Princess Diana's Funeral and Our Hyatt Regency Pier 66 Adventure

 At times it does not work out the way you planned it to be...

But in a good mood we set the nose of our car Southbound on September 3, 1997.

At home, ready for our short trip with end destination Fort Lauderdale, Florida...

Wearing a hat with my Hermès silk shawl around it.

Escada jeans and top...

Our wood garden visible behind me.

We woould be driving in our Mazda Millenia S, from December 19, 1994.

We did our Outlet shopping and in Ellenton at the Escada Outlet I was surprised to find still so many strawberry items; 75% off now.

One night at a Best Western in that area and next day we drove to Sawgrass Mills Outlets via I-75.

At Last Call by Neiman Marcus I found the Chanel pumps from $ 535.00 for $ 149.00 that were too small for me when we saw them in May; now in my size! 

Pieter bought a Nokia cell phone...

Then to the Budget Inn for the night.

On Friday morning, September 5, we had to leave, too bad as at 13:00 there would be a program on TV about Princess Diana...

Around 14:00 we checked in at Hyatt Regency Pier 66 in Fort Lauderdale, just before the weather became really bad due to hurricane Erika being on its way from Puerto Rico. 

Pieter had to go back to the car and got wet...

Closing the double insulated curtains, I tried on my Outlet scores...

My Chanel thongs, a previous score from Last Call by Neiman Marcus.

Loved these Escada strawberry pieces when I saw them in the big catalog.

So what else to do ,when it is raging outside, but making photos...

My watch from Singapore airport taxfree

We did visit Matthew & Sandra Keysers (my sister–in–law's Uncle & Aunt) and back to our Hyatt Regency Pier 66 where we enjoyed a great dinner with a bottle of wine.

Our luxury two free nights!

Saturday, September 6, we did watch the funeral of Princess Diana at 4:40 while the storm raged outside.

Now we also got to know WHY we had double curtains in our room; for blocking out the noise of the raging wind and rain. 

We had a perfect room with balcony also around the corner but no way we could step outside...

You can view a short video of the dramatic clouds upon our arrival: Princess Diana's Funeral Day and our stay at the Hyatt Regency Pier 66, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. ←click link.

We could not swim so we went to Bal Harbour and it still was stormy with heavy rain.

We drove in our own Mazda Millenia to Bal Harbour, not in this Hyatt Regency limo...!

Pieter got a pair of nice Charles Jourdan shoes and we enjoyed an ice cream.

Already had my Escada strawberry shorts and sweater, with matching purse.

Also found my most favorite ever La Perla bathing suite at the Aventura Mall and they would mail the matching pareo skirt.

Seen in above photo, ONLY photo I have of it (click link below to know WHY...). Pareo skirt is next to my feet.

We went to bed in time and next day we drove home in one stretch the 565 mile or 909 kilometer.

Those were the days when we both were driving and traffic was not that bad!

Related link:

Our First Stay in Fort Lauderdale, Florida | previous post by me

{What Type of Feet do YOU have?} | previous post by me where I show the La Perla bathing suit...

Our First Stay in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

So from our stop at Kennedy Space Center's Visitor Center, we continued driving south on I-95.

Compared to European travel on the Interstate, this was easy and fast.

BUT that was in December 10 of 1984... NOT anymore like that and especially around the Fort Lauderdale area where we were heading towards.

 

Our destination was the Mariott Hotel & Marina for 3 nights.

We had a great room with balcony!

On Tuesday, December 11, we go to the public beach in Fort Lauderdale.

We had our stretcher in the car.

Time for reading my magazines...

And time for a bit of tanning...

We did not swim as the ocean was cold!

Funny to see the bag from Walterigato Appartments in Jesolo Lido, Italy... That was my previous beach vacation.

That's me on September 3, 1982 in Jesolo at said apartment on the beach...

We shared our lunch sandwiches with the seagulls and a dove that ate from my hand.

With our binoculars we studied the birds and a container ship that came passing by.

We stayed there from 10:00–15:00 with our winter skin...

On Wednesday, December 12 we did swim at the Marriott pool, while Mauzie stayed in the car.

The pool was not heated but we both swam!

Slowly getting in the pool...

Once in the water it was lovely!

From 11:00–13:00 we stayed at the pool.

View from our balcony.

Fort Lauderdale is also called the Venice of America, with all its waterways.

To the right you see the Hyatt Regency Pier 66 hotel where we later would be staying a few times...

In the afternoon we went shopping at the famous Las Olas Boulevard.

Pieter got a pair of shorts and a pair of wool plaid trousers.

And I got an ice cream...

Next day we drove with Mauzie to Orlando for 2 nights...

Stay tuned!

Related link:

Our Very First Stop at Kennedy Space Center | previous post by me

Non Glamorous Wheelbarrow Job for Filling and Raising Swampy Parts

On May 1 of 1992 we had come back home following our Exodus from Indonesia after being robbed and we thus quit instead of going back a few more times for 2 months. See links below post.

That meant that here on May 23 of 1992, we both started developing our Estate.

Me in my SWAMP UNIFORM... Haha!

Dumping load after load, that got dug up by husband Pieter. To fill in this really SWAMPY PART around the gazebo where you would sink into before.

There seem to be several underground springs that caused these excessive wet spots.

Also keep in mind that both of us were the very first human beings ever cultivating this lot. Nobody ever had lived there and we never found any native American artifacts either...

So we really did some land reclamation!!!

Pieter was digging up some dirt here, where the pipe from the pond overflow would end into the creek.

All I had to do is wheel the wheelbarrow uphill and dump it around the gazebo.

Lucky Pieter, for being able to work in the shade but I got exposed to the sun and hence my SWAMP UNIFORM

Ready to go uphill again.

Wearing the hand knitted socks done by my Mother–in-–aw! 

Putting them to very good use.

Wearing my Campbell cap...

As you can see on the table in the gazebo, we did stop for a break in–between our hard labor!

On May 27, a pallet with square exposed aggregate concrete step stones lay already waiting to be worked in...

First on May 29, Pieter had to build a little patio at the end of the stairs from our veranda for starting the walk towards our gazebo...

Yes, he also was digging in all the piping for the lawn and garden for being able to use with hose and portable sprinklers. Since we live on a slope, fixed sprinklers would not work.

A short break after I did bring him some refreshments to enjoy...

Hard work and mostly back breaking!

Working in the square exposed aggregate concrete step stones...

And making sure they were all level!

Now on May 31, it was my turn for getting on my knees and washing them in with sand...

Step by step we accomplished all the heavy jobs!

July 17, 1992 Pieter started painting the ginger bread from Vintage Woodworks, high on a ladder on the driveway side...

Fighting the elements in a subtropical climate is not easy.

Here you see that our pond is too high, as the overflow into the creek is not working with the flooded creek, visible in the back.

Later, with the 60 tons of dirt dug up from under the house for creating the Rose Suite, we did fill in that low area behind the pond, for avoiding flooding.

😉Oh, those glamour jobs before you turn your land into an estate as shown on the video below in link...

Related links:

{Pieter’s Tanner Krolle Attaché - Royal Gift purchased at Harrods by English Friend} | previous post after we quit work in Indonesia because we got robbed three times...

Floriade 1992 on a Cold and Windy Day after Earthquake in Limburg | previous post about stop in The Netherlands after our Exodus from Indonesia, before flying back to Atlanta, GA on May 1st

Our Garden at the Time we had Access to Spent Mushroom Compost | previous post with video where we mention the Vedder Estate

The FIGHT of Growing Grass in Subtropical Georgia/USA | one year before; fighting to grow grass...

The FIGHT of Growing Grass in Subtropical Georgia/USA

 As most of you know, both husband Pieter and I got born with dirt under our fingernails... being the son and/or daughter of a professional market gardener. Growing fruits and vegetables, delivering to the auction for supplying grocery stores.

So... that made us knowledgeable for starting a GARDEN; right?

We had moved into our newly built home in November of 1990... 

NOT SO!

Here I am on August 11, 1991, looking in horror at all the soil that got washed out from heavy rain, such as often in summer in subtropical Georgia.

We just got back on August 9, from work and living in Indonesia...

WELCOME HOME!

So after pulling weeds for one day and Pieter working with his weed eater, it was me on the shovel to fill wheelbarrows. Yes, we had two of them!

Pieter in turn wheeled them to the spot for filling it in.

Where did I shovel all that dirt?

Under the newly built house, where after opening the metal door in our staircase area I screamed because we were looking at a mountain of dirt. 

Yes, our 'not–so–great-contractor' left it all there and just built the foundation around.

We dug out a big section as we needed it desperately here and later in 1995 we dug out more. 

In 2004, husband Pieter dug out the remaining 60 tons (!) for filling in on the left side of our garden and constructing the Rose Suite. See posts below.

Oh, life can be so very glamorous!

Did wear my new bikini while at the shovel beneath the hot/humid home in the basement... 

Bikini had arrived in the mail.

This was it, a Gottex bikini with a silk cover up...

Haha, nice and glamorous work uniform don't you think so?

Easy for jumping right under the shower after the day is over and rinsing it all off.

Pieter did the heavy pushing of the wheelbarrow and filling in of the dirt, while having his implant lens out of place... As got diagnosed in the morning. He went next day, after this big job, for the re–positioning of his lens under a light anesthesia.

Rest of the day relaxing... (Pieter!).

On August 20, we put a mixture of spent compost with peat moss between our azaleas as each tropical rain shower washed out the dirt. Hoping they will grow and spread out faster and hold on to the soil!

Oh, on May 16, the previous time off from our work/living in Indonesia (we were there two months at the time...) we both had laid these cross tires in the spots we wanted.

A company that took care of our garden, had laid them and not to our liking.

Yes, those suckers are heavy but we managed!!!

That lantern now was in the wrong spot and Pieter moved that at another later time ...

So much to handle in the four weeks we got off from work in Indonesia!

On August 28, we went again to a certain low spot near a larger creek behind the street where we used to live. We dug up nice patches of grass to fill in the bare spots where everything got washed out from heavy rains...

Our heavy duty wheelbarrow ready for a ride!

Pieter with his heavy duty spade!

Yes, we used our Mercury Sable wagon very intense, after bringing it back home from working/living in Italy...

It got cleaned up well for carrying our suitcases again on September 1, when we would fly back to work and living in Indonesia... 😉

The wagon could then rest for two months at the parking lot of Atlanta Airport... 

Grabbing those sods by their sprites and helping unload.

We always worked as a team!

Unloading some right at the trouble spot...

HOPING they will stand their ground this time!

Yes, the lawn is still covered with straw in order to avoid further erosion...

Living on such a steep slope for sure was not easy to start growing grass!

But with perseverance we managed.

Related links:

Our Garden at the Time we had Access to Spent Mushroom Compost | previous post with video from Middle Georgia Magazine showing a NICE garden

{The Construction of Our Rose Suite - Part I} | previous post about digging out the entire basement and using those 60 tons of dirt to fill in low areas in our garden

{The Construction of Our Rose Suite - Part II} | previous post

Then and Now | previous post where I wear the very jeans skirt from 1987 and in 2020...

Our 1st Time Consulting in Mexico with stay at Camino Real Hotel Mexico City

 Already in October of 1993, during a seminar that husband Pieter did for Campbell Soup at the Holiday Inn in Santa Cruz, California, we met with people from the Monteblanco group in Mexico. One of the owners, Agustín also attended Pieter's seminar and he invited us to come to Mexico for some consulting and training.

Also during another seminar in December of 1993, that Pieter did in Texas, again for Full House customers of Campbell Soup, we met more staff members from Monteblanco, Mexico.

On February 18 of 1994, we both departed for the airport by 6:00 o'clock, driving the two hours to Atlanta and our flight via Houston, Texas into Mexico City.

What a gigantic stretched out city Mexico City is from the air! No wonder it ranks the world's 5th by population and at that time there lived more people than in our entire birth country The Netherlands...

At present some 22,000,000 are living there!

It also is a very unique airport at an altitude of 2,230 meters or 7,300 feet, one of the highest in the world.

And a very fertile plateau with a pleasant climate!

The population is very young, contrary to the aging population of the west.

Traffic is of course a hell! They had already set up one day a week for each car driver to leave the car at home, in order to slow down air pollution. 

It also was the most beautiful city that we EVER saw in our lives!

It is a pity that also the crime rate is high... affecting the safety of the population and its visitors.

So incredibly green and beautiful with large parks and beautiful tropical flowering trees along the streets.

Other countries have botanical gardens but in Mexico City it is inclusive...

 The USA could learn a lot from that. 

Spaniards and Italians in general, love plants and trees for adding color to their lives. 

Trees are also the lungs of such a city; thus a double function.

Camino Real Polanco Mexico Hotel

We were being dropped off at the Camino Réal Hotel, after our visit to the company's main office...

We always loved its special architecture, a kind of Aztec style, with thick bearing walls due to the earthquake region!

That's probably why we also love to stay at the Hyatt Regency Suites Atlanta Northwest as mentioned here in a previous post.

Parque Mexico just click to see more beautiful places within Mexico City.

WISH we would have had more time for walking and exploring... but we worked a tight schedule!

Arriving by car from the hustle of this vibrant city, you enter the very unique Camino Real Architecture, to break the noise from outside and offering a tranquil oasis to its guests.

The Pink Wall Outside Camino Real another of its architectural design.

Camino Real Hotel Bearing Wall and Pool This gives you a very good idea of how the five story hotel is being built with bearing walls.

This is me on a Sunday, March 22 of 1998 after arriving here on one of our next consulting periods.

Relaxing at the pool in my La Perla bathing suit with skirt (seen in photo below!

Those were the perks of doing International Consulting!

Staying at this beautiful hotel, one of the top hotels in the world, in the line of the Mandarin Oriental (where we stayed a few times in Jakarta, Indonesia), Ritz Carlton (where Pieter met our Indonesian boss once in Los Angeles) etc.

We both have been treated royally, all those years of doing international consulting and the fact that over a period of twelve years they had us come back to Mexico speaks for itself.

View of the pool at that time, from a post card we got.

On that lawn, we've seen beautifully decorated tables for wedding events...

Yes, they have a tennis court as well and several fine restaurants.

Also an arcade of shops inside their compounds.

On the walls in the reception area hung portraits from royalty that had stayed with them, such as Queen Elizabeth from England.

We found this on our pillow, next to some chocolates...

We had a very good night sleep at this hotel; so quiet!

You sure can tell that the influences from work have come home with us...

Our home is in the color of the Caribbean (Curaçao) or Mexico and we love this Golden Mist color, see post below.

Previous post:

Working Alongside a Retired Portuguese Style Bull Fighter... in Mexico | from my very 1st work period

{Our Home with Aluminum Interlock Roofing and Benjamin Moore Golden Mist Exterior} | previous post

{What Type of Feet do YOU have?} | photo of me taken at Camino Real