One of my favourite beaches in the world is the remote beauty to be seen at Lossiemouth in the north of Scotland. My Dad has been taking me there for years now; a scenic afternoon jaunt and maybe a snack at the fabulous 1629 Restaurant. Or is it the 1828? I always get it mixed up.

Normally we walk right out along the beach, picking up shells and maybe having a quick paddle. The water is never what you could describe as ‘warm’, but on this particular occasion even the wind was bitingly cold so we gave the beach a miss.

I took some pretty pictures of the harbour instead – I find the little fishing boats and bigger tugs so fascinating with all their vibrant colours, interesting names and collective intrigue. Sadly, Lossie Harbour is no longer the thriving fishing port it once was. Dad remembers visiting as a young boy and being taken in by the busy bustle of men at work; the lively port atmosphere; the smell of the fish and the harbourside banter.

On the day we were there it was threatening rain, but the boats just bobbed about quietly as always. Serene and reassuring. We got ice cream on the front from Miele’s of Lossie, and sat in the car to eat it. Many people were doing the same just to get the full effect of a day at the beach, despite the lack of sunshine. Lucky Dad still has his big black umbrella…

No Comments | In: Lifestyle, Travel, Wannabe Journalist | tags: 1629 restaurant, beach, boats, fishing, harbour, ice cream, lossie, lossiemouth, marina, miele's of lossie, port, rain, sea, seaside, shells, tugs. | #

OK, so we got married in October 2008, but a five-day city break in Amsterdam does not a relaxing honeymoon make…

Once we were over the ‘I thought we were going to Cuba, now we’re going to the Cape Verde Islands’ shock, we got rather excited about the super-exotic paradise awaiting us. We weren’t disappointed. Departing Manchester at 9am on the Monday morning, the flight lasted a mediocre six hours. Darren was well equipped to cope however, with his Wide-Screen-Eye-Wear ‘cinema-goggles’ which allow you to watch films as if on a 52-inch screen, connected to his iPhone. I just had simple book, ‘The Secret Life of Bees’, which though good, didn’t hold my attention for the entire flight.

Cape Verde is a former Portuguese colony, gaining independence in 1975. It is an archipelago comprising ten islands – some mountainous, some flat and sandy – in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. They are the next group of Islands below the Canary Islands, off the West Coast of Africa. They enjoy a calming breeze off the Atlantic and experience around 30 days of rain a year, if they are lucky! We chose ‘Boa Vista’, which means ‘Beautiful View’. The two main languages on the island are Portuguese and Cape Verde Creole.

As we came into land, the hotel loomed large beneath us; a sprawling sand-castle in the desert. The airport was little more than a ruined fortress, completely open to the skies. There was a fair breeze, but the heat was a balmy 27C. Our passports were stamped, our cases were almost first off the conveyor, and an air-conditioned coach was ready to take us the five minute journey to our resort. Read more …

11 Comments | In: Travel, Wannabe Journalist | tags: africa, beach, boa vista, cape verde islands, holiday, honeymoon, paradise, portugese, praia, rabil, riu, riu karamboa, sal rei, sand buggying, santa monica beach, turtles. | #