We stayed at another Relais & Chateaux hotel but it didn't really live up to the standards - just look at the food. The taste was OK but it wasn't very appetizing to look at.
After Samnaun in Switzerland we drove to just outside Venice where we had a couple of days before flying out from Venice to UK . Just finishing off with a couple of days of work :) We stayed at another Relais & Chateaux hotel but it didn't really live up to the standards - just look at the food. The taste was OK but it wasn't very appetizing to look at. We finished off with 3 days in Bath in UK and then back home.
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Tomorrow we leave Samnaun to go back towards Venice. We fly out from Venice on Sunday and over the weekend we're going to stay at another Relais and Chateau about 20 km. from Venice. (That is if we can get out of here - it's supposed to begin snowing again today and all night.....) We've had a great time here in Samnaun. It's a lovely hotel, but the town itself is not worth a visit. It's just 7-10 duty free shops - so only come here if you're after watches or jewelry Samnaun is a duty-free area in Switzerland, so if that's what you're after - great, GO. But if you're after a cozy little town with lovely shops and restaurants - DON'T go. We've just stayed at our hotel the whole week - basically because there are 5 different restaurants in the hotel - and there's a lovely, lovely spa and the ski slopes are just outside - so in that sense it's been great. Yesterday we had dinner at *Miranda' - the hotel's 1-star Michelin restaurant. We originally had a reservation for the day before - but because the roads were closed they couldn't get fresh food - so we had to postpone a day - which was not a problem! We had an amazing dinner - ended up with us being the only ones in the restaurant (only 8 tables).. So even if we only ordered 3 courses we ended up having 5 courses - as the restaurant provided snacks and sweets :) They also provided 'refreshment' which we both thought was edible - sooo funny. It's the glass with a slice of lime and what looks like a marshmallow. The waiter came and poured hot water over it - and it expanded and then we both 'attacked' it with knife and fork - until we realised it was a face cloth........ so we laughed and laughed :) When we were done with dinner and was about to leave the waiter came and said there was one last thing we had to taste - and then came with this amazing board of sweets which we took to our room; candy floss, popcorn, hot chocolate, marshmallows, chocolate nuts, etc. And none of it was what we expected - so exciting. We wished for snow, but maybe we should have been a bit more specific........ There's so much snow now that everything is closed. You cannot get in or out of the town - all the roads are closed and we're totally isolated from the rest of the world. Schools are closed - and the ski slopes are closed.... So apparently you can get too much of a good thing :) Below you can hopefully see the difference from Sunday morning to Monday morning - quite a lot of snow over night :) But lucky for us we're staying at a wonderful hotel - with lots of good food - 5 different restaurants in the hotel - so we're not complaining. I'm definitely NOT complaining - one of the restaurants are called Pasta and Pizza - and I just had the best pizza ever here - amazing! And... as I said earlier we're on half-board and the food is amazing in the 'normal' restaurant. Wednesday we're trying the 1 star Michelin restaurant they've got here.... So all is well - almost :) Per hurt himself yesterday - strained his calf muscle, but he saw a doctor same day and had an ultra-sound and it's not bad so he should be able to ski again tomorrow - so perfect timing with one day of rest, where the slopes are closed anyway. And... Per just found out that there's a new season of Berlin Station - one of Per's favourite TV-series - so not a problem :) We arrived in Samnaun yesterday and the closer we got - the more snow - YAHOOOOO ::) This time we're staying in a hotel instead of an apartment - and it's a very nice hotel - Relaix et Chateau - our favourite kind of hotels :) And... we were welcomed with pink champagne, chocolate and fruit - what I would call a good start :) We've tried half-board before and it's always been with mixed feelings - as we like to choose ourselves instead of a more or less fixed menu. But we thought we'd give it another chance.... We started out by saying that we didn't like what was on the menu for the day - and we were told we could just choose whatever we liked from one of the other restaurants at the hotel - the Pasta and Pizza restaurant - so all good. But I wanted to try some of the food from Today's menu - the healthy Spa Menu - so I had the salad bar, which was very nice and I had one of the starters. And hey - it's a Relaix et Chateau hotel and one of the other restaurants in the hotel's got 1 Michelin star....... so the one starter I (we) tried was amazing. So today we're going to be brave and try the menu and see what it's like - 6 small courses - so we're actually quite excited based on that one starter we tried yesterday :) (And... they have NZ wine, so how can it go wrong :) So the only thing that has gone a bit wrong is that there's almost too much snow now - and it's still snowing heavily. So Per went up this morning - but couldn't see a thing and he ended up with a pulled calf muscle - so he's lying in bed now with his leg up......... Hopefully it's just a very mild strain... which would fit perfectly as they say there's no skiing tomorrow as a lot more snow is expected - so he was going to have a day off tomorrow (Monday) anyway - so fingers crossed he's OK on Tuesday! The last couple of photos from Venice - from when Tina and family left for the airport by speed boat - and we left the next morning - as a big cruise ship came in through Grand Canal....... crazy! (24 mill tourist a year in Venice...) Driving from Venice to Cortina was only about 2 hours - so not a problem. We did some grocery shopping on the way and were in Cortina right after lunch. Not a lot of snow - but enough for Per to do what he wants :) And as we heard in the News there should be lots of snow where we're going next - maybe even too much...... Yet again we've been lucky with the weather here in Venice. Yes, it's cold (because it's winter.....) but it's absolutely beautiful. Clear blue sky and lots and lots of sun :) Admittedly it's not easy to get around Venice with a pram - but we've managed. Marcus sleeps twice a day, so everything has kind of been fitted around his sleeping routine, which is OK, as it kinds of divide the day up in chunks. So we've made plans for BMS and AMS - before and after Marcus sleeps :) Venice is basically all about walking, walking, walking. Down one little street, back another and over a bridge - and then you're completely lost - which is to me the biggest charme about Venice. I love, love, love - getting lost in Venice. Oh my - find it very hard to NOT photograph canals and bridges in Venice..... I just love the rustic, rough look of most of the houses and bridges - and I love the subtle colouring and reflective surfaces - such a good mix of textures, colours and shapes - so can't help myself :) We started - of course - with champagne at 6pm when Queen Margrethe II did her annual speech. And then dinner at a place the hotel had helped us find - not easy to get a table on New Year's Eve..... When dinner was finished the kids were tired, so we went back to the hotel to wait for the fireworks. The only problem was that we still had 3 hours before the fireworks - and with kids, that's a long time. So we agreed to just relax for a bit..... with the result that everybody ended up falling asleep - except me :) But... we were all ready at midnight - or at least most of us...... Janus was sleeping with Marcus - and we only got Lucas up 2 minutes before the fireworks :) No matter what - it was all worth it. The fireworks were amazing and they lasted for almost half an hour !!!! |
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