Picture Yourself There

Navman Loves - school holidays, Please Touch Museum

It’s that time of year, and there are two words hovering on the lips of every pre-teen with the power to strike fear into the heart of parents across Europe: ‘I’m bored’. Kids these days just don’t know how to entertain themselves – if they’re not plugged into a Playstation or an mp3 player or frozen in front of the latest DVD, they’re climbing the walls / graffiti-ing the walls / terrorising the neighbour’s cat. If you’re dreading three long months of restless children, already tetchy from a Ribena-induced sugar high, you’ll be glad to hear that we might just be able to help.

No, we’re not offering to babysit - we’ve just got a suggestion for you. If your little angels are threatening to turn into little monsters over the holidays, why not take a trip to the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia where they can break the ordinary rules to their hearts’ content by getting their mucky hands all over the diplays. Designed to help youngsters to learn through interactive and varied exhibits, this is bound to keep them quiet. For a few hours, at least.

Get the NavPix here…

Belgium National Day

 

There is an old fashioned British parlour game in which players were challenged to name five famous Belgians – the ‘joke’ being that it was difficult to recall characters of consequence from the country. Well, we at Picture Yourself There are ready to show how ridiculous this notion is by naming five right here, right now: Poirot, TinTin, Jean Claude Van Damme, The Smurfs and Dr Evil from Austin Powers.

Only joking. If you’re in any doubt about the greatness of Belgium, we’ve got one word for you: chocolate. If you decide to take a trip around the capital of Brussels - to look around the Grand Place with its fabulous architecture, or to wander around some of the oldest shopping arcades in the world, or to visit the amazing royal palace – make sure you grab some authentic Belgian chocs to fuel you on the way.

Get the NavPix here…

Celebration of The Beatles - Liverpool

If you’re a fan of the Beatles and know Every Little Thing there is to know about the world’s most famous Liverpudlians, you’re probably already planning on being a Day Tripper to Liverpool sometime between the 22nd and 28th August to check out the events at International Beatle Week. With fans flocking from around the world to celebrate the Fab Four, you’ll wish that you could watch these top class performers Eight Days a Week (OK, that’s enough now).

Following on from other tribute bands with names that are bound to make you crack a smile (By Jovi, Oasish, Bjorn again) come the Repeatles, who will be playing no less that nine gigs at the festival. OK, they look absolutely nothing like John, Paul, George and Ringo, but close your eyes and you’ll be back in the Cavern…

Speaking of which - get the NavPix here…

Pele plays in '90 Minutes for Mandela'

There comes a depressing moment in parents’ lives when mum and dad are forced to realise that their offspring are actually better than them at certain things – sport, games, working the DVD player etc. Time stands still for no man, and you’ve got to accept that you’re not as young as you once were. Unless, that is, you happen to be Pele… one of the greatest footballers of all time, he will be appearing in an all-star match tomorrow at the fine age of 67. During the ’90 minutes for Mandela’ charity event, we reckon he’ll still be able to run rings around some of the players three times (yes, three times) younger than him.

The match takes place tomorrow, on Mandela’s 89th birthday at the Newlands Stadium in Cape Town, and will feature other international stars from the past and present. Most of us mere mortals could barely last 90 minutes on the pitch in our youth (frankly, we can barely climb the three flights of stairs to our office without having to have a little rest at the top) let alone when we’re pushing 70 – but that’s not the only reason Pele deserves our respect. All proceeds of the game go to football legacies in South Africa and to Mandela’s HIV and Aids charity.

For a truly legendary occasion, get the NavPix here…

The Simpsons movie - Springfield, Vermont

The residents of Springfield in Vermont were no doubt celebrating with doughnuts and Duff when their humble town was recently selected as the location of the new Simpsons Movie premiere. Even though it has just 300 seats, the only cinema in the town will be the first place to show the most eagerly anticipated animation of 2007 when it opens to the public on July 27th.

Despite being the most chaotic family in the US, The Simpsons are regularly praised for their strong characters and family values – even Archbishop of Cantebury Rowan Williams described them as ‘generally on the side of the angels and on the side of sense’ (read more here). Well, if a man of the cloth is OK with us snoozing at work, loafing around on the sofa all day and hanging around in the local tavern all night, then that must be OK with us…

Don’t have a cow man. And get the NavPix here…

Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest, Montego Bay

Think of Jamaican music, and what do you think? Bob Marley? Shabba Ranks? Beenie Man? Nope. You think of Levi Roots, and his Reggae Reggae sauce. Admit it, it’s true. Even if you haven’t yet ‘put music in your food’ with the now famous jerk flavour, you were humming the even-more-famous theme tune for days after that classic episode of Dragons Den.

If you think it’s time to broaden your reggae repertoire, then the Red Stripe Reggae Sumfest should be your first stop. Taking place between 15th and 21st July, the 15th annual festival features international artists such as Mary J Blige and Shaggy. As well as the tunes, there’ll be traditional Jamaican dishes such as BBQ chicken with rice and peas, meat patties and jerk chicken – so you can put some food in your music too.

Get the NavPix here…

Navman Loves

If all you can remember from your French lessons is how to tell people that you’re twelve years old and that you like aller au camping, it’s time to brush up on one of the world’s most colourful and romantic cultures. Today is Bastille Day, celebrating the Fete de la Federation in 1790, but more commonly associated with the storming of the Batille - with fireworks and festivities taking place across the country, le quatorze juillet will be one of the most spectacular times to visit the beautiful capital.

Why not take a trip down the Champs Elysees, where you’ll be able to watch military parades featuring infantry and motorised troops as well as air displays. Or go for the full-on tourist experience and take a trip to the Eiffel Tower to get a bird’s eye view of the celebrations. And remember, when you’re tired of it all, you can chat to the locals about their favourite hobbies, and how many brothers and sisters they have.

Get the NavPix here…

Montebello Castle, Italy

Something a little sinister for Friday 13th… These may be the days for light summer evenings, but at Montebello Castle in Italy it’s all about to get a bit ‘Most Haunted’ when their Summer Night Visits begin in the next few weeks. OK, so there’ll be no Liverpudlian in a leather jacket getting possessed every five minutes, but the spooky Azzurrina – said to be the ghost of a feudal lord’s daughter who died in mysterious circumstances and haunts the castle to this day - will cast a chill over the balmiest evening.

If you think that’s a load of tosh, you’ll still enjoy a trip around this fantastic building, which is still in perfect condition. With guided tours beginning running until 11pm each evening in August, just remember that you don’t believe in ghosts when those shadows are moving in the corners and footsteps can be heard upstairs…

Get the NavPix here…

New Seven Wonders - Taj Mahal

It was supposed to be a celebration of some of the world’s most incredible locations, with the people across the earth joined harmoniously in a happy online poll to vote for their favourites. Unsurprisingly, it’s all gone a little bit Eurovision Song Contest, and now the New Seven Wonders of the World have been announced everyone is accusing everyone else of foul play and skulduggery. With governments across the world campaigning fervently to have their own heritage sites on the list, even the Vatican has got involved to have a grumble about the lack of Christian sites on the shortlist.

The New Seven Wonders of the World are: The Great Wall of China; Petra in Jordan; Christ Redeemer in Brazil; Machu Picchu in Peru; the Chichen Itza pyramid in Mexico; the Coloseum in Rome; the Taj Mahal in India. It’s nice to see the world getting excited about these fabulous sites, with countries campaigning for their own monuments – except, however, in the UK, where a spokesman for the department of culture said that the UK ‘had not done anything’ about the contest…

Get the Taj Mahal NavPix here…

Latitude Festival 2007

Variety is the spice of life at Picture Yourself There. Whether you’re more Big Brother House than Cannes Film Festival, or more Eurovision Song Contest than Classical Brits (admit it, you are) check out our archives for an eclectic mix of excellent locations to visit. So, from the Proms (see Monday’s post) to a very different kind of music festival – Latitude runs from the 13th to the 15th July, and will showcase some of the hottest bands on the music scene.

With Arcade Fire, Damien Rice and The Good, The Bad and The Queen set to get the crowds jumping this weekend, the blistering line-up will make the squelchy wellies and soggy tent well worth it. Although we can’t honestly say that anything will make up for the festival portaloo situation.

Get the NavPix here…