stumbling upon the good life – savoring food, discovering wine, and exploring places
From the category archives:
Ah Bia Hoi. No trip to Northern Vietnam is complete without at least a couple glasses of the stuff. Forget Saigon, 333, or any of the other local beers. Look instead for a small, street-side shop selling locally brewed versions of this light drink.
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A good value hotel located in the heart of Hanoi’s Lake District
Everyone agrees the Sofitel Metropole Hotel in Hanoi is the nicest, most luxe hotel in the city. But it is also $200-300 USD a night. So it is a bit of a splurge in a city where one can stay elsewhere for $30 – 80 USD a night. OK – sure, if you are a backpacker you can stay for $10 a night, but those days are over for us personally 
So the Church Hotel, which is very well located in the Hoam Kiem Lake District, represents a good value hotel when visiting Hanoi. [keep reading…]
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2 days and one night aboard a luxurious boat on Indochina Sails on Halong Bay
One of the must do’s if you are visiting Hanoi is a side trip to Halong Bay. I personally have done it twice – once on a bit of a budget and most recently in style on Indochina Sails. Indochina Sails presents a truly elegant cruising experience on its lovingly restored, lacquered wood, antique junk. [keep reading…]
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The Great Wall. In my mind it stands as the ultimate irony tourist trap. What was started ages ago to keep foreigners out… is now responsible for bringing millions of foreigners into the country every year.
It’s one of those tings you just have to see or do… like getting a hot dog / bagel in NYC. If you’ve visited China the first thing anyone will ask is if you visited the Great Wall (ignoring the fact that there’s a LOT of China you can visit that is nowhere near the Great Wall). So we did it. [keep reading…]
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Our favorite hotels when we are traveling in Tokyo
Tokyo can be expensive. And so it depends on how you want to do it…5 star hotel experiences are definitely available. We like the Grand Hyatt Roppongi for a truly luxe hotel experience. But we also discovered you don’t have to spend a fortune on hotels (save it for 5 star dining!). And in less expensive category, we like the Granbell Shibuya. Here’s why: [keep reading…]
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Highlights of what to see, do and eat in China’s capital city
We sometimes worry that a short trip is giving a majestic city like Beijing short shrift, but when all is said and done, wouldn’t you rather have visited a place briefly, than not all at? That said, you can get a lot done in this big city, and beyond, in 48 hours. So don’t miss the opportunity to give Beijing a run for its money even if just for 2 days….here’s our highlights of what to see, do and where to eat in the capital city. [keep reading…]
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Highlights of what to see and do in the wonderfully traditional city of Kyoto
Many folks love Kyoto and consider it the highlight of any trip to Japan. With 17 Unesco World Heritage sites, 1600 Buddhist temples and over 400 Shinto shrines, Kyoto is rife with ancient culture and Japanese history. And beyond historical sites lies the Japan of movies and books….zen gardens, red lanterns, and geishas….Thus, it is no surprise that Kyoto is considered Japan’s cultural capital. That said, unless you really want to spend weeks touring temples, one can get a real flavor of this sprawling city in 2 days. Here are our recommendation for 48 hours in Kyoto. [keep reading…]
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Shopping and eating – two of my favourite things!
The Gallery Café is an oasis in the busy city of Colombo in Sri Lanka. Situated within the former office of Sri Lanka’s renowned architect, Geoffrey Bawa, the Gallery Café is part restaurant, part boutique, part art gallery, part gift shop.
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A gem of a boutique hotel overlooking Lake Koggala
A few miles from Galle City Center lies a truly special retreat, Kahanda Kanda. Amid a lush tea plantation, Kahanda Kanda sits on 9.9 acres of tropical tranquility. 5 villas are elegantly and tastefully decorates in that distinctive style of Sri Lanka. Yet somehow George Cooper, the owner and also an interior designer, has done Sri Lankan style one better with the integration of modern classics like Barcelona chairs and distinctive architectural features like the magnetic saffron wall dividing the property. [keep reading…]
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Chill beachside over heaping plates of seafood, curries and cold beer
In between tea plantations and the Galle fort, we needed a spot of lunch. Having heard the Wijaya Beach Cottage was recommended…and on the way to Handunugoda Tea Estate, this seemed like a perfect spot to chill seaside and grab a bite to eat.
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