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HMS Belfast One of the most powerful large light cruisers ever built, HMS Belfast is now the only surviving vessel of her type to have seen active service during the Second World War. HMS Belfast played a leading part in the destruction of the battle cruiser Scharnhorst, and also the Normandy Landings. In service with the Royal Navy until 1965, she was saved for the nation in 1971 as a unique reminder of Britain’s naval heritage. Launch! Shipbuilding Through the Ages This new family-orientated exhibition will use hands-on and computerised interactive displays and engaging film and footage to demonstrate techniques of shipbuilding, from the ‘age of sail’ to modern prefabrication methods. The exhibition will focus on the science, engineering and social history of shipbuilding in Great Britain, and the interactive elements of the exhibition will allow children of all ages to get involved and experience this history. Explore ‘What shall we give in return for so much?’ One of the most powerful large light cruisers ever built, HMS Belfast is now the only surviving vessel of her type to have seen active service during the Second World War. Serving Britain for 32 years, she played an important role in both the Second World War and the Korean War as well as performing peacekeeping duties throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Saved from destruction in 1971, HMS Belfast is now part of the Imperial War Museum and is the first ship to be preserved for the nation since Nelson’s Victory. Through its team of staff and volunteers – many of whom are veteran crew – the Imperial War Museum is dedicated to making sure that HMS Belfast still has a role to play in reminding visitors of her unique place in Britain’s maritime heritage. History of HMS Belfast The term 'cruiser' goes back to the days of sailing ships when large frigates could be detached from the main fleet to cruise independently. The sailing cruiser, like her twentieth-century counterpart, was sufficiently powerful and fast to attack and destroy enemy commerce raiders. During the nineteenth century when sail gave way to steam and wooden ships were replaced by those built of iron, and later of steel, the cruiser evolved into a powerful warship which was used to patrol the Empire trade routes and protect friendly merchant shipping. After the First World War (1914-1918) a single category of cruiser emerged whose size was indicated by the size of its guns; thus, HMS Belfast is a 6-inch cruiser, designed for the protection of trade, for offensive action, and as a powerful support for amphibious operations. Please note: children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Please allow 1½ - 2 hours for your visit. Tower Bridge Exhibition Walkways & Exhibition: Visitors enter Tower Bridge Exhibition via the North Tower. They are then transported by lift to the top of the Tower (47 metres above the Thames) where they have a unique opportunity to see the Bridge’s steel skeleton from within. A short film explains the history and provenance of the Bridge and then there is the chance to admire the spectacular views – from both covered Walkways. On Monday 1st December, Tower Bridge’s East Walkway will reopen with its own GLASS FLOOR, joining the West Walkway to complete our new-look exhibition. Together with far-reaching views of East London, the walkway will be bolstered with a further 20 revered bridges in the extended popular display, ‘Great Bridges of the World’. On the east Walkway there are fantastic views of the Docklands and from the west Walkway you can see the new GLA building, the Tower of London, St Paul’s, the city, the Pool of London and Big Ben and the London Eye in the distance. Interactive computerised kiosks and graphic panels explain the significance of the views to visitors, as well as providing more information on the history and building of the Bridge. The interactive material and graphic panels are written in seven languages and an audio loop for the hard of hearing is also in place for the video show. There is another film to view in the South Tower before descending for the short walk to the historical Engine Rooms, included in your ticket price. Victorian Engine Rooms: These provide a fascinating insight into late 19th century engineering. Installed for the completion of Tower Bridge in 1894, these huge, and beautifully maintained, coal-driven engines were used to power the thousands of bascule Bridge lifts performed until 1976. Although lifts are now operated by electricity, the original steam engines are still in place. The Engine Rooms give visitors a chance to experiment with models demonstrating the technology behind the Bridge. There are also some amazing photographs of Tower BridgeTthroughout its lifetime – including a revealing picture of the heavy steel structure of the Bridge as the stone cladding was installed over it.
Tour Stops: George Square Glasgow Cathedral Merchant City Barras Market Glasgow Green St Enoch St Vincent Place Radisson Hotel Marriott/Hallmark Hotel Hilton Garden Inn SECC / Clydeside Distillery Riverside Museum Kelvin Way Glasgow University Byres Road Kelvingrove Art Gallery Kelvin Park Charing Cross Sauchiehall St Theatre Royal Bus Station Passengers can hop on and hop off at any of the 21 tour stops along the route. A full loop of the tour takes 80-90 minutes. Additional Information: Vouchers must be printed to be exchanged for a City Sightseeing bus ticket in location. The audio commentary is available in the following languages along the route – English, Spanish, German, Italian, French, Portuguese, Chinese, Russian, Swedish, plus a Ghoulish Glasgow Kid’s Commentary! Buses are wheelchair accessible.
Trip Itinerary Board our private Hellfire Express to hear some of the haunted legends that abound further afield than Dublin City Centre at famous landmarks such as St Patrick's Cathedral, Rathfarnham Castle and Kilakee House as we wind our way along the path towards the lonely dark Dublin Mountain range. Arrive at the Hellfire Club – we disembark the bus and walk up to one of Ireland’s most lonely and infamous places. The burnt out shell of this haunted hunting lodge dating from 1725 is known for its association with Satanism, the supernatural and the occult. Be warned! Although this desolate place is miles from civilisation it has witnessed activities that should not be seen by anyone on this earthly plain. It is not unusual for visitors to experience head and chest tightness as their subconscious picks up on the horrors that this lonely hill has witnessed, it is not a place for the faint hearted! Once we have arrived you are rewarded with the best view of Dublin in the world! Don't forget your camera - a must for all budding photographers. See why this is the ideal location renowned by the darker side of Dublin gentry in the 1700s. Our talented storyteller will recount the history of this place, including the destruction of the ancient megalithic monuments, the exhumation of the demonic statue and dwarf skeleton, to the evil rituals and events that took place here such as the black masses, human and animal sacrifices, and the infamous card game with the “cloven-hoofed visitor.” The historical "Haunted Hellfire" excursion will last approximately 2.5 hours (inclusive of travel time to and from the Dublin Mountains) Feel free to bring your own torch if don't have a phone. We will however be insisting however that all mobile phones and lights be turned off at certain points on the tour... for your safety! Finish back at O'Sheas, where you can avail of our special drinks promotions and dance the night away to live music. Why not avail of our "Pour your own Pint Experience" at O'Sheas: A Pint of Guinness, A Photograph & Certificate - €13 A Pint of Guinness, A Photograph & T-Shirt & Certificate - €25 Fingers food for group - just €10 per head Pint & Stew €10 Please note that the above extras are not included in your original ticket price. What you need to bring with you: 1) Your ticket / Online Payment Receipt Please bring the printout of your online booking or entry may be refused. You can turn up on the night for any tour, but preference will be give to online bookings. 2) Warm Clothes Please bring very warm gear as much of the tour takes place at the summit of Mont Pellier in the Dublin Mountains and we can assure you it will be cold up there! You can always take off layers but you can't add any more! 3) Wet Weather Gear Be prepared. Please remember that it does rain in Ireland. You will not enjoy the tour if you are freezing cold and wet so please bring umbrellas and appropriate gear. We run rain, hail or shine. 4) Sturdy Walking Shoes The Hellfire Club Dublin is perched atop a lonely peak in the mountains. To get there we need to walk for approx 20 minutes uphill. Please bring appropriate shoes for this! You will not enjoy yourself if your feet are sore and/or cold. This is an outdoor walking tour, and a basic level of fitness is required. 5) Flashlights or Mobile Phone with a similar facility There are no public artificial light sources in the Dublin Mountains, if you do have a handy flashlight please bring it along as the track up the mountain is unsealed and we may be walking in darkness at some points.
Trip style: Local Life & Culture, History & Heritage Language Tour: English Full Itinerary Get the local lowdown on a city that's seen its fair share of drama in recent years on this historical Detroit tour that takes you through the city's crazy past. Begin your Detroit tour at a cafe on Broadway, where you'll meet your local guide and head out onto the streets. From the minute you leave the meeting point you'll start seeing some famous Detroit landmarks, such as the 95-year old Detroit Athletic Club, the renovated Opera House, the vacant Wurlitzer Building, and the fine new downtown YMCA. Your local guide will be telling you all you need to know about these spots, and what they mean to the city of Detroit. Continuing on your tour in Detroit, see the site where one of the biggest department stores in the US once stood. When it closed in the 1980s, it left a hole in the city that hasn't been filled. There are not many stores in the old retail district, but apartments and lofts have brought some new life to the area. Next on this Detroit city tour, the Compuware Building from 2002 is worth a visit, for its 15-story atrium and colorful fountain. Outside that building you'll see a panorama that includes landmarks like the 47-story Penobscot Building from 1928, the Guardian Building from 1929, and the Renaissance Center from 1977, which is home to the tallest hotel in the entire Western Hemisphere (72 floors!) as well as the headquarters of General Motors. Then you'll see Campus Martius Park in the heart of downtown, which opened in 2004 and features an ice-skating rink in winter and activities year-round. It recently won an award as the nation's most transformative urban park, and is a fine example of how Detroit is making a serious comeback. A visit to the Guardian Building gives you a picture of the greatness of Detroit in the late 1920s. The lobby and banking room of this art-deco skyscraper are truly incredible. We'll take a stop here, and then we take a ride on the elevated People Mover, which has been moving people around downtown Detroit since 1987. From the Michigan Avenue Station, see the $800 Million MGM Grand Casino and hotel that were completed in 2008, and the new Rosa Parks Transit Center (named for "the mother of the Civil Rights Movement") with its dramatic canopies. If the weather is nice, we'll walk to a nearby hotel that's a great example of Detroit's rise, fall and renewal. When it opened in 1924 it was the tallest hotel in the world and one of the fanciest, but it closed in the 1980s and stood vacant for more than 25 years on a prominent street corner. Detroiters were thrilled when it reopened after a $200 million renovation as the wonderful, a proud moment in Detroit's history! A block down from here is one of the world's tallest vacant buildings at 36-storeys high. Your leader will tell you stories of its past and how it awaits a new life. Next, we visit the area near Grand Circus Park, which is full of examples of Detroit's rocky history. Here we'll find even more vacant buildings as well as legendary parks and music venues that have hosted the like of Bruce Spingsteen and Detroit's own Eminem. This gives us many more opportunities for your guide to let you in on all the local secrets behind them. It's one thing simply seeing these buildings, but to get to know the history behind them makes the experience even more special, especially when it comes from the mouth of a local! Our last stop will be at a local brewpub, where you can sip on a local beer or soft drink and continue to chat about Detroit with your local guide. The first drink's on us!
Established in 1999 with just one boat, MBNA Thames Clippers now carry over 7000 passengers per day. Our company continues to expand as more and more people appreciate the advantages of river travel. The River Thames is centrally located and our service runs East to West through the middle of the city. This route is perfect for commuters needing to get through town fast and for visitors wanting to either stop off at or just admire London's finest landmarks. For visitors to London, and Londoners looking for a day out, the River Roamer joins-up cultural, history and fun along the a stretch of the river that boasts the highest concentration of tourist attractions in Europe. With a Thames Clippers 1 Day River Roamer ticket you can hop-on and hop-off along the banks of the Thames between Millbank Pier to Royal Arsenal Woolwich, including Waterloo Pier, Embankment pier, Tower Pier, Canary Wharf, Greenwich Pier and North Greenwich (for the O2, London's most popular venue for concerts and events). Create your own London itinerary as you cruise the Thames, hopping on and off where you please, adhering to your own schedule and no-one else's. Our boats have clean, spacious, relaxing, climate controlled seating areas. With Thames Clippers passengers arrive at their destination in comfort. Our fleet of high speed catamarans are simply luxurious. The seating is spacious and comfortable, snacks and refreshments are available all day and spectacular views of the local landmarks are a given. Crucially, our service is also competitively priced, fast and frequent - with boats leaving major piers every 20 minutes. Our boats are all wheelchair and pram accessible at boarding points, in the interior and in the toilet facilities. Ramps are used for passenger boarding and unloading at each pier. Please ask the crew for boarding assistance if needed.
Come an experience Scotland’s “Water of Life” - single malt Scotch whisky - with visits to two fascinating distilleries situated right on the edge of the Highlands. In between these visits enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Loch Lomond National Park. This tour is for lovers of Scotch single malt whisky and for those who would like to know more about our national drink. NO Under 18's are allowed on this tour