Euro Travel & More

Bali is definitely a mystical place.  When i was much younger, the first thing i did when i arrived in Bali and after a long car ride to the hotel, I would head out to the city .. and look for a drinking hole or even some kind of entertainment or better yet shopping.  But these days, when i head out to Bali, i head out to the mountains.. or the lesser known.. where there isn’t too much tourist around.

This was taken in the lake of Ulu Danu, located at the west side of Lake Bratan, it is actually a small island near a village of the Candi Kuning. At Ulu Danu, there is a Balinese Hindu Temple – it is definitely .. a very lovely place .. with very lovely sceneries.  Very serene, very mystical.. i could spend a few days here.. taking in the fresh air and feel rejuvenated.

A temple that people pray in ..  and very lovely architectural inside and outside of the temple.

Many statues and pagodas.. plus you see lots of monuments around.  The stunning mountain and the magnificent sight is really the most relaxing place I’ve been. Good for people who wants to just relax and for some worship and even to find inspiration.  Of course, the resort has got more than just temples and monuments.. they do have nice golf courses as well and on the other side of this village, you can do your water skiing and snorkelling and other water sports.  I will show you more in another post.

Yes.. we drove across the Golden Bridge in San Francisco in a convertible just because.  We rented a red convertible from Thrifty Rental but thought later that it need a new air conditioning compressor. But that’s another story for another day.  Having worked in United States, in different cities, we thought it would be a good idea to do it .. just this once.

But one should know that renting a car in San Frans is a lot more expensive than in other cities.. which we didn’t really think of at first.  But we had a few people with us.. so we just chipped in .. and it was alright.. plus don’t you forget to get that insurance paper and all.

The inside of our convertible that sat 4 of us comfortably .. but if you have a familywith kids, please don’t get a convertible, it can get really messy especially if you go visit San Franscico in September like we did.

A view of the Golden Bridge from our sports car.

On the golden bridge now.  As you can see a lot of ppl do walk on the side of the bridge.  Unlike our Mackay Bridge and Macdonald Bridge in Halifax, Nova Scotia.. i definitely haven’t seen  anyone walking on it.

Marina Mandarin Hotel is not as old as her parent hotel – the Mandarin Hotel at Orchard Road but it is neither new too, I think it had to be up and running for a good 20 yrs now.  But a 5 star hotel it is .. that’s for sure.. but the Marina Mandarin is definitely a modern version of the Mandarin Hotel.  Owned by bankers if i am not wrong.. I think Alfred Lien is still at the helm.  And if you know Mr Lien .. not the older one.. but the younger Lien, you would come to like him a lot too.

Of course, not all the rooms looked like that.. this is the bridal suite.. but the Marina Mandarin had gone thru’ several renovations.. and had kept this property up to date, even the bathrooms are equipped with  Hansgrohe shower faucets, if i am not wrong.

Although claimed to be in the heart of the city, I beg to differ .. because if you are not driving .. it can be quite a walk.. and if you are it is quite a roundabout turn to get to the hotel.  But there are buses and the train to get you to Marina Mandarin.. but if you were a tourist .. you kinda have to depend on taxis.. and taxis although compared to other countries.. Singapore taxi or cab services are pretty reasonable.. but one cannot say it is cheap either.

Marina Mandarin Hotel Singapore is a 5 star luxury hotel and is the only member of The Leading Hotels of the World® in Singapore. It does have a breathtaking view of the Marina Bay and near to the financial district and if i am not wrong, they own the Marina Square shopping mall that one can access to directly from the hotel.  21 level with more than 500 rooms to house your whole company’s function or conference, I think they do tour groups as well.

Amazing architectural inside of the hotel which always leaves me in awe whenever i am visiting the lounge or staying for the weekend during business trips.  The atrium lounge always had someone playing the piano.. where one can sit and relax after a long day of business meeting and savor some wonderful pastries and mini sandwiches.   They also have a chinese restaurant called Peach Blossom that serves dim sum and cantonese fare.  I especially like the concierge service .. although i have to let you all know that locals are not served the same as the expats. Be prepared to pay as much as $200 for a standard size room.  Yes, they have business centers and the works.. and although i also enjoy the italian restaurant .. i have to say.. i’ve tasted better elsewhere and less expensive.

The Keizersgracht

Amsterdam summer months are wonderful.. and the weather is just nice. .not to hot.. and not too cold. And i guess the city lives outdoors during the summer. Go anytime besides summer.. you may find yourself in the rain all the time.. and for a tourist.. it can be quite devastating..!

Touted as one os the world’s best hangouts.. it’s is truly a blend of the old and new. Bicycles are aplenty here.. and a friend living in Netherland confirms by buying his own bicycle as well. It does look like at times.. the city is full of tourists. Very Dutch feeling, when you see the old crooked houses, the cobbled streets and tree lined canals and generous parks contributed to the atmosphere.

Everyone asked me about traveling with my boss and how i cope with it, since we go everywhere together.  I have to let you in on a secret, actually i travel a lot with my bosses but i have a chief engineer who was our buffer.. and he is the greatest person on earth.  Not only is he kind, generous and totally in control, he is the kind of person, you can trust in any situation.  There you have it, if you have to travel with your boss, make sure you bring your chief engineer along and a pain pump.

I’ve been asked many a times, if traveling insurance is a necessity.  Afterall, if you die, you die right..??  wrong..!!  because if you die, what about your family and the people you leave behind.  Like term life insurance quotes , traveling insurance need not be expensive at all.  Sure we don’t hope anything bad to happen, but when i does, you want those you leave behind to be able to carry on without any financial burden.  So yes, if you are traveling, be it on vacation or for work, make sure you get your traveling insurance.

The Brown’s Hotel in London was one of the very first that I had stayed in many years ago. But at that time it was under another management . .another owner. It is a very charming and intimate hotel and as one can expect . .it is very English like in decor and everything else. The Brown’s Hotel shouts respect .. and distinguished.

Located in Mayfiar on Albermarle Street, The Brown’s Hotel is actually one of the most historic hotels as it was the first hotel to be opened in London in 1837. Within a short walk from Bond Street where you can get all your exclusive handbags and shoes and clothings.

They had 29 luxurious suites and more standard rooms in Brown’s and I was privileged to have stayed in one. Each suite i learned later .. that they were individually designed with a sophistication that has become the trademark of The Rocco Forte Collection. Of course, the service staff goes about their work quietly and never disturbing your peace. The people in the hotel were friendly.. but not over hospitable I have to say. They do keep a distance.. and talk when spoken to.

Even if you didn’t get a chance to stay at the Brown’s Hotel, one must try going to the famous English Tea Room. Relax to the sounds from the Baby Grand Piano and indulge in Brown’s award-winning Traditional Afternoon Tea which consists of a choice of 17 teas, including Brown’s own blend, along with succulent finger sandwiches, an assortment of delicate pastries, fruit and plain scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam, as well as a choice of freshly baked cakes from the trolley.

Have you traveled with someone who is sick..?? a girlfriend of mine had a kid who has cerebral palsy, and she was on her way to bring the family to visit her own family during Christmas.  So she asked me about any special procedures to bring the kid on board the plane.

As far as I know, any airline will not disriminate anyone who has any illnesses unless they are contagious and may cause death.  On the other hand, I know that if a kid or an adult is special, the airline would try and give them a seat or a flight that is not so crowded, that way other passengers will not be disturbed.  Another suggestion that i had for my friend was to try a private flight, because if the whole family is flying it might not be that expensive either.  With private flights, you can enter the plane in a private entrance and need not have the kinda hassle of checking in too early or worrying about checking in too late.  I know that there are special airplanes to cater to these special needs folks.

Some people collect promotional pens as souvenirs when they travel either for vacation or for work but I collect Hard Rock Cafe Bears wherever i am.  No matter how busy I am, I will definitely find a Hard Rock Cafe to bear a bear for myself and a cap for the spouse.  He has 2 bagfuls of them in the basement.. because he can’t appreciate it .. while my bears are in their own glass cabinets.  What about you ..?? what do you collect as souvenirs for your trips.

The girlfriends had asked me .. which airline is the most generous, they said that I should know.. since I had literally flew all airlines.. and some more than the others.  It is true but to just choose one or two airlines.. as the most generous .. may not be that accurate.  But i can assure you . .that all airlines are generous . .but the trick question is .. what class are you flying on.

For example, I was taking a domestic flight one time .. with Malaysian Airlines.. and it was a very short flight.. less than 2 hours.  But i had taken a first class flight.. because it didn’t really cost very much. .and i was on company’s account.  As soon as I got onto the plane, the attendants were all over me (i mean it in a nice way) .. but having no appetite to eat .. because i was trying to lose weight.. and taking Leptovox, they kept wondering if i was feeling alright.  Very  nice indeed.. but really i wasn’t gonna tell them i was trying to lose weight right..??

So yes, I believed that all airlines are darn generous.. but if you are taking economy.. well, don’t expect too much, because flying from Hong Kong to Canada.. i only had a cup of Nissan noodles.. when i said i was hungry.  Go figure.