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Countries, Cruising, Deals, Europe, Ships

Wave goodbye and thanks Croatia and isle be back

19th October 202419th October 2024 funtime65

Mahmuti zbogom i Hvala Croatia i isle be back.

Or for those who aren’t fluent by now in Hravatska wave goodbye and thanks Croatia and isle be back.

Which, of course, in this idiosyncratic strip of a country of 1,423 islands means waving goodbye to a pancake machine.

Which is how we kickstart the contraption in the buffet at the Grand Park Hotel.

Playing to the balcony: The Grand Park Hotel, Dubrovnik

On our loveholidays and EasyJet odyssey in Dubrovnik.

It would, of course, be back on our kitchen worktop by now.

Had the Mother of all Dragons not packed the suitcase to the brim with olive oil from the islands.

A scoot around the Elaphiti Islands

We have, in truth, barely made an indentation on those 1,423 isles in our seven days here.

But we did bag three more, the Elaphiti Islands with Get Your Guide (from €60pp) on our last day.

And now with luscious Lokrum, just 700m from Old Town Dubrovnik already explored that makes four.

In all honesty, the Elaphiti Islands lacked the charm, or peacocks, of Lokrum.

And contrary to Pliny the Elder’s claims despite the origins of their name there are no deer on these Elaphiti Islands.

Although plenty of wee Croatian Old Dears, one of whom in Sipan fluttered her eyelids.

To draw Herself into buying her olive oil.

The cutting crew

We have come here on Triton which we pick up from the marina having been driven to the shore from our hotel.

Lorenzo, our dreadlocked polyglot Italian guide and Jakob, his barefooted Polish pal deckhand, get the party going.

We start with Abba and I am reminded of my starring part in Jimmy, Jimmy (A man after midnight) on the Bosphorus.

But word must have reached them and I am not asked to reprise it.

Jakob gives us a pep with plum Rakija chasers and Lorenzo tops us up with Dalmatian wine.

Choose your church

Now if you love yourself an oul’ church then the Elaphiti Islands, and Dubrovnik in general, will be right up your ulica.

With one church for every one in the audience.

Although you imagine St Jerome the Hermit wouldn’t have shared his.

And his doors on Lopud are shut when we visit.

My little flower: Herself on the islands

Our time on the islands is alas too brief, 45 minutes each, although we do get to leaf through the botanic gardens.

But hardly enough to get lost on the steep rocky steps in Sipan which houses a positively throbbing 419 residents.

To get to yet another monastery ruins and meet another moggie.

Bare truth about departure time

Now you’d think 45 minutes would be long enough for a nudist beach.

On Kolocep which boasts just 163 inhabitants and just as many cats.

But alas it is too far out to get there and back in time for departure.

With Jakob saying Triton leaves bang on time, kit or sans kit.

In search of a dense hot chocolate

Now despite everyone on the isles seemingly working in the hospitality sector not one serves la ciocolatta di calda densa.

The thick hot chocolate, sometimes found in Dubrovnik, and always in Italia.

There is enough time on our eight-hour boat trip though for Lorenzo and Jakob to wine and dine us some more.

With no shortage of fresh fish, chicken and vegetarian fare all part of the package.

While spirits and coffee are budget prices.

Negotiating the waves

Lorenzo and I parliamo Italiano as we rise to the rhythm of the waves and the Cuban dance music.

And I feel I have made a connection when I share that I loved visiting his hometown Bergamo.

That is until I over-reach and mangle my Italian greeting.

And when I shortchange him at the end when he gets the tip bucket out our prospects of being amichi fade.

And my parting ciao falls on deaf ears without even a buona notte e sogni d’oro in return.

Still, my pancake machine the next morning at breakfast loves and understands me.

So I head for home with a wave goodbye and thanks Croatia and isle be back.

And my wee pancake machine waves back.

Countries, Deals, Europe

The Mother of Dragons’ shame in Dubrovnik

18th October 202418th October 2024 funtime65

I can’t take her anywhere, or how our Game of Thrones tour (£42) turned into the Mother of Dragons’ shame in Dubrovnik.

King’s Landing as all Thronies know is where Cersei walked naked through the streets as the people shouted ‘Shame’ at her.

For sleeping with Jamie her brother.

I have introduced my own Mother of Dragons thus to our guide Edi, a thirty-something Croatian guide.

Guide to GoT

The GetYourGuide Game of Thrones tour (€40) boasts some 14 locations and Edi takes us around them all.

From the moment you enter through the Pile Gate which Edi helpfully translates as Gate Gate…

You are transported through time and CGI to Martin’s world.

Ready, Edi, Go

Edi helpfully reveals that the-then Dubrovnik mayor granted HBO free rites to his city.

And that the locals initially thought him mad to give it away.

Only it has paid back in spades through tourism.

The townspeople cashed in then too when the producers offered them €100 each to remove their boats from the harbour while they shot scenes.

The Lovrijenac Fort (€15) itself is steeped in history before you even get to GoT once boasting Europe’s largest cannon.

It was here too that Cersei and Littlefinger fell out.

Stairway to Hell

The Spanish, or Jesuit Stairs, are the best-known locale, even recognised by those who have never seen the show.

Edi tells us that, yes, it is based on Rome’s Spanish Steps.

So they set a fine of €150 for those who took off their top or bras.

And so as Edi took the stragglers off to a makeshift Iron Throne.

The authentic ones are in the North of Ireland and Lokrum, in eye’s view of Dubrovnik.

And it is to Lokrum that we head next on our pearl anniversary odyssey of Croatia and Montenegro.

With loveholidays and EasyJet, staying at the Grand Park Hotel in the peninsula.

Countries, Deals, Europe

Croatia, one island down, 1,243 to go

18th October 202418th October 2024 funtime65

Croatia, one island down, 1243 to go. And I’m feeling like the peacock of the walk.

We have come the 600m from the harbour of the Old Town of Dubrovnik to Lokrum, 30% off with our Dubrovnik Pass (€30).

And the contrast is stark… and Targaryen, Lannister, Baratheon, Greyjoy, Tully, Arryn, Martell, and Tyrell.

The Queen of all she surveys

Visitors today come to luscious Lokrum to continue their Game of Thrones odyssey.

To sit on the Iron Throne which, of course, is where you will find my Mother of all Dragons.

While I stride the uneven stones up the Path of Paradise.

To the Fort Royal (French)/Fort Maximillian (Austrian) for her, after she has given me the slip.

When I should have known ‘to find her in her father’s temple’.

Floating on water

Her orders decreed from her throne she goes out to survey her domain.

The botanical gardens and the batcave… no, actual bats, not another fantasy franchise.

And the Dead Sea, no, not the actual Dead Sea but a saltwater cave and lake all the same.

I’ve the answer: Every day is a schoolday

Where again we have to step gingerly on the jaggedy stones to climb into the fresh reviving water.

We have come without towels, again she has one job to do!

But we soon dry off in the early 20s temperatures.

The Emerald Isle

Lokrum, the Emerald Isle, is uninhabited and it is liberating to be free of the crowds who throng the Old Town.

The only residents of the half a mile island are those bats, who only come out at night.

And the peacocks who strut their stuff which is why my own bird of paradise feels so at home here.

But we must take flight… we are intent to make our last day on our loveholidays and EasyJet holiday, staying in the Grand Park Hotel, in Croatia, special.

Croatia, one island down, 1243 to go. And we have our sights set on three more, the Eliphet Islands which we will share here with you.

MEET YOU ON THE WATER

Countries, Deals, Europe

Another Dubrovnik where war is real

16th October 202417th October 2024 funtime65

They come today to tred the Walk of Shame, but look around you and you will catch another Dubrovnik where war is real.

That the world pronounces that they will try and protect such jewels is admirable.

Although philistines and warmongers pay little heed.

Cities of culture

As anyone knows who followed the Dresden story and witnessed how they rebuilt that Renaissance city, the Florence of the Elbe.

History moves on and for Dresden 1945 read Dubrovnik 1991.

When the expansionist Serbs laid siege to the Pearl of the Adriatic over the autumn and winter of that year of change.

The tragedy of the Siege of Dubrovnik is that it had become a refuge for Croatians from neighbouring towns and villages.

Those who believed its cultural heritage would prick the Serbs’ conscience.

Defenders of Dubrovnik

The full story of the Fight for the Homeland is detailed at the War Museum above the Old Town.

Which today’s visitors can reach by cable car (€32 for two) which do give stunning vistas.

Although if you’re feeling fit you can walk up the winding 2km path.

It was after all how the defenders of Dubrovnik scaled the heights.

With their donkeys and their artillery and provisions.

The War Museum is a testament to the courage of the Defenders of Dubrovnik.

Road to freedom

Military aficionados will focus on the cache of weapons and uniforms and insignia on display.

While for this journalist and his photojournalist wife the audio film and pictorial and editorial displays of the Siege capture our attention.

We spend a couple of hours learning and assimilating the Siege of Dubrovnik before walking down the slopes to the Old Town.

We place stones by the crosses that mark the winding path and say a prayer at the Stations of the Cross.

It is a leisurely stroll and one not afforded those who fought and died here in 1991.

Let the Games begin

A Game of Thrones tour awaits us down by the fountain at the front gates of the Old Town.

It is, of course, all fantasy which we will share with you as we continue our loveholidays and EasyJet holiday.

And for that we are all thankful.

Countries, Deals, Europe

Dipping your toe in the Adriatic

15th October 202415th October 2024 funtime65

Nico waxes lyrical about growing up as a child in Dubrovnik on the Adriatic, en route to Montenegro.

Where the young are water babes, spending every available minute in the sea.

I am blessed to share my life with a little mermaid myself.

And she has it in her mind to swim out to the boat anchored in the harbour of the Lapad peninsula.

A 20-minute bus ride into the Old Town.

Step on it

We have been up and down the pristine cliffside path from the promenade looking for the ideal alcove for our swim.

We are spoiled for choice and eventually settle on what we’ve decided will be ours for our seven-day duration.

On our loveholidays and EasyJet holiday, staying at the Grand Park Hotel.

Just below the Restaurant More with its tables set for breakfast and morning espressos.

A couple of likely lads jump in ahead of us and snorkel away as we brace ourselves for the cooling waters.

Before we take the plunge.

The new wave

And soon we work off the cooked breakfast from the all-you-can eat buffet.

And a special mention on that and the Hotel Park’s funky pancake maker.

Which will put our expert at home out of a job.

All that’s needed is a press of a button and a wave to the elves inside and out pops the globule which forms into your treat.

Refreshed from our morning swim we plan our day.

How to train your Dragon

The Mother of All Dragons has it in her mind to circle the Old Town walls… but on foot.

We have a seven-day Dubrovnik Pass which allows us one-time entry into most of the attractions for £95.

The curative effects of the salty Adriatic have soothed her ardour and the ankles that have become a feeding ground for insects.

That’s the benefits of dipping your toe in the Adriatic.

Countries, Deals, Europe

Welcome to Moggienegro

14th October 202414th October 2024 funtime65

A little mouse told me, well, Rommy our Croatian tour guide, but welcome to Moggienegro anyway.

Rommy was probably stretching it to say the Montenegrins were the first to use cats to fight the Black Death.

But they have certainly made cats their USP.

And you can’t move in Kotor for cats around your feet.

Which is all fine by us.

We have come to Kotor in Montenegro from our loveholidays billet in Dubrovnik, Croatia, for the day (€97 for two/GetYourGuide).

Montenegro’s mini-Dubrovnik

Unbeknownst to us Kotor is a smaller, less busy, cheaper, and equally beguiling walled city to Dubrovnik.

It too has churches, Serbian Orthodox, and reliquaries, and a devotion to the Evangelists.

With its cathedral proudly displaying monster-sized framed pictures of the bibliographers.

But while the Montenegrins are clearly a pious people.

As evidenced by the church island made by fishermen and dedicated to Our Lady at our first stop in Perast.

Their real devotion is to their cats which have the run of their Medieval jewel Kotor.

Kotor’s cat culture

Kotor, in the apron of the black mounts, or Monte Negro, which give this petite country its name, has much to recommend it.

A palm tree-lined promenade, by the lake shore from which our boat comes ashore, leads to a grand arch.

It proudly proclaims its Italian links, Partisans’ victory over the Nazis and Yugoslavian champion Marshall Tito.

All of which you can delve further into at the Maritime Museum which chronicles the two world wars and Balkans conflicts (€6pp).

The Miaowritime Museum

But our ears’ pricked up at the prospect of visiting the Miaowritime Museum, or Cats Museum (€1pp).

Where Lola is there to greet us, splayed over the counter, and generous with her cuddles and purrs.

Laminated sheets give visitors a guide in your own language to the exhibits.

All of which give a fun, feline, look into the world of cats.

How battalions adopted them as mascots, Hollywood stars petted them, children included them in their games and animators infantilised them.

Every shop sells cat-themed merch, from clothes, through tote bags, jewellery and porcelain and more besides.

While the pussies luxuriate on a church door step in the mid-20s mid-afternoon sun.

Lazing on a tabby afternoon

You would be forgiven for thinking they might be sleeping off the titbits from tables of the speciality oysters and muscle local fare.

We are though discouraged from feeding them our dishes.

With the Cats Museum advising that we should donate cat food at any one of a number of stop-offs around town.

The Kotor cats, again if Rommy is to believed and she is mischievous with us, are symptomatic of the Montenegrins.

The laziest of the six countries that made up the old Yugoslavia.

And that’s a bad thing?

Farewell feline friends

I take my cue from my feline friends and have a doze on the coach back to Croatia.

Not even the sight of the cats coming and going freely over the border while we are stuck for an hour at customs can make us take against them.

We eventually get through and as I look back over my shoulder I swear the sign says…

Welcome to Moggienegro.

Countries, Culture, Europe

Back on the road to Dubrovnik

12th October 202412th October 2024 funtime65

I’ve the right passport this time so won’t have to turn around… we’re back on the road to Dubrovnik.

We’ve been over this ground before here and how I took myself off the coach from Medjugorje at the first stop.

Because I had my old passport on me with my American visa stamped on it.

With my current one back in the safe in the hostel.

And going through non-EU Bosnia & Herzegovina into EU Croatia requires a passport.

My Queen of Dragons

All of which comes into sharp focus as I take my Queen of Dragons to Dubrovnik today.

On her 30th anniversary trip courtesy of loveholidays.

The boards at Edinburgh Airport remind us to check our passports.

And make sure that if we have new UK passports that they are signed.

To avoid delays at custom checks on the other side.

Much has changed since I last visited the Balkans.

But thankfully not in that fractious but fabulous strip of south-eastern Europe.

Rather back in Britain where since our own return from 13 years in Ireland Boris got Brexit done.

Boris’s Brexit balls-up

And don’t you know Johnson has a book out, Unleashed, brazenly boasting about that.

It’s on sale at WH Smith’s and The Bookshop at Edinburgh Airport and all good stores at 18.99… he needs the money, of course.

So what of this new UK passport they are harking on about here?

Well, it will ensure you longer waits to get through customs.

As you’re filed into the non-integrationist line of European airports.

Just back from Berlin earlier this year I witnessed signs advising to leave an hour to get through customs.

Of course, for those of us who left the club.

Sure, we’re all Irish

I’m not planning, though, on going through the rigmarole of renewing my British passport in three years’ time.

With an unusual source for pushing me to set in motion something I should have done years ago…

Get an Irish passport.

Because I owe my much-storied neighbour Royalist Roy for giving me the shove.

When trying to get me around to his house to pledge a troth (no, me neither) to the newly-anointed King Charles.

To make his point, he smilingly asked me how I was described on my passport.

World of Game of Thrones

To be fair he is tending to our front lawn while we’re away.

Royalist Roy that is, not his hero.

While I’m back on the road to Dubrovnik with a passport that will get me through customs.

And where we will explore the world of the Game of Thrones.

And put aside the world of the Shame of Thrones for a week until we return.

Jim and Sarah are staying at the 4* Grand Park Hotel, Dubrovnik for seven nights, H/B with balcony view for £1,121.

With return flights from Edinburgh with EasyJet from under three hours.

Countries

30 years with the Travel and Strife

17th September 202417th September 2024 funtime65

You Pearler… 30 years with the Travel and Strife and time to look back and forward.

Our journey, in truth, started four years earlier in Herself’s Homestead, the Royal County of Berkshire.

With our first pitstop a city which for that reason, and its own, will always be magical to us, Amsterdam.

Off the beaten track

Can I be trusted on a bike? In Amsterdam

Twenty-five years spanned our visits to the pride of the Netherlands and we ditched the ubiquitous bikes along the way.

We had taken the road less travelled on our first trip, going to Edam on its half day.

And then taking the wrong fork on the road back to Amsterdam.

We took a different tack when we were invited out to the Dylan.

And so it was canal boats and the luxury of the hotel George and Amal frequent in theirs, and now our, visits to Holland.

Wear slip-on shoes

We all form attachments to those countries and cities we first go to as children and couples.

And Portugal holds a special place too in our hearts despite another cycling mishap in the Algarve.

But one we got to put right in Portugal Centro years later under the guidance of our own Special One Jose Madomis.

Malta would follow when in an unguarded moment I bent down at dinner to tie up my shoelace and she screamed ‘Yes’.

The Scot in me, I went back years later on my own to see if I could redeem on the bottle of Champagne we didn’t finish…

And so Corfu followed for our honeymoon when the handsome Greek waiter was most attentive to our table.

And my bride was blushing when it transpired he was eyeing me up.

On our Travails

We made the most of those intimate moments then, knowing holidays would never be the same when Him and Her came along.

And waited until we could take off again together, to the Soll slopes in Austria.

That road trip around Portugal Centro.

To George and Amal’s gaffe in Amsterdam.

And up the fjords of Norway and around the Rieperbahn of Hamburg.

Still stumbling along the way and trying to get back on track.

And all the time still following Her lead.

Even when that meant us getting on the bus to Berlin instead of Keil.

The Mother of all Dragons

Or turning up in Monaghan a weekend early and turning that Irish Midlands town upside down.

There have been travails aplenty and pleasures like poppy seeds in Rome and Venice and travels to come.

With an anniversary Loveholidays trip to Dubrovnik to come next month with my very own Mother of Dragons.

Just another marker in 30 years with the Travel and Strife.

Bring on the next 30.

MEET YOU ON THE ROAD

America, Asia, Countries, Europe

I do like Mondays, Cyber Mondays

27th November 2023 funtime65

Tell you why I do like Mondays, Cyber Mondays… I wanna book the whole day now.

Because that’s the way we roll now and how we’ve been doing it for 18 years now.

Since Ellen Davis of the National Retail Federation and Scott Silverman had the wheeze to put out a Shop.org release.

Entitled ‘Cyber Monday’ Quickly Becoming One of the Biggest Online Shopping Days of the Year’.

It’s a fixture on the calendar now just like Black Friday.

Now where Shop.org led others have followed and because we know you can surf for yourself.

I loveholidays

We’re honing in on one of our own go-to online travel behemoths, only the award-winning loveholidays.com.

Who revealed their plans for worldwide domination.

Through an expanded long-haul arm at a high-powered, well-lubricated travel professional lunch in Dublin.

Loveholidays kicked it all off with their Black Friday promo blending through this week until midnight on Thursday.

Holidaymakers can secure up to 30% off selected hotels.

Deal us in

Some of the best deals on offer include a seven-night summer 2024 break to Costa Dorada.

Starting from as little as €42 per person per night.

And a seven-night winter sun break to the Algarve for just €28 per person per night.

Meanwhile, highlights from holiday hotspots Tenerife and Lanzarote include deals from €410 and €465pp during spring.

For those looking to explore further, there are long-haul discounts including New York, Florida and Dubai.

Customers have the flexibility to secure their holiday with deposits starting from just €25pp and convenient pay-monthly plans.

Long haul of fame

The Big Apple, you say… yes, the 4* Hotel Arlo, SoHo, five nights from February 23.

That’s €562pp (€112pp/pn) room only, flights departing from Dublin with Aer Lingus.

The Sunshine State too?

Yes, The Avanti Resort, International Drive.

Seven nights from January 16,€520pp (€74pp/pn), room only, flights departing from Dublin with American Airlines.

Or Dubai?

Loveholidays have the 5* JA The Resort – JA Beach Hotel, Jebel Ali.

That’s five nights from September 6, €831pp (€196pp/pn) €996pp B&B, with direct flights with Turkish Airlines, departing from Dublin.

Countries, Food & Wine, Ireland

Mixing with loveholidays

26th October 2023 funtime65

If you want to check out the leading online providers of vacations out there you’d better be mixing with loveholidays which is, of course, what we’ve been doing this week.

Which is the way with cocktail-making, my Saturday night go-to treat for the Scary One, but which is equally applicable to travel.

And for all the experience of 35 years of globetrotting and scribbling about it (all for you you understand) I always know that there is someone who knows more.

And that that someone is the travel provider who makes our dreams come true.

Back when I started out on this road computers were only what you saw on James Bond films where now we all have them.

The danger, of course, unless we’re careful it can all become a bit dehumanising but with the best online operators and here’s where loveholidays come in they bring the personal touch.

For consumers and for those us who are the bridge between the trade and the public… me and my pals.

Do you like Pina Colada?

Double jig time: With Mr Loveholidays Clem and old pals Eugene and Catherine

And in the interests of research and with. thirst and a hunger on us we gathered at the French-inspired Green Hen in Exchequer Street, off Grafton Street in Dublin to mix.

And when we say mix, of course, there’s the craic but also a mixologist on hand to walk us through making our own Pina Colada.

With a mini-bottle of rum, and coconut milk, pineapple and lime juice all set out for us.

As well as a jigger and two shakers.

Now this is what you want to do..

Take 1 oz coconut cream, 1 oz white rum, 3 oz pineapple juice

Mix with crushed ice until smooth and pour into chilled glass, garnish and serve.

Lovin’ it

Now, as we always associate Pina Coladas with the Caribbean, and Puerto Rico who recreated the vibe for us at the American Travel Fair in San Antonio.

Then we’re giving you a sample couple of loving.com deals that they’re promoting as part of their long-haul offerings.

With Cancun being noted as an adults-only magnet loveholidays are urging us.

In the words of Rupert Holmes to come with them and escape.

Love, as they’re affectionately known in the circles, offer us seven-days all-inclusive at the Golden Parnassus Resort and Spa.

Down from £1,534 to £1,058, travelling on March 12.

Dom from home: Melia Punta Cana Beach Wellness

Or you can go to one of the favourite isles of the rich and famous, the Dominican Republic.

Or Dom Rep as it’s called among the cogniscenti.

You’ll get seven days AI at the Melia Punta Cana Beach Wellness.

Down from £1,727pp to £1,170pp, travelling on April 19.

Love Vegas

While we’re taken too by an old favourite in Las Vegas where the cocktails are always flowing particularly at Harrah’s on the Strip.

Love are offering us seven nights from New Year’s Day (room only) at the nearby Venetian, complete with gondolas!

Down from £1,210 to £874pp, travelling on January 1.

Of course, seeing we all love holidays, we’ll be bringing you more loveholidays.

Short-haul, city breaks and long-haul deals to cheer us up.

Because we all love, love, love, mixing with loveholidays.