Dateline Monday 28th April 2025

 Happy Monday morning, sunny, sunny, warm, dry, crystal-clear greetings from the sun kissed streets of London W10 I hope you are well, what a difference nice weather makes to one’s demeanour (posh word) and it looks like this weather might last a while.

It has been two weeks since I last wrote to you, last Monday was Bank Holiday and the Monday before that was the Jewish festival of Passover, Ohhh and next Monday is Bank Holiday again.

Let’s have a quick recap of what has been going on.

Sadly, the Holy Father Pope Francis has died, it occurred to me that millions if not billion of Catholics are praying that Pope Francis will rest in the Kingdon of Heaven well if billions must pray for a Pope to be given entry to heaven there is not much hope for me when my time comes.

India and Pakistan are at it again taking pot shots and one another at the border of the two countries.

Prick Putin is still indiscriminately bombing cities in Ukraine killing innocent Ukrainian citizens, when will these madmen realise that nothing is gained by war.

President Trump is busy crashing the market and our pensions.

Eighty years ago the concentration camp of Bergen Belsen near Hanover, was liberated in April 1945, by British and Canadian troops. Tens of thousands of people, most of them Jews, died at Belsen in northern Germany, among those who died in the final weeks of the war were Dutch teenagers Anne Frank and her sister Margot, Of those who were murdered there the vast majority were Jews, with Soviet prisoners of war, Roma and homosexuals among other groups to be engulfed by the horrors of the Bergen Belsen camp.

Another atrocity this time in Vancouver, a lovely city, a total nutter drove his car into a crowd celebrating a Filipino festival of love and friendship, the maniac killed twelve people and injured many more .

Canadians are going to the polls today to elect a Prime Minister, will in be Mark Carney our ex-Governor of The Bank of England? The pundits are saying that it looks like he will win.

What else was going on since I last wrote, oh yes I had yet another birthday yikes I have more than enough birthdays don’t need any more yet every year ta birthday comes along this year was a big year with a zero attached to a number.  

Everyone traveling to Israel and to many other countries in the World must complete a web based electronic questionnaire, for entry into the USA it is called an ESTA once that is complete permission is granted or denied as the case may be. I wonder if the two British Labour MPs who were recently refused entry correctly completed the online questionnaire, the speeches the two MPs made in the House of Commons are a record of their stance against Israel, if a sovereign country does not want that type of visitor then they have the right to deny entry.    

Soap box time

The bitter news AGAIN today, it is 567 days since Israeli and other nations’ citizens were on 7th October 2023 wrenched violently from their homes, streets, fields, and places of leisure in Israel and taken to be held hostage as pawns of war imprisoned in squalid conditions in the Hamas terror tunnels in Gaza. A total of 59 Israelis are still being held captive by the group of evil, blood thirsty, barbaric terrorists called Hamas. Sadly out of the 59 people being kept in horrific conditions only 24 are still alive.

Off the soap box now

Finally yesterday was a nice day for a wee 26.2 miles run, yeah the 45th London Marathon more than 56,000 people ran the race, the course began at Greenwich Park and ended on The Mall, where runners cross the finishing line after passing Buckingham Palace.

That’s it from a David point of view for this week.

MM and Company news update

France

Pascal Enrica and the lean at NACARA DMC France have told us that Mandarin Oriental has officially assumed management of Hôtel Lutetia, unveiling its new identity as Mandarin Oriental Lutetia, Paris.

The hotel houses the iconic Parisian Brasserie Lutetia and the lively Bar Josephine

Japan

James and the crew at The J Team DMC have told us that Expo 2025 Osaka has been officially opened. Expo 2025 is being held at a purpose-built site on Osaka’s Yumeshima Island, is set to run for six months.

Amsterdam

Alexandra, Andreas and the team at DELTA DMC Amsterdam have told us that Amsterdam is celebrating the city’s  750th anniversary. One of the experiences Amsterdam is famous for is its walking and cycling experiences allowing guests to discover the city’s history through narrow alleys, hidden courtyards and centuries-old gable stones. You will see Barbizon Palace which comprises several historic buildings, including Amsterdam’s oldest wooden house. A hotel which was once the Sint-Olofskapel, a 15th-century chapel. The chapel was built beside one of Amsterdam’s original three entrance gates: the Sint-Olofspoort. This gate was primarily used by traveling merchants, including timber merchants from Scandinavia, symbolizing the strong trade connections between Amsterdam and the north.

Greece

Nassos and the team at AME DMC Greece has told us that Sandblu, a new luxury resort in Santorini overlooking the seaside village of Kamari from the foothills of Greece’s Thira mountain, has opened for its first full season. The hotel has 66 rooms, suites and villas, six dining concepts, the Aurora spa, and two pools. Some of Sandblu’s rooms and suites have outdoor terraces and private plunge pools set against views of the Aegean Sea. The resort also has three villas. Spread across two floors Sandblu’s signature dinner restaurant, offers modern Greek cuisine and seafood with an al fresco setting. This is the perfect hotel for a buyout with event space for up to 300 people.

Germany, Frankfurt IMEX 20th – 22nd May 2025

Eva of Cornerstone Meetings DMC Germanyinsight and I were chatting last week Eva asked if I was planning to attend IMEX in May I confirmed that I would be attending Eva suggested we host a client dinner in a fancy restaurant of course I was all up for that, so if you are attending IMEX in Frankfurt and you are not hosted please let me know Eva and I would be delighted if you would like to join us for dinner on Wednesday 21st May 2025 

Stephane of Hello Islands DMC Mauritius

Eva of Cornerstone Meeting DMC Germanyinsight at F110 Frankfurt booth

Pascal NACARA DMC on the EUROMIC Stand

Nassos of AME DMC Greece

A number of DMCs we at MM and Company work with and recommend will also be there amongst them Enjoy Slovakia DMC and Hadler DMC Scandinavia   

That’s it from me this Monday, wishing you a terrific week ahead, don’t forget next Monday is May Day Bank Holiday enjoy the long weekend.