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Thursday, June 11, 2015
Radio Silence
Well it has been 6 months since the last post and looking back through the archives a pattern seems to be emerging - I have a flurry of activity around November each year (for the post a day challenge) and then...nothing much. I always make the excuse that life/work is to busy but it is probably not so much a question of having time to dash off a couple of paragraphs but actually sitting down and crafting a post which is a bit more substantial. That of course is the ideal (although you may not have noticed from the quality of the posts I have got round to making...) but it also means that this blog hardly ever gets updated so perhaps it is time to try for quantity rather than quality. In any event, since my Father is now finishing off his 4th book (and I think it is correct to say he wrote the first one after I started this blogging lark) then surely I can be a little more productive. Let's see.
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Summer Holidays (part 3)
After the excitements of Northern Ireland we were back in Bristol for a couple of days before we set off for Spain with P. and T. We had decided to have a slightly longer trip this year and so spent a couple of days in L'Escala in M's place (they were due to arrive at the weekend) before heading up to Barcelona (we had hired a car for the holiday although had forgotten to print out the voucher so when we got to Girona we had to try all the car hire places to locate which one we had booked through - in fact the one we had used (which was obviously the furthest away from the terminal) disclaimed all knowledge of us and it was only when I finally located the email voucher courtesy of my PA back in Dubai that I ran into the guy at the car hire - he had re-checked his system and realised we did have a booking and was on his way to find me - at least he tried I guess. So that was a rather stressful 1 1/2 hours at the start of our holiday..... of. At least we did not end up by having to book another car - although ironically it wold have been cheaper if we had done when compared to the booked cost as demand was apparently down due to the unseasonably poor weather.
In any event, we had our car and we had a couple of days in L'Escala where we managed to have a look at the Roman ruins for the first time and then headed up to Barcelona where we parked the car at the airport and caught a bus into the Placa Catalunya where we were staying. The hotel was ideally located and we managed to explore most of the City including the Nou Camp where I took A. around on the stadium tour (they were introducing a new signing so there were quite a few people around the place). We also did the bus tour and wandered around the old fishing port warehouse (now a very good interactive Museum). The Sagrada Familias was heaving so we gave that a miss but did visit the roof top chimney display designed by Gaudi which was excellent.The food was great and we even had some torrential rain (the rental company guy said that it was one of the rainiest summers they have had). A. and I also had a walk down the Ramblas to the fish market which I think he enjoyed.
Back in L'Escala we met up with M. B and the kids - the villa was literally a two minute walk from our place so we managed to see them pretty much every day. We picked up dad from the airport on the following day (he stayed at Ms) and so there was 11 of us in total - ideal for some great set piece BBQs and also a lovely meal for Vs birthday. The kid had a great time with each other (including filming various videos etc.) and B and I experimented with various different types of wine including a very nice sparkling wine which was on special offer at the local Bodega. The mornings mainly consisted of fresh croissants and bread at alternately one of the villas. The afternoon's was reserved for the beach and the evenings was generally BBQ or Roasted chicken from the town. It was excellent. We also managed some fishing which unfortunately was not so successful - not even an octopus this year so next time w are going to have to get a boat!
The Villa was not as modern as last years but it was well put together although quite a lot of ants which the children were not wildly enthusiastic about. After a fairly hectic Summer it was very pleasant to relax, have a swim, read some books and cook and eat) some great food. Really enjoyable.
The return to Bristol was marked by the most enormous thunderstorm directly over the airport. E. is not a very good flyer at the best of times and as we approached the airport the glowering skies had a very negative impact on her demeanour. I suspect if she had been left to her own devices she would have gone back another day. Our wait for the flight to be called was accompanied by lightning flashes and rolling thunder. The heaven's opened dead on the departure time and the airport was soon almost literally under water. Ryanair are not great believers in delayed flights and as soon as the rain eased we were out on the tarmac (which was still under water so we all had sopping wet sandals and feet for the journey home). The flight itself was uneventful and we were soon back in Bristol after a great 10 days. The following day I was in the air again on the way back to Dubai with E. and the kids to follow at the end of August
In any event, we had our car and we had a couple of days in L'Escala where we managed to have a look at the Roman ruins for the first time and then headed up to Barcelona where we parked the car at the airport and caught a bus into the Placa Catalunya where we were staying. The hotel was ideally located and we managed to explore most of the City including the Nou Camp where I took A. around on the stadium tour (they were introducing a new signing so there were quite a few people around the place). We also did the bus tour and wandered around the old fishing port warehouse (now a very good interactive Museum). The Sagrada Familias was heaving so we gave that a miss but did visit the roof top chimney display designed by Gaudi which was excellent.The food was great and we even had some torrential rain (the rental company guy said that it was one of the rainiest summers they have had). A. and I also had a walk down the Ramblas to the fish market which I think he enjoyed.
Back in L'Escala we met up with M. B and the kids - the villa was literally a two minute walk from our place so we managed to see them pretty much every day. We picked up dad from the airport on the following day (he stayed at Ms) and so there was 11 of us in total - ideal for some great set piece BBQs and also a lovely meal for Vs birthday. The kid had a great time with each other (including filming various videos etc.) and B and I experimented with various different types of wine including a very nice sparkling wine which was on special offer at the local Bodega. The mornings mainly consisted of fresh croissants and bread at alternately one of the villas. The afternoon's was reserved for the beach and the evenings was generally BBQ or Roasted chicken from the town. It was excellent. We also managed some fishing which unfortunately was not so successful - not even an octopus this year so next time w are going to have to get a boat!
The Villa was not as modern as last years but it was well put together although quite a lot of ants which the children were not wildly enthusiastic about. After a fairly hectic Summer it was very pleasant to relax, have a swim, read some books and cook and eat) some great food. Really enjoyable.
The return to Bristol was marked by the most enormous thunderstorm directly over the airport. E. is not a very good flyer at the best of times and as we approached the airport the glowering skies had a very negative impact on her demeanour. I suspect if she had been left to her own devices she would have gone back another day. Our wait for the flight to be called was accompanied by lightning flashes and rolling thunder. The heaven's opened dead on the departure time and the airport was soon almost literally under water. Ryanair are not great believers in delayed flights and as soon as the rain eased we were out on the tarmac (which was still under water so we all had sopping wet sandals and feet for the journey home). The flight itself was uneventful and we were soon back in Bristol after a great 10 days. The following day I was in the air again on the way back to Dubai with E. and the kids to follow at the end of August
The finish line is in sight
The last day of November and I am not sure that this will count as one of my more productive post a day periods. On the other hand the moustache for Movember is coming a long quite nicely - there is something almost Tom Selleckesque about it at present and I am almost inclined to keep it for a little longer. This weekend was slightly less frenetic then last weekend which is probably just as well as I have been struggling with a cold all week. Dad and I managed to get down to the beach on Friday (the kids joined us later) and we then had a great BBQ (- the spicy prawn went down very well) and I skivvied off footy on the Saturday morning. I also had a crack at Gambas al Ajilio in the evening - it was OK but will try it without butter next time as it was too creamy. In between times we had a couple of hours at V's school fayre which was fun although the lady on the microphone was very noisy. We have just got back from the Fibber's Sunday lunch so I will spend the rest of the afternoon struggling against sleep!
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Summer Holidays Part 2
Having returned to Dubai for a couple of weeks I then flew back to London and then down to Maidstone with E. and the kids for just under a week where we caught up with Dad and the rest of the family and spent some time down on the coast (including our usual trip to Hastings) as well as putting on our annual BBQ which apart from a brief shower passed without a hitch (and allowed us to catch up with R. A, S. K and A, C and etc.) and involved substantial amounts of food and drink.
We then travelled down to Bristol to E's parents - they have settled into the new house (now been there over a year!) and the development is close to completion. We had a couple of days around Bristol and then flew from Bristol Airport with the kids to Belfast for a short trip to N. Ireland for P. and L's wedding (friends from HK days). It was an early flight so after picking up the car we had time to see the Titanic exhibition which was excellent - and included a recreation of the shipyard which you travelled through on a gondola and the inside of the Titanic as well as a description of everything else that was being done at the Harland and Wolff ship yard. After a brief diversion around some of the estates of Belfast following a wrong turn including a brief flirtation with an area near the Falls Road (perhaps not as problematic as it might have been a few years ago...)we headed in the afternoon to Armagh where the wedding was being held. Armagh was surprisingly small (like a lot of the famous towns and villages whose names we recognised from the news reports from the 70s and 80s) and A. and I popped out to the local shopping centre for some swimmers as the Hotel had a pool. We were really impressed by how well presented and generally clean and tidy the various towns and villages looked - it gave a real impression of money have been spent (a good example was Portadown rail way station which looked brand new) although it was marching season so the large numbers of Union flags fluttering in the breeze and hung from buildings certainly made the vista very colourful. The Armagh Hotel was very well appointed - nice big rooms and V. A and I enjoyed our swim and the evening meal in the bar.
The following day we went to P.+ L's wedding in a little village church a few miles outside Armagh and then on to the reception in a marquee in P's family farm - a really lovely event with family and friends and great food, wine and views over the very green landscape (no rain, and fireworks at the end).
The following day we drove down to the coast and stayed in a 5* B&B in the countryside close to the Giant's Causeway. Despite the pouring rain in the morning, we went to the rope bridge which was close to the B&B the following morning and V and I braved the walk over it - in fact by the time we got onto the island, the sun was out and the views over to Scotland and along the coast were terrific and the water was unusually clear. The Giant's Causeway was also very good - the kids particularly enjoying playing on the giant's discarded "boot" (a sort of boot shaped rock) and it was very interesting to read about the hotels and businesses that grew up around this attraction at the turn of the century.
The following day we made our way back to Belfast for our flight back to Bristol stopping off at one of the Loughs just outside and having a walk around it (and listening to a brass band entertaining the crowds). Then it was back to Bristol. Stand by for Part 3
We then travelled down to Bristol to E's parents - they have settled into the new house (now been there over a year!) and the development is close to completion. We had a couple of days around Bristol and then flew from Bristol Airport with the kids to Belfast for a short trip to N. Ireland for P. and L's wedding (friends from HK days). It was an early flight so after picking up the car we had time to see the Titanic exhibition which was excellent - and included a recreation of the shipyard which you travelled through on a gondola and the inside of the Titanic as well as a description of everything else that was being done at the Harland and Wolff ship yard. After a brief diversion around some of the estates of Belfast following a wrong turn including a brief flirtation with an area near the Falls Road (perhaps not as problematic as it might have been a few years ago...)we headed in the afternoon to Armagh where the wedding was being held. Armagh was surprisingly small (like a lot of the famous towns and villages whose names we recognised from the news reports from the 70s and 80s) and A. and I popped out to the local shopping centre for some swimmers as the Hotel had a pool. We were really impressed by how well presented and generally clean and tidy the various towns and villages looked - it gave a real impression of money have been spent (a good example was Portadown rail way station which looked brand new) although it was marching season so the large numbers of Union flags fluttering in the breeze and hung from buildings certainly made the vista very colourful. The Armagh Hotel was very well appointed - nice big rooms and V. A and I enjoyed our swim and the evening meal in the bar.
The following day we went to P.+ L's wedding in a little village church a few miles outside Armagh and then on to the reception in a marquee in P's family farm - a really lovely event with family and friends and great food, wine and views over the very green landscape (no rain, and fireworks at the end).
The following day we drove down to the coast and stayed in a 5* B&B in the countryside close to the Giant's Causeway. Despite the pouring rain in the morning, we went to the rope bridge which was close to the B&B the following morning and V and I braved the walk over it - in fact by the time we got onto the island, the sun was out and the views over to Scotland and along the coast were terrific and the water was unusually clear. The Giant's Causeway was also very good - the kids particularly enjoying playing on the giant's discarded "boot" (a sort of boot shaped rock) and it was very interesting to read about the hotels and businesses that grew up around this attraction at the turn of the century.
The following day we made our way back to Belfast for our flight back to Bristol stopping off at one of the Loughs just outside and having a walk around it (and listening to a brass band entertaining the crowds). Then it was back to Bristol. Stand by for Part 3
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Summer Holidays recap (Part 1)
I have just realized that I have not said anything about this years holidays and - given my need for posting material- I thought this would be a good time to detail our adventures. We started off early as I needed to be in London on business at the end of June so we all went together and stayed in one of the office apartments just off Bishopsgate - actually a really good location as we were right next to Spitalfields and the now buzzing Hoxton/Eastern City area. The apartment was a little cramped and had bars on the window (so it will forever be known by V. as the prison) but was right next door to an excellent restaurant which did a terrific breakfast - the best sausages I think I have ever tasted. Whilst I was at work the kids and E explored London - including the Globe Theatre and the Monument. The proximity to the office did however cause a slightly embarrassing moment when I had popped out to Brick Lane to pick up a curry for the evening meal and bumped into a couple of colleagues out for a quiet drink - it would not have been so bad had I not been wearing my (pink) work shirt, blue shorts and some flip flops - looking like a refugee from some kind of preppie advertising agency. In any event, it proved to be a good base to get to the office and to explore London. We had intended to go to the Imperial War Museum at Elephant and Castle (in fact I did go there) but it was unfortunately closed so we went instead to the Sir John Soane Museum - a perennial favorite of mine but the first time the kids had been in and I think they were suitably impressed (if a little unnerved by the sepulchral light in the lower floors illuminating the ancient Egyptian artifacts).
In addition to the curry from Brick Lane (excellent), we also had a great crab meal at one of the restaurants in the old Spitalfields fruit market and it was also nice to be able to stroll among the shops and boutiques - it has certainly changed since I used to work at Liverpool Street over 15 years ago! As E. went shopping, I also took the kids to St Paul's Cathedral and persuaded them to accompany to the balcony all the way to the top despite the pouring rain - notwithstanding the overcast day (the only one we had) the views were great although I think A. was not that happy about how high we were. In all we had 5 days in London and on the Saturday afternoon (after St Paul's)we went down to Maidstone for a BBQ with C and D - the rest of the family I think we were a little surprised to see us and although it rained a good time was had by all (and since we were inside it was also a chance to catch up with some World Cup footy). We returned to the "Prison" that evening and on Sunday I returned to Dubai and E and the kids carried on down to the West Country to start their holiday proper. Stand by for Part 2.
In addition to the curry from Brick Lane (excellent), we also had a great crab meal at one of the restaurants in the old Spitalfields fruit market and it was also nice to be able to stroll among the shops and boutiques - it has certainly changed since I used to work at Liverpool Street over 15 years ago! As E. went shopping, I also took the kids to St Paul's Cathedral and persuaded them to accompany to the balcony all the way to the top despite the pouring rain - notwithstanding the overcast day (the only one we had) the views were great although I think A. was not that happy about how high we were. In all we had 5 days in London and on the Saturday afternoon (after St Paul's)we went down to Maidstone for a BBQ with C and D - the rest of the family I think we were a little surprised to see us and although it rained a good time was had by all (and since we were inside it was also a chance to catch up with some World Cup footy). We returned to the "Prison" that evening and on Sunday I returned to Dubai and E and the kids carried on down to the West Country to start their holiday proper. Stand by for Part 2.
Monday, November 24, 2014
The Sporting Weekend
UAE was certain (almost) centre of the sporting world over the weekend with the last golf tournament in the Race to Dubai held at the Earth Course (and won by Henrik Stenson with Rory tied 2nd) and Lewis Hamilton wining the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (and the World title). We are also looking forward to the Rugby 7s over the net couple of weeks as well as various cricket games (NZ v. Pakistan) so there is no shortage of world class sport on offer in addition to the usual wall to wall coverage of Rugby (The Autumn Internationals in the UK and Ireland) and EPL football. The weather at this time of year in Dubai particularly ends itself to watching sport. Football at Safa Park on Saturday mornings is also very pleasant (particularly if we actually manage to start at 8:30am, although it does get a bit sweaty as the morning progresses) so it is hardly surprising that this time of year is particularly popular with visitors to the Emirates - at the Golf at the weekend the chatter among the crowd was dominated by German and Dutch speakers at least where I was. The only shame is that it cannot be like this all year round(but then I guess it would be like California and would have rather more people living here!).
Sunday, November 23, 2014
All about A.
Having done a post on V, I now turn to No. 1 son A. He is still a very charming lad who loves his sport (mainly football now that cricket has stopped in Safa park) and Minecraft. He start big school this year and seems to have made a good transition from primary (where he was in all the sports teams and tended to be among the best in the year for athletics and sport) to Secondary where he is one of a large number of talented students (both sporting and academic). A. is stillvery engaging when he wants to be and it always up for a chat about the days events (unless he is buried in a book or the PC). He always participates whole heartedly in the latest trends - so Match Attax cards were replaced by the plastic bands/bracelets that were all the rage until the summer and Minecraft as previously mentioned still features heavily in leisure activities. He remains an avid reader - a lot of fantasy novels (mainly about warrior cats and HP) but also some Michael Morpugo. He still enjoys Science (doing an ECA at School on a Thursday) and is still playing the piano (although we could perhaps be seeing a little more practice....). Unlike his Sister, A seems to be taking after his Mother's side of the family in terms of size - he is not exactly short but he is not particularly tall which I guess will assist him if he ever wants to be a long distance runner! He still kicks with either his left or right foot in football which will definitely remain an asset. All in all he is a jolly good chap and a real pleasure to have around.
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