Hit and miss................

Yesterday was bright and hot!  After our breakfast in Barcelona, we took up our normal positions beside the revive bar until lunchtime, when we went to the Grill.  Now only yesterday I said the food was much better here this year, however I think I spoke too soon, I had a horrible lunch of club sandwich.  It felt like the sandwich had been pre-made a day before and just served up cold yuk! Freddie asked me if I wanted to change it, but I didn't bother.  Kev had the same and he agreed it was the worst thing we hadn't eaten this holiday.

So back to revive for the afternoon, where we lazed for a couple more hours, but it was very very hot today, so around 3.30 we went in for a shower and read.  

The brads jollies caught up with us to check what time we were meeting up at the martini bar, we agreed on 7.30 for some pre dinner cocktails.

At the appointed time we toddled off to meet our mates, and after two of Ceasars finest french Martinis, I was starving, so we parted ways with Mr&Mrs Brads, and toddled off to Basmati, where we were told it was an hour wait.  So off we went to the Grill where the first person we spy is Mr Brads with his iPhone torch, looking at the menu!!  By the time we had been booked it, two tables had been moved around and we were reunited with our friends - I'd actually missed them in the 5 minutes we'd been apart!!!  As Kev had been warned before hand, Mr&Mrs B was able to get the odd word in edgewise so the conversation and laughs came thick and fast.  

I ordered the mushrooms, followed by the tenderloin with Rosti potatoes, Kev had the three sausage starter followed by the rib eye.   Kev said his meal was lovely, however my steak wasn't very good at all, and I left it - there's this saying, 'when men make plans, God laughs' well I certainly thought he was getting his own laugh in at me for saying the food was good in yesterday's update! Hopefully it's just a blip in otherwise excellent service.

Talking about excellent service, we were being waited on ok, until Aldo the food and beverage manager came along for a chat, he spent some time with us, telling us about the new plans for the hotel menus etc.  After he left, we suddenly had three waiters and the maitre'd all at once serving us!! Lol! Really funny - guess it's who you know eh?

For dessert, we were brought up couple plates to share with a trio of desserts, which were lovely and made up for the earlier dishes.

After dinner we were caught up in a charioteer race between some of the maintenance men pushing carts of towels, with Kev cheering them on, and running commentary, and Mr Brads giving odds on favourite using his dog racing knowledge of form..........he'll perhaps explain for you.......

Back to Kafe Kafe for a nightcap and to hear the last of the Michael Jackson show, which judging by the amount of people standing outside to watch is still as popular as ever.

Photos today are of the grounds which are immaculate.

Staff member of the day is Michelle,  the harpist, who serenades us at Toscana breakfast, this mornings version of I dreamed a dream from Les Mis was particularly beautiful.

More tomorrow xx

Normal service is resumed............

So after Kevs mammoth lie in, we trotted off to Toscana for breakfast yesterday, Kev had a big breakfast as he was starving!! Hardly! Lol!! For me just a bowl of cereal, then back to our regular spot beside the pool.  The lovely Nelson popped by to check we were ok, -he's off to Belize for a day trip today! I guess it's like us popping to France for a bit of shopping, but it sounds so much more exotic!

We decided to have an early lunch as we were going wine tasting at 5pm with Martin, so toddled off to the Grill where Carolina found us, she's been looking for us for a few days she said, she is so lovely and really wants to make sure everyone is enjoying their holiday.

We had just started lunch when our mates turned up - Kev in his excitement at seeing them almost knocked his camera into the pool! - so, tables pushed together, warnings given to Kev!!, we proceeded to have another leisurely lunch, lots of laughs, not too much vino, and we parted to meet up a couple hours later at Chez.

We went back to our room for a little read, then we got ready to go out - it seems odd to get dressed up for the evening at 5pm, but our experience of the wine tasting had prepared us that we wouldn't be finished much before 7pm.

Martin, as always was fabulous, informative, enthusiastic, fun, the time went so quickly.  We were with the aforementioned Bradjollies, some Canadian couples and a couple from New York.   Martin started by introducing us to Mexican wine history, and explained about the current Mexican wine economy, then we tried some wines, first a Sauvignon blanc, with goats cheese and strawberry compote.  Next a Chardonnay with chilli prawns, next a light red blend with tiny bridge rolls stuffed with beef and a beef and wine jus, finishing with a heavier Cabernet Sauvignon/Malbec blend paired with rolled serrano ham.  All of the wine and parings were lovely, tiny bite sized deliciousness!!  This is the third time we've been wine tasting with Martin, and I enjoyed it just as much as the first time, I can definitely recommend it.  Mr Brads, usually doesn't drink red, but I think after this proper introduction, he was a convert, even opting for the Gatto Negro with dinner later.

After the wine tasting, we headed off to the martini bar, and then to the Barcelona for another delicious meal - I have to say, I think the food is so much better than last time we came, in particular the beef dishes - everyone so far has been lovely.  Last night, I had some small Kofti like kebabs made with sirloin steak and pine nuts - delicious, then the veal and finished with the baklava - yum! Kev had the seafood soup, the rib eye (he wanted mash!!! Lol) and the milk doughnut squares which he said was lovely.  

Now I didn't drink through dinner as I was full up from the wine tasting, but Kev.......not sure what's got into him, he drank and chatted and chatted and chatted!!!  Lol! I think he wants to get three years of missed chat with the Bradjollies into three weeks!!!  He's been put on a warning tonight Mr &Mrs B to let both of you get a word in edgewise!! ;-)

After dinner, I felt really tired, so we said goodnight and I was in bed, half a page read on my kindle and asleep by 10pm!!  Rock and roll lifestyle - not!!!

Just a little add on - when you're married to a gadget man you have to put up with weird stuff, like 3am this morning, waking up to find him walking round the room, buck naked with his iPhone torch on....I asked him what he was doing, and he said he could find his iPad,  I told him to check the plugs, check the safe, check his beach bag - no joy, then all of a sudden he remembers plugging it in by the bar  last night when he was drunk.  So lights off, he climbs back into bed, turns over and goes straight to sleep.  He didn't want the iPad, just wanted to make sure he knew where it was - and there's me, wide awake listening to him snore......good job I love him!

Staff member of the day - the absolutely lovely lovely Martin - couldn't be anyone else could it?

More tomorrow!

Time bandits...........

I'd like to say that we had a day filled with activity yesterday, but that's far from the truth.......lol!

Kev went off as usual to set up our beach beds and to have a quiet half hour read, however I heard this horrendous pummelling, looked out the patio window, and saw that the sky's had opened up and it was tipping it down! Here's Kev across the pool in the rain lol!  You can just see the rain bouncing off the pool water!! 

 It only lasted about 20 minutes so off we went for our breakfast to Toscana.  A very light breakfast then back to the pool till lunchtime.

The lazy river has become the new main party pool in the last few days, lots of revellers, standing with their floaties, buckets of beer, laughing and having a good time.  They are easy going and friendly, and no problem, but not the norm for this pool which is usually very quiet.  They even come over and say hi to my mum on facebook every morning! Lol!

Just before our lunch, I fed the local iguana, I'd been told that the vegetarian ones love red hibiscus flowers, so I whipped round to our swim up, picked three flower heads, whipped back and fed him, well he gobbled them down in two seconds!!  They were obviously a treat for him!

Lunchtime saw us toddling off to Toscana for the first time this trip.  I had a very light lunch, delicious green Italian lettuce, big blackberries, raspberries and strawberries and a small selection of cheeses, the goats cheese in ash was particularly lovely.  Kev had a mix of fresh cooked mussels and scallops on a bed of pasta which he said was delicious.  

Now this is where the day went array......... I had had two small champagne glasses of sparkling wine with lunch, Kev however, had been introduced to a Cabernet Sauvignon Gatto Negro (black cat).  For those that know my Kev, he's not a big drinker, and definitely not at lunchtime.  The first bottle slid down...........that's when the Bradjollies found us, table was pulled up, more wine poured, and Kev started his second bottle.........fatal!!!  the laughs come thick and fast and the time flew!  Before we knew, the evening waiters were prepping for their shift!!  I blame those northerners, for leading us astray.  Must be the climate up there breeding them hard!! Not like us southern delicates!!

It wasn't until we walked outside I realised just how knockered Kev was, so off to the room, where I got him to bed with a bottle of water, and where he slept until 8am this morning!!! 16.5 hours sleep!!! With just a quick open eye at 3am and a bag of crisps cos he said he was starving!!!  Let alone me who had only had a small bagel and a lettuce leaf all day!! Lol!  

And he's got the cheek to wake up with a clear head!! I did take the opportunity to remind hi through the night that we were wine tasting tonight with Martin, thought he was either going to throw up or smack me!! Lol!!

Staff member of the day - Emiliano is our pool server, he looks after us every day, and keeps us hopped up with fresh cold water, always cheery - big thank you to him!

More tomorrow!

Lazy days...........

The sun was out in full force yesterday and it was HOT! Clear sky's, blue seas, perfect soft day.

As usual, Kev went 'hunter gathering' for our beds by the revive bar, whilst I did the wifely things of tidying, cleaning, organising......nothing changes! Lol!

A light breakfast at Toscana, then more lazing by the pool until lunchtime when we headed to the grill.  

Caesar salad and herby chick wrap for me, and calamari starter and suckling pig tacos for Kev.  The suckling pig was shredded but full of bones which Kev found out when he bit down on one - ouch!  I had three glasses of Sauvignon blanc, with lunch, and was feeling really tired and lazy, so we decided to go in early and I slept for over three hours - I'm still a bit on London time and not sleeping well at night.

When we woke up, I really wanted to stay in bed and order room service, that mattress topper is so divine! But Kev persuaded me to get up and get going! So spruced up, we headed straight to Chez Isabel about 8.30, and are we pleased we did, what a divine meal! Seriously every mouthful was gorgeous!!

We started with a bottle of Monte Xanic Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine recommended by Martin the last time we came, very heavy, very spicy, delicious!

My starter was a green salad with pears, blue cheese and tiny pieces of sweet orange - yum!

Kev had the bouillabaisse which he said was delicious and he would have liked to lick the bowl!

For main I had the duck, which came with a red wine reduction - this was seriously seriously divine, thick sweet sauce, melt in the mouth duck with some slightly charred new potatoes cooked with rosemary, just fabulous!

Kev had the filet mignon, cooked in Cabernet Sauvignon, which cut like butter, I tasted it and it was probably the best steak I'd tasted in a long while - beautiful.

Raul our waiter, then surprised us with a beautiful dessert sharing platter - a combination of four different desserts, and chocolate truffles - strawberry mousse, chocolate soufflé pudding with vanilla ice cream, three layer chocolate ganache dessert, and the most divine crepes stuffed with cream cheese and flambé'd with zabaglione- OMG we thought we'd died and gone to heaven, delicious!

Whilst we were eating Martin popped in for a chat, he's so so nice, he asked after all the family and we chatted some about the finest, EPM and the downtown cancun hotel business.  Really looking forward to spending time with him on Wednesday night.

Our meal finished with brandy, and coffees and we toddles off home, stopping at cafe cafe for a nightcap.

Sleeping tablet last night so got a full 8 hours sleep, blissful!! Hopefully Im nearly on cancun time!

Staff member of the day Raul in Chez Isabel -  looked after Us so well, and really cheeky, right up our street!!!

More tomorrow!

 

A near miss........

A bit of a cloudy start to our day yesterday, temperature was still hot and humid, but no sun peeked through to almost lunchtime.

For breakfast we toddled off to Toscana, where a table had been prepared by Alberto and Freddy - a great double act, love these guys!

I always eat a very light breakfast or none at all, so just a small toasted bagel for me, Kev had cereal. We laid by the revive pool until lunchtime, when we got changed and headed down to las Olas for rock and burger on the beach.  A nice couple of hours with the rock band playing, and a few icebergs.  Big shout out to Enrique, for looking after us and the rest of the guests so well.

Back at revive, we found another bed near the lazy river and sunbathed for a while.  Then we went for a shower, nap and got ready for the evening.  

Now this is where I had my near miss and was saved by my hero.......

I was all glammed up, new sparkly silver shoes, long gown, when we headed to the martini bar to meets Mr&Mrs BradJollies, now I'm sure Mr Brads will tell you it was his suave charm and debonair demeanour that almost had me crashing to my knees in front of him....however sorry to disappoint, but my new soled diamond encrusted sandals slid on the marble and saw me crashing towards one of the marble counters of the martini bar, my whole life flashed before me, but Kev, never one to let an opportunity go by, grabbed me by the boob and brought me back from the brink!!  All this In front of a crowded martini bar, who all gasped then cheered when I hugged my hero!!! Lol! My heart was literally jumping through my chest - I couldn't make a decision on a cocktail so resorted to whisky and coke!!  

The drink and chat flowed, and I allowed Mr&Mrs BradJollies to get a few words in....must have been the shock of my fall - then about 8.45 we all trotted off to Toscana.  

As we arrived Martin popped in for a quick hello and a hug, and we told him that Mr&Mrs BradJollies had booked us in for this weeks wine tasting and for the wine cellar on Friday night, really looking forward to chatting with him some more, he's so lovely and remembered us from last time.

We were served by the wonderful Edwin, gran Padana cheese in olive oil and balsamic whilst we looked at the menu, then I had the cheese, Italian meats, dried fruits and toast platter, minus the dried fruits and toast! Not sure where that went!  And then the most divine Duck ravioli - this was seriously seriously good!!  Kev had the Niccola salad, then the linguine with prawns which he said was lovely.  In between the courses, the chef sent out a special thin crust pizza cut into tiny triangles, loaded with cheese, herbs, mushrooms and sultanas - this was so, so good, the little bursts of sweetness from the sultanas mixed with the salty cheese, divine!  

Kev had the apple pie with fruit chutney for dessert, but I was full.  Coffees, then we realised we were the last ones in the restaurant - how those BradJollies can talk!! So back to the martini bar for a nightcap before heading to bed!

Great evening, lots of laughs and a fab meal!

Staff member of the day - Enrique

Settling in...........

So yesterday, after the afore mentioned breakfast, we took a little walk around the resort, to see if we could see our friends from 3 years ago - the Bradjollies - and to get acquainted with everything again.  Everything feels like we were here just yesterday, although the planting has matured since we were last here, and seems much 'fuller'.  The resort is very spic and span, but is showing small signs of its age, nothing that's going to detract from our holiday, but not as shiny new as last time we came.

After catching up with the BJ's we spoke to the lovely Nelson, our concierge, about the bed.........now the beds at EPM are ginormous!  They are really high as well as wide, and if you are a short fat little woman this can be a trial!! Made even worse by the 4" mattress topper that we requested!!  (The mattress topper is to die for though) lol!).  So Nelson had delivered to our room a wooden step platform, which is large and wide and makes me feel like the 'princess and the pea' climbing into her many mattressed bed!!! Lol! But it's perfect and does the job really well, and no more worries about putting my back out or looking like a beached whale whilst climbing into bed!

Here's the bed height with a chair for comparison 

We spent the day by the pool, with just a quick break away for lunch at the grill - I had a plain Caesar salad, then some gorgeous chicken wraps (the wraps were herb infused and really really good! Although I swapped out the chipotle sauce for mayonnaise).  Kev had a prawn Caesar salad then a tuna sandwich with salad.  All very civilised, and accompanied by a little sea breeze coming through the building, and two glasses of house Sauvignon blanc! 

After lunch we retired once more to our sunbeds, where Mr&Mrs Brads came to see us for a quick chat and to check the time for dinner.

I painted for a little while, chatted to a newlywed London couple on their honeymoon, and just started the relaxing process!

About 4 we went to our room where we were greeted by this beautiful bunny left by our maid, and a lovely floral table decoration, courtesy of Nelson.  

A quick shower, whisky and coke, hours nap and we were ready for the night ahead.

We had arranged to meet  Mr&Mrs Brads at the martini bar for 7.30, I started our evening with this little beauty......a french martini, a mix of vodka, chambourd and pineapple.  It's delicious, and I had three of Caesars finest examples, however my kid brother who got me started on these makes a better one! 

Kev had his usual pre-dinner drink, Bombay Sapphire and tonic.  The chat flowed, and it's like the last three years since we saw the Bradjollies was only last week - however I have to say, they don't stop talking, I was lucky to get a word in edgewise!!! (Sorry Mr&Mrs Brads we was a bit over excited last night, like kids in a sweet shop high on sugar!!! We'll reign it back tonight......or not.....like to keep you on the edge of your seat!!! Lol!)

At 8.30 we toddled off to Agarve, I had to have the famous tamarind margarita - a warning and I don't know why I didn't realise, but the edge is rimmed in salt, so I took a healthy Essex girl slug and my face puckered up like a prune!!  It's delicious though! And whilst I wouldn't want many I really enjoyed it.

For dinner I had some delicious finger sized tacos, which were stuffed with goats cheese, followed by the pork shank - this had me beat, seriously back in the war, a mother would feed her 6 kids on this for Sunday lunch, Monday left overs, Tuesday bubble and squeak, Thursday ham and pea soup.....it was a large lump of pork!!!  Delicious, fall of the bone meat, but dense! If you are a big meat eater go for it, but it doesn't come with any veg or sauce so it's really filling.  I'm afraid I only ate about a quarter before I was full up.

After dinner we swayed back to the martini bar, for a night cap and some more random ear bashing from us - really really sorry Mr&Mrs Brads!!.  Needless to say Kev was a little worse for wear, beers during the day, pre nap g&t, pre dinner g&t's plural, Cabernet Sauvignons plural with dinner, after dinner whisky......he was up at 6am looking for paracetamols!! Lol!  I'm sure he thought it was a good idea at the time!! 

Staff member of the day - Nelson

Off to enjoy another day. Xx

We're here!! Excellence Playa Mujeres - live from

After a REALLY long day yesterday, we've spent our first night at Excellence Playa Mujeres, just North of Cancun, Mexico.  

The trip over started at 3.30am! Last chuck in packing, then off to Gatwick for a 10am flight on the new Thomson Dreamliner.  We had pre booked Premium Club seats, so had priority check in, security, no1 club lounge, and priority boarding.  (A bit about the No1 club Lounge - this was seriously awful! Really dirty, terrible service and seating that had seen better days, and to top it off, the food was awful.  If you wanted to drink your fill, for free, at 6am in the morning, then this place would suit, otherwise, I'd say give it a miss and go to Jamie Oliver's!

So the flight, the new Dreamliner is lovely, spacious seats, great service, good recline, new movies, (we both watched 'the second best Marigold Hotel' which we loved!), food served on china plates with real cutlery and glasses.  It's been designed to reduce jet lag by pumping in extra oxygen and using mood lighting - whatever it was, we both felt fine after a 10 hour flight - which we didn't last time.  So far I'd definitely recommend.

At cancun airport, we hit the red light, which meant that all our five suitcases were searched  (Yep 5! I could even see the customs officer thinking 'what the **** she brought all this crap for?'  Lol! - I'll post some photos in a few days of my art travelling kit!) - even with this delay, we were sitting in our private transfer lass than an hour after leaving the plane - and we were at EPM just 30 minutes later, where we were greeted 'welcome home' with a cool towel and a glass of champagne.  Carolina met us in reception to personally welcome us, then we were whisked to our room.

We are booked into a junior swim up suite, block 7, opposite the revive bar.  When we arrived last night we were greeted with the following:

Here's some other photos of our room:

We unpacked our five cases Lol! Then proceeded to demolish the bottle of champagne left for us whilst sitting in the jacuzzi, this is where tiredness set in, so club sandwiches via room service, a quick episode of the big bang theory (the comedy programme, not something on the high number channels! Lol) and I was fast asleep by 8pm Mexico time.  A long day!!

This morning, we woke up to a beautiful clear, hot day - temperatures are in the top 90's and after a light breakfast where we were reunited with Alberto, we set up by the revive bar, but not before seeing out our Friends, Dale & Jill (the Bradjollies) - all set up for tonight, drinkies at the Martini Bar, the Agave for Dinner - and a tamarind margarita! Don't get much better than this!

Here's our staff member of the day - Alberto 

More tomorrow!

Xxx