Tag: Tour

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Grandparents Grounded with Childcare Duties

You may have seen it in the news (or even experienced it first hand) but when it comes to childcare nowadays, it’s often the grandparents that are left holding the baby.

Rising childcare costs have left many parents in a situation where it’s not worth one of them working. Unless of course, good ‘old’ granny or grandpa can help out that is!
Around half of UK families now depend all year round on the older generation, who we’ve dubbed ‘Retired Help’ (get it?) for their childcare. This savvy situation is thought to save more than £2,000 per year for the average family and over £10,000 for those who rely on grandparents to provide full-time support.
And let’s face it, most grandparents are only too happy to step in. Looking after children is undoubtedly hard work but (allegedly) so much more fun when you can leave them in the capable hands of their parents at the end of the day and go home to put your feet up!
But at Leger Holidays we began to wonder if this reliance was actually impacting on the holiday and leisure time of grandparents and so we conducted some research. And it seems we were right…
The research revealed that over a quarter of Britain’s 14 million grandparents feel that such commitments and responsibilities actually stop them from going away as often as they would like. Interestingly, grandmas are more likely to feel this pressure (32 per cent as opposed to 28 per cent of grandads).
So, whereas historically the mature traveller has always enjoyed more freedom when it comes to holidays, it appears there are now more than 3.5 million of them delaying or sacrificing their dream getaways to help their families.
One alternative of course is for grandparents to go on holiday with their families. But in our research some grandparents admitted *whisper* they didn’t enjoy the experience. One in five said they find it hard work and many also feel they are only invited to provide free childcare. Of course tastes differ across the generations too. Whereas many young families choose to lie on the beach or by the side of the pool, the older generation often prefer to have more experiential getaways, looking for new things to see and do each day. They want to visit museums, admire art, enjoy leisurely shopping and see the sights without a toddler who isn’t interested to bear in mind. Plus, most grandparents have done their fair share of “are we there yet?” journeys.
So we say ‘Retired Help’ of the world unite! Don’t feel guilty about needing a break, it’s important to take the holidays you want, see the places you’ve dreamt of seeing, and to get some well earned R&R! And if you do feel bound by childcare duties (and you don’t mind that) why not squeeze in a long weekend or short-stay break wherever possible, giving you lots of mini treats to look forward to? Come on now…surely you can squeeze in a few days on a midweek break to Paris, recharging your batteries? And imagine all the great presents you could get the grandkids from a trip to Belgium, the Chocolate Capital of the world?
We’re sure your grandchildren will appreciate a rested and rejuvenated granny or grandad – now you’d better get back to building that treehouse…

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Make your Mother’s Day this March

Childs mothers day painting

By Margo

Before you buy your mum a gift this Mother’s Day, I want you to think back to when you were younger. Back to the days when you used to paint your mum’s portrait (although it often resembled a warped pink splodge with a smiling face), make her macaroni jewellery or heroically volunteer to take on the washing up for a day. You know, as an extra special treat!

 
I know what you’re thinking, ‘it’s the thought that counts’ and you’re right it was. But now that we’ve grown up, it’s time to make amends for all those crafty creations and really treat the women who resolutely admired them for all those years.
Now, it’s a well-known fact that we girls aren’t adverse to a bit of shopping now and again. So, what better excuse to indulge in this pastime than booking a spending spree away together for her Mother’s Day present?
Whether it’s Paris, Venice or Rome, Europe is packed with exciting shopping destinations and experiences you’ll both remember for years to come. So rather than forking out for flowers, chocolates and potpourri again this March, why not book yourselves an unforgettable trip together instead?
My top shopping suggestion, and one of our most popular choices for mother-and-daughter breaks at Leger, is the German Christmas Markets. Enjoying a spot of retail therapy is one thing, but enjoying it at Christmas is a whole different kettle of fish. And, if your mum is anything like mine, she’ll be at her retail peak at this time of year. There’s always one more present she has to buy or another bauble the tree just wouldn’t look right without!
With their picturesque locations, authentic stalls and fantastic foods, a trip to the German market is a gesture your mum will cherish forever. And, with plenty of time to enjoy the pre-holiday build up; it’s the gift that keeps on giving. Be warned though, I would definitely recommend taking an extra suitcase for all the treasures you’ll bring home.
For those of you whose mothers are not as keen on shopping, there are plenty of other great getaway ideas out there so step away from the forecourt flower stand! From the Beautiful Bulbfields of Holland to the geared up atmosphere of a Grand Prix, there are so many great places and events that you could be looking forward to. If you’re still stuck for suggestions you can always give me and the rest of the reservation teams a shout, there really is no excuse for not making your mother’s day this year.
What trip would you go on to treat your mum for Mother’s Day? Share your ideas by writing a post below. What’s more, if this has inspired you to book a trip, why not visit www.leger.co.uk, where you’ll find endless of options of tours and customer testimonials.
 
Image courtesy of Flikr user: Nojhan
 

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Traditional Dutch Stamppot Recipe

Traditional Stamppot recipe

The traditional Dutch Stamppot recipe is a very popular recipe in colder months of the year. It is a combination of root vegetables and mashed potatoes. The Dutch Sausage topping really brings this dish together. Go on give it a try.

What you’ll need

  • 3 carrots
  • 1/2 of a turnip
  • 1 leek
  • 1/2 of an onion
  • 2 lbs potatoes
  • ½ lb sweet potatoes
  • 1 lb butternut squash
  • 1 lb green cabbage
  • ¼ cup of butter (add more dependent on taste)
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 ½ lbs of Dutch sausage (Chorizo works well)
  • Optional Cashews

How to cook it

After washing and cutting the vegetables, chop the onion. Peel and cut the potatoes, with the butternut squash, carrots, parsnips, turnip and the sweet potatoes.
Using a large stock pot, place the vegetables in water, this should be brought to boil and simmered for 15 minutes
During this time you can cook the Dutch sausage to the packaging requirements
Once the vegetables are tender they need draining for mashing, then season with salt and pepper to required taste. This is when the cup of butter is added and mashed
Now add the Dutch sausage to the top and serve
Enjoy!
For a real taste of Holland why not take a look at our Dutch tours available with Leger Holidays.
The image is courtesy of Flikr user – Incase

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10 facts you may not have known about Russia

Find out what made our list of facts about Russia below:
 

  • Moscow has the busiest Mc Donald’s in the world (30,000 people entered on the first day of opening)
  • There are more than 600 universities in Russia
  • Russia is home to the world’s largest active volcano Klyuchevskaya Sopka which stands at 4,750 metres.
  • Russia is the second biggest oil exporter in the world
  • 10% of St Petersburg is covered by water
  • Russia is the only country in the world to have 12 seas
  • Russia is so vast it spans 9 time zones
  • The first man into space was Russian, his name was Yuri Gagarin
  • Vitaly Petrov is the only Russian Formula One driver to date
  • Life expectancy in Russia is 59 years for men and 73 years for women

 
Do you have any facts about Russia? Please share them in the comments below. For more information on our tours of Russia take a look at our Tours of Russia page.
 

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Yorkshire Christmas Markets – Leeds Christkindelmarkt

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… First stop: Leeds.

A very warm ‘Willkommen’ in Leeds

As we arrived at the Christkindelmarket in Millennium Square the markets were in full swing. Visiting each stall one by one to see what delights were on offer, we were lead along from stall to stall by one enticing smell after another. It was this mouth-watering mix of smells that hit us first as we arrived at the market – from the smoke of the giant barbecue cooking juicy frankfurters, sizzling schnitzel and huge burgers, to the sugary smell of candy floss and sweet popcorn being made, our senses went into overdrive… and if you visit a Christmas market, don’t miss the ‘Christmas in a glass’ taste of mulled wine – simply a must on a cold day in December! If you don’t collect the deposit you pay on your warm drink, you can even keep the special mug as a souvenir of your visit.

Tasty food
Sizzling sausages

The square in Leeds was full of wooden chalets selling all kinds of unusual gifts ranging from the ‘Honey House’, where a unique variety of candles, honey and jam were being sold, to hand-painted baubles and candle holders, knitted and sheepskin clothing, and salt crystal lamps which lit up with a warm orange glow.

Caroline: “The man at the ‘Honey House’ told me how this was his 6th year at the Leeds Christkindelmarkt, and so far, sales were good – probably, he guessed, because he’d managed to hold his prices from last year. It’s his daughter who makes the candles on his stall – beeswax candles in the shape of pine cones, roses, Christmas trees, angels and reindeer, all created by pouring liquid beeswax into moulds where it’s left to set for 24 hours. And what’s his role in this, other than being the stall holder? He’s the beekeeper, and he’s been looking after the bees for over 40 years – with quite a few stings along the way!”

At the ‘Honey House’

The traditional nutcrackers and wooden toys brought out the Bavarian theme to this market with other stalls selling brightly painted, old tin toys and unique Christmas decorations made from dried fruit and cinnamon sticks which smelled lovely. The glittering carousel was brought to life as it whizzed around with squeals of laughter from children and adults alike, whilst the sound of fairground music played, all adding to the market’s wonderful atmosphere.
In the centre of the stalls, we could hear live entertainment coming from the warm and cozy retreat of the ‘Alp Chalet Restaurant’, a huge, log cabin-style hut providing authentic German food and drink – obviously a popular place judging by the queue of people waiting to get in!

Caroline: “I’ve been to a few markets in Germany before – Cologne, Düsseldorf, Rüdesheim, Aachen etc – they’re my favourite, so it’s great to have one to visit a bit closer to home. It really gives you a taste – quite literally – of what’s on offer at the bigger markets in Germany.”

All day there was a great, festive atmosphere, but it’s after dark when the markets really come to life. After around 5 o’clock they became quite busy with the bustle of people gathering around the food and drink stalls, many of them clutching a warm drink and tasty snack and wearing an array of different woollen hats, probably bought at the market. The unique, magical Christmas feeling flowed through the market as the brass band started to play classic Christmas tunes, all adding to the festive atmosphere. We even spotted the big man himself ­– who would’ve thought we’d get to see Father Christmas at Leeds Christkindelmarkets – he even stopped for a photo!

Naughty or nice? Caroline’s chance meeting with Santa!

Next stop: Grassington’s Dickensian Festival.
For more information about the Leeds Christkindelmarket, York St.Nicholas Fayre and the Grassington Dickensian Festival visit our Yorkshire Christmas Markets Tour page.

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From Russia, With Love

From-Russia,-With-Love

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.

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New starting point unveiled for the 100th Tour de France

New starting point unveiled for the 100th Tour de France

Following British success in 2012, everybody has gone Tour de France mad, including us at Leger.
The success lead to the team looking in to the history of the prestigious race and a hunt began to find the best stat for a team competition. Below are some facts and stats we have found:

  • The Tour de France started back in 1903, where the first winner was crowned as Maurice Garin.
  • The Shortest race was 2,420Kms with the longest lasting 5,745Kms.
  • There was 198 entrants in 2012
  • Usually there are 20 teams with 9 riders in each team.
  • There has been 4 deaths in the races history
  • In the battle of the nationalities France lead the way with 36 winners closely followed by Belgium with 18 and in third is Spain with 12.

The 29th of June 2013 will see the start of the 100th Tour de France, which will start for the first time in its history in Corsica. The 3,360-km route will take the participants and their teams along with the fans on an epic journey past the country’s wonders and will have many new challenges for the climbers in the pack, including the double ascent of the Alpe d’huez climb!
All this and much more is packed into three weeks of intense racing. The entire race is contained within the French borders covering a whole range of challenging terrains, presenting an opportunity for all different types of riders to shine.
The last high altitude test is just 24 hours before the thrilling finale on the Champs Élysées in Paris which will be staged in the evening, providing a beautiful twilight backdrop for the finale of the biggest cycling race in the world.
If you would like to watch the final stage of the 100th Tour de France in 2013 you can find out more here.
Alternatively if you would like to find out more about the 2013 Tour de France route you can do so online now.