Let me start this story, ahem review, with one simple fact that will explain everything and anything around it: at the time that we spend our 4 nights at the Hotel Baltic in Zinnowitz on Usedom, it was off (summer) season. The average age of the patrons was about 75 to 80 years old and my husband says I am being generous here. But I am not, because at least about 5% of the guests brought their grandchild (in some cases even great- grandchild - and I know, because we casually talked to quite a few of those people, having our 5-year old son and 3-year old daughter as conversation starters....). 1 kid per paid room can stay in the room for free on a pullout bed, so why not bond with your grandkids or help out your daughter or son with some private time. But that really brought the average age DOWN.
Having said that, I want to add that I have nothing against retirees - I am planing on becoming old myself and it is only then, that we know if I will turn out a handing-out-candy-granny or an old person at war with myself and the rest of the world.
And about 95% of the people we met, where AWESOME candy grannies and grandpas. I mean the sheer amount of cheek twitching my kids endured, the mints covered with lint, they fished out of their purses and the many many times I heard a "SO cute" behind us..... But that leaves those other 5 % and those where BAD, as in Steven King novel bad..... We had old geezers scold kids for building a sand castle on the beach (yes really) because it happens to be on the path they where planing on walking that day. We had people leave the pool when anybody under the age of 50 appeared. We had people closing elevator doors in front of us, because 'at my age I have earned to have the elevator to myself' (and that was a quote).
You see we had bad bad not-candy-grannies and I had a hard time explaining this to my kids, who, in the 4 days and 4 nights (8 meals in total) did not brake even a single plate, knocked over a glass or forgot to say their pleases and thank yous to every person on staff. No I don't believe it myself either..... Can we continue this at home.....?
But all of this said, this whole story leads to one warning: BEWARE OF THE 400 POUND JUNK YARD DOG THEY KEEP IN THE KITCHEN! Where, in my humble opinion, it should stay till the end of time.....
The story behind that, you ask? How did the person I am talking about came to be known in our house as 'the angry chef' (my son) and the reason for nightmares (my daughter)? Although we met only once? After our last breakfast.......? We almost made it out alive......
My son had walked over to a boy his age he had met at the beach to tell him that we where leaving - for about the seventh time. He had to enquire if he could check up on their sand castle (3 times) or if the the boy was leaving that day too (2 times). Then it had to be asked if he had a long way back too and what HE was planing on watching in the car. Normal social life of a 5 year old. And yes this can be a bit annoying (if you are not enjoying your son staying out of YOUR face so you can have your last coffee - guilty here), but at no point was he in anybodies way, ran or misbehaved in any other way. He just walked back and force..... I had my coffee. The next think I know is a force of nature, falling out of her cornflake refill station and running over towards my son. I honestly thought she had gotten sick and had to run for the exit......
People stopped talking, stopped eating and just stared. I woke up when I saw her (?) him (?) lifting my son at his collar and kinda shaking/yelling at him. My husband, me and a few other people made our way over and she let go and turned with a triumphant smile on her lips (Stephen king anyone?). I told her ice cold to let go of my son and come over to our table to discuss any issues she might have with him. His friend meanwhile was hiding under the table crying, people returned to their food and she kept babbling something about 'people don't like kids' or something. I asked for her name and that's (I swear) when she started drooling. I asked again and she spat 'Jürgen' (a guys name?) at me and ran back to the cornflakes.
Wonderful ending of a 4 day beach vacation, right? Oh and on our way out, besides people congratulating me (I heard 'Lyon mom' a few times, and I weigh 100 pounds soaking wet - I am still shaking with fear), one lady with a beard took it upon herself to tell me to raise my kids better, like in the good old days, with a trip to the wood shed every once in a while (my son asked before falling asleep that day, why some people keep their belts in a woodshed - I had no way of answering this and swallowed my tears).
Oh, but: for the amount of people they had to cook for, the food was fresh, tasty and hot. The rooms where not to spacy, but we where at the beach most of the time anyways. The staff was friendly. Because that's what one is supposed to rate in a review right? Not the dog kept in the kitchen.
Bigtimetraveler12015-06-28
