What we did in Amsterdam Schiphol and Brussels

 As promised I'm  back after Christmas. I hope you all had a great time and didn't end up with an upset stomach. :-) Here is the report what happened while we stayed at the Hilton Amsterdam Schiphol. Have fun and happy travels this year, 2012 and very well beyond!

On our first day we used the time to explore Schiphol. The airport is interesting, because there is a food court and shopping mall landside. There are two supermarkets, Albert Heijn and Food Village. We stocked up on American chocolate bars and drinks, so this was definitely a hit. For future reference we kept in mind the luggage store that sells Remowa suitcases.
At the Schiphol Plaza is the largest Burger King in the world. It is really huge, the quality is good and the outlet is always busy. We ate there twice. The white chocolate Blondie wasn't to our taste, because it was too sweet.
We also liked that not everything at Schiphol is commercial. There are a lot of seating spaces and greenery. An aircraft engine was on exhibition. It was an impressive size and sight. Our highlight was the viewing platform, though. I could spend hours there watching all the planes taking off and landing. We saw beside KLM United, Czech Airlines, Astana Airlines from Kazakhstan and others. Information about the airport and aviation is also available, unfortunately only in Dutch. There is also a retired Fokker on view. We loved exploring the plane and the information provided in English.
On the day of our arrival we went to the train ticket counter at the Plaza. Originally we had planned to go to Rotterdam for our full day, but decided to check out international train prizes as well. We were quoted, if memory serves me correct 55 Euro per person / ca. 72 USD for second class or 75 Euro per person / ca. 98 USD for first class for a day return to Brussels, Belgium. The fare was good value in our opinion, so we bought two first class tickets to Brussels. It also gives lounge access at any train station in the Netherlands. We couldn't use the high speed train Thalys, but the Inter City was still fast. It took 2.5 hours each way.
As a side note: The first class train tickets in the Netherlands/Belgium are affordable against the ones in Ireland. For roughly the same distance and duration between Dublin and Belfast we had to pay 200 Euro / ca. 262 USD for two, which is double from the 2nd Class tickets and offers no lounge access.
Our compartment was luxurious and the leg room was bigger than in second class.
A member of staff arrived with a trolley to offer snacks, including sandwiches and sweets, and hot and cold beverages. Unfortunately it’s not free.
Then came the "Walk of Shame". We were surprised how full the First Class compartment was. Well, the issue was solved soon. When the train conductor arrived, three quarters of the passengers had to move to the 2nd class compartment, because they didn't have valid tickets.
The views over the Dutch and Belgium landscape were interesting.
Announcements were made in Dutch, English and French.
We arrived at the central train station and having been in Brussels a few times before, we knew our way around. We admired the Le Meridien, where we had stayed on a previous visit.
This time around we wanted to see the Manneken Pis and the Grand Place.
The Manneken Pis was dressed this time, but unfortunately there was no explanation what he was wearing. There were a lot of other tourists. To get pushed was nothing unusual. In all honesty such behavior drives me mad.
After exploring the Grand Place and City Hall, where it was quieter on a Sunday afternoon, we went to the Amigo, a Sir Rocco Forte Hotel. Always when we are in Brussels we have lunch or a coffee break in the bar. For some reason we have never stayed at the hotel or in any Sir Rocco Forte property for that matter. Once we had also dinner at the famous Bocconi Restaurant. The experience was great.
At the Bar Amigo we received a warm welcome and could choose our seat.
The menu had changed quite a bit and offered now a huge cocktail list and Belgian specialties. During our last visit it was international/Italian.
EW had a hot chocolate and a steak with fries. I had a Mary Pickford - a Prohibition cocktail, it's named after the famous actress of the 1920's and 30's - and rabbit legs with a beer sauce and winter vegetables (including brussel sprouts, cauliflower and carrots.). We shared a bottle of still water. Both dishes are difficult to make, but the chef did an excellent job and the brussel sprouts were very mild and a delicacy. Originally we planned maybe to share a dessert. The quality of the produce used was so high, we weren't able to pursue it. Afterwards we went to St. Nicholas Church and  our favorite shopping gallery the Galeries Royale St. Hubert. I like it especially, because it is a long, light filled space. On this day it was crowded, because it did rain for maybe half an hour, and everyone wanted to avoid getting wet. There were also more restaurants than I remembered.
We had achieved what we wanted, so we made our way to the train station and returned to Schiphol. On the way back the announcements were made when we were in Belgium in French, Dutch, English and German and when we were over the boarder in French, Dutch and English.
This trip had been memorable and inspirational.
One of our wishes is to return to Brussels and stay at the Amigo. Maybe this wish comes true in 2012.

©2011

Merry Christmas

Hi my dear readers,

I wish you and your families a Merry Christmas.

Thanks for following me.

See you all hopefully next week.

Your Writer1976

© 2011

Are we going to church?

 This is about Sam's father Jack and it plays in Chicago in the 1960's. 
Jack was a playboy before meeting Sam's mother Madeleine. Here is the background story to why. 
A quick disclaimer: In real life I'm against any form of violence, no matter what age or gender, racism or anti-Semitism. 
I thought about how much self control Jack has, how young (sixteen) he is and what reaction to the situation he finds himself in, is reasonable to expect in reality. I also asked my better half for advise and followed it, so thanks for that EW.


When Joellen Moser saw the new student her heart beat faster. Jack Richards was tall and gawky. His hair was honey colored and his eyes amber. She had expected Jack's skin was fair and freckled. Instead it was slightly bronzed. No freckles in sight.
Joellen was the opposite. She was dark haired, had blue green eyes, was a little bit plump and on the smaller side.
Her brother brought the new guy home after the debating club finished, where they were both members. Joellen's parents welcomed the well mannered young man into the household.
Joellen admired Jack from afar. Her brother saw her as a nuisance, so she didn't have high hopes Jack was interested in her.
Everything changed when Jack was waiting for her at school and carried her school books. He was a little bit nervous when he asked her, if she wanted to go to the movies with him. Of course she wanted to and from then on they were an item.
Jack took her out to cheap diners, ice skating and an Elvis Presley performance. Tickets to get for that were very hard.
They exchanged their first kiss there. Joellen started dreaming about a big white church wedding and children.
One day on the way home Joellen asked Jack, if he would come with her and her family to mass on Sunday. She had never seen Jack at church. Maybe his family went to a different one or belonged to another branch of Christianity. Jack shuffled with his feet and seemed embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I can't." "Why not?" Jack didn't dare to look into Joellen's eyes. "I'm Jewish." It was the least Joellen expected. She was prejudiced, having heard all her life only the worst about Jews. Joellen was disgusted, when she thought she had kissed a Jew and let him touch her.
She truly believed Jews wanted to accumulate power, wealth and influence at all costs to dominate the world, amongst other things. She shouted angrily at Jack: "Your people have killed Jesus!" Then she spat into Jack's face. He reacted in reflex and slapped Joellen. She touched her cheek in shock. Joellen's eyes filled with tears. She ran away.
Jack was himself shocked. He had never slapped a girl before and never afterwards. His parents had taught him this was a no no. Jack was sorry about it and not proud, but he was also very angry and hurt. He had thought Joellen was different.
Jack had decided to keep his religion a secret at school, because he feared he was going to be an outsider and would encounter trouble and anti-Semitism, if he was honest from the beginning. Nothing did indicate he was Jewish. Previously he had lived in a Jewish working class suburb of Chicago. His parents decided to move into an upscale Christian area, when Jack's father expanded his business.

Joellen felt betrayed. She would have never gone out with Jack, if she had known he was Jewish.
The slap was unforgiveable in her opinion, and it confirmed only her prejudices.
Her first instinct was to tell everyone in Jack's class the truth. Then she had second thoughts. It was too embarrassing and the risk was too high she would be teased or outcast, because she had been an item with a Jew.
Instead Joellen decided to ignore Jack. She tried everything to avoid him. Sometimes when he sat in the canteen near her, she told anti-Semitic jokes. Joellen did everything to push Jack away.

Even though Jack was hurt by Joellen's original reaction, he tried to apologize and maybe give their relationship a chance. When she ignored him and told bad jokes, he realized it was over. In his opinion she was narrow minded and a racist.

Joellen made sure she never dated a Jew again.
Jack nursed a broken heart and swore he was never going to be hurt like that.
He turned into a ladies man. Women seemed to genuinely like him. Jack was charming and attentive until he got, what he wanted - sex. Some thought they could change him, but failed.
Only someone special managed to conquer Jack's heart. It was against both their wills and took a huge leap of faith on Jack's side.

©2011

Hilton Amsterdam Schiphol, Amsterdam The Netherlands

Here is the promised review of the Hilton Amsterdam Schiphol. Hope you like it. :-)

We had two nights in Amsterdam and decided not to go into the city, but stay at Schiphol Airport. If we wanted to go into Amsterdam or somewhere else we could still do that.

We arrived again with the Irish flag carrier Aer Lingus. Of course we could have used the free shuttle to the hotel, but we were travelling light, so we went to the Schiphol Plaza (Train and Bus Station of the airport) and followed the signs for Hotels. We had to go to the very end of the Plaza and take an escalator one floor higher. It's the parking garage of the airport and contains the Sheraton Hotel and the WTC. The Citizen M Hotel has a different exit.
In the complex the Hilton Hotel is signed out. The way stretches the entire building, and it takes around ten minutes.  The hotel is visible from the floor to ceiling windows. We turned right at the end of the building; there is a door that leads outside. We used the stairs, but there is also an elevator in case you have heavy luggage or a disability. From there it is maybe 50 meters to the hotel entrance.

The hotel has an open car park and a drive way with a round about. The roundabout is covered with a lawn. The Hilton hotel has won a colorful bull and a cow at a charity auction. The two are "grazing" peacefully on the lawn.
The building is Y-shaped.
A blue carpet leads to the entrance. Because it is an older hotel the lobby area is small. Most of the space is taken up by the Greenhouse restaurant and the Stopover bar to the left. The restaurant offers Asian and Western cuisine, including a Tepanyaki corner, buffet and a la carte. On Wednesday evening’s guests have the chance to enjoy a Reijstafel, a specialty.
To the right is the reception and a little bit hidden the bell man's desk.
Check in was a breeze. Our room was ready, even if it wasn't check in time yet. We achieved Hilton Honors Diamond status with our stay at the Hilton Charles de Gaulle. To be a Diamond member you must stay either 28 times with any Hilton brand worldwide or achieve 100.000 base points. Because of our status we were immediately upgraded to a club room with club lounge access. Even if we wouldn't have been upgraded, we would have been able to use the club lounge.
The elevator is located at the end of the corridor, and we were impressed when we reached our floor (The 7th). The carpet was most beautiful and lavish as was the flower display.
Our room was non smoking, medium sized and very comfortable. The room was held mostly in signature Hilton browns and was modern. The walls were a light yellow and the lamps provided an interesting play with light and shadow. There was a large standing lamp, a chair, coffee table, writing desk, a flat screen TV with international channels and a fully stocked mini bar. As amenity we received daily a large bottle of water, which is unusual. There was also a cupboard and a wardrobe. Our view was over the training plane of Schiphol's fire fighters. Once a month or so, it is set ablaze and the fire fighters battle the flames. When we were there nothing like this happened.
There is also 24 hours in room dining available. The selection is small, but high quality.
The bathroom was compact, but again very comfortable. There was a toilet, a bath tub and overhead shower and a sink with Peter Thomas Roth amenities. It left enough space to store our toiletries
In the room were also magazines and information provided by the hotel what was going on in Amsterdam, for example there was the Brazilian Festival.
On each floor is also an ice machine (Usable from ca. 07.00 am to ca. 22.00 hours to not inconvenience other hotel guests in nearby rooms. In room service provides ice during the night.) and a shoe shine machine.

The club lounge is located on the highest (8th) floor and interesting shaped, because it is located in the one of the corners, so there are a few nooks and crannies to explore. Sometimes the door to the club lounge is open. If not, guests can gain entry by inserting their room key into the slot on the right side.
Breakfast is served until 10.30 hours during weekdays and 11.00 on weekends. During the day there are cakes, chocolates with edible gold and silver, cheese and much more. Coffee, tea and alcohol free beverages as well as Port are through out the day available. In the evening there were appetizers, wine and liqueur on offer. The quality was very high and we enjoyed spending time in the lounge.
There is a flat screen TV available. For those, who care for playing games, there are a few board games to your disposal. The library is very small and the choice wasn't to my liking. What I liked was the bowl containing two gold fish on the writing desk of the hostess. There are at least four hostesses. Each one asked us for our room number, so security is high and cheating is as good as impossible. That's for the Flyer Talkers out there. Unlike at the Hilton Charles de Gaulle, where the club lounge is not always manned, at the Hilton Amsterdam Schiphol we always encountered a member of staff.
Views were over one of the runways, and take offs got especially busy during the morning and late afternoon. Most planes were from KLM, which makes sense, because Schiphol is the home of the airline.

On one of the evenings we had in room dining. My better half is a big fan of burgers. He has tried a few Hilton Burgers by now and this is what he ordered. I had the salmon with piri piri sauce. It was mild and not too spicy. Both dishes were very good.
We also used the wake up call service. It was always punctual, which was positive. The bed was so comfortable, it was difficult to get out of it.
The Hilton Amsterdam Schiphol is also taking part in Ducks for Change, all donations are going to the Hilton Foundation, helping young people to get a better life. We have already a little collection of ducks. One pack contains three ducks in different outfits. We have the Christmas edition, the sports edition and the adventure/safari edition, at least I call them so... :) Two of them are from Amsterdam (adventure/safari and Christmas).

Of course staying at the Hilton wasn't the only thing we did. Please look out for another part of our travel.

©2011

What's coming up?

Well, a few things...

- The Hilton Amsterdam Schiphol and what we did during our two night stay.

- a short story about Sam's father Jack

- The Park Hyatt Milan

- The Shelbourne - A Renaissance Hotel, Dublin

- The Sheraton Heathrow

and of course much more.

Please spare with me, though, I'm quite busy at work.

©2011

Luizia

 Some might remember Luizia, Sam's sister in law. This is a spanking story about her.

Luizia knew it was stupid what she had done. She also knew her mother Maria Isadora was going to discipline her. Luizia hoped she was going to escape with a scolding and grounding. The look on her mother's face and the fact she hid something behind her back, didn't bode well, though. Luizia's mother had placed a chair in the middle of the kitchen.
"Luizia, how often have I warned you to keep to the curfew?" "Mhm, I don't know, maybe five times?" "And how often have I grounded you for the same offence?" Luizia knew exactly she had been reprimanded seven times and grounded six times. On each occasion Maria Isadora had explained how Luizia's behavior made her feel. Luizia had promised it wouldn't happen again. They had repeated the same ritual over and over. Maria Isadora was fed up and thought she had to make a point. "Luizia, talking doesn't seem to work, taking away privileges neither, so I have to use my last resort and believe me, I hate to do it." With that Maria Isadora grabbed her daughter by the arm, sat down on the chair and pulled her sixteen year old over her lap. Luizia, who was dark haired, was too shocked to struggle or react. She suddenly came to live, when her mother pushed up her skirt. Her mother hadn't spanked her since ... Well, a long time ago. Luizia thought she was too old to be punished that way. "Mama, please don't. I will obey you." "Luizia, I'm going to go through with it, because I don't believe you anymore. This is just a reminder that you aren't an adult yet and if you don't behave like one, I'm treating you like a child. Is this understood?" Maria Isadora's voice was stern. She slapped Luizia's dotted panty clad rear, when Luizia didn't answer promptly. "Yes, Ma'am." Luizia hurried to reply. Luizia didn't want to earn herself extra smacks. "Young lady, in future you are going to return on time, or you find yourself over my knee again. Is it clear?" Maria Isabelle punctuated every word with a smack. They weren't especially hard, but the amount raining down on Luizia's bottom had some impact and made Luizia squirm. Luizia thought her punishment was over. To her dismay she was asked to raise her hips. "Please, Mama, don't. I have learned my lesson." Luizia's pleading felt on deaf ears. "Luizia, I decide when you have learned your lesson! Raise your hips or you are going to be a very sorry girl." Against her will Luizia obeyed. Her mother pulled the red dotted panties down to Luizia's knee. Luizia felt very young and childish, having her bared behind sticking up in the air, knowing it was going to be peppered in a few moments. She thought it was going to be a hand spanking, but had completely forgotten the implement her mother had hidden from her. Now was the time to retrieve it. Luizia's eyes bulged. Her mother produced a purple heart wood paddle. It was around 16 inches long and an inch thick. Luizia was terrified. Her mother had previously only used her hand, and that had been enough to make Luizia cry. Luizia dreaded her impeding punishment. Maria Isadora saw her "handiwork" from earlier. Luizia's pert bottom was pink. Maria Isadora sent the paddle crashing down on Luizia's behind. It was so large, it nearly covered Luizia's whole seat. Luizia screamed. Her bottom felt like it was exploding. She was glad her father was on a business trip and her younger brother Luiz already asleep. She promised herself to keep her voice down. Luizia didn't want her brother witnessing her punishment. She would have been very embarrassed. The next swat wasn't easier to take. Luizia managed barely to be quieter. Maria Isadora continued to smack Luizia's bottom merciless. The swats weren't as hard as the first two, but they made sure Luizia lost composure. After the fourth stroke Luizia burst into tears and started to kick, because her behind was on fire. After another scorching swat Luizia kicked again, and her panty flew across the room. Luizia didn't even notice. Maria Isadora put an end to her daughters struggle and restrained Luizia. She pushed Luizia over her left leg, making sure her daughter's rear was sticking up, and then circled Luizia's legs with her right. Maria Isadora thought about wrapping up the punishment. Another three licks, and she was satisfied Luizia had had enough. She helped Luizia up and smoothed Luizia's skirt down. Maria Isadora briefly hugged her daughter. "Go to your room now. I'm going to have a chat with you tomorrow about it. Sleep well, darling." Maria Isadora gave Luiza a kiss on the sweaty forehead. Luizia hadn't stopped crying yet. She was in pain, angry and upset. Sometimes she wished her older sister Adrianna was still living at home. Adrianna was married and studied in the United States. Adrianna would have comforted Luizia. Because Maria Isadora had ordered her to her room, Luizia didn't dare to call Adrianna. Normally Luizia would have been responsible and removed her make up, which had been ruined by the tears. This night Luizia didn't give a damn and cried herself to sleep. The next morning she was surprised there was just one small bruise on her left sit spot. Still her behind felt overall sore and her soul and spirit bruised. Luizia was close to tears, and she was sad and disappointed. She felt like her world was crashing down on her.
Maria Isadora had been sleeping badly. She felt guilty and sorry for Luizia. Maria Isadora questioned herself, if she had been too hard and beat herself up, because she hadn't found a different solution. Maria Isadora admitted she had reacted partly in anger. She was the adult and should have been more responsible.

When Luiz, Maria Isadora and Luizia sat down for breakfast, the tensions were undeniable there. Luizia was not as usual quibbling with Luiz and concentrated on the plate in front of her. She was ashamed and didn't dare looking into her mothers eyes.
Maria Isadora was concerned. Hopefully she was able to clear the air later.

Luiz was sent off to play with one of the neighbors kids.
Luizia made signs she wanted to leave the table. Maria Isadora stopped her. "Luizia, while you help me with the dishes, we can talk." Luizia didn't want to, but nodded, not looking up.
Mother and daughter carried the used plates and cutlery to the kitchen.
"Luizia, how do you feel?" Luizia didn't want to respond, so she simply stared at the floor. Maria Isadora put a finger under Luizia's chin and gently raised Luizia's head. "Are you going to give me an answer?" Luizia kept quiet. "If you don't, I'll go ahead." Luizia didn't make a sign. Maria Isadora stated: "I'm feeling bad." It got Luizia's attention. "Me, too." Luizia admitted and suddenly hugged her mother tightly and burst into tears. "Now, darling, it's okay. I'm sorry I spanked you yesterday. I shouldn't have done that." "I deserved it, Mama. I behaved like a spoiled brat. I know you were worried and still I did it again and again. I'm so ashamed. I even don't know why I did it..." "Don't worry, honey. Let's put it down to rebellious teenage years, okay?" Maria Isadora, caressed Luizia hair. Her daughter relaxed visible and sniffled only lightly. "Luizia, we need to talk about how we should go on in the future." "I promise I have learned my lesson and won't arrive later than my curfew. If something is going to keep me, I'm going to call, so that you don't have to worry." Luizia was gnawing on her lower lip. She surprised her mother. "If I'm late again without any excuse, you should paddle me as you promised." "What?!" "It seems I only learn when I'm over your lap... But could you do me a favor please?" "What is it?" "Please don't spank me on the bare. The paddle hurts plenty even with my clothing on." "Okay. I can agree to that."

Luizia pretty soon overcame her bad feelings, and her relationship with her mother returned to normal nearly immediately. Luizia had never been one to hold a long grudge. Naturally she never forgot her punishment or the reason behind it and took great care to arrive on time. Luizia encountered the paddle another time, but that is another story.

©2011

She - Part 4

Well, I was at my favorite place again, curled up on the window sill. This time at the kitchen overlooking the street. In all honesty I kept an eye out for Red. Sometimes my imagination was playing games with me and I thought I saw her, but I was mistaken. Then I saw a flash of red in the neighbor’s garden. At first I thought I was day dreaming again. Soon I realized it was really Red and got agitated. The neighbors had a big dog, called Metzger. He was very territorial, and I feared he was going to tear Red apart. Not thinking I forgot there was glass in the window and banged my head full against it. I saw stars. By the time I was back to normal, I saw Red leaving the area. Urgently I jumped up, and left the house for the first time since I arrived. I was too late and lost sight of Red. Maybe next time I was luckier and was able to catch up with Red, so that we could clear the air.

©2011

Hilton Paris Charles de Gaulle, Paris, France

The Hilton Charles De Gaulle Airport is easy to reach. There are two options available. The hotel offers a free shuttle bus from Charles de Gaulle Terminal 2 TGV Station. It runs every fifteen to twenty minutes during the day, between 06.00 and 23.30 hours. After that only on request. We used the second option. Arriving with Aer Lingus at Terminal 1 we took the CDGVAL to Terminal 3 Roissypole and walked the rest of the way by following the signs for the Hilton Hotel. It's not very far, maybe 100 m. Other hotels in the vicinity are the Novotel and Ibis. The Pullman is visible, but not in walking distance. If you want to go to the Pullman you have to go at the Parking stop between Terminal 1 and 3.

The Hilton is a two tower building connected by an atrium. When entering, the atrium is stunning. It feels inviting and like a home immediately. On the right side is the Caravelle Bar and to the left the reception. There is a designated check in/check out for Hilton Honors members.
Check in was quick and friendly - not the French attitude we expected. We were immediately recognized as Gold members and upgraded to a club room with club lounge access on the highest floor.
On the ground floor is also Les Aviateurs restaurant, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, either buffet style or a la carte.
Our room was medium in size and Art Deco Style. The dominating color was brown, but the red sofa provided a nice color splash. There was also a writing desk, a wardrobe and cupboard with a large LCD Flat screen TV (including international chanels).
The minibar was stocked with the usual items, for example Coca Cola, but there were also some sweets (foam strawberries) we liked and Brazilian orange juice. As Gold member amenity we received two large bottles of free water.
The bathroom was good sized. It wasn't the largest, but neither the smallest, with separate bath tub and shower. There were also the famous Peter Thomas Roth products available.
The bed was comfortable, and we had side views to one of the runways. There is also 24 hours in room dining available, which we used. We had an Italian salad, pasta and Creme Brulee. It was excellent. The bill came to around 50 Euros / 68 USD which we found reasonable.

The club lounge has open all day. It serves breakfast, snacks - we liked the cakes best -  and alcohol free beverages during the day. In the evening there is a happy hour with wine (red, white and sparkling), liqueur and appetizers, for example fried chicken, cheese, crudities with dips and so on. All is very good. The lounge has views over the by now retired Concorde and the runway.  It was fascinating to watch the planes come and go - also called movements. The lounge has an intimate feel with memorabilia from the Concorde and signed autographs. There are also computers for guests to use free of charge.
The breakfast buffet in the club lounge is small, but the items are fresh and healthy. There is even a selection of hot items, like scrambled eggs.

The hotel has also meeting facilities and a fitness center / spa.
Those facilities are located on the mezzanine level.
The spa has only open from 1 PM to 9 PM, seven days a week. The massages cost around 100 Euro / ca. 132 USD. Costs are depending on the length and what type of treatment is requested.
The fitness center also offers a steam room, sauna and an inviting indoor swimming pool. We had a look at the facilities, but this time around didn't use them.

We would return to this hotel in a heart beat, liking the convenience of the location, the atmosphere, the service without attitude, comfort of the room and the excellent food.

©2011

She - Part 3

Long time no see, I know. Unfortunately other commitments kept me busy, but here is part 3 of She and there is soon going to be more.

Here is just a short explanation who Sam is. He is Dante's owner, even if Dante thinks it's the other way round. :-)


When I least expected her Red was back. I hadn't forgotten about her eating my dinner, and I was left hungry until the next morning, so my claws were out. I was ready to defend my territory. We had a brief fight. She left with her tail between her legs. Sam was a little bit surprised I had a scratch on my throat. 
I'm not going out, even though Sam has made the house cat friendly, and I could leave anytime I like, so he didn't have an explanation how I came to my injury. He asked what I had been up to. I told him about Red, but unfortunately he doesn't understand my language. I admitted to him that I missed Red. I hoped she was going to return...

©2011

The Arts - A Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Barcelona, Spain

We were looking for a luxurious, relaxing weekend in Barcelona, so we decided to take a hotel we have dreamed about staying for ages, and it was going to be our first ever Ritz-Carlton. Previously we had visited a few in Asia and the United States. Based on our experience I expected a flawless and stress free time.

All started very well. We had contact with the club and the spa concierge around a week before we stayed at the hotel. The club concierge organized the transfer from and to the airport. They have a BMW 7 and a Mercedes S-Class. We requested to have the BMW, when we arrived and the Mercedes on the way back. Because the limousine service is extremely busy, it seems the customer doesn't have a choice of car. We received on both ways the Mercedes. Cost was 240 Euros / ca. 325 USD.
The drive was scenic along the coast and took twenty minutes.
At the hotel we were greeted by the bell captain, who took one piece of our luggage. We took the elevator to the first floor and went to reception, stating that we had booked the club lounge and were accompanied to the 33rd floor, where the club lounge is located. We were welcomed by a friendly staff member and offered a glass of cranberry juice. It was a nice touch.
While the club concierge took care of the check in formalities, we were invited to take a seat, and if we liked we could also help ourselves to the buffet breakfast. We arrived early, so we didn't expect our room was ready yet. To our surprise we were told it was, and we could go to it whenever we liked. Having finished our juices we decided we wanted to go to our room and were promptly accompanied to the 19th floor. By the way the Arts has real keys. To our dismay and the shock of the employee the room stank dreadful and was completely unmade. We went back to the club lounge, where we were told the room would be immediately taken care of and the House Keeping Manager informed.
We waited for another hour and still hadn't been updated. After checking again, we were told the room wasn't ready yet. We decided the weather was too nice to be wasted and went out to explore the area. At our return the room still wasn't ready. The club lounge concierge couldn't tell us when we were able to go to our room. Twenty minutes after the official check in time, we went down again. This time the room was made and the smell (cigarette smoke) was gone. We were promised our luggage would be also delivered soon. We never thought it would take the rest of the afternoon, a lot of phone calls and stress to get all our items delivered. We had left two back packs with the club lounge staff, when we went out exploring. We were both disappointed and questioning ourselves, if we had made the right decision. Frustration was running high, and we tried to figure out what went wrong. Deciding this was a freak accident we gave the hotel a second chance. From there everything went nearly smooth.
Our room was Asian looking with white chairs, one ottoman, a coffee table, a writing desk, flat screen TV, a king sized bed and a small bench in front of the bed. The bed stands and bed frame were dark brown. There was a wardrobe with safe and bath robes and a luggage rack. The mini bar was stocked with Hediard sweets and more usual stuff, like cola, water and so on. The orange juice comes highly recommended.
The bathroom had a separate shower and bath tub, two sinks, a small room for the toilet and bidet. We had Ritz-Carlton amenities, but we could have easily exchanged them to Bulgari or Acqua di Parma.
We used the laundry service, in room dining and of course the club lounge.
The laundry service was reliable and delivered our shirts and underwear as good as new. It was packaged like shop bought. It cost ca. 50 Euros / 70 USD for 3 shirts and two underpants.
We ordered room service on both evenings. The first time the order was not correct. Interesting enough the guy I ordered with repeated the items correctly. To my surprise instead of juice we received yogurts. When I told the lady, who brought the meal, she rectified it immediately. We weren't charged for the juices or the yogurt. The spaghetti/penne Bolognese were very good indeed, as was the Crema Catalana. It was huge. Some people would say the portion for the pasta was too small and the dessert too large. I thought it was just right. The Bolognese sauce came in an additional bowl, and you could add as much as you liked. Even when the pasta was finished, we ate the rest of the sauce with the bread that was served free of charge. A new trend we also experienced at the Intercontinental Hamburg. The price was high, but based on the quality of the food and how much it was, it was okay. We paid ca. 115 Euros / ca. 160 USD for one large bottle of still water, one grapefruit juice, one peach juice, one hot chocolate (It's not made traditional Spanish, which is good, because my better half doesn't like a very thick hot chocolate), two pasta Bolognese and one Crema Catalana.
The next day it was hard getting out of bed. It was so comfortable. We had both a good rest. The last problem we had was the shower. It is spa like with nozzles on the side and a rain shower. Unfortunately the water simply came out hot, no matter what way I tweaked it. Of course we were running a bit late for the club lounge breakfast, but we were assured it wasn't a problem and it was still on going. We were also promised the shower was going taken care of.
We were out and about for the rest of the day. There was an air show going on, and we enjoyed the promenade, the sun and the sea.
In the late afternoon we went to the Champagne Bar for a small snack. We had two glasses of Champagne (Laurent Perrier Grand Siècle and Laurent Perrier Rose) and tomato bread with Bellota Ham. All was delicious. We paid again around 115 Euros / 160 USD. Having seen the prices in other countries for the same champagne (For example at the Waldorf Astoria Syon Park a glass of Laurent Perrier Grand Siècle 43 GBP / ca. 50 Euro / ca. 70 USD) and the ham, it was outstanding value for money.
For me it was time to go to the Six Senses Spa, which I was looking forward to very much. It was my highlight of the stay. The Spa itself fits perfectly well with the rest of the building. It is located on the 43rd floor and I had to take two lifts. The floors between the hotel and spa are occupied by apartments.
At the spa I received a warm welcome and was asked to fill out a form. The spa is modern and has also dark furniture with white washed walls. I was then brought to the changing room, where I was supplied with my own locker, containing a bath robe, slippers and a disposable pantie. The changing room is fitted with showers, seating area, toilets and hair dryers, towels - basically everything one might need. A nice touch was also the jug of water, glasses and wooden combs provided.
After around twenty minutes my therapist arrived. We went downstairs to my treatment room. I had requested the signature treatment and received an intense back massage, as I requested, a clay wrap and a facial. The massage released all tensions, and I was sore the next day in some places. The rest of the treatment was relaxing. Afterwards I received recommendations for products by Aroma Therapy Associates that were good for me. Then I was brought to the relaxation area and received a pot of ginger tea. I studied the Six Senses Spa cook book, while I drank the tea, which was delicious. Back at the changing room I put on my bath suit and enjoyed the steam room and whirl pool. There are no mixed facilities. Gentlemen and ladies have their own.
When I was ready to leave, I was presented with the recommended products and the bill. I bought a facial mask. The treatment itself was 275 Euros, but very well worth it. When I was back on our room I realized how quickly time passed by. I had spent three hours at the spa. We arrived just in time for the club lounge dessert trolley.
There are five food presentations a day at the club. All were very good. He liked especially the sweets (cakes, puddings, fruits and so on), while I also enjoyed the savory snacks (smoked salmon, couscous, grilled vegetables and so much more). Guests could help themselves to champagne, beer and liqueur during the day. There was also a wide array of soft drinks available. If we asked for orange juice, it was delivered promptly and was freshly squeezed.
There is also afternoon tea served and there is a happy hour with wine.
The breakfast buffet is continental, but during the weekend an egg station is also available. The choice is wide, healthy and tasty.
On our last day we had a late check out at 14.00 hours, but could use the lounge until our limousine arrived to bring us to the airport.
We went to the hair dressers, located near the fitness center of the hotel and explored the neighborhood. The Zoo and the train station are just a short walk away, as well as the Catalonian Parliament.

Of course the hotel has other outlets than the Champagne Bar, Arola is especially famous. There is also Enoteka and Bites.
A Hediat Shop is located at the entry lobby of the hotel. Other shops are at the reception area. Unfortunately they don't sell Ritz-Carlton or Arts branded products, like polo shirts or baseball caps. We found that sad.
The hotel also has a small garden with outdoor swimming pool overlooking Frank Gehries famous fish, waterfalls and loads of art work.

Putting aside the issues we had, our stay was wonderful and we are considering returning soon.

©2011

She - Part 2

In Part 1 a female cat arrives at Dante's home, causing some havoc. Now let's see what happens next.

Weeks passed, and I had given up all hope Red was returning. I tried to turn and stretch comfortable in my bed, but there was suddenly something soft obstructing my moves. I opened my eyes a crack. They flew open, when there was some red fur in front of me. Red! I butted my head lightly against hers. She had been sleeping, woke with a start and nearly scratched my eye out. What a greeting! She was unapologetic, her tail swishing impatiently. Uhh, definitely not a morning person. I better thought to leave her alone. Within seconds she was asleep again. I was a little bit restless and my own black tail was twitching, so I left my bed and instead jumped onto the window sill to have a look outside. It was snowing, and I was glad I was inside and warm. I rolled myself up, my head resting on my back, watching the snow flakes fall. It was lulling. I woke up, because I had to use the toilet and was hungry. My dinner and Red were gone.

©2011

The Pick Pocket's Pick Pocket

Fin is in a crisis and doesn't know how to proceed in the future - looking for a new job or continuing his career as master burglar - so he reacts unusual to a situation, which leads to this short story, told from the view of Jerry "Cranky" Merryme. You can thank my better half for the names.

When my cousin Flanky asked for my help, I didn't refuse. I never thought it would end so embarrassing and even dangerous.
Friends and family call me Cranky, because I always look like I'm in a bad mood.
Flanky is a pick pocket. One day he was in China Town, doing his job. He stole a wallet from an old Chinese lady. When he left the venue and checked, what his bounty had been, the wallet was gone. Flanky knew, what had happened. Another younger guy had bumped into him after he had taken the wallet. He must have stolen from him. Flanky was very upset and wanted to teach this Blondie, as he liked to call his adversary, a lesson. I'm 6 ft 3 in tall, burly and have dark hair. I'm strong, too, so I was the right man to go to.
Flanky kept track of the man and called me, when he thought the time for vengeance had arrived.
We followed a tall, very thin blond man. I guessed he was in his early twenties and baby faced. It was astounding he had managed to outwit Flanky.
Our plan was that I snatch the man and drag him into the next ally, where we were going to deal with him. Well, I had no problems what so ever. Blondie seemed preoccupied, so I had my tree trunk sized arm around his throat within seconds. He struggled of course, but I was stronger. The road was quiet. There weren't any witnesses.
In the ally Flanky was already waiting. Blondie was even more determined to escape, when he recognized my cousin. I didn't let go. Flanky let the other pick pocket know how upset he was. "Hello, sucker. Did you think I wouldn't notice your little stunt?" Blondie showed guts. He stopped struggling and replied cold: "I'm surprised it didn't take you years to figure out, what happened." I was outraged he was insulting my cousin. Robertson Brutus, that's Flanky, didn't like it either. He slapped Blondie. Our captive didn't even blink. I guessed he was frightened what we planned to do with him. Blondie had his emotions under tight control, and I admired him for it.
"It's very brave to slap me, while you have help." Blondie said. At first I didn't get he meant me. Flanky explained what we were going to do. Flanky wanted Blondie to stay out of his future business and teach him a lesson in humility. Blondie said: "Beating me up won't teach me anything. I recommend you let me go, or you are going to be very sorry." I admit I'm not the most intelligent, but it stuck me as dumb to threaten us, when we had the upper hand over him. Flanky thought the same. Flanky pressed his fingers hard into the other man's cheeks. He glared menacingly at our victim. "And why would we be sorry?" Blondie still didn't show any signs of fear. His answer was clear: "I'm sure you value your hands, so keep them off me. I bet you also want to stay alive..." "You are in no position to threaten me." The pressure of Flanky's fingers increased. It must have hurt badly, but there were no signs of it showing on our hostage's face. "You must learn when to keep your big mouth shut..." Flanky released Blondie’s face drew back his arm and fisted Blondie in the stomach. Blondie’s knees buckled, but I held him, so he didn't drop. We wanted a little bit longer fun with him. The punch had been so strong Blondie vomited over his and Flanky's shoes. My cousin landed another punch nearly at the same spot. Blondie doubled up. He still didn't make any sound. Normally Flanky would have followed up. We were disturbed by two little Chinese ladies. We found it amusing that they tried to protect their friend and asked well mannered to leave him alone. Blondie told them to go back to the house. They still demanded his release. We laughed and told them we had no bone with them to pick, so they should do as suggested by Blondie. They didn't listen. Flanky pushed the taller of the ladies or at least tried to. Instead he found himself on the ground. We were both surprised. Flanky lost his temper, sprang up and charged like a bull. The little lady deflected the attack and struck Flanky on the arm. He was crying out in pain and held it at an awkward angle. Then he fled. I don't know why I did it, but I let go of Blondie and barged towards the other smaller lady. She looked so frail. Blondie tried to protect her and jumped on my back. He weighed nothing. I shook him off like an insect. I wanted to push the little lady, but before I knew what had happened I lay on the ground. My ankle hurt pretty badly. I thought it was better to withdraw. I was so ashamed. How could two small ladies be so powerful that Flanky, who is nearly as tall as I am, and I had to retreat with our tails between our legs? We were at least fifty years younger than them. I never understood it. Flanky had a broken arm, while I escaped with a sprained ankle. Flanky felt humiliated, too, and was sorry I had been hurt. He pitied himself for a while and swore further revenge. He wasn't done with Blondie yet. I might be a little bit stupid, but I thought we cut our losses and leave the boy alone. Flanky and I argued about it. He even called me by my full name, Jerry Merryme. We found a compromise. Flanky was trying to find out more about Blondie. When he was still upset after the information gathering, he was going to make sure Blondie paid for it further.

When Flanky was updated a few weeks later, he was upset, and I was furious with him. Thanks to him and his vengeance we were going to look over our shoulders in fear for some time.
Flanky's friend found out Blondie's name was Coldham Fintan Noose III. He was a rising star in the burglar community, having learned from one of the best museum burglars in the country. Noose was engaged to the daughter of the Godfather of Upstate New York and well connected to an El Salvadorian American gang in Miami. His threats hadn't been empty, when Flanky and I beat him up, so we feared for our lives.
Nothing happened for months. We didn't dare feel safe. How often had we heard about other criminals, who felt crossed and got their revenge when it was least expected?

One night I ran into Noose and shrank back. He gave me a dark stare, but didn't make any attempt to shoot me or something like that. He was about to go in the other direction, so I decided to grab the bull by the horns.  "Hey, Coldham, stop." Noose didn't react and walked away. I made faster and larger steps to keep the distance even and shouted: "Noose, I'd like to talk to you." This time he did stop. "What do you want?" His tone wasn't the most friendliest. "I just wanted to say sorry for what I did." "Really?" Noose replied ironic. "Yes, I hope you're not angry with me - us, I mean." "Stop trying to crawl into my arse! Tell your friend or in whatever relationship you two have, that I have better things to do than waste my time on low lives. We are quit. But be warned, if you ever attack me again, I'll go through with my threat, and my friends are going to take care of you. It would be very unpleasant, and we don't want that, do we?" Arrogant sod! I was angry, because he had just insulted us again, but swallowed any remark that was on my mind. Noose's eyes were steel blue and his voice cold, so I knew he was serious and swore myself never to mess with him. At least Flanky and I could sigh a breath of relief and return to our normal lives.

©2011

Truffles

Coldham Fintan Noose III is preparing for a dinner party he is throwing together with his fiancée Frieda. Well the results are not necessary for the kids.

 Fin was making chocolate truffles. Frieda couldn't resist the temptation and dipped her finger into the melted chocolate and tried it. "Hey, don't!" Fin protested. Frieda had her finger again in the chocolate. This time she smeared it onto Fin's face, hugged him and licked at the dark stripe on Fin's cheek. He was turned on. "You are a very naughty girl, Frieda Dolores Pianas." He held her in his arms. Even if his voice was stern, he smiled at her. Fin bent slowly, slowly down and kissed Frieda. Their tongues went exploring. He undressed Frieda and continued what she had started. He was soon naked and spattered with chocolate. It was fun and erotic at the same time. They weren't in a hurry. In the end Fin took a seat at the kitchen table. Frieda enjoyed she was on top and could dictate the rhythm, driving Fin mad, when once she was riding him very fast, then slowing down, only to pick up the speed again. He had enough. Between gritted teeth he said: "You are going to pay for this." With one smooth movement he was standing up, still joined with Frieda. She held on tightly. They kissed a little bit further. Fin made his way to the bed room. He gently eased Frieda onto the bed. "Turn round, darling," He ordered Frieda. She obeyed and was kneeling on all four. Fin was taking her from behind, slapping her rear and rubbing away the sting. A moan escaped Frieda. It was a pleasure for her. She was nearing her own orgasm and felt giddy. Of course Fin repaid her with the same coin, stopped moving completely and instead placed gentle kisses on Frieda's back and kneading her right breast hard. It was the perfect mix between soft and rough. "Please, Fin." She begged him, not knowing exactly for what she was asking. Did she want Fin to continue kissing and squeezing or did she want to feel him moving inside her? Fin demanded a slight position change. She was now stretching her upper body and kneeling directly on her lower thighs, her behind was sticking out. Fin held onto her hips and had nearly removed his shaft, before slamming into her bottom with a deep thrust. It took only a few more of the deep strokes before Frieda was convulsing, helpless giving into the orgasm washing over her. Fin reached his climax at the same time. Exhausted Fin separated from Frieda, getting rid of the condom and snuggling close to Frieda, who was already sleepy. After a short nap he was awake and horny again. He couldn't believe it, and even worse he couldn't leave Frieda alone. Fin threw the duvet off, slapped on a new condom and woke Frieda by licking and kissing her in intimate places. Frieda thought for a moment she was still dreaming, but it was true, Fin was hard at work between her legs. Instead of being upset about Fin's behavior, she made encouraging noises and nudged Fin in the right direction, where she wanted to be kissed and licked. When she reached her second climax, she invited Fin to join her. With one quick thrust, he was entering her; Frieda closed her legs around Fin's hips to take him deeper, making the experience much more sensual. She screamed with the intensity of her passion and didn't care, if the whole neighborhood heard her or not. Her climax was ebbing, when Fin reached his. Frieda felt languid and as if her body didn't contain any bone. She kissed Fin quickly on the mouth, smiled at him and closed her eyes. Gently Fin pried himself loose, watching his future wife sleeping for a while, before he took a shower and started a new batch of truffles.

©2011

She - Part 1

Our favorite cat is back. This is Dante's newest adventure. Very short, but to be continued.

I thought I didn't see right! There she was, red haired and proud, sniffing at my food! Oh, boy, was I angry! How could she! I made my displeasure known. Her green eyes turned into slits, and she hissed at me. It turned me on. I like strong women. After some grand standing from my side and more hissing on hers, we called a truce. We shared my food; then I showed her around. Red, that was her name, was impressed with my large bed. "It looks so comfy, Dante." I invited her to try it out and joined her. We had enough space and soon napped peacefully. When I woke up she was gone. Was she ever going to return?

©2011

Chocolate Heaven

What happens, when Roscoe hangs out with Casey, Fin's daughter?

Roscoe and Tina were excitedly exploring their room. They had just arrived after a really looooong flight. There were two beds, one for each of them, a writing desk, a coffee table and two chairs, a wardrobe and a cupboard with a mini bar and on top of it loads of goodies including chocolate. The siblings loved chocolate. The cupboard was quite high, so the kids couldn't reach it. "Let's get the chocolate fast, before Mommy or Daddy come to check on us." Tina suggested. They wanted to have it now, so they pushed one of the chairs to the cupboard. Roscoe climbed on it and was in reach of the sweet, when somebody knocked on the connecting door. Fast Roscoe jumped down, but it was too late to bring back the chair. Their stepfather Sam entered, taking the situation in with one glance. Knowing the kids passion for mini bars, he was glad this one had a key.
The kids had been clearly told what they were allowed to take. The parents and kids had had a serious talk after Roscoe and Tina had swiped all sweets from another mini bar. Sam smiled. "I see you are already exploring. Do you like the room?" Roscoe and Tina nodded and told Sam what they liked best. Sam explained to minimize the temptation for the kids; he was locking in all the sweet stuff into their mini bar and was going to keep the key. To Tina's and Roscoe's dismay the chocolate vanished. They still had the muesli bar and the nuts. It stung, but Roscoe swore he would get the chocolate bar. He only had to work out a plan how to do it.

Roscoe was falling asleep, when he had suddenly an idea and was awake within seconds. The longer he thought about it, the better it seemed. He worked on the details.

A day later the parents brought the kids to bed. Sam sensed something was wrong. They didn't seem tired at all and an excited undercurrent ran between them. Well, Hue, his wife, and he would find out soon enough, if the kids were up to some mischief.
When Roscoe and Tina were sure their parents were in their own room and fast asleep, they switched on the lights. Roscoe retrieved the key from his hiding place and opened the mini bar. There was the chocolate! The kids were jumping up and down in excitement.
"Shh!” Roscoe shushed Tina. "We don't want Mommy and Daddy to wake up." Impatient Tina grabbed the chocolate and tore open the wrapper. They shared, managing to smear the melting chocolate around their mouths and on their nightwear. "Uh, oh!" Tina was unhappy. She knew they were in trouble. Tina hoped it was Daddy, who was going to find out first. He wasn't as tough as Mommy and had a sense of humor. "Maybe we can wash it out." Roscoe suggested after thinking for a while. It couldn't hurt. If no evidence was left, Mommy and Daddy never needed to know.
They undressed and filled the bathtub with hot water and shower gel, soaking their dirty clothing. They slept naked and didn't think further about their pajamas.
When they were woken the next morning by Sam, he asked suddenly stern: "Where is your nightwear, Roscoe, Tina?" "In the bathtub." Roscoe answered before thinking. "What does it there?" "We ... We had a little accident." Tina replied. "And what kind of accident?" Sam asked with a frown. Tina and Roscoe exchanged glances. Tina shrugged. They better told the truth. If they told Daddy they had made hot chocolate during the night, he was going to be upset, because they weren't allowed to handle hot water. If he found out later they had lied to him, his reaction would be more unpleasant than it would be now. When Sam didn't receive an immediate answer, he asked: "What have you been up to exactly?" Sam's voice was stern. "I want an answer, and I want it now!" Roscoe squared his shoulders. "We ate chocolate and made our clothing dirty." He replied. "Chocolate? Where did you get the chocolate from?" "From the mini bar." Tina answered. It left Sam puzzled. Obviously he had taken precautions, so that the kids couldn't get to it. "Okay, if you tell me how you managed to get into the mini bar, I'll let you escape without punishment, but I expect that you tell me the truth, and that you keep to the rules from now on. Otherwise I'm going to tell your mother and let her deal with you." The kids swallowed hard. Their mother was strict. Last time they had emptied the mini bar, because they had been hungry during night, Mommy had explained what they should have done, why it was wrong to stuff one self with sweets and threatened to ask a hotel employee to remove all items from the mini bar, no matter where they were staying. That wasn't all. The kids weren't allowed any dessert, chocolate or other sweets for the next two days. It was a tough punishment and seemed to last for ages. Tina had been four, Roscoe five, when the incident happened. Now they were two years older.
"Do we have a deal?" Sam asked. The kids nodded vigorously. It was a good offer, and it looked like Daddy wasn't going to tell Mommy. Roscoe started: "I found out where you kept the key..." "I diverted your attention..." Tina added, and Roscoe finished: "And I took it from you unnoticed." Sam didn't know how to react. He was impressed by the kids' creativity and their determination to get what they wanted. Sam didn't like they had stolen from him in order to break a well known rule. Sam hadn't promised he wouldn't scold them, so he did just that, letting them know how displeased he was and stealing was unacceptable as well as breaking sensible rules. Sam explained again why healthy eating was important and made it clear there were going to be repercussions should they repeat the offenses. The kids felt bad about disappointing their beloved stepfather, so they promised to be good.
There was only one question remaining. "Roscoe Stephen, where did you learn how to pick pocket?" Sam had a fair idea, but wanted to be sure. "Casey taught me, when we were in Guatemala." The Richards' and the family of Sam's best friend Coldham Fintan Noose III, nick named Fin, had been on vacation together the previous year. Fin was a master burglar, and one of the first things he did, when starting his career was to hone his pick pocketing skills to perfection. It seemed Fin had passed on his talent to Casey, who was the same age as Tina. The siblings and Casey had a good relationship, but Roscoe and Casey were closer.
Sam made Roscoe promise he was never ever going to use his pick pocketing skills.
Sam didn't leave it at that. He had a quick chat with Fin. Sam asked him to prevent Casey from teaching Roscoe more of what she had learned from her father and to be careful, whom Casey trusted. It could easily lead to Fin's downfall, if the wrong people found out about Casey's skills. Fin gave his word Casey would refrain to educate Roscoe further in certain subjects. As always Fin kept his word.

©2011

Cheating

This story is written for all those who liked Wedgie and Playing with Fire. 
Cheating plays in the 1960ies and Coldham junior finds himself in trouble again.... 


The Plan

"I have an idea how you are going to get a good grade in Latin." Dylan Coakley said to his best friend Coldham Fintan Noose junior. Coldham was eager to hear what Dylan's plan was. His parents hadn't been impressed by his performance. It was a new subject, and Coldham had difficulties. While Dylan was a straight A student, Coldham couldn't get his head around languages. He was top of his class in math, biology, chemistry and physics, though.
Coldham's father threatened to organize a tutor, if the Latin grades didn't improve. Coldham had better things to do than spend his afternoons holed up with boring stuff. He hated homework. Unfortunately Coldham's mother demanded that he had a quick snack when returning from school, and then do his homework. She controlled everything was done, before she let him off playing with Dylan or listening to the radio until dinner.
Coldham was glad Dylan was such a good friend and wanted to help him.


The Test

Coldham coughed once. Dylan, who sat beside Coldham, watched out, if the teacher was looking at them. It seemed he was still reading the newspaper. Dylan wrote the answer to question one on a really small piece of paper, folded it multiple times to make it even smaller and very discreet passed it on to Coldham underneath the table. When Coldham was also sure Mr. De Burcy wasn't looking, he unfolded the note and copied the answer on his test sheet. They repeated the same with questions three and six. When Coldham coughed again for question eight Mr. De Burcy shot up from his seat and caught the boys exchanging notes. They were sent to the principal.


The Aftermath

Coldham feared going home. His bottom was still smarting from the paddling he and Dylan had received for cheating. The principal had handed them a letter for their parents. It had to be returned signed by at least one guardian. Of course the boys thought their punishment had been unfair, and it wasn't cheating at all, what they had done. Coldham hoped, if he gave the letter to his mother, he was able to escape another spanking. If it were small transgressions his mother dealt with him and didn't loose a word about it to Coldham's father. Coldham was sure, when he explained it all to her; she would understand him and not tell Dad.
Unfortunately Coldham's mother Lilian Rose didn't share his sentiment. She noticed he didn't want to take a seat, so Coldham didn't have a choice, but tell her what had happened at school. "I must say, I'm very disappointed! Why did you do that? You know if you have problems, you can come to Dad or me. Did you prepare for the test?" "Yes, I did. I didn't understand enough to achieve a C, and I wanted to make you and Dad proud of me, so I thought..." "So you thought cheating would make us proud?!" Lilian's voice was raised. She forced herself to calm down. "Coldham, what you did was very wrong. A test is there to find out if and how much you have understood of what you have learned so far. When you are cheating, you are distorting the picture. It has repercussions later on, if Dylan, for example, wasn't there to help you. And it's unfair to the other pupils, who have worked hard for their results without cheating. You have also abused and lost the trust Mr. De Burcy, your father and I had in you." Coldham hadn't seen his mother so angry and disappointed in a long time. He suddenly understood cheating was a bad thing. He burst into tears. "I'm sorry, Mom." Lilian sighed, bent down to Coldham and gave him a hug. When Coldham only sniffled, Lilian still kept him in her arms, but said: "Coldham, look at me." Coldham obeyed. "You know we love you, don't you?" "Yes, Mom." "Good. I expect that you apologize to Mr. De Burcy and never ever do cheat again. You need help, so we are going to organize a tutor for you. I am going to follow your progress closely, and I want to know when you have a test coming up. I'll have a talk with your father tonight." "But, Mom, can't it stay our little secret..." Coldham whined. "Coldham, mind your tone! And no, it can't. First of all I can't keep your suspension a secret or your paddling, and second your father must be aware you need support. Of course I am going to put in a good word for you. It won't save your butt, though." Both knew it was only a question of time until Coldham F.'s hand and Coldham's behind connected, and the cane was swishing through the air. Coldham resented his mother. She shouldn't tell on him! Lilian Rose didn't want to tell her husband, but Coldham's behavior hadn't left her any choice. She hated corporal punishment and wished her husband would find a better method to raise his sons. Unfortunately Coldham F. saw nothing wrong with it and didn't understand what Lilian's fuss was all about. He believed she had been too soft with her children from her first marriage. Lilian built on the intelligence of her children and thought talking, explaining and if necessary punishing in a non physical way was much better.

Coldham F. came home late, so Coldham was already in bed.
Coldham F. was very angry, when he heard about Coldham's behavior. He was about to storm into his son’s room, ready to net out his punishment. Lilian stopped him just in time. "Coldham F., you are too upset at the moment. Sleep over it, and deal with Coldham tomorrow." Lilian tried to convince her husband Coldham had learned his lesson and had been already punished at school. Another spanking wasn't required. It fell on deaf ears. The only concession Coldham F. made was to wait until the bruises from the paddling had healed.
Father and son had a serious talk after breakfast, concluding with a promise of a tutor, starting immediately, and a spanking. Coldham was glad he wasn't going to be caned on his already sore bottom and hoped his father forgot about the spanking by the time the bruises were gone. He was mistaken. Two weeks after the incident Coldham F. asked if Coldham had recovered. Coldham would have loved to lie, but he knew it would anger and disappoint his father and make matters worse. With hanging head Coldham said: "Yes." "Very well. I expect you in ten minutes in my bedroom." Coldham shuddered. The moment of truth had arrived. Coldham was agitated, because his mother wasn't home. It was so nice being comforted by his mother after a spanking. It gave him reassurance he was truly loved.
When the time was up, Coldham went to his parents’ bedroom. Coldham F. was already waiting. He motioned Coldham to have a seat beside him on the bed. "Now, Coldham, tell me, why do I have to warm your behind for you?" "Because I cheated, and that's really mean." "Okay, and why is it mean?" Coldham remembered the reasons his mother had given him and repeated them. "I see you have understood why I have to punish you. Please stand in front of me." Coldham was undressed from the waist down within seconds. Coldham F. guided him over his lap. During the waiting period Coldham F.'s temper had cooled down. It didn't mean he was going to give his son an easy ride, though. He didn't spank as hard as he would have, when angry. This time around Coldham F. focused on his sons sit spots, smacking them again and again. It was a complete new experience for Coldham, who shrieked after a few scorchers. Normally his Dad spanked all over his behind, making sure it was fire red. After a minute or so, Coldham F. stopped. Coldham had tried hard not to cry. After all he was a big boy now being ten, but he couldn't prevent the tears. He was ashamed that his Dad had to punish him again and hated him. Why wouldn't Dad believe him, when Coldham said, he had learned his lesson and was never ever going to cheat?
Coldham F. waited until Coldham had calmed down. Coldham F. helped his son up.  "Coldham, how many swats did your principal give you?" "Five." "Okay, then you are going to receive the same number of strokes with the cane." "But, Dad..." "No protests! Grab two or three pillows, staple them in the middle of the bed and bend over." Coldham thought it was so unfair. A look at his fathers face told him it was better to obey. Coldham knew how much three strokes - the most until now - hurt. He thought he wouldn't survive five. "I am waiting." Coldham F. said impatient. With one last pleading look, Coldham went to work. While he built a small tower with the pillows, Coldham F. opened the wardrobe and retrieved the cane. It was 3 foot long and 3/8 of an inch thick and had a crooked handle. Coldham F. didn't like spanking Coldham, but he believed if he didn't, Coldham would end up as a spoiled brat. When the blond boy was in position, Coldham F. tapped the cane a couple of times on Coldham's bottom to take measure. Coldham disliked it and braced himself for the first stroke. As always Coldham felt the pain only a few seconds after impact. It hurt like the dickens. When the pain was subsiding, Coldham's father swung the can again. Coldham couldn't keep quiet. He screamed, and his hands clutched at the duvet, otherwise they  would have been flying to his behind, trying to protect it. His Dad wouldn't appreciate it, if he got out of position. After the third stroke Coldham was crying. Lilian Rose returned with Stamford, Coldham's four year old brother, to hear the last part of Coldham's punishment. Lilian Rose turned white in the face, when she heard her other son scream. She said to Stamford: "Um, maybe you'd like to visit Carry downstairs for a few minutes, honey?" Stamford was more than willing to escape the tense atmosphere and didn't want a reminder of his first ever spanking a few weeks earlier.
In the bedroom Coldham F. told Coldham he was free to get up. It broke his heart to see Coldham cry and in pain, but thought the punishment made sure Coldham was never going to cheat again. He sat down beside Coldham, who was still bent over the pillows, and rubbed his back softly. "Now, all is okay, you're a good boy." Coldham had calmed down enough to hear his father. He knew the spanking was over and all forgiven. Coldham was torn. He wanted nothing more than to hurry into his father's arms, but he was still upset about being punished. In the end he wanted to have reassurance Dad loved him. Coldham F. held Coldham between his knees, hugging him. "Son, I'm proud of you for not getting once out of position. I know I was hard on you. I did it, because I love you." Coldham F. tussled Coldham's hair. Coldham F.'s compliment was balsam to Coldham's soul, and he stopped resenting his father. After a few more minutes of hugging and crying, Coldham was ready to leave without his pants or underwear. To his surprise the door to the kitchen was open and his mother making hot chocolate. She invited Coldham to come nearer. He was slightly embarrassed, because he was naked from the waist down, but forgot about it quickly. Lilian Rose said: "You sounded as if you were murdered, Coldham. How are you, lad?" Coldham was close to tears again. He fought them back bravely. "Okay... It hurts, Mom." " I know, dear. Should I have a look?" Coldham nodded. When he turned, Lilian saw Coldham's bright red sit spots and five tram lines the cane had left behind. She could empathize with Coldham. It must be very painful. She knew her husband wanted only the best for their sons, but thought a few cuts less would have done it, too. It was senseless to discuss the issue with him, though.
Addressing her son, Lilian Rose said: "Would you like a cuddle, Coldham?" Lilian Rose's son turned in a flash and was in her outstretched arms. She comforted him. Then Lilian Rose served Coldham hot chocolate. When he was finished, Lilian Rose offered: "Why don't you lie down for a while? I'll bring ice cubes to cool your behind and if you like I'll read a story to you." Coldham agreed whole hearted. His mother hadn't finished the page yet, and he was sound asleep on his tummy.
Coldham recovered quickly from the spanking. The tram lines healed within a week.
His Latin grades improved with the help of a tutor. Coldham had learned a lesson. He never cheated again.

©2011

Hilton Hotel Dublin Airport, Dublin Ireland, Part 6

This is the last part of the Hilton Dublin Airport. Tomorrow or so I'll publish another short story. Have fun reading.

Room for improvement

 

 Of course there is always room for improvement.

 

We think some rooms need a renovation, because they show wear and tear. Naturally wear and tear occurs faster at an airport hotel, where a lot of people check in and out more frequent than anywhere else.

 

If you are noise sensitive, avoid rooms on the first and second floor above the restaurant during weekends. The live music can disturb your sleep.

 

Another gripe we have is the water temperature in the bathrooms. It can suddenly change from cold to hot and back to cold. Sometimes the water is simply hot, no matter, what you need.

 

The wake up call is not always on time. This can be a serious problem, if you rely on it and have time constraints. We are always secure and have our own alarm clock and sometimes also use the alarm clock provided on the room. During the last two stays the wake up calls were punctual, though.

 

©2011

Hilton Hotel Dublin Airport, Dublin Ireland - Part 5

- Reasonably prized food and beverarges / Quality of food

 

Burnell's Restaurant serves modern European Cuisine with a few Indian dishes, the bar has snacks and sandwiches. A mix of both is available at in room dining.

I realized soon, that at  least for me, it is better to keep to the British fare or pizza. I tried one of the curries and Spaghetti Bolognese, but found them both bland.

My favorite dishes there are the ham sandwich, chicken supreme (also my better halfs) and seabass. EW also loves the peperoni pizza and chicken and cheese or fillet steak. The parfait and ice cream are also very delicious and another favorite dessert is the sticky toffee pudding. Favorite drink for him hot chocolate and babycino. I love the cafe latte and capuccino, but don't drink coffee in the evening, so mostly it's out of the question for me. All coffee products are from Costa.

Breakfast on weekends is served from 06.30 to 11.00 hours. We haven't stayed there during the week, so I don't know, when it stops, but I guess it is earlier, probably around 10.30 hours. Its buffet style and offers a good choice of cereals, cheese, yogurts fruits and vegetables, ham, bacon, fried and scrambled eggs, cold cuts, smoked salmon, pastries and bread, milk, one type of smoothie and juices. Coffee/tea and orange juice are served at the table by the waiter/waitress.

Normally we arrive on Friday evenings and have either dinner at the restaurant or in room. When we have dinner at the restaurant we have either a two course meal each or share a dessert. The cost, depending, what we had, was between ca. 60 Euros/ca. 82 USD and 100 Euros/ca. 137 USD.

In Room dining comes in between ca. 40 Euros/ca. 55 USD and 60 Euros/ca. 82 USD.

 

 

- Location

 

The Hilton is located at the corner of Malahide Road and Northern Cross in the North of Dublin. What makes the location so attractive is the proximity to the airport and the safe neighborhood. Near the hotel is a Chinese Restaurant, a Eurospar and a Tesco, which has open 24 hours a day. 

©2011