I have returned (tanned - horrah!) from a family holiday in Cyprus. Lovely country, destination of choice for so many Brits thanks to approximately 345 days of sunshine a year, and the wealth of hotels that the island boasts. Thanks to a last minute deal from First Choice, we flew out to Paphos from Bristol and stayed in a lovely hotel for a week. Wall to wall sunshine and a pleasant pool are, frankly, quite enough for me to fill my time with for a week, but my Dad, being of adventurous spirit, wanted to explore.
We popped into Paphos to see what was around the resort, and I was unsurprised to find the town mostly consisted of touristy shops by day, and bars and clubs by night. Dad commented that he 'didn't think much of Cyprus' after digesting this limited offering, but that's a bit like saying you don't like Britain because you've been to Blackpool, or you don't like Spain because you've been to Benedorm. There is more to Cyprus than dodgy drinks deals, although the seafront in Paphos is tackier than a child with a lolly.
The Trudos mountain range is a beautiful stretch of countryside, punctuated by pretty villages and dramatic drops into cool valleys. We explored two of the monasteries in the hills, and got more of a sense of the old Cyprus.
Of course, the time came when I decided that I simply couldn't move from my sunbed any longer, and I passed the rest of the time by the pool. Lovely. Having returned home, I am delighted to find that Strictly is back on the BBC tonight, and may turn my hand to a bit of blogging on the subject. Watch this space.
Friday, 18 September 2009
Sunday, 6 September 2009
Hockey and homecoming
Having returned from Asia last weekend (sorry for the non-updates, any of you that were waiting to hear news of my safe return...) I have been unpacking and packing again for the next couple of week's madness.
Thursday saw my departure to Cardiff to see the opening ceremony of the UK School Games, an event that involves 1600 young athletes from across Great Britain. Having watched my little brother thrash Scotland at hockey on Friday I decided I was the lesser child in my family, and that playing sport is something that I genuinely wish I enjoyed. But there we go.
Today's match will decide the winners of the competition, and, having beaten England in a match that saw Daf get the winner, Wales are in a very good position. All Welsh fingers are crossed in anticipation, but no one really minds as long as they come higher up the league table than England. What is funnier is the parents who, spurred on by their offspring's fervour, stand on the sidelines of the pitch yelling their heads off and berating not only the referee, but the other team. Let's remember folks that these are kids, who play sport for fun. Seriously.
Last night a friend and I occupied the VIP seats outside the Muse homecoming concert in my hometown of Teignmouth, Devon. The tickets were £40, I really don't have that kind of money. Nothing on this scale has ever arrived in the sleepy seaside town that I fondly call home. Despite it being a bit of a hole, the town really came alive, and even in the streets around the concert there was a real festival atmosphere, with the cider flowing pretty freely. I love being a Devon girl sometimes.
Check out the details of the UK School Games here
Thursday saw my departure to Cardiff to see the opening ceremony of the UK School Games, an event that involves 1600 young athletes from across Great Britain. Having watched my little brother thrash Scotland at hockey on Friday I decided I was the lesser child in my family, and that playing sport is something that I genuinely wish I enjoyed. But there we go.
Today's match will decide the winners of the competition, and, having beaten England in a match that saw Daf get the winner, Wales are in a very good position. All Welsh fingers are crossed in anticipation, but no one really minds as long as they come higher up the league table than England. What is funnier is the parents who, spurred on by their offspring's fervour, stand on the sidelines of the pitch yelling their heads off and berating not only the referee, but the other team. Let's remember folks that these are kids, who play sport for fun. Seriously.
Last night a friend and I occupied the VIP seats outside the Muse homecoming concert in my hometown of Teignmouth, Devon. The tickets were £40, I really don't have that kind of money. Nothing on this scale has ever arrived in the sleepy seaside town that I fondly call home. Despite it being a bit of a hole, the town really came alive, and even in the streets around the concert there was a real festival atmosphere, with the cider flowing pretty freely. I love being a Devon girl sometimes.
Check out the details of the UK School Games here
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