alucas' VirtualTourist Home Page

Welcome to my homepage, and thanks for dropping by.

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Latest completed pages

Lisbon - from a brief visit in October 2007

From the Euromeet2007 in Santorini: -
Santorini Island
Fira, and Thirasia,

Still got to write up Pirgos and
Oia though !

So far I have posted over 200 pictures (if you include those in collages) and have more to come.

Also continuous updating to my Colchester page, and other towns and villages in Essex.

I'm also regularly adding tips to my London page, so if you are interested in architecture click here

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Sunset over Spain 12th September 2004

Happy Birthday to me, three years on VT !

I stumbled on Virtual Tourist in August 2004 whilst researching our Spanish trip (thanks Fantasmine), and thought I'd add our experiences as we had been to a few places that few others had written about.

Doesn't time fly ! I've been a member for more than three years now, and am still trying to catch up on my page building. The Misc forum must take some blame for that - I'm an avid reader and occasional participant. It seems to take me a long time to sort out photos, write tips, and load it all in, and I'd rather make a decent job of it. So do have a look at my photos, and if you like what you see, come back again to see what I've added. My tips tend to be factual rather than chatty - probably because I'm a Structural Engineer and not really that expressive with words.

The descriptive passages on my earlier pages are the work of my long-suffering wife and beloved travelling companion Liz, who has now signed up in her own right and has started her own pages. So do have a look at her homepage and say hallo - her member name is elucas

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Please feel free to leave your comments on my pages. All comments are welcome (and ratings as well !). I try and reply to them all, especially those from people I haven't heard from before, although I often don't get round to it until the weekend. It's very rewarding to know that people have read and enjoyed what you have written.

The pictures you will find on my pages are mainly taken in the last couple of years, since I've had a digital camera. I've got lots of pictures from earlier trips, but the best one are in albums, and I haven't got round to scanning them yet. A job for the winter nights perhaps ?

Please don't use my photos for ANY purpose without asking me first - I'm most unlikely to object, but would you like it if I used yours without asking ? And if you do see one that you would like, why not e-mail me and I might even let you have a copy of the original ;-)

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The Feria del Caballo, Jerez - May 2006

A brief summary of our recent travels

We don't live very far from Stansted Airport, so our holidays tend to be based around Ryanair or Easyjet destinations. In the past we have also used KLMUK, Buzz and Go. In recent years we have travelled from Stansted to Barcelona, Jerez (four times) We have also been to Italy to Milan, Rome, Bologna, and Pisa for Lucca (twice), as well as Verona via Treviso.

Before that it was usually package holidays, which meant Gatwick, Heathrow and even Luton once. Recently we have started using Gatwick again, although it isn't so convenient for us it makes a pleasant change NOT to use Ryanair !!

If you want to know a little more about Stansted airport, please take a look at my Stansted page.

Here is a more detailed summary - not as extensive as many you will find on VT, but here goes anyway.

October 2007 (Easyjet from Gatwick) Five days in Lisbon for some autumn sun.
May/June 2007 (Thomsonfly from Gatwick) Santorini for a week, taking in Euromeet2007.
May 2006 (Ryanair via Jerez). Two weeks touring in Andalucia, taking in Jerez, the VT meeting in Marbella, Ubeda, Jerez (for the Feria del Caballo) and the Costa de la Luz.
July 2005 (Ryanair via Treviso). A week in Verona, with two visits to the opera, plus trips to Mantova and Lake Garda.
September 2004 (Ryanair via Jerez) Nine days touring in Spain, taking in Jerez, Cordoba, Toledo, Merida, Badajoz and Jerez again.
July 2004 (Ryanair via Pisa) Lucca, Italy
September 2003 (Ryanair via Jerez) A week in Jerez for the Autumn Festival

(Pre-digital photography)
June 2003 (Easyjet) A few days in Bologna
September 2002 (Ryanair via Pisa) A week in Lucca, with visits to Florence and Pisa
September 2001(Buzz via Jerez) Two weeks in Andalucia, taking in Jerez, Cordoba, Granada, Ronda and Cadiz
September 2000 (Go) A week in Barcelona, followed by a week touring in Catalonia.

Anything before that, and the good pictures are not so plentiful. Mind you, in one of the albums there must be some good ones of Florence, Siena and Tuscany taken over several visits......a job for winter evenings I think.

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Future Travels

February - a short city break in Salzburg

This space is blank, because we haven't made any further definite plans for 2008 yet !

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Aida, Verona - July 2005

Latest Pages

A bit of a gap here !! See my list of pages from Santorini above.

Currently under construction, or in preparation: -

Lisbon - I've written the main part of it, but still have quite a few pictures, so will be adding to my tips later on.

Completed pages from the last year or so

Ubeda - something different - a walk around the historic heart of Ubeda.
Baeza - a small page from our visit in May 2006
Ecija
Jerez (full re-write with additional pictures, tips and travelogue of the Feria 2006)
For a different view of the Feria, have a look at Liz's page

Jaen - a small page from an afternoon visit.
Banos de la Encina - possibly the best castle in Andalucia
Wimbledon - re-written after the 2006 Championships.
Verona - now finished (April2006), and I think one of my best pages.
Pisa - a brief page based on a day trip from when we were in Lucca (completed March 2006)
Toledo - at last completed (June 1st 2005). We spent three days exploring this lovely city with its wealth of churches and fine buildings.
Merida - (completed May 12th 2005). Two nights and one day in this fascinating former Roman regional capital.
Badajoz - a morning visit in September 2004 (completed 4th June 2005)
Lucca - our favourite small Italian city. A place we love and will return to again.

London - this page is for some of the buildings that I like in London, and does NOT have any tips for tourist attractions. It is steadily growing with time as I spot interesting buildings that most people would miss. Both modern architecture and period architecture is featured, but not in any particular order at the moment.
Essex - a page that will grow over time, showing some of the hidden treasures of north Essex. I will add to this page over time as I get some photos to show you. I will also add other pages about some of the villages. Recently updated along with the villages.
Coggeshall - under construction - have a look at this pretty Essex village.
Colchester - our nearest town of any size, and hence I am calling it my home town, even though I've never lived there. This page will also grow with time, as I have yet to take the photos I need. Other pages will slowly grow featuring the villages and towns in this part of Essex. All these are in the process of being updated with new pictures and tips.

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Henman Hill, and the giant screen at Wimbledon

Wimbledon

We have been fortunate to go to The Championships at Wimbledon on many occasions, mainly in the 1980's and 90's, and recently we have started going again by applying for tickets in the public ballot. In 2005 we got tickets for No 2 Court (first time I've been to that one), and saw Venus Williams in her fourth round match. We went again in 2006, and I've made a new travelogue with pictures from the action.

I have put together some pictures of past stars, as well as current players, so if you're interested in tennis have a look at my Wimbledon page.

This page has now been updated after the 2006 Championships, and includes a number of tips about visiting and watching for those of you who want to visit in 2007!

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Postcard from India

VT members I have met at some time

I have moved this section to an album on this page, where you will find quite a list.. The pictures from the big VT meetings can be found on the relevant pages
Cambridge and
London
Marbella
Euromeet 2007 - some pictures are on my Santorini Island page, but do also take a look at my pages on :-
Fira, Oia, and Thirasia, where you will find more.

The picture is the postcard that came at the end of March 2006 from India - thanks Brad and Rowena. It was such a nice picture that I thought I would share it with you. I have now put together an album of postcards that we have received this year, and will change the pictures as and when I feel like it, or someone sends us another one ! After spending time on show, the postcards move on to decorate the cupboard doors by my computer - an idea pinched from someone here - there are more than 40 now !

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