Sigo Journeys-- Where to Next?

I can't say what made me fall in love with Vietnam - that a woman's voice can drug you; that everything is so intense. The colors, the taste, even the rain. Nothing like the filthy rain in London. --Thomas Fowler

I am writing this on our flight home from Asia. We spent four days in Hong Kong and four days in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), which I will be referring to as Saigon. We have always wanted to go to Asia. Saigon specifically, since that is where I was born. My parents were going to going to Saigon for Tet, or Vietnamese New Year, similar to Chinese New Year. We thought this was a great opportunity to go.

Fri, 2/15- We arrived in Hong Kong at 9:00 PM. We took the convenient Airport Express train to Kowloon, where a free shuttle brought us to our hotel. We were staying at the Sheraton, across the street from Victoria Harbour and adjacent to the Peninsula Hotel. It was a perfect location in Tsim Sha Shui, and only one block from the MTR, Hong Kong’s public transit rail.

Sat, 2/16- We headed out to Victoria Peak, also called the Peak. At the top of the Peak, you can see the city skyline, Victoria Harbour and Kowloon, laced with peaceful green hillsides. And if you think the top of the Peak is amazing, getting there is just as unforgettable trip. The Peak Tram climbs 373 metres (about 1,200 feet) in only 7 minutes. It's so steep that the buildings you pass look like they're leaning at a 45°angle. The tram has been operating since 1888, and was initially constructed to transport the wealthy to their residences in the Peak. We just soaked in the view at the Pacific Coffee shop that sits at the top of the Peak. This must be the best coffee shop location in the entire world.

We took the MTR to Tung Chung on Lantau Island. The Ngong Ping 360 experience starts at Tung Chung, where you board a cable car for a stunning ride up a mountainside offering 360-degree views over the sea, lush valleys and rugged terrain, leading up to the awesome Giant Buddha.

The Tian Tan Buddha Statue is the world's largest, seated, outdoor, bronze Big Buddha statue. Constructed from 202 bronze pieces, the Tian Tan Buddha Statue weighs over 250 tons and soars 34 meters into the air. Sitting atop 268 steps, the Tian Tan Buddha Statue is positioned on a lotus throne, surrounded by eight smaller bronze statues representative of the gods. The statue is so named as its base is a model of Tian Tan, the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. The Buddha Statue's right hand is raised, representing the removal of affliction; his left hand rests on his knee, signifying human happiness. While most Buddha statues face South, Tian Tan casts his serene gaze towards the North.

At Tung Chung, there is a huge outlet mall. We had lunch at the Food Republic, a food court that has stations featuring various Asian cuisines, from Thailand to Vietnam. There were over 10 different countries that were represented, but for some reason, E & I both feasted on Korean food! We returned to Hong Kong and walked along the harbor.

For dinner, we headed to Frites, a Belgian restaurant in the heart of SOHO (South Hollywood). The décor was warm and reminded me of a place that we would see in the US-- a ceramic Dalmatian sat on the bar. We enjoyed some Belgian beer with some Thai mussels (steamed with lemongrass, coconut, and chili) and fish & chips. It was not the best fish & chips, but the Asian twist mussels were yummy. We made it back to the harbour just in time for the nightly Symphony of Lights, a synchronized building-exterior-decorative-light-and-laser multimedia display, featuring 44 buildings on both sides of the harbour accompanied by symphonic music. The technology was developed by Australian firm Laservision and cost approximately 44 million HK dollars. Guinness World Records has named the Symphony of Lights the world's largest permanent light and sound show.

Sun, 2/17- We had Sunday brunch at Alain Ducasse’s SPOON. Our seats overlooked the harbour; we enjoyed Alain Ducasse’s champagne while watching the boats go by. SPOON’s brunch featured an appetizer buffet that consisted of little portions of SPOON’s appetizers from lobster Caesar salad in shot glasses to seared foie gras. There was also an antipasto station where we were served hand carved meats and cheeses with a selection of wines. Five specialty entrée dishes were offered as our main course. I chose black cod and E had Wagyu beef tenderloin with truffle sauce. To end our meal, we were invited into the kitchen to choose from a beautiful display of various desserts. The ambience, service, and food was wonderful-- it was easily the easily the best brunch that we have ever experienced.

We walked along the winding streets of Tsim Sha Shui. E definitely stood out. Every five minutes, someone would approach him and offer to make him a suit or show him some replica watches or sell him some phone cards! It was actually quite hysterical. He bought a watch from a local jeweler (not a fake one!), but we did get a substantial savings compared to what was saw online. I was desperately looking for a place to get a foot massage (Chinese reflexology). With all the walking, my feet were desperate for some TLC. But every place that we passed by, you had to go down to the basement or something, and I was uncomfortable with that. Walking though one of the shopping centers, I saw a sign for a nice, legit spa, or so I assumed. We walked down the marble staircase to the counter and I asked to see a service listing. She apologized and told me that this was a men’s only spa! We high-tailed it out of there!

In the evening, we returned to the Peak and had dinner at Café Deco. The restaurant was named by Frommer’s as the restaurant with the “Best View”. We had a great table overlooking the city and enjoyed the light show once again.

Mon, 2/18- We were leaving for Saigon tonight. We had scheduled a tour to some outlying cities of Hong Kong, the “Land Between.” At the last minute, we decided to cancel the tour and take an independent excursion to Repulse Bay, a beachside resort area just 15 minutes from the city. We spent the morning reading the history of Hong Kong. For lunch we went to Spices, in The Repulse Bay hotel overlooking the beach. They also offered some creative cocktails; I had a lychee margarita and E had a concoction with mango and coconut.

The Hong Kong airport is huge! We saw a Popeyes tucked in the corner (can you believe it?) and decided to get some N’awlins cooking. There were several people enjoying their chicken. In fact there was this Caucasian guy there that bought like a 10 piece box and he was eating it all by himself! We were thinking he was headed to Saigon, and this was his last “real meal!”

We arrived in Saigon at 10:00 PM. Customs was a breeze. Mom and Dad were waiting for us at the baggage claim area. They received special permission to receive us inside the airport. It was the first time I met my oldest uncle, or Cuu 10 (my mom’s brother and the eldest of 10 children) and my cousin in law. Outside, there was a mob of people waiting to receive passengers! We would not have found them in the mass of people. We were staying at the Sheraton. What a perfect location, right in the center of everything. The hotel greatly impressed me. The people were very service oriented, and the rooms were quite comfortable and spacious. There was a “master control” that was beside the bed that controlled at the lighting and the curtains. It even controlled the Do Not Disturb light indication, unlike most hotels that use a plastic placard card that hangs from the door knob. The bathrooms were large and had a separate tub and shower. The shower had three showerheads that were separately operated--- so invigorating after a long day of sightseeing.

Tue, 2/19- After breakfast at Pho 24 (a bowl of pho was only $1.50!), we walked around the local streets. We began to get accustomed to the skills of crossing a busy intersection. The traffic is total chaos! There is no “right of way.” Everyone just goes where they need to: right, left, reverse, U-turn. It was insane! We tried to take pictures to capture this insanity, but nothing could do it justice!

We went to the central Post Office, where mom worked for six months. The building was constructed by the French colonists in early 20th century during French Indochina. This post features the Gothic architecture style and was designed in well harmony with the surrounding ward. Today, this post office is an attraction for tourists in this city. Built in the French colonial style, it has high arches, reminding me of a church.

Afterwards, we visited my uncle’s house in the heart of Saigon’s market place, where the vendors sell everything from chickens to moped helmets. My mom used to go the marketplace everyday, to get the freshest ingredients for cooking the evening’s meal. We also visited our old home in Saigon.

We went to Maxim’s for lunch. We had fresh giant prawns that were grilled, fried whole tilapia, fried rice, and some stir fried greens. The meal was delicious! We all went to get massages at a local hotel. The 60 minute body massage was only $7! I also got a 90 minute facial for $35. We decided to come back every day!

For dinner, we went across the street to Mekong, serving French food. E and I are not fans of French cooking, but this meal was truly exceptional. It was definitely the best French dishes that we have eaten, even compared to Le Bouchon in Las Vegas, which is the sister restaurant to the acclaimed French Laundry in Napa, which requires at least 2 months to get a reservation and can require eating ramen noodles to save up for the experience. In addition to being delicious, Mekong’s entrees were only $12!

Wed, 2/20- We went to Restaurant Ngon (meaning “delicious”) for breakfast. The concept of this restaurant is quite intriguing. In Saigon, there are multiple food vendors peppering the streets, selling everything from pho to sandwiches. The owner decided to open his restaurant to the local food vendors considered the best in the city. Throughout the restaurant are food stations that have the dish’s name painted on wicker baskets. There is a separate cooking area at each station. When you order what you want from your waiter, he goes and gets each dish from the vendor that sells that specific dish, not from a central kitchen.

We went across the street to Reunification Palace formerly known as Independence Palace built on the site of the former Norodom Palace. It was the home and workplace of the President of South Vietnam during the Vietnam War and the site of the official handover of power during the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. We then headed to the Vietnam historical museum located adjacent to the Saigon zoo. Throughout the entire day, dad was our tour guide, explaining the history and significance of everything that we saw. We took a train around the local zoo.

We returned to Ngon for lunch and tried some different dishes from the food vendors.
E & I went and got another massage and walked around the city. We stopped at Mojo, a café adjacent to the hotel for some café sua da (Vietnamese iced coffee) al fresco. E was commenting on how much he was enjoying Vietnam, which made me so happy!

We were meeting my Uncle’s family for dinner. This was the first time that I would be meeting them. They barely speak any English. This would be interesting. We drove through the city to this restaurant that was on a lake. It was so peaceful and the grounds were gorgeous. Mom ordered a huge array of food which was shared family style. I understood more than I thought, and tried to translate for E. My cousin Chi and her husband speak conversational English so that helped a lot! Everyone was so sweet, and kept telling us to Eat! Eat! I don’t think they ate as much as we did!

We returned to the hotel and E & I went back to Mojo for another café sua da as a night cap.

Thurs, 2/21- We rented a van and driver for an excursion to Vung Tau, and beach area just three hours east of the city. We were leaving at 6:00 AM. Just minutes out, mom said that all of this used to be farmland. We passed some smaller (and quite dusty) “towns”. There were food vendors and al fresco “cafés” that were amid dusty roads. The cafés were mostly roadside hole-in-the-walls with plastic chairs and tables set outside. We stopped for breakfast in a larger town, which was an oasis in the middle of this barren area. The streets were clean and manicured. We continued on the Vung Tau. The roads in between this larger town and Vung Tau was again barren and dusty, but as we approached Vung Tau, the tree lined streets widened leading us into the seaside town. There were “resorts” that lined the beach. There were public places that you could pay to swim in the pools and of course pay for a beach chair. We walked along the beach and stopped at a café to enjoy a café sua da. We stopped for lunch a restaurant overlooking the water.

We returned to Saigon in the afternoon and got another massage. We walked around the city and stopped at a Pizza Hut. It was a 50 person restaurant with all the interiors of a US based Pizza Hut, but minus the checkered table cloths. In fact, the decor was a lot nicer that what we would find in a typical Pizza Hut in the states. We ordered a thin crust pepperoni pizza and some fries. The pizza was really yummy, and I would not have thought we were in Saigon eating a Pizza Hut pizza. We returned to the hotel and E&I went back to Mojo for another café sua da as a night cap.

Fri, 2/22- It was our last day in Saigon. We would be leaving in the morning. We visited several different pagodas and then went to the Diamond department store. We went to Ngon again for lunch. E & I went and got another massage and walked around the city. For dinner, my cousin invited all of us to dinner at a seafood restaurant. We had some rare fish marinated in lime (kind of like ceviche). The remaining dishes centered around crab: crab eggrolls, crab sautéed in tamarind, and crab with glass noodles. E ate everything! The meal was wonderful!

Sat, 2/23- We left for Hong Kong in the early morning. We stayed at the Habourside Hotel. We were upgraded to a suite because our room was not ready. It was a corner room with all of its windows facing the harbour. The view was amazing. It was a rainy, low key day. We made an attempt to walk around Tsim Sha Shui, but the weather was not cooperating and our hotel was not as convenient as the Sheraton. I am glad that we stayed closer to town on our first days here. Toward the afternoon, we stopped by an MTR station where we found a Chinese foot reflexology place (finally!). We each got a 30 minute foot massage. It was just a great way to end our vacation.

Sun, 2/24- We headed home. Hong Kong and Saigon surprised me in so many respects. I initially wanted to visit because of the significance to my culture. But we will definitely return for all it has to offer.

Say the French, 'See Paris and die!'
Make your home at La Jolla and Live, say I.
The San Diego Union
May 5, 1887

Fri, 12/7- We arrived in San Diego at 8:00 PM. The airport is surprising close to the city—about 3 miles! We headed towards downtown. We were staying at the W in the Gaslamp district. Such a hip hotel... they turned their lobby into a hip bar. They even have a bar on the second floor called Beach, adjacent to the pool, complete with sand floors.

Sat, 12/8- We decided to head north to spend the morning hiking at the Torrey Pines National Reserve. On the way to the reserve, we stopped in La Jolla for breakfast. The Cottage restaurant serves a famous French toast that is stuffed with strawberries and marscapone cheese. After such a hearty breakfast, we were looking forward to a long hike.
Torrey Pines National Reserve is only 15 minutes from San Diego and offers some of the most amazing views of the coast line. The trails were fairly short and we were able to hike several trails.

There were some amazing sand formations!

We decided to grab a light lunch at George’s Bar back in La Jolla. The bar sits on the coast and we enjoyed shrimp and fish tacos while enjoying the view. We spent the afternoon walking along the coast. There was a small beach where a flock? of seals resided.

La Jolla reminded me so much of Monterey, CA. I lived in Monterey for a couple of years and always wanted to return and live there some day. La Jolla, the Spanish term for "The Jewel," was beautiful in its own right; it was breathtaking.

On our travels we are always seeking a place for great steak. One of the “best” lists names Donovan’s as the base place in San Diego for steak. At the last minute, we found a Bradley Ogden restaurant and decided that we could have steak back in Texas! Arterra just completed one million dollars in renovations. The place was beautiful and included a sushi bar and an outdoor patio complete with couches and a fire pit. We had a beautiful salad that consisted of the freshest ingredients from a neighboring farm drizzled with a light vinaigrette. E had the Kurobuta pork sampler that consisted of crispy confit, homemade sausage, and roasted loin. I had the trout stuffed with chorizo and lobster. For dessert, we had the Valhona Chocolate Bouchon, that consisted of a brownie, Smores ice cream, and toasted marshmallows. The meal was wonderful!

Sun, Dec 9- We headed back to La Jolla to spend our last day. We had brunch at Brockton Villas, where they serve their world famous Coast Toast, similar to a soufflé (see recipe below). I had “steamed” scrambled eggs with chorizo. It was the best eggs I had ever eaten! We spent the rest of our hours walking around the town and along the coast. We had reservations to Ortega’s, a place that serves lobsters cooked Puerto Nuevo style. Puerto Nuevo-style lobster has been a phenomenon since 1956, when several women in the tiny fishing village south of Rosarito started dropping fresh lobsters into pots of bubbling oil and serving them to a few outsiders. We decided to forego Ortega’s and just enjoy La Jolla and it beautiful surroundings.

The U.S. Weather Bureau describes San Diego's weather as the most nearly perfect in America. The average year-round high temperature is 70ºF (21ºC). The yearly rainfall is light, averaging only 9.45 inches. To put this in perspective, Houston averages 50 inches of rainfall a year. I think we experienced 2 inches of rain during the time we were there. And it was rather chilly—a cool high 50s degrees; I had to buy a light sweater! Despite the “inclement” weather, we had a wonderful time. San Diego is a place that we would like to spend more time. Well, we need to come back to try Puerto Nuevo style lobster!

Brockton Villa's Coast Toast Recipe

1 loaf soft French bread (sliced)
1 qt. whipping cream
10 eggs
¾ cup orange juice
½ cup sugar
a pinch of salt
2 tbs. vanilla
2 tbs. orange flavoring

Combine liquid ingredients. Pour over bread slices. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour.

Remove bread and discard liquid. Spread butter on flat grill.

Cook bread until golden brown, then bake at 450° for 5 -7 minutes or until bread is puffed up like a soufflé. Dust with powdered sugar.

Serve immediately.

Serves 6

Lying there in the sun
On a white sandy beach of Hawai`i
Sound of the ocean soothes my restless soul
Sound of the ocean rocks me all night long.
White Sandy Beach, by Willie Dan
Sung by Israel Kamakawiwo'ole “IZ”

As the right wing of the airplane tipped, I saw our approach toward Oahu. I couldn’t contain my anticipation any longer… I was so nice to be back. I lived here from 1998 to 2001 and have tried to come back as often as possible. E and I have been back three times since 2004, and we are planning to go to Maui next year.

We love coming here during Thanksgiving, allowing an easy five days of relaxation. We usually would take several day trips to the Windward side and North Shore during our visit. But since we have spent some time here already, we decided to take it slow and just lounge at the beach, going into the city only to partake in some ono food.

We were staying in the Ko Olina resort area, about 20 miles west of Honolulu. The name Ko Olina means the fulfillment of joy. Ko Olina consists of four man-made lagoons. Rock barriers provide protection from the ocean and high surf. The lagoons are sandy beaches surrounded by grass and shaded picnic areas. The lagoons are called: Kolola, Hanu, Nai'a, and Ulua.

Wed, 11/21- We arrived to Honolulu in the afternoon. We headed to Ko Olina to relax before dinner. I had a mai tai and E had a local beer while we watched the sun go down.

Alan Wong’s has been our favorite restaurant since we first ate there in 2004. Last year we had a wonderful Thanksgiving meal here, but they decided to close this year for the holiday. We were able to get a late reservation for tonight. The restaurant is located in an unassuming office building, with barely any signage. Every time we have approached the restaurant, it never fails. The car comes to a halt as we are wondering, “Is this it?” I squint to make out the Alan Wongs sign on the building. This is it. We take the elevator to the third floor…every seat in the house was occupied.

E ordered the ginger crusted onaga. E always orders the onaga. I got the steamed opakapaka, as our waiter was telling us how they just put this dish back on the menu and how they “steamed” the fish by ladling hot oil over the fish instantly creating a broth. Both dishes were amazing, but I can see why E orders the onaga all the time! It is ginger crusted with organically grown hamakua mushrooms with corn and miso sesame vinaigrette.


Thurs, 11/22- We reserved the cabana for the whole day. The weather was perfect.

We met the newly married Woos (mentioned in the Las Vegas entry) at Diamondhead Grill for Thanksgiving dinner. Coincidentally, they were here on their honeymoon. Three of us had the traditional turkey dinner, while Milton had a steak. But I am sure the Pilgrims had some sort of steak on their Thanksgiving table…

Fri, 11/23- We went to Hapa Grill for breakfast. Everytime we are in Hawaii, I have to have certain things. One of them is fried rice and eggs for breakfast. Hapa did it right. We again reserved the cabana for the whole day. Another perfect day. We took a break and went to eat Hawaiian plate lunch (another “must have”). I really miss this when I am away. The BBQ mixed plate consists of BBQ chicken, pork, and beef. A scoop of mac salad and two scoops of rice. It is soooo ono.

We met some of our friends at Sam Choys. I knew them when I lived here, and it is so nice to see them when we return. A lot of history between us, we were just discussing how we have known one another for nearly ten years! Aren't the girls cute?!

Sat, 11/24- We got massages outdoors adjacent to the ocean, listening to the waves crash. The sea massages were a great way to melt the tense muscles from the eight hour flight. I got the Lomi Lomi massage. Lomi Lomi developed out of the Hawaiian philosophy of Huna (meaning "secret"). Therapists use their hands, elbows, and forearms to apply long, gliding strokes, rhythmic movements, and pressure. It was such a treat.

We headed back to Honolulu to try Chef Mavro’s new restaurant: Cassis. The name was chosen because George Mavro’s first restaurant was in the picturesque harbor village of Cassis on the Mediterranean. E and I have been to Cassis and love its beauty. We had high expectations of the restaurant, as Chef Mavro is a renowned chef. However, we were quite disappointed in the entire experience. The service was terribly slow, despite the restaurant not being very busy (desolate compared to Alan Wongs). And our dishes arrived at room temperature, almost cold. We did not make mention of it to our server, hoping that I was just a bad night. We commented to one another that we should have just returned to Alan Wongs for a meal that we KNEW would not disappoint. The only redeeming dish for E was the malasadas (Hawaii’s version of a doughnut without a hole) that were filled with macadamia nut cream. I was not as easily swayed.

Sun, 11/25- We woke up remorsefully. It was our last day. We hung out at the beach for a couple of hours before brunch. I chose JW Marriott’s signature restaurant Azul for Sunday brunch. Our waiter arrived with a tropical mimosa (traditional mimosa enhanced with mango). The buffet offerings included lobster bisque in little tea party sized cups (E asked for a spoon and was told it was supposed to be “sipped.”), cold bar with shrimp, oysters and gigantic crab claws— reminded me of the stone crabs at Trulucks, crustess quiche, a variety salads, an antipasti bar, and a plethora of desserts with a chocolate fountain! The display was presented so graciously. The brunch also included an entrée selection. E ordered the lobster eggs benedict and I got the roasted onaga (finally!) I had eight huge crab claws before my entrée came. The food was just delicious! With unlimited champagne and a Bloody Mary bar, the brunch was the best one we had ever had!
We lounged on the beach for a couple of hours before we had to say good bye to our lovely lagoon. Every time we visit, it is harder and harder for us to leave. There are at least several moments when we are discussing the possibility of moving here… Someday, someday!

There are many islands with beauty to give
But this special place is where I want to live
O`ahu, by Carol Miguel and Keith Haugen

Meet me down by the old Golden Gate
Out where the sun goes down about eight.
~ Down Among the Sheltering Palms, James Brockman, lyricist

If you read our Chicago to Ann Arbor (vs Michigan) entry, you saw that we went to Holy Mackerel, Harry Caray's new seafood restaurant. I had the most disappointing cioppino, and could not wait to head back to San Francisco for the real deal. So here we are.

Fri, 11/9: We arrived in San Francisco on Friday night. We headed to the Prescott Hotel in Union Square.

Sat, 11/10: We headed north towards Sausalito to a gorgeous vantage point of Golden Gate Bridge and the city.

I have wanted to take E to Sequoia National Park to see the GI-normous trees that dwarf even the largest of humans. Since we were in San Francisco, I decided to take him to Muir Woods. Located just 12 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, in an isolated canyon grows an ancient giant coast redwood forest.

It was a quiet sanctuary in a growing urban setting so close to the city, but seemed thousands of miles away. We arrived at the perfect time of the morning when it was still quiet and the air was crisp, with a light sprinkle of rain.

We headed to the adjacent coastal town of Sausalito. Horizons sits right on the bay and offered us the most amazing view. Since we were in San Francisco, we had to do an entire seafood affair for the weekend. We enjoyed Dungeness crab cakes and local mussels.

For dinner, we decided to try our luck at Tadich Grill. It claims to be the oldest restaurant in all of San Francisco, being in continuous operation since 1849. Most importantly, it's cioppino is legendary. For those reasons, they do not take reservations...

We were seated right away at a two top. Our waiter was a little.... whats the word? E best described him as squirly; me, "quirky." I can't even recall right now what made us think that. We continued with our seafood weekend by starting with the Dungeness crab cocktail. E decided on the Pacific Red Snapper topped with even more Dungeness crab. My heart was set on the seafood cioppino, so I barely looked at the menu.

The cioppino was filled with clams, prawns, scallops, bay shrimp, crabmeat, and white fish swimming in a wonderfully flavored tomato based broth. We saw the other diners wearing bibs when consuming cioppino. I was not offered a bib. I guess he recognized my skills and didn't require one...

Sat, 11/10: We spent the morning in Union Square, then headed to the Golden Gate Bridge. We stopped at the viewing area right before the bridge. We couldn't find a parking space, so we continued to the Presidio and found a little parking area to the left, where there was an amazing view of the bridge. We hiked down to the Presidio and sat on a bench to enjoy the view and the weather. I read about this little hot dog company that has stands all over the city: Let's Be Frank. There was one in the park and there was always a line. We wanted to see what the hub bub was all about! They offered corn fed beef dogs and pork brats, and basically all organic condiments. We got a dog sitting on some freshly grilled onions with some bottled root beer-- (ok, ok we broke stride for a "all seafood weekend"). It was definitely worth it!

There was so much more to do, but we didn't have any more time. We didn't even go to Fisherman's Wharf or Alcatraz. I guess that means we have to come back soon...

In Hollywood, if you don't have happiness, you send out for it.
~ Rex Reed

Fri, 9/14: We arrived in LA on Friday night. At 10pm we headed to Hollywood to Pink's, where they are famous for their chili dogs. We arrived to a line that wrapped around the building. We wondered how long it would take to get through this line. We didn't move at all in 15 minutes and discussed aborting the mission. We slowly rounded the corner, and decided it was too late to turn back, thinking, "These hot dogs better be worth it!" We reached the front of the line in one hour. We ordered two chili dogs and a Crush orange drink in a bottle. It was $12. The dogs were very good, but I don't think that we would stand in line for another hour again.

Sat, 9/15: We headed to Dodger stadium for a 12:55pm game. Traffic was horrendous, but we got there 10 minutes after the first pitch. We got a famous Dodger dog [don't really know what makes it so famous, it was just a ho-hum dog] and an $11 "premium" beer, and headed to our seats. Our seats were great! Only a couple of rows back from third base-- but the best part was that there was a ledge in front of the seats that served as a table and another ledge underneath that served as a foot rest/bag rest/beer rest (to allow it adequate shade from getting warm in the sun).

It was nice to not eat ballpark food on my lap. Every time a vendor came by, I just wanted to get something so I could eat on the ledge. We settled on cookies 'n cream ice cream. A whole pint. The game went by quickly. The weather was amazing. We decided to leave in the 7th inning to avoid traffic. I was sad to leave the seats....

We had dinner reservations at Chaya in Venice Beach. We got there a little early and lounged in the lounge. I am not a big mojito fan, but decided to give them another try and ordered a raspberry mojito. E got a beer. We shared some appetizers. The mojito was yummy. I am glad I decided to give it another try. Our waiter at dinner was best described as eccentric. His name was Jeffrey. Interesting. He looked like a Jeffrey. I asked him about the butterfish and he basically told us it was a "bad" dish. "It is a zero on a scale of ten." Umm ok. I think I will order something else. E recommended the scallops wrapped in rib eye, which he raved about a year earlier when he ate at Chaya. Jeffrey said it was his favorite dish. E ordered the pork chop. Our dishes were both delicious. The white chocolate bread pudding made with croissants rivaled Ruggles, but we decided Ruggles's version was still our favorite.

Sun, 9/16: We went to San Pedro for the Lobster Festival. We prepped for this festival by ordering lobster dishes from Maine the weekend before: lobster rolls, lobster bisque, and lobster stew. We were kinda lobstered out by the end of last weekend. But it doesn't take long to get back into the swing of things if you are proposing lobster.

It was a nice, relaxing weekend--- A record weekend for hot dog consumption, given the fact that I only eat like 5 hot dogs a year....(E eats even less)...

You know its summer in Ireland when the rain gets warmer.
~ Hal Roach

This trip first began as a way to spend a few days in Amsterdam before our Northern Europe cruise departed from Copenhagen. Due to some conflicting schedules, the cruise segment had to be cancelled, so we added Ireland to the mix. My images and dreams of Ireland surfaced from my seeing the movie Far and Away.

Many folks suggested the Blarney Stone and othe touristy things. But we had no definite plans for our trip to Ireland. We just wanted to drive around and take in the beautiful scenery. It would have been nice if our Hertz Neverlost GPS was functioning, but no such luck! But we managed to get along quite nicely without it, and E did a wonderful job of driving on the left hand side of the road. I can still hear him now: "Who's better at round-abouts than me?". The answer: No one!

Wed, 8/15: We arrived in Ireland at 11am, and headed to Kinsale for lunch. I read of a place called Fishy Fishy, where the menu varies with the fish caught that day. Our entrees were wonderful! I regret not getting the seafood stew-- the diner next to us was moaning while she was eating and raving about how wonderful it was. It was a tomato based soup, with chunks of seafood. The rest of the trip, I ordered it 2 more times at different places, both times it was cream based, and both times I was disappointed.... After lunch, walked along the marina and around town.

Thurs, 9/16: We headed to the Cliffs of Moher. The air was mighty crisp. The view was just amazing!

Then we decided to go to the Ring of Dingle. Parts of Far and Away were filmed here. Dingle is the westernmost part of Europe. The views were spectacular!

E took this picture because there was this lone bench that I saw in a picture of Ireland before we went. We were in search of this infamous bench! But I think this is better than the one we were seeking...

My favorite view was Slea Head:

Fri, 8/17: Since we went to the Ring of Dingle, we decided to also go to the Ring of Kerry. But the traffic was so horrendous at the start of the "ring" drive (Kenmare), that we decided to take another "ring" drive: the Ring of Beara. This was amazing, and I wondered what we were missing with the Kerry drive.... This was true Ireland at its finest.

Sat, 8/18: We were staying at the Fota Island Resort and Spa. This place was just gorgeous! The rooms were amazingly large and the bathroom was even bigger. The spa had a thermal suite and a hydrotherapy suite. The thermal suite featured recliners with heated tiles. Since the steam room was not working properly, they gave us complimentary access to the hydrotherapy spa, which was a gigantic pool with a walking river, jets, and waterfalls, among other niceties.. it was truly relaxing. We got a couples swedish massage (it was in separate rooms with sliding doors where we could see one another, but not be cooped in the same room.) Very nicely done.

What trip to Ireland would be complete without a trip to the Waterford crystal factory, where they have been making crystal by hand for hundreds of years? The workmanship was just phenomenal....

Sun, 8/19: We sadly left Ireland this morning. Its people and places had an impact on me. I think I drank more beer than water on this trip! But unfortunately, I am still not a huge fan of Guinness beer. But I think we just need to make another trip out to Ireland to change my mind!

Amsterdam is sometimes called the Venice of the North because of the canals which divide the city into ninety small islands, linked together by more than a thousands bridges.

Sat, 8/11: We arrived in Amsterdam at 6am after a long stopover in Minneapolis. We were able to use miles to travel in Business Class, so that eased the long flight. We took the short train ride from AMS to the Central Station. We spent the day wandering the narrow streets and canals.

That night we took an evening canal cruise throughout the city. The tour served Dominos pizza (yes! Dominos pizza!) unlimited Heineken (or any other alcoholic beverage that you may desire), and finished with Ben & Jerry's ice cream. I wonder if the pizza cruise is a big joke to the folks that cruised the canals. We got several people that were pointing and saying "pizza cruise!!!" (do it in a Netherlander accent) and waving hysterically. I waved back at the passersby-- (it's the considerate thing to do!) Despite how friendly the wavers looked, our poor server looked rather embarrassed, as I am sure it is a daily occurence. The entire experience may sound kinda lame, but we were able to enjoy the canals without the crowds, eating good pizza and drinking beer! It was really a great time!

Sun, 8/12: The next morning, we headed out to the Heineken brewery brewery. It was a self guided tour where you walk through several rooms that show how the beer is made. Two bars are within the brewery. The entry fee included 3 beers and a free gift. The drinks we full size, not just tastings. We were able to enjoy the beers in the ambiance of a sleek bar, complete with trendy music and flat screen TVs. The gift was a aluminum beer can that had a bottle opener in it. Nice!

We took the canal bus to the Anne Frank House. The building in which she and her family hid during World War II and the German occupation of Holland, has been turned into a museum. I read the book before attending the museum. It was such an amazing story... now one of my favorite books of all time.

We walked to a "pancake house" and enjoyed crepes topped with strawberries, chocolates and whipped cream al fresco along the canal. We went to Thai Butterfly for dinner, on the edge of the Red Light district. We walked in to a suspicious proposition between a large breasted Asian woman (really!) at the bar and several American-looking young men. Another man at the bar was pawing her while she was apparently discussing "business". We were wondering if this place was a real restaurant or just a facade for some "other" business. We decided to stay and have dinner. The only thing keeping us there was the restaurant reviews and another set of diners: a family of 4 sitting adjacent to us. The food was very good, and, as the night went on, the restaurant filled up with "real" patrons and the LBA woman and her entourage moved to a table at the bar.

Mon, 8/13: We decided to take the train to Den Hague and then a local train to the nearby beach town of Scheveningen. We found a terrace overlooking the beach at a resort and enjoyed some coffee while enjoying the scenery and reading until the afternoon. We walked along the boardwalk and had some tapas at a beachside restaurant before heading back.

We dined at Nooch, an asian bistro on the main drag near our hotel. I ordered Vietnamese noodle soup-- pho---which was recommended as "Very nice" by the waiter. Not very nice compared to Houston standards.... But Houston has the best pho worldwide....

Tues, 8/14: We scheduled a coach tour to Belgium (Brussels and Antwerp) for the next day. It was a 11 hour tour, and 11 hour tour... It was a nice diversion and we were able to see another country without much headache of figuring out the train schedules and arranging transportation. The tour guide was very informative. We stopped in Antwerp first, walking in the square and tasting some creamy Belgian chocolates. We only had a hour on our own, which we used grabbing an al fresco lunch at the square.

Our next stop was Brussels, where we stopped at the local hero's statue: a little boy peeing. We stopped to try the famous Belgian waffles topped with fruit and whipped cream. It was bigger than my head, and totally delicious!

We strolled among the buildings in the square and picked up some Belgian chocolates for our families. Then stopped by a local bar that had outdoor seating to try some Belgian beer. We ordered the beer tasting which was five different Belgian beers and and a side of cheeses. My favorite was the cherry beer, which I wondered whether we can get it at our local Specs.

Wed, 8/15: We left Amsterdam in the morning, heading on our next leg: Ireland. Amsterdam was an amazing place, with its narrow homes along the canals. I dream of returning, staying for a longer stretch. I have already done research for our extended future vacation on a houseboat.

We have had a lot of wonderful trips before we started this blog. This is an attempt to gather some snapshots of our best trips pre-blog. We love this snapshot below as it represents our travels and our overall blog theme: Where to Next?

10/04- Honolulu

date? Niagara Falls

2/05- Banff

6/05-
Barcelona, Villefranche, Florence, Pisa, Rome, Naples, London

11/05- Vail

12/05- Las Vagas for New Years

1/06- Snowbasin

2/06- Lk Tahoe

3/06- Monterey

5/06- Phill, Pitts, Cleve, DC?

7/06- Seattle

7/06- St Louis

8/06- Venice, Athens, Rhodes, Mykonos, & Dubrovnik. Ended the trip in Paris

9/06- Grand bahama

11/06- Maui, Honolulu

2/07- Switzerland

6/07- NYC

7/07- Cancun