I suppose it was a charming little tune, but it didn’t raise a smile from either of us. We rose, dressed and trundled the bags to the car, then drove through an almost deserted Glasgow to the airport. We dumped our cases and went off to find some breakfast in Frankie and Benny’s.
We sat and read, solved Wordle, bought overpriced sweets and watched the athletes who had been competing in the athletics in Glasgow saying their goodbyes to their colleagues before taking their seats in the lounge. Then they too sat and watched, willing the gate to be confirmed before heading home, some with smiles, some despondent and some just aching from their efforts. Our gate showed up at the specified time and we were off in a metal tube in the sky for four and a bit hours before we landed in a new world. One where the temperature would be in double figures, we hoped.
Instead of waiting for a bus from the airport, we took a taxi to the hotel and then had to wait in a queue while the overstressed staff booked us in. Ah, but it was worth the wait in Glasgow airport, and the four hour flight, and the booking-in scramble. It was worth it for the first view from the balcony of our room on the 5th floor and the sound of the waves crashing on the shore just beyond our hotel grounds. This is what we did it for.
The hotel is in the process of getting a major upgrade. The dining room especially is airier and brighter than it was before, five years ago. Lots of ’Suits’ wandering around, presumably checking the progress of the upgrade.
The room too has had a facelift. New furniture and a bit wide screen tv on the wall. Annoyingly it turn on as soon as you put in your power key. You can of course turn it off, but sometimes it decides for itself that you need to see and hear more of what it has to offer.
We walked along the esplanade past the slightly posher Elba Carlotta and then the very posh Sheraton and the end. On the other side of the esplanade, looking out to sea is the wee cafe on the island, reached by a bridge. We left that for another day.
Entertainment tonight was our favourite saxophone player, Tina. Then we just had to celebrate with a fairly inebriated Salsa, got a cheer and went to bed to sleep it off. It was the jet lag, not the Jameson’s Whiskey or the Rum ’n’ Coke that was at fault!
Tomorrow we may walk into town.