REVIEW: ITISON GLASGLOW 2020 WILL HAVE YOU FLYING

GLASGLOW returned to Glasgow’s Botanic Gardens and theshowbizlion.com was invited to try it out. 

We  jumped at the chance because let’s face it, it’s been a long time since we could go out and have some actual fun in a Covid safe environment. 

We took our mask and our own hand sanitiser in case buy they’ve got plenty of sanitiser dotted around the Botanics in case you need some. They ask you just to wear a mask in queues or loos but we kept ours on for the bits where we thought there would be more people. There are stewards all along the attraction asking people to socially distance so it seemed very safe. 

 The attraction this year is centres around superheroes and Itison founder Oli Norman wrote a narrative that sees you start off on a journey of self discovery. It’s a positive message for wee ones - and those who might need it in this time of anxiety. There’s a hero in every one of us. 

We were taken through different zones that were reminiscent of a Superman movie, the crystals, the fire, the lasers and the other worldly props. 

There were pumpkins galore in what might be one of Scotland's largest pumpkin patches and we loved the huge Close Encounters style UFO. 

The marshmallows and fire pit proved a hit and at £3 extra it wasn’t overpriced. 

There’s a good village too if you want to enjoy some tacos and burgers. 

By the end of the night we could feel the power and we loved posing for some superhero pics. In fact,  you could say we were flying. 

Tickets are officially sold out for those year but there are some floating about online - just make sure they are authentic :) 

For peace of mind: 

* A fully outdoor event with one-way system

* Reduced capacity and staggered arrival times

* Widened paths and removal of any pinch points

* Dedicated COVID safety officer

* Socially distanced queue management throughout

* Increased facilities, cleaning and hand sanitising stations along the route

TOBAGO IS A REAL TREAT WHETHER YOU WANT TO LIME OR JAZZ THINGS UP

I'LL never forget the time I limed with the locals in Tobago.
Before you think of us all squeezing the citrus fruit in unison, let me explain that liming is the local patois for enjoying the scene and chilling with friends in a public place.
And it's refreshingly zesty to see a group of people making a point of pressing the pause button in an ever-busier world.
Despite the availability of wifi in my beautiful hotels mobile phones seemed to lose their relevance during my trip.
When you visit the West Indies, it would be a crime not to enjoy the natural beauty of the rainforests, mountain ranges, coral reefs and warm seas on offer.
However, whether you choose to lime, or get jiggy and wine with the locals (wining means to dance) the island promises a memorable holiday for all the family.
As I discovered during an all too short visit, Tobago is picture postcard perfect, with white beaches, sparkling blue sea, and palm tree-lined paths.


A look round its oldest protected rainforests and local plantations is an education as you are introduced to natural resources such as coffee beans and cashew nuts growing on trees, alongside local staples plantain, breadfruit and pomerac.
On a road safari at Courland, I encountered all the delights of nature's supermarket and even enjoyed a taste of it all thanks to our knowledgeable tour guide.
A trip to the Tobago Cocoa Estate gave me a new perspective on my chocolate habit - as I was shown the whole process of stripping the cocoa bean from its huge pod before drying it out and making it ready for chocolate manufacture.
To think it is eaten in seconds after months, of preparation.
Plants like mother-in-law's tongue, with spike-like flowers, which improve air quality, the trumpet tree with fruits to make health-improving tea and cigarette filters, and the flower of the silk cotton tree, which is used for stuffing pillows, made me appreciate how self-sufficient the island is.


A jungle trek, like I'm a celebrity without the unpleasant stuff, takes you through local flora and fauna, streams and pools, giving you the opportunity to shower under the Argyll waterfalls along the way.
Of course, the beaches are a big attraction, along with the coral-filled Buccoo Reef and Nylon Pool.
The Nylon Pool, an offshore sandbar, which forms a natural, metre-deep swimming pool in the middle of the sea, was a particular favourite of Princess Margaret, who gave it its name in 1962.
Snorkelling, even for the amateur, is a must and a trip to Pigeon Point, with its famous thatch-roofed jetty, give you the perfect vantage point for holiday photos.
Holidays provide an opportunity to try something different and perhaps a little daring. I was out of my comfort zone when I was offered the chance to go bridle-less and barefoot horse riding along the beach.
Being With Horses owner Veronica La Fortune made me and my horse feel right at ease.
I felt confident by the time we rode along - and didn't panic when we were told we were going into the sea on horseback. Riding my seahorse was one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life and I felt I'd really accomplished something.
We celebrated our evenings with trips to the Tobago Jazz Experience, which is held each April and offers a real mix of music from local choirs to international artists such as Emeli Sande and Elton John.
Like many places in Tobago, it has plenty of street food stalls and as you watch, you can tuck into specialities including crab 'n' dumpling, pigeon peas and roti.
Fresh fish, lobster and other delicacies can be enjoyed at the Seahorse Inn in Scarborough while street grub and late night entertainment can also be found at the Sunday School - a loud, vibrant street party, which only gets into gear at 11pm.
We stayed at Turtle Beach, where the lucky traveller can discover the turtles laying eggs on the beach in the wee small hours of the morning, and the smaller, more boutique-style Bacolet Beach Club, with sea views and an infinity pool. There are also large hotels like the Magdalena Grand, complete with hammocks.
Despite its offering of modern hotels and facilities, there is something about Tobago that is very simple and a trip there is like something quaint and charming from a bygone age.
Travel facts ¦ Our flights were provided by British Airways. ¦ Flights to Tobago with BA start from £610. ¦ The first two nights, we stayed at: Turtle Beach by Rex Resorts, Courland Bay, Scarborough, Trinidad & Tobago. www.turtlebeachresorttobago.com
The second two nights, we stayed at: Bacolet Beach Club, 73 Bacolet Street, Scarborough, Tobago.

www.bacoletbeachclub.com

The accommodation was provided courtesy of both hotels.

All ground arrangements were provided by Tobago House of Assembly (THA).

For more information on Tobago, visit: www.gotrinidadandtobago.com

Tobago's simplicity and beauty make it a place to reconnect with nature


- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.com

CRETE IS SMASHING IF YOU WANT PLENTY ON YOUR PLATE

THE Greeks no longer smash plates during a good night out - instead, since the 1970s legislation which now makes it forbidden, they are more likely to toss some flowers or napkins at one another in celebration.
And did you know olive oil forms the basis of the triangular Cretan diet (meat and fish at the top) and, as well as its other health benefits, is a recognised aphrodisiac?
These two facts are just some of those I learned on my Cretan holiday.
You see, as the good professor once told me, Crete is like a bikini.
You might think you can see it all, but the best bits are always hidden away from those but the most curious of eyes.
A week in Crete, the largest of the Greek islands, is just not enough to delight in the many thrills it has to offer.
From the myths and legends of the Minotaur and its associated labyrinth, and Gods like Zeuss and Poseidon, to the history of the Minoan civilisation and its place as the important 'first link in the European chain' to it's current status as a front runner in eco-tourism and ambassador for the healthy Mediterranean diet, its DD cup runneth over.


Located by the Agean sea - so named after the myth of the King who drowned there- it also offers more pleasant aquatic opportunities by way of cruising, scuba diving, snorkelling, and wind surfing as well as beaches like Elafonissi.
And for those with a fish phobia, like me, who prefer a piece of glass between them and the creatures of the deep, the Thalassocosmos-Aquarium, a former American base at Gournes will prove an exhilirating experience in less intimidating surroundings.
Here you can stare eyeball to eyeball at over hundreds of species and thousands of living organisms from the humble Octopus to winged fish, sharks and seahorses.
The largest city in Crete is Heraklion and direct flights from Glasgow or via London will bring you straight into its central airport.
Catering for families and couples, as well as those who just want a retreat from our ever bustling cities, it is mountainous and picturesque, with little fishing villages and harbours to break up the landscape.
You are more or less guaranteed 13 hours of sunshine a day during August, and the temperature still hits the mid-20s in October.
My particular experience was of the five stars on the island - of which there are many, but those with a more limited budget will find plenty including some lodges at places like the eco-friendly Millia Village priced at around £75 a night.


A stay at The Aldemar Royal Mare Thallasso was a real treat - a refined yet sumptuous five star with an olde world attitude towards service and quality and an adjoining spa. The nearby oppulent Minos Palace hotel offered real style and sophistication and some rooms even come with a private pool.
Tourists love a good night out and The Cretan Village in Karouzanos is up a windy cobbled footpath where food, drink and dancing awaits - not to mention the odd donkey. Romance is very much alive and as the raki - grappa wine- goes down, you may find yourself getting amorous with... anyone!
Near the main city of Heraklion lies the world famous Knossos, the largest Bronze Age archaeological site on Crete, restored, by archaeologist Arthur Evans who had an educated if not imaginative mind. With its frescoes and restored interiors it undoubtedly brings alive some of the late Minoan relics.
A visit to the Archaelogical Museum of adjoining Chania showcases some of the artifacts removed during the excavation work.


Chania also boasts a pleasant harbour by which to walk at night and an imposing lighthouse, and nearby is the serene Cavo Spada hotel - a modern retreat with a pool so large the lifeguard needs a boat to get from one end to the other.
For budding historians, a trip to the Melidoni Cave with its rudimentary prayer altars proves haunting. A monument to those burned alive in 1821 forms the centrepiece of these caves and somewhat eerily the pictures I took here depicted facelike forms etched in the walls, soi much so that I had to seek comfort in some of the local food - of which pastries are a speciality.
Crete has so much to offer so who needs plates? You'll find a holiday in Crete smashing in so many other ways.

Theshowbizlion.com was a guest of the Greek National Tourism Organization.

- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.com

JILTED BRIDE INTERRUPTS GLASGOW WEDDING COUPLE'S FIRST DANCE

HERE'S the hilarious moment Scots newlyweds Michael Grimshaw and David Clark's first dance was interrupted by a jilted bride.
https://www.facebook.com/lees.alorraine9715/posts/1593769350657168
Guests at the couples wedding reception in Giffnock were left in stitches after 'upset' Anne Marie interrupted their romantic first dance with the protest number 'It Should Have Been Me'.
International drag artist Michael from Bishopbriggs married sound and lighting man David from Baillieston at a quiet ceremony in May and their friends threw them a surprise reception this weekend in the Redhurst hotel.
The two lovebirds were happily dancing to Endless Love when the twist in events took place.
David said: "We were still in shock after our friends put on a surprise party at an evening we originally thought was going to be a dance night.
"They even brought our dog down in her pink bridesmaid's tutu. They suggested we dance to Endless Love for our first dance and unbeknown to us David's dance partner Anne Marie Young decided to crash the wedding as a jilted bride. It was so funny. David normally performs the jilted bride number as part of his child friendly drag act so Anne Marie had learned it through time and bought a second hand bridal dress from a charity shop. Everyone loved it."

Excerpts from this article have since appeared in The Evening Times
From Scotland with Love - theshowbizlion.com

ESCAPE REALITY BRINGS HORROR AND MORE TO GLASGOW'S MERCHANT CITY

BEING handcuffed and locked in a room with five other people might be the stuff of nightmares- but for theshowbizlion.com it was the essence of our dreams.
Not that we're into bondage orgies or anything too sinister, but the thrill seeker in us absolutely loved every minute of our hour long ordeal at Glasgow's Escape Reality.
Situated in the bowels of the Merchant city - across 4,000 square feet of the underground vaults of the city’s Merchant Square to be precise - the premium escape experience offers punters something a bit different from the usual pre-club activity.


Open from 12pm during the week and 10:30am weekends until 10:30pm the experience boasts several themed rooms, with varying levels of difficulty, to choose from.
Daredevils can attempt to escape from the tremendously tricky Alcatraz, face Jack the Ripper in Murder in Whitechapel, or work out the mind-boggling puzzles in the Jumanji-inspired Jungala. We ended up in the scary Enigmista room which in told is like the horror film Saw, with its blood stained walls and other delights and our hearts raced as we tried to solve a variety of puzzles to escape from a potential death (obviously they don't actually kill you).


It's scary stuff that makes your brain work that wee bit harder and once you've tried it you won't be able to stop returning. It's just as well they have around 60 different games for you and your pals to try...
They've also got a private bar if you need some Dutch courage before or after.


- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.com