Euro Travel & More

You can’t really blame me for wanting some Mcdonald’s after 3 weeks in India right..?  But don’t get too disappointed if you don’t find your quarter pounder or big Mac here.  The Hindus don’t eat beef .. since the cow is a holy animal.  Wonder if “Holy Cow” the expression came from India.  Anyhow.. you can choose from chicken or lamb in your burger.. else you can also choose a vegetarian meal call the McAloo Tikki .. which is actually potatoes, peas and spice made into a pattie.

The taste..? i’ll have to say .. there were spices.. but nothing spectacular .. and the fries were so-so.  I had the chicken Maharaja Mac and a co-worker of mine had a wrap.  He said.. it was ok.  Anyhow.. if you are going for McDonald’s .. don’t forget that the street food is way better.. be a little bit more adventurous eh.

Traveling and eating goes hand in hand, so you can imagine how one can keep fit .. when you travel as much as i did.  I believe in eating moderately . .but there are some things that you just want to eat and eat non-stop.  I remember eating in a certain restaurant in Newark .. when i was on a project for a month. .and i would eat there at least once a day.  Often people asked me what is the best cuisine around, and i cannot even begin to list them out.  Some diet pill info is nice to have when you travel a lot on business.. but like i said.. everything in moderation is my motto.  What is yours..??

Having flown Singapore Airlines countless of times, you can imagine how pleased i was to find that they had upgraded the seats this time round for my flight to New Dehli.  The last time I flown a SQ777 .. they still had their old seats.. which weren’t the best and most comfy .. i’ll have to say. The new business class lived up to its name.. and the seats as you can see here.. were wide enough to fit at least 2 person .. or looked like it.

I didn’t have any stewardess hovering over me.. but they were very nice and discreet and had asked me a few times if i needed a juice or even milk .. before saying goodnite.  I had a pretty good meal on board too.. i heard the meal that nite was prepared by a celebrity chef in Mumbai, sorry no idea what his name was… but it was pretty good.  And by the way.. i was most pleased with the washroom, they had deeper sink in them.. so i don’t have to have water splashed all over my lower blouse or jeans, while trying to wash up.

This morning I woke up and i missed Ho Chi Minh city so much, and all because of this – PHO. One of the best thing about traveling is trying the different food in these different countries. So if you are a avid traveler like i was .. you better train your tummy for some good food. Pho is one of the best food i’ve had. . in Asia. These bowl of good beef broth.. and slightly cooked beef was so soft.. and fragrant .. because of the cilantro that they used. It reminded me of the Pho in Hanoi… this is the version that I liked most. You eat them with raw onion that are sliced up on the sides . .with scallions too. Squeeze a little bit of hot sauce and mix it up with the broth.. and eat. Don’t forget to squeeze some lime onto it too.

The beef is tender and it melts in your mouth.. who needs some wagyu beef right..? The beef broth taste like beef stock.. but this was actually boiled beef carcass from many hours of slow cooking.. according to the store owners. You can ask for more bean sprouts.. if you like them. So head over to 288 Nam Ky Khoi Nghia in District 3, Ho Chi Minh City.. it opens from 5am to late at nite.

For those flying UAL or even NorthWest Airlines, be sure to check out the beer machines serving free Sapporo beer at the UAL lounge.  There was no line up .. or a crowd and the machine is easy to use.  The japanese had this machine carefully thought out because as soon as you press the start button, your frosted glass that you get out of a glass fronted fridge, is tilted so that the foam will not be the only thing you get to drink.  With the ipods that we each carried, we plonked onto the lounge chair.. and made used of the Wi-Fi they had in the lounge.  You gotta love Narita Airport.

Traveling does have its perks, not only do you get to experience a totally new environment, you get to meet very interesting people as well.  For me, some hit it off so well that they turn out to be life long friends.  And also for me, even if we can’t be in the same continent all the time I do like to send those new friends something special on special occasions because I want to keep in touch. What better way then to send them a good, delicious and awesome basket of fresh and dried fruits, nuts and chocolates for them and their loved ones to enjoy. I especially like to send  organic dried fruits to those who will only eat organic foods or those who are very health conscious.  Bella Viva Orchard is a leading certified organic fruit grower since 2006 and is a place you can be assured will provide the best quality fruits for your gift.

Martha Stewart even recommends Bella Viva Orchard for a hostess gift and gave it a thumbs up.   I like that everything is individually packaged and beautifully presented, making them perfect gifts for any occasion.  I also really liked that the nutritional facts and product information is provided online even before purchasing the items.  You should also take advantage of their free delivery for orders above $69.  Ordering online is easy and don’t forget to check out their online specials.

For every vacation that we take, even for business trips, the accommodations are one the most important things that we take care of first.  After all, you can’t go for a vacation and not have somewhere nice to stay in right?  The Best Western is a name I am very familiar with because I’ve stayed in many of them. It is a name synonymous to affordable, clean and safe accommodations.  Not only are they usually strategically located,  they are usually easy on transportation too.  Plus each Western Zoder’s Inn has its own parking lot so we need not worry about having to look for parking or any extra costs.

Being one of the finest Gatlinburg resorts at the Smokey Mountains hotel, one can expect to feel pampered and relaxed as well.  The Best Western Zoder’s Inn In Gatlinburg is conveniently located and is within walking distance of a great shopping are or for visiting galleries. There are also some very good restaurants, so food is never a problem.   Beautiful mountain streams surrounding its property also help you to feel absolutely relaxed.   They have cabins and hotel rooms of different sizes to accommodate everyone’s needs and more.  Make your reservations directly online or check on your reservation dates easily to make sure everything is all set.  Plus you can cancel and rebook anytime you need to.  No pets allowed though, so little fluffy man have to stay at home.

Do not mistaken this cafe with the one in Quebec. Yes. there is a Cafe de la Paix in Quebec too. I recommend a visit to this special cafe for those who are around this area. Located opposite of the Paris Opera, you cannot missed it. It is kinda expensive.. but definitely worth the visit as this is quite famous in Paris. I also noticed alot of tourists here.. and it does have a fairly expensive menu. For coffee alone, you can expect to pay between 4 – 10 euros.

For those who knows me.. you will know that I can’t even climb the Great Wall of China .. ! i only did 2 stations.. and i was gasping for my breath.. like there was no tomorrow. Having to climb up to this restaurant.. and the food was on so-so .. and nothing to shout about .. except for the view… yah..! you got it right.. i wasn’t too, too impressed.

What a magnificent sight eh..? At the heart of three valleys .. is Courchevel.  This is said to be the largest skiing area in the world.. and it is on the French Alps.  You will find that this place is the perfect place for skiing in the winter.. and the summers are just as lively .. and crowded with vacationers .. like us.  In Courchevel you will find activities for just about anyone and the people who runs the city are very well organized and welcomes any tourists and wants to genuinely make their stay a memorable one.  If you are into skiing .. this place is of course the best ever, you cannot find a better place than Courchevel.

If you are wondering if there are people in Paris that goes to Starbucks.. since there are so many cafes and outdoor eating places in Paris and all the little streets that they have in Paris. I’ll have to let you know that Starbucks in Paris is no different than any Starbucks in the world, they are packed..! and service .. friendly in every Starbucks.. and some friendlier.

Unlike the smaller cafes in Paris, at Starbucks .. you just gotta love their huge armchairs .. and reading a book or whipping up your lappie and work on it.. makes one feels like they are doing something important.. even if you were a housewife catching up on news from home.

The menu up on top of the serving counter .. unlike the ones we have back home in Asia.. where they are written in chalk boards.. in different colors. Whatever you favored that day.. a mocha, a latte or an expresso .. or just a green tea… and a biscotti.. they are ready to serve you . with smiles.. and shouting out your name loud when your drinks are ready. Very americanish..!