Galway Advertiser 2004/2004_01_29/GA_2901_E1_022.pdf 

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22 F E A T U R E S

GALWAY ADVERTISER

January 29 2004

HOLIDAY SPECIALS
Romantic trips
McDonagh Travel has a special Valentine's weekend offer to romantic Barcelona from 419pp. Package includes return flights Dublin/ Barcelona and two nights accommodation in the 4* Duques De Bergara Hotel with breakfast. Flight departs February 13 and returns February 15. Or maybe your idea of romance is flying him/her to Paris on February 12 to see France take on Ireland in rugby? Price from 499pps includes direct return flights and three nights accommodation in a central Paris hotel. Further details from McDonagh Travel (091) 565931.

BREAK-AWAY
TRAVEL WITH JULIE TIERNEY

BYGONES
February 1 -- Feast day of St Brigid. She is one of the many saints whose lifes legend and folklore have far more to say than history has told us. She is revered as Ireland's second patron saint but until the late seventh century, her fame outstripped St Patrick's. She is the patron saint of dairymaids, poets, scholars, blacksmiths and healers; St Bride's in Fleet Street is the printers' church and over her holy well in the City of London was built a royal palace that under Edward VI became a house of correction for vagrants (a serious social problem after the dissolution of the monasteries) and unruly apprentices; from this has come the generic name of Bridewell. February 2 -- Candlemas Day. This is particularly rich in weather proverbs. It is widely believed that a fine Candlemas portends a prolongation of winter; a rainy one, an early spring. Groundhog Day --In the United States, a German belief about the badger (applied in Switzerland to the wolf) has been transferred to the woodchuck, better known as a groundhog. On Candlemas he breaks his hibernation in order to observe the weather. If he can see his shadow he returns to his slumbers for six weeks, but if it rains, he stays up and about, since winter will soon be over. In Quarryville, Lancaster County, Pennysylvania, a Slumbering Groundhog Lodge was formed whose members wearing silk hats and carrying canes, went off in search of a groundhog burrow; on finding one they watched its inhabitants conduct and reported back. Of 20 observations, eight prognostications proved true, seven false, and five were indeterminate. The ritual is now carried on in Punxsutawney where the weather prophet has been named Punxsutawney Phil

Travel tasters -- around the world with our local travel agents
This week's professional pick comes from Marie Ray of First Choice Travel in the Eyre Square Centre who sampled the delights of South Africa last year. At the end of last May, I headed off to South Africa with a group of travel agents. We flew to Johannesburg and were taken by bus to Sun City where we stayed at The Palace of the Lost City. Sun City is a haven for golfers with its two championship golf courses. For non-golfers there is the Pilanesberg, a malaria-free game park. Also there is a waterpark called Valley of the Waves or Waterworld where you can go parasailing or whatever watersport you would like to try. We flew to Port Elizabeth and transferred to Shamwari Game Reserve. The accommodation is superb, and the service is excellent. We stayed in the Riverdene Lodge. Shortly after we arrived we set off on our evening and night safari. All of The Big Five [the greatest mammals of our planet in their natural habitat: Whale, elephant, rhinoceros, African buffalo, lion, and leopard] can be seen at Shamwari. The next morning we were up at 6am for our morning safari. After three hours we went back to the lodge where a fabulous buffet breakfast was set up by the pool. I didn't want to leave! We set off to see a bit of the famous Garden Route, so we drove to Plettenburg Bay, where we stayed at the Plettenburge Park Hotel which is situated on a clifftop overlooking the ocean. The food and wine were excellent. I will be returning to this hotel. We then left for Knysna,

Weekend in Copenhagen
Eblana Travel (091) 766802 has availability on a two night Valentine's weekend package to Copenhagen, staying in a 3* star central hotel on a B/B basis. Cost is 379pp plus tax and insurance.

Marie Ray.

Specials at Budget Travel
The Budget Travel sale is still on. The Headford Road branch (091) 566155 is advertising a one week family plan with prices to Majorca for May 1 from 779 to the holiday centre in Santa Ponsa. Another offer is one week in the Isabel Apartments in Cala Bona on April 24 from 549. Meanwhile the Eglinton St branch (091) 560400 has a special for two adults and two children to Portugal on April 18 for only 700, or two adults and two children to the Costa Del Sol, ex Cork, on May 16 from 1,000. Sale ends Sunday.
A shot taken by Marie Ray from the Lost Palace Hotel, Sun City.

where we got to do some shopping. All I can say is take an empty suitcase. The markets are fantastic, with all of the handcarved giraffes, bowls, tables and chairs -- you name it, they had it. Ostrich eggs were a big seller. I recently won a voucher with Slattery Travel which is doing direct flights from Dublin to Capetown once a week, so guess where I am going back to?

HOLIDAYS AND ME James Heaslip - auctioneer
Which three things do you always take on holiday with you? Passport, toothbrush, and high stress levels. A lounge in the sun holiday or a grab the guidebook and lets start exploring holiday? Bit of both. Exploring in sun. What culture do you most identify with? Australian and New Zealand. Most of them are pretty laid back and sports mad so I can relate to that. Who would your dream holiday companion be? Carisa my girlfriend...or 30 lads and our golf clubs! Where would that holiday be? Cape Town. What do you hate most about holidays? Not knowing what's going at home and in work. (I've just realised how sad that sounds!) What is the best time of year to get away? February. What is the most bizarre thing you've experienced while on holiday? Being mugged twice by the same person -- Don't ask! Where is the most over-rated place you've visited? Cyprus. How do you choose a holiday? Choose? I go where I'm told by my girlfriend! But as long as it's hot and there's a beach with big waves, I'm not too bothered.

WEATHER
THURSDAY
Less cold than recently. Mainly dry with a few bright or sunny spells, but also plenty of cloud. A gentle northerly or north-westerly wind. Max temp 4-7C (39-45F).

SATURDAY
Rain clearing to bright spells and showers

High Tide in Galway

5
Clifden
4

SUNDAY
Windy with showers, some heavy.

Tuam
3

MONDAY
Strong winds and heavy rain clearing.

FRIDAY
Sunshine, but with a risk of some rain with sleet possible early on. Clouding over during the day. The light wind will become southerly. Max temp 5-8C (41-46F).
Information supplied by PA Weather Centre

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GALWAY
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Thursday January 29 Friday January 30 Saturday January 31 Sunday February 1 Monday February 2 Tuesday February 3 Wednesday February 4

10.24 11.26 00.09 01.28 02.34 03.25 04.07

22.57 **** 12.41 13.59 15.01 15.50 16.3

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Ballinasloe

Phases of the Moon
Thursday January 29 -- First Quarter

TUESDAY
A bright start, but more rain later.

Galway ship movements
Noon Thursday

WEDNESDAY
Unsettled, with rain clearing. Brisk winds.

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On Thursday the Ladybird arrives from Waterford for steel; and the tanker Orahope from Pembroke and Allurity from Whitegate. The Solent Fisher arrives from Milford Haven on Friday and the Union Jupiter with coal on Sunday. Thanks to Galway Harbour Office for this information.