Hey Seoul Sister

I was so excited for my 24 hour Seoul Stopover and the South Korean capital totally delivered. Now most of my clients aren't asking me to send them to Seoul, but the non stop IAD-ICN flight is a popular one for connections to other Asian destinations like Kuala Lumpur and Bali. Many times an overnight in Seoul is required ... but even if it is not a forced overnight, I'm about to tell you why you should consider spending some time in the city. 

Seoul is clean, safe, modern, and cultural. It's a big city but easy to navigate. If you stay on the North side of the city at a hotel like the Grand Hyatt, you're in walking distance to Itaewon (many shops and restaurants), Namsam mountain for walking, and the palaces. Streets and the metro are impeccably clean and the metro is very easy to navigate. It even gives you back your change after your ride if you don't use the full fare (unlike DC which leaves you with a card with $0.35 on it!). There is very little crime in Seoul and walking around as a female traveling alone (both during the day and at night) I never once felt nervous or uncomfortable.  South Koreans are very kind and basically go about their business and I never felt like I was sticking out or calling attention as a tourist.  There are also many Americans in Seoul both for business and due to the large Army base here.

Gyongbokgung Palace

 

The Itaewon area is a shopping/dining district but is fairly commercial with lots of American and international chains.  However there are also plenty of boutiques and local restaurants and international cuisine. Since I arrived in the evening and realized I forgot my make-up (#wishIwasjoking #firstworldproblems) I was glad to be walking distance to Itaewon and thank God for Olive Young (Korean ULTA). After a little shopping and exploring I had a Korean dinner of bulgogi for one and then headed back to the Grand Hyatt to get some sleep and get my body in this time zone.

Namdaemun Market 

 

The next day I headed to Namdaemun Market with all kinds of stalls where you can find anything from pantyhose to purses. The market is located right at the Namdaemun gate which is the only remaining gate of the original 7 gates to the old imperial city. The gate was harmed by an arsonist in recent years but has been well restored. From there you can walk north up the main boulevard and you'll find the Deoksugung Palace on your left, and finally the Gyongbokgung Palace at the head of the boulevard.  It's very cool to see these traditional imperial palaces right in the middle of modern Seoul. And while the guards are as straight-faced as those at Buckingham Palace, you can have your picture taken with them ... I think throwing up the peace sign is a requirement for posing for photos here.

 

Not to mention the amazing food. My neighborhood in DC boasts one of the best and most authentic Korean restaurants in DC so I was really looking forward to the real deal. Korean food is spicy, but not too spicy, extremely flavorful, and lots of veggies. Bibimbap and bulgogi are favorite dishes, and many restaurants bring your meat right to the table with a built in grill and you cook it right there to your liking. 

Finally I have to say a word about how I got here... on the Korean Air IAD-ICN nonstop.  It's awesome to get halfway across the world in just under 15 hours. The plane is spacious and the service of the Korean crew was wonderful.  This was my first time flying business class on a long haul flight (and probably my last for a while!)...but the flat bed is the best thing ever.

So thankful for this opportunity for a quick Seoul Stopover... I hope to be back! Now off to Kuala Lumpur!

It's a Wild World.... Galapagos Islands

Wow! We were been so busy hiking, snorkeling, learning, making friends, and out on the water that I barely had time to write! I just returned from a 7 days in the Galapagos islands with Lindblad Expeditions, aboard the National Geographic Endeavor.  Although I wasn't able to keep in touch from the ship, this trip is too special not to share so I am publishing some of my notes, and also including links to the Daily Expedition Reports written by our Lindblad Expeditions Naturalist Guides. This is a fantastic resource for Lindblad travelers and also for family & friends to follow along!

Each day we have visited a new island of the Galapagos oceanic archipelago off the coast of Ecuador. We started in San Cristobol where we met the ship.  Our first sight stepping off the plane was this sea lion taking a rest from his busy day of tanning in the sun. It was the perfect welcome to this place where the animals live so naturally among humans. They just hang out so close you could pet them.  This would be the theme of the week and what makes the Galapagos such a unique place!

Days 2: Espanola This is a small and uninhabited island.  Here we did our first hikes and a beach hangout with tons of sea lions.  There were lots of sea lion pups around this time of year, playing with their friends and nursing
.

Day 3: Floreana is one of the few islands where human communities do live. About 3% of the land of the Galapagos is inhabited and the other 97% is National Park and dedicated to preserving the natural habitats and ecosystems of the wildlife.  This morning I saw my first flamingo - my favorite animal! - in its natural habitat.  It is unclear how the flamingos made their way to the Galapagos since they cannot fly such long distances from South America... it is thought that they were blown by a storm and a small group of flamingos have inhabited a few of the islands ever since.  This afternoon we visited the Post Office that has been used since the explorers' days. Visitors drop their postcards and pick up any they can hand deliver... the food old fashioned way!

Day 4: Santa Cruz is the home of the Darwin center and the Galapagos National Park headquarters. Today we visited the giant tortoise breeding center where Lonesome George spent his final years, and then did some hiking through the cloudforest for giant tortoises in the wild.  To get there we took an uphill bike ride in the pouring rain... probably not the highlight of the trip but definitely an experience!

Day 5: Cerro Dragon, Eden, & Daphne More flamingos today! This time closer for better photos... although they rarely stop eati
ng long enough to take their head out of the water for a good shot.  This afternoon we did our second snorkel outing along a beautiful sea wall with stunning fish and sea lions swimming along!

Day 6: Bartolome is the home of Pinnacle Rock, this beautiful view! After an early morning hike to the top, we spent the afternoon snorkeling around the pinnacle peak where I saw a shark (well, its tail!) and an octopus! Today was definitely our favorite day of snorkeling... I felt like I was in the Little Mermaid surrounded by so much sea life!

Day 7: Genovesa Today was a sad day to leave but still very exciting wildlife viewing! We had our morning hike with one of our favorite naturalists, Greg, and hung out with a sunbathing sea lion in a lagoon, who was blowing bubbles and showing off.  We also saw some of our favorite birds: the frigates showing off their red puffers, and the red-footed boobies (which I prefer over the blue!).  This afternoon we took a hike on another side of the island... the landscape was so scrubby it felt like Mars. Here we saw the
Galapagos owl: 4 sightings, and two while hunting and eating! The one-eyed owl we saw was one of our favorite sightings of the week.

We truly had amazing naturalist guides. On Lindblad, the guides do not have a separate dining room; they eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner with us and are encouraged to mingle with the guests throughout the week.  We have become fast friends with some of them and this makes them so much more accessible for asking questions and getting to know them and their relationship to the destination.

And you thought you knew Mexican food...

Amazing and creative meals was a highlight of my latest trip to Mexico City.  This recent article by my friend Judith Rodriguez Servin will tell you why. Chefs like Enrique Olvera & Daniel Ovadia are taking an avant garde approach to traditional Mexican dishes and it is mouthwatering.  I'm still dreaming of the mole from Pujol.

And the best part is a fine gastronomic experience at one of the top 50 restaurants in the world will cost you under $100 USD (excluding alcohol).  Now that's a great value. 

So if you love trying great new foods and are on the hunt for a long weekend getaway, look no farther than Mexico City.

PS... You can fly non-stop from Washington, DC or New York and be there in 4 hours.

Fine dining at Paxia by Daniel Ovadia.

Judith & I in the kitchen at Pujol.

Forces of Nature

There are things in this world that are absolutely amazing, breathtaking, incomprehensible in their essence and magnitude. You can see photos, videos, and learn the facts and figures, but there is nothing like being awe-struck in their presence. Iguazu Falls is one of these world wonders. There is good reason it is or should be on your Bucket List.

Christina and I arrived Thursday evening into tiny Foz do Iguacu airport on the Brazilian side. I wonder how that little airport handled the X Games just a few weeks before! We were met on arrival by our lovely guide Indi, born and raised in Iguacu, and a proud guide in her 9th year, and escorted into the Iguacu Falls National Park.
With just one night/day to experience the falls it is important we stay inside the park and the only place to do so on the Brazilian side is at the historic Orient Express Hotel Das Cataratas. When we got out of our car at the hotel I put my hand up into the mist – “oh it must have started raining” – but Indi quickly corrected me – it was the mist from the falls I was feeling! Amazing. It was too dark so we could not see the falls but certainly could hear them and to feel so close in their mist gave me goosebumps!

Das Cataratas enjoys a perfect location right at the falls. The next morning we walk out the front door – there they are! I knew the hotel was the closest place you could stay to the falls but right out the front door was even more special than I had imagined. Another crucial advantage to staying inside the park is that you can get an early start and experience the falls before the park opens to the public and the tour buses descend and unload at the falls. Indi met us about 30 minutes before park opening time so we were able to soak in the sheer magnitude and magnificence undistracted, take all the pictures we wanted without unwanted background characters, and walk out over the falls bridge all to ourselves.

I have included some photos here but there is not much more I can say about the falls except photos do not do justice (and I am sure you have seen much better photos than mine!) and words cannot explain.

There is, though, the always-burning question: which side is better? Argentina or Brazil? One thing to keep in mind, for the American traveler, to enter Brazil you need a visa, which must be processed in advance of travel. Now Argentina also requires a reciprocity fee to be paid prior to travel as well. So basically you need to know which side you are going to visit (or both) in order to get your paperwork in order. You can’t decide ‘on a whim’ to include the other side in your itinerary. The typical answer to the question is true: from the Brazilian side, you have a more panoramic view of the falls, while from the Argentinean side, you can get closer to the falls. The falls are at a diagonal almost ‘facing’ Brazil which allows a more panoramic view. That being said, we got pretty darn close to the falls on the Brazilian side, walking across the pathway built at the bottom of one cascade and just over the breaking point of another! I’m not sure how much closer we could have gotten without taking a swim! On the Argentinean side there is a similar catwalk and they also have a pretty spectacular view. So my vote: you can’t lose either way.

Another note on the hotel: Not only is Hotel Das Cataratas perfectly convenient, but a 5* experience in itself. The dining room is beautiful and offers a la carte dining or the traditional Brazilian buffet. Christina and I chose the latter and I had probably the best lamb I’ve ever had, as well as the traditional rump steak with chimichuri. The service at each meal, as well as the front desk and guest relations, was wonderful.

Paradise = Ponta dos Ganchos

Ola from Brasil!  Today we say goodbye to Ponta dos Ganchos, my home in paradise for the last 2 days, but just the first 2 days on this Brazilian adventure.  It is raining for the first time in 30 days here… which means Florianopolis is sad to see us go.  But not as sorry as we are to leave!  One thing is for sure: 2 days is not enough time for this tropical beach paradise.  I'm traveling with Greg Wilshire,  friend and colleague at JG Black Book, which represents Ponta dos Ganchos, and my friend and best travel partner, Christina.

Ponta dos Ganchos truly is a special place – a secluded retreat of unspoiled beach around a quaint fishing & oyster farming village.  So not only do you have an amazing resort experience, the fresh seafood is to die for!   We arrived Tuesday afternoon and settled into our Bungalow – all Bungalows have amazing sea views but opt for the Esmeralda Bungalows for larger accommodations and a private plunge pool, plus your own sauna and huge soaking tub.  Christina and I shared a bubble bath after our massages and we could have fit 2 more people in there!  Massages and treatments are taken in the 3 partially-open-air spa bungalows (there is no full service spa); the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks below you beats any zen spa CD, that is for sure. 

On Wednesday we took a hike from the resort through the little fishing village and to a secluded beach – we were absolutely the only people there and it looked like the set of the movie The Beach.  In the summer locals visit the beach for surfing. Ponta dos Ganchos can prepare a picnic lunch to spend the afternoon in your own private paradise.

In the afternoon we took an authentic restored fishing boat (do not think yacht or speed boat!) on a cruise around the bay past the oyster farms and to a beautiful cove for an oyster and champagne treat!  There is nothing like fresh seafood you know came right from the local water that day!  The Brazilians have a delish cucumber and cilantro topping I need to know how to make for this summer’s oysters… (@Andrew Lolley)

As you can imagine in this remote and romantic setting, Ponta dos Ganchos is the backdrop for many wedding proposals, anniversaries, and special celebrations.  The tiny island off the beach is the perfect setting.   Greg, Christina, and I were lucky enough to enjoy (maybe the island’s first) romantic dinner for three!  Greg’s wife can be assured he did not propose, but if he had, who could say no on this idyllic set??  Gentlemen, take note. We enjoyed another fabulous and fresh meal with South American wine pairings.  My favorite discovery was a Brazilian sparkling wine, Cave Geisse Blanc de Blanc… now where to find this in DC…

Top Takeaways: Perfect addition / ending to a Brazilian OR Argentine itinerary (see below).  After all the sightseeing, shopping, nightlife, etc. wind down in a true paradise (and keep enjoying fabulous food!)… but keep in mind 2 nights is NOT enough!   I recommend at least 4… better 5 +.

Getting there: Florianopolis is a short 50 minute flight from Sao Paulo or an hour from Rio.  PdG is an easy 50 minute drive from Florianopolis airport.  There is also daily non-stop service to Florianopolis from Buenos Aires so you can end an Argentine adventure with a beautiful beach experience.

Passport to Paris

Loving the Left Bank! Checked into Esprit St Germain, a fabulous homey hotel in St. Germain des Pres. Obviously I got the room with the animal print carpet.

Jess and I joined Anne Scully and Jim Strong for lunch at Laduree - tres bien! Of course it didn't take us one meal to order fois gras... Great conversation with friends but hard not to talk travel when dining with two of the best in the biz!

Tonight we go to the Royal Monceau for cocktails and dinner at Shangri-La!

Hacienda Concepcion

Juanito and I spent our last two nights a 20 minute boatride downriver at Hacienda Conception, a byInkaterra lodge. This is a smaller property, a 4* sister to the 5* Reserva Amazonica. As it is a newer build the acccomodations are a bit more updated and certainly on par with the 5* experience. The service is more casual: meals are served buffet style, the reception desk and electricity only operate certain hours of the day. The guides undergo the same training program at both lodges, and our guides Allan and Gabriel were also top-notch here.

Juan el cazador learning the native techniques

Our first afternoon we took a hike around the lodge's reserve to get acquainted with the different flora and fauna just a short distance and on the other side of the river. In the evening we took another night boat ride where John almost became a snack to a 6 foot caiman!
The next morning we had a 4AM wake up call (are you noticing a theme here?) for a trip to the clay licks down river where thousands of birds fly up to 60km every morning to get the minerals and salt from the riverside - beautiful lime green parrots, blue-headed parrots, macaws, and parakeets flooded the air and then the trees to get in line for their nutrients.
We wrapped up our excursions that afternoon with a canoe ride with Gabriel in the creek, seeing more caimans, birds, turtles, and monkeys. The last evening we spent at the lodge with our new friends and fellow travelers, swapping stories over dinner and Cusquenas.
Another early morning awaits for our flight back to Lima. As much as I have loved the jungle, I have to say I am looking forward to air conditioning!