Sunrise on Mount Pilatus, part 1

On our way back home after a visit to St. Moritz, we used the motorway instead of the mountainous route we previously took.

To see photos of the mountain passes we visited on that route, click here.

Lucerne-Kriens-Pilatus

We stopped at Lucerne for lunch and then sneaked up to Mount Pilatus for the night. Not quite ready to go home.

We were very glad to find that there were spaces in the Parkplatz in front of the gondola station at Kriens, and that it would allow overnight parking.

The first section of the ride from Kriens to Kriensregg and then Fräkmüntegg took about 20 minutes and gained about 900 meters. We were the only ones in the 4-person cabin and had the full 360 degrees-view of the Lake Lucerne area.

The second half of the ride up to Pilatus Kulm was the “Dragon Ride” – an aerial cableway that claims to give a sensation of flying. It is quite new since it was built in 2015. The trip was only about 5-7 minutes and can carry about 50? passengers.

The photos above were taken on the day of our departure. On our ascent, the previous day, the weather was not cooperating (photo below). According to Wikipedia, one of the possible derivations of the name of this mountain is “pileatus,” meaning “capped” or “cloud-topped.”

There are two hotels (50 rooms total) at the mountaintop but we could only book a room in Hotel Bellevue. On arrival, the mountaintop area – Pilatus-Kulm – was obscured by fog. We were seriously concerned that our plan to see sunrise the next morning might be ruined.

All the shops and eateries were closed after the last cable car and cogwheel train departed around 17:45. The hotel room booking included a prix fixe dinner at the only restaurant – Queen Victoria – in the historic Hotel Pilatus-Kulm (which was closed due to off-season or COVID). The two hotels were connected by a terrace and underneath it the concourse for the cable car and cogwheel train.

Throughout the evening, we could roam freely outside on the terrace and stroll indoors to look at the windows of closed shops and some exhibits about the history of the Hotel Pilatus-Kulm. The terrace with empty tables looked quite eerie in the fog.

There were enough guests in the dining hall to not feel like a haunted house. The food was typical continental dishes. The night was made special by the candle lights in the dining hall contrasting the grayish fog visible through the windows.

Luckily, the fog cleared overnight. To see sunrise, we left the hotel at 6:30 am to climb to the top of Esel (2,118 m [6,949 ft]), one of the three peaks accessible from Pilatus Kulm.

View of Hotel Bellevue from Esel, 15 minutes after sunrise

The side of Esel casting a shadow against the rising sun on Hotel Bellevue (photo above).

View of Hotel Pilatus-Kulm from Esel

Queen Victoria rode up the Pilatus on horseback in 1868. Hotel Pilatus-Kulm was built in 1890 and completely renovated in 2010.

See our next post for photos of sunrise at the summit.

Riads and Dars, part 3

This is the last of a series of posts which document our experiences in several traditional moroccan hotels, known as riads or dars. The earlier posts are here and here.

In Fes, we tried to stay in Riad Fes but it was fully booked. The riad is situated in the medina and guests are expected to find it by following discreet signposts like the one below. Generally, a guide is absolutely required when you first arrive at the edge of the medina with luggage.

In a densely populated medina, the riad architecture with few external-facing windows makes the entrance to the property very difficult for visitors to find in the myriad of alleyways, all bounded by high featureless walls with few identifiable landmarks.

It took us a while to find the hotel, even with the help of maps and several days of experience in wandering in the medina.

This riad is thoroughly modernized and met the international 4-5 stars status. The property is associated with the Relais & Châteaux network which have helped push their standards to match the marketing.

We had pre-dinner drinks at the rooftop terrace which afforded us a great view of the city of Fes and the distant Atlas mountains.

With lots of outdoor spaces on the roof, the guests are high above the noise and the crowds in the medina. The exterior of the building is modern except the green-tiled awnings and the outline of the windows.

A tiny escalator took us up to the roof terrace from the reception area. After our drinks, we walked down and stopped by the balcony on the first floor.

All the architectural elements around the reception area are meticulously restored. The guest rooms are also accessible from the balcony.

View from the balcony overlooking the reception area with a small grand piano.

Dinner was very good with modernized Moroccan dishes, and our meal was accompanied by an Oud musician. The dining room is modernized and we suspect the guest rooms are too. Without looking outside the window, we would not have known that this was Fes.

In Ouarzazate, we stayed one night at Dar Chamaa, arriving late in the day and just in time for dinner. This three-storey property is a fake dar, constructed recently and to cater to foreign tourists.

The hotel copied the plan of a dar. There was a small water feature (a ditch if one is mean about it) in the middle surrounded by colonnaded balconies. There were no traditional decorations (e.g., stucco) or form (such as an arch, except the lobby level). That’s being modern and efficient.

The hotel was comfortable. We had a good night of sleep after the long distance road trip. Ouarzazate is an oasis town, confirmed by the view from our balcony, which was just water and palm trees.  It preserved our touristic notion of being at an oasis. As the hotel is located at the edge of the town, we never saw the modern Ouarzazate center.

Our lodging in Essaouira – Madada Mogador – is situated above or adjacent to a riad.  The layout of the building had been modified to accommodate two businesses –  a hotel where we were and a massage and well-being establishment that took over the ground floor, including the courtyard and fountain.

With natural sunlight, the atrium was calm and pleasant.

A balustraded balcony circles the atrium overlooking the small fountain.

We booked one of the loft suite for the three of us.  The suite provided a double-level living space, a modern kitchen, and two separate sleeping areas, separately accessed by a spiral staircase or a set of open stairs.

One reason we booked this hotel was the view. We were not disappointed. Outside our window is the rampart of the old fort, and we could walk out to see the Atlantic Ocean.

If you are interested in the riads and dars we visited earlier, see Part 1 and 2 here and here.

 

Riads and Dars, part 2

Continuing with a tour of riads and dars … I think Astrakan Cafe by Anouar Brahem on ECM suits the mood of this dar, especially Track 14 Astrakan Cafe – 2 and Track 8 Parfum de gitane. Part 1 of this post is here.

On our return to Marrakech in the second week, we booked into Dar Darma. IT selected this property because of its unique interiors.

As we mentioned in part 1 (here), most rooms in a riad/dar do not have outward facing window. Partly it is because there is no view in a dense urban setting (where most riads/dars are situated) and more importantly, for religious and privacy reasons. The occupants cherish their privacy and tranquility. As such, many of such homes in the medina have no frontage and are recognized only by an unassuming door. The photo above shows one of two entrances to Dar Darma, the other one is, we think the backdoor, which is even more modest.

Part of the fun in staying at a riad or dar is the sense of discovery and wonder when one first steps inside.

To start, there is usually such a contrast between the hot, chaotic, messy public alleyways and the finely decorated, calm, cool and darkened interiors, followed by a view of clear running water in the center of a tiled garden populated with fragrant plants.

Then, as one explores the property, there is the unexpected and original designs that have been executed by the architect to transform a traditional home into a business that provides hospitality.

As we were welcomed into Dar Darma, we were led through a labyrinth of passages, halls, seating areas, and narrow stairs. We were totally disoriented.

The interiors were all dimly lit, but it was adequate for seeing where to go. Can you imagine this place illuminated only by candles ?  A bit creepy.

All the interior spaces have a soaring ceiling – at least 15 feet – with matching tall windows looking out to a garden or courtyard.

We booked one of the six suites. Our suite was the Red suite – two bedrooms with en suite bathrooms and a living room – look at the walls of the living room.

An arched entry leads to our bedroom framed by a traditional full-height door that carries a smaller one.

Our medieval-looking bed was situated in the middle of an elongated, high-ceiling room. The stripes on the wall accentuated the vertical dimension. The ensuite bathroom was at the far end.

The bathroom was spaciously cave-like (reminded us of Riad Tawarjit) with two separate bath/showers, illuminated by this massive ornate light. It has to be the most dramatically-lit bathroom we have ever used in our travels.

IT’s room was on the other side of the living room, with a set of double doors.

Two “armored” giant vases flanked a small fireplace. A piece of leopard-skin was laid out in front of a TV hidden in a cabinet. The rug was old – the poor cat was probably not an endangered species at the time it became a rug.

We had not seen any skin of exotic animal for sale in the souks – a little surprising since we were in Africa.  A benign observation it was as we do not condone such trade. Plenty of leather, though.

IT’s room was decorated with period furniture and a creepy old photograph (see photo below).

It was nice to share breakfast in our living room. There was an option to have breakfast on the roof terrace which we took the next day. Our living room had windows overlooking a shallow pool with pink petals, surrounded by giant vases (see the photo near the top of the page).

Steep steps lead up to the roof terrace. The black-and-white theme is consistently executed throughout the property.

Compared to the two floors below, the roof terrace was relatively spartan or modern (depending on your taste). In the riads/dars we visited, the roof was always devoted to relaxing – having a drink, a snack under an umbrella, or a dip in a rooftop pool.

There was a small swimming pool up there but it was drained. January was their off-season, after all.

This property does not have a reception. The manager works in a small room somewhere in the labyrinth, we saw it but probably could not find it again.

The very personable concierge gave us a brief tour of the property as it was mostly vacant on our day of arrival. On our own, we would have gotten hopelessly lost. We saw Asian-themed decorations in some rooms with possibly orientalist antiques.

Apparently, many large riads are amalgamations of several homes resulting in a collection of interconnecting courtyards and balconies. Like Dar Darma, they have interesting spaces, some hidden and cosy, while some offers a surprising view of a garden.

Wrapped around mirrors in one of the suites’ bathroom and shower for a very vain person.

Dar Darma is not palatial but it has a maze of rooms and corridors which hides its true size … and then we discovered a small garden.

Due to its layout, we hardly saw any guests, nor the service team – must be a great place to play a murder mystery game or hide-and-seek.

We really liked Dar Darma for its understated luxury and privacy.

Dar Darma’s website has more pictures. Check it out here.

Part 1 is here. More riads to come …

 

 

 

 

Riads and Dars, part 1

Staying at a riad (or dar) is part of the Moroccan experience. For our two weeks in Marrakech, Fes, Ouazazate and Essaouira, we stayed at 2 riads, 3 dars and had a dinner in a riad where we were too late to make a room booking.

I selected a few songs for this post.

Riad (رياض) means a type of garden associated with a traditional Moroccan house. The word originates from the Arabic term for garden. Dar has a courtyard instead of a garden. But the meanings of the two words have apparently mutated and merged in English to represent traditional homes which have been restored and modernized, often by foreigners, to operate as intimate boutique hotels.

Our first night in Marrackech was spent in Riad Tawarjit situated in the medina, about 10-15 minutes walk from Place Jemaa El-Fna (see our post about the square here).  It is a small modest property with about 10-12 rooms on two floors and the roof.

We think it is a recent conversion from possibly two adjacent homes.

The placement of the water feature (a small pool for your feet ?) is not in the center of the property and looks like an afterthought. But it does have a small tree qualifying it as a riad.

Our room was on the second floor and very cosy. IT’s room was directly on the other side of courtyard (see photo below).

In our room, we felt like sleeping in a cave because it had a high ceiling, all the walls (not just the bathroom/shower, see below) were smooth with rounded corners and edges, and had a natural not painted grey color. Probably concrete.

Historically, riads were the city homes of wealthy citizens (merchants, aristocrats). They were mostly two or more stories high with a square or rectangular garden/courtyard and a fountain. They typically have two salons at the ground level facing each other across the central open area.

In Fes, we stayed at Dar Al Andalou which has the classical layout. Being the only guests when we arrived, the host allowed our group to pick any room we wanted. It was not an easy decision as the rooms were all different.

DL and family chose the salon on the right and for us, the one at the far end (see photo above). IT chose a room on the second floor.

This property had been nicely restored. They took care to maintain as much traditional details as possible. But the plumbing was not modernized for the 21st century. We were cold and the hot water was not consistent. The manageress was nice about it but the on-site caretaker/waiter was less responsive.

The traditional floor plan was designed to preserve family privacy and reflected Islamic cultural norms. The architecture directs the attention of the dwellers inwardly with windows, galleries and balconies looking back into the courtyard, with the fountain as a focal point.

In older houses there would be no windows in the salons but only two large doors each housing a smaller door. The smaller door is kept open in summer with a curtain for privacy. The photo below shows the double door to our bedroom, neither one were used during our stay. Another set of doors with stained glass and a weak lock was used (see photo above).

The salons are typically elongated with very high ceilings, sometimes carved and painted. This was our bedroom which lacked any outward facing window and was quite dark throughout the day (see photo below).

Because of this inward-looking design, many of such homes in the medina have no frontage and is recognized only by an unassuming door. In a densely populated medina, this type of architecture makes it very difficult for visitors to find their riad in the alleyways lined by high featureless walls with few identifiable landmarks. Losing your orientation the first time is almost fun and feels adventurous, but after that one time, you feel stupid and find the situation annoying when you just want to get back to rest your feet.

Typically, they have a roof terrace for cooking, relaxing and entertaining, but historically, the roof terrace is used for drying clothes and grains, and sleeping when it is too hot.

It has been said that the gentrification of these traditional homes played a role in keeping alive Moroccan handicraft traditions, such as tadelakt plaster (the “concrete” walls we had in Riad Tawarjit ?), stucco decoration, and zellige tiles.

More riads and dars to come …

 

 

 

Dead Sea resorts, Jordan

Chris attended a business meeting at one of the Dead Sea resorts in Jordan. It was the first time I visited that country.

Jordan is sandwiched between Israel and Saudi Arabia while it shares a border with Syria in the north. Security is a major concern in this part of the world.

Queen Alia International Airport is 65 km from the resort while the capital Amman is 45 km away. We saw a few checkpoints on the main road to the resort. Our hotel’s security routine included looking underneath our bus for bombs with a mirror-on-a-stick.

Jordan does not have any oil but it is blessed with the Jordan river which enabled it to grow fruits and vegetables despite the country is surrounded by deserts. The river has a major significance in Judaism and Christianity. This is the site where the Israelites crossed into the Promised Land and where Jesus of Nazareth was baptised by John the Baptist.

The surface and shores of the Dead Sea are 430.5 metres (1,412 ft) below sea level, Earth’s lowest elevation on land. Soon after we left the airport, we were going downhill on the main road.

The road that leads to the resort passes many farms and we saw truck loads of tomato, carrots, cabbage and onion. Many farmers set up roadside stalls to sell vegetables. They looked really good.

The resorts are located on the right bank of the dead sea and comprise a cluster of hotels: Hilton, Marriott, Kempinski and Mövenpick. We stayed at the Hilton which is closest to the conference center.

On the other side of the dead sea is Israel and the Palrestine’s West Bank. We are on the east bank of this lake.

The lights on the other side of the lake is supposed to be from the West Bank and Jericho.

The main reasons for tourists to come here is (1) to sample the dead sea mud which is rich in minerals and has numerous beauty and heath properties, and …

(2) to swim in the super salty water in which one cannot sink. With a salinity of 342 g/kg, or 34.2%, (in 2011), the hypersaline lake is 9.6 times as salty as the ocean. This salinity makes for a harsh environment in which plants and animals cannot live, hence its name.

The density of the lake water is 1.24 kg/litre (pure water is 1.0). One can effortlessly float about on top of this water. The extra buoyancy is strange at first but one get used to it quickly.

While there is no need to worry about sinking, it is important to maintain balance. Otherwise you could flip over or fall to one side and get the super salty water in your eyes or mouth. I felt little stings at a couple of places on my body. It turned out that I had a break in the skin at those places. I did not even know there were tiny cuts there.

Next door to the Hilton is a small shopping mall where one can buy dead sea mud, dead sea salt, and all kinds of products based on these local elements. Minerals are big business here – potash useful as fertilizer is the most important export.

Also visible from the hotel is a water theme park – i assume they must use freshwater in the pool and rides  … but how unexpected and precious it is to find a park in a desert where there is no water and next to a lake where it is so salty.

According to Wikipedia, the Dead Sea area has been known as a health resort for thousands of years.

The mineral content of the water, the low content of pollens and other allergens in the atmosphere, the reduced ultraviolet component of solar radiation, and the higher atmospheric pressure at this great depth each may have specific health effects.

The conference was over in 3 days. I doubt if I gained any health benefits but I enjoyed the uniqueness of the environment.

Aker Brygge and Tjuvholmen, Oslo

Continuing with our visit of Oslo …, the Nobel Peace Center (see previous post here) is at the start of Aker Brygge.

Aker Brygge is a part of the Sentrum area, just west of Oslo down town.  It is known for its piers, where eateries with outdoor tables serve international cuisine, or casual fare like burgers and steak. It is one of the most visited area of Norway.

It was the former ship yard of Akers Mekaniske Verksted, which ceased operations in 1982.

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A few old industrial buildings were demolished, while several of the major workshop halls were rebuilt as shopping areas. The first step of the construction was finished in 1986.

The area was reorganized between 2010 and 2014.

A popular summer boat bar is moored nearby, and ferries depart year-round for the scenic Oslo Fjord. There were locals and tourists around even in mid-winter – it must be really fun in the summer.

The new development included an inside street, going through the main buildings. Aker Brygge area today consists of 13 separate units.

Local cultural draws include the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art (designed by Renzo Piano, see next post).

Tyuvholmen is the area located on a peninsula sticking out from Aker Brygge into the Oslofjord.

The first element of the name is tjuv = ‘thief’, the last element is the finite form of holme = ‘islet’. Thieves were executed here in the 18th century. An older (Danish) spelling of the name was “Tyveholmen”.

The name for a modern hotel on the islet –  The Thief – also originates from this history.

It was a good 20 minutes walk from the Nobel Peace Center to here.

At the tip of the peninsula is the Tjuvholmen Sculpture Park. The park’s concept was designed by Renzo Piano and developed in conjunction with the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art in Denmark.

We did not have time to walk out to the beach but the sunset was spectacular.

Take a look inside the Astrup Fearnley museum in our next post.

Château Grattequina, Blanquefort

For the last leg of our Alps-to-Atlantic Easter trip, we stayed in the Bordeaux-Medoc region for a few days. Fa and An stayed behind in Biarritz to do some more surfing.

Our last minute searches landed us at the Château Grattequina in Blanquefort, just north of the city of Bordeaux. Click here for their website.

Built in 1872, the château was surrounded by farmland at the gateway of Bordeaux (which is only about 10 km away), on the road to the Medoc. We entered the grounds through an automatic gate and can see the chateau in a distance.

The sight of the chateau is rather dramatic at night as there are no other lighted buildings in sight. The River Garonne is behind the chateau.

Looking back toward the main road (D209) from the chateau, as far as we can see, there is no vine growing here now, just agricultural land. Corn ? In the middle of the photo is the private access road.

The chateau has only 10 guest rooms, all on the upper two floors. It was restored in 1999 and took 4 years, and it was re-painted this year (we could smell it).

Our room was spacious with simple furniture. It was so quiet all around and therefore quite relaxing.

Loved the double sink in the bathroom, but we would have liked a proper shower.

Very helpful staff. They called a bunch of chateaux for us to check if we can join their tours at the last minute.

Since the chateau is on the left bank of the River Garonne, the chateau has its own private dock, in theory one can arrive by boat. In practice, the owner can take guests into Bordeaux city (upstream) or go wine tasting in Margaux direction (downstream). See boat parked on the left in photo.

The view across the river is rather uninspiring. Because the river is not far from its mouth where it enters the Atlantic Ocean, the flow is slow and the water looks muddy.

The owner lives on the property in a separate modern building, behind the tower.

Nice breakfast room. No on-site restaurant. This chateau is really a B-n-B.

“Enomatic” – wine-on-demand – eight local wines (2 Margaux, Saint-Emilion, Saint-Estephe, Pauillac, Pessac Leognan and Saint Julien) at various price points were sold by the glass. Three sizes to choose from. Pay via a special debit card from the hotel that is settled when checking out. We got several different glasses and enjoyed them with cheeses back in our room.

Next to the chateau is a building that can be used for conferences and weddings. We believe that it is probably a significant part of the business.

The pool was not yet opened but the chateau provides bikes for us to explore the grounds.

Relaxing place to stay if you want easy access to Bordeaux city. But it does not have a working vineyard, unlike those further downstream towards Haut-Medoc.

Au Logis des Remparts, Saint-Émilion

Our first night of the 2017 Alps-to-Atlantic trip was spent in Saint-Emilion.  This small medieval village is known for its status as a UNESCO World Heritage site and extremely well known for its red wine.

Our hotel “Au Logis des Remparts” is located at the edge of the village center and was built using a part of the remaining defensive wall. The village is so small that the hotel’s location is essentially central.

There are three floors. There is an elevator for luggage but not people.

One can see parts of the rampart with a walkway on top and a stone parapet.

This village was recognized by UNESCO in 1999 and it was the first wine-making entity that was listed as a “cultural landscape”.

While our room is unremarkable, the garden is heavenly.

Geometrically-shaped trees in the middle.

We and our friends really like it and spent a good few hours lying on the lounge chairs, staring up at the trees, and falling asleep.

We had it all to ourselves.

Can’t remember the last time we had such a naturally serene and relaxing moment.

Since it was the beginning of the season, the owner was moving the sculptures around the garden looking for an optimal place to show them.

The pieces are apparently all available for sale.

The weather was perfect to be outside. But it is too cold for swimming.

The patio has the perfectly shaped shady olive tree (I think it is an olive tree).

We took our breakfast underneath it one morning.

Highly recommended.

Madrid food diary: Ana La Santa

We arrived at Madrid in mid-afternoon and missed lunch. So we settled for a snack at this hotel situated in the same plaza as our apartment. This was in June 2016.

The eatery is located in the ME Madrid Hotel Reina Victoria situated in the west end of Plaza Santa Ana.

There are several different areas – upon entry there is a bar.

The eatery’s front door faces the plaza in the heart of the Literary Quarter (Barrio de las Letras).

… then there is a lounge area for reading or surfing …

There is a restaurant at the back that looked decent.

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We sat in an area where they served us snacks.

It was really relaxing as we can watch the activities in the plaza, while sitting in the shade under a ceiling fan with a cold drink. It was sunny and quite hot outside.

Our snacks were standards with a slight twist and they were tasty. Do not remember seeing tapas/pintxos on the menu – may be because the real kitchen is closed.

We had quite a few of these dishes as we were hungry.

As it got later at night, there was a velvet rope scene outside for the roof top bar next door.  But this place was packed. There was a DJ spinning, facing the plaza, so it was very lively in the evening – almost too noisy for we had an apartment facing the plaza.

Plaza Santa Ana reminded us of Washington Square Park in NYC.

Definitely worth stopping by for a drink, especially in the evening.

 

Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya Hotel

This building in Moscow was my hotel for a few days. My host suggested it as it is within walking distance from their office.

The Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya Hotel (Хилтон Москоу Ленинградская) designed by Leonid Polyakov, completed in 1954 is one of Moscow’s seven Stalinist skyscrapers built in the early 1950s. The Stalinist architecture abandoned modernity in favor of a mix of the Russian neoclassicalism with the style of American skyscrapers of the 1930s.

Muscovites call them Vysotki or Stalinskie Vysotki (Сталинские высотки), meaning “(Stalin’s) high-rises”. Some were the tallest building or hotel in Europe at that time. These seven buildings nicknamed Seven Sisters which were completed include Moscow State University, Hotel Ukraina, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Leninsgraksaya Hotel, the Kotelnicheskaya Embankment Building, the Kudrinskaya Square Building, and the Red Gates Administrative Building.

This hotel is relatively small compared to the other skyscrapers. There are 26 floors, of which 19 are usable. It was built to a similar style as the Kazansky railway terminal next to it.

Reception area

Ceiling of the reception area

The lobby is triple-height at least, and surrounded by marble columns and stone walls. The lobby ceiling is just as ornate.

The ornately decorated lobby is lit in part by these lights with a translucent mineral lamp shade.

The translucent minerals have visible veins. Eerily beautiful.

The lobby staircase features one of the longest lighting fixtures in the world—apparently it was once in the Guinness Book of World Records.

A dramatic space to have a drink.

I ate a couple of meals in the restaurant. Good and convenient since there are few restaurants in the area.

The hotel completed in 1954, was designed to be the finest luxury hotel in Moscow, joined the Hilton Hotels chain in 2008 after completing a multimillion-dollar restoration and renovation.

My room was on one of the higher floors and looks over the three main railway stations of Moscow. It snowed for a few hours.

Same view – different times of day

The room and furnishings were business standard – nothing special – it is a Hilton after all.

Recommendable.

 

 

Jomon no Yado Manten 縄文の宿 まんてん, Yakushima 屋久島

Jomon no Yado Manten (JNYM, 縄文の宿 まんてん) was our lodgings for 3 days on Yakushima 屋久島. It is 1-minute walk from the airport, basically just across the 2-lane main road that circumnavigates the island. The airport is really an airstrip and it closes after the last flight left or landed in late afternoon.

Between the two ryokans that we stayed, Yakakutei in Kirishima and JNYM, the onsen is hotter in Kirishima. Both had an open air section. Which is better ?  It is down to personal preference.

JNYM has better atmosphere in that the inn is more spread out, closer to nature, and feels sunnier overall. We enjoyed staying at both.

Like Yakakutei, we had a meal plan with this ryokan – breakfast and dinner. This option is more critical here because there is not even a 7-11 in sight – only a few vending machine at best.

At JNYM, one of the dinners is a proper casual kaiseki.

By this time, we were quite spoiled and expected nothing less every day.  =P

Being on an island, the fishes were unquestionably super-fresh.

Whole flying fish deep-fried.

Seaweed, sour – cleansed the palate it certainly did.

Pretty.

Yes, we know what you are thinking, but this is how it was presented to us.

Strange looking shellfish which we found in our soup. Never seen them before.

Nabe

To be fair, in our opinion, Yakakutei provided better food. Click here to see Yakakutei. But this was more than adequate.

Since this place is catered to hikers, the meals were less elaborate or fussy, and more Western, especially in the morning.

They even gave us packed lunch one day for our hiking. We enjoyed our time there and are happy to recommend JNYM.

With this level of service and food, why would we want to stay in a regular hotel ever again in Japan ?

 

 

Yakakutei 野鶴亭, Kirishima, Japan

During our 2-week vacation, we stayed at two ryokans (traditional inn). The first is Yakakutei 野鶴亭 (wild crane pavilion) located in Kirishima霧島 (literally, fog island) in southern Kyushu. Half-board is usually the only option for staying at a ryokan and we were happy to indulge ourselves.

And indulged we did. Every night was a kaiseki-ish feast. Not only we ate what was set on the table, we were served a few more additional dishes, typically ending with a rice and miso soup. By that time, we could barely get up from the floor.

On the right is a little stove for making shabu-shabu or nabe.

Another elaborate meal.

There were 11 courses one night. Below are the dishes presented at a casual kaiseki.

We will not bother to translate the menu which was printed onto gold-flecked paper.

These three dishes were brought on the same tray made of woven bamboo and a wooden frame.

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Two plates of fishes – this one being quite sour …

… and sashimi

There was chawanmushi.

Tasty stewed meat dish but we cannot describe what the flavor was.

 Grilled fish – yakimono (焼物) – pretty plate !

Something crunchy

Personal shabu-shabu – a shiizakana (強肴)

… started by cooking the shimeji fungi

Salad ?  Su-zakana (酢肴)

There were barely-cooked tuna hidden underneath the vegetables.

Finished with mouchi and fruits. Mizumono (水物)

The snacks and meals we had were the highlights of our trip. More posts about food to come.

Corso Giacomo Matteotti, Siracusa (Ortigia), Sicily

Continuing with our trip to Siracusa, Sicily … the apartment we rented is situated on the island of Ortigia and overlooks one of the newer and straighter main street on the island – Corso Giacomo Matteotti.

The apartment is located on the top floor of a relatively new, mixed-use building. There is a Zara on the street level, government offices on the second floor, and several residential apartments on the higher floors.

Entrance hallway inside the apartment
Notice the horizontal stripes, there are vertical stripes in the apartment too. The style of the decoration is bold to say the least.

There was a bedroom opposite these chairs that were not opened to us (the place could officially sleep at least six people).

Kitchen – dining area

A bottle of local wine awaited us on the dining table. Nice touch by the owner.

The dining area is connected to the sitting area.

One wall of the sitting area is covered by a giant poster, advertising the re-presentation of the classical greek tragedy – Oresteia  (Orestiade di Eschillo; written in 458 BC) by Aeschylus  – one of the few complete plays that had survived.

Aeschylus is recognized as the father of greek tragedy and pioneered the concept of a “trilogy” – each play serves as a chapter in a continuous dramatic narrative.

The sitting area faces southwest and has a wrap-around terrace. The french doors fills the room with sunlight every day (particularly in the afternoon).

The terrace overlooks Corso Giacomo Matteotti and the Palazzo Greco across the street. The National Institute of Ancient Drama (L’Istituto Nazionale del Dramma Antico, INDA) which celebrates their 100th year in 2015 is situated in the palazzo (photo below). Given the poster concerning a greek tragedy faces the palazzo, someone who lived in this apartment must have something to do with INDA, we think.

The layout of the apartment resembles that of a loft, even though there are hallways and corridors. The walls of the corridors and rooms are not structural.

This psychedelic corridor leads to our bedrooms and the bathroom.

The rather dramatic crimson red and inky blue master bedroom.

The boring second bedroom with three long empty bookshelves. Perhaps, it was used as a study.

The bathroom consists of two sets of sinks and toilets at opposite ends of a space joined in the middle by a tiled shower and sunken “tub”.

Ethnic vs modern ends of the bathroom.

Sue found the apartment really relaxing, with the doors opened and sunlight streaming into the living room.

The manager, Alessandra, was also very hospitable and helpful with information, and we had a very nice stay.

Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion 張弼士故居, Penang

Back in Georgetown, Penang, among many of the heritage buildings, the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion (張弼士故居) is one of the most celebrated example. UNESCO recognized it with an award in Heritage conservation in 2000.

We were treated to a glimpse of how a Chinese tycoon lived at the turn of the century (19th-20th).

The mansion is now a boutique hotel as well as a restored cultural landmark. It served as a back drop for the French movie – Indochine, which won the Academy award in the Best Foreign Language Film category.

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It can only be visited by appointment in a daily tour, unless you reserve a room under its Homestay program.

The property has a 38 rooms and is available for themed functions like weddings.

Compared to where we were staying –  Seven Terraces – which is also a restored heritage property –  the architecture of the place appears much more authentic. Seven Terraces is more a product of the restorer’s imagination and potentially made more dazzling. Click the link to see our pictures of Seven Terraces parts 1 and 2.

The tour of the mansion must be a very popular item on the tourists’ map as more than 50 people showed up.

Our tour guide is a member of the group who bought the property from the original family owners and restored it to its current state. She seemed slightly offended when someone asked if the government or a charity rescued and restored the property.

A lot of research as well as money was expanded on restoring the property accurately.

She also seemed knowledgeable about characters in the original Cheong family. Apparently, there were some restrictions (we forgot the details) on the disposition of the property which prevented it from being transferred until recently (somebody in the Cheong family died), and as a result, the property fell into disrepair and was for years occupied by squatters (laundry hanging from ropes draped all over the central courtyard, etc).

The story of Cheong Fatt Tze (1840-1916) is fascinating and we are surprised that not more stories based on him are made into TV dramas or movies. He was known as a financier, tycoon, diplomat, philanthropist and minister living in splendid mansions dotted around southeast Asia with 8 wives and 14 children.

There is a lot of information on both the architecture and history of the house as well as the life of Cheong Fatt Tze on the official website – go explore here.

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Our 600th post !

We are caught a bit off guard when the admin page of WordPress indicated that our next post will be the six hundredth (600th) that we published. As previously said several times, we are surprised that the interest in keeping up this blog has not fizzled out over the last 5 years. True it is, that we are still living in Europe and away from our friends and families, the primary reason for starting the blog. But we also find that this blog is a convenient medium to capture and frame memories of our time in Switzerland and our travels, and it became a habit and a hobby (at least for Chris).

The blog was launched on November 4, 2009. The first trip ever reported here was our visit of Playa de Carmen, Mexico in November 2009 (click here to see). We had not yet left the US at that time but were starting to pack our belongings and worried about the move.

Fast forward to now, posts on our quick tour of three cities – Taormina, Siracusa (Ortigia) and Catania – on the east coast of Sicily, taken during Easter, are under preparation now. Our most recent visit to Berlin and Copenhagen earlier this month has not yet been written up. Most of the photos are still in Raw format.

Since March 2013, we have been posting a series of photos on Facebook, one a day except Sunday and Thursday when the blog is updated. There is no theme – just something random and per se visually interesting. They are essentially pictures that did not make the blog for some reasons. We gave each a serial number, a minimally-worded title and a mention of where it was taken (to the extent we could remember the location). But we wanted to share them with the readers here too – so we started showing 5 of them in a post – somewhat irregularly. This is the first of the series – #1 – “the history of cool” –  Munich.

So far we have shown about 150 of them here, but on Facebook, we are at #444 – there is a backlog of almost 300 random photos! On days when we are not writing the blog, these photos could keep the blog going for a while. This is #443 – “dark 3” – Taormina.

The readership of this blog has stabilized at around 50-70 views per day. Apart from posting a link in Facebook, Twitter and Google+ each time a post goes public, we made little attempts to drive up the statistics. We also signed up Pinterest but have not seen much changes (perhaps we are not leveraging the site properly). But other people have pinned our photos on pinterest.  So if you do not feel like writing a comment, pin a photo.

Recently, we noticed that the page view of one of our posts in April on eating durian on the street of Petaling Jaya (click here to see) has gone through the roof (more than 120 views last week alone and maintaining the momentum). It must have caught the attention of certain netizens in Malaysia (as reflected in WordPress statistics), and got linked to an index or a popular site.

The reigning champion of page views is still our first post on HSBC’s poster ads as seen around major airports in 2010 (click here). Its two siblings are receiving decent traffic too.

This blog has changed its theme (a WordPress term for the overall look and feel of the blog) only once which happened within the first month of its launch. So the appearance remains constant for the last few years and it is getting a bit aged. But we are hesitant to change to a more modern theme as it could affect somewhat unpredictably the old posts. More experimenting is needed (if we have more time).

One day we might want to make a book (or several books) using these photos, like the ones we did for Yellowstone National Park and Iceland back in 2007.

We have been buying books showing photos of a city “then and now” or aerial views of an area.

Before signing off, we want to thank our readers for their interest and support, and Susie who has been responding to our posts consistently and ranks No. 1 with the highest number of comments.

Your feedback is important as it is the only way we know someone is reading the blog. So please comment, like, retweet, follow, clip, subscribe, pin, bookmark, repost or do some good old-fashioned word-of-mouth. In the meantime, we will continue to share words and images of our adventures.

Cheers.

Heavenly Spa by Westin, Langkawi

The Heavenly Spa is located adjacent to the Westin resort with its own beachfront. One could walk over from the resort lobby in about 10 minutes or hail a golf buggy.

 

Upon arrival, after passing through the entrance gate, there is a small courtyard where one faces a row of trees, the beach and the sea.

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On the left are a series of discreet treatment rooms in a bungalow and a small swimming pool.

 
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 In the courtyard, new Age music is piped in through hidden speakers.  Although it is probably the same type of music we hear in elevators, it did blend in very well with the ambiance here. This was my favorite space.

 

A gentle breeze caused some leaves to fall and row gently down the sloping roof of the bungalows. Dried leaves rustled on the ground. Birds chirped occasionally nearby. One can become relaxed simply by being there, even without any treatment.

 On the right is the air-conditioned reception.

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There is a wading pool with platforms and beds where treatments are administered.

In a lot of places, privacy is a concern with this set up. But here, there was hardly anyone.

Before the treatment, the staff asked guests to select a thought and to focus on it during the treatment. A bit cliché in my opinion.

 

At breakfast, two different healthful smoothies-juice drinks everyday.

 It claims to be the best spa in Malaysia several years in a row.

We want to go back as soon as possible.

Westin Resort with monkeys, Langkawi

The last stop on our Malaysian trip is Langkawi (浮羅交怡), an archipelago of 104 islands in the Anderman Sea. Situated in the North West corner of the Malay peninsula, it is very close to the Thai border. The Westin resort is located on the main island – Pulau Langkawi, and just about 10 minutes away from the main town named Kuah (瓜鎮), “melon” if literally translated.

We got to the resort a few days later than the booked arrival date, after an unexpected detour to Hong Kong. We called ahead to make sure they did not resell our room.

The resort is somewhat commercial as it has been here for a while. Apparently, it has recently been renovated and is in the process of expanding into a convention center which is under construction behind the resort.

In addition to hotel rooms, they have free-standing villas along the beach front.

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The resort did a reasonably good job blending natural beauty with man-made amenities.

Predictable but not obtrusive.

One major feature is the jetty. Hotel guests can reserve it for a romantic dinner or social function. A wedding ceremony was about to be held there on our last day.

Big change in water level due to tides.

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The lights were pretty at night.

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But the jetty was a bit spooky.

When we saw this notice on our balcony, there was not any sign of the animal.

On our last day, when we opened the curtains, there was a troop of 10 or so monkeys just outside our window.

We have no idea what kind of monkey it was. They are of a different species from the ones we saw in Kuala Lumpur, inside the Batu cave and temple.

They hung around for about 10 minutes and one by one wandered off in different directions.

They were peaceful (unlike the ones in KL) and probably visit the resort regularly.

A mother brought along a baby which was bright orange – there is no way one can miss that baby in a forest of dark green and brown.

So how does the bright color confer a survival advantage to the baby ?

The resort has a spa which is about 10-15 minutes walk away – the subject of our next post.

Seven Terraces, Penang – part 2

Continuing with our tour of the most interesting hotel on this Malaysian trip …  part 1 is here.

The hotel – Seven Terraces – has a second entrance which passes through the restaurant.

The hotel’s restaurant, Kebaya, serves classically prepared Straits Chinese style dishes. We did not have a chance to try it.

Bababar – the hotel’s lounge and bar – antique bar and drink cabinets

Piano at the Bababar.

The suites are all on the upper level and there are wooden stairs at either end of the courtyard.

A walkway circles the courtyard.

Old-style furniture in the living room, except flat-screen TV. Some of the smaller ceramic decorations on the sideboard are glued onto the surface. I guess it is too tempting for some.

They served us tea upon arrival.

The shower/toilet is remarkably installed in a converted veranda which runs the entire width of the suite. In addition to the handheld shower head, there is a rain-style shower head above. No bathtub.

The entire floor is beautifully tiled. This is the biggest shower we have ever had.

The converted space has windows with frosted glass on one side and traditional dark wood doors on the other side which lead into the living room.

The bedroom is upstairs in a loft-style space.

The four poster bed occupies more than half of the floor space.

Here’s another example of a nice mix of the traditional and modern.

Old carved wood decoration on top of the bed, framed embroidery (possibly an antique), and sleek LED bedside lamps.

A balcony is provided where one can relax under the sun (or in the shade).

The balcony overlooks the historical Anglican church of Georgetown.

The ambiance of Seven Terraces is truly unique.

Love the courtyard.

Seven Terraces, Penang – part 1

After a series of posts on Malaysian street food, let’s see the most interesting hotel on this trip.

Seven Terraces is a spectacularly reimagined heritage hotel in Penang.  Located at the UNESCO World Heritage site, in the heart of Georgetown, the hotel is a conversion of a row of seven 19th century Anglo-Chinese terraces.

Around the Love Lane area in Georgetown, there are several other restored heritage hotels but 7 terraces on Lorong Stewart is the most decadently restored. A 80’s-ish Rolls Royce was parked outside the entire time while we were there.

The reception area was airy and richly decorated; instead of sofas, installed around the “lobby” area are several antique opium den beds. Each bed accommodates two who share a little table in the middle.

The beds are made with dark hard wood inlaid with marble and mother of pearl. The marble was cool to the touch, perfect for hot weather.

They have even laid out antique opium paraphernalia to complete the picture.

We cannot remember her name, the girl at the concierge desk was super efficient and very helpful (she helped us tracked down someone at Booking.com when we had to postpone our trip to Langkawi).

Also on display is an antique Chinese bridal head dress. We’ve only seen them on TV in period drama or Chinese opera. The real thing looked enormous and must weigh a ton.

The hotel has 18 suites which overlook a Chinese courtyard. I(Chris) love courtyard, any style, it’s like sunshine and nature captured for one’s private enjoyment.

We suspect the courtyard was created by knocking down the walls that separated the seven smaller yards of the original terrace houses.

We applaud the combining of traditional Asian architectural elements and modernism harmoniously in this hotel.

Behind the reception is a lounge area and a lap pool. On a hot day, the water is simply irresistible.

Swam a little bit and ate some cakes, which were served during afternoon tea time.

As all the suites are on the upper level, a bit of 20th century convenience is provided.

We are not sure what this metal fan was used for. It says Singapore grocery corporation. Since there were a pair of them, each with a long handle, they were likely used in a parade.

Breakfast was served on the other side of the reception.

This combination of papaya, passion fruit, water melon and banana was simple but surprisingly tasty.

Check out their website here. We will post some pictures of our room in the next post.

Lanson Place, Kuala Lumpur – part 2

Lanson Place was our lodgings in KL. An earlier post covered the apartment (click here) – this post is about the common areas. Lanson Place is a brand of serviced apartments and hotel suites that is run by a Hong-Kong based company. They have properties in Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore, Hong Kong and KL (two locations) – see their web site here.

Since this building was apparently intended to be used as a residential building, there isn’t a cafe or restaurant. The “clubhouse” on the top floor provides some basic hotel services.

The 50-story building has a roof top garden and an area where they served breakfast. It has a spectacular 360 degrees view of downtown KL.

See earlier post for views of other parts of KL.

The garden is quite basic.

There is a place for BBQ on the rooftop.

The split level clubhouse also has a computer area, as well as a pool table.

The Bukit Bintang area has the highest concentration of bars in KL (think Lan Kwai Fong except that in KL, the bars are more spacious). As residents of Lanson Place, we received coupons for some of these restaurants where discounts for drinks and meals were offered. The street famed for KL’s street food – Jalan Alor – is located nearby But we did not go there and heard that it is a bit touristy – more about street food in later posts.

There is also a small gym just below the clubhouse.

The building shares two swimming pools as well as a garden and car park with a sister building next door.

The rectangular pool is truly massive. We suspect that it is longer than an Olympic size pool. Great for fitness training.

The pools and garden sit on top of a multi-storey car park.

We were certainly curious about the price of these apartments as many units were apparently empty (as we can see from our window). And how much would the common service charges be given all the amenities ?

This place certainly suited us as there were an odd number of us for hotel rooms, and it provided all the comforts and conveniences. Se our earlier posts for the apartments we rented in the past in Vienna and Paris.

Our friends M and S happen to live nearby and we met them a couple of times. We just wish that we had more time to see friends and explore KL.