Warsaw is Poland’s capital, and one of the country’s oldest cities. A large portion of the city dates back to medieval times. The airport is Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport, and travellers can easily get transportation to hotels from the airport. Buses and trams are popular forms of transportation. The city is also ideal for travel via hired car.
The Centrum area of Warsaw is where interesting attractions are likely to be found. The Old Town has some especially beautiful buildings that have existed for hundreds of years. The Royal Castle is one of the most impressive buildings in Poland. Special exhibitions are sometimes hosted here. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier pays homage to Poles who gave their lives for their country. The Jewish Quarter offers a good look at how Warsaw’s Jews lived for many years. Here, visitors will see the Nożyk Synagogue, which is the only Orthodox synagogue still in the city.
In addition to some independent shops that mainly cater to locals, most of the shopping in Warsaw is in the form of larger European chain stores. Many items can be found at Carrefour or Tesco. There are also several shopping malls in the city. These malls keep late hours and may have bowling alleys or cinemas in addition to shops and restaurants.
Warsaw offers quality food for decent prices. The Śródmieście district has several inexpensive kebab shops. The kebabs are quite tasty. There are also several favourite fast food chains represented. These include McDonald’s, Subway, and Burger King.
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‘port of call’, however by applying for permission to accept lucrative ‘turnaround’ they will be able to accept vessels to begin and end their journeys there, which would make them a direct competitor for Southampton’s business.
This change of use could booster local economy, with more people visiting the city before and after their cruise holidays. It would also bring in income after investment in car parking, baggage and passenger handling. However if the application is approved it could have serious effects on Southampton Port which is known as the cruise capital of northern Europe and currently caters for 67 per cent of the cruise trade, which is quite a big share.
The news that Liverpool could become a ‘Turnaround’ port has already put Southampton’s planned £30m fifth terminal in jeopardy. Not only that the country’s third largest cruise port Harwich in Essex could also be at risk of losing passengers and businesses as well if the plans go ahead.
This isn’t the first time Liverpool has applied for a ‘turnaround’ permit, a few year ago they applied, however it was rejected by the Labour Government as giving an unfair advantage. Unlike other UK ports Liverpool’s cruise terminal was built using public funds and EU grants rather than private investment and development.
Consultation has been launched by the Department for Transport after an offer by Liverpool city council – the owner of the terminal – to repay £5.3m of the £20m grant over the next 15 years.
Royston Smith, Southampton’s Labour leader added: “it’s big business, and Liverpool want a slice of it and I don’t blame them. But you can’t use public money to take on a private company. It’s simply not right.”
Cruises are big business in the UK, at the moment its worth £2bn, if permission was granted for a ‘turnaround’ port in Liverpool an extra £2m per ship could be injected into the economy after things like hotel stays and car parking charges are taken into account.
For some singing on a cruise ship may be the final nail in the coffin of a singing career, but hopefully this is not the case for POP Idol winner Gareth Gates. Since he won back in 2002 ahead of favourite Will young, Gareth has had a rather faltering career, with fewer hits than his runner up, so perhaps now the only gigs he can get are on-board cruise ship crooning to passengers.
Gareth will be performing on a two-night sailing to Bruges early next month, as the ship sails from Southampton to Belgium. Some 2,000 will; be lucky enough to see him perform some of his biggest hits including; Unchained Melody and Spirit in the Sky, he will also be signing autographs and posing for photos.
Although many critics may see this as a step down for the little popstar, Gareth has a more positive outlook on the matter saying: : “I’m really excited about performing on board Oceana, I’ve never been on a cruise ship before but I’ve always wanted to and so this is going to be a fantastic experience for me.”
P&O Cruise’s managing director; Carol Marlow was also excited with having him sing she said: “Entertainment is one of the key elements of any cruise holiday and we are proud of our vast range of entertainment and guest appearances. Gareth is a worldwide pop star and we are very excited to have him perform on board Oceana. We are sure he will be a great hit with passengers on this weekend cruise.”
Other celebrities who have worked on cruise ships include: Loose Woman Jane McDonald who started her career on a cruise ship as well as Britney Spears and Taylor Swift, who have both sung on-board cruise ships.
Over the years Gareth Gates has sold over 3.5 million records in the UK as well as taking over the lead role in the West End production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat from Lee Mead in 2009.
Scarborough is a gem of a seaside town and well worth exploring, but many people may never venture beyond to discover some interesting villages not far away.
The village of Brompton-by-Sawdon, just eight miles away, is a pretty Yorkshire village with some fascinating history. Brompton Hall, which is now a special school, was once the home of George Cayley, who designed a glider that he then flew in Brompton Dale. Cayley is not well known generally, even though amongst engineers he is known as the ‘Father of Aviation’. Richard Branson recently flew a replica of Cayley’s glider in Brompton Dale, inviting young school children along to watch.
Brompton also has a beautiful, ancient church, where William Wordsworth married Mary Hutchinson in 1802.
Travel a little further along the A170 away from Scarborough and you come to Thornton-le-Dale, which was dubbed one of the prettiest villages in Yorkshire in the 1920s and is still very attractive today, having avoided becoming over developed, or over ‘touristy’ in spite of its accolade. It is a small town with ‘chocolate box’ thatched cottages and a pretty beck runs alongside the road. The town still has local butchers’ and greengrocers’ shops, and it can almost seem to come from a different era.
Pickering is a few miles further on – a bustling market town with an ancient church that has mediaeval paintings on the wall. This is the starting point for a trip on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, where steam trains travel between rural villages in the moors.
It can be quite hard to choose the right cruise holiday for your family, especially if you have a couple of kids all different ages. Some cruise ships are designed for families with younger children in mind; however these may not offer much entertainment for older kids or teenagers, who can be quite hard to please. Add to the mix different destinations available and itineraries you could be heading to world war three. So be for you start looking for cruise deals this summer make sure you do your homework on what the ships offer for you and your family.
Many of the new cruise ships have been designed with families in mind, rather than the older ships which tend just to be adapted for the purpose, so on newer ships you’re more likely to find entertainment to suit all ages, even for us adults. The top ships such as Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas packs plenty in from babies and young children right through teenagers and young adults to the old timers. It’s not just entertainment on newer ships which has been designed with families in mind, but also the accommodation. Family rooms are the new rooms on board many new ships and they offer plenty of space, as well as privacy for when you need it.
Destinations are important too, really young children probably won’t get much out of long factual excursion’s, but probably would if you docked somewhere that has a beach, a break from the boat can be needed for both parents and children. Teenagers on the other hand can be very hard to please many people have found Caribbean cruise holidays for those traveling with ‘young adults’. The Caribbean is a great exotic destination and while in port you will find many activities for your teens and the whole family to enjoy, such as water sports or horseback riding, not to mention catching rays on the golden beaches.
It’s been found that where you go on holiday can affect how much weight you put on whilst your away. One of the best parts of going on holiday is experiencing local cuisines so it’s no surprise people put weight on quickly, especially if they have been dieting beforehand.
The study found that people put on the most weight when visiting the States, in fact the average gain for Britons holidaying in the USA is 8lb, which could be down to enjoying some of their world famous ‘all you can eat’ buffets and their supersize portions.
However it’s not just the US where visitors pile on the pounds, coming in behind America for holiday weight gain is its neighbours the Caribbean. The average weight gain there is around 7.4lb for a two week holiday. It doesn’t help that many of the hotels in the Caribbean are all inclusive which makes it quite easy to stuff yourself silly.
It’s not just countries known for their quantity of food, but also some on the list are more known for their quality. Both France and Italy found themselves on the ‘holiday fat map’ in the top five in the study. People who visited France found that they piled on around 7.3lb and those who visited Italy put on around 7lb. Although I would hazard a guess that a lot of that weight comes from eating lots of cheese whilst away which both countries are known for as well as their fine wines!
Greece also found themselves on the list with many people citing the Greek Taverns to blame, which serve copious amounts of alcohol as well as fattening snacks such as Greek olives and feta cheese which are always popular.
During the study around 2,000 Britons were questioned on their holiday eating habits, researchers found that six in ten regularly gain weight and typically put on 5lb during their time away. However a quarter put on at least 7lb and one in 20 piles on a stone or more!
A lot of people who were questioned by Obesimed weight-loss Company for the study said they blamed larger portions for putting on weight as well as being more sedentary during their break than they normally would be. Out of those people asked, four in ten said alcohol was at fault, while one in six found it hard ‘saying no to seconds’ and one in five said free refills were responsible.
The research also showed that half of holidaymakers only realise they have gained weight once they are back at home, with one in ten noticing the gain on the pictures taken on holiday.
Amsterdam, the capital city of the Netherlands, is fast becoming one of the hottest spots in Europe for a weekend break and once you visit, you will completely understand why.
Amsterdam has a well-deserved reputation for its liberal attitude towards a freer lifestyle, and although it is still possible to while away the hours in the city’s coffee shops (which legally sell more than just coffee), times are changing. For example, there is now a smoking ban, and tighter control on the sale of certain substances. As a result, people are beginning to see Amsterdam in a new light and taking full advantage of what this extremely pretty city has to offer.
The architecture and scenery in Amsterdam is almost chocolate box beautiful. The canals that meander through the city are hugged by cobbled streets and tall, thin gabled buildings. If you wish to do as the locals do, you can hire a bike to fully explore the leafy, charming streets. For that extra romantic experience, hire a tandem and cycle down to Vondel Park with a picnic.
Culturally, Amsterdam has plenty to offer; from the sublime to the ridiculous, Amsterdam has a museum for pretty much everything. The Rijksmuseum houses works from two of the city’s most famous sons, Rembrandt and Van Gogh, whilst the sobering experience of the Anne Frank House is a must for any visitor. For the lighter side of life, the city is home to the Heineken Museum (complete with samples), and there are even a couple of sex museums thrown in for good measure.
This city truly is the sparkling gem in the Netherlands’ crown.
Amsterdam
Picture courtesy of Joao Maximo
A round the world cruise holiday is defiantly a once in a lifetime trip for many and probably one of the best ways to see ‘the world’. Visiting the far flung corners of the world in un-rivalled luxury, on board massive cruise ships, which have pretty much everything you may need for such a long voyage. With swimming pools, casinos and numerous gourmet restaurants to choose from as well as many more activities for day and night, I am sure you won’t be short of anything to do and that’s not even including all the wonderful places you will get to see.
There are a couple of cruise lines which offer fantastic round the world cruises; Classic cruise line Cunard, with their regal ships off a high standard of luxury travel which offers plenty of traditions from the cruising heyday. P&O Cruises also offer round the world trips, their cruise ships might not be as regal as Cunard’s but they do offer high standards for all customers as well as a wide range of entertainment to suit any age group. Fred. Olsen like P&O offer a modern way of cruising with state of the art ships offering a wide range of services.
With a round the world cruise holiday you will be following in the footsteps of great explorers who conquered the sea’s many hundreds of years ago, obviously in much, much better conditions than they did. You will wake up each morning to a new horizon with new places to explore all without any hassle or worry about how to get there. There are not many holidays you can take, that will take you to all for corners of the world with such ease, plus cruise holidays round the world can be real value for money, especially if you take in how much it would cost to travel by air or land.
So really there is no reason not to take a round the world cruise, just make sure you have someone to water you plants for the next few months!
Fuel regulations which will be coming into effect next month could have a damaging effect on cruises to Antarctica. From August the 1st cruise ships will be banned from using heavy oil in the region, which will mean that they will have to switch to using a more expensive form of fuel.
This will cause the cost of cruises to Antarctica to rise because many cruise lines will have to pass the cost onto passengers or stop sailing to the region altogether.
At the moment heavy fuel is commonly burned by the larger cruise ships, however the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) is introducing a ban on using and carrying heavy fuel in a bid to reduce the environmental impact of a potential oil leak. As of next month a switch to the more environmentally-friendly marine gas oil, will be made by all cruise ships, to the new fuel which is less polluting but more expensive.
According to tour operators, the new regulations will cost them millions of pounds extra each year and its thought that some cruise companies including Crystal, Princess, Regent Seven Seas and Oceania, will no longer offer cruises to Antarctica after dropping it from their brochures.
Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor-in-chief of CruiseCritic.co.uk says: “Antarctica used to be a once-in-a-lifetime destination and it was very popular five years ago – there weren’t so many environmental regulations at that time. But, like the Galapagos Islands, it is such a fragile environment so these new regulations are good news for Antarctica. The bad news is that prices are going to go up for passengers.”
Speaking about the future of cruising, Ms Spencer Brown says the old style of cruising in large ships will be replaced with trips in smaller, more environmentally-friendly ships that are already using marine gas oil, offered by companies such as Lindblad Expeditions, Abercrombie & Kent and Polar Cruises.
She added: “The old style of taking people into Antarctica was on board huge cruise ships that were so big they couldn’t get in close to the ice. Passengers never got off the ship. The smaller ships can pull up anchor and let people on to the ice. Passengers learn about the environment from specialist guides and are offered experiences such as kayaking around ice floes on such trips. It is the end of cruising in the Antarctic as we know it now but it’s not the end of cruising in the Antarctic – it’s going to be more expensive but more authentic and rewarding.”
Uluru – known to most of the world by its colonial moniker, Ayer’s Rock – is the iconic symbol of Australia, and among the most sacred sites of the Aboriginal people. Uluru is its traditional name. Situated right in the centre of Australia, this red giant is 350 metres high, and it is nine kilometres around the base. It has captivated humans for thousands of years, and continues to do so.
It is a good 800 kilometre round trip from Alice Springs – the nearest large town – to Uluru, and once you leave those town limits, there is almost nothing but you, ruler straight roads, one right turn and the desert. There are a couple of roadhouses where you should be sure to fill up with petrol – nobody wants to run out of fuel in those parts – but that’s all the civilization you will encounter until you get to the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park, where Uluru is located.
When you start to notice Uluru looming on the horizon, however, you will instantly feel rejuvenated and know that your long drive was well worth it.
The best times to view Uluru are at sunrise and sunset. One of the qualities that fascinate people most about this geological wonder is how different it seems to appear in differing light, so it is best to view it at both these times, if you can.
It is possible, depending on weather conditions, to take a number of guided walks and get up close and personal with the big rock; it is also possible to walk to the top, although the Aboriginal people prefer visitors not do so.
Ayres Rock
Picture courtesy of terencewilquin