TND West

With the approaching winter coming on I think about the all too needed winter get away that will be necessary by Jan or early Feb. I like heading south of the equator where it is summer while we freeze in winters snow and ice. Other years have included trips to South America: Argentina Buenos Aries and the Pampas were very memorable and Brazil was a blast dancing a parting late into the hot tropical nights and days of sunning by the beach. Last year was Australia but this year I am thinking of something a little more exotic. Some where like Cape Town. So I am looking into Cape Town South Africa hotels and accommodations for my upcoming trip out o the winter. It is the short day, the cloudiness and the dismal weather that makes me need to plan this annual get away for the winter to somewhere I can get the promise of summers returning one day to where I live. In South Africa I want to go tot the wine country. Tour some wineries and sample the wines that the South African wineries have to offer. Other than that I don’t have or want to make any other plans. Simply an arrival date a departure date somewhere to stay and that is it. The rest of the time I will be laying it by ear. No plans schedules or stresses on my time to me in general. Relaxing will being order and sunning to bring up the mood. i like to keep everything else as a though and idea so I don;t have to feel pressured to make a schedule or meet time frames. Walking along the beach without any time restraints sounds like a winner of a day to me and what could be more relaxing and recharging any way.

The gourmet market Bali Deli in Seminyak is fantastic with their own cafe and fast wi-fi. We left our hotel in Bali Indonesia to try a warung for real tasty Balinese food. In Ubud distrct you can get Western wines and the local lunch sausage, meats and breads. You can get sambal, vegetables with spices, all carefully sauced and delicious.

We tried the Lawar here, which can be had in almost every village. It’s made from pig’s blood and all kinds of other ingredients like coconut, green string beans, and paste made from shrimp. It’s so common as to be almost a stereotype of Balinese food, and for many Westerners a taste that one must acquire. It’s the meat that really makes the difference. It can be beef, pork, chicken, turtle or even made with dragonflies (it takes a lot of dragonflies) but not everyone in Bali goes for this and rather have vegetarian lawar.

Bali’s most famous dish is probably Babi guling, Balinese suckling roast pig. It’s not likely found in tourist areas as it takes so long to make. A suckling pig is filled with a mixture of ginger, garlic, lime leaves, chilies, lemon grass, fresh turmeric, and other spices. The outside is rubbed with water mixed with turmeric, giving the skin its characteristic yellow color, and seasoned with salt. The pig is roasted at high heat, over 400 degrees for about an hour. After resting for fifteen minutes, the skin is removed and the meat sliced. A dollop of stuffing is placed on a plate and topped with the skin and meat. It is served with steamed rice and Jukut Nangka Mekuah, jackfruit with coconut milk.

Vegetarians will enjoy Balinese cuisine too. Rice is a staple, try it with Gado Gado, steamed cabbage and sprouts, tofu and nut sauce. You can find this and other non meat items at Padang food places, Sumatran spots with beautiful stacks of food in the window.

I was fortunate this year to be awarded two tickets to attend the Chelsea Flower Show and be put up at one of the Chelsea Hotels for free. I had no idea that my employer appreciated all the work I’ve done for his company, until he presented me last week with the tickets and the room reservations. He told me I earn a well deserved vacation and that I should take my boyfriend along with me, since I haven’t had a change to be with him for what seems like an eternity. Luckily, my boyfriend likes flowers as much as me, and had a little vacation time of his own, so he could join me!

I’ve only read about the Flower Show and only been able to dream that one day I could actually attend one year. But, here I am with my boyfriend, so thrilled and excited. We managed to attend an exhibit with the focus on Biodiversity and how it’s crucial for not only preserving the United Kingdoms natural fauna but it’s wildlife as well. There was a lecture about how we need to adapt our gardens to the climate changes that are taking place and how biodiversity is the key for maintaining our plants and our future.

My boyfriend and I had no idea that scientists would be involved with the Flower show, we were so impressed and stunned at the same time. The scientist giving the lecture explained that two plants which grow naturally in the Mediterranean, like the Olives and the Cyclamen might just be suitable for England. He said the gardens of England could become a vital reserve for these trees in the future. He said with a 2 to 3 degree warming, Olives are most likely to do better in the south of the UK.

We thought that going to the Chelsea Flower Show would be a nice leisure weekend event, we had no idea that we would be educated about our environment, climate change and the preservation of plants and trees from around the world.

It’s April and the magnolias are in bloom in Brooklyn and I’m fortunate enough to be staying at a New York USA Hotel at the moment, so off I go to Brooklyn’s Botanical Garden. All I had to do is follow my nose once I arrived on street level from the subway. Magnolia’s are sweetly scented and the Garden boasts of a Magnolia Plaza with 17 different varieties.

I found Magnolia Plaza to be a very elegant and formal garden. There where magnificent trees spread in front of the beaux arts Administration Building. The flowery aroma and the beautifully display of blossoms is a good sign that’s it’s spring. March, the magnolia bloom and cover the trees in a lacy white flower, but in April the Magnolia Plaza is loaded with splashes of yellow, ivory, pink and purple. They had another collection called the sweet-bay magnolia which releases it’s fragrant and flowers in June.

I was really in heaven strolling along Magnolia Plaza and getting to see a new hybrid called the Elizabeth. It was developed to be a vigorous tree that produces a yellow flower and easy to grow and handle with home gardeners. I also got to go on a guided tour and learned the history of the Magnolia Plaza. It was first planted in 1932, which included 80 magnolias, and was designed by Harold Caparn, landscape architect from 1912 to 1945. In 1933, an armillary sphere and a compass were added to Magnolia Plaza. The sphere is made completely of bronze and represents the celestial circles and constellations. Then a bronze gnomon goes through the center of the sphere which points north and casts a shadow inside the sphere which is used to tell time. It was also decided during this time that only trees and shrubs from the Magnolia family will be planted at the plaza.

I wish I could build my home here and have the Magnolia Plaza as my emulate backyard, but, in reality I only get this one day to enjoy a true treasure for magnolia enthusiast such as me.

Dubai is one of the major United Arab Emirate cities and is also one of the most internationally known and recognized. This is in part due to its diverse cultural aspects, as well as its progressive nature, and historical significance. The four star Dubai hotels provide not only fabulous accommodations, but also include live music in the lounge, great social gathering opportunities and resources on region events and landmarks.

Light Middle East is one of the more spectacular and unique festivals that occur in Dubai. It is the major festival in the Middle East for displays on state of the art architectural, theatrical and commercial lighting designs and technology. It offers conferences and seminars in lighting instruments and design as well as fabulous displays on the art. It provides the premier platform for contractors, consulting agencies design specialists and architects. This and many other technologically centered festivals contributes to Dubai’s status on the cutting edge of innovative design. It brings together many working professionals and offers great networking opportunities as well as the great displays it provides for attendees.

The festival is organized by Messe Frankfurt, which is the second largest exhibition organizer in the world. It has a global network that consists of 29 subsidiaries. It also organizes the Middle East Toy Fair, which is another major convention in Dubai. For 8 years it took place at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center. Companies from over 30 countries attend the event to display their latest in educational and recreational toys. International trade agencies, markers toy designers are present to showcase, provide seminars and network. While this is a business oriented convention, it is also, and for obvious reason, popular with children. It’s also an excellent opportunity for parents to find out what will be hitting the markets in the near future, and get an early perspective on birthday and holiday gift lists.

Anyone traveling in Bangalore, India last week was able to witness a rare event, to participate in a first for the the city, and that was a public wine tasting festival, out in the open in the middle of a park.  Usually this is an activity that is reserved for the plush restaurants and hotels.  Bangalore, India’s families of the middle class strata were able to grab cups made of plastic and make their choice of white or red.  The event was held at the Lalbagh Botanic Gardens, and those in attendance were enthusiastic about this newly started tradition.  Local wineries and makers had predicted that they may sell a couple of cases, however more than twelve hundred cases were sold before the event was even half way over.

Many of the tables and stalls had sold out of their stock, and for the first time, some of the people of the city were actually drinking the wine in public, as the lines for the cups wound through the gardens at the stalls that still had some to sell.  This had been a taboo, an ago old no-no, but as the drinking of wine becomes touted as healthy, the citizens are definitely lining up.  Many who had never had a drink before in their lives came to try this new ‘healthy’ activity.  Some very traditional ideas still remained with some of the spectators not partaking in the tasting, however many were happy at the idea of the social restrictions being lifted.

As more westerners are moving to Bangalore, the society is seeing the trends change as far as the consumption of beer and wine are concerned.  Some of the bars are still required to close down by midnight, however other restrictions are changing such as the lowering of the cost of licensing for wine bars.  Western countries revel in their wine festivals, and the government had promoted this festival in the garden and modelled it after some of those.  Even the wine board was surprised at the number of people that came out to participate, and this could become a new tourist activity in future days in the country.

The country of Singapore is made up of the main land, and also more than fifty surrounding smaller islands.  Most of these smaller retreats offer vacation spots that are set away from the hustle and bustle of the mainland, with incredibly peaceful beaches, great expanses of blue waters in which to swim or scuba dive, and laid back, and easy going charm.  One of these spots is Sentosa Island just a few miles off the shore of mainland Singapore.  Sentosa hotels range from the quiet and quaint beach side accommodations, to resorts filled with the amenities one finds in resort locations, access to golf,  spas and massage therapists, and five star restaurants.

Even if ones main vacation is on the mainland, one would be refreshed and forever satisfied with a day trip to the smaller island.  There are options for those interested in all of the water sports, as well as hiking trails through beautiful landscapes, sites of historical significance, museums and a very happening night life filled with entertainers and performers from around the world.  Singapore’s Oceanarium is located on Sentosa as well as the Lagoon of Dolphins where even those not certified, have the opportunity to swim with, feed, and even training the pink dolphins indigenous to the area.

Sentosa was once a military head-quarters for the British, but during the early 1970′s the island was transformed into a paradise, that provided not only enjoyment for many, but employment as well.  It is quite difficult to categorize the island, as it provides everything for all types of personalities.  While the island is peaceful, the hot night life of the mainland is just minutes away, via a ferry boat, a car or the spectacular views offered by taking the cable cars.  Millions of tourists travel each year to Sentosa, to find that peace, that nature that is set amongst culture and history, manicured gardens and even some fountains that do dance.  Many will find exactly what they are looking for on the island, and will have memories that bring back specific moments, that will linger and continue to enrich their lives.

The Northern Bank of the Dubai Creek has a lot to offer to world travelers. There are many different districts and neighborhoods that are packed densely into this region, Deira being the oldest of the city. This is the center of history for the city-state, and is well known to be a local trading hub for gold, spices and rice. Many five star Dubai hotels are located in this section as well, giving travels the convenience to experience most of what the North Bank has to offer. The city of Dubai has many modern and glamorous shopping malls, as shopping is one of the favorite past-times for locals as well as tourists, but the souks located here, are more traditional, have more of the local flavor of this historical area. Many bargains are found here as customers haggle with shops owners and many a merchant, without a shop, pushes a wheelbarrow throughout the streets, selling their wares. Some of the oldest buildings in the country are found here, and although they may not have the glitter and the glamour, they have the rich heritage of the culture of this city.

This area has expanded exponentially over the current years, giving way to some of the first high rises buildings, to the first governmental offices and banks, and has a bit of the modernism of the downtown Dubai, however there are still the old ships floating up and down the Creek, carrying everything from cooking oil, used cars and refrigerators intended for Somalia, Iran, and countries all throughout the UAE. This area has retained much of its local charm as these docks are not the fancied tourist attractions that many docks become with shopping malls and amphitheaters, these are working docks. There are various projects in development for tourism however, such as Dubai Festival City, which opened in 2007 and a new plan for a city park. The Festival City is a self sustaining project, with sports arenas, entertainment facilities, shopping malls, and residential quarters. This ‘city’ within a city will also is filled restaurants and cafes. This small sector of Dubai has everything offer, from old world charm to modern decadence.