travel « WhereamIgoingto

I’m on Top of the World!

September 11, 2012

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Cape Town, South Africa…I wanted to take advantage of this perfect weather! It’s 65 degrees, clear, and sunny…the epitome of a textbook Spring day. Since I am now in the southern hemisphere, seasons are reversed…so back home it is exiting summer, down here it’s slowly heading into summer!

Table Mountain is the symbol of Cape Town…Nelson Mandela proclaimed this was South Africa’s natural gift to the world! This majestic mountain that is flat on top (hence the name table mountain) is one of the most breathtaking places I have ever been…it’s even older than the Himalayas! This mountainside rises above the city and can be seen virtually from everywhere…

Taking the circular cable car up the steep mountainside is not for the faint of heart! It’s circular shape allows it to go up or comes down while the inside rotates like a “lazy Susan” to offer everyone a 360 degree view. As if going up in this thing isn’t enough, they have to spin you around too?

Well the top is a photographic dream! Views over all of Cape Town and coast…amazing terrain and foliage cover the top. A walk around this summit is quite easy. I am still pinching myself from the magnificence of the panorama… You feel like you are on top of the world!

Wow, what a feeling!

Posted By: trickiedickny Category: South Africa Tags: Cape Town, panorama, South Africa, Table Mountain, travel, view
Amazing Cape Town!

September 11, 2012

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Cape Town, South Africa…it’s a gorgeous Spring day in Cape Town and I am already in love with this city at the southern tip of Africa!

After a two day flight from France, I am ready to explore and my first stop is the V&A Waterfront! It’s just stunning with it’s quaint wharf and views for days! I am so excited to keep exploring this vibrant city! So much to see and feel…

Stay tuned for much more from South Africa!

Posted By: trickiedickny Category: South Africa Tags: Cape Town, South Africa, Spring, travel

In Transit!

September 9, 2012

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Au revoir France, hello Middle East! I left the beauty of the South of France and I am headed to Cape Town, South Africa! En route, I have an overnight layover in Doha, Qatar…it’s a long haul down to furthest tip of Africa, so breaking up the voyage makes it interesting! I always believe making travel a true adventure of discovery…so getting to see my transit point is cool.

I love the Middle East…its so mysterious and different from other places. Some people are intimidated by the swarthy looks and natural aggressiveness, but I find it fascinating! The intricate decor, the bustling souks, the local dress…I marvel how out of a desert can rise this mirage of modern architecture! even the most modernist high rise still retains some connection to Arabic style…the Doha Tornado tower is a vision of a hip futuristic building!

This is a quick stop but it’s fascinating to get a dose of the Middle East…amazing meze and a city creating a new history for itself!

Posted By: trickiedickny Category: Qatar Tags: Doha, layover, long haul flight, Middle East, Qatar, travel
Understated Chic!

September 8, 2012

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St. Tropez, France…last day in this French playground! I decide to take a more laid back approach today to the beach in order to cap off my holiday on the Cote d’Azure…

Instead of one of the swanky beach clubs, I choose Aqua Club. A simpler, less glitzy club along the same yacht filled beach. It’s situated next to yesterday’s Les Palmiers but it’s a world apart!

I can sit on my lounger and watch people shuttled in from awaiting yachts on one side or I can view the nudist beach to my other side. But this club has no pretension, no class system, and no attitude! It’s a feet in the sand kind of place on the shore…

Lunch is served simply…tables right on the beach. The list of daily specials sound great and I pick beef carpacio and fresh mussels, one of my favs! Of course, I don’t forget to accompany it with a heaping plate of French fries…I am holding out on my all time favorite, steak tartare for when I am in Paris later this month!
Besides the laid back vibe, my day here costs half of what it did at the other chicer clubs.

Its been a marvelous summer getting to spend time on all of Europe’s rivieras…each uniquely it’s own! This winter I’ll be itching for a trip to St Barths…it’s the closet thing we have to this riviera!

Posted By: trickiedickny Category: France Tags: beach, Beach Clubs, France, French Riviera, Pampelonne, South of France, St. Tropez, travel

Fabulous on a Budget!

September 8, 2012

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St. Tropez, France…this destination is beautiful but it can be harmful to your wallet! I have prided myself this trip on creating major wows on a fairly low budget! Usually, I live by a “Don’t worry, live it up…it’s vacation!” mentality when I travel. But when the trip is 4 months long, that policy needs to be re-examined!

I knew the French Riviera would be my expense challenge! How can I play with the International elite without breaking the bank? Well, a lot of research and planning and I did very well by Cote d’Azure standards…

The 5 star hotels like Hotel Sezz or Hotel Byblos start at $500 a night and more often hover around $1000 a night! I found a lovely French hotel, Hotel Mouillage, and by booking in advance secured a rate well under $200. I was worried, but it’s a lovely French style hotel…clean, air conditioned, and decorated in a Provencal style…I have an amazing room with large terrace overlooking their great pool and gardens! Plus, its walking distance to town which saves on overpriced taxis! A total Score!

Now I needed to keep my spending in check…I decided to splurge on the beach clubs and lunch since that is the essence of life in St. Tropez! That splurge cost approx $150 a day between beach chairs and food! Of course, there are public parts of the beach which are free, but I am not a bare bones kind of guy! The hotel owner was so friendly and he matched me up daily with other guests so we could carpool together in a taxi to the beach! A huge savings…

I stocked up on drinks and snacks at the grocery store and there are a plethora of take out places, gourmet shops, and little bakeries that have delicious delicacies for take out! I would do dinner on my private terrace for $10-15 and really have a lovely and relaxing time. Grazing on authentic cous-cous, rich salads, delicious sandwiches, or amazing French pizza!

Then it was off to town nightly to enjoy the parade of yachts and the energy of the beautiful harbor!

I wasn’t luxuriating on a yacht, rubbing elbows with celebrities, power shopping at Hermes, or indulging in bottles of champagne…but I created my own “lifestyles of the rich and famous” week in the home of Brigitte Bardot, St. Tropez!

Posted By: trickiedickny Category: France Tags: Budget travel, Cote d'Azure, France, South of France, St. Tropez, tips, travel
La Joie de Vivre!

September 7, 2012

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St.Tropez, France…another gorgeous summer day in the Cote d’Azure…I return to the beach but decide to try a newer beach club along the three mile Pampelonne Beach that was recommended to me; Club Les Palmiers. Awash in modernist designer white and with a younger vibe compared to yesterday’s Le Club 55.

This feels like the Nouveau Riche version of yesterday’s more established old moneyed club. A D.J. blares Euro beats and the crowd looks straight out of the gym with their toned bodies! Of course, there are plenty of pretty young model wannabes with their wealthy older suitors. It seems this is the club of choice for the Hotel Byblos as I see guests with their blue striped hotel towels arriving.

Life in these beach clubs doesn’t come cheap…a chaise, umbrella, and towel costs 46 euro for the day! I prefer these loungers as they are more comfortable than yesterday’s. But I like the feel of this club, sort of South Beach meets French Riviera…a variety of loungers and beds fill the beach and bold sculptures are scattered about. Flashy as only the French can do!

I reserve a table at the second seating of lunch at 3:30. The prices are just as insane as the rest of St Tropez’s inflated prices! Truly feeling sticker shock! Models do a fashion show and glide around tables in order to show off their over-the-top wares and the crowd gets up dancing away at their tables as the music blares! Girls in their bikinis gyrate on tables on the beach…it’s September and it’s crazy, I can only imagine what August must be like! Its a day in euro trash glory, albeit very wealthy euro trash…

Economic slowdown? Money woes? Rising unemployment? Not on the radar here! It’s like a fantasy land of excesses! Just let reality go and live like the French do!

Posted By: trickiedickny Category: France Tags: beach, Cote d'Azure, French Riviera, Pampelonne, South of France, St. Tropez, travel

Retail Therapy!

September 5, 2012

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St.Tropez, France…Mother Nature is not being kind to my visit to the Cote d’Azure! Clouds are stopping the sun from shining and dampening everyone’s spirits! But regardless, the yachts are still lined up in Saint Tropez’s harbor and the beautiful people won’t let summer slip away that easily!

I did a quick boat tour of St. Tropez, admiring the houses that dot the waterfront. These mega rich digs are vacation homes for the Fayeds, the Hiltons, the Loreal Company, and numerous other billionaires and international elite!

They love the paparazzi here and star spotting is a major sport! The boat is decked out with shots of celebrities in St. Tropez and they pass around a photo book that documents the who’s who that came to town this summer! Rihana, Zac Efron, Leonardo Di Caprio, and Magic Johnson to name a few!

Since today isn’t a beach day…the next best thing to do here is to SHOP! It’s like being in Paris, except at the beach…the shops are housed in the most magnificent settings and it’s fun going from designer to designer!

Oh la la…I am tempted but gotta have some self control! There are some Lanvin high tops calling my name!

Posted By: trickiedickny Category: France Tags: Cote d'Azure, fashion, France, retail, shopping, sights, St. Tropez, travel
La Dolce Vita…Sicilian Style!

September 2, 2012

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Palermo, Italy…Sunday in Sicily…not much to do as much of this town is closed! A stroll through Palermo just gets you in that Italian mood!

Mangia, Mangia…the freshest homemade food is everywhere! Eggplant, pasta, pizza, and of course cannoli! A must stop for a delicious cannoli and strong italian coffee and I am living “la dolce vita”!

Old churches, cathedral, and magnificent opera house frame this town. I notice a lot of art nouveau touches especially the decorative kiosks scattered on various street corners.

It’s a quick visit to Sicily and I hope to return to take it all in a bit more!

Posted By: trickiedickny Category: Cruise, Italy Tags: Italia, Italy, Palermo, Sicily, travel

A Study in Contrasts!

August 29, 2012

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Istanbul, Turkey…I love this city! So rich and complex…straddling two cultures and two continents!

It has a mystery and a sense of the unknown but also the sophistication and modernity to make it feel familiar.

A visit to the Spice Bazaar, Grand Bazaar, Hagia Sophia, and The Blue Mosque made for a day full of riches! I love experiencing the cultural differences that make the world we live in! It’s intriguing to smell different aromas, taste unfamiliar flavors, and see unknown sights…I relish it! It makes you appreciate how diverse our world is and the many different creeds, religions, beliefs, and customs that all work together to form humanity.

I am still walking around with my eyes wide open and my jaw on the ground as I can never get over the mesmerizing sights of my travels!

Posted By: trickiedickny Category: Cruise, Turkey Tags: Bazaar, beautiful, Istanbul, Mosque, sights, travel, Turkey
Totally in Ruins!

August 28, 2012

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Kusadasi, Turkey…this port city was our pathway to the ancient ruins of Ephesus as well as the much debated final home of the Virgin Mary. The well preserved ruins of Ephesus rival Pompeii in their size and grandeur and are a must see!

I have been here before on a previous cruise, but these sights are definitely something you can repeatedly experience…my travel companion has never been here and I wanted him to experience it as well. I am “allergic” to big tour groups, so instead of an organized outing with a large group following a guide, I decided we shall go it independently. I like being able to customize my experience instead of following some pre set program….A few taxi drivers and a lot of haggling later, we were on our way through the beautiful Turkish hillsides towards the House of the Virgin Mary.

The sights were bustling with an overflow of tourists on buses from allover the globe!

At the house of the Virgin Mary, this holy shrine is a pilgrimage spot for many Christians and hence women visit with scarves on their heads to show respect and collect water from the natural Spring below. There is a wishing wall where you can write your wish or prayer on paper or fabric and attach it to a wall already full of other’s hopes and dreams. I affix my wish to the wall and I hope time will tell!

Afterwards, a hike through the marble laden ruins of Ephesus really provides a sense of antiquity and manmade ingenuity…it’s a sprawling feast for the eyes everywhere you look! Instilling complete awe, you are able to see up close how these buildings and artifacts have survived so well for centuries!

History is so powerful. Exploring ancient marvels such as these makes you realize the enduring power of mankind! Learning about it in a book cannot compare to traveling to feast your eyes on the marvel of it yourself.

Posted By: trickiedickny Category: Cruise, Turkey Tags: ancient, archeaology, Ephesus, history, Kusadasi, ruins, sights, travel, Turkey