Pacific Terrace Hotel are Great Location, Great Hotel, even Better Staff

We stayed on the first floor in a family suite which was perfect for our family of four. The first night was somewhat rough as the people above us were partying till 4:30 am, dragging patio furniture around on their balcony and generally keeping us awake. I went to the front desk the next morning to inquire about potentially switching rooms and Diego (Night auditor?) was incredible and immediately offered up another suite of the other side of the hotel (room 120). It was identical to our first room except the ocean view and pool access were much better. We were thrilled. We packed up our bags, left for the zoo and when we came back everything was moved for us, including our food in the cabinets/fridge and hanging items in the closet. 

There is plenty of space to store your clothing and items in the suite, we were very pleased with this. The vanity area in the bathroom is huge and there is a lot of room to spread your things out. Another small thing that's just a big plus in my mind. The shower doors swing out so yes, they do drip onto the floor when you step out, but it's not a big deal in my mind. They had a little clothes line in the shower as well for hanging wet suits, which again is a small detail but big convenience. It's things like this that make the PTH an excellent place to stay. 

The beds were super comfortable! We all slept well; nice linens and very nice mattresses. The furniture scale is HUGE compared to the size of the rooms so that took a bit of getting used to. Maid services (including turn down service) were top notch, we used a lot of towels between the pool (heated to 82 degrees!), hot tub (102) and showering and it was always nice to come back to fresh towels in the room. The kids got a kick out of the animal towels and them tucking their stuffed animals into the bed or posing them in different places around the room. 

We spend a lot of time at the pool despite the cool weather. The kids liked the lemonade in the Carribbean room as well as the 5 pm cookies. Drinks were 2 for 1 during happy hour but we had our own beers which we brought to the pool and no one objected. They have free beach toys available for the kids to play with, but no pool toys (balls/noodles, etc) so we went out and bought a few things. 

The kids ate at the buffet twice ($8) but we elected not to. It looked really nice, and some good healthy food options were offered. Free Starbucks coffee in the lobby starting at 6 am, free apples and USA today every am in the lobby as well. Ralph's (on Mission Ave) is a great market to get cold cuts and other meal supplies. The family suites have a toaster, microwave, small fridge (don't get a gallon of milk like we did, it won't fit!), and a few plates/bowls/glasses. A cutting board would have been great as well as a few paper plates/napkins, but overall it was a well stocked mini-kitchen

Pacific Beach is a fun and eclectic neighborhood. Lots of runners, surfers, skateboarders, dog walkers, etc. There were more than a few homeless people around the area but it did not change the way we felt about staying in PB or at the PTH. 

I recommend renting wetsuits and boogie boards at the place down the street (South Coast?) for a half day; we did so and had a blast. The water is cold but the wetsuit truly keeps you warm and it was a wonderful "California" experience! Also, we got bikes from the hotel and rode down to Mission Beach which was very fun. I was disappointed to learn that they charge $10 per bike for 2 hours. I had read other reviews on Tripadvisor that it was free to take them out (they certainly have plenty of them). 

Parking is $22/day and though it's expensive, we paid it for the convenience and security factors. 

Every single employee was friendly and accomodating. I highly recommend the Pacific Terrace Hotel to any family traveling to San Diego.

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10 Things You Didn't Know About St Paul's Cathedral

If St Paul’s Cathedral had feelings, it might be feeling confused, jealous even. The reason: the cathedral was snubbed as the venue for the April 29th wedding-of-the-century between Prince William and Kate Middleton. Westminster Abbey won that honor.

According to rumor, enlisting St Paul’s would have troubled Prince William, raising the spectre of the 1981 St Paul’s Cathedral wedding between Prince Charles and Diana.

Irrespective of whether the rumor is true, St Paul’s looks set just to play a cameo royal wedding role, popping up on the procession route. To make it up to St Paul’s, this week this blog will give the domed, radiant landmark the attention it merits.

St Paul’s is surprisingly deep – a past arena for dramatic events reaching back into Britain’s feisty, murky history. The facts suggest that, if you understand St Paul’s character, you have a handle on the whole country.

10 Things You Didn't Know About St Paul's Cathedral

1. Today’s St. Paul’s is actually the fifth religious building on the site. The very first was made out of wood, and burnt down in 675 AD. The second was sacked by the Vikings in 962 and swapped with a third, sturdier stone building.
2. The fourth building – ‘Old St. Paul’s’ – was founded by William the Conqueror after the Norman Conquest. It suffered fire damage in 1087, and again in 1136, setting the builders back. People must have wondered if the cathedral would ever be finished.
3. The cathedral was finally completed 200 years later, only to fall into disrepair then be stripped during Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries.
4. In 1561, cementing the suspicion that the cathedral was jinxed, a lightning strike zapped the spire.
5. James I undertook major renovations, but these were halted during the English Civil War. During Oliver Cromwell's civil war rule – 'the Commonwealth' – Parliamentarian yobs inflicted acute damage on the building’s fabric. Windows, statues, carvings and the nave roof were smashed up. The Parliamentary army used the nave to stable their horses and later rented the porch of the cathedral to small businesses.
6. In 1666, further tribulation came when the Great Fire of London reduced St Paul’s to ash.
7. Rebuilding the cathedral came into the hands of virtuoso architect Christopher Wren. His first idea – a straight replacement – got the thumbs-down treatment. His second idea was to build a cathedral in the shape of a Greek cross. His third, successful idea was accepted in 1675 and completed in 1710, according to the cathedral's website.
8. Wren’s masterpiece boasts the second-largest dome in Europe (after St. Peter’s in Rome).
9. The Whispering Gallery is St Paul's best-known attraction. Climb 259 steps into the lower part of the dome and, if you whisper on one side of the gallery, someone can hear it on the other side.
10. The crypt is the largest in Europe and hosts memorials of some of the country's greatest men including the tombs of the Duke of Wellington, Admiral Nelson and Sir Christopher Wren. Wren’s epitaph famously says: "If you seek his monument look around you."

Location: Just off Cannon Street

Transport Links: Take the tube to St Paul's Underground station on the Central Line. Blackfriars and Cannon Street mainline stations are also close.

Admission: Adults - £6, children - £3. The London Pass can save you the cost of admission to St Paul's.

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday from 8.30am, last admission for sightseeing 4pm. Always check before you go, because the Cathedral is sometimes closed for special services.

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Residence Inn San Diego Scripps Poway Parkway - Incredible Staff

We are from Norway and was going on our first visit to USA. My husband had a few days work in San Diego, but the rest of our two weeks was just vacation :)

We did like the hotel very much! Perfect room were we could sleep in seperate rooms. Loved the dishwasher. Since we haven't been to any other hotels in this country, it's hard to compare. We are used to for example a totally different breakfast in Europe, so maybe we should'nt say so much about it.

Our biggest dissopointment must be that this hotel has a great reputation as a familyhotel. It's ranked as the second best in San Diego. Yes, the room were great. But I think the hotel overall was a bit boring for the children. It should really have a playroom! We used the pool alot, but we miss to have a pool with less feet water, like one for the small children who does not swim yet, to play and have fun in. We liked the pool, but again, not so suitible for children.
A playground outside were also something my children miss.

And as a foreign, we are not used to the concept 'dryclean'. So when we send some clothes out to we washed, we got suprised over the expencive bill! We only wanted to get washed clothes, not like the way we received them (high quality drycleaned). We know this was partly our fault, but maybe the staff should explained it for us in advanced or at least told us the cost of it.

Over all we are happy with the hotel and liked it alot. We got good service, for example from the shuttlebus who drove us to Poway and back again when needed.

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Five Reasons to Visit Yogyakarta

Funny place, Yogyakarta. You wonder whose idea it was to build the Indonesian city of half a million people right slap on one of the most seismically active parts of Java, with the inevitable results. Earthquakes and volcano eruptions delight in rocking the general area. On May 27 2006, an earthquake killed over 6,000 people and flattened over 300,000 houses.

That said, the epicenter was 25 kilometers north of the city, which dodged the worst the quake could throw at it. So, if you go, odds are, you'll be safe. Find out where the fun and fascination are in the history-soaked city with the nifty name often shortened to 'Yogya'.

Five reasons to visit Yogyakarta

1. Taman Sari

Largely ruined but still intriguing, Taman Sari once served as a pleasure park for the sultan. Lucky man! Taman Sari boasts palaces, pools and waterways. Thank a mystery architect from Portugal, who built the dazzling residence between 1758 and 1765. In reward, the sultan had the architect executed, to keep the park’s hidden pleasure rooms secret. To find the sultan's dilapidated des-res now, you need no guide – just look for travelers standing high atop the ruins.

2. Ministry of Coffee 

Let's be honest, one strong reason that Ministry of Coffee makes this list is its name’s low-key cool. That said, the cafe gets rave reviews. Aside from the coffee, visitors drool over everything from the lemon cake to the caramelized onion pastry salad. Plus, the Ministry has an upstairs terrace. Oh, and when you crash after your caffeine buzz, you can sleep there.

3. Affandi

Until he died in 1990, Affandi, Indonesia's most famous artist, lived and worked in a quirky riverside tree-house studio. Set in the studio, the Affandi Museum stands about six kilometers east of downtown Yogya. The museum displays Affandi's impressionist works and paintings by his daughter, Kartika, among other artists. In a rather creepy touch that makes the museum feel even more Affandi-esque, the artist is buried in the back garden. Don't miss the unique swimming pool embedded there, too.

Jalan Laksda Adisutjipto No. 167, Yogyakarta 55281. Open Monday-Sunday, 10 am-4 pm. Admission: Rp 20,000.

4. Gembira Loka Zoo

'Gembira' means 'happy' and 'Loka' means 'place'. That description might seem a bit rich if you are a resident flamingo. Still, if you are a visitor, you are in luck because Gembira Loka has tons of big-ticket attractions – "charismatic super-predators", such as tigers. Then there are the Sumatran elephants, crocodiles and Komodo dragons, among other 'pinch-me' primal exotica.

Jalan Kebun Raya no. 2 Yogyakarta, 55171 - Indonesia. Phone: +62 274 373861. Email: info@gembiraloka.co.id. Website: www.gembiraloka.co.id.

5. Greater Kraton Compound

Greater Kraton Compound sounds imposing, and it is. A walled city within a city, the compound contains a market, shops, batik and silver cottage industries, mosques and more. The sprawling landmark that now serves as the home of the sultan feels so buzzy and sensuous you could almost be in Morocco.

Getting there: The slickest way to get to Yogyakarta is by air. The local airport, Adisucipto, offers flights to all Indonesia's main cities plus Singapore and Kalimantan. You can also reach Yogyakarta by bus from towns including Jakarta, Surabaya and Badung. The other option is an eight-hour train ride from Jakarta.

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The Grand Del Mar is Truly Spectacular

I stayed at this hotel with my husband and two of our four kids. It was a last minute getaway, and it worked out great because we got to take advantage of the "buy two nights get a third night free" special they were offering that weekend. Also, very nice to only have our 5 and 7 year olds with us, and leave the 2 and 3 year olds at home!

The location was fantastic and just what we needed. In the 3 days we were there we spent one at Disneyland (a bit over an hour away), one at Sea World (10 minutes) and one at the coast (5-10 minutes). 

The Grand Del Mar, of course, lives up to its name. The architecture is absolutely stunning and not a detail was wasted in its design. The rooms are beautiful and well kept. The service is perhaps some of the best in the country, and I am basing this on the fact that we travel and stay in several high end hotels each year. Most importantly, the staff is friendly! I had the feeling that they all enjoyed being there and really wanted to make it a great experience for myself and my family. 

Unfortunately, we were not around long enough to sample all the fantastic food offered at the hotel. The meals we did have at the hotel were very good. We ordered room service for breakfast. The only thing we were disappointed in was the pancakes, which had a strange aftertaste. We also ordered smoothies every day from the cafe on the main floor. We ate at Amaya for dinner as well. The Roasted Butternut Squash soup and the Shrimp Appetizer were very tasty. For dinner I had the Lobster and Crab Pappardelle, which was wonderful. My husband had the short rib, which he commented was 'melt in your mouth'. 

It was too cold to swim, but we were able to explore the trails that surround the property. It was beautiful and we got some great pictures. We also had my kids stay in the explorers club for an hour or so each day so my husband and I could enjoy the spa and gym. The explorers club is a parents dream: a babysitting service that your kids will actually want to go to and not want to leave! They offer anything/ everything hour kids could desire from Xbox to wii to colored sand to pour into bottles, to air hockey. My kids had a blast and begged to stay! 

Overall, we had a great stay. Short, but very enjoyable. We will definitely be back!

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Exotic Forms of Asian Food on the Market

Got the travel bug?

If you go to Jomtien on the fringes of the Thai beach town of Pattaya, you may run into the ‘bugmobile’ shop. Run by an entrepreneur with a gypsy look, the bugmobile is attached to a motorbike. Its stock consists of chunky worms reminiscent of Aussie witchety grubs, cockroach lookalikes and more. Just to make the stall more surreal, the bug man bangs a drum kit built into it. So, you get to hear the vendor’s Keith Moon solo as you chew through a centipede. Unique.

Find out more about insect snacks and other gross, sorry, exotic forms of Asian food on the market.

1. Bug crunch

For most people around the world, eating bugs is an entirely natural part of the menu. For instance, the Japanese have a yen for aquatic fly larvae sautéed in sugar and soy sauce. Bali residents go for de-winged dragonflies boiled in coconut milk with ginger and garlic, which seems destructive when you look at the creatures’ lovely stained-glass-style wings.

2. Baby food

The Filipino delicacy balut consists of a fertilized mallard duck or chicken egg with a nearly-developed embryo inside. The embryo is boiled and eaten in the shell. Filipinos are highly hospitable, so don’t you dare fail to show appreciation for balut. Say: 'Ang Sarap' (Tagalog for “It’s delicious”). You know balut is.

3. Eastern cheese

The name says it all. Stinky tofu or chòu dòufu is a kind of fermented tofu that reeks. Popular in East and Southeast Asia, particularly mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong, stinky tofu is usually homemade. It gets everywhere: night markets, roadside stands, lunch bars. Its color ranges from the golden fried Zhejiang-style to the black typical of Hunan-style stinky tofu. You can eat stinky tofu cold, steamed, stewed, or – as most people do — fried. Really, it should be annihilated. Stinky tofu is utterly disgusting.

4. The raw prawn

Drunken shrimp crops up in China. The dish sounds nice. Who is not partial to the occasional prawn cocktail or curry? Alas, these prawns 'cooked' in booze are alive. Picture them wriggling as they slither down your throat.

5. Sewage fruit

Hedgehog-skinned, fleshy centred durians may seem a strange choice in a round-up of horrible food. To some consumers, durians taste pleasantly sweet. To others, they taste vile – like emulsion paint mixed with mildew. Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain has said that durian makes your breath, ‘smell as if you'd been French-kissing your dead grandmother’. Because of their stench, durians are banned from some shopping centers and public transport.

6. Tickle torture

Other dodgy Asian foods include lamb’s brains and ant eggs, but just cannot compete in the grossness stakes with tarantula. Yes, tarantula. Cambodians are fond of the spectacularly hairy creature, which is hard enough for most people to look at, let alone eat. The tarantula’s inclusion on the Cambodian menu dates back to the Khmer Rouge, whose regime sparked a famine. So people ate whatever they could, including tarantula. Distant crab cousins, tarantulas are crispy on the outside and gooey in the middle. Tarantula meat tastes like a cross between cod and chicken. Yum.

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Excellent Small Hotel in the heart of old Rome

Stayed in the stunning Albergo del Senato last weekend for 3 nights. I booked the Hotel on the strength of the reviews on Tripadvisor and also the location. I was a bit dubious that the Hotel was rated as 3* as for a similar price, there were plenty of 5* hotels available.

The front of the building is understated with no big signs to advertise its existence. After a very warm welcome at check in, we went up to our room. I had ordered a bottle of Prosecco on arrival - this was chilling on ice in our room on the 4th floor. We opened the shutters to reveal the most stunning view I have ever had in a City Centre hotel anywhere. Our room overlooked the Pantheon and the Piazza della Rotonda. The room gets the sun in the afternoon and evening and so with the windows open you get to enjoy the sun, the atmosphere in the Piazza and watch the world go by but with the windows closed at night, you can not hear a thing. The room was very well appointed with a mini bar and all sorts of goodies in the bathroom. The room wasn't huge, but then we didn't spend a huge amount of time inside with all that culture on the doorstep! There was more than enough storage for all our clothes.

The continental breakfast was excellent with a good range of cold meats, breads, fruit, cereals and pastries. The service was super efficient.

In the 3 days, we walked everywhere. The main sights - Coloseum, Vatican, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona and Spanish Steps are all within about a 15 to 20 minute walk (if you can read a map!). No need for public transport at all. Although, on our last day, we did take the Metro to the Basilica Sao Paulo (well worth a visit).

I know people have mentioned the Front Desk and Housekeeping Staff in their reviews - but they deserve a mention. The service is exceptional. Nothing was too much trouble - from giving restaurant recommendations and booking tables to booking airport transfers to moving and storing luggage on check-out day. 

I would have no hesitation in recommending this Hotel. Not the cheapest, but then when in Rome.

Room Tip: Make sure you ask for a room overlooking the Piazza and the Pantheon.

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Best Place - Hampton Court Palace

Hampton Court Palace is one of those places that clearly helped the term 'Cool Britannia' come into being. Built on the site of a medieval manor just outside London on the River Thames’ north bank, Hampton Court Palace oozes style.

On one hand, it is grand like Louis XIV’s Palace of Versailles. On the other, it is quirky and intricate. Set in the swish London borough of Richmond, Hampton Court Palace was built in 1514 by one of Britain’s most memorable monarchs, Henry VIII, for his right-hand man Cardinal Wolsey. A few years after being built, Wolsey fell from favor and the King took it off him permanently. Typical Henry.

Thank God that modern British monarchs are much nicer than Henry. As the day of the wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton nears, discover more juicy facts about the old royal rogue’s home.

1.     The initials of Henry and Anne Boleyn were carved into some of the stonework – the initials 'HA' were referred to as 'Ha Ha' by those happy to see the tragic queen beheaded for a bunch of suspect reasons -- sorcery, adultery, and treason.

2.     One distinctive feature of Hampton Court is the red bricks deployed to build it. Only the Tudors at the top of the pecking order could afford to build in brick, which was seen as the new, fashionable, luxury material.  

3.     John Skelton was a poet and a tutor to Henry VIII. Skelton wrote the following Hampton Court Palace poem which mirrored the views of Tudor people:

‘Why come you not to Court?

To which court?

To the king’s court?

Or to Hampton Court?

The king’s court

Should have the excellence

But Hampton Court

Hath the pre-eminence!’

4.     In the great hall with the carved hammer-beam ceiling, Henry VIII would dine in state, his table rising just above the others, just in case anyone forgot who was boss.

5.     The palace is actually two palaces fused together like a dodgy car. After the original built by Wolsey, St. Paul’s Cathedral architect Christopher Wren designed an annex.

6.     During Henry’s reign, the palace featured bowling alleys, tennis courts and lavish gardens.

7.     The gardens contain a maze commissioned by William III of Orange in the 1690s, which you can still explore.

8.     During the Tudor period, the palace hosted many dramatic events. In 1541, while attending mass in the chapel, the King was told of his fifth wife's adultery. The Queen, Catherine Howard, was dragged away, screaming, from a gallery leading to the chapel. Her ghost is said to haunt it.

9.     Hampton Court served as the setting for Charles the First's honeymoon with his fifteen-year-old bride, Henrietta Maria in 1625. It also served as his prison when the country was taken over by Parliamentarians, who occupied the palace in 1645 and held onto it until the monarchy returned in 1660.

10.    When George III became king in 1760 , he abandoned Hampton Court as a royal residence. The des-res was divided into grace-and-favor apartments for the wildly wealthy. Today, it serves as a splashy event venue and attraction synonymous with Henry VIII.

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Portrait Suites are Classic, Contemporary and Chic

The Portrait Suites is located in the heart of Rome's eternal city and is within a short walk of many of the most popular attractions. Close to the Spanish Steps and slap bang in the middle of the boutique shopping streets (think Bond Street, London) the hotel is perfectly situated.

It is owned by the luxury brand, Ferragamo, and is situated on top of one of their stores, opposite Hermes. Both the entrance and building are discrete, and not even many of the taxi drivers were aware of the hotel's existence! As you would come to expect with such a high end luxury brand, the interior is classically designed and perfectly executed with its own photo gallery in the public areas (staircase) and in the suites.

The purpose of my visit was a short city break to celebrate my birthday. It was my first trip to Rome and I wanted a small luxury well placed hotel. I booked the first category room at the Portrait Suites (and would have been very content with that), however on arrival we were greeted to the most exquisite red carpet treatment I have ever experienced in my life. Our room was upgraded and we were presented with a suite with its own balcony and a bottle of Prosecco ready and awaiting our attention.

The bedroom leaves nothing to be desired. Our room featured a beautiful king-size bed and walk-in wardrobe. Every Portrait suite includes a state of the art kitchenette, of the type you have never seen and so discretely placed. In addition the room was spacious enough to contain a desk and a seating area, as well as a large bathroom (with a separate shower for two) and all the gorgeous Ferragamo toiletries. The furnishings, facilities and décor in the suite were all of the highest quality and super modern, adding to the classical, but understated and sexy atmosphere created by the interior designer.

Being a 14 suite boutique hotel please do not expect the usual facilities of a large chain hotel. The hotel does not have its own restaurant, for example, however your own concierge can arrange for any take out you may wish to enjoy. There is no gym or pool, however for those staying in the top end suites, gym equipment can be arranged. I did not find the lack of these type of facilities a hinderance. Our breakfast (which was included in our rate) was served in our room at the time of our choosing, each morning and we were wholly satisfied with the continental options we picked each morning. The breads and pastries were particularly delicious.

One of the highlights of the hotel (apart from the excellent staff) has to be the roof terrace. Despite the fact it was cold and at times wet (December 2012), we were there every evening for our aperitivo enjoying excellent cocktails and taking in the stunning views over the Spanish Steps. I was even treated to a birthday cake and another bottle of ice cold Prosecco on the night of my birthday by the staff!!

The facilities and overall five star plus customer experience was off the scale impressive, and I thoroughly enjoyed celebrating my birthday in Rome. I plan to stay at the Portrait Suites on my next visit in 2013.

Room Tip: We stayed in room number 653, which was away from the lift. 

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Five Wonderful Asian Festivals

Just try to imagine a simpler basis for a party than chucking buckets of water at people’s heads. That is the essence of Songkran, the giant water fight that embodies Thailand’s national ethos: sanuk (fun).

Along with Songkran, this post takes a sideways glance at several other weird-and-wonderful Asian festivals. Irrespective of religious overtones, many have a touch of anarchy about them. They serve up pure primal fun that makes the likes of Christmas and Easter look solemn and staid.

1. Songkran

If Songkran ever got off the ground in Australia, the US or UK, you can guarantee that health-and-safety clipboard drones would step in and ban it. Songkran is mad. It boils down to party-minded people in Thailand and Lao PDR blasting water at each other’s faces. Some participants use buckets, others water pistols, still others, high-powered pump-action water rifles. The catch is that rather a lot of motorbike riders get drenched and take a tumble. But that’s the spirit of Songkran. Anything goes at the traditional New Year's Day bash that technically lasts from 13 to 15 April. Anarchy.

2. Holi

Holi is a spring religious festival celebrated by Hindus and Sikhs. Holi unravels in India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, plus assorted other countries with a heavy Indian influence, which is plenty of places – the likes of Guyana, South Africa, and the UK. Celebrants treat Holi as an excuse to hurl colored dye at each other. Call it ‘Technicolor Songkran’ or, as it is widely known, the Festival of Colors. The ritualistic rainbow splurge gets boisterous. ‘Women, especially, enjoy the freedom of relaxed rules and sometimes join in the merriment rather aggressively. There is also much vulgar behavior connected with phallic themes,’ one blogger remarks, adding that pollution and obscenity are briefly allowed -– standard social and caste constraints vanish. Again, anarchy.

3. Golden Week

The inspiringly named Golden Week is a top fixture in the Japanese festival calendar, comprising an entire week of national holiday. Some companies shut down completely and give their employees time off and for many Japanese workers, it's the year’s longest holiday. On May 5, as part of the festival, people observe tango-no-sekku, a day to pray for healthy growth of boys. Families of boys festoon the outside of their houses with lucky carp streamers (koinobori). Families also display samurai dolls called gogatsu ningyo (May dolls), which presumably symbolize something similar, only with manly gung-ho overtones.

4.  Ati-Atihan Fiesta Parade

This Filipino Mardi Gras unfolds in Kalibo, Aklan province in the Philippines on the third Sunday of January. The Ati-Atihan Fiesta is the Philippines' wildest festival, which is saying something in a country not known for stuffy restraint. Technically, Ati-Atihan honors the Santo Nino (Holy Child), whose effigy is paraded. But the whole shebang is a bit of a riot. No formal procession route comes into play. Mimicking the dark-skinned Ati tribe, neighborhood ‘tribes’ paint their bodies black, wear jazzy costumes, and dance to the throb of deafening drums. The dancers’ energy stems fromlechon (roast pig) and oodles of booze.

5.  Ganesh festival

All over India, the elephant-headed Hindu god, Ganesh, gets the kind of reverence lavished on a Bollywood idol. No wonder: Ganesh is the god of success. And who does not want to be more successful in some way – better-looking, richer, fitter? Ganesh festival celebrants make life-like clay models of Ganesh months before the elephant god’s big day in late August or September. A model may be as short as a pepper pot or gigantic. Come the festival, Ganesh groupies put the idols on raised platforms in their homes or in ornate outdoor tents for people to view and pay tribute. The priest, typically dressed in red silk dhoti and shawl, breathes life into the idol amid a chorus of ceremonial humming. Fun! The jolly cult of the flappy-eared god extends across Asia.

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Top 10 in Japan

Tough times have befallen Japan. Weeks after the tsunami – the full impact of which is still being assessed – uncertainty still reigns about the amount of fallout coming from damaged nuclear reactors. For those intrigued by Japan's unique culture, architecture and landscapes, the unravelling drama has been especially difficult to watch.

No doubt, Japan will remain one of the most engrossing countries on the planet. A la England, despite its tiny island status, Japan punches well above its weight. Whether you want bullet trains or steam baths, Japan has just about everything. Here are 10 reasons to keep Japan on your travel itinerary.  

Japan Top 10

1. Himeji Castle (Himeji)

Reminiscent of a white heron poised over the plains, Himeji is Japan's most dazzling castle. Awash with moats, turrets, the UNESCO-listed site also features a maze of passages. It has survived near intact since feudal times.

2. Kinkaku-ji

Also called the Temple of the Golden Pavilion, Kinkaku-ji is Japan’s most famous landmark after Mount Fuji. The temple’s stunning gold-covered main hall floats like a ghost above the pond that laps its edges.

3. Saihoji

Commonly called the Moss Temple, Kyoto’s Saihoji hosts a spectacular moss garden that contains over 100 kinds of moss. Spread around a pond, they glow neon like a Shinjuku light show. Saihoji looks particularly bewitching after a rain shower.

4. Roppongi

Tokyo's hippest neighbourhood houses the new Tokyo Midtown complex, the National Arts Centre and the Mori Art Museum. If you like buzz, bustle and blinking lights, few places have more zing than Roppongi.

5. Dōgo

This onsen resort town contains Japan’s oldest and most famous public bath house. According to one legend, the springs that feed it came to light during the age of the gods when a heron stuck his injured leg into hot water streaming from a rock. The heron was miraculously healed.

6. Dotonbori

Dotonbori was earmarked as the entertainment district of Osaka way back in 1621. Now, it's one of Japan’s most enticing affordable dining hubs. If you're bold, try the fugu (blowfish) or takoyaki octopus balls. Good value.

7. Tokyo Tower

Tokyo Tower is one of Japan’s zaniest attractions: an orange Eiffel Tower knock-off that actively serves as a transmission hub and tourist magnet. When you tire of its sweeping views, you can duck inside and explore the wax museum.

8. Hiroshima Peace Memorial

Even before 1945, this art-nouveau Hiroshima building with the egg-shaped copper dome was a tourist draw. When the bomb dropped, the building got caught in the blast. At first, people wanted the resulting ruin knocked down. But then, as Hiroshima recovered, people saw what a striking memorial it would make.

9. Nagoya
The Port of Nagoya features a docked icebreaker ship used in expeditions to the Antarctica. In addition, Nagoya serves as the stage for a giant amusement park, a zoo and an aquarium among other diversions. Like the country itself, Nagoya packs a big cultural wallop in a compact space. Better yet, you can reach it by bullet train.

10. Yoshino

Set in Nara Prefecture, Yoshino teems with temples and shrines. Besides, it is one of Japan's most beautiful cherry blossom spots, quite a brag given that the nation is traditionally synonymous with this naturally-scented confetti.

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Top Five of Golden Triangle

Southeast Asia’s March earthquake was tiny compared to the one that shook Japan. Still, the quake rattled Myanmar and Thailand, lopping the tops off temples and killing dozens of people, mostly in Myanmar.

Although the area known as the Golden Triangle is earthquake-prone, it normally radiates peace and mystery. The Mekong-spliced spot where Burma, Thailand and Laos brush shoulders was once the world’s most lucrative opium smuggling route.

The trade may have faded, but the Triangle remains an intriguing slice of Asia. Witness some of its most mysterious sights scattered around the two main Thai-side towns: Chiang Rai and Chiang Saen.

Five reasons to visit the Golden Triangle

1.      White Temple

Thailand’s answer to the Taj Mahal, the White Temple stands on the fringes of the northwestern Thai town of Chiang Rai. A one-off, the temple’s main draw is its dazzling exterior and eccentric sculptures including a sea of hands. Inside, you will find a provocative anti-oil mural that visitors are forbidden from photographing, which is irritating, but boosts the mystique. Admission is free.

2.      Khun Kon waterfall

Just down the road from the White Temple, Khun Kon is huge: 70 meters high. Khun Kon has no fancy tiers but it oozes raw, unbridled power. To get there you need to be reasonably fit. Set in Khun Kon Forest Park, the waterfall stands at the end of a winding leafy track. The walk takes about 30 minutes.

3.      Train Library

Set in downtown Chiang Rai, the Train Library is just what its name suggests. The books it stocks are in Thai, but the library is worth a wander and a snap or two. The Train Library feels like a slice of conceptual art but functions like a dusty conventional civic library built from brick.

4.      Opium Hall

Meant to be a warning against the dangers of opium, the Opium Hall is also a whiz-bang blast of entertainment. Among other provocative exhibits, the Hall that stands on Chiang Saen’s fringes, hosts a ‘Gallery of Excuses’. Extraordinarily innovative, the Opium Hall even offers villas for visitors who want to linger. www.tatnews.org/new_products/1620.asp

5.      Golden Buddha lookout point

From this Mekong-side spot marked by a gleaming giant Buddha, with your feet planted in Thailand, you can see Burma and Lao PDR. Gazing out from the lookout situated in Chiang Saen may make you feel giddy. Where else in the world can you get a handle on three countries at once?

Must-eats

While you're here, you may as well get stuck into some Isaan food, heavily influenced by Burmese flavors.  Head to Chiang Rai's night bazaar for everything in the one place, including falang/foreigner food.

1)      Fried insects. Locust, water beetle and tiny frogs.

2)      Kao Soi. The local spicy curry soup topped with crunchy noodles (kind of like a Burmese version of laksa). Comes in pork (kao soi muu) and chicken (kao soi gai) versions. 

3)      Som tam – spicy papaya salad. Best tempered with sticky rice/kao niaow.

4)      Khaeng khanoon – spicy curry with jackfruit.

Sai ooa – Laos spicy sausage. Good hot or cold.  

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Ciqala Suites is Great place, People and Food!

I researched places to stay for the last night of our honeymoon and found Ciqala Suites did not disappoint! We had a rental car and made use of the free and secure parking garage. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the friendly Glen. (Again, the Puerto Rican hospitality is out of this world!)

We stayed in a 1 bedroom suite in the penthouse, which had lovely furnishings and 2 swans made of towels waiting for us on the bed - a nice touch! I enjoyed the soft linens and rug. In fact, I joked to my husband that instead of exploring San Juan, I was just going to spend my night walking barefoot on the soft area rug. The room was spacious, elegant, and quiet. The mini-fridge was full of affordable goodies. The front desk was also staffed with a friendly employee 24 hrs/day. An early morning flight prevented us from enjoying the "american breakfast" but we did grab some nice pastries from the buffet.

We enjoyed our stay at the Ciqala Suites for an entire week this past June. The hospitality of the staff was remarkable, the complimentary breakfast prepared by the hotel chef was hearty and delicious and the hotel room was spacious and comfortable. The complimentary beach arrangements (shuttle/chairs/umbrellas) were an added bonus. In walking distance to the local bars, marina and even old San Juan (about an hour walk) Ciqala suites made our first experience in San Juan a memorable one.

Ciquala, an excellent launching pad to explore Old San Juan, had very attentive staff who called us a cab ($15) and we were off to explore. 

In summary, Ciqala was the perfect place to spend the last night of our honeymoon due to its beautiful accommodations, excellent service, free secure parking garage and superb location.

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Top Five Obscure Asian Attractions

Nobody talks about the 'mystique of the Orient' any more. It’s just not PC. What’s more, parts of Asia have been so heavily developed that there's little room left for mystique. Bali's governor recently opined that his lush birthplace might soon become a concrete jungle.

Still, Asia has its share of uncanny and sometimes quite odd attractions. Here come five. Prepare for 'pinch me' Alice-in-Wonderland surreal-ness.

1.     Erawan Museum, Bangkok

Bangkok’s Erawan Museum is housed in a massive 43-meter-high three-headed elephant sculpture. Yes, the opulent three-storey museum exists inside the bronze elephant’s belly. The museum owes its existence to Thai mogul Lek Viriyaphant, who needed somewhere stylish to keep his huge collection of Asian treasures. Erawan is the Thai name of the legendary Hindu elephant, Airavata. The museum is indeed an amazing sight and worth the 25 kilometer journey outside the city center.

2.     Dwarf Empire, Kunming

Set in the southwestern Chinese city of Kunming, the Dwarf Empire would never make it past western censors. Which is a shame, because it seems like a lot of fun.  It consists of little people busting kung fu moves, prancing around in medieval knight costumes and generally playing up for the shutterbugs – up to 400 people per sessions on national holidays. The park's performers are paid relocation fees to work there and receive free room and board, plus a monthly wage – something that's difficult to come by for little people elsewhere in the country. The Dwarf Empire is part of the World Ecological Garden of Butterflies – also worth a visit.

3.     Prony the python, The Philippines

Prony is said to be the Philippines’ largest captive reticulated python, captured on October 21, 1996. Since then, she has been growing steadily and in 2008 measured a whopping seven meters in length, weighing in at 250kg. She's still growing and is expected to reach monstrous proportions. Prony lives on the island of Bohol at the Python Sanctuary, where she can be visited and photographed with. Even more amazing, Prony has her own Facebook page where she has posted her 'herstory' and rebuts rumours of her death. Go, Prony!

4.     Sisaket bottle temple, Thailand

Way back last century, the Heineken Beer company toyed with reshaping its beer bottle into a handy building block. When the beer brick failed to materialize, Buddhist monks from Thailand's Sisaket province plugged the gap, amassing a million bottles to build the Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew temple. Even its washrooms and the crematorium are made from bottles: a blend of green Heineken and brown local Chang beer.

5.     Plain of Jars, Laos

The 'Plain of Jars' sounds banal, like a nickname for your grandma's kitchen shelves. Somebody should rename this strange northern Laos space because it radiates mystery. The Plain of Jars is actually a plateau studded with thousands of giant megalithic urns of uncertain origin. Were they burial vats or rice wine tubs? Or what?? As with many megalithic artifacts, speculation abounds. Nobody knows the truth about the Asian Stonehenge.

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Hotel El Convento is Perfection in every way!!!!

El Convento deserves 5-stars for location, history, ambiance, ammenities, and service, all of which have been highlighted in other reviews. 

Among the features we particularly enjoyed was breakfast in the beautiful El Patio del Nispero. All food was expertly prepared extactly to order. We loved the delicious Caribbean eggs benedict, with mashed plaintains and delicious roasted pulled pork in place of the usual English muffins, which was a hearty start to our days of walking, walking, walking.

Service throughout El Convento was prompt and friendly. Everyone, housekeepers, bellhops, front desk staff, and servers, greeted us warmly and seemed truly delighted that we had come to stay. Each day we looked forward to seeing Carolina, the breakfast and lunch manager at El Patio del Nispero, who went out of her way to insure our happiness. Carolina provided marvelous recommendations, including hand drawn maps with detailed directions, to guide us through our first visit to Old San Juan and to Puerto Rico, and facilitated our dinner reservations for top restaurants in the San Juan area.

I give El Convento 4 stars instead of 5 stars only because of a surprise disappointment with our rooms. Six+ months in advance of our visit we had booked two "Queen Vista" rooms, stated on the website and in the confirmation emails to be "Luxurious accommodations with a Queen Size Bed, Beautiful Spanish Furniture and Spanish Louver Doors that open to a veranda with a magnificent view of the San Juan Bay." 

Our fouth floor rooms were comfortable, clean and quiet, sufficiently luxurious, albeit with minimal drawer and closet storage, and offered easy access to the lovely dip pool and deck. Unfortunately, the "veranda" was nothing more than a railing to prevent us falling out the window when we opened the French "doors" onto the "magnificent" view - directly into utilitarian roof tops (with AC units, vents, and other necessities), one of which (not the fault of the hotel!) had a nasty fungus growing where the area stayed damp from an AC vent. An obstructed glimpse of Isla Verde across the bay was available over the roof tops, but we kept the French doors and louvers closed except when requiring natural light.

In conclusion, El Convento is a jewel of a hotel and a magnificently revitalized piece of Caribbean colonial history. El Convento's location is perfect, the common areas are beautiful and welcoming, and the service is first rate. I looked forward to staying at El Convento in the future, but I will lower my expectations for the guest rooms.

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