SWMBO is in Ibiza at the moment on number one daughter's hen 'night'. It's funny how a night can turn into five nights, but that seems the way of it these days. There are seven friends and family who have gone, and it sounds like they are having a rum old time.
The hotel is a bit like Colditz, with the swimming pool area being locked until 08:30. I suspect that is to stop them skinny dipping, their reputation must have foregone them!! The Germans must be frustrated though as they would not be able to grab the sun beds in their usual 06:00 dawn raid.
The crew have found a beach bar and restaurant where they can relax away from the Essex crowd, it looks a bit Pete Tong to me though, and last night they had a bop till they drop night at Pasha, one of the super clubs which San Antonio is famous for. It opened at midnight and SWMBO was most put out that the others bailed out at 05:00 as she wanted to go through to the close. I guess you got breakfast then, on the way home!!
All this just shows that the wedding is close at hand, I better practise my speech more this time in case that ends up on YouTube too!!! I think the piano playing will go out the window though.
Monday, 27 June 2011
Tuesday, 7 June 2011
Dead as a Dodo
We have just returned from our annual holiday, this year choosing Mauritius instead of our usual St Lucian resort. St Lucia suffered badly in the recent hurricanes so we thought we would give it a year to re-establish itself. Add to that the fact the golf is not now all inclusive and it was time to look around.
So, as well as some golf nearby, all inclusive was the preferred option, and swimming and spa treatments were the ideal choice for SWMBO. Now Mauritius has many luxury 5 and 5+ star hotels, but getting all inclusive options is a problem. The beer and wine at establishments which are half board, for example, can make the cost rocket.
We were delighted therefore to fall upon the Tamarina hotel. It is a new boutique hotel which opened on New Years Eve. it has 50 rooms, a spa and is attached to the Tamarina golf club. The golf club wends its way through an estate of tasteful one level villa's and is a very good test.
It also had an all inclusive option which included spa treatments, green fee's and local brand drinks, so we were sorted.
We flew overnight 12 hours both ways with Air Mauritius which was fine, although I would not have liked to do the flight during the day. Their service and on board entertainment were a bit nineties and would have struggled with the attention needed if you were awake. Still we got both ends refreshed and ready to go.
The hotel is about 45 minutes from the airport and is nestled between a deer park and the beach. when we arrived there were about 35 people booked in, and that fluctuated to a low of about 16 so it was really quiet. There were honeymooners and grey pounders mixed together and it worked well.
There were a couple of problems, one being the food selection which was pretty limited, but the staff did try to do variations on what resources they did have. The pools were not really conducive to swimming in either as they were built for looks rather than practicality, but the sea was warm and very shallow so that was fine.
Local wine was included, but we did splash out a few nights, and given the villa clientele was predominantly Saffa's and Frog's the wine list was excellent, if somewhat pricey.
One of the honeymoon couples was hit hard by the collapse of their holiday company while they were there, but the hotel did the best it could to continue to make their stay pleasant. The hotel gets paid 30 days after the holiday ends, so the collapse cost them all of the May revenue from that company. Their price was cheaper than the price we paid, but that was probably the reason why!
As well as playing the local golf course, I took a trip inland one day to play the Gymkhana Club.
It was laid out in 1844 by the Royal Navy, and having played Royal Marrakesh which was designed at about the same time by a British Army officer, I felt I needed to complete the double. The course was average and quite short, I suspect the initial 9 hole layout was better than the extended 18, as there is really insufficient land, but it was interesting to see the memorabilia in the clubhouse. It included a letter dates 1889 from General Gordon explaining the King's view of the place.....'.tell him to go to hell'....'but Sir, we have no posting there!'.....' right. then send him to Mauritius'......and also had a moustache spoon , glass mounted on the wall. I love looking at honours boards in golf clubs and here, Major this and Colonel that were listed as prize winners up until the mid-Twentieth century when more traditional Mauritian names started to appear.
But back to the hotel. The group which owns it also runs a rum distillery. They have a new product, Pink Pigeon, which they launched recently in Monte Carlo. The pink pigeon is a rare bird native to Mauritius which was in danger of going the same way as the Dodo in the mid 1970's. It was saved by the action of Gerald Durrell and his team at Jersey Zoo, and now 350 pairs are restablished in Mauritius with backups, if you like, at the zoo still.
The night we left they were having a big 'do' at the hotel so we missed that unfortunately, but we have brought some back from Duty Free. It's interesting that the island is still covered in sugar cane plantations. You expect Al Pacino to burst out of one of the fields any moment. These days it is used in the rum making business as very little sugar is now exported. That gap in the economy has been filled by tourism.
So all in all a good run ashore. We would go back, particularly for the golf, but maybe as part of a two centre holiday and stay at one of the more lively resorts as well. We have been back over a week now and it seems like we have never been way, ho hum!
So, as well as some golf nearby, all inclusive was the preferred option, and swimming and spa treatments were the ideal choice for SWMBO. Now Mauritius has many luxury 5 and 5+ star hotels, but getting all inclusive options is a problem. The beer and wine at establishments which are half board, for example, can make the cost rocket.
We were delighted therefore to fall upon the Tamarina hotel. It is a new boutique hotel which opened on New Years Eve. it has 50 rooms, a spa and is attached to the Tamarina golf club. The golf club wends its way through an estate of tasteful one level villa's and is a very good test.
It also had an all inclusive option which included spa treatments, green fee's and local brand drinks, so we were sorted.
We flew overnight 12 hours both ways with Air Mauritius which was fine, although I would not have liked to do the flight during the day. Their service and on board entertainment were a bit nineties and would have struggled with the attention needed if you were awake. Still we got both ends refreshed and ready to go.
The hotel is about 45 minutes from the airport and is nestled between a deer park and the beach. when we arrived there were about 35 people booked in, and that fluctuated to a low of about 16 so it was really quiet. There were honeymooners and grey pounders mixed together and it worked well.
There were a couple of problems, one being the food selection which was pretty limited, but the staff did try to do variations on what resources they did have. The pools were not really conducive to swimming in either as they were built for looks rather than practicality, but the sea was warm and very shallow so that was fine.
Local wine was included, but we did splash out a few nights, and given the villa clientele was predominantly Saffa's and Frog's the wine list was excellent, if somewhat pricey.
One of the honeymoon couples was hit hard by the collapse of their holiday company while they were there, but the hotel did the best it could to continue to make their stay pleasant. The hotel gets paid 30 days after the holiday ends, so the collapse cost them all of the May revenue from that company. Their price was cheaper than the price we paid, but that was probably the reason why!
As well as playing the local golf course, I took a trip inland one day to play the Gymkhana Club.
It was laid out in 1844 by the Royal Navy, and having played Royal Marrakesh which was designed at about the same time by a British Army officer, I felt I needed to complete the double. The course was average and quite short, I suspect the initial 9 hole layout was better than the extended 18, as there is really insufficient land, but it was interesting to see the memorabilia in the clubhouse. It included a letter dates 1889 from General Gordon explaining the King's view of the place.....'.tell him to go to hell'....'but Sir, we have no posting there!'.....' right. then send him to Mauritius'......and also had a moustache spoon , glass mounted on the wall. I love looking at honours boards in golf clubs and here, Major this and Colonel that were listed as prize winners up until the mid-Twentieth century when more traditional Mauritian names started to appear.
But back to the hotel. The group which owns it also runs a rum distillery. They have a new product, Pink Pigeon, which they launched recently in Monte Carlo. The pink pigeon is a rare bird native to Mauritius which was in danger of going the same way as the Dodo in the mid 1970's. It was saved by the action of Gerald Durrell and his team at Jersey Zoo, and now 350 pairs are restablished in Mauritius with backups, if you like, at the zoo still.
The night we left they were having a big 'do' at the hotel so we missed that unfortunately, but we have brought some back from Duty Free. It's interesting that the island is still covered in sugar cane plantations. You expect Al Pacino to burst out of one of the fields any moment. These days it is used in the rum making business as very little sugar is now exported. That gap in the economy has been filled by tourism.
So all in all a good run ashore. We would go back, particularly for the golf, but maybe as part of a two centre holiday and stay at one of the more lively resorts as well. We have been back over a week now and it seems like we have never been way, ho hum!
Monday, 6 June 2011
Judges got talent?
I was brought up on good old variety shows on the tele when I was a lad. They were common in the clubs and theatres around the country, as the walls of the Old Packhorse public house will demonstrate. It stands next to the site of the old Chiswick Empire and lists many of the acts which performed there on a regular basis.
Saturday Night at the London Palladium and The Good Old Days with Leonard Sachs were family favourites as we all gathered round to look at the audience of the latter dressed in period attire, and watch the acts of the day, be they dancers, comedians, jugglers or magicians. A real variety in fact.
As a result I have enjoyed the Britain's Got Talent set of shows in the last few years, but sadly I will not be watching any more, as the judges or the contestants seem to have lost the plot big style.
This year in the first two shows to identify finalists, the public and the judges put through two average pianists and two child singers. The trick cyclist and the magicians were excluded by the judges vote. They followed a weird dad dancing guy, somebody with dancing eye's, except they didn't, and a couple of extras out of The Matrix, I , II and III. A poor substitute for JLS and three dog acts also got too much air time, and then the winner was announced as a Scot with a very powerful voice who Simon Cowell had rejected at boot camp in the X-factor last year.
The prize, apart from £100.,000, is a place at the Royal Variety Performance to sing for the Queen. Good for him, but there is a clue in the name, just where are all the comedians, ventriloquists, magicians and jugglers. A good old fashioned circus act would not go amiss either particularly if it featured a lion tamer or a few seals balancing beach balls on their noses. Arf, Arf.
Saturday Night at the London Palladium and The Good Old Days with Leonard Sachs were family favourites as we all gathered round to look at the audience of the latter dressed in period attire, and watch the acts of the day, be they dancers, comedians, jugglers or magicians. A real variety in fact.
As a result I have enjoyed the Britain's Got Talent set of shows in the last few years, but sadly I will not be watching any more, as the judges or the contestants seem to have lost the plot big style.
This year in the first two shows to identify finalists, the public and the judges put through two average pianists and two child singers. The trick cyclist and the magicians were excluded by the judges vote. They followed a weird dad dancing guy, somebody with dancing eye's, except they didn't, and a couple of extras out of The Matrix, I , II and III. A poor substitute for JLS and three dog acts also got too much air time, and then the winner was announced as a Scot with a very powerful voice who Simon Cowell had rejected at boot camp in the X-factor last year.
The prize, apart from £100.,000, is a place at the Royal Variety Performance to sing for the Queen. Good for him, but there is a clue in the name, just where are all the comedians, ventriloquists, magicians and jugglers. A good old fashioned circus act would not go amiss either particularly if it featured a lion tamer or a few seals balancing beach balls on their noses. Arf, Arf.
Thursday, 2 June 2011
Five gold rings
My frustration with the London olympics, and LOCOG in particular, holds no bounds at the moment.
Firstly, I have been rejected, ignored and deflated by my inability to get any sort of interview for jobs with them, over the last five years. This, despite my experiences in the volunteer arena gained at the Atlanta event in 1996, and the chief executive of LOCOG, Paul Deighton, indicating that there is no training for olympic games work, other than experiencing it first hand. Really the volunteers have no idea what they are letting themselves in for.
Secondly, I have been ignored in the great ticket raffle as well. Is it fair to have a ballot, or should the tried and tested Ticketmaster approach have been the way to go? I suspect that LOCOG are rubbing their hands as they shifted many more tickets for the minor sports, than they have expected, while leaving thousands frustrated with no tickets or more tickets for some events than they wanted. I wasn't greedy and went mid-price, so it will be interesting in the last chance disco to see what I am offered there.
To add insult to injury, the German site Dejtour has already sold all its athletics, cycling and gymnastics tickets on a first come first serve basis. they do have women's beach volleyball semi-final tickets available still though....hmmmmm!
Oh well, just off to practice my synchronised swimming, while pondering the question , If one of them drowns, do they all have to?'
Firstly, I have been rejected, ignored and deflated by my inability to get any sort of interview for jobs with them, over the last five years. This, despite my experiences in the volunteer arena gained at the Atlanta event in 1996, and the chief executive of LOCOG, Paul Deighton, indicating that there is no training for olympic games work, other than experiencing it first hand. Really the volunteers have no idea what they are letting themselves in for.
Secondly, I have been ignored in the great ticket raffle as well. Is it fair to have a ballot, or should the tried and tested Ticketmaster approach have been the way to go? I suspect that LOCOG are rubbing their hands as they shifted many more tickets for the minor sports, than they have expected, while leaving thousands frustrated with no tickets or more tickets for some events than they wanted. I wasn't greedy and went mid-price, so it will be interesting in the last chance disco to see what I am offered there.
To add insult to injury, the German site Dejtour has already sold all its athletics, cycling and gymnastics tickets on a first come first serve basis. they do have women's beach volleyball semi-final tickets available still though....hmmmmm!
Oh well, just off to practice my synchronised swimming, while pondering the question , If one of them drowns, do they all have to?'
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
Doing my bit....
The Portugese economy seems to be the next one to require an EU bail-out. It would appear that they are unable to produce enough product to be able to service their debt, rather than be suffering any major banking crisis. Consequently twenty of us decided to pop over for a bit of golf and see if that helped them out!!
It was the 20th year of the Algarve Cup, and one member of the party, 'Yorkshire', had attended all of them. I was a mere novice with thirteen years behind me, however, I was unable to attend last year due to family commitments, and have also served a one year ban after receiving a red card, sometime in the past.
So with twenty participants being an apt number to have on tour, we had to think up villa themes and thought the terrible twenties would be as good as any. Consequently I was a member of the Charles Lindberg villa and others included the Flappers, the Louis Armstrongs, the Charlie Chaplins and the Al Capones.
We also had some additional tour guests this year and so we had to provide nicknames for them. Its a tradition in the City where most of the boys work, to have a nickname, as it is in the fire service, in which none of them work!!
Now the footballer mentality of adding ie on the end of a name gave us our first . One of the chaps had a surname of Tait and was called Taitie by his friends when he arrived. We soon changed that to call him Neeps. There was a father and son combination with surname of Simpson so they quickly became Bart and Homer. Bit of a no brainer really.
Mark Hurley became Liz, and John Kendall became Mintie. One of the group was fairly nondescript, and a name was proving difficult until he shot 17 points one day in the stableford. Now as 17 is the Boots own range cosmetics, he became bootsie, and unless he reads this blog he will still be wondering why!
Our final newcomer looked just like Dobby the house elf from Harry Potter so he was tasked with collecting the fines on the final night, using a sock as a collection vehicle. Quite good I thought!
It was the 20th year of the Algarve Cup, and one member of the party, 'Yorkshire', had attended all of them. I was a mere novice with thirteen years behind me, however, I was unable to attend last year due to family commitments, and have also served a one year ban after receiving a red card, sometime in the past.
So with twenty participants being an apt number to have on tour, we had to think up villa themes and thought the terrible twenties would be as good as any. Consequently I was a member of the Charles Lindberg villa and others included the Flappers, the Louis Armstrongs, the Charlie Chaplins and the Al Capones.
We also had some additional tour guests this year and so we had to provide nicknames for them. Its a tradition in the City where most of the boys work, to have a nickname, as it is in the fire service, in which none of them work!!
Now the footballer mentality of adding ie on the end of a name gave us our first . One of the chaps had a surname of Tait and was called Taitie by his friends when he arrived. We soon changed that to call him Neeps. There was a father and son combination with surname of Simpson so they quickly became Bart and Homer. Bit of a no brainer really.
Mark Hurley became Liz, and John Kendall became Mintie. One of the group was fairly nondescript, and a name was proving difficult until he shot 17 points one day in the stableford. Now as 17 is the Boots own range cosmetics, he became bootsie, and unless he reads this blog he will still be wondering why!
Our final newcomer looked just like Dobby the house elf from Harry Potter so he was tasked with collecting the fines on the final night, using a sock as a collection vehicle. Quite good I thought!
Tuesday, 19 April 2011
Candy Cabs
We had some friends staying at the weekend, and that gives us a chance to do a few things which are out of our regular routine. So on Saturday we went to walk the wall around Chester.
Chester is the only completely walled City remaining in Britain and one marvels at the planning which went into making the spans wide enough to take a four lane duel carriage way, and install zebra crossings at strategic spots on the walk!!
We saw the Mott and bailey castle, the cock fighting pit and amphitheatre, the edge of the harbour wall which is now embedded in the bank of the race course, several miles inland, and the tower from which King Charles stood and watched his army defeated in the battle of Rowton Moor.
The fact you can't see Rowton Moor from the tower is, of course, irrelevant.
We managed to stop for an ice-cream half way round by the river, and finished with a pie and pint near the cathedral. All a jolly good wease
Sunday we went to West Kirby which has been featured in the BBC programme 'Candy Cabs'. We wandered around the marina, where from the shore it looks like people are walking on water. We also stopped for a while to watch the annual Wirral egg chase. This involves hundreds of bikers and scooter riders burning it up around the coast all to raise funds for Claire House Hospice. The way the bikers has decked out their trusty steads was a joy to behold. Jolly well done to all of them
Chester is the only completely walled City remaining in Britain and one marvels at the planning which went into making the spans wide enough to take a four lane duel carriage way, and install zebra crossings at strategic spots on the walk!!
We saw the Mott and bailey castle, the cock fighting pit and amphitheatre, the edge of the harbour wall which is now embedded in the bank of the race course, several miles inland, and the tower from which King Charles stood and watched his army defeated in the battle of Rowton Moor.
The fact you can't see Rowton Moor from the tower is, of course, irrelevant.
We managed to stop for an ice-cream half way round by the river, and finished with a pie and pint near the cathedral. All a jolly good wease
Sunday we went to West Kirby which has been featured in the BBC programme 'Candy Cabs'. We wandered around the marina, where from the shore it looks like people are walking on water. We also stopped for a while to watch the annual Wirral egg chase. This involves hundreds of bikers and scooter riders burning it up around the coast all to raise funds for Claire House Hospice. The way the bikers has decked out their trusty steads was a joy to behold. Jolly well done to all of them
Sunday, 3 April 2011
Live and let die....
Liz Taylor passed away a few days ago, and so brought to a close the latest chapter of the rugby club death list. This session had run for six months and provided a tidy sum for Julie, the winner. It was less than the several thousand won when John Forsythe popped his clogs a few sessions ago, but at least the Duchess of Death, Kerrie was not the winner. Kerrie has won more times than anybody, so woe betide any celeb she picks in future.
One of the picks last time was Jim Branning out of East Enders, somebody I know personally from our time together at Wyke Green golf club. It would have been strange to have to tell him that he had been selected in the list although I guess he knows he is a prime candidate.
Some wag at the rugby club did say we should have a death list comprising members of the club. That is taking the list to a place which I suspect nobody wants to go, particularly if you are one of the more mature members, or a life member, as that category of member seems to pop off soon after being nominated.There are loads of
death pool web sites out there and it is amazing how many celebs do keep leaving us.....here's to President Mugabe, my choice at the moment, riddled with cancer and sure to stop a bullet sometime. That said, Zaa Zaa Gabor is not too bright, Ronnie Biggs must be hanging by a thread and who's to say one of the Douglas family will oblige? Carpe Diem.
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