Monthly Archives: November 2009

Perth and the Book of the Dead

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Australia is a unique place, and a particularly spectacularly unique place to visit.  Its land has been inhabited by human beings for over 40,000 years, and the last few centuries have seen a European settlement that now constitutes its larger cities.  The last century has brought in a large number of foreign-born residents, and the result is a fantastically multi-cultural population brought on by complexities of history that are still very much in flux.  The cities themselves are amazingly global, but all seem to have an individualist character that is uniquely Australian.  Perth, because of its relative isolation in Australia, is even more unique.

That’s one of many reasons why Perth boutique hotels seem like a natural thing here, because they appeal to individual sensibilities, and offer a lodging experience that is extremely precious and particular.  They lose nothing of the splendid hospitality and contemporary conveniences offered by the larger luxury hotels, but are much more individual in nature.  This makes for a very lovely way to see a very lovely city.  Culturally, Perth has a splendid history, and can combine tradition with extremely radical innovations that is difficult to find anywhere else.  There are cultural productions that begin here and make their way around the world, and sometimes are a decade ahead of their time, as is the case with Elision’s Opening of the Mouth, which had its UK premiere in the fall of 2009.

The show was first commissioned by the Festival of Perth, and was developed from 1992-1997.  It had a spectacular life more than ten years ago, and it’s lovely to see it getting new life again.  It’s an amazing work.  Elision is a chamber music ensemble that began in Melbourne and now has its administrative home in Brisbane, and they’ve always tended toward extremely unique performance presentations.  This work is based on the work of Celan, and combined with the ceremony from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, where amulets are placed on the mouth of the recently deceased so they have the power of speech when they begin their journey on the other side.  This dark adventure is a major work of performance that’s deserved another reincarnation for some time now, and it will undoubtedly speak well for the sensibilities of Perth.

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Goa is Best Off Season

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The train journey was pretty much uneventful, except crossing the mountains on the border of Goa, which gave us some fantastic views of the tropical forest and some high peaks, tumbling waterfalls in lush greenery and a river. All these were enhanced due to it being the end of the rainy season.

We arrived at Margoa’s main railway station and hired a rickshaw to take us to our five star hotel Goa for a three night stay. We freshened up in our room and headed for the beach. The beach was long, it continued for miles. We passed a few other beach resorts and it became obvious to us that we had arrived out of the main season. We only saw a handful of tourists as we strolled along the beach. I remember the last time I was here, in season, and this place was shoulder to shoulder full of tourists. So, in comparison, this was really peaceful and nice, meaning that we had our choice of beach and cafes. But, this also meant we were targets for every seller selling their bracelets, pashminas and henna tattoos. There were all friendly, but in the end we were so bored with anyone trying to fling something in our face. We learned to say NO very loudly and sternly so that they didn’t even get close to us.

We spent our days laying on the beach, mostly in the shade of a palm or sitting in a cafe with a nice cold beer, reading a book or checking up on the Internet. At one of the cafes, we met an Israeli guy who has been in India for several months now. He had come from the north of India and was making his way south. So, we exchanged information with each other, as he new what to expect up north and we knew what to expect coming from the south.

Fishing is one of the main occupations here, which as a result, meant all of the cafes server very inexpensive seafood. We ate prawn curry with fresh king prawns and one night, we ate an entire grilled tuna severed with vegetables and chips. Plus, the beer in Goa is relatively cheap too. So, to down our inexpensive seafood, we ordered  a large bottle of Kingfisher or Cobra.

There are a large number of stray dogs in Goa, and mainly on the beach. They appear friendly enough, but occasionally we’d witness scraps amongst the dogs, which tended to be violent. We kept our distance, but on one occasion, I took some tuna scraps from my dinner and fed one of the more hungry looking dogs.

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Super City Center

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Kuala Lumpur Malaysia has a most impressive city center. Within the city center you can choose from one of the luxury hotels Kuala Lumpur has to offer. Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia and is bustling with 1.5 million people. It is the best place in the country to tap into culture, politics, technology and commerce. Coming out from the centre visitors will find many interesting sights and plentiful shopping.

One of the most visited attractions in the center of the city is the Petronas Twin Towers. These towers are some of the tallest buildings in Malaysia. You can see the bridge that goes between the towers on the 41st and 42nd level. If you have a chance to take a walk across the sky bridge it will show you the most amazing views of the city and surrounding areas. The twin towers have many places to eat and be entertained. Visitors can see the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra here as well as the Petrosains Discovery Center.

When it is time to get out and take in some of the local fresh air, nothing is more tranquil than the the park in the center of the city. KLCC Park it is called in short is a must visit. Inside this park built by Roberto Burle Marx, you will find an safe haven for tropical greenery and birds. There are 1900 types of trees and 66 different types of palms spread out over about 50 acres of stress free land. There are many pools of water through out the park including the very large dancing waterfalls. There are many elements and textures well designed together here for lots of harmony.

There are fun places for the kids to play like in the children’s pools and playgrounds. Take a walk on the large elevated bridge located in the center of the park where visitors can see all the grand architecture that laces around the park. If you are up to picking up the pace, there is also a jogging track that goes around the one of the most beautiful places in Kuala Kumpur.

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Intriguing Mysterious Lights Over Lubbock

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Lubbock, Texas is a historic old western town located in the northwest part of Texas. It is the 9th largest city in the United States. Commonly known as the Hub City, it is the center of health, education and economics industries for the several counties that make up the South Plains area. This area also has the largest, continuously grown cotton fields in the world. Lubbock County was founded in 1876 and received its name from a Confederate Colonel, Thomas Saltus Lubbock. Colonel Lubbock was also a member of Terry’s Texas Rangers, a group of Texas volunteers for the Confederate Army. In 1884, Lubbock, Texas had a federal post office in the Yellow House Canyon.

In August 1951, Lubbock really gained public attention. There were a series of lights creating a V shaped formation in the sky. Several science professors from Texas Tech University witnessed these lights and a Texas Tech student photographed the lights. These witnesses were deemed credible, the photos were circulated throughout the country and the Air Force did an extensive investigation. They acknowledged the photos were authentic and were definitely true objects. They did not confirm they were actual UFO’s. Many have disputed the findings of the Air Force and the Lubbock Lights remain a mystery to this day.

There is so much to see and do in Lubbock and the surrounding area. If you are into history, this is a terrific place to visit, what with the museums and historic sites. And if history isn’t your thing? Well, never fear, there is plenty for you to see and do. Take in a Texas Tech football game, or attend any number of different sporting activities. There is theatre, festivals, nightclubs, shopping, hiking, dining. And of course the hotels Lubbock offers are an experience also. You will be greeted by friendly, polite staff and the amenities are numerous. Enjoy your time in Lubbock, and keep your eye on the sky.

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Perfect Sunsets in Formentera

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Formentera is all about the the sunshine and smiles. We arrived in Formentera via boat from Denia. After exiting the boat, we encountered the first big bump in the road. It seems that the incompetent real estate agent made a mistake, he entered our dated into his log book wrong, so the house we were going to rent was rented to another group. We had to book one of the hotels Formentera offers for two days. An unexpected cost, but a pleasant episode. The agency felt so bad, that we got the villa for half the price!

Another bump in the road happened before we arrived in Formentera, we were delayed at the Barcelona Airport for three hours due to a bomb scare in Ibiza. The bomb turned out to be a carry-on bag of a British chap who stayed up all night in the Ibiza clubs and was so drunk and disoriented when he got onto his flight that he left his bag in the waiting area of the airport.

Once we got situated in our villa, we could see how the Formentera relaxation took over our personalities. Then four of our friends arrived, three days later and we could see the Formentera effect take over them as well. Once all our friends recovered from their Jet Lag, the fun began.

Our days were filled full of activities, kayaking into the sunset, cycling to the cliffs, enjoying the array of beaches, power walking in the morning. My favorite were the days spent at Illetes, its a narrow strip of land that extends into the Mediterranean from Es Pujols. Water is on both sides, one side is rough and the other is calm. While there, we played volleyball, hiked the rock sculptures. Artisans mysteriously completed some of the most ingenious creations out of simple rock. We contributed with our own creation as well.

Sunsets here in Formentera are spectacular. This island is 11 miles long an is situated in a remote area of the Mediterranean, so when the sun begins to set, all Formentera becomes a sunset party. Every sunset was perfect. Our favorite place to watch the sunset was at Big Sur. We’d sip Mojitos and laid in each others arms and say nothing.

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Bringing the Personal Touch Back into Business

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Not many businesses work in the mindset of the personal touch these days.  Many business owners are concerned with the bottom line, and in this economy they should be, however if that is all that they are concerned with, the bottom line may still be affected.  The personal touch is what happens when customer service policies are honest, when they are true.  It is what is taught in any great sales training program, and if it is not, well it should be.

This is true for small companies and large companies.  Many will say that the personal touch is not possible to achieve in large corporations, but walk into any Trader Joe’s Grocery store in the country, and soon the cashiers will be sharing their favorite dinner recipes with you.  It is not impossible.  And this has more to do with just being nice, it will serve a company well in this economy, it will boost that bottom line, when customers really do matter.  It gives the kind of business edge that you can not pay for advertising.

It does not take much time to simply say hello to someone, to acknowledge that they matter and the sales process improvement will go through the ceiling.  This is very identifiable when walking into a business, it is on the faces of and contained in the body language of the employees, how they are relating to the customers, and how they are relating to one another.

When I notice a staff member of a business helping out another customer, it affects my perspective as well, even if I am not approached or in need of assistance, I notice, and other customers do as well.   This takes some insight on the staff members part, as sometimes customers do not want to be chatty, or do not need help.  Knowing how to give them their space and still be available should the need arise, takes thought and knowledge of human behavior.   Integrating the personal touch is something that companies can do, it is easy, and it just all around, feels better.  For the customer and for the employee.

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Fauna, Flora, Goa

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Anyone wanting to explore the rich flora and fauna of India’s smallest state may do it in style in one of the five star hotels in Goa.  The region is also considered by conservationists as a hotspot of biodiversity, located on India’s west coast, bound to the North by the state of Maharashtra, and by Karnataka in the East and South,  and the Arabian Seat to the West.  The place is known for its fine beaches and architecture.  Goa, though, is especially known for its range of animal and plant life, due to its location on the Western Ghats range.

The Western Ghats, also known as Sahyadri Mountains, is a range running along the west side of India.  The area holds over about one hundred seventy-nine amphibian species, one hundred thirty-nine mammal species, five hundred and eight bird species, and over five thousand species of flowering plants.  Three hundred and twenty-five of globally threatened species live in the Western Ghats.

Over eighty percent of the flowering plants in the Western Ghats are in the species rich forests of the south.  The area holds numerous animals, too: such as the tiger and Asian elephant, as well as the sloth bear, all living in large areas of high-elevation, in grasslands, which harbor India’s biggest elephant population.  The flowers in the area include the blue flowers of Neelakurunji, which every twelve years give the grassland mountains their blue hue.

In addition to the flora and fauna of the region, if you arrive in Goa in February, you may wish to check out the Goa Carnival, a three day festival, somewhat akin to Mardi Gras, with a five hundred year old history.  Even though it’s essentially a Christian festival, everyone, regardless of faith, can participate.  The idea of the festival is largely to have fun with song, dance, and feasting before the forty-day period of Lent begins before Easter.  Throughout the state, many festivals are held, celebrating and displaying the culture of various communities, with different themes.

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Miles Upon Miles of New York City

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Susan and I were busy trying to pack in all the sights of New York City in 5 days! We got a metro card for 5 days and a Greyline ‘hop on hop off’ pass for 3 days. Plus, leather shoes to do a lot of walking. Tonight, we have tickets to go see Mamma Mia and tomorrow we’ll take the ferry to Staten Island, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty. But before that, we picked up our Russian Visa’s for our trip in October. We’ll travel from Tallinn, Estonia and we’ll also visit Moscow and the Kremlin for sure.

We met up with a Russian friend of a friend who was staying at one of the luxury hotels New York City offers to all the elite travelers and had tea in her beautiful hotel room and it was not far from Central Park. The one star hotel we were staying at really paled in comparison, but it too was not far from Central Park, it just was not as fancy or as accommodating as hers. We needed to meet her before we headed out to Frankfurt, she had a gift she wanted to give our friend of a friend. She knew we were headed out to make a visit with her in Frankfort.

We then met up with another friend at the Park Savoy and that was only a block away from Central Park as well. This hotel was built sideways on the street so there was no lobby. It also was a no frills hotel like the one we were staying at. After that visit, we finally had time to take a walk through Central Park itself. We visited Strawberry Fields, walked past the Dakota where John Lennon lived, we past The Lake, the Fields, the Playground, the Reservoir, the Great Lawn, then we walked to the 96th street exit and headed to the upper East Side. Fifth Avenue, Park Avenue, Madison Avenue, Lexington. We walked all the way down through those streets and we made a stop at the Russian Embassy where we ordered our Russian Visas.

We were done walking for one day, so we hailed a taxi back to our hotel. We wanted to get plenty of rest for our next walking excursion to Bloomingdale, Tiffany’s, the Diamond District, Saks Fifth Avenue, the Barbizon and then to the famous Algonquin Hotel on 44th street. Many, many miles.

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Australia Paradise

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The best way to put yourself into the middle of a paradise is by picking an Australia Spa Resort. Whether you fancy being surrounded by Bottleneck Dolphins along the Australia Ocean Coast or fascinated with the prehistoric type Goanna of the Great Victoria Desert, Australia is a wonderful place. Visit the Wallaroo in the near by grasslands. You couldn’t go to Australia and not see a Wallaroo or even a Koala Bear high in the trees. Speaking of trees, find the colorful tree frog in the Blue Mountains. If you have excellent night vision goggles maybe you could see a sugar glider in the trees of the forest too. If you find a little baby one, maybe he could move into your pocket.

You could find yourself getting so smitten with the beautiful animals of Australia that you may want to take your family to visit the Australia Walkabout Wildlife Park. What an education you could have seeing all of the glorious land animals in their habitats all on one spectacular ground. They have so many different walks to take you on. All of which, lead you into mini versions of all the different terrain where the many animals live.

However, if it’s the ocean you are more interested in, try a boat charter off the coast. There are many charters ready to take you out to see all the aqua life. Bring along a snorkle so you can dive right in and get the best view of the see creatures. Creatures like the Dugong, Sawfish, Cuttlefish, Yabby or the Fairy Penguin all mixed in with so many other colorful fish. Then of course, the end of a day in paradise could be topped off with some of the best locally bottled wine. There are so many notable wineries. Shiraz is the grape variety that this beautiful country is known for. So pick Australia as a paradise destination some day. With the witty people, spectacular sights and the special animals you can’t go wrong.

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Tampa Offers Beaches, Golfing, Boating and More

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There are so many reasons why Tampa, FL is such a popular tourist destination. Being located on Florida’s west cost and on a bay off the Gulf of Mexico the waters here are warm and they are calm too. It is a short distance to the Gulf of Mexico if more wave action is to your taste.

When in Tampa we always have a good time. Friendly people are always willing to offer advice on restaurants and other tings to do. There are no less than ten golf courses in the Tampa area ranging in difficulty and price to suite any budget or skill level. A week golfing in Tampa would not be a difficult thing to do!

If getting out onto the water is your taste there are many places to charter or rent a boat for the day or more. In addition there are many scheduled tour boats offering visitors tours of Tampa Bay all day long. May I recommend an evening dinner and dancing tour for a really special and romantic time on the bay. If you are looking for something more adventurious on the water consider going on a deep sea fishing charter boat. Or try your hand at parasailing, jet skiing or water skiing. At any age and ability level there are an endless variety of water activities to become involved in.

With several miles of public beaches for the sun worshiper and swimmer you just cannot go wrong. There are so many beaches available finding a quiet spot is usually not difficult at all.

For the younger crowd there are plenty of trendy nightclubs to experience where dancing the night away will be no problem at all.

Our winter trips usually include several days of beach going, a round or two of gulf, plenty of fine seafood eating and lots of relaxation.

We have our reservations made at Tampa luxury hotels for our winter break this year. Maybe we’ll see you there.

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