ASPROVALTA: A FEW DAYS ON THE BEACH

 After my couple of days in Thessalonki I decided to spend some beach time in the north. It had been a toss-up between various locations but in the end I chose Asroprovala, a small beach town about two hours from Thessaloniki. I used to go camping there on my past trips when I was working on research for SHADOW.  This time I made the choice to go there rather than Thassos Island, which I love, or the Halkidiki penisula was because just as I was making plans for Greece, the tomb find at Amphipolis was made pubic. Asprovalta is close to Amphipolis and I decided that I'd take the chance on going to see this remarkable archaeological site. It all fit in with my wish to tour some of the novel's sites as well.

Athina Resort Hotel, Asprovalta

I booked myself into a nice hotel. I'd thought it was going to be right on the beach and it wasn't, but the beach wasn't far away, just a short walk. And the people at the hotel were very welcoming and helpful.

Appropriately, a road named Megalo Alexandrou (Great Alexander)

 

I rescued this little guy from the middle of the road.

The beach

 



A relaxing afternoon

The beach was about a 10 minute walk along a country road. It was a long stretch of sand and not very many people on it at that time of year. So I managed to have a couple of leisurely days just hanging out in the sun, swimming and enjoying a little rest.

The Hotel Gardens

In the evening I sat out in the big back yard of the hotel and wrote in my journal. There was a good restaurant at the hotel too though not many patrons enjoying the delicious food.

Breakfast

 



Dinner

On my second day I asked the hotel clerk to hire a taxi for me so I could make the trip to Amphipolis. The first time I'd been I had walked up the road to from the main highway, and second time took the local bus up to where the old hill fort used to be. This time, as my time was limited and I didn't fancy the long hike, I decided on a taxi ride. And as it turned out, I was glad that I did because the cab driver was familiar with the territory and knew exactly what to show me.

NEXT:  AMPHIPOLIS:  A VIEW OF THE TOMB

HAVE I DIED AND GONE TO SHANGRI-LA? THREE LUXURIOUS DAYS BY THE RED SEA

No kidding! I thought I’d died and gone to Shangri-la when we drove out of the desert and entered the exotic and luxurious Kempinski Hotel at Soma Bay on the Red Sea.  For a traveler like me who usually goes budget, even back-packs and camps, this sprawling Moorish style hotel-spa was like waking in a fairy-tale dream.  The hotel occupies a beachside area spanning 150,000 sq meters offering 325 rooms designer furnished with views overlooking the hotel lagoon and creation pools to the sparkling turquoise water of the sea.

As I surveyed the luscious landscape, the waterfalls, streams, heated swimming pools and the long stretch of beach I could only gasp and say “Wow!”  No wonder the Kempinski is known as the Pearl of the Red Sea!

Welcome to My Room!

 

After our long journey across the desert, I could hardly wait to go for a swim so I donned my bathing suit and headed for the beach.  Imagine! A chance to swim in the Red Sea (called that name because of the red coral reefs), a sea that I had long-ago heard about in Bible stories. I envisioned myself drifting in the crystal clear water. 

I started to wade out and went farther and farther from shore, the water barely reaching my shins!  Now I know how Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt across the sea. They waded across! Finally I squatted down so it appeared that I was submerged and had my friend Linda take my photograph, just so I could say I ‘swam’ in the Red Sea.

 

Wading in the Red Sea

 

Pretending to Swim



 Camels on the Beach

 

 

Then I returned to shore and joined my friends by the pool side.  It is such a large pool it was almost like swimming in the sea so I spent the rest of the afternoon splashing around and lolling in the sun by pool-side.

 

There’s pool-side restaurant, Al Mar, where sunbathers can order snacks or drinks.  The hotel’s main restaurant is The View where we were served a spectacular buffet dinner later that day.

 

Some of the Luxurious Surroundings 

 It was fun just hanging out in the vast and beautifully decorated main lounge area where we lounged on comfy couches and checked our emails on our iphones and tablets.

 In the evening Markos, Linda and I sat outside on the patio, ordered glasses of Egyptian wine (my favorite was the Omar Khayyam) and smoked a water pipe of pear flavored sheesah. This is a very communal type of pastime in Egypt, relaxing and sweet-tasting and not a narcotic smoked from a tall ornate pipe with long tubes for inhaling. Even a non-smoker like me enjoyed puffing away as we chatted and watched the glorious rosy sunset over the sea.

The Soma Bay Peninsula is 10 square miles but only 2 miles are developed. The Kempinski Hotel is one of several luxurious spa-resorts on the shores of Soma Bay.  Just down the beach we visited the Residence Des Cascade Resort, another spa hotel.   

 

 

We were taken around the 18 hole championship golf-course on a golf cart. This would appeal to most golfers, a par 72 course right by the sea the lush green fairways a contrast to the distant desert landscape. 

 

 

Later we stopped at the Breakers Hotel, designed for the more laid-back adventurous folks. There’s a dive centre and  a Kite House offering  kite surfing and kite racing on the long stretch of beach.  We watched dozens of brightly coloured kite-surfers, like giant butterflies, hovering over the water. You can take a 4 day kite-surfing course as well as learn how to scuba dive at the Dive Centre. There is also a volley ball training court.

 

 

 Nearby is the Soma Bay Thalasso & Spa, said to be the best spa in Egypt and one of the largest in the world. It has 65 treatments rooms offering everything from traditional massages and beauty treatments to the latest in aesthetic treatments and hydrotherapy administered by highly trained therapists.  It’s located at the Cascades Hotel but is available to guests in the entire Soma Bay area. 

 We were invited to return for a free spa treatment.  But Markos, Linda and I had other plans: a night out in the nearby city of Hurghada. I knew I’d be too tired to enjoy the fun if I went to the spa, so I passed up the chance.  Good job too, because Yves was too tired to join us as we set off by van for a night of adventure in the city.

www.kempinksi.com/somabay

http://www.residencedescascades.com/

www.somabayspa.com

 

 

 

NEXT:  Exploring the Night-life of Hurghada.

MY EXCELLENT LUXURY WEEKEND AT SEATTLE: Part 1 "Living it up at the Four Seasons"

 



A few months ago I submitted a donation to Passports with Purpose to buy books for schools in Zambia. This entitled me to be in line for a prize as a donor. I got lucky and won a two-day inclusive with breakfast stay at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seattle, a luxury hotel located right downtown in the heart of all the action, walking distance to many of the tourist attractions, Pikes Market, the Mariner's Landing and lots of great restaurants and shops.

The Four Seasons Hotel, Seattle WA

For me, usually a back-packer and definitely a 'budget' traveler, this was a huge opportunity to live it up in style in a city I have never stayed overnight in (though I've spent afternoons there while passing through en route to other places in the States.  I chose a weekend when I could attend the King Tut exhibit as well as take in some Seattle sight-seeing.

I arrive from the Greyhound Bus Station in a 'town cab' and was greeted by the hotel doormen who showed me into the lush lobby with it's tasteful art-work and fashionable furnishings.

It was, indeed, a 'luxury' stay.  The hotel staff was warmly welcoming and I was shown to a 9th floor suite with a partial view of Elliott Bay. The room was spacious and beautifully furnished. This was a room with a double bed and partial view of the Bay, worth $365 a night.

a comfy double bed

 

well stocked bar

 

work area with wifi hookup

 

 

Of course there was a big TV as well and comfortable chairs for lounging.  The bathroom alone was huge with the toilet and shower both in separate areas with glass doors.

 



 

the marble sink and deep bathtub

 

 

The hotel has an outdoor roof-top pool. (Yes, someone was out there swimming lengths!) and a fully equipped spa. The spas decor combines water, basalt rock and glass tile interpreting the Northwest's natural beauty. I had a chance at a discount but was so busy doing other things I didn't take advantage of it.

Dining room leading to the bar area

 

 

I did enjoy the dining room and the bar though because I had two breakfasts included in my complimentary stay. The dining room serves authentic Pacific Northwest cuisine.  It's tastefully decorated with detailed sculpture featuring woods native to the Pacific Northwest.with floor-to-ceiling windows providing a good view of Elliott Bay and the Olympic Mountains.

 

Breakfast #1: Eggs Benedict with a generous slice of ham and hash-browns, orange juice & coffee

 

Breakfast #2: Greek yogurt, crunchy granola and fruit with a mimosa for a special treat!

 

I was most impressed with all the staff at the hotel.  On my final day there I was allowed to leave my luggage in order to go to the King Tut exhibit and was provided with a taxi for my return trip to the bus depot that evening. It certainly was a memorable weekend and a real special treat. If you're looking for a luxury weekend away, I highly recommend the Four Seasons, Seattle.

 

Four Seasons Hotel, Seattle WA

99 Union Street.

www.fourseasons.com/seattle

 

NEXT: Part Two of my Excellent Seattle Adventure:  FUN ON MINER'S LANDING

 



MY CARIBOO ROAD TRIP: Part 2

QUIET WALKS AROUND QUESNEL

After my 10 hour bus trip, I arrived in Quesnel at 6.30 pm and was pleased to find that my hotel was located just across the parking lot of the Greyhound station. I'd checked in to the Billy Barker Inn & Casino for two nights. www.billybarkercasino.com  The very name of the hotel intrigued me and fit along with my planned adventure to Barkerville. William (Billy) Barker was the prospector famous for being one of the first to find a large amount of gold at Williams Creek where the town of Barkerville was established.

The hotel is built to look like the paddle wheelers that once plied the Fraser during the gold rush of the late 1800's. It's red smoke stack is visible from almost any corner of the town so once I went out exploring there wasn't much chance of getting 'lost'.  My pleasant little room was decorated in furnishings from the turn of the century really giving me a sense of being 'back in time'.

Quesnel is a pleasant little town, a perfect place to stop over if you are en route to Barkerville. From here I'll take a shuttle service into the old gold mining town.  If you don't have a car, the shuttle service is the only transportation into Barkerville.

My first venture was to walk about and explore the location and I was delighted to find that there are many options for exploring, something that came in very useful on my last day there when I had unfortunately missed my bus home and had to kill six hours browsing the town.

The town of Quesnel got it's name from Jule Maurice Quesnel who accompanied Simon Fraser (after whom the river is named) on his explorations down the Fraser River to the Pacific Ocean. It was originally known as Quesnellemouth to distinguish it from "Quesnel Forks" farther up the river, but by 1900 it was shortened to Quesnel.  As it was situated on the gold mining trail known as the Cariboo Wagon Road, it became the commercial centre of the Cariboo Gold Rush.  It is also the end of the Alexander Mackenzie Heritage Trail and was an important landing spot for the stern wheelers that plied the river.

Quesnel has a colorful history that includes the influence of the First Nations, pioneer explorers, Chinese immigration, gold rush fever and the fur trade. It's location at the confluence of the Fraser and Quesnel rivers has aided in the community's economic and cultural development. The entire area is rich in culture and history with various historical sites nearby.  The Chentsit'hala Carrier First Nations people met with Alexander Mackenzie when he traveled along the Fraser River in 1793 and in 1808, fur trader and explorer, Simon Fraser, camped at the junction of the rivers which today is the heart of Quesnel at what is now Ceal Tingley Park.  I was able to find these heritage sites as well as a number of heritage buildings while following the map of the Quesnel's Historical Heritage Walking Tour.

Across the river in this location known as the China Cut, is where the Chinese population settled. By the mid 1800's there was a sizable population of Chinese immigrants many of them prospectors seeking their fortune during the gold rush, others settling in Quesnel to become merchants and add to the town's economic and cultural growth.

Ceal Tingley Park, where you'll find the Quesnel Visitor's Bureau, is the site of Simon Fraser's camp.

I took the walk along the heritage trail by the river. There are markers along the way pointing out interesting historical information and locations. The river trail is good for cyclists and joggers too, and I met friendly people along the way, stopping now and then to enjoy the view and the day's warm sunshine.

I noticed a lot of attractive wood carvings around the town. This one was at the start of the walk I took by the river.

Here is the old Fraser Bridge, now just used for pedestrians.  I walked across it the first evening I was there.

There are displays of old equipment located along the heritage walk.  These are at one of the entrances to the path.

While browsing the town I also discovered several heritage buildings.  One of them was this church and the other was the Hudson Bay Company store.

 

There are many things to discover in Quesnel and even though I was upset for missing my bus on that last day there, I don't regret the opportunity it gave me to explore more of the town. I even found a perfect place to rest the last hour before finally catching the bus home.

NEXT: MY CARIBOO ROAD TRIP, part three:  WHERE IN THE WORLD IS WELLS?