I’d read many reports about how Liverpool has undergone major regeneration over the last few years, stimulated in part by it being the European City of Culture in 2008. I decided it was about time to check the changes for myself, having previously visited during the bleak days of the 1990s when industrial disputes and social decay […]
I’d visited almost all the capitals of Europe, but for some reason had never made it to Madrid, the capital of Spain. I knew something of the city’s fascinating history. I also knew that it is the highest capital in Europe and that it is situated at almost the exact centre of Spain. Maybe I had been put off visiting […]
Think of Munich and October and you’ll probably get an image of thousands of people sitting at benches swilling down large quantities of beer, interspersed with roast pork, ham hock and pretzels. And that was the case a week or so before we arrived, as Munich celebrated the Oktoberfest along with millions of visitors. Fortunately, by the […]
I suppose I am a bit of an East European lake fanatic. I have a house by Lake Balaton in Hungary and have holidayed by the Plitvice Lakes in Croatia and Lake Palić in Serbia. Hence it is not surprising that I should decide to check out one of the most famous lakes in Eastern Europe, Lake Bled in […]
‘Narrow Dog to Wigan Pier’ is a travel story about two 75-year olds, Terry Darlington and his wife Monica, journeying on a narrow boat along canals in Northern England, accompanied by their two whippets. However there is much more to the book than that. It is also Terry Darlington’s autobiography and his personal reflections on matters great […]
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Central Spain: Segovia and Toledo – Touring Holiday
Central Spain is dominated by Madrid, but there is much more to the region than just the capital city. So, when I visited Madrid last year (see: Madrid in November: Palaces, Parks and Paseos), I decided to extend my stay and explore some of the countryside and historic cities in the surrounding area. Although the local road and rail transport […]