Birkenstocks Excellent quality and comfort - well worth the price

Advantages: Durable, comfortable, reasonably priced, always in fashion
Disadvantages: Cork sole tends to break with lots of use

...I am a big fan of birkenstocks, my fiancee and I both wear them all the time. Between us, we've had the Roma, Ramses, Boston, Boston Microfibre and I am sure a few other pairs. They are rediculously comfortable when you get used to them. I will admit, when you first put them on they can be a bit stiff and even uncomfortable. It take a few weeks until the cork sole starts taking shape of your foot but after you get through that, than you won't be able to take them off. They are especially good for long walks. The craftsmanship of the birkenstock goes back something like 250 years and this is evident through the firm support that they offer. They have a deep heel cup and contoured footbed in all their styles that gives arch support so that your weight is distributed evenly. They come in several different fabrics such as leather...

sjrichardson 12.10.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Birkenstock

Holiday Inn Madrid

Advantages: Nice staff, clean, kettle in the room
Disadvantages: The local area, rather expensive

...This is yet another hotel stayed in when travelling with work. It's a four star hotel (Ciao has it listed as a three star) and is located in the business district in Madrid. The Estadio Santiago Bernabeau, the home of Real Madrid football club is also very close by if you are interested in football. Public transport is very good-metro station and bus stop near by, the bus is one Euro into central Madrid and unlike London they have plenty of bus lanes and regular services-every 5 minutes. And no over-crowding or rubbish strewn everywhere! The hotel itself is a typical sprawling 1980's concrete block. The surrounding area is a bit dodgy at night and opposite the hotel is a boarded up cinema. In fact the whole area is pretty much a concrete jungle and I would be careful with going out after dark as it's pretty deserted once...

Katieshaz 16.10.2008 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Holiday Inn Madrid, Madrid

Exploring the Province of Madrid

Advantages: Splendid architecture and surrounding nature
Disadvantages: destinations are scattered and hard to reach by public transport

...Many tourists who plan a trip to Madrid like to combine it with some excursions in the surrounding area. Nearby Toledo and Salamanca, for example, are places that most of us may have heard of, if only from an Ernest Hemingway novel or from Cervantes' famous account of Don Quixote de La Mancha. But this wouldn't be worth an FTC review, had I not some more exclusive places to tell you about. On the third day at the latest, every first time visitor to Madrid will feel worn out from the dry climate in the Spanish capital. At an air humidity often below 30%, one longs for some fresh air and nature. The Province of Madrid, as well as surrounding Castilia is full of attractions worth a day trip. So where to go? There are two very popular day trips for Madrid tourists: 1. To the cities of Salamanca and Avila in the province of Castilia...

From_The_Continent 26.04.2001 (28.04.2001) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of Madrid (Spain)

Walking on air

Advantages: see review
Disadvantages: see review

...I can't wait until the summer arrives! Apart from those long sunny days and light evenings I love wearing sandals. However I am not talking about any old sandals, for me sandals equal Birkenstock. Every year I treat myself to a new pair from the ever-growing range offered by the Birkenstock Company. Its not that last years have worn out you understand, just that buying the latest, gorgeous addition is one of my summer vices! Before I tell you why I am hooked on these sandals let me tell you a bit about the company. A potted history. ******************* The Birkenstock name has been associated with footwear for over 200 years when Johann Birkenstock worked as a shoemaker in Germany. In 1896 Joann's grandson Konrad started to produce contoured insoles and by 1902 had developed arch supports. In 1932 many medical specialists were...

anwar 29.01.2008 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Birkenstock

Clumsy & Comfy

Advantages: comfy
Disadvantages: clumsy

...I?ve done something I thought I?d never do, I?ve bought a pair of Birkenstock sandals! Why have I waited for so long? Because they?re ugly and clumsy, why have I bought them after all? Because I needed white sandals, they were the only white ones I could find, they?re not expensive and they?re comfy. Some years ago it wouldn?t have made sense to tell British readers something about this brand, although Birkenstock was first marketed in the UK in 1975, it was not widely known, it was restricted mainly to dyed-in-the-wool greens, hippies and vegans. All this changed in 2002 when Gwyneth Paltrow was photographed wearing Birkenstocks around London, in 2003 a mass hysteria broke loose, some outlets even had to introduce the one-pair-per-customer policy to prevent a catastrophe! I bought the two-strap sandals Arizona (which has been...

MALU 21.04.2007 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Birkenstock

Walking back to Happiness

Advantages: Feather light
Disadvantages: pricey

...I struggle to find well fitting, comfortable shoes ever since my hubby stood on my little toe when I was wearing flip flops a couple of years ago. Now the said toe sits at a jaunty angle, quite at odds with the rest of my digits. Judging by the pain I felt at the time and for weeks afterwards I have concluded that he broke it and it's reset itself. He does swear it was an accident to this day but I have my doubts. Anyway, wearing summery sandals displays my tortured toe in all its glory and I've been struggling to find something that is both comfortable, summery and, most importantly keeps my odd digit in place. I've heard a lot about Birkenstock sandals but never really investigated further as I thought they were some sort of glorified Scholl sandal which I can remember from days of old. Great heavy lumps of wood which were...

patriciat 31.07.2005 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of Birkenstock

Madrid

Advantages: Couldn't see any
Disadvantages: dirty, busy, grey, dull, congested

...I have just returned from a short break in Madrid. I had been told in advance that Madrid was a brilliant city and that I would love it. I suppose everyone is different, but I could not find one thing I liked about it. I found it to be grey, dirty, run down, extremely busy, traffic constant almost everywhere...I really did not take to the place at all. The only good thing about it was the people, as always I found the Spanish people lovely and obliging, and more than willing to help out with language difficulties. I was only there a short time, two days and did not have time to vist any places of interest, such as Museums or art gelleries, but I would normally be happy enough just wandering around new surroundings , taking in the atmosphere and ambience...however I found I felt terminally depressed in Madrid. All the streets looked...

strawberrylady62 27.11.2007 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Madrid in general

City Centre Madrid Hotel On a Shoestring

Advantages: Very close to city centre and transport, Cheap.
Disadvantages: Can be noisy

...Me and my girlfriend decided to visit Madrid last summer. So being the students that we are we booked cheap flights on easyjet. That was the easy bit. The hard part came later when we had to decide on a hotel to stay in. We wanted somewhere close to the city centre as we were only there for a few days but we had to do it on a budget but wanted to go slightly better than a hostel, it was after all our first holiday abroad together. ::: Why The Asturias?? ::: We eventually settled on the Hotel Asturias because it fitted what we wanted. It is extremely close to the city centre which is what we wanted as we were only there for 3 nights. It is only minutes away from the Calle Gran Via, one of the main shopping streets in Madrid. It is also minutes away from two metro stations (in opposite directions, either Sol or Sevilla which will...

pigeon1986 15.07.2006 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Asturias Hotel, Madrid

Madrid.

Advantages: no expensive,alive city,delightfull city,people
Disadvantages: maybe annarchical,traffic.

...First of all I must advice you that i,m spanish but i willl try that you understand me.Sorry for my primitive english Madrid is the first city in Spain(the second one is Barcelona). There´s living there around the 4.500.000 natives(much of them are not madrilians because(like London i suppose) there are a "mix "of people it,s a cosmopolitan cityin wich every stranger are wellcome.Much of them comes from South America(Spain is for these people the Modern Native country).Its situated just in the center of spain.Some interesting places too in frontier with Madrid are Toledo,Segovia ,Avila.. The city has a culture reflected on old monuments like Museo del prado,Palacio real,Pza de la villa,Catedral de la almudena(there is not the best cathedral of spain;there is much better I have to recognize it but it,s very handsome too...

kalimero 10.03.2005 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Madrid (Spain)

Athletico Madrid Shirt.

Advantages: climacool, cheap
Disadvantages: none.

...Well, Athletico Madrid are one of the main football teams in Spain and are a good team. If you are a supporter of Athletico Madrid then I would recommend buying this as it is a cheap shirt to buy. However even if you are not an Athletico Madrid football fan and you just enjoy collecting football shirts then this is also another one to get your hands on. The material is climacool which makes things much easier if you are planning to play football in this football shirt. This is a shirt that helps you keep cool as you play and is not irritating like other football shirts such as the collars etc. Overall I would recomment this football shirt to anyone who likes football or supports Athletico Madrid. Its cheap and is a great buy....

dannyuk1991 09.09.2008 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Nike Atletico Madrid Away Football Shirt