Cyprus Villages

Cyprus was a mixture of delightful and not-so-delightful experiences for me. We stepped off the plane onto hot tarmac greeted by a heatwave in October...! It had been cold and wet in Bristol, and I don't think I ever got into the holiday spirit. I was plagued by too-hot weather and a feeling of nauseousness that I didn't shake off until I got home (in fact the home journey was the worst I have experienced because of it).
We went with a holiday package called Cyprus Villages which was a refreshing change from the normal hotels and tourist resorts that aren't really my idea of a good holiday. The photograph above is the view from our apartment. the apartments were basically old buildings renovated into holiday apartments, their only bad point being the lack of air conditioning. The place we stayed was well in-land and well away from the 'bright lights' hence a car was essential.

Apart from the Troodos mountains which were they only respite from the scorching heat, our favourite part of the island was Paphos (beach sunset photo above)which offered a more relaxed, cultured and genteel experience than Larnaca, Limassol or the frankly awful Ayia Napa.
There are plenty of sights to see in Cyprus from the ancient mosaics of Paphos to the Tombs of the Kings and the previously mentioned Troodos Mountains.
The major disappointment for me was the lack of good food, but I am willing to accept that maybe we were just incredibly unlucky. In the islands defence, I will say that food in the Tavernas was generally very good, but we went for an Italian meal which was disappointing, our next experience was an obviously frozen and tasteless lobster in Limassol (I gave most of it to an inquisitive local cat!). In desperation we decided to get a Chinese the next day and discovered that even Chinese food is not the best in Cyprus...
The question remains 'would I go again?', and the answer is probably...No, but if I did I would probably stay in Paphos an find a nice Taverna to eat in...

France - Menton

Lacking the self-importance of Monte Carlo, yet just as impressive a destination is the picturesque town of Menton. For us an unexpected delight after a slightly disappointing visit to Monaco. I had been to Monte Carlo before so I was keen to visit again, but somehow, the tiny province with it's larger than life personality is not a place that invites you to stay for long. We had spent a disappointing night in a very cheap hostel in Cannes and were looking for some relaxation. Moving further Eastwards we came across Menton and immediately fell in love with the place.

Even better, we found a really nice hotel that we could just about afford to stay in and the hovel that we stayed in in Cannes was instantly forgotten with the promise of crisp clean sheets, sea views and genteel company (and a private bathroom!). This town has loads to offer, far more welcoming than Monaco, reasonable prices, stunning views and a beautiful harbour. I am sure that the locals probably feel that they are the poor relation to their neighbours, but in fact they have true riches in this beautiful setting. Menton has shops that you can afford to shop in, restaurants where you can afford to eat and hotels where you can afford to stay. All this with the exactly the same weather as Monte Carlo and a much friendlier atmosphere.

France - South Coast

I have driven through France on a number of occasions and I always enjoy the pleasant driving conditions, there is always the choice of using the toll roads to make good head-way or the smaller roads to take advantage of what we like to call the 'pretty route'.
My favourite destinations are mostly in the South Eastern corner of France typified by the picture below which is probably a street in Nice facing North away from the coast up towards the Alps in the distance
On one occasion, we stayed in Marseilles and wandered down to Cassis the next day. Cassis is a very attractive fishing village which now harbours more luxury yachts than fishing vessels. From here, you can take a trip to the Calanques, deep narrow inlets in the rocky cliffs along the coast between Cassis and Marseilles.
This southern coast is alive with picturesque habours and port towns, each of them has their own charm and character, I have visited several of them, but you would do best to explore on your own, and discover your own favourite destinations.

Malta

Malta is one of those places that you might love or hate, personally I love it. I can forgive the rocky, dry scenery (it's greener on Gozo...) because of the many positives that the Island offers.
The Maltese are incredibly friendly (especially towards the British), and love to try out their language skills - most Maltese of the more recent generations seem to be able to speak several languages to a very competent level in my experience.
The Island is small, and you can easily see all the sights in a relatively short time, but Malta for me is a place to relax and reflect with family or friends.The rocky terrain and local architecture make an interesting backdrop to your Maltese holiday where you will be treated to great hospitality and some great food. Malta is located between Italy and North Africa, and the clash of these two cultures is evident in the language and the food. Driving has always been a challenge is Malta and only drivers who are up for the challenge should attempt it.... Car hire is cheap and plentiful, as are dinks, dents and prangs...

In general, I think most people will find something they love about Malta (I liked it enough to get married there). Be warned though.. Malta used to very low crime statistics, this is becoming less so as criminal migrants looking for a route into Europe have been known to target tourists and their hire cars.
Sea-food is naturally very good on Malta and it's sister island Gozo, rabbit stew is also a local specialty - don't be surprised to find the skull left in the dish just to prove that you are actually eating rabbit!!

Ireland

You will be made to feel welcome in Eire, of that you can be sure (to be sure...) as it is true that the Irish are the most hospitable people on the planet. We took a tour around Ireland by car and were made to feel welcome wherever we went. Ireland has an 'olde worlde' charm that never fails to leave you happy that you visited. We started our trip in Kilkenny and discovered a town that was made for visitors with it's castle and fine array of restaurants and places to drink.
We ventured further West towards Cork and discovered the 'delight' of navigating by road-signs in the Emerald Isle... If you plan to drive take a good map and make sure you use it, as you will find yourself following road signs that seem to stop indicating your chosen destination even though you are not yet halfway there... The rural setting is truly refreshing and you will see many sights that will tempt you to get your camera out and start snapping away.
We visited the Blarney stone at Blarney Castle, but I really think there should be a health and safety warning on that thing and I was not tempted to smooch it... We took a trip north via Galway bringing us finally back round East towards Dublin the fair city where rural Eire gives way to a busy capital city with an air of excitement and expectation. There's always something going on in Dublin, and it's always worth a visit. Good food, drink and entertainment are always a priority in Ireland as anyone who has visited will tell you.

Paris - France

You might be briefly fooled into thinking that this picture was of an entirely different city, but no, this is the original Liberty in Paris - you may well be aware that the New York version was a gift to the US from the French people.
Paris certainly has it's share of fascinating sights and a short break in this city will not do the place justice, but it will probably drain your wallet if you hang around here too long... We spent our second anniversary in Paris, and even though that was ten years ago, I reckon we spent on average £100 ($200) a day just on food and entertainment. Eating out for lunch and an evening meal in Paris is not going to be cheap, but then if you're in Paris, you may as well enjoy it and count the cost later.

Monmatre, Sacre Couer Basillica, Notre Dame, The Louvre, The Arc de Triomphe (Champs Elysees), Eiffel tower, countless museums and art galleries, parks, shops - Paris really has it all, and all with that distinctive air of nonchalance that is peculiarly French and particularly 'Parisienne'. Don't drive in Paris if you can possibly avoid it, driving is an absolute nightmare that you will be unlikely to come out of unscathed. There are distinct markings on the majority of cars in the city centre that are scars borne of bad parallel parking. Parallel parking is essential is Paris, unfortunately, the inhabitants are not very good at it...!


In a nutshell then, a fabulous city, for which you must go prepared (and go you must!) with plenty of cash and a plan of what you will see and what you will leave 'til another time. If you don't have a plan of attack you could well waste your valuable time in this compelling city just trying to decide what to do and what to see next.

France - The South

Over the years I have grown to love France as a holiday destination, it has a real wealth of art, fine food and historical buildings that is difficult to beat. My favourite region is the South, not just the coast, but further inland up as far as Avignon, Orange and the perfect little hill town of Vaison la Romaine. Avignon is steeped in culture and history with the famous 'pont' and the home of the 'alternative' pope the Palais de Papes
The region is home to the famous Chateau Neuf du Pape wine, and is not far from Orange which has a Roman ampitheatre and it's own collection of historical buildings and stories to tell.
I was fortunate to 'discover' the town of Vaison La Romaine which began life as a fortified village sometime in the Middle Ages, but has now overflowed into the valley below. This town is famous for it's Roman remains and the market which brings in visitors from miles around.
I was lucky to find bed & breakfast in the old part of the town where the buildings date from the 14th Century - I enjoyed this place so much that I visited again many years later with my wife and was delighted to find the same family still running the bed & breakfast. There is nothing to beat waking up in one of these beautifully restored ancient rooms and enjoying the view from the balcony as far as the tip of Mont Blanc in the distance. If you are ever in this area, I hope you too get the chance to stay at M. & Mme. Verdier's.