If you haven’t yet been, Portugal still offers incredible value for money and a warm, friendly welcome.

So … I decided to take a small group with me to taste our way through Portugal and Spain in 2011.  But I’ll be doing some more groundwork before then … keep watching.

Download Itinerary

Please click here to for additional details and to read why you will want to join this trip!

If you are interested in learning more about the route etc. click here for more information.  However, if you will be visiting Istanbul around this time, and need tickets for the Grand Prix, accommodation or restaurant recommendations, I would be happy to help.  It’s worthwhile remembering that room rates soar around this event, so early is even more important than usual when it comes to making hotel reservations in Istanbul.

Lifestyle Getaways

An article in a British magazine suggests that girls’ spa getaways are being replaced by “booty camps” where instead of pampering, a group of friends will take a lifestyle break together to re-evaluate their options.

It brought to mind a recent event when I put my market researcher skills to work and moderated an informal group discussion of women who wanted to explore their options for their futures.  One or two were friends, others were acquaintances or friends of friends.  Most were professional women, some were moms wanting more than housework to stimulate their minds, and others were stuck at a crossroads – in a job, but wanting to change direction and unsure how or where to go.

We drank a glass of wine and nibbled on some goodies, and after posing each of six key questions to the group, I used a flip chart to record their answers and to provide further stimulus for clarification and discussion.  We didn’t find any answers, or identify brilliant guiding stars during that evening, but several new friendships began and further conversations of support and brainstorming began between various women.

This single event demonstrated the value of sharing thoughts, ideas and developing themes for consideration.  If a “lifestyle getaway” appeals to you, your book-club group, or women’s group, I’d love to hear from you.  Who knows, perhaps we can organize something for the future.

Click here to read that article.

My birthday lunch at El Tamarindo’s Hole 9 restaurant was perfect in every way.  We took  a taxi from the village, just 8 kms away and then another 8 kms from the road into the resort.  Cost?  $10.

The restaurant setting at the 9th hole lived up to expectations.  Overlooking the beautifully groomed course and the occasional players, the splashing turquoise waters of the bay below, provided an idea place to linger over a meal.  I was glad that we were there for lunch though, and not just taking a quick break from 18 holes of golf, as I wanted to take time to enjoy – and relish – the scenery.

View of Hole 9, El Tamarindo

I had ceviche of shrimp and octopus, followed by fish tacos – soft tortillas filled with delicious grilled fish, with guacamole, the best salsa yet (tomatoes, onions, cilantro, salt, fresh lime and small hints of fresh japaleno,  home-made potato chips and salad.  Not my usual choice, but nonetheless delicious, the food was freshly prepared, delicious, colourful and enough to fill our growling tums.  For drinks, we celebrated my day with margaritas (just two, on the rocks) and declared them to be the best we had tasted this trip.  The secret must be the quality of the tequila and also to ask for ‘rocks’ rather than ‘mix.’

Prices were reasonable by Canadian standards and  quality/price ratio excellent.  Service was professional yet friendly.  Our friendly dining companions – albeit on different tables – consisted of two golfing couples  from Florida and two Brits who live in San Francisco and who own a property next to where we are staying, 10kms away in a small fishing village.

During our visit, we learned that the restaurant and the hotel are separately owned and it can, therefore, be challenging if one wishes to visit the hotel from the restaurant or vice versa as the distances between them are vast.  We found a way, however, and were able to explore the areas where a few very beautiful casitas were located, each with its own exotic name, colour palette, own swimming pool and set in lush, tropical gardens boasting colour and texture, and comfortably back from, but nonetheless facing, the beautiful private beach and splashing ocean.  I was told that prices are about $7,000USD per night.  As we walked through the jungle, winding side-paths led to other, very private casitas that were completely hidden from view and identified only by a number.

Beauty everywhere at El Tamarindo

As we passed through the secluded gardens, perpendicular with the beach and its intimate bay setting, we passed the resort’s isolated palapa spa and a divine infinity pool that fronted a lovely structure – the clubhouse.

Infinity pool at El Tamarindo

Beautiful glass light-fittings, bright yet tasteful furnishings and abundant fresh air (there were no outside walls) filled the space with a sense of tasteful freedom.  A well-equipped gym was accessible from upstairs as well as a pro-shop (although they could probably use a little help with merchandising.)  All this under a huge and very well crafted palapa roof.

Unlike the day before, where we had seen huge orange iguanas in the trees, we saw no wildlife other than the occasional colourful bird.  Nonetheless, this was a wonderful way to spend my birthday and better still, I can now describe the resort first hand to my clients who are seeking luxurious isolation and/or golf.

V. Iskandar, Singapore