Newsletter - December 2004

Hostel News

Christmas Specials!

With winter comes Christmas, so we’ve built up for you a few offers to visit our hostels around the UK. All these offers can be booked from our web site www.st-christophers.co.uk, and are valid until end of February (except New Year’s Eve) subject to availability.

Brighton Hostel: £15 for 2 nights ! Valid Sunday to Thursday. Plus lots more
Brighton Palace Hotel: Our great 3* hotel . £25 bed: Sun to Thu.
Bath: Mini-Group Special: Groups of 4 or more, one stays for free. Read more
Newquay: £5 beds! All nights. Plus lots more
Edinburgh: Free City Bus Pass for a min. stay of 5 nights. Plus lots more
Xmas Special: 3 night Xmas Special. Read more

Ski and Fun in the Alps!

Euro Youth in Munich, Germany, a member of Europe’s Famous hostels, have opened one of the first “Ski and Party” hostels, in Bad Gastein, Austria. Imagine a backpackers atmosphere right next to the slopes, with beds for a bargain! The Gastein valley offers some of the best skiing and boarding in Austria and this traditional resort just an hour from Salzburg airport (Ryan air), has in recent years been made accessible for those with a limited budget by the opening of the Euro Youth Hotel in Bad Gastein. Read more and get an amazing offer!

Bruges - A Medieval Winter Wonderland

It's a city filled with the world's most delicious beers, most famous chocolates and mouth watering waffles, yet it's medieval buildings can sometimes get missed on the path from Paris to Amsterdam... Located right in the middle of Amsterdam and Paris, Bruges is a magical little town straight out of the history pages of medieval Europe. During the day, it's Belgium's most visited city & at night, there's an intriguing medieval aura surrounding every cobble stone road & town square.

Traveling Solo Frustration...Follow Up

Following Amy's story last month about the pains of travelling alone, we received lots of replies from fellow travellers with words of encouragement. Read Christels reply here. If you have any travelling stories you would like to share about anything and everything please write to us at pillowtalk@st-christophers.co.uk. And if your story features on our newsletter, like Amy's and Christel's, you can win some FREE accommodation with us!

Bar News

The Sin Bin... A Sweet & Sexy Blend of R'n'B

Every Thursday 7pm til 2am downstairs @ Belushi's London Bridge. £1.50 on all draught , bottles, spirits & mixer and 175ml house wine. FREE entry until 9pm, £3 thereafter! To keep track of what's happening on the "street", that's Borough High Street, visit Belushis.com!

Xmas Party Venues

Forgot to book your Xmas Party Venue? Afraid you have left it to late? Well if you hurry you may be in luck as we have some limited available dates. With a range of options to suit your every need. So you could still be having a wonderful Xmas time! To find out more visit Belushis.com

Catch all your holiday sports from North America

With the Holiday season most people will be dreaming of Turkey and presents. At Belushi’s we have all the gifts you need with all the big NCAA football Bowls and all the potential Turkey’s are separated from the Champions with the start of NCAA Basketball Season. The NFL is hitting its stride with the march to this years Superbowl just reaching its peak in December with the last few games and the beginning of the playoffs. Missing your hockey fix with the NHL on hold, see some of its future stars with a dose of NCAA hockey and AHL Hockey. Remember that Belushi’s has the North American Sports Network and is the best place in the UK to get your North American Sports fix.

Check out Belushis.com

For a run down of what's on when and other fantastic meal and drink deals visit Belushis.com or click on you local venue above! It will be worth your while!!

Events Diary

London

London’s Christmas Theatre December Throughout London

Londoners love Christmas, and they love the theatre. A big part of the city's traditional celebrations takes place on her magnificent stages. For over a century, the theatres of London have been transformed for the festive seasons by bawdy musicals, seasonal comedies, pantomimes and dance spectaculars. Christmas 2004 is a great year, offering everything from timeless ballets, to classic music-hall comedies and brilliant new shows. There's something for everyone in this year's bumper crop of festive treats, including Swan Lake, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, the Nut Cracker, and Cinderella.
(http://www.visitlondon.com/microsite/home?siteId=christmas)

Christmas Service at Westminster Abbey December 24, 2004.

One of the great churches of the world has a service of seven lessons and carols at 4pm on Christmas Eve. Led by the Dean of Westminster, this will be one of the very finest of services taking place in England in one of the most unique buildings in the country. Catch the fantastic sung service at 4:00pm and then a short service at 11:30pm. A great way to get into the Christmas Spirit and immerse yourself in the historical and spiritual side of Christmas.
(www.istc.org)

London’s New Years Parade January 1, 2005.

Thousands of performers from all around the world will be taking part in London’s spectacular annual New Year’s Day Parade. Marching bands and dance troupes from the United States, Japan and Continental Europe will perform alongside speciality acts from the UK in what promises to be another magnificent year opener. More than 10,000 performers representing 20 countries world-wide will assemble.
(www.londonparade.co.uk/event/)

Edinburgh

Edinburgh’s Bleeker Rock the UK - December 9, 10, 11, 17

Edinburgh’s Bleeker, fresh off their massive CD launch night for their first full album Space and Time, Bleeker will be hitting Belushi’s and St. Christopher’s locations across the UK this December. After success of their Fall tour promoting their self titles EP, Make sure that you arrive early or you might not get a foot in the door of the pub. With the Daily Record, Sunday Mail, Noise Magazine and the Glasgow/Edinburgh Metro in attendance at the launch, Bleeker’s debut album will soon be flying off shelves at HMV and Virgin nationwide. Catch Bleeker at St. Christopher’s Village in London on December 9, at Belushi’s in Newquay on December 10th and 11th, and they finish their tour on December 19th at Edinburgh. Watch out for your last chance to be naughty or nice on Christmas Eve as Bleeker rock all night, or at least until Santa arrives in Edinburgh.

Edinburgh's Hogmanay -29 Dec 2004 - 1 Jan 2005 (Every year)

In the true Scottish spirit of a good party needing more than just one day, Edinburgh hosts not one but four days of festivities including processions, concerts and a world-famous street party. Highlights include the Torch lit Procession and Fire Festival, a magical spectacle of light winding its way through the city, and the Night Afore Fiesta, a vibrant blend of entertainment including the world's biggest ceilidh, a Latin carnival stage and international street theatre. The focal point of all festivities is of course the Royal Bank Street Party (admission by pass only) on New Year's Eve, one of the biggest such events in Europe, with a unique atmosphere generated by over 100,000 revellers.
(www.edinburghshogmanay.org)

Other London Events

7 December The Beastie Boys @ Wembley Arena
8 December The Charlatans @ Sheppard’s Bush Empire
9 December Manic Street Preachers @ Wembley Arena
10-12 December The Darkness @ Wembley Arena
12-13 December The Kings of Leon @ Carling Academy Brixton
13-15 December Busted @ Wembley Arena
18 December Morrissey @ Earls Court Exhibition Centre

Other Edinburgh Events

1- 24 December Edinburgh's Capital Christmas @ Princess St. Gardens
8-9 December Wet, Wet, Wet @ SECC Glasgow
12 December Elton John @ SECC Glasgow
13 December Morrissey @ SECC Glasgow
14 December Steve Earle @ Usher Hall Edinburgh
19 December Franz Ferdinand @ SECC Glasgow
17 December RSNO Christmas Concert @ Usher Hall

Brighton Events

8 December Will Young @ The Brighton Centre
19 December Jools Holland @ The Brighton Centre
25-28 December The Nut cracker @ The Brighton Concert Hall

Well that is just about it for another month. Don't forget to get down and check out the fantastic Bleeker live at Belushi's in December. And if you would like to contribute to this newsletter about absolutely anything then please do by emailing pillowtalk@st-christophers.co.uk!

Have a fantastic Christmas and a wonderful New Year and if you are caught short of something to do, well... you know exactly where to come!!!

The Live Your Life Team
Beds and Bars Club

Quote

“I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel's sake. The great affair is to move.” Robert Louis Stevenson (1850 - 1894) Scottish author, poet, essayist, critic Travels with a Donkey.