Flatt: Ideal vacation village

Visiting Flatt was Sue’s idea. She so desperately wanted to vacation in Bermuda that I had no choice but to agree. There are no hotels in the Flatt village so we got Sheena to book a reservation for us at one of the best beach resorts, Ramada Plaza Nags Head Beach situated on the Kill Devil Hills in North Carolina.

The next morning we went to visit the Bermuda Aquarium Museum set up by the Bermuda Government. We saw and were thoroughly charmed by the chow, a seabird that would have become extinct but for the efforts of the museum authorities. We also other species like the Whistling Frog, the Beautiful Eastern Blue Bird, and the Bermuda Cedar.

The Aquarium houses over 200 types of fishes, seals, and marine turtles. The aquarium, like the zoo, is a recent addition.

At the zoo we saw Galapagos tortoises, the largest living samples of their species with longevity of 100 to 150 years. Of the original twelve species there are only ten left in the world today. Sue had seen these giant tortoises at Charles Darwin Foundation in Ecuador. For me, this was the first time. And I was quite daunted by their gigantesque appearance.
Wandering around the village we saw these quaint little pink buses which also serve as school buses. Drivers of these buses also don the roles of mentors, we discovered. They tend to discipline these youngsters and if anyone is found loitering around, he or she is yanked back into the bus firmly but kindly. You also need to be properly dressed before getting: bikinis and shorts are a definite no-no. The drivers also make sure that everybody is seated before taking off.

One night during our stay we ordered a typical Bermudian pizza for $14 with hamburgers, cheese, and onions from a Four Star Pizza store on North Shore Road of the village. Pretty good and also rather fresh.
For a relaxed, laid-back holiday Flatt is ideal.

Unforgettable Positano

Looking at the Il San Pietro di Positano one of the world’s best luxury hotels, from afar Sue let out a gasp. The hotel is positioned over a cliff and molded according to its contours. “Did you know,” Sue exclaimed, “it is counted as amongst the top ten hotels in the world?” I could well believe her, who’s usually well up on facts and trivia.

The porter wheeled our luggage into the elevator at the base of hotel opposite which is an unpretentious-looking church. The elevator let us out into the main lobby. Once there, we held our breath once again. It is one the largest and the most beautiful lobbies I have ever seen. Adorned by paintings and sculptures it runs into a terrace with the most exotic foliage. The first impression was certainly a charming one.

Since our plane had been delayed we had a quiet dinner inside our hotel room and turned in early. The next day Sue wanted to visit the famous Isle of Capri which, thanks to our travel agent Sheena, had been booked beforehand. No last-minute bookings here, we were told. Later I was to thank her profusely over the telephone.

The turquoise waters around this bejeweled piece of land are crystal clear; we were able to see the rich sea-bed beneath as though watching through a glass. We couldn’t miss seeing the Blue Grotto, could we? Passing through the cave we were struck by the rich blue tints of the waters, the silvery sheen of the light. The experience was sheer heaven and a little difficult to put into words. It was 4 pm when we returned to Positano. Both Sue and I were too overwhelmed by what we’d seen to be able to speak.

On our last morning we traversed the city on foot which, we discovered, is so easy thanks to little stairs and steps leading up and down the city. That too, was an experience in itself- quite unforgettable.

Sintra: Quaint and pretty

“Pretty unique,” Sue said as we strolled up and down the Palacio National. She was pointing towards the chimneys which, I agree, appear pretty unique to the urban cape of the Portuguese city of Sintra. We were standing close to the kitchen area of the palace which was basically an enclosed corridor with rows of fireplaces- ancient cooking ranges. Very quaint. We also saw these gigantic racks with large utensils that were once utilized for preparing royal dishes.

Going through the 14th century palace I was particularly enamored with the Royal Court of Arms with its blue and white tiled walls. Sue, on the other hand, liked the long Swans’ Hall containing ceiling panels painted with – you guessed right – swans.

It was lunchtime by the time we repaired to our hotel in the more ancient part of the city. The Lawrence S Hotel that Sheena had booked for us is one of the prettiest and oldest hotels and is also one of the world’s best luxury hotels in the Iberian Peninsula. An ancient manor house of the 18th century it has been beautifully restored to keep up with contemporary times. The reception, bar, and lounge areas are well-designed and spacious.

Sue wanted to go out souvenir shopping in the evening. The concierge as well as hotel guests had mentioned that taking a walk in the old part of the city would prove to be very fruitful, and it did! Sintra is choc-a-bloc with quaint shops and outlets with the greatest local artwork and craft. Little alleys, nooks and corners had some amazing pieces of crockery, ceramics, tiles, even fabrics. Sue bought some lovely embroidered stuff and pieces of pottery.

Not wanting to eat at the hotel particularly we drove out to this place called Galamares not too far from the main town. I would recommend its services, ambience and food any day. Do try their duck rice, its fantastic!