Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers, Kowloon

We stayed at the Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers. It's located in Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon. I prefer Kowloon because you have a nice view of the Hong Kong Island skyline and there are quite a few shopping malls in Kowloon.

The Sheraton is located at 20 Nathan Road, across the street from the Peninsula Hotel and near the harbor.

The rooms are decent sized.

The plugs in Hong Kong are Type G. An adapter was provided in the room.

There was also a smart phone that you could use while in Hong Kong.

The bathrooms have a glass window facing the bedroom but you can lower a shade if you need some privacy.

We splurged for a room with harbor views

and were able to watch the Symphony of Lights show from our room. It happens every night at 8 pm and lasts 8 minutes. The only problem with watching it from the room is that we didn't have the audio.

Staying in a Tower room on the 15-17th floor gives you free breakfast in the Oyster & Wine Bar.

You also get Afternoon Tea and Happy Hour.

There is a rooftop pool but it's not too impressive. Neither are the 2 jacuzzis, although you could watch the Symphony of Lights from them.

2018 10 07

Airport Express & the MTR

The Airport Express is the quickest and most convenient way to get from the airport to the city. It takes 22 minutes for the ride to Kowloon Station.

Cost is HK$210 for 3 people traveling together. Otherwise, it's HK$105/person or HK$100 if you use an Octopus card.

After leaving customs, follow the signs to the Airport Express and purchase a ticket from the counter or the machine. Credit cards are accepted.

Once you arrive at your station, there are free buses to transport you from the station to your hotel. You may need to wait up to 20 minutes for the next bus to leave. We were staying at the Sheraton, which was on the K4 route. On the way back to the airport, you can pick up the shuttle at your designated stop and take it back to the Airport Express Station. You can check your luggage in at the station instead of carrying it yourself on the train.

You can buy an Octopus card when you buy your Airport Express ticket but you'll need cash for the Octopus card. Octopus cards are HK$150 each (includes HK$50 deposit). It can be used on the MTR, buses, trams, Star Ferry and some convenience stores, fast food restaurants and vending machines. Swipe the card when you enter the MTR and swipe it again when you exit. The fare is automatically deducted. On trams, swipe when you exit. On the Star Ferry, swipe when you enter the terminal. At the end of your trip, you can turn in the Octopus card and get the balance refunded minus a HK$9 fee. I had to top up my card after a few days. I added another HK$50.

2018 10 07

Singapore Airlines

It's been a long time since I've flown Singapore Airlines and I've forgotten how nice it is to fly an Asian carrier.

I flew Premium Economy which was definitely worth the extra cost. In Premium Economy, you can choose a seat for free. If you book Economy, exit row seats cost $90 for each leg. By the time you add the extra cost, there isn't much differential between an Economy ticket and a Premium Economy ticket. If you think you'll wait until the last minute to upbuy, it's not any cheaper.

Instead of 9 seats per row, there are only 8 seats per row. Two on each side then 4 in the middle.  The seats are quite comfortable with a calf rest and a foot rest. The chair reclines at a 38-inch pitch. There is an adjustable light on the side of the seat. We got a good pillow but the blanket was thin. There was a bottle of water at each seat.

There is a large TV screen with over 150 movies.

You get an amenities bag but this was cheesy. Inside were a pair of socks, toothbrush and toothpaste. Not even eye shades.

You can pre-order Book the Cook meals. This is Beef Short Rib with Kimchee Fried Rice. Quite tasty. There was a Smoked Salmon with Green Beans starter and chocolate cake for dessert.

The Economy meal wasn't bad--Shrimp Rice Roll with Steamed Green Vegetables.

If you're flying into Hong Kong, sit on the right. You can see the Big Buddha as you come in for a landing.

2018 10 06

Smashburger

The Phoenix Airport is ranked as the 2nd best airport in the country for food.

We chose Smashburger because they had salads and sweet potato fries. This is located before you clear security.

Harvest Salad--$6.59.

SmashCobb with Grilled Chicken--$8.79. This was a weird Cobb Salad. They didn't have blue cheese so substituted cheddar. The egg was fired instead of hard boiled. In any event, my husband still liked it.

Sweet Potato Fries--$2.49. The fries were slightly limp but were not greasy.

2018 11 11

El Original Tacos Jalisco

We wanted to try another taco place and found Jalisco Tacos. They also have several locations and were ranked highly on Yelp.

We went to the location near Downtown Scottsdale--3060 N 68th Street.

You can forego tortillas with your meal and get chips.

9 taco special--$13.66. We chose lengua (tongue), carnitas and asada. The lengua was tender but the carnitas and asada were dry. I liked Maskadore's better.

7 Mares Caldo--$12.51. This was very flavorful and it was loaded with seafood--shrimp, scallops, octopus and vegetables.

Side order of rice--$2.78. Rice was good.

2018 11 10

Sugar Bowl

In the Historic Old Town is an ice-cream parlor, the Sugar Bowl.

The Sugar Bowl was often featured in "The Family Circus," the comic strip by Bil Keane. Bil lived in Scottsdale and often brought his family in for ice cream.

Hot Fudge Pinnacle Peak Sundae--$6.95. Chocolate Mint & Coffee ice cream. The ice cream is okay. I did see others order the hot caramel--maybe it's better.

2018 11 10

Downtown/Old Town Scottsdale

We took a tour of the downtown/Old Town area. The downtown area is divided into several districts: Arts, Civic Center Park, Fifth Avenue Shopping, Scottsdale Fashion Square, Brown & Stetson, Entertainment, Historic Old Town, Scottsdale Waterfront & Southbridge.

We started our tour at the Bronze Horse Fountain in the Fifth Avenue Shopping District.

The statue is near the canal, currently featuring "Canal Convergence," a water/art/light display. This was "Re-Cyclone," a 20-foot structure made from 5000 plastic water bottles.

View of the Arizona Canal.

"Floatus"--12 aluminum lotus sculptures which shoot flames in the air as part of a "fire show."

"Light Flutter"--30 mechanotronic butterflies which are illuminated at night.

"Arizona"--a hand crocheted lace ribbon that stretches 600 feet along the Arizona canal. The ribbon was crocheted by over 100 volunteers.

"Infinity Crystal" uses form, light and mirrors to create the illusion of infinity. During the day, it reflects the landscape but at night, it creates projections on the surrounding trees 

"Luminous Cactus"--interactive audio/visual installation with 8 cacti. Visitors create musical light patterns by rotating drums.

Kids even got into the act by decorating recycle bins.

"Iceberg"--14 illuminated metallic arches that create sounds and lights when people walk through it.

Looking back through the "Iceberg" is the Soleri Bridge. The 2 steel pylons create a shaft of light, marking the time of day.

A permanent display with a view of the McDowell Mountains in the distance.

Another permanent display "Passing the Legacy"--a bronze sculpture depicting a vintage Pony Express rider and a contemporary Hashknife Pony Express rider handing off the mail to show the "Old West" meeting the "New West."

"The Doors"--another permanent display. 28-foot tall mirrored panels give a kaleidoscopic view inside.

We then ventured to the Historic Old Town area. If you don't want to walk the 1/2 mile, there's a free trolley that travels throughout the downtown area. It comes every 15 minutes and operates from 10am-9:25pm.

Christmas in Arizona is decorating cacti.

"The Yearlings"--a monument to wild horses. It is an icon of the free spirit of the American West.

Pick up the Historic Old Town Scottsdale self-guided walking tour and start at the "Little Red Schoolhouse." It's now home of the Scottsdale Historical Museum, which is free to tour.

Next stop is the Mexican Imports Shop. It was built in 1923 and served as Johnny Rose's Pool Hall, which doubled as a silent movie theater on Saturday nights. Kids who had no nickel for the admission could get in for free by helping to pump the player piano. In 1928, a Chinese family acquired the building and opened a grocery store. In the 1950s, they turned it into a Mexican import store.

Saba's Department Store sells western boots. It started as a pharmacy in 1921.

Remnants of the "Old West."

Mission Church was built with volunteer labor and donated materials in 1933. 

Cavalliere's Blacksmith Shop is still owned by the Cavalliere's, the original family that built this adobe structure in 1920.

"Love" by Robert Indiana. There are numerous sculptures all over the country. The original was made in 1970 and is displayed at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

"Windows to the West"--formally titled "Atmosphere & Environments XVIII" was dedicated in 1973.  

"Imagination Gives Us Wings" is displayed at the Scottsdale Public Library entrance. It has 3 parts--an oculus in the form of a bird so that when the sun moves across, the bird is seen to fly across the entry. The 2nd part is the feather which is floating toward an inkwell.

The granite inkwell--the 3rd part--on the lower level of the library, is inscribed with a line of poetry by Emily Dickinson, “So many possibilities; let imagination give us wings.”

2018 11 10