Weekend in Versilia. When my Giova surprised me with a bunch of rose roses (sorry for the wordplay!) with a card that said “I’ll take you with me.” I was super happy. I really (REALLY!) needed a break, to run away and hide in a beautiful place, a shelter full of memories. My oasis of relax. So we had a long weekend in Forte dei Marmi, a weekend in Versilia.
Weekend in Versilia: Running away from my busy schedule in the city.
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Two days of pure relax, sleeping a lot, having huge meals and hanging with some friends, a tiny bit of shopping (I can’t help it), tons of ice-cream and lying on the beach… a lot. Enjoy the photos we took during this weekend, even some snapshots with the mobile: you’ll find more: on my Instagram @ireneccloset were you can follow my days live :) I send you a big hug and thank you for following! I’m super excited for next adventures: Paris + Lucca + Milan + Provence. Come with me! :)
Caribbean Islands – Guadeloupe Islands: Les Saintes
Caribbean Islands. When you’re on the boat that, in about ten minutes, takes you back to Basse – Terre, probably a tear will slip out. Or at least, that’s exactly what happened to me leaving Les Saintes Islands, a tiny arcipelago of the Guadeloupe Islands
Caribbean Islands – Discovering Les Saintes – Guadeloupe Islands
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Let’s go back to a couple of days ago. When you get of the boat in the little harbor of Les Saintes you get drunk on… color! The dark blue of the sea melts into a light turquoise, closer to the coast. Typical fishing boats are so colorful and match perfectly with the hues of the (few) houses that you can find on the island (Inhabitants of all 8 islands of the tiny archipelago are slightly over 2.000!). This island is so peaceful: calm, nature and traditions reign supreme.
Here you’ll find some of the most beautiful bays on the entire planet. We explored them all: you can choose an electric car (Car are only for the inhabitants and are really rare!), a moped (as we did), or the electric scooter hired at “Clear Blue Caraibes”. Or you can opt for a clear bottom kayaks ( we’ve tried this one too… you must try it, sea bad is stunning!) or for a paddle board (sea is always calm inside the bays). If you’d like to see them from above don’t miss Fort Napoléon ( hosting an interesting museum and a surprising garden).
As usual, I never turn down… good food! At “La Saladerie” we’ve tasted Tourment d’amour, a coconut pie with melted hot chocolate and vanilla icecream (obviously all local ingredients!). At “Au bon vivre” you must try the seared tuna with passion fruit sauce (OMG!) and at “Le Genois” grilled fish is always super fresh.
We stayed at “Le Kanaoa” a hotel right in front of the sea, that offers delicious lunches and a great manager, called Jimmy(ask him anythig, he’s ways the righ advice for you!)
That’s the end of our photo report from the Guadeloupe Islands, among fashion, travel and lifestyle.We’re working at a recap video about all my outfits and all my crazy adventures on the Guadeloupe Islands. It’s coming soon in the next post, along with a HUGE SURPRISE for you… Are you ready to pack? :)
Liquids in the Hand Luggage? How I Organize my Beauty Bag for a Trip!
Liquids in the hand lagguage. One of my dilemmas, before leaving for a trip, is not just about packing in general (Halp me!What do I put in the luggage?), but it’s also about… my travel beauty bag. With the current international rules of air transport, packing our beauty products it’s no longer a piece of cake. If you want to carry your beauty and make up products with you in the hand luggage , you need to follow the rule:
“Containers with a capacity of less than 100 ml, for a global amount of 1 lt liquid products inside a transparent plastic bag”
You’ll probably say: “Who cares! Let’s just put the cosmetic bag inside the hold luggage!”. Naah.. I’m so attached to my beauty products and make-up stuff that only the idea of loosing them makes me go bananas :D So, I use this strategy.
French Antilles – Guadeloupe Islands: Discovering Basse – Terre #3
French Antilles.Basse – Terre is extremely different from Grande – Terre. As soon as we crosses the bridge that joins the two wings of an imaginary butterfly, which is the heart of Guadeloupe Islands, we experimented the famous tropical drizzle: that makes this island so green and luxuriant , a wonder for the eyes and the senses.
After spending the night in the second of the four hotels in which we stayed, hotel Fort Royal (really beautiful, we practically slept on the beach, in a little but very modern bungalow!) we dedicated our time in Basse – Terre to discover its environment.
French Antilles – Guadeloupe Islands: Walking Suspended Among Giant Leaves and Swimming with Horses
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First stop Guadeloupe National Park: we drove on the Route de la Traversée, a wonderful road crossing the luxuriant forest of Basse – Terre counting more than 3.000 different species of trees! We had an amazing walk to reach the Cascade aux Ecrevisses, waterfalls surrounded by greenery and lianas, it was amazing! We visited the Guadeloupe Zoo, Parc des Mamelles, where we could watch closely some native species of the island, but more important… we walked on trees, at a heigh of 3 meters from the ground, what an adventure!
After seeing the Habitation Côte-Sous-Le-Vent, we had lunch at the Jardin Botanique. You must see this place! Not only because food is great (and little birds try to steal some sugar from your cocktail, so cute!) but also because there’re so many flowers and plants, it will make your head spin (you can even stroke goats and feed parrots on your shoulder!)
And what about exploring the surroundings on the back of a horse? For me it’s been the first time and I must admit… I didn’t want to get down! We took the horses at Ranch des 2 Ilets in Deshaies (I got a Criollo horse!), there we ride among vegetation. Finally we got to the beach. Clothes off, saddles off… I’ve tried the incredible sensation to ride bareback and… to bathe with my horse! It’s been a stunning experience. Soon I’ll show you the amazing videos we shot.
Before leaving, after this intense experience, we deserved a stop at Tendacayou Home & Spa, a SPA on trees with a background noise of streams and tweeting. I’ve tried the fish treatment: it was wooowww!!!
Finally I’d like to suggest you restaurant La Touna in Bouillante, fish is incredible (and you can finish your meal with an eccellent gourmet coffee!).
Cocktail Dress… or Beach Dress? Grande – Terre and Dinner on the Beach!
Cocktail dress. Our second day on the Guadeloupe Islands was completely dedicated to the discovery of Grand Terre and its most stunning landscapes:
– Pointe des Châteaux in Saint François: absolutely worth a visit because it’ll make you feel extremely small facing the majesty of the ocean;
– Portes d’Enfer: between two big cliffs, it’s one of the symbols of the Guadeloupe Islands;
– Pointe de la Grande Vigie: in this spot of Grand Terre you can defy the incredible height of the coast.
Once on Grande – Terre it’s impossible not to take a walk through the streets of Pointe-à-Pitre, the biggest town of the Guadeloupe Islands. The colorful market must not to be missed: spices, tropical fruits, fish and much more in a triumph of colors and fragrances (I bought vanilla beans, rum, cocoa paste, coffee… all of eccellent quality!). We also had the chance (and it’s been an honor) to have a preview of the Mémorial ACTe(that will be open to the public from July), a museum, but even more than that (I’ll call it a memorial center of knowledge and life) dedicated to slavery and slave trade all around the world, but in particular their role in the history of Guadeloupe and the Caribbean Islands. Here you can find permanent and temporary exhibitions, convention centers, a panoramic garden, spaces for events, restaurants, libraries and media centers in an imposing structure placed in a strategic location. Beyond any doubt, it will become the symbol of Guadeloupe and I suggest you to go and see it after its opening.
Lunch at Port Louis “Le Poisson d’Or” with a side of mustard and banana sauce, or at the Yacht Club in Pointe-à-Pitre or maybe at the Auberge de la Vielle Tour (one of the best hotels on the island,we stayed there before going back to Italy).
Finally a refreshing dip on one of the many beaches of Grande – Terre, such as Anse du Souffleur Beach in Port Louis, that faces the Caribbean Sea and then… we’re ready to have dinner on the beach ;)
Cocktail Dress… or Beach Dress? Beachwear all day long
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But now, let’s talk about fashion… For a lighter and smarter suitcase, do you think it would be possible to wear the same dress from morning till night? I’d say yes, and that’s what happens in Guadeloupe! A long pastel-colored dress by Accessorize Beachwear (Find it HERE), some blue sky colored accessories: some bracelets (Find them HERE) and a necklace (Find it HERE). A pair of sneakers and a backpack for daytime and a clutch with fringes for the night (Find it HERE). What about shoes? No shoes, of course, if you’re having dinner on the beach! I don’t wanna leave this place!!
