On a past trip to Venice we made a stop at Piazza San Marco, or Saint Mark’s Square. Yes, it can be overcrowded, but it’s a must see in Venice. Here's a quick video to give you the feel for an afternoon in May. https://youtu.be/Y-3yTzZzWMY
Our trip to Venice included a stay at the Gritti Palace hotel, situated on the Grand Canal. The building dates back to the 1400’s and is part of Marriott’s Luxury Collection. Rooms run over $1000 a night, but we booked it with points. The following is a pictorial overview of the stay. Catching the Shared Water Taxi at the Airport We arrived at the Marco Polo Airport and caught a shared water taxi to the hotel. Travelers can walk from the terminal to the where the water taxis depart. Journey down the Grand Canal in Venice Arriving at Gritti Palace from the canal Entrance…
On a recent trip to Dubai, we visited the old part of the city and had the opportunity to ride across the creek by Abra. Part of the public transportation in Dubai are the Abras, which are boats that ferry people along the Dubai Creek. We hopped on at Deira Old Souk Abra Station, after visiting the Spice and Gold Souks. Our trip would take us from the Deira Old Souk Abra station, and across the creek to the Bur Dubai Abra Station. The cost for a one way trip across the creek is 1 AED, or about 27 cents…
It was a warm breezy day when we headed off to Old Town Dubai from our hotel in the Jumeriah Beach area of Dubai. We first stopped by the Old Souk Markets, then walked across the street and took a boat over Dubai Creek into Old Town Dubai. Old Town Dubai Souqs Dubai Creek Marina Across the street is the Deira Old Souk Marine Transport Station. Just get in line, buy a ticket, then jump in the boat when it’s your turn. It’s a quick and smooth ride across Dubai Creek to Old Town Dubai. Old Souk Marine Transport Station Dubai Creek…
A stay at the Al Maha Resort includes two activities each day. During our stay, there were seven complementary activities from which to choose. FalconryNature WalkGhaf Tree WalkWild Life DriveCamel TrekSundownersArchery Below is a handout that guests will receive upon arrival. We requested the document ahead of time in order to plan our activities. As you can see, Horse Riding and Desert Drive are also available for an extra charge. We picked archery for one of our activities. We meet our field guide, Shabaz at the Hotel Lobby and he took us in an SUV to the archery range. Our guide helped…
During our recent trip to Dubai, we stayed at the Ritz Carlton in Jumeirah Beach. Upon arrival we were upgraded to a Club Level room, and as benefit, enjoyed access to Club Lounge. In a previous post we reviewed the room and the grounds. In this post we’ll review the Club Lounge and the Lobby Lounge. Every morning we had breakfast at the Club Lounge. We found the lounge to be clean, modern and it was never crowded. Club Lounge at the Ritz Carlton Dubai We chose the same table every day, by the glass doors that led to the balcony. Every morning was…
Do you enjoy street art? If so, LaMer Beach in Dubai is a fun stop. There's an open-air shopping area with street art sprinkled throughout. In between shops and restaurants, you'll find artistic expressions on the walls, around corners and up above your head. Here are pictures from a recent visit to La Mer. Eateries are sprinkled throughout La Mer. Consider Visiting La Mer Beach If you're in Dubai, consider visiting La Mer Beach. To see more about La Mer check out our post on the La Mer Beachfront. You may also enjoy the following posts on Dubai Ritz Carlton…
On a recent stopover at Abu Dhabi, we had a chance to visit the Etihad Business Class lounge. Here’s a quick pictorial tour. The lounge is locatedin Terminal 3 at Abu Dhabi Airport. P.S. There is also a smaller lounge in Terminal 1. The lounge was sizable, here's a directional sign. I liked that they had a room to store luggage. Here's one of the seating areas We arrived while breakfast was being served Bread selection Salad Items Fresh Fruit I'm not sure what it's called, but the cheese on the bottom right was good. The breakfast included many hot…
On a recent trip we had a 11 hour, overnight layover in Abu Dhabi. Our incoming flight landed in Abu Dhabi at 9:40 pm. Our connecting flight left the next morning at 8:45 am. That adds up to an 11 hour layover. We decided the best plan was to get a hotel room and try to get some sleep. We looked at hotel options close to the airport and decided on Aerotel. Aerotel is not only close to the airport, it's in the terminal. Aerotel is located airside, within the transit area of Terminal one. If Abu Dhabi is your layover, you don’t…
Our recent flight from Abu Dhabi to Los Angeles routed us over the Arctic Circle. Here are some pictures of the Sunset over the Arctic Circle from 36,000 feet.