European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 13, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Travel Europe 1992 try a Kebab from local shops or the More famous English fish and chips which Are becoming increasingly difficult to find nowadays. The Best British meals Are often served in pubs during the lunch hours and sometimes in the evenings. These meals can Range from a Quot ploughman s lunch Quot bread cheese pickles and an Apple to homemade meat pies with Beans pages or salads. Often surprisingly Good and usually quite cheap pub meals Are a Good alternative to the cafes which seem to specialize in Limp sandwiches and sugary cakes. One warning not All pubs allow children into the dining area. A if you re Hunting for souvenirs everything from pottery to Nottingham lace and Lead Crystal can be found. Stores offer a variety of goods of interest to tourists. Also Small kiosks located in the major shopping area in some of the larger cities sell some of the same goods usually cheaper than the larger stores. You can save Money by buying direct from some of the crafts shops plus you la also get a better feel for local culture. For instance Henry Watson is located in the Small Village of Wattisfield approximately a 45-minute drive from Raf Mildenhall England on the a-143 Highway. Watson specializes in original Suffolk Terra Cotta Ware include Kitchen and gift items wine coolers Herb spice and storage jars As Well As baking dishes. Prices can be As much As 40 percent less than buying at the stores. And Newcastle upon Tyne 275 Miles North of London boast one of the largest self contained in door shopping centers. With approximately 250 shops the mall also has restaurants a Small amusement Park and other forms of entertainment. When buying in Britain count on a value added tax of 17.5 percent on goods and services. Visitors can sometimes reclaim vat on goods purchased for Export. The shop must fill out the vat 407 form. Not All shops operate under this scheme and there s a minimum Purchase Price in most cases. Most shops Are open six Days a week from 9 . To 5 30 . Some stores close from 1 to 2 . For lunch. In the smaller villages on certain Days most stores Are even closed. Check with the tourist Board to find out. Americans travelling in Britain can change dollars into pounds at merchants Bank branches on . Bases in Britain As Well As at the major Banks and some of the larger tourist offices. Those 24-hour bureaus de change change bureaus scattered around Britain May offer a convenient round the clock service but they typically charge a High commission for the convenience. When travelling Between England and Scotland the face of the currency May change but scottish pounds can be used in England and vice versus. The Only thing to look out for is the coins. England has gone to a smaller five Pence Coin while in Scotland Many places still use the old larger five Pence one shilling Coin. Scottish merchants accept the new English Coin but the English merchants do not accept the old five Pence Coin. These will be accepted Only at Banks. Free Lancer Brian Smith contributed to this article the ruins of Urquhart Castle provide an additional touch of mystery to Scotland s Loch Ness. Is qua be Hattler a amps qua Schuettler far left a ninth Century Stone Cross in Cion Mcnoise Ireland left Stout is a Staple of Irish life. A amps Michael Abrams Emerald Isle by David Tarrant staff writer follow the coast is As Good a Maxim As any for seeing Ireland. Only the shores of Northwestern Scotland and Brittany France rival Ireland s magnificent coastline where Lush Green pastures creep up to sheer Gray Cliffs that plunge into the sea. Besides no Point in Ireland is More than a two hour drive to the Ocean so you can easily make Side trips into the Middle of the Island to see a fifth Century Tower or a 12th-Century Castle. Getting around Ireland presents some problems. The railroads connect All the major cities with Dublin a but not to each other. Buses can be a haphazard and tedious form of travel even if you can find a schedule. The Best Way is to rent a car but even that Means of transport in t without its headaches. As in Britain the Irish drive on the Quot wrong Quot Side or left Side and the roads can be unnervingly narrow especially in the Scenic Rural towns. However Don t let this deter you. The real Ireland can be found in its Small towns where the people Are so Friendly they practically jump in your Lap to Welcome you. There s no Lack of a music scene in Dublin Ireland s capital where practically every bar is either formally or informally a Quot singing  and when it comes to eating pub lunches a served with a pint of guinness Stout a usually offer the Best food for the Price. Dublin also has plenty of cultural diversions including a poets museum and literary walking Tours of James Joyce s epic novel Ulysses for which Dublin is the setting. If you re there on june 16, you can join thousands of other Joyce an aficionados in reliving Ulysses hero Leopold Bloom s 19-hour Oddyssey through the City. May 13, 1992 travel Europe 19