Excited to go to Sandals Royal Grenada! It has been on my list for so long but the flight is long and expensive so it was put off a lot, we’ll finally I am going.
Left Miami with a rainbow in the sky and arrived in Grenada with another rainbow 🇬🇩
Beautiful evening when we finally arrived.
Beautiful day at Sandals Grenada, local breakfast, the beach and the pool 💙Skypool SuiteSkypool SuiteBeautiful views
Dinner at the Italian Restaurant with visits from our Butlers
So much fun on our bar crawl through Grenada 🇬🇩 and sunset on Grand Anse Beach ☀️
The best experiences in a new country are when you leave the resort and learn about local food and customs. We learned so much about the history of Grenada, the food and the people in a fun way. We learned how to make Grenada’s National dish, Oil Down, in a private villa overlooking the water. This purely Grenadian dish is made with breadfruit, coconut milk, dumplings, turmeric, callaloo, saltfish, smoked herring, chicken or salted beef. We chose chicken and fish for today. Plus we made fresh Caribbean style lobster salad and chocolate mousse. Grenada is known as the Spice Island and especially for nutmeg, but it is also known for some of the finest cocoa in the Caribbean. We enjoyed chopping and dicing while talking about all the different ingredients and the tradition of Oil Down. While it simmered on the stove we relaxed with rum punch and swam in the pool.
Last day in Grenada after a wonderful time 💗
Enjoying the lazy days of summer in Grenada 🇬🇩 A swim out suite is a must on your vacation and having good friends to enjoy it with 😊
Turkey has been on my list for a long time and I am excited to finally be going!
My flight was at 1:45pm nonstop from LAX and arrives in Istanbul at 10am the next day. I have never flown on Turkish Airlines so I was curious to see how it was. I love flying other airlines besides our legacy carriers in America.
I was in economy class for this flight but happy that there was a seat between me at the window and the passenger on the aisle. So at least I have some room. Before takeoff we were handed a menu and an amenity kit.
Economy Class Menu
The amenity kit came in a pretty vinyl case with a pattern that was adapted from motifs in classical Turkish decorative arts. it had the usual flight needs: slippers, socks, blinders, ear plugs, toothbrush and paste and lip balm.
Amenity kit
The first meal was actually very good for an economy class airplane meal. I didn’t eat the chicken Caesar or the profiteroles but the eggplant appetizer and fish main course were good. Mashed potatoes were creamy and didn’t taste instant and the fish was perfectly cooked and flaked nicely. Not sure how they do this on an airplane?
Main course after take off
Watching the House of Gucci, heard it wasn’t great but so far it’s keeping my interest.
May 12
I slept about 7 hours of the flight, not solid but enough. Breakfast and coffee were served 2 hours before landing. I finished watching the movie.
Breakfast
The airport is very large and modern, I had no problem finding my driver.
Istanbul Airport
I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived to my room. I have a beautiful suite that is exactly what I need right now!
Hotel in Istanbul
The hammam was next, the perfect welcome to Istanbul. Çemberlitaş Hamamı is a famous Turkish bath with a lot of history and a beautiful ambiance. Mimar Sinan, the favored architect of the Ottoman Empire, was commissioned to construct this hammam by the royal family.
The Hammam
After three hours at the hammam, I was starving! Some traditional Turkish food overlooking the city and then a good night sleep 😴
May 13
Today was exciting as we explored Istanbul! First stop – once a Byzantine stadium for chariot racing, it held 100,000 people! The Hippodrome takes a big of imagination to picture it’s grandeur but some monuments still stand. It’s mind blowing to think of history here.
The Hippodrome
Church of the Holy Wisdom, or Hagia Sophia, is one of the greatest works of Byzantine architecture in the world, and for over a thousand years it was the worlds largest and most important religious monument. Only St. Peter’s in Rome (17th century) surpasses the Hagia Sofia in size and grandeur. First a church, then a mosque, now a museum for everyone to see.
Hagia Sofia
I could have taken a hundred pictures here!
Hagia Sofia
In 1935, Atatürk – father of the Turks – turned the Hagia Sofia into a museum and restored it, uncovering all the mosaics that were plastered over.so you can see both the Christian and Muslim history.
The Blue Mosque
The Blue Mosque was built in 1609 to outshine the Hagia Sofia. But the architect went too far but building six minarets, this was the same number at the mosque in Mecca. So they had him build a seventh in Mecca to reestablish the eminence of that mosque. Unfortunately we could not go in to see the reason why it’s called the Blue Mosque, the 20,000 shimmering blue-green Iznik tiles, because it was Friday and there was a service.
Istanbul
We flew from Istanbul to Sigacik on the Aegean Sea. From a bustling city to a beautiful green and blue seaside town was a nice change.
Sigacik
We were tired from a long day and had dinner at our hotel. A beautiful restaurant overlooking the water during sunset.
Dinner in Sigacik
May 14
The Aegean is one of Turkey’s most visited regions with treasures such as white sand beaches and the ancient ruins of Ephesus. It was nice to relax here and enjoy nature this morning.
Morning in Sigacik
We drove to Ephesus this morning and I was so excited! Ephesus was once the most important Greco-Roman city in the Eastern Mediterranean. It is also home of the best preserved ancient sites in the world. It’s awe inspiring to walk through ruined temples, theaters and colonnaded streets of ancient civilizations.
Ephesus
What an experience! We had the best guide who told us so much about the history and many fun facts. A guide makes such a difference in how you see Ephesus.
It was hot and we were hungry so we went to a great local restaurant for some delicious köfte, mezze and the local Efes beer.
After lunch we learned all about Turkish rug making and we’re able to feel all the different types with bare feet. They were so luxurious and absolutely gorgeous.
After visiting Ephesus I said a few prayers at the House of the Virgin Mary. It is the site where Mary is said to have arrived in Ephesus with John the Apostle and spent the last years of her life.
House of the Virgin Mary
Off to the airport again and headed to Cyprus tonight. But we were late getting to the airport and didn’t have some of the necessary documents. So running around the airport was not fun….
Flight to Cyprus
We flew Pegasus Airlines from Izmir to Ercan, the airport in Northern Turkey, the only one that Turkey is allowed to fly into.
Excited to check another place off my list, Cyprus! It was a quick hour flight to Ercan Airport from Turkey. 🇨🇾 With a painful modern history, Cyprus is divided by the Green Line into north and south with two Cypriot communities – Greek and Turkish. We explored North Cyprus and it was beautiful.
May 15
Excited for the day in Cyprus to explore the island and some beautiful hotels.
It is a beautiful place with mountains, evergreen trees and beautiful water. I absolutely loved Bellapais Abbey! It is a beautiful old Abbey that is perched on a cliff with views down to the sea, it was so picturesque!
Flight from Cyprus to Izmir
After landing back Izmir, we had a long drive to Bodrum so we stopped for lunch midway there. The kebabs were tasty and the town was really cute.
On the way to Bodrum
Known in antiquity as Halicarnassus, Bodrum is located in Asia Minor and known for sun, sand, luxury, and nightlife in the Turkish Riviera. We kicked off our visit with a white party before we started work.
White Party
May 16, 2022
Work day at a beautiful resort in Bodrum.
Tonight is the Awards Dinner and everyone looks fabulous!
“The Family”
May 17, 2022
With another full day of conference, we were ready to party again.
Pasanda Panorama in BodrumAdrián, Ali, Lori & Kitzia
Pre-party cocktails overlooking the beautiful Aegean in Bodrum 🍸
We had a sweet visitor who was really trying to get our attention!
Cocktails & Mezze with a view
Bodrum is absolutely gorgeous! We were able to watch sunset from the best location in town ☀️
Sianji Resort
The Farewell Dinner was a beautiful event at the Sianji Well-being Resort. Hotel, food, accommodations and service are excellent.
May 18, 2022
We left this morning and went to visit the Castle in Bodrum. There is so much history in this area it was fascinating! Shopping is also really good in Bodrum.
Before heading to the gulet, we stopped for cocktails at The Marmara Bodrum. A beautiful hotel with commanding views of the water in Bodrum. I loved the pink touches, especially the pool towels. Looked great against the blue backdrop of the Aegean.
The Marmara Bodrum
We boarded our gulet for our cruise, finally time to relax for a few days as we explore the coast of Turkey on the Aegean Sea ⛴
It was a little breezy and cool when we boarded the gulet and we were worried about the weather, it had been beautiful all week. My cabin was perfect, it was on the top deck, opened to the outside and had two windows. There was a double bed, plenty of space for my things and a bathroom. The bathroom wasn’t bad, a shower, sink and toilet with enough room to move around.
The meals have been very good, fresh and local, served family style. Waking up to this breakfast was so nice! A typical Turkish breakfast with juicy tomatoes, cucumbers, arugula, olives and salty feta.
Ready for a swim
The water was salty and chilly but really refreshing. Just the color was enough to entice you to swim.
The best part of the day was when we started dancing. We were relaxing in the sun on the deck and our Egyptian friend put on music and made us all get up and dance. None of us knew how to do the moves but he taught us, it was a lot of fun!
The fun continued into the evening with a delicious dinner. The crew all came out again and we were able to thank them for their wonderful service. We made toasts to each other and to this memorable trip.
This morning was sad as we all left the boat to go home. It was a beautiful day and I left with beautiful memories of an unforgettable time in Turkey.
“But the most beautiful things in life are not things, they’re people, and places, memories, and pictures. They’re feelings and moments and smiles and laughter.”
Garza Blanca is new in Cabo but has been in Puerto Vallarta for a long time. So I had to see it here in Cabo. It’s beautiful, modern and new!
There are 8 different pools located inside the horseshoe of the building. Each had a different character or purpose. Some had kids playing, another was for laps, one was adult only, so everyone can find a pool they like.
The lobby was very light and airy with very tall ceilings. It wasn’t open air and felt good to get out of the heat but there were huge sliders facing the water that could open up the wall if the weather was cool.
The rooftop pool was really nice, and adult only. The views were so gorgeous with the infinity pool.
The Spa was also expansive and they saved the best view for the relaxation area with the lounges. An open air wall high up in the hotel with unobstructed views.
There were a few restaurants but not as many as the other resorts that have an all inclusive option. Garza Blanca has the choice of AI or EP.
Kids Club1 Bedroom Suite and Junior Suite
Rooms are really pretty, very light and large terraces all with a hammock.
4 Bedroom Penthouse
They have so many options for large families like 2, 3 and 4 bedroom options.
What a beautiful resort!!! It was even more than I thought it was going to be. Much admired for its architecture and artistry, also the resort’s approach to landscaping is key to its look and feel. Designed to be in harmony and oneness with the local ambiance, the external color scheme reflects the white of the sands and ocean surf.
The lobby is absolutely gorgeous, the openness, the views and the design. There is no check in desk as they are all done privately in your suite.
Look at the blue water!
I love the white buildings against the blue water.
The beachfront accommodations are practically on the beach. There is the adult only pool right in front of them too. The terraces are so beautiful and the rooftops as well.
The open air restaurants and pools never seem crowded. The resort was at full capacity and you’d never be able to tell.
Strolling around the resort, a zero entry pool is popular with kids. A great spot for tequila tasting and a yoga pavilion.
The Spa is relaxing and fits so well into the environment. It’s lush and beautiful, the perfect spot to spend a few hours. The fitness center is very nice too.
The mini golf is adorable and on the way to a family favorite area.
Kids love the lazy river and the cave! It’s a great area with a restaurant there too. I love the Rosé All Day area with the pink bean bag chairs.
Las Ventana’s is such a pretty resort that is great for families or adult only. The resort, accommodations, food and service are some of the best in Cabo.
The Cape has commanding views of El Arco. A grown up resort with a relaxed 1960’s Southern California-meets-Baja aesthetic and killer sunsets.
Sunset is spectacular here, the views of the Arches are the best. Plus you’re not in the crazy loudness of Medano Beach but close enough if you want to go.
After a 2.5 hour transfer from the airport, I was so behind schedule! It usually takes about 25 minutes but there was an accident. So I finally made it around 5pm.
I had a Grand Club room which gives me a great location overlooking the Grand Club pool and the sea.
Dined around the resort and tried a few restaurants, an app here and there, some wine, it was a nice night.
The Grand Club
It is a beautiful resort and the colors match the landscape. It cuts into the mountains so there are amazing views.
The beach is beautiful with a lot of rocks and blue water. There is a small area where you can swim but it’s a little rocky but calm and protected.
It is a great option for everyone, families and adults only.
We decided to take advantage of the new nonstop flight to Honolulu from SNA and spend a few days in Waikiki.
We stayed at the Aston Waikiki Beach Tower in a two bedroom unit with a spectacular view!! It’s actually across the street from the beach but there are no buildings on the beach in front of the hotel. They don’t have the full service resort amenities but there is a pool and gym and right in the middle of everything so food, restaurants and entertainment everywhere.
Brunch at the Ritz Carlton was delicious. They have an outdoor area with restaurants and pool, cabanas halfway up. They are set back in the city, so not on the beach, but still have nice views of the water.
Dinner and drinks at Dukes is obligatory in Waikiki. We had cocktails at the Voyager 47 Club in the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort. They have the perfect location and best views on Waikiki Beach. Dukes is always a fun place, great music on the beach, tiki touches, ambiance and good food.
After a drive around Oahu, we ended up at Aulani, A Disney Resort in Ko Olina. It’s a beautiful family resort.
Good bye Aston Waikiki Beach and on to our next stop, The Beachcomber!
The Beachcomber The Kahala is set outside of WaikikiWaikiki Outrigger Reef
The Reef is towards the end of the beach so it’s in a small sliver but has great views! It is almost done with its renovation and looks amazing!
Nobu Los Cabos is a new resort in Diamanté and it is really nice. Very modern and clean, lots of woods and natural elements. Plus there is a Nobu restaurant right onsite that has amazing food.
I LOVE Le Blanc! My last visit was only for one day and I fell in love. So excited that I will be able to spend some time here again.
Meeting our group for cocktails at Blanc Fire and watching the sunset 🌅
Good morning Cabo! A Lebanese breakfast was a great way to start the day. After a morning in the conference room, a pool day was just what I wanted.
There are so many options for lunch and snacks while at the pool, you don’t have to leave your lounge!
We had an AMAZING dinner at Lumiere, the French restaurant here at Le Blanc. We had an amazing dinner in the private dining room with exceptional service. I also love how beautiful the resorts looks at night!
I love the Butler service, there are so many things that they do, that you think you don’t need but really appreciate! I love ordering a bath before I come back and the room is turned down with everything you need – bubble bath ready with salts and soaps that you choose, water on the night table, slippers by the bed, relaxing lighting. Everything you need for a great night sleep.
Sunrise was beautiful and decided to have breakfast in my room this morning.
Work day
Le Blanc us known for its spa, they have a hydrotherapy circuit that is complimentary to resort guests. You can go every day and don’t need to have a service. But you will want a service, the massage is wonderful.
Blanc Ocean is the perfect spot for Al fresco dining and seafood with a Mexican twist.
Le Blanc Spa Resort Los Cabos 💙
Afternoon at pool with Margaritas on another gorgeous Cabo day.
My final morning started with a walk on the beach and the hopes to come back soon!
