HONG KONG – I have a number of favourite places in this great city; Kowloon Park, Victoria Peak (naturally), the Lord Stow’s bakery Portuguese egg tarts from Macau that they sell at the Excelsior Hotel’s Expresso shop, a fun and busy milk tea shop in central called Lan Fong Yuen and the Star Ferry between Kowloon and Central; perhaps the world’s most romantic and historic boat ride. All great places, and all places I visited again this time around. But I also managed to add in five awesome, new places and activities; always a nice thing. 1. The Aqua Luna Read more
Boating
DAYTONA BEACH – I hadn’t heard a lot about this part of Florida prior to my trip. I knew the usual clichés, of course; the driving on the beach, the bikers, the Daytona (duh) 500 car race. None of it got me all jazzed up, to be honest. But prior to this trip for Star Travel I read about some cool spots to enjoy nature. And I knew I’d love the beach and the small amusement park. Some folks turn up their noses but I’ve always taken delight in downscale, casual places that sell cotton candy and corn dogs and Read more
We don’t hear a lot about Como Hotels hear in North America. But that could change. Soon. There are nine hotels currently in the portfolio and three more are planned, including on at 24th and Collins in Miami Beach; close to the South Beach insanity but far enough away at the same time. The group was started by a woman from Singapore who had stayed in many hotels in London but didn’t find one to her liking. The emphasis is on stylish design and service, but they don’t aim to be a youthful, exuberant place. “It’s for people who have Read more
BOSTON – There’s probably no better place to find out why America exists. This is the birthplace of the United States in many ways, the place where the Boston Tea Party took place and where Paul Revere (more on that later) rode from to warn of an attack by the redcoats (not “the British”; more on that later, too). And they make it easy to take a Freedom Trail tour and learn about the various historic spots along the way. I had a tour with Emily, dressed as an old-time citizen named Mehitable Dawes. Emily showed us the Granary Burial Read more
HALIFAX – We all know about the harbour here; the tall ships and the Titanic connection and the seafaring history. We also see those pictures of the Citadel’s green, rolling hills and the beautiful clock tower. And we know Peggy’s Cove waits just a few minutes down the road, waiting to seduce yet more camera-toting visitors. (And a quick nod here to the 13th anniversary of the Swiss Air 111 flight departing from New York for Geneva, which crashed near Peggy’s Cove on this day in 1998; a very grim mark on an otherwise beautiful place). There are lots of Read more
