Home Away From Home

The feeling, when you arrive at a place on holiday and you feel comfortable and safe, that’s when you found another home away from home. These places have a strong connection to your heart and sometimes you just wish to go back there as soon as possible.

There are places in this world we remember for our whole lives. It’s the feeling of going there and feeling right at home, this can have several reasons of course and I have a few of these places. I’d like to describe them to you know.

The first one is the hotel Riva del Sole in Castiglione della Pescaia, Tuscany. Well, actually it’s not only the hotel, but that’s where we have always been staying. Every year, ever since I can remember we went there on a family holiday. It’s beautiful: the beach, the village, the Italian atmosphere and the people. In the hotel it was always nice to go back and arrive, the staff immediately recognized us and welcomed us, the same at the beach bar. The hotel and the pool area changed over the years, but that hasn’t changed anything, I just feel free when I’m down there. We have our local restaurant there as well and the same family is still running it. The food is delicious and it is always so much fun catching up with them. I haven’t been there in four years now, I think it’s about time.

The next place is pretty obvious I think: Florida! The first time I was there, I was 2 years old, so I don’t remember that much. Then we went again when I was 10 and 11 years old. Back then I mostly remember Disney World, Sea World and the Epcot Center, but also the nice beaches and the fun I had. After that we didn’t go back for a few years, after 9/11 and then finally in 2009 we went back. We spent the most time in Siesta Key (they have the whitest sand there) and also went to Cape Canaveral and Orlando. I had a fabulous time full of relaxing,  fun, shopping, swimming etc.  You can imagine who excited I was to get back to the sunshine state last year. 3 whole weeks in beautiful Florida. We flew to Miami and spent a few days there, went on to Key West, then Marco Island and then Siesta Key, before a last day in Orlando. I really felt like going home. The sunshine, the beaches, the weather, hockey in “summer”, this is perfect. I am a summer girl, so enjoyed every second in the sunshine. The beaches are so beautiful, sitting there, reading, I could do that all day long.

Here we go with another obvious one: LONDON!!! This city is just awesome! And even though I’ve been several times, there is something new to discover every single time. At first I liked seeing the “typical” touristy stuff, but now I especially go for the shopping, the book events and the shows. I am a massive Musical fan and I love the West End. SO whenever I’m in London I have to see at least one show, I try to go for more ;) Ever since I started book blogging London has an additional meaning to me. It’s home of publishers and also a lot of my authors/bloggers friends. There are so many fab bookish events gong on, I try to attend more and more of them now. I also try and go to the same hotel every single time, they know us there now and it’s so nice to always see the familiar faces.

Last but not least, we have have Vancouver. The first time I’ve been there was in 2007 with my family. I returned to live there in 2010 for a language stay. We have relatives in Burnaby and I was lucky enough to live with them. Vancouver is an amazing city, you’ve got the sea and the mountains so close and there is so much to do. I had a blast living there and with Vancouver Island, Whistler and the Rockies you have plenty of things to see not too far away. I miss my time there!!! I wish going back there wouldn’t be that hard.

I’m in my second year of teaching now and after a few years of teaching, I definitely plan on living in Florida for half a year, maybe start with Vancouver first for 2 weeks and the other half year I would spend in London, that’d be so fab, so that’s the plan.