The Reids

Following up to Akuvikate

    >On the upside, I've heard over
    >and over that especially in child-friendly places like Spain and Costa
    >Rica having a little kid with you brings a lot of interest and positive
    >attention from the locals. By far my favorite part of travel is
    >meeting people and soaking up the local vibe, so that'll be great.

you will be laughing then.
--
Mike Reid
Walk-eat-UK "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" <-- you can email us@ this site
Walk-eat-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" <-- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap
Photos of both "http://www.lawn-mower-man.co.uk"

The Reids

Following up to chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn and
prestwich tesco 24h offy

    > I've never been to Iceland, but I'd
    >suspect it was up there- maybe Finland, Sweden and Denmark too?

Iceland was certainly expensive as is Switzerland I understand.
If you drink I believe Scandinavia is a write off?
More to the point, Italy is more expensive than Spain.
--
Mike Reid
Walk-eat-UK "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" <-- you can email us@ this site
Walk-eat-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" <-- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap
Photos of both "http://www.lawn-mower-man.co.uk"

DDT Filled Mormons

On Wed, 10 Aug 2005 20:42:56 +0100, Jack Campin - bogus address
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >>>> Spain is much cheaper than UK.
    >>> Where isn't?
    >> Norway!
    >Switzerland, Iceland, Austria, Monaco.
    >That must be the lot.

Liechtenstein.
--
---
DFM - http://www.deepfriedmars.com
---
--

Martin

On Thu, 11 Aug 2005 09:24:38 GMT, DDT Filled Mormons
<deepfreudmoors@eITmISaACTUALLYiREAL!l.nu> wrote:

    >On Wed, 10 Aug 2005 20:42:56 +0100, Jack Campin - bogus address
    ><[email protected]> wrote:
    >>>>> Spain is much cheaper than UK.
    >>>> Where isn't?
    >>> Norway!
    >>Switzerland, Iceland, Austria, Monaco.
    >>That must be the lot.
    >Liechtenstein.

but they accept sheep :-)
--
Martin

Jordi

DDT Filled Mormons ha escrito:

    > On Wed, 10 Aug 2005 20:42:56 +0100, Jack Campin - bogus address
    > <[email protected]> wrote:
    > >>>> Spain is much cheaper than UK.
    > >>> Where isn't?
    > >> Norway!
    > >
    > >Switzerland, Iceland, Austria, Monaco.
    > >
    > >That must be the lot.
    >
    > Liechtenstein.
    > --

Moscow!!


J.

Timothy Kroesen

Bottles of St. Pauli Girl imported from Bremen are cheaper in Cleveland
than the EU.

Tim K

"Martin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > On Wed, 10 Aug 2005 18:11:36 +0100, [email protected]
    > (chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn and prestwich tesco 24h
    > offy) wrote:
    > >Martin <[email protected]> wrote:
    > >
    > >> On Wed, 10 Aug 2005 17:57:28 +0100,
[email protected]
    > >> (chancellor of the duchy of besses o' th' barn and prestwich tesco
24h
    > >> offy) wrote:
    > >>
    > >> >Martin <[email protected]> wrote:
    > >> >
    > >> >> On Wed, 10 Aug 2005 17:46:16 +0100, The Reids
    > >> >> <[email protected]> wrote:
    > >> >>
    > >> >> >Following up to yaofeng
    > >> >> >
    > >> >> >>I told myself Europe will be off the
    > >> >> >>list for a while. It is for the simple reason the darn green
backs are
    > >> >> >>just too beaten up in exchange. I'll go back when the
exchange rate is
    > >> >> >>more favorable, if there will again be such a day.
    > >> >> >>
    > >> >> >>The Caribbean sun beckons in Costa Rica.
    > >> >> >
    > >> >> >Spain is much cheaper than UK.
    > >> >>
    > >> >> Where isn't?
    > >> >
    > >> >Norway!
    > >>
    > >> I might have guessed. Is that the full list?
    > >
    > >In Europe, probably, but it might be city specific too. I'd say
Dublin
    > >is just as expensive as the UK (a pint of guinness in the Temple Bar
    > >area is more than you'd pay anywhere for one in Manchester),
    > Tins of Guinness imported from Ireland were cheaper in bottle shops in
    > Oz than in UK supermarkets.
    > > but I don't
    > >know about the rest of Ireland. I've never been to Iceland, but I'd
    > >suspect it was up there- maybe Finland, Sweden and Denmark too?
    > I'm not sure about Denmark, a Danish friend visited us in N Yorks last
    > year and commented on how expensive everything was.
    > --
    > Martin

loomis1

The Reids wrote:
    > Following up to Rosalie B.
(snipped)
    > >>I cant really work out what the OP is going to do in Europe with
    > >>a young child in tow that they couldn't do at home except relax
    > >>in a different culture in a villa.
    > >
    > >That's where we differ. I have 4 children born over a 10 year period,
    > >and I traveled extensively with them from the time they were little.
    > >Both because I like to travel and because my spouse was in the Navy
    > >and was transferred from place to place quite frequently. So I know
    > >that you can travel quite happily (if a little more slowly) with a
    > >young child and see quite a lot.
    > I'll take your word for it, the subject is a mystery to me, never
    > had kids or wanted any, when I see people traveling with kids, I
    > always think, is it worth it?

(snipped)

Well, having been a kid once <grin>, I'll say that traveling in foreign
countries provided some of my best memories of childhood. My father was
in U.S.A.F. I was born in Germany. I lived there for a total of about 7
years (moved to the States when I was 2, back to Germany when I was 7,
back to States when I was 12).

I saw Oberammergau (and the theatre where the passion play is
performed)and Garmisch(and Schloss Linderhof, and Neuschwanstein, and
the Zugspitz)when I was 2 years old and again when I was 9. I saw
'Peter and the Wolf' at the opera house in Wiesbaden (where we lived,
and where I was born). I drank from the public springs in Wiesbaden
(it's an old city...from Roman times). I've seen Frankenstein's Castle
(on Halloween night). I've been to the Black Forest (and fed the wild
boars). I've been to the Christmas Market in Nuremberg (absolute magic
to a child). I saw Tutankhamun's exhibit when it came to Cologne (and
got scared when we went to visit the cathedral and froze on the old
stone staircase halfway up the spire). I spent a week in Austria in 6th
grade on a school field trip...saw all the Hapsburg palaces, the
catacombs under the cathedral in Vienna and the Danube. Went to
England(Stonehenge, London!) and Scotland (the Highlands, Edinburgh
Castle!) when I was 11 (three weeks of camping out in farmer's fields).
I was in a Fasching Club (as a dancer)between ages 7 and 11. I've been
to the Rose Monday parade in Mainz. I've taken boat cruises on the
Rhein River.

So...yada yada yada...I could go on and on. What effect did all of this
have on me? A real love of architecture and history. I have a B.S. in
Architecture, a Master's degree in Landscape Architecture and a
Certificate in Historic Preservation. I own my own Historic
Preservation consulting company (okay...that's just a fancy way of
saying I'm self-employed. I have no employees, but I like it that way.
In fact I need to cut this short and get back to work). ;)

I can't wait to go on some great trips with my kids.

annette
DS#1 7-19-01 the devil child
DS#2 8-20-04 the hoover

Martin Rich

On Wed, 10 Aug 2005 17:46:16 +0100, The Reids
<[email protected]> wrote:


    >>>it has a town beach fine for toddlers, one of my favourite places
    >>>aside from Cadiz and similar places which have the great
    >>>advantages of having unspoilt Spanishness and not a lot to do.
    >>I haven't been fortunate enough to get to St. Sebastian. There are
    >>lots of places I'd like to visit, that I haven't been -- yet.
    >"http://www.fell-walker.co.uk/basque.htm#sebastian"
    >La Concha beach is lovely and the tapas is brilliant, sadly there
    >are signs that the ones in the old quarter *may* be starting to
    >become spoiled by the tourist/entrepreneur relationship. Then
    >there are Akelari and Arzak, two of the best restaurants in
    >Spain, up there with El Bulli, IMHO.

I'd agree with the point about San Sebastian, a very civilised city
with an atmosphere all its own, a fine setting, and great tapas.
Relevant to the original poster, we stayed in a hotel on the edge of
town (the Gudamendi) which has a children's playground in the garden
and which is generally well set up for young children

Martin

Barbara Bomberger

    >I cant really work out what the OP is going to do in Europe with
    >a young child in tow that they couldn't do at home except relax
    >in a different culture in a villa.

Having traveled to many places with young children in tow, my answer
is, sightsee, go to museums, go out to restaurants. Young children
doent in and of themselves rule that out.

My first major visit to London was with a one year old, and we did
just fine.

Barb

Barbara Bomberger

On Wed, 10 Aug 2005 17:46:16 +0100, The Reids
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >give your immune system a workout, I say!
    >>>I cant really work out what the OP is going to do in Europe with
    >>>a young child in tow that they couldn't do at home except relax
    >>>in a different culture in a villa.
    >>That's where we differ. I have 4 children born over a 10 year period,
    >>and I traveled extensively with them from the time they were little.
    >>Both because I like to travel and because my spouse was in the Navy
    >>and was transferred from place to place quite frequently. So I know
    >>that you can travel quite happily (if a little more slowly) with a
    >>young child and see quite a lot.
    >I'll take your word for it, the subject is a mystery to me, never
    >had kids or wanted any, when I see people traveling with kids, I
    >always think, is it worth it?

The answer is yes, or we wouldnt do it. For many of us it isnt all
that much effort. Other than taking a stroller along as baggage, my
child probably packed lighter than I did when they were toddlers and
preschoolers. And the basic necessities are pretty much the same
everywhere.

Children are not always alot of effort.

Barb
    >>>In March I don't think anywhere outside of The Alhambra will be
    >>>*that* busy.
    >>How about the Costa Brava?
    >In March, why would many people be there? I went to a package
    >destination in mid winter once on Mallorca, just one modest
    >restaurant was open for the locals. If its "real Spain" of course
    >it will be business as usual.
    >>>You know, everyone in US raves about Barcelona, for me its fairly
    >>>well down the list. One thing the OP could do is St Sebastian as
    >>I think it is the architecture that is the draw there.
    >Yes, Gaudi is a good Barcelona point.
    >>>it has a town beach fine for toddlers, one of my favourite places
    >>>aside from Cadiz and similar places which have the great
    >>>advantages of having unspoilt Spanishness and not a lot to do.
    >>I haven't been fortunate enough to get to St. Sebastian. There are
    >>lots of places I'd like to visit, that I haven't been -- yet.
    >"http://www.fell-walker.co.uk/basque.htm#sebastian"
    >La Concha beach is lovely and the tapas is brilliant, sadly there
    >are signs that the ones in the old quarter *may* be starting to
    >become spoiled by the tourist/entrepreneur relationship. Then
    >there are Akelari and Arzak, two of the best restaurants in
    >Spain, up there with El Bulli, IMHO.

Ericka Kammerer

The Reids wrote:

    > I'll take your word for it, the subject is a mystery to me, never
    > had kids or wanted any, when I see people traveling with kids, I
    > always think, is it worth it?

Sure. Kids frequently *enjoy* travelling, and it's a delight
to share the world with them. It requires some accommodation for
young children, but less than you might think. Do you think you
wouldn't have enjoyed travelling as a child? In my experience,
kids who are enjoying themselves are quite well-behaved and easy
to work with, and there are fascinating things to see and do
nearly anywhere you go.

Best wishes,
Ericka

Circe

"The Reids" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > I'll take your word for it, the subject is a mystery to me, never
    > had kids or wanted any, when I see people traveling with kids, I
    > always think, is it worth it?
In my opinion, absolutely.

Our children are now 8, 6, and 3.5. In the past 3 years, we have done the
following trips with them and had a wonderful time on every one:

1. Italy--Tuscany (October 2002)
2. Greece--Athens and the Peloponnese (April 2004)
3. Mexico--Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo and Mexico City (Christmas/New Year's
2004-2005)
4. Italy--Sorrento/Amalfi and Rome (March 2005)
5. US--Virginia/DC/Baltimore (last week)

Our next planned trip will be to Spain in March-April of 2006 (already have
the plane tickets).

We do make some concessions to the fact that we have children when making
our travel plans. We tend to rent self-catering apartments/villas in Europe,
for example, and stay in one place for several days at a stretch with day
trips to nearby sites rather than moving around on a daily basis (though we
did move daily on this last east coast trip, but the kids really didn't like
it!).

We certainly don't spend as much time on "cultural" attractions like art
museums as we would if it was just adults and we do have to make time every
day or two for the kids to do something really kid-oriented (even if it's
just playing on a playground).

I know a lot of people share your opinion that it's nuts to travel with
children, especially to places like Europe, but I guess I'm an optimist and
I know I have a much better time with them than without them. There have
been priceless moments on every trip that we'd never have had if the
children weren't along (e.g., watching them run the stadium in Olympia or
listening to my then-3yo sing the theme to Bob the Builder as we toured
Pompeii). But there's also the fact that you see a country very differently
when you go with children than when you go without, and one of those ways is
that you stop and smell the roses a little more--it becomes less of a quest
to see as much as you possibly can in as short a time as possible and more
of a quest to just enjoy where you are and the simple things that the people
who live there do and see every day. I think that's a really valuable way to
travel, myself. YMMV!
--
Be well, Barbara

Banty

In article <%I5Le.20070$E95.10389@fed1read01>, Circe says...
    >"The Reids" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    >news:[email protected].. .
    >> I'll take your word for it, the subject is a mystery to me, never
    >> had kids or wanted any, when I see people traveling with kids, I
    >> always think, is it worth it?
    >In my opinion, absolutely.
    >Our children are now 8, 6, and 3.5. In the past 3 years, we have done the
    >following trips with them and had a wonderful time on every one:
    >1. Italy--Tuscany (October 2002)
    >2. Greece--Athens and the Peloponnese (April 2004)
    >3. Mexico--Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo and Mexico City (Christmas/New Year's
    >2004-2005)
    >4. Italy--Sorrento/Amalfi and Rome (March 2005)
    >5. US--Virginia/DC/Baltimore (last week)
    >Our next planned trip will be to Spain in March-April of 2006 (already have
    >the plane tickets).


Can I be one of your kids?

Banty

Circe

"Banty" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > In article <%I5Le.20070$E95.10389@fed1read01>, Circe says...
    >>Our children are now 8, 6, and 3.5. In the past 3 years, we have done the
    >>following trips with them and had a wonderful time on every one:
    >>1. Italy--Tuscany (October 2002)
    >>2. Greece--Athens and the Peloponnese (April 2004)
    >>3. Mexico--Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo and Mexico City (Christmas/New Year's
    >>2004-2005)
    >>4. Italy--Sorrento/Amalfi and Rome (March 2005)
    >>5. US--Virginia/DC/Baltimore (last week)
    >>Our next planned trip will be to Spain in March-April of 2006 (already
    >>have
    >>the plane tickets).
    > Can I be one of your kids?
LOL! I'm pleased to say that at least my oldest child seems to understand
and appreciate all the travelling we do. He says his friends are all amazed
by all the places he's been and are envious of all his travels.
--
Be well, Barbara

Clint

You must be rich! My kids are lucky to visit the zoo(quit bragging!)
"Circe" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:cZ7Le.20080$E95.496@fed1read01...
    > "Banty" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    >> In article <%I5Le.20070$E95.10389@fed1read01>, Circe says...
    >>>Our children are now 8, 6, and 3.5. In the past 3 years, we have done the
    >>>following trips with them and had a wonderful time on every one:
    >>>1. Italy--Tuscany (October 2002)
    >>>2. Greece--Athens and the Peloponnese (April 2004)
    >>>3. Mexico--Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo and Mexico City (Christmas/New Year's
    >>>2004-2005)
    >>>4. Italy--Sorrento/Amalfi and Rome (March 2005)
    >>>5. US--Virginia/DC/Baltimore (last week)
    >>>Our next planned trip will be to Spain in March-April of 2006 (already
    >>>have
    >>>the plane tickets).
    >> Can I be one of your kids?
    > LOL! I'm pleased to say that at least my oldest child seems to understand
    > and appreciate all the travelling we do. He says his friends are all
    > amazed by all the places he's been and are envious of all his travels.
    > --
    > Be well, Barbara
    >