I started my search for affordable accommodations as soon as I decided I wanted to go to Barcelona... Actually, no, I first considered Paris, and started looking for accommodations there. Prices in Paris are pretty steep (for me, anyways), even for February, so after having searched in vain for affordable accommodations in central Paris, I was pleasantly surprised how much of it is available in Barcelona (and I'm talking walking-distance-touristy part of Barcelona).
The options are plenty - hotels, hostels, inns, condos and so on. Of course, something like a condo might cost $400-500 per night; however, it often accommodates 6+ people, so you're looking at playing max $100 per night, if you travel in a group.
I read reviews, consulted various websites for deals, and eventually
ended booking though Expedia.ca, which gave me an option to pay at the
hotel (and the ability to cancel 24 hours prior). I ended up choosing Hotel Jazz, a slick and modern hotel just steps away from La Rambla, a busy tourist street, and almost everything else that you'd want to see here. Although this hotel is ranked as 3 stars, I personally feel that is a 3.5 :))) (they could probably make it a 4-star hotel, if they spent a bit of money and gave it a facelift). But we found our room to be comfortable and larger than expected! Even the beds were listed as "single" were wider that one would expect. And the hotel's location is just PRIMO!
Showing posts with label Tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tips. Show all posts
Friday, February 28, 2014
Friday, April 26, 2013
Spring's in the air (and on our skin)
Most people have a bottle or two from last summer, hanging somewhere around the house. But before you slather yourself and your kiddies with that, there are few things that you should keep in mind:
Friday, May 18, 2012
On the hunt for "PARABEN-FREE"...
What the heck are parabens you ask? According to Wikipedia, parabens are chemicals used as preservatives in cosmetics and pharmaceutical products. Check your bathroom, as parabens are often found in shampoos, moisturizers, shaving gels, spray tanning solutions, makeup and even toothpaste! They are also used as food additives.The main concern with METHYLPARABEN, PROPYLPARABEN, BUTYLPARABEN, ETHYLPARABEN, and ISOBUTYLPARABEN is that these can mimic estrogen and can act as potential hormone (endocrine) disruptors. For me, parabens can cause contact dermatitis :( Apparently, some of these parabens can react with UVB (i.e. when your skin is exposed to sun) and can cause skin aging and DNA damage as well.
But enough of the scary stuff!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Jamaica - Bob Marley Mausoleum
Alright, moving on to my adventure outside the resort #2... The Bob Marley Mausoleum. To tell you the truth, I'm not a huge fan or anything; I've heard his songs and kind of knew what Bob Marley was about. So why did I go on this excursion, you ask? Well, you know "when is Rome"! :)
Anyways, this was something about local culture, and is a BIG deal for the Jamaican people. I personally liked this one - it costs US$88 and included transportation there and back, the tour itself (local guide, not the one you ride with), and a nice lunch.
WARNING: Die-hard fans might be disappointed in this tour... although you'll learn a bit about Bob, you won't be given his full biography, so the main thing to remember is to go on this excursion with an open mind! :)
Through the hills and valleys, and after about a 2-hour bus ride (air-conditioned, thank God!) we arrived at Nine Mile village in the parish of Saint Ann (post on Jamaican countryside is coming!!!). The people here are welcoming and, as promised by other reviewers of this place, you'll see THE GUY selling THE STUFF... This is what they'll tell you: "You can smoke it there. If you can't smoke it, you can eat it. If you can't eat it, you can drink it. We take care of everybody!"
... that's where they unload the busloads of tourists. I gotta say, some of the people look like they got on the wrong bus! LOL! But then again, you just never know.
I personally didn't want to spend any money on that, but it's apparent how popular this "vendor" is!
Although you'll be going uphill, it's really not necessary to wear running shoes to this excursion, especially since you'll be taking your shoes off up ahead.
I do recommend going up the stairs while the others are still indulging. You'll be able to take some nice photos and just take in the scenery, it really is beautiful.
Stairs do not have ANY railing, so don't go crazy with all the weed available downstairs!!!
Okay now, I understand that some people get upset/frustrated with the commercialization of this place. Yes, you'll enter through their giftshop (where everything is a very good deal, apparently)... Yes, you'll go up a few more stairs and be faced with T-shirt vendor. You will also be offered a candle for US$1 to light in Bob's crypt. It's not as awful as some people pain it, and all you have to do though is to ignore all of this. Just go ahead of everyone, even a little bit... That's what I did, and I got the opportunity to take photos uncluttered with a crowd and I got to ask our guide a few simple questions one-on-one.
According to our guide, Nine Mile village, like many others in Jamaica, still has no running water in every house. Can you imagine that?! They wait for rain to fall, wait for said water to run down the limestone formation and get collected in the storage tank:
You'll learn a little bit about Bob Marley in the small museum-like room, with some of his albums and posters hanging on its walls, in addition to his mother's portrait and her old piano.
Next, you'll witness a great performance by a local band. And our guide participated too! His name was Benjamin; he's not Captain Crazy that everyone is raving about (and apparently, he's a Youtube celebrity of sorts now). BUT Benji was great - entertaining, funny, nice, and he spoke clearly and sang quite well too!
This is just about 3 minutes of a longer performance:
Once you're up there, Benji asked us to take off our shoes, as a sign of respect. Believe it or not, there were people that couldn't understand that part and were trying to argue!!! Some people...
All of the guides joke that you'll get your shoes tomorrow, after they've sorted trough the brand-named ones, LOL. But some people just don't have a sense of humor, I guess.
Before we entered either building, Benji described some of the things for us. The house you see on the left is really tiny, two rooms with barely any space for more than a single bed. The single bed that Bob slept on is still inside (though it says "no photography", they allowed us to snap a few shots). The mausoleum right next to the house is where Bob and his half-brother Anthony are resting in peace. Bob is the only one "6 feet up" as they say because he's laying in the top "bunk" of the crypt. The place beneath him was reserved for his mother, Cedella Booker, but when his brother got shot, she decided that the brothers should be together. She passed away in 2008 and is resting in a similar mausoleum next door.
Inside Bob's mausoleum is were you got to light a candle, if you purchased one, walk around his crypt and make a wish before blowing it out and leaving the candle there.
What I found to be a really neat thing about this place is that it puts things in context. Bob's "pillow", his single bed, the scenery he was looking at while writing some of his songs... it's al still there, even if the organizers dressed it up a little.
Another awesome thing was this - Benji was talking about references in Marley's songs, and he started to sing:
"I want to love you and treat you right,
I want to love you every day and every night,
We'll be together with a roof right over our heads,
We'll share the shelter of my single bed,
We'll share the same room, yeah! for Jah provide the bread.
Is this love, is this love, is this love,
Is this love that I'm feelin'?"...
With him these children started to sing. They popped out of nowhere, beyond the walls of the mausoleum. It was great hearing them sing!
A small point about children from this village - as I mentioned in the beginning of this post, I've come across reviews of disappointed fans that really did not like it here and were upset at how commercialized this place has become. Look at these kids! This village, by the looks of it, is holding together BECAUSE of this place, BECAUSE they cater to us tourists rather than shunning people away. These children have an opportunity to go to school, build by Marley's mother and named in her honour. Whatever the money this place makes, I'm sure that Marley and his family would be glad that they are able to continue to provide support for their home community.
I encourage you to come to this place and take it all in, you won't be sorry you did!
Oh, and bring some small bills here too, to tip these hard-working people :)
Anyways, this was something about local culture, and is a BIG deal for the Jamaican people. I personally liked this one - it costs US$88 and included transportation there and back, the tour itself (local guide, not the one you ride with), and a nice lunch.
WARNING: Die-hard fans might be disappointed in this tour... although you'll learn a bit about Bob, you won't be given his full biography, so the main thing to remember is to go on this excursion with an open mind! :)
Through the hills and valleys, and after about a 2-hour bus ride (air-conditioned, thank God!) we arrived at Nine Mile village in the parish of Saint Ann (post on Jamaican countryside is coming!!!). The people here are welcoming and, as promised by other reviewers of this place, you'll see THE GUY selling THE STUFF... This is what they'll tell you: "You can smoke it there. If you can't smoke it, you can eat it. If you can't eat it, you can drink it. We take care of everybody!"
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| This is supposed to be 18+ tour... I don't know, that kid in the corner eating a chocolate cake spiked with weed does not look 18 to me. I hope his dad (who I'm assuming is the guy next to him, also eating) knows what he's doing... |
Although you'll be going uphill, it's really not necessary to wear running shoes to this excursion, especially since you'll be taking your shoes off up ahead.
I do recommend going up the stairs while the others are still indulging. You'll be able to take some nice photos and just take in the scenery, it really is beautiful.
Okay now, I understand that some people get upset/frustrated with the commercialization of this place. Yes, you'll enter through their giftshop (where everything is a very good deal, apparently)... Yes, you'll go up a few more stairs and be faced with T-shirt vendor. You will also be offered a candle for US$1 to light in Bob's crypt. It's not as awful as some people pain it, and all you have to do though is to ignore all of this. Just go ahead of everyone, even a little bit... That's what I did, and I got the opportunity to take photos uncluttered with a crowd and I got to ask our guide a few simple questions one-on-one.
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| Water collecting "system", with images of the former Emperor of Ethiopia, Haile Selassie I, who is considered to be a Messaih by the Rastafarians |
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| What is interesting is that the piano says Witamyer, but when searching for this brand online, I only find Wittmayer pianos, hmmmm...... |
This is just about 3 minutes of a longer performance:
TIP #8: if you're bringing a video camera, pack a regular (photo) camera also! past this point, they won't let you videotape, but you can snap away in all places except inside the crypts.
Inside the gate and up the hill we went. It's breathtakingly beautiful, the nature, the flowers, the incline (not done up with stone)...
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| View from the top |
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| For the Rasta people, Bob lives... |
All of the guides joke that you'll get your shoes tomorrow, after they've sorted trough the brand-named ones, LOL. But some people just don't have a sense of humor, I guess.
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| Bob's house an his eternal resting place |
Inside Bob's mausoleum is were you got to light a candle, if you purchased one, walk around his crypt and make a wish before blowing it out and leaving the candle there.
What I found to be a really neat thing about this place is that it puts things in context. Bob's "pillow", his single bed, the scenery he was looking at while writing some of his songs... it's al still there, even if the organizers dressed it up a little.
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| Marley's single bed and his meditation rock, aka Bob's pillow |
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| Benji making a joke while imagining how Bob laying on his "pillow" |
"I want to love you and treat you right,
I want to love you every day and every night,
We'll be together with a roof right over our heads,
We'll share the shelter of my single bed,
We'll share the same room, yeah! for Jah provide the bread.
Is this love, is this love, is this love,
Is this love that I'm feelin'?"...
With him these children started to sing. They popped out of nowhere, beyond the walls of the mausoleum. It was great hearing them sing!
A small point about children from this village - as I mentioned in the beginning of this post, I've come across reviews of disappointed fans that really did not like it here and were upset at how commercialized this place has become. Look at these kids! This village, by the looks of it, is holding together BECAUSE of this place, BECAUSE they cater to us tourists rather than shunning people away. These children have an opportunity to go to school, build by Marley's mother and named in her honour. Whatever the money this place makes, I'm sure that Marley and his family would be glad that they are able to continue to provide support for their home community.
I encourage you to come to this place and take it all in, you won't be sorry you did!
Oh, and bring some small bills here too, to tip these hard-working people :)
... and that's my review of day spent well!
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Jamaica - Thinking Outside The Resort
As promised, let me share with you my thought on a few activities you can do while vacationing in the beautiful island that is Jamaica.
I have to admit, I was planning on staying on the resort the whole time we were there. Why? Well I thought since Jamaica is the capital of the crime world that it would be unsafe, period... and it's funny because I don't come from the safest country either if you read Canadian Border Services advisory (Belarus, my country of birth, not Canada). Let me just say - I WAS WRONG!
Now, I'm not saying you should just wonder out of the resort and walk about town, no. But since there's not much to buy (other than some rum if you're thinking of bring it back) I suggest spending the money you bring on some wonderful excursions. According to some reviews I've read, there are a few private/independent companies that offer great tours; but since we didn't take much time to research that we just booked our outside trips with what they had available at our resort (which was just fine).
Here are the tours that people from our group went on (in different combinations): Dunns River Falls (apparently, a must!), Dolphin's Cove, ATV off-road adventure (the boys love this activity), Zip-lining, Bob Marley Mausoleum, Montego Bay Shopping. I don't know if I'm forgetting anything...
Personally, I only ventured out twice: the Montego Bay Shopping & Sightseeing and the Bob Marley Mausoleum.
THE MOBAY SHOPPING & SIGHTSEEING
I think this "tour" was something like US$60, but honestly, there wasn't much sightseeing... Basically, the driver talked a little bit about the things we were passing while driving (like, "oh look, there are banana trees on your right"). So if you choose to take part in this tour, think of it as a group cab ride to the market with the bus driver coming to get you should the locals try to devour you!
TIP #6: don't recommend this trip if you're not into haggling at all.
Anyway, the shopping itseld was alright - you'll likely make 2 stops - one at the store with "good deals" where you'll REALLY have to haggle your way, and the second stop at something that looks like a crafts market.
Stop 1 - before buying anything, take a walk around your resort's gift shop and take note of what you'd like to buy and how much it costs there. You should use that as a benchmark. For example, I bought a shot glass for US$5, which I haggle for - original price was US$10; only later I saw the same shot glass at our gift shop for US$4! The "good deals" store will either have items with prices that are just ridiculous or no prices at all. You'll have to haggle your way down. I was able to get the shop owner from US$196 to US$130 (I bought shot glasses, magnets, postcards, t-shits and a baseball hat).
Stop 2 - the crafts market... This basically looks like a mini village of attached little huts that pretty much have the same things inside each one and a hut owner that begs you to come in and look (because they don't charge for looking!). Unless you are willing to buy something (and there are a few nice things in there, such as jewelry made of natural materials), DO NOT ENTER the hut! :)
TIP #7: Bring lots of small bills (1s and 5s) because you will not get change! What they will try to do is to get you to buy something from their friend's hut.
I gotta say, I'm alright with this sort of thing; from time to time we haggle in our markets in Belarus, but some people that were on the bus with us couldn't handle this and didn't like the experience that much. To each their own, I guess.
Here are some of the photos from that trip outside of the resort:
I have to admit, I was planning on staying on the resort the whole time we were there. Why? Well I thought since Jamaica is the capital of the crime world that it would be unsafe, period... and it's funny because I don't come from the safest country either if you read Canadian Border Services advisory (Belarus, my country of birth, not Canada). Let me just say - I WAS WRONG!
Now, I'm not saying you should just wonder out of the resort and walk about town, no. But since there's not much to buy (other than some rum if you're thinking of bring it back) I suggest spending the money you bring on some wonderful excursions. According to some reviews I've read, there are a few private/independent companies that offer great tours; but since we didn't take much time to research that we just booked our outside trips with what they had available at our resort (which was just fine).
Here are the tours that people from our group went on (in different combinations): Dunns River Falls (apparently, a must!), Dolphin's Cove, ATV off-road adventure (the boys love this activity), Zip-lining, Bob Marley Mausoleum, Montego Bay Shopping. I don't know if I'm forgetting anything...
Personally, I only ventured out twice: the Montego Bay Shopping & Sightseeing and the Bob Marley Mausoleum.
THE MOBAY SHOPPING & SIGHTSEEING
I think this "tour" was something like US$60, but honestly, there wasn't much sightseeing... Basically, the driver talked a little bit about the things we were passing while driving (like, "oh look, there are banana trees on your right"). So if you choose to take part in this tour, think of it as a group cab ride to the market with the bus driver coming to get you should the locals try to devour you!
TIP #6: don't recommend this trip if you're not into haggling at all.
Anyway, the shopping itseld was alright - you'll likely make 2 stops - one at the store with "good deals" where you'll REALLY have to haggle your way, and the second stop at something that looks like a crafts market.
Stop 1 - before buying anything, take a walk around your resort's gift shop and take note of what you'd like to buy and how much it costs there. You should use that as a benchmark. For example, I bought a shot glass for US$5, which I haggle for - original price was US$10; only later I saw the same shot glass at our gift shop for US$4! The "good deals" store will either have items with prices that are just ridiculous or no prices at all. You'll have to haggle your way down. I was able to get the shop owner from US$196 to US$130 (I bought shot glasses, magnets, postcards, t-shits and a baseball hat).
Stop 2 - the crafts market... This basically looks like a mini village of attached little huts that pretty much have the same things inside each one and a hut owner that begs you to come in and look (because they don't charge for looking!). Unless you are willing to buy something (and there are a few nice things in there, such as jewelry made of natural materials), DO NOT ENTER the hut! :)
TIP #7: Bring lots of small bills (1s and 5s) because you will not get change! What they will try to do is to get you to buy something from their friend's hut.
I gotta say, I'm alright with this sort of thing; from time to time we haggle in our markets in Belarus, but some people that were on the bus with us couldn't handle this and didn't like the experience that much. To each their own, I guess.
Here are some of the photos from that trip outside of the resort:
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| Now, I know it's hard to see it here, but this is their local REHAB... also known as the liquer shop and pool hall! |
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| At the crafts market |
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| Some local entertainment spots on Gloucester Avenue |
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| Gloucester Avenue |
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| See that Margaritaville on the corner? There is a free shuttle that will take you there (I think you need a reservation though) |
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| What you'd see standing next to Margaritaville... ahhhhhh... |
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| right across from the crafts market this beautiful tree grows... |
Coming up next, I will tell you all about our visit to the Bob Marley Mausoleum!
Monday, January 2, 2012
Jamaica - Our Resort
As I mentioned in my previous post (our flight), we arrived to Montego Bay direct from Ottawa - from about -5C to about +27C! That's right, the weather was AWESOME! The customs & luggage pick-up were quick, and shortly after arriving at around 1 pm, we were on our way. The Sangster International Airport's hustle & bustle reminded me of home :) So did the bus that was taking us to our resort, only 5-10 minutes away.
We stayed at Holiday Inn SunSpree All-Inclusive Resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica. It was advertised and sold as a 4-star resort. Well... it was not! More like a 3, maaaaybe a 3.5 stars max.
Here's my break down on things:
The check-in here is at 3 pm though our rooms were ready when we arrived. We were greeting by a rather long line-up to check-in and get room keys, but the punch & rum lifted our spirits :P
(oh and if you don't specify when ordering drinks, you'll be getting rum with a little bit of punch!)
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| Boy, was it ever strong! :D |
Our particular room was alright, the sheets were clean and the flat-screen TV had a decent amount of channels. However, we only had a shower and no tub, so forget about taking a soak (it was one of those low-ledge showers, with just a curtain so you gotta watch now to get all over the floor)! Also, the A/C was super loud - every time it kicked in, it sounded like a plane was taking off!!! Of course, the flip side - at least there was a working A/C :) Also, as I mentioned, OUR room was alright, but another room that people from our group got smelled moldy... :( I also understood why many people online commented about the bathroom doors - they ARE weird, sort of a take on French-style doors, only old and skinny. Not really a problem, just an observation. Oh, our bathrooms doors could not be locked.
TIP #2: do check out some of the recent reviews on websites like tripadvisor, etc. before you book your vacation!
One other annoying thing was the broken "Down" elevator button. We were on the 2nd floor, but with a stroller, we had to use the elevator. There was only one in our building, so we had to call it "Up" and then abuse the "1" button to go down right away. Most of the time it did, others we had to ride up to 4th then down to 1st... I don't know how the resort cleaning women did it... maybe they had some sort of a trick?! The button finally got fixed on Day 5 of our stay.
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| Yet another reason why this resort is NOT a 4-star resort... |
Now, about the resort itself...
SunSpree is comprised of 7 guest buildings, all 4 storeys high. Depending on the type of experience you're looking for, here's where you want to be:
TIP #3: Building choice
Try to get into buildings #1 and #2 it you are looking for entertainment and proximity to the main building (that's where the bulk of the food is). From these two buildings you will here the main stage and their resident band late into the night. These two buildings are also close to the pool if you prefer to swim in the pool; I just so for the sea! :)
Buildings #3 and #4 are close to the playground and watersports. There is also a nice beach and a towel hut located next to building #4.
Building #5 (this is where all of us stayed) is closest to 2 tiny beaches and the Jerk Hut & Bar.
Buildings #6 and #7 are close to a longer beach, the pier where you can catch the glass bottom boats, and (especially building #7) close to the adult section of the resort. There is a pool + Jacuzzi + bar + beach. I have heard that these 2 building are a little more updated and modernized, though I haven't actually been inside the rooms.
Bars
~ There are 4 places were you can get liquired up at this resort. The main bar is in the lobby and located next to a large sitting area. I made use of both a few times when my babe fell asleep in her stroller. This was actually nice, to sit down on the couch, cold drink in your hand and just relax!
Main bar is open 10am-1am.
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| Main bar by the lobby (10am-1am) |
~ Another place to get booze in the Barefoot Bar. It's next to the main beach and the main pool and Building #2. This one ALWAYS had a line-up for booze!!! But it also serves hot dogs, burgers and fries. The latter 2 were good, the hot dog - not so much (all beef, which I found dry)... This bar is open 11am-6pm (for food) and 10am-1am (for booze only).
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| The Barefoot Bar (11am-6pm & 10am-1am) |
~ Jerk Hut was good! Booze and jerk chicken/pork served with white bread are offered 12pm-6pm. This one was great and located right by our building #5! The only draw-back is that their chicken/pork are SPICY!!! So, not very kid-friendly...
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| The Jerk Hut (12pm-6pm) |
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| Mmmm.... delicious (and very spicy!) jerk chicken and pork! |
Fourth and final place for alcohol drinks is what they call the Bug Smaddy Bar, located in the "adults only" part of the resort. The cool thing about this ones is that you can swim up to it on the poolside. The lame AND more important thing is that it's only open 10am-6pm. This is an adults only area, for crying out loud!!! It's located on the very west side of the resort, but the only places to get booze after 6 pm are in the main area (Barefoot or the main bars).
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| Big Smaddy Bar (10am-6pm) |
This brings us to a VERY IMPORTANT tip, probably for all of the all-inclusive vacation destinations...
TIP #4: BRING YOUR OWN MUG!!! The bigger the better, trust me! Otherwise, you'll be running back and forth to get drinks (this includes non-alcohol ones as well). Of course, you can buy one at the resort gift shop for USD15 or haggle at a local store just outside of the resort (which is what hubby did, got 2 for USD20). But if you don't want to waste your time or money, bring your own. Especially if you're planning on hanging out at the adults only section. Expect line-ups in high season...
Non-alcoholic bevvies & food in general
Food wasn't great... It was.. "meh" at best! The buffet was more like a cafeteria; it didn't have much seafood, not much fruit, the kids section had only 3 options, which usually included fries, noddles, and some other unhealthy option :(... Hours for the buffet were weird: breakfast 7am-11am, lunch 12pm-2:30pm, and then we had to wait till 6pm for supper!!! So other than that, only burgers, hot dogs, nachos, ice cream, fries and jerk hut items were available...
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| Jus Kiddin (12pm-6pm): Expect a line-up even at a non-alcohol shack... |
TIP #5: Oh and the weirdest part:
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| ...and no room service! |
Stay tuned for more on activities on and off the resort. And, of course, more of the beautiful Jamaica!
Jamaica - Our Flight
Where do I begin?...
Okay, our flight to Montego Bay (aka Mobay, as locals and many regulars refer to it).
Although I consider myself a relatively frequent flyer, this was my first time flying with Air Transat. The flight started out quite nicely. Having paid for "Option Plus" (I'm still not quite sure what that means, some sort of a bonus on our economy class tickets), we got upped to 1st class! Though it's not much on the Airbus 310, the extra legroom, slightly better food and wider seats were much appreciated. Especially with a 15-month-old toddler! Our flight was direct from Ottawa to Montego Bay, so it only took about 4.5 hours. But boy, did it feel long!!! I've been on 10-hour flights, but this one just seemed to draaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaag... Maybe it's because we were anxious to get to the beach, or maybe because it took over 45 minutes to de-ice our plane in YOW.
Anyways, we arrived in one piece and so did our luggage, so we were happy to finally get out... to a HOT and STICKY airport... wearing our (relatively) warm clothing.
TIP #1: pack a pair of shorts and flip-flops into your carry-on. (this one a friend shared with me, so we were good to go!) Trust me, even wearing shorts, you'll be sweating buckets in line to get your passport stamped!
Our flight back to Ottawa - to summarize, IT SUCKED and why this is the last time I'm flying with Air Transat! Since we had a baby with us, as per usual airport procedure, people with babies get to board first. Usually an advantage, right?! WRONG! The air conditioner did not work, so it felt like being in the car in the middle of hot & humid summer with your windows rolled up and the A/C broken (apparently, some sort of "connection" didn't work at this airport). We waited like that for 45 minutes!!! I honestly thought that we were going to faint. My poor baby got all red and hot, I don't know how she made it. Of course, I also didn't realize how Air Transat devised this particular route: Ottawa, Canada -> Montego Bay, Jamaica -> Varadero, Cuba -> Ottawa, Canada. So people get off in Montego Bay and those going beck to Ottawa get on.
Meanwhile, people vacationing in Varadero sit on the plane and wait for this switch over to occur. When the plane arrives in Varadero, people get off in Varadero and those going back to Ottawa get on. We were those people waiting for a switch over to occur in Varadero. Only they decided to clean the plane in Varadero (rather than before we got on in Montego Bay), which meant we had to get off AND take all of our carry-on luggage with us. On top of that I had to carry my baby because there was no stroller available (our got sky-checked in Mobay). This procedure took about 30-45 minutes, after which we were let back on the plane, where A/C was not working! Again! I was pissed off at this point, especially since I got some major attitude for one of the flight attendant for standing with my baby closer to the door while people boarded. All I wanted was some air for her! I ended up actually stepping off the plane onto the jet bridge and return after most passengers had boarded.
On we flew, and one person in our group got hit on the head with what looked like a case with those special cassettes that they use for in-flight entertainment. He was sitting just under their overhead compartment and when the attendant opened it to switch a cassette - ironically, to the safety procedures! - that box when straight down!!! So much for them preaching to all of us passengers to open those bins slowly because "the contents could shift during the flight"...
Once we arrived in Ottawa, the airport crew wasn't ready, which added to even more frustration on the part of passengers in general and one in particular - my kid was DONE with this 4.5-turned-6-hour trip! The plane was basically sitting idle, so my hubby stood up with her (the only thing that would keep her quiet) and was told to sit down. So I did the same - and of course, was ask to sit down also.... which I refused to do (ha-ha!) :P Honestly, what was he going to do? Kick me off the plane? PLEASE!!!
Anyways, our bags came out early, but our stroller was nowhere to be found. Finally they brought it out and OUT we went. Our car, which we left at the airport parking lot, would, of course, not start, but after a few boosts we were on out way home... Wow, does it ever feel good to be home after a experience like that!
Although I consider myself a relatively frequent flyer, this was my first time flying with Air Transat. The flight started out quite nicely. Having paid for "Option Plus" (I'm still not quite sure what that means, some sort of a bonus on our economy class tickets), we got upped to 1st class! Though it's not much on the Airbus 310, the extra legroom, slightly better food and wider seats were much appreciated. Especially with a 15-month-old toddler! Our flight was direct from Ottawa to Montego Bay, so it only took about 4.5 hours. But boy, did it feel long!!! I've been on 10-hour flights, but this one just seemed to draaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaag... Maybe it's because we were anxious to get to the beach, or maybe because it took over 45 minutes to de-ice our plane in YOW.
Anyways, we arrived in one piece and so did our luggage, so we were happy to finally get out... to a HOT and STICKY airport... wearing our (relatively) warm clothing.
TIP #1: pack a pair of shorts and flip-flops into your carry-on. (this one a friend shared with me, so we were good to go!) Trust me, even wearing shorts, you'll be sweating buckets in line to get your passport stamped!
Our flight back to Ottawa - to summarize, IT SUCKED and why this is the last time I'm flying with Air Transat! Since we had a baby with us, as per usual airport procedure, people with babies get to board first. Usually an advantage, right?! WRONG! The air conditioner did not work, so it felt like being in the car in the middle of hot & humid summer with your windows rolled up and the A/C broken (apparently, some sort of "connection" didn't work at this airport). We waited like that for 45 minutes!!! I honestly thought that we were going to faint. My poor baby got all red and hot, I don't know how she made it. Of course, I also didn't realize how Air Transat devised this particular route: Ottawa, Canada -> Montego Bay, Jamaica -> Varadero, Cuba -> Ottawa, Canada. So people get off in Montego Bay and those going beck to Ottawa get on.
Meanwhile, people vacationing in Varadero sit on the plane and wait for this switch over to occur. When the plane arrives in Varadero, people get off in Varadero and those going back to Ottawa get on. We were those people waiting for a switch over to occur in Varadero. Only they decided to clean the plane in Varadero (rather than before we got on in Montego Bay), which meant we had to get off AND take all of our carry-on luggage with us. On top of that I had to carry my baby because there was no stroller available (our got sky-checked in Mobay). This procedure took about 30-45 minutes, after which we were let back on the plane, where A/C was not working! Again! I was pissed off at this point, especially since I got some major attitude for one of the flight attendant for standing with my baby closer to the door while people boarded. All I wanted was some air for her! I ended up actually stepping off the plane onto the jet bridge and return after most passengers had boarded.
On we flew, and one person in our group got hit on the head with what looked like a case with those special cassettes that they use for in-flight entertainment. He was sitting just under their overhead compartment and when the attendant opened it to switch a cassette - ironically, to the safety procedures! - that box when straight down!!! So much for them preaching to all of us passengers to open those bins slowly because "the contents could shift during the flight"...
Once we arrived in Ottawa, the airport crew wasn't ready, which added to even more frustration on the part of passengers in general and one in particular - my kid was DONE with this 4.5-turned-6-hour trip! The plane was basically sitting idle, so my hubby stood up with her (the only thing that would keep her quiet) and was told to sit down. So I did the same - and of course, was ask to sit down also.... which I refused to do (ha-ha!) :P Honestly, what was he going to do? Kick me off the plane? PLEASE!!!
Anyways, our bags came out early, but our stroller was nowhere to be found. Finally they brought it out and OUT we went. Our car, which we left at the airport parking lot, would, of course, not start, but after a few boosts we were on out way home... Wow, does it ever feel good to be home after a experience like that!
Friday, July 22, 2011
Nursery Closet project 2011
My daughter's room has been finished for a while now; however, there was one thing left - her closet doors. They are quite wide and tall as well = expensive to replace... But they really were an eyesore and totally didn't flow with the rest of the room.
A while back we were at Home Depot I forget for what, but while I was waiting for hubby to get his stuff, I noticed this Martha Stewart raised wallpaper stand. I was intrigued! Turns out all you really need to install them is glue. So... I bought a container of ready-to-use wallpaper glue and a roll of wallpaper.
Many weeks later, I got my sister to help glue them onto the nursery closet doors :)
Our supplies:
Before and after:
The pattern:
Now we just have to decide whether or not to paint it...
A while back we were at Home Depot I forget for what, but while I was waiting for hubby to get his stuff, I noticed this Martha Stewart raised wallpaper stand. I was intrigued! Turns out all you really need to install them is glue. So... I bought a container of ready-to-use wallpaper glue and a roll of wallpaper.
Many weeks later, I got my sister to help glue them onto the nursery closet doors :)
Our supplies:
Before and after:
The pattern:
Now we just have to decide whether or not to paint it...
Monday, May 9, 2011
Roll Call
My girlie is 7.5 months now, so I thought it would be good to look back at how many new things my baby has tried, food-wise.
FRUITS
What are your baby's favourites?
FRUITS
- Apples
- Pears
- Avocado (hates it, see: the "eating avocado" video)
- Banana (liked it after the 2nd try)
- Mango
- Banana + Grape + Prune mix
- Carrots
- Sweet Potatoes
- Butternut Squash
- Peas
- Cauliflower
- Rice
- Oatmeal
- Barley
- Mixed cereal w/ fruit
- Chicken
- Egg Yolk
What are your baby's favourites?
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Baby's first foods, continued...
A few simple steps, and the butternut squash puree is DONE!
How I did it:
1) I've read up HERE on how to bake this vegetable (I've never cooked it before!)
2) After scooping it into a large cup of the Magic Bullet, the squash was blended in a matter of seconds
3) After adding a little bit of water and blending it some more, the mixture was the right consistency :)
4) This time there was so much puree (and I once used half of the squash) that I froze it in the rubber IKEA heart-shaped ice tray
5) Once frozen, I transferred the frozen cubes to an air-sealed freezer bag. Done and done!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Baby's first foods
When my little Miss V turned 4 months old (2 weeks ago) I started contemplating whether I wanted to start giving her the first tastes of solid foods. I decided to start with homemade apple puree. It actually went well - although she made a face at her first "bite", she was grabbing my hand and is starting to realize that she has to open her mouth when the spoon come at her, he-he : )))
So since it's been almost 2 weeks, I figured she's ready for her next fruit/vegetable. My next choice? Carrots. But I choose baby carrots because I find them to be sweeter than "regular" carrots. I also decided to mix the carrot puree with the apple to make the mix sweeter and tastier (steamed, pureed and no sugar added!). Personally, I think it tastes GREAT! And look how much puree 1 apple and 80 g of carrots made! 2 weeks worth!
Besides the fact that it's natural and homemade (gives me control over the preparation method and I know that nothing else was added), it's also cheap. Love it!
 |
| 80 g of baby carrots + 1 "Red & Delicious" apple |
 |
| Made purees ready to be mixed |
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| apple + carrots (about 1:1) |
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| 2-week supply! |
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