New York at Christmas: a road map



Enjoying Korean food at BCD Tofu House.

We have never experienced Christmas in a hotel and this year, with Beau's loss still hanging over us, we decided to give it a try.  We took the train up to New York City and spent two nights in the Ace Hotel, which is a very easy walk from Penn Station.  On our way to the hotel, we made a lunch stop in Korea Town at BCD Tofu House, a chain from California that makes a phenomenal tofu stew.  If you think you don't like tofu, try the silky kind at BCD and you might change your mind. 

The Ace Hotel's lobby is quite the scene--very hipster, very cool.  It's dimly lit 24/7 and has a shabby chic decorating approach.  I'll admit I was skeptical of this hotel, but the location and the amazing deal we nabbed on Travel Zoo ($149 night, thank you very much), well I was willing to give it a try.  The staff were friendly and our room was spacious, the bed was comfortable.  Plus, it was quiet despite being in a busy part of town.  I could quibble with the shower, but overall, I would recommend this hotel for anyone who likes an easy walk from the train station and a lot of major sites (both downtown and Times Square are easy walks).

We hit the ground running with a happy hour extravaganza at The Pony, which serves only American Craft Beer.  After a few rounds with an old pal, we headed to dinner at db Bistro Moderne for a pre-Rockette meal.  I had an amazing piece of skate in beurre blanc sauce while Kevin had sea bass in a red wine reduction with figs.  We then headed to Radio City Music Hall to see the Rockettes!  I must say, the production was cheesy and over-the-top, but it was fun and I'm glad I went once in my life.

Rockefeller Center all glammed up

After the show, we sauntered over towards Rockefeller Center and took in the tree, the ice skaters, the crowds (filled with people at 11 pm on a cold night)--it was thrilling and magical.  One of the observations we took away from the moment was how diverse the crowd was; in fact, I would wager most of the people did not celebrate Christmas, but the Christmas spirit is bigger than a religious holiday.  I like that.  I like it very much.

The next morning we feasted on bagels at Brooklyn Bagel & Coffee (you just cannot get bagels like that in DC) and then we walked up to Macy's to check out the holiday windows and on to Bryant Park Holiday Shops.  I love Bryant Park.  The space has a European feel to it with its ornate green buildings.  We then made our way downtown to Eataly, the Italian food emporium and hall created by Mario Batali and Lidia and Joe Bastianich.  It was swarming with people, but we enjoyed wandering the aisles.  Next up was lunch: John's Pizzeria on Bleeker in the West Village.  We are repeat visitors to John's.  The coal oven does something amazing to the crust.  Just get a plain cheese--trust me you'll love it.  We wandered further south the Jacque Torres Chocolate shop on Hudson in seek of a wicked hot chocolate.  At this time, we were seriously bursting but both ordered small hot chocolates and happily slurped them down and bought a tin to make more at home!

For Christmas Eve dinner, we had one more culinary trick up our sleeves: a proper Feast of the Seven Fishes meal.  This time we headed to The Hearth in the East Village.  We had a lovely meal and wandered back to the hotel along empty streets humming Christmas tunes.  The next morning, Christmas morning, we had the streets to ourselves and trekked up to Scotty's on Lexington for a proper diner breakfast.  The diner was packed and it reminded me that not everyone gets Christmas off.  Before heading back to DC, we made one more homage to Rockefeller Center for a final glimpse of the holiday magic.  Of course, it was still filled with people snapping pictures and smiling.

London: a lovely stopover.



Kevin in front of Tower Bridge during our 1-day stop.

When we travel, we strive to have few connections and for the trip to take the fewest hours (because who likes the actual act of getting from Point A to Point B?).  This means we are willing to pay a bit more for nonstop flights and it also means loyalty to a specific airline is not that easy. 

Getting to Symi, Greece this summer was not possible in one simple flight as it was when we headed to Vienna on Austrian Airlines later in the year.  Because of turmoil on Athens, we also made the decision we wanted to fly directly to Rhodes (the island with the closest airport to Symi). 

We made the decision to book a flight on our favorite airline Virgin Atlantic to get from DC to London.  Spend a day and night in London and then book a flight on our least favorite airline Ryanair to finish the trip and arrive in Rhodes in the middle of the afternoon in time for lunch and the afternoon hydrofoil. 

A pretty pub in South London near the Globe.

We strategically booked a hotel in the financial district because (1) we had not really explored this part of London and (2) the train to Stansted Airport (more on that in a later post) left from Liverpool Street Station, which was right around the corner.  We stayed at the Apex London Wall, which was sophisticated and tucked on a quiet street. We dumped our stuff and headed towards the Thames, walking by the Tower of London and crossing the Tower Bridge into South London.  Walking the footpath along the Thames, we passed the Globe and stopped into the Tate Modern, which I had not visited since 2002 so it was time for a return visit.

We stopped for a requisite fish-and-chip lunch and a warm ale (it was surprisingly brisk for late June!) before heading back to shower and relax.  It was fun to be in London's Financial District on a Friday afternoon in June.  Office workers packed all the pubs, literally people were pouring out of the establishments and empty pint glasses littered the sidewalks.  We decided to visit Brick Lane in the East End for Indian food as one must have Indian food when visiting the UK from the US. Before we reached Brick Lane, we stopped at a pub to have a pre-dinner drink and take in the Murray/Nadal semi-final match being played nearby in Wimbledon.  Murray lost.  We finished our pints and headed to dinner.

Brick Lane is quite the experience.  As you walk down the street, restaurant staff badger you, imploring you to come into their establishments, promising the best deal on the street!  It's not a typical scene for London, but it was fun for an evening and after wandering the street for a bit, we decided on a place and had a lovely meal before wandering back to the hotel.

Holland Park, London.

On the flip side of our journey from Greece, we also spent a day and evening in London.  This time, we chose to be on the Piccadilly Line near Earl's Court.  We stayed at a small, boutique hotel called Twenty Nevern Square.  It was situated on a leafy square and an easy walk from Holland Park.  We enjoyed wandering through the green streets and park space, reveling in the lush plants after the arid climate of Symi.  We found a Thai restaurant right outside Holland Park and enjoyed a break from the Greek taverna fare that had dominated our dinners.

The blur of monument and nature: Brompton Cemetery

The next morning we had a chance for one final walk through the streets of London and we stumbled upon Brompton Cemetery.  We were charmed by the wild, yet managed space.  Because it was early morning, we had the cemetery to ourselves and quietly strolled along the path.  Overhead, international flights rumbled in for landings at Heathrow.  As we made our way to the gate to collect our luggage and head to the airport, I took a deep, appreciative breath that we were able to bookend the trip with breaks in London.

Travels with Beau: a tribute to our four-legged travel companion.

Beau enjoying a morning walk along
Holden Beach, North Carolina

One of the reasons the blog has been quiet this year (despite some great trips) was a lot of my energy was devoted to caring and then mourning our dog, Beau.  Within days of returning from our trip to Asia in January, Beau had a mysterious discharge from the one side of his nose.  Trips to the vet and then a specialist vet theorized he most likely had a tumor (we chose against a $3,000 rhinoscopy to confirm this).  You can look up nasal carcinoma; it's a bleak outlook.  There's little to do and eventually they have seizures or bleed to death. With Beau inching to 13, we decided to make his final months on this planet as comfortable as we could and when the time came, we allowed him to peacefully pass.  He did make it to his 13th birthday and boy, what a wonderful life Beau had with us!  Some of our happiest memories come from our travels with Beau. 

He started his adventures at just six weeks old, riding all the way from Columbus, Ohio to Athens, Georgia.  He was still so tiny his belly grazed the ground, picking up red dust from the famous Georgia clay.  Beau traveled to the beaches of Florida and North Carolina (at least 8 times).  He hiked through the Shenandoahs.  He paddled through the Potomac, the Chesapeake Bay, the Olentangy River, Lake Erie and countless other streams, ponds and rivers.  He was shuttled back to Ohio for holidays and family visits more times than I can count.   For 13 years, he was a steady road companion and we picked up some good tips from our travels with Beau:

1.  Cars.  Start young, travel often.  As I said, Beau was taking major road trips as a tiny puppy.  His early exposure to long car trips made traveling easy.  He was comfortable and at ease.  If you do not have any major car trips planned when you first get your dog, be sure to at least go on regular day trips to trails and parks further from your home.  Get them used to highway driving as well as quick jaunts around town.  The earlier and more frequent car trips, the calmer your dog will be in the car. 

Anne and Kevin along Skyline Drive in Virginia
heading to a memorable cabin weekend.

2.  Provisions.  Fill up a jug of water and keep a few treats with you for longer trips and day trips.  Both of our cars were always stocked with tennis balls, waste bags, and towels for park and water trips.  When traveling to a destination with your dog, bring their dog bed (if it fits!) and several extra towels and sheets to cover furniture and keep your dog's paws clean and dry.

3.  Pet-friendly rentals.  The Web makes it so easy to find places that can accommodate your dog.  One of our favorite rentals in Holden Beach, North Carolina, was discovered from the Real Estate company's Web site as you are able to narrow down your search to just pet-friendly options. 

4.  Research before you go.  Before you take your pet, spend some time researching the area to ensure it will be a positive experience.  For example,  the beaches of North Carolina are pet-friendly most of the year, but in the high season, dogs in some communities are prohibited from 9-5.  Ocean City, Maryland does not allow dogs on the beach at all during high season. 

5.  Be respectful.  As a dog owner, I cleaned up after my dog, kept him leashed when I was supposed to, and realized that not everyone loved my dog.  Be a good pet owner and keep the rental property clean and try to keep your dog on their best behavior.  If you are staying with friends or family, remember to thank them profusely for including your dog in the trip. Sending a little note afterwards would be a good idea.

Traveling with Beau was a joyful and happy experience for the DINKs.  We miss our old pal, but have so many happy memories from our adventures. 

The DINKS blog is back!

So, I know it's been almost since months since I wrote a blog post.  With summer travels and an ailing dog (who has now sadly passed), I just put this blog on the back, backburner!  But it's time to catch everyone up on what the Traveling DINKs have been up to.  Stay tuned in the coming weeks for posts on:

The DINKs in Pedi on the island of Symi, Greece.

1. Symi, Greece
2. Austria
3. Princeton, New Jersey
4.  Travels with Beau the dog

Summer Travel Plans.

After a quiet spring, we are about to embark on a pretty full slate of summer travel plans.  Other than a few days in Salzburg and Graz, most of the cities and countries we'll visit are not new, but that doesn't mean we won't be able to make new memories.  Plus, there is a certain ease when traveling to a familiar place.  I was just in London last September so the Underground will be easy to use as will the Vienna Metro as it's just been a few years since I visited there.  Here's a run-down on our adventures:

1.  Symi, Greece (with two days in London).  This trip has been in the works for a while and will be a special one.  We are going to spend a solid week on the island of Symi, a tiny island in the Dodecanse region of Greece, which is 12-island chain close to Turkey in the Aegean.  Most importantly to me, the island is where my father's parents were born. 

The clocktower in the harbor area of Symi, Greece.

We have not been back since 2005 and we are not going alone.  My sister, my parents and Kevin's parents are all coming.  It's truly a family affair!  Kevin's parents have not been to Greece and it will be nice to share the experience with them as well as spend time with my family.  Plus, having my Dad there, who speaks Greek fluently will be rather nice!  We chose two villas (Villa Cassandra and the Pitini House) in the upper village that we booked through Symi Visitor.  I highly recommend this rental agency as they have some wonderful properties and are easy to work with--being incredibly responsive via email. 

The family reunion will only be during the week in Symi.  The parties will then split up and tour and vacation in different ways and locations.  For Kevin and me, we will bookend the time in Symi with time in London.  We are flying directly to London and then taking a flight from London to Rhodes and then a ferry onto Symi, bypassing Athens this time.  I think it will be nice to enjoy a few days in London on either side of the Greece trip.  London is a city we both enjoy and have traveled to enough to feel at ease.  We'll spend one night in the financial district, close to Liverpool Street Station (as we have an early flight from Stansted and need to take an express train out to this distant airport).  On the way back to the US, we will stay near the Earl's Court Station, which is on the Tube line to Heathrow.  When traveling to London, I do think strategically about location as having an easy walk to the trains and being able to get back to the airport with all your belongings without transfers is really nice!

2.  Chicago.  In late July, we are taking a long weekend to visit friends and enjoy Chicago.  Growing up and attending college in the Midwest, we both have lots of acquaintances in the Second City.  (Meaning we do not have to worry about hotels as there is always some place to crash!)  Another dear friend from Brooklyn is joining us for the weekend so we really will have a memorable time catching up with folks.  Plus enjoying a break from the DC summer will be lovely.

Giant Mozart ball sculptures, Vienna, Austria.

3.  Vienna and Salzburg, Austria.  At the end of the summer--right around Labor Day--we are heading back to Europe.  This time, we'll be in Austria.  Although we were just in Vienna a few years ago, a meeting is taking me back there and we really loved our last visit, it will be nice to go back and see a few of the sites we were unable to see the first time around.  We will also be staying in a different section of town.  During my meeting, I'll be staying in the MuseumQuartier, which is a lovely part of town and allows me an easy commute on the UBahn to the Conference Center for my meeting.  After the conference, we will take a train to Salzburg, which will be new for us.  We plan on doing the Sound of Music Tour (um, why go to Salzburg and NOT do this!) and we may take a daytrip out to see the Hitler's Eagle Nest Retreat.  We also may take a daytrip from Vienna to Graz, the second largest city in Austria and a place we have not been or back to Krems and the wine country of the Wachau Valley, which runs along the Danube and is basically beautiful.

Taking a Taxi: Just Beware.

When I travel, I avoid taking cabs.  They are obviously expensive and I like the thrill of navigating a city on public transit, but the bigger issue for me:  I don't trust cab drivers. 

I will make one exception to this rule:  cabbies in the UK are honest, kind and you should feel comfortable taking a ride with them.  Bill Bryson also sings their praises in his book Notes from a Small Island. So if both Bill Bryson and I have had amazing UK cab experiences, they must be okay, right?

We had this cab driver in Belfast who was taking us to get our rental car and was passing along little tips and directions for us as we were planning to drive up the coast to County Antrim.  When I confided in him that I heard Irish drivers could be impatient and we'll most likely be taking our time on the curvy road, he turned to me as said, "Love, you don't worry about anyone behind you.  Just be safe."  So if you are in UK and feel like spending a small fortune or really just want to ride in those vintage, black taxis, well go for it.  You have my blessing.  Anywhere else though: beware! 

I'm not trying to be dramatic.  From Miami to Mexico City, I have had sketchy situations with cabs.  Some pretend they didn't hear the hotel or street; others pretend that they forgot to turn on a meter; others do not give change back properly...I have a long list of grievances here, which has given me pause. But the reality is, you cannot always hop on a train or subway or just walk, sometimes you need to take a cab.  Here are a few important tips if you must take a taxi:

1.  Know where you are going.  When I'm traveling, I study a map so I see cross streets and have a good sense of where my destination is in the city.  For instance, Philadelphia is on a grid system and I took a cab from 30th Street Station to the Rittenshouse Hotel, close to 20th Street.  When I saw we passed 20th street, I queried the cab driver who thought I said the Ritz Carlton, not the Rittenhouse Hotel.  I leave it up to you to determine if the cab driver made an honest mistake or deliberately took us 5 city blocks out of the way in rush hour, almost doubling the fare.  (You can probably assume what I believe happened.)  Smartphones are super handy these days in pulling up maps in the cab or as you are in the taxi queue so you are always prepared.

2.  Know the system.  It would be nice if all cabs used the same method--meters, flat fares, negotiated rates, but alas, the world is a big, inscrutable place so how the fare is determine varies.  Before traveling to a new location, always do a quick check of taxis from the airport (a lot offer flat fees) as well as if it's okay to hail a cab from the street (it's not okay to do this in Mexico City, for instance). 

3.  Be smart.  Always be alert.  Study the road to ensure you are going in the right direction.  And, if you feel uncomfortable, trust your instincts and just  ask the cab driver to pull over and get out.

You don't want a whole trip spoiled over a scheming cab driver. If you follow these tips and take taxis only sparingly, you should be okay!

Resort Review: The Excellence Riviera Cancun

I like to travel independently, for the most part.  Book the hotel, book my own flight, discover restaurants using local resources and maybe, if lucky, stumbling upon a place during a long stroll (how I discovered one of my favorites, in London--Sofra Mayfair). But let's be honest, sometimes you want an easy vacation--one that requires you to show up with a passport, appropriate clothes and sunscreen and  little else.  About once a year, I require sort of trip...call it planning fatigue or whatever.  And, all-inclusive make this possible. If you have a vision of all-inclusives being filled with partying college students, watery drinks, endless buffets and everyone forced to wear paper bands, you have not been to one of the Excellence resorts and need to go--immediately!

A lazy river weaves through the property, making
 it easy to have a chair poolside and pick a quiet spot.

In December 2009, Kevin and I spent 4 days at the Excellence Riviera Cancun.  We had never been to the Yucatan and wanted to take advantage of a nonstop flight from Dulles.  I didn't want to stay in the Hotel Zone and I didn't want to deal with the wristbands or standing in line to make reservations.  I wanted an all-inclusive, but one with some class.  I can definitely report that the Excellence Riviera Cancun delivered and exceeded our expectations.

First of all, if you haven't done the Cancun thing--, think again because there are plenty of quiet, relaxing options (just erase the Senor Frog images from your head, okay?).  The best thing about Cancun is the airport--it is the best airport in the Caribbean.  Easy, efficient--it is deft at processing tourists who just want to get to the beach!  We were out of the airport in minutes and picked up by our pre-arranged transfer service (I told you I didn't want to think, not even to negotiate a cab fare). 

Kevin enjoying the view from our private, spacious terrace.

Situated just 20 minutes from the airport on the outskirts of the village Puerto Morelos, the resort is set back from the road and really no other resorts are nearby.  The buildings are low--just 3 stories high so it's easy to use the stairs and the property is really spread out, weaving fountains, pools and loads of lovely gardens between the lodgings.  We were welcomed with a scented, warm towels and champagne and immediately taken to our rooms (this is less than an hour after our flight landed, I should remind you--and less than 4 hours after leaving cold, DC).  We spent the rest of our trip in an easy pattern:  coffee on the terrace, breakfast early, long beach walk, camp out on some pool chairs for the rest of the morning--drinking, napping and reading, maybe a swim, lunch, more of the same relax activities and drinks, late afternoon beach walk, shower, nap, dinner by 8, another beach walk, drinks and perhaps listen to some live music. 

As far as breaking down the various aspects of the resort...

The Rooms:  Very spacious--huge terrace, bathroom, well-stocked  mini fridge, a little sitting area and a big, four poster bed. Very tasteful and open. 

The Food:  The resort offers buffet breakfast or room service (included in all inclusive), but the other meals are at sit-down restaurants scattered throughout the property.  Reservations are not required and I think only at one did we have to wait a few minutes for a table. The food was really solid--I think we liked Agave, the Mexican place the best.  As far as all-inclusive resorts go, this place deserves an "A" for diverse food, gourmet food and minimal buffet lines.

The Entertainment:  We aren't so into shows and such, but they always had some nightly events.  We preferred the live jazz performances and other musical acts that they always featured outdoor near one of the bars.

The beach was nice and the staff kept it clean and tidy.

The Location: Positioned an easy drive from the airport, the resort is great for what we wanted--a quick, easy trip.  The beach was nice and the resort did a good job keeping it tidy.  We enjoyed several good beach walks and made all the way down to Puerto Morelos a few times.  But not really a walkable location--but really being at an all-inclusive for just a few days, we didn't strive to do much.

The Resort:  Lovely, manicured grounds, lots of seating--no need to rush out and "save" spaces, staff were friendly.

Choosing the Right Hotel.

I just had to book a couple of rooms for our trip to Greece this summer (we are bookending our time in Greece with time in London).  Since I have hotels on the brain, figured I'd blog about it and share a few ideas:

1.  Location, location, location.  Duh, that's a no brainer, right?  But choosing the right location for you really varies based on the purpose of your trip.  For instance, our flight to Rhodes leaves quite early from London Stansted so for this trip to London, I chose the Apex London Wall hotel--an easy walk to Liverpool Street Station, which is where you catch the Stansted Express train.  This hotel sits in the Financial District, which is quiet on weekends and not maybe ideal for tourists, but for our specific needs--it's perfect!  On the flip side of the trip, I picked a more central location, Earl's Court, which is on the Picadilly line--the line that leads directly to Heathrow.

Our hotel in Amsterdam was an easy walk
to the Central train station.

2.  Transportation.  This definitely dovetails with point one.  Ensuring your hotel is an easy walk from a subway line or central train station will only enhance your trip.  I always map out my location on Google Maps and read TripAdvisor to get a sense of the location.  (This also helps you gain a familiarity with the area even before you arrive.) When in Europe, you know urban areas are going to have decent transportation--so take advantage of it!  A good example from our travels is Hotel New Amsterdam (now known as Chic & Basic) in the Jordaan.  The location--a somewhat residential neighborhood (which I loved) is an easy ten-minute walk to the central train station. 

We stayed in the borough of Frogner on the second leg
of our trip to Oslo...the first part we stayed more central.

3.  Know thy neighborhoods.  When visiting a city for the very first time, I spend a good chunk of time just researching neighborhoods.  Of course, I am thinking about safety, but also I am considering my personal tastes.  If I know people who have visited a city, I'll ask them about areas they would recommend, too.  I also like to stay in different locations on repeat visits.  For instance, when we went to Spain a few years ago, we stayed for the first part of the trip in the heart of it all--the Austrias quarter, which is in the center of Madrid, close to the Palace and shops, cafes, and of course...subway stops (the Opera Metro station).  On the way out of Spain, we chose to stay up near the embassies and business district in the Salamanca region of the city--also easier to reach the airport from this location.  We did the same thing for a trip to Oslo a few years back--staying at the front-end of the trip in a central section of town and on the way out picking a quieter, more tranquil section of Oslo, the Frogner borough near the famous Frogner Park.

4.  Use all available resources.  I use TripAdvisor and Frommer's as the two main places to explore lodging options.  If I find a hotel I like, I always go to the hotel's Web site to check for specials.  Using Google Maps to see the location and the "search nearby" option on Google Maps will bring up restaurants or other hotel choices. 

5.  Consider your priorities.  Is it all about saving some cash?  Would you prefer a hotel that has breakfast included?   Do you like big chains that are reliable or funky, small boutiques?  Do you avoid the B&B concept because you hate country kitsch?  Do you have to have a pool?  Good views?  There are a million more questions, but be clear on your top needs and you'll find the perfect place. Happy Searching!

Difficult to Reach Destinations.

This summer we're heading to Symi.  Have you heard of it?  Probably not.  But it is an important place in our family--some of the DINKs ancestors are from there, lived there for generations. Symi is a (tiny) island in the Dodecanse region of Greece.  It's a two-hour ferry ride from Rhodes (which you have probably heard of, but still not exactly and easy-to-reach destination).

Symi, Greece. Beautiful. But not easy to reach.

Because of a wide range of issues, we have a limited window for traveling and plan to spend a whole 7 days on Symi with the extended family.  So the challenge: how to get to Symi as quickly as possible?  There are no direct flights to Athens from DC.  And, well the Traveling DINKs HATE changing planes, but we have done Dulles to Paris to Athens before and that's not too bad, but prices on Air France were crazy and we would still need to fly to Rhodes and then ferry it to Symi.  So we wanted to see what else was out there.

We used Expedia and Orbitz to see what other options were out there and discovered we could fly to Rome or Istanbul direct.  We then decided to explore an airline we knew didn't surface on Expedia and Orbitz--the dreaded (but grudgingly used) Ryanair from Ireland.  We have used this low-cost carrier for strange hops in the past (Grenada to Madrid and Belfast to Glasgow). Sure enough, there was a flight from Rome to Rhodes--allowing us to bypass Athens.  But the times didn't work out so we started looking at Turkish Airlines--thinking of flying from Dulles to Istanbul, spend a few days in Istanbul then on to Bodrum, Turkey and then a series of ferries to Rhodes, then Symi.  But doing this route completely blows our plan for a short and  simple route out of the water, plus the timing wasn't exactly awesome for all the different pieces. 

I decided to search Ryanair one more time as they have multiple options into Rhodes from all over Europe.  And low and behold!  A new flight announced from London Stanstead!  So I snapped that up allowing us to fly Dulles to London and then onto Rhodes.  Perfect and Easy.  Bookend the trip with a few nights in London (allowing us to have a couple good Indian meals and wander around one of our favorite cities) and able to bypass Athens and then zip over to Symi on the many ferries that move between Rhodes and Symi each day.

So to sum up the tips:  Start with the big search engines to explore all your direct flight options; then see what low-cost carriers have to offer; don't hesitate to reach out to local travel agents.  A travel agency in Bodrum and Symi both confirmed ferry service timetables for me and cemented my feelings that the fewer ferries, the better.

Portrush—Don’t Stay Here! But Eating Here is Okay.

This old Victorian strucuture was a coverted coffeeshop
and really the only nice building in Portrush.

So County Antrim is pretty empty and wild.  Hotel choices are few and hotels that actually have Web sites are even fewer.  So I do understand why Kevin chose Portrush.  It’s one of the larger villages and the hotel we stayed in is recommended in the books by Rick Steves (a Rick Steves’ tour was actually there during our stay).  But based on my experience: Portrush is a seedy dump.  And that’s putting it nicely.  Trailerparks ring the city and there is an empty, decaying feel to the central section. There are a few Old Victorian buildings that still give the place a regal, vintage feel, but most of Portrush is rundown and filled with arcades and fish-and-chip shops.  We also had the misfortune of being in Portrush during some sort of annual air show.  I think all of Northern Ireland attended and traffic was a pure nightmare.  We seemed to be the only people not there for the air show.  I did learn an important travel lesson: if you are going to a rural location that cannot manage traffic, best to find out if there are any holidays/festivals/events happening.  Because we could not find parking in Portrush, we spent the late afternoon at a hotel on the highway outside of town and watched a wedding reception gather.  We also enjoyed a nice walk on the beach as the rainy morning turned into a sunny afternoon. 

Samples of the vast array of door signs.
Our favorite: "Hard of Hearing."

The hotel, itself, was tired and I found the staff unfriendly, which is pretty amazing as most of the Irish we encountered were among the friendliest people on the planet.  They had a parking garage, for instance, but wouldn’t let us use it to park during the air show.  Their attitude was: well, it was a well-publicized event so we (as foreigners not two days in the county) should have been well aware of it!

I would urge travelers to try to stay in the very tiny village right next to Portrush, Portballintrae.  They have at least one hotel, the Bayview Hotel, which has favorable reviews on Trip Advisor.

Being an easy 10-minute drive from Portrush, you can take advantage of more restaurant options.  We had a solid Italian Meal at Don Giovanni’s in Portrush and one of the better meals of the entire trip, an elegant dinner at 55 Degrees North . 

The tiny village of Portballintrae (standing on the outskirts) would have been a better place to stay in our view.

Giant's Causeway

Besides taking in the rural and rugged coast of Northern Ireland, The DINKs wanted to check out the UNESCO World Heritage site known as The Giant’s Causeway.  Folk legend Finn McCool (Fionn mac Cumhail) allegedly built the causeway to walk to Scotland and battle his Scottish counterpart Benandonner.   One version of the legend tells that Finn fell asleep before he got to Scotland. When he did not arrive, the much larger Benandonner crossed the bridge looking for him. To protect Finn, his wife Oonagh laid a blanket over him so he could pretend that he was actually their baby son. When Benandonner saw the size of the “infant,” he assumed the alleged father, Finn, must be gigantic indeed. Therefore, Benandonner fled home in terror, ripping up the Causeway in case he was followed by Finn.  This legend corresponds with geologic fact: a portion of the same geologic wonder (aka “causeway) is visible in Staffa, Scotland. 

Giant’s Causeway is actually 40,000 basalt columns (some 12 meters high) created during ancient volcanic eruptions 50-60 million years ago.  I’m not going to go into too much detail, here.  I’ll let the pictures speak for our impressions, but hiking on and around Giant’s Causeway should be on everyone’s “bucket list.”

Singapore's Dynamic Food Scene.

Everyone told us we would really enjoy the food in Singapore.  I have to admit: I was skeptical.  I am not a huge fan of Asian cuisine.  I don't mind it, but it's just not something I crave.  But after visiting Singapore I realize why I have never particularly craved Asian food--I just have never had good, authentic versions of it.  Because of the diverse cultures that make-up Singapore's population, you can eat Malay, Thai, Korean, Chinese, Indian, and a hybrid food that is Malay-Chinese called Peranakan.


Food vendors are highly regulated in Singapore.  Food stall owners are forced to post their grades from the health department--A, B, or C so customers know the sanitary conditions.  You can either find these vendors clustered open tent structures or more bricks and mortar, still open air structures called Hawker Centers.  There are several famous ones, such as Maxwell Road in Chinatown or Newton Circus, but there are small ones peppered throughout the city.  One night, we stumbled on a small, Hawker Center with about ten food stalls and a clutch of tables being staffed by a lively barmaid.  You order your food and then go to a different stall and order a beer and then staff from the stalls bring your food to you and you pay them.  The range of foods at these stalls is impressive--stir-fry noodle and rice dishes, dumplings, kebabs, soups, and each vendor tends to specialize in chicken or beef or seafood.  Because of the diverse population that includes Muslim and  Hindu, halal and vegetarian options are in abundance.  Not only are the choices impressive, food is dirt cheap.  We averaged spending $10 per person and that includes one or two beers.  Although hotels are pricey in Singapore, food and public transit make Singapore a destination for travelers of all price points.


Kevin and Chris eating at the Maxwell Road Hawker Center in Chinatown.



Besides the Hawker Centers, a slightly more tame version of the vendor scene can be found in the plethora of malls that are literally on every corner and part of every MRT station in downtown Singapore.  To escape a rainstorm on our first day, we scurried into a mall near the Botanical Gardens and enjoyed an amazing meal of spicy squid.  We continued to eat our way through the food courts and hawker centers during our visit, usually eating at least one, if not two meals there each day. 

I can say that I never tired of the fresh, stir-fried meals and now crave Asian food--at least the kind you can eat in Singapore.





Sentosa Island—very faux, but very fun.

Heading to Sentosa Island via the cable cars.

Full disclosure: I haven’t been to Disney World since I was ten and other than passing through the airport, I haven’t been to Las Vegas so I lack the expertise of faux kingdoms and do not necessarily seek them out.  Still, we had heard a lot about Singapore’s Sentosa Island so for my one, conference-free day, we decided to check it out. 

It’s easy to reach Sentosa and there are a lot of ways to get there: by car via a bridge, by monorail, by ferry, and if you want to pull out all the stops—by cable car.  We chose to splurge and live it up—we took the cable car!  I had not been on a cable car in years—and realized, I’m not a huge fan of being suspended from a tiny cable, but the views of Singapore and Sentosa were worth the queasy knot in my stomach. 

Anne taking the luge ride down to Silosa Beach.

As you approach Sentosa, you notice there is a flurry of construction still going on.  You also notice a giant stone lion head emerging from a jungle tangle.  Sentosa is home to a Universal Studios, a Casino that costs $80 just to enter, and an array of other amusements and attractions.  It’s like Singapore’s very own theme park and I could see how it’s a great little family retreat for locals.

As we climbed out of the cable car, they offered to sell us a picture of us in the cable car.  As you step out of the cars, you are assaulted by a shop filled with souvenirs and little tables filled with knickknacks and one table with a guy offering you the amazing chance to hold a snack and have a picture taken—uh, no thanks! 

And every aspect of Sentosa is an amusement--luge rides, chair lifts, water shows, aquariums, rock walls, sand volleyball courts, trapeze and tight-rope walking opportunities.   We scurried over to the luge, which affords you the opportunity to ride down to the main beach—Silosa—in a seriously fun way and then take a chair lift back up to the top.  I have to say, the luge ride was a blast and I had a dopey grin on my face the whole time.  Of course, photos were snapped and offered to us for sale.  As we took a few candid shots on the way down, we declined the opportunity.

Kevin examining a fake rock on the man-made beach.

We spent the rest of the daytrip, wandering the manmade beaches and little islands (connected by piers and rope bridges) of Sentosa.  We lucked out and had a rain-free day (the only one of the trip!).  It was a Thursday so it was pretty quiet.  The beach walks were pleasant and the faux rock boulders and little islands dotting the way were charming.  I have to say, I enjoyed our beach stroll.  We stopped for some overpriced beer and bad pizza at a beach bar, but sitting on a terrace watching the quiet afternoon go by made up for the food.  As Kevin observed, we counted Sikhs, Indian, Chinese, American and many other tourists/locals enjoying Sentosa—all happy, all seeking a quiet afternoon.  Moments like that make the world feel smaller and that our differences are not so vast.  Who knew we’d find such a philosophical lesson on corny Sentosa Island?

Singapore’s MRT: The Greatest Subway in the World.

I am not prone to hyperbole so the title of this blog entry is stating the truth: I was blown away by Singapore’s public transportation infrastructure.  Efficient, cheap, vast, it was everything you could want in a transportation system.  I think a lot of cities and countries could learn a few lessons by studying the MRT (are you listening Metro?). 

The plastic card you recycle for a deposit after a trip is complete.

First, let me list my qualifications as to why my opinion is valid.  I have been a commuter on DC’s Metro for the last 10 years.  Besides my daily commute, I have used the New York subway, the Boston MBTA, the Chicago CTA, the London Underground many times.  I have also tried San Francisco’s BART, Prague’s Metro, Metro de Madrid, Athens’ Metro, Paris’s Metro, Vienna’s U-Bahn, the tram systems of Amsterdam and Oslo, and many bus lines across the United States, Mexico, and Europe.  So this isn’t my first rodeo on a subway.

Why I Love Singapore’s MRT…let me count the ways…

1.       Ease of use.  From the machines to the clearly marked signs, it is very easy to use.  Fares are determined by destination, but the machine makes it so easy to calculate cost.  You pick “single trip” and the “select destination” and a map of the system appears and you touch the station you need to reach.  The price is calculated!  A plastic ticket is then dispensed.  When you are finished with your trip, you return the plastic ticket to a machine for a dollar refund. 

2.       The station agents are actually helpful.  Because the machines only give 4 dollars or less in change,  I needed to get change a few times and the station agents kindly make change for you—asking how many tickets you plan on getting so you have enough coins versus dollars.  

3.       Clean.  Probably not surprising, considering the city of Singapore’s reputation, but no litter, no food—sparkling, shiny new feeling throughout the stations and trains.

Arrows direct traffic flow making it smooth and quick.

4.       Quick.  The longest I had to wait for a train was maybe 4 minutes.  We took the trains at all hours, over weekends, etc., and never had to wait long.  You are also kept updated by computer monitors about the wait times. 

5.       Scope.  The subway allows you to reach huge swaths of the city and the amazing thing is the system is still growing.  We had Lonely Planet travel book from 2009 and an ENTIRE LINE wasn’t even on the subway map.  IT HAD BEEN BUILT IN TWO YEARS.  They are in the process of connecting the National University of Singapore (where I had the conference) with the subway.  I’m guessing if I go back there next year that will be completely done.

6.       Etiquette.  The helpful arrows on the floor, allow for traffic to easily flow out and onto the trains.  The stand on the right is reversed here (British colonial times to thank), but quicker walkers were able to move to their pace.  Seats were given to elderly passengers, quickly and without a fuss. 

7.       Safe.  Brightly lit stations, which were full at all hours.  Plus, glass walls separate the platform from the track so there is no way to fall onto the rails--I had never seen this before and it makes so much sense.

8.       Cheap.  The cheapest subway I think I’ve ridden on. Most rides were less than $1USD, even during rush hour.

9.       Finally…the escalators were glorious.  All functioning!  And, they move at quite the clip compared to the slow Metro escalators.  They were utterly magical.

I'm too tall to ride free, but it's cheap so that's okay.

Singapore: Opening Thoughts

I am interrupting my diligent postings on our trip to the UK from last August to share some musings about our trip to Singapore.  I had heard mixed feedback from friends who had been there.  Some gushed. Others found it boring and soulless.  I have to say after visiting Singapore, Kevin and I fall in the gushing category--I loved it more than I ever thought I could.  This was our first trip to Asia and I have to say, Singapore is a great "gateway" trip for those wanting to ease into exploring Asia.

Business district of thoroughly modern Singapore.

First of all, it's easy.  No language barrier.  Safe. Clean.  Efficient.  Brilliant transportation infrastructure (I plan to devote an entire post the my love of the MRT--Singapore's subway).  Being ignorant about Singapore's history, I did not anticipate the diversity of this tiny city state. Chinese, Indian, Malay and countless other ethnicities live together.  Religious diversity is also obvious with Churches, Buddhist and Hindu temples and Mosques scattered across Singapore.

I will post about more about the trip in the coming weeks, but I have to say our trip to Singapore was fantastic and I returned impressed and inspired.

Driving the Antrim Coast Road (A2)



Kevin in the Saab rental near Ballygalley.

The Traveling DINKs are not big road warriors. Most times when we travel, we choose to stay near public transit and pedestrian-friendly locations.  But once you leave the boundaries of Belfast, you really need a car to see Northern Ireland properly.  So we picked up a rental at the airport (an aging Saab with over 60K miles on it) and headed towards the A2.

There are two routes to reach County Antrim, which was our destination--you can cut across the middle of Northern Ireland along a true motorway or you can take the curvy road along the coast A2.  We decided to take the scenic route up because we had the whole day and would take the fast, motorway back for the return trip.



Anne near Carrickfergus Castle

 We first stopped at Carrickfergus to visit the Castle there, which was built in 1177.  We were there too early to explore the castle proper, but we did wonder around the town, which was bustling with locals running errands and chatting with neighbors.  One of the interesting things you'll find in Northern Ireland are the loyalist areas have union jack streamers decorating the streets.  We noticed this quite a bit in Carrickfergus.

Waterfall, Glenariff Forest Park.

We hopped back on the A2 and spent the next few hours making our way up the coast, stopping in Ballygalley and attempting to find something to eat in Waterfoot.  Instead, we took the A43 away from the coast and took a lunchtime hike in Glenarrif National Forest.  There are a series of nine valleys known as Glens of Antrim.  Besides being lovely, green valleys, each has a distinct culture and history.  After navigating an unwieldy parking meter (it only took coins and there were several people standing around it rather perplexed), we took hiked along a waterfall trail and took a break enjoying the vistas munching on a mint Aero and some crisps.  After our hike, we took some pictures of the heather, which was just past peak.  We then returned to the A2 and the lovely coastal scenery. 



Fields of purple heather, Northern Ireland.



My favorite stop of the day was Whitepark Bay near Ballycastle and Bushmills. This beach trail flowed through green meados and along rocky shores.  The bright sunshine made the beauty of the location even more intense.  I felt lucky to be there, experience that moment.  It just felt really special--the whole day just had that magical feeling.  When the weather, plans, all work out.  It felt perfect.

Scenic Whitepark Bay, County Antrim.

After wandering along the beach trail, we hopped in the car for our final stop Bushmils Distillery.  Whiskey has been distilled in this area of Northern Ireland since 1608.  So of course we had to buy some Irish  Whiskey from there!



Bushmills Distillery, County Antrim.



The whole day is a happy memory--cruising the A2, driving on the left-hand side of the road through little villages and seaside towns.