AH, A GROTTO, BUT WHERE'S SANTA?

Advantages: Unique. Friendly. Educational. Views. Value. Location
Disadvantages: Able Bodied Only. Very Crowded in Summer.

...places lacking road surface altogether, the Swiss passes are in a state of very good repair. They are however extremely tortuous in nature, having many very steep, first gear hairpin bends. If you are a keen driver, experienced with, rather than frightened by, challenging mountain roads, then I would thoroughly recommend doing as we did and driving up to Belvedere, site of the precariously located mountain-edge hotel, car park, shop and grotto entrance. Having traversed the extraordinary Grimsel Pass which summits at an altitude of 2165 metre (7103ft), we approached the Rhone Glacier from the little town of Gletsch, which was in 1602 situated immediately below the mouth of the glacier. Now the glacier is some distance and a big climb from Gletsch. The big climb takes place on the breathtaking Furka Pass, which has a summit of 2431...

RICHADA 14.12.2008 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of Rhone Glacier & Ice Grotto, Switzerland

Grotto Bay -Beach Resort Review

Advantages: proximity to Airport, Hamilton & St.George's
Disadvantages: expensive

...Grotto Bay in Bermuda is a cute little Beach Resort situated between St. George's and Hamilton (the capital of the country). It is locationed close to the International Airport in Bermuda. It provides nice and exotic holiday villas. Advantages of the resort is that it has a private beach, pool, hot-tub, bar, sailing, and caves - that the guests have access to. The pool-side is beautiful, and the bar has swim up access. The view is amazing, and the island of Bermuda is spectular itself. The public bus is convienant and stops at the resort, and it can take you anywhere on the entire island for approximately £1.25 per way. The service is good and friendly. The disadvantage to Grotto Bay and resorts in Bermuda is that they do not offer an 'all-inclusive' experience, therefore holidays can be expensive. Overall I would recommend Grotto Bay...

MaddSkillzMillz 12.09.2008 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Grotto Bay Beach Resort, Hamilton

The Miracle of Lourdes

Advantages: A spiritual and uplifting place
Disadvantages: shops sell loads of plastic icons

...In writing this personal account of my experiences in Lourdes, I must point out that this my personal perspective, and I do not go to any particular church, however, I do believe in God, but I am not a Roman Catholic and therefore have no common religious affinity with the Town of Lourdes.. ~~~0o0o0~~~ I also would like to say that this personal acount is of the general feeling and ambience of Lourdes, I am not trying to put forward an argument or an authoritative travel guide, merely a piece to give an honest overall flavour of the Town...which apart from the normal shops you would expect to see, there is an abundance of religious icon shops ( mostly selling plastic crucifixes and the likes etc...) theres an abundance of hotels of all grades and classes, various eating establishments and watering holes, and an abundance...

Dalesman 30.07.2001 (24.08.2001) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Pyrénées (France)

Hail Mary, Full of Grace

Advantages: Beautiful scenery, a real experience, the sick are always put first
Disadvantages: The hills

...there is what looks to be a large cathedral. It is in fact three churches built around and on top of each other. When Our Lady asked for there to be a church built there, the French took it seriously. Walking towards the churches and to the right there are arches. As you walk through the arches there are taps on the left hand side where Lourdes water gushes when the tap is turned on...and on the right is candles. Walking down there are metres and metres of open space although it is full of people all waiting for nine o'clock to come round and for the procession to begin. Each night at 9 there is a procession to Our Lady where the Rosary is said in many languages. (Our Lady told St. Bernadette, "Tell them to come in procession here...") As we walk down towards the Grotto there are signs asking for silence. If you forget and start to talk...

kamallan 11.10.2006 (25.10.2006) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Review of Lourdes France

To be a pilgrim...

Advantages: picturesque, magical, humbling, amazing
Disadvantages: Hilly for wheelchairs, not good if you want to improve your french

...or pairs. Lourdes is a small town, located in the northern foothills of the Pyrenees. Which has only been owned by the French since the fifteenth century.It was [predominantly Catholic at the time of the apparition, but now people of all creeds and religions are welcome, seeking the wonders of the healing powers of this wonderful place. The hotel we stayed in was 4* called La Maison de Lourdes. The housekeepers were french-speaking but spoke as much english as they could, and although all other members of staff were french, they could speak english as fluent as you or I. The food was lovely and traditionally french, and the rooms were clean and nicely decorated. The first night that we arrived we went to the grotto. It was still pretty light as we had a curfew being so young. It was the most enchanting place I had ever seen...

la_chique 20.09.2005 (28.09.2005) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Lourdes France

Margate and the shell grotto

Advantages: one good Cafe and the Shell Grotto
Disadvantages: Dirty, Run down, dog muck, junkies

...wasn't much else to do there. I decided to walk up to the shell Grotto but there was a couple of heroine addicts behind me so I decided to let them pass. The approach to Shell Grotto wasn't very nice but once inside it was amazing. The Grotto was discovered in Victorian times but no one is sure of it's exact date or purpose. The tour guide said 1142 AD and believed that the Knights templar used it. The grotto has over 4 million shells on the walls and various symbols from Greek mythology, pagan rituals, and has alot to do with the equinox. For me there was to much info to take in. But it is well worth a visit. After this I walked up Grotty hill, I mean Grotto Hill where I found a fantastic second hand junk shop that was an alladins cave, but when I walked down the other side there was a group of sheepish characters hanging around...

marietta1 03.02.2008 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Margate (England)

The Not So Grotty Grotto, Margate

Advantages: An interesting an informative day out
Disadvantages: Far too far from Reading!!

...I took time out at the weekend to visit my nephew in Margate. What a long journey it is from Reading!! I travelled by train, so I had to change at Paddington, get the tube to Victoria, and change to take a train to Margate. So what do I think of Margate? Well you don’t have to travel far from the station to the beach! It is right on top of the beach! I waited to team up with my nephew, who was being dropped off for a day out with me. There he was, rearing to go as are all 12 year olds with free entertainment on the horizon. What should we do? Well I had already surfed the net and found references to a cave and a shell grotto. Well whoopee dee!! Since it was already midday, it was a bit hot, and we didn’t fancy going onto the beach, so the cave and grotto were chosen. The Caves These were interesting. Typical of Margate...

CarolB 15.08.2003 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Margate (England)

Smugglers' cave

Advantages: Good food in unusual surroundings
Disadvantages: Busy in the summer

......

danielalong 05.10.2006 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Marsden Grotto

A LITTLE XMAS GROTTO

Advantages: Check availablity in store, via web and by telephone
Disadvantages: none that I could find

......

allyb2003 26.11.2003 (17.12.2003) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Argos (Shop)

UNDER VALKENBURG

Advantages: Historic town with great shopping
Disadvantages: It can be crowded

...the butter-soft walls. The theme of the CHRISTMAS MARKET in the Fluweelengrot when we were there (2002) was inspired by the Gnomes of the Dutch painter, Rien Poortvliet. This gave everything a fairy-tale like appearance in the soft, twinkling lights and magical illuminations reflected from silvery, marlstone walls. There's gentle Christmas music breaking the otherwise serene silence as you wander through, marveling at the Gnome displays in small caverns while passing the stalls with various items for sale, including old Dutch handicrafts, culinary delicacies and some 'arty' goods amongst the more usual Christmas-time offerings. There's even a bar and restaurant (with live entertainment) where you can sample the Dutch version of Glühwein. There are many other underground attractions, including: The Valkenburg Lourdes Grotto - a copy...

proxam 28.11.2003 (18.11.2007) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Valkenburg