Back at home

We are back at home. I was a bit too tipsy to post on our last day in Rhodes after I drank a whole bottle of wine.  My wife, daughter and I, had spent the morning at the beach, but I returned to our room just before two, to have lunch in the restaurant with my son. In the evening we had a meal in one of the hotel restaurants, this being a pizza restaurant. They made good American pizza’s, but I much prefer Italian ones which have a thinner crust and base.  This also meant that we missed out on Casino night as I decided to power nap and my son decided not to gamble. 

Our day travelling to the UK was uneventful apart from me forgetting to claim VAT back on purchases until after we had gone through passport control.

My son and I started to watch Ashoka, but we were both too tired to continue this and had to retire to bed. Hopefully we will get to watch it together again. I do wonder where all the people trained in the force hid during the rule of the Empire. It was bad enough with how Snoke came to be about in the poorly written sequel films (episodes vii-x). Now there are more Jedi? 

Also, we now have Leia back. She was ecstatic to see us when we got her from the dog sitter. I got in trouble for taking treats with me but she has been for a short walk with me and a longer one with my daughter. I also have had a nap today and she has slept with me, but has woken me up each time she has decided to jump off the bed to see what the other family members are up to.

Day eleven on Rhodes

Tomorrow is our last full day on Rhodes. I am going to miss it. My wife and son went with me to Rhodes were we went on a city tour, had an amazing lunch. The pick up and drop off point for the tour was at the cafe, which is where we rested before and after the tour.

The heat in the town was oppressive but the sights were impressive. My son and wife shopped and on getting back I cooled off with a swim in the ocean. My daughter found a school of fish, a sea snail and a crab using my goggles.

Back at the room, my son pushed me in the pool which was appreciated as I needed to wash the salt off me while my daughter showered first.

Tomorrow the plan is to relax for our last day and I guess do some preparatory packing. While there have been annoyances staying here, overall, it has been a great holiday.

Innocent until proven guilty

 Recently, Mason Greenwood has been allowed to leave ManUre, basically because of what he did to his partner. 

It turns out that the team had wanted to keep him, but it appears that a whistleblower did the right thing and exposed this.

Based on the premise of innocent until proven guilty, he is innocent of the charges he faced. But the video that has been widely shared seems to indicate otherwise. I am glad that the right thing has been done as actions should have consequences, and if he was allowed to continue playing football for ManUre, that would have sent the wrong message to those engaging in domestic violence.

Day ten on Rhodes

 

Today has not been the best of days, but it did have high points, and example of this was swimming with my daughter in a very calm sea.

However, we have not had decent access to WiFi for the last few days. I have spoken to people and they have given us the excuse that too many people are using it. It would make sense if this was when Framissima was holding events close to us, but this has been an issue in the early hours of the morning, and the WiFi works perfectly near reception.

Also we have a mouse. I mentioned this yesterday, it was not sorted and my wife today was told that we had been offered and declined the option to change rooms yesterday. This was not offered to us yesterday, but we did take them up on the offer, only to change our minds when we saw the alternative room. Basically we would prefer to have a mouse than a room that smells of damp and has a carpet so stained that my wife and daughter would not walk barefoot on.

But things are calmer now. I do love the setting of this place and the staff at the bars and restaurants as well as the cleaners have been lovely. The staff in reception will get an interesting review when we leave… 

Day nine on Rhodes

 

What a full day. We hired a car and went first of all to The Valley of Butterflies. My wife waited in the car having no interest in seeing it, but it was amazing. We went right to the top, out of the valley into the heat where I became the Lord of Flies.

After this, it was a long anticipated drive to Lindos where my son and I climbed up to see the acropolis. What an amazing place but doing so did tire me out, hence me going to bed early now. I am surprised that he had so much energy, but he has rested a lot more than me.

Day eight on Rhodes

 Another day doing nothing. A downside is that the WiFi is down most of the time in our room, but I have increased the data available for my son. My daughter has her own data but they do use my iPhone as a hot spot. I did bring this up with the hotel staff yesterday but they were not too helpful. 

Tomorrow we are planning to go for a drive, tonight my wife has seen how the French dance in unison.

Day seven on Rhodes

 I thought that the French lived so long because they were miserable. That is a poor joke based on an incorrect stereotype. It has been thought that they love long because of their diet. I think it is the exercise that they do. 

Last night, the reps put on an a brilliant and very energetic show and then got us all to dance. The number of dances that a French person seems to know is amazing. And they all appear to know the moves. Anyone who says that white people cannot dance has not seen the French dance. They put us to shame but it was still a fantastic night and my daughter and I are looking forwards to seeing what is happening tonight.

Today, was another relaxing day at the pool, and for my wife and daughter, at the beach. We now have a guide book and will look at exploring the island in our last week on it. I have just come back from a walk with my daughter on the beach where we found an interesting dead fish that appeared to have been killed by the rocks it was swimming in. Just need to find out what it is.

The song on the video is the music that they have played every night, again one with dance moves to it, at least with the reps who teach it to children before the main event which starts at 2130 every night.