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

..., have been an athlete my whole life and because of the damage that I have done to my feet I need to wear orthotics in all my running/walking shoes. With birkenstocks, you don't need to worry about that, as they have similar structure that gives you the support you need. The price ranges anywhere from £20 - £120 depending on whether you are looking for a simple sandal to a clog to a boot, in leather, swede or plastic. In terms of a birkenstock store, I have only been to the location in London in the Seven dials. I found the staff to be very knowlegeable and friendly and gave you space to just casually browse....

sjrichardson 12.10.2009 · Read review
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Review of Birkenstock

Sandals Royal Caribbean

Advantages: Everything!!
Disadvantages: Long flight (but worth it)

...My (new)husband and I travelled to this resort in order to get married, and I couldn't be happier that we did! After a tedious 10 hr flight with Virgin, we were greeted at the airport and directed to the Sandals private lounge to await our transfer to the hotel. The lounge was very nicely furnished with an array of free, self-service drinks - alcoholic and soft, and very polite, friendly, smiling staff. After short wait we were taken to our air conditioned minibus by the Redcaps (airport porters who take care of all your luggage). A brief 15 minute journey later we arrived at The Royal, and were taken aback at how luxurious the place was right from the main entrance. As we exited the minibus, we attempted to retrieve our bags but were told that "You are on vacation now, you don't carry bags", and again our luggage was whisked...

choochoochick 23.10.2007 · Read review
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Review of Sandals Royal Caribbean, Montego Bay

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
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Review of Madrid in general

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
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Review of Madrid (Spain)

Scandalous price, sandal perfect feet.

Advantages: Smell, smooth polished feet without pumice, scrub or foot files.
Disadvantages: The Price

...I was bought a box of Sandal Scandal for Christmas but hadn't got round to using it. The box contained one Bathina by Benefit "Sandal Scandal" £27.50 for a 130 ml tub and one pair of cute booties (trainer socks!) with pink heel pompoms. When I saw the price my loving relative had forked out just so I could have nice posh foot cream I thought it was a "save for a special occasion" type of luxury item. Anyway forget special occasion my feet haven't seen the light of day in ages. Neglected is an understatement. I'm going on holiday tomorrow and blowing the dust off my flip flops was horrified at the state of my feet. I applied aforementioned cream sparingly - hey I'm a student - and donned bootie socks. It has the typical Benefit smell but I really like that fresh, just got out the bath fragrance which I now associate with using...

e.j.kingham 27.05.2005 (09.06.2005) · Read review
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Review of BeneFit Sandal Scandal