Flatt: Ideal vacation village

Visiting Flatt was Sue’s idea. She so desperately wanted to vacation in Bermuda that I had no choice but to agree. There are no hotels in the Flatt village so we got Sheena to book a reservation for us at one of the best beach resorts, Ramada Plaza Nags Head Beach situated on the Kill Devil Hills in North Carolina.

The next morning we went to visit the Bermuda Aquarium Museum set up by the Bermuda Government. We saw and were thoroughly charmed by the chow, a seabird that would have become extinct but for the efforts of the museum authorities. We also other species like the Whistling Frog, the Beautiful Eastern Blue Bird, and the Bermuda Cedar.

The Aquarium houses over 200 types of fishes, seals, and marine turtles. The aquarium, like the zoo, is a recent addition.

At the zoo we saw Galapagos tortoises, the largest living samples of their species with longevity of 100 to 150 years. Of the original twelve species there are only ten left in the world today. Sue had seen these giant tortoises at Charles Darwin Foundation in Ecuador. For me, this was the first time. And I was quite daunted by their gigantesque appearance.
Wandering around the village we saw these quaint little pink buses which also serve as school buses. Drivers of these buses also don the roles of mentors, we discovered. They tend to discipline these youngsters and if anyone is found loitering around, he or she is yanked back into the bus firmly but kindly. You also need to be properly dressed before getting: bikinis and shorts are a definite no-no. The drivers also make sure that everybody is seated before taking off.

One night during our stay we ordered a typical Bermudian pizza for $14 with hamburgers, cheese, and onions from a Four Star Pizza store on North Shore Road of the village. Pretty good and also rather fresh.
For a relaxed, laid-back holiday Flatt is ideal.

Unforgettable Positano

Looking at the Il San Pietro di Positano one of the world’s best luxury hotels, from afar Sue let out a gasp. The hotel is positioned over a cliff and molded according to its contours. “Did you know,” Sue exclaimed, “it is counted as amongst the top ten hotels in the world?” I could well believe her, who’s usually well up on facts and trivia.

The porter wheeled our luggage into the elevator at the base of hotel opposite which is an unpretentious-looking church. The elevator let us out into the main lobby. Once there, we held our breath once again. It is one the largest and the most beautiful lobbies I have ever seen. Adorned by paintings and sculptures it runs into a terrace with the most exotic foliage. The first impression was certainly a charming one.

Since our plane had been delayed we had a quiet dinner inside our hotel room and turned in early. The next day Sue wanted to visit the famous Isle of Capri which, thanks to our travel agent Sheena, had been booked beforehand. No last-minute bookings here, we were told. Later I was to thank her profusely over the telephone.

The turquoise waters around this bejeweled piece of land are crystal clear; we were able to see the rich sea-bed beneath as though watching through a glass. We couldn’t miss seeing the Blue Grotto, could we? Passing through the cave we were struck by the rich blue tints of the waters, the silvery sheen of the light. The experience was sheer heaven and a little difficult to put into words. It was 4 pm when we returned to Positano. Both Sue and I were too overwhelmed by what we’d seen to be able to speak.

On our last morning we traversed the city on foot which, we discovered, is so easy thanks to little stairs and steps leading up and down the city. That too, was an experience in itself- quite unforgettable.

Sintra: Quaint and pretty

“Pretty unique,” Sue said as we strolled up and down the Palacio National. She was pointing towards the chimneys which, I agree, appear pretty unique to the urban cape of the Portuguese city of Sintra. We were standing close to the kitchen area of the palace which was basically an enclosed corridor with rows of fireplaces- ancient cooking ranges. Very quaint. We also saw these gigantic racks with large utensils that were once utilized for preparing royal dishes.

Going through the 14th century palace I was particularly enamored with the Royal Court of Arms with its blue and white tiled walls. Sue, on the other hand, liked the long Swans’ Hall containing ceiling panels painted with – you guessed right – swans.

It was lunchtime by the time we repaired to our hotel in the more ancient part of the city. The Lawrence S Hotel that Sheena had booked for us is one of the prettiest and oldest hotels and is also one of the world’s best luxury hotels in the Iberian Peninsula. An ancient manor house of the 18th century it has been beautifully restored to keep up with contemporary times. The reception, bar, and lounge areas are well-designed and spacious.

Sue wanted to go out souvenir shopping in the evening. The concierge as well as hotel guests had mentioned that taking a walk in the old part of the city would prove to be very fruitful, and it did! Sintra is choc-a-bloc with quaint shops and outlets with the greatest local artwork and craft. Little alleys, nooks and corners had some amazing pieces of crockery, ceramics, tiles, even fabrics. Sue bought some lovely embroidered stuff and pieces of pottery.

Not wanting to eat at the hotel particularly we drove out to this place called Galamares not too far from the main town. I would recommend its services, ambience and food any day. Do try their duck rice, its fantastic!

Kazakhstan: A place of scenic charm and culture

Some friends who’d traveled to Kazakhstan a year ago had recommended Almaty to us. Sue, the culture buff and ever so erudite, had immediately looked up the encyclopedia and the net to inform me, in that special knowledgeable way she has, that Almaty was not only the cultural centre of central Asia – a big plus as far as she is concerned – but also a major financial hub, a former capital of Kazakhstan and continues to be its largest city. I also learnt that it figures amongst the top 50 most expensive cities in the world. Certainly not the most comforting of thoughts, I joked to her!

Flying from London we changed planes at Abu Dhabi and landed at Almaty courtesy of Etihad Airways.

A taxi took us to one of the best luxury hotels, Ambassador Hotel at $25. We later realized, to our dismay, that the hotel could have arranged a free pick-up for us had we requested it. The Ambassador is very comfortable with a great location. It is also quite business-like with a large conference hall, lobby bar, and business center.

The next morning we went to meet Sofia and her husband Kamal, a couple we’d met in Boston, who lived at the end of a rather charming street called Dostyk Avenue. At their insistence we went to explore the Panfilov Park practically next door to where they live. “You must visit the Glory Monument,” Sofia had said over coffee and muffins to us.
She was right; we loved it. The sculptures of the soldiers who gave up their lives in defense of Moscow during the Great Patriotic War of the 1940s are terrifically executed and very dramatic. I found the Glory Memorial surrounding the Eternal Flame and the sculpture of the soldier leading the horses of his slain friends very touching.

Feeling somber we drove up to the Auezov Drama Theatre where nothing was on, yet. Kamal wanted to go to a place called Dastarkhan for “some amazing Kazakh food.” But I, who was getting mesmerized by the snow-capped peaks of the Tian Shan Mountains, simply pulled up a chair at this simple meal kiosk drinking in the view. Lovely!

Bhutan: Royally hospitable

The best way to get to Bhutan, we had been told, was through India. This Shangri-La of the East is a tight-lipped land-locked Himalayan Lilliput, home to extraordinary sights and peaceful serenity. The original name of this petite country is ‘Druk Yul’ which translates to the ‘Land of the Peaceful Thunder Dragon’. It was Marco Polo who named it ‘Bootan’ during his famed peregrinations. It was only in the early 70s that the cloistered country threw open its doors to foreigners and visitors. And a good thing too, as Sue and I discovered.

Traveling to Bhutan was an impulsive decision on Sue’s part who wanted to see part of the Himalayas and the lovely Buddhist monasteries, the vaunted boast of this near-hidden land. We were still in Delhi where we contacted a tour agent who arranged our visas for us (Indian nationals do not require them, we learnt) which were stamped in Thimpu, the capital of the country. For $ 474 (per head) the tour operators booked us seats with Druk Air and we landed at the Paro International Airport. The drive up to the hotel was scenic and beautiful and it got quite dark by the time our friendly cab driver drove us to this place called the Kichu Resort, which is one of the world’s best resorts. We were both charmed by the hospitality and warmth of the hotel staff that immediately welcomed us with hot tea and snacks.

The next morning we set off for Thimpu. Another scenic drive that drove our senses wild. The Yeezdin Guest House booked by our agent is centrally located and very large. While the city is certainly picturesque with some really beautiful spots we could see large-scale construction taking place almost everywhere. For a capital city it is really small but efficiently run.

Like the Indians the Bhutanese too love their food hot and spicy as we discovered when we stopped by at a place called Bhutan Kitchen. I liked the cheese-baked dishes, though. I also liked their local beer called Arrakh. Tastes mild but what a bite!

Anchorage: a unique Alaskan adventure

The last time Sue and I had been to Alaska we had simply rushed through Anchorage in our bid to explore the Great Land and its bounties. This time, visiting this city – laughingly referred to as Los Anchorage by many – was my idea, not Sue’s. Upon the advice of friends I had even gone ahead and booked the Econo Lodge Hotel, one of the world’s best hotels.The hotel has a free shuttle and we landed safe and sound at this rather old little inn with this rather old-world, comfy atmosphere.

The next day we put on our snow shoes and went off to this nice little ski resort called Alpenglow in the Chugach Mountains. Alpenglow being a volunteer-run resort, it doesn’t rent out gear and equipment. Just as well we had our own gear with us. After some heady skiing near-accidents we headed down a trail called Flattop. Somebody had told us back at the Lodge that it was the most popular trail in Anchorage and no wonder. Walking along it we saw some great views of Cook Inlet and the surrounding hills.

That night we decided to pass the diner at the Lodge in favor of this homely, cozy little place called Gwennies. I loved the soup, bread and sausage. They were also serving reindeer sausage which, frankly, I did not care to try.

The next morning Sue wanted to shop around for some gifts and souvenirs. Being a touristy sort of place Anchorage is choc-a-bloc with outlets catering to the needs of tourists. We settled for a rather quaint little place called Oomingmak: The Qiviut Shop. And am I glad we did. Run by Max Ox Producers Cooperative this store is a treasure trove of handmade scarves, caps, stoles, etc. The texture has to be seen – sorry, felt – to be believed. The items are knitted out of the Arctic Musk Ox wool, which is much finer than sheep’s wool and pretty steep price-wise.

This Alaskan adventure has been a truly unique one.

Abu Simbel: A temple village

Sue was still yawning inside the hotel room. Sheena, my travel agent, had booked for us the Nobaleh Ramsis, one of the world best hotels, which is pretty close to all the museums and historical sites.

We had to catch the plane from Cairo at 5.30 am. This meant no one had slept throughout the night. Add to that the revelry and the racket Sue’s cousins were making in the next room. Our first day in Abu Simbel, for the most part, was spent sleeping. We had considered driving in from Aswan but were told about the impossibility of getting in that way. “Security reasons,” a policeman in Cairo had said. We did see quite a few tourists getting off a bus, though.

Well meaning friends had advised us about acquiring enough information about the ancient exotic city – actually a village – situated in the north of the Sudanese border in Egypt as ‘you won’t even find the time to see it all.’ Sue, being the more erudite of us two, had done most of the reading. It was she who told me that the city had been rescued from the rising fury of Lake Nasser by the United Nations. But I was mainly interested in the temples dedicated to Rameses II, the Great.

The next morning we set off accompanied by a guide to explore the village hillside next to the Nile. Our guide directed us towards the magnificent temple of Rameses II, the Great. The temple, he told us in his halting English, had been reconstructed brick by brick when the flood waters had entered it, and relocated atop the hill. The four statues of the great Pharaoh are marvelous pieces of art, absolutely awesome. They face a man-made mountain that resembles a giant rock.

Abu Simbel, we noticed, was bereft of cosmopolitan life; there seems to be no place to eat out. So we ate at the Nobaleh Ramsis Hotel. A nice way to end a rather eventful day, say what?

Ulaanbaatar: Where drab becomes pretty

The first impression of the capital city of Mongolia is hardly the best. Sue summed it up with one word, ‘drab’. We had caught the train from Beijing which is so richly beautiful and thriving and this was a let down. Let down? Well, not really. For the city began to grow on us pretty soon, despite the biting cold and the miserable ambience. Sue had bought a map at the Mongolian Government Map shop located near the State Department Store. Not knowing the local language, Sue said, the map was going to fill in some ‘vital knowledge gaps’.

We took up accommodation at this rather cute place called Gana’s Guesthouse which is not too far from the railway station. It was better than staying at a ‘ger’ or a traditional tent or a dorm. We had a spacious double room to ourselves with toilet and shower. Very clean and comfortable. It was at night that we felt the bite of chill, ooooh! But the warmth of the staff more than made up for the chill. They were even kind enough to help us organize our tours for us. Ulaanbaatar being a small town we were able to undertake most of our excursions on foot. Our first visit was to the post office, a beautiful building with a lofty tower touching the clouds in one corner of the famous Sukhbaatar Square. We wanted to send off some postcards to friends and family and we found such a wide range of stamps and postcards that it boggled our minds!

We also took a tour of the National History Museum near the square which was quite informative. I particularly liked the huge skeleton of a dinosaur.

To try authentic Chinese food we went up to the Ulaanbaatar Hotel not too far from the Drama Theater. Both Sue and I loved the pineapple chicken with steamed noodles and rice. A ‘must try’ surely.