Santa Cruz - The Hippie Capital

Advantages: Fun place to see
Disadvantages: locals can be a bit weird...

...Santa Cruz is a great place to stop whilst on a road trip from San Fran to LA. A girlfriend and I decided to do exactly that, we'd spent a number of days travelling all over California, and we thought we'd visit the place where Lost Boys was filmed. Did we see any vampires...no..but loads of hippies. We found a motel to stay which was well priced, about $60 a night located two blocks from the beach and the famous Santa Cruz boardwalk. The first thing you notice whilst walking around are the amount of hippies there are around the place. People mostly in their mid 40s-60s smoking substances unknown to me, and wearing rainbow coloured clothing - very friendly, but a little weird. There are plenty of coffee/laundrette shops that boast a better collection of art than a museum. Nightlife seems non-exsistent, but plenty of cafe...

disneykelly 12.07.2000 · Read review
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Review of Santa Cruz (California)

Loro Parque - Puerto de la Cruz

Advantages: Amazing wildlife and shows
Disadvantages: Long journey depending on where your staying

...Loro Parque is probably the best attraction on the Canary Island of Tenerife. Although the journey via coach from Puerto de Santiago took a tiring 3 and a bit hours to Puerto de la Cruz, it was well worth it. I would strongly recommend watching all of the shows around the park such as the sealions, whales, dolphins and the parrots. The dolphin and whale shows were amazing and I must admit that they topped those of Sea World, Orlando, Florida. Loro Parque meaning "Parrot Park" in Spanish lives up to the name as the park is based around the hundreds of different parrots they own. If you are on holiday to Tenerife, do not hesistate to visit this park. With animals ranging from penguins to tigers to gorillas, it truly is somewhere to visit as it is a brilliant place for families, couples, groups of friends or even by yourself. Do not miss...

HayleyMaloney 12.07.2008 · Read review
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Review of Loro Parque, Santa Cruz de Tenerife

Santa's melted!

Advantages: smells gorgeous, a bit different, fun to use
Disadvantages: melts easily

...I first bought one of Lush's Strawberry Santa Shower Jellies last year. Out of all of the Christmas products, I think it was the one that immediately appealed to me. I love strawberry fragranced products, and I'm glad Lush have brought this out, as I've not been too keen on any of the Body Shop strawberry stuff, and a lot of the cheaper brands smell quite artificial. I know it's a little early to be talking about Christmas products, however I thought I'd write the review now, in case anyone is considering this for a present idea or just a treat for themselves! This was the first ever Lush shower jelly I used, and unfortunately it had leaked in the box, meaning I only had about half left, and the tub had become quite messy, so I wanted it used and out of the way! I did email Lush to tell them what happened and received both an apology...

pink_champagne 06.11.2009 · Read review
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Review of Lush Strawberry Santa

Moist Mercedes

Advantages: a lot to see
Disadvantages: I didn't find any.

...When we stayed in Puerto de la Cruz on Tenerife in December two years ago, I went on a coach tour to the north east of the island including the capital Santa Cruz. I booked it with the rep of our travel organisation, the actual tour operators are always local firms. It doesn?t make sense if I give you the name of the firm we went with as you can?t choose one, you have to take the one your travel organisation works with. I guess they?re all more or less alike and a tour?s success depends on the guide you get. Our first stop was the auditorium in Santa Cruz (built from 2000 to 2003) at the southern end of the harbour area, designed by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, who?s famous for combining architecture, engineering, and sculpture, (from the net) ??he has produced an astonishingly photogenic opera house. Above its main...

MALU 21.05.2009 · Read review
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Review of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Tenerife

Santa-stic!

Advantages: Very funny, great cast, a Christmas film for adults!
Disadvantages: Not that Christmassy, rather crude in parts!

...I absolutely adore Christmas films, and my favourite ones are actually aimed at Children; The Santa Clause, Elf and Home Alone. I find the cuteness is perfect at this time of year, and there is nothing better than sitting in the dark on a winter's evening than watching one of those films. But the other evening, Channel 5 were showing a preview of an adult Christmas film, one I hadn't seen before called 'Bad Santa', and I was quite intrigued to see just how Christmassy this was going to be. So my other half and I settled down to watch, not quite expecting the brilliant film that was shown! Willie and Marcus have an unusual business going on. Every year, they get a job as Santa Claus and his elf in big department stores across the country. Then on Christmas Eve, they rob the place of all the money and anything they want, then flee town...

mummy2harry 27.12.2008 · Read review
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Review of Bad Santa (DVD)

Being Santa

Advantages: Entertaining for adults and children
Disadvantages: Silly...but what do you expect?

...Scott Calvin works for a toy firm while struggling with his ex-wife for custody of his son, Charlie. When Charlie comes to spend Christmas with him, Scott is reluctant to join in with the Christmas spirit. Then on Christmas Eve he accidentally kills Santa by knocking him off the roof, and, by wearing Santa's clothes, immediately enters into a contract to replace him. But after an evening of delivering presents with Charlie, Scott puts it all down to a dream...until the next year when he suddenly puts on weight and begins to resemble Santa Claus. Will he accept that he is now Santa Claus and the responsiblities that go along with it? Although this is very far from the type of film I would usually watch - I like horrors and thrillers - there is something about the run up to Christmas that makes me want to watch something frivolous...

sunmeilan 18.11.2008 · Read review
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Review of The Santa Clause (DVD)

Taio Cruz : Departure

Advantages: Fantastic Lyrics
Disadvantages: Not suitable for all....

...Introduction: This is the brand new album from the great Nigerian born British singer that is Taio Cruz. One of my most favourite artists in Britain brings us his fanatical album "Departure" with all of your favourite songs that reached the charts in the past several years. What Songs Are Featured On This Album? Well , there are many songs featured on the alubm that gets you in the mood for the day to come. Every song on the album makes the buy more worth it. Songs on the album are Moving On , So Cold , I Just Wanna Know , Fly Away , Can't say go , I Don't Wanna Fall In ove , Driving Me Crazy , Never Gonna Get Us , I'll Never Love Again , and this brilliant album also features the chart breaking "I Can Be" and the fantastic "Come On Girl". These songs each of their own uniqueness which makes them all the more better to listen to...

Jordan2493 26.08.2008 · Read review
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Review of Departure - Taio Cruz

Santa Cruz, just cruz along.............

Advantages: Just excellent
Disadvantages: A little plane spotting

...We are now Vila Gale loyal customers. Personally we have stayed in their hotels as follows, Vila Gale Marina, Vila Gale Ampalius, both in Villamoura, on the Algarve. Vila Gale Tavira also on the Algarve and then last week Vila Gale Santa Cruz, Madeira. I can recommend all of the above, but the Santa Cruz is the newest and modernist of all. The reception is a vast expanse of glass, marble and big soft sofas and a view of the ocean, just for good measure. It somewhat reminds you of the old Art novo cinemas. Staff on reception where very polite and speak better English then I do Portuguese, excellent. The main areas of the hotel are all on -1 level, with magnificent views of the sea which is only 150 yards away. The restaurants have the same view, so does the fitness room, pools and Jacuzzi. There are two outside...

bostonianbeer 21.02.2008 · Read review
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Review of Vila Gale Hotels

Come to the Parrot Park and see much more than parrots!

Advantages: Great day out, interesting, Orca show
Disadvantages: Expensive!

...Loro Parque Review Recently I went away to Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife for the third time for nearly two weeks which would explain my absence from reviewing. Now I am back and you are probably going to see a few Tenerife reviews! I have been to the Loro Parque all three times I have been in Tenerife and think it is a brilliant tourist attraction and that if you are visiting you must go and visit it! Loro Parque is a cross between a massive fancy zoo, a conservation place and basically a brilliant tourist attraction (and it is advertised everywhere on the island!) My favourite part of the park was the Orca show and this is the best animal show I have ever seen and something you must see if visiting Loro Parque. The Orca whales are from Seaworld in America and they do lots of clever tricks and are very interesting to watch...

mariofan123 09.09.2009 · Read review
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Review of Loro Parque, Santa Cruz de Tenerife

I TOLD you there was a Santa!!

Advantages: It just epitomises Christmas
Disadvantages: None - don't believe those American critics

... SANTA CLAUS THE MOVIE (1985) DVD (2007) REVIEW "A prophecy has come to pass, that there would come to us a Chosen One, and that he, having no child of his own, would love all children everywhere, and that he himself would be an artist and a craftsman." INTRODUCTION I am like a kid when it comes to Christmas, I just love it; I love the family getting together, the Christmas services, the carols, lights, the decorations, the children's faces, the food, the excitement and so much more. I also look forward to the Christmas season as a time when we get to watch a lot of my favourite Christmas films. Christmas just wouldn't be Christmas without watching my favourite of all - "Santa Claus - The Movie" - I've shared it with my children and my children's children and it's nothing short of magical...

oldchem 15.11.2009 · Read review
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Review of Santa Claus - The Movie (DVD)