Happy anniversary

Sporting my new sexy "Kate" bikini from Babajaan here by the pool at the plantation. Nice isn't it? Today is by the way our two year anniversary. Congratulations to us. And today is also our one year anniversary for this circumnavigation. Looking forward to many more years in the future. We'll get out bicycling today with a delicious picnic put together by the amazing restaurant here at the hotel. But more about it all a bit later. Hope you all had/have a great halloween.

Montpelier Plantation

We have escaped to this elegant Relais & Chateaux hotel on a historical sugar plantation in Nevis and we plan to stay here a few days to celebrate our anniversary and to get some days of slow time. It is breathtakingly beautiful here.

Formula One: Vettel wins First Indian Grand Prix

German Sebastian Vettel has won the inaugural Indian Grand Prix at the Buddha Innternational Circuit in Noida. He is followed on the second place by Jenson Button.

What a start! As the lights spelt go, there was plenty of contact in the back of the grid while Sebastian Vettel, in pole position, pulled away from the pack. Jenson Button turned Fernando Alonso and then passed Mark Webber to track Vettel's run. It was a good start for Michael Schumacher while Kamui Kobayashi retired early while there were a fair number of pit stops after all the initial bustling.

The tussle between Webber and Button was the highlight in the wee quarters, with the former activating his DRS in lap 4 but the McLaren driver was miserly with his space.

Felipe Massa who pipped Lewis Hamilton early on then stuck to the back of teammate Fernando Alonso.

Vettel clocked fastest laps with ease and led with the others giving chase but Button did not make things too easy for the German driver. He clocked three consecutive fastest laps (11, 12, 13) to eat into Vettel's time to get the proceedings heated up. By lap 21, none of the top six cars were within a second of each other.

Lap 24 saw Massa running wide at turn one which allowed Hamilton to close up and the Briton drives up the inside but Massa turned in and questions must've been asked about why the Ferrari driver was unwilling to avoid an accident there even if he was unwilling to yield the corner.

Sure enough, Massa gets a drive-through penalty for causing a collision.

Virtual drinks sent to California

I sent this virtual mango/passionfruit/orange margarita to my friend Tamira last night and I hope she enjoyed the strong tasting flavor of tequila as much as I did. I am not sure my body agrees this morning tho and definitely not when considering the fact that we will get out sailing late tonight to try get to Nevis before 1pm Sunday for further adventures. Anyways, it was all worth it, glad I stopped after the second round at least. I try to keep up with mentioned Tami's humorous, slightly disturbed but very spot-on thoughts as much as I can through her amusing blog and I urge you all to do the same. Go in and read it HERE.

A tasteful lunch burger

That's what we had for lunch today... very simple. very flavorful. Loving the mix of brown sugar caramelized onion with the salty parmesan and a tiny dose of spicy tabasco mixed within the mayonnaise.. Delicious.

They have been missed

So finally these two sexy people, our very good and beloved friends, have booked their god damn tickets to come to see us in St Barts in December. Being an incurable last minute person myself I should have more understanding and patience but I was very close to believe they wouldn't be able to grab their tickets in time. But no need to worry I guess, they are now booked and ready for a ten day session with us in St Barts over Christmas and New Year and I won't even begin to tell you how excited and fucking thrilled I/we are to see them two again, two of the wildest party animals we know of. Oh lord, I am not even sure I will be alive after ten days in their company after *almost* being a teetotaler for a complete year. In fact, last time of party in this caliber that we are to look forward to was the night before we left on this tour, twelve months ago, and only the thought of having ten complete days and nights in the company of these wild human beings after such a long time makes me sick of excitement. Uj uj uj... Who knows where this will end. I will be back on the subject in a few weeks...

Can it be December already?

Luxurious Hawaiian Vacation Estate Joins Jet Luxury Resorts

Luxurious Hawaiian Vacation Estate Joins Jet Luxury Resorts

High End Management Company adds new luxury vacation estate at the Kukio Golf and Beach Club on the Kona Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii.

Jet Luxury Resorts, the leading National luxury Resort and Hotel Management Company, is proud to announce the addition of their latest luxury estate to their high end Estates Collection located at the Kukio Golf and Beach Club on the Kona Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii.

The oceanfront estate boasts 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths and sleeps up to 8 in tasteful, refined elegance. The home is a brand new Balinese-designed home with custom interiors created by Jacque Saint Dizier. Perched with a fully private setting, Kua Bay is a short walk while the Kukio Golf Club clubhouse, a short golf cart jaunt.

The house is 5,000 square feet with plenty of outdoor/ indoor living space centered around a great room with travertine flooring. 4 master suites each with private bathrooms and outdoor showers boast gorgeous ocean views. The Gourmet kitchen has concrete countertops, Afromosia cabinetry and top-of-the-line appliances.

An infinity pool and spa lead guests to the beckoning ocean beyond while a private 2 car garage sits at the rear of the property. The home is located within a private Oceanfront Club and Community.

The Luxury Kukio Estate joins Jet Luxury Resorts’ esteemed roster that includes homes in Malibu, Colorado, Costa Rica and Mexico.

“We are extremely excited to add this estate to our portfolio,” states Dan Gura, Senior Vice President of Jet Luxury Resorts. “Kukio is one of the most exclusive developments in all of Hawai’i with its incredible private beach and ideal location adjacent to the Four Seasons Haulalai, so we look forward to being able to offer this new property to our clientele.”

The property is available for daily, weekly, monthly and long term rental. For more information, visit: http://bit.ly/o6NewR


Rates and availability can be found at www.jetluxuryresorts.com
Or by calling (877) 538-7389 for a real time quote.

About Jet Luxury Resorts:
Jet Luxury Resorts is the premiere international 4 and 5 star Resort Management Company that provides truly affordable luxury. Jet Luxury Resorts is able to offer exclusive, luxurious yet affordable inventory to the rental community through honest, lucrative and dedicated service to hotel, estate and fractional owners. Jet Luxury Resorts destinations can be found worldwide including New York, NY, Aspen and Telluride, CO, Las Vegas, NV, Resorts in Malibu, CA, Italy, Costa Rica, Miami, FL and Honolulu, HI. Find out more at http://www.jetluxuryresorts.com/

If you’d like more information about this topic or to schedule an interview with Richard Brosal, President of Jet Luxury Resorts, please call Shana Gismondi at 877-538-7370 Ext. 132. Jet Luxury Resorts can be found on Twitter (Jetset9) and Facebook.

Fly

Besides of regular surfing, which Alex is busy teaching me at the moment when the swell allows, kite-surfing is another thing I'll need to learn on this tour. Will be fun as neither of us have tried it out as yet. Seems a bit easier than surfing overall, just need to find a place to rent a couple of boards before we go ahead and purchase two kits.

Reminds me of Barcelona

Lemon sorbet is my necessary fuel during these hot Caribbean days. The consistence of this particular one reminds a tad bit of the traditional Spanish Sorbete de limon although the cava is clearly missing here.. 

Portuguese article

This World Tour Blog serves several purposes for me, partly it is a diary in which I collect memories, photos and thoughts from these years on the sea for the future. Second to that, it is my job and my way of connecting with clients and partners as a freelance writer-blogger-photographer-online entrepreneur or whatever that I am today. And one additional reason to why this blog is up and running and why I spend so much time on perfecting it and posting on it, is because I love the thought of giving a piece of this journey to others, and being able to share my thoughts through my writings and the images captured through my lens are what probably drives me most of it all. So when I get to read all the praise from all across the globe on the world wide web, for not only the journey itself which I understand must be quite inspiring, but also for the content of this blog, the photography and for my writings, that is a triple pleasure to me. This blog is my baby, probably the greatest extension of myself as I share from my mind, our life, my thoughts and my self on so many different levels so it is always amazing to get to read articles like the one that I found out about today. 

Muito obrigado Ana and Trendalert for mentioning our journey on your beautiful website!

Here's the article with more or less accurate English translation.

Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai - Video

Location.
Situated in Dubai's Bur Dubai neighborhood, Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai is a business-friendly hotel close to BurJuman Mall, Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, and Dubai Museum. Also nearby are Textile Souk and Bastakiya.

Hotel Features.
Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai has a health club, an outdoor pool, a sauna, and a fitness facility. Complimentary wireless Internet access is available in public areas. Business amenities at this 4-star property include a business center, small meeting rooms, and a meeting/conference room. The hotel offers 3 restaurants along with a coffee shop/café, a poolside bar, and a bar/lounge. Guest parking is complimentary. Event space measuring 52 square feet consists of conference/meeting rooms and banquet facilities. The staff can arrange tour/ticket assistance, business services, tour assistance, and secretarial services. Additional amenities include a children's pool, a coffee shop/café, and valet parking. This is a smoke-free property.

Guestrooms.
The 252 air-conditioned guestrooms at Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai include minibars and safes. Televisions are equipped with satellite channels. All accommodations provide desks, fax machines, and direct-dial phones with voice mail. Wired high-speed Internet access (surcharge) is provided. All units feature coffee/tea makers and complimentary bottled water. Bathrooms offer shower/tub combinations, phones, bidets, and makeup/shaving mirrors. Additional amenities include complimentary newspapers and hair dryers. In addition, amenities available on request include irons/ironing boards, hypo-allergenic bedding, and wake-up calls. Housekeeping is offered daily.

Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai
Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai - Photos 

More Videos of Dubai Hotels:

Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa
Regent Palace Hotel, Dubai - Video
Media One Hotel Dubai - Video
Chelsea Tower Suites & Apartments Video
Park Regis Kris Kin Hotel, Dubai - Hotel Video
Le Meridien Fairway, Dubai - Hotel Video

Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai - Photos

Enjoy the best photos of Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai.

Read more about Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai

More photos of hotels in Dubai:          

 

Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa Photos  

Regent Palace Hotel, Dubai  

Media One Hotel Dubai - Photos  

Chelsea Tower Suites & Apartments Dubai - Photos  

Park Regis Kris Kin Hotel, Dubai - Hotel Photos  

Le Meridien Fairway, Dubai - Hotel Photos

Four Points by Sheraton Downtown Dubai - Dubai

4C street, Al Mankool, Bur Dubai, Dubai (Book Now)  ****

The 4-star Dubai Sheraton features a rooftop swimming pool and free Wi-Fi in public areas. Located on Mankhool Road, it is one mile from the World Trade Center.

All rooms and suites at Four Points Downtown include Sheraton’s signature bed and a 32-inch interactive LCD TV. Every room has a minibar, hot drink facilities and a well-lit work desk.

The Sheraton’s 3 restaurants serve a range of international meals throughout the day. You can watch live sports on the flat-screen TVs in Yesterdays Sports Bar.

The Four Points by Sheraton Downtown offers a free shuttle service to Jumeirah Beach and various nearby shopping malls. Guests can keep fit in the modern gym or relax at the pool bar on the roof terrace.

Four Points Downtown is a 12 minute drive from Dubai International Airport and a short drive from Khalid Bin Waleed Metro station. Free on-site parking is available.

Hotel Rooms: 250, Hotel Chain: Four Points by Sheraton.

Hotel location

Bur Dubai

Situated west of Dubai Creek, this modern district features Burjuman Mall. The area is also home to several shopping streets and textile souks. Other highlights include the Dubai Museum , Grand Mosque and the blue-tiled Iranian Mosque. The Dubai Metro Red Line goes through Bur Dubai connecting with the airport and Abbra water taxis connect with Deira, across the creek.

Hotel Facilities

General
Restaurant , Bar , 24-Hour Front Desk, Newspapers , Non-Smoking Rooms, Rooms/Facilities for Disabled Guests, Elevator , Safe, Baggage Storage, Air Conditioning.

Activities
Sauna , Fitness Center, Outdoor Swimming Pool.

Services
Room Service, Meeting/Banquet Facilities , Business Center, Laundry , Dry Cleaning , Currency Exchange, Car Rental, Tour Desk, Fax/Photocopying.

Internet
Free! Wi-fi is available in public areas and is free of charge.

Wired internet is available in the hotel rooms and charges are applicable.

Parking
Free! Free private parking is possible on site (reservation is not needed).
Hotel Policies

Check in
From 15:00 hours

Check out
Until 12:00 hours

Cancellation / Prepayment
Cancellation and prepayment policies vary by room type. Please enter the dates of your stay and check what conditions apply to your preferred room.

Children and extra beds
Free! One child under 12 years stays free of charge when using existing beds.

One older child or adult is charged AED 150 per night and person in an extra bed.

Free! One child under 3 years stays free of charge in a baby cot.

Maximum capacity of extra beds/babycots in a room is 1.

Any type of extra bed or crib is upon request and needs to be confirmed by the hotel.

Supplements will not be calculated automatically in the total costs and have to be paid separately in the hotel.

Pets
Pets are not allowed.

Groups
When booking more than 9 rooms, different policies and additional supplements may apply.

Accepted credit cards
American Express, Visa, Euro/Mastercard, Diners Club, JCB

The hotel reserves the right to pre-authorize credit cards prior to arrival.

Important information
Transfers are available to and from Dubai International Airport for a fee. Please contact the hotel directly once you have a reservation in place for further information on this service.

Please be advised that, according to local law, a valid identification for all the guests will be requested upon arrival at the hotel, which may be either a passport or a valid UAE driving license.

Some nationalities can get an entry permit stamped in their passport upon arrival at the airport. Please check your visa requirements before traveling. The hotel can arrange a visa for you after making your reservation, please contact the hotel directly using the contact details provided in your confirmation email.

More Hotels in Dubai   

Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa
Regent Palace Hotel, Dubai
Media One Hotel Dubai
Chelsea Tower Suites & Apartments
Park Regis Kris Kin Hotel
Le Meridien Fairway

Glad to be where we are

Haven't watched TV nor followed the news since we left Barcelona in October last year which has only been a good thing, glad to have been able to (almost) completely disconnect from the corrupt world outside. Listened to the radio first time in twelve months today and got almost depressed by the actual state of the world we live in. Seriously, what is going on out there? Must say we are more glad than ever to be away from it all. Couldn't have chosen a better time for our escape.

Jet Luxury Resorts Fills out the Setai Fifth Avenue

Jet Luxury Resorts Fills out the Setai Fifth Avenue

High-end Hotel Management Company adds all room types of the Setai Fifth Avenue in New York to its customers.

Jet Luxury Resorts, the premiere luxury Resort and Hotel Management Company, is proud to announce the addition of the full inventory at the Setai Fifth Avenue Hotel in Manhattan, NY. This dramatic rise in 5 star luxury increases the company’s New York footprint, joining the Trump SoHo and the St. Regis, and follows the addition of 6 four and five star properties this year alone. Recently, Jet Luxury Resorts added the Fontainebleau, the Gansevoort and the Mondrian Hotel in Miami, Florida to their rapidly expanding roster.

The Setai Fifth Avenue soars 60 stories above Fifth Avenue in midtown Manhattan just blocks away from the Empire State Building. The Setai has 157 guest rooms including 57 apartment suites and 184 condominiums that comprise the top half of the building from floor 31-60. Rooms are large in Manhattan’s terms, anywhere from 400 to 2,000 square feet.

The hotel boasts an on-site wine cellar, an 11,500 square foot spa which includes an ice cave and a Turkish style Hammam and a signature restaurant, Ai Fiori. The graceful beauty of The Setai Fifth Avenue is reflected in the quality of the materials selected to create its spaces; black oak and limestone flooring, luminous onyx surfaces, and walnut and fine stone accents. The sensory experience of The Setai Fifth Avenue attests to its status as a modern New York City landmark.

Located between 36th and 37th streets, The Setai Fifth Avenue shares the Avenue with The Guggenheim, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Tiffany’s, Rockefeller Center, The New York Public Library, and The Empire State Building, all of which influence the inspired timelessness of The Setai Fifth Avenue's design and philosophy.

Jet Luxury Resorts, a high-end Resort Management Company favored by discerning business and leisure travelers who are attracted to the style and sophistication of its properties, is a perfect match for the Setai Fifth Avenue in New York. “We are very proud of our relationship with The Setai Fifth Avenue since the opening of the property,” states Richard Brosal, President of Jet Luxury Resorts. “We are delighted to add additional rooms of the ultimate in city luxury that we can provide our Jet Luxury guests.”

Jet Luxury Resorts is the leading International third party hotel management company and is one of the fastest growing companies currently in the hospitality industry. The company’s advantages include maximizing owner’s rental revenue through an award winning website, state of the art reservation system and prolific, viral marketing campaigns and favorable splits. Jet Luxury Resorts is also the only third party management company to offer the Jet Platinum Program where owners may take advantage of two free room nights each month at select Jet Luxury Properties nationwide.

Jet Luxury Resorts offers exclusive access and best rate guarantees into the Setai Fifth Avenue New York.

Rates and availability can be found at www.jetluxuryresorts.com
Or by calling (877) 538-7389 for a real time quote.

About Jet Luxury Resorts:
Jet Luxury Resorts is the premiere international 4 and 5 star Resort Management Company that provides truly affordable luxury. Jet Luxury Resorts is able to offer exclusive, luxurious yet affordable inventory to the rental community through honest, lucrative and dedicated service to hotel, estate and fractional owners. Jet Luxury Resorts destinations can be found worldwide including New York, NY, Aspen and Telluride, CO, Las Vegas, NV, Malibu, CA, Italy, Costa Rica, The Fontainebleau and Mondrian in Miami, FL and Honolulu, HI. Find out more at http://www.jetluxuryresorts.com/

If you’d like more information about this topic or to schedule an interview with Richard Brosal, President of Jet Luxury Resorts, please call Shana Gismondi at 877-538-7370 Ext. 132. Jet Luxury Resorts can be found on Twitter (Jetset9) and Facebook.

How to make your own sushi

Many of you have asked me how I prepare my sushi from the fish that Alex gets and while I in no way am any expert in the field, I thought I could give you a simple tutorial of how I do this. Although it can seem a bit messy and time consuming, it is very easy to make your own sushi once you get used to it. I usually use tuna, with it I prepare a roll of Makis (10 pcs), a set of Nigiris (8-12 pcs) and also I cut up some fresh Sashimi and that should be enough for a light lunch for two.

- A sharp knife, a regular fish fillet knife will do.

- A rice paddle.

- A sushi rolling mat for the maki roll.

- Heavy bottom saucepan for boiling the rice.

- Bowls and serving plates for soya sauce, ginger and what else you wish to serve.

- Chopsticks. 

- Sushi rice. If you can't get a hold on it, regular jasmine or basmati rice works alright too.

- Rice vinegar. Mix in approx. 3 tbs to every cup of rice once the rice is done and before it's getting cold.

- Raw fish, preferably tuna or salmon but we don't have any salmon here unfortunately.

- Crab-sticks. I couldn't get ahold on it this time and have instead used sweet red pepper.

- Avocado

- Cucumber

- Sesame seeds

- Soy sauce

- Sliced, pickled ginger or look for containers called "sushi ginger" in your store.

- Wasabi. There are tons of variations in the market. Buy it either ready in a tube or powder in a can that you mix up with water.

If you don't have a freshly caught tuna or salmon you can use, then buy fresh one at your favorite market. The tuna needs to be fresh not previously frozen, make sure the tuna steak you buy is a nice dark red and has a translucent appearance and that the steak is not falling apart. Make sure there's not too much of sinew in the flesh. When we get a tuna here on the seas, I always cut it in nice pieces and put most of it in the freezer for a few hours. Tuna eaten raw directly from the sea tends to be very chewy and it needs some hours of cool down before it is at its best. 

Prepare your rice with the vinegar according to the instructions on the package. While it's being boiled, prepare your fish. I use a very sharp fillet knife to slice my tuna. You'll need to make sure your knife is as sharp as it gets and use single long slicing motions on the flesh. You should not saw in it, the key to slicing is not to flake the fish. Prepare both the strips for the maki and also nice thin slices for your nigiri. Cut your vegetables nicely in long strips.

When you got all these things prepared, time to begin the creation.

Lay your sushi rolling mat in front of you and the nori sheet on top. When your rice has cooled down, put it on top of the sheet. Make sure to spread it flat and nicely and only on half of the sheet. Use a rice paddle to spread the rice evenly. Try to cover up at the edges as much as possible, I can see I have been lazy on this picture, I'm sure you can make it better. Add the other ingredients on the rice. Sliced fish, crabsticks (or red pepper in my case), avocado and cucumber. When all is laid out, roll this thing together. Use the rolling mat to tight it nice and firm. 

When almost at the end, add some soy sauce at the last part of the sheet and close the roll with firm tightening. Do not pressure too hard yet still it needs to be done firmly. You know what I'm talking about. Find the balance.

Leave your maki roll for a while and cut it later with a very sharp filet knife or a very sharp bread-knife. Make sure the blade is always wet when you slice so the rice doesn't stick to the blade and mess up the surface of the pieces. Sushi is not only a delight for the taste, it should also look good on the plate. I realize I had a too thick layer of rice in my roll, try to get it thinner than what I did here.

Now prepare your Nigiri. The easiest of them all. Try to get your rice "balls" smaller than what I had here otherwise the Nigiris will only taste rice. First make sure to have a bowl of water with a small amount of rice vinegar in it to regularly wet your hands. Dip your hand into the water and begin to shape each piece into a long, oval form. Put it down on a flat clean surface. Repeat with the rest until rice is finished. Add a small piece of wasabi to each Nigiri before laying the fish on top of the rice, this is both for taste and to make sure the fish sticks to the rice. Then lay the fish over the rice and shape it gently. Sprinkle some sesame seeds on top if you'd like. Don't forget to slice up some sashimi as well. I have partly used the part of the fish that is darker, closer to the ribs of the tuna. Some people cut this off when filleting a tuna, but we love the taste of it and prefer to use parts of it for sashimi. I doubt you will encounter this part of the fish when buying your tuna in the market though. 

Now serve your sushi at room temperature, dip the pieces in soy sauce with a bit of wasabi mixed with it, have some ginger in between and enjoy! This is best served with an ice cold beer.

Have you ever made your own sushi before?

One of those days

Today it is so hot that you're barely able to move yourself from bed, barely able to think, and the only time you could consider to move from your dead mans position is when you hear someone screaming ICE CREAM. 

The greatest inspiration

On our Twitter the other day, I was marveling at the fact that we've been out sailing for almost one full year now and I have had time to read only five of the 80 books we have here onboard. To be completely honest with you now, neither Alex or me still feel that we have started this tour completely as yet, for many reasons, primarily because we have had our hands full with all kinds of other projects, job, writing, dealing with our two boats sales and purchase and so on.. We haven't yet had one full week where we have had our mind and our body in complete rest, which might sound odd thinking that we have had 12 months since we left our home in Barcelona, but that is the honest truth. Another reason is also that Caribbean was never on our primarily itinerary, we stopped here only because we kind of "had to" - we were completely worked out and tired from those hectic months of preparing our dear Caos for this journey and on top of that, the very tiring ocean passage made us pull the break and realize we "needed" to make a stop here before heading out into ocean number two. This stop was good for us in many ways of course and we are glad we stayed so that we could sort out all that needed to get sorted out, but still, it was never the plan and we look immensely forward to begin our real tour, if that makes any sense. 

So for those factors, for all of what that we have taken on our shoulders and committed to here and because we still do not feel completely settled in our own pace and preffered route and routines of this journey, I haven't yet came to peace to read too much. I have started on several books, read 20-30 pages, put that one aside and then back to the work that has been more important only to forget that I had started on something. It may seem to you that we are only here enjoying life and cruising in peace from one place to another, but there are so many details that constantly has to get fixed with that the reading has been left in the shadow. And as much as we love Caribbean for many reasons (and also dislike for some), I cannot tell you how much we both look forward to get out of here to begin our journey, the journey which hopefully will mean more peace of mind, more time to reflect, more time to read and write about those things I truly wish to be reading and writing about, more time for Alex to begin his "real" projects and we simply look forward to become even more open for mental and physical exploration of all what this journey originally was created and planned for.

One book that I have on the side of our bed that I pick up from time to time, reading another chapter from when in need of mental stimulation, particularly now when living so close to the nature, is a book that I have been reading a couple of times already in my life. It is a book that over and over manages to inspire me and move me profoundly, no matter how many times I've read those phrases before. There's something new to discover, new details to analyze and the meaning of all things natural rhymes well with my current way of living. Peter Camenzind is a novel written by 1946 years Nobel price winner in Literature, Hermann Hesse. A writer whose thoughts and nuanced writings still feels modern and compelling and who have had the talent to write in such timeless ways about life, spirituality, wanderlust, nature and love that he moves even the most inexperienced reader of his prose, spiritually.

Peter Camenzind was Hesse's breakthrough as a writer, his first novel that was published in 1904, and it became very popular throughout Germany where he lived at that time. Sigmund Freud even praised the novel as one of his favorite readings of all times and I have no hard to understand that as of the sense of spiritual meaning of which the novel is based upon. This novel is a somewhat autobiographical story of a young man from the Alps, trying to find his way in the world through love, friendships, family relations, always connected to the beautiful nature which he describes with absolute excellence.

Hesse has written many top notch novels and books that has served as great inspiration and I have often referred to his thoughts when wanted to describe some things with simplicity. There might be moments where I haven't agreed nor understood the exact meaning of his thoughts, but overall, what I mostly adore with the lyrics of Hesse is that you can feel that the man has underwent many stages of physical, intellectual and spiritual journeys in his life, there are those constant paradoxes, wonderings and the never-ending search in life and inside of the human mind that I most certainly can empathize with and almost always when I read his prose I feel some sort of connection with the writer.

A favorite quote from the mind of this man, from another great novel of his, Demian from 1919.

Here's the link to the the novel about Peter Camenzind, and here's Demian, both from Book Depository, my preferred book shop online, which always offer free delivery world wide and you'll have your books in no time- plus they have an absolutely impressive collection of all books you can imagine. Here you can get Peter Camenzind on Amazon, if you prefer to use their service, and here's Demian as well on Amazon.

I could also recommend the Glass bead Game (although that is a very heavy one which I myself haven't had the time and peace to completely finish as yet) here on Amazon, or this another very moving story, Steppenwolf, here on Amazon.

Which ones are your favorite authors?

Morning glory

Hope you all had a good weekend and that you're not suffering from too much of hangover today. I managed to lay low on the alcohol part this weekend so I'm up and about already in these early hours. Love that feeling, being up with the sun while most others are still sleeping. Enjoy your Sunday everyone.

Chic and Cheap Ways for Furniture Makeovers

Furniture Makeovers

Old entertainment armoire transformed into a stylish home office!

*They replaced the upper pullout shelf with a fixed painted plywood shelf hung on wooden brackets, which we screwed directly into the armoire's back wall.
*They cut Homasote boards (recycled fiberboards soft enough to sink pushpins into) to fit the back and the side door panels and covered them in fabric secured with a staple gun. Small screw hooks hold each panel in place; you can also simply screw the panels to the corners.
*They swapped out dated brass hardware for pretty (and inexpensive) glass knobs.

The original TV shelf became a functional slideout work surface. To make it movable, they screwed two drawer glides (available at hardware stores) into the top of the base about 6 inches in from the sides and then set the shelf into the glides. Knobs make it easy to pull the shelf out and push it back in.

Old dresser transformed into a chic sideboard with plenty of storage!

*They gave the whole piece a light sanding, a coat of primer, and two coats
of semigloss latex paint in a pale blue shade on the outside and a deeper
blue inside for contrast.

*To dress up the doors, they picked out a pair of modern nickel pulls.

Out-dated side table with stone top transformed into a bright and cheerful accent piece!

*First they removed the hardware and stone top, sanded the table all over,
and applied a coat of primer.

*Then they gave it two coats of semigloss latex paint in a lively citrus hue.

*For a pull, they threaded a length of cord through the existing hardware holes,
knotted the cord on the inside and trimmed the ends.

*They cut a length of seagrass wallpaper to fit the inset and topped it
with a pane of 1/4-inch glass. Switch the paper to change the look.

Collecting memories

I love it when our home (boat) slowly gets filled with personally handpicked treasures from all of our travels and we can make use of them at various occasions while getting reminded of the beauty of other times, other places that we've shared during this journey. Like this exquisite tea pot in silver and the perfectly accompanying Arabic tea glasses with golden scripture that we purchased on the winding streets in the bustling city of Rabat, Morocco. Those were the times, so different life than what we experience here, one ocean apart. Both has their charm and fascinating atmosphere of course, just that they're very unequal to each other. I think it is beautiful to gather details around you that has soul and a history and this little pot and these glasses will always be here to remind us of those past moments of our lives. 

Read here to see how beautiful first night we had in Morocco, almost one year ago. And here's even more from the same colorful country. Do not forget to check out all the amazing amazing food that we devoured in over there. Besides of the famous Moroccan mint tea, we also bought and collected tons of West African spices which I use quite often in my concoctions of today. That's just another great way to store memories of taste, pleasure and enjoyment for days to come..

Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa

Location
This hotel is in Dubai's Bur Dubai neighborhood, within a half-kilometer of the Dubai Museum, Grand Mosque, and Textile Souk.

Hotel Features
Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa has a health club, an outdoor pool, a spa tub, a steam room, and a sauna. The onsite spa at this four-star property offers massage and treatment rooms and beauty services. Business amenities include a business center, high-speed Internet access, and meeting rooms for small groups. Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa has a restaurant, a bar/lounge, and a poolside bar. 24-hour room service is available.

Guestrooms
Amenities featured in guestrooms include air conditioning, coffee/tea makers, and minibars. Guestrooms have 32-inch LCD TVs with premium satellite channels. Business-friendly amenities include direct-dial phones, voice mail, and high-speed Internet access (charges apply). All guestrooms provide refrigerators and complimentary bottled water. Bathrooms feature bathroom phones, bathrobes, and designer toiletries.

Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa
Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa Photos 

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Arabian Courtyard Hotel & Spa Photos

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