Gallipolini is an important world war one battlefield where the British, French and Anzac (Australian and New Zealand) troops suffered a monumental defeat in 1915, which cost 65,000 allies and 75,000 Turks their lives. The consciousness of this haunts you when you walk on the steep hills of the Anzac beachhead or see the unbelievable proximity of the allied and Turkish trenches in the Helles sector.

The old front lines have been turned into Commonwealth war cemeteries and carry evocative names like Lone Pine, The Vinyard, The Farm, Chocolate Hill and The Nek, the latter of which was the subject of Mel Gibson's 1981 film "Gallipoli" and showplace of a battle in which 650 Anzacs fell. The Farm is equally an important former battlefield though many details remain unknown.

Today Gallipoli looks lovely. The blue Aegean lashes against the beaches and the pine trees have long shrouded the carnage of 1915. Pay your respects but also detach yourself from the events and have a Raki and mezes with the friendly local Turks. Listen to their unlikely tales and bask in the sun. As you leave this place, you may still be wondering what on earth it was all about back in 1915.

Gallipoli is about 30 minutes drive from Canakkale.

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Everybody, of course, goes to Universal Studios in Hollywood. Fair enough, it is the biggest but is it the best? It used to be but, alas, no longer. Now try the Warner Bros. studio tour and you'll see the difference, especially if you are a film buff like me.

Warners is far smaller but it is quieter and it is a working studio but most of all the moment you go round the back lots you can immediately see the sets for the familiar 30's and 40's films like Jimmy Cagney's 'Public Enemy', Bogart's 'Maltese Falcon' and Flynn's 'Robin Hood'. While these will mean nothing to the 'Sponge Bob' or 'The Shrek' generation, who will doubtless prefer to enjoy the hussle and bussle of the Universal tour, old fuddy-duddies like me will enjoy the 'WB's. They don't make'm like that anymore. Go enjoy!

Also, don't miss the small movie and TV museums on Sunset, Hollywood and Vine either. Many sadly do, you'll never forgive yourself.

Warner Bros. Studio is at Burbank. Universal Studios is at Universal City (on the way to Burbank). Hollywood Museum, Movie and TV Museum and Max Factor's old make-up palace (now also a museum) are all on or just off Hollywood Blv.

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