Cruise life

Unbelievably we've been home a week already since our superb cruise with Tui on Marella Explorer. It was only our second cruise, the first being on her sister ship Marella Explorer 2 in 2019.  The two ships are very similar but Explorer 2 is adults only; it was quite nice to have familiar surroundings although we did still get lost a few times. 

Our early morning flight from Cardiff meant that although our journey was 4 hours plus transfer we arrived in daylight and warm 20°C sun. Being in the Canary Islands had one advantage, we didn't need to change our clocks.

Our balcony cabin was lovely and quite spacious, I'm tall so for me the bed was a bit low to the ground but very comfy. There was plenty of storage space, a good size sofa and a ensuite with a large shower. Our cabin stewards were amazing, tidying up every morning (although we are tidy anyway), providing clean cups and glasses and leaving us some cruising companions. They also turned the bed every night leaving a Marella chocolate on our pillow. 

There was plenty of room on the balcony to enjoy a coffee, a glass of wine or a beer. Our cruise was all inclusive; a quick lift ride up to the bar, a quick ride back and hey ho drinks on the balcony. 

The balcony was not so inviting on the two days we travelled to Maderia and back as the sea was choppy with a 4m swell and plenty of wind. However it was so nice to get outside for some fresh air when the ship was a bit too wobbly. I'm not sure I could be in an inside cabin or window cabin as although they are the same size I need to get outside.

Our previous cruise on Marella Explorer 2 was for a special occasion and we did upgrade to the premium package but this time we decided to have just the All Inclusive package. The only difference is the drinks available, there's plenty of choice but the big brand names are an added cost. All Inclusive does not include the speciality coffees from the Coffee Lounge but I only drink black coffee and after dinner in the Latitude 53 restaurant speciality coffees are available to everyone.

The All Inclusive drinks were far more choice than we expected; prosecco, cava, pinot grigio, sauvignon blanc, merlot, cabernet sauvignon, Sandiman or Cockburns port, Johnnie Walker Red, Jamiesons, Fundador brandy, Metaxa, Gordon's gin, vodka, Bailey's, Foster on draught, John Smith's on draught and bottled beers including San Miguel, Peroni and Bira Moretti. There were plenty of soft drinks by the glass, cocktails and mocktails; I even had an Irish coffee one evening. 

Food on board was delicious with so much choice. Market Place was a huge buffet restaurant which served breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner with each night having a different theme; Greek, Italian, Chinese.

Breakfast choice each morning was a full English buffet including fried bread, omelettes cooked to order, fruit, cereals, cold meats, cream cheese and smoked salmon,  plenty of fruit juices and coffee too.

We rarely had lunch but if peckish Hubby enjoyed pizza from the Italian restaurant and I had cooked to order pasta. We did have some superb salads from Market Place too. 

In the evenings we dined in Latitude 53, a beautiful two level dining room with full waiter service. The three course dinners were superb, each evening the menu changed slightly with some dishes such as prawn cocktail starter, chicken main and cheese & biscuits dessert being available every day. 

Our days were spent on shore exploring the Canary Islands and Maderia which I'll be writing about in a separate post. For me the evenings on board were the special times of our cruise. It was lovely to get ready for dinner; not overly posh, but a change from casuals and shorts. The Lounge bar was first, always busy with everyone having pre-dinner drinks listening to live music, followed by our delicious three course meal finishing with an espresso coffee and glass of port, then ending the evening with a live entertainment in the Broadway Show Lounge.

The shows were absolutely amazing, as is the Broadway Show Lounge with plush seating and small tables for your complimentary drinks ... yes more drinks offered as you entered the theatre. 

During our cruise we enjoyed a show about Elton John's life including all his famous hits, Rockology (which we saw twice as it was so good), Pop Icons, Musicals (a superb selection including an amazing Phantom performance) and finally a brilliant show similar to the Greatest Showman including a trapeze artist on a hoop above the stage. 

A couple of evenings the show was changed slightly due to the weather as it was too rocky for the dancers but the singers still put on a fantastic show. All the singers, dancers and musicians were outstanding, it was such a treat to see a show every night.

There were many places to sit and just relax on board; out on the decks although it was a bit windy, round the pool (we're not pool people), out on the rear deck patio or in the Mediterranean bar with it's retractable sun roof. This is where we enjoyed our final coffee on our last morning whilst waiting for our transfer back to the airport. 

We have had an amazing time, in many ways better than before as we visited a port most days and although no warm evenings watching the sun go down out on deck (it's dark by 6pm in the winter) we did enjoy our full evenings on board. The highlight for me was the superb double level with huge panoramic windows Latitude 53 restaurant (the dark blue windows) and the Broadway Shows.

Thank you to everyone on Marella Explorer - our week was superb, hope to be onboard again to enjoy your amazing hospitality.

Day trip to Lye

Lye? No I hadn't heard of it either and only discovered it when our lovely son gifted me a Gin Afternoon Tea at Windsor Castle Inn

Lye is just outside Stourbridge and being honest it isn't really a location to visit, however the pub, brewery and distillery is a must! 

We decided to go on Hubby's birthday as going by train meant going through Birmingham and was a great opportunity for breakfast and evening drinks. Hubby really enjoyed his full English at the Sun on the Hill; I had their Spanish breakfast which was potatoes and chorizo topped with an egg, it was delicious but a huge portion.

As Hubby's birthday is just before Christmas we could also enjoy the Birmingham Christmas German Market. The market stalls and Christmas tree looked amazing in the blue December skies but the market was a bit disappointing. The only German reference was the bratwurst and steins of beer .... every other stall was either food or drink, all the same and very expensive. Austrian and Hungarian Christmas markets are full of many food and drink stalls but all selling different items and there are many different crafts on sale. I haven't been to the Birmingham one for a few years, if you want a night of eating and drinking under the stars in a log cabin atmosphere it would be a great place to go.

The train to Lye was direct from Snowhill Station, it was very interesting to see the west side of Birmingham. The Windsor Castle Inn was a short walk from the station was a super surprise when we walked in. The bar was a proper bar with a superb selection of beer, not just lagers. We were very conscious that we were having a Gin Afternoon Tea but could not resist a beer first, just two halves. 

The pub was quite busy with works Christmas parties which gave a very festive fun atmosphere. We had no idea what to expect, our first delemia was which gin. Beginning with Dr Hardewicke's Gin we also tried their Christmas Gin. Both were amazing, clean and full of flavour.

Our Afternoon Tea arrived: a plate of delicious sandwiches, two large pigs in blankets as it was Christmas, mini mince pies and a selection of mini desserts. It was so delicious, I cut my desserts in half to try them all and then enjoy the other halves in order of favourite... it was a hard decision.

We were not ready to leave, we would have stayed all night hee hee, so we had another beer. I opted for a half of Letterhead Stout, full of chocolate, vanilla and marshmallow flavours ... it was a superb pudding beer. Hubby enjoyed a pint of their Bumblesbees Pale Honey Ale, there was so much variety it was hard to choose.

As a treat to myself I bought their festive tasting box which contained five different gins, mixers and all the recommended garnishes. The packaging was so clever, very simple, very planet friendly with the gin being the highlight. It has been very nice to enjoy these gins at home over the festive season ... cheers.

It was a superb Tea, we are hoping to visit again one day even if it is 45 miles away or a two hour train journey. I have however discovered that they have accommodation so there's an option. 

Thank you Windsor Castle Inn for a superb birthday gift for me and great birthday day out for Hubby.

Les Miserables in Cardiff

Hubby surprised me on Christmas Day with tickets to see Les Miserables in Cardiff. 

I have walked past, and admired the Millennium Centre so many times. I was as excited to go inside as I was to see my absolute favourite show.

The words are actually windows, a clever way of illuminating them without extra lighting, the entire building is environmentally conscientious. It was quite surreal to stand behind Crev. 

Our seats were very high up but thankfully there were plenty of rails along each row. The first time we saw Les Miserables was at the Palace Theatre on the corner of Shaftsbury Avenue in London. 

We sat in the Gods then and I was captured not only by the story and the music but by how the stage setting was so clever to ensure even those looking down were kept in the story ... when Fantine passed away the bed was carried completely off stage, not just into the dark ... that for me makes Les Miserables so absorbing.

This production met that perfectly, everything we saw was the story. In truth if you haven't seen Les Miserables before you may wish to sit lower down as face recognition it tricky from on high, the main characters are obvious but having seen it over 10 times I can now enjoy observing the other characters. That said I enjoyed every 'word perfect mouthing' second!

The live orchestra was superb although we couldn't see them. I have always wanted to play the harp which has some important moments i  Les Miserables. A huge round of applause to all the musicians.

A massive massive thank you to my thoughtful superb Hubby ... what a treat!

Christmas wine tasting

Christmas was the theme of our recent wine tasting with our scouting friends. Our HQ always looks lovely set up, the mural depicts our Group's history from 1914 in our original hut to the present day, a great back drop.

Each place has the wine list with tasting notes along with a place setting for two glasses (odd and even numbers to match the list). Everyone also had a small plate of nibbles for pairing with some of the wines.

All our wines were purchased at Tesco or Sainsbury's taking advantage of their '25% off six or more bottles'. Our first wine was Tesco Finest Blanquette de Limoux. France produces sparkling wine as well as champagne, the two main styles are Blanquette and Cremant.

Blanquette

The name 'Blanquette' comes from the Mauzac grape which develops a white down on the vines leaves - hence 'blanc' or white. Blanquette de Limoux must contain at least 80% of its primary grape, Mauzac. Other grapes included in the blend can be Clairette, Chenin Blanc or Chardonnay which is used to add highlights to the wine.

Blanquette is made using 'methode champenoise' having a secondary fermentation in the bottle before final bottling after nine months. This sparkling wine is fresh and dry with a yeasty edge. It has a pale yellow colour with glints of green. Blanquette de Limoux is slowly cooled to 6/7 degrees which produces flowing lines of brisk bubbles.

Cremant

This sparkling wine is predominantly made from Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc which produces rounded flavours with a fine mousse. The wine is matured on its lees for 12 months before final bottling, again using the Champagne method. Cremant de Limoux has a paler colour with yellow highlights and finer bubbles than those in Blanquette. 

As an alternative to starting Christmas with bubbles our second wine was The Rose Garden produced by Boschendal. This light South African rosé has plenty of summer fruit with a subtle spice edge. Although probably more of a summer wine it was a perfect aperitif wine with its soft balance and fruit finish .

With Christmas in mind the next two wines were paired with Christmas dinner starters: seafood and pate. Paul Mas Heritage was our pairing for seafood - Lobster crisps were a substitute and did pair well with this Clairette wine. From Southern France, this wine had plenty of fresh fruit and apple flavour with blossom high notes. 

The wine to accompany pate our red wine was Luis Felipe Edwards Gran Reserva Pinot Noir. From the Leyda Valley in Chile these grapes ripen slowly resulting in a deep red fruit flavour. Aged in oak barrels gives this wine soft tannins and a lengthy finish. It paired well with the pate but would be equally as good served with the main Christmas dinner. 

It can be difficult to pair wines to Christmas dinner, do you match the meat which can vary from turkey to beef; or the delicious vegetables, stuffing or roasties? I decided to match to turkey and beef with everyone have two slices of each and importantly a little jug of gravy. 

It isn't only matching the food but everyone's preferred wine style, therefore for each meat we tried two wines. With turkey our two white wines were Yealands Sauvignon Blanc for those who enjoy a dry crisp wine, and Bellingham Chardonnay for those who like a slightly creamier wine. 

From New Zealand Yealands Sauvignon Blanc was full of crisp stone fruits with a super tropical aroma, It paired well with turkey but maybe without the gravy which slightly flattened the wines mineral finish. 

My preferred turkey with gravy match was Bellingham's Chardonnay with it's creamy flavour of butterscotch and hint of orange peel. It added a depth to the turkey and gave a lovely citrus finish. 

Our two wines for pairing with beef were Brancott Estate Merlot and Cru des Cotes du Rhone Vinsobres. Again it depends on individual palate preferences and with or without gravy. The Merlot was full of dark fruits with woody notes, soft tannins and a long finish. It was delicious with the beef and gravy but a little strong with the beef alone.

My favourite pairing was the French Cru des Cotes du Rhone from the village of Vinsobres. It was so inviting with its dark red colour and scarlet highlights leading on to warm fruit aromas. Its full fruit flavour with a hint of herbiness and lengthy finish really was delicious. 

Our final wines were wines to enjoy with or without food, sitting home on a cosy night or enjoying with friends. Two white wines and two red wines to be enjoyed by everyone. 

St Mont is a wine from the South of France that is not always available so when we see a bottle we buy one. A Tesco Finest wine that is made from Gros Manseng, Petit Courbu, Arrufiac and Petit Manseng. it's a light crisp wine that is full of citrus and white fruit. it is especially good with a cheese board but delicious unaccompanied. 

Our final white was also from the South of France; Elegant Frog Viognier. This super wine from Jean-Claude Mas is aged in oak barrels which enhances the aromas of dried fruits and vanilla. Enjoyed on it's own or with food this Viognier for me is a must at Christmas.

Vina del Cura Rioja is quite a weighty wine which some may enjoy with Christmas dinner whilst others may prefer it as a wine to enjoy later in the evening. A Crianza Rioja with soft vanilla tones and peppery spice. Aged for 12 months in oak barrels it is full of ripe berries 

Our final wine was 'Merry' Malbec from Trivento, a crimson red in colour with plum and raspberry aromas. This wine's vanilla notes are well balanced with sweet tannins and a smooth finish. Trivento Malbec is one of my favourite wines to drink unaccompanied. 

All the wines were superb and although paired as if for Christmas Day they can be enjoyed on any occasion. Tesco Finest St Mont was the overall favourite white, a new discovery for many, however there was no overall red favourite with all being enjoyed. 

Merry Christmas, enjoy the festivities with those you love enjoying good food and wine - cheers!

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La Coupole and the Blockhaus

On the last day of our holiday we visited La Coupole and the Blockhouse. Both are in Northern France so ideal to see if traveling to Calais, each take a couple hours as there is so much to see. 

Hubby and I have visited before but as with most things you take more in the second time. Both are so overwhelming: in size, in reason and in emotion.

I have copied online overviews to explain each place.

La Coupole - 

Situated 5km from the town of Saint-Omer, La Coupole is a gigantic underground bunker designed by the Germans, in 1943-1944.

La Coupole is one of the great relics of the Second World War in Europe. The underground bunker was used to store, prepare and launch the V2 rockets, the secret weapon that Hitler was counting on to destroy London.

The tunnels are so long, and cold, and lead to the central dome which is now a museum with exhibits and videos explaining about how and why La Coupole was constructed, scary thinking about what could have been. 

The Blockhaus -

The biggest bunker in the north of France, witness of the 1939-45 dark age, from 1939 to 1945.
Open to the public since 1973 and listed "Ancient Memorials" in 1985.

A 90min-visit, alone or with your family, to discover and learn the history of the Eperlecques Bunker, the technologie of the V2 & V1 secret weapons, in a wooded parc,

The scale is unbelievable, it leaves you speechless. 

These two amazing structures were built for war, the same as many of our castles in the UK but there is definitely a different feeling and atmosphere walking around them. Maybe because the history is more recent.

Bayeux

Unfortunately our visit to Bayeux, a medieval town with cobbles streets and half-timbered houses, was a rainy day: and a Monday, which in France means limited shops are open. 

However it didn't spoil our day, the houses are amazing as they expand outwards as they go upwards. The reason ... taxes! Something we all have to, but don't like to, pay. Housing tax was on the footprint of your property so having a small ground floor lessened your tax, quite a clever idea really.

French towns and villages always amaze me as walking amongst the shops and commercial buildings you often discover a river or stream. The waterways always seem to be as important as the buildings around, not something we do here in the UK. 

This watermill was just opposite the large museum building and town offices. It was quite tranquil amidst the busy town. 

Bayeux Cathedrale stands on a slope as you can see from the bottom layer of stones being different quantities to give a level floor at the top of the first arch. The stone was a beautiful yellow, the rain made it stand out even more against the grey sky.

The frontage was magnificent, such intricate carvings on it's arches and high towers. once inside the height of the ceiling was even more impressive. 

I am often surprised by the interiors of churches and cathedrals, some are quite cold in both temperature and atmosphere. This Cathedrale was full of warmth, the decorations on the walls and floors showed great wealth and importance. It was touching to see the Memorial Plaque, thiss is in other Cathedrales and churches around northern France. 

Our main reason for visiting Bayeux was to see the famous tapestry depicting the Battle of Hastings. We have seen it before when our children were young but this time I had chance to concentrate rather than answering lots of questions. 

Earlier this year we visited Battle in Hastings so now we had bee to the location of the battle the tapestry was even more interesting. For understandable reasons no photos can be taken of the tapestry, I would certainly recommend visiting if you are in the area. 

We had a super time in Bayeux even if it was a little wet.