Sun, sea and sand dunes!

After the excitement of the silver wedding celebrations Mr F & I decided to retreat to our bolt hole in Gran Canaria. So on Saturday 14^th September after waking up to no electricity AGAIN and battling our way around the car park known as the M25 we finally made it to Gatwick airport. No time for our usual perusal of the duty free or a leisurely lunch and bottle of wine which was a great shame as a Jamie’s Italian has opened up and we like Jamie's. Never mind we did Jamie's grab & Go & soon we were aboard the flight. Mr. F immediately went into Rip Van Winkle mode and I watch a film on MY ipad.

In what seemed a very short time, despite 1 suitcase being on the wrong carousel, we were cruising down the motorway in a black Mercedes (taxi) shades on. It was about 7pm and scorchio. Hurrah.

We have stayed at he H10 playa Melonereas  about 8 or 9 times now and despite being an H10 member, reception just check you in like a business trip. Hey ho.

We get to our room, which we chose and were immediately disappointed it seemed so small. During dinner we decide that we have been thoroughly spoilt with our choice of hotels recently and not to forget that this is our cheap & cheerful holiday, just for chillin! We have a lovely dinner and retire at 9.35.

Sunday morning arrives in all its sunny glory. Order of the day – walk, buy provisions, breakfast, sunbed. This is very much the order of the holiday.

We soon realise that our choice of room was the right choice. Away from the crowds and with a select sea view, evening sunshine just right with a G&T for sundowners.

By Wednesday we are nicely roasted and rested. It is Mr. F’s birthday and I decide that as it is going to be a bit cloudy (still up in the mid 30’s temperature wise) we need some exercise. Maspalomas Dunes is a nature reserve & a haven for birds. I have wanted to visit here for many years but have never got round to it. It is also a well known cruising place for men to meet men, and do what those men do! Whilst I am in search of a great Grey Shrike they are in search something completely different.

Well, forewarned is forearmed and all that. As we set off we are not too concerned about it. However not long after entering the dunes we encounter many lone men walking further in, most of them carry a rucksack,( binoculars & a flask of tea?) Hmm I don’t think so.

The dunes are very beautiful and the wind blown sand makes some photogenic shots.

We can see snake and lizard tracks in the sand, did not see a snake or lizard though.

  We wander off the main track, feeling a bit wary now. Soon Ian spy’s a bird so we stop & try to identify it. Out of the corner of my eye I see a completely naked man, well oiled, not a hair on his body and complete with red rucksack (Cup of tea anyone?) eyeing us up. Ian moves closer to me. We continue to look at the birds.  We are in a sort of circle with bushes all around and a big clump in the middle on the other side another man appears, and then another. Ian is now so close to me you cannot get a cigarette paper between us. It is quite unnerving being surreptitiously eyed up, well I am sure they were not interested in me but Mr. F was causing quite a stir.

We move on and are followed, we ignore them, and they soon realise we are not here for the kind of action they are. Getting back on the main walkway there are lots of gay man making their way to Maspalomas but very different from the prowlers in the dunes. They seem to be of the G Michael public toilet brigade. I have my own theory that most of them will have told their wives they are off for a round of golf and that evening will be relating stories, over a BBQ and glass of wine, to her indoors of a marvellous hole in one! Not so far from the truth.

We escape from the dunes and walk back along the beach, nudist beach that is. All I can say is a waxing parlour must be a lucrative business in GC  along with intimate body piercing. Enough excitement for Mr. F we head for the nearest beer establishment and quench our thirst. Back to people watching on the promenade much more pleasant. Although we did see 6 Sardinian Warblers amongst the wobblers in the Dunes.

Birthday lunch

Back  at the hotel Mr. F has been left a bottle of cava on ice. Happy birthday from H10. Hic

 

Hoopoe

Lunch & a drink before home

Not much else to report, some nice wine, great food in the hotel as always, nice relaxing time all over too soon.

7th September 2013 Silver Wedding Celebrations

Mrs & Mrs F 25^th Wedding celebration weekend Venue Charingworth Manor.

This event had been in the planning for about 10 months. We found a venue very early on and really without too much bother or fighting. (Plenty of that later)

It was a cold rainy Saturday November 2012 with remnants of snow still on the ground when we first drove up that long drive to the beautiful Charingworth Manor. When we got to the front of the hotel we were very excited as from the outside it was holding out a lot of promise.

Opening the heavy old oak door and into a worn flag stoned reception area, we were even more excited. We talked menus, wine, canapés & champagne ate lunch and viewed many of the bedrooms, before we left we had put down our deposit we had found our perfect venue. Now just for the fine details.

On a lovely Sunny day in August we drove up that drive again to finalise arrangements, roof down this time. The Manor was bathed in sunshine and the warm Cotswold stone glowed through the trees. The welcome inside was just as warm and after finalising a few details we had to tear ourselves away. We really loved this hotel when we saw it in the cold, wind and rain, In the sunshine it was a little bit of heaven, however it would not be long before we returned and this time with our friends and family.

Throughout the year we hunted for Silver decorations, we managed to get hold of a few in the Christmas sales. Silver candles proved to be the hardest we found some in Henley just 3 weeks before the big day.

Invitations were sent out, changes of plans and numbers of guests were made.  New dresses were purchased, suits tried on and new ones bought due to expanding waistbands. The hunt for shoes took months and lessons from work colleagues in how to walk in them when they finally arrived. Even a new hairdresser was sorted out for the occasion. Hours were spent searching the internet for Orchids only to find what would fit the bill perfectly in Waitrose for a fraction of the price and relax…..

Seriously we had no hassle at all. A bit of an epic fight in House of Fraser over a tie, must have been some other underlying thing going on there & the tie brought it all out.

Ian spent hours and hours sorting out the music; we had Champagne Reception music, dinner music and after dinner music. We had several listening evenings until I had to put a stop to it or I would be sick to death of it by the time the night arrived. However during the actual evening most of the music was drowned out by the conversation that went on, so we could have played any old tunes and I am not sure too many people would have noticed. Fantastic.

So the 7^th September dawns with the promise of quite good day weather wise. We wanted to put the roof down but the car is stuffed full. It seems to take ages to get to Chipping Campden. Kings hotel is the arranged meeting point. We bump into Anne & Joyce outside and take over a large window seat in the bar and sunshine.

 It is like Noah’s ark, people arrive 2 by 2, it was great for us as we had time to say hello to everyone & introduce people without too much confusion. Sarah & Jon had not yet arrived and after I perceived they were an hour late I started to panic, no phone signals did not help the matter. I paced up & down outside for a while but that didn’t help either. Anyway they arrived safely and if I had only read Sarah’s email properly I would have known they were going to be a bit late. We all had a bite to eat and a drink. The sandwiches were excellent, the chunky chips were mammoth & fed several people.

We left Chipping Campden in convoy and arrived en masse at the manor. The sun was shining so it looked as splendid as we wanted it to. People were soon escorted to their respective rooms, we were lucky to have a suite the TS Eliot to be precise. All the rooms are a bit quirky; Jeremy & Nic had a room with doors that lead to a small patio and the most amazing view over the countryside. Joyce had a lovely room with the best view in the hotel!

Whilst some people made straight for the bar, others sunned themselves on the terrace and drank tea. I and a few helpers decorated the dining room and then we went to the bar and polished off a bottle of sparkly. As you do.

A quick relax and then it was time to get ready. Party frocks on!

The Champagne reception was held in one of the drawing rooms the canapés were lovely and the champagne nicely chilled.  It was not long before we were seated for dinner and the room was buzzing with chatter which did not stop until we all went to bed. As I mentioned earlier there really was little need for any music.

We had an ice breaker which was not really required but we did it anyway. 25 questions on how well do you know your hosts. Some people took it seriously. There were various other things going on like betting on which side of the table would get their food first, how many of what pudding would be ordered. I wonder who the ring leader of that was. At one stage some sparklers appeared, 25 of them I think and mass conducting went on outside the hotel. I have no idea what time this was but surely some people would have been in bed by then oh dear!

We received some wonderful thoughtful gifts and we were amazed at the imaginative 25 things people came up with.

All too soon it was midnight and as a couple of people drifted off to bed some decamped to the bar to try and make another dent in the pin of Hooky beer. At 12.30 I had to admit defeat and dragged Mr F away from his drinking buddies.

I had a good sleep until 5ish when a Woodpigeon decided to wake the world with its flippin cooing then its friend joined in. It was lovely & comfy in that big soft bed but then I remembered the devastation of the dining room & knew that I had to get it tided sooner rather than later. However the night porter and Anne (not sure if they were together) had done most of it all I had to do was pack it up.

The smell of fresh baked croissants and coffee & bacon were wafting through the corridors and I was getting hungry. 2x2 all the guests arrived to enjoy a scrumptious breakfast, Helen & Simon made it by the skin of their teeth and we managed to create a heck of a din once again, even though we had a private section of the room.

The sun shone as we bade our guests a fond farewell. We have lovely memories of a happy sunny weekend with the people that mean the most to us.

Thank you all for making it so special.

Ok so the helipcopter was not ours but it looks good!