RE-ENTRY!

Today it's a week since we've come home and I feel like I'm doing penance for our recent travels. I FEEL TERRIBLE! My eyes are dry, I'm up at all hours, can't seem to find a normal routine anymore and am getting very impatient. To top it off, I have a cold, am not in the mood to exercise and have been whining and pretty unbearable for this whole time!

Picture this....being awake, showered dressed and ready to go at 3:00am in the morning! It's dark outside, too early to order a bagel with lox and cream cheese, television choices are the test pattern or infomercials--do you have any idea what they're selling at this time of the morning????? We've just about considered Scott and Jory's suggestion of going out clubbing--if only we knew where to go!

I've balanced the cheque book, written a months worth of Birthday cards, researched many things on my list, sorted out my mother, organized pictures, caught up with all outstanding correspondance and planned meals for a month! I'm exhausted and think I need a vacation!!!!!!!!!

Little Owl is a new, small (about 28 places), restaurant in the West Village. In order to get in we had to go at 5:00! I'm not sure whether it was a late lunch or an early dinner.

The room is small, but cozy with an open kitchen and approximately 8 tables and a small bar. The menu is Mediterranean/New American. The staff is very friendly and helpful. I started with a single Crab cake on a bed of jullianed greens and Chris had Gnocchi topped with an interesting pork bolognese sauce. Both were excellent. My grilled pork chop with parmesan butter and perfectly done butter beans which was very tastey. Chris had monkfish surrounded with tiny clams and zucchini also with a light butter sauce--great! We shared an order of grilled seasonal greens and washed it all down with a lovely Chablis.

Overall, we thought the restaurant was cute, but didn't live up to its hype. We also thought it was expensive for an informal West Village restaurant.

The Little Owl, 90 Bedford St (at Grove St), 212-741-4695

An open letter to Air France

Mrs. Christina del Balso
16 Sutton Place, #9C
New York, N.Y. 10022


An Open Letter to Air France
Service Client
TSA 6001
60035 Beauvais CEDEX
FRANCE

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

I am currently sitting in Business Class on AF183, a 13 hour flight from Hong Kong to Paris wondering what happened to the service I was expecting. Never before have I flown with any carrier even in Tourist class and received less service than on this flight. During the announcements there was no introduction of staff, they have remained in the kitchen area and we have seen very little of them. No one comes to collect empty glasses that we ourselves have filled, nor do they seem to care about our comfort level.

We were served an appalling meal shortly after getting on the flight at 11:00 am and have not been offered food or drinks since. Your literature says there is Buffet service available, but when I went to get a plate of assorted tea sandwiches (4 items on the plate), I was told that I was taking too much! Granted this was the only plate left on trolley, but I expected that more would be provided. There was a small bowl of dried fruit, almost empty, one container of dried noodles and water and soft drinks on offer. Hours later—it is now 10 hours after boarding and during that time only ONE person has come through our portion of the cabin to offer anything and that was water. We did see crew when an announcement called for passengers to fasten seatbelts. When I inquired about the sandwiches, they said they had none, but a colleague would go and see if they could find some. I never saw her again. Someone in an adjoining seat retrieved two small finger sandwiches which were slightly more appetizing then the meal we were served. Needless to say, we were more then disappointed. In the end an hour before arrival at our destination, we were offered a second meal which was no better then the first. Noodles stuck together with a congealed and unappetizing substance on top and several triangles of pale processed meat that were supposed to be pork. The three small pieces of fruit were brown around the edges and equally disappointing. The salad with two small pieces of smoked meat was the only really edible portion of this meal. I have NEVER seen food like this in business class before!

The seats, although roomy, were not comfortable. The seat backs did not recline, but rather slide down and under the seat in front. Once you have lain down you cannot get up or move without hitting the upright button - sort of like a sardine in a can. Because the back of the seat does not move you can’t lean back. You can raise the footrest but only in the upright position. This was not very comfortable for the 13 hour trip.

In fairness to the staff, when we did see them, they were pleasant enough but the difference in service levels between Air France and the other airlines we used during this recent three week sojourn were stark. (Continental, China Eastern Air and Cathay Pacific). The best thing we can say, is that we received plenty of hot towels. We can only assume that this is a money saving measure and will seriously think twice before making our next booking with your Airline.

Sincerely,


Christina & Paul del Balso
Flight #183, 23/January/07
From Hong Kong to Paris
Seats 9A & 9B

Some thing we'll remember about Asia

Some things we’ll remember. . .

We’ve written about some of the highlights of our trip, but there is so much more that we’ll remember

Paul

Christina

· The beautiful, soft spoken, Chinese women · Cleanliness of the city streets, the improving pollution · How cheap it is; taxi rides $1.50, Four Seasons Hotel $350 for the Executive Suite, $10.00 for two Mao watches! · How easy it was to get around—great signage in English everywhere · A plethora of travel documents; visas, arrival/departure forms, Customs in/out · How well we were taken care of by the various guides in each city—there was nothing they didn’t think of to make the trip hassle free ·

· The warm welcome wherever we went · Incredibly great service, especially in Vietnam and Beijing · Being a local curiosity—people staring and wanting to take our picture · Dim Sum—especially the variety of dumplings · Dragon fruit, winter dates and so many other new tastes · Bargaining—I’m sure I was usually on the losing end! · Just when I was beginning to get comfortable with ‘Ne hao, ding hao, shay, shay and more, it’s time to leave · Beautiful Shanghai Museum · The neon lights everywhere! · Incredible architecture – the skylines in all the cities were so unique · Feng Shui – we’ll never look at things the same way again! · The fact that everything has a reason and a story in China · Driving the boat on the Mekong River · The European feeling of Shanghai · The history everywhere and the pride of the people in each country · The beautiful Silver Whisper and the friends we met on the ship

There was Bullfrog on the menu - three ways!

Shanghai—January 20, 2007

It was probably our most memorable meal on this trip although, the food has been very good (Paul would say “not exceptional”). We’ve been exposed to many new tastes, styles of eating and have gladly partaken of three meals a day since we’ve left home, which isn’t all that good for our waistlines! That being said, our dinner this night was exceptional. We asked the concierge to recommend a restaurant where local people enjoyed going and were sent to what on the outside looked to be an ordinary very western looking building (the sign read ‘881 South Beauty’). We were surprised because this was in sharp contrast to the norm of large, flashy restaurants. Chinese people really enjoy going out to eat in ‘buffet’ style restaurants. We discovered later that this is becoming a large successful chain in China!

Once inside we were lead upstairs past cozy lounges, a lovely looking bar, a dance floor with couples practicing ballroom dancing and private dinning rooms. It felt good to be sitting at a table without a ‘lazy-susan’ in the center!

We had been told that the menu would be in English but were not prepared for 15 pages of strange and wonderful things. Not only was ‘bullfrog’ on the menu but every conceivable type of fish and amphibian. The selections of ‘shark fin’ alone took up two pages. We were at a loss about what to order and in what quantities. On the few occasions when we’ve been on our own, we noticed that the dishes seemed to arrive in odd sequences. For example, the appetizers come only moments before the main course and the soup may be served last. Also, rice and noodles often come last, after we’d almost finished everything else. This time we (Chris, actually) decided we would ask for advice—trouble was that our waiter spoke very little English, So we (Chris again) decided to ask a Chinese woman at the next table for help. This done, our meal was ordered and we enjoyed our glass of jasmine tea which is often a meal starter with glasses being continually filled throughout the meal. This was a Szechwan style restaurant so we were looking forward to our first real spicy meal and weren’t disappointed. The meal, which came pretty much all at once, included a selection of appetizers (spicy peanut chicken, green beans arranged like a lotus flower, a local ‘fungus’, some smoked duck and marinated asparagus); Rapidly followed by a tasty hot and sour soup (our third version of this dish); sautéed shrimp with peppers and shredded duck with dumplings. Thank goodness the steamed seasonal greens arrived along side this because the heaps of red chilies, under the shrimp made us both reach for tea and water in a hurry! The food was perfectly cooked, served and presented like a work of art and tasted GREAT.

The ‘piece de resistance’ however was the dessert. Paul ordered something called “Four Scholars” and as you will see from the picture, it looked like a paint brush with ink, a tablet for writing, a stone for grinding the ink and some paper along side. All was edible but it seemed a shame to eat any of it! It was hard to believe that the entire meal including gratuities and taxes (of which there are plenty) came to less then $75.00 before wine. It was a great night which we capped with a nightcap at the Jazz bar in our hotel.

Ding Ding Hao

Each day our guides in China have helped us say a few new words in Chinese. We were told that if someone asks us how our day is and we reply, “Ding Hao”, it means very good. Well, here in Beijing, our experience has been Ding Ding Ding Hao! We’ve found the city to be extraordinarily clean—no litter in sight, and haze free with blue skies the entire time we’ve been here. There’s much excitement as they prepare for the upcoming Olympic Games in 2008 and everywhere you look there’s scaffolding and billboards covering buildings being cleaned, and or repaired or painted and many new structures being built. We saw two of the venues near completion and they look to be fantastic. The main stadium will look like a giant bird’s nest and the swimming pool area is a large square with an outside surface that looks like bubbles rising to the top. It’s going to be spectacular, but how they’ll deal with the millions of visitors is still a question they haven’t answered. Here the number one issue is traffic. Our trip from the airport which in the best of times would take about 20-30 minutes took over 1 ½ hours!

In the short period of time we’ve had in Beijing we’ve accomplished and seen a lot. Each day we toured, ate endless buffet lunches and or dinners and had opportunities to shop. The hotel has a shopping center with EVERY imaginable designer shop. Besides that, there are the local craft houses specializing in pearls, jade, cloisonné, embroidery - you name it. And, of course the street vendors (known as “hello boys”) who find you at every corner. They love to negotiate with you and we have become “expert” at bargaining and have grown to really enjoy it. The vendors are very good natured and seem to be having fun, although with high quality Pashmina scarves at less then $10 and T-shirts 3 for a dollar it’s hard to go wrong. Despite the strength of the Yuan, you can actually get better prices everywhere for dollars (cash) which are converted at 8 to 1 vs the official rate of 7.70 – and no conversion fees. So you save about 10% vs charging.

Here those of us from the West are known as “Big Noses” and we’re a source of curiosity, especially to those who’ve come from more remote regions and haven’t had much contact. People often stop and stare, point us out, seek to have their photo taken with us or just approach and say “Hi” looking to practice their English. Everyone now takes English at school beginning at kindergarten. It’s interesting to note that Mandarin speakers have an easier to understand accent then those Cantonese speakers from Hong Kong.

It’s been exciting to see the famous places like the Forbidden City, and Tiananmen Square, but the most incredible sight was our visit to the Great Wall. Our group went to a more remote section, not frequented by hordes of visitors (the Wall gets 10 million visitors a year), so we had the place pretty much to ourselves. It’s the place where they take the important visitors (Bill Clinton is a local hero here and there is a picture of him with the Premier). It was a long walk uphill before taking a cable car to the summit. Once there, we were rewarded with a vista for miles in either direction. It’s hard to imagine the manpower it took to complete this 3,000 mile wonder. They tell us it took a million men 16 years to build (many of them buried in the foundations of the wall). Sections of the wall have been recently rebuilt but there are many areas not open to the public because of disrepair. As much fun as it was to climb and see the wall, the experience coming down was fun in a different way. It’s the slow season and the “hello people” are like a carnival. Paul’s favorite line was to point to me and say I had the money! This worked until he negotiated to buy, not ONE, but TWO Mao watches (the arms are the hands if you can imagine!). Well, I couldn’t believe that he did this and refused to give up the Yuan he had promised to pay. “Absolutely Not!” was my response and the whole corner was chuckling as I continued down the path shaking my head saying NO, NO, NO! Well in the end, the price came down to $12 for the two watches (Barry will be proud)! The experience was fun for both sides and the negotiations friendly with back and forth banter that often resulted in a sale.

We had many opportunities to talk to our guides and ordinary people in the shops and on the street. It’s absolutely clear this is not a “free” society. For example, the area around the “Forbidden City” used to be full of squatters who built shacks against the outside wall. The government decided to move them away. They rounded them all up and checked their identity cards. All those not born in that neighborhood were illegal and were shipped home. The few who were born there were relocated to new housing. Everywhere we went, all the old houses (Hutongs—alley ways with housing) had been torn down and replaced with high-rises. The residents had very little to say about it. There is very little of the “old China” left to see except in museums—the city wall was torn down to ease the traffic congestion. Our guide told us that the government has recently begun to preserve some of the historical districts (three areas of Hutongs are being renovated) and new buildings are incorporating some traditional styles of building. We also talked about religion. Only authorized religions are allowed to pray in authorized locations. Recently a group of Catholics were arrested for praying at home! Also, ordinary people cannot have satellite TV so access to Western shows are limited to only hotels and authorized persons.

The one topic that really got everyone’s juices flowing was the integrity of China’s borders. Every time they talked about the political organization of the country Taiwan was included as a “Special Administrative Region”, the same as Hong Kong. We were informed that China had lost enough territory in the Opium Wars and would not stand for any more. They were still upset about Mongolia being stolen after WW II. I guess we had a better idea about the way they feel after seeing how real the history of last 3,000 years is to everyday people.

We’ll be sad to leave here and can only wonder what the city will look like in another 5 years.

Xi-An

China is definitely a ‘Ying/Yang’ experience; and here in Xi-An the examples are all around us. The city is very old having been the capital through at least two dynasties. It’s location in a bowl ensures an overwhelming haze much of the time—in fact, we never saw the sun while we were there and by the end of the day our eyes were gritty and tired.

Our first impressions as we entered the city were of gray sad industrial bleakness. Cars bicycles and motor bikes are everywhere and this is in sharp contrast with the new luxurious Shangri-La Hotel where we stayed. There is evidence of much renewal, and at night the neon lights make everything look brighter. The nine mile circular city wall is impressive and still surrounds the city centre with gates at the North South East and West sides. The wall is beautifully maintained and provides a recreational area and a great view of the city in all directions. It’s built in the old style and you can still see traditionally dressed guards policing the perimeter.

The best reason for coming to Xi-An is to see the famous “terracotta warriors”. These are the life-size defenders placed in the tomb of a Chinese emperor in the 2^nd Century BC (2,200 years ago). It’s similar to what the Egyptian’s did with the pyramids but with less of a focus on art and more on practical defense. We were really excited to be seeing them and were not disappointed. The entire burial ground covers 25 sq. miles. It includes a complete standing army of 8,000 warriors and a complete town to provide the needs of the emperor after death. A stadium-sized building covers the site of the major find. Only a small part of the site has been restored to protect it from the elements and thieves. It duplicates a real army with soldiers and chariots and archers and a command post. Each face is based on a real person and is unique. It took 800,000 people 34 years to build it (this is the same person who sent 1,000,000 people to build the Great Wall!). The tomb where the Emperor is believed to still be buried is being left alone until they work out better preservation techniques in the future. They’re very proud of this area and continue to develop the site as a major tourist attraction. They estimate that in high season over 5 million visitors come to view the ‘Warriors’ many of them from within China.

As with every major tourist site we’ve been to, we’re surrounded by the “Hello People”. “Hello, want to buy??? only one dollar! How about three for one dollar—we give you good take home price!

Sai-Gon

Viet Nam is a wonderful place to visit. It’s primitive and modern at the same time. In Saigon, the people have a wonderful sense of optimism about the future. They seem to have a good appreciation of the challenges facing them, but believe they are manageable through hard work and sacrifice – primarily to get an education, They look at Hong Kong and Singapore and see that it is possible. They think their government, since the opening to capitalism in 1996, is on the right track. They are willing to accept less democracy now, for greater economic opportunity (a la China). It reminds me of Hong Kong 30 years ago when I was first here – a primitive agricultural economy co-existing with a modern tourist economy.

People are still incredibly poor in Saigon. Anything labor intensive is almost free. “Polo” tee-shirts are $1 -2. Silk scarves are as cheap as $2 in the market. Basically, not more than the cost of the materials. Beautiful hand-made lacquer and embroidered pieces sell for less than $50. The workmanship is good, but not excellent, so they will have a difficult time moving up the value ladder.

We visited a factory that makes puffed rice cakes – by hand. The rice is puffed in a wok then, then browned with caramel, rolled flat, cut into squares and packaged in plastic bags – all by hand. There is not a single machine. The woks are fuelled by rice hulls and nutshells with no oil or coal.

A number of people talked about the Viet Nam’s recent wars – with the US in 1970’s and with Cambodia in the 1990’s. China also invaded them in the 90’s in defense of Cambodia (and the genocidal Khmer Rouge). They don’t believe they can afford to dwell on the past and make a point of saying it’s time to look to the future. They want to emulate the capitalists, not fight them. They seem sincere. The issue is they do not have a competitive advantage - like location for Hong Kong and Singapore. Nor do they seem to have natural resources. Trying to compete on cost with China and their other neighbors is a losing proposition. They are too small. What they do have is some incredibly beautiful countryside. Na Trang has beaches that could rival anything in the Caribbean. Then there is the Mekong Delta which has endless possibilities. It was a shame that plastic and other garbage seems to dominate the banks of the river as well as other areas of the countryside.

Overall, the Vietnamese people are the friendliest and most enthusiastic I have ever met. Wherever we went, from the Hotel to the puffed rice factory, people were friendly and helpful – and seemed genuinely glad to see us.

Life in the Mekong Dela

We left the ship at 7:00am(!) this morning for a 2.5 hour drive inland from Ho Chi Minh City (Sai Gon) to the Mekong Delta area. Along the way we got a glimpse of life in Viet Nam as we passed through many rural villages. Overall, this waqs the most exciting part of the whole trip. We got to see the real life of Viet Nam along the Mekong River which originates in Tibet and flows through China, Burma, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia before it’s 120 mile journey through Vietnam dividing into nine river mouths they call the 9 Dragons (Mekong Delta). This river delta is inhabited by more then 25 million Vietnamese. The numerous natural and man-made canals serve the local traffic. Eventually, we left the bus and boarded a local long-boat at Cai Be River, one of the branches of the Mekong. Our guide ‘Jason’, and local guide Won and boat driver ‘Mekong’ served as hosts to 6 of us - the best part was that each of us got to drive a short segment of the journey along the river. The river banks were crowded with many makeshift and some more permanent housing. Along one of the channels we encountered the Cai Be Floating Market. Here we cruised among the many boats from which vendors offer all kinds of merchandise. Traditionally, families live on the boats, buying fruits, rice and flowers from local farmers, which are then sold in the floating market. Each boat advertises their wares on a long pole and family life is evident when you see laundry lines, and cooking activities. Boats are old and equipped with motors that can be raised as needed and many have t.v. antennas perched atop the rooftops. It was sad to see the trash floating by and along the banks. Now that the whole world is using plastic, much of it ends snagged along the river creating an unpleasant sight.

No part of this trip has been without an opportunity to taste the local fare - everything from sweets to a medicinal drink guaranteed to increase the virility of men. Paul actually tasted a local rice wine that is made with an actual snake and scorpion! It worked great! This part of the trip was no exception. We toasted each other with fresh coconut water and enjoyed ‘elephant ear’ fish for lunch.

Kuching

We are in Borneo—remember those pictures from National Geographic showing this as place where the most fierce people still practiced head hunting, the use of blow darts etc. etc. etc.? Well the island of Borneo is divided between Malaysia and Indonesia and very little head-hunting is still practiced!

We visited the town of Kuching, which is the capital of Sarawak, the largest state in Malaysia,. They have a ways to go in terms of their development, but today boast a “5 star” Holiday Inn and the beginnings of a tourist trade. As in Singapore, the population there is diverse; the north dominated by the Chinese and the south by the Malay with native groups, Eurasians and Europeans mixed in.

Paul and I had hoped to visit an Orangutan sanctuary, but this time of year, fruit is plentiful in the jungle and sightings are rare. Also, the loss of habitat has contributed to the decline of these beautiful primates. Instead, we visited a Cultural Village (much like the Pioneer Villages we are familiar with) which is a museum where housing, lifestyle and crafts are demonstrated in the fashion of the various tribes that are native to this part of the world. We visited a number of long-houses (in effect a row of dwellings and a village street under one roof). Each represented a different tribe demonstrating art, music and day-to-day living. I was surprised to find that this area produces the majority of ‘Sego’ consumed locally and exported and that the local pepper (both black and white) is sold all over the world.

The best part of the visit was a live show depicting the various traditional dances of the Sarawak tribes.

Singapore

He Said:

· Singapore is boring. It is nothing but a big city with a lot of shopping malls – a LOT of shopping malls that are all connected underground.

· It’s an interesting cultural and economic case study of how diverse cultures can live and work together. The whole country (of 4.5 million people) operates like a business.

· 90% of the people live (own) government subsidized housing (1700 ft/sq 2 BR apartments).

· The temples, churches and mosques were interesting, but not that interesting. It’s as if a whole country was designed by Walt Disney.

· Architecture is amazing. Lot’s of tall, interestingly designed new buildings; the old blending with the new.

· All the guides, drivers and servers seemed programmed. They are like a bunch of “Stepford Wives” all smiling and saying the same things. This is not necessarily a negative. Programming can be good – like the USSR and corporations.

· The food is undistinguished. Not bad, but not great.

She Said:

· Singapore is endlessly fascinating. All malls can be avoided easily because shopping is much more interesting in the areas of Chinatown and Little India.

· There is order, cleanliness and people are friendly wherever you go. No beggars in the street and no overt class structure.

· Singapore has done a good job at maintaining its culture—it has only been independent for 41 years so they take great pride in their history and accomplishments.

· The people do seem somewhat programmed, but they’re proud of their country. There are incentives for home ownership (85% of the pop. owns their own home). Education is a priority and with a literacy rate of 90% who can complain? Can you tell that I’ve been listening?

· The food, especially the selections of fruit and veggies was fabulous and I have tried something new each day. Especially like the mangosteen, dragon fruit (pink on the outside, white with black dots in the centre) and the variety of greens.

Singapore Ritz Carlton

One of the nicest hotels we have ever stayed at. Service is outstanding.

Ritz Carlton Millenia Hotel
7 Raffles Avenue
Singapore 039799

Singapore Gardens

The Botanical garden in Singapore is such a beautiful spot, I thought it worth devoting a page to it alone.

Located near the city centre, the acres and acres of space are available to all free of charge from 5:00am in the morning to midnight. Like New York’s Central Park, the space consists of many different areas providing for the recreation and contemplation of the people who use it. Our visit included the beautiful Orchid Garden which was as you can see from the picture collage, my personal favourite. As we strolled through this area, each flower was more beautiful then the next and I could have lingered for hours. Each corner brought a new bit of colour but although we heard lots of birds, neither on of us actually saw one.

Ritz Carlton - a wonderful experience with a couple of complaints

When we travel we frequently book through AmEx Platinum Travel because they offer a good deal on specifice hotels - free breakfast, room upgrade and a $100 credit for food and beverages. There is a reasonable list of hotels, generally including Ritz Carlton and Four Seasons. This trip we have stayed at our first Asian Ritz hotels in Hong Kong and Singapore.

Overall, we are both completely enchanted by the service. It has all the same features as in all better hotels these days, but with a added degree of sincerity. Every single employee, from maid and porter to guest services has been outstanding! Two examples;

• When you arrive at the airport in Hong Kong (arriving or departing) there is a representative from the hotel to meet your flight and help you with your bags and a car.
• When you check in a hostess escorts you to your room - not only to show you the amenities (which are exceptional) but to interview you about your visit and your needs; including how to pronounce your name, the reason for your visit, recommendations about places to go, what newspapers you read, any special pillows, etc. She spent about 15 minutes with us and now greets us by name whenever she sees us in the hotel.


• Yesterday, when we arrived, we went in for afternoon tea. The staff was so gracious and interested that learned all about us we heard all about them - and how much they love
  Singapore and the Ritz. We (both of us!) were charmed! We now know a lot about Singapore and its diverse propulation and the Ritz training program. Later, when we returned from an outing, we were greeted by name and offered refreshments. It's like we're home in our own building, except the staff is much younger and prettier.

An illustration of the attention to detail. Chris was feeling a little sick last night (hopefully jet-lag) and I called to cancel a tour for later today. Within 30 minutes I got a visit from guest services with a tray of chamomille tea and fruit and a note saying they hoped she felt better and offering assistance, if needed.

As so, I am sure you are asking, what's to hate? Well two things. One very concrete, the other less so. On the more philosophical side, these hotels (e.g. Ritz, Four Seasons) do such a good job in offering excellent accomodations and service that it's too easy to stay there and we wonder what special local places we are missing? Are we being seduced by "routine" excellence and missing out on unique experiences. As an example, in Florida we stay at the Breakers over the Four Season and Ritz because we liked the ambiance, and location, better. Bu there we had the time and the desire to visit each hotel before making a decision.

A second, much more specific issue is the habit of charging exorbitant amounts for misc items. I know this is becoming endemic, but it infuriates me. My three pet peeves -

• Internet access $25/day.


• Laundry - $12 a shirt; $10 for underwear.


• Room bar - $5 for a small water; $12 for jelly beans.

These items are commodities. There is no value-added by the hotel! There are other items at individual hotels that are excessive; valet parking and telephone service are frequent examples. I don't mind paying a premium price for a premium product. I do mind be "nickel and dimed" on these routine items. We got out of our way to not use these services. Chris washes our underwear in the sink. I am using a pirated Wi-Fi connection. We never send in shirts or pants to be cleaned (this trip, when we are gone for three weeks, we'll have to but I'm betting the boat will be cheaper). I do make a point of complaining at every hotel and occasionally get a refund.

New Year's Wishes from Hong Kong

After 15 hours flying time, Paul and I were ready for some New Year's Eve cheer. We arrived at our hotel in time to change, and make our 10:00pm reservation in the Lounge. With hats, horns and champagne we toasted 2007 - and then quickly fell into our bed exhausted! Hong Kong on New Year's Day was a true sensory experience. The sights, sounds and smells were sometimes overwhelming even to seasoned New Yorkers like us. January 1st is a big holiday especially enjoyed by over 200,000 domestic workers, mostly from the Phillipines. Paul and I noticed that everywhere we went there were young women camped out along sidewalks, in passageways and on any spare bit of grass. They seemed to have come for the long haul; with food, drink and even entertainment. There were so many sitting along the edges of the sidewalks along the main streets that we thought there was a parade iminent. When we finally asked what they were waiting for, we discovered that they were just out enjoying their day off and each others company.

Hong Kong harbor is like nothing we've ever seen before. In the evening, the tall buildings are spectacularly lit; outlined in lights with colours flashing, scenes depicted complete with messages wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and more! Our night ended with a boatride to see the fireworks and laser light show in the harbor. It was a great way to begin our adventure and we made notes on the many things we wanted to see when we returned before our trip back home.