2008-07 Europe

View Photos Hawthorn Hotel, Deria. Sunday 13/7 - Caught the 12.15pm bus from Rafina to Athens Airport for our flight to Dubai. Sat on the tarmac for an hour due to heavy traffgic at Athens airport. Finally took off & arrived at our hotel in Dubai about 12.15am. Monday 14/7 - Slept late & just made it to breakfast before the restaurant closed. Took a taxi to the Gold Souk & the Spice Souk. The amount of gold & diamonds is incredible! Most of it was too gaudy for me, but I did manage to find a necklace I liked. 3 colour golds (white, rose & gold) and diamond cut...so it really sparkles. 4pm - off on Safari! 4 wheel driving through the desert, sunset in the desert & dinner (& drinks) at a bedouin camp. Entertainment included; camel rides, belly dancing, hena tatoos & finally star gazing (but only 2 stars to be seen!). A good experience! Back to our hotel where we visited the 49er restaurant/bar & the Gravity Bar. Both had bands that played very loudl

View Photos Irene's View Villas - Agia Irini Sunday 6/7 - George & his wife Irene are wonderful! As we haven't had a chance to get to the shops yet, they plied us with food & beer and Greek hospitality. There was a problem with the 3 bedroom villa so they have given us 2 x 2 bedroom villas. So we have our own villa & the kids have one right next door. The view from our balcony is spectacular. Blue skies, blue water, little islands and lots of sunshine. A hop skip & a jump to the swimming pool and a short stroll down the hill to the beach & the taverna. After we'd settled in, we took a taxi back to the Port, Parika and did some shopping. Then strolled down to the beach for dinner at the local Taverna. Monday 7/7 - Slept late, bacon & eggs for breakfast, a dip in the pool, an hour in the sun while the kids went into Parika to hire a couple of scooters. Lunch, siesta, a dip in the pool, a couple of hours reading & drinking, dinner, drinking, &

View Photos Hotel Amalias - Amalias Avenue, Athens, Greece(near the Plaka, walking distance to the Acropolis) Friday 4/7 - An early morning as we had to catch the 8am train to the airport for our flight to Athens. The flight was delayed (of course) and we finally arrived at our hotel at 3.30pm. Wandered out tom check out the free wi-fi spot in Syntagma Square - Mark & I enjoyed a drink while Bree played on facebook. Wandered further afield to find somewhere for dinner, found a great area filled with lots of cafes with outdoor tables. Had souvalaki, tzatziki & greek salad for dinner and meandered back to the hotel to fell into bed about midnight. Saturday 5/7 - A lazy start to the day. It's quite hot here in Athens so we've decided to hang about the hotel until Aimee arrives then walk up to see the Acropolis when it's cooler. 4pm Aimee arrived and not long after her cousin Sancha dropped in to say hi. We will meet up with her at 9pm for dinner, after we've vis

View Photos Hotel Milani - via Magenta, Rome. (1 block from the main train terminal) Tuesday 1/7 - Arrived at 8.15pm. By th tim we got our luggge took the bus & train into Rome terminal & found out hotel (only 1 block from the train terminal) it was 10.30pm. We went to a nearby restaurant for a late dinner then bed. Wednesday 2/7 - We slept late this morning. Hey we're on holiday! It was very hot so we decided to laze about the hotel in air conditioned comfort & then take an open bus tour of the city late in the afternon when t's cooler. So we read & did our emails & blog. The bus tour was good, and included an audio descrbing the city sights. Saw the colleseum, St Peter's, vatican city, circus maximus, lots of other Piazzas & fountains, the trevi fountain & the spanish steps. An early dinner (8.30pm), then back to the hotel & bed. Thursday 3/7 - It's 10.30am and I am updating our blog. Mark & Bree are still in bed. Touring around

View Photos Citadines Hotel Les Halles (Metro - Les Halles). Walking distance to Notre Dame & the Louvre (very central). Saturday 28/6 - Took the Eruostar train from London to Paris. Nothing spectacular about the underwater tunnel it's just like any other train tunnel, but we love travelling 1st class on the trains over here! Met up with Francine & Pipo at the hotel. Had lunch at a nearby cafe and the waitress was hillarious. Pipo wanted to see the eiffel tower so we spent the afteernoon walking around Paris. We walked for miles (& my feet are still hurting!) Went back to the same restaurant for dinner (because the waitress was so entertainiing & we couldn't walk another step). Dinner was superb and we laughed & joked with the waitress & fellow diners. A good way to end the day. Sunday 29/6 - Met up with friend's of Francine's from Geneva - Rohan & Lore and went to Montmartre for lunch. A great view from Montmartre looking backing down ove

Citadines Barbican Hotel. Only 2 metro stops from Kings Cross International Station Friday 27/6 - Arrived back into London about 3pm. Took the metro to our hotel as only 2 stops away. Cost us 4 pounds each. Took a stroll around the nearby streets - wierd everyone drinks in the streets, probably because the pubs are so small! Dinner, drinks & a quiet night at the hotel. Saturday 28/6 - Took a taxi back to Kings Cross Station, only cost us 6 pounds 30 pence (cost us 8 pounds on the metro). Good value! We booked 1st class seats on the Eurostar to Paris...the only way to travel! Included breakfast and lots of leg room.