Here at Leger we are pleased to announce the launch of our new Grand Explorer website.
The site houses our great range of Grand Explorer Tours, which cover a vast array of countries and take in some simply breathtaking scenery,
These tours are carefully planned right down to the very last details; we can even pick you up from your home with our door-to-door service, so there is absolutely nothing for you to worry about.
With destinations including places such as Russia, India, China, Norway and even the Arctic Circle these tours really are not to be missed.
For more information on our tours visit our new Grand Explorer website
Falafel was officially adopted as the national food of Israel. In recent years, it has lost a bit of its popularity, although is still quite ubiquitous.
These are small fried balls of mashed chickpeas, usually served inside pita bread.
This recipe will allow you to experience this amazing dish from the comfort of your home.
What you’ll need
1 cup of dried chickpeas (or 16oz can of chickpeas)
1 large chopped onion
2 cloves of chopped garlic
3 tablespoons of chopped parsley
1 teaspoon of coriander
1 teaspoon of cumin
2 tablespoons of flour
Salt
Pepper
Oil for frying
How to cook it
Soak dried chickpeas in a bowl overnight in cold water (don’t do this if using canned Chickpeas)
After draining the Chickpeas, place them in a pan of water, and bring to boil.
After boiling them for 5 minutes, let them simmer for an hour on a low heat
Once again drain and allow cooling for 10 minutes
Now add them to a bowl with Garlic, onion, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper.
Before adding flour, mix it all together, until a thick paste is achieved.
Once paste is achieved, make small balls with the mixture and slightly flatten
Then finally fry them in 2 inches of oil at 350 degrees until golden brown (5-8 minutes)
For more information abour Israel or to take a look at our Tours of Israel visit our website
It’s been a hot topic in and around Leger Holidays HQ. As battlefield touring specialists, we were delighted to hear that around £50 million has been set aside to mark the WW1 Centenary across the UK. Having toured with thousands of Brits over the last 30 years, we know that this moment in history is as close to the nation’s heart now as it ever has been.
Remembrance Day and the sea of red poppies displayed on lapels across the country demonstrate that better than anything.
We’ve seen first-hand the impact that battlefields and memorials, so steeped in history and sacrifice, can have on a person. And, whether it’s a personal pilgrimage or an educational expedition, we’re not sure there’s anything quite as powerful as taking a trip back in time with a battlefield tour.
We’ve seen customers respond in all manner of ways to a battlefield tour. One thing you can be sure of, however, is that they will walk away with a deeper understanding of our history and a greater appreciation for those that lived through the wars.
For those of us who are slightly more mature (ahem), we may well have heard tales passed down through our families that help to make the wars feel more relevant, or personal, or just bring home that these were real. But, with each generation, those stories become fewer and farther between.
On the initiative, Paul Reed – head specialist battlefield guide – said: “I’m delighted about the government’s promise to help the next generation learn about the Great War by experiencing the awe of visiting the battlefields for themselves.
“Learning about our ancestors in the classroom or through a text book is essential, but to bring history to life there needs to be another dimension to that study, so that students really grasp what the past was all about.
“During my 15 years at Leger it has been amazing to see how great an impact the experience can be; iPads and state of the art graphics all have their place, but when it comes to real interactive learning, nothing beats walking the ground where these battles took place, guided by someone who can help you appreciate what it was like to be an ordinary person in extraordinary times.”
All of us at Leger can’t wait to see how this initiative unfolds.
For more information about our battlefield holidays visit our website
The 24 hours of Le Mans has been held annually from 1923 near the town of Le Mans in France. It is the world’s oldest active sports car race in the endurance racing category.
The first race was held on 26 and 27 of May 1923 and has run every year apart from 1936 and from 1940 to 1948 because of World War II.
The race is commonly named the ‘Grand Prix of Endurance’, although the 24 hour Le Mans is not just about having a fast car and a it’s drivers ability, it is about being able to produce a car that can complete the race in its entirety without sustaining any mechanical damage whilst also keeping an eye on the cars tyres, fuel and brakes.
The drivers are also put through their paces. At first there were no rules surrounding how many drivers were in a team, with a few drivers in the races history looking to save time by attempting to complete the race as the only driver. It wasn’t until the 1990’s rules were introduced to make the teams have a minimum of three drivers per car, with even more rules introduced around the length of time one driver could be behind the wheel.
This is just a taste of the 24 hour of Le Mans and it’s amazing history, to get a real life experience of the race and take in the amazing atmosphere surrounding a race day, why not take a look at out Le Mans tour by coach and join in the 90th anniversary celebrations.
Photo courtesy of Dave Hamster
It’s that time of year again when towns and cities play host to the colourful Christmas markets, welcoming visitors from near and far to join in the festive celebrations and soak up the unique atmosphere. I’m a bit of a sucker when it comes to Christmas Markets, so when a trip to the Yorkshire Christmas Markets – markets I’ve not visited before – came up, I had my bag packed and my Santa hat on faster than you could say ‘mulled wine’.
In a change to our usual working location in Leger’s Design Studio, my colleague, Tammy and I were joining the tour to get some new photographs for the brochures and the website, and to check the tour out – listening to what the customers thought of the trip and experiencing the Yorkshire Christmas markets first hand… After Grassington Dickensian Festival, our final stop was York.
Yule love York!
The medieval city of York is known for its impressive cathedral – the York Minster, its historic city walls, the famous Jorvik Viking centre and its various museums, but in the run up to Christmas, the markets – as we found – provide another great reason to visit. It was a clear crisp day with bright skies as we arrived and still quite early, so we decided to take a quick look around York’s historic parts before the Christmas shoppers descended on the city. We took a walk past Clifford’s Tower – the surviving keep of York’s main medieval castle – for a panoramic view of the city; walked down the famous, ancient street known as the ‘Shambles’, full of quaint shops in half-timbered, medieval buildings dating back to 1400s; and had a very short stroll down ‘Whip-ma-Whop-ma-gate’, the shortest street in York with the longest name – once the location of York’s pillory and whipping post. Some say this was the inspiration for the street’s name.
Cliffords MountYork Minster
The centre of York has no shortage of shops, ranging from big named, high street stores to the unique little shops that can be found on The Shambles and among the maze of the city’s charming cobbled streets. We wandered along, listening to buskers and watching street entertainers who appeared on most corners. Parliament Street, in the centre of the city, was the location of this weekend’s Christmas market – the St. Nicholas Fayre.
St. Nicholas Fayre
The market stalls were once again a mix of handicrafts and food and drink, with one half of the stalls selling wooden ornaments, handmade silver jewellery and Christmas decorations; the other half, marked by the now-familiar smells of hot roast nuts, mulled wine and roasting meat, with stalls offering fudge, cupcakes, different flavoured toffees and gifts from Yorkshire brewery. We were never very far from something to sample, whether it be a locally-produced chutney or sloe gin jam, and now and then, little stalls selling hot chocolate with rum or brandy appeared.
Chewy delights
Tammy: “York was the highlight of the tour for me. The atmosphere on the coach was different by the third day, people were chatting, laughing and joking – there was a real sense of camaraderie. Even though I’ve worked at Leger for a number of years, I’ve not been on a coach holiday before but definitely understand the appeal of holidaying by coach – everything was done for us: no driving, no navigating our way through the country roads, nothing to think about… we just had to turn up and get on the coach. Then we just sat back and enjoyed the scenery.â€
Tammy soaking up ‘all the fun of the St. Nicholas Fayre’ in York
So that was it. Three days and three different markets, all full of festive cheer and an atmosphere you only get at this time of year. And here’s one final observation: Christmas markets are not the place to be if you’re on a diet! There are so many wonderful smells coming at you from every direction that it would be hard for anyone with even the highest levels of willpower to walk past without a taste. We didn’t even try – afterall, that’s all part of the attraction of the Christmas markets! The diet will have to wait for another day!
For more information about the York St.Nicholas Fayre, Leeds Christkindelmarket, and the Grassington Dickensian Festival visit our Yorkshire Christmas Markets Tour page
It’s that time of year again when towns and cities play host to the colourful Christmas markets, welcoming visitors from near and far to join in the festive celebrations and soak up the unique atmosphere. I’m a bit of a sucker when it comes to Christmas Markets, so when a trip to the Yorkshire Christmas Markets – markets I’ve not visited before – came up, I had my bag packed and my Santa hat on faster than you could say ‘mulled wine’.
In a change to our usual working location in Leger’s Design Studio, my colleague, Tammy and I were joining the tour to get some new photographs for the brochures and the website, and to check the tour out – listening to what the customers thought of the trip and experiencing the Yorkshire Christmas markets first hand… After Leeds Christkindelmarkt, our second stop was Grassington.
Engrossed in Christmas Past
It was a clear, frosty morning, as we set off en route to the Yorkshire Dales village of Grassington. Travelling through the beautiful Yorkshire countryside, passing long shadows stretching out across fields criss-crossed with dry stone walls, we drove through the lovely spa town of Ilkley, close to Ilkley Moor – inspiration for the folk song ‘On Ilkla Moor Baht ‘at’.
Along the way we made a short stop in Skipton, the ‘Gateway to the Dales’, with Skipton Castle standing at the top of the high street of this traditional, market town. The cobbled streets were full of friendly market traders setting up their Saturday stalls and plenty of tea rooms serving crumpets, scones and morning teas. The smell of hot pork pies was hard to ignore – no doubt a favourite here as quite a few people were walking the streets munching on the warm snack. The markets were popular with both locals and visitors, selling anything and everything from farm foods to pots and pans; dog food to woollen hats and gloves – a typical Saturday market.
Tammy: “We found a little gem in an old fashioned sweet shop called Sarsaparilla’s – it was just like stepping into the sweet shop in the film ‘Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory’, with ‘Wonka Bars’ and ‘Everlasting Gobstoppers’, plus things I remember from my schooldays such as ‘Sherbet Dips Dabs’, candy cigarettes, Wham bars, Nerds and Push Pops. I really did feel like a child in a sweet shop!â€
In Grassington the markets were different again, this time with a Dickensian theme. Grassington has everything that comes to mind when you imagine a typical village in the Yorkshire Dales: stunning views; beautiful stone buildings; quirky shops and friendly pubs, so visiting at Christmas time is extra special when the Grassington Dickensian Festival is on – this year, celebrating the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens. Walking up to the main cobbled square it felt as if we’d stepped back in time, with villagers and shopkeepers dressed in Victorian costume.
Keeping warm at the marketsMore gift ideas!
The streets were bustling with musicians, a town crier, a stilt walker and chestnut sellers, and stalls were full of local produce including real Yorkshire ales, homemade chutneys, soups and pies (rabbit and cranberry must’ve been popular as it was sold out) and, of course, mulled wine.
Local produceTown crier
The burger stall here had an impressive selection – the sign displaying ‘best beef, venison, kangaroo, wild boar and Welsh buffalo’ – and, for anyone wanting to take the weight off their feet for a while, the village had a good selection of cozy pubs where you could enjoy a hearty meal to warm you up on a cold winter’s day.
As the afternoon passed, the fire pits were lit, bringing welcome heat to the market-goers who gathered around eating and drinking, sharing the warmth and the charm of this olde-worlde town. As darkness fell, the lights from the quaint little shops began to twinkle and in the centre of the square, the Hebden Bridge band began playing traditional Christmas carols as people started to sing along.
Next stop: York St. Nicholas Fayre.
For more information about the Grassington Dickensian Festival, Leeds Christkindelmarket, or the York St. Nicholas Fayre please visit our Yorkshire Christmas Markets Tour page.
Here at Leger Holidays we love an Alpine escape, in fact our very first tour was to Austria back in 1983, and it’s still one of our top holiday destinations! So what is it that makes you all so interested in Austria? Whether you’re researching for your next holiday or simply want to brush up on a few facts, we’ve compiled a list…
The name Austria derives from a Germanic word ‘austro’ which means ‘east’.
The Austrian flag is one of the oldest national flags in the world.
The sewing machine was invented by Austrian Josef Madersperger.
Approximately one quarter of the population of Austria lives in Vienna.
Vienna has the oldest zoo in the world which was founded in 1752.
Christmas at home isn’t for everyone as some like to escape on our Christmas holidays, but for you guys at home here is a very festive recipe which will allow you to make 12 mince pies. These with our Classic Mulled Wine Recipe from last week are perfect together. What you will need to make 12 Mince Pies:
300g Short crust Pastry
1 beaten egg
Granulated sugar
One jar of 400g jar of mincemeat
How to make them:
Preheat the oven to 200C – 400F or Gas mark 6. Place a baking sheet in to warm it up (to help cooking the base of the pie)
Start by rolling out the pastry. Make sure it is nice and thin, around the a cm thick. Keep an eye out for thin areas as the more even the pastry the better they will bake as if it is too thin they may burn before the rest of the mince pie has baked.
The next step is to cut out the bases for the pies; there should be twelve of them no bigger than 7cm in radius. These will then form the base of you mince pie once placed in the tray. Once these have been done you can start adding the mincemeat (about a tablespoonful)
The next step is to cut out or stamp another 12 circles for the lids. These will be used as the lids for your mince pies. A little brush of milk or water on one side will help them stick to the base so ensure the wet side is face down. These will then need a gentle pinching around the edge (a folk is perfect).
This is where the egg comes in. Brush a little over the top of the pies and sprinkle with caster sugar.
Now make a little hole in the top to stop the filling from boiling over.
The pies are now ready to be placed in the oven for around 15-20 minutes or until a nice golden colour. Most of all Enjoy!
Image courtesy of Flikr user – NickJWebb
With the 2012 Formula One season now finished, and the discussion of Sebastian Vettel’s Green flag incident well and truly dissected its time to look forward to the 2013 season.
This will be the 64th season of the Formula One World Championship. It will consist of eleven teams and twenty-two drivers. The action will get underway in Australia on the 17th of March and will end like the 2012 season in Brazil on the 24th of November.
Once again the season will start with Sebastian Vettel hoping to defend his World Drivers’ Championship and his team Red Bull Racing will be looking to retain the World Constructors’ Championship.
Looking across the teams for the season ahead there are quite a few changes, the most spoke about being that of Lewis Hamilton formerly of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes moving to the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team,
In all there will be nineteen thrilling races (with the possibility of an increase to twenty) in the 2013 calendar allowing for many different drivers the chance to get on the podium. Will we see another seven race stint where seven different drivers top the podium?
Leger Holidays are offering the chance for you to experience the F1 buzz for yourself at five of the races including the amazing Monaco Grand Prix. To see all the available tours please visit our website.
Never been to a race before? Why not read about the Spa experience from two of Legers’ Staff here.
By Margot
I would be surprised if I was the only Leger lady to have more than a passing interest in the latest James Bond film Skyfall. I’d like to say it comes from my passion for one of Britain’s longest-standing cinematic legacies and NOT just Daniel Craig…but that might be a bit of a porkie.
I’ve grown up with Ian Fleming’s super spy and the last half dozen actors to have taken on the role will always hold a place close to my heart. I will always remember the first time I saw ‘Goldeneye’- I was less concerned about the super weapon falling into the wrong hands and more the safety of Pierce Brosnan! It certainly kept me gripped, anyway.
Putting one of Ireland’s best exports to one side, I also couldn’t help but be captivated by the locations in the film, especially Russia. It left such a lasting impression that I decided to make the trip myself a few years ago, taking my son for his 21st birthday.
We both agreed that it was one of the best holidays we’ve ever shared.
It was probably down to the fact that we managed to visit so many different places in the same trip, including Berlin– to see the Brandenburg Gate and The Wall – and Warsaw: the Belvedere Palace was beautiful and the city itself was great for a little shopping on a budget!
When we did reach Moscow, though, the Red Square really surpassed my expectations – I remember my son rolling his eyes as I commented on clean and well-kept it was (unlike his room as a teenager, I might add.) The guide on the tour was absolutely fantastic and really helped us appreciate some of the aspects that others might overlook. The tube stations, for example, were adorned with chandeliers, oil paintings and statues – they were quite breath-taking.
Also, it had been a life-long dream to take in the ballet in the place where it originated, at least where I think it did! I went to see a production of Swan Lake in St. Petersburg and I’m so happy to have enjoyed it in Russia, world famous for its dancers.
We both loved exploring the markets in Helsinkiand sightseeing tours through Stockholm and Copenhagen. However, no matter how hard I looked, Sean Connery wasn’t lurking in the shadows! With such a varied itinerary, including everything I’d hoped to see and some sights I hadn’t expected, I think it’s safe to say that I managed to put 007 out of my mind, if only for a little while.
If you have any further questions about Leger Holidays’ Grand Explorer tours, including the Grand Russian Spectacular and Highlights of Scandinavia, please do get in touch through our Facebook page or call us at 01709 787 463.
