Monday 10 January 2011

Holiday Snaps: Returning home

Dining alone

It has been a wonderful 10 sunny days and it is time to return to the cooler and colder climes of the Netherlands.

My dining table arrangements were not that good, the people sat beside were either glum or absorbed amongst themselves, and the companion I had in the last few nights was single, quiet and piled on the food as if the Apocalypse was on within the hour.

There wasn’t much conversation to make between mouthfuls of gluttonous abandon, I would have been a killjoy if I had tried to make conversation, he was on a mission – get my money’s worth and more.

The best and above the rest

The Riu Palace Maspalomas Hotel is now the best hotel in the whole of the Canary Islands in terms of quality, service and standard – it is a 4-star superior hotel, but it is the people that make a hotel and the people here are just the cream of the crop in terms of services, affability, approachability and more – the directors are as involved as the cleaners in making this place a wonderful place.

The experiment in trying to attract a trendier crowd of a few years ago has been aborted, the hotel has returned to what it is traditionally good at, rooms, food, ambience and well, some of the entertainment.

They definitely do not need new clientele, it is possible that over 70% of the guests have stayed here before, this was my 7th time.

He and she not like 80

The last three breakfasts I had with a most interesting and humorous couple who are in their 80s, we met 2 years ago and I wrote about them then, it was such a pleasure to see them, they are here for 5 weeks and I was regaled with a few more tales of their adventures round the world.

He has been retired for 27 years now and they are living their lives to the full, I really have not met people as wonderfully engaging as them and he is a raconteur extraordinaire.

They have visited over 100 countries, been round the world twice and the lady is such a sport as she is mischievous, you want to grow old as them and they have minds you will find in backpackers in their twenties discovering the world in awe and wonder and yet they are octogenarians.

They will celebrate their diamond jubilee of marriage in September; a letter from the Queen would be in order.

Mother, man and husband

Another lady I was pleased to see again had visited some 18 months ago with her son and his partner. We just got on well, they arrived a few days ago and she came to my table to say hello, we have had long chats and I have had stories to tell after our last meeting.

People just get interested, involved, engaged and lovely, that is what you want to see on holiday and it amongst such people you want to be when away from home.

I hope to return later this year, in May perhaps and then at Christmas when the earlier couple plan to be here for the long stretch of 11 weeks. Deo volente.

1 comment:

CodLiverOil said...

Were you the only black man there?

Nice to hear of you living it up in the Canaries.

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