Hello Lovelies,
Recently, I was invited to take part in a blogger campaign, reliving some of our favourite childhood holiday memories for the chance to win £1000 in conjunction with Travelsupermarket. (you can follow them via Twitter at @travelsupermkt)
The deadline was August 20th but as my regular readers will know, its around this time that the 1st anniversary of my Dads passing happened so I actually missed posting before the deadline.
With that in mind, I had actually wrote the post and decided to post it any way as I enjoyed writing it and it features Dad so I thought I’d share a more personal post with you all, my extended interweb family.
For many years, my parents and I went on holiday to a small, quaint fishing village in Majorca called Cala Bona. The Hotel Cala Bona was right on the harbour side and very picturesque. For over 20 years, we returned every summer (as well as exploring other countries!) and were greeted with the same friendly service. For several of the years, the same staff worked each high season and we got friendly with the staff and watched their families grow.
We watched the sparse resort of Cala Bona grow, with more and more hotels, bars and shops appearing, alongside old favourites. For anyone that has been – Julies Sandwich shop – Best butties EVER!!!
Dancing to the Tony Peppon disco, discovering Macarena for the first time and then the legendary Mediterraneo entertainment show. I even still have some of the garlands he used to hand out!
 |
My family circa 1988, when smoking in the airport was allowed!
|
As I am an only child, I have lots of memories of my Mam jumping in to the pool with a rubber ring on her bum to make wobbly waves for us to bob along on and playing mini golf in the baking heat with my Dad, except for the day I missed and hit him on the head with my golf club! Watching the street performers in the harbour, people watching from a pavement bar, riding the “wally trolley” to Cala Millor for ice cream sundaes. My Mam possibly being on German You’ve Been Framed after being filmed having a top half swimsuit malfunction at a water park that was renamed Aqua Titty. Hiring ‘Chuckle Brothers’ bikes to cycle along to the desolate residential area of Los Pinos, which is now a bustling resort. It was here that my parent’s found out I smoked at 16 and I remember begging Mam not to tell Dad… but she did!
 |
| Short bob + long hair wrap = 90s child |
Later on, when I wanted to take my husband away for his first ever summer holiday way back before we were married in 2006, there was only one place I could think of to take him. Hotel Cala Bona. It’s the perfect mix of modern facilities, Spanish lifestyle, scenery, party and peace. The hotel isn’t a 5* huge resort but it is clean, tidy and very, VERY nice.
With Paul, we have funny memories of being on a vineyard day trip with the OAP gang and them getting him DRUNK on the wine tasting while I drank Coke and ended up the only sober person on the coach, having to help all the old drunk grannies on and off! Shy, painfully shy, Paul helping out with the street performers when they dragged volunteers up out of the crowd, it was a proud moment! Paul sitting in a childs rubber dingy, pasty white, clutching his pint of lager, bobbing around the pool, a true brit abroad!
 |
| Classy eh? |
After a week on his first summer holiday he was now a holiday convert, which is pretty lucky as I’m a holiday-addict!
 |
| White for tans right? |
Fast forward 6yr to 2012 and the chat of my impending 30th and my Mothers 60thbirthday celebrations started. I had always promised to take Mam back to Cala Bona, just me and her for a girls holiday and leaving Dad and Paul at home. May 2013 was going to be our big girls adventure to Cala Bona.
Unfortunately, before we could book, my Dad died in August 2012. This put a halt to any holiday plays with Mam.
If I could pick a dream holiday, or an ideal holiday…. It previously would have been China or Japan…. Now it is Cala Bona with my Mam and Paul. I think it would be a touching trip to take with our new, smaller family unit to a place we ALL have good memories of. It might be a bit sad at first but with the 1yr anniversary of Dad’s passing coming soon, it would be a great reminder of the good times and a break after a very stressful year. A chance to make our own new good memories.
So there we have it, a belated competition entry and some shameful holiday photos from when I was a kid!
Such an emotional post, my stone heart has melted a little and I had tears in my eyes at the end!
Imagine how my cold cold heart is coping? ha, I’m like an armadillo!
Such a lovely post. I’m sorry to hear about your Dad too, it’s always hard to lose people you love. It was great getting to know you a little better :)x
Debra Bros Blog
Thanks Debra x