Valentine's table for one
Well a strange state of affairs. Here I am sitting outside a lovely restaurant just by the hotel, it is 10pm on a lovely warm evening, waiting for the waiter to take my order. Perfect Valentines scene - except I am on my own. How did this happen? Well we haven't had a row. Just a combination of events, mainly relating to the children.
My plan for Valentines was to take Claire out to a really nice restaurant and treat her. Obviously with the boys in tow, which kind of takes the edge of the romance a bit - but even so. Unfortunately today has been difficult because Jamie has been very poorly. Just like he was in Ibiza, just like he was just after New Year. Unfortunately when he gets like this there is little that can be done. He gets a temperature, is miserable, wants to sleep, doesn't want to eat, doesn't want to drink. We brought Calpol and all that with us, all we can do it ride it out. Ollie is fine so he wanted to play all day - I took him to the kids club and the pool while Claire looked after Jamie. Which basically meant sitting outside on the patio while he slept though she did get out for a walk with him. Ollie of course being fine was running around like a mad thing, full of beans. Until he fell over out with me and cut his arm, meaning I had to seek first aid. We also had a day long battle to find someone in the hotel who could give us some fresh sheets for Jamie's bed which he was sick on. Thought they weren't going to let me at one point - was reminded of Manuel in Fawlty Towers " It is not allowed".
Eventually we get to 7pm and I've given Ollie a shower after which he falls asleep. Claire and Jamie also asleep so there is me sitting there all hungry wondering what to do. It's clear Jamie won't be well enough to go out. Fortunately we have these two free pizza vouchers we won at the quiz, so I think maybe I can use them. Claire wakes up, it's now dark, kids dead to the world. I don't want Pizza so offer to get her one and maybe I can grab something from the half board restaurant. Go up there, order Claire's pizza - look in the restaurant - tonight's fayre is dire - the worst yet - the show cooking seems to be some sort of spare ribs - those of the kind that consist entirely of gristle and bone. Decide to give it a miss, take Claire's pizza back and come back and order a hamburger and chips before it closes and sit outside and eat it. This plan also fails - as when I get back with the Pizza, Ollie has woken up and wants to go to the kids disco on site - which he loves. I can't refuse him just cause I am hungry so say I will take him but is it OK if I sit at the tables outside the bar in the restaurant to eat while he goes in - perfectly safe with all the entertainers who know him very well by now - but no, he cries and says he wants his Daddy with him. As you know, I always put the children first, so I agree, stomach rumbling and we head to the bar.
I don't care how much I put myself out to be honest, any sacrifice is worth it for the look of sheer joy on your child's face when he is enjoying himself. When I was little, we never had holidays like this. Sore point I won't go into now, it is story for another day, anyway all I care about it my boys happiness, I've had my fun in the sun (Ibiza '98 anyone? I was quite a naughty boy then, even by my standards - but we all have our moments).
So after another magnificent rendition of Cartoon Heroes,, we return to the room, Ollie wants to play DS, I want food, so ask Claire if she minds me popping out for a bite - that's cool, we are pretty easy going around here, so I wander up the road to the restaurant on the corner, plonk myself down, order some red wine and a fillet steak and chips and chill out. As usual, the fillet steak is enormous and great - order a fillet in England and you get something about the size of a computer mouse. Order one here and it is table tennis bat. And I'm not lacking in company either, the two lovely Irish ladies from next door are a couple of tables away come over and say hello, and in-between are a couple of Dutch guys in their 50s/60s, one of whom has been here six times since 1969 so plenty to talk about.
Back home to the apartment where it is warm sultry night so sat out writing this on the patio listening to the crickets chirping, looking at the palm trees and cacti. Truly this is the most amazing place and still it remains almost undiscovered by the great unwashed. You can keep your Tenerife and Lanzarote, this is my place, and always will be.
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