I've been home a few weeks so thought it was time I posted about my holiday in Crete.
We went on 14 October, we had a good flight 8.25am if the Thomas Cook network hadn't decided to crash, 2.1/2 hours to check in, plus 3 hours delay on top of that while all the other flights were checked in manually. What a farce, no-one came near any of us to apologise or give us any information. However, we boarded and took off at 1pm and the cabin crew and captain were brilliant. It did mean, however, we landed just before it got dark and our journey to our hotel was in darkness robbing us of our first view of Crete.
We were stopping in Malia which is a "fun" destination, so I'm really glad we went off-season when the majority of people staying in our small hotel were the same age and older than us and very nice. It must be horrific in the summer. However the old town was interesting though small.
Pics of the beach, the island with a small church, the old town and church:
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
One day we took a local bus to Agios Niklaus (not sure of the spelling). A fishing port from which you could go to the island of Spinalonga where there used to be a leper colony. We didn't go because we didn't come prepared for a sea journey:
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
The day before we went home we went to the ancient palace at Knossos, where the myth of the Labyrinth and the Minatour comes from. Unfortunately no sign has ever been found of a labyrinth, however there a pictures depicting a game of leaping over a bull, one of the first games knows:
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
After this we went into Heraklion where we saw buildings dating from the Venetian occupation of Crete:
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
We headed off for home the next day but airports hadn't finished with us yet, the Greek Air Traffic Controllers were on strike so we had another 4 hour wait in a crowded non-airconditioned airport. We got home safely though after a great time.
Chris
Today was open day at Bangor University where my youngest daughter has a place conditional on getting the right 'A' level results. Although I've driven past there plenty of times I've never been into Bangor. What a beautiful place for a university, by the sea next to Snowdonia and right across from Anglesey. It's been founded since 1884 and the main building was built in the early 1900's. The main hall has a most magnificent pipe organ and, as we were told, is a good example of Edwardian architecture. I hope she gets in because it's only and hour and half from home which gives her independence but won't cost her much to get home. My middle daughter is an undergraduate at Bangor but as she's nursing she does it in Wrexham attached to the hospital there.
Then the end of series 4 of Doctor Who, I won't post any spoilers because I know some of my friends will not have watched it yet. But don't miss it whatever you do it was well worth the wait.
Chris
We used to have the Monday Market which used to cover a huge area, now it's being developed into a Shopping Centre complete with Bowling Alley and Cinema. They do, however, have a French and Farmer's market once a month which is good fun. These new things will be great but the little people have suffered, the small shopkeepers, the local people who set up their own businesses seem to be few and far between, yes some still set up but there are lots of sales and closing down sales about.
We have two stores in my village run by the same franchise, they are quite big but there used to be a little shop down the road from where I lived and if you ran out of the most obscure thing you could go there and he would find it in the back and I'm not talking that long ago.
Now I'll stop sounding like a boring old fart and go back reading fanfic.
Chris
I'll think about posting a report but I'm not much good so I'll post a couple of pics I took.
Myself and Ron with Kai Owen
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
And the Marsters himself, enjoy everybody
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
Chris
It's not long now before I'm off to The Rift, I'm going down with my husband Ron, and then coming back on Sunday as I've got work on Monday and Tuesday and then it's back to London for Borderline and Union Chapel and then onto Collectormania where I've got pics with James and John Barrowman. I'm really excited now and I hope the rain keeps off.
After I come back home it'll only be a few days before I'm off the Portugal for a week. I'm going to Albufeura, the same place as last year. I hope it's as good as last year.
I hope to see a few people I know in London. Bye for now.
Chris
I went to see Dave Spikey on Thursday. He is very funny, it is the second time I have seen him and I was impressed that he did a completely different show to last time. He had no support act and stood and talked for two hours and I believe could have talked for another two. He is not as famous as Peter Kay but I think he is just as funny and he is a very clever man.
I then went out last night for a meal with the people from work. We went to an Italian restaurant which is my favourite, I had a lovely two course meal but the pavlova was a bit too cold for my liking, however I ate most of it. It's great to go out with people you like after working in a place for so long with a lot of people who didn't like me any more than I liked them.
Chris
My Borderline ticket has gone missing in the post. I didn't even realise anyone had received theres through SeeTickets unitl I went on More than Spike. I went to check if mine had been despatched and it was on 6 February. I got mine for Union Chapel about a week or more ago but not the Borderline one. I rang them up and they said that if I had not received it by 48 hours before the event to ring them and they would make a duplicate for me but I would have to take my confirmation and the card I used to the venue and they would issue one there. I'm hoping I can still get a good place with all the messing about I'll have to do.
One more thing by Union Chapel ticket was posted 2nd class instead of 1st.
Chris
I seem to be living in limbo at the moment, waiting for Wednesday night to see Captain John in all his glory and on the other hand not wanting it to come too quickly as it will be the end of the series until we see him again and hopefully not for the last time.
I keep waiting for news of the rest of the tour because I am dying to get organising and it's so frustrating not knowing what's happening. I hope we get an event like at Rich Mix and Cardiff and a Q&A session because I know he won't be able to avoid letting all sorts of little snippets about DragonBall out.
Roll on the end of April.
Chris
I've done it, eventually, I've been to see PSILY. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would and James looked absolutely fantastic on the big screen. I got a bit fed up with the second part in Ireland (no prizes for guessing why), I thought the scene re-creating Holly and Gerry's first meeting went on far too long and got a bit boring, a bit like the song and dance bits Disney are so fond of. To be honest I thought the supporting actors were far better than Hilary and Gerard, I didn't see the sparks enough.
I went with my daughter Jenny and when James came on I was nudging her and giggling and Jenny said "I know, I know". I was annoyed that they cut to Holly and her mom when James got up to make a speech at the funeral and although he looked fantastic he didn't have enough to say. All in all though James made the best of it and it's got him noticed.
At the end when they showed the Irish scenery Jenny turned to me and said "it's just like Wales" and it was, and it makes me realise how lucky I am to live in this area.
Now roll on 16 January, I think I'll keep the fan handy to cool me off.
Chris
I'm saving like mad for April and here's hoping to see all of you there.
Chris
We had lunch in the pub there which overlooks The Orient foodcourt, the ceiling there reflects the sky outside and at one end looks like a scene from the Titanic with a replica of a ship's bridge.
I love Strictly Come Dancing and was looking at a book to get for the girls and when I got on the bus they'd got it for me which passed the time until we got home. I know this is very disjointed but I'm going to see the live show of Strictly Come Dancing in February at the MEN Arena in Manchester and I can't wait to see Anton du Beck he's such a gentleman.
Not my best post, off to bed in a mo, night, night.
Chris
I'm never very good at reports, especially about James because he sends me into a fog but as I attended both day and night I'll add my little bit. My whole experience not just James.
I thought I had plenty of time on Friday to get ready for Cardiff as my husband Ron was working until 4pm whereas I was only working until 12pm. However, half way through the morning a phone call came from Ron saying he was finishing at 1.30pm so a mad rush it became and consequently I forgot my camera.
What a horrific journery to Cardiff, as Ron finished early we couldn't borrow his works sat nav, we queued for an hour to get through Hereford and got lost when we reached Cardiff and had to ring the hotel for directions. We got there eventually and for a cheap hotel £32, it was ok, clean and about a 10 minute walk from The Point. Cardiff, however, was very cold.
I met my room mates for the Saturday night, Ulla from Sweden and Monique from Holland, uih and Magifire from Moz, and arranged to meet them the next morning.
When I got to the Point on Saturday I met loads of friends I'd made on line and at Spring Fever and we spent the next few hours talking about James so the time went quite quickly. Then a car pulled up and out got Steve Himber, Gareth and of course James, we all gave a great cheer and James whooped and raised his hands above his head giving us a great view of his stomach, Ulla got a lovely shot of this.
We got in and to my great surprise Ulla, Monique and I got places in the second row behind the disabled fans. Monique and I kept on expecting someone to come along and say we'd taken their places. Someone came on from JMLive and announced they would be taking the pics with James and Gareth, first two rows first. They said it would be James and Gareth first and then they changed their minds and made it James only and as I wasn't too sure if I'd miss out if I didn't queue then I chose to get one with James and being on quite a tight budget I missed out one with Gareth.
James gave me a big hug and then put his arms round me for the photo, I couldn't resist and put my arms round him as well and when I can download it here I will show you the pic. I asked him how he liked Wales and he said the Wales "kicked ass" and a few more things that I can't remember.
Gareth came down shortly after for his Q&A and he was very funny and sweet. He talked about how he came into acting and about his home town of Newport and lots more and they asked him to speak with a Newport accent which he did but he mumbled so I couldn't really make it out.
After more pics and me going off to buy a Captain John pic, not the one with the gun, and Like a Waterfall, the autograph lines started. When I gave my pic to James to sign I winced as I have RSI and when I told James he held up his taped fingers and said something about us both being injured but of course James fog had set in again.
The Q&A session with James, Gareth and Kath was very funny and thankfully it wasn't just James who was answering the questions, and they had to be Torchwood based. Kath was the writer for Torchwood and James said the episode she had written episode 5 Series 2 I think, had made him cry. Some of the things he and Gareth said about John Barrowman made me laugh and they were both very naughty. James said John was better kisser than Sarah and a lot more funny things but I'm sure you'll read them elsewhere from a much better reporter than me.
More pics while I got the chance to talk to Cal, who was as lovely and shy as usual, and K who looked well considering her recent ordeal. I sat next to Sylvie who was from France and spoke very little English and had the most amazing long black hair, she was fun and didn't let lack of English stop her from making herself understood.
I'll post James Q&A and the concert tomorrow as I'm pooped out now.
Love
Chris
I'm trying to get up-to-date with where I've visited recently. Here are a few of Hereford, Worcester and Monmouth:
Hereford Cathedral, home of the Mappa Mundi. I was really looking forward to seeing this but it had to be kept in such subdued lighting it was hard to see it very well:
http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
Hereford town centre:
http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
The bridge at Monmouth:
http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
Worcester cathedral and the old Guild Hall:
http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
The bridge at Worcester just after the floods had gone down, there were still dead fish on the racecourse when we were there:
http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
We went for the day to Holmfirth, Yorkshire where Last of the Summer Wine was filmed. Nora Batty's house and the inside of Compo's house:
http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
Sid's Cafe:
http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
Hope you enjoyed them.
Chris
Right I've finished now.
Chris
This is rather late being posted but I've been very lazy and it's going to be quite short as it was so long ago. We went to the lowlands of Scotland to Ayr which is the birthplace of Robert Burns, well actually the village of Alloway just outside Ayr. The weather was beautiful for the first 4 days but changed to rain and cold after that but considering the summer we had we did very well. Here are a few pics of the holiday:
the bridge in Ayr looking towards the sea
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
A bust of Robert Burns inside his memorial
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
The memorial to Robert Burns
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
Brigadoon Bridge mentioned in the poem Tam O'Shanter
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
A castle (sorry I can't remember it's name) about 20 miles north of Ayr
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
A coffee kiosk in Glasgow
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
I'll post a couple more when I've transferred them to Photobucket
Chris
I'd heard about the flooding on the news on Friday and seen the rain locally for myself but it didn't seem to bad in my area. On Saturday morning I woke up and sorted my handbag out taking out all unecessary items, including my chequebook, and putting in the traintickets and the tickets, mine and Nikki's for the Point. Ron was taking my youngest daughter to work for 9.30 so I went into Wrexham early to buy a few things for the journey and also to get a new driving licence as I'd thrown mine out with my old handbag. The first thing to go wrong was I needed a cheque for the post office as I didn't want to pay by card because I wanted to keep enought money for the weekend. Then when I went to ring Ron I found my phone was almost out of battery, I'd plugged it into the charger but hadn't switched it on at the socket. I went to the Vodafone shop to ask if they could charge it up for me when Nikki rang to say she couldn't get to Shrewsbury to catch the train because of the flooding. I felt terrible because I couldn't talk to Nikki properly as my phone was on it's last legs and Ron hadn't got Nikki's number in his phone.
Vodafone kindly agreed to charge my phone and when Ron arrived he rang up his firm's branch in Hereford to ask about the flooding down there but they said there wasn't any at the moment. When we went back to pick up the phone we asked if they would swop our simms so I could take Ron's phone which had more charge, they did this but I lost Kath's (HellsChilde17) and Kirsty's (Krush) numbers in the process, luckily I didn't lose Nikki's and Ron had Kirsty's on his phone from London.
We went to the station and I was going to ask at the booking office but there was a big queue there but when I looked at the monitor it showed the Cardiff train was on time. When I waited on the platform there were announcements to say the Cardiff train was on time and announcing the stations it would be stopping at ending at Cardiff. Also, when I got on the train and my ticket was checked there were no announcements. There were none until the train arrived in Shrewsbury when it was announced that the train would be terminating there due to flooding on the Cambrian Coast railway and to ask what other arrangements had been made. When I asked I was told there was no way to get to Cardiff and it would be best to get back on the train and head for home. I had to make a decision on the train and decided to cancel the hotel.
I hadn't been able to reach Kirsty up to this point but she texted me then asking what the situation was as when she had bought the ticket at Liverpool Lime Street they had made no mention of any problems but she was then diverted to Chester and told, like I was at Shrewsbury, to ask there. I texted her to say that she wouldn't be able to get any further than Shrewsbury and that I'd had to cancel the hotel. Luckily, unlike Nikky and I, she'd bought here rail ticket on the day and got a refund.
This was a total fiasco from start to finish and I think the rail stations could have made a better job of keeping passengers informed instead of letting them travel with no hope of reaching their destination.
I went home and drowned my sorrows in the afternoon at the local Weatherspoons and spent the evening reading the new Harry Potter, which is great.
I hope I get to see James in October as long as it doesn't clash with the weekend of 12 October as I am away. See you soon.
Chris
I've just realised that I haven't posted about my Portugese holiday and I've since been to Scotland. One thing at a time the pics from Scotland haven't been put on the computer yet so I'll start with Portugal.
We had a nice journey until we got to Faro. The woman who had organised it said there could be a wait for the coach but we thought that meant waiting in the airport so we were all happy that the coach was waiting for us. Ron and I dozed but when the woman in front mentioned that we'd been waiting on the bus for 1 1/2 hours our mood changed. Luckily just then people off the last flight got on. We were 10 minutes into our journey when there was a shout from the back of the bus to stop, a man was having a fit. We had to wait 15 minutes for an ambulance and then the doctor made us get off the bus as the air conditioning wasn't working and he wouldn't let us back on. Another 1/2 hour to wait for another bus and 3 hours later we got to our hotel and then some of the rooms weren't ready thankfully ours was.
Here are a few pics I took:
A look at the beach from the cliffs and then on the beach at Albufeira
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
Albufeira Old Town
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
boat used for trips
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
The cemetery at the Old Town, pics are permitted:
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
This was taken in a park up the road from our hotel,I love the illusion this bush creates:
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
After the initial humbug we had a lovely time and we are going again next year.
Chris
I'm posting some pics here, they're not very good but I just want to brag that I was there:
Outside the Soho Review Bar with Sathy (Moonie), ChrisUK, Alona (Pan), Kistie (Krush), Nicky (Buffy2K) and Lynnie (MrsTigger)
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
At Spring Fever, Steve Himber introducing James and James singing
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
Meet and greet after with James accepting a gift off Sylvia:
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
Do you recognise anyone at the meet and greet
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
Rich Mix from the balcony where the meet and greet took place
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
One very bad one at Union Chapel
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
A few of James and one of Tony at Collectormania
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e21/sp
Glynn and Nicky went back to their hotel, which was a different one to mine, and I went down there afterwards to collect my case which was a big mistake because it was so much nicer than mine. I had a lovely chat with them both and then Glynn kindly took me to my hotel. I met up with Alona but she wasn't very well so I walked back to Collectormania and got my photo when I went back to the autograph line there was no-one there I just walked in and got my photo signed.
The party in the stadium that night was a bit of a damp squib and I left early, Alona was feeling better and the three of us giggled and talked for a good hour.
The next day I had another photo with James and another autograph. I also got one with Rene Auberjonais and Avery Brooks who were both delightful. My favourite StarTrek was DS9 so it was a treat. Before the party a few of us went for a meal and then on to see Tony Head who was great and sang from the Rocky Horror Show.
The last day was spent saying goodbye to my roomies and a last look at Collectormania. I caught the train home and finished off the whole event with a curry in Chester.
Chris
It was really cold that evening and I'd forgotten my coat but luckily Nicky brought it with her. There was a bit of a stampede when we found out that the queue was in a different place but i let Kirstie do the running as she's a lot younger than me. Union Chapel is a beautiful venue and the accoustics made it a perfect setting to show off James's voice. Like I said before I'll leave it up to others to give a list of his songs because I was in a James fog. He really lapped up the atmosphere and as opposed to Soho he talked and joked and gave a great performance. I'm glad that Kirstie saw him at his best.
I met up with Nicky, Glyn and Mandy afterwards and we had a drink at the Hilton before heading off to bed.
Chris
Profile
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
spikechris- spikechris
Syndicate
