And watching the Scary One plant her pear trees in the drizzle for National Tree Week has sparked memories of where I’ve been out of my tree around the world.
Let’s hear it for the beardies… on Barbados
Beardy trees
Caribbean: The trees certainly caught the Portuguese mariners” eye when they landed in Barbados..
Not the golden beaches, interestingly (well they have their own) but their bearded Ficus citrifolia.
While we all visit the West Indies for its beaches we miss a lot if we ignore its heartland so you should go safari.
Where Dwayne will tear up the woodland in his Jeep and the bowed bearded trees will flick your face.
Eat one of those famous Tobagonian meals of fish which has just jumped out of the sea and macaroni in Jemma’s Treehouse.
And sleep it off in your own treehouse in Castara Retreats in a hammock naturally.
Tree si
Bergamo is a poplar destination
Italy: And my favourite is this much-loved straight up and down tree… it’s very poplar.
My good friend and an Irish Travel Writer of the Year into the bargain, Muriel Bolger, wrote beautifully for me on their appeal, on a trip I sent her on to Northern Italy.
Which I checked out for myself in Bergamo this past Autumn.
All of which came back to me today with the fifth anniversary of Ireland becoming the first country in the world to pass a referendum to legalise gay marriage.
So to celebrate the glorious day, here are five great destinations, Ireland included, to tie the knot.
A plush ballroom where celebs including Chris De Burgh’s daughter, the former Miss World Rosanna Davison, got married to slot machine heir Wesley Quirke.
The gardens and estate are a favourite location for movie producers but the biggest star of all is Powerscourt’s redoubtable matriarch Sarah Slazenger.
They’ll put flowers in your bedroom, tulips of course and more on this king of flower in Pictures of Amsterdam.
And you’ll have a concierge to look after your every need and plan itineraries for you while there is also the invaluable city card http://www.iamsterdam.com.
As well, as of course, caviar in the Vinkeles restaurant. Well, it is your honeymoon.
Greek gods
And the bride wore white: In Kythera
Where all the men look like Zeus and I could easily have been turned.
If you want the Athens experience then you’ll want to take in the Athens Riviera http://www.athensattica.com where all the Beautiful People hang out.
While the Greek islands have always drawn us there.
With some even forgetting to go back like Dutch walking tour leader Frank and his partner who have settled down in Kythera.
The world is a book. And those who do not travel read only one page – ST AUGUSTINE
And I don’t remember the page where it says pandemics were God’s message to us to stop travelling.
In defence of Travel
So while we are confined to barracks let me get some things off my chest and address why Travel is essential to our very existence in my Defence of Travel.
Despite what the naysayers, who are dancing a jig because some dolphins have been seen in the Grand Canal in Venice, are saying.
You’d think cruise ships were parking at the Rialto Bridge than far off.
While I know one or two who would only be too happy to discuss cruise ships too… and you’d want to keep your social distance for your own safety.
We’re all of us seafarers
Of course those of us who are Travel professionals, and those for whom it’s their life investment, are in the frontline when it comes to this release of schadenfraude.
Cruises: There is a fanatical, almost religious zeal which drives those who want to remove cruise ships from the face of the earth.
Who mock cruiseheads as ‘overfed, newly-wed and almost dead’ and guess what cruise chiefs have a sense of humour snd cams up with that themselves.
It’s not a sin to have fun
While they moved on from that years ago and we now have cruises for every age and every niche…
While also providing the best food, drinks, entertainment, activities, shows and stop-offs.
And for whom the sight of cruise companies docked in port and suspending operations because of Coronavirus was seen as vindication.
Dolphins in Venice
And which reached fever pitch with the return of those dolphins to the Venice lagoon, seen by many as divine retribution for the ‘sins’ of cruising.
I never have felt stained by taking the decision to cruise, and nor should you.
Because don’t we celebrate the journeys of Odysseus My Greek odyssey, Sinbad, Marco Polo, Drake, Magellan, Columbus Messi around on the water, Francis Chichester, Ellen MacArthur.
And we should never forget today’s sailors…
Let’s hear it for the crew
The crew’s untiring work, their distress at the loss of passengers, the 24/7 work done back at base to compensate customers and the loss too of their livelihoods.
And that people are at heart seafarers… after all didn’t we all come from the sea anyway, haven’t we been harvesting it since the day dot?
And for all those divine retributionists I guess they would have been screaming for Health & Safety to burst down the doors of Noah’s Ark.
To arrest the oul’ fella and release the animals two by two.
#DontCancelPostpone
So #DontCancelPostpone, and support our cruise companies.
Be rest assured that I’ll be hopping on board to promote cruise companies when we get back on board with…
All of whom I’ve sailed with… The call of the fjords, I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out To Here and A Royal Party.
While I’ll also flag up those I haven’t sailed with, but you have, and I will.
I love a dolphin too
And now to show you that I love a dolphin as much as the next man, or woman, I’ll talk to you tomorrow about how we can tackle Flygskam, or ‘flying shame’.
To talk about their 2020 vision, and the launch of Apex.
Apex will make her debut from Southampton in April.
There will be six diverse roundtrip sailings around Northern Europe before moving to the Mediterranean.
Apex is the second ship in Celebrity’s new Edge Class.
The Edge
And remember what we all thought of Edge with its Magic Carpet, Eden lounge, Kelly Hoppen finishes, all highlighted by her innovative Godmother Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai.
They’re also reminding us that they have this offer…
Of free drinks and $300 onboard credit.
Plus free flights to Europe from selected airports or gratuities included for guests 1 and 2 on sailings from Southampton when booking an eligible Ocean View stateroom or above.
On one of Uniworld’s newest Super Ships for 2020, the S.S. La Venezia, for ten days overnight on the Venetian island Burano, a first for any cruise line.
And listen up, cruiseheads here’s your favourite holiday with all kinds of attractions such as waterparks thrown in and a great deal.
Royal Caribbean International has a buy one cruise fare, get one 60% off and up to €150 off your stateroom which ends today. Visit http://www.royalcaribbean.ie.
