Conversations through the middle

Travelling to West Pomerania in Poland

May 28, 2013

This past week has been an amazing one as far as travel is concerned – I was in Luxembourg and Germany for a press trip to Villeroy & Boch, a company that makes gorgeous bathroom products and tableware, then I travelled to Poland as part of an organised visit to see what that lovely country has to offer.

I have taken so many photographs – isn’t that the great thing about digital cameras, you don’t have to worry about how much film costs, mind you, you end up with hundreds of images to sort through afterwards. I plan to write several posts about Poland as we covered so much during the trip and the same goes for Luxembourg and Villeroy & Boch. I am also going to post about V&B on my new blog (www.decoranddishes.com – I haven’t launched it properly yet but you can take a sneak peak now if you have a moment; I’d love to know what you think). It’s an interiors/homes blog so V&B fits perfectly there.

As for Poland, well I hadn’t realised how beautiful the country is. Yes, there is still evidence of its communist history in some of the plainer 1950s buildings, but there is so much regeneration going on, with designs that embrace the elegant and stylish as well as the practical. People are so friendly, the countryside so green and the changes that are happening there so rapid, surely it can’t be long before it becomes a more popular holiday destination. It already is with Germans I’m told, but with improving transport links there will be more opportunities for visitors from further away, including the UK.

Our trip was to West Pomerania – even the name sounds lovely. We flew in to Szczecin from Stansted, spent the night at the Radisson Blu hotel, them travelled on to Wolin, Swinoujscie, Uznam and Kolobrzeg, where we stayed at the fabulous Aquarius Spa hotel.

We visited a World War II bunker, watched a documentary on the real Great Escape (two of the escapees travelled through Szczecin on their frightening trip to freedom), spent several hours at a living history Viking and Slav centre, climbed two lighthouses, visited a Prussian fort, enjoyed a quick boat trip on the Baltic, walked on a beautiful white sandy beach, took part in sightseeing tours in Szczecin, Swinoujscie and Kolobrzeg, spent time in a nightclub, learned why Kolobrzeg is the spa capital of Poland, watched a mud treatment demonstration, enjoyed a luxurious spa body treatment, and ate masses of gorgeous food – including national favourite sausage and egg soup. And that was all in three days. Phew, no wonder I’m tired, but what a trip!

Szczecin

Cathedral next to the old market square

The cathedral arches with a view of the old market square

The old market square has been renovated in the past few years

Looking up the steps towards the castle of the Pomeranian dukes

Looking towards the castle tower

Close up of the clock tower


Inside the castle courtyard

The quayside is being redeveloped

Redevelopment of the quayside

View across the river

Moving to a new home – Chloe leaves

May 20, 2013

Saturday was a sad day for me, Chloe the horse (of Chloe and Freda fame see here) has now gone to her new home and I will no longer be required to stand in for horse (and sheep) sitting duties.

I wasn’t there when she left – I didn’t think I would get through the loading and leaving without crying. I have fallen for her you see, despite really trying not to.

I have known for a while that she would be going to a new owner; I’m upset I couldn’t take her on, but with the big upheavals going on at home currently there’s no way I could.

I’m sure she will be very happy – she wasn’t too fazed about the whole thing on Saturday morning when these photos were taken. I was teary, but she was just concerned with eating her hay. Quite right too.

Preteens – Dot is bored and I don’t know what to do

May 15, 2013

Dot when she was easier to handle

I’m at a bit of a loss parenting-wise. I know being a parent is hard work – and children don’t come with a manual for how to get it right – but this time, coming up to her 12th birthday, seems to me to be the hardest bit so far.

Her terrible twos were terrible and her troublesome threes none the less so. She has always been very strong willed and I didn’t cope so well with the toddler years – the tantrums, screaming and all that comes with them. When they’re that age though you can scoop them up and carry them away with you to wherever it is you want to go and they don’t. You can’t do that when they’re almost teenagers.

Dot is very nearly as tall as I am, she is healthy and strong – and if she doesn’t want to do something how in the hell do I get her to do it? Add hormones into the mix and I’m on a hiding to nothing.

She’s bored – school is boring, her creative writing club is boring, lessons are boring. She decided she wasn’t going to school this morning because she has maths and geography and – yes, that’s right, they’re boring.

This isn’t the first time I’ve had this refusal to go to school and it is becoming more frequent. I have tried reasoning with her, ended up shouting at her, grounding her, taking away her computer/DS/XBox/tablet privileges. So far, eventually, I’ve got her there. But what happens the day none of that works?

We came close this morning I think. I didn’t lose my temper I’m glad to say. I did reason with her and at several points I thought I was getting through, then the tears came – hers. After the crying the stubbornness and point blank refusal to go. I threatened to ring the school and tell them she refused to attend and I tried to explain to her what the results of that phone call could be – meetings with the head, possible intervention by education officials…

I have no idea if that would happen, but I don’t want to get to the point of finding out.

She is growing up, but at the same time she’s still a little girl. Her mood is all over the place and I know that’s because of puberty. She doesn’t need me as much, but doesn’t realise how much she still does need me. There’s a lot of upheaval at home at the moment also, which doesn’t help and which is affecting her. But despite all of this, she still has to go to school.

So as I said, I’m at a bit of a loss…

If you have children of a similar age or older, are you having or did you have the same issues we are having and if so, how did you cope with the situation? Am I worrying about nothing? I want somebody to tell me it will all be alright in the end. I’m very conscious this is a vulnerable time for Dot and I want to get it right – but I don’t know what to do for the best much of the time.

Summer scent – Figue Sauvage from Les Senteurs Gourmandes

May 9, 2013

With the outbreak of warm weather we’ve had this past week or so I’ve gone into full summer mode when it comes to perfume. I’ve put away the heavier scents along with my winter jumpers and dug out my favourite light fragrances, including the fresh citrus one I told you about here.

I’ve also received a new fruity number to try – Figue Sauvage, part of Les Senteurs Gourmandes collection by Laurence Dumont. It’s a blend of sweet figs, ylang-ylang and bergamot, which settles into a heady sandalwood and vanilla base on the skin. The company is based in south west France – an area I knew very well many years ago – and I like to think I can sense a hint of sultry evenings in the mix (though perhaps the less said about that the better!)

Figue Sauvage is one of 14 fragrances in the collection, which also includes Musc Blanc, Vanille Monoi, Tendre Madeleine and Vanille Framboise. They cost £22.50 for a big 100ml bottle, which should last ages, and they are exclusive to Marks & Spencer.

According to Veronique Planchon, R&D manager for Les Senteurs Gourmandes: “In Spring and Summer the humidity in the warmer air carries scents to our noses more quickly, making us more sensitive to smells. In turn, most of us naturally opt for lighter and fresher scents with citrus, light floral and green notes all ideal for complementing our natural body chemistry.”

I’d agree with that.