The Culture Bank

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and the second largest in the UK, with only London being bigger.   So it goes without saying that it is a fabulous city to visit with lots of things to do and see.

Glasgow lies on the West Coast of Scotland; that means the weather is generally milder than the rest of the country but also tends to be a little bit wetter.  But it doesn’t really matter about the weather – in Glasgow you can visit one of the many museums, have some shopping therapy in one of the beautiful shopping centres or just sit and have a bite to eat in one of the quality bars or restaurants that are in this city.

Booking flights to Glasgow International Airport is easy and flights from across the UK are no more than an hour away.  All the main carriers fly into Glasgow including EasyJet, British Airways, Bmi, and Flybe with several daily flights on many routes making it likely that there are great cheap flights to be purchased.  If you are flexible with your dates and times of flying, then there are bargains to be found.

EasyJet and Ryanair with a return ticket for £65 are offering the best deals from London.  Bmi is also offering an affordable flight from London at only £76.

A regular and frequent bus service transports you into the city centre in less than half an hour from Glasgow Airport.

People often ask when would be the best time to travel to Ireland? Throughout the year the country often has rain soaked days and for the most part it does experience high levels of rainfall; approximately 270 days of it each year.  But it will honestly depend on when and where you travel within the country, don’t rely on weather predictions, this is an island remember, and weather forecasts are never a sure thing anyway.

Ireland’s coldest months tend to be January and February when temperatures range from 4-8 degrees Celsius (39-46 degrees Fahrenheit).  July and August are the warmest times of year and temperatures can go as high as 22-24 degrees Celsius (72-75 degrees Fahrenheit) on the warmest days.  On average the temperature during the summer months is around 16 degrees Celsius (61 degrees Fahrenheit).  There are approximately 18 hours of daylight during the summer months as well (June to August) and it won’t get dark until after 11pm.  The southeast part of the country is the driest, with a steadier climate and less rainfall.

So with this information in mind, June to August is the time to travel to Ireland if you want the warmest weather. If the cold doesn’t bother you, September to November or March to May might be a cheaper alternative time to visit, since June to August is also the peak tourism season for Ireland.  Whatever time of year you choose to visit, make sure to take warm clothes, waterproof jackets and shoes, and be prepared to experience some rain.

Transatlantic cruises, also encompassing ‘repositioning cruises’, may not seem like the ideal choice for your cruise holiday, but you may be surprised at what is on offer. Of course, choosing the right ship for the journey across this vast ocean is essential. Though with the number of cruise companies offering routes, you are sure to be spoilt for choice.

The fact that there aren’t many opportunities to go ashore means that every cruise is going to make the most of each port of call. Easily one of the highlights of a transatlantic cruise is the stunning paradise island of Madeira, which has truly breathtaking and inspiring scenery. Part of the Madeira Islands, it was first discovered by the Portuguese in the 1400’s and the unique culture and traditions of the locals has been wonderfully maintained down the centuries.

Back on board, having the right entertainment is an absolute priority. Fortunately, the companies that run transatlantic cruises inevitably use some of their best ships in order to ensure that passengers have an abundance of activities to choose from. The thing to remember about this type of voyage is that the unique attraction of being so far out at sea will provide an enchanting and relaxing experience that you won’t find on normal cruise and stay holidays. This route is a great choice for anyone looking to get away from the stresses and strains of modern life.

While transatlantic cruises run throughout the year, you will find the majority of departure dates are in autumn and early winter.

When it comes to culture, religion and tradition there is quite a lot to attract the curious visitor to Saudi Arabia in general, but because of the country’s culture and religious laws there is hardly any nightlife. In fact it would be true to say that there is no night life as westerners would know it.  There are no bars and nightclubs and you cannot buy alcohol at all. Even with a meal, you cannot buy a glass of wine.

Cinemas, or picture theatres as they are called in Saudi, are also banned in this Islamic country so you cannot decide to go out and see the latest film. There are a few public theatres in places like Dhahran but all that is on offer there is local art and Arabic music.

However, when it comes to spending an evening in a restaurant there is lots of choice and you can opt for a number of different international cuisines. McDonald’s and KFC also have restaurants here, so if you prefer fast food, you won’t be disappointed. There are also a number of coffee shops including Starbucks and Cinnabon to satisfy the coffee addicts.

Another evening entertainment is shopping and there are a number of western style malls to browse through, or you can take a look at the bazaars.  The Al-Rashid mall has six main department stores and a huge collection of 600 shops selling everything from expensive, top of the market design jewellery such as Tiffany, to more affordable everyday items like lingerie from La Senza. This is certainly a great way to spend an evening. 

If you are thinking about your summer holiday maybe you should consider renting a holiday cottage.  Taking a holiday cottage for a week or a fortnight means that you will have a home away from home in a beautiful location of your choice.

Holiday cottages in the UK can be rented for a week for about the same amount as one person going on a quality “package” holiday to a hotel.  Although staying at a hotel has its obvious benefits, such as not having to make your bed or cook your food, you do have to comply with the hotel timetable to some extent.  You can use room service to vary your meal times and increase the convenience but this will become extremely expensive.  If you decide to rent a holiday cottage instead you will have a lot more space and privacy, possibly also a private garden and pool.

Most holiday cottages now have well equipped kitchens and comfortable bedrooms, as well as comfortable living areas.  A real benefit of renting a holiday cottage is that you will be able to stock up your kitchen and do your own cooking as you please, ideal if you have someone in your party on a special diet for health reasons.  No set meal times means that you are free to plan your days as you like, and not be tied in to any schedule.

When choosing a holiday cottage you will find that there are a wide variety of locations to choose from.  The South of France is very popular, and also closer to home, areas such as Wales, Yorkshire or Cornwall are all places that have plenty of holiday cottages to choose from.  You can choose to rent a holiday cottage for as long as you like, however the majority of people choose to stay for just a week.  There will usually be parking available for your vehicle and often any heating and electricity cost are included in the rental.

Few Mediterranean islands can compete with Santorini’s geographical splendour. The result of a huge volcanic eruption, Santorini is basically a series of towering cliffs surrounding a giant central lagoon. The lagoon (a splendid natural harbour) merges with the sea, allowing vessels to pass into the protective calm of the caldera.

The capital city, Fira, sits atop the spectacular cliffs looking down upon the lagoon. The city itself is a charming place, with its white-washed buildings and traditional Greek architecture. With its restaurants, bars and souvenir shops, Fira is also the best place to eat, go shopping and experience the island’s vibrant nightlife. For visitors interested in Santorini’s history, both the Museum of Prehistoric Thera and the Santorini Archeological Museum can also be found in the capital.

Santorini is famous for its incredible sunsets. The village of Oia, on the island’s northern tip, is the best place to see the spectacle. However, Oia can become very crowded during peak season; luckily, the sunset is only fractionally less impressive from other parts of the island.

The island has plenty of beaches to choose from, many of them made from the distinctive black and red volcanic sands of the area. To the south, Agios Georgios is a good choice for those looking for a quieter spot. To the east lies the popular Kamari beach with its long stretch of black sand and crystal clear waters.

Santorini’s airport is served by major airlines such as Olympic Airlines, Aegean Airlines and Athens Airways. Both ferries and faster catamarans run between Santorini and destinations such as Ios, Naxos, Paros and Piraeus.

Skiing in Austria is more expensive than some of the other options. However, it does have very good infrastructure which, especially if you are a beginner, may be worth paying a bit more for. It is expected that in 2010 fewer people will be taking a skiing holiday and this will increase pressure on resorts to cut their prices to attract their share of visitors.

Budget airlines, package tourism, great airfare deals and big discounts are making skiing more affordable. Even top resorts are offering good ski deals. Don’t use just one website to search for ‘Ski Holidays Austria’; compare prices on a number of sites. If you have chosen your resort and the time of your trip, book early to get an early-booking discount. Alternatively book late in the season and you can get discounts of up to 10 per cent in resorts such as Innsbruck. Staying outside the city in one of the smaller villages will also save you money. It may also be worth pre-booking ski equipment and lift passes to get lower prices. Tailor your ski pass to what you will actually be doing; buying a six-day pass makes no sense if you will only be skiing in the morning. Self drive or ski train holidays can also save you a lot of money as can booking self-catering accommodation.

Choosing one of the smaller and quieter resorts such as Finkenberg can also offer better value for money. Schladming in the Enns Valley is only an hour from Salzburg with flights from Ryanair, Thomsonfly and British Airways. The accommodation is reasonably priced and skiers can ski across the Ski Amade region. Skiing in Austria may not be for those who have price as their number one consideration, but it can represent value for money.

One of the most interesting and most unusual attractions of Manchester is Urbis, which is an exhibition centre for modern city life. It is part museum, because the vibrant city life changes so quickly. It is located in the city centre and houses exhibitions and displays of gardening, music, contemporary art, design, and environment. There is so much there that you may not be able to see it all properly in a day but that is no problem because admission is free.

The Social is the Urbis’ bar; there is also The Modern, which is the centre’s restaurant. Exhibitions change regularly and include things such as the urban environment, music, graffiti, design, and modern architecture. Urbis shows off hi-tech modern living at its finest.

The Cube Gallery complements a visit to Urbis very well. Cube is an acronym for Centre for the Urban Built Environment and it is known as Europe’s most comprehensive design and architecture gallery. The Centre sets out to demonstrate the thinking behind the way buildings and space are used together in the modern city environment and is the main art and design centre for the North West of England.

Manchester’s Peoples’ History Museum puts all this contemporary design into perspective. It traces the struggles of the working class in Manchester over the years. The building has recently been refurbished. There are exhibitions of labour history, education and the textile industry, which are all part of Manchester’s social and industrial past and they show how the city developed into the modern, vibrant metropolis that it is today.

Saudi Arabia is a beautiful country which has much to offer visitors.  Most visas issued are for pilgrims or business travellers but the country has amazing scenery and vibrant cities which are generally much more modern than most people expect.  In recent years the Saudi authorities have made the effort to promote the country to tourists and with airlines offering cheap flights to Jeddah, Riyadh and Dammam it’s never been a better time to go.   

As Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of the Prophet Mohammed, pilgrims often make the journey to the holy cities within the country and always outnumber those who have just come to have a look around.  Islamic laws should be adhered to as they form the basis of life in the country and the culture is quite conservative. 

Visitors can find any number of bargains at the souk (market).  The stallholders will sell anything from rugs to crafts, which reflect life in the country.  Saudi Arabia also has a number of department stores in the bigger cities.  There are no nightclubs, but there are plenty of restaurants and cafés.  Arabic is the official language but many natives speak good English. 

Mecca and Madinah are cities with religious significance and for that reason only those of the Islamic faith are permitted entry.  For non-Muslim visitors there are several official organised tours available, taking in different historical sites that are open to all visitors.  These tour companies can usually deal with the paperwork that is required to visit and booking your excursions with one of these companies is probably the easiest way to visit as a tourist.

It may seem daunting to take your children, whatever their age, on a cruise holiday. There is however, no reason to worry, because your children will have a fabulous time and for that matter, so will you!

Most cruise liners have facilities for children, the only exception to this are the cruises that are designed for adults only. You will be informed of which cruises are suitable for children at the time of booking.

Royal Caribbean have a water-park onboard some of their cruise liners, your children will have a whale of a time splashing away the hours in their H2O Zone water-park. This area has features such as water cannons, water jets, interactive fountains, heated pools, waterfalls and much more.

A parent’s worst nightmare can be eating out with their children, they become bored, restless and want to go back to whatever brilliant activity they were doing before they came to eat. However, with Royal Caribbean you can have relaxed dinners with no fuss. A recently introduced feature to Royal Caribbean is the ‘My Family Time Dining’, which means that children are seated and finished with their meals within 45minutes. After this, a trained member of staff will take them for group activities while the parents finish their meals in peace.

With babysitting services available on all family cruises, you can relax in the knowledge that your children are being taken care of by trained professionals and that they are having an excellent time without you.

Cruises are fantastic for families, with everything being in one place and easy to find, your family will have the holiday of a lifetime.