DESTINATIONS March 16, 2015
• Stockholm Art Week and Culture Night
• Armchair Travel: India, Napal, Ireland, Africa.
• Florida Keys Annual Underwater Easter Egg Hunt
• Catalonia - A Paradise by the Sea
• Stena SuperfastX - new ferry launched on Dublin-Holyhead route
Happy
St.Patrick's Day
to all our readers
Armchair Travel: India, Napal,
Great Irish Journeys with Martha Kearney, BBC1 N Ireland, 7.00pm. Monday, March 16
Following in the footsteps of 19th-century artist George Victor Du Noyer, an Irish painter, geologist, of Huguenot descent, who spent 35 years charting the landscape, people and buildings of Ireland. In this first episode, Martha Kearney visits the Bog of Allen and the Old Head of Kinsale in Co Cork
The Lady Who Flew Africa: The Aviatrix, BBC4, 9.00pm Tuesday St.Patrick's Day, March 17
Mary Heath became the first pilot to fly solo from Cape Town to London in 1928. Tracey Curtis-Taylor, 85 years after, follows the route in a restored 1942 Boeing Stearman biplane. She faces many of the same challenges as her predecessor on her eight-week trip, including navigating through war-torn nations, albeit using GPS instead of pages torn from an atlas as used by Lady Heath. With a top speed 95 miles per hour, an operating ceiling of 10,000ft and a range of 450 miles she has a bit of an edge on Lady Heath’s plane, similar in size and design, but with a less powerful engine, so couldn’t be flown at low altitude; the challenges Curtis-Taylor faces are nonetheless on a par with her pioneering ancestor.
India's Frontier Railways, BBC4, 9.00pm. Thursday, March 19. A collection of never-before-filmed international trains crossing various borders. It runs for twenty miles from the little-known town of Janakpur in Nepal and crosses over the border to Jaynagar junction in India.
Stockholm Art Week and Culture Night
April is the perfect time to visit this stylish destination with Stockholm Art Week and Culture Night taking place in venues all across the city - in museums and galleries from the 14th until the 19th of April. On Culture Night, 25th April, there are over 400 events, all completely free!
For Summer 2015, SAS fly from Dublin to Stockholm up to eight days a week with 'SAS Go' fares starting from as little as €76pp one-way, including taxes, charges, tea/coffee onboard and one free checked in bag.
Book with Scandinavian Airlines on www.flysas.com/en/ie/
Florida Keys Annual Underwater Easter Egg Hunt
Divers and snorkelers visiting the Florida Keys who want to become deep-sea "egg-splorers" (- sorry!) while supporting a Keys charity can join the annual Underwater Easter Egg Hunt staged Sunday, 5 April 2015, in the warm, clear waters off Islamorada.
The unique Easter Sunday event is hosted by Captain Slate's Scuba Adventures, located at mile marker 90.7 Oceanside in Tavernier at the Casa Mar Village shopping enclave.
![]()
Captain "Cottontail" Spencer Slate has offered dive, snorkel, underwater wedding and glass-bottom boat packages in Florida Keys waters since 1978. He also promotes ocean conservation to divers, encouraging them to be active stewards of the undersea environment.
Slate is renowned for staging offbeat events such as the Easter "egg-stravaganza," a popular underwater game of hide-and-seek that awards prizes to participants, including a particularly valuable goodie basket for the fortunate finder of a "golden egg."
Preceding the search, Captain Slate dons a giant bunny suit and dive gear and hides brightly coloured Easter eggs for eager bounty hunters. Real eggs and nontoxic dyes are used to avoid negative environmental impacts. Boats full of egg seekers then head out to a secret location adjacent to shallow reefs in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, where the philanthropic revellers take the plunge to find the hard-boiled hoard.A morning two-tank trip, the dive excursion is specially priced at $65 per certified diver, including tanks and weights. Snorkelers pay $30 per adult and $25 per child, including gear.
Divers and snorkelers are asked to check in at 8 a.m. Easter morning at Captain Slate's Scuba Adventures. Up to three boats are scheduled to depart at 8:30 am. Participants must pre-register for the event. Money raised during the annual undersea hunt benefits Kids In Special Situations, providing the area’s needy children gifts and holiday cheer throughout the year.
More information on Captain Slate's Scuba Adventures, visit www.captainslate.com
More information on the Florida Keys & Key West, visit www.fla-keys.co.uk
Catalonia - A Paradise by the Sea
Beautiful rugged cliffs, fantastic beaches, secluded coves, medieval towns, amusement parks, fishing villages and lively nightlife make Catalonia (Catalunya in Catalan, Cataluña in Spanish) the ideal sun holiday destination. Visit Peratalla, famous for its medieval walls and the Sant Esteve church, Figueras the birthplace of surrealist Salvador Dali and home to many incredible works from his personal collections.
You can't visit Catalonia without sampling the delectable tapas famous in the region. Make sure you try zarangollo, escudella and, of course, paella. Wash it all down with a cold beer or some sangria.
![]()
For a sample family offer from Crystal Al Fresco:
Spend 7 nights in Castell Montgri, in a 2 bedroom mobile, from only €409 per mobile. Price includes: 7 nights accommodation in a 2 bedroom mobile. Travel: 6th June 2015
To book or to order a brochure call (01) 433 1056 or visit www.crystalalfresco.ie
![]()
![]()
• Stockholm Art Week and Culture Night
• Armchair Travel: India, Napal, Ireland, Africa.
• Florida Keys Annual Underwater Easter Egg Hunt
• Catalonia - A Paradise by the Sea
• Stena SuperfastX - new ferry launched on Dublin-Holyhead route
Happy
St.Patrick's Day
to all our readers
Armchair Travel: India, Napal,
Great Irish Journeys with Martha Kearney, BBC1 N Ireland, 7.00pm. Monday, March 16
Following in the footsteps of 19th-century artist George Victor Du Noyer, an Irish painter, geologist, of Huguenot descent, who spent 35 years charting the landscape, people and buildings of Ireland. In this first episode, Martha Kearney visits the Bog of Allen and the Old Head of Kinsale in Co Cork
 |
| Great Irish Journeys With Martha Kearney Photo: BBC Northern Ireland |
The Lady Who Flew Africa: The Aviatrix, BBC4, 9.00pm Tuesday St.Patrick's Day, March 17
Mary Heath became the first pilot to fly solo from Cape Town to London in 1928. Tracey Curtis-Taylor, 85 years after, follows the route in a restored 1942 Boeing Stearman biplane. She faces many of the same challenges as her predecessor on her eight-week trip, including navigating through war-torn nations, albeit using GPS instead of pages torn from an atlas as used by Lady Heath. With a top speed 95 miles per hour, an operating ceiling of 10,000ft and a range of 450 miles she has a bit of an edge on Lady Heath’s plane, similar in size and design, but with a less powerful engine, so couldn’t be flown at low altitude; the challenges Curtis-Taylor faces are nonetheless on a par with her pioneering ancestor.
India's Frontier Railways, BBC4, 9.00pm. Thursday, March 19. A collection of never-before-filmed international trains crossing various borders. It runs for twenty miles from the little-known town of Janakpur in Nepal and crosses over the border to Jaynagar junction in India.
Stockholm Art Week and Culture Night
April is the perfect time to visit this stylish destination with Stockholm Art Week and Culture Night taking place in venues all across the city - in museums and galleries from the 14th until the 19th of April. On Culture Night, 25th April, there are over 400 events, all completely free!
For Summer 2015, SAS fly from Dublin to Stockholm up to eight days a week with 'SAS Go' fares starting from as little as €76pp one-way, including taxes, charges, tea/coffee onboard and one free checked in bag.
Book with Scandinavian Airlines on www.flysas.com/en/ie/
Florida Keys Annual Underwater Easter Egg Hunt
Divers and snorkelers visiting the Florida Keys who want to become deep-sea "egg-splorers" (- sorry!) while supporting a Keys charity can join the annual Underwater Easter Egg Hunt staged Sunday, 5 April 2015, in the warm, clear waters off Islamorada.
The unique Easter Sunday event is hosted by Captain Slate's Scuba Adventures, located at mile marker 90.7 Oceanside in Tavernier at the Casa Mar Village shopping enclave.
Captain "Cottontail" Spencer Slate has offered dive, snorkel, underwater wedding and glass-bottom boat packages in Florida Keys waters since 1978. He also promotes ocean conservation to divers, encouraging them to be active stewards of the undersea environment.
Slate is renowned for staging offbeat events such as the Easter "egg-stravaganza," a popular underwater game of hide-and-seek that awards prizes to participants, including a particularly valuable goodie basket for the fortunate finder of a "golden egg."
Preceding the search, Captain Slate dons a giant bunny suit and dive gear and hides brightly coloured Easter eggs for eager bounty hunters. Real eggs and nontoxic dyes are used to avoid negative environmental impacts. Boats full of egg seekers then head out to a secret location adjacent to shallow reefs in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, where the philanthropic revellers take the plunge to find the hard-boiled hoard.A morning two-tank trip, the dive excursion is specially priced at $65 per certified diver, including tanks and weights. Snorkelers pay $30 per adult and $25 per child, including gear.
Divers and snorkelers are asked to check in at 8 a.m. Easter morning at Captain Slate's Scuba Adventures. Up to three boats are scheduled to depart at 8:30 am. Participants must pre-register for the event. Money raised during the annual undersea hunt benefits Kids In Special Situations, providing the area’s needy children gifts and holiday cheer throughout the year.
More information on Captain Slate's Scuba Adventures, visit www.captainslate.com
More information on the Florida Keys & Key West, visit www.fla-keys.co.uk
Catalonia - A Paradise by the Sea
Beautiful rugged cliffs, fantastic beaches, secluded coves, medieval towns, amusement parks, fishing villages and lively nightlife make Catalonia (Catalunya in Catalan, Cataluña in Spanish) the ideal sun holiday destination. Visit Peratalla, famous for its medieval walls and the Sant Esteve church, Figueras the birthplace of surrealist Salvador Dali and home to many incredible works from his personal collections.
You can't visit Catalonia without sampling the delectable tapas famous in the region. Make sure you try zarangollo, escudella and, of course, paella. Wash it all down with a cold beer or some sangria.
Spend 7 nights in Castell Montgri, in a 2 bedroom mobile, from only €409 per mobile. Price includes: 7 nights accommodation in a 2 bedroom mobile. Travel: 6th June 2015
To book or to order a brochure call (01) 433 1056 or visit www.crystalalfresco.ie
Stena SuperfastX - new ferry launched on Dublin-Holyhead route
Stena Line officially launched a new ferry on its Dublin-Holyhead route at Dublin Port last week. Stena Superfast X (say ten) will operate an all year round sailing schedule on the expanding Dublin-Holyhead service, one of the key tourism and freight gateways between Ireland and Britain.
The launch and naming ceremony was performed by Stena Line Chairman Dan Sten Olsson and Irish broadcast personality Kathryn Thomas along with over 170 guests at Dublin Port.
Stena Superfast X first came into service on the route on March 9th and at today’s official launch event, the 30 000 tonne ship with can accommodate up to 1 200 passengers and provides over
2 km of vehicle lane capacity was also officially named by the ship’s Godmother Irish broadcaster Kathryn Thomas.
Dan Sten Olsson, Chairman of Stena Line said: “Trade and tourism links between Britain and Ireland have been growing steadily in recent years and with improving economic conditions forecast for 2015 and beyond, as the leading ferry operator on the Irish Sea we are confident in our ability to help stimulate this upward trend further. Mr Olsson added: “The Irish Sea is at the core of Stena Line’s business which is why we have invested more than £250m in our Irish Sea routes during the last 5 years alone. Last year we added the Rosslare-Cherbourg service to our route network which has given our customers a key link between Ireland and the Continent.
Stena Superfast X will make two return sailings daily between Dublin and Holyhead and will operate alongside the Stena Adventurer to provide a choice of up 56 Stena Line sailings per week on the route. Stena Superfast X will operate a twice daily return sailing schedule departing Dublin Port 02.15 hrs/15.10 hrs and departing Holyhead 08.55 hrs/20.30 hrs.