If you are heading off on your travels this summer, I’ll give you a tip – make sure that the place you’ve always wanted to see, where you have spent loads of money to get to, and taken precious holiday time to visit, isn’t actually under construction.
The Pyramids at Giza under tarpaulin doesn’t have that “wow” factor, let me assure you.
Unfortunately, when I was travelling no-one bothered to remind me of this. This meant that I didn’t get to see some of the great sights that I was hoping to. Let me explain.
Sad in Singapore
Getting stuck in Singapore wasn’t exactly on my “to-do” list, but I had to catch a flight to Australia from there, so I thought I’d make the most of it. I found the city was extremely space-age, with gleaming mirrored skyscrapers, immaculately clean streets, and manicured gardens – not what I was expecting at all.
Being a cultured girl, the one thing I knew I had to do while I was there was have a Singapore Sling, and that had to be done in the birthplace of the beverage, on the veranda at Raffles Hotel.
The old colonial jewel in the crown, Raffles Hotel, used to be a favourite haunt of the British during the 1920’s and 1930’s and the myth was that gin contains quinine, which wards off mosquitoes (and therefore the threat of malaria). So they created the famous Singapore Sling, a delicious gin-based cocktail with cherry liquor, Benedictine, pineapple juice and soda.
However, when I rocked up to Raffles there was what looked like wooden climbing frames on all sides covering it – but it was in fact the bamboo scaffolding they use in this part of the world, when doing renovations. I can’t tell you whether Raffles was nice or not – I couldn’t see a thing!
Peed off in Pisa
I also got caught out in Italy. When in Pisa, you have to go and see the wacky leaning tower. If you don’t, you’ve missed a trick. The tower isn’t an optical illusion, it really is sinking.
The tower was built between 1173 and 1274, but it was built on rubble and soft sand. The Greeks had given the city the name “Pisa” because it meant marshy land centuries before, so the Italians should have done their homework. Soon the whole structure began to tilt, and became famous throughout the world. Amazingly, it is still standing, and still drawing in the tourists.
But of course, it wasn’t my lucky day then I visited – I just got there to gaze at 56 feet of metal scaffolding, not the Romanesque medieval architectural wonder I came to see. Bang went my photo opportunity.
Where not to go this summer!
So, if you’re off this summer, please take heed of my advice – here is where not to go this year!
The Statue of Liberty
Closed in October 2011 for refurbishment and essential maintenance work, the interior will be closed for a year. So if you were planning a trip to New York stand in the famous Liberty crown observation deck, I’d save that until 2014, to be on the safe side.
The Colosseum
When in Rome, ‘do as the Romans do’, right? Well, don’t bother going to the Colosseum as it’s having a major overhaul to the tune of 25 million Euros. Work began at the end of 2011 and will be on-going for up to three years. You’ve been warned!
The Panama Canal
Parts of canal will be under renovation until 2014 at least, so don’t be surprised if you come face to face with a lot of heavy duty barges and industrial cranes.
If you know of any other places currently under construction or closed for renovation, please leave your comments here!
Estelle Page is a thirty something interior designer, loving life with her husband and two kids! She loves to visit national trust sites for a spot of watercolour painting, and has travelled much further afield in her time! She writes and blogs for Dunster House.
