From Prides of the past to the future

Prides without marches

June is considered the Pride Month even though my local pride in Manchester is one of the last in the Europe, taking place in the last weekend of August that includes the last Monday as part of the August Bank Holiday in the UK.

I normally will only attend a Pride march but rarely the other activities, in Manchester, I only have to step out of my front door with a foldable chair to watch the march go past on my street. Berlin offers a better spectacle in July as I take a room in the Hotel Berlin Berlin that overlooks the march from at least the first floor. I might go to the Siegessäule or the Brandenburg Gate to see the performances for a few hours before departing for some quiet time.

Prides around Europe

Until last year, I had not missed a Berlin Pride usually known as the Christopher Street Day (CSD) in German-speaking countries in recognition of the Stonewall riots of 1969, except one other time in at least 12 years. It was like a pilgrimage of at least 4 days, sometimes longer, allowing me to do other things besides.

When I lived in Amsterdam, we celebrated in the first weekend of August, the Pride march on canal boats, I never vied to get on any of the boats because it was at least a 4-hour slug, however, it was always good to have a vantage position to view the colourful floats as they moved along with music blaring out of megawatt loudspeakers ready to deafen you.

At one time, I was in Playa del Ingles on the island of Gran Canaria, their Pride is usually the second weekend of May. Unfortunately, most of the Prides would be cancelled this year, about 500 on one count, some will be adapted to take place online as digital Pride events. [See link below.]

Prides of the future

In June 2016, I joined up with the Barclays team called Spectrum for the London Pride which we were a main sponsor of, it was the first time I had walked in a Pride march in the UK apart from being a spectator or going to park activities after the parade.

I cannot say what the world would become after the pall of this pandemic is lifted, the way we would manage crowds and marches for all sorts of celebrations and how life might change between the consideration of risk and damning the consequences. However, I hope that in the aftermath, we would all celebrate our common and diverse humanity.

There is a Pride march in the not too distant future that my husband and I would participate in, marriage is on the cards; it would be the joy of our lives for Brian and I to pose and say to the world, Happy Pride Month.

Pride Month: List Of LGBT Digital Pride Events As 500 Prides Cancel Amid Coronavirus - Forbes

The European Pride Organisers Association – COVID-19

Hotel Riu Palace Maspalomas

My guest book entry

I was disappointed to find out that my hotel did not have a guest comments book in which to praise the service, ambience and standard of the hotel.

They regularly conduct surveys managed by 3^rd-party agencies which serve their purpose but there is nothing like having a book to put down your thoughts and specifically mention people who have made your stay extremely wonderful.

The nearest guest commentary forum one can find for the hotel is probably the one in online at TripAdvisor.com – here, we find that of the 105 hotels reviewed by customers in Playa del Inglés, Riu Palace Maspalomas comes first.

First out of many

They come first for many reasons, for me it is like home away from home with every member of staff geared to provide you the maximum ease and the absence of stress or tension to make your stay wonderful.

It is down to the quality of service of the staff at reception where they would bend over backwards to serve, the concierges who have all information you require in at least 4 languages, the maître‘d at the restaurant who ensures every single whim and desire is catered for through waiters and waitresses who have a commitment to service and brings the utmost satisfaction.

It is impossible to have a complaint that cannot be seen to and sorted out before you have had time to complete your sentences about the issue.

Back again and again

It is my second time at this hotel, I was first here in September 2007 for 16 nights and now for 15 nights with this being my last night.

The staff can confidently tell you to come back again because before you leave you are already planning your return as well as informing others that there is no better place to be in Playa del Inglés than the Riu Palace Maspalomas hotel.

Its designation is 4 star, I am convinced it is more 5 star, but that is beside the point, these people have perfected the art of hospitality it is seamless in delivery and without peer in execution.

Home away from home

I am always glad to arrive in the comfort and care of the people who run this hotel and always saddened to realise my holiday is so soon over – I cannot leave without the promise of return.

It is so homely, I am known by name from afar, my needs are met with an excellence that has not been equaled in any other hotel I have stayed at and I have stayed in many hotels.

Mention should be made of Javier the day manager, whose affable, professional and courteous attention to all matters has no equal, you can chat to him about anything and expect that he has answers ready or will make things happen – he fully understands his guests and his latitude of initiative magnificent.

In the restaurant, Pepe and Elio are your men, they are knowledgeable, responsive, understanding and extremely friendly – they absorb your pains and give you such great delight – the food is made all that more wonderful by a service that you would be at pains to fault.

My verdict

If I cannot find a room in this hotel, I would not visit Gran Canaria.

One had to laugh when an old German couple who had been staying at this hotel for the past 8 years arrived one afternoon and tried to bump off other guests from a section of the pool by saying that was their place whenever they stayed at the hotel – whilst no one paid any attention to them, it is nice to know that this hotel can provide you a favourite and coveted place that you want to return to.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I commend to you Riu Palace Maspalomas, a most excellent hotel with the most exquisite service, your home away from home and a place once visited would keep you coming back.