The fourth of five UK National Garden Festivals between 1984 and 1992, for regeneration of areas of derelict land in Britain’s industrial districts. This one was held between May and October, with over three million visitors. We stayed overnight in a hotel so that we could have a full day at the Festival. Very worthwhile. Photograph of one of the exhibits (above) – the Lambton worm.
1990, July – Centre Parc at Nottingham
Second visit to a villa for a week. Ian and David in the subtropical swimming paradise. All together for a meal out on the last evening.
1990, November – Grenada, Caribbean, and sail to Grenadines
Top deck of the 747 again, then one week in a chalet on Grand Anse Beach, with our own jacuzzi. Good swimming, but disappointing attempts at wind-surfing. Tour around the ‘Spice Isle’ to see the numerous nutmeg plantations.
Then a marvellous week on a yacht with a professional crew (Graham and Lesley) and two other guests. We sailed from Secret Harbour, north through the Grenadines, the chain of islands between Grenada and Saint Vincent. We had to land on five of the larger ones, as they had their own passport controls (to make money from tourists) and even passers-by had to have their passports stamped. There was an amusing incident at the first island we called at, Carriacou. The clerk in the passport office laid the six passports on the table and kept looking out the window. When we asked him what the problem was, he said: ‘You see that cruise-boat out in the bay – the man with the only rubber stamp has gone out to it to stamp their passports – you’ll have to wait for his return.’ Lesley produced miniature turkeys for Thanksgiving, the fourth Thursday of November. Photo of the yacht anchored for us to swim near the private island of Petit Saint Vincent, where we landed briefly before returning south to Grenada and home via Heathrow.
Invitation to the wedding of Debbie Manderson, also in the Baptist Church in Maidenhead, so again we made a holiday out of it, driving leisurely south and spending time with the Mandersons after the wedding.
1989, May – abortive sail to St Petersburg
The National Trust for Scotland chartered Fred Olson’s Black Prince for a cruise from Leith, through the Keil Canal, to various northern Baltic ports, making for St Petersburg. One of the stops included a day outing to the Legoland Resort at Billung in Denmark, the first Legoland Park. Photo of Ian at a Legoland village.
All well until Helsinki, where the crew came out on strike because of their conditions. Our friend Rev. Andrew McGowan was the official chaplain – prayers in the Lounge every evening – so he tried to negotiate and asked Ian to take the prayers. By the Sunday, resolution was impossible, so Fred Olson sent two of his planes to fly everyone home. Announcement at 1 pm, ‘all luggage to the quayside’, and organized chaos to get it and the passengers to the planes to take off at 4. There were not quite enough places, so the captain asked for volunteers to make their own way home, at Olson’s expense. We volunteered, and sailed the next day to Stockholm, two days there, sailed on to Olso, two days there, and flight to Edinburgh – all on our own, and quite exhilarating.
1989, June – caravan at St Andrews
A week with Lesley and children in this caravan, overlooking the East Beach in St Andrews, Fife. David and Jennifer were old enough to explore locally by themselves, but Alison, despite her protests at not being allowed to go with them, had to stay within our sight.
1989, November – Seychelles and Mauritius
Bespoke holiday for three weeks, starting with a flight via Dubai and time there, between flights, to walk around the huge duty-free shopping areas. Excellent sea-side hotel on the Seychelles, meals in the open air overlooking their harbour and friendly birds hopping around the tables. Swimming and tours of the island. We were long-term supporters of the Far East Broadcasting Association, which sends Christian messages in many local languages all over the Far East – the expanse of ocean around the Seychelles helps transmission. They showed us around and explained how FEBA operates.
Then a flight on to Mauritius. The large veranda outside our room gave a welcome shade from the sun. Good swimming in the hotel pool and sails around the lagoon in the dinghies provided by the hotel for guests. We also visited the Botanic Gardens. Direct flight back to Heathrow.
Package holiday for a week to a hotel right at the foot of the ski slopes. Flight to Munich and then a long slow drive – very heavy traffic. We hired cross-country skis once, but did not make much progress. Much more successful was going up on ski-lifts and walking down the well-laid-out paths, which were hiking trails with Alpine views. We also enjoyed a tram ride from Igls down to Innsbruck and back. Photographs of a ski-lift (main image) and of the tram to Innsbruck.
1988, April – Leipzig, East Germany and Berlin
Fascinating package holiday by bus; flight to Leipzig, several nights in hotels in West Germany, then into East Germany. Persuaded a taxi-driver to take us to Colditz Castle and looked around. The photograph is of the only (official) entrance and exit while it was a Prisoner of War camp, featuring in many escape stories. Back into West Germany through Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin, and two photographs in West Berlin.
Netherhall Guest House
1988, June – Netherhall Guest House, Largs, Ayrshire
Joyce and others took the residents of Charlotte Chapel’s Eventide Home for a week’s holiday in a minibus, driven by Shaun Gordon. It was once the home of Lord Kelvin, Glasgow scientist well known for his Kelvin temperature scale. Bought by a group of evangelical Christians for use as a Holiday Home and Conference Centre. It was requisitioned by the Navy during World War Two, and from the compensation paid to the trustees at the end of the war, they added the block on the right of this photograph, dining room and conference room below and twin bedrooms for the whole length above. Joyce’s family had often spent New Year there, she worked as a cook for a summer holiday job, and after our marriage we joined with a group of Edinburgh friends and went together, for many years, for the week running up to Easter as a group holiday. The site has now been developed for modern housing.
1988, June – Glasgow Garden Festival
A full day at the third of the five National Garden Festivals, this one between April and September 1988, on the south bank of the River Clyde at Plantation Quay in Govan. We had been to the Liverpool one in 1984, the Stoke-on-Trent one in 1986 and, later to the Gateshead one in 1990. A very impressive day. Overview photograph of the site.
1988, July – Center Parc, Nottingham Forest
The first of twelve one-week stays, from now until 2016, this time using three chalets; Jeremy and Sandy were with us; Lesley, Graeme, David, Jenny and Alison had another; George, Jan and Samantha Pryde were some distance away from us, as guests with dogs had a dedicated section of the site. In the picture in the subtropical swimming paradise, Lesley, David, Jenny and Samantha; Ian and Alison are in the other picture. Horse-rides, walks, boat-hire and ice-creams in the various cafes.
1988, September – Maidenhead
Invitation to the wedding of Karen Manderson in the Baptist Church in Maidenhead, followed by a grand reception and meal in a Maidenhead hotel. We made a holiday out of it, driving leisurely south and spending time with the Mandersons after the wedding.
1988, September – 38 Murrayfield Road, Edinburgh
Not a holiday, but to finish off the film in the camera we took these pictures of the back garden of our house.
1988, November – Antigua
First Caribbean holiday, to a hotel on the coast outside St John’s. Direct flight from Heathrow; discovered the leg-room available by booking the front row in the bubble above the main deck of the 747. Excellent swimming – photo of us. Hired a car and explored the island. Photographs of the cricketer remembered in the main street of the capital and key port, St. John’s (contrast the price of souvenirs in the cruise terminal and in the side-streets of the city), and overlooking Nelson’s Harbour.
1988, Christmas
Not a holiday, but Christmas lunch. The only photograph we have including Bill Tait, Graeme’s father, on the far left of the picture.
Inspired by our visit last August, Joyce took Robin and Sandy for a week to see the sights of Paris. Hovercraft from Dover to Calais – very rough. Two sights in Paris.
1987, May – Danube cruise from the Black Sea to Vienna
A fortnight where everything that could go wrong did go wrong, but interesting for all that. Flight from Edinburgh to Bucharest in Romania, but no aircraft available to take us on to the Black Sea port of Constantia to join the cruise-boat. Eventually a bus
arrived, but the driver didn’t know the way and we boarded after midnight. Sailed upstream (main picture) through Ukraine, Moldova, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary and Slovakia to Vienna, but the engines kept breaking down. Promised ‘spectacular views’ when we were due to go through gorges, but when we were hours late through engine problems, we sailed through the gorges at night ‘because they are not worth looking at’. Taken for a land excursion for miles by bus to see a ‘spectacular development’, which turned out to be the first tourist hotel built in the area. Ian developed a swollen leg, which the ship’s doctor treated by giving him steaks to eat – very tasty but no cure for an infection. Cured by antibiotics when we got home. Before flying home, we were taken to a spectacular performances of classical dressage at the Spanish Riding School.
1987, August – Esbjerg and Copenhagen, Denmark
Took the car on the ferry from Newcastle to Esbjerg on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula; only Jeremy with us – Sandy was in Israel. Explored across Denmark to Odense and on to Copenhagen. Photograph of the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen harbour.
1987, September – Formentora Island, Balearics
Package holiday for a week to the smallest of the Balearic islands; flight to Ibiza and then ferry. Very quiet – the season was almost over, but clear warm waters for swimming and long stretches of beach backed by pine trees. Hired a Vespa scooter – photograph – and explored elsewhere on foot.
1987, October – Nice
Joyce and Audrey Lawrence stayed in Ethel Houston’s flat near the harbour in Nice.
A week at Easter, flight from Edinburgh with Brittania Airways. Good hotel (Napeleon) looking onto a spacious grassy square, with a flower market, but supper on the first evening left Joyce with severe food-poisoning, so the time for exploring Rome was limited. Photographs of Ian, Joyce, Joyce with audio-guide in the Forum, going to the Coliseum and on our way to the Catacombs.
1986, June – Abernethy Ardeonaig Outdoor Centre, Loch Tay
A week at the Ardeonaig Outdoor Centre, run by the Abernethy Trust, who took (now closed) families when their training courses for students were closed for the summer. With a friend, Barbara Lyon and her daughter Fiona. Sailed dinghies on Loch Tay and ‘gorge walked’ up the local river with water pouring down.
1986, July – Stoke-on-Trent Garden Festival
The second of five UK National Garden Festivals for the regeneration of derelict land in Britain’s industrial districts – see entry for June 1984. Leisurely visit to the area, which we did not know much about.
Seine river boat
1986, August – Paris
A week in Paris. Flight to Beauvais-Tille Airport, which is branded as ‘Paris’ although it is 53 miles north-west of the city, and so cheaper for low-cost airlines – we went with Danair. Went round all the usual sights in good weather, except for one day, when it poured, so we sat on the top deck of a bus as it went round and round the city. Discovered the street Rue Descartes, packed with competing restaurants, where we ate most evenings. Photos of the Seine, Joyce keeping Venus de Milo company in the Louvre, Artists’ Quarter and the Eifel Tower.
1986, September – Cala d’Or, Majorca
A week at a hotel on a headland jutting out into the sea; spectacular views in all directions. This was our first Thomson’s ‘a la carte’ (superior) package, including a private car from and to Palma airport. Poor restaurant service, but a very relaxing week on the beach.
Easter week ‘package holiday’, flight from Edinburgh, with Jeremy and Sandy. Too cold to swim in the pool and the waiters went on strike, so a ‘break’ if not a ‘holiday’. Because of the problems, guests were much more talkative than usual, and we made several good friends for the week.
1985, August – Molins Hotel, Cala San Vincente, Majorca
Flight from Edinburgh and a week at this hotel, recommended to us by a friend who was a travel agent. Did nothing but swim in the lovely warm sea (main picture), often up the small inlet on the right of this picture, sunbathe, eat meals and drink Cava.
There were five UK National Garden Festivals between 1984 and 1992, part of the cultural regeneration of large areas of derelict land in Britain’s industrial districts, also to revitalise tourism. We attended the first four, the first being in Liverpool from May to October. Leisurely drive down the Lancashire Coast and a few days in the Wirral – new country for us. Photograph of the Japanese Garden (main image).
Bergen
July – Bergen and sail up Norwegian fjords
Overnight sail from Newcastle to Bergen, then transferred to a mail-boat, with accommodation for a dozen passengers, which sailed northwards up the west coast of Norway, entering fjords and stopping at local communities to drop off and collect all manner of goods.
The Heathrow to Tel-Aviv flight was our first indulgence of travelling in Business Class (‘King Solomon’ on El-Al). As the security guard cleared us for the flight, he remarked that anyone with the name ‘Balfour’ was particularly welcome in Israel.
Our tour group in Israel
We had booked a guided tour for one week, followed by car-hire for a second week. When a limousine called for us on the first morning, we assumed that it was a ‘feeder’ to the tour bus, but after collecting an American lady at another hotel and a mother and daughter at another hotel, the driver announced that we were his tour for the week – photograph of four of us – and what would we like to see – historic, Biblical, modern, political or whatever? We agreed on Biblical, and had a fascinating week, covering ‘from Dan to Beersheba’, including a ‘float’ in the Dead Sea.
The holiday was planned with Easter weekend in the middle, after the tour and before the car-hire. We spent Easter Sunday at the sunrise service at the Garden Tomb (main image), then the Scots Kirk for their morning service and then a performance of the Messiah in the afternoon. For all three, we walked from and back to the hotel through the Jaffa Gate and saw no sign of trouble. The headlines in the international press on the next day were: ‘Massacre at Jaffa Gate’. At some time during the day there had been shooting – it shows how an incident can spark a headline, when for the rest of the day all was normal.
An Emmaus monk outside his monastery
On Easter Monday we moved to the King David Hotel – they wouldn’t accept new arrivals during Passover week, so we had to stay elsewhere until then. With our hired car, we re-explored areas of interest, including visiting Joyce’s cousin Anne (Durie) and her husband Philip King-Lewis, who were working as a nurse and a doctor at the Edinburgh Medical Missionary Society Hospital in Nazareth, where our Lesley had spent a year and where Sandy later worked.
Souvenir sellers everywhere – even this monk outside his monastery in Emmaus, built to commemorate Jesus’ revelation of himself to two travellers after his resurrection (Luke 23-31). (Three places vie to be the genuine site of the Biblical Emmaus.)
The last cine-film under ‘Balfour Family Holidays 1952-82’ is ‘1982 Brittany, France’. This section of the website picks up our holidays from then on. With advancing years, it is easier to remember them online than to rummage through diaries and photograph albums. They were happy years, when travel was (for us) exciting, memorable and (looking back) seemingly effortless. Read More
Then a marvellous week on a yacht with a professional crew (Graham and Lesley) and two other guests. We sailed from Secret Harbour, north through the Grenadines, the chain of islands between Grenada and Saint Vincent. We had to land on five of the larger ones, as they had their own passport controls (to make money from tourists) and even passers-by had to have their passports stamped. There was an amusing incident at the first island we called at, Carriacou. The clerk in the passport office laid the six passports on the table and kept looking out the window. When we asked him what the problem was, he said: ‘You see that cruise-boat out in the bay – the man with the only rubber stamp has gone out to it to stamp their passports – you’ll have to wait for his return.’ Lesley produced miniature turkeys for Thanksgiving, the fourth Thursday of November. Photo of the yacht anchored for us to swim near the private island of Petit Saint Vincent, where we landed briefly before returning south to Grenada and home via Heathrow.
