Evenin' all,
Myself and the current Mrs B have booked the first week in February off work and will be visiting our local travel agent the week before to book a last-minute week away to escape the dull drudgery of winter.
We'll be wanting somewhere fairly close (four hour flight time max), warm enough to sit out most of the day. Mrs B loves sunbathing, I love wandering about and exploring so it has to fulfill both.
Your recommendations will be gratefully received :-)
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Sun in Feb? 4 hours Max? Madiera, Canary Islands, Marakesh, Agadir, Sharm el-Sheikh.
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Canary Islands or Agadir.
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Thanks chaps. Which of the Canaries would any of you particularly recommend? We took a cruise around the Canaries in June so got a tiny little flavour of each of them.
Agadir, you say? Is that where they push pineapples and shake the tree...? I'll get me coat.
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>> Thanks chaps. Which of the Canaries would any of you particularly recommend
madiera
>> I'll get me coat.
you'll not need a coat in Agadir.
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Madeira, which is not one of the Canary Islands is a bit cooler and wetter than the Canaries and does not have much in the way of beaches although it is fascinating place. The Canaries, comprise Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fueraventure, Lanzarote, La Palma, La Gomera and tiny El Hierro. They all have different characters. My favourite is La Palma which is the least developed and unspoiled of all the islands but not the place to go if you want nightlife.
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>> Madeira, which is not one of the Canary Islands
No, get away, really?
The South of the Island is dry, the other side ( that would be the North) is not. The only problem is when the North rain rushes down the south side of the mountains.
Last edited by: Zero on Thu 10 Sep 15 at 23:16
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>> >> Madeira, which is not one of the Canary Islands
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>> No, get away, really?
>>
Your previous post rather indicated that you believed it was.
Funchal, the main holiday destination in Madeira is a lot wetter than say Puerto Cruz de Tenerife is in February when the OP intends to travel. Average rainfall for Funchal in February is around 72mm with around 10 rainy days. Puerto Cruz receives around 40mm.
There is a reason why Madeira is so green!
Having a said that it is one of my favourite destinations in winter but I don't really enjoy sitting on beaches or by swimming pools. If it's sun you are looking for I would choose the Canaries.
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>> Your previous post rather indicated that you believed it was.
Ah so you didn't read my first post then where I listed the canaries AND madera?
It was a stab at humour you pompass ass
>> don't really enjoy sitting on beaches or by swimming pools. If it's sun you are
>> looking for I would choose the Canaries.
If its Sun in feb u want then Agadir is the place to go and yes I am aware that is not part of the Canaries either
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I nearly replied to Z on Madeira vs Canaries and thought.... I know he knows Madeira is further north and not part of the Canaries. And he's probably aware one is Spanish and the other Portuguese.. So didn't.
All I know is earlier in the year, inland from Malaga is cold! So Canaries or thereabouts...
We did the Algarve a few years ago. It wasn't cold as such but I'd not call it warm at times. I'd have to double check how early we went.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Fri 11 Sep 15 at 01:21
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North Africa can be surprisingly chilly in winter. Wet too if you're out of luck.
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Agadir in February is no sunnier than the Canaries.
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I like the Canaries and I enjoy the time I spend there - but it is a bit "sunny Blackpool".
So there's loads of relaxation to be had, plenty of good food and booze, thought the exploring is a bit limited in excitement. Enjoyable though, very enjoyable.
Agadir is interesting in itself, although not as much as it was 30 years ago. Interestingly I was in jail there for a few days a long time ago. But it is far more "exploration" material than the Canary Islands.
It very much depends on what you're after.
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We had a week on Madeira last Oct and for three consecutive days max temps were around 30c. Much warmer than normal, but I love hot weather! Friends are trying to persuade me to return in late Nov for two weeks, but I'm undecided. They are keen walkers, but walking in the rain doesn't appeal, although they tell me it won't rain every day.
For sun I would prefer the Canaries, but I have been to Lanzagrotty a few times, and Fartyventura and they don't appeal. Maybe try La Palma if I can persuade friends to go there instead. Gambia should be ok for winter sun. Been once. Won't return, although people I know go every January.
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If you're ever in Tenerife again LL, you could give the Masca walk a go: www.tenerifeguide.eu/masca-walk/
I did it once with my late bro.
He was a gutless wonder so I went on my tod only to find him guzzling wine in a local bar on my return.
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Never been to Tenerife but thanks for the recommendation
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Another walk I used to do with the ole woman and friends is Hell's Gorge:
www.spain-tenerife.com/UK/barranco.html
It's got nothing on Masca though and, um, it's closed due to rain damage :)
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Is that where you lived Dodger?
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Here.
A few pics of our apartment.
s115.photobucket.com/user/penfro/slideshow/Public/Manilva
Last edited by: Roger. on Fri 11 Sep 15 at 12:45
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Very nice, except for the blue kitchen units :)
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We liked them - we chose them, bought from El Corte Ingles in Puerto Banus!
Mind you the first time our daughter came to visit us she said "Mum - those kitchen units are VERY BLUE".
:-)
I still say it was the kitchen which sold the apartment, as most Spanish apartment kitchens are pretty poor, as fitted - ours was and was the first thing we changed.
Plus we added the rejas, the air-con and the electrically operated toldo (with automatic high wind sensor to roll it up) over our lounge sliding doors
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You didn't live anywhere else in Spain did you, Roger? Nearer Estepona by any chance?
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Not really - just a few months in our daughter's one bed (!) flat in Marbella until our first one bed apartment was ready (a couple of km E, along the N340, now the A7).
The pics are of our second 2 bed flat in Spain - it was slightly more in square metres, plus a 22 m2 terrace, than our present semi in England. (And it had two proper bathrooms: necessary at our age!)
Last edited by: Roger. on Fri 11 Sep 15 at 14:07
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Phew. It just dawned on me that when my mother lived near Estepona her next door neighbour was called Roger. And one summer when I was there during University holidays, well his daughter was around, and well, erm, anyway, my FIAT Regata and the word roger (lower case) were involved, and, erm, well phew. Glad it was another Roger.
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I actually have an aversion to the colour blue as it's a cold colour, probably ideal for the hot countries though.
>>most Spanish apartment kitchens are pretty poor
Orange pine!!!
Pity you had to leave the place really. T'was for health reasons I know but, at least you don't require air con now.
:}
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It owed us 225,00 euros, completed as per the photos, and we sold it for 135,00 euros, FULLY FURNISHED, as you see it.
That's why we are settled in a part of the UK where houses are relatively cheap!
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I take you mean you lost 90000 euros. That's quite a hit, how long did you stay there?
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The gringo housing market was so massively overpriced that it took (and continues to suffer) an enormous hit when prices crashed. Far more so than the local market.
If you ever consider a home abroad, always buy in a local market. Housing which the gringos seek is always overpriced, even now.
Not unlike a supermarket near the docks in France where the Brits flock to buy what they think is cheap wine and that the locals think is expensive crap.
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Yes I've seen some of the price cuts over the last 5 or 10 years. Unthinkable in this country mind you if you were after a bit of a bargain there's probably some good deals out in Spain.
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Discussion in the pub last night with friends... One or two weeks late Nov sun. Madeira cooler and wetter than Canaries, but would like to return sometime. Someone threw western side of Tenerife into the pot, Los Gigantes ( never heard of it) but as we always go B & B preferring to eat out it will be researched.
I'm getting picky and like a heated pool, interesting places to visit on foot from wherever we stay and a decent selection of local bars/ restaurants. We would hire a car for some, if not all, the duration. And decent walks within reasonable distance.
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I'd prefer anywhere on the Western side of Tenerife to anywhere on the Eastern side, unless you like surfing, b'cos that's the windy side.
Los Gigantes is nice, been there many times. I like Los Cristianos, but most people seem to loathe it (each to their own) I like it because it's cheap, sunny and warm in winter, and just 4 hours from the land of wind and rain.
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Thanks Perro
Friends looking at Royal Sun Resort, either SC or B & B for two weeks, late Nov early Dec. I think buses run to the hot spots ( no one wants to be nominated t total driver!) if we want more action. And some decent walking in the area I think.
Entirely separate, a group of us are wanting a 6/8 week rental Jan/Feb 2016. Someone has sent me a link to a 3 bed penthouse flat in La Cala, just south of Benidorm. Not been there since I was 18 and think I would hate a long stay in Beni. Friends are saying otherwise. Great views from flat, roof top hot tub, but no heated pool or onsite gym are the downsides.
Anybody any ideas or thoughts please
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I've been in this hotel, I watched it being built too when we lived there, although you have to belong to the white moccasin brigade or be a re-tyred pubic sector worker to be able to afford to stay there for two weeks :o}
www.bahia-duque.com/en
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>> I've been in this hotel, I watched it being built too when we lived there,
>> although you have to belong to the white moccasin brigade or be a re-tyred pubic
>> sector worker to be able to afford to stay there for two weeks :o}
Are there many workers in that sector?
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>>Are there many workers in that sector?
7,367,018,203 and, um, rising.!
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Winter-sun holiday recommendation - Zero
