The Palm Spa, the spa of the Twinpalms Phuket hotel, was a step away from the hotel entrance and a world away. A see-through glass door led to a brightly lit reception filled with comfortable contemporary furniture. We left our shoes by the door and entered the quiet space. The young woman behind the reception desk had a warm demeanor and offered to show us around the spa.
Built on a former coconut palm plantation Twinpalms Phuket, an adult oriented luxury hotel near the beach, had much to offer international travelers seeking an island getaway. What I first noticed was the lush foliage and attractive pool. As I walked around the verdant grounds, passing by the main pool area on the way to my suite I admired the flowering trees and inhaled the pleasant scent of fragrant flowers.
An hour long flight from Bangkok delivered me to Phuket where an Andara Resort and Villas representative met me at the airport. After a quick greeting he handed me a scented flower lei, a scented moist towel and a bottle of water and we set out on a short drive to the west side of the island. We arrived directly from the Phuket airport to Villa 9 where Botan, a resort representative, was waiting to coordinate my check-in. She quickly explained the basics of the Villa 9 and the resort property, went over the paperwork, and introduced me to Tan, the housekeeper. As a guest at the family friendly Andara resort, meaning star of Andaman in Thai, I was welcome to use the resort facilities. Due to the inclement weather and thanks to the comfort of my villa I spent most of my time in Villa 9.
The Atlantide Golf Club, a private and public golf course (private members have priority on the reservations schedule), is located just off the Island of Montreal on the island of Ile Perrot, about 30 minutes from downtown Montreal. Located on the shores of Lake Saint Louis, the setting is bucolic and several holes play near the waterfront. Even on hot summer days a refreshing breeze comes off the water. Two 18 hole golf courses are part of this golf club, the Atlantide Course and the Don Quichotte Course. We have played both courses several times and find each one quite challenging.
From the outside The Boathouse, named after an old painted fishing boat that stood near its entrance when it was established, looked like any other beachside restaurant. Even the interior of the open air restaurant with beautiful sea views was more informal than I anticipated. When we sat down to eat however the meal was more formal than the beach side setting implied. Each menu was distinctive and both were worthy of the special 45-minute drive each way I had made.
We know that summer has arrived when, in the Old Port, the brilliant yellow and blue tents of the Cirque du Soleil are raised and the bright flags flutter in the wind. On average, every two years Cirque presents a new show to the public. Montreal, Canada is the circus capital of the world. The city promotes circus schools and training centers for children and adults from all over. And so it is with great anticipation that we wait for each new creation by the Cirque du Soleil.
