Monthly Archives: May 2012
Salobre Golf Villas – a true paradise but don’t forget the car!
Located on a fantastic golf course in Maspalomas in the south of Gran Canaria, the Salobre Golf Villas offer their guests (usually golfers) a very comfortable stay. When you book your villa you can choose the number of bedrooms you need, if you want a private pool, how big it should be, etc. A fully equipped kitchen and daily bread service are included. You also get full house-cleaning once a week. The location of the villas are really nice but secluded. There is a small convenience store in the area that offers basic products but if you are into some serious cooking or barbequeing you will have to venture out to one of the bigger grocery stores in Maspalomas (10 minutes car ride away). In other words, if you don’t rent a car be prepared to spend a small fortune on taxies on a daily basis.
Photo: Salobre Golf
The villa we stayed in was located on top of a hill where we could enjoy an amazing view of the entire golf course and the ocean. It is not exactly on the cheap side but if you are a family of four and rent it for a couple of weeks you will certainly spend less compared to a similar level hotel (where you will be confined to a small room and a shared pool, how annoying!) One note of caution though: avoid the WiFi if you can – it is E.X.P.E.N.S.I.V.E. But, otherwise, be prepared to spend a blissful holiday at the Salobre Golf Villas. You will enjoy it!
Photo: Salobre Golf
Graffiti gallery
Let’s take a look at some spectacular graffiti we found on a concrete wall outside Vecindario, Gran Canaria. Cool art or vandalism? Graffiti is without a doubt an uncompromising art form that can be inspirational and provocative at the same time. We don’t know the artists behind these beautiful creations but we have chosen to display them together with some legendary Banksy quotes. Enjoy!
“All artists are willing to suffer for their work. But why are so few prepared to learn to draw?” -Banksy
“People say graffiti is ugly, irresponsible and childish…but that is only if it’s done properly.” -Banksy 
“Speak softly, but carry a big can of paint.” -Banksy
“A lot of people never use their initiative because no-one told them to.” -Banksy
Banksy in the news:
http://news.sky.com/home/strange-news/article/16229093
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2012/may/17/banksy-rat-drain-australian-builder?CMP=twt_fd
http://artnet.tumblr.com/post/23114302210/banksys-diamond-jubilee-piece-although
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/may/13/banksy-damienhirst?INTCMP=SRCH
Sephora coconut beauty products
1. Bubble bath 2. Shampoo 3. Body lotion 4. Spray perfume 5. Body butter 6. Hand wash
Hotel Santa Catalina – a historic weekend hideaway
Hotel Santa Catalina is considered the best hotel in Las Palmas (Gran Canaria) and all major dignitaries usually stay here. It offers 202 rooms decorated in a beautiful old Spanish style and the junior suites are very spacious. The ones at the lower levels have huge terraces overlooking a park.
The hotel has one buffet restaurant and one a la carte restaurant (nicely located at the terrace next to the main entrance) and one bar. We stayed in this hotel several times and generally had a very pleasant experience. It has a historic feeling that is compelling, especially compared to the super modern five star hotel complexes in Maspalomas and Meloneras. The breakfast is nice but you are better off having lunch or dinner somewhere else. Restaurant Segundo Muelle located next door is the best choice in our view; they serve exquisite food in a trendy atmosphere.
There is an OK-ish pool, pretty small for a five star but functional enough and there is also a spa (unfortunately we never checked it out since it looked quite old). The location is fabulous, you are next to the Yacht Harbor with many restaurants and bars and downtown shopping is only a few minutes away. Hotel Santa Catalina is a nice place to spend a weekend but would not be our first choice for a week-long holiday. The hotel has a pleasant atmosphere but is in need of some renovation to remain number one in Las Palmas.
Rating: 3/5
Newsflash!
Sam was NOT impressed (to put it mildly) when yesterday he heard that a new cat cafe had opened in Vienna. Or, as he put it himself after hearing the news: ”-I’m doggone annoyed.”
Nosing and corking on a hot summer day
Yesterday the weather was really hot (almost 40C), so what did we do? We bought a few bottles off local wine and decided to do some wine tasting, of course. Obviously, we are not professional wine experts but having gone through a zillion a few bottles of both red and white over the years we figured we are as good as it gets. We tried three different reds from Gran Canaria – Plaza Perdida (2010), Froaton de Oro (2010) and Las Tirajanas (2011).
At the beginning we took this so seriously that we even had paper in front of us to write down our thoughts. Here you can see we are not really experts since the smells reminded us not exactly of things one usually associates with wine. Old socks, wet swimming wear, mosquito repellant…Don’t get us wrong, the wines were great, but, man, once in a while you feel like having a Rioja, without all that serious philosophical shit. Just give me a freaking bottle so that I can drown my sorrows. Sorry, where were we…? Yes, Canary wines are a bit acidic, light and how should we put it, tasty. Darn, isn’t that a description good enough? Who cares, in the end we just had fun. And isn’t that what wine is all about? Seriously.
Water safety – a serious matter
OK, we bought this floating mat to have some fun in the pool the other day. Last time we used one must have been…(actually we don’t remember but it was definitely before the age of the internet). Anyway, back then we didn’t remember that there was a 20 page manual attached to it as was the case this time. Flipping through the pages we thought, ahh, WTF, let’s fill it with air and have some fun with it. Immediately.
While we were getting red-faced blowing air into our new toy, we saw the signs. Big warning signs similar to the ones you find when something is VERY, VERY dangerous. Like construction sites, railways, chemical factories…cigarette packs (those are really scary!). Oh my god, this is supposed to be a toy, right? But then the real confusion started. What do these signs actually mean? Do we dare ignoring these warnings? Do we need a lawyer?
Okay,we get this one. It’s easy. No submarines allowed.
???
How do you even get into this position. On a floating mat!!
Oh yeah, a floating mat is a great toy when you turn 15…NOT!
Meet Alex, Hanna and Sam - bloggers, world travelers and connoisseurs of better things in life. Tune in for latest updates, hotel and restaurant reviews and a few laughs along the way. 
