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Two Standout Lodgings in Papua, New Guinea

2009-11-07T16:21:00.003-05:00

I got the final itinerary for Papua New Guinea today and it looks sweet! I went online to check out some of the lodges I will be staying in and it looks like two standouts are in the line up. The first is in a prime diving zone and is called Walindi Plantation Resort, bungalow style accommodations. The other is in the jungle and also looks great. To get to Karawari Lodge we will travel by chartered plane and small boat, no roads where we are going. It sits on a ridge above the Karawari River and the dusk is said to be amazing and your morning is greeted by Lorikeets and Eclectus Parrots. I have a few days to clear up back stories for GN before I leave, don’t want a back log when I head to a place few get to see.

Jackson Browne at UPAC Nov. 2009

2009-11-07T09:42:00.000-05:00

Someone you lost track of long ago
Tell them that it's someone you need worse than
Anybody else you'll ever know

Clyde Jackson Browne was just fantastic last night at UPAC, in Kingston, NY, a troubadour with lyrics that move the heart. Years ago I remember late night drives all over the East Coast singing his ballads while just heading out, anywhere. That dates back from eight track times. To hear Clyde play acoustically was a cross between going back in time and yet hearing a whole new song that you just knew the words to. Sixteen guitars, an electric piano and one tuner was all that was traveling this route. Many thanks to my old AZ friend, Julie (Party) Parker for getting me a ticket and motivating me to go, after this gig I will not let old friends or music fade.

Time running out time running out
For the fool still asking what his life is about
Time running out time running out.

Fifty Four and There is so Much More, Past Mid- Field

2009-11-05T18:33:00.001-05:00

I had a very strange thought today as I drove around Kingston; I tried to grow up here, never happened. I just never grew up! I have however expanded my world quite a bit. For some reason after I heard about some criminal getting sentenced to minimum twenty years, I bummed. I am fifty four and twenty years from now, well figure it out. I have gone beyond the half way line, packed a lot in though, wouldn’t have changed a thing. That thought really drove the bad mojo away, I got some great destinations coming up and a list of great people met on the road as well as here. I have tasted the best the world offers and not in a cell. By coincidence while working tonight the song Twenty Four and There is so Much More by Neil Young played on my computer, seemed like not long ago I heard it for the first time.

The Kimberly Hotel in NYC a Suite Deal

2009-11-05T16:29:00.001-05:00

Things look sweet from a suite on the Kimberly Hotel’s 22nd floor, stepping out onto a balcony in NYC’s Eastside is a rarity. Pair that in with a spacious 2 bedroom suite done in style and you may be humming, My Way, like Frank Sinatra. The spa tub and bathroom flat screen TV is a great way to start your evening; the hotel’s location is perfect for those who want ease in reaching the best of NYC. The feel is intimate and private and the Kimberly a wonderful match to the Big Apple.

Ritz Carlton in Shenzhen China, WOW!

2009-11-05T08:17:00.000-05:00

I am a true hotel freak; I love checking them out and see many in the course of a year. One of my new favorites is the Shenzhen Ritz Carlton in China. The huge living room and super large work area was such a plus. The roomy balcony over looking the pool and city, perfect for a place to sip a strong coffee from the machine in room.

One of the best meals of my trip was the Chiu Chow cuisine from the hotel’s Xingli Restaurant, the Cantonese specialties sublime and setting calm and elegant. One great feature of their Spa was the treatment rooms with complete privacy. If I were Dorothy I would be clicking my heels to return right now!

Meeting of Online Travel Minds at M. Silver and Associates in NYC

2009-11-03T18:01:00.006-05:00

It was a pleasure sitting in the conference room of M.Silver PR this morning, six of the best online travel publishers as company. It was a face to face of those who love traveling and getting the word out. Some were old friends like the charming and decent dude Johnny Jet; the Jetster has always done me great! Hard working and thinking Tim Leffel the engine for this meeting another old bud was there. The maestro and online pioneer, Sean Keener was also in the mix. Of course my oldest pal and big boss Max Hartshorne was across the table.

I finally got to meet Greg Hubbs; his dad Clay was the first man to publish my very first article years ago. New also to me were Mike Richards and the Hobo, Andy Graham and great to do so. All of the sites are as different and diverse as the people I met, the common ground being travel. For us old timers it was an amazing feeling as we all recalled the days when online was travel publishing’s bastard child. That has changed and this prodigal son felt right at home! Check out the links and thanks to M.Silver for understanding that changes are constant.

The Tribe Gathers at the Herrick Guest Suites

2009-11-01T18:43:00.005-05:00

Tonight I am in a apartment that is headquarters for Max and me during the VEMEX gathering, speed dating for travel writers and editors to Europe. We have a sweet apartment on Hudson Street in the West Village.No cooking though the place has everything you would need is there, out the window the full moon shines with NYC skyline, full moon and meeting other travel writers the aim. Love the place, Herrick Guest Suites.

Rasputin, Devil or Mystic

2009-10-30T17:16:00.003-04:00

Raving mad, total lunatic or dumb as a fox, forget Bill’s intern and Bush’s madness, they pale compared with Rasputin. The basement room in the Yusupov Palace where he was poisoned then shot was a highlight of St Petersburg for me. His body was dumped in a canal and an autopsy showed he drowned. He was a debaucher, drunk and for awhile controlled Russia. The book Nicholas II: The Last Tsar by Edvard Radzinsky is a favorite book of mine, I bought Rasputin: The Last Word by the same author at the palace. A super read! The picture of me with the book was taken by buddy Lisa Sonne.

Home in the Country, Witticism Runs Rampent in the Hudson River valley

2009-10-29T18:23:00.004-04:00

I walked to the country store this morning in the foggy Hudson Valley Oct. haze, cold and damp brings fog. As I filled my coffee cup, I was asked by the locals here in my little hamlet of Cottekill where I was recently! I regaled my stories for the boys of eating snake in China and borsht in Latvia. I told about the pits outside of Vilnius where 90% of the Jews in Lithuania were shot in mass killings. So one old boy said, “Not a good time huh”? Hard to call what I do a good time, interesting for sure. I tried to explain that it is not all Cracker Jacks and peanuts, life isn’t.

I truly live in one of the art creating places found in the lower 48, but I do love meeting those whose lives have been spent here, the witticism is comforting. If a leaf falls let it, might fall on deaf ears elsewhere. I however know exactly what is meant. I have lived in the big cities before but the vibe after that makes Jake cool… He can tell I am beat, I am!

Ritz Carlton, Guangzhou and the Fabulous Lai Heen Restaurant

2009-10-29T16:24:00.002-04:00

It is all about Asia tonight, sparked by memories of a recent visit to the amazing Ritz Carlton, Guangzhou. One of the best things about my visit was a memorable meal in the lai heen room. The many courses were matched by various teas; they have close to a hundred different types. The large spinning center table was filled with delicacies that will long be remembered.

Cantonese cuisine is said to be the finest China, it certainly was well represented at lai heen, Dim Sum delight. One of my favorite things about Ritz properties is the fantastic dining venues, a rarity in the hotel world.

Jet Lag Blues, Wouldn't Change a Thing

2009-10-28T17:44:00.002-04:00

For a long time I have never fought off the Devil called jet lag, the curse of travelers. Four continents in the span of a few weeks has apparently broken that chain of good luck, inevitably the pay back comes, like a velvet glove striking the skull. Still the bizarre blue and grey skies here in the Hudson River Valley keep the spacey blues at bay. The chance to actually cook my own meal and flick through channels is an undeniable pleasure; I am off the stage for a bit. The motley colored maple leaves clinging to my boots add sparkle to the wide pine planked floors as I dump firewood into the pine box. The glow of a warm fire reminds me that I am back. Duties simple and plain are the order of the day; New Guinea is in the future, simple pleasures please.

Great Company in Latvia, Lithuania and St Petersburg...

2009-10-27T02:25:00.002-04:00

It is a small world we travel writers live in, three from this trip I met in Kenya a bit back. It sounds wonderful to truck around the world, care free, seeing amazing things. It is but the group you’re with makes all the difference in the world. This recent blitz through Lithuania, Latvia and St Petersburg was a wonderful experience, made so by traveling with great people.

I had my old buddy Lynn O’Rourke Hayes to keep me moving and smiling, such a pleasure! Peter Guttman was there to help me with my fascination of shooting pics, no better teacher than this award winning magician with a camera. The always up beat Lisa Sonne kept those moments of despair at bay, the smile always a delight. The one new face also was such a pleasure, Norma Davidoff, anytime or place, you were such a nice surprise. To all of you, many thanks!

A Night With Tchaikovsky at the Mariinsky in St Petersburg

2009-10-26T12:46:00.002-04:00

Seeing Swan Lake at the Mariinsky Theater in St Petersburg, Russia was such an amazing experience, especially since we had the Tsar’s box directly over the stage, we sat so close that you could see the sheen on the ballerina’s necks. Amazing choreography in a setting that stunned, it put me back in time to the Imperial days of Russia. The theater was built in 1860 and was the starting point for many of today’s best loved ballets by such as Tchaikovsky and Mussorgsky. The place sparkled and the show amazing, a must even if ballet leaves you cold, you will not regret it!

A Visit to the Hermitage, St. Petersburg

2009-10-25T01:43:00.000-04:00

It is said that if you spend a minute seeing every picture at the Hermitage in St. Petersburg it would take you nine years to finish. Every period of art is covered and treasures by masters on display. The Hermitage was also known as the Winter Palace or home of the Tsars. It was from the balcony that Nicholas II announced Russia’s entrée into WW I, almost four years to the day, he and his family were murdered.

St Petersburg, an Icy Night

2009-10-23T16:00:00.002-04:00

An icy rain falls from my EMS hood of a thin jacket, all around me the people of St Petersburg scurry as I walk down the Nevskiy Prospekt, towards my temp home. Hard faces softened by neon and that cold rain. Smiles appear under hoods and umbrellas, the American also walks.

It is with fear that trudge further on after knowing I have been sated with a meal fit for a Tsar, caviar black and rich, placed back in the shell of an egg, forgotten times these days. No other faces have a caviar glow.The scruffy boots over rule the dress pants, we all smile, I walk in the icy rain.

Art Nouveau in Riga, Latvia

2009-10-22T00:02:00.001-04:00

Riga is unparalleled in the amount of Art Nouveau Architecture, according to UNESCO. Walk any street in the centre of the city and you will feel a bit like Alice in turn of the century wonderland. Screaming faces and roaring lions can be found everywhere as themes. Some of the styles are National Romantism and Perpendicular. Elizabeth and Albert streets are teaming with treasures of a bygone era.

Cafe in Riga, latvia

2009-10-21T01:30:00.000-04:00

Lunch with the New US Ambassador to Latvia. Good Pick Obama!

2009-10-20T12:14:00.002-04:00

I have meet some very interesting people over my years of travel writing, a few princesses both with titles and some that just acted that way, that goes for princes also. Today I had the chance to have lunch with the US Ambassador to Latvia, truly a great experience. She is actually a seasoned State Department person, no moneyed contributor to Obama’s campaign. This makes so much sense to me! The assistant Public Affairs Officer, Davida A Baxter was also with us at the Gallery Park Hotel and a delight! Riga scores high with its beauty, style and an Ambassador that rocks!

The Hill of Crosses, Lithuania

2009-10-20T00:57:00.002-04:00

Profound has a deeper meaning to me after a stop at the Hill of Crosses in the Lithuanian countryside. The small hill is covered with hundred of thousands of crosses and the thought that each carries hopes, wishes and thanks is mind boggling! The communists tried to bulldoze down this hill of hope but were never able to keep it down. It would just keep springing back. On Sept 7th 1993 a visit from John Paul II only revved up the process and all that pass usually stop to place a cross, all religions and all beliefs. It seemed to me to carry a touch of some pagan beliefs, but then again what religion isn’t based a bit on that. That in itself is profound.

The Karaite in Lithuania, Magical

2009-10-17T14:58:00.002-04:00

"The universe is full of magical things, patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper." --Eden Philpotts

This was certainly the case today as I explored the area around the castle of Trakai today, besides the amazing castle the town is the center of the Karaims, ethnic Turkic adherents of Karaite Judaism. They came 600 here years ago via the Crimea to act as soldiers for a powerful lord here. They were granted rights and have survived centuries of Lithuanian upheavals.

Much of the beliefs and traditions were told to us by Jurij Shpakovski in the Kybynlar Restaurant over Turkish style coffee and treats. His grace and style were terrific and the experience amazing. The universe is indeed full of magical things…

The Killing Fields of Lithuania, Paneriu

2009-10-15T23:29:00.002-04:00

It was painfully cold under a clear blue sky this morning about 18 Km outside of Vilnius, Lithuania. Our pain soon seemed so trivial as the horrors done by Nazi and Lithuanian collaborators was peeled before our eyes in a large empty pine forest called Paneriu. The mist swirled up from the ground as if spirits were ascending, fitting as over 130,000 Jews were taken to pits here to be shot.

Our guide Rachel Konstanian-Danzig brought an amazing feel to our look at hell on earth as we saw the pits and trenches. She lost her father and most of her relatives. In fact between 90% to 95% of all of Lithuania’s Jews were murdered. That was such an unbelievable thought to comprehend in the cold dark forest. Later we went to the Jewish Tolerance Museum, an uplifting experience as it features Jewish art and culture in an amazing space, a testament and tribute to all those who died so needlessly and in a horrific abomination of human character. If Iran’s Anmadinejad needs proof of the Holocaust I suggest a cold day in the Forest of Paneriu.

Reaching Vilnius, Lithuania

2009-10-15T01:07:00.001-04:00

A new country and city is always a thrill and Vilnius, Lithuania certainly fills expectations. Lithuania was the first country to assert its independence from Mother Russia back in the early 90’s. The old city center is filled with architectural wonders and the city from my balcony of the Reval Hotel Lietuva is a pleasing site. Slumber comes with a vengeance after flying from China, NY then Helsinki to Riga and finally to Vilnius but the end result looks so very promising!

Best Flight on Cathay Pacific, and a Great Movie, Fifty Dead Men Walking

2009-10-12T17:14:00.006-04:00

My flight home from Hong Kong yesterday on Cathay Pacific was one of the most pleasant flights I have had in a longtime. My business class pod cozy and service fantastic! In fact I did what I seldom do on a flight, watched a movie I have long heard about, Fifty Dead Men Walking. It was a fine film directed by Kari Skogland, a true story about Marty McGartland, a 22-year old Irish fence Catholic who worked for the British Special Branch during the troubles.

It took me back to one of my first solo trips, back to N Ireland, the lines were still drawn and my naivety was packed into a rental car and driven to Belfast. I remember the helicopters and Brit troops patrolling. I spent one night in a pub known for IRA activity and the next in a Loyalist bastion. I returned last year and was so happy to see the change in Belfast, it gives me hope.

Ritz Carlton in Guanzhou, a Feminine Hand

2009-10-11T03:13:00.002-04:00

z Carleton, Guangzhou, a Feminine Hand

Newsweek proclaims that despite a worldwide economic melt, China had a very good year. From my perfect perch on the 35th floor of the Guangzhou Ritz Carlton, I can believe it. Below and above new buildings are sprouting like mushrooms after a rain. This part of Guangzhou is called Pearl River New City and it will indeed be a new city.

On another front the RC is headed by a new woman GM, the energetic Michelle Caporicci, a southern California native. That news has spread like wildfire in the media here. Things are changing in China and Ritz is playing a leading role here, first as an anchor for New City and second by the high posting of a most talented GM. My experience here has given me plenty of face time with her. A more hands on GM, I have never met. Things here are certainly looking up, literally.

http://www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/Guangzhou/Default.htm

Kent's Wriggling Lunch

2009-10-09T11:26:00.002-04:00

Food is a Cantonese talking point--everything is eaten here, no waste. It is said that in Guangzhou nothing with four legs is not eaten except a table. That means every part of every animal. A trip to the fish market is like a strange biology class, there are things here that I have never seen before!

The snake in the picture ended up specially cooked, imagine getting the serpent home in your shopping bag and alive at that! The health benefits are stressed but not always convincing. I may just hug my pillow and do a lot of strange dreaming tonight!