle around Dumbledore’s study.

Just an aside here, I wouldn’t have minded the Great Bearded One being my headmaster.

At my school the teachers were never on our side!

I mean Harry and Ron never had to feel the thwack of ferula leather on the palms of their hands.

Sports are better too. And quidditch is a far better option than freezing your whatsits off in cross-country.

And I was good at that.

Alnwick. http://www.visitnorthumberland.com

Universal will give you the chance to join in the fun and games with our heroes on a broomstick ride around the castle.

In the 4D ride Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey.

You’ll get the feeling of ducking and diving thrillingly close to the turrets.

It can be a little disorientating for the senses (well, yeah) but there are few things that are truly unique.

And this is one of them.

Newniversal

Universal never rests on its laurels though.

And this year it has introduced a new experience, Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.

Where you can fly on a rollercoaster as pillion to The Big Fella through the Forbidden Forest.

Watch out for some strange creatures. As well as the ones you’ve come with.

A fun ride

How to get there: all major airlines fly to Orlando, the world’s rollercoaster capital.

I flew with Aer Lingus www.aerlingus.com from Dublin with pre-clearance.

Once there catch the Hogwarts Express at Kings Cross Station in London in Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

Watch out though through the windows for those scary Dementors.

And, of course, at Hogsmeade Station you can pop around the corner into the world of Diagon Alley.

Universal is a day and a night, a day and a night.

And at night the castle really lights up with a dazzling spectacle with dramatic music.

I was part of the Dark Arts show when I visited Orlando’s sister park in Hollywood.

Read my Hollywood series https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/2019/06/22/my-weekend-with-marilyn/. http://Stair Wars

Diagon Alley deserves its own blog and I’ll return to that but for now here’s my first time in Orlando https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/aaawlando-orlando-the-rollercoaster-capital/.

A reminder of my return trip to Universal https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/disney-why-i-love-the-donald/

And here’s my reprise of my first Orlando trip https://jimmurtytraveltraveltravel.com/2019/08/21/eat-my-shorts-voldemort-and-bart/. Because you never forget the first time.

There was a second and there will be a third, fourth, fifth…

Visit www.universalorlando.com.