the Discovery

Get off the train at Dundee, go outside and you’re surrounded by building sites. Dundee is re-inventing itself again. Once it was jute and shipbuilding, now creating computer games has made it the UK’s number one location for games software designers.
Walk from the station across the building work dictated walkways – you can’t call them pavements – and follow the well signposted way into the city centre and you’ll find more building there. Go the other away across the road from the station towards the masts of the “Discovery” and there’s more down there as well.

Look at a map of Dundee and it seems widespread; walk it and you realise it is closer than you think. It took me no longer than five minutes to walk from the station to the Overgate Shopping Centre, the biggest in the centre of Dundee and not much longer to get to the McManus Gallery and Museum.
But back to the Discovery. In this year when we have the anniversary celebrations of Capt. Robert Falcon Scott’s ill-fated attempt to be the first to get to the South Pole, the Discovery will be on the ‘must-see’ list of those interested in this story of heroism and, in the end, tragedy. The ship is moored in an area that is part museum part exhibition centre called Discovery Point. the entrance to which is ‘guarded’ by two rather coy looking stone penguins. And coming nearby will be HMS Unicorn which is currently to be found in the Victoria Dock. This ship is a little odd. Although built in 1824, it has no rigging for after the Napoleonic wars there was not such a need for the navy so she was roofed over and never used. It means that the roof has preserved her to an enviable degree. She might look like a hulk from a distance but on board she definitely isn’t.

HMS Unicorn

Here for nearly 140 years, the proposed move explains some of the building work going on between the Discovery and the Tay Bridge. There has been a lot of regeneration here. Older buildings have been converted to houses; new blocks of flats have been constructed and City Quay – a collection of retail outlets, offices and restuarants – has been established. Yet the old links remain and you can still say the railway lines in the cobbled pathways where the goods from the ships were taken away into the city. A marina is obviously the next thing here.

The other Tay Bridge, the railway one that brought me into the city still has some pylons next to it left over from the bridge that collapsed over 130 years ago killing so many and celebrated in the poem by that dreadful poet William McGonigall so beloved of Spike Milligan. If you must read the poem, click here.

Wellgate clock

Moving from the waterfront to the town and outside the Overton is Dundee Parish Church and a few more stone penguins adorning the small wall outside. The Overton is one of many shopping centres in the town but do go to the top floor of the Wellgate one and catch the clock, particularly when it’s about to chime. The moving parts will occupy the attention of kids for a minute or so.

Albert Square is where you’ll find the McManus Galleries but you might go the wrong building because the High School of Dundee has a museum type exterior and with the parking outside could easily be mistaken for one. But the McManus is opposite and the entrance is up a road leading from the square. Described as high Victorian Gothic, I first thought the building was a church. Inside it has been revamped and this 150 year old Dundee institution is a microcosm of the development of the city. You’ll find examples of Dundee silver – today highly prized by collectors – as well as memorabilia connected to The Beano. (D.C. Thomson, the publishers of The Beano have their office opposite the museum in the square. There is also a Desperate Dan outdoor sculpture off City Square.)

Desperate Dan

There is the story of jute upon which a lot of the wealth of Dundee was created and shipbuilding (Discovery was built here) and there are five Pictish standing stones with very clear patterns carved into them reflecting a much earlier time. Do look out for a rather strange pot. Called the Haar Head, this is a view of the city taken from across the river and then moulded into a rather peculiar pot. And decorated with lego and toy cars!
If the McManus shows some of the stories that made Dundee, the Verdant Works on the outskirts shows one industry, jute, in detail. One of the jute millionaires funded Shackleton’s Arctic trips, many donated widely as you can see from the exhibits in the McManus and others created striking buildings. Look at the S&D Properties building in Meadowside and the adjoining chamber of commerce building. Or the derelict old Tay Hotel building, the McManus and the school opposite it.
The Verdant shows the condition that people worked in, how the jute was refined and how it made millions for the cty. And for the workers, there were some – to our modern eyes – rather appalling conditions. But Dundee contains other, slightly more unusual museums as well. The University of Dundee has broadened its appeal by making some of its collections available to a wider public. So at Ninewells Hospital you can see the Tayside Medical History Museum and the D’Arcy Thompson Zoology Museum. There are also exhibitions in the Tower Building in the university. But I haven’t even mentioned the Mills Observatory, Camperdown Park or many other attractions. So forget Dundee for a day. You need a weekend and a long one at that.

If you’re leaving by rail, walk back down Whitehall Street and pause at the window of Fisher and Donaldson. You’ll see free range haggis cakes, biscuits with Robert Burns on and Tim’rus Beastie cakes. Buy a few that can eat on the way back to remind you of your stay.

food souvenirs

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The other Hamley's

Wanna play Butch Cassidy?

For more information about Pendleton, click here

The Connaught, London

Set in swanky Mayfair, the Connaught has old-fashioned values (top-notch butler service, antique furniture) as well as modern frills (the UK’s only Aman Spa). With their ‘Truly, Madly, Deeply’ package, you’ll enjoy a one-night stay, champagne on arrival, an edible Valentine in-room treat and English breakfast. And just this once, you’re encouraged to take home the (personalised monogrammed) towels.
Valentine’s package price: From £385
Dates: 1–29 February
mrandmrssmith.com/the-connaught

Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa, Wiltshire

This hotel has it all: an award-winning spa, croquet lawn, equestrian centre (horse riding for two can be arranged) and tennis courts are all feathers in this handsome hotel’s hat. Arrive to pink champagne in your room, then tuck in to dinner at the Michelin-starred Park restaurant; next morning, enjoy a full English breakfast.
Valentine’s package price: From £470
Dates: 14 February
mrandmrssmith.com/lucknam-park

St Moritz Hotel, Cornwall

A multitalented modernist resort overlooking the Camel Estuary, the St Moritz Hotel has a Cowshed spa, activities galore and a buzzing restaurant and bar. February has been declared the ‘month of love’ and their romantic package includes one night’s stay and a top-secret ‘Luxe Love’ box of adult treats.
Valentine’s package price: From £195
Dates: 1–29 February
mrandmrssmith.com/st-moritz

Stoke Park, Buckinghamshire

Fancy living it up at an imposing stately mansion? Indulge yourselves with a one-night stay, dinner and breakfast, a personalised cake for two, chilled champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries. They’ll also give you an SPC bath and body oil collection – ideal for trying out the sort of massages they don’t provide in their incredible spa.
Valentine’s package price: From £470
Dates: 10–14 February
mrandmrssmith.com/ stoke-park

Lime Wood, Hampshire

This stately pile has a serious air of luxury, with devotedly designed interiors, a super spa and two tantalising restaurants. Lime Wood’s five-course Valentine’s feast (designed to be shared) includes truffle-baked clams, roast Hampshire mallard carved at the table and baked Tunworth cheese with homemade bread – perfect for dunking à deux.
Valentine’s dinner price: £170 per couple, excluding drinks. (Why not make a night of it, boutique bedrooms from £295 on Valentine’s night?)
Dates: 14 February
mrandmrssmith.com/lime-wood

Aquapura, Douro Valley, Portugal

Portugal’s sexiest spa retreat offers views of the valley in all its sweeping vine-clad majesty as well as a tempting Valentine’s package: during your two-night stay you’ll be welcomed with a cocktail, pampered with a 55-minute spa treatment for two, and wined and dined with a delectable three-course meal.
Valentine’s package price: From €285
Dates: 9–15 February
mrandmrssmith.com/aquapura

A’jia Hotel, Istanbul, Turkey

Sleek design and a grand Ottoman exterior entwine on the banks of the Bosphorus: inside, your Romance Suite awaits. Sip cocktails at check-in, then luxuriate during a 30-minute massage for two, followed by dinner with wine. Next morning, discover the delights of a Turkish breakfast.
Valentine’s package price: From £540
Dates: 14 February
mrandmrssmith.com/ajia-hotel

Canal House, Amsterdam, Netherlands

This Dutch masterpiece boasts both a romantic-hideaway garden and some seriously seductive bedrooms. Escape to Amsterdam for the night and enjoy homemade chocolate truffles, a Green & Spring candle in your room and a three-course dinner, with a full breakfast laid on the next day.
Valentine’s package price: From £228
Dates: 10–18 February
mrandmrssmith.com/canal-house

La Mamounia, Marrakech, Morocco

Ravishing and regal, this legendary den of decadence is set in royal gardens, styled with a medley of art deco and Moorish opulence, and as sensuous as a seraglio. Arrive for your two-night stay in a chauffeur-driven Daimler, then prepare to be spoilt: your Moroccan adventure involves a 30-minute massage, 45-minute helicopter tour of the Atlas Mountains, dinner, breakfast and a 60-minute Shiseido spa ritual.
Valentine’s package price: From £2,140
Dates: 9–20 February
mrandmrssmith.com/la-mamounia

Grand Hotel Villa Cora, Florence, Italy

Built in the 1870s by Baron Oppenheim for his wife, Grand Hotel Villa Cora is a love letter in art and architecture: it’s opulent in the extreme, but by no means over-blinged. Book through Mr & Mrs Smith and receive an upgrade to a deluxe room, a special gift and breakfast in bed.
Valentine’s package price: From €250
Dates: Until 31 March
mrandmrssmith.com/villa-cora

For more on Mr & Mrs Smith or to book one of the hotels above, please visit www.mrandmrssmith.com

Tesco's, Royal Avenue

If I am asked what I remember most about the city, I could mention the links with Titanic but if I were honest it would be a branch of Tesco.
But before the local tourist people weep in frustration, let me explain. This Tesco is in Royal Avenue, slightly set back from the pavement. In other cities and towns it could be the assembly rooms or a town hall. It is white with pillars shading the doors and, through them, you can see the aisles, tills and produce. But the ceiling and some of the walls are in a vibrant blues. There is a glass dome overhanging the check-outs and you wonder whether the shoppers stop and wonder at what they see. Certainly, you won’t find it in most of the guide books (I haven’t read them all) nor in the material you get from the tourist information people.

Served by two airports, the closest to the centre of Belfast is the George Best Belfast City Airport. The connecting bus service (£2 a single, £3 return) takes you into the bus station where you can switch to buses or trains. (Great Victoria Street station) Although the city centre is walkable, if you plan on visiting the Ulster Museum or the Titanic Quarter and museum, (it opens on 31st March) I’d suggest you spend £2.90 on a day long bus pass. The single bus or train fare within the city is £1.40 (a return, £1.80) so provided you do more than two trips, the day pass is better value.
There is another pass called the Belfast Visitor Pass which you can buy for one, two or three  days and costs £6.50, £10.50 and £14 respectively. A child’s pass is cheaper. Is this worth it? You get free travel on the local buses just like the cheaper pass but you can also use the trains. It also gives you discounts ranging from 10-25 percent off entry to some attractions and the zoo but if you weren’t planning to go to some, think twice and do the maths first. If you take a city bus tour (of which there are five, then there are hefty discounts if you have the Pass.) Remember the Ulster Museum – as a national museum – has free entry but with the Pass you can get 10 percent off purchases in the gift shop.

At the moment in Belfast, most of the talk is about Titanic. There are exhibitions planned, a new museum, there are public sculptures looking like copper-clad tusks in Royal Avenue that list the names of some of the more famous White Star Line ships (look down onto the pavement for the details of each) and near the Odyssey entertainment complex there is a model of the Titanic vertically suspended in front of a block of flats.

Hanging Titanic

The Titanic Quarter, an area east of the city and adjacent to where the ferries dock, is undergoing fantastic change as blocks of flats are built, a science park has opened and they ready the landscape for the opening day. Harland and Wolff, who built the Titanic for the White Star Line, still operate and their two gigantic yellow cranes – called Goliath and Samson – dominate the landscape. They are hardly forty years old, still in use, but already scheduled monuments. Much of the old buildings have been demolished but some of the offices remain and sightseers crowd under an arch in the old building to take photographs of the new museum.

The Pumping House is still there, open to the public, and you can take a tour. But outside the Pumping House, the old Thompson Dry Dock is still there, the very dock in which the Titanic was constructed. At first sight it looks smaller than you would imagine it to be. Its only when you walk around the whole thing that you appreciate its size. It would be nice to go down to the bottom of the dock which, I think, would give an even more impressive view of it but that is not allowed. Around the outside there are still the railway lines that would have ferried in the materials used in the work as are the fittings that would have held her in place. So too are a stack of the keel blocks on which the Titanic would have sat as she was being built. Each weighed four and a half tons.

The new Titanic museum

The soon-to-be opened museum is a spectacle of polished squares adorning what I think looks like a geometric propeller shaft which surrounds a glass structure inside. It is actually an image of three hulls of the Titanic, Oceanic and Britannic which inspired the architect when he saw an old photograph. More on this after it opens at the end of March.

There is one other sight that is easily overlooked as most visitors just head straight for the Titanic links. HMS Caroline is moored here, the only surviving ship from the Battle of Jutland in the WWI. The second oldest surviving ship in the navy (the eldest, Nelson’s HMS Victory, is moored in Portsmouth,) she is still used for the naval reserve and, although in reasonable condition, could use a bit of TLC to improve her looks.

There are quite a few shopping areas in the middle of the city and the retail heart is the Royal Avenue (which is dominated by Castle Court Centre) and the side streets off it. But make a special visit to Victoria Square. Here there is a central dome at the top of a circular staircase (use the lift to go up) and you can get a good view of the city and the hills outside. The wooden cladding around the centre makes it a striking piece of public architecture in its own right. And go to St George’s Market in May Street, a fresh food and produce area where you can get the pick of Northern Ireland’s best. On Sundays it becomes an antiques and craft market.

Victoria Square Shopping

The architecture is something that you cannot miss as you walk around. The well-known City Hall is a striking piece of grand Victoriana but spare some time for some less well-known ones. Opposite each other on the corners of Royal Avenue and North Street are two buildings. One is the art deco Sinclair building but which has a gone-to-the-wall retailer, Grand Central, on it at ground level. The building is in splendid condition unlike the other 1930’s building of the Bank of Ireland. Daubed with anti-bank graffiti, it needs some upkeep but still is easy to see how grand it once would have looked. Unlike the Belfast Telegraph building and the library which were constructed in the red stone that marks many of the Victorian buildings and are in splendid condition. Go up to the reference section in the library to see another doom that lets light flood onto the readers. Another building you should see is Café Vaudeville, once a bank, now a popular nightspot. From the outside it doesn’t look very imposing. Inside, and you get a surprise. With its marble floors, glass dome and palm plants it strikes a very different and glamorous appeal. Even the outside of the King’s Hall – a conference centre – in stark blue and pink recalls the art deco days.

can you see the join?

To the south of the city and past the grand structure that makes up part of Queen’s University, are the botanic gardens and the widely known Ulster Museum. The gardens contain a glass greenhouse called the Palm House and which is a bit like the glass building in Kew Gardens in London. And no wonder, because they were both designer by Dubliner, Richard Turner. Only Belfast’s came first!
The museum began as a fairly typical looking early twentieth century museum built of white stone with pillars and that air of solidity. When it needed to expand, the additions were made of concrete and continued the lines of the stone but without windows and then evolved into modern concrete styles. You can easily see the join where it happened, the intermediary stage where the architect tries to combine the two and then the modern. The information sign outside points out the success of this achievement. Not everyone might be convinced. Today, images generally only show the modern entrance area. What they will have no criticism of is the light and airy central area inside. But go into the different rooms and you can get confused with the walkways and end up in the same areas. Some areas worth visiting could be the collection of gun barrels recovered from Spanish ships that sank during the Armada as the fled before the storms around the west coast of Ireland in 1588 and the street art exhibition complete with Banksy prints. In the history section there is an exhibit of the period of the Troubles. Composed of just black and white images, no memorabilia or personal reminiscences on tape for you to listen to, it is eerily effective despite the fact that the Troubles were neither black nor white.

Belfast, shipbuilding and the sea are entwined in history. So it comes as a surprise that after you pass the ferry terminal and the estuary becomes the River Lagan it narrows rapidly and becomes no wider than many ordinary rivers. The change is as dramatic as you see in Belfast itself as it has moved from shipbuilding to financial services and from industrial city to “hot” tourist destination which is how National Geographic Travel Magazine has labelled it.

Titanic is everywhere

For more information, click here.

When in Britain the sky is the colour of porridge , the leaves are falling and everyone is succumbing to the  cough-ice, in Barbados it’s hot. Not sweltering sunstroke hot you understand, but blue skies, smattering of clouds, top up the tan hot.

Only a handful of places on earth are more seductive and beautiful in the flesh than on the postcard but, in my mind, Barbados is one of them. Even better: it doesn’t require a string of vaccinations to get there and you’re guaranteed sun and spoken English.

The majority of Brits make a beeline for Barbados’ fabled west coast which isn’t nicknamed the Platinum coast for nothing: this lap of luxury is where the jet set (think leggy models, real estate gurus, playboys and socialites) hang out. For people watching at its most intoxicating, look no further than Lime Grove – a new, overdraft shattering shopping mall packed with people who look like they are living in an Armani holiday advert.

Yes the west coast is good at showing off, but sometimes less is more right? So if, like me, you can survive a holiday without bumping into Simon Cowell and co, head south where you’ll find pockets of paradise that have not yet been lost.There’s no such thing as a bad beach in Barbados, but Brownes beach, Miami beach and Accra beach – all on the sun kissed south coast – are exceptionally fine spots to toast on a sun lounger and then spend longer in the paint box turquoise water than a dolphin. From a distance, the ocean appears a tantalizingly unnatural aqua but, up close, it’s as clear as if poured from a tap.

The three S’s – sun, sand and sea – are invariably Barbados’ biggest headline grabbers but, while undeniably beautiful, they tend to divert from the island’s equally enticing interior. Here you’ll find rolling hills, traditional chattel houses the colour of mint ice cream, beautiful botanical gardens, magnificent plantation houses (step forward St Nicholas Abbey) and the spectacular subterranean attraction that is Harrison’s Cave. This massive underground cave stream system, which recently celebrated its 30th anniversary, is the place to gaze in awe at caverns and crystallised formations.

But it’s the island’s east coast that excites me most, being that little bit more colourful, curious, courageous and crazy than the rest of the Barbados. Sequestered by sugar canes and thick fields, this is the Caribbean in its rawest, most real state. I’m staying in the eastern parish of St Philip where on a patch of grass, a makeshift wicket is set up and a tattered ball hurled at a well worn bat while ladies in their best outfits gather at the church next door; where rural roads are lined with home grown produce stands and cows and goats wander into the road, while the blue green sea glistens in the sun and the vegetation has a lush brilliance.

By contrast Bridgetown – Barbados’ bustling capital – is a lively place to stroll overflowing with fruit sellers and souvenir shops targeting cruise ship passengers in search of an ‘I heart Barbados’ t-shirt and Tortuga rum cake. On Broad Street – the Bajan capital’s main thoroughfare – you can also window shop for tax free Rolexes and Ray Bans.

When you’ve had your retail therapy fix, make for the George Washington House (the only house outside of America where the great man resided), followed by the Barbados Museum. The latter is hardly the V&A but does give you a flavour of the colonial period of life. It’s perfectly possible to ‘do’ Bridgetown in an afternoon, although admittedly that goes against the chilled out nature of the island.

After ambling around town, chances are you’ll have worked up an appetite. Fortunately Barbados has a thriving local gastronomic scene and restaurants such as the Roundhouse and The Cliff have earned a reputation for quality – as well as their arresting views. But if you’re not happily cashed up, panic not – you won’t go hungry in Barbados. Choose from food stalls, then sit and feast with locals eating street nosh like flying fish, cou cou (a cornmeal and okra staple), cutters (meat or fish sandwiches in salt bread) and, of course, jerk chicken with rice and peas. Whatever delicacy you plump for, it must be sprinkled with the fiery yellow Bajan sauce which sits on every table top.

In the evening, aim to watch the sun set from Ramshackle or Dippers – two friendly beachside bars where you can drink rum punch (be warned the ubiquitous Bajan cocktail often includes enough rum to fell an ox) from glasses the size of goldfish bowls, while watching the wavelets tiptoe up the shore. Then dance away the calories at Harbour Lights – the kind of club your Mother warned you about: think hormones, hedonism and a whole lotta fun! The cover charge can hit B$50 on Friday nights but, to paraphrase Bob Marley, when it includes rum punches aplenty, “everything is going to be all right”.

Similarly, St Lawrence Gap – Barbados’ infamous bar strip – is another good time place: a hang out for the young and hedonistic, with a lust for life. You will stay up all night (despite good intentions I never made it to bed before midnight) until the dawn of another cloudless day for there’s always one last rum and coke, to be consumed.

But there’s more to Bajan nightlife than sipping cocktails with pretty young things, to fresh DJ spun tunes. If you’re in Barbados on a Friday night, don’t miss the legendary Oistins Fish Fry. The small fishing village opens it doors to tourists and locals alike, all of whom flock here for the barbecue fish and rum drinking, to a backdrop of reggae, pop and country music. Yet as fantastic as events like the Friday night fish fry are, without a doubt one of the island’s greatest assets is its people. Charming and hospitable, they always have time to talk and help make Barbados one of the most welcoming countries in the Caribbean.

Of course, all this costs. It’s safe to say that Barbados has never been a cheap destination and prices for accommodation can be shockingly high. Then there remains the matter of the journey: the biggest headache with Barbados, is the usually exorbitant cost of getting there. However even if the island leaves you lighter in pocket,  trust CD-Traveller when we say that you’ll leave with a heavy heart. All in all, this is one of the Caribbean’s top treats: I’m going back next year.

Need to know

Getting around
Transport is a doddle compared to other Caribbean countries. Local buses and mini-vans are safe, cheap and frequent although they are not a quiet experience. Buses blare out Rihanna – the local girl done good – and reggae at full volume, and it can take forever to get from A-B because the drivers keep stopping to pick up friends and relatives!

Don’t miss excursions
Two unforgettable day trips include a Tiami catamaran cruise (a five hour cruise with lunch, snorkelling and giant turtle viewing opportunities) and a trip to the Mount Gay rum distillery. Rum is the drink of Barbados be it by itself, with coke or in a cocktail. At Mount Gay Rum visitors centre, you can take a tour of a working distillery and learn a little more about the world famous rum (the darker the drink, the older the rum but note that unlike scotch, older doesn’t necessarily mean better). On Tuesdays and Thursdays, an excellent West Indian buffet that includes macaroni pie, flying fish and Bajan rum cake is offered at the end of the tour.

To book a Tiami catamaran cruise, visit www.tallshipcruises.com. To book a Mount Gay Rum tour, check out www.mountgayrum.com. For more information on Barbados, log onto www.visitbarbados.org

Valentine was a Christian priest in the 3rd century Rome who would advise young couples their future. Not having enough soldiers to draft, Claudius II outlawed marriage and when Valentine continued to marry couples in secret, threw him in gaol. When he cured the gaoler’s daughter of her blindness, Claudius II sentenced him to death. Valentine he left one last note on the day of his execution (14th February 268AD) for the daughter signed “Your Valentine” and so a romantic tradition was born. Saint Valentine officially became the patron Saint of lovers in 1496 when canonized by Pope Alexander VI.
In celebration, each year Roquemaure reassumes its 19th century look with a festival called La Fête du Baiser -the Festival of the Kiss. Eight hundred traditionally costumed people, horses and carriages take part in an attraction that lures 20,000 people to the town each year. Shop fronts get decorated in a 19th century fashion, the old post office sells souvenir valentine postcards, there is a lovers’ fountain, a market with over 60 ancient trades, a bandstand and wooden merry-go-rounds. The street names are even changed to celebrate the most famous lovers in French Literature.
There are also concerts, street processions, candle lighting opportunities, firework displays and romantic meals aplenty. You can even make a toast in wine from a local vineyard, Cave Saint Valentine.
Now isn’t that better than giving your loved one an overpriced, single red rose?
For more information, click here

Images courtesy of Association Saint Valentin.