Party on...........

Party on...........

So since the Bradjollies left we've been having to amuse ourselves.  Thursday night we went to Toscana, for dinner, I ordered the mixed meat and cheese platter with fruit this time! And then I ordered the duck ravioli of course.  Now this usually comes with three pieces of ravioli, Nd to be honest, I could eat four it's so delicious.  Now without me mentioning anything, it came with 6 pieces, a double order - I really pigged out and enjoyed every single mouthful I'm afraid to say - greedy aint the word!!  It was a delicious meal!

My breakfast flower from Marcos

Yesterday, we decided to go shopping to Place de las Islas, a shopping mall downtown in the hotel zone.  We asked for a cab, which they told us was $35 each way, when the taxi came, the bellhop advised us that the cab driver would wait for us at the mall for as long as we wanted and bring us back as a round trip fare for $70, which meant that the hotel would be assured we were safe etc.  This is a great service, the driver waited for nearly three hours and Kevin tipped him for his wait time (not necessary, but we were very greatful).

So las Islas.......oh my!! Prada, coach, Tiffany, Louis Vuitton, pandora, Hugo boss, Mont Blanc etc etc etc all mixed in with tourist gift shops! A shoppers dream!!!  

I tried on a £6,000 diamond necklace in Tiffany (well a girl can dream can't she?)

A few small little gifts were purchased for me - one very happy girlie yesterday! Before we made our way back to EPM for lunch.

When we arrived back in our room, there was a little surprise waiting for us! Two coconut penguins, complete with little carved fish in their beaks, and containing a really unctuous coconut cocktail!!  I did no more than popped the jacuzzi on, and we sat in soaking and sipping!!  These little birds were a little surprise from our wonderfully attentive concierge Nelson - who phoned me later to say he was worried about us as he couldn't find us, until the waiters told him we had gone shopping!! Isn't it wonderful the level of personal service?

So last night, Kevin headed down for a pre-dinner drink, whilst I finished primping, I met him in the martini bar, then we made our way straight up to Chez.  Once again we were so well looked after by Señor Pedro, Christian and Martin the Sommelier.  Last nights wine was casa grande - Martin choose - I've given up worrying about the wine bill!!  We have NO IDEA how much it was cos Kevin was slightly inebriated when he signed for it!!!

I had the fois gois and duck, delicious, Kevin the crepes and the beef tournedos - to die for he said - but we had to refuse desserts as was too full!

Cheers Mr & Mrs Bradjollies!

After dinner we headed back to the martini bar, where Caesar was running around like a loon, he works so so hard!!  I tried to get a photo of him, but the man is like the flash, and every photo is of him in movement!!

The martini bar was VERY VERY busy last night, the hotel is at 100% capacity and the bar had a real party vibe with people (including us) dancing to the live band.  It was a really good evening, topped off with some jewellery shopping............ ;-)

It was Mexican fiesta night last night at Cafe Kafe here's some photos I took on my way to the martini bar

So staff members of the day - two sets today, the first are the hostesses at Toscana, so helpful and funny! Apparently we are now listed as Mr & Mrs Garcia!!! ;-)

Left to right:  Lizeth, Shehily, Adriane

This next batch of photos is of my trying to capture the lightening streak that is Ceasar!! 

The bradjollies have decided to stay!......

Just found out that the Bradjollies have returned and set up a business next to las olas.......not sure about the nature of their business........

;-)

Feeling bereft..........

So our holiday mates, the Bradjollies have just left for home.  Mr & Mrs B are two of the most genuine, nicest, funniest, holiday friends you could ever meet.  The last two weeks have been a pleasure for us, and judging by the amount of staff who 'popped' by just to say au revoir, for the EPM team too.  If I can recommend anything on TA, it's to book your holidays at the same time as Mr&Mrs B.

Safe journey home Huns, see you in December if not before xxxxx

My mornings.......

Thought you'd like to see what I get up to by the pool each day.  Most mornings, I take out my travel watercolour set and paint a little picture for Liarana our maid, which I leave on the bed with her daily tip and a werthers sweet.  She seems more pleased by the little paintings than by the money or the sweet and I've seen her showing them to other staff members.  Just a little thing can please both her and me.

Friends reunited.............

Today our friends the Bradjollies are going home..........now we can really party!!! Lol!  Just kidding! Going to really miss them, funny after three years since we last saw them, we just stepped back into our friendship like it was yesterday.  (I guess Kevin filling them in every night on what they've missed over the last three years helped!!! Lol! He hasn't stopped talking!). However, they've told us they've booked to meet us in Lanzarote at Xmas so not as long this time till we see each other again.  😉

Yesterday morning we headed to the lobster house for the first and last time for breakfast.  Service was really really slow with Kevin not getting milk for his coffee, and me not being served at all! and I really didn't enjoy the breakfast.  So it will be Toscana all the way in future for breakfast!

It was a little overcast yesterday, so we hung around the pool until lunchtime being excellently looked after by the wonderful Emiliano - just before lunch he said to me 'mandy, would you like me to make you a special mohito today?' How could I refuse? Lol! So he brought me two specials to try, a mohito made with sparkling white wine, and a mango mohito, both were amazing!!! It would have been rude not to drink them!!! Lol!!

So just before lunch, we heard the thunder coming in, so we popped back to our room to change and headed to Toscana for a leisurely lunch where Jose looked after us.  

Now, if you are easily offended, skip to the next paragraph.....whilst we were finishing lunch, there was a large party of Texans, who were having a good time and feeling no pain.  Our waiter brought them up little lemoncello coloured shots, with what looked like foam on the top.  They all drunk them down, then burst into lots of laughter, so as I went by, I said, 'I want what you lot are on' to which one of the girls replied, the waiters just told us its a 'Donkey Sperm!!!'  I replied 'perhaps not then' lol! On their way out, they told me they'd ordered me a double! To which I replied quick as anything 'that's fine, I've probably had worse!' Thought they were going to fall over from laughter - can't get one up on us Essex girls!!! Lol!  All in good fun, and in no way loud enough to offend anyone with more delicate sensitivities!!! 

So, after lunch we retired to the martini bar so I could catch up on my blog, but the wifi was really bad, so we went back to our room, Kevin to nap, me to write.

At 7.30 we headed off to meet the Bradjollies, for a pre-dinner drink, then to head to their chosen restaurant the grill - just want to say, this is the second time for us at the grill and the second time I've had a bad meal - really tough tenderloin and the most saltiest spinach I've ever eaten - the meal wasn't good........however, the service by Martin the restaurant manager and his team was superb, and we had request Martin the sommelier to choose some nice wines for us, which were beautiful as usual - as well as a beautifully crisp Pinot Grigio to start, We've been working our way through the angel collection of reds, today it a full bodied Raphael - delicious!

The ambience and company as always was great and the evening passed all to quickly.  One last nightcap at the martini bar, and we parted at our rooms.

Just want to comment on the wines - we've enjoyed all of Martin's choices so far, and we all agreed, having Martin suggest new wines, both Mexican and international wines for us to try has been a special part of our holiday.  Martin is so knowledgable and enthusiastic, and has taught us so many new things about wine.  If you come to EPM and like wine, then I have to recommend that you spend some time with him.  We really really would like him to live near us!!! Lol!  ;-)

Staff member of the day - Marcos.  Marcos along with the lovely Angel has looked after a lot at breakfast and lunch.  He is lovely, really fun, very attentive, and always makes our meals a special occasion, even if it's just toast and coffee.  This morning along with a rose heart table, mimosas courtesy of Angel, I had a sweet napkin crown with flowers 'for a beautiful lady', then he 'potted' the flower in some coffee beans, so that I could take it to my room.  This sort of attention, can make you feel very special - some husbands should take note, I mean you Mr Webb! Lol! 

More tomorrow x

 

 

MIA.................

Ok, been MIA for the past few days but got LOADS to tell you about!!

First of all, we went to the beach at 6am a few days ago to watch a beautiful apricot sunrise over Isla Mujeres. Whilst there were other sunrise worshippers there alongside us, it still seemed a peaceful and romantic moment, just a perfect moment in time between Kev and myself and the sun.  I can really recommend it.  The only thing missing was a bottle of champagne - maybe next time.

The next day, I suggest to Kev that we take a walk along the beach early in the morning to see the sting rays we had been hearing about.  So off we trekked, north along the beach past the finest, and out towards the point.  As usual we didn't take any water with us, so by about 45 minutes in, we were dehydrated! But as were English, we soldiered on in the midday sun - of course we did! Nutters that we are! After about an hour and a half in sweltering heat, (90f +) and seeing nothing but a vulture, we headed back.  We were almost 20yards from EPM when we spotted a tiny stingray baby (could have been a heat mirage!!!!!) just in the shallows, so it made it all worth while!!!  Really enjoyed it! Even though I was actually melting by the time I got back - felt like the wicked witch of the west!! Lol!

Yesterday we went off to Isla Mujeres, first time we actually left the resort ever!!  A taxi ride, then ferry ride and 50 minutes later we were on the Island.  

Now, I just want to point out a quick potential scam here, as we left the ferry and entered the ferry terminal, 'Carlos' our EPM pool bar server, 'recognised' us.  Shook our hands, said he was working on the island today to help his mum, and would we like to come and see his mums shop.  He was VERY convincing and a bit persistent.  Kev and Dale, cute as buttons told him politely 'no thanks'.  They both realised he was a con artist, and had 'recognised' us by Mrs B's EPM bag.  Was doubly confirmed when the idiot tried it again later in the afternoon!!!  

So, protected by our heroes, we went and hired a four seater, front facing golf buggy, and off we went exploring the island.  It was a great day, really hot, but the air conditioning (open buggy sides!) made it bearable!  Lots of photo opportunities, and the most turquoise waters we had seen in some time.  We had a lovely lunch by the sea, lots of laughs, and a slightly panicky moment when we thought we'd run out of petrol!!  

We were entertained on The ride home on the Ultramara ferry by a guitarist, whose first song was a version of Iz's 'somewhere over the rainbow' - nothing better than blue skies, turquoise seas, holiday music and good friends - one of those perfect moments in time.  

Here's the original link

http://youtu.be/V1bFr2SWP1I

So, in between knocking around playa Mujeres and Isla Mujeres, we've been enjoying everything EPM has to offer.  We've had some cracking meals - basmati, Spice, the mixed spicy staters, and the duck, room service, tenderloin beef and the most delicious chocolate cake, ( like a very light sachertorte, you must try this!!), and last night a very specially prepared meal at Chez, where every mouthful of both wine and food was seriously delicious - as was the service by Pedro the Maitre D', Martin the Sommelier, and Cristian.  With our friends the Bradjollies, it was a perfect day, followed by a perfect evening.

Here's my staff members of the past few days:

Urias - Uriah was on the beach before 6am, sweeping and cleaning all the beach eds ready for the day.

The absolutely lovely Lirana, who looks after our room every day, we never have to ask for anything, and she leaves us little towel art and fresh flowers.  We love Lirana!!

Cristian  - at last a photo!

Perfectly lovely day.............

Today was a really lovely day, we're both relaxing into the chilled out atmosphere at EPM, and today after our first week I realised just how chilled I was - not my usual stressed to the eyeballs norm!!

After breakfast this morning, we went for a little walk around the resort, this place is huge, and we only walked for about 45 minutes, just to stretch our legs and check out some areas we had never been to, like the gym(!), the new sports bar, and the running path, then Back to our revive beds until lunchtime.

For lunch we decided to check out the new Aroma bar, which is a wonderful addition to the resort.  It feels like Starbucks, with a similar baristas menu, lots of muffins, cakes, some lovely paninis which we had for lunch toasted, and a good selection of ice creams with sundae toppings.  We both had toasted Turkey paninis with coffee plus some coconut ice cream for dessert - spent about an hour and a half, just reading and chillaxing in there, then back to nap by the revive bar until about 4.30pm.

It was Mexican fiesta night at Kafe Kafe last night, but we were booked into the wine cellar for dinner, with our friends Mr&Mrs Bradsjollies so a quick pre dinner drink of mohito and then we went up to chez, where we were greeted by pedro and taken through into the wine cellar.

Oh what a night! - from start to finish it was superb.  The room had been specially decorated with candles and rose petals, the table was set for the four of us, everything was sparkling and so pretty.  Christian was our waiter and he looked after us really well all evening, making recommendations from the menu.  Martin came up at the beginning, and went through some wine recommendations for us, which of course we choose and his recommendations were perfect with our meal.

We started with a Riesling, I had the foie gras, Kev had the escargot.  We both followed with the chef special, a beautiful tender braised beef rib, real melt in your mouth.  Just lovely.  This was accompanied by a Mexican red - Icaro. fabulous.

Both Kev and I finished with the cheese, fruit and nut platter (again minus the nuts and fruit! Weird eh?) which was lovely, some beautiful salty cheese mouthfuls with some crisp toasted hard backed rolls, and some seriously gorgeous green tomato jam.  Yum! We both finished with coffee and liqueurs, brandy for Kev and Khalua for me.

The talk and the wine flowed, the service was excellent - Aldo popped in to see us during the meal, as did Nelson, just to make sure everything was ok - and the ambience was really really special.  This is one of the best evenings I've spent at EPM, and totally money well spent.  A big thank you to Dale for suggesting and arranging it 😘

After dinner we went down to the martini bar for a nightcap, a Pacifico for Kev, and a brandy Alexander for me, before swaying back to our room, where our lovely turn down maid had prepared a romantic jacuzzi for us - perfect end to a perfect evening.

Staff member of the day - Christian for looking after us so well. 

More tomorrow xx