Four seasons in one week

Mother Nature has been cruelly teasing us again .. with summer supposedly just around the corner we are treated to the odd beautiful sunny day where we are lulled into a false sense of security then she whips it away again by throwing the wind, rain, hailstones and cold at us!  Oh well, there's not a lot we can do about it except to either grin and bear it or hop on a plane to take us to places where the sun is guaranteed to shine and infuse us with that much needed Vitamin D.

Rethymnon Old Town

In a week's time I will be packing for just such a trip to the island of Crete, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean. I will be going with 3 girlfriends and staying in Rethymnon on the north coast.  As well as relaxing by the sea/pool I want to make time to explore the old fortresses and monastaries in the area. We should have a blast and I look forward to telling you all about it when I get back! 

http://www.hellas-guide.com/crete/heraklion.html

Holiday Queen is two years old today!!

I attended a superblogger's masterclass tonight and got some great insights and advice from people who have been doing this successfully for a long time. Mine started off as a sort of on-line diary with no expectations other than to share my experiences and inspire you to get out there and see the world, even if it's just in your own country. Travel really does broaden your horizons and allow you to appreciate other cultures.

I can't believe I started my blog two years ago now!  It started as a suggestion from a photographer friend who said I should write one as I always seemed to be out of the country (I think it was supposed to be a bit of a joke!) I guess I do travel quite a bit and usually post a selection of my holiday snaps on facebook for my friends and family to see.

Who knew that once the seed had been planted in my mind it wasn't going to go away? I've noticed that when I get an idea that I like, I stick with it and it constantly evolves and excites me. I love to write and it's absolutely true too that my flip flops have been on every single trip from the white sandy beaches of the Caribbean to the hurricane flooded practice courts at Flushing Meadows for the US Open Tennis.

My next jaunt is to the mediterranean island of Crete next month so I look forward to sharing that trip with you. After the wintery weather we've been having here over the past few days it will be great to get away!

I now have a facebook page to coincide with my blog! Please feel free to join!
https://www.facebook.com/TravelsWithMyFlipFlops 

Day trip to the Atlas Mountains

Making Argan Oil

We had almost a whole day to fill after our check out of the hotel so we decided to take a trip to Ourika valley at the foot of the Atlas Mountains.  We didn't have time to do any trekking (that's definitely for next time!) but we walked through the souk which takes place every Monday.  There they have freshly killed meat, plants, herbs and spices and everything else you could want to buy. From there our driver took us to see Berber women making Argan oil. You get shown all the cosmetic products made from the oil and taken to the shop .. there was no pressure selling but seeing how these women work makes you want to buy something or at least put a small donation in the dish in front of them.   

The Hammam

We were also taken to a traditional Berber house beside a river where they use the power of the water to drive the mill to grind flour. They also had their own hammam which is a steam room - this is where they cleanse their bodies at least once a week. It was quite small and looked a little claustrophobic to me!

Of course there is a shop there too but again no pressure to buy.  What I did notice was that the prices quoted were considerably lower than those in the souk in Marrakesh so of course I had to buy a couple of pieces of Berber jewellery! *happy face*

Valley and snow capped peaks

Afterwards we had a late lunch overlooking the beautiful valley .. again sampling the local wine and Moroccan salad before heading back to collect our luggage and reluctantly heading to the airport and home.

Next time I visit Marrakech I definitely want to do another trip to the Atlas Mountains, going over the top and experiencing the magnificent Sahara desert in true romantic style. There are many tours offering various types of trips from one day hiking to camel treks, quad biking and 4-WD safaris.


My next jaunt will be to the island of Crete in the Mediterranean in a few weeks .. can't stop me .. variety is the spice of life!

A little taste of food Moroccan style

Going to Marrakech for a long weekend was amazing but there just wasn't enough time to go to all the fab foodie places recommended to us!  So we chose what we deemed a good cross section and were not disappointed! 

Orange segments with cinnamon

Our first restaurant experience (apart from our hotel - which was very good) was to Le Comptoir Darna situated in the Hivernage area where there are a number of restaurants and night clubs. We arrived at 8pm (the opening time) and were surprised how empty it seemed. However within a half an hour or so the place filled to capacity while a four piece band sat on the large staircase and played Morrocan music. We had their special mojito cocktail for our aperitif - I don't know how they made it but it was arguably one of the best I've tasted! The atmosphere was fantastic as was the food. Of course the dish of choice had to be the Tagine! The locally produced wine was suprisingly good too! I had sliced oranges with cinnamon for dessert, a tasty combo which they also serve at breakfast that I will easily recreate at home! 

Le Comptoir Darna

At 10.30 the music cranked up and a troupe of silver clad belly dancers - including two dancing with less vigour and a tray of candles balanced on their heads - appeared and entertained us all. They danced on tables and the crowd loved them! There was a disco upstairs after midnight which we did not stay for, but I imagine a fun time would be had - a great place to go with a group of friends!

Roof terrace La Sultana

The other two places we tried were equally good for the food and wine .. we lunched at La Sultana on the roof terrace which was a lovely respite from the hustle and bustle of the streets outside. A haven of calm. This would also be an amazing place to stay if you want a real treat! Our other dinner outing was to Le Jardins de la Medina another luxury hotel situated in the Kasbah. The restaurant was overlooking the small pool and gardens. The food was also very good and the pièce de résistance was the pumpkin souffle we had for dessert! Not something I would normally choose but it looked so interesting it had to be sampled! It was gorgeous! Light and fluffy with a scoop of jasmine ice cream on the side - pure ambrosia! 

Marrakech - getting to grips with the Souks

I travelled to Morocco way back in the day when I took a 'gap' 6 months which turned into 2 years! (But that's another story!) My friends from school and I had bought an old VW camper van and drove all the way from London via France, Portugal and Spain before boarding the ferry to North Africa. Our route took us from Tangier to Tetouan, Fez, Meknes and Rabat before heading back up the coast and continuing our European adventure. We never got to Marrakech and I knew that one day I would go there. I'm sort of glad it took so long as it turned out to be everything and more of what I thought it would be and although I loved and appreciated Morocco back then, I now have a much greater understanding of the culture. Obviously things have moved on substantially in the 20 plus years it's been but take away the mod cons and everything is essentially as it was centuries ago.

My friend and I flew Easyjet from Stansted direct to Marrakech - a journey time of 3 hours 20 minutes away making it a very do-able long weekend jaunt. We opted to stay outside of the confines of the walled city at a lovely small resort called Sirayane located a few kilometers south west of the Medina.  It's far from the madding crowd but only a 15 minute shuttle ride away, which the hotel provides free of charge six times a day. Perfect if you want a quiet oasis of calm after a day's shopping in the souk! The only sounds you'll hear are those of the birds and the chilled out lounge music around the bar and pool.
  
If you have never been to a souk before, it's an idea to get a guide to take you

Medersa Ben Youssef

around and show you the different parts of the Medina, visit a museum and learn some history about the place. Marrakech is a labyrinth of alleys and can get very confusing if you don't know where you're going. It could be like getting lost in a maze but we didn't have to worry about that thankfully. We trusted that our guide would get us out of there when we were ready. It's a given that you will be shown things you may like to buy but there is not too much pressure selling here. Just be aware that the price they initially quote is not the price you should pay. They love to barter so pay what you think it's worth.  

Not only are they catering to tourists .. we witnessed the auctioning of leather pelts to the locals for the artisans to make shoes, bags, wallets etc.  Head down another side alley and this is also the place where you can see everything being made pretty much in the same way it has always been done .. their craft being passed down through the generations.

  
We didn't get hassled because we had a guide but I did get a proposal of marriage from one of the shopkeepers!! The girl still has it (laughs out loud)!! Oh, and I almost forgot to mention .. be aware of the iron carts and mopeds weaving in and out of the narrow streets - they are potentially lethal!


In my next post I will fill you in on our day trip to the Atlas mountains and the fab places we ate in the Kasbah and Gueliz .. see you soon! نراكم قريبا

Dealing with post holiday flaking skin

lotion

It was almost inevitable after having a week in the warmth and sunshine (or even the shade) and coming back to arctic conditions my body practically went into shock! Central heating also plays havoc with the skin and even when I am not on holiday I moisturize everyday with my favourite product Kiehl's Creme de Corps lotion and occasionally the body butter when my skin feels drier than normal.  

body butter

Four days back to my normal life brought flaking and peeling skin. Even after applying the Kiehl's my skin continued to flake which is not the most attractive thing, especially when I'm working on someone's face! Although my skin felt rehydrated, I could not hide the evidence!
 

We have a product in the make up room that we recommend to people with dry skin, eczema and dermatitis called Doublebase. It can also be used as a cleanser. At around £10 for 500ml it's good value for money.
As a last resort I decided to give it a try on my exposed arms and I can't praise it highly enough. The results were amazing. It immediately soaked into my skin and the appearance of dry flakes disappeared completely! It's actually halted the peeling action and I have now gone back to my daily regime and soft, healthy looking skin. 


Product description below :- 

Doublebase gel, shower gel and wash gel all contain two active ingredients, liquid paraffin and isopropyl myristate, both of which have moisturising properties.
Liquid paraffin and isopropyl myristate work by replacing lost water within the skin, and by forming a waterproof barrier over the skin surface. This prevents water within the skin from evaporating and keeps the underlying skin hydrated.
Doublebase is useful for dry skin conditions, such as eczema and dermatitis, which get worse when the skin is allowed to dry out. Used regularly, it helps restore the skin's smoothness, softness and flexibility by replacing lost moisture and helping the skin retain moisture. This helps reduce scaling, redness and itching.
Doublebase gel can be applied directly to dry areas of skin. It can also be used before, during and after showering or having a bath as this helps to stop further drying of the skin. After showering the skin should be patted dry using a soft towel before applying Doublebase gel as a moisturiser.
In dry skin conditions such as eczema, using moisturisers and moisturising shower gels regularly, even once the skin has improved, can help prevent flare-ups.

Read more: http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/skin-and-hair/medicines/doublebase-gel.html#ixzz2OkJQUEVr

Barbados .. all about the beach!

Amaryllis Beach resort

I have just returned from a fabulous week's vacation on the island of Barbados.  If you've read my past blog posts you'll know I've been there before so I kind of knew what to expect.  This particular week was all about relaxation and recharging flat batteries after weeks of the cold dark winter. One thing you can rely on with the Caribbean is that you are pretty much guaranteed great weather at this time of year - copious amounts of sunshine and consistent temperatures - and virtually no threat of hurricanes. We stayed at the Amaryllis Beach Resort which was lovely but could do with a make over. We were told more than once that it isn't what it used to be. However the staff were great and it's location is perfect - the beach more than makes up for it with it's mature coconut palms giving shade, beauty and atmosphere.
 

Each day was the same routine .. up early, coffee on the balcony then off to the gym or a walk on the beach before breakfast at the beach side restaurant. Then it was grabbing a lounger and parking it under a palm tree, settling down with the ipod on and a book in hand. Intermittent swimming in the crystal clear warm sea followed by lunch at the beach side cafe and more of the same in the afternoon.  
The sun set around 6pm every evening and graced us with spectacular displays of colour and light over the sea.  A truly blissful way to end a perfect day.

Every night we went out to eat and we were never disappointed.  We went back to our favourite restaurant Champers which overlooks Accra Beach on the south coast. The food is consistently good and the service impeccable.  Another restaurant which I would highly recommend is Daphne's which is on the west coast also located beach side so while you eat you are serenaded by gently rolling waves crashing on to the shore.

The pièce de résistance of the dining experience though was going to The Cliff just down the coast from Daphne's. It's not always easy to get the reservation you want, but if you book well enough in advance you should be able to get your preferred date. The cost per person is BDS$245.00 incl. VAT for a two course meal (starter/main or main/dessert) and BDS$285.00 incl. VAT for a three course meal, and you will be required to leave your credit card details when you book. You need to give them 24 hours notice of cancellation or reduction of numbers or you will be charged! Good to know this as you don't want to get caught out. Everything about The Cliff is fabulous - the cliff top location with crashing waves against the rocks, the food and service are second to none.  A lovely romantic setting which would be ideal for a wedding or special occasion.  Looking over the railings on the night we went, we spotted shoals of barracuda coming in to feed .. they are rather large menacing looking fish, but boy they taste good!!

All in all a fantastic week - sun, sea and seafood and plenty of sleep too .. we've come back ready to take on the next slog of work in preparation for the next one!!

As usual, we flew direct from London Gatwick with Virgin Atlantic.

Next month I will be taking a long weekend break to Marrakech in Morocco .. something quite exotic to look forward to! Excited or what!!

The end of the dark months

Today is the last day of February .. the end of the (apparently) most depressing month of the year in the northern hemisphere. So how have you coped with these dark cold days of winter? On my days off I like to go out for long walks in my local park and along the canal. It's usually fairly quiet apart from dog walkers, joggers and mums with prams.  Some days there's hardly a soul in sight. The quietness and fresh air is uplifting and providing you have the correct clothing on, it really isn't a problem regardless of the conditions.  You won't find me feeling depressed because of the weather!

I always make sure I have something to look forward to - they don't call me the holiday queen for nothing!  My next jaunt as I've already told you is to the beautiful island of Barbados .. just a week away, but the rest of the year is still an open book, with the possibility of a weekend break to Marrakech, Paris or Berlin. The lure of the hot springs in Iceland is another one on the hit list. New York is always a certainty as is Milan, so it's just a matter of making a decision and the booking!

See you when I return! 

Las Vegas - Not Just Slots of Fun

My guest blogger Nigel May has kindly allowed me to add this to Holiday Queen this month giving an alternative to the usual gambling stereo type that one usually associates with Las Vegas. Read and enjoy!!  Thanks Nigel!!

I have just returned from one of my favourite places on earth – Las Vegas! I must have been there about half a dozen times now but this trip was totally different to all of the others I have experienced before. Whereas in the past I have had a tendency to stick to the Strip with its over-the-top themed hotels and ‘guide book Top 10 must-see attractions’ this time around my visit was one of wandering away from the constant kerching of the slot machines and the smoky haziness of the gambling casinos to a Vegas that maybe sometimes gets overlooked and overshadowed by the neon.   I was there as part of a work trip with a crafty friend and colleague (I work for a crafting TV channel for those who don’t know) and it was her first time in Vegas. In the in-flight magazine on the way there we had spotted a rather arty and crafty shop called Artifact at a shopping area called Tivoli Village. It’s fairly new and wasn’t even in existence the last time I was sampling Vegas so we were keen to sample its delights. And it didn’t disappoint.

Having settled into our rooms at Caesar’s Palace (we were there midweek and were given free upgrades to suites with Jacuzzis – always wise to ask at reception as you never know!) we headed off to Tivoli. It’s a $50 dollar taxi ride from the Strip but well worth it. The complex itself is called Market LV and houses a variety of different shops, restaurants and juice bars. Our favourite shop by far was Artifact – full of upcycled, eco-friendly product (the complete antithesis of what brashy, trashy, flashy Vegas is known for really) and the wares housed there are all from local artists at prices ranging from the cheap and cheerful to considered purchase. It’s an amazing place and well worth checking out if you have any kind of arty/crafty/eco feelings. Plus there’s a fantastic restaurant called Poppy Den just around the corner which serves the most incredible variety of food. For more information about these venues head to www.artifactlv.com and www.vegaspoppyden.com And for more craftiness we must recommend a visit to the Viva Las Vegastamps craft shop back in the city itself just off the Strip. In a world where craft is becoming bigger and bigger anyone with even the vaguest flutter of craftiness can spend hours browsing the shelves. www.vivalasvegastamps.com

Another fabulous attraction we discovered was the Neon Museum. It’s the ‘boneyard’ where a lot of Vegas’s iconic discarded neon signs are now left to live out their days. Over the years Vegas had changed from a gangster’s paradise to a family destination thru to the hedonistic gambling experience that we can immerse ourselves in today. It’s a real taste of Vegas-past as you wander around the site, just yards away from the huge neon signs, all in various states of dilapidation. Once famous landmarks of the city like the comical camels of The Sahara or the giant skull of Treasure Island lie lost and forlorn alongside their fellow neon friends now out of favour with the Vegas skyline. It’s hugely interesting to stand alongside Sassy Sally’s sign and learn that her famed name as the female symbol of LV was erased when she ‘married’ Vegas Vic (the thumbing cowboy) to highlight Vegas’s appeal as a destination for matrimony, and replaced with Vegas Vicky to make poor Sally sound less sleazy. I would recommend the Neon Museum to anyone who wants a nostalgic slice of Vegas pie.   www.neonmuseum.org

Our trip to Vegas was peppered with many of the stalwarts of Vegas entertainment – the Bellagio dancing fountains, the gondolas of The Venetian and a couple of shows (we took in the fantastically demonic Absinth at Caesar’s Palace and the Cirque De Soleil Beatles extravaganza, Love, at The Mirage), plus the must-see Freemont Experience with its dazzling array of canopy bulbs forming one of the most spectacular light shows on earth. But one relatively new attraction that we were keen to experience was the gruesome Eli Roth’s Goretorium near the Planet Hollywood hotel. Still relatively unknown (it opened for Hallowe’en last year) the experience is unlike anything else the Neon City has to offer. Fans of Eli Roth will know that he is the Hollywood director responsible for gore-fests like Hostel and Cabin Fever. The attraction, just like the man’s films, is dark, demonic and devilishly enjoyable, with actors dressed as zombies chasing you around and trying to scare the living (or should that be undead?) daylights out of you before ending up in a blood-splattered bar serving up ghoulish drinks and playing back-to-back horror clips. The year-round haunt may not be everyone’s cup of tea but we loved it and it provided yet another different layer to the Vegas experience. Visit www.goretorium.com for details. Just one word of warning – avoid it if you’re at all squeamish!

There is no place on Earth like Vegas. It’s magical, mystifying and mayhem all in one glittery cluster. But if you are thinking that there is nothing more to Vegas than a home for gambling and whiling away the hours in a smoke-filled casino then let it be said that it has so much more as long you stray a little bit further than the fairy-tale turrets of The Excalibur or the dizzying heights of The Stratosphere. I love it and look forward to my next visit. And yes, of course we played the slot machines too – it would be rude not to. Did we win? Yep, an astounding $30….but at least we won! And it paid for a cab ride off-Strip.

Nigel's blog - Musings 

http://www.nigelmay.net/musings/las-vegas-not-just-slots-of-fun

Barbados beckons again ..

In less than 8 weeks I will be off on my travels again.  Not content with having nothing in my calendar for the cold months ahead I have booked a week in the Caribbean to satisfy my craving for warmth and a little vitamin D. St. Lucia was on the hit list again but I left it too late to get any decent accommodation so I've opted to go back to my favourite island Barbados.

I actually don't mind a bit of cold, but not too much in one go!!  Although I have been to Barbados twice before I feel there is much more to see and do in between lounging by the pool or on the beach. And of course there is all that fabulous sea food to sample. 

My flip flops are jumping for joy!