We were delayed at the Leonardo DaVinci Airport for 25 minutes due to rain.
Bloody rain!
Thankfully the flight was only 55 minutes long. We drove up to the resort and were met by an entourage, welcoming us like we were celebrities. WOW! Even the girls were looking around at all the lovely nice people all dressed in white with the letters G.O. on their sleeve. To my surprise, they were all speaking French. To each other and to me like they simply expected we would be french. David looked at me like I was crazy when I questioned this to him. He said, "Al, It's Club Med. Of course it's french. Club Med is French!" I don't know why I was not expecting this but I suppose I had just not given it a thought. Looks like the girls and I would have a great week of practising our language skills as well as relaxing! Cool! So got settled in our room which was actually two rooms connected by a bathroom. We were told when we booked that we were getting a Bungalow. Turns out it was just a big room within a hotel building but had walkout access to the main pool and Bar and Restaurant. We weren't complaining, it was very nice!
Then we went for dinner at the main restaurant Le Bougainvillier. OMG! 
Now I know this is my first experience at an All Inclusive but I wasn't expecting this!
Buffet after buffet of freshly cooked foods and even cooked on the spot. 
An entire buffet of enormous chunks of cheese with your choice of jellies to go along with it and top off the taste. 
Every one featured a different theme and was certain to please every person in the family. 
There was a fresh made pizza buffet. They even had a baby food buffet!
After dinner we decided to check out the welcome show put on by all the G.O.'s. It was great fun even for the girls. The G.O.'s obviously know half their audience is children and work with that but keep it very funny and entertaining for adults as well. By the end of the night, Evelyn and I were on the stage signing "Hands Up" with about 30 other resort guests. We were so delighted by the all encompassing entertainment and welcoming atmosphere. The next morning we woke up to a beautiful tropical morning with tons of sun and warm breeze.
We enjoyed breakfast on the Veranda and then took a walking tour of our resort. 
We got Evelyn and Gabrielle signed in to their Mini Club Med and Ruby for her Baby Club Med. We walked together along the poolside and enjoyed the fact that we were finally on our own, the kids were happily playing with other children and we were ready to enjoy the sun, sand and relaxation. That was the last time we saw the sun for anymore than a glimpse.
Dark clouds rolled in later that day and checking the weather forecast was enough to make anyone cry. 
The forecast was for continuous thick clouds with rain on and off for the next... 7 days. We couldn't believe our luck! As the sun disappeared, so did the warm temperatures. The dry heat was replaced with damp cold making it difficult to stay warm without a coat. Everyone flooded the Club Med store to see if they could buy a sweater or long sleeve shirt. As it was the end of the season, the shelves were barely stocked and all remaining stock was on sale for up to 70% off. We did not let this get us down. We decided rain or shine, we were going to take advantage of all activities provided by this lovely resort.
Our first activity was Archery. I have participated in archery a few times in my past but I can't really remember where. They provided everything even the shield for you fore arm. As I was getting ready to take my first shot after my instruction by the Archery G.O., I noticed the man standing beside David and I had his own bow. He brought it all the way from France! This guy was serious! So I got into position and waited for the G.O. to holler "Aller!" 
Bullseye on the first bloody shot no word of a lie. 
David even took a picture of it for proof. Obviously it was a fluke but the expert next to was really ticked when he barely hit the board. "Flech!" the G.O. yelled which means go get your arrows and don't shoot till I tell you! David proved to be a really great archer also and got one bullseye too.
Next we were on our way to the beach. 
It was a lovely beach and I'm sure the water would have been breath taking except the dark clouds over head made the aqua marine Mediteranean look like nothing more than Lake Huron. I was fighting the feeling of immense disappointment. I so badly wanted to see the Turquoise water and swim in it's warmth. Water that has been heated since June by the sun and in September promised to be 80 - 85 degrees. Truth is, it was so chilly outside I just couldn't go in. David did however and did his best James Bond coming out of the water.
I would go in eventually. I had to. It may be my only chance to say I have been in the Med. Bloody weather! Between the beach and the resort is a lush Eucalyptus forest. I have never stepped into this kind of forest before and was struck by the beautiful aroma. It was like nothing I had ever smelled. Lovely.
The next 2 days it rained persistently leaving us with not much to do. Thank god the kids were in their day programs with the G.O.'s and other children their age. We would have all gone mad looking at eachother in the hotel room waiting for the rain to stop. The program they have for the kids was superb. 
The 4 - 10 year old were in the Mini Club and they had full days of paintings, tennis, rollerblading, drama, swimming, treasure hunts and the list goes on. The leader of the G.O.'s Steve, who is from Belgium, was extremely well organized and firm about rules but big on fun. The G.O.'s take the kids to the Terratza Restaurant for lunch and make sure they eat a healthy meal and have enough time.
The Mini Club building was extremely clean and bright and looked like the best summer camp you could ever imagine. Gabrielle fell in love with Steve and followed him around like a puppy. 
She looked for him at supper and always invited him to sit with us for our family meal. It was so cute. Steve was really good about it too and I think loved the fact he was a virtual celebrity among the young guest of the resort. The Baby Club was also terrific with tons of G.O.'s
These pictures were taken on our white night which was unfortunatly wet again but the staff put on a fabulous show. 
Even a little male review but still okay for kids. They were very organized and we were very impressed. Every night after supper, all the kids would meet up with their GO's and put on a show outside for the parents.
They learned some really cute french songs. The girls really enjoyed themselves. We continued on trying to do activities in spite of the rain. We took a sailing lesson and David got the go ahead to take the katamaran out on our own. 
He loved it but I was terrified we were going to get blown over and drift into the middle of the sea and get eaten by hungry sharks. I think I have watched too much Discovery! 
It was something he has always wanted to do so I went along with it even though I was scared stiff. We tried to do everything we could in the area. There were about 20 hammocks in the forest on the way to the beach with soft classical music playing for the peace lover. 
David wanted to try it our and got flipped out, face first into the dirt. Funniest thing ever. Unbelievable how much you can laugh at your partners expense. We had a clear night one night so we ran down to the beach to see a sunset and take some pictures. 
We didn't know if it would be our only chance to see the sun. 
Sand is really tough for babies but its so cute. 
Again after this evening we didn't see the sun for a number of days. So David and I decided to take a day trip into a small Italian village called Tropea. 
It sits on the westernmost tip of the Italian peninsular and was apparently founded by Hercules. 
Now this is definatly the oldest city I've been to. 
Tropea is known for it's beaches and onions. Odd combo I know but we also found it was big on another thing. Viagra! 
It seems the local hot peppers around the Calabria region are thought to have aphrodesiac qualities. 
They were everywhere. Another remarkable part of Tropea is the monestary that is built on a large rock outcrop. Santa Maria dell'Isola. Like it was given from heaven, just as we arrived to see these sights, we were blessed with sun. 
It was marvelous. The beach looked undenyably attractive so David and I decided to go swimming. 
We paid way too much for a towel from some dude on the beach and dove into the crystal blue waters. 
I finally went swimming.
It was beautiful... and cold! 
Across the sea we had a clear view of Stromboli Island which hosts one of the worlds most active volcanoes. 
Apparently it is constantly erupting and in April 2009 had a huge explosion. The French people on the tour went crazy when they saw the Stromboli Volcano as it was in Jules Verne's novel, Journal to the Center of the Earth. As quickly as the sun appeared, it disappeared under a dark grey veil of clouds followed by 2 solid days of rain. 
We were getting sick of the rain to say the least and ended up just taking walks in the rain. 
Thank god I had brought jackets for the kids. Most people ran around with towels over their heads. All of us were freezing! Our last day at the resort turned out to be pretty nice. We had some sun mixed with clouds and so we took the girls out of their day camp and went to the beach. 
There was still a strong wind but the sun was warming us nicely. 
The girls both went in the water but it was too chilly for the baby. 
As time went on I could tell something was up with David. By lunch time he had a high fever and stomach pains. He was sick. Then Ruby threw up all over me and the hotel room. What a way to finish a vacation. On our departure day, we were happy to be going home. Unbelievable to say that I was happy to go back to Romania but I couldn't take having a sick husband, sick baby and sitting in a hotel room with everyone while it poured rain outside. We kissed our goodbyes to everyone. We met some great people while we were there and will hopefully keep in touch. It was a great vacation but I struggled to keep things totally positive. We got to relax but it was not on the beach as I had hoped. We saw Italy and I am thankful for that. On the way home, Ruby threw up all over David and I in the plane. Oh god. What an adventure for sure! Back to reality.
Then we went for dinner at the main restaurant Le Bougainvillier. OMG! 
Now I know this is my first experience at an All Inclusive but I wasn't expecting this!
Buffet after buffet of freshly cooked foods and even cooked on the spot. 
An entire buffet of enormous chunks of cheese with your choice of jellies to go along with it and top off the taste. 
Every one featured a different theme and was certain to please every person in the family. 
There was a fresh made pizza buffet. They even had a baby food buffet!
After dinner we decided to check out the welcome show put on by all the G.O.'s. It was great fun even for the girls. The G.O.'s obviously know half their audience is children and work with that but keep it very funny and entertaining for adults as well. By the end of the night, Evelyn and I were on the stage signing "Hands Up" with about 30 other resort guests. We were so delighted by the all encompassing entertainment and welcoming atmosphere. The next morning we woke up to a beautiful tropical morning with tons of sun and warm breeze.
We enjoyed breakfast on the Veranda and then took a walking tour of our resort. 
We got Evelyn and Gabrielle signed in to their Mini Club Med and Ruby for her Baby Club Med. We walked together along the poolside and enjoyed the fact that we were finally on our own, the kids were happily playing with other children and we were ready to enjoy the sun, sand and relaxation. That was the last time we saw the sun for anymore than a glimpse.
Dark clouds rolled in later that day and checking the weather forecast was enough to make anyone cry. 
The forecast was for continuous thick clouds with rain on and off for the next... 7 days. We couldn't believe our luck! As the sun disappeared, so did the warm temperatures. The dry heat was replaced with damp cold making it difficult to stay warm without a coat. Everyone flooded the Club Med store to see if they could buy a sweater or long sleeve shirt. As it was the end of the season, the shelves were barely stocked and all remaining stock was on sale for up to 70% off. We did not let this get us down. We decided rain or shine, we were going to take advantage of all activities provided by this lovely resort.
Our first activity was Archery. I have participated in archery a few times in my past but I can't really remember where. They provided everything even the shield for you fore arm. As I was getting ready to take my first shot after my instruction by the Archery G.O., I noticed the man standing beside David and I had his own bow. He brought it all the way from France! This guy was serious! So I got into position and waited for the G.O. to holler "Aller!" 
Bullseye on the first bloody shot no word of a lie. 
David even took a picture of it for proof. Obviously it was a fluke but the expert next to was really ticked when he barely hit the board. "Flech!" the G.O. yelled which means go get your arrows and don't shoot till I tell you! David proved to be a really great archer also and got one bullseye too.
Next we were on our way to the beach. 
It was a lovely beach and I'm sure the water would have been breath taking except the dark clouds over head made the aqua marine Mediteranean look like nothing more than Lake Huron. I was fighting the feeling of immense disappointment. I so badly wanted to see the Turquoise water and swim in it's warmth. Water that has been heated since June by the sun and in September promised to be 80 - 85 degrees. Truth is, it was so chilly outside I just couldn't go in. David did however and did his best James Bond coming out of the water.
I would go in eventually. I had to. It may be my only chance to say I have been in the Med. Bloody weather! Between the beach and the resort is a lush Eucalyptus forest. I have never stepped into this kind of forest before and was struck by the beautiful aroma. It was like nothing I had ever smelled. Lovely.
The next 2 days it rained persistently leaving us with not much to do. Thank god the kids were in their day programs with the G.O.'s and other children their age. We would have all gone mad looking at eachother in the hotel room waiting for the rain to stop. The program they have for the kids was superb. 
The 4 - 10 year old were in the Mini Club and they had full days of paintings, tennis, rollerblading, drama, swimming, treasure hunts and the list goes on. The leader of the G.O.'s Steve, who is from Belgium, was extremely well organized and firm about rules but big on fun. The G.O.'s take the kids to the Terratza Restaurant for lunch and make sure they eat a healthy meal and have enough time.
The Mini Club building was extremely clean and bright and looked like the best summer camp you could ever imagine. Gabrielle fell in love with Steve and followed him around like a puppy. 
She looked for him at supper and always invited him to sit with us for our family meal. It was so cute. Steve was really good about it too and I think loved the fact he was a virtual celebrity among the young guest of the resort. The Baby Club was also terrific with tons of G.O.'s
These pictures were taken on our white night which was unfortunatly wet again but the staff put on a fabulous show. 
Even a little male review but still okay for kids. They were very organized and we were very impressed. Every night after supper, all the kids would meet up with their GO's and put on a show outside for the parents.
They learned some really cute french songs. The girls really enjoyed themselves. We continued on trying to do activities in spite of the rain. We took a sailing lesson and David got the go ahead to take the katamaran out on our own. 
He loved it but I was terrified we were going to get blown over and drift into the middle of the sea and get eaten by hungry sharks. I think I have watched too much Discovery! 
It was something he has always wanted to do so I went along with it even though I was scared stiff. We tried to do everything we could in the area. There were about 20 hammocks in the forest on the way to the beach with soft classical music playing for the peace lover. 
David wanted to try it our and got flipped out, face first into the dirt. Funniest thing ever. Unbelievable how much you can laugh at your partners expense. We had a clear night one night so we ran down to the beach to see a sunset and take some pictures. 
We didn't know if it would be our only chance to see the sun. 
Sand is really tough for babies but its so cute. 
Again after this evening we didn't see the sun for a number of days. So David and I decided to take a day trip into a small Italian village called Tropea. 
It sits on the westernmost tip of the Italian peninsular and was apparently founded by Hercules. 
Now this is definatly the oldest city I've been to. 
Tropea is known for it's beaches and onions. Odd combo I know but we also found it was big on another thing. Viagra! 
It seems the local hot peppers around the Calabria region are thought to have aphrodesiac qualities. 
They were everywhere. Another remarkable part of Tropea is the monestary that is built on a large rock outcrop. Santa Maria dell'Isola. Like it was given from heaven, just as we arrived to see these sights, we were blessed with sun. 
It was marvelous. The beach looked undenyably attractive so David and I decided to go swimming. 
We paid way too much for a towel from some dude on the beach and dove into the crystal blue waters. 
I finally went swimming.
It was beautiful... and cold! 
Across the sea we had a clear view of Stromboli Island which hosts one of the worlds most active volcanoes. 
Apparently it is constantly erupting and in April 2009 had a huge explosion. The French people on the tour went crazy when they saw the Stromboli Volcano as it was in Jules Verne's novel, Journal to the Center of the Earth. As quickly as the sun appeared, it disappeared under a dark grey veil of clouds followed by 2 solid days of rain. 
We were getting sick of the rain to say the least and ended up just taking walks in the rain. 
Thank god I had brought jackets for the kids. Most people ran around with towels over their heads. All of us were freezing! Our last day at the resort turned out to be pretty nice. We had some sun mixed with clouds and so we took the girls out of their day camp and went to the beach. 
There was still a strong wind but the sun was warming us nicely. 
The girls both went in the water but it was too chilly for the baby. 
As time went on I could tell something was up with David. By lunch time he had a high fever and stomach pains. He was sick. Then Ruby threw up all over me and the hotel room. What a way to finish a vacation. On our departure day, we were happy to be going home. Unbelievable to say that I was happy to go back to Romania but I couldn't take having a sick husband, sick baby and sitting in a hotel room with everyone while it poured rain outside. We kissed our goodbyes to everyone. We met some great people while we were there and will hopefully keep in touch. It was a great vacation but I struggled to keep things totally positive. We got to relax but it was not on the beach as I had hoped. We saw Italy and I am thankful for that. On the way home, Ruby threw up all over David and I in the plane. Oh god. What an adventure for sure! Back to reality. Home soon!
Alison xxx
