Filling The Pages

Sorry for the gap in postings, I’ve been dealing with getting a new job and moving house all in the same week but I’ll try to get back to regular posts.

For now, this post doesn’t actually include an article so it’s probably cheating calling it the Travel Article of the Week, but it IS about somewhere I’ve never been. I personally spent this week writing about Mexico, so here is some information from what I learned in the last few days.

The only thing I’ve ever associated with Mexico is immigrants coming into the US, tequila, MTV Spring Break…and not much else. Not the case.

One hotel that I wrote about last week- Las Ventanas – has a Department of Romance to create your own personal holiday for two, ideals for honeymooners or just an escape with your love. One of the suggestions that the DoR had was to hire your own personal Mexican Caballero to ride up on his white horse to your private picnic dinner on the beach where he would present your partner with an engagement ring, or whatever else. Or you could take a horse-drawn carriage ride with a picnic meal through the Mexican deserts. The list goes on, literally – if you can imagine it, this place makes it happen. And I won’t even go on about the hotel itself which is the height of luxury. I know this sounds like a cheap plug but trust me I have nothing to do with Las Ventanas hotel, I was just completely blown away by the degree of luxury provided at this place. You could have a private lift to your room where you also had a private chef and butler on call just for you whenever you need it. What?!

My other favourite, for a totally different reason, was Hotel Basico. This place is really quirky and cutting-edge. Definitely caters to a younger crowd, closer to my age, and I would definitely go here could I afford it (although I think it was on the lower end of the price range compared to the other places I was writing about). The rooms kind of look like they’re in an observation tank from the outside although you can put blinds over the windows. Each room comes with a Polaroid camera and it’s own random decorations like massive tires and vintage Coco-Cola paraphernalia. The roof top pools by the bar are actually old petroleum tanks that were cut and filled with water. I’m not sure I would be cool enough to stay, even the website has an exclusive feel to it, like if you’re not good enough to figure out the site then don’t bother coming here.

As it happens, one of my evenings was centred around the Hispanic-Latino vibe as well when I attended salsa dance lessons last Thursday. Although I think salsa has its roots in Cuba possibly, but I’m not sure.
But last Thursday I went to Salsa! on Charing Cross Road with my friends Robin and Olly who go every week. I had wanted to go, although the exterior did not make me feel confident about my decision. The outside looks a little gaudy with poorly coloured neon lights and a rather cheesy sign. But once inside down in the basement, this place is actually not bad. With a bar, some tables and a somewhat small dance floor, the place has just the right atmosphere for an underground dance club. As a beginner I learnt my steps in the centre of the dance floor with the teacher on a mic up on stage where a live band would perform later. I had a surprisingly good time and would definitely think about going again. £8 for two hours of lessons is pretty reasonable in my opinion and I’d say it was worth the money spent! Later on, after the two hours of lessons is over, it becomes a salsa dance club with live music, drinking and dancing, and I believe that if you show up later then you have to pay a cover. So until I go again I’ll be practicing my 1, 2, 3, 4′s in the privacy of my room.

UPDATE 14/09/2009: Hotel article is up, check it out!