Posts filed under 'Wierd & Wonderful'
Dream break competition results
Well folks, it’s finally over. Our Build Your Own Dream Break competition had the Superbreak office in a tizz for some weeks, and I have to say we’re glad to have a little bit of time to relax after the rush to collect all of the entries and decide on a winner.
And guess what? The effort was fantastic. We got hundreds of entries ranging from the sweet and romantic to the downright bizarre, with a surprising amount of you choosing to build your dream break right here at home. There were plenty of entries looking to enjoy a break in Edinburgh, London, Liverpool, the Lake District, Inverness and here in York
We also discovered dreams involving Spain, Italy, France, Norway and Germany, with many of you hoping to take advantage of the cold weather by heading off on New Year or Christmas breaks, filled with romance, snow and walks through idyllic city settings. Some of you, however, wanted nothing more than to jet off for a holiday in the sun in destinations like Hawaii, Sydney, the Caribbean, New Zealand and a host of South American destinations like Peru and Mexico. It was clear our entrants really got their imaginations going and ran wild with their dreams – especially one fellow who included the presence of Angelina Jolie in his!
Unfortunately, there’s only so much Superbreak can do – and that isn’t one of them. One thing we did do, however, was pick a winner. And it was tough. There were heaps of fantastic dreams and cutting them down to end up with only one was a truly nightmarish task. But we managed, and our congratulations go to Paul Marshall for his poignant entry, which we hope he can make true with the £1000 prize which can be used to tailor make a break on our website.
As for the rest of you who didn’t manage next time, keep your eyes peeled. We had so much fun with this competition that we’re already brainstorming the next – so good luck and keep dreaming!
Add comment 06/11/2009
Guy Fawkes Night coming up!
Remember, remember – tonight is Guy Fawkes Night, the night we get together and celebrate the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot back in 1605. Well, sort of. Nowadays, it’s mostly about energetic firework displays, actually bonfires aren’t even that common any more… but it’s a tradition still worth enjoying.
I really love this time of year, despite the darkness. What with the fun of Halloween being followed so closely by Guy Fawkes Night, it’s a really good way to herald in the winter months and to console ourselves with the fact that, yes, it’s getting colder now – and quite a lot colder at that! And it’s nice when you see people keep traditions alive.
Some people are still going the whole way when it comes to bonfires too. I saw an article on the BBC that detailed how a Kent bonfire society is all set to burn an effigy of Katie Price. That’s right – Jordan, celebrity model, author, plastic surgery connoisseur and star of one of the most publicised divorces in years. They’ve put up a 30ft model of the star and are making preparations to set her alight tomorrow night. However, given the south east England society’s penchant for burning figures from the public eye – having chosen Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross last year, as well as Cherie Blair and Saddam Hussein in previous years – they’re adamant that it’s to be taken as nothing more as a joke.
I’m not sure if I’d see the funny side if I was Katie Price, but I bet lots of people will be heading down to enjoy setting alight to the guy, as well as taking in fireworks and a torchlight procession.
In Worcester, there’ll be a bonfire, barbecue and fireworks, as well as circus acts that’ll entertain crowds with impressive fire-eating displays – made all the more magical by the covering of the night sky. Leeds‘ Hyde Park will be packed with thousands of spectators braving the mud to eagerly await a stunning firework display and a big bonfire lighting up the night. Such events are taking place up and down England – and the rest of the UK, of course. I know I’ll be heading out to catch York’s best Catherine Wheels tonight, just need to remember two pairs of socks this time!
Add comment 05/11/2009
Two days til Halloween – and the end of our dream break competition
It’s just two days until the spookiest night of the year – and, even scarier, the closing of our Build Your Dream Break competition. While Halloween offers the chance for tricks as well as treats, our competition is decidedly just about the treats – and there’s still time to enter, so hurry and submit your entry to be in with a chance to win your dream break come true, courtesy of Superbreak!
Whenever Halloween comes around, I always get a little sad. Nostalgia strikes for when I was little, going from door to door with my friends, receiving loads of sweets and those always unwanted apples from neighbours. On one trick or treating trip we even found toothbrushes thrown into our pillow case buy some well-meaning adult, but now I can see why someone might think that was a good idea. At the time, we’d never felt more ripped off!
But childish longings aside,York is always a great place to be at Halloween. The city centre is already perfect for setting the mood, what with the shadow of York Minster with its gothic architecture looming over the streets, which wind and weave throughout one another to create a real maze for visitors who don’t know their way around.
I always imagine that some cities must be better suited to things like Halloween than others. York is one that definitely makes sense because its layout and architecture lends the city so well to suggestions of the macabre – perhaps that’s why we have so many ghost tours! Durham, similarly, has the same style of winding streets and closes – much like Edinburgh, which possesses a whole street (the Royal Mile, of course!) that spawns narrow alleyways and creepy passages, perfect for exploring on All Hallows Eve.
Edinburgh is also home to the Samhain ritual, which will be taking place on the Royal Mile and sounds amazing. Hundreds of performing artists come together to stage the battle between summer and winter in celebration of the harvest, which sounds like an exciting way to spend the last night of the month.
i still haven’t decided what I’ll do on the big night itself though, what are you doing this Halloween?
Add comment 29/10/2009
Time is running out to win a dream break!
Many of you will be aware that Superbreak is currently running a build your dream break competition, where you have to tell us what your idea of the perfect break would be. Sounds easy enough, right? Well, we want you to do it in twenty words or less – and that’s where the fun begins. Trying to pack your idea of the perfect holiday into just twenty words has clearly been proving to be something of a difficult task, but keep them coming and you never know your luck!
We’ve had heaps of entries so far, from the nice-but-normal romantic city break style choices to some really wacky and adventurous ones. It’s been a pleasure reading them so far, and the competition has had all of the Superbreak office buzzing over the last few weeks – I think there’s more than a few of us who have been eyeing up our last days of annual leave after being inspired by your suggestions.
So go ahead and tell us what your dream break would be. Don’t worry, you can be as imaginative as you like – after all, we’re looking for an eye-catching winner whose dreams we can turn into reality. That’s not to say we don’t adore the slightly more usual ones too, meaning that you’ve got a great chance no matter what your ideal break would be.
And time is running out – the competition closes on Halloween, October 31, which is just a little over a week away – now there’s a scary thought! Keep the entries coming and you can also add me to Twitter to stay up to date on how the competition is going. Good luck!
Add comment 21/10/2009
Halloween traditions in Europe part 2
After doing some research into how Halloween is celebrated on the continent, I found out some pretty interesting facts on what France, Portugal and Spain do in honour of the holiday. One thing tied the holidays together in particular, and that was a day just after Halloween is called All Saints’ Day in all three. This day, which takes place generally on November 1, is dedicated to honouring the dead and was created by Pope Boniface IV in order to quieten down the Pagan celebrations of Samhain, a fire festival that marks the autumn harvest.
However, it seems like the popularisation of Halloween by big celebrator America has managed to influence other countries into considering the spookier side of the festival – with many thanks going out to the American horror industry that exploded in the 80s, with films like A Nightmare on Elm Street, Friday the 13th and, of course, Halloween gaining mass global popularity. So, while keeping to their traditional All Saints’ Day celebrations, more and more countries across Europe are beginning to embrace Halloween and its ghoulish festivities too.
Here in the UK, Halloween is a pretty big tradition. Kids get dressed up and go trick or treating – called ‘guising’ in some parts of the north, as well as in Scotland and Ireland (the name comes from children dressing up in ‘disguise’) – and many adults will head out to fancy dress parties and celebrate in other ways.
But that’s enough about us – what about the Italians? In Italy, Halloween is becoming more and more popular amongst children and teenagers, who are beginning to see just how much fun dressing up and trick or treating can be. Italians are notorious for their party hard attitude – so if Halloween gives them another excuse to have a ‘Festa’, then they’ve been reaching for it with both hands over the last few years.
In Germany, you’ll commonly see carved pumpkins adorning the windows of shops and residences as Germans get to know the year’s scariest holiday. It’s not yet tradition for kids to go trick or treating, but it seems as though the party atmosphere in Germany is immense and many Germans take the holiday as an opportunity to get dressed up in their best witch, vampire or werewolf costume and head out to any number of themed parties.
Halloween doesn’t seem to be all that popular all over the continent, sadly – but it is getting there. For example, Copenhagen in Denmark is known for throwing massive events, with Halloween in Tivoli amusement park being one of the greatest, In mid-October, Tivoli Park is transformed into an immersive Halloween world, with pumpkins, witches, scarecrows and vampires roaming around set to terrify and entertain visitors. The festival lasts until the end of the month and all rides are open late into the night. It sounds to me like this could be the winner – a two week Halloween festival! That definitely sounds like one that only hardcore Halloween fans would enjoy!
Add comment 16/10/2009
London swallows the Big Apple
Since October 3, London has been giving locals and tourists the opportunity to experience the genuine New York lifestyle as retailers from the famous US city are opening shop in the UK capital for just four weeks.
I wish this had been in London when I was down there for the Moctezuma exhibition at the British Museum but it looks like I was a week too soon!
Taking place on London’s Carnaby Street, the event is part of an initiative called Wish You Were Here, which aims to let locals in both London and New York experience what it’s like to switch cities for a month. As London and New York are two of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, I can’t imagine exactly how different it’ll be – but there isn’t a doubt that some experiences, such as catching a yellow New York cab down the road, will be great fun for London residents and visitors to the capital.
Wish You Were Here wants to promote an exchange of cultures, which is why it also got part of London to uproot and move to the Big Apple last month, an experience that many New Yorkers must’ve been thrilled by (and many London tourists may have found a bit baffling). Each move brings with it shops, street vendors, markets, food, drink and, of course, the people. All of the New Yorkers currently selling New York classics like hot dogs, pizza and pretzels on the streets of London have never been to the city before and had no idea what to expect when they got here – so they simply set up shop and got down to business.
I really think this is a wonderful idea. Especially during the recession when so many people are having to postpone their dreams of travelling somewhere far afield due to a lack of cash flow, it’s an excellent opportunity to enjoy some of the authentic experience of another city without having to break the bank.
I just can’t wait for the Hong Kong swap 
Add comment 14/10/2009
Halloween traditions in Europe
I know I wrote about Halloween fairly recently, but since it’s one of my favourite holidays, I’m going to write about it again. In my post about Halloween last month, I spoke mainly about Halloween traditions in America – big, bold and beastly. The Americans really know how to party at Halloween, almost to the extent of outdoing the rest of the world – which is why I decided to check out how Europe celebrates Halloween to see if there’s a worthy challenger to our stateside friends that I’d missed.
As Halloween has its roots originally in the UK, I thought that Europe should have plenty to offer – and it looks like my suspicions were correct. France seems to be one of the main players in Halloween parties, though it seems like celebrations on the continent seem to be a fairly new trend. In any case, Europe is catching up – and having a lot of fun while doing so.
Although still developing its Halloween antics, France appears to be a European leader and now the holiday attracts lots of attention as well as extensive preparations. Chocolatiers get to work creating intricate Halloween themed chocolates, using their expertise to get the designs just right, and Paris opens its doors to tourists looking for a spooky holiday by holding various events for visitors and locals alike. The main event during France’s Halloween is All Saints’ Day, a day dedicated to honouring the dead. This day was actually created by Pope Boniface IV in order to crush the ancient pagan festival of Samhain – so it’s interesting to see that many European countries are beginning to combine the two after hundreds of years of separation.
If you’re interested in cemeteries November 1 is the day to go, as thousands of French people decorate the graves and tombs of loved ones with beautiful floral displays.
All Saints’ Day is mirrored throughout the European tradition, to greater or lesser degrees. For example, in Portugal, Halloween is still not a tremendous event, but on this day – November 1 – children travel from door to door during the daytime trick or treating to be awarded with fruit, nuts and small cakes.
In Spain, it’s easy to guess that All Saints’ Day is embraced with much passion by the Spanish population. Like their French counterparts, Spanish people take the opportunity to visit the graves of loved ones and endow them with lavish decorations, including gorgeous flowers and lanterns that remain to light up the night, when sometimes prayers are said.
Hmm, I think I’m going to keep researching this – it’s throwing up some really fascinating facts. Be sure to tune in soon to see what else I find.
Add comment 08/10/2009
Disappointing attractions? Hardly
I came across an article recently that rated nine of the most disappointing attractions in Europe – including seeing the Mona Lisa, Manneken Pis in Belgium and going on a gondola ride in Venice. The article is fairly amusing, but I have to say that I don’t really agree any of these attractions could be perceived as disappointing. While it’s understandable that some people may be dismayed that their first glimpse of the Mona Lisa is shared with hundreds of other tourists packed into the room, all a-clamour to see the portrait and take their own photo of it, I would say that being surrounded by such obvious enthusiasm could only serve to make the experience more exciting for me.
Okay, so crowds can be annoying – but they don’t necessarily ruin attractions. The Mona Lisa, which is guardedly stored in the Louvre, Paris, is undoubtedly one of the must see objects in the world. So a lot of people go there – meaning there’s never a quiet moment during opening hours in the Mona Lisa room. And while you may have dreamed about an hour of quiet contemplation in front of this masterpiece, the majority of us aren’t so interested in seeing the picture as we are in having the experience of having seen it – and I think the fact that the business of the room generates such a buzz of excitement is a great thing. After all, we all know what it looks like. The attraction here is taking part in an experience, not viewing a painting (though that’s something you’ll remember as well).
The article also slated gondola rides in Venice, Italy, in part for being like a ‘tourist parade’ for the locals. I’m not sure why that’s such a bad thing. We get tourists here in York all the time and nobody bats an eyelid. Why would people stare at those enjoying a boat ride? Many people think gondola rides are one of the quintessential experiences in Venice – but it is true they’re a tourist attraction. Luckily for me, a bunch of people having a look wouldn’t really put me off if it’s what I wanted to do.
I know that the list, which also included Denmark’s Little Mermaid statue and Dublin Castle in Ireland was intended as a bit of fun, but it saddens me that people reading could be put off some of the most incredible attractions in the world. You make your holiday what it is – so if it’s your dream to take in the Mona Lisa at whatever cost, go for it!
Don’t forget to enter our win a dream break competition and if you’re on Twitter you can follow me for news on the latest Superbreak deals 
Add comment 01/10/2009
Moctezuma: Aztec Ruler at the British Museum
It’s opening weekend of the exciting new exhibition at the British Museum and I’m in London! Hooray! I travelled down last night with a couple of other Superbreakers so we could check out the latest instalment. And I have to say that it’s pretty breathtaking.
Moctezuma was the last elected Aztec emperor who ruled from 1502 until 1520 and was seen by his followers as more of a god than a mortal. His tragic downfall in the wake of Spanish invaders changed the history of the ancient people, destroying its culture and leaving behind the story of a savage people that the Christian conquerors saved from darkness and horror.
However, the Aztecs were an enlightened people with a complex social and political culture, sophisticated to the highest degree for the time – which is something that the new exhibition brings to light. This is the first time that some of the pieces on display have ever been shown in the UK and I couldn’t recommend a visit enough. Fascinating from the depth of amazing history, dazzling treasures and jewellery, with a fantastic array of video displays that reveal much of the true civilisation of Moctezuma’s Mexico before Spain’s invasion – well, I won’t spoil it for you. I will, however, say it’s well worth a visit and you could even incorporate it into a nice short break down south.
At Superbreak, we’ve put together a couple of packages that incorporate tickets to the exhibition alongside a hotel stay including breakfast. You can choose from various packages, like a night and breakfast at the 3 star St Giles hotel from £73.50pp or a four star night at the Grosvenor from as little as £51.93pp – not too shabby for a hotel, breakfast and afternoon entry to the exhibition.
Well, we’re about to head off out to dinner – then back to York tomorrow afternoon. See you next week – and don’t forget to enter our win your dream break competition for the chance to do just that!
1 comment 26/09/2009
The rise of destination marriages
One trend I’ve noticed lately that seems to be on the rise – particularly as some of my friends have been taking the plunge – is the destination marriage. This seems somewhat bizarre, given how we’re in the middle of a recession, but the volume of couples wanting to jet off to tie the knot in the sun seems to be growing. Perhaps they’re looking for a way to escape the miserable economy for their happy day and are splashing out in one massive act of defiance? I guess plenty of them are wise to the fact that if they choose their destinations carefully they can actually save cash by having their weddings overseas.
I’m not really sure how I feel about destination weddings just because they put quite a lot of pressure on family and friends to find the cash to spend on flights and hotels. After all, isn’t that what honeymoons are for? Letting the couple get away for a much-needed holiday somewhere exotic? Then again, what better excuse to head off for a holiday than for a wedding? You can pack your beachwear alongside your gladrags and book some time off where you can enjoy a new country or city as well as being there for the happy couple.
This got me to thinking about what countries I wouldn’t mind too much if my friends planned a destination wedding in. I have to admit that the first place I think of is somewhere like Barbados, where they can enjoy a beautiful wedding on the beach and I can enjoy, well, an amazing holiday in a fantastic location.
I also started wondering about all of the unusual places people might think about for getting married. Like I read about a couple that got married in a helicopter flying over Las Vegas – which sounds amazing, but I doubt some of my friends would be able to hire a big enough helicopter to get all of their guests inside, too
Similarly, I’m not sure how many people would go for watching the happy couple exchanging their vows at Ocean Park in Hong Kong, where brides and grooms to be don diving suits and make their way several metres under the water to make their promises whilst surrounded by sharks. Wow – I wonder how they manage to hear each other? Even more bizarrely, some couples in America are opting to wed in Taco Bells and McDonalds – I suppose that really is beating the credit crunch.
But if you choose an exotic holiday destination for your wedding then I suppose you eliminate the stress of rushing off for your honeymoon straight after and can relax and enjoy your big day even more. A honeymoon in a fast food joint though? No thanks!
Add comment 24/09/2009
