Category: Things to do

10 Questions For (26): Sheila Scarborough of Family Travellogue

Happy to present to you a social media canon Sheila Scarborough of -Yes! of what not? 🙂 – Sheila Scarborough.com, of Family Travellogue which is in the Bootsnall Travel Network and contributing to Perceptive Travel Blog, belonging to the Perceptive Travel Online Magazine. I believe I missed some:-)
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sheila-headshot-courtesy-korey-howell-photography
Sheila Scarborough
(photo courtesy Korey Howell Photography)

1) Who Are You?
I’m a writer specializing in travel, automobile drag racing and Web 2.0/social media. I also speak, teach workshops and consult with companies about how to communicate effectively using social media.

I grew up in a Navy family, and after college I served in the Navy myself for almost 23 years, aboard ships on both US coasts and in Japan. My shore duty assignments included a NATO command in the Netherlands (in Brunssum, near Maastricht) so I’ve enjoyed a lot of travel opportunities.

When I left the Navy, I decided to become a travel writer, and a journalist friend said, “If you’re going to be a writer, you need to have a blog.” So, in between pitching for print assignments, I started my BootsnAll family travel blog in February 2006, then later also joined the Perceptive Travel Blog to write about more general and cultural travel.

The drag racing work started when I got an assignment to blog from the track at the Gatornationals, a big race near my home in Florida. I fell in love with the action, the noise and the stories about the participants. Sports writing is a good mental change from travel writing, and I’ve also done longer motorsports-related articles in Texas Highways magazine and online with Automotive Traveler.

The social media work is the result of the skill set I’ve developed after three years of blogging, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc. I have a Navy Master Training Specialist certification and spent a lot of time on instructor duty, so it’s very natural for me to teach and speak.

2) What do you like about what you do?
I love to tell a good story and to guide people to worthwhile destinations, especially the unexpected, less-glamorous places. I often say, “A monkey could write ‘My Secret Tuscany’ but it takes talent and effort to make some obscure back road or small town compelling.”

Blogging and other social media platforms are perfect for me because I love to connect people and tell stories to the widest-possible audience.

3) What don’t you like about what you do?
It is so difficult to make a living from creating Web-based content. It will get better, because the value will increase as the world continues to move online and to mobile, but if I did not have a military pension, I’d have never made it this far and I’d be stocking shelves at my local IKEA.

I am thankful that I stood all of those bridge and engineering watches aboard ship, at all hours of the day and night; those hours “bought” me the chance to live my dream now. Thank you also to my Sainted Husband, Chris, who has a steady job as a mathematics teacher.

4) Please tell us all about your blog and your aims with it.
I’ve been working with the BootsnAll Travel Network since August 2008 to transition my family travel blog to a new URL and template. Boots has done a lot with destination-based content, but not that much with a family travel topic, so we’re both excited about continuing to work together. We see no reason that independent travelers can’t continue to see the world even after they have kids.

The Perceptive Travel Blog is also doing really well; we like to highlight places and tell stories that you won’t find elsewhere. My only regret is that I’ve never had a chance to meet my co-bloggers in person (Nia Malchik in New York and Liz Lewis in New Zealand.) Some day….!

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Hong Kong View from the Star Ferry by Teen Wolf

5) Your top 3 destination experiences you’ve ever stayed to date and why?
** Hong Kong (although now that I’ve visited Shanghai, I have to pause a moment before saying that. There’s a new competitor in my heart.) I’ve visited Hong Kong several times, and always loved its energy, business focus, bright colors and go-go people. The harbor view from the Star Ferry never fails to make me grin like an idiot.

** Chicago, because it is a no-nonsense town that appreciates and supports great art, architecture and public spaces. It’s like New York City, but not so full of itself. Chicago’s location on Lake Michigan, and the Chicago River running through the town, lend it an unexpectedly maritime flavor even in the middle of the Midwest. I appreciate big expanses of water next to a vibrant city (when will someone buy me a ticket to see Sydney?!)

** The Mayan ruins at Tikal, Guatemala. I was only able to spend a little time there, but it took my breath away. Jungles, monkeys, climbing ancient pyramids and looking back over the treetops; wow, what’s not to love?

6) Your top 3 accommodations you’ve ever stayed to date and why?
Actually, I don’t really care about hotels. That’s funny for me to realize, but I had to think hard to answer this question. I do not travel to stay in nice hotels or resorts, I travel to see the place where the hotel is located. As long as the lodging is clean and convenient, I’m happy. I drop off my suitcase and leave to go explore.

Here’s my best effort:

** The Shack Up Inn, Clarksdale, Mississippi. Converted sharecropper shacks in the heart of Delta blues country, and the snazziest bottle trees I’ve ever seen. (Close second is the Bayou Cabins in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, because hosts Rocky and Lisa Sonnier are so genuine and I like being right on the Bayou Teche.)

** The CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) cabins in Bastrop State Park, Texas, near Austin. These small stone “Hobbit cottages” were built in the 1930s, during the Great Depression, but they are beautifully-maintained and have charming hand-carved fireplace mantels with nice sayings like, “Old Friends Are Best.”

** Ryokan Asakusa Shigetsu, Tokyo. Give me a good futon and fresh-smelling tatami mats, and I sleep like a log. The bath looks out over the Asakusa Kannon temple and the pagoda is beautifully lighted at night. Bliss.

7) Your top 3 most memorable food / wine experiences to date and why?
** A sunset Mai Tai at Honolulu’s Sheraton Moana Surfrider hotel, near the banyan tree that was planted in 1904 on Waikiki Beach. Watch the sun’s rays play over Diamond Head, and wonder why you don’t live in Hawaii.

** A gin and tonic in the InterContinental lobby bar in Hong Kong, on Kowloon side so I can watch the nightly laser light show on the spectacular buildings across Victoria Harbor.

** A Dairy Queen Peanut Buster Parfait near Jawad’s grocery store in Manama, Bahrain. It was so absurd to be eating one of my favorite fast food ice cream desserts on an island in the Persian Gulf (or Arabian Gulf, depending upon your political perspective.)

8) Your 3 worst destination/ accommodation /food experiences to date and why?
** A bad drinks/appetizers experience at Inn of the Anasazi bar in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I think we hit on a bad night or the staff was all in a bad mood or something, but it was a perfect example of an expensive place that didn’t deliver on service. If you charge me an arm and a leg, you’d better make it worth my while.

** The Waxahachie, Texas American’s Best Value Inn. I was covering a drag race and had to get lodging at the last minute. This place was gross in just about every way, and I wrote a blog post rant about why it is apparently impossible to find a decent, clean room for one person for US$50/night. Most commenters on the post told me that I got what I deserved, but US$50 is a lot of money for some people. Should only the well-off get decent hotel rooms?

** London. It took several trips there before I stopped resenting how much money I had to spend to do the most basic things. It was not fun to look at every price tag and have to mentally double whatever number was listed. I thought I was clever enough to “go cheap” in just about any big city, but London put me to the test, particularly when the kids were with me.

9) Can you offer the readers 3 destination/ food / accomodation / things to do tips about the city you are currently living in?
** Enjoy swimming in or near Austin. Try a dip in spring-fed Barton Springs Pool, Hamilton Springs Pool or go inner-tube floating in the clear, cool Guadalupe or Comal Rivers.

** Watch the Mexican freetail bats fly out from under the Ann Richards Congress Ave bridge at sunset from May to November (the world’s largest urban bat colony “hangs out” under the bridge.) Then, go eat Mexican food at Guero’s, Maria’s Taco Xpress, Chuy’s or Fonda San Miguel.

** Come visit us in the fall for the three-day Austin City Limits Music Festival in Zilker Park (it’s better for music fans than South by Southwest Music, in my opinion) or the Texas Book Festival. The Book Festival in particular is a little-known event outside Texas, but it is extraordinarily well-run and has so many wonderful speakers and presentations, all held in the Texas Capitol buildings.

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10) Any Question(s) you’d expected me to ask that you would like to answer?
You’re Dutch, so I’ll bet you’d like to know what I thought of living in the Netherlands.
** I love Zuid-Limburg, the “Dutch Alps” region where Brunssum is located. It is the prettiest, greenest area, with lovely little distinctive villages. It’s too bad that so many never leave Amsterdam to see the rest of the country.

** Most underrated city – Rotterdam. Love the cutting-edge architecture and even the tourist cruise of the amazing harbor facilities.

** One of my favorite memories – Taking my son and daughter (on separate trips) to visit the Waddenzee islands of Terschelling and Texel. They were so relaxing, but I did miss the chance to go wadlopen (mud-walking between the islands when the tide is low.)

** What I think about the Dutch – They are brutally frank and honest. I like that a lot. They speak multiple languages without apparently breaking a sweat; I am embarrassed that I can only speak bad French. They close stores and take Sunday off to be with family; they know when to stop working. They are very picky about having clean windows and house entrance areas; I always felt like the neighborhood slob because I kept forgetting to clean mine.

** What I miss most – Fietspads (bicycle paths.) The Dutch have a whole system of bicycle lanes, many with their own stoplights and signage, so you aren’t sharing the road with cars. It makes cycling so easy and safe, unlike in the US when I often feel I’m taking my life in my hands to ride anywhere.

***************
Best wishes,

Sheila

My Observations
Thank you for being my guest Sheila. Impressive lady! I loved Todd’s Iphone video stream of your SXSW performance together with Pam. Much less formal than our ITB09 sessions in Berlin. Having lived in The Netherlands is a great plus:-) You have a standing invitation, whenever in the neighborhood, and provided I didn’t sell my boat, for a private boat tour The Hague – Rotterdam (Center and Harbour) – The Hague. Boat’s top speed 30 kn and cruising speed 22 kn. Distance The Hague – Rotterdam Center 31 nm. Thanks again!

10 Questions For (24): Donna Hull of My Itchy Travel Feet

Happy to introduce a fellow Baby Boomer Travel Blogger, -Writer and Photographer: Donna Hull of My Itchy Travel Feet:

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Donna Hull

1) Who Are you?
I’m a Tucson-based freelance writer and photographer specializing in travel and human interest content for print publications as well as the web. My articles have been published in regional and national magazines in the U.S. In the travel field, I concentrate on luxury travel, luxury and small ship cruising, soft adventure, boutique lodging including bed and breakfasts, the Southwestern United States and active travel for baby boomers. In fact, I write a blog, My Itchy Travel Feet, which advises baby boomers about active travel. Recently, I’ve partnered with two writers in Tucson to produce Tucson on the Cheap, a site highlighting entertainment bargains and cheap things to do for Tucson residents and visitors.

2) What do you like about what you do?
Travel writing gives me the opportunity to see the world. I never tire of visiting new places or meeting people along the way.

3) What don’t you like about what you do?
My biggest complaint is time. I need more of it. Can we add another hour or two to the day? Balancing trip planning, writing and marketing is a constant challenge for me.

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I love it: My Itchy Travel Feet!

4) Please tell us all about your blog and your aims with it.
At My Itchy Travel Feet, I write about active travel for baby boomers. Using my personal experiences, photographs and references, I advise boomers on where to go, what to do, where to stay and how to prepare for that dream trip. My aim is to encourage baby boomers to stay active and see as much of the world as they can. Of course I’d also like to attract the eye of editors needing travel content.

5) Your top 3 destination experiences you’ve ever stayed to date and why?
Oh, this is a hard choice. I love everywhere I’ve ever been but experiencing a South African safari has to top the list. Sitting quietly in the bush observing animal behavior was life-changing for me.

The South Island of New Zealand is another favorite. The slower pace of life is very appealing. My husband, Alan, my travel companion and photographer, wanted to move there.

My third choice would be cruising through French Polynesia which I’ve done twice in the last few years. It’s such a beautiful part of the world that provides a tranquil escape from real world pressures. Swimming with the stingrays is a must.

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Ivory Lodge Bedroom

6) Your top 3 accommodations you’ve ever stayed to date and why?
I’ve stayed at some wonderful places so this is another hard choice.

Ivory Lodge in South Africa’s Sabi Sands area tops the list due to outstanding personal service. The staff called us by our first names from the moment we arrived. They paid attention to our likes and dislikes, anticipating our every need.

Birkenhead House perched on a cliff overlooking the ocean in Hermanus, South Africa is a close second. The combination of excellent food, spectacular views and luxurious rooms can’t be beat. When we first entered our room, we discovered flower petals decorating the bed and bath.

Another favorite is Leroux Creek Inn and Winery in Hotchkiss, Colorado. The southwestern adobe building makes a convenient headquarters for exploring nearby Black Canyon of the Gunnison. Breakfast, prepared by one of the owners who is a classically trained chef, is served on a deck overlooking the vineyard.

7) Your top 3 most memorable food experiences to date and why?
Dinner at Hanagan Meadow Lodge while a snowstorm raged outside the window is a favorite dining memory. The setting at 9100 feet in Arizona’s White Mountains was the star here rather than the food.

Another great dining memory is sitting outside in the boma area of Lion Sands where a gourmet dinner was served on linen-draped tables placed near a roaring fire. The romantic setting included flickering lanterns hung in tree branches.

And of course I’ll include a favorite ship-board dining experience. On a Panama Canal cruise on Regent Seven Seas ship, Mariner, we were invited to a special dinner with the captain and cruise director. The staff transformed the cigar lounge into an intimate dining setting. Along with a small group of passengers, we enjoyed the best in food and wine that the ship had to offer.

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Writer and Photographer

8) Your 3 worst destination/ accommodation /food experiences to date and why?
Sorry, but I can’t think of any. I can usually find something good in everywhere I’ve stayed.

9) Can you offer the readers 3 travel/ food / accomodation / things to do tips about the city you are currently living in?
A visit to Tucson isn’t complete without taking a hike in Sabino Canyon. Although it’s located in the city, once on the trail you’ll feel like you’re in the wilderness.

For dining, drive downtown for a meal at Cafe Poca Cosa where the inventive Mexican menu changes nightly.

To feel a sense of Tucson’s history, stay at the Arizona Inn which has been owned by the same family since 1930.

10) Any Question(s) you’d expected me to ask that you would like to answer?
Where am I going next? I’m currently planning a visit to Molokai and the Big Island of Hawaii. Alan and I will be concentrating on off-the-beaten-path adventure while staying in small inns and bed and breakfasts.

Thanks for this opportunity, Guido. It’s been fun sharing my travel experiences with your readers.

My observations:
Thank you very mutch Donna. It was a pleasure having you.
I dare say you have very nice feet:-)
Tucson Arizona must be a place with many ancient Adobe buildings and maybe also some adobe built hotels. I am curious if this is true and if you can pinpoint some. Am glad having found another Baby Boomer who is so actively engaged in modern technology!

10 Questions For (23): Tom Meyers of EuroCheapo.com

Happy to present a community and team builder: Tom Meyers (@Budtravel?), brother of @Pete Meyers, of EuroCheapo.com.

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Tom Meyers in Paris

1) Who are you?
I’m Tom Meyers, the founder and editor of EuroCheapo.com, a guide to budget travel in Europe. I’m American and live in New York City.

2) What do you like about what you do?
First off, I love to travel and feel very fortunate that my job allows me to travel to Europe a couple times a year. After eight years of doing this, I still get a thrill every time I arrive in a city and head off to visit hotels.

I also really enjoy running my own business and, together with my business partner (and brother) Pete, making decisions, and implementing them right away on the site.

3) What don’t you like about what you do?
I wish that I could travel more frequently. In the years following our 2001 launch, I was the only employee and operated EuroCheapo from my apartment in Berlin. My expenses were minimal, so everything went back into travel. I spent years roaming around European cities hunting down hotels. Now, fortunately, the business has “grown up” and we have grown-up expenses, and I travel less.

4) Please tell us all about your site/blog and your aims with it.
EuroCheapo.com is primarily focused on reviewing budget hotels in Europe. Our writers visit lots of cheap-ish hotels in 26 European cities, find the best deals, take photos and write a review. (note from hh: Eurocheapo’s blog is Eurocheapo Blog)

Our blog offers us a chance to supplement that information with other timely tips about how to visit these cities on a budget. With the blog, we can be immediate (for example, updates on rail strikes), write about things of seasonal interest (“where to celebrate Thanksgiving in Europe”), and do “on the road” reporting (our “Wandering Cheapos” series allows us to post while working abroad).

5) Your top 3 destination experiences you’ve ever stayed to date and why?
A bike trip in the south of France – One week cycling through Provence during the summer of 2007, visiting Roman ruins, enjoying leisurely lunches, and burning off all the calories on our bikes.

A trip to Tokyo and Kyoto – because it was just so different from any of my European travels. It blew my mind.

St. Petersburg and Riga – I spent two weeks in these cities in January 2009. It wasn’t “fun,” but it was immensely interesting and very educational.

6) Your top 3 accommodations you’ve ever stayed to date and why?
I still dream about a mountain-top monastery-turned-hotel (and amazing restaurant) in les Baux-de- Provence, France.

In Corsica, we stumbled upon a dusty old seaside “Grand Hotel” just north of Ajaccio—and I don’t even remember its name!

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Photo pinched from Art Luise

In Berlin, I love the artistry at the Kunstlerheim Luise, an art hotel in Berlin along the S-Bahn tracks in Mitte. Every room is designed and decked out by a different artist.

7) Your top 3 most memorable food experiences to date and why?
My work is done on a cheapo-budget, so my memorable meals have been on the budget-side. Call me predictable, but my three favorite meals were in France:

Sunday lunch in Chateauneuf-de-Papes, France in 2002. We feasted on duck, wine, desserts… happiness.

During that bike trip through Provence, in Baux les Romains, our “monastery” offered dinner, with only local ingredients. I remember a steak au poivre, cheese platter, bottle of Cote de Provence, and my bed.

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Tom and Friend

My boyfriend is French. Two years ago at his family reunion in Normandy, I got to experience the kind of feast an extended French family throws after not eating together for four years. Halfway through, just when I thought we had finished the meal, they brought out a bottle of Calvados from the basement, everyone took shots (which “opened the stomach”) and we all pushed on…

8) Your 3 worst destination/accommodation/food experiences to date an why?
Reviewing Venice hotels in December 2001 was pretty depressing. It’s already hard being a single guy in your 20s in Venice, much less in December when it’s practically empty.

Night train from Budapest to Berlin in December 2001. I got locked in the bathroom at the end of the train, behind the café car, and had to scream for ages to get anyone’s attention.

As someone who tries to find “food deals,” I’ve experienced my share of bad meals. I get disappointed and a little depressed by the boring meals thrust upon tourists, usually in restaurants lining a city’s main square or pedestrian zone. I can think of many lame pizzas, pastas, beef thingies, sad salads, etc.

9) Can you offer the readers 3 travel/food/accommodation/things to do tips about the city you are currently living in?
Don’t pay full-price for admission to the Metropolitan Museum of Art! Their entrance fee of $20 for adults is only “recommended.” You can pay anything you like.

Don’t fall for the midtown “delicatessen” restaurants (like Carnegie Deli or Stage Deli). The food is fine, but it’s just too packed with tourists and way too expensive (a pastrami sandwich can cost about $20!). We recommend the much more reasonable (and popular with locals) Katz Delicatessen in the Lower East Side.

If you’re flexible about your theater plans, buy same-day half-priced tickets at the TKTS booth at Times Square. If you want to book your show in advance, at least find a discount code from BroadwayBox.com or BroadwayOffers.com. (Discounts are available for most shows.)

10) Any questions you’d expected me to ask that you would like to answer?
Well, you didn’t ask the one question on everyone’s mind in the United States:

Is this a good time for Americans to travel abroad?

The answer, as you know, is a resounding “yes!” Despite a shaky economy and uncertainty, the dollar is stronger than it’s been for years and many hotels are lowering their rates to attract tourists. It’s a great time to travel, and not just for those of us States-side, but for everyone.

Thanks for the interview! It’s been a pleasure.

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The EuroCheapo Team

My observations:
Thank you Tom. Now I’m very curious which hotel in Les Beaux de Provence you were referring to. In addition I would have liked to pinch your brain for more inside info on Berlin, understanding that you have lived there some time. Finally: What is you Dutch connection with your very Dutch family name?

10 Questions for (22): Carrie Marshall of My Several Worlds

Happy to continue the 10 Questions for: Series with Carrie Marshall of My Several Worlds.

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Carrie on the Cover of DT (Discover Taipe)

1. Who are you?

My name is Carrie Marshall and I’m a Canadian expat living in Asia. I’ve been bouncing around Asia for the past six years and currently call Planet Taiwan my home.

Wow. For such a simple question, you would think it would be easier for me to answer. I wear a lot of hats. I’m an avid travel junkie and culture vulture. I’m a photography aficionado. I love the arts, and I express myself creatively through my writing, photography, music, jewelry design and painting. Currently, I’m working as a writer, editor, and voice talent for an international multimedia magazine company. I am also an ESL teacher. I have been teaching English conversation, grammar and creative writing courses to junior and senior high school students in Taiwan for the past three years.
I caught the travel bug in 1991 while traveling through South America shortly after graduating from high school. After a few short jaunts here and there during my university years, I decided to make the plunge and move abroad. In 2003, I moved to Changchun in Northern China to teach English as a Second Language. By night, I moonlighted as a lead singer with a Filipino rock band.

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Carrie and Alter Ego

In 2004, I fell in love with an American from Iowa, and we started traveling the world together. We moved to the beautiful island of Taiwan in 2006. You can read about our world travels and our adventures in the glittering metropolis of Taipei at My Several Worlds.

2. What do you like about what you do?

I love challenges. When it comes to me, there will always be something to work on, something to fix, something to improve on, and something to change. I am constantly pushing boundaries and moving forward. I believe a person’s greatest challenge lies in their ability to adapt. If you can do that, then you can do anything.

Asia allows me a great amount of freedom. I have time to pursue things here and explore interests that I didn’t have time for back home. For example, I study Chinese and for my first three years in Asia, I lived in a culture that virtually forced me to learn the language. I’ve taken lessons in kung fu, tai chi, belly dancing and traditional Chinese painting. I’ve also had professional opportunities here that arenn’t as easily available back home. Over the past six years in Asia, I’ve sung professionally, acted in television programs and commercials, done radio work, book editing, and modeled.

3. What don’t you like about what you do?

Like anyone who’s been away from their home for a long time, I miss my family and friends. Every once in awhile, I wish I were back in my own culture, where I understand everything that is going on. In general though, we’re pretty happy with how we’re living and what we’re doing.

I also worry that my experiences abroad may not be viewed by others back home in a positive light. I hope my language studies can be put to good use in North America. I hope my experience abroad will be considered an asset, but realistically, unless I remain in education, publishing or the travel business, my experience probably won’t count for much.

4. Please tell us all about your blogs and your aims with them?

My Several Worlds was created in January 2007 as a personal blog with feature articles on culture, English as a Second Language (ESL), and travel and living in Asia. Since then, it’s developed into a travel, culture and photography site.

I created Taiwan Photographers in August 2007 in the hopes of creating a network of photographers in Taiwan who might be willing to exchange ideas and information about photography. Since then, it’s become an award-winner, recently winning Best Photography Site in Taiwan.

5. Your top 3 destination experiences you’ve ever stayed to date and why?

Nothing beats Japan for out-of-time and out-of-space adventure. You really do feel like you’re on a different planet at times.

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Laos is incredible for eco-trekking. Traveling is a pure pleasure in this friendly and vibrant country.

I like China for its diversity, for its ancient history and for the people. I also like it for the fish-out-of-water experience that I’m sure all travelers who have been there can relate to. I lived in China for three years and I like to think that I came of age there. Every day was an adventure, and I loved it, but at the same time, it was one of the most disorienting and difficult times of my life. Try to imagine a normal day in your life back home and change every little thing about it and you might get an idea of what life was like in China for me during my first year. I wasn’t expecting to be on parade all the time. People were constantly coming up and touching me. I learned to hate living on the first floor. People would stand at my window and watch me inside my home. They dug through my grocery cart while I was shopping. Every little thing was a challenge, from riding the bus and mailing a letter, to ordering food and making phone calls.

The language and culture barriers were the biggest challenges to overcome while living in China. However, I made significant efforts to learn about my new environment and those efforts have paid off. Those years in China stay close to my heart, and I truly believe that you haven’t seen Asia if you haven’t been to China.

6. Your top 3 accommodations you’ve ever stayed to date and why?

Only two places pop into my head. In terms of quality, personal service, and an all-around positive experience, I would say that both of these places went above and beyond normal expectations.

Nefatari Villas in Ubud, Bali was, by far, the nicest and most accommodating place we’ve ever stayed at. The staff spoiled us completely and catered to our every whim. They really went out of their way to make our stay extra special. When they learned that John was going to propose to me during our stay there, they bent over backwards to help us celebrate our engagement in a traditional Balinese style. It didn’t hurt that our villa was gorgeous. We stepped out of time into our own private yard with a plunge pool and a huge outdoor bathroom and jacuzzi bath.

The Peace of Angkor in Siem Reap, Cambodia is a private villa owned and operated by photographer Dave Perkes. In addition to the friendly service, we were taken on a personal guided tour around the floating village of Kompong Khleang, Dave was also happy to help us arrange further travel accommodations, ensuring that the rest of our stay in Cambodia was safe and comfortable.

7. Your top 3 most memorable food experiences to date and why?

Japan is a paradise for people with big appetites who are passionate about Japanese cooking. We are both huge admirers of this cuisine, so we weren’t afraid to try new things and thoroughly enjoyed eating everywhere we went. Eating is just as delightful as exploring in Japan.

While John and I were staying at Nefatari Villas, the staff prepared a traditional Balinese meal for our engagement and served it in the center of a Balinese water garden by candlelight. They had constructed a billowing white canopy and garnished it with wild orchids to add some romance. The atmosphere and the sumptuous food went straight to our heads. It was the most romantic night we’ve ever had.

A company dinner in Northern China remains firmly ensconced in my memory for helping me get over my fear of eating strange and weird foods. That dinner was one of the most interesting dinners I’ve ever eaten. Fried silkworms, deer embryo, crispy baby quail and turtle soup were a few things on the menu that night.

8. Your 3 worst destination/ accommodation /food experiences to date and why?

We stayed at a terrible hotel on Khao San Road in Bangkok one night. Our bus arrived in the wee hours of the morning, and it was the only place we could find that still had vacancies. It was dirty, hot, and infested with cockroaches. At least it was cheap. It’s gone now.

We were married in December at the Moon Palace Spa and Golf Resort in Cancun, Mexico. Thankfully, our wedding day went off without a hitch. It was beautiful and I’ll remember that day for the rest of my life. However, we were quite disappointed with Moon Palace. The staff was rude and impatient. The service was slow and no one seemed to know what was going on. We were bombarded for two days with phone calls and notes on our door about time shares. We booked tours and spa appointments at one desk and arrived at the destination only to find out there was no record of our booking. Our room bill was charged for steaming my wedding dress when the service had already been paid for. It took three days to have the charge removed from our account. Moon Palace is supposed to be the Number #1 resort for destination weddings and golf packages. It ended up being a big waste of money. I would not recommend staying there.

The bus we took from Thailand to Siem Reap goes down in our travel annals for all-time horrible experiences. In addition to being on a bus on the dry, dusty backroads of Cambodia with no air conditioning and broken seats for fourteen hours, we also had to deal with numerous breakdowns and barely anything to eat. The bus stopped once at some crappy restaurant out in the middle of nowhere. We were fed stringy, dry, hard mystery meat. That’s all we had to eat for over 24 hours. On the other hand, these kinds of experiences make the best travel stories, so I’m not going to complain too much.

9. Can you offer the readers 3 travel/ food / accommodation / things to do tips about the city you are currently living in?

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Taipei Temple Logo

Taipei is a dynamic mix of ancient culture and tradition wrapped up in modern lifestyle. We’ve been here for three years and we’re still finding things to do. I especially like the modern arts movement here. There is some kind of music concert, play, ballet, opera, or art exhibit going on somewhere in the city at all times. I also consider this to be a city of festivals. People seem to be celebrating something every month.

Where to find food: The train station, night markets, and department stores are usually cheap, clean and delicious.

Where to go: Don’t miss a Taiwanese night market. They’re loud, pulsing areas full of shoppers and adventurous gastronomes. This is where you should go if you want to try eating some truly unique dishes.

I also recommend heading to a local temple. You can find one tucked away on every block. Longshan Temple is an excellent choice if it’s your first time in the city. You’ll be astounded by the riot of colors and textures, and intrigued by the stories these mythical characters tell.

There are plenty of hiking trails in and around the city. Yang Ming Mountain is just outside the city and provides a beautiful respite from the concrete jungle. The hot springs and spas in Beitou are famous for their healing qualities and for adding a little romance to the air. Taipei 101 will give you an unprecedented view of the city.

Where to stay: If I had my choice of accommodation in Taipei, I’d definitely stay at the majestic and opulent Grand Hotel. Perched atop Yuan shan Mountain, it lends a magnificent view across the Taipei Basin and city of Taipei. The Grand Hotel is one of Taiwan’s best-loved and most recognizable landmarks, and is a symbol of ancient Chinese history and culture. It’s impossible to miss on the skyline with its palatial dimensions soaring high in the sky. In fact, everything about the Grand Hotel, both inside and out, is brilliantly blown out of proportion and designed to make your stay there a memorable one.

10. Any Question(s) you’d expected me to ask that you would like to answer?

Thank you Carrie! The part of the world you live in is almost terra incognita for me. Love to learn a bit about it. BTW I Love your WP theme…might copy it:-)

Paris (2): The undiscovered Panhard Levassor X73 Cabriolet

At Retromobile in Paris there are many historic cars on show to be auctioned during the show by Bonhams.
Lot no. 141 the Panhard Levassor X73 Cabriolet was undiscovered, because it had been several decades in storage. It is amazing to see a car with such patina. The storage coverage dust stil in tact.

It fetched €37,950.- in the auction.

To compare: Lot number 138 A, 1931 Panhard et Levassor 3½-Litre SS Special Saloon Chassis no. 80141 Engine no. 80141 was not sold (offer With Reserve) and was estimated at €80,000 – 100,000.

Bonhams’ notes:

Panhard et Levassor’s Type X73 first appeared in 1934. Designated ‘CS Special’, it superseded the 2½-litre 6CS model. The Type X73 was powered by a six-cylinder sleeve valve engine with a capacity of 2,861cc, which was rated at 16CV for taxation purposes. Its larger engine made the X73 a better performer than its predecessor, the top speed going up from 125 to 135km/h (84mph). After September 1934, the range was updated with more modern styling and the X73 continued in production until June 1938.

Panhard et Levassor offered a ‘Velun’ convertible on the X73 chassis. Exclusive even by Panhard’s standards, it was built in limited numbers: only one was sold in 1934, 31 in 1935, 25 in 1936 and six more in 1937. But the ‘Velun’ coachwork, built by Jansen, was different from that of the car offered here, so it seems reasonable to assume that this particular car’s is the work of another coachbuilder.

Close inspection of this car’s coachwork leads us to believe that it was produced by Meulemeester Frères, whose office was located at l’Ile Robinson, in Clichy-sur-Seine and the workshop at 7 rue Traversière. This coachbuilder exhibited for the first time at the 1927 Le Salon de l’Automobile and in 1933 offered an aerodynamic convertible on a Peugeot 301 chassis, very similar in appearance to our Panhard convertible. It is expected that further information will be available at time of sale.
Preserved in remarkably original condition, having been stored for several decades on chassis stands, this Panhard et Levassor X73 convertible evokes the typically intense feelings of nostalgia associated with such ‘barn find’ vehicles. The car affords four-seat accommodation under its folding soft-top, while the two doors are hinged at the rear as was customary at that time. In short: it represents a unique and elegant variation on a reliable and sporting chassis from that most celebrated pre-war marque, Panhard et Levassor. Deserving a high quality restoration, this rare car would make a worthy addition to any collection dedicated both to technology and aesthetics.

Lot Notice
The coachbuilder is Gangloff not Meulemeester

Real Nostalgia!

The Bonhams sale included some extraordinary results:

€3,417,500 for the Ex-Earl Howe 1937 Bugatti Type 57S Atalantiuq;
€2,427,500 for ‘Black Bess’ – the ex-Roland Garros Bugatti Type 13; and
€337,500 for a Citroen DS23 EFi Cabriolet.

BTW this is the third way of presentimng a slide slow…just copy and paste the embed code from Flickr..What do you think?