14 February 2018

In June 2017 I ventured from Dublin to Lake Garda with my four children in tow! Ages 18, 17, 13 and 10 it is never without heated discussion and some funny jokes! We are a fairly independent and open-minded bunch and like to try different foods and experiences so I opted for self-catering south of Lake Garda in a town called Peschiera. The "complex" is called Bella Italia, and it really catered for everyone, from static mobile homes to campervans and apartments to self-catering bungalows and a lovely hotel all on site. On the Lake shore there were ample pools with slides, restaurants to suit all budgets and even onsite supermarkets. I had booked a two-bedroom Oleandro Bungalow and it was a really pleasant surprise - so spacious. We all had space and weren't under each other’s feet, which was a blessing with so many teens! We arrived in the evening and wandered through what I can only describe as a mini village, to the pizzeria. Fab pizzas, lots of choice and reasonably priced and just what we needed after a day’s travelling. It set us up for a night’s sleep. Over the period of the week we managed to enjoy the pools and have some chill out time, but we were keen to get out and about and see a bit more of the lake itself. Top of the list for us was definitely hiring a boat, which was only €80nfor a couple of hours. We are all used to boats and myself and my 17-year-old Sea Cadet Melissa both have powerboat licenses, so we were quite comfortable driving across the lake past Sirmione and anchoring just off Bardolino! We all took the plunge for a swim and the whole experience really was worth the money, to have the freedom on the lake and watch the other immense boats drive by. It was a bit of a different perspective than most people would try. I took the advice of a client who sails and avoided being on the lake in the afternoon as the wind whips up and it can get a bit choppy! The sun definitely exhausted us, but we managed the short walk that evening along the shore into the town of Peschiera itself, a traditional lakeside Italian town with beautiful buildings and lots of restaurants to choose from. We opted for a waterside restaurant that served pizzas, pastas and lots of fish options, it certainly didn't disappoint. If there is one thing you do when you go to Lake Garda then it is cycling! We aren't very sporty - or rather I'm not - but I love to hire a bike no matter where I am. It was expensive in Bella Italia itself, but there are a few spots in Peschiera where you can hire, and it is a bit cheaper. Along we went, paid our money and got our bikes. There were a few faces pulled at the idea of this mostly by Rebecca my eldest, but once we got going it was fantastic. There is a lakeshore path most of the way up to Lazise and it is relatively safe, up past beautiful marinas with little spots to stop for a coffee or cold drink. You could throw a towel down and soak up the sun for a while or go for a swim, lots of people were doing this. It took us about two hours gentle cycling to get to Lazise which was also a gorgeous town and really surprised me! Lots of shops and again places to eat and drink. It is definitely a town I would consider going back to someday. Having had so many clients stay around Lake Garda there were a couple of other towns I knew I wanted and needed to visit such as Sirmione and Malcesine. Half way through the week we decided to use the lake ferries - though I would definitely advise checking the timetable or you could find yourself having to get the bus or a taxi back to base! I didn't find the ferry particularly economical, but I enjoyed stopping in the other towns we weren't getting off at such as Garda and Gardone Riviera (which looked really beautiful from the water). Malcesine is exceptionally popular and I can tell why - with the stunning castle to visit (which hosts lots of weddings), Monte Baldo to go up to the top of, lots of winding cobbled streets and little eateries, it is also somewhere I could see me spending a week! Sirmione was everything I expected it to be, romantic and intriguing! Having had lots of honeymoon couples stay here I am even more sure that I made the right choice for them. It is a little bit pricier to stay in than other places, but well worth it. When we were there the weather became insane. With crazy wind and torrential rain, we found ourselves waiting for the ferry, huddled under towels failing to stay dry, though we were all roaring with laughter at how ridiculous we looked! It didn't deter from our enjoyment of Sirmione itself, with its plethora of ice cream shops, I think we were all a few pounds heavier leaving Sirmione. I won’t say much about the ferry other than its very efficient but if the lake turns rough it is very unpleasant and I didn't enjoy it, which my children found very amusing since I spend so much of my life on boats! If you do venture as far as Lake Garda, depending on where you stay, Venice is a really short and cheap train journey away - though only cheap if you pre-book. The day before we were coming home, we headed to the train station in Peschiera Del Garda and got the train to Venice for the day and for my daughters 17th birthday. I had been here many years ago and really wanted the children to see it. It was jam packed with tourists as it was the height of the season, but it didn't deter us from just following the winding streets and exploring. I expected them to be tired and not like it, but they all loved that it was so different to anywhere they'd ever been. I had pre-booked a lovely traditional Italian trattoria I had been to before as somewhere special to celebrate Melissa’s birthday, and it was just as good as it was all those years ago! Even the "Papa" owner came out to say hello and wish her a Happy Birthday, it was a really memorable day. All in all, a fantastic weeks break that felt like so much longer than a week cause we packed so much in. I didn't even mention the various foods we tried - too much to get into! Lake Garda is a stunning place to visit and really does offer something for everyone from couples to families, adventurous to chill seekers and of course there is no shortage of culture and history in Italy. If you think Lake Garda or anywhere in Italy might be for you then you should definitely get in touch with me, I would love to help you organize a trip as memorable as mine.

09 March 2017

My daughter turned 18 on the 30th of December, and I decided quite some time ago that material things to mark such occasions weren't really me. You can lose things but memories are always there; so we jetted off to Berlin for two nights, leaving her three siblings behind! The 27th December saw us fly Ryanair Belfast to Berlin. Having very limited German between us we were a tad nervous about getting around, but we had no need to be! It is so easy and ridiculously cheap to buy tickets for the U- Bahn. We stayed two nights at the Hilton Berlin in the Gendarmenmarkt, which had the Stadmitte U-Bahn stop right outside and over looked the Gendarmentmarkt Square. At this time of year there were also Christmas Markets in the Square. The Hilton was a really central hotel to stay in the Mitte area of the city, as it opened up both the East and West very easily for us to explore. The rooms were spacious and breakfast was plentiful - lots of choice, even champagne if you felt the need. The lobby bar had a great easy going atmosphere with a piano player in the evenings, which was perfect before heading out. The Christmas Markets were everything I expected and more! The live music was superb - everything from rock to folk and in between, and it gave the markets themselves an authentic atmosphere that I wasn't expecting. We decided to do a hop on-hop off bus trip to orientate ourselves and it was really worth it, as you picked up little bits of history that you wouldn't otherwise learn. My top tip for Berlin is to make sure you register online before you go if you want to visit the Reichstag and its Dome, otherwise you could face a one to two hour queue to get booked in for the next day or even the day after. It is well worth it though. I wasn't expecting Berlin to be so flat - a really easy city to navigate if you have someone with you that has a mobility issue. A little secret about the Hilton Berlin which they don't warn you about - you are right next to the most amazing chocolate house - Fassbender and Rausch. You can have dinner, all with a chocolate theme, like a chocolate and pea risotto. We did visit twice for hot chocolate and desserts, and even a little prosecco. Definitely the most delicious chocolate I have ever tasted! Of course, when in Berlin you have to sample the Curry Wurst. Not being a lover of sausages I was hesitant but there was no need, as it was very tasty - I had it twice! We had a short time in Berlin and I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that I will visit again. If you are thinking about visiting the city feel free to get in touch!

08 December 2016

Leaving New York on a cruise ship is absolutely breathtaking, seeing Manhattan in all its glory from the sea is definitely the way to start a week’s cruising! I took the time to chat to a few others on the cruise at the leaving party. There were lots of Americans who have cruised a lot and they all said the same thing - nowhere beats sailing out of Manhattan! Carnival Sunshine isn't the most luxurious of ships, but I couldn't fault the food, the friendliness of the staff, the level of service or the cleanliness. It is an older ship that had a few million spent on it a couple of years ago and you can see it. I personally would class it as a 3* superior verging on a 4* ship. It’s a very easy going ship - not very formal, though there were always people that made the effort to dress well for dinner which was nice to see and lifted the ambience overall. There is an ample choice of places to eat, from Guys Burger Joint (from the TV show Diners, Drive-ins and Dives) for a lunchtime stop to Cucina Del Capitano (Italian family food) for dinner, a Blue Iguana Cantina near the pool for Mexican food (I can highly recommend the Tacos) and a Steakhouse for great steaks in a more formal setting. The main dining room itself was well laid out, the staff very attentive, and there was no shortage of choice and diversity every evening. No one prepared me for the boom of "showtime" over the tannoy halfway through dinner and the waiting staff all starting to dance. A bit disconcerting when you aren't prepared but all good fun and the staff actually really seemed to enjoy it and engage with the diners, even the grumpiest of guest were smiling and joining in by the end of the week! I did give the on-board spa a try for a Fire and Ice Pedicure. Whilst a bit on the expensive side (though I was fully prepared for that) it was certainly worth it and the spa was booked out every day. If you get a chance on any ship to go for a spa treatment I would highly recommend it. This wasn't the first time I had a treatment on a ship and they really are the very best consultants on-board and have to maintain exceptionally high standards, which they do! The drinks package included everything we needed it to. We wondered if the 15 drinks maximum a day was going to be enough! Suffice to say - there was no way we were going to drink that much every day and it was good value for money overall. Our first port of call was Boston. We opted not to take an organised excursion, it is so easy to come off the ship and get the bus into Boston itself. We jumped onto the "T" and made our way out to Cambridge on the outskirts of Boston, which is where Harvard is. I really enjoyed exploring this section of the city with lots of history and quirky little shops. Harvard Yard itself was busy with people coming and going, in preparation for the new students I would imagine. The train journey back into Boston takes you over the Charles River and it is worth the experience. We jumped off near Boston Common and did some exploring and reading up on the history of the Common itself. We had a quick nosy round some shops and spotted Primark, the first Primark in the USA! We stopped off at an Irish Pub to try their Guinness. At $8.50 it needed to be good, which it was! On our walk back towards the ship we stumbled across a place called The Barking Crab which is a bit of a Boston institution - even though it only opened in 1994! The most amazing seafood restaurant and well worth checking out if you visit Boston! The second port of call was Portland in Maine, and what a place, I didn't want to leave! We walked off the ship and right into Portland within a few steps. It was easy to jump onto a local excursion and take a quick coach tour around Portland and out to Portland Head Lighthouse. Portland itself is beautiful. They don't allow chain stores so all the shops are boutique and local and original - very refreshing! The people could not have been friendlier, the prices were reasonable and all in all it very much felt homely to me. I couldn't come home without some of their Cabot Cheese - delicious! We opted for a very long lunch at Demillios Floating Restaurant, another seafood restaurant with the best lobster I think I have ever had. They even gave me a bib! Our third port was St. Johns New Brunswick. Again, we could walk off the ship and straight into the town. It’s a little bit of a sad looking town, that maybe time forgot, but we had a stroll about and visited the famous St. Johns Indoor Market - a really vibrant indoor market with everything from meat to clothes, handicrafts to Dulse - that really surprised me. Would I choose to go back here? Maybe not, but I am glad I experienced it and tried out the Seafood Chowder and Moosehead Beer in the Steamers Lobster Company Restaurant. We had a day at sea before docking in Halifax, Nova Scotia. After Portland it had a lot to live up to and I had been looking forward to Halifax. It did not disappoint at all, yet again we were able to walk off the ship and within a few minutes we were walking along the boardwalk of Halifax Seafront. Lots of little shops, locals out for their daily run etc. There are big naval links and we visited the museum and specifically the Titanic section. There is also a Titanic graveyard with the local ships that went out to Titanic to retrieve bodies, certainly all very moving. As you will have picked up before - we spent a lot of time eating and drinking here as well! We found a great sea facing restaurant and got stuck into more seafood washed down with local cider - which was really refreshing after all the walking. It is worth the climb up to the Citadel in Halifax, the views over the city and the bay are very picturesque. There is certainly a lot I can't squeeze into this blog, it feels as if I have almost put too much in already. If you are thinking of cruising or visiting Boston/or Eastern Canada - get in touch. I would love to help you! I have great contacts in this part of the world to make your trip extra special.

28 November 2016

In celebration of my up and coming "big" birthday next year I decided that it was time I visited New York! Flying with United Airlines out of Dublin meant I could clear customs this side of the pond and not have the hassle on arrival into the USA. A big bonus - I just swanned off the aircraft, collected my luggage and headed for the train to Penn Station in New York! Thankfully we were able to try our United Airlines Economy Plus - the extra six inches leg room is definitely worth it if you are tall. Nothing could have prepared me for the vastness of inside Penn Station, never mind coming out of it into the chaos, noise and smells of New York! We quickly managed to grab a yellow taxi and head down 8th Avenue to our hotel on West 52nd Street, a hotel that I have used many times for clients, and I knew the rooms had great views of Times Square, which is exactly what I wanted. The Novotel Times Square is in a great location, a minutes’ walk from Times Square itself and the views from the Times Square view rooms are well worth the extra cost. Reception is up on the 5th Floor along with the Supernova Restaurant, Bar and Terrace which also offers a great vantage point on Times Square. The rooms in the hotel are modern and spacious, I really couldn't fault them in any way at all. New York itself is everything I expected it to be and I did have to keep pinching myself that I was actually there! I was lucky enough to be with my partner who had been before and was able to act as a bit of a guide. He also has relatives that live in New York so on my very first night in New York I was jumping onto the subway to Greenwich Village to meet them for dinner in a traditional burger joint. JG Melons has been around for a long time on the corner of Bleecker and McDougal Street, and if it was good enough for New Yorkers to recommend, it was good enough for me! Possibly one of the best burgers I have ever had! The area itself is really vibrant, attracts a lot of students as New York University is close by. I wanted to get back to this area another night but didn't get the chance, so I will the next time. If I had to recommend certain things to do in New York City, walking the Brooklyn Bridge and then taking the East River Ferry back to Wall Street is definitely at the top of the list. There are stunning views from the bridge itself and great ice cream in Brooklyn at the other side. When you get off the ferry back in Manhattan it is so easy to find your way up to Wall Street, the New York Stock Exchange Building, the 9/11 memorial and then over to the other side of Manhattan to Brookfield Place and North Cove Marina for lunch with more spectacular views over the Hudson River at PG Clarkes. I was concerned about visiting the Empire State Building as I was worried it would be a disappointment - I am a big Sleepless in Seattle fan and had high expectations! I was not disappointed at all - it was so interesting reading about the history of the building, but more importantly it really orientated me in regards to the city itself! I think I may have taken 30 photos at least from the top! I have to say - I love a museum and I knew the MOMA (Museum of Modern Art) had Monet's Waterlilies, so I dragged my "tour guide" to visit the museum, admittedly late on a Thursday an hour before it was due to close - so we got half price! We did make a beeline for the Waterlilies but along the way spotted Van Gogh's Starry Night and Andy Warhol’s Tins of Soup - not so sure about that myself! It was worth the hour that we took to whizz round it, and there is an outdoor quad area to get some fresh air too. My blog could go on and on about New York. I loved Central Park, the High Line, Madison Square Park and the Flatiron Building, Fig and Olive Restaurants, Tiffany and Co, Mandarin Oriental Hotel cocktails - the list is endless and I truly cannot wait to go back. By far the most impressive vista I had was sailing out of Manhattan Pier on a cruise ship, but that is for my next blog! If you are interested in going to New York and would like some honest and expert advice, please do not hesitate to get in touch. I am certainly passionate about New York and would love to make it as special for you as it was for me.