- family
- (1946)
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In Melbourne you will find soapboxes being put to use on Sunday afternoons at the Speakers’ Forum on the forecourt outside the State library.
Over the years, speakers (including Prime Ministers) have gathered on the banks of the Yarra river to discuss politics (brave!). In 1995, the tradition was relocated to the forecourt. If you have something you think needs to be heard, the stage is yours between 2.30pm and 5.30pm every Sunday. The audience gets to heckle and boo for free.
the State Library of Victoria
Melbourne CBD
328 Swanston St City
www.slv.vic.gov.au
Marmaris Old Town is the true Turkish side of the resort with its twisting streets leading to traditional restaurants, bazaars and mosques.
There are great Ottoman buildings to the seen such as the Caravanserai inn and the castle of Suleyman which has a thorough collection of Ottoman archeological findings. This is the part of Marmaris which the tourists don't find, so thankfully it remains peaceful.
Just follow the streets leading up to the hills above Suleyman castle and loose yourself.
Sadly, Marmaris castle is overlooked by the tourists as they stick to the beach like glue. This is a great shame though, as it has been lovingly restored to a museum which has informative and interesting cultural and artistic displays.
Courtyards full of seasonal flowers provide some welcome respite from the heat. Go up to the castle walls for breathtaking views of Marmaris Bay and of Rhodes.
Marmaris castle museum lies on the eastern side of the bay and is a 10 min walk from the beach and is clearly signposted from the seafront.
Içmeler is a beautiful resort in its own right with a gently shelving sand and shingle beach which is ideal for families. Despite the European flavour of the seafront and the luxury yachts in the bay, Içmeler has managed to retain its own distinct Turkish character with its narrow streets and whitewashed houses concealing a traditional mosque.
From the beach or from the hills above it you can take in spectacular views of stunning islands rising out of the warm waters of the Med. Içmeler is a much quieter and more authentic alternative to Marmaris.
Içmeler sits on its own large bay just 8km south of Marmaris. Frequent buses and ferries link them together. A more romantic route is to follow the 10km pathway along Marmaris beach (not to be attempted at midday or late afternoon due to extreme heat) to Içmeler beach.
A 1772 town house in Asuncion city centre where patriots met and plotted the Paraguayan Independence in 1811.
Contemporary furniture, paints and objects.
Opening times:
Mondays and Fridays open at 7 AM. to 6:30PM and Saturdays at 8 AM. to 12 AM.
14 de Mayo and Presidente Franco
www.casadelaindependencia.org.py
St Mary's is the largest Island out of all the Scilly Islands, it also is the busiest. I'd recommend St Mary's because it's a nice place to go and have a break and since you're only allowed a car if you live there, it's quite a 'Global Friendly' place. It's also brilliant for a midnight cycle adventure!
It has a lot of great beaches to picnic on, where you can paddle in the sea even in April! Watching the gigs race whilst having fish and chips is fun too. There are plenty of interesting little shops to potter around in. You can get to any of the islands by boat.
My favourite island is Tresco because of the Abbey Gardens and the shell grotto inside it.
From Katie Lawrence (age 10) from Pembrokeshire.
Last year me, mum, dad and my brother Aidan went on holiday to Jura. We stayed in a cottage beside the sea. There is a beach and a little park just along the road. Sometimes it rained but mostly it was a sunny day. One day we went down to the beach and found a crab crawling around the rock pool. When we went back to the beach one day we saw a wild otter.
Jura
Heatheryknowe
Craighouse
Isle of Jura
If you travel to Minsk with a child, or if there is still a child in you, go to the circus! The circus in Minsk operates almost year round, it is a lot of fun and great entertainment even if you do not understand Russian. You can see highlights of a recent circus performance on video at the website below:
Nezavisimosti Ave
Minsk, Belarus
Near the Victory Square metro
www.travelswise.com/minskentertainment.htm
I travel in central London a lot at weekends, buying games, clothes and various other things. I have always generally enjoyed London, for all its opportunities and tucked-away secrets. But I then found a place which doesn’t have clothes or games. There was a children’s show on there (and this was many years ago) and we decided to sit down and watch. The show itself wasn’t really that good, and I soon tottered off. I wandered around, looking for anything interesting, but just found dull concrete buildings. But in the midst of this wall of grey I found a most peculiar sculpture. It was very hard to describe, as it seemed to be a partly squashed bug. A large sphere of metal with wiggly antennae, with two large flat metal discs behind it and I found it very amusing to hop from one disc to another, as they weren’t very high, and made a loud clang, much to the annoyance of my parents. As I got older I would always visit that metal sculpture. There were several large buildings nearby the metal toy. We ventured inside one once, and found it very family friendly. It often had exhibitions, and had a constant feed of entertainment, such as live music and dance, as well as a cafe, and a well-stocked book shop. This was of course, the Royal Festival Hall, which is now under refurbishment.
As I grew older still we would move around London more, and me and my little sister would beg our parents to let us go to the South Bank instead of boring clothes shops. We soon discovered the far-off ends of the South Bank, which seemed to never have an end to the various forms of entertainment. There were several good restaurants, along the bank, including a Wagamamas we still often visit, a Strada (best Italian food in the world) and a pizza place at the end. In the summer, we regularly visit the South Bank, as it provides a way to take up a day, and make it a fun one. We often meet friends there, or go and watch a show, as well as having dinner.
The great thing about the South Bank is that there is always a place you haven’t been, some unturned leaf, which is always ready and waiting, and bursting full of energy and imagination. And these leaves are always falling, so regular visiting is always needed. Still things remain undiscovered to my family, so we shall keep on visiting, and so should you.
Angus Hegarty, Age 13, East Barnet
Embankment or Waterloo Tube Station
One of my favourite places to go where I live has got to be Craggy Island; the indoor climbing centre in Guildford. I love it because it’s somewhere I can go with my Dad, just the two of us, or maybe three if my sister tags along. Even though my Mum isn’t keen on the actual sport, she always encourages us from the Island cafe, which sells excellent and wonderfully gooey brownies. These always go down brilliantly after a hard climb!
The climbing itself is always rewarding, and you get a great buzz when you reach the top of the wacky walls, which range in difficulty. To warm up my muscles, I always start with traversing, which is basically working your way across a horizontal wall without falling off. This is great fun and my Dad can use the auto belay device which allows him to take a break from holding my rope. Afterwards I often try bouldering, where I can climb without a rope and practice my skills on the wall. For me, this is a great way to unwind with my family!
Kate Schneider (age 12).
Craggy Island Indoor Climbing Centre, Unit 9, Cobbett Park, Slyfield Industrial Estate, Moorfield Road, Guildford GU1 1RU
Tel: 01483 566 880
www.craggy-island.com
Wannado City in Fort Lauderdale Florida is a whole city created for kids where they can become adults for the day and get a job and earn money or 'wongas' as they call it. My daughter was a model whilst my son had a stint at being a fireman, doctor and a cook. They earn money at the city which they can spend on treats for themselves or pay into the bank. This is a great educational but enjoyable day for children and quite fun for adults to.
Belhaven Bay! I adore Belhaven Bay! It has got wide open spaces. You can walk for an hour without disturbance. You can even get stranded! It has got a beautiful silence. In summer you can swim among jellyfish, crabs and much more! If the tide is in, there is a bridge to nowhere! Where is it to? Come back when the tide is out and see. If you are a runner, this is heaven! Standing on top of the bridge looking out towards the sea, you won't see anything but beauty. You can make sand sculptures until the tide comes in and gets you. You can make dams and accessories (sofa, TV etc). Some things are quite difficult to make on other beaches, but Belhaven Bay has damp sand. There is fun for everyone! It's the perfect place for flying kites! Almost every day you will get the wind in your hair! The feeling is tremendous! There is a magical feeling about Belhaven Bay! I just love paddling in the cool water or even swimming! Connie and I often make fairy swimming pools with channels and islands. It's a brilliant place to meet up with friends, have a chat, go for a walk and things like that. Grand waves crash on to the beach, excellent for surfers! On calm days, you can see right across to Fife! So from getting stranded to swimming with jellyfish, Belhaven Bay is BRILLIANT!!!!!!!!!!!
Love Delilah (age 10).
At the bottom of Belhaven hill, near Miss Auld's house.
Eurocamp is a fun campsite where they have loads of different things to do. When I go there we always take our bikes and go with some friends so we cycle all round the site and get to know our way around.
You can also hire bikes which makes it easier.
There is a swimming pool with slides and a water fountain! There is a lake there and you can hire a canoe (especailly fun for water fights).
There is also lots of fun stuff to do outside of the site so you can go to some of the lovely beaches around.
It is a family place so everyone enjoys it.
www.eurocamp.co.uk and search for the south Vendee.
My favourite place to go is the Enginuity centre in Ironbridge in Shropshire. It's a hands-on place where you really see what makes things work. I like it there because you can do lots of fun things there, like using water to make energy and just by turning a wheel round you can make a steam engine move a tiny bit. When you put balls into a big machine it keeps it working and there’s loads more stuff to do.
There are other great things for kids to do at the other sites too.
From Bryony Yates (age 8).
Follow signs for Ironbridge Gorge. Then follow signs for Coalbrookdale Museums and park in Museum of Iron car park
Tel: 01952 884391
Nearest Station: Telford Central
Bus: Telford Travelink (tel 01952 200005)
www.ironbridge.org.uk/our_attractions/enginuity/
Disneyland Resort Paris is the most magical place I have ever been to.
Trust me, you won't just go there once - you will be booking another holiday there as soon as you get back!! Why do I love it?
I'll tell you. . .
Once you step on to the cobbles of Main Street USA and see Sleeping Beauty's Castle up ahead, you will be tingling with excitement!!
Rides that I recommend:
Space Mountain; Mission 2
Rock 'n' Rollercoaster
Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast
Pirates of the Caribbean
I stayed at Hotel New York and it was just amazing. It has 2 restaurants, bars and so much more!! Definitely a must!
Restaurants that I recommend:
The Blue Lagoon
Plaza Gardens
Rainforest Cafe
I hope that I have given you an insight into the magical world of Disneyland Resort Paris!
From Rhian (age 12).
To contact Disneyland Resort Paris (general information, booking. . .)
CALL 08705 03 03 03 (UK)
www.disneylandparis.com
A trip to Vienna is not complete without visiting the Prater and riding on the Riesenrad (ferris wheel). When you are up there in the rustic red carriages you can look down and see all the rides and people, and on a dark night you can almost hear the Harry Lime tune cranking away in the background . . .
Google map: tinyurl.com/lhnx8a
Sit back beside a log fire in a beautiful old fashioned stone room. Stories rush forth, to engulf you in imagination. From the evil Baba Yaga to flying ships. Have a break to raid the cafe. I recommend any parents to take their offspring.
Joe Webb (age 10).
Art room, Ruskin mill, Nailsworth, near Stroud.
Seafood and steak restaurant in a simply stunning location, right on the waters edge at the eastern end of the Solent. We visited for lunch in midsummer and moored up just off the beach on one of their mooring buoys (free of charge!) Had moules mariniere followed by local lobster, crab and seabass - all washed down with an extremely agreeable bottle of wine. Wow! such fabulous food and impeccable service in a perfect location! Indeed so nice was it that we stayed overnight and went back for full English breakfast. Highly recommended - insanely popular.
The Waterfront, St Helens, Isle of Wight 01983 873259
A few years ago me and my family went to Italy. The first place we went was Verona. Because we came on the sleeper train we had not had any breakfast, so we found a cafe that was right outside the Colisseum. It had hot chocolate that was like melted chocolate, I think it might have been. The colossal Colisseum was alright to walk around and sit on the stone seats. It gave you a really good image of what the one in Rome would have been like.
Our hotel was magnificent. We had rented a hallway, so there were 2 rooms. My parents had the one with the balcony, me and my brother’s one did not have a balcony. For breakfast they had cakes and fruit and the most wonderful things that you could imagine. Everyday that we were there we had an ice cream. Italy does the best ice cream in the whole world. Once we even saw broccoli flavoured ice cream! Luckily I did not try it, I was far too tempted by the orange and lemon ice cream.
From Sarah Fletcher (age 10).
When I arrived, it looked like an ordinary place, there was a large car park and a modern building at the end. All around were trees and bushes, so I assumed there was countryside beyond. But when I walked through the gates, I found myself in a completely different world. The noise and bustle was different from the calm and quiet of the outside world.
The thing I noticed first was the people. There were people of all ages in modern day clothes, tourists like me exploring. But there were also ladies in long dresses, with beautiful hats and some plainer dresses but with the same swishing skirts, and tasselled shawls.
The buildings too caught my eye; there were shops with bright signs outside, products on display in the window, a grocer, a butcher, and chemists. It felt like I had gone back in time, and in a way I had, this was Blists Hill Open air museum, a reconstructed Victorian village in Shropshire that was part of the Ironbridge Gorge museum.
We first went to the bank, where we changed our money to Victorian coins, and then we explored the shops where we could spend them. They shops were fantastic, the best of course was the sweet shop, there was shelves full of jars of brightly coloured treats, liquorice, sherbet, toffee, and things I had never heard of.
We carried on down the hill, and bought some freshly baked rolls from the bakery, watched a carpenter at work, and then came to the bottom of the hill where we found my favourite part of all, the Victorian fairground. There was a magnificent carousel as well as different games to play for prizes.
My attention was caught by different things, the pub - though I found ginger beer wasn’t quite to my taste, the school, and most of all the photographers where we all had our photo taken in Victorian clothes. I had a fantastic long, black swishy skirt with a blouse, and my baby brother looked very cute in what looked to me suspiciously like a long white dress.
There really is something for everyone there, my brothers, (then 3 and 1) were particularly excited by one of the houses where they kept pigs, and they loved the carousel so much they refused to get off!
But aside from having a great time, I learnt a great deal. I watched craftsmen at work, and tried candle dipping, I saw a policemen asking a couple if they had a licence for their dog. After looking round the doctor’s house and a smaller house furnished quite plainly, I was shocked to then see the squatter’s cottage with only two rooms where the whole family slept in one bed.
The whole experience was an amazing insight into Victorian times, as well as a brilliant day out.
From Rebecca McKie (age 14).
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