Perfect Summer Tryp

Advantages: Huge rooms, great comfort, good location.
Disadvantages: Parking !

...My appreciation of the internet reached an all-time high, when we checked into the Tryp Hotel Oviedo last summer. It had been discovered, researched and booked all online, and nothing disappointed. 1 Discovering The Hotel Tryp "*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"**""*"*"*"*"*"*"* My experience really started with the decision to use a no-frills airline to do a cheapie European holiday last summer. The problem was that the cheap flights from Belfast were alll booked up and we could have got a package holiday for the flight costs to Prague, Barcelona and the like. Suddenly, I came on Stelios's new Easyjet route to Asturias from Stansted. I had to get the maps out to find out where it was, and check online to see what the area could offer - it all looked good. We were soon booked for this beautiful part of Northern Spain - reviewed by me elsewhere...

trevorbrock 21.01.2006 · Read review
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Review of Tryp Oviedo, Oviedo

Vicky Cristina Barcelona

Advantages: Great acting, good story, great atmosphere
Disadvantages: Maybe the ending

...) is more reserved, and down-to-earth. She values stability the most and has just got engaged to a very respectable and successful man. Cristina (Scarlett Johansson) is the total opposite. She is looking for passionate irrational love, and has had many unsuccessful relationships. She is not sure what it is that she really expects from love but is determined to find out, therefore gives herself entirely and suffers the consequences. One night, at an art exhibition, Cristina notices Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem) and learns that he is a painter, recently divorced from a crazy wife who tried to kill him. Later, at dinner, Juan Antonio approaches the two friends and offers them to come with him to Oviedo to spend the weekend sightseeing, eating well, drinking wine and making love! Vicky is profoundly offended and tells him where to go...

Pomcamgirl 08.03.2009 · Read review
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Review of Vicky Cristina Barcelona (DVD)

Ole Leon

Advantages: Architecture, history and authentic Spanish feel
Disadvantages: A long road from home

...León is a city and district in Northwest Spain, far from being typical English tourist territory. But this is where the Spanish tourists from the South of Spain come ! They know what is good for them! GETTING THERE = The only port you are likely to use from UK is the port of Santander, and you will have a day's drive to get to León. Airports that will speed you to León are Oviedo or Bilbao. You could drive up from Madrid, but even the Spanish do not seem to relish that length of drive. We drove from Oviedo in Asturias, where we were staying - reviews already written on Asturias and Picos De Europa. It was a pleasant jaunt on the motorway - about 2 hours drive. MAIN ATTRACTIONS = The CATHEDRAL dominates the skyline. The darkness at door level, leads into a massive space inside which is...

trevorbrock 12.08.2005 · Read review
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Review of León

A Peek At The Peaks

Advantages: Pleasant weather, superb scenery and cheap flights
Disadvantages: None discovered

...Stelios has just opened up the peaks of Northern Spain to the Brits, and all I can say, is a big 'well done'. He has given us a holiday in which we peeked at amazing mountain peaks, and swam on beautiful beaches... this is the region of Asturias. WHERE IS ASTURIAS ? = The area is in the North West of Spain, with the port of Santander just beyond its Eastern boundaries. It borders Galicia on the West, and is a bit north of Leon and Cantabrica. HOW DO YOU GET THERE ? Santander is the obvious starting point if you are taking your car, but the ferry is not cheap, and you have a lot of driving ahead. Easyjet have just started flights this year from Stansted to Asturias airport. I was a bit puzzled as this airport also gets called Ranon and Oviedo.! The nearest vilage is Ranon...

trevorbrock 04.08.2005 · Read review
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Review of Asturias (Spain)

Car for Europe from Europcar

Advantages: Good car, good service and good price
Disadvantages: A wee bit of confusion at check-in

...carefully booked waver for all excesses etc before leaving home, as the agency were offering this for about £13 for the whole duration. And for a fortnight, that is cheap. The girl at the counter attempted to charge me for this again, and I struggled with her poor English and my very, very poor Spanish to resolve it. I am sure it was a genuine mistake. Once she went back to the booking firm and got a new printout, the issue was cleared up. She sweetly apologised and upgraded us ! The Parking Place. I include this, as I have discovered that some firms at some airports, give the impression that the cars are close by. Once you start to try and find where they are parked, you discover a long walk or even a minibus ride.! At Oviedo, Europcar has its cars parked as near to the airport door as it is possible to be. A big 'well...

trevorbrock 24.09.2005 · Read review
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Review of Europcar

Lewd and Lurid in Barcelona

Advantages: Fab cinematography, great performances from Cruz, Bardam and Rebecca Hall
Disadvantages: All a bit lewd and lurid

...(Patricia Clarkson) and her spouse, Mark (Kevin Dunn) she jumps at the opportunity as she thinks the visit will help with her M A thesis. Vicky takes along her beautiful, headstrong and promiscuous friend, Cristina (Scarlett Johansson). The two girls first meet Juan Antonio in an art gallery, and the reckless Cristina falls immediately in love. Later, the presumptuous Juan Antonio suggests that both ladies join him on his private plane for a weekend in Oviedo where they can take pleasure in art, gastronomy and sex. Prudent Vicky rebukes him but Cristina mocks her for her beliefs and accepts. And so the main questions in the film are : Is it better to behave like Vicky, loving one man and believing in marriage or like Cristina who is lustful and just out for excitement and adventure? In Woody Allen's film, both these female characters are...

Praski 08.11.2009 · Read review
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Review of Vicky Cristina Barcelona (DVD)

  Pry-mark or Pree-mark? Who cares? ... I love it!

Advantages: latest fashion and designs at affordable prices
Disadvantages: Long queues, the mess and some unhelpful, rude staff

...Spain this Christmas or during school holidays, don't worry. The Primark phenomenon has reached the Spanish shores! Primark has opened in Spain two mega stores in Madrid; they are much bigger than the one that I saw in Manchester! If you are interested . . . there are stores in Ballonti shopping centre in Bilbao; two megastores in Madrid: one at the Islazul shopping centre and the other in Parque Corredor; another one on the outskirt of Madrid. Also there are another two stores in the Buenavista shopping centre in Oviedo. Size wise and staffing Most stores are a lot bigger than the ones in England with huge parking space outside, while inside there are more checkout desks but still have long queues! Unlike in the UK, most staff are Spanish and they are extremely polite and very helpful (I'm not just saying that because they...

karimkha 06.12.2008 · Read review
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Review of Primark (Shop)

Hamilton Vs Alonso...... ITS WAR!!!!!!

Advantages: Hamilton
Disadvantages: Alonso

...at the end of the year goes away with the Championship, constructor points are also awarded for the winning team. Now a brief background of both drivers just to set the scene: Lewis Hamilton: Born in Stevenage, Hertfordshire on the 7th of January 1985, a British F1 driver who is currently racing for the Mclaren team. This was his rookie (FIRST YEAR) as a F1 driver. He finished second in the 2007 F1 World Championship behind Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari. Fernando Alonso: Born in Oviedo, Spain on the 29th of July, a Spanish F1 Driver who is currently racing for the Mclaren team. He was twice World Champion in consecutive years in 2005 and 2006. He came third in 2007 behind fellow team mate Lewis Hamilton. Not a lot may have been expected of Lewis Hamilton at the start of the World Championship, but he soon made his mark finishing...

nim3 02.11.2007 · Read review
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Review of Alonso Vs Hamilton Mc Laren-Mercedes. Who is more to blame? Who do you support, and why?

A stunning undiscovered mountain range...

Advantages: Clean, cheap, uncrowded, scenery, friendliness of the people
Disadvantages: Cost for ferries to Spain. Otherwise very little.

...the Sideria where cider is poured at arm's length to a glass held near the floor.... supposedly to increase the air content of the cider thus making it taste better. Cities include Oviedo and Gijon - where there is excellent night life. The beaches are clean, uncrowded, and safe. You will be hard pressed to find another Brit anywhere... so a smattering of Spanish is an advantage. Getting there: ferries go from Plymouth to Santander or Portsmouth to Bilbao. These are extortionate and mean that most Brits never find the north of Spain. Better by far is a short ferry crossing and the drive through France. Use it as part of your holiday. You will pass through the Loire valley with all its chateaux. The forests of Les Landes are very beautiful. We stay in a motel in Ondres overnight (Motel des Ondres) near Bayonne which is comfortable, a bit basic, but...

JohnG 01.08.2000 · Read review
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Review of Picos de Europa (Spain)

The Holiday Challenge - from Gemax2

Advantages: This challenge brings back the memories
Disadvantages: Too many memories when you reach my age !

...about tribal conflicts, - so much wrapped up in one town. WHAT IS YOUR IDEA OF A PERFECT HOLIDAY? Mixtures : there must be relaxation mixed with activity; things familiar mixed with brand new experiences of taste, sight or sense; warmth mixed with some aircon driving and hotels; reading, sleeping and eating mixed with quiet moments of isolation and meditation. WHEN WAS YOUR LAST HOLIDAY? July this year, with a trip to Oviedo in the Spanish area of Asturias - reviewed elsewhere ! NAME 5 DESTINATIONS THAT YOU WOULD LOVE TO VISIT: I presume you are paying, if you are asking !! a. Australia b. Fiji c Caribbean d Iceland e Antarctica HAVE YOU EVER BEEN? ? Skiing. Have you ever seen my sense of balance ? Backpacking. No - no money when I would have liked to - no inclination now I could afford it...

trevorbrock 30.09.2005 · Read review
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Review of Everything that starts with H ...