Holidays. Who is off and where.

[baggieal]

Only way my lad's visiting a cathedral in Barcelona is if there's a lap dancing bar of said name. The degenerate. Can't look in a mirror and say I'm surprised in fairness, poor lamb never had a chance when I come to think about it 😆.

In Barcelona next week Dan and surprised if he?s expecting a drinkers or lap dancers paradise. It?s full of history such as Gaudi, beautiful sites, fantastic tapas bars and quaint wine bars etc in the gothic quarter. The young lad would be better in Shagaluf in Majorca 🤣

The lad could be turning over a new leaf so he may bring back some paintings from Gaudi. You never know!

[Albionic68]

In Barcelona next week Dan and surprised if he?s expecting a drinkers or lap dancers paradise. It?s full of history such as Gaudi, beautiful sites, fantastic tapas bars and quaint wine bars etc in the gothic quarter. The young lad would be better in Shagaluf in Majorca 🤣

The lad could be turning over a new leaf so he may bring back some paintings from Gaudi. You never know!

England away day Al', Andorra. He's flying in via Barcelona and spending a few nights there either side of the game.

Trust me, if there are any dens of iniquity along the way he and his mates are bound to find them. It's literally genetic in his case 😉.

Good to see you posting again, I hope all's well with you and yours health wise. Take care and all the very best to your family 😎.

[baggieal]

England away day Al', Andorra. He's flying in via Barcelona and spending a few nights there either side of the game.

Trust me, if there are any dens of iniquity along the way he and his mates are bound to find them. It's literally genetic in his case 😉.

Good to see you posting again, I hope all's well with you and yours health wise. Take care and all the very best to your family 😎.

He will have a great time Dan regardless especially with mates. Yes all?s well and thank you for asking and James already looking forward to new season.

[9goals2hattricks3pen]

Just back from Vietnam and Cambodia mixture of sightseeing and beaches. Loved it.

Went to China last year. Anyone else watching Race Across the World and witnessing just how wonderful and interesting a country it is?

[baggieal]

Just back from Vietnam and Cambodia mixture of sightseeing and beaches. Loved it.

Went to China last year. Anyone else watching Race Across the World and witnessing just how wonderful and interesting a country it is?

Know people who have been especially to Vietnam and had a great time. I like Race Across the World but would hate to go somewhere like India. Certainly would love to go where my daughter is now - Canada - cruise to Alaska and then the Rockies which is her plan. A previous Race Across the World featured Canada and it looked fabulous.

Prefer Spain as I speak fluent Spanish so my happy place is where there?s no typical Brits and where you can indulge in tapas and great house wines. Love Barcelona and Seville especially which are steeped in history.

[TipperaryBaggie]

Canada is a lovely place Al. Went to the Rockies two years ago after spending some time in San Francisco and the scenery is spectacular. I watched the tv in horror last year when we saw the beautiful town of Jasper suffer an horrendous fire which wiped out over half of the town. Seeing the bears in their natural environment is a memory which will stay with me forever.

[kettering_baggie]

Canada is a lovely place Al. Went to the Rockies two years ago after spending some time in San Francisco and the scenery is spectacular. I watched the tv in horror last year when we saw the beautiful town of Jasper suffer an horrendous fire which wiped out over half of the town. Seeing the bears in their natural environment is a memory which will stay with me forever.

We went to Western Canada a some years ago; drove the Icefields Parkway from Banff to Jasper, spectacular. At one place, standing on a grassy bank looking at a glacier, a grizzly bear wandered out of the bushes below, what a beautiful animal, a privilege to see such a creature in the wild. We kept our distance, though, its claws were like knives! We also saw plenty of black bears. From Jasper, it was a very nice place, we rode the Rocky Mountaineer train to Vancouver, two days of spectacular views, great food and fine wine! Expensive but really worth it, we were probably only going to do it once! If anyone who reads this is going to Western Canada, check out a place called the Wilderness Lodge (west of Vancouver), an amazing ‘hotel’, all the rooms are lodges with wonderful views of snow capped mountains, just the best place we have ever stayed (the biggest bed we’ve ever slept in, too!). Also, the food is amazing. I assume that the place is still going! Thinking back, it makes me wonder why we returned to the UK; it must have been to watch the Baggies!

[On Balance]

We have arrived back from our trip to Malaga.

I was in two minds as to whether or not to post an update.

I have to say as we?d not met the four young lads or their mum previously so we were a little apprehensive as you never know with four young boys! We were in fact not supposed to be travelling with them, however the couple that were due too were unable to do so, due to unforeseen but happy circumstances.

As it turned, out the four boys aged 9 to 14 were absolutely brilliant as was their mum.

As I said previously, without giving too much away, a family, less fortunate than most in society, is given the opportunity of a holiday. Once the decision is made the family is approached to see if they would accept the offer of an all expenses paid holiday to Malaga. Once/if accepted, arrangements are made and off they go normally, around this time of year. They mainly have free time to do the usual things, beach, pool etc but we do arrange outings.

Going on a plane for the first time. (I guess they had to get there).

Seeing lovely long sandy beaches unlike the ones in their area.

A tour of Malaga FC football stadium and a trip up the cable cars and a bird show, whilst their mum and my good lady wife had a day at the Ocean Club Marbella (Puerto Banus).

Helicopter trip to Gibraltar and up the Rock, visiting the war tunnels and seeing the Barbary monkeys up close and then the return helicopter trip.

Fishing trip. (Caught nothing) but they saw dolphins.

Shopping trip outing for mum.

As I say, they had most of the time to themselves but if you saw the four boys faces when they realised they were going in a helicopter, it would bring tears to the eyes. It did mine, my wife?s and their mums.

I only post this as it indicates what spiteful nonsense people can post when not in possession of the full facts. As said in my previous post, we have a base and connections in Malaga. It may, in some peoples mind, lack some of the cultural assets of Barcelona and/or Seville, albeit, Seville does not have beaches and sea, which families like those we were with, like.

So try telling these four boys and their mums Malaga is not great! They thought it was the best in the world going by their reaction.

As for the anti tourist stuff. We did not notice anything. Always welcome wherever we went.

Now looking forward to our own family holidays.

[Q165]

We went to Western Canada a some years ago; drove the Icefields Parkway from Banff to Jasper, spectacular. At one place, standing on a grassy bank looking at a glacier, a grizzly bear wandered out of the bushes below, what a beautiful animal, a privilege to see such a creature in the wild. We kept our distance, though, its claws were like knives! We also saw plenty of black bears. From Jasper, it was a very nice place, we rode the Rocky Mountaineer train to Vancouver, two days of spectacular views, great food and fine wine! Expensive but really worth it, we were probably only going to do it once! If anyone who reads this is going to Western Canada, check out a place called the Wilderness Lodge (west of Vancouver), an amazing ‘hotel’, all the rooms are lodges with wonderful views of snow capped mountains, just the best place we have ever stayed (the biggest bed we’ve ever slept in, too!). Also, the food is amazing. I assume that the place is still going! Thinking back, it makes me wonder why we returned to the UK; it must have been to watch the Baggies!

Most beautiful and spectacular place that I have ever been. I loved Jasper and would tell anybody who listened how I could easily have lived there.

[Q165]

There are horrendous prices in this country now; I have been in Wells-Next-The-Sea today and the car parking charges are outrageous, blue badge holders have to pay, too, which for that town in particular, is a real rip off. Park in a town centre car park, pay the exorbitant charge, then go to the beach car park, which for people with limited mobility, is much too far to walk, and then you have to pay the charge again. F**k ?em, won?t be going there again.

Got back from Wells yesterday. Can?t say I experienced any problematic parking issues. But I suppose not having a car might have something to do with it. Abiding memory is dogs, dogs and more dogs.