Tag Archives: Relaxation

Switzerland: Graubünden Ski Weekend (Day 1)

Allegra (Hello)!

Perfect Timing

Flight to Zurich with SWISS airline, then a train and bus to Lenzerheide with a Swiss precision and I really enjoy it! From Brussels center to the hotel in Lenzerheide, it takes more than half a daytime in transportation.

Stunning landscapes and pure air: a real change of scenery, the Swiss Alps (first picture of the post). Welcome to the Graubûnden! In the early afternoon, we arrive at the cozy Hotel Schweizerhof Lenzerheide, ideally located opposite the bus station in the center of the village. 

The sun plays hide and seek. What a pleasure to discover my vast bedroom! As always, I didn’t sleep the day before my trip. The bed looks so comfortable … Neat simple interior design, I feel like in a nice cocoon with a panoramique mountain view from my balcony (below pictures).

  

The Scalottas Terroir

  

Gourmet Dinner

For this first evening: a 5-course tasting menu dinner at the Scalottas Terroir, elaborated with local high quality products. The restaurant is a 5 minute walk and belongs to the owners of the hotel. Forget the high heels, wear after-ski boots to go to the restaurant. LOL! My little team was really entertained when I arrived at the hotel reception desk in high heels!

Left picture above: our table nicely set up in the “Mountain Pine Parlour”. The atmosphere is cozy (thanks to Simone, our super waitress!) and the concept is based in slow food. The restaurant selects its ingredients at local producers concerned about sustainable development.

Since I don’t eat meat except chicken, I had a slightly different menu. Let’s say a (chicken) version of the menu dishes (below pictures):

a Grisons tartar duet (with une brioche de pomme de terre), Mountain pine soup (composed with apple raviolis), Swiss egg (poched egg with patatoe, cabbage, waffle and Andeerer Grantit cheese foam) and Highland ox duet. The dessert (a mix of sorbet and fruit pie) is also delicious. To be continue …

Photos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés

Informations  

Graubünden FerienLenzerheide, ArosaSWISSSwiss Travel System (STS)Switzerland TourismHotel Schweizerhof Lenzerheide & Scalottas Terroir 

Related posts : DESTINATIONS & HOTEL REVIEWS

Many thanks to the Graubünden Ferien, Lenzerhaide, Arosa, Switzerland Tourism, SWISS and Swiss Travel System (STS) for this beautiful invitation. As always, these are my opinions.

Weekend in Porto Santo – Day 3

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Sunrise Walk

 

Challenge of the Day: 

invigorating walk of the 9 km beach while sun rises. A must do! The landscape looks like a movie set, with an impressive natural light (the photographer is speaking). Stunning blond-golden sand! We can only hear the sound of waves. Finally quiet!                            

First picture of the article: a wink to spaghetti westerns, my silhouette draped in a kikoi (sarong / scarve from Kenya). The bottom of the air is fresh. Video above: the start of walking, the day is struggling to break through. And video below: 1h30-2h later, how the light changed!   

Ditto for the two below pictures of the beach: the round trip. Between: the photo of the historic pier of Porto Santo. I feel being like on a Florida or California beach. No time to swim, I have to go to my spa appointment!

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The Thalasso Spa

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The Baleira Thalasso Spa

Perfect timing to relax my muscles after two hours of sport. Facing the beautiful beach (1), the Baleira Thalasso Spa is the only thalassotherapy center of Porto Santo and one of the best equipped of Portugal too (photos above and below).   

After a quick shower, I was guided to the saltwater bath heated to 37 ° (3 & 4) and a cold water course with powerful jets (much like the one I tested in Bali).   

Then I joined my smiling therapist in swimsuits, for a tonic “Vichy massage”! Fantastic: the best massage under (seawater) jets I’ve ever had, you feel the fat take off (LOL). After: no more tension throughout the body … or in the head! Grazie mille to my Italian therapist!

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Inside the Island

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Stunning Landscapes

After lunch, I’m on my way for a private tour in 4×4 of the island, with the Lazermar Travel Agency, a business run by a very professional and sympathetic family, passionated about its island! I have a less than 3 hours before my departure by ferry to Madeira!      

Check out the landscape diversity of this small island of 42 km (photos above and below)!         

I am wowed by the geological curiosities: above photo and in the center of the island, the ground covered with fossils of sea snails. Small vineyards enclosed by stone walls. And heritage with the old windmills near the Miradouro da Portela. I also visited a traditional house dating from the 18th century … Some of the landscapes remind of Africa.

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Departure to Madeira

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Ferry during 2:15

Rushed arrival at the harbour at the end of boarding (lol). I don’t have time to take few stuff in my suitcase to change me during the crossing. I am full of sand and dust (the joys of the outdoors)!                    

Because once arrived in Funchal (Madeira), I go straight to dinner at the Design Center Nini Andrade Silva (last picture of the article: the building on the left is the Design Center Nini Andrade Silva).                           

During the crossing, I stayed on a bridge to fix the horizon and I saw dolphins! And booster shot: the ad on the Porto Santo Line ferry: “Save Our Ocean, don’t throw litter in the sea”! See you in Funchal …

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Photos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés.

Informations 

Visit Madeira, Visit PortugalVila Baleira Thalasso Spa & Lazermar Travel Agency

Related Posts : DESTINATIONSHOTEL REVIEWS & BEAUTY

Many thanks to Visit Madeira and Visit Portugal for this wonderful discovery of the island of Porto Santo. Thanks also to my awesome therapist at The Vila Baleira Thalasso Spa and the Lazermar Travel Agency for the fantastic tour of the island! As always these are my opinions.

Madère: week-end à Porto Santo (J3)

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Le jour se lève

 

Petit challenge de ce dernier jour :

marche tonique sur toute la longueur de la plage, soit 9 km au lever du jour. Un must! Le paysage prend des allures de décor de film, avec une lumière naturelle impressionnante (c’est la photographe qui parle). Superbe sable blond ou doré! On entend juste le relent des vagues. Enfin au calme!

Première photo du post : clin d’oeil aux westerns spaghettis, ma silouhette drappée dans un kikoi (pagne/étole du Kenya). Le fond de l’air est frais. Vidéo ci-dessus : début de la marche, le jour a du mal à percer. Et vidéo ci-dessous : 1h30-2h plus tard, combien la lumière a changé!

Idem pour les deux photos de la plage ci-dessous : l’aller et le retour. Entre : la photo du ponton historique de Porto Santo, j’ai l’impression d’être sur une plage en Floride ou Californie. Dommage, je n’ai pas le temps de me baigner : je dois me rendre à mon rendez-vous thalasso. 

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La thalasso

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Le Baleira Thalasso Spa

Parfait timing pour relaxer mes muscles après mes deux heures de sport. Situé face à la superbe plage (1), l’unique centre de thalasso de Porto Santo, le Baleira Thalasso Spa, est aussi l’un des mieux équipés du Portugal (photos ci-dessus et ci-dessous). 

Après une douche rapide, je suis guidée vers des bains d’eau de mer chauffée à 37° (3 & 4), puis un parcours en eau froide avec de puissants jets (un peu comme celui que j’avais testé à Bali).

Je rejoins ensuite ma souriante thérapeute en maillot de bain, pour un “Vichy massage” très tonique! Fantastique : le meilleur massage sous jets (d’eau de mer) que j’ai jamais eu, on sent le gras décollé (LOL). Après : plus aucune tension dans tout le corps… ni dans la tête! Grazie mille à ma thérapeute qui est italienne! 

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A la découverte de l’intérieur de l’île

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Des paysages époustouflants

Après le déjeuner, me voilà repartie pour un tour privé de l’île, en 4X4 avec Lazermar Travel Agency, une agence familiale très pro et très sympatique, passionnée par son île! J’ai un peu moins de 3h avant mon départ en ferry pour Madère! 

Je vous laisse admirer la diversité des paysages d’un bout à l’autre des 42 km de Porto Santo (photos ci-dessus et ci-dessous)!

C’est juste sublime, on est d’accord! Curiosités géologiques : photo ci-dessus et sol recouvert de fossils escargots de mer au centre de l’île. Petites vignes délimitées par des murets en pierres. Et patrimoine avec d’ancien moulins à vents au Miradouro da Portela. J’ai aussi visité une maison traditionnelle datant du 18ieme siècle… Et par endroits des paysages qui rappellent l’Afrique. 

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Départ pour Madère

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2h15 de ferry

Arrivée précipitée au port en fin de l’embarquement (lol). Pas eu le temps de prendre des affaires dans ma valise, pour me changer durant la traversée : je suis pleine de sable et poussière (les joies de l’outdoors)!

Parce qu’une fois arrivée à Funchal (Madère), j’enchaîne direct avec un dîner au Design Center Nini Andrade Silva (dernière photo du poste : le bâtiment sur la gauche est le Design Center Nini Andrade Silva).

J’oubliai durant la traversée, où je suis restée sur un pont à fixer l’horizon, j’ai vu quelques dauphins! Et piqûre de rappel, la pencarte à bord du ferry Porto Santo Line : “Sauvez notre océan, ne jetez pas d’ordure dans la mer”! On se retrouve à Funchal…

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Photos : © Mademoiselle Le K – Tous droits réservés.

Informations 

Visit Madeira, Visit Portugal, Baleira Thalasso SpaLazermar Travel Agency & Port Santo Line (ferry)

Autres articles : DESTINATIONSHOTEL REVIEWS & BEAUTE

Un grand merci à Visit Madeira et Visit Portugal pour cette superbe découverte de l’île de Porto Santo. Merci aussi à ma fantastique thérapeute du Thalasso Spa du Vila Baleira, ainsi qu’à Lazermar Travel Agency pour ce passionnant tour de l’île. Comme toujours ce sont mes opinions.