Holidays

Started by Oakleafer93, June 03, 2009, 01:17:25 PM

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armaghniac

Quote from: Milltown Row2 on January 21, 2019, 06:48:24 PM
Each time I've been to the States we've had a card that's been skimmed! Hate using cards when away

American cards did not use the chip for long time, and still do not use the pin. Much easier to skim the magnetic stripe.

Oddly, I always pay for petrol at home with card, but in the US my card never worked in the pump and so you had to prepay and in one case it wouldn't in the shop either. Fortunately, petrol was cheap easier to prepay $30 in cash.
If at first you don't succeed, then goto Plan B

lurganblue

Quote from: Gold on January 22, 2019, 12:14:29 AM
Quote from: playwiththewind1st on January 20, 2019, 08:25:11 PM
Been to Stockholm & really enjoyed it. Only thing was it was the end of June & i felt like Al Pacino in Insomnia (virtually no night time at all). Ended up on a daytrip to Norrkopping for no other reason  than i had seen their team playing Crusaders in the Cup Winners Cup at the Oval in 1968. Also spent a few days in Copenhagen on another trip & you can then get the train across the bridge to Sweden & i ended up in Malmo & took Mrs to Ystad as well, as she's a Wallander fan. Remember going to Lund for a day trip & meeting somebody from Armagh working in a bar! Scandinavia is bit off normal list of people's places to visit, it is bit expensive, but worth visiting. I took SAS flights out of Dublin each time.

I was in Copehnagen in early Dec. Tivoli Gardens was something else. Went over the Bridge to Malmo too..?.check out the bridfe!

Copenhagen was beautiful ...couldnt recommend it enough. Expensive though!

Thinking Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest for a week all in this June. Been to Vienna for a weekend before but she hasnt. Anyone any opinions good or bad on Bratislava and Budapest?

Stayed in Vienna for a few months and got the boat down the Danube for day trips to Bratislava. Bratislava has more of an Eastern Europe feel to it. As said above it is a small city centre and everything is very inexpensive.  I personally wouldnt have any desire to stay in it as i felt the day trip was enough to see what i wanted.

Couldnt say enough good about Vienna.

screenexile

Quote from: Rois on January 21, 2019, 06:41:01 PM
Quote from: screenexile on January 21, 2019, 06:07:15 PM
Quote from: Rois on January 21, 2019, 05:57:13 PM
Quote from: Fuzzman on January 21, 2019, 04:41:54 PM
What about these currency cards like Monzo or Revolut?
This is the answer - it will change your life.

Agreed!!!
I believe I may have you to thank for it!

More than welcome!!

playwiththewind1st

Vienna & Istanbul both great shouts...thoroughly enjoyed both. Haven't seen Warsaw or St. Petersburg mentioned but liked both as well.

playwiththewind1st

Quote from: laoislad on January 22, 2019, 09:08:40 AM
Going to Madrid in a couple of weeks for the weekend. Have got tickets for Real Madrid v Alaves for the Sunday night.
Any recommendations of things to do? Will have my Dad with me who is in his 70s so nothing that wild.
We'll be there early Saturday morning and not leaving until Monday evening so plenty of time to do stuff other than watch football!!

The Escorial might be 1 option. You can also get handily to places like Toledo or Segovia on a day trip by train.

Tony Baloney

Quote from: Gold on January 22, 2019, 12:14:29 AM
Quote from: playwiththewind1st on January 20, 2019, 08:25:11 PM
Been to Stockholm & really enjoyed it. Only thing was it was the end of June & i felt like Al Pacino in Insomnia (virtually no night time at all). Ended up on a daytrip to Norrkopping for no other reason  than i had seen their team playing Crusaders in the Cup Winners Cup at the Oval in 1968. Also spent a few days in Copenhagen on another trip & you can then get the train across the bridge to Sweden & i ended up in Malmo & took Mrs to Ystad as well, as she's a Wallander fan. Remember going to Lund for a day trip & meeting somebody from Armagh working in a bar! Scandinavia is bit off normal list of people's places to visit, it is bit expensive, but worth visiting. I took SAS flights out of Dublin each time.

I was in Copehnagen in early Dec. Tivoli Gardens was something else. Went over the Bridge to Malmo too..?.check out the bridfe!

Copenhagen was beautiful ...couldnt recommend it enough. Expensive though!

Thinking Vienna, Bratislava and Budapest for a week all in this June. Been to Vienna for a weekend before but she hasnt. Anyone any opinions good or bad on Bratislava and Budapest?
There was a guide to Budapest in the Sunday Times weekend past there with tips on restaurants etc. It's a place I'd like to visit but I'm not sure I could convince the children!

lurganblue

Quote from: playwiththewind1st on January 22, 2019, 01:22:14 PM
Vienna & Istanbul both great shouts...thoroughly enjoyed both. Haven't seen Warsaw or St. Petersburg mentioned but liked both as well.

St Petersburg is firmly on my list.

imtommygunn

I was there about 9 years ago or so. It's nice but there was much more to do / see in Moscow. If you're into museums though I suspect the hermitage museum is a big one on the list.

playwiththewind1st

#1718
Hermitage is well worth a visit but the fortress & several palaces are well worth seeing. Been in Moscow couple of times too...don't know whether they still do it, but changing of the guard at Lenin's tomb is amazing to watch + the Kremlin & St. Basil's.

Gold

Quote from: playwiththewind1st on January 22, 2019, 01:27:53 PM
Quote from: laoislad on January 22, 2019, 09:08:40 AM
Going to Madrid in a couple of weeks for the weekend. Have got tickets for Real Madrid v Alaves for the Sunday night.
Any recommendations of things to do? Will have my Dad with me who is in his 70s so nothing that wild.
We'll be there early Saturday morning and not leaving until Monday evening so plenty of time to do stuff other than watch football!!

The Escorial might be 1 option. You can also get handily to places like Toledo or Segovia on a day trip by train.

Madrid is beautiful. Diasgree re the Stadium tour....far too long although it is class sitting in the dugouts. The match and stadium tour is what i did but was overkill imo.

Madrid's main Street Gran Via is class to walk down as is Plaza del Sol (a square with the famous Bear)and Plaza Major.  Beside Plaza Major is a covered relaxed food market, the name of which escapes me despite its fame. Could get a beer/coffee there and chill.

Those squares are great for chilling in and to watch the world go by...cafes etc

Chocolateria San Gines is world famous...just between Plaza del Sol and the Palace

Palace is central and defo worth a look as is Park Retiro that is in the centre and as well as being a lovely park has a class boating lake with plenty of life and music etc. Its just heaven

Saw  Madrid v Canaries there in Nov 17 with the bro...we went pub crawls etc which im sure you wont but they were class. I loved Madrid so much i went back last July with the woman for 3 nights during the heatwave. Coulda stayed many more

I was thinking  Vienna 3 nights...Bratislava 1 and 3 in Budapest. May scrap the night in Bratislava and just stop off in the main square for a look
"Cheeky Charlie McKenna..."

manfromdelmonte

Seville is a beautiful city
And Grenada and Cordoba
Great thing is you can go there in off season and it's still warm enough

Gold

Quote from: playwiththewind1st on January 22, 2019, 01:22:14 PM
Vienna & Istanbul both great shouts...thoroughly enjoyed both. Haven't seen Warsaw or St. Petersburg mentioned but liked both as well.

Went to Vienna with the lads in Early Nov there. Just Sat to Monday. Saw Austria Wien v  Red Bull Salzburg....like an european match excuse to get away with lads but didnt see enough of the city. Did a 2 hour walking tour but that was it bar drinking. Whet my appetite bigtime for it and then thought could move between bratislave and budapest. Other places too far away to do any more in 1 week
"Cheeky Charlie McKenna..."

lurganblue

Quote from: Gold on January 22, 2019, 11:26:49 PM
Quote from: playwiththewind1st on January 22, 2019, 01:27:53 PM
Quote from: laoislad on January 22, 2019, 09:08:40 AM
Going to Madrid in a couple of weeks for the weekend. Have got tickets for Real Madrid v Alaves for the Sunday night.
Any recommendations of things to do? Will have my Dad with me who is in his 70s so nothing that wild.
We'll be there early Saturday morning and not leaving until Monday evening so plenty of time to do stuff other than watch football!!

The Escorial might be 1 option. You can also get handily to places like Toledo or Segovia on a day trip by train.

Madrid is beautiful. Diasgree re the Stadium tour....far too long although it is class sitting in the dugouts. The match and stadium tour is what i did but was overkill imo.

Madrid's main Street Gran Via is class to walk down as is Plaza del Sol (a square with the famous Bear)and Plaza Major.  Beside Plaza Major is a covered relaxed food market, the name of which escapes me despite its fame. Could get a beer/coffee there and chill.

Those squares are great for chilling in and to watch the world go by...cafes etc

Chocolateria San Gines is world famous...just between Plaza del Sol and the Palace

Palace is central and defo worth a look as is Park Retiro that is in the centre and as well as being a lovely park has a class boating lake with plenty of life and music etc. Its just heaven

Saw  Madrid v Canaries there in Nov 17 with the bro...we went pub crawls etc which im sure you wont but they were class. I loved Madrid so much i went back last July with the woman for 3 nights during the heatwave. Coulda stayed many more

I was thinking  Vienna 3 nights...Bratislava 1 and 3 in Budapest. May scrap the night in Bratislava and just stop off in the main square for a look

For me a day was enough. Check out the Castle, a walk around the old city and a bite to eat.  I never stayed over night so maybe i'm missing something of it's night life but i was happy to head back to Vienna for that.

heffo

Quote from: Gold on January 22, 2019, 11:26:49 PM
Quote from: playwiththewind1st on January 22, 2019, 01:27:53 PM
Quote from: laoislad on January 22, 2019, 09:08:40 AM
Going to Madrid in a couple of weeks for the weekend. Have got tickets for Real Madrid v Alaves for the Sunday night.
Any recommendations of things to do? Will have my Dad with me who is in his 70s so nothing that wild.
We'll be there early Saturday morning and not leaving until Monday evening so plenty of time to do stuff other than watch football!!

The Escorial might be 1 option. You can also get handily to places like Toledo or Segovia on a day trip by train.

Beside Plaza Major is a covered relaxed food market, the name of which escapes me despite its fame. Could get a beer/coffee there and chill.


Mercado San Miguel - highly recommended.

armaghniac

Quote from: Gold on January 22, 2019, 11:26:49 PM
Quote from: playwiththewind1st on January 22, 2019, 01:27:53 PM
The Escorial might be 1 option. You can also get handily to places like Toledo or Segovia on a day trip by train.

Madrid's main Street Gran Via is class to walk down as is Plaza del Sol (a square with the famous Bear)and Plaza Major.  Beside Plaza Major is a covered relaxed food market, the name of which escapes me despite its fame. Could get a beer/coffee there and chill.

Palace is central and defo worth a look as is Park Retiro that is in the centre and as well as being a lovely park has a class boating lake with plenty of life and music etc. Its just heaven


The Palace in Madrid has a long queue to get in, perhaps it is possible to prebook, or get there when it opens.
Toledo and Segovia are an easy run by train, the former in particular is well worth it.
If at first you don't succeed, then goto Plan B