This was the Saturday and another lazy day! While the daughter child went out and did a little bit of nick-nack shopping, boy child and I caught up on a football match and ate cake, just what you needed after a 4 course breakfast.
We sat with four fellow football fans and chipped in to pay for a live feed and bonded over stories of old matches and recalled with far too much detail tiny details of the games to test each other out. I think, by around half time, we agreed that we were all ‘proper fans’ and relaxed into just enjoying the game.
The only issue with having these new holiday-friends is that we kept bumping into them around the hotel and being forced to say hello and chat. I just wanted them for the footy and then bugger off home but you can’t have everything.
We spent a lot of the afternoon at the infinity pool on the tenth floor looking out over the harbour, chatting and laughing. It was heavenly for me to spend time with my kids in this way, they really have good entertainment value and I am very proud of the young adults that they have become.
We laughed at the kids in the pool below, playing their organised games such as ‘who can swim furthest underwater’ and having a pool disco. Time moves so quickly, that was me a few years ago and now I am having a beer with my kids looking down on them like it was another world. Enjoy it while you can.
The constant eating was guilting me into the gym and I had another 5km in me and then a quick shower before hitting the indoor pool that was a little longer, a little cooler and a little quieter and so allowed for a few lengths in relative comfort.
Joined by the kids, we read books and had a quick trip to the steam room and sauna before retiring. We got chatting with a local chap, who had moved to the area from the UK 20 years ago and was a member at the hotel gym. He recalled the old days when things were quite different but seemed to enjoy that chat to find out was happening ‘back home’.
We showered, dressed for dinner and then made our way to the Saturday night street parade that was happening just outside the hotel. The Bugibba Summer Carnival is made up of ten floats that VERY slowly make their way through the streets around the back of the hotel, down to the sea front and then along to the town square.
They must have covered about a mile, no more, and it seemed to have started around 7 and was still moving along at 10 when we gave up and headed home. Each Day 5 Day was like a fever dream of neon lights, moving parts and glitter and was followed by a swarm of dancers. One guy in particular caught the eye and I still have no idea if he was part of the festival or just a guy caught up in the noise.
You know when they say that you should dance like no one is watching? This guy must have thought that he was in a blind colony as he never stopped for a second and was absolutely loving his life. Fair play to him, he was living his very best life.
I got a shock at one point as I was grabbed from behind and squeezed. I spun around to see the very happy face of our good friend Spencer with his arms out waiting for a hug. It was so lovely, he could have happily ignored us all as he wasn’t at work but he spent time on his night off chatting and telling us about his plans for the evening. What a legend.
By the time we made our way back through the very happy crowds and back to the hotel, it was late and we had another trip day ahead of us tomorrow, so we called it a night and rested ahead of the big day out tomorrow!
Itchy Feet and Titchy Feet 