@loriworld.......

Hi loriworld, here's the entertainment from last weekend.  Hope this helps.

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Antsy.............

So where to start......the last couple of days, my moods changed a little bit, and I've become a little antsy -  don't know if it's because we are coming towards the end of our holiday, and I'm mentally preparing to go home, or if it's that we miss our mates the BradJollies and that dare I say it that I'm a little bored(!!!!!) - well three weeks is a long time peeps!!!! - or it's just that I miss my Mum, family & Friends and my two girls - Lizzie & Minnie (my cats before anyone thinks I'm a home alone mum!!!).  I really don't know what it is, but I have to say, wonderful as it's been, I'm nearly (nearly!!!) ready to depart.  Apart from anything else, my week three clothes are starting to feel tight!!!  Need to get back on Weight Watchers track Fiona!!!

But we still have two full more days and nights, so we're going to try and get as much out of them as possible before we do!!!

Since I've last updated the blog, we've rested and enjoyed lots that EPM has to offer, but it's been with the thought in our minds of what do we really want to do again before we leave (I did try to persuade Kev to go back shopping at Place de Las Islas, but he wasn't having none of that!!! Lol!!) 

So with this in mind we're returning on our favourite restaurants one last time and Spice was the chosen one, night before last.  We had a lovely decorated table, and excellent service as always.   We both had the mixed spicy combo starter, then shared Dale's favourite teriyaki beef and mixed pad Thai, both the main courses were seriously delicious, and they are deffo on my list of recommended dishes here at EPM.

This photo is of the gorgeous wall art at spice.  Fabric rolls covering a whole wall - one of my favourite art work at EPM.

Yesterday, as I said in my previous post above, Kev really wanted to go to the beach, so off he went for his early morning constitutional, and found us two beds and parasols, right beside the x lounge.  We agreed to meet at 9am at Toscana for breakfast - I like to potter in the our room in the mornings!

At breakfast as usual we were greeted with 'Hola Mr & Mrs Garcia!' and taken to our table with Angel & Marcos by the lovely Shehily.  She always has a laugh and joke with us, and her and Kev banter with each other - she's taken to giving Kev a friendly nudge when she goes by - I've told her to feel free to smack him if he plays up - well girls have got to stick together ain't they? Lol!

As always the boys are super efficient and look after us and the other guests really well - it's a marvel just to watch them work in tandem with no guest waiting for anything and with them anticipating guests needs.

During breakfast a guest who was sitting next to me asked me if I was the lady writing on TA and the blog everyday, she said she really enjoyed it and had been reading it for a few weeks before she flew from the states.  Her husband said she loved the blog.  The lady really thanked me and I wish I could have thought to get her name so I could give her a big shout out on here - but fellow guest if you're reading this today, thank you for your wonderful comments yesterday, they really set me up for the day and I really appreciated them.

So, just as we were getting ready to leave, Shehily came up with a beautiful little blue bag - it was a gift from her and Lizeth.  The day before, the girls commented that they were going to las Islas for ice cream after work, so I gave them 'ice cream' money each and told them the ice creams were on us! - (it's a family tradition that my mum started, by giving all the children ice cream money before a holiday - she still keeps it up, even though all her nephews and nieces are grown up and married - she gave me and Kev $30 this holiday for ice cream!! Lol!).  The girls wanted to thank us for the sweets we gave them every day.  Shehily told me to open it later and let her know what I thought.  I was totally gobsmacked at this kindness.  It's our job to thank the staff, not the other way round.  When I opened it later in our room, it was filled with beautiful coloured Mexican candy and nuts.  Such a thoughtful gift and I'm going to treasure the little cloth bag the gift came in.

Here we are being photo bombed by Marcos!!! Lol! 

So after this emotional breakfast, we went off to the beach - as I've said, not my favourite place, I just don't like the sand on my skin, but I always do it one day to please Kev!  The beach looked pristine with no seaweed to be seen anywhere - the sargasso hasn't hit EPM that I can see.  It was VERY VERY hot by the beach, so I stayed in the shade of our parasol, painting pictures for the girls - hope they like them!

At noon, there was a fabulous mariachi band set up at las Olas, so we went off to have a listen and a margarita for me, a pacifico for Kev.  

As I've already said in my previous post we met the lovely Maria, then went off to the Grill for a leisurely lunch!!  So after lunch, feeling no pain from my margaritas and wine, we toddled back to our room for an early nap stopping in to the concierges office on our way through to arrange our anniversary champagne breakfast.  It's Nelson's day off today, so the very efficient Vincente and Maricio helped us out - especially when I couldn't find my reading glasses and they had to read the menu for me!! Big thank you boys!

Back at our room, the WONDERFUL Lirana had surprised us with some beautiful petal art, best viewed from my steps!!  We've been wowed so many times by Lirana, - her hard work makes us feel very special ;-)

In the evening, I really was tired and feeling very very lazy, so we ordered room service and watched Sandra Bullock in Gravity on the TV.  Perfect end to a lovely day! 

Staff member of the day - Angel.  I love Angel, he's always so considerate and helpful.  Going to miss him.

;-)

Thank you!......

Can I say a big big thank you to everyone who's sent me such kind words of encouragement - either by commenting on trip advisor, via my blog, via pm or even yesterday a lady who introduced herself to me in Toscana and said she was really enjoying the daily updates. 

I'm sure like lots of the peeps on TA who take time to share their experiences you hope people read and enjoy what you write, and I did wonder (again!) if it would be worth it, but I've really enjoyed it and enjoyed your enjoyment - if that makes sense? Just a few days left on this visit, hopefully I can find something interesting in the next few days to write about.

Big thanks peeps! ;-)

Moments in time...............

I'll update on our regular 'doings' tomorrow, but for now, I just want to post about a 'perfect memory'.

Today, Kev wanted to go to the beach - not my favourite place, but off we went. At lunch there was a fabulous mariachi band at las Olas who played both international and Mexican traditional music.  We were sat at Las Olas drinking pre lunch Margaritas, when I noticed Maria, singing along to the music beside us.  I invited her to join us, oh my, what a wonderful lady!  Maria is from Boston, Massachusetts.  We sat and chatted, then put the world to rights, then moved up to the grill for lunch! Maria is well travelled and had so many great stories and experiences to share with us.  

We had the greatest time with Maria, and what started out as a chance meeting ended up as a perfect afternoon! I love it when something so unexpected can turn into a great memory.  Thank you Maria,  we had a fab time with you! Xxxx

Flavourful!..............

TLate start today, we had a bit of a lie in before breakfast at Toscana.  The girls had set up a special seat for us, señoras Garcia, where I could paddle in the ornamental pond!!! They are so cheeky!!

So in with Marcos and Angel to our regular seat! They really do look after us.  The girls all came by for their candy, there's lots of good natured squabbling about who has what! shehily likes the M&S butter mints, the girls like the werthers and the boys get whatever's left!!  Everyone comes by for a sweetie every morning - thanks mum for getting them for everyone!!!

So lunchtime we went down for rock and burger on the beach, sans burger!!  This is a cracking couple of hours, watching the world go by,and listening to the rock music with the live band whilst drinking margaritas.

We went for a late lunch to the grill, herby chicken wrap for me, shrimp cocktail and tuna sandwich for Kev, before retiring to our outside day bed on the patio.

For dinner we went off to our first visit to the flavour market, Kev was t keen, but boy, did he change his mind!! One of the best evenings weve had here! Flavour market is all tapas style small portion plates - We took Luis's advice and choose three staters each and three main courses and we both LOVED everyone of them.  Kev could decide on a cerveza, so Luis said leave it to him, so he brought back 3! And three glasses, opened them all and invited Kev to try!! Lol! He did!! He was one happy bunny!!

Small platter of cheeses and meats whilst we looked over the blackboards, then This was what we had

Starters

Green beans with ham on toast

Chicken with garlic aioli on toast

Iced fruits marinated in alcohol (!)

Red sausage on toast

Smoked meat on skewer 

Mains

Tenderloin in garlic sauce x 2

Bell pepper stuffed with crab

Egg, potato and ham

Scallops with peaches

Courgette stuffed with goats cheese

Dessert

Pistachio turron

Fruit fitters

Saffron ice cream

It was a super meal, and I wish we'd gone earlier in our holidays!

So after dinner we retreated to the martini bar, for Brady Alexander's for me and pacificos for Kev (we had a quick look at the madonna show, but it wasn't really our thing).  When we just left, Ceasar called us back, he'd designed a special cocktail for me to go with my mint green blouse - no name yet he said!! It was delicious and had a melon base, we then had to creep out before he stopped us again!! Lol!

Staff member of the day - Freddy - we have to share the love around every day at lunchtime, some days it's Alberto, some days Angel or Marcos, yesterday it was Freddy who looked after us - he's very funny, always got a smile and is super efficient, he usually knows what I want before I ask! Love Freddy!

Mariamexico - vino Verdi information

Hi Maria, well Aldo and then Martin caught up with us last night, and Martin confirmed there was no Vino Verdi at the resort, however, he does have another fresh green white wine, made from the same grape as Vino Verdi called Lagar de Cervera, from the winery, D.o Rias Baixas in Spain.  The grape in vino Verde is an Albariño and the Spanish wine is produced in the north west of Spain very near the Portuguese border.  (I do listen Señor Martin! ;-). )

The wine is on the EPM wine list for $45 a bottle, and Martin would be happy to talk to you about it when you arrive.  He brought a bottle down for me to photograph for you for the blog.

Hope this helps!

Lazier days ...........

Quietish lazy day today!  Blue sky's, hot weather, not much to do except eat, sleep, swim, relax!!!

Very nice lunch at the grill today, we like to spread the love around, so today we were promised to Alberto.  After our meal, we said no to dessert, however a little later, Señor Pedro came back with these glasses of deliciousness - Todd listen up! - Creamy coconut ice cream, with Kaluhua poured over the top, literally wanted to die and go to heaven - love love love señor Pedro!!

After a little rest in the afternoon, we had a. Early dinner at Basmati - one of our favourite restaurants here at EPM.  Tender Murg Chicken, and Chicken tikka masala for me, and Murg Chicken and Lamb Rogan Josh for Kev.  Excellent meal and excellent service by Iris - check out the heart straw paper!  P.s. Love the basmati ambience - all the light and dark shadows!

After dinner we wandered out to Cafe Kafe to catch the end of the three Tenors show - they are very very good! And I wished we had seen more of them! A must for next time perhaps?

A couple of Cointreau limon nightcaps and a final bye bye with our young honeymooners and a early night for us.

Staff members of the day - Just want to give a Huge shout out and thank you to the large team of grounds staff, who work tirelessly in 90f+ heat to make all the grounds look so perfect.  I took a quick picture of the team in action yesterday and gave them a big bag of UK sweets.  Here's the picture, plus some photos of the perfect planting around the resort.  Enjoy!