Author: Travels with Melinda

I want to share my passion for travel and empower you to see the world. I've traveled in more than 25+ countries, flown millions of miles and lived in China. A professional at both business and leisure travel, I can coach you to spread your wings and experience the best of what the world has to offer. I hope my videos help inspire you to take that first step and start planning your next adventure but, if you need more personalized help, please contact me directly.

Tower of London

On By Travels with MelindaIn LondonLeave a comment

A London “must see” is the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Tower of London. This huge site, encompassing 12 acres in Central London on the River Thames, includes the historic castle, palace, and prison all overseen by a witty band of Beefeaters. Now, I’ve been to London many times but have never managed to fit this “must see” site into our typically packed schedule, probably because it is huge and requires many hours to explore properly. Finally in September, I’m super glad that we were able to dedicate a whole day to checking it out.

We’re not huge fans of taking guided tours but we’ll take them occasionally if we feel that we would benefit from a download of background information while taking it all in. So, we booked the opening ceremony Tower of London/Crown Jewels/Tower Bridge tour (details below). Our small group only included 12 people and the guide. Perfect size for us! Meeting the group at 9 am at the designated spot near the Tower of London entrance, we walked right in and were greeted by a friendly female Beefeater (one of only 3 females out of the 32 in this elite group). Yes, I asked her about the Beefeater gender breakdown, which didn’t surprise me given the strict requirements.

Also known as Yeoman Warders, these Beefeaters are the ceremonial guardians of the Tower of London. The Beefeaters are all retired British Armed Forces members who must be former warrant officers with at least 22 years of service and hold the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. It’s a very competitive post to achieve. They all live on the grounds with their families. There were humorous stories galore shared from our Beefeater about her fellow guards and life at the Tower. One guard had teenagers that tried to sneak out of the walled grounds, but it didn’t go well when they tried to get back in after the gates were locked at night. Our Beefeater walked us through the history of the opening ceremony with the guards and the keys and then we got to experience it. If you are going to take a tour of the Tower of London, go early and include the keys ceremony. It is unique and well worth the cost and getting up early to get there.

After the opening ceremony, we went immediately to the Crown Jewel room (no pictures allowed and this time Thom behaved after a stern lecture from our guide that anyone trying to take pictures would be thrown out). Crowns, necklaces, and other jewelry of epic proportions were in secure glass enclosed cases that you walk around and gawk at while lots of guards watch and make sure you don’t touch anything. I’m glad we were able to see the jewels and absorb the history of how they are used for coronations, such as the 12th century golden eagle ampulla that holds oil that pours from it’s beak into the gold anointing spoon for the royal coronation ceremony. Sadly, the Queen passed away while we were still in the UK. We will be watching with great interest as King Charles wears the jewels we saw on our Tower of London tour during his coronation ceremony in Spring 2023. It will be much more interesting knowing the history behind this ritual that doesn’t happen very often. Of course, Prince William hopes it happens again sooner rather than later.

The rest of the Tower of London had LOTS of really old lethal weapons, torture tools and armory, all needed to protect London from various invaders in the past. I liked the dragon sculpture fashioned out of weapons. Very menacing!

Note-this tour is not for the physically challenged. We climbed 17 flights of stairs that day and walked 6+ miles. At the end of the tour, we walked up to the top of the Tower Bridge, which was quite the hike but the great views made it worth it. Almost. Then we walked across the bridge to the other side of the River Thames, bid adieu to our guide and proceeded to Borough Market for a well-deserved lunch break.

TOWER OF LONDON ENTRY DETAILS

We took this tour: VIP Early Access – Opening Ceremony Tower of London & Bridge with Crown Jewels 2022 (viator.com) Be advised there is a lot of walking and stairs in this tour, so it is not for everyone. There are many different types of tours so check them out and see what suits you best before booking. You can also just buy entry tickets and explore on your own: Tower of London official site: Tower of London | Historic Royal Palaces (hrp.org.uk).

Lucca, Italy

On By Travels with MelindaIn Italy, Lucca, Italy1 Comment

I’ve always wanted to ride a bike around the ancient wall that surrounds Lucca, Italy and, in 2022, it finally happened. Visiting Lucca for us was a day trip from Florence, which was our base in September for a few weeks. I highly recommend checking out Lucca-it’s a very special place!

Upon arrival, we headed toward the city wall that is directly opposite the train station. You can veer left and go through the city gates or go straight forward and climb some steps to get up to the top of the wall. There is a smooth concrete path for walking and bike riding that loops around the city atop the wall. We walked for awhile and then found a cafe on the trail to get water and use the toliets. Then down a ramp to the M bike rental where you could get bike carts or single bikes, both electric and manual. The carts were cute but the dream was to pedal a bike so we got them for $4 euros for an hour and off we went with the map they provided. If you don’t stop at all, you can pedal around the wall one time in about 30 minutes. But, of course, along the way there are so many beautiful buildings and countryside vistas that you’ll want to stop and take pictures. They do send you off with a bike lock if you want to secure the bike and leave it for awhile.

Equipped with my handy bell to warn walkers as I passed them, we safely maneuvered all the way around the city enjoying every minute of this special experience. After turning in our bikes and getting back Thom’s drivers license that they kept as security to guarantee you would return the bikes, we wandered off down Lucca’s quaint streets. Every building was beautifully preserved and picture worthy. In addition to the usually tourist stores, there were high end shops and vintage stores. Be prepared to shop!

Finally stopping for a bite to eat and rest our feet, I saw an unusual pizza shaped item which turned out to be chickpea flatbread, which is vegan and glutenfree. My version was onion but they had onion and zucchini too. Paired with the always good and cheap house wine, it was delicious and I can’t wait to recreate it when we return home.

If you are thinking of going to Lucca and are a lover of music, they have a summer music festival featuring a wide variety of global and local artists. I’m sure Lucca gets really crowded and all housing sells out during this festival but, if you book in advance, it could be magical. More info here: Summer Festival (luccasummerfestival.it)

GETTING THERE

It’s a quick two-hour trip by train from Florence to Lucca. I would never rent a car in Italy (cost, crazy drivers, narrow roads-so many reasons why!). Travelling by train is so easy and fun. Bring a snack and let the conductor do all the driving while you relax and gaze at the beautiful Italian scenery. More train details here.

Uffizi Gallery

On By Travels with MelindaIn FlorenceLeave a comment

A “must see” in Florence, the Uffizi Gallery is one of the largest and best-known art museums in the world and holds a collection of priceless works, particularly from the period of the Italian Renaissance. Thanks to the Medici family who eventually lost power in the 1500’s, their art collection was donated to Florence to start the museum and now we can all enjoy it!

To prepare for your trip to the Uffizi, go online well in advance and book your tickets (see my “how to” details below). Then, once you arrive and work through the entry process, you will reach the top floor where all the galleries are located. You could spend a whole day just immersing yourself in art but don’t forget to look out the windows at the end of the first corridor for great views of Florence.

We did not do a guided tour but that is an option that many people do. We listened on our mobile devices to previously downloaded Rick Steves audio guides to the Uffizi-the free option to get some history and background of what you are seeing, which is how we like to roll. We like to go at our own space and skip places too crowded for comfort. We saw all the highlights, which include paintings and sculptures by Boticelli, Caravaggio, Rembrandt, Leonardo da Vinci, Rafael and Michelangelo.  The long hallway with multitudes of statues and paintings was lovely with benches along the way to sit and admire all the art.

You exit through the top floor cafeteria where you can sit on the outside patio or inside and get some refreshments. As you exit, navigate away from the crowds and take the small alleyways to find your way home. This is our favorite part of Florence. Beautiful doors, buildings, archways, and wine doors can be found wherever you look. We even had a horse and carriage travel down the small street we were on, depositing presents on the cobblestones that we had to watch out for as we strolled. Eventually, we found the bridge over the Arno near our place and off we went for Sunday lunch.

HOW-TO GUIDE TO VISITING THE UFFIZI GALLERY

BOOKING ONLINE TICKETS

To visit the Uffizi Gallery, go to their official website and pick your ticket-a single ticket to visit the gallery or a five-day pass to also visit Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens. We got the five-day pass because we were in Florence for two weeks and wanted to visit all three. It was $38 euros. Online, you pick the date/time you want to visit the Uffizi (you have to do this visit first and pick up your pass ticket) and you are ready to go.

ENTRY PROCESS

With our ticket confirmation email on our phones (no, you don’t need to print it and bring it like the online site says-they need to update that process) you go to the Uffizi and ask one of the officials at the many entrances to direct you to the appropriate place to pick up your online tickets to the Uffizi. Once there, it was easy to show the ticket booth person our email with the order number and they gave us our tickets. Now, out the door to the courtyard again and to the back of the line to get into the Uffizi during our time booked (15-minute window) and then we were climbing up and up the multitude of stairs. There may be an elevator somewhere, but you’d have to ask for access as it is not signed or suggested. Everyone went up the stairs-hope you are in good shape! When you get to the top floor (and only then) they tear off part of your ticket and you are off on your own (unless you came with a tour).

Forte di Belvedere

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When we were recently in Florence, a friend told us to check out Forte di Belvedere, also known as Fort of San Giorgio. So, as we were climbing down from the top of Boboli Gardens, we saw a sign to exit via Forte di Belvedere and decided this would be a great detour to take. A cheerful guard waved us in and asked if we were there for ‘the view”. Sure! He gave us free tickets for the patio (there is a cost to tour the fort) and we navigated some very ancient ramp steps upward to find a lovely patio overlooking the city with stunning views, comfy furniture, bathrooms and table service for drinks from coffee to booze and snacks. What a lovely place to rest after walking all over Boboli Gardens!

Here’s the lowdown on this historical site that was built in Florence in 1590 at the request of Grand Duke Ferdinand I. In the late sixteenth century, the Medici’s were in power but decided they need a fortress to protect them from possible external and internal attacks. The fort could be reached by the Medici family, in case of emergency, from their Palazzo Pitti through the Boboli Gardens. Sounds like they were a little paranoid and probably rightly so.

But, despite the possible threat to their safety, the Medicis had to enjoy those views! Not only of the Duomo but you get 360-degree views from the patio and back grassy area. What a beautiful place for a wedding or concert! I’ve been to Florence before and researched our trip extensively this time and never knew about this fabulous place until a friend told us so I’m happy to pass on this hidden gem so that you can check it out next time you visit Florence. Arrivederci!

#travel #florence #italy #travelblogger

Versailles, France

On By Travels with MelindaIn France, Paris, VersaillesLeave a comment

On our recent adventure to Paris, we finally made a side trip to Versailles. We hadn’t been able to fit it in on previous trips but I’m glad we reserved a day to check it out. The Versailles experience is something to behold–gold everywhere and so many paintings and sculptures that it makes you wonder how many artists were employed to get it all done. We opted to wander around with ear buds playing a downloaded Rick Steves guide on our mobile devices to allow us to spend as much time as we wanted in each room versus the group tours with a live guide, which is certainly a popular option for many people.

With our 9 am “first in” tickets purchased online, we broke to the left while everyone else ran to the Hall of Mirrors. This meant we had the apartments all to ourselves to meander through in awe of the over-the-top decorations illustrating how the mighty royalty lived their lives. Must not have been all that great though because Marie Antoinette had a whole village built on the property to escape to experience the “simple life” when she needed a respite from the royal life.

We did make it over to the Hall of Mirrors eventually and it was pretty spectacular. Mirrors at the time it was created were very new and cost plenty so this was a huge showoff room for the royals to declare “hey, we’ve got mirrors!” Lots of chandeliers too. Always look up-the ceilings are masterpieces.

The most fun all day was renting a golf cart ($38 euros) for an hour. They give you a map of the route all the way around the extensive grounds (you leave your driver’s license with them, so you don’t take off with the cart-it’s happened!) and if you go out of bounds, the car shuts off (it’s electric) and you have to back it out to get back on the approved pathway. It’s bumpy over the stone paths but with a very low speed limit, it’s manageable. You can park and get out and walk around but it takes about an hour to go all the way around the paths and, if you go over your hour, you pay a hefty fee for each 15 minutes over the hour. Assign someone to be the timekeeper!

In addition to golf carts, you can rent bikes (though you have to walk miles to get to them deep into the property by the grand canal) or boats (by the bikes on the grand canal). They also have a tram you can take which rides you around and is a great option if you are either physically or time challenged. Believe me, you could spend weeks walking the property. Lots of beautiful gardens and nooks and crannies to explore. There is a restaurant (by the bikes/boats/canal) and gift stores. As always, we went off the beaten track and managed to wander into the “working” area at the back of the palace and saw the kitchen garden loaded with tomatoes, some very old and not so glamorous back rooms, and had to step over the “keep out” tape to get back to the exit out of the palace.

When I look back on our visit to Versailles, I will remember the opulence and the many huge paintings and sculptures but, most of all, the golf cart ride! One trip to Versailles was enough for us but you could definitely take days to explore the Palace and Gardens if it’s your thing.

TRAVEL FROM PARIS TO VERSAILLES: (3 ways to get there-don’t even think of renting a car due to limited parking, intense traffic and crazy drivers) Versailles is 11 miles from Paris.

  1. TRAIN: RER C train (many stations throughout Paris) Round Trip Ticket about 10 euros. About 30-60 minutes. Destination will be Versailles Chateau Rive Gauche. Buy round trip ticket in Paris to save time. Make sure to “validate” your ticket or you could get a stiff fine (we saw someone get fined 50 euros for not validating their ticket).
  2. BUS: Versailles Express Bus departs from near the Eiffel Tower and takes about 30-45 minutes. About 24 euros.
  3. TOUR: The Tour Guy offers package that includes transportation.

WHEN TO GO:

  • Go to the museum palace first and be there before it opens with tickets already printed from online purchase.
  • It’s closed on Monday. Tuesday is busiest day and also weekends are busy. Pack a picnic because there is very limited food to purchase in Versailles. Take your picnic and eat in the Garden.

TICKETS

Passport tickets can be purchased online on the official site here. This $27euro ticket gives access to the whole estate of Versailles and guarantees access to the Palace within half an hour of the selected time. It includes:

In order for you to make the most of the Estate of Versailles, the Gardens are open from 8 am, the Estate of Trianon from 12 pm, the Gallery of Coaches and the Sculptures and Mouldings Gallery from 12:30 pm. Always check the official website before going just in case there are changes to scheduled hours.

  • Printed ticket-go to Entrance A directly (can use Paris Pass: $124 two day to $199 six day)

PALACE

  1. Hall of Mirrors is beautiful and the WWI treaty ending war was signed here. Light is beautiful in the afternoon.
  2. Gallary of Battles
  3. Empire Rooms

THE TRIANON AND THE QUEEN’S HAMLET

  1. King and Queen went here to “get away” from the Palance
  2. Estate of Trianon is separate ticket-two smaller palaces

GARDENS

Vancouver, Canada 2022

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When visiting Vancouver, BC, the question is not what to do but what to do first. I’m excited to share our recent adventure and then you can take it from there. It’s glorious to get out and travel again!

GETTING AROUND

To/From the airport: It’s a breeze to take the Canada Line Skytrain from Vancouver airport to downtown. Built originally to handle visitors to the 2010 Winter Olympics, it will take about 25 minutes and cost under $10 per person to ride to downtown. Purchase tickets on the platform-signs in the airport will lead you to the platform. An Uber will cost you about $50 at least for that trip and take at least an hour in the heavy traffic that Vancouver has most of the time.

Vancouver is a walking town but, if your legs wear out, we had no problem getting an Uber or Lyft within 5 minutes. If you don’t use those apps, my advice is to find the nearest hotel when you are out and about and ask their doorman to get you a taxi.

WHERE TO STAY

As a former frequent business traveler, I’m still local to the Marriott brand, which includes the Westin Bayshore. It is right on the water next to Stanley Park and has both an inside and outdoor pool. I’ve also stayed at the other Marriott hotels in downtown Vancouver, and they were fine as well.

If you want more of a boutique hotel, I walked by the Sylvia Hotel, which is on the opposite side of Vancouver from the Westin Bayshore but it is across from a beach and close to lots of cafes including their own outdoor patio with a lovely view. I could imagine myself sitting there with a cocktail watching the waves roll in. Next trip!

EATING OUT

I am not a foodie but there is one restaurant that I always go to when I am in Vancouver, and it never disappoints. Water Street Cafe has a variety of delicious menu items but I had the salmon on this trip, and it was SO good. On past visits, I’ve had the risotto and wanted to lick the plate clean. Seriously.

We also enjoyed a nice happy hour with a view of the water at Cactus Club Cafe Restaurant | Casual Fine Dining at their Coal Harbor location. Again, I had delicious fresh seafood.

Try some dim sum at New Town Bakery/Restaurant at 148 Pender Street in Chinatown. Check out the hours before you go-everything closes early in this neighborhood and bring some cash-no credit cards accepted. Don’t miss taking some bakery items (egg tarts!) back to the hotel for dessert.

I read an Anthony Bourdain book recently, “World Travel”, and he recommended Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill & Enoteca | Vancouver (cioppinosyaletown.com) and Home – JAPADOG for a more casual meal. Next time!

ENTERTAINMENT

I love to see concerts, theater, and sporting events when I’m travelling. I usually go to Ticketmaster and check out what’s happening in a town when I will be there. You never know!

Queen Elizabeth Theatre | Vancouver, Canada | Latest Events and Tickets is a great venue in downtown Vancouver-no bad seats. We saw Hamilton there on our trip. Fabulous, of course.

SHOPPING

Local brands abound to check out in downtown Vancouver. Walk down Robson Street and check out all the cool stores. They even have Muji, a favorite Japanese chain store we shopped at in China. Here are some other favorites:

Fluevog Shoes in Gastown showcases their handmade unique shoes-I have several pair and can attest to their quality and design. I get so many compliments on them!

Roots chain for true Canada clothing-heavy duty sweats and flannel!

Lululemon for exercise wear primarily but I have a pair of Lululemon black travel pants that I wear on every flight. Comfy, tailored, and non-wrinkle, they are perfect in every way, and I love them.

TO DO

Our hotel was near Stanley Park, so we took advantage of the proximity to really enjoy this urban oasis. Walking/running/biking around Stanley Park should definitely be on your list! Our hotel graciously supplied bikes free to guests, which we took advantage of! There are also many bike rental places close to the entrance of Stanley Park. The paths are nice and flat. Get a map from the hotel concierge and take off. If you get hungry, stop off at Stanley Park Brewpub in the park. Yummy food and local brews to try out. Just don’t try too many brews-the bike paths are one way and you have a healthy ride to get out of the park from there.

Stanley Park Horse-Drawn Tour 2022 – Vancouver (viator.com) was a fun way to learn about the history of the park and get the lay of the land. You can book in advance or just show up to the kiosk that is near the front of the park as you enter from downtown Vancouver. We went on a rainy day and our group had almost the entire carriage to ourselves. We snuggled under blankets and had a great time!

If you have time, get out of town and take in the Capilano Suspension Bridge. It’s still on my “to do” list but I swear next time I will carve out time to go there. I’ve heard it’s fabulous. To get there, you can take the free shuttle from the waterfront. There is a fee to enter the park.

Plan for a shopping/eating trip to Granville Island.  Take the tiny tugboat over from downtown Vancouver. Check out the farmer’s market with gorgeous fruits and vegetables as well as handmade merchandise of all kinds. It’s a great place for everyone to get a different item from the many food stalls and grab a table outside on the water. We love the broom store (they’ll ship your brooms home for you!) and there are many other artisans selling their beautiful items. If you have kids, they have a whole building annex with children’s shops, food, games, etc. to keep everyone busy. Lots of seafood restaurants and brewpubs on the island for the adults. You can easily spend a whole day there.

Raining on your trip as it does often in the Northwest? No problem because Vancouver has a lovely art museum you can walk around for hours in the heart of downtown and it’s conveniently located right across the street from the sprawling Nordstrom store. Win-win! Have kids and it’s raining? Check out the Vancouver Aquarium in Stanley Park. It is lovely or so I heard from my sister who attended a private party there for her conference that she was attending. She shared lots of pictures and it definitely looks like a winner, especially if it’s raining outside.

Since we lived in China, we have longed for a great foot massage. We used to go every week for 90-minute foot massages in Shanghai-heaven! I booked our group of six for foot massages at Toe to Soul in downtown Vancouver, an easy walk from our hotel. I had pretty high expectations, but they exceeded them, treating us all to a thoroughly wonderful experience. Some of us got 75 minutes and others, who had never had a foot massage and couldn’t fathom having their feet rubbed for 75 minutes, opted for the 55 minutes. Later, those doubters wished they had gotten 75 minutes because it was just that good. Book in advance. Next door is a fancy gelato shop, making for an end to a perfect evening!

I didn’t get time to do these tours, but they are on my list for the next visit to Vancouver:

Vancouver Lost Souls of Gastown Walking Tour 2022 (viator.com)

Vancouver Harbor Sightseeing Cruise 2022 (viator.com)

Tripadvisor | Whale-Watching Tour from Vancouver provided by Vancouver Whale Watch | Richmond, British Columbia

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g154943-d184433-Reviews-VanDusen_Botanical_Garden-Vancouver_British_Columbia.html

Enjoy Vancouver-a true gem of a city!

New York City Visit 2022

On By Travels with MelindaIn New York City, Uncategorized2 Comments

NYC is my favorite city in the world. I’ve travelled and/or lived in cities like Shanghai, Moscow, Singapore, Seattle, and more. No place continues to delight and surprise me like NYC every time I visit. Finally, after two years of staying home during the pandemic, we were able to begin our adventures again, starting in NYC with a week-long trip to visit both old and new places. Here are some tips, advice and best practices when visiting the Big Apple!

TRANSPORTATION:

Walking:

Stay to the right on the sidewalks. Only on really broad sidewalks do you walk side-by-side. Otherwise, single file and stay in your lane-no sudden changes or you’ll get run over. Be aware of bikes, scooters, roller blades, etc. Even on one way streets, look both ways. Everyone jaywalks. Don’t follow others. Check yourself before entering crosswalk. You could die.

Airport:

Travel to/from airports via flying: We’ve flown into all the major NYC airports (JFK, LaGuardia and Newark). Unfortunately, there is no direct public transportation from the airports to Manhattan like the Heathrow Express in London or the RER in Paris. If you are comfortable navigating public transportation and don’t mind connecting, you can take the AirTrain tram from JFK to Jamaica Station to pick up the subway into Manhattan. Those with a lot of luggage may not want to do this option. I would recommend booking in advance a car service. Other options are a taxi (go queue up at the taxi stand) or Uber, where at these large airports it can be chaotic to find your Uber in the designated pickup area depending on when you arrive. So back to the car service option, when you arrive and get your luggage, you call the # provided by the car service after you book online and they pull right up to the arrivals curb. Easy peasey and not much more than a cab or Uber would cost you. You’re looking at $92 plus tip. An Uber or taxi would probably run around $80. We used JFK Car Service and Airport Car Services – JFK, Newark & LaGuardia | By Dial7. I would highly recommend.

Uber in the city:

We walked 8+ miles a day in the city, which is our preferred mode of transportation. You soak up the culture when you walk the streets of New York. When your legs just won’t go any further, however, find a business like a hotel or restaurant to get an address to summon an Uber. Everywhere we went within Manhattan, it was $20+ per ride and, if it’s raining, it will cost more and good luck finding a ride. Then, you go to the subway. Watch out for pickpockets and rats-both can be found on the subway. Think of it as an urban adventure!

Subway and trains:

Very convenient and fast to get around, especially if its raining, use the New York Subway System: Maps, Schedules and NYC Travel Information (nysubway.com) to plan your trip and tap your ApplePay or GooglePay at the turnstyle to enter. Watch for your stop (name on the wall at every stop) because the sign lights in the train often aren’t working and there aren’t any announcements…definitely not the same experience that you may be used to from other big cities with better infrastructure.

For the trains Home | MTA (if you are going to the suburbs like Long Island) you go to the window at the station and get a ticket and then look for the readerboards around to find the track you go to for your train. You won’t find the track assigned until very close to the time you board so be on the lookout and then walk quickly to get to your train.

PLACES TO STAY:

We usually stay at an ARBNB/VRBO when we travel but, for NYC, I would recommend a hotel. If you arrive prior to check-in time (usually around 4 pm) you’ll need a place to check your bags and that’s easier to do with a hotel. When I travelled for business, I stayed exclusively at Marriotts Discover Marriott Bonvoy | Join The Best Hotel Rewards Program and am still loyal to the brand which includes Westin, Residence Inn, Courtyard, etc.  Earn points when you travel and eventually your travel will be free!

Residence Inn New York Manhattan/Midtown East at 148 East 48th Street New York, New York 10017 worked really well for us. This is a business area which means it’s quiet and safe but also walkable to anywhere in Manhattan with restaurants on the block and there are deli’s just blocks away to get room snacks. Room 1419 if you can get it! Why? Here’s what we had:

Hotel amenities: laundry room, large breakfast with hot options, good safety protocol requiring hotel key to enter lobby and elevator

Room amenitites: refrigerator, dishwasher, hot plate, plates, wine glasses, 2 rooms both with TV’s, pull out bed in living room, big shower with awesome water pressure and hot water

SHOPPING:

Big department stores are grand, especially at the holidays: Saks, Bloomingdales, Bergdorf Goodman, Macy’s Herald Square, Nordstrom’s (new and amazing). We love the small shops in SoHo and Greenwich Village.

PLACES TO GO:

Statue of Liberty Because you really just need to get on the boat and experience this iconic site up close and personal. Statue of Liberty Tickets: E-Tickets for Visiting the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island – StatueOfLibertyTickets.com

Central Park Central Park: NYC Parks (nycgovparks.org) – you could spend days here but at least set aside time to pick up picnic food at the Whole Foods on Columbus Circle and stroll along and see the highlights including Belvedere Castle. If you don’t want to do the picnic thing, then make reservations for the Boathouse which is a lovely respite in the middle of the park. Eat on the patio and then rent a boat to row around the lake (bring cash $20/hour). You can also rent bikes or scooters to get around. Try it!

The Met Home – The Metropolitan Museum of Art (metmuseum.org) is my favorite by far with the Temple of Dendur and rooms upon rooms of impressionist paintings like Monet. Take the elevator from the lobby to the fifth floor for a free awesome view of NYC from the rooftop. Enjoy a beverage and rest in between walking the galleries. Book timed entry tickets in advance to avoid lines. The cafe on the balcony is a wonderful lunch stop. Check for music and events on their site. I got $10 off discount for the gift shops in my email confirming my online tickets which I used. Love their gift stores!

The Museum of Natural History American Museum of Natural History | New York City (amnh.org) is awesome especially for kids. They have a Night at the Museum audio tour on their site if you are so inclined. https://www.amnh.org/plan-your-visit/self-guided-tours/night-at-the-museum. Buy timed tickets online in advance to avoid crowds. Also, book a Hayden Planetarium show if you can. Truly amazing.

Other museums if you have time:

Guggenheim

Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)

Morgan Library & Museum

MIDTOWN:

Times Square: Don’t touch the characters that are everywhere. Seriously, if you take their picture, they will want money and aren’t the cleanest. Watch your stuff. These are all tourists, so it is a target rich environment for thieves. Do not ask a stranger to take your picture if you want to keep your phone. Looks can be deceiving. Trust no one.

Bryant Park-behind the NYC library and full of fun stuff. Free concerts on the lawn in the summer. Bryant Park – Home

NYC Library-take the free tour! Stephen A. Schwarzman Building Tours | The New York Public Library (nypl.org)

Rockefeller Center-iconic and in the winters you can ice skate and in summer roller skate on the rink Rockefeller Center | NYC’s Famous Cultural Landmark & Observation Deck

St. Patrick’s Cathedral-open and free to visitors and beautiful St. Patrick’s Cathedral | New York, NY (saintpatrickscathedral.org)

FLATIRON/MADISON SQUARE PARK:

Walk around Madison Square Park (seems like there is always a movie or commercial being filmed here) and the Flatiron building. We lived near here so we love this neighborhood.

Eataly-eat and shop Eataly New York Flatiron: restaurants, market and classes

Strand bookstore, 8th and Broadway Strand Book Store

Fishs Eddy, 19th and Broadway Fishs Eddy: We do dishes!

Allbirds 17th and 5th Sustainable Shoes & Clothing | The Most Comfortable Shoes in The World | Allbirds (my favorite shoes for travelling-you need for all the NYC walking! This is one of the few physical stores Allbirds has-mostly online sales)

Shake Shack-well known outdoor eating in Madison Square Park Madison Square Park | Shake Shack

Old Town Bar-featured in movies this is an iconic old time bar with great food Best Old Bar (oldtownbar.com)

DOWNTOWN: (all very close together)

Little Island https://littleisland.org/ is a new park built on the Hudson River. If you go before noon, you don’t need timed entry tickets. Great views!

Chelsea Market-eat and shop CHELSEA MARKET

Whitney Museum Whitney Museum of American Art

Greenwich Village To find a wealth of diverse food experiences, walk through Greenwich Village and eat at one of many cozy outside patios. More like Paris life here with cafe culture. Lots of small retail shops to explore but only during the day. Grab an Italian pasty and coffee at Home – Pasticceria Rocco.

CHINATOWN AND LITTLE ITALY-great for walking around, shopping and eating

BROADWAY THEATER:

Never pay full price for Broadway tickets! Get the TKTS app TKTS Ticket Booths – The Half Price Ticket Stands in NYC (nytix.com) and track what shows are usually offering tickets the day of performance for 30-50% off. You have to cue up starting at 3 pm on show day to buy tickets.

OR

Go online and get todaytix app TodayTix | Theater Tickets to Musicals, Plays, Broadway, More for slightly less off but you don’t have to stand in line. Tradeoff. I usually pay around $100 per ticket for good seats with the discount. Most theaters are small so really no bad seats. They will tell you if there is obstructed view which usually means you can’t see one corner of the stage but usually still a good experience.

If you really want a bargain, go to theater the morning of performance and ask about “rush” tickets that sometime are available for great value $35 or so many times these are single seats so if you don’t mind splitting up from your friends, go for it.

HAVE FUN IN NYC AND SOAK UP THE ENERGY OF THIS SPECIAL PLACE!

One Day in Taipei

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Asia, China, Dog, expat, Taipei, Taiwan, Travel, travelling, Uncategorized, vacation, walking, wanderlust, work tripLeave a comment

Jet lag be damned!  With only one day off, I needed to make it count.  So, I set out on Sunday to explore Taipei and found a delightful city filled with temples, art, shopping, easy transportation and friendly folks.  What’s not to like?

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I always love to just walk a city to get a feel for the people and culture.  Taipei 101 is THE building in downtown so off I went to get a view of this famous building.  Along the way,  many shops had opened and the shoppers were out in force.  As in many China cities, there are little clothing boutiques and drugstores (no OTC meds just beauty items) everywhere along with the high-end luxury brands like Gucci, etc.

I was first struck by several differences between Taipei and Shanghai, where I lived a few years ago:  drivers of cars and scooters seemed to actually obey traffic signals and stay on the roads vs. driving on the sidewalks as they often did in Shanghai.  Crazy! I felt a little safer in Taipei though I still was cautious crossing streets.  The streets were clean yet I didn’t see the street sweepers that you would on mainland China who cleaned up after everybody.  I’m thinking the Taiwan citizens seem to be very tidy and I’ve yet to see the many smokers or public spitting/urinating that I got used to after living in China.  Not knocking my former home in Shanghai because it was awesome but the differences were noticeable.

After seeing Taipei 101 in the distance and it is a lovely unique skyscraper, I jumped on the blue line subway and off I went to Longshan Temple.  The subway was clean, staffed and signed in English.  For less than 50 cents, I arrived across town and walked through a lovely park where groups of men were playing games and socializing, very similar to Shanghai life on a Sunday.  Packed with locals burning incense and praying at the Temple, I was one of the few Laowai’s enjoying the experience.

A fellow traveler from Warsaw, Poland was nice enough to snap my pic at the koi pond, where a cat stalked from the roof above.  I love meeting new people on my adventures.  On the subway, a mature lady smiled as I sat next to her and, though not an English-speaker, she gestured at my map and seemed excited when I got off at the Temple stop.  Another lovely gal in the subway was toting her pup in a front-facing backpack.  I need to get one of these for Thor!  He would love to be carried around to see the sights.

After taking in the Temple, I was off on the subway again-first the blue line, then transferring to the red line and finally taking a cab the rest of the way to the National Palace Museum which was on the outskirts of Taipei by the mountains.  Tour groups of China tourists dominated the galleries where for only about $12.50 US, you can view three floors of treasures from jewelry to vases to calligraphy, all ancient and beautiful.  The only gallery not packed with people was the Tibet exhibit.  Hmmm…  Every item was behind glass to protect from the hordes taking it all in.

The jet lag finally kicking in, I jumped in a cab to get to the red line, then the green line and arrived back at the Westin ready for room service and a good night’s sleep.  Wish I had more time in Taiwan to explore-a vacation with Thom is definitely now a necessity!  Monday we start meetings and then off to Hong Kong on Tuesday-the journey is just beginning!

 

Back Home Again in Asia

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, Asia, Beijing, China, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Taipei, Taiwan, Travel, travelling, Trips outside Shanghai, Uncategorized, walkingLeave a comment

I didn’t realize how much I missed the Asian culture until I landed in Taipei last night.  The sounds, the smells, the friendly people!  Waking up to a cloudy view of the mountains and the local neighborhood after a 20+ hour journey to get here from Boise to Seattle to Tokyo to Taipei, I couldn’t wait to get out on the streets and explore!

 

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Hat courtesy of caution cone/vest?  Staying safe on the crowded streets of Taipei!

 

This is a business trip, hopping to a new city every 2-3 days for meetings, so hubby Thom is not along for the adventure.  I’m on my own and, after lengthy conversations with the Westin staff and maps in hand, I started to just wander.  Of course, the hotel team tried to talk me out of walking around “too far!” but I like to walk and they aren’t used to visitors wanting to do that.  I get it and just smile and keep on walking.

Originally, I had planned to book straight to the National Palace Museum via the subway but a combination of uncertainty and self awareness that I get lost easily plus a desire to absorb the local culture vs. art, I decided instead to try and find a temple nearby.

Got the time?
Wedding?
Alice where are you?

First, though, I noticed a Alice in Wonderland theme in the Westin lobby bar and checked out the adjacent gardens where it looked like a wedding might be taking place today with decorations everywhere.  How fun!  Wonder if the bride had an “Alice” dress to walk down the aisle?  She will definitely need a parasol as it is quite wet here today.

Instead of a temple, I found a delightful street market where I was the only Laowai, aka foreigner, in sight.  Fish, fruit, meat, pigs feet, dry goods and handmade noodles in stalls lining the narrow alleyway-it was packed with shoppers and very reminiscent of my old neighborhood where we lived in Shanghai.  I thought of my friend Patti when I saw the cherry tomatoes merchandised in the fruit stalls next to the apples and oranges.  Yes, Patti, tomatoes are considered fruit.

As I reviewed my map, still hopeful I could find the temple, a 20-something young man walked by me, stopped and considered, and then came back to offer his assistance.  How kind and friendly he was to help me plus he spoke English!  Even with his guidance though, after a few more blocks, I gave up and just enjoyed the journey.  Glad I did too or I wouldn’t have seen the quiet neighborhoods or the lovely lady in the “cautionary” hat displaying her lovely fruit or the antique noodle maker cranking out the sheets of pasta.

 

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Making noodles

 

Ahh, to be back again in Asia is indeed a beautiful thing.  After a few business meetings, I’m off to Hong Kong (TurboJet to Macau at night for fun!), Shenzhen, Shanghai (home!) and Beijing.  Two weeks of work and fun!

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If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a scooter!

 

See the Andrew Wyeth Exhibit at SAM!

On By Travels with MelindaIn adventure, art, Museum, Seattle, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Experiencing the Andrew Wyeth in Retrospect exhibit at the Seattle Art Museum is a day well spent, especially on a rainy Seattle Sunday.  Room after room filled with amazing art.  Damn.  I’m in such awe of this artistic talent.

When my antique phone couldn’t download the app for the SAM audio tour, I forked over $4 to rent the old school technology wand to listen to the audio tour.  How embarrassing!

Quite the scoundrel, Wyeth painted up until his death at age 91, sneaking away starting at age 53 to secretly paint a neighbor’s caregiver, Helga, in the nude during a 15 year period without telling his wife.  Oops.  Of course, this was after he had started doing other nudes in a dramatic pivot to erotic art and his wife, Betsy, had told him, “If you do this again, don’t tell me.”  So, he didn’t share and painted nude Helga privately while also cranking out landscapes that he DID show his wife.  Hmmm….

 

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Wyeth’s muse, Helga

 

I appreciate the audio tour interpretation of the paintings because I gaze upon them and think simplistically, “pretty picture” when I should be seeing all kinds of imagery and subtexts telling me about the meaning of life.  Nope.  Not unless I’m told by the kindly intelligent audio guide do I see the “death as a subtext” message and “sex as a rebirth” theme.  I’m an idiot but I do enjoy viewing art as did the huge crowd packing the museum today.

One masterpiece did speak to me, after the audio guide explained that “Snow Hill” was a memorial piece created in 1989 and dedicated to his models, both living and dead, symbolizing renewal and reevaluation of life’s purpose.  The models dancing around the May Pole was quite evocative.  Well done, Wyeth.

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Snow Hill symbolizing renewal

Wyeth painted in tempura and watercolor and pencil sketches.  The attention to detail was incredible especially the blades of grass in the landscapes.  His dad was a famous illustrator who taught him starting at 15 years old.  Wyeth sold out his first NYC show at the ripe old age of 22 and continued to paint until he died in 2018.  He is known for his realism.

 

“I search for the realness, the real feeling of a subject, all the texture around it…I always want to see the third dimension of something…I want to come alive with the object.”              -Andrew Wyeth

The exhibit will be at the SAM until January 15, 2018.  In addition to the paintings and sketches, the SAM has done a nice job incorporating videos about Wyeth’s life and an interactive area with touch screen devices where you can create your own art.  I highly recommend it.  Enjoy!