"Preston A New City" intertraveler's Profile

PP stands for Prince Off Piece but more people say Proud Preston.

Miller Arcade Victorian

Preston was made a City in early 2000s.
Preston was once an industrial town, which grew from a market town. but it is more famous for cotton manufacture there was about 70 cotton mills in Preston in its hay day.
Now Preston is a University City home to the Lancashire University.
Preston docks closed in the 70s and has now been transformed into a marina.
There are a lot of bars in the city centre but pubs are in there decline.
The architecture in Preston mainly Victorian, but a lot of this has been demolished but in the City centre there are good examples of fine Victorian buildings. We also have the famous football team Preston North End.

Preston is the main administer town in Lancashire with the head quarters for the Lancashire county council and also the counties records office is located in Preston. As Preston as very good Access by road and rail made it ideal.

The River Ribble flows to the east off Preston which as been very important to the City, from the time off the vikings who sail up the river and Left there treasures buried on the banks, the Cuerdale Hoard found in the 1800s.

Preston docks was built in the late 1800s one off the biggest basins in the country which served a thriving Town to connect to the world in trade. Wood from Scandinavia Bananas from the west Indies cotton from America ferry service to Ireland.
The Preston to Kendal canal helped the town to thrive, with the canal starting almost in the centre off the town.

Preston's decline in cotton and industry to me is sad but things change and is now home to the University which also attracts students from all over the world.
We still have aerospace industries not located in Preston anymore but still close to Preston, Warton and Samlesbury.

PRESTON GUILD

One of the most famous thing about Preston is the Guild which is held every twenty years. The next one is in 2012 and lasts for one week.

Preston is the second oldest recorded borough in England Pontefract in Yorkshire is the eldest.

This is were they swore in the Burgesses and Freemen of the town a lot of ceremony also is involved.

The atmosphere is like a carnival with street parades used to be trades but more mixed now these parade are on a set route usually with bands lots of banners etc.
To will be a pop concert pageants firework displays and a top football team will play PNE foot ball club.

People from all over the world come to Preston to see this event.

Preston Guild 1902

Preston is in the centre of Lancashire and the M6 motorway (the first in the UK) there are three access into Preston. There is main intercity railway station also.
There are some good places to visit in the area from sleepy villages the fells north off Preston plus the seaside resorts Lytham St Annes blackpool Fleetwood across the estuary Southport.
One hours drive you are in the lake district and closer Manchester and Liverpool.
All this makes it a good base so you can travel around with some good hotel on the outskirts off Preston.

Were would we be without the aeroplane?.

Most off my life I have enjoyed travelling abroad , especially in the later years since our children are grown up.

My first visit outside of the UK was in 1967. This was to Ostend Belgium. We traveled by ferry from Dover on a coach tour. We also visited France and Holland on day trips also.
Belgium to me was great and have visited four times now and one day I hope to return.

This May 2006 we had the opportunity to go Florida and we stayed at Bonita Springs on the gulf coast. This was our first trip to America and I was very impressed owe organised they are especially when flying internally.
We enjoyed our stay very much we hired a car my wife and daughter enjoyed the shopping malls, I was more into the scenery.
We went to Marco Island south of Naples to Tigertail beach, I have never seen white sand before what a great place.
Also eating out was very good with a great choice off different restaurants

My early days off travel was to Spain which I still have a soft spot for. In 2004 I went to Tossa De Mar, my last visit was in 1971, Tossa as change a bit since then but still recognizable.
This is a tranquil resort full of history with good beaches with narrow streets dating back over 200 years a place to chill.

April 2005 Sharm El Sheikh This another place that impressed me although Naama Bay is a man made resort it has been done well.
As people say this not the real Egypt but the people who work and live there are friendly and and the service they offer in the hotels and restaurants is first class. Plus I was surprised to see also a shopping centre.
We went to St Catherine's monastery in the Sinai Dessert. The drive took about two hours but the scenery was breathtaking through the desert also we saw quite a lot off Bedouins on the way.
After lunch we drove to Dahab more the real Egypt..Shopping here is cheaper than Naama Bay there are some good water front restaurants and beaches. In all to me this trip was well worth it.

May 2007 We are off to Vodice in Croatia this is were we spent our honeymoon we are going back for our 25th wedding anniversary.
This area as to be in one of top places on my list. The scenery is so different you can visit the Islands the nation park with the waterfalls best visited by boat from Vodice.

There are so many great places to visit, the Greek Islands Cyprus Malta Tunisia Turkey all have something different to offer.

Travels 2007

March Palma Nova Majorca
May Vodice Croatia
Sep Albufeira Portugal

Travels 2008

March Belek Turkey
April Calella Cost Brava Spain
July Bugibba Malta
Nov Limassol Cyprus

Travels 2009

June IOM TT Races

Travels 2010

May Argassi Zante
Aug 2 nights Chester UK

Travells 2011

June Olu Deniz

As being a member off Virtualtourist over a year now. This is a great web site for information. The replies can be very diverse sometimes a little heated but it just proves we are all different.
I have had some very valuable information from VT as a first time traveller to different places, Especially when visiting Sharm El Sheikh and Bonita Springs.

Me Michelle Christine Nicky Mat and Rosa bottom

My wife Christine, who's family is a lot more interesting than mine.

Christine's father Walter Zimny was born in Keltce Poland, 1916 during the second world war. He ended up in Italy, were he rejoined the Polish Army. When hostilities end he came to England with is regiment, and was stationed at Weeton barracks just outside of Preston.
His brother George stayed in Germany and married Eleanora, they have a daughter Halina and they are living in Karlsruhe.

Christine's mother Rosa is from Maribor Slovenia. She came to the UK after the war leaving her daughter Stefanie behind in Slovenia. When she came she was staying at a hostel in Chorley near Preston. This is were she met Walter and they married. Just after they're marriage her daughter Stefani rejoined them.

Christine has family in Slovenia Poland Germany and Australia.
The sad part is she has lost contact with her Polish family's. Her aunt Helena came to the UK for a visit about 1983 and stayed for a few months. She died around 1987.

Michelle now has a son Tyler Tyler is nearly 12 months old now. at the moment Michelle is a full time mum.

Grandson Luke March 06

Nicks son Luke lives with is mother in Kirkby