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Asia, Countries, Cruising

Abu Paddy’s Day’s Irish pub crawl

9th August 2023 funtime65

And that’s got your attention Abu Paddy’s Day’s Irish pub crawl.

Yes, it does exist, because after all you’ll find an Irish bar up the highest mountain, down the deepest valley.

Our Abu Paddy’s crawl starts in PJ O’Reilly’s, recommended for its reasonably priced drinks and live bands.

Want to watch the football or the rugby McGettigan’s has all the best live sports.

But you might want to cheer when Manchester City score… the Abu Dhabians own them.

While the Irish Vickers offers you the best of Irish fare, stew, bacon roll, proper chips and Magners.

And what they call black beer but what we all know as Guinness.

Arts of Dhabi

Of course you’ll want to take in the arts, museum, culture, culinary and clothes of the Gulf too.

All of which we’d explored when an opportunity arose for a move out to Abu there back in the day.

And besides there will be plenty of partying going on on-board your MSC Opera seven-nighter from €1509pp.

Pitch Cassidy

When you book with our pals at Cassidy Travel… and MSC will look after you just fine, take our word for it.

You’ll get a Junior Interior Fantastica Cabin, full board including Premium Drinks Package and gratuities.

Price Includes: return flights, checked in luggage and transfers.

You’ll sail from Dubai visiting Oman (overnight), Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas Island & Dubai (overnight).

So enjoy your Abu Paddy’s Day’s Irish pub crawl.

Because there’s always an Irish pub just around the corner anywhere you go in the world.

Asia, Countries, Europe

Tom Cruise’s Fiat de Resistance

17th July 202316th July 2023 funtime65

Have you watched the latest Mission Impossible and Tom Cruise’s Fiat de Resistance… well, I’ve been there.

Trying to kick a Fiat Cinquecento into life.

Does my car look big in this? A Fiat 500 in Cannes

In my case it was Cannes, in Tom’s and alter ego Ethan Hunt’s, the Spanish Steps in Rome.

Where an albeit handcuffed Ethan and Grace faffed with the dashboard.

Before they got the hang of the classic car to clatter down the steps and through the streets of Rome.

Italian batallion

And, obviously, for our delectation past the Colosseum time and time and time again.

Of course, we have to remind ourselves for all Tom’s stunt boastery, this is all just great CGI.

I mean, whoever got through Roman traffic unless on a Vespa or Lambretta.

Or down the Venetian alleyways which for the first time in history were empty!

And all without a guide book compass, and yes you can thank me later.

Which makes you wonder how Ethan and Grace found the Ponte Minich, or Minich Bridge, so easily.

As they both admit in a cheesy moment that it was their first time in the water city.

Surely an omission for any international man of mystery.

An Alpine hand

It would, in truth, be mission impossible for Ethan to have to find the golden key anywhere as random down the back of the couch.

Because that wouldn’t showcase the favourite familiar scenes we know from MI and Bond and others.

With (spoiler alert, though really) the climax plays out in the Austrian Alps.

With Innsbruck as a backdrop for the Melodrama on the Orient Express (naturally).

Although truth be told it’s actually the Kylling Bridge in Norway.

And other pit stops

Amsterdam too is featured, and again it’s popular for movie chases.

Despite busy canals and pathways and despite his derring-do I wouldn’t advise even Ethan to take on the angry Amsterdammer cyclists.

He’s on safer ground, or sand in the deserts of Abu Dhabi.

For the rest of us we can only aspire to Ethan’s feats of incredulity.

But it’s reassuring to know that he too struggles with classic Italian cars.

Of course, he comes through to make it Tom Cruise’s Fiat de Resistance.

While for other international men of mystery it’s a Fiat de Persistence.

America, Asia, Countries

Treat her with caviar

10th December 202110th December 2021 funtime65

You do some strange things on the eve of surrendering the single life (no, not that) but I wanted to treat her with caviar.

Thing was that this was out in the sticks and so the first taste of Beluga would have to wait.

For when mes amis would invite me to the French Embassy in Dublin.

I ended up becoming as much a fixture as Le Tricolore outside the Fitzwilliam Lane maison.

Truth is there are other French delicacies I’d prefer and I’m still exploring them.

Wear your caviar

Now unless you’re a sloppy eater (guilty!) you’d never let a bubble of caviar slip from your mouth.

Only rubbing it onto your skin is actually good for you.

And better still if a masseuse with sensual hands is rubbing it into you.

And while my shoulders are tensing up at my desk didn’t this survey drop into my inbox from wellness specialists CFAH.

Maldives masseuse

Wham hammam thanks palm: In the Maldives

The Maldives are all about luxury so it shouldn’t surprise you if such a masseuse is on hand.

And there is at the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort.

Where for $750, you can indulge in a three-hour treatment, the Caviar Journey, that uses anti-ageing properties of caviar extract.

Feel the wrinkles, spots and scars fall off.

It involves an exfoliation, a magnesium massage and a lavender bath.

With champagne and caviar, of course.

But still not as dear as…

Yes, even Caviar in the Maldives isn’t the most luxurious treatment out there (though it’d do for me).

Because Abu Dhabi is offering A Day of Gold, which was, of course, featured at the World Spa Awards.

For $1,150 you can experience a luxurious gold Hammam and the spa’s signature Palance Massage.

And once hammamed then Goddamn… you’ll be back.

The Fabu Dhabi treat includes a small lunch (only small?) before you get indulged in a 24-Carat Gold Radiance Facial and a Bastien Pedicure.

Or this Beverly Thrill

And in the land that time forgot Californians think nothing of splashing the cash to hang on to their youth.

The Peninsula Spa Beverly Hills offers a 120-minute long high tech facial for $1,500 (costing you $12.50 a minute).

This facial is described as a six-in-one treatment that uses cutting edge technology to ‘enhance’ and ‘enrich’ the skin.

It aims to stimulate and tone your inner skin to reveal it’s inner glow.

Because once you’re out with the beautiful people…

Dubai high

But the spa of spas is at the Talise Ottoman Spa at Jumeirah Zabeel Saray in Dubai.

Where for $6,800 you’ll get a 24-Karat Gold Mask.

The treatment also includes an argan oil massage and a luxury skin softening milk bath.

It’ll leave you looking radiant with a natural glow.

Tip top treatments

All tip top treatments I think you’d agree.

And just a word with one very close to my heart a masseuse remember to tip the ones with the magic fingers.