Dateline Monday 4th March 2024

Good morning, hope all is well and that you are keeping warm and dry, a bit chilly last week for sure. 1st March apart from being St David’s Day The Patron Saint of Wales    and daffodils being the national flower of Wales with leeks being the national vegetable   and a dragon the national Symbol

It is also the meteorological first day of Spring just as the weather gets a bit colder than last week, frosty this morning the sun is up, out and shining.

OMG it is the week winter energy bills hit the doormat and computer screen, I almost fell off my perch when I saw how much I owe to EDF and to boot I was very careful with the heating this year. However, I do like to be warm so I guess I will have to pay it sometime in the next few weeks.

Last week I was in Istanbul with Muge and the team at Blue DMC Istanbul, Türkiye attending the Global SITE Conference 2024 which was amazing, the host hotel was my old hotel, The Conrad Bosphorus Hotel, the last job I had before starting MM and Company in October 1996 was Director of Marketing and Sales of the 650 room Conrad Bosphorus Hotel and Casino, the Casino is gone but the hotel is thriving big time. Next year’s SITE Conference will be in Tulum Mexico along the coast from Cancun I had better tell Manuel, Liliana and the team at The EPIC Group DMC the DMC MM and Company has been representing since 1997 EPIC was one of the gang of three DMCs that joined MM and Company in our first year of operating that I will be in Mexico this time next year. 

What a ridiculous by-election result in Rochdale, it was basically stolen by a political clown, George Divisive Galloway and that is a shame for the good citizens of Rochdale. Talking of elections

elections were held in Pakistan, shock and horror the Military backed parties lost to Imran Khan who is currently locked up in prison by the Military, seemly you can keep a “good” man in inverted commas down. There was also a General Election in Iran they are still counting and probably manipulating the result.   

Last weekend was the first Grand Prix of the season in Bahrain won by Max Verstappen, there’s a surprise, he has taken over from Lewis Hamilton, I simply don’t know how they do that, 57 laps of the circuit round and round in an hour and a half, I drove the Grand Prix Circuit in Abu Dhabi when I was there is October last year on a site inspection with Jyoti Candy Christin Joshua and the team at TRAVCO DMC Dubai and Abu Dhabi, I drove a Go Kart by the time I did 10 laps  I was not only bored but felt quite sick there again I was bring paid million do to do so.     

Today is the 150th day Israeli babies, toddles, children, teens, women, men and seniors have been held hostage in the Hamas terror tunnels in Gaza, sadly as Hamas is hiding in Rafah the Israel Defence Force has been ordered into Rafah to root out the terrorists that are hiding amongst and behind the civilian population. This could be over in days, the Hamas terrorist release all the hostages and accept the existence of Israel as a State for the Jewish people, the truth is that if Hamas lays down their weapons there will be peace, if Israel lays down their weapons there will be no more Israel.

Let’s hope sense prevails and a deal is done before Ramadan which is expected to commence on Monday 11th March or Tuesday 12th March 2024, subject to the sighting of the moon in Mecca.

And dear reader that is about it from a David point of view for this week at least.  

MM and Company news update

FRANCE

Pascal Enrica and the ream at NACARA DMC FRANCE have told us that the Hotel Hana has opened in Paris. Located between Opéra Garnier and Palais Brongniart, the hotel took inspiration from the surrounding Japanese quarter to blend a minimalist Japanese style with references to Paris’ Belle Époque. The 26 rooms, including one suite, all showcase straw walls and iroko wood. The colour palette comprises earthy shades of terracotta, mustard, rust orange and prune, the hotel’s signature colour. The hotel’s Hanabi restaurant menu combines French classics with Japanese influences. The cocktail bar has a curated collection of sake and cocktails using only Japanese and French alcohol.

Dubai

Jyoti, Christina, Candy and the team at TRAVCO DMC Dubai and Abu Dhabi have told us that the Dorchester Collection will open The Lana, Dubai, it is the group’s first hotel in the Middle East in April this year. The 225-room hotel will also be home to the first Dior Spa in the United Arab Emirates. Near downtown Dubai, the hotel is located on the Marasi Bay marina, overlooking Burj Khalifa, each room has an outdoor terrace and floor-to-ceiling windows. The Lana will have eight restaurants,  The Riviera, a modern Mediterranean restaurant is located on the rooftop with 180-degree views across Downtown Dubai. The Veranda, an open-air garden bar serving signature cocktails, paired with a sharing menu of tapas and international dishes with a Levantine influence, and The Gallery, serving a signature afternoon tea with pastries. The hotel is a 15-minute walk from Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall, and a 20-minute drive from Dubai International Airport.

Germany

Eva and the team at Cornerstone Meetings DMC have told us that from 1st April Germans will have the right to legally obtain recreational cannabis. New legislation, legalizing personal use of recreational marijuana was approved by MPs last week. While the law permits adults to engage in limited personal use and cultivation of the substance, its commercialization will remain predominantly banned. This legislation grants adult Germans the right to possess up to 50 grams (1.7 ounces) of marijuana within their private residences, while limiting possession in public spaces to a maximum of 25 grams (0.85 ounce). It further permits adults to cultivate up to three cannabis plants in their own homes. Note to self I must ask Eva if the same applies to British travellers to Germany.