Royal Naval Association Area 3

Monday 26 – Friday 30 November 2007

Royal Astrid Hotel (Ostend)

Turkey & Tinsel Tour

We arrived in Ostend Monday 26 November (Christmas Eve) around 16.30 after a very pleasant trip via Folkestone and the Eurotunnel, stopping at Calais for comfort and refreshments. After checking into the hotel the evening started with dinner, entertainment & dancing.

Tuesday 27 November (Christmas Day) we travelled to the beautiful City of Bruges for sightseeing tours, shopping, and lunch. PM took us over the border to Sluis in Holland for a tour of this historic town, departing in time to arrive back at hotel for dinner, champagne, presents & entertainment, an excellent evening had by all.

Wednesday 28 November (Boxing Day) a free morning for the group before having lunch and departing the hotel to see a beautiful chateau near Adunkerke, for free drinks, a tour of the museum & purchases. Then we continued onto the commonwealth war graves at passendale & Tyne Cot, before moving on to Ypres & the menin gate. This beautiful town gave us an excellent opportunity to take in the views, Christmas decorations & refreshments before showing our respects at the menin gate at 20.00hrs to hear the last post, (a very poignant moment). We arrived back at the hotel in time to take in New Years Eve festivities and entertainment.

Thursday 29 November (New years Day) we departed for a tour of Diksmuide a pretty little Belgian town with plenty of historic buildings, restaurants & shops, departing in time to call in at a chocolate factory for an inspection and purchase of chocolates before arriving back in Ostend for an afternoons shopping The evening was started with dinner and our last night of entertainment of the tour.

Friday 30 November saw our departure & farewells & heading for home calling in at Calais for lunch and those last minute Christmas purchases before joining Eurotunnel and home.

On behalf of the Royal Naval Association Area 3 I would like to thank your company for the excellent tour that you arranged for us. A tour with a difference, with Christmas festivities, good food and entertainment in the Royal Astrid Hotel at night, and sightseeing tours by coach in France, Belgium, and Holland, by day with Terry our driver and Nina our courier looking after our every need. With so much praise I have received from everyone I have already booked this tour again for next year, well done IOW Tours. 

Regards

Alan Peckett
Tour organiser