30 Hours to Johannesburg

11 hrs over to London went like a breeze. 3 hour layover that turned to 6 wasn't as great. First was my realization that the Caviar&Prunier House in terminal 5 was closed down, along with my normal second option which is a sports bar tucked at the end. So sad I searched for a new stomping ground and the winner was Gordon Ramsey. This one is upstairs and hidden so no crowds and don't feel skeptical when you want to go to the bathroom and have no one to leave your things to. This happens to me a lot by the way. Yummy salad with pancetta and soft boiled egg. I swear only the British can master a perfectly medium soft egg. 

My 2nd round of luck was being able to watch the Mexico - Croatia game where Of course I was the only one jumping up and down and when Mexico scored 3 times! Then when I see my flight is delayed I realize I can now watch the Spain vs Netherlands game. No complaints.  As my blood runs 50/50 on this so does my heart. I'd been happy with whom ever won but Spain really took a beating. I did manage to see that beautiful head butt goal in the first half before boarding another 10 hr flight. 

Landed, was met by Bill from A&K then off to the Fairlawns Boutique Hotel & Spa in the Sandton suburbs of Johannesburgo 

Quick tour of the hotel and jetted off to the spa for some intense steam room action followed by an hr massage. Knots out of the way I decided to go see the shop highly recommended to me called Melville and Sons. Luckily it was only 5 minutes from the hotel. Unluckily, nothing caught my eye for the price and they closed at 2pm! Do they do siesta here too?

Back to the hotel. Champagne and lunch a la terrace while eavesdropping on 2 ladies dishing out their gossip over tea. Wish I had the guts to take a pic of them but think fashionistas in furs, big glasses and combat boots. 

The Lanesborough - London 2013

As I contemplate my write up for the the Lanesborough I sit in the beautiful library bar. Piano is playing, service is impeccable and for a woman traveling on her own I feel more then comfortable sitting here ( bad experiences in the past). So I shall start with my arrival to this luxury hotel of london located on Hyde Park Corner. As expected, met and greeted each way through, Bella the "receptionist" ( receptionist seems ok for a Holiday Inn) guided me through check in with her Swiss finishing school bravado and walked me to my room where we finished formalities. She departs, 30 seconds later my luggage arrives and as he leaves my personal Butler arrives to explain the high tech side of this traditional old school Brit hotel. High Speed free wifi throughout, flat screen plasma's coming out of hidden walls, paintings or 16th century furniture. Digital light and air control panel hidden in more of the 16th century furniture and my all time favorite drawer with ALL the international plugs you need. 



I was pressed for time so turned down the tea offered to be sent to my room, but with the bottle of Taittanger winking at me...who needs tea! But in the end never had time to drink it although if I had taken up on my butlers offer to unpack and press my clothes...just maybe.
Quick shower with hot water that comes out instantly (simple pleasures of life) and off to dinner and a party I went. Coming home my room was warm, had enough bottles of water to hydrated me through the night and didn't here a peep from the street with the triple pained windows ( did I mention Hyde Park Corner is a busy corner!).

My tough morning came easy when breakfast of health tonic (celery mint something) and poached eggs arrived with much needed coffee. 

Met the older and younger Michael so they could give me the hotel rundown from Apsley Suites to "regular" rooms and newly done Jr Suites. Loved them all, each with amazing views, some brighter, some bigger but in the end all beautiful. My other favorite part of the hotel are the common areas. Bar, library, super awesome cigar lounge that doesn't smell like cigar and their famed restaurant, Apsley.
Later I went off to Portobello Market to meet my friends and ah the joy to know that the bus stop is literally at the door of the hotel. You can be anywhere in 15-25 min, straight line to Notting hill and for a whopping 2£.  Everything else its already at your doorstep so no bus needed. Now Im ready for bed and sad to think this is my last night. :( There is a reason why I book this hotel for my clients the most!
Buenas Noches

Wassenaar, Netheralnds

The purpose of my 5 day visit to my birth country is technically a sad one but has ended in a happy one. As I had mentioned before my Oma ( grandmother) passed away this month at the age of 85. Born in Indonesia ( dutch colony at the time) in 1926 to a wealthy family with a family tree from the 1500's. During WW2, her father was killed by the german border by accident by an American bomb in 1944. This left 3 orphaned van den Elshout's with their mother in  a horrible time in history. During this time the Germans had isolated the west of Holland completely, no communication, no trade and worse, no food. They were also going door to door looking for young able men to work in their factories, called Arbeitseinsatz and  Omi (great grandmother) was hiding her nephew a long with her daughters. As they knocked on the door she would say "drei maedelhause" ( 3 ladies house) and they would go away.  This time was called the Hunger Winter of '44/'45 and Omi had to sell her pieces of jewelry just to get a loaf of bread in the black market.(I'm assuming some where like $20 a loaf.) 
When my Oma married my grandfather, a mining engineer, at 19/20 yrs old it was a grand relief for Omi as she had one less mouth to feed. My grandfather worked for a company named Billiton, but after the 2nd child arrived he was denied a raise and so was on the move. He was then offered to work for metaBol in Bolivia where he stayed for about 8 yrs until Billiton begged him to come back, which he did. Oma was very happy in Bolivia and till her last days would always sing "que sera sera". 
As he worked through the ranks he ended up as Senior Vice President in The Hague. Oma didn't like the over poshness so they moved to Wassenaar, the town where I've always known it to be home and where I was born. 
They had a happy life their. Opa passed away 7yrs ago this month too, so I'm happy they they are in heaven together. She will be missed but never forgotten. 

Now as I pack up my grandmothers tea sets and try on her old coats I remember all those amazing moments we shared together. I always liked coming to Holland. I think its bc I felt like I was more alike this side of my family then my mothers side. I mean really? Who has my height and cheek bones in the Ariza household.  
Spending time in this small old village of Holland, I was shocked too see all these new things I had never noticed. First of all is the super market. When you go to Albert Hijn ( vons) you pick up a scanner and as u shop, u scan and put the things in ur bag.   They also offer u free coffee and tea while shopping. This isn't very dutch being so splendid. When you're done gazing through yumminess u check out by loading the scanner, swipe your card and off u go. All on the honor code!! So cool! With all this modernity people actually still go the cheese shop for their cheese, and respectfully with meats, breads, sweets and booze. Everything is closed on sundays even though no one is religious. Very Calvanistic of them.

Let's talk food and their Pea Soup. Maybe as a kid I didn't like veggies but anyone coming to Pays Bas must try this concoction of hearty goodness . So Yum!  I didn't know I liked peas so much. Although they love herring and I can't stand it, their selection of smoked salmons competes with Caviar House in London. I think I had it every day. Another funny anecdote was my wanting to go to Amsterdam for the day. To any person who I'd mention this the reply was "why? Why do u want to go to Amsterdam?" I didn't understand till I went. After being in such a friendly, green open space, upscale town, why would u go to a busting traffic infused with ppl who dress ugly with spiky hair. Well it does has it charm either way. With its old buildings side y side and built on a slant ( I guess engineering wasn't like the egyptians back in the day) along these canals, what's not to like. The southwest part of town very posh with the fancy hotels and beautiful houses . The center with the rembrandt museum, heineken brewery and the famed Anne Franke's house. Let's not forget the sex shops. Its a city of old and new full of what other dutch call "peaceful anarchist.". 



 
The trip was great. I met cousins, second cousins, great aunts and old college friends of my parents. Everyone remembering the good ol times it was sad to have to leave it again. Till the next time my beloved Wassenaar :)