Sunday before the school started back we hit Tayto Park for a day of family fun. We had never been before and really didn’t know what to expect. The boys are 7 and 4 so a bit mixed in terms of what interests them. The older is the ultimate thrilled seeker and my youngest man is a bit like myself, pretty much afraid of everything. Having spoke to friends who had been the advice was get there early. We arrive about 15 mins after opening and I was glad to have taken their advice, the car park was busy but there was no queue to get in.

We were kindly gifted admission for our family to Tayto Park, we got our tickets, arm bands and off we went.  It was lovely and quiet inside so we took our time to get or bearings and decide what rides we wanted to do. The first ride in our eyeline was Viking Voyage. My little man was  under the height requirement so I stayed behind with him which to be honest I didn’t mind too much when i caught sight of the dryer machines!! I won’t ruin the rides for anybody going as part of this post however suffice to say this was a mega hit! so much so it was done 3 times…..(and none of those was me!).

Given the little man was under 1.1 which tended to be the height requirement for a lot of the rides in whats known as the Eagle Zone, the youngest and I decided to head for the Zoo part to see the animals. I knew this would be a hit with my animal loving wee man.  I was really surprised with the eclectic collection of animals on show here from vultures, to lions to pygmy goats. It was still nice and quiet so we took our time and observed the animals free from the crowds.  My little man was really enthralled with the owls and the alpacas although he kept telling everybody who would listen that alpacas spit to stand back!!!

We regrouped at the Eagle’s Nest Adventure Zone which was more suited to my younger mans age and height.  It was heading towards the afternoon now and it was getting visibly busier but we didn’t queue long for any of the rides. Staff were efficient loading and reloading the rides each time. We pretty much sampled all the rides here from the honey pots, to the steam train, the rocking tug, pony rail, the Ferris wheel, the climbing wall, the shot tower and my favourite the carousel. There is something of an old school magic about a carousel. Also in this zone is the vortex tunnel, a playground and the Nissan Driving School which my oldest really loved. The height requirement for this one 1.1 which was meant a very disappointed 4 year old here. This was a busy activity which is probably the only place we queued for any length of time.

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To know the gastronomy of the Canary Islands is to savour their essence. Are you ready for a culinary journey?

Having spent many a happy summer as a child in the Canary Island and happily continuing the trend with my own kids one of the lesser mentioned highlights I find is the food which hand on heart I can tell us exceptional. Part of a holiday for me is trying new foods, new wines, new flavours. Its about experiencing a destination and its offerings. When the below food guide popped into my inbox I couldn’t wait to share it with kind permission from Travel Media.    It’s often said that the Canary Islands are a continent in miniature. This is not only because of the sheer variety of landscapes you find here – from pristine beaches to majestic volcanoes – but also the rich cuisine that each of the islands has to offer. From the north, with its freshly caught seafood, to the south, where the best modern fusion restaurants are located, the Canary Islands offers a sensorial gastronomic journey.

A world of flavours

Tradition and modernity collide in Canarian gastronomy. It even boasts some outstanding emerging young chefs, like Juan Santiago, World’s Best Young Chef 2015 Finalist. He is known for his experimentation based on tradition, the fruit of which are the liquid croquette or the croquette foam among others. As Santiago puts it, with 15 million tourists visiting the Canary Islands every year, it’s inevitable that new tastes and concepts keep emerging. Flavours of Spain, Latin America and Africa cross paths in this archipelago, shaping a very unique identity.

From the net to table

The Atlantic Ocean wraps the Canary Islands, and traditional fishing, regulated by legislation that preserves stocks and marine ecosystems, is a way of life. The waters around the islands are home to an astonishing variety of fish, such as cherne, Atlantic croaker, salema, and sea bream. Whether grilled, baked, marinated or fried, they give a true taste of the Atlantic. Sancocho is a popular, dish of South American origins that consists of salted fish served with potatoes, sweet potatoes, and mojo – the famous sauce of the islands made with olive oil, peppers and assorted spices.

 KM Cuisine

Santiago is a strong advocate of the principles of 0 KM; that is to say, “Buying and eating what is local, shortening distances between land or sea and the kitchen and importing as little as possible.” This philosophy has yielded formidable results; for the environment, for producers and most of all our taste buds.

The philosophy of 0 KM has always influenced eating habits on the Canary Islands. The most popular meat is not beef, but pork, rabbit and goat. Goat meat has a strong flavour, and is eaten with your hands. Accompanied with papas arrugadas (small potatoes with a salty crust), it’s perfection.

Canarian cheeses, especially those of the islands of Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura, are among the best in the world. In the 2018 edition of the World Cheese Awards, no less than 35 cheeses made on the Canary Islands received awards. Standout farmhouse cheeses include Maxorata; a semi cured goat’s cheese spice with smoky paprika, and Majorero, a firm goat’s milk cheese similar to Manchego. Perhaps the most original cheese is Flor de Guía; a creamy, slightly salty cheese made with an exact combination of cow’s and goat’s milk and liquid extracted from thistle flowers (flors de guía) for the curdling process.

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Pic Credit: The Mamma Fairy Blog

Ever since our visit to Lapland in November/ December 2018 we have quite literally been obsessed about returning. We have been fortunate to have travelled to many countries all over the world but none capturing our hearts in the way Lapland did. If you asked me exactly what it is about Lapland, honestly id struggle to put it into words. There is a magic about it, being in the home town of Santa Claus. Perhaps its seeing the magic of Christmas through my kids eyes.  Last year we stayed at Santa Claus Village and despite my intention of it being a “once in a lifetime” trip we have booked to go back this year later in December.

Since our return, I have shared my trip report and some tips and advice on dressing for lapland  and I have got tonnes of emails and DM’s with questions. I am always happy to chat about my favourite place and happy to answer any questions or queries people planning to visit this wonderful destination have.  The concluding comment of one email I received via my trip report really resonated with me. The query itself was about Santa Claus Village and the email concluded with “can you just imagine working there? How amazing would that be?”.

Santa Claus Holiday Village is run by Marko and Inga and they very kindly took the time to answer some of the questions that I (and many other!) have about running and working in what is probably one of the best known, most magical places in the world.

Our Q & A

Tell us about a typical day at Santa Claus Village

Pic Credit: Marko @ Santa Claus Holiday Village

Well, typical day at Santa Claus Village. I guess we must concentrate on the winter season because that`s our high season. Weather might be little bit chilly, very unusually too cold but plenty of snow. Everything is covered pure white snow, trees are like frosted piece of art statues.  Guests wake up in cosy n warm cottages and go hurried for breakfast, to Christmas House restaurant or Three Elves restaurant, depends on accommodation type which they have booked.  After they have enjoyed typical Scandinavian buffet breakfast, many of them will be waiting booked safaris in the lobby. Some goes for Reindeer Sleigh ride safari and some for Husky Sleigh ride safari or Snowmobiling or some other from our famous excursions.   During the day time we used to have quite a lot day visitors in the Village from other accommodations of Rovaniemi and from around Lapland. They come to meet Mr. Santa Claus and send Christmas greeting cards from Santa Claus Main Post Office and for sure making shopping of very special gifts and souvenirs which we have great selections in the shops of village.

In the afternoon, our guests start to return from safaris and excursions. Many of them go to enjoy in the private sauna in the own cottage and that`s really pleasure after spend chilly day in the winter activities.   In the evening we have delicious dinners available in our restaurants. For coming winter season we will have third restaurant. Restaurant Santa Claus Village, it has 140 seats and shape of teepee.

If the weather looks to be clear for coming night, lot of our guests will be going for different kind of Northern Lights search programs, like Aurora Reindeer safari, Northern Light search in private wilderness or Northern Light search and dinner.

Can you tell us a little about the history of Santa Claus Village

We can think about that story begins from 1950 when city of Rovaniemi built a cottage for Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt when she came to visit in the Arctic Circle.

All the way until 80^th  century, tourism was here more or less only summer tourism. Guests from Europe come to visit in the Arctic Circle and was going to North cape, northern most point of Europe. At 80^th century Mr. Santa Claus decided that he need a place to greet guests from all over the world and he chose Arctic Circle.

Does Santa ever get a holiday or does he meet guests all year round?

He meet guests here every day for the whole year. In the Christmas Eve he starts he`s journey around world to delivery gifts but he have his magic things in his office, he can stop time for a night and that`s how he have time to make a trip around whole world and Christmas Day morning he will be back in the village greeting his guests.

Where do most of your visitors come from? Europe? or further afield?

Our guests are definitely really from all over the world, I would say that there is not any continental in the earth that we wouldn’t have had guests. It happened some years ago the that we had in the same time in house, without knowing each other, 3 families from New Caledonia. Further than that you can`t come if someone does’t live in the moon. But a lot comes from Europe because it`s not so far away.

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Departing Dublin Port Pic Credit: The MammaFairy Blog

Long before kids arrived into the Mamma Fairy house we used to travel quite a bit to Holyhead from Dublin. My sister attended University in Bangor in North Wales so we loved popping over for the weekend.  We hadn’t taken the kids on a ferry so there was mega excitement when I told them Stena Line were very kindly taking us and our car to Wales. One of the things that stresses me most about holidays is the airport, the volume of people, the queues, getting myself and the kids through security! The stress levels until we are sitting at the gate are usually pretty high!! Having taken our car on the ferry many times I knew what to expect! Much less stress – literally drive on drive off!

Our Ferry journey with kids

Boarding time!! Pic Credit: The MammaFairy Blog

We were on the 8.10 Stena Adventurer heading over from Dublin to Holyhead on a lovely bright Friday morning in June. Being a Dublin resident I knew how bad Dublin traffic could be so we allowed ourselves extra time just to be sure and I am very glad we did. An incident at Port Tunnel saw the tunnel temporarily closed so thankfully we had time to go the alternative route. Check in closed 30 mins before departure but my advice is to get there early especially if you are travelling in peak work day traffic.

Check in was smooth, we had our boarding passes printed off, we were told which number queue to join and there we were in line to board the Stena Line Adventurer. The absolute squeals out of the kids as we drove onto the boat!!! Once we boarded we were guided into position,  we parked up and took the hyper gang up to the passenger decks. Another tip is to make sure you take everything you need with you as you can’t return to your vehicle when the ferry departs until the ferry docks again.

On board

Good bye Dublin Pic Credit: The MammaFairy Blog

I think one of the first thing you will notice is just how big the ferry is! We had taken the Superfast ferry in the past and the Adventurer is noticeably bigger.  On board the Adventurer there are:

• En-suite cabins available from €30, might be handy if you have very young kids, for us with older (hyper with excitement) kids it really wasn’t necessary for the short 3 hour crossing. I believe the cabins go up to 4 berth which could be very handy for families.
• A Hygge Lounge which is a relaxing, peaceful environment if you want a total chill in a large comfy reclining chair as you gaze over the Irish Sea. The cost is €9 per person but you must be over 16 years. If we didn’t have the kids id be in there in a heartbeat. Right up my street!!!
• There was a restaurant, bar and coffee dock on each passenger deck serving hot and cold snacks and the usual beers and spirits. It was really busy initially on both legs of our trip but the staff were very efficient and the waiting time was short and a lot less busy once the initial rush was finished.
• There is also the Stena Plus Lounge where for €20 you can avail of complimentary drinks, snacks, newspapers & magazines as well as free wifi, waiter service and comfy seating. We didn’t do it this trip but in the pre kids days we always frequented the lounge, it is really good value and nice and relaxing, a good option for the 3 hours ferry. The was a ‘Family Meal Deal’ on board 2 adults and 2 kids for £23 really good value and you can pay in either € or £.
• For kids there really is plenty to do; located on each passenger deck is a small play space, for older kids there is “Teen Town” with some arcade games. Much to the kids excitement there is a cinema with free entry. This is a really good option to pass an hour or so especially with younger kids.

Our crossing

Our ship departed on time, boarding was smooth, the sail itself was smooth and the disembarkation was efficient.  What more could you ask for?! To keep the kids entertained I took sketch pads and their trusty twistables! While there is plenty on board to keep them entertained the play centres can get busy so worth having a few of their favourites to keep them occupied.  We took some of their own snacks with us while we ordered coffees, toast and scrambled egg to go with them. Thumbs up for Stena’s scrambled egg.

Our plans

As our trip was so short I had done lots of research before hand to maximise the time we had in North Wales. Full blog post on our activities but for now a very sneak peak…..

Day 1 -We drove to the picturesque town of Llanberis were we stayed on night after our journey on the Snowdon Mountain Railway. We reached the top of Snowdown Mountain literally surrounded by clouds which they kids thought was “epic” the last bit  is a little steep but oh so worth it. Be warned even in summer it can get cold up there so our trusty Reima winter gear came in useful again.

Day 2 – We drove further into Snowdonia to Llechwedd near Blaenau Ffestiniog. Llechwedd is an old slate mine where you can go 50o metres below ground into a deep mine.  I’ll keep you in suspense a little longer for my full review but suffice to say this place left a lasting impression on both us and the kids. Rich our guide a 7th generation miner himself was what made this tour for us. His unique insights, his respect for the heritage of the area and the contribution to mining brought a tear to my eye more than once.

Day 3 – Before heading back to Holyhead we spent a day and night in Llandudno, an old school sea side holiday resort.  While here we also took a quick visit to the Copper mines for a unique self guided tour of 4000 year old mines!!!  We loved our chilled out day here, kids will forever remember playing football at the beach at 10pm then running back to the b&b soaked, tired but happy.

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Since our trip last September to Iceland lots of people have asked for tips and advice on what to do to Iceland, sample itineraries, “must see” attractions.   I knew a few of my fellow blog buddies had been to Iceland I thought i’d reach out and get a variety of ideas on their top picks.

Pic Credit: The Mamma Fairy Blog

For many people and particularly given just how expensive Iceland is, their preference would be to book via website who can help you book the entire trip in one place.  With WowAir now defunct, there are less flight options for getting to this wonderful destination therefore I can really see how using the services of a site to assist you to book the entire package would be very appealing.  One option im aware of is the Voyage Prive website where they describe themselves as  “a members only luxury travel club, offering unforgettable getaways, at unbelievable prices“.  I love a deal and I know a lot of people like the security of having a packages as opposed to DIY, so well worth checking out and not just for Iceland, there cover worldwide holidays from ski trip to luxury resorts to city breaks.

Iceland “things to do”

The over riding thing I will say about Iceland is that it totally lives up to its reputation as being magical – the scenery is breathtaking, the people friendly and the thermal spas well……you just have to try them. And before you ask……yes it is expensive but to me, and my husband will agree it is totally worth it. It was a bucket list trip for us – a once in a lifetime – but I left a bit of my heart there and I have to go back. We loved it so much

Pic Credit: The Mamma Fairy Blog

Our visit was short and we had young kids (6 and 3 at the time of travel) so we carefully planned out itinerary, for a sneak peak of what we did see our Golden Circle trip here my  kids are still asking to go back to that wonderful Ice cream place before Gullfoss. I really do love looking back at our pics, really does make me want to go and book it again.

We also did Fontana as we booked last minute, the Blue Lagoon was booked out. A top tip if the Blue Lagoon is top of your list is to book early. Please also respect the cultural (and hygienic) advice to shower before entering the thermal pools. It was definitely one of the highlights as it was quiet when we were there, we had loads of time and space and the kids were made very welcome. And try the bread – drooling as I type. Quite  honestly the nicest I have ever tasted. It is known as  Geothermal bakery and the break is cooked in the ground for 24 hours!!

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Just after Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea in Hawaii, Mount Teide is the third highest volcano in the world. Located in Gran Canaria, it’s tone of the most visited natural parks in Europe and the 8th most visited in the world!  If you opt to take the cable car which travels within 500 meters of the summit – prepare yourself for some simply breathtaking views.

Climbing Mount Teide is also an option as well as a dream for many; ascending the crater and smelling the sulphur emitted from volcanic fumaroles is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  There’s a bar and restaurant area, and even a hotel and a refuge at 3.270 meters.

As the highest peak in Spain, it has been a World Heritage Site since 2007, and the park encourages visitors not stray from the marked paths, enjoy the native flora and fauna of this geological treasure, and not to take stones as a souvenir of the National Park.

Sunbathe at Maspalomas Beach in Gran Canaria

With wind-sculpted dunes with golden sand and clear, crisp ocean – Maspalomas truly is one of the most beautiful beaches on the Canary Islands.   Stretching just over 3km, the beach makes for the perfect place to sunbathe, to take a relaxing stroll or to simply soak up the sunset in the evenings. One of the best spots to see the sunset is the first set of dunes by the Charco de Maspalomas lagoon.

The beach stretches from the beautiful lighthouse to La Punta, the most southern point of the Island. But, it doesn’t end there! It then transforms into the Playa del Inglés, another 4 km of the finest sand in the east.

 Visit the fascinating architectural legacy of César Manrique in Lanzarote  

César Manrique was an artist, architect and environmental activist from Lanzarote. He did not create in nature but rather with it, and his relationship with the landscape was not simply aesthetic but also a commitment to defending the environment.

Jameos del Agua is a volcanic tube opened on the surface where you can admire a natural lagoon of transparent emerald waters which is home to a native species of the island – a minuscule, albino, blind and gleaming little crab of unknown origin.

Mirador del Rio is a building located at 500 meters in altitude at the top of the Risco cliff, hidden beneath the rock and barely visible from the outside, with large windows and exterior balconies that provide a stunning view of Lanzarote.

Visitors can see traditional ceramics and a range of sculptures. The domed main room and cupolas are not to be missed.

Taste volcanic wine in Lanzarote 

The Canary Islands have become an exceptional wine-producing region due to the volcanic nature of their soils and almost desert-like climate. The ash coating retains moisture, protects buried soils from erosion, inhibits evaporation, and traps solar input.

Partially ringed by almond shaped stone walls on tar dark soils, the vine arrays appear hauntingly gorgeous, and many of them are included within Timanfaya National Park in the southwest.

White wines are predominant in the Canaries and are often opulent and full, sometimes with a citric precision.
Whereas red wines often have a Burgundian heft of pepper and complex darkness-leather, mocha, black fruit, caramel and even diesel.
Several wineries across Lanzarote offer both wine tastings and visits.

Try an aloe vera wellness treatment in a Canarian spa in Tenerife 

The spa centres in the Canary Islands are well-known and make full use of all the natural resources provided by the Canary environment. Plenty of unique treatments are offered such as thalassotherapy, geotherapy, wine therapy or aloe therapy.

The spa of the Iberostar Grand Mencey in Santa Cruz de Tenerife is set over 4500 square meters, and facilities include everything from a dynamic heated pool with bubble beds, whirlpool sections, and aqua-massage swan necks, to saunas, a foot spa, and a steam room. Sounds like my ideal kind of holiday!

Watch the stars from a world class observatory in La Palma

The sky of La Palma is one of the best places to observe the stars, and the Roque de los Muchachos observatory at 2.396 m. above sea level is home to one of the most extensive fleets of telescopes to be found anywhere in the world.

It boasts a breath-taking view of a giant volcanic crater 1,500 metres deep, covered in trees and with volcanic rocks in amazing formations.

The observatory organises visits to its facilities, and there are stargazing tours by La Palma Astronomy Tours which even include a ‘Tapas and Stars’ experience. The experience combines tapas and a glass of red and/or white local wine with an introduction to the astronomy and the orientation of the sky through constellations as well as insider information from guides.

Eat at a Michelin star restaurant in Tenerife

The stars in the Canary Islands are not just in the sky: Tenerife has six Michelin stars spread across five restaurants. One starred NUB occupies a beautifully restored colonial building and the tasting menu fuses Italian, Chilean and traditional Canarian flavours.

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After writing this post on our guide to our Lapland DIY trip last year, I received a lot of messages on dressing for Lapland. Even some asking where fluffy pjs were a necessity! In this post ill go through what we wore and where we got the items.

I think it easier to put it all together in one post as I know before we went I did a lot of research to make sure the kids would be nice and toasty. For context we went end November into December so temperature range for us was -6 to -12 and there was snow.  Visit Finland has a brilliant informative video which is well worth a watch.

Ill focus on the kids but you can take it that adults broadly similar. However I did adopt the adult plus one thinking. As in what we wore plus a layer!

So…starting from the feet up.

• Wool socks – a must! We went for pure wool, just one pair not too tight and they were prefect. I purchased our via Ali Express
  

  Kids in their Reima gear Pic Credit: The Mamma Fairy

• Boots – goes without saying. Comfortable and waterproof. Make sure to try on with your wool socks before you go! A family in the cabin next to us were left with too small boots with the socks on. Luckily they could rent the boots on site. Ours and kids were Campri from Sports Direct, purchased this time last year in the sale.
• Thermals – Don’t scrimp on these as you will were them all the time. Again try before you go. Kids wore Reima and were fantastic, soft and a great fit
• Regular top/ long sleeve t – shirt  – self explanatory!
• Fleece – This was the kids extra layer, myself and the Dada Fairy didn’t seem to need this layer but the kids did and both had hooded fleeces from Reima, again, couldn’t fault the quality and functionality.
• Jacket – As with the boots this is your first line of defence! Ensure its a good fit accounting for the extra layers and it has a good hood and waterproof! Kids again had Reima and the jackets were exceptional. The fit, the hoods and the ability to withstand the temperatures at -12 and not a moan or a groan. No mean feat for my kids who leave the heat. Yes they are a little pricey but you get what you pay for and I really didn’t want to go all that way for the kids not to enjoy due to the cold which they weren’t accustomed to. The kids wore the jackets all winter here and was sorry to retire them to next year. They are safely put away until our adventures in December.
• Ski trousers – As with the jacket, these are a necessity. There is snow! Kids being kids love to roll in it, make snow angels etc! They will get wet! And nobody wants to sitting in wet clothes. Kids decked out again in Reima no leaks, no wet trousers, no moans. Full marks from us.
• Hats/ snoods – Very important, particuarly the snood and your neck can be exposed and the skin there is quite light and can really feel the cold. All of ours from Regatta

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