UK - Babbacombe
Babbacombe Model Village & Gardens is a 4-acre park of award-winning gardens showcasing beautiful streams and waterfalls, providing a spectacular backdrop to hundreds of models, scenes and over 13,000 miniature residents portraying Britain through the decades.
With both indoor and outdoor attractions, this is a beautiful place to spend some time. Indeed, the slower you go, the more detail you notice, from well-known monuments and landmarks to the model railway and the fire-breathing dragon.
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UK - Shaldon
Our base for South Devon was the coastal town of Shaldon. People who know me, know I like to occasionally surprise Shanhong with some quirky accommodation - and this trip is was to be a 'beach hut', although a very nicely modernised one!
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UK - Bristol
On our way down to South Devon, we spent a night in Bristol, partly to break the journey, but also because Bristol is a pretty little town with nice food markets, the famous suspension bridge, and a lovely theatre where we saw 'Thoroughly Modern Millie' - a fun little show with great choreography.
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Ireland - Cashel & Cork
While in Ireland, we joined a bus tour that took us first to Cashel. According to local mythology, the Rock of Cashel originated when St. Patrick banished Satan from a cave, resulting in the rock landing in Cashel. It was the seat of the kings of Munster for several hundred years and now is one of the most remarkable collections of Celtic art and medieval architecture to be found in Europe.
After Cashel it was on to Cork for lunch, and then to Blarney Castle, to kiss the stone! Many stories surround the stone. Some say it was Jacob’s Pillow, brought to Ireland by the prophet Jeremiah. Some say it was the deathbed pillow of St Columba from the island of Iona. Some, the ‘Stone of Ezel’ behind which David hid when he fled from Saul. And some, that it was the stone that gushed water when struck by Moses! Whatever the origin – modern mythology claims that anyone kissing the stone will be given the gift of eloquence and public speaking for a year, and for over 200 years, world statesmen, literary giants and legends of the silver screen have joined millions of pilgrims climbing the steps to kiss the stone. Not an easy feat, as the only way to do it, is to lie down and lean over backwards!
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Ireland - Dublin
Summer 2017 saw us visiting Ireland for a couple of nights in Dublin. It appears this is the drinking capital of the world as our tours took us both to the Guinness factory and to a whisky distillery. However, we did also have a night at the theatre seeing a production of 'Wonderland'.
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Malaysia - Penang
Penang is a Malaysian state on the northwest coast and is one of Malaysia's most developed areas. The capital city, Georgetown was once a British Crown Colony, and is described by UNESCO as having a unique architectural and cultural townscape, with major arts, culture, and food scenes.
We enjoyed a long weekend here - finding the street art and enjoying the food!
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Malaysia - Malacca
Malacca, a historical state in Malaysia, is a true gem for travelers. It boasts a rich and colorful past, evident through its well-preserved buildings and ancient landmarks. Visitors can explore the famous Dutch Square, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and stroll through the vibrant Jonker Street night market. The state is known for its delectable Nyonya cuisine, a fusion of Chinese and Malay flavors, and charming cafes and restaurants serving freshly caught seafood. This was a great little day-trip!
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Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur
April gave us a couple of long weekends - so we booked a couple of trips to different parts of Malaysia. First up was Kuala Lumpur, the capital city, with a couple of viator/tripadvisor excursions. We arrived Friday morning, checked into the hotel, and were straight out to explore the Batu Caves, a series of Hindu shrines just outside of the capital. On the way, we called in at the Royal Selangor factory to see pewterware being made. Then, it was to Petronas towers, the symbol of KL.
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USA - Grand Canyon
Our last trip in the States was to see the Grand Canyon. Met by stretch limousine, we were taken to the local airport where we got on the helicopter for the 30-minute flight over Hoover Dam, and to the floor of the canyon for a short boat trip, before flying back up to the top and one of the look-out spots. The following pics are of the canyon itself, in some ways amazing, in others, just a pile of rocks!
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USA - Kayaking in Lake Mead
Another fabulous daytrip saw us picked up early and driven out to the Hoover Dam where we got in the water - you can see the dam in the background of the first few pics. For those who are interested, Hoover Dam is a concrete arch-gravity dam on the border between the states of Nevada and Arizona. Constructed in the 1930s by a six-company conglomerate, it was completed 2 years earlier than scheduled, but at a cost of more than 100 lives. The dam’s generators provide power for the states of Nevada, Arizona and California. It is also a major tourist attraction visited by almost one million people a year. From the dam it was a 7-hour Kayak down the river! I loved it; however, Shanhong tired early and didn’t enjoy the last few hours at all.
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