Italy (June 2014)

Italy

I joined a group of 18 people, 17 from Austin and 1 from Arizona. The Italy tour was through A Taste of Italy in Austin.

Pre-Italy: Philadelphia
Overnight in Philadelphia, on my way to Italy. Hotel: Philadelphia Marriott Downtown

Philadelphia City Hall
"Love" Fountain
Segway Tour
Mosaic Art
Italian Market in Philadelphia
Liberty Bell made out of Legos - at Philadelphia airport.

Thanks to frequent flier miles, I did the flight Philadelphia to Venice in Business. Dinner was served cruise ship style, with warm nuts, appetizer, salad, main course (salmon), and ice cream (Ben & Jerry's). After dinner, I converted the seat into a bed and slept until breakfast.

Italy: Venice
Hotel: Hotel Noemi in San Marco.

Venice consists of 118 islands all connected by bridges and canals. The only transportation is boats - no land vehicles and people walk around the streets in Venice, which makes the city pedestrian friendly.

Some main sights in Venice, including the clock and bell towers, Basilica, Rialto bridge, and the Gondola ride through the canals.


At the top of the bell tower, great panoramic views of Venice.

Video: Bell Performance on the hour at the Clock Tower

Glass making factory at Murano, the island of glass.

Video: Glass making demo

Italy: Tuscany Region
Hotel: Villa S. Andrea, in the heart of Tuscany with vineyards and a winery nearby. Our stay included a tour of the winery and a wine tasting dinner.



Pisa, including the leaning tower and the Cathedral. The Cathedral is also leaning, but you can't really tell from the outside. Inside, there is a rope holding a chandelier and when looking at the rope in front of the door, you can see the rope is at a slight angle.


Siena


San Gimignano


Italy: Florence
Hotel: Hotel Pendini, located steps from the big arch in the heart of Florence.

   

Academy Museum, where the original David by Michelangelo is located. There is also an instrument section.


Italy: Rome
Hotel Sistina, located a few blocks from the Spanish steps. This hotel is centrally located to many of Rome's key sights.

Colosseum, had many uses: sword contests, public entertainment (including re-enactments of battles), dramas, housing, fortress, shrine, and workshops. Over time, the Colosseum became ruined by earthquakes and stone robbers. Today, the Colosseum is a symbol of Rome's past.



Some paintings of Italy and Venice in the Vatican Museum, as well as the St. Peter's Basilica featuring the Pope's balcony. The Sistine chapel is as good and beautiful as advertised - you need to see it in person to appreciate it.




S. Angelo Castle


Pantheon. The circle at the center of the dome is the Pantheon's primary source of light. As a bonus, we got to see a concert by the New English Orchestra. Video of one of their pieces: Handle Messiah excerpt


Italy: Tivoli
Tivoli is a small town about 45 minute drive from Rome. It is off the beaten path; not many tourists visit Tivoli so the town and its villas have relatively small crowds.

Hadrian's Villa, was a retreat for Roman Emperor Hadrian.


Villa D'Este, with an old apartment, courtyard, garden, and waterfalls. This was my favorite of the 2 villas we visited in Tivoli.


Italy: Pompeii
Pompeii is an ancient Roman city near Naples. Much of the city was ruined by volcano eruptions over the centuries.

Gym; bakery with bread machines; amphitheater


Italy: Amalfi Coast
Hotel: Hotel Villa La Tartana in Positano; this hotel is near the beach there are many locally owned shops and restaurants nearby.

The Amalfi coast is a resort section in Italy. Tourism is the primary industry here; many of the towns along the Amalfi coast see a surge in population during the peak summer months and become practically deserted during the winter months. Roads along the coast are windy and narrow but offer scenic views.


Boat ride to Capri Island and a scenic tour of the coastline. I love the bright blue clear water; reminds me of the Caribbean.


The Amalfi coast grows lemons, which are used to make limoncello, a lemon-based liquor. We got to sample some limoncello, which had a strong taste.


Villa Cimbrone, a big park on a cliff. Just before getting near the edge of the cliff, our tour guide had us close our eyes as she led us to the overlook then surprised us with spectacular views of the coastline.


Post-Italy: London
Hotel: Sofitel London Heathrow, luxury hotel that is connected to London Heathrow Airport Terminal 5. Very convenient for an overnight layover at Heathrow.

I had an overnight at London on my return trip. After checking in the hotel, I took the train into the city to spend the evening. Walked around Hyde Park, then had dinner at Noorjahan - an Indian restaurant that receives great reviews. I had the lamb dish.


My return flight was British Airways London - Austin, my first time flying on a Boeing 787. Its engines are huge, and quieter than other airplane engines. From a passenger perspective, the most notable change is the windows - they are larger than other aircraft and you push a button to dim or brighten the window to adjust the amount of sunlight (no window shades). The effect is the same as sunglasses or car window tints. A darkened window looks like a blue-gray tint, which blocks sunlight but remains transparent to allow people to see outside. Boeing claims the 787 offers higher humidity and is smoother in turbulence, but I found improvements to be minor in those areas. Again, I was in business class. While the British Airways business seat is a bit narrower compared to American's new seat, it still offers lots of space and the seat also turns into a bed. British Airways service was excellent; as usual the meal was served cruise-ship style.

New York (Memorial Day 2014)

Hotel: Doubletree Metropolitan on Lexington Avenue. This hotel is 1 block from Ess-a-Bagel, a great place for breakfast or brunch.

Statue of Liberty
Took the ferry to Liberty Island to visit the Statue of Liberty. The pedestal has a museum and an observation deck on the top of the pedestal. There is the option to climb 160 steps from the top of pedestal to the crown. To do so, you first need to get crown tickets at least 6 weeks in advance - space in the crown is limited and tickets sell out quick. As there is no elevator, you also need to be in good physical condition. Going up to the crown includes a walk up a narrow, spiral staircase. Upon reaching the crown, you can see the Manhattan skyline and Brooklyn, plus close views of the torch and tablet.


Ethnic Restaurants
Cevabdzinica Sarajevo, a Bosnia themed restaurant. Good food, especially the beef, and excellent staff. They even shared their coffee with us although they don't sell coffee.


Istanbul Kebab House, near Times Square. Serves Turkish food. I had lamb, with rice, salad, and Turkish bread along with Uludag Gazoz (Turkish soda).


More New York pictures

2014 Whistler Ski Trip

I joined a group of 74 amazing people on a Whistler ski trip. Although Whistler was the primary destination, I also did a side trip to Vancouver and an Eagle Float trip in Brackendale. Weather was excellent - sunny most of our time in Whistler which made for spectacular mountain views and great visibility when skiing.

Vancouver
I stayed at Marriott Pinnalce in downtown Vancouver. Walked around downtown, did a bike ride along the sea wall in Stanley Park, and ate dinner at a Chinese restaurant in Richmond. In my opinion, Richmond has better Chinese restaurant selection than the Chinatown in downtown Vancouver.


Vancouver skyline from Stanley Park.


Lost Lagoon with mountain background.


Steam clock in Gastown


Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden


Lions Gate Bridge

More Vancouver Pictures

Whistler
We stayed at Aspens condos, a ski in/ski out lodge on Blackcomb Mountain and walking distance from Whistler Village. My favorite ski runs were the peak to base runs - on Blackcomb mountain the run starts at 7-Heaven and on Whistler Mountain the run starts at Whistler Peak. In addition to skiing, many of us enjoyed dinners at Whistler Village (El Furniture Warehouse, Urban Grill, The Keg, Old Spaghetti Warehouse), hanging out at clubs, sledding down Blackcomb Mountain, and relaxing in Aspens hot tub.

Some of us also did a sleigh ride, pulled by Perchoeron horses on Blackcomb Mountain to a warm hut where we had hot chocolate. Great evening adventure.

I also did Fresh Tracks, an early morning breakfast in Roundhouse Lodge on top of Whistler Mountain. But breakfast isn't the only highlight. We also got to see the sunrise as we rode the gondola up the mountain (it's dark when we boarded but light when we arrive), enjoy the morning views on the mountain top, and be the first to ski the groomed trails.


Blackcomb Mountain


Whistler Mountain


Sunrise on Whistler Mountain. Notice the moon between the red and black rings.


Peak-to-peak gondola


Fire and Ice show (click the picture to see a video)


Sledding down Blackcomb Mountain


Group dinner at Old Spaghetti Warehouse

More Whistler pictures

Eagle Float
About 30 of us went on an eagle viewing float trip in Brackendale, organized by Sunwolf. This region has one of the world's largest population of bald eagles. In the winter time, these eagles hang around the Squamish and Cheakamus rivers to look for salmon. As we floated along the river, we spotted many bald eagles. At the end of the tour, we enjoyed a bowl of hot chili next to the fire at Sunwolf's lodge. Then we visited Shannon Falls, third highest waterfall in Canada (obviously, Niagara Falls is the highest).

 
Eagle sightings


Shannon Falls

London (Christmas 2013)

My first trip to London, to enjoy the sights in the city and the Christmas decorations. Although United Kingdom and the United States are similar in many ways, there are some differences which make it clear we are in a different country. In the United Kingdom, people drive on the left side of the road and drivers sit in the right side of vehicles. Everything is priced in Pounds. Also in UK English, some terms differ from US English. For example:
Chips = Fries
Concession = Discount
Lift = Elevator
Queue = Line
Take-away (when ordering food) = To-go
Toilets = Restroom
Tube (in London) = Subway

For the flights, I cashed in frequent flyer miles to upgrade to business. On the flight to London, the seats are like a recliner. The return flight was on a new airplane with updated business seats - these new seats convert to a bed and have more storage space. The main meal is served in multiple courses, like in a cruise dining room. Business class makes for a much more enjoyable experience on those long overseas flights, especially for sleeping.

December 26
We arrived London's Heathrow airport and took the Tube to the city. Checked in to the Doubletree by Hilton in Victoria which would be our London home for the trip. This hotel is a few minutes walk from Victoria station and is close to many London attractions. We spent the evening walking along Oxford and Regent streets, enjoying the Christmas decorations.

December 27
Took a tour of the House of Parliament. This place used to be a royal residence and now serves as a meeting place for the legislature. Hard to believe this building is almost 1000 years old. Next place was Museum of London, which showcases London's history going back 2000 years. We then attended the evensong service at Westminster Abbey, which featured singing hymns and scripture reading. We also got to see Big Ben and House of Parliament at night.

Central London pictures

December 28
Headed to Buckingham Palace to see the changing of the guard. It is a ceremony where many guards enter, along with a marching band. The old and new guards meet, the band performs a short concert, and the new guard takes over. If you're going to watch, get to the Palace at least 1 hour early. Afterwords we walked across Westminster bridge, with great views of Big Ben, to the London Eye. We joined a Thames River cruise, with great views of the Tower Bridge and Tower of London. Great way to relax as you see sight along the river. After the cruise, we took a ride on the London Eye, a giant Ferris wheel with enclosed capsules. It was a sunny day so we had great views of London from all directions, including the House of Parliament, Big Ben, and Buckingham Palace. In the evening we visited Harrods, an elegant upscale mall. The highlight of the mall is the Egyptian area, which includes a Princess Diana memorial.

December 29
Joined a tour group for a day trip to Windsor Castle, Stonehenge, and Oxford University. Windsor Castle is home to England's royal family and consists of luxury state apartments, Queen Mary's dollhouse, St George's Chapel, and an art gallery. Stonehenge is a series of stones aligned with the sun's movements. The reason for building Stonehenge remain a mystery. Oxford is one of the world's most famous universities. Admission is highly competitive and rigorous - applicants must have excellent academic records, submit applications, and go through an interview to gain admission. After enrolling, all students must pass exams to continue their studies. Oxford highlights include Christ Church college and the Cathedral.

December 30
Visited the Tower of London. This castle served as a fortress, palace, and prison. I loved the crown jewels - so many artifacts made of gold, diamonds, and shiny stones. Other highlights include: White Tower, Medieval Palace, Wall Walk with a great view of Tower Bridge, and the Bloody Tower where you try to solve a murder mystery. We then headed to the financial district to see Bank of England, London Stock Exchange, and the Royal Exchange.

December 31
We spent most of the day at the British Museum. This museum has many artifacts from many cultures and different points in history. Best way to see the museum: look at the maps and focus on the exhibits that interest you the most. Around midnight, we hung out in the hotel lobby to have drinks and watch the New Years Eve coverage near Big Ben and the London Eye. A very spectacular way to ring in the new year.

Chicago - October 2013

Fall trip to Chicago. I was in Chicago primarily for a conference, but took time to visit friends and enjoy a taste of fall colors in downtown Chicago. Because of recent warm weather, the leaves changed colors at a slower than normal pace. There were still several trees with colored leaves. I stayed at Intercontinental hotel on Michigan Avenue, then stayed at Holiday Inn in Elk Grove for the conference. The Intercontinental has an elegant swimming pool on the 12th floor (an engineering marvel when it opened in the 1920s) that is Olympic sized and has been used by Olympic swimmers in the past.

Highlights:
1) Lincoln Park zoo - camels, zebras, mountain lion, rhino, North Pond
2) Segway tour along Lake Michigan, around sunset. My first evening Segway tour. We could see the Chicago skyline light up as it got darker.
3) Millennium Park, including the giant bean.
4) Chicago Seminar - a weekend seminar for frequent travelers. It is a networking event for people who like to travel. There are sessions to learn about many travel related topics including using miles and points, credit cards that provide rewards towards travel, and online travel sites such as Expert Flyer and ITA.
5) Hike in Busse Woods with 2 of my friends who live in Chicago. We saw elk.

Sacramento

Labor day weekend trip to Sacramento. Highlights:

California State Capital
The California capital combines a visitor's museum with the state's government offices. Good place for visitors to learn of California's history. Key places in the capital are the historic Governor's Office, Senate Gallery, and Assembly Gallery. A large golden bear statue marks the entrance to the office of the Governor of California.

Old Town Sacramento
This historic district goes back to the California Gold Rush. Its shops have been preserved and some are converted to museums, most notably the California State Railroad Museum and Delta King Riverboat. The railroad museum contains replicas of old trains and you can go inside some of the cars to see kitchens, dining rooms, sleeping areas, food storage areas, and even a mail car (basically a post office on rails). The Delta King is a boat that has been converted to a hotel along with a restaurant - like a mini-cruise ship with a long history. I also took a ride on the Sacramento Southern Railroad, in a vintage 1920s train. I was in the El Dorado, an observation lounge on the train.

Downtown Sacramento
The Capital Park adjacent to the Capital consists of many trees, monuments, and memorials. There is the Vietnam Memorial (honors Californians who fought in the Vietnam war), California firefighters memorial (honors those who died while fighting fires in California), California Veterans Memorial (honors Californians who have served in the military since California became a state), and rose garden. A few blocks from the Capital Park is the California Governor's Mansion.