French Riviera - Nice the Gloss and Glamour

There is something undeniably glamorous about the French Riviera.  Just a mention of the name brings images of sun-kissed beaches, blue skies, sleek yachts and impossibly glamorous people to mind. Much of this hype is undeniably true, but in a town like Nice the gloss and glamour are leavened by a hearty dose of natural, practical Mediterranean life. The harbor may well be filled with beautiful yachts, frequented by beautiful people, but there are also working fishing boats and ferries.  The restaurants may well be three-star Michelin, but the harbor-side cafes, frequented by locals, are every bit as popular and bursting with life.

It is this mix of image and reality that make Nice such a fascinating microcosm of the French Riviera. When other pretty coastal towns and villages empty at the end of the season as the beautiful people jet off somewhere else, life in Nice continues pretty much as before. The colorful fruit and vegetable market still takes place every week in Cours Salaya, the ferries and fishing boats still leave on the evening tide, and the harbor cafes are as busy and noisy as before.

The Promenade des Anglais – or the Promenade of the English – is as good a place as any to start exploring Nice. This long, wide coastal promenade is a place to stroll, to skateboard, to jog, to walk your dog, to people-watch, to see, and, possibly most importantly of all, to be seen.

In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, there was a large English colony on the French Riviera – drawn there then, as they still are today, by the beautiful weather of the Riviera. Because access to the beach was difficult, the English residents undertook the construction of a path to give them access to the sea – this was the origin of the present fashionable street, and hence the name.  Bordered on one side by the blue Mediterranean and on the other side by iconic Niçois hotels such as the stunning art déco Negresco Hotel and the Palais de la Méditerranée, the Promenade des Anglais allows you to admire the best of Nice: the sea, the beach, and on the horizon, the hills.

The hills that overlook the city are home to the oldest part of town – a network of twisting, narrow lanes and steps, topped by a castle. The houses here are tall, brightly painted and with flowers cascading out of window boxes and lines of washing strung on poles between houses to dry – present an image that has probably not changed for centuries.

Dominating the old town is the Chateau, or castle, which is in fact no longer a castle, but the place where the city’s fortress used to stand.  In 1706, this fortress was destroyed by the Duke of Berwick, an illegitimate son of King James II of England; curiously enough, he was serving in the French army at the time. Now the area known as 'Chateau' is a vantage point, with a pretty shaded walk from which there is a circular, stunning view over Nice – to one side, the beach and the long elegant Promenade des Anglais, and to the other side, the packed bustling harbor.

It wasn’t just the early sun-seeking English who flocked to Nice. Artists and painters have been drawn to that stretch of the French Riviera for generations, inspired both by the gentle climate and the beautiful natural light.  The painter and sculptor Henri Matisse lived and worked in Nice for many years and the Musée Matisse, which houses much of his work, is a must-see for any visitor to the city.

The Musée Marc Chagall, which houses much of this important 20th century painter’s work, was his personal donation to France. The museum in Nice is home to the most important permanent collection of his work in the world.  Chagall, born in poverty to a Russian Jewish family, settled in the south of France where he died in 1985.  His paintings, which always have strong mystic and religious overtones, are superbly displayed in this museum, where the specially designed large windows take advantage of the bright Mediterranean light.

One of the most picturesque districts of old Nice is the Cours Saleya, where there is a bustling fruit and flower market.  The Square is now lined with shops and smart restaurants, making it an ideal place for dinner.

The city comes alive each year in January, when there is the famous Battle of Flowers. Over two weekends extraordinarily decorated floats – completely made up of flowers – wind their way slowly through the streets, attracting huge and enthusiastic crowds.

Like any major port city, Nice has long been a cultural melting pot for generations and there are strong influences from Italy, as well as North Africa. Nice is a cosmopolitan place, where the pace of life is different from the north of France, where the accents and language are different, and there is definitely much more of a sense of 'joie de vivre' – hardly surprising if you live in such as pretty place, bathed in sunlight.

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The Samaya Bali is Wonderful Service and Enjoyable Stay!

Stayed there as a family and it was wonderful from the time of checking in. The staff there are so wonderful as they are usually all smiles and try their best to meet your requests. The villa was very nice too, clean and spacious. Lighting though, could be better at the sofa/TV area. The pool in the villas at 1.8m is just too deep, even for adults! The pool at the spa was better, at 1.45m. Massages there were very good and professional, with nice facilities. The food was yummy, for both restaurants there. The breakfast is an all you can order and eat kind of thing, so it's a foodie's paradise. Dinner is by the riverside so it's nice to hear the flow of water while you eat. Buggy service is provided by the hotel unless you want a good workout. Very steep slopes to walk on if you want to give your heart a workout. The shuttle service to Ubud town (about 10 minutes ride) is great too. They drop you off where you want to, and pick you up on time. They also offer hikes, on foot or bicycle to see the rice padi fields. They've done very well to keep their guests happy, from the manager to the service staff. They are very attentive to talk to the children too. I also liked their approach to hire people from the nearby village. Gives it a more homely feel to the resort.

This place is amazing! We could not have chosen a better place to relax and unwind.... We stayed for 6 nights in one of the Hill Villa's and loved every moment. The villa's are so beautiful, clean, private and serene and the grounds of the Samaya are stunning. The staff are wonderful and really went out of their way to make sure we were looked after. The food is amazingly good - whether in-house dining or at both of the restaurants. One morning while we were having breakfast over looking the rice fields I asked for some coconut water which was not on the menu.. I couldn't believe it when later that day we were enjoying our afternoon tea at the "Swept Away" restaurant and the wait staff brought out a fresh coconut with a straw and the beautiful coconut water inside! This is only one example of how the amazing staff go above and beyond to make you feel so welcome and cared for.

We did the cooking class which was fantastic - you go for an early morning tour of the local markets which is a highlight, and you get to eat all the beautiful food you have cooked! 

We made use of the Spa a couple of times during our stay and I definitely recommend the Hot Stone Massage - it was so relaxing and although the prices are more expensive than the street spa places - it is definitely worth paying extra for the beautiful clean rooms and lovely accommodating therapists who go out of their way to make you comfortable.

I definitely recommend this resort to anyone who is looking for a perfect romantic and relaxing holiday... The Samaya Ubud is paradise found!

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Elsamere is Born Free in Kenya

In Kenya, the Rift Valley forms the basis of the country’s major geographical features, the string of lakes that lies like an elongated ribbon to the north-west of Nairobi.

Lake Baringo, Lake Bogoria, Lake Nakuru, Lake Elementaita, Lake Naivasha and Lake Magadi in the south, have all become important focal points for wildlife, especially birdlife.

Lake Naivasha was ‘discovered' by a German naturalist called Gustav Fischer in 1883, and its name is thought to derive from a classic case of European mispronunciation. The early visitors asked their Swahili porters what the lake was called and were told 'enaiposha' which means quite simply 'the lake'.  And so, with the pronunciation slightly mangled by the Europeans, Lake Naivasha it became.

Over 400 species of birds have been recorded on the lake, and hippo and crocodile abound in the lake’s cool waters. It is little wonder, therefore, that one of Kenya’s most famous residents, Joy Adamson, the author of the spectacularly successful book Born Free, chose to live on the shores of Lake Naivasha.

In 1956, Joy’s husband George, who was a game ranger in northern Kenya, brought home three orphaned lion cubs after he had killed their mother, unaware that she had attacked him only because she was protecting her tiny cubs.  The Adamsons decided to hand rear the three cubs, naming them Lusiticia, The Big One and Elsa.  When the three cubs became too much of a handful for the Adamsons and their staff, the two larger ones were sent to a zoo.  The youngest animal Elsa stayed with them and would become Joy’s passion.

In time, the Adamsons decided that Elsa had to be set free rather than sending her to a zoo as well, and thus they embarked on a long program teaching her to hunt and to live on her own. They were successful and Elsa became the first lioness to be successfully released back into the wild, as well as the first lioness to maintain contact with humans after her release.

The Adamson’s former home, a pretty, unpretentious vernadah'ed bungalow called Elsamere, is today a wildlife education center with an interesting little museum devoted to Joy and her late husband George, a renowned conservationist and lion expert.

Elsamere is first and foremost aimed at wildlife researchers and is a serious center of study. Day visitors are more than welcome and, if the bungalows scattered around the garden are not all occupied by researchers, can also spend the night.

Aim to arrive in good time in the afternoon, when there is a wonderful tea laid on in the gardens down by the lake. The tea is a proper old-fashioned English tea, with neatly crimped sandwiches, cakes on tiered cake stands with white paper doilies and home-baked Victoria sponge cake. Despite the attractions of the delicious spread, you may find your children (or yourself) hardly able to concentrate on the food, so exciting are the troops of beautiful Colobus monkeys that live on the estate. The monkeys are everywhere: in the trees, on the roof, and even sitting on the lawn at a respectable distance, watching you eat.

One of the charms of Elsamere is that it has been kept pretty much the way it was when the Adamsons lived there, so you feel much more like a house guest than a hotel guest. The staff are charm personified and delight in having enthusiastic children staying. Rather than being the usual learned researchers, they will also proudly show off all their Elsa the lion memorabilia.

There are photo albums of the original lions as well as of the making of the film, framed photos galore, the Adamson’s own books lying around on tables for you to read.  Visitors of all ages can curl up in chintz covered armchairs and read wildlife books all afternoon.  Of course, you can also watch Born Free sitting in the Adamson’s own living room, adding extra charm to an already charming movie.

After dinner, a ranger escorts you to your bungalow with instructions that under no circumstances are you to leave your bungalow during the night because hippos often come and wander through the property, eating the grass.

And sure enough, just as this blogger's family was ready to turn in for the night, we heard a snuffly sound outside.  Opening our bungalow door cautiously, we saw an enormous hippo happily chomping on the grass, just a few inches away. We all went to sleep with a delicious frisson of excited fear.  Despite the very comfortable, English feel of Elsamere, that was Africa out there, having a midnight snack.

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Al Maha Desert Resort is Excellent!

Out of all the leading hotels I have visited so far, Al Maha stands out by a wide margin. 

When my girlfriend and I decided to spend our Christmas vacation in Dubai, we deliberately split the vacation to include a cultural/nature/relaxation part (Al Maha) as well as a shopping and beach part in a hotel on the Palm Island.

Best experiences:
- Swimming in the private pool while gazelles are grazing only a few feet away is simply amazing
- Camel trekking with champagne and fruit reception to watch the sunset on a dune
- The desert is simply beautiful
- Great facts learnt through the activities (who knew that the bedouins oriented themselves through changes in sand color? (Each Emirate has a different sand color))
- Great for foodies

Pros:
- The only cultural/nature experience in newly build Dubai
- Good for relaxation
- Superbly decorated villas with private pool
- Very polite staff
- Provides Arabic as well as European cuisines
- Activities are great 

Cons:
- Depending on your age, the duration of the stay must be taken into account as it could become a bit isolated after a few days.

Up to 30 years: 3-4 days are perfect
30-40 years: 4-10 days
40+ : any length

Al Maha is just perfect, it is not to be missed when travelling to Dubai. In fact, if I had not visited Al Maha, I would not have liked my vacation in Dubai at all as it would have been too standard and not memorable enough.

My recommendation - visit Al Maha for 4-5 days and then spend another 4-5 days in a beach hotel in Dubai, best of both worlds.

Thanks & have fun!

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The Chedi Club Tanah Gajah a GHM Hotel - A Little Too Much Attention?

We booked to at the Chedi Club after a grueling 14 day birding trip to Sulawesi staying in some very basic accomodation feeling that we deserved a little pampering after our exertions.

The pool villa was all that we wanted a private oasis in which we could lock ourselves away and rest. We only called on the butler to deliver our afternoon tea and collect laundry and he respected our privacy.

In the public areas however the manner of the staff was somewhat over zelous for our personel taste, although we can imagine others might be flattered by so much attention. At meal times a constant tide of waiters were in attendance clearing away dishes at lightening speed and ever watching for an opportunity to be of service. On top of all this an array of managers seemed at hand to enquire if we were satisfied and engage us in conversation. We are perhaps an exceptionto the rule but feel that perfect service should be ubobtrusive and in our opinion slightly less fuss would result in that perfection.

We cannot agree that food and drinks were overpriced as they were somewhat less costly than top class international hotels the world over. After the excellent breakfast, afternoon tea, mini bar and evening cocktails all of which were included in the room rate there was little need to buy additional food or drink other than perhaps a glass of wine with dinner.

The surroundings were extremly peaceful and the hotel grounds magnificent, which for us added up to the perfect locationfor our break without the need to explore further.

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Top Five Castles in Asia

If someone says the magic word 'castle', what image springs to mind? Perhaps you think of the mystery-soaked monuments that cast their long shadows across medieval Europe. Or perhaps you think of the English king Arthur and the court of Camelot. 

But Europe holds no monopoly on castles. Asia hosts scores. Here are five of Asia’s most striking and strange castles, which transcend bricks-and-mortar, and border on marvellous. Their haunting, massive presence evokes the sound of drums and thunder. 

China Gate, Nanjing

China Gate is one of China’s biggest existing ancient castles. Also intricately wrought, China Gate served as the south gate of Nanjing hotels in eastern China, on the Yangtze River during the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). 

Built in 1366 with a Ming Dynasty tycoon buried under it, China Gate stretches over 100 meters from east to west. The fortress’ mighty bulwarks played a key role in several wars.

Whenever Nanjing was stormed by invaders, with devilish cunning, China Gate defendants let the enemy in. The defendants then shut the four arched doors. That meant that, split, the enemy could be picked off one by one. So China Gate was a portal to death, or the afterlife.

Himeji Castle, Kansai

Japan's most remarkable castle, Unesco-listed Himeji is also called Hakuro-jo or White-Heron Castle. Thank its shining white exterior and alleged resemblance to a bird taking off.

The castle dates back to 1333. It is seen as the finest surviving example of early Japanese castle architecture with its network of 83 buildings boasting advanced feudal age defensive systems.

Himeji was badly bombed in 1945, at the end of the Second World War. Most of its neighbourhood was razed. One firebomb actually landed on the castle’s top floor but happily failed to explode. The castle endured unscathed.

Note that now, however, Himeji is undergoing renovation. So before you visit Himeji Castle, you might want to check the state of play www.himejijo-syuri.jp/en/index.html.

Nijo Castle, Kyoto

Unesco-listed Nijo Castle was built in 1603 as the Kyoto home of Tokugawa Ieyasu: the first shogun of the Edo age (1603-1867). Gigantic, Nijo Castle embodies the shogun’s military and political power.

The shogun’s grandson developed the castle, tacking on a five-storey keep. After the Tokugawa Shogunate fell in 1867, Nijo Castle served as an imperial palace for a spell before being given to the city and opened to all-comers as a historic site. Stone walls and moats surround Nijo Castle’s daintily landscaped grounds.

Monte Fort, Macau

Mammoth Monte Fort was built between 1617 and 1626, finished during the reign of Emperor Xizong in the Ming Dynasty. Each of Monte Fort’s four sides stretches some 100 meters.

The stupendous square castle played a key role in saving Macau from Dutch invaders who arrived in 1622. That was the only time that Monte Fort’s cannons were fired. Monte Fort then served as the home of a Macau military bigwig before morphing into a forbidden military zone. Monte Fort now contains a museum.

Kellie's Castle, Malaysia

Splendidly odd, Kellie's Castle owes its existence to Scottish tycoon William Kellie Smith, who came from a village called Kellas.

In 1890, at 20, Kellie Smith arrived in Malaya and met an estate owner called Alma Baker, who had won concessions from the state government to clear vast expanses of forest in Perak, Peninsular Malaysia’s second largest state.

With the fat profits made from his venture with Baker, Smith built a resources empire. Then, on the back of his vast fortune, he built Kellie's Castle in Indian style.

Smith’s wild card castle – a mansion really – can be reached from the main road through a bridge running across a stream. Besides being allegedly haunted, Kellie's Castle apparently hosts hidden rooms and secret underground tunnels: a massive cabinet of curiosities.

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The Westin Sydney is Great Location dan Fabulous rooms

I stay at the Westin as much as possible when I am in Sydney on business. The location can't be beat. I was in Sydney last week with three of my colleagues and I recommended the Westin.

When booking the room, one of my colleagues, who sits next to me, was booking on the Westin website at the same time as I was. She got her rate at around 280/290AUD per night. I decided to be smart, and use the SPG website. My rate ended up at around 320 per night, but I assumed that because I was there on the Wednesday night , and my colleague was not, this was the difference.

When I clicked the submit key, I received an error message telling me to try again later. I needed to get a confirmation, so I went to the regular Westin website. I received a rate of 360 per night. Calling Westin customer service did not help, as the people on the phone, even the service manager, just kept repeating the same line - The room is no longer available. the manager, even suggested that this is similar to an airline website, where the prices change, depending on availability! I'm sorry, but a time differential of less than 5 minutes should not make a difference, in my opinion But then, what do I know? I'm only the customer.

She said that she would do me a favour and call the Westin, who also told her that the room rate was no longer available. I could have the room for 360 per night. Seeing as all my other colleagues had booked already, I said fine - if there's nothing you can do for me, I have no choice - I'll take the room.

When I finally received my email confirmation, imagine my surprise when i was being charged 370 per night! I just shook my head, realizing the uselessness and futility of calling up .

Is this service? All people seem to be able to tell you is NO. And then to quote a rate, then confirm the room at an even higher rate, it is just ridiculous, and smacks of the worst example of price gouging. With other hotels, they will apologise and give you some incentive - a nicer room at that rate, free internet, something. The attitude that I received was - take it or leave it.

I realize that this is already long, so will just quickly list the other issues:
-no more free water in the rooms
-housekeeping coming in to service the room, even if I had the Do Not Disturb sign lit
-no electrical outlets near the bed (brought this up before, and this is something that I don't understand; other hotels have them for the convenience of their guests)

The only things that this hotel has going for it are:
-the fitness centre, which is a full gym, not one with machines and a few weights
-the location

Other than that, I am seriously looking around for another hotel to stay in in Sydney

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