Eat, drink and be relaxed

After a smooth and easy flight to Antigua with BA the welcoming heat was wonderful after the snowy slopes of Selva.

Our taxi driver whisked us off on a short but very scenic drive to the Verandah Resort, some 25 mins away.  We passed fields filled with cows (very thin) and goats, the new cricket stadium, then on to our hotel down a quiet road to the coast.  The days of sugar plantations are long gone from Antigua and the landscape is now rolling green fields and small collections of farm animals.

The Verandah Resort is more of a village than a hotel.  After checking in and being given a map of the resort (you definitely need one) we were greeted with an electric golf cart to take us to our room.  Each room is really a small bungalow and the trails that link these buildings are easily navigated by the carts, there's even bus stops along the way if you are in no mood to walk.

Dropped off right outside our room, our bags were unloaded for us and we headed straight to the huge balcony where we had a fantastic view.

I love the Caribbean, there's always a special atmosphere in this part of the world.  Relaxing, sun soaked and a chance to indulge for a few days.

The resort is in a word, huge!  Hundreds of rooms in pairs all with their own unique names.  Ours was Nevis.  As each room is part of a two room cottage you feel like you have your own little house at the beach with a wonderful "verandah" that overlooks the Caribbean sea.  The resort is a cluster of these cottages.

There's two beaches here, one close by the lobby area with a bar and beach volleyball court, the other with lots of water sports and well shaded sun-beds.  There are 42 steps to get onto the main beach which means there are 42 steps to climb to get off the beach.  Not an easy task for an older person (you better not be a smoker).  In addition there are no toilets in the beach area and the beach bar is also located at the top of these 42 steps but it has a fabulous view and stops the calories piling on.

A very good steel band was playing on the night we arrived and they definitely created a great atmosphere.

The resort has 3 restaurants plus a beach bar and grill on both beaches.  The Buccaneer restaurant has some fairly unique décor.  Large portraits of famous (and we thought possibly fictitious) pirates.  However, I googled the name of a female pirate Anne Bonny 1700 - 1782 and discovered she was an Irish woman who became a famous pirate operating in the Caribbean.  Calico Jack, also a portrait, was her lover.  Suggest you read all about her on the internet.  Would make a great film. The food was very good with its lovely fish a la carte menu.  Our favourite evening spot to dine though was the Beach Bar because we love sitting outside and enjoying the warm Caribbean nights.

This resort is certainly conductive to reading, whether you're supine on a sunlounger on one of it's two pretty beaches or by the lagoon-style swimming pool.

For some exercise we walked to Long Bay, which is less than 100 m from the resort.  Turn right out of reception.  It is generally agreed that this is one of the best beaches in Antigua, good for snorkelling, but we preferred our little cove.

Devil's Bridge is also located just outside the resort.  From the main beach go through the hole in the fence and turn left.  Devil's Bridge offers a stunning glimpse into Antigua's natural formation.  Composed of limestone rock, the rugged terrain of Devil's Bridge is the result of millions of years of ancient reef formation.  For hundreds of thousands of years, the Atlantic's waves have crashed into the east coast of Antigua creating a natural arch, or bridge.  Numerous geysers and blowholes surround the arch as waves continually break against the coastal rocks.  Popular belief suggests slaves leapt to their death off of the natural arch during the period of slavery in Antigua but these stories have no historical evidence to support them.  Still, Devil's Bridge gets it's name from these myths as the stories contend the devil claimed those who leapt off the bridge.

The view of our resort from Devil's Bridge.

Also, loved, loved, loved the water aerobics - fun and a great workout.

Phil enjoyed sailing the Hobies as usual.

With fresh fish and creole spices,  Island rum in the daiquiris,  tasty local beer that quenches the thirst nicely, it's a recipe for relaxation.  Thank you for another lovely holiday Phil and Antigua.

Selva - Molto Bello

Ciao.  When both the Unesco World Heritage team and Michelin guide sing the praises of a place, take note.  Step forward the South Tyrolean Dolomites, a northern Italian encave with breathtaking scenery.  "Film set" backdrops everywhere you look.  Why did they go to New Zealand to film Lord of the Rings?

Once again we stayed at the Hotel Continental.  This was our second visit and we will be returning again next year.  Truly ski in - ski out (Well perhaps a few metres walk to the Dantercepies lift right next to the hotel).

For our "old friends"  ski-ing holiday we need good ski-ing, superb surroundings and the comfort and convenience of a first class hotel (at a reasonable price).  It's all here in Selva, a vast 1200 km of piste of which you cannot tire and the best mountain scenery in the World.  The family Linder do a great job running the hotel too.  Nothing is too much trouble.  The hotel also runs a ski safari.  Skiing in a group with a local ski instructor.  This is challenging ski-ing, starting at 8.30 in the morning and finishing at 4.30 in the afternoon.  Well done boys.

On Monday - Marmolada

Tuesday - Gran Risa - Santa Croce with lunch in a typical hut and a ride in a carriage.

Wednesday - Ciampac - Val Jumela to do the famous black run on "Alberto Tomba".

and Thursday - Gourmet ski safari with a wonderful aperitif.

I have listed all their ski lifts at the end of this blog.
     
     Too much for Pauline and I - so we joined ski school and had a wonderful time following Giorgio (a former member of the national ski team).  Boy did he ski fast and we had to follow.  Excellent.

One of our party doesn't ski but Rosie really enjoyed winter hiking in the nearby fairy tale like winter landscape.  Snow-white ridges, unspoilt nature and impressive views.  She said she was able to forget the hustle and bustle and stress of everyday life within minutes and didn't feel lonely because there are lots of walkers and the paths are clearly marked.

On the Friday though we decided to ski with "our boys" and set off on our own ski safari to The Hidden Valley.

The Hidden Valley drops-in from the top of the Lagazuoi mountain at 2,752 m.  After a few kilometers on gentle rolling undulations on a gradually narrowing piste, the piste drops to the right, directing you to face the opposite valley wall.  You are confronted with the enormity of your surroundings, cranking your neck back and from side to side, to gaze at the high Dolomite wall.  Then, a twist and a turn, takes you passed the only building in the Hidden Valley.  The Scottoni Rifugio.  It was too busy for lunch so we pressed on.

A short distance further along is the frozen waterfall.  It isn't a waterfall really, this is water that has seeped through the rock to be frozen on it's passage to the valley floor.  The colours, shapes and scale are mesmerising.  The echo is good here too.

From here, being careful (remembering Phil's accident in January) carry as much speed as you are comfortable with, as, at the bottom of this gradient, the slope flattens for a couple of hundred metres, finishing with a slight upward gradient.

The piste eventually gives way to a frozen river bed along which we glided until we spotted the two dog restaurant.  We called it this because of the two dogs on the roof.  I don't know its real name.

After a delicious lunch outside we headed for the horse and sleigh tow, just outside the restaurant.  The final highlight of this memorable piste.

The horseman lays out a long rope, with carefully tied hand-sized loops along it's length to tow as many as 50 skiers the final kilometre or so towards Amentarola for the sum of E2.50 per person.

We used 18 lifts and skied 16 km to do the round trip from Selva to the Hidden Valley.  The lifts were:-

1.  DANTERCEPIES
2.  BOREST R
3.  COSTES DE LEGA
4.  CAPANNA NERA
5.  PRALONGIA 1
6.  PRALONGIA A
7.  PRALONGIA II
8.  LAGAZUOI A
9.  ARMENTAROLA
10. PIZ SOREGA A
11. LA BRANCIA
12. BRAIA FRAIDA R
13. BOREST A
14. SODLISIA
15. PLANS-FRARA A
16. VAL SETUS
17. CIR A
18. DANTERCEPIES

(At Armentarola there are taxis and ski buses which take you up to the top of the Falzarego pass, where you catch a cable car up to the top of the Mountain).

Below are the lifts for the boys ski safaris.

Monday 23 lifts   34 kms

1.  CIAMPINOI A
2.  PIZ SETEUR A
3.  CITTA DEI SASSI
4.  SASSO LEVANTE
5.  PIAN FRATACES - GHERDECIA A
6.  SASS BECE
7.  ALPENROSE
8.  CARPAZZA
9.  S.D. VEGLA
10. PADON I A
11 MALGA-SERANTA A
12. PADON 2A
13. MESOLA
14. ARABBA FLY A
15. BURZ A
16. LE PALE
17. COSTORATTA A
18. BOREST A
19. SODLISIA
20. PLANS-FRARA A
21. VAL SETUS
22. CIR A
23. DANTERCEPIES

Tuesday 25 lifts  23 kms

1.   DANTERCEPIES A
2.   BOREST R
3.   BOE A
4.   COSTES DA LEGA
5.   COL ALTO A
6.   BRAIA FRAIDA A
7.   BAMBY
8.   FERATA GRAN RISA A
9.   COLZ A
10. DONINZ
11. GARDENAZZA A
12.  PRADUC R
13. SANTA CROCE A
14. PRADUC A
15. SPONATA A
16. COLZ R
17. PIZ LA ILA A
18. ROBY
19. BRAIA FRAIDA R
20. BOREST A
21. SODLISIA
22. PLANS-FRARA A
23. VAL SETUS
24. CIR A
25. DANTERCEPIES R

Wednesday   25 lifts    41 kms

1.   CIAMPINOI A
2.   PIZ SETEUR A
3.   CITTA DEI SASSI
4.   SASSO LEVANTE
5.   PIAN FRATACES-GHERDECIA A
6.   KRISTIANIA
7.   PECOL-COL ROSSI A
8.   ALBA- COL DEI ROSSI R
9.   ALBA-CIAMPAC A
10. SELLA BRUNECH A
11. SELLA BRUNECH A
12.  PALA DEL GEIGER A
13. CATINACCIO A
14. PIAN PECCEI-PRAMARTIN
15. PIAN PECCEI-PRAMARTIN
16. CATINACCIO A
17. PIAN PECCEI-PRAMARTIN
18. POZZA-BUFFAURE A
19. COL DE VALVACIN A
20. ORSA MAGGIORE
21. ALBA-COL DEI ROSSI A
22. PRADEL-RODELLA A
23. CAVACES-GROHMANN
24. PLAN DE GRALBA
25. FUNGEIA

Thursday   26 lifts    45 kms

1.   CIAMPINO A
2.   TERZA PUNTA
3.    CIAMPINOI A
4.   PIZA PRANSEIES
5.   SASLONG A
6.   SOCHERS
7.   SOCHERS-CIAMPINOI
8.   RUACIA-COL RAISER A
9.   COLRAISER A
10. CISLES
11. CISLES
12. CISLES  (Obviously liked this run)
13. FERMEDA A
14. ORTISEI FURNES A
15. FURNES-SECEDA A
16. CATORES
17. RUACIA-COL RAISER R
18. SASLONG A
19. SOCHERS-CIAMPINOI
20. PIZ SELLA A
21. FUNGEIA
22. COSTABELLA
23. DANTERCEPIES A
24. VAL
25. DANTERCEPIES A
26. DANTERCEPIES A

What a lot of ski-ing.  I hope you can follow the route on a lift map.  I can't - I am useless.  Need to have a nice instructor to follow!!!!

Selva is the perfect place to please body and soul.
  

The snow just keeps on falling.......

At last, the snow drought in the Alps is over.  The Christmas season may have been blighted by what was, in places, the warmest December on record with webcam shots of grassy slopes and threadbare pistes. But January started on a different note, with moderate to heavy snowfalls.  So Alun and Caroline quickly organised a wonderful Family Ski holiday for us.

It's not simply a question of cutting back on the apres-ski:  taking children to the slopes involves a lot of clobber, a lot of organisation and - inevitably - more dosh.  But family ski holidays can be the stuff lifetime memories are made of.  We chose a resort with less emphasis on off-slope socialising (read drinking) and more on childcare facilities and suitable slopes.  Children (and Nannas) can only manage a morning on the slopes so it was off to Piou Piou (ski school) for the girls and nursery for the little dude.  It is the best option as adults can get grumpy going down the nusery slopes for the hundredth time.

I want to come too....

James went to Powder Pups whilst Emmie and Chloe were in the Hounds.

Ski school in France is called Piou Piou.  I wondered where this expression came from.  Back in the 19th century, the word "piou piou" was an onomotopia for the sound that chicks make.  Today, it generally refers to a foot soldier.  However, I have heard people asking friends "comment vont vos piou-piou?" - they were asking "how are your children?". So "piou piou" is referring to your chicks in the nest - rather cute!

Our grandchildren started to ski at 3.  Just beware, however, that when you start them on skis this young, they may overtake you by the age of 6!

The ski lessons are given by the ESF instructors in the special ski garden or on the mountain.  Where the lessons takes place, depends upon their age and ability.  Wrap around care before and after lesson times was provided in the form of indoor or outdoor entertainment by Family Skis excellent dedicated childcare team.  They also provided lunch.  The children loved the whole day.

An example of their day:-

9.15 a.m.   Drop off at ski garden, top of bubble.

9.30 a.m.   Ski lesson starts.
                  Younger children will probably spend the majority of the lesson in the ski garden.
                   Time for a morning snack and toilet breaks.
                  As children progress, the instructor takes them up the mountain.
                  (Gemma's heart swelled with pride when she saw Emmie on the chairlift).
                   Chloe also graduated to the chairlifts.  Well done girls.

12 noon      Lessons finish

12.30 - 4.30 p.m.   Lunch followed by indoor and outdoor activities organised by the childcare
                               entertainments team.

4.30 p.m.     Home time and back to our cosy chalet (Snowdrop) for afternoon tea.

Ardent is a very small resort.  Not much to do apart from enjoy the good access to the Portes du Soleil ski area.  Very good ski-ing from here, you can ski in to Switzerland in about 20 mins.  Do not go to Ardent if you want night life.  It only has 2 pubs and they close at 8.30 p.m.  But it is perfect for a young family.

Its a traditional hamlet in the heart of the Portes du Soleil.  The 10 man bubble lift provides direct access to Les Lindarets where the children's ski school began at 9.30 whilst the parents explored the pistes of both France and Switzerland.  A wonderful entry point to the world's largest integrated ski area.  It has nearly 700 kms of runs and I think we covered most of them!!!!

The village of Ardent feels as if it could belong to another age with it's rustic wooden chalets.

If you are skiing into Chatel you have to visit this wonderful little establishment.  La Ferme des Pistes.  I love this place, tucked in at the side of the piste.  Great views on a sunny day but we only stopped for a fortifying hot chocolate (avec rum).  Is 11 am too early for rum on a cold snowy day?
I could have stayed all day in this lovely little hideway complete with open fire place and exposed roof timbers but the others wanted to press on.

Talking of food and drink we had an excellent meal on the mountain at La Cremaillere in the tiny French village of Les Lindarets.  Here you'll find delicious food and wine with friendly service.  Alun had booked ahead and we had a lovely table with views.  Surrounding Les Lindarets are a few tree-lined runs so enchanting you feel as if you are ski-ing through Narnia.

Plenty of sunshine on offer in the Alps today.

In fact it was a perfect day until.......

Poor Phil had an accident and cut his leg with his ski.  Needed 6 stitches.

Top tip:  Ensure your lift pass has Carre Neige.  Not full insurance cover but a top-up cover designed to act in tandem with your state or private health insurance.  The Carre Neige can be bought along with your ski pass in most French resorts costing approximately 2.80 euros a day.  It covers you for transport off the mountain, including helicopter, either on or off-piste, and is instantly recognised by the French rescue services, meaning you don't have to pay up front and claim back later.  It'll also refund your lift pass for days lost to injury.

Unfortunately, that was the end of Phil's ski-ing on this holiday but, of course, the fearless amongst us (Alun and Caroline), without the elderly parents to hold them back, skied (and made it look easy - according to Mike and Gemma, who rode the chairlift to watch) the infamous Swiss Wall, a steep mogul field beneath the Pointe de Vorlaz - once down, a smug sense of satisfaction and very wobbly legs are guaranteed.

The slope is classified in the Swiss/French difficulty rating as orange, which means that it is rated as too difficult to fit in the standard classification of green (very easy), blue (easy), red (intermediate) and black (difficult).  It has a length of 1 kilometre and a vertical drop of 331 metres, starting at 2,151 metres above sea level.  Oh and Alun did it on a snowboard.

After that the Hot Tub, were pleasantly tired skiers can sip champagne whilst gazing at the Alpine night sky.

Do you want to build a Snowman.....

And, of course, at the end of the week the medals.  Well done girls.

A ski-ing holiday is a very special way to bond with the family.  Maybe, it's the cozy evenings and hearty food in the ski chalet or maybe it's the chance to chat about how the day went.  Either way, it's a very special experience.  When you boil it right down, going away on a family trip is all about building some unbelievable memories for the future.  Without the chance to get away together like this then the year just flies by, with everyone focused on their own lives and living in their own separate bubbles.

Taking group selfies on the snow, travelling together in the ski lifts, wonderful mountain lunches, expert first aid from our children and relaxed evenings in the chalet are all things that are likely to linger long in the memory, and leave us longing for our next family adventure.  Thank you for everything.