Holiday destinations

[harpskid]

Also planning to get to the Ireland game in Cyprus in early October. A crowd of Harps heading over a spending a week in Ayia Napa prior to game

I'm heading on that one myself and i'm heading to Amsterdam for a mates stag do in July as well

[finlma]

I've been to Croatia a good few times and its my favourite place in Europe. Zagreb does suck though and I wouldn't recommend it. Hvar and Brac islands are spectacular. They're pretty cheap and the people are so nice. Dubrovnik (down the very south) is my favourite city in the world, you really have to see it if you go to Croatia. Use the ferry to travel down, its a really nice journey along the coast.
Other great places in Europe are Slovenia (esp Ljubliana), Slovakia (Tatras Mts), Poland (Krakow).
I'm currently in NZ and I love it here, its a great country. So much to see and do and I'd really recommend anyone to come out here for a year. Only problem is not being able to catch the Ireland games.
Next stop is Oz, then Fiji and Samoa and then Canada. I might go back to the home country at some stage but its too much of a rip-off and too wet.

[CollegeTillIDie]

Partizan

Have to agree with all you say about the Balkan countries.
Was in Bulgaria in 2000 for the Intertoto Cup and enjoyed it for a few days.
I have been in Nis twice . In 2001 and 2002 and would agree wholeheartedly with you about the place. Went to Belgrade in 2003 and went to see your namesake team take on Marseilles in the Champions League. Was also in Novi Sad.

Am looking forward to returning to Belgrade this time to see the Zvezda in action. If you ever find yourself in Serbia again, especially down South, sample Leskovac Muckalica pronounced ( lesh-kovats Mooshkalitsa). Local cuisine at it's best! Oh and Zemun is worth a look on your next visit to Belgrade just over the bridge over the two rivers to the North. Lots of old buildings and the Saint Andrew is a great restaurant


Montenegro is highly recommended by Serbs as a place to visit , intend to go there if possible later in the year.




In March am off to South America for a couple of weeks. Brazil and Chile

[finlma]

Partizan

Have to agree with all you say about the Balkan countries.

Forgot to say that Bosnia is a great country too. Sarajevo is a great party city since the war finished. Its very different to other European cities.

Also, can't mention holiday detinations without mentioning Thailand. That country rocks.

[Dublin12]

Thanks to everyone for replies ,think I'll be going Croatia so

[Peadar]

What about South Brussels in July?

Hoping for a more exotic destination this year.
Is the draw regionalised or can we draw one of the Balkan teams?

[corkharps]

You should try 'Beautiful Bundoran',especially around the 12th of July.Classy joint!

[dortie]

You should try 'Beautiful Bundoran',especially around the 12th of July.Classy joint!

Theres nearly as many Northerners as there is Donegal men shopping in Derry on a Saturday !

[finlma]

Luke Kellys Irish Bar has live music every night.

What is it with Irish people going abroad and going to Irish pubs the whole time. May as well go to Galway on holiday. I go to Irish bars when I'm at away games for the craic but other than that I try to avoid them.

[dortie]

What is it with Irish people going abroad and going to Irish pubs the whole time. May as well go to Galway on holiday. I go to Irish bars when I'm at away games for the craic but other than that I try to avoid them.

Tell me what resort bars have 'local culture' ?
Nothing wrong with partying with other Irish in warm weather and a different environment.....At least you know what your in for.

[town73]

Anyone been to Fuerteventura? Supposed to be decent for the surfing?

[eoinh]

In March am off to South America for a couple of weeks. Brazil and Chile

Was on holiday in Chile for three weeks about 4 years ago. Had a great time.
In the citys especially Santiago and Valparaiso there is a very very big disparity between the rich and poor areas. I stayed with my aunt there for a bit and shes totally anti-pinochet. She took us to the places where they used to torture the political prisoners. Grim stuff.

The football season is going on at the moment so you should try and go to a football match. Colo Colo are the big team in Chile.

[the 12 th man]

Anyone been to Fuerteventura? Supposed to be decent for the surfing?

friends been there.
not sure about the surfing but nightlife was very quite

[fosterdollar]

Spent two weeks in Croatia last year and it is absolutely beautiful.

First week spent in Hvar, an island off the coast of Dalmatia. Stunning. Stayed in the town of Hvar itself which is really relaxing. Second week we spent in in Makarsk, which is on the mainland and much more 'resorty' with discos etc. It's situate between Split and Dubrovnik and you can get to eithr by bus on a daytrip. Spliceni pride themsleves on being the most attractive race in the world, think a couple of Miss Worlds came from there. The Palace of the Emperor Diocletian is remarkable. But Dubrovnik is just about the most fascinating place I have been, an ancient walled city that is perfectly preserved for hundreds of years - no cars allowed into it, no plastic signs, just a square mile of palaces and churches on the edge of the sea.

If you're interested in war and recent history, Bosnia is only a bus trip away too. Went to Mostar, which is an amazing place, if a depressing reminder of what that country suffered during the Balkan wars.

Next time I will probably head to the island of Korcula, which is again off the Dalmatian coast. For history and culture, scenery, sun and sand and the cleanest seas you can imagine, you have to go.

Ditto on all of this. I spent two weeks in Croatia last August/September. First week we (a group of 5, incl. one couple) stayed in an apartment in Dubrovnik. 2 min walk down into the Old Town which, as Conor74 pointed out, is absolutley amazing. Architecture, people, weather, cleanliness all unbeatable. The city itself is steeped in history. It is situated on the coastal side of mountains and during the war they were bombarded with shells and mortars from the top of the mountain. Still some minor evidence of this but they have largely moved on in terms of getting everything up and running and clearing away ruins, etc. You'll meet people from all over the world in Dubrovnik and what's more you're likely to bump into them several times over you're stay. It has that kind of 'just a big town' feel to it. The food is generally seafood which suits me very well cos i love it. They have a very simplistic approach to their food as well and are wary of messing it up with fancy sauces and garnishes. You'll almost always get the freshest, tastiest food possible though. There are A LOT of pizzerias around on the side streets. Clearly they only open for the tourist season but you can't go wrong with a pizza anyway and they're handy for when you're going out and just want something quick before going out.

For the second week the couple headed off on their own (went to Mostar in Bosnia and back up north, inland to Zagreb, and back again to Dubrovnik for the flight home). The three of us hired a car and headed north along the coast and then ferryhopped through the bigger islands on the Adriatic coast. Driving up the coast was brilliant as we could stop whenever we wanted to take in the views or take advantage of empty beaches - unreal. I wish i could talk about it for longer but i'd be here all day. The islands are great craic - we met even madder people there than in dubrovnik.

Summing up, Croatia is a beautiful country. Croatians have a friendly welcoming attitude and they know how to live. I would recommend a visit anytime, however we noticed the islands were getting a bit quiet by the time we got to them in september. In Hvar town there is a nightclub in a castle with a swimming pool in it but that was closed when we were there - same story in korcula. Overall, the best holiday I've ever had by far. The sea and beaches (although sand beaches are hard to find) are so clean. You can have peace and quiet when you want it and go mad when you want to also. Class.

[elroy]

Spent last summer in Chicago-an incredbile city, got the best of both worlds good weather and lovely beaches and a buzzing city nightlife. Will worth going especially now as the exchange rate is so good.

[Dotsy]

Anyone been to Fuerteventura? Supposed to be decent for the surfing?

Going to Fuerteventura for a week in June. It's regarded as one of the best locations for surfing in Europe. Going with the family so quiet night life doesn't bother me. A couple of mates were there before Christmas when the locusts invaded. Even with that they said it was very nice but nothing spectacular. Not particulary cheap the saem as the other Canary islands.

I worked in Riga for a couple of years. I would definitley recommed it for a long weekend (Ryanair fly there for next to nothing from Stansted and Air Baltic fly from Dublin). The old town is spectacular (very like the old town in Stockholm but not as touristy). Plenty of beer gardens around town in the summer. Great nightlife and Latvian women are stunning. For those that were there in early nineties for the Ireland matches the place has changed massively (which is sad in many ways) and there are plenty of bars and restaurants to choose from. The best laugh I had the last time I was back in 2003 for a mates stag was a shooting range where for $20 you could get your hands on some serious firepower (AK47 the works) for an hour or two.

[Partizan]

Partizan

Have to agree with all you say about the Balkan countries.
Was in Bulgaria in 2000 for the Intertoto Cup and enjoyed it for a few days.
I have been in Nis twice . In 2001 and 2002 and would agree wholeheartedly with you about the place. Went to Belgrade in 2003 and went to see your namesake team take on Marseilles in the Champions League. Was also in Novi Sad.

Am looking forward to returning to Belgrade this time to see the Zvezda in action. If you ever find yourself in Serbia again, especially down South, sample Leskovac Muckalica pronounced ( lesh-kovats Mooshkalitsa). Local cuisine at it's best! Oh and Zemun is worth a look on your next visit to Belgrade just over the bridge over the two rivers to the North. Lots of old buildings and the Saint Andrew is a great restaurant


Montenegro is highly recommended by Serbs as a place to visit , intend to go there if possible later in the year.

Ever tried Pleskavica (Serbian hamburger) There is this shop in Novi Sad, forget the name but I was eating my fingers after it. Kilos of greese and ketchup, dribbling down you arm bliss.

Never in Leskovac but I met a lovely girl from there when I was in Belgrade at a conference in March last year. Its a place you got to visit so she said. I can imagine the scene, centre of the town, full of pigs & battered Yugos.

I stayed in a village called Nova Banovici which is largely populated by refugees from Bosnia, Kraijina (Serb Croatia) & Slovenia. Very heartbreaking to hear individual stories and how ordinary folk were betrayed by corrupt and opportunistic politicians. The village is a mish mash of different ethnic groups, kind of a microcosism of old Yugo. Czech, Slovaks, Hungarians and even several Croat families in the neighbourhod. Stara Pazova, the nearest town inhabited mainly by Slovaks, Germans and Roma is a mad place with loads of concerts happening in the summer. Have you heard of the Orthodox Celts, a local group that plays Irish stuff.

I had a lovely time in the village and the people were very friendly. I got no negativity shown towards me for who I was or where I was from. Got stociously ****ed in the local bars.

I was in Zemun and its where Belgrade's nutters are concentrated in. Drank in a dodgy looking bar that had pics of bearded Chetniks and double headed eagles & CCCC stuff plastered all over the place. Nice locals though.

When you were in Belgrade, did you take a walk up along the fortress (watch out for angel with the big dick overlooking the Danube) After that I paid a visit into some dingy tourist shop where some old guy try to flog me a JNA army helmet and a portrait of Tito. I ended up buying a load of communist era stickers and pennants. I also paid a visit to Comrade Tito's tomb in the House of Flowers. Place was full of Slovene tourists and a lone soldier still guards the. The museum is fascinating place.

Nis: did you see a guy by the railway station selling IRA t-shirts.

All in all Serbia is a top spot, people are very humble, proud and very patriotic with a strong sense for the past. I think they did get a raw deal over the last 15 years and got rightly f**ked over by the West (Clinton, Blair) and the media that painted them out as loony tunes. Exact opposite, Serbia is perhaps the most multicultural of all the ex Yugoslav republics and its people are very accomodating and friendly. I have met with many of the nationalities of the former Yugoslavia. Croats I found to be the most unpleasant lot, inherintly racist and anti-semitic when you move the topic to politics while Kosovar Albanians are a very reserved and clannish lot, have an argument with one, the rest of 'em are after you. Montenegrins are the most laid back group I have ever met. Bit like us While Slovenes think they are better than their barbarian cousins, ie. the superiority complex (bit like our Cork neighbours). Havent met a Bosniak yet so no comment.

I'm in Bulgaria at the moment and am very well tempted to take the bus to Nis and just chill before before grabbing the train to Belgrade.

Forza Grobari.

Dortie:
Ayia Napa when I was there is just total hedonism with a capital H. Was there in 2001, full of loose Scandinavian and English birds and woke up in small unfamiliar surroundings after an all night session in one of the many bars. Overrall, very tacky and not very Cypriot.

[Closed Account 2]

Was in Italy last year,

Urbino and Napoliwere great.

[CollegeTillIDie]

Partizan

We should swap notes some time in person. Maybe at a Blues V College game.
Giz a shout when you get back to Ireland ,I am a frequent visitor to Blaaville during the summer in any event.

Met some Bosniaks through my off field involvements in football. A long story. Sound people too though.

P.S.I have Green Roses by The Orthodox Celts on CD.

[CollegeTillIDie]

Was on holiday in Chile for three weeks about 4 years ago. Had a great time.
In the citys especially Santiago and Valparaiso there is a very very big disparity between the rich and poor areas. I stayed with my aunt there for a bit and shes totally anti-pinochet. She took us to the places where they used to torture the political prisoners. Grim stuff.

The football season is going on at the moment so you should try and go to a football match. Colo Colo are the big team in Chile.

My granny was born in Valparaiso and I am bringing me Da to see where his Ma was born. Thanks for the tip off. Hoping to see Vina Del Mar which hosted a few of the games in the 1962 World Cup Final stages.
I will be mostly in Valparaiso... do they have a decent team?