Tag: Holidays
Having already been to the United Arab Emirates in April for a Desert Reunion and having the most super time, staying at the Al Ain Hilton and meeting-up again with old friends, travelling with my youngest Son Jo and reliving the time we spent  there in this desert oasis more than thirty years ago, I must say it was an exciting and truly memorable time. So I felt very lucky to have yet another brilliant holiday at the beginning of June. It was such a holiday that the enchanting visions have stayed with me, my mind returning to them daily such were the very beautiful surroundings.
It was a gorgeously pleasant holiday staying at a most elegant Hotel set in the most perfection cove location. “The Domes Noruz” in Chania Crete was such a perfect experience from the first meeting with the absolutely charming staff to the entirely fabulous and very special stay throughout. The room, an “upbeat suite” with fabulous plunge pool and jacuzzi on own terrace was perfection. I must add this is a fairly new hotel so everything has that new and prestine feel about it. A huge bed so comfy, so spotlessly clean with top quality bed linen changed daily.
The room was very large with a walk- out terrace and every added comfort you could possible need.
The hotel set in flowered walk-way grounds has three swimming pools, one interior in the wellness centre and two further outdoor pools. One pool is designated as a quiet area, perfect if you wish to read or just relax quietly.
Having said that there is music at the other larger pool and a fabulous rooftop bar with views of the beautiful setting and of the cove and bay. The rooftop bar is perfect for lunch or just to partake in a cocktail at any time of the day or at the best time of the day while watching the sunset. This is an adults only hotel so plenty of sophisticated life just everywhere! Fabulous breakfasts, fabulous lunches and dinners with a wonderful array of just every culinary delight you may desire. Fresh figs and exotic fruits to the best local pastries I have ever tasted to a full cooked breakfast. The waiters remembering your choice daily for coffees/teas and special juices. The  restaurant at night takes on the most gorgeous ambience and the food is just delicious such a perfect place to be as the sun sets. The lovely attentive waiters brought several complimentry dishes for us to try. It would be so easy to end up with more food than you could ever manage still I suppose for some!. Here shown below, a lunch tapas.
As I mentioned before this beautiful modern hotel was set in the most perfect location. A stunning peaceful cove.
I am no longer a young woman but was able to swim everyday in the calm sea, a good level clear location. This place rejuvenates! The water is so clear you could see your feet and swim for a really good distance on a plateau. I loved it, Â just a few steps into the calm sea.
The views daily are beautiful, the sunsets amazing. You can walk to other nearby taverners in the evenings should you wish and there are good ones too but really everything is here in this very special hotel.
A gym and very well appointed wellness centre is also available for those that enjoy a massage or a little beauty therapy. Or for those that really want to remain fit and toned while here. Well trained, excellent, perfect staff will take care of you in a most pleasant atmosphere.
A visit to the old port town of Chania is not to be missed while in Crete, such a special place with quaint lanes of shops, taverners and bars to visit. Also I feel a must, is a trip to the very well maintained English War Cemetery-a very moving experience, I certainly found it so. Try if you can to visit the old port town and harbour of Chania just as the sun is going down, to sit and watch the spectacular sunset is quite something.
I cannot recommend the ” Domes Noruz” hotel more highly. I am a well seasoned traveler and have been lucky enough to enjoy many first class hotels but I enjoyed this special hotel with its sleek modern lines and this holiday more than words can say. I do recommend for those that like things done in the most perfect understated manner. Great for honeymooners,, great for those with a sophisticated palette, great for those with a romantic soul. Just great…
Tuk Tuk
Blues skies into long sultry nights
draws us back once more
music plays “this guys in love with you”,
cascades the water and pours its charms
through and down under tiny coin filled bridge.
Tan men, beautiful ladies, the smell of sun,
cologne and the odd cigar
mixes and blends with Asian ‘fusion’ delights,
the aromas reaching our noses before we
step over the glinting water…
We settled on smart sofa’s as the handsome
‘chef de rang’ brought cocktails to delight,
refreshing Long Island tea, vivid pink Daiquiris,
the green mint from the sweet Mojito’s shining
in catching candle light, the clinking ice…
It was a delight, it made another memory,
It served us well,
And when I can no longer travel
It will remain, Tuk Tuk and those
warm balmy nights.
It made another memory…
Dedicated to my son Jo.
Copyright@susiehemingway2016
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Logistics being somewhat different this year for our annual visit to southern Spain we left Wingrave Bucks in the early hours for a fast car run to London’s City Airport, a most exciting start to this super holiday. First time flying from the Docklands Airport for me and I must say our party of happy travellers were very impressed. I loved the early glow of morning views to this interesting and now magical part of our capital city, as sunrise fast approached over this part of London with its very modern skyscrapers and viewing the docklands airport runway, seeming a mere strip in my excited eyes and somewhat short; was the perfect start to our much awaited holiday.
How very efficient is London City Airport and with not a moment kept waiting we proceeded Airside to its very good coffee lounge, a nice aroma of good coffee always embraces and pleases my senses particularly in the early hours. We comfortably boarded the BA city flyer- Embraer190 Jet and flew steeply up and out over a newly waking London, I loved it. Could anything be more exciting?
 
A few facts here for those that like and are reading from other parts of the world.. London City Airport is located on a former Docklands Site in the London Borough of Newham. It has a single 1,500 metre long runway and only multi engine fixed-wing aircraft with special aircraft and aircrew certification to fly 5.5 approaches, are allowed to conduct operations at London City Airport.
My son Jo who always arranges these marvellous trips has everything down to a fine-art. Good car that manages all our luggage, parking is always made easy and everything laid ready for a most enjoyable holiday. The short trip down to this favourite place on leaving Malaga Airport to the Los Arquerous Apartments in Benahavis, AndalucÃa – Nr Marbella, is a pretty drive, glimpsing the coast and the blue sea beyond – tis perfect.Â
 
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This year we had a penthouse apartment with a wonderful roof terrace with plenty of shade and a roof top shower and loads of comfortable seating arrangements which plus our normal wraparound balcony was a real delight. Where almost every evening we sat under twinkling stars late into the night over dinner and drinks. The weather was just amazing this year, with long hot days usually starting with a short early mist which cleared into blistering hot dry days. We spent most of these swimming in the infinity pool, set in the stunning sweet smelling, flowered filled gardens and enjoying the beautiful  view we have come to know and love over the past years.
Our first port of call when arriving is always the Mercadona, a large supermarket a little way from our location but the one we considered to be the absolute best. Marvellous produce in every department and to be honest much better quality than our regular supermarkets here in the UK. We do just one big shop perhaps topping up if needed on fresh fruit and extra water but we usually managed to get it just right after these years of going. The food in Spain is high quality, superb fruit and vegetables, great fish, meat and chicken and it is considerably cheaper than here.
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 Of course no holiday, which is after all a special occasion, is without treats, so we select just everything we fancy, plus lots of special drinks and mixers to make-up Jo’s fabulous cocktails. Favourites are always Mojitos, long and cooling with their abundance of mint, especially nice for hot days. Something new this year and something different on Jo’s repertoire to our cocktail range was the “Carmel Sunset” made with Knebep the delicious Vodka Based Spirit, also the favourite Espresso Martinis which are a real treat at sundown.
We did eat out a couple of times during our stay normally at the clubhouse where the standard is very high, but apart from midday at the wonderful Cappuccino Grand Café, we did not eat out in the evening in Marbella as we were there in the busy month of August so we chose quieter locations that were much preferred in the heat.
We also spent a day in Gibraltar, not visited for me since 1967. Not much had changed, it was nice to see The Rock Hotel still standing!
 An interesting visit and an enjoyable day, going of course to the top, for the marvellous views across the bay and to visit once again the man-made caves but for me Gibraltar has lost much of its charm of earlier years, looking most shabby in parts now, not much seems to have be spent on maintaining the uniqueness it once engaged. Still our party enjoyed a very nice late luncheon in one of the squares close to the moored luxury boats. Luckily arriving at ‘Happy Hour!’
Friends made on holiday are all part of the travelling process and bring extra pleasure and delight to these trips. In the beautiful area where we enjoyed our leisure time were three super families that met up at the same time every year. It was so nice to see these caring families enjoying the time with their children in harmony and much joy. Such daily water fun often when they had returned from a day on the beach -Â which certainly helped the younger ones with their learning of swimming skills, all under the watchful eyes of family and friends. Creating lasting memories of happy times spent in the sun. I hope we meet up with these lovely folk once again…somehow I think we will.
I would like to thank here my dear son who arranges these lovely luxury trips of the highest calibre and for putting-up with four ladies – he is amazing and caters for our every need and truly deserves a medal. Love you Yousef x
You can see some more of our holiday snaps on my flickr page over at https://www.flickr.com/photos/susiehemingway/ should you wish. I am now back in my little village which I love and although always enjoy embracing the warmth of Southern Spain I am content to return…until next time of course…Â
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This has been a very busy and some what exciting week! It started when my sons Jo and Matt invited me to join them all on their summer holidays in August. They usually arrange something about this time of year but I have not been able to join them in recent years, as leaving Hamada for a fortnight in the care of others would not have been something I would have considered. This year they had their usual grand debate about having a villa in Tuscany or the South of France. They really love villa holidays and a large crowd all went together last year, having much fun. They are also lovers of the “All Inclusive†deals that take all the hassle out of arranging flights, accommodation and all the extras that go with a really good holiday. So this year we are all going to a very nice hotel near the Red Sea in Egypt. Both of my sons have been there before and do select well from the Hotels they know. This particular Hotel has a large casino, so I must put aside a little for that. What fun! Also Shisha and a nice Spa which Mummy likes very much. The recent troubles in Egypt have not reached this far, having a nephew in this area he assures me that all is calm and much the same as always. Egypt relies so much on it’s tourism that they must get back to normal as soon as possible. So lets hope it stays calm and peaceful and we get to go later in the year, I can’t wait!
So having then really got the holiday bug I booked a sneaky week away in May. Taking a page from their notebooks, doing the “all inclusive†thingy. This time a nice looking hotel about a mile from Denia on the Costa Blanca in Spain. I’m going back to a place I first visited in 1968. Denia was only a small port village then but is now a large rambling town. Set at the base of Mount Montgo, it has a very pretty Marina and I chose a hotel near to the sea-front and a room with a balcony. I shall look forward to doing a little walking in the May sunshine and also catching-up with an old friend while I am there too.
What a hoot! Two holidays booked in one week! Get me,the lady who has hardly left her village in five years, with only one exception, a short holiday in 2008 when we managed to take Hamada to Minorca, so he could dip his toes in the Mediterranean once more.
And so my exciting week continued…when attending a local auction I bid successfully on several lots, coming home with a much battered 1920’s writing desk. Needing much restoring but won for a ‘song’.
I may leave this desk with it’s busy past alone, as it seems to tell a story showing well it’s providence and what life has done to it, much like me really!
Then with a really silly bid, I managed to get a lovely picture that I fell in love with on the preview day. This picture shown below, called “Oranges and Lemons†was in a lot of two old pictures, well knocked about. I have cleaned and restored them and one now hangs in my sitting room the other, a sort of old Art Nouveau print is in a guest bedroom.
There was a few other little things but needless to say these also needed some restoration work, this will give me much pleasure to attempt and with little cost turn these bargains into something worthwhile. It was such an exciting day as my Sister Jenny and I were also bidding for another friend and I loved watching what items sold for, what we could manage to achieve and the antics of the whole procedure. We plan to make this a regular event, it’s such fun even if you don’t spend a thing. It was warm and cosy,we had lunch and even made new friends. Our local Town of Horncastle is well known for it’s antiques shops and with many house clearances that make-up the majority of these auctions. I am planning another little foray into this unique world of the local Auctions . Exciting it was!