‘My idea, of a great holiday escape’ — by the stars

Press, 7 January 1987, Page 20

‘My idea, of a great holiday escape’ — by the stars

TIM WARD talks to some of the stars of the big and small screen about their idea of the ideal holiday location.

For most people, holidays are a chance to relax, let your hair down and spend time with family or friends.

But for showbiz stars and other famous people, holidays are much more. They are an opportunity to escape the constant attention which is a price they pay for being a celebrity. Where do the stars go on holiday? And what is their idea of paradise on earth?

Actress Julie Walters loves the Caribbean, especially Antigua and Barbados.

She says: "I love the climate, the music — reggae in Antigua, calypso in Barbados — and the local people. “I’m fairly energetic on holiday, so in the day I go water-skiing, sailing and para-sailing — fabulous — or drive around the island in a Jeep. “We had a laugh on the Jolly Roger, an old pirate. ship where they make tourists walk the plank. The local boys joined in, cruising around in the catamarans and showing off, doing amazing acrobatic displays.

“It sometimes rains in the West Indies during the summer, but that doesn’t bother me as I like rain. “I’m not too keen on Bajan food though — flying fish, fried bananas, rice and peas. It’s a bit greasy and fattening — but I definitely approve of the rum punches!”

Funny girl Pamela Stephenson plumps for Los Angeles. She says: "I’ve travelled all over the world, South of France, India, Africa — I was the typical Australian back-packer when I was young. But my favourite place for a holiday is Los Angeles. "I love all the crazy things — the mudwrestling, singing telegrams, the custard-pie treatments... I adore cruising round the seedy shops and getting myself paged at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

“I usually go wild buying lots and lots of frames of early film stars, while my daughter Daisy likes Disneyland. “I also go for the food — all those health-food restaurants on Sunset Strip.”

Cliff Richard has fallen in love with Portugal all over again. He bought his first villa on the Algarve when he was a rock ’n’ roll idol, then sold it in the mid--1970s because he became bored with taking holidays in the same place. Recently, the lure of the warm Atlantic and the endless sandy beaches brought Cliff back to the Algarve where he bought another property. “It was like coming home,” he says. “I have travelled so much of the world both working and on holiday, but I’ve come to realise

that Portugal is my favourite.

“I like to do all the usual things like swimming, and sunbathing, it’s a marvellous place to relax and have fun.”

Opera star Kiri Te Kanawa loves Japan for its vastly different way of life — and its food.

She says: “Tokyo is the city to visit if you really enjoy food and fascinating surroundings. There is shybu-shybu, which is boiled steak in water; and yaki yiku, which is marinated meat brought to the table so you can cook it yourself. “Kyoto is an extraordinary place. You can get to it on the Bullet train and, again, food is a big feature — it is served throughout the journey, and there is Japanese tea and soup. "The traditional gardens are the big attraction in Kyoto. There are the Imperial Gardens which are hundreds of years old and, to stop them falling apart, the trees are wrapped in bamboo bandages. The Golden Temple Gardens are also beautiful.

“If you like porcelain, this is a good place to buy it. There are some exceptional pieces to be found

— like small lacquered plates and dishes. “Some porcelain is quite reasonably priced, but there are also exquisite and very, very expensive items to be had, too. “You can’t leave Japan without seeing the Sumo wrestlers working out. They are quite spectacular in their discipline, their strength, the beauty of their movements. In the summer and autumn; they have toumametns at the place they live — the. stables — and it is pos-‘ sible to see them perform. “Japan is intriguing.”

David Bellamy, TV’s man of science, loves walking in the Alps, on the Swiss-French border, with his family. He says: “You can see the Matterhorn and Mont Blanc. There are late summer flowers, yet high up in the snow there are still spring flowers — totally amazing. That’s the beauty of a holiday in the mountains — adjusting your level you can get spring, summer, autumn or winter all in one go. “And we all became moderate gourmets on the local cheeses — it was nice to get the kids away from packets of crisps.”

“Gandhi” star Ben Kingsley thinks New Delhi is one of the most wonderful cities in the world.

“It is just spectacular,” he says. “With a great, sweeping sense of space and, all around, magnificent monuments which are a strange hybrid of European and Mogul art. They are made from pink stone, which makes them romantic and beautiful — so different from the sombre, grey buildings we are used to in Europe. "Visitors are happy to spend hours just sitting at Connaught Circus where people gather and all kinds of activities take place. Here you can see Mogul craftsmen working; people making, for example, little paintings on’ ivory; you can buy wonderful clothes and children’s outfits with magnificent mirror work. “In India there is a grace and enthusiasm about looking after you which can’t be found elsewhere.

“From New Delhi you can visit Rajasthan and the Taj Mahal. No one expects it to be as magnificent as it is. In real life it is stupendous. It seems to glow in an aura of white light which is offset by the river. The interior’s very ornate and set with precious, coloured stones. “And to think that it was built to the memory of a man’s love for a woman...”

David Jason, star of TV’s "Only Fools and Horses” and “Open All Hours,” says it’s difficult to find a quiet spot where fans don’t poke him with their ballpoint pens!

“It’s also hard to find somewhere to go in a reasonable price bracket, where it’s quiet and you don’t find a neighbour from down your street in the nearest taverna,” he adds. You wind up drinking a pint of British beer with him instead of retsina with the locals. That seems lunatic.

“I used to go to Corfu, near Ipsos. I love skindiving. I think the island is terribly sad and spoilt now, though. “I like somewhere where you can wander along the beach, eat local food, drink local wine, be active, yet be with the locals and behave reasonably.” Not all celebrities are in love with holidays, though.

George Cole, star of the TV hit “Minder,” hates vacations. He believes brochures should carry a Government health warning.

“People go rushing around doing all sorts of things they’re not used to — like climbing and water-skiing — and it’s too much for them. It can be fatal,” he says. “Lately, I’ve been lucky enough to be working all the time, so I’ve had a wonderful excuse for not going on holiday. Work takes me away so much that my idea of a break is to be at home here, in the middle of a wood in the Thames Valley.” —Copyright Duo.