By the pier we found a man promoting his tours.  "Show us your island," we asked and he did.  Pete was born in Tahiti and now lives in Bora Bora.  We didn't want to sit in the rear benches of his truck with glass dividing us so I gave my daughter the passenger seat...

The new Kai Tak Cruise Port is about as close far from the places you want to go in Hong Kong as it gets.  I miss Ocean Terminal!  Even the staff is clueless where it is located and whether they give you a card written in Chinese with the address or not, it might as...

The Arts and Crafts Research Institute is the site of a charming architectural masterpiece, a  mansion built during the French Concession, hidden away... though easily discovered. Each of its  three floors have a different facet of art and all filled with items for...

The Concierge at the Hyatt argued when I wanted a driver to take me to the Pier as it was only 3 blocks away, and the price quadrupled.  I knew that communicating 'a specific area' was going to be a challenge at best, and if I hired a car the driver would have no...

Even when in a green taxi, the drivers race. In Shanghai, green or yellow taxis have the best drivers; avoid red.  On the side of the  train and bus station is International Glass City.  I navigated through the station and found a  single elevator to the 2nd floor not...

Yesterday was a very long day.  Packing, taking a taxi ride which should have been less 15 minutes but the driver pretended to either be deaf or lost, flying on SW, renting a car, ..driving in the rain to pick up my son, running a necessary errand and getting lost,...

It ain’t “Row, Row, Row your boat gently down the stream,” that is for sure.  Whether your site is the Floating Market outside of Bangkok, or simply your speedy transportation to the Grand Palace after navigating the SkyTrain remember this, you have already paid too...

The Crystal Serenity is a food extravaganza, a gastronomic sensation and proof that quantity can also be quality. The head chef is a gourmet genius and the waiters show a true interest in the guests offering a real personal touch. There is no lack of inspiration and...

The Crystal Serenity is a food extravaganza, a gastronomic sensation and proof that quantity can also be quality.The head chef is a gourmet genius and the waiters show a true interest in the guests offering a real personal touch. There is no lack of inspiration and...

With elite clientele ranging from young honeymooners to retired art collectors, why am I always seated within ‘hearing’ distance of the only obnoxious table of people on the ship? You know the table I am referencing. The lady with a smoker’s voice who has to add “Cha...

Having traveled on many different cruise lines, the difference on Crystal is Crystal Clear. I will say that the villas on the newer NCL ships are pretty amazing but I wouldn't pick a ship on the room alone.Our veranda room on the Crystal Serenity is a little bland but...

With elite clientele ranging from young honeymooners to retired art collectors, why am I always seated within ‘hearing’ distance of the only obnoxious table of people on the ship? You know the table I am referencing. The lady with a smoker’s voice who has to add “Cha...

I had lunch and left the ship which was docked in Passeau which is situated at the area where the Danube, Ilz and Inn Rivers meet. I wandered through the streets window shopping, grabbed an ice cream and headed back. I had packing to do before dinner and thought I’d...

To say I am not a group person is an understatement.  I didn't even play team sports as a kid.

Can you see all of Prague Castle in a day? No...but you can see a lot. There are two types of tickets available; a short-tour ticket or a long-tour ticket. We bought the later and added the extremely worthwhile audio-guide, which is a must-do! The historic information...

I checked into my hotel and took an evening stroll through the Mala Strana. It is dotted with embassies, colorful pubs and restaurants. I landed at a very typical, very tiny pub called Uklicu. There were 10 stools but I was told by a customer, “during the summer the...

You can imagine my surprise that after I left the plane, grabbed my luggage and headed to meet my pre-arranged ride. No customs and no passport check. I stopped to change some currency though I knew better. Banks and ATM’s are always best but I wanted some local...

A very disturbing observation is that the Korean women really do eat. They all look like models. They are tall and skinny. I made a point of gawking at every dish everyone of these stunning woman (and men) ate. And they did not push food around their plates...

My apologies for my lengthy writing absence. I was traveling and blew my eardrum on the return flight but that will be a future Blog.I love to shop in Asia. Yet for the first time it was tough to buy. To begin, there are no real bargains. It is not like shopping in...

This is what I learned:1. Always get the name, employee number (or phone number with correct extension) as well as the position of the person with whom you are speaking.2. Ask for the details of any offers in writing. Make sure you go over the cancellation and refund...

When I used to think of five star properties, I thought museum-quality, but now I know better. Not all five star ratings are based on the same criteria. There is no universal industry standard. In some countries, hotels are given star ratings by government-affiliated...