Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
Travelingking
Imagine . Create . Experience
Filed underVirtuoso
Only 2 weeks left to share your travel dreams
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Ready, set, shop, sight-see, dine and dance!
At 7:59 AM on Tuesday, October 18 the athletes had finished stretching, their muscles tensed, eyes focused awaiting the beginning of the race to the Presidential Suite at Raffles Hotel. Perhaps I am exaggerating a bit...what I am describing was our anticipation of the beginning of the Virtuoso Shopping Bazaar, a display of unique items procured by Nancy Kim, Managing Director of Imperial Tours, and presented in a boutique setting in the Presidential Suite . Jewelry, clothing, cashmeres, private blend teas, and Tibetan ethnic goods were scooped up with enthusiasm and, as we boarded the motor coaches for our lunch on the Great Wall, we modeled some of our purchases.
An expert in the history and construction of the Great Wall was aboard each of the 4 motor coaches. David Spindler, our Guru of all things Great Wall, shared many details that fascinated me. A "great wall" actually is defined as a non-enclosed wall (like city walls in Xi'an or Dubrovnik) with a minimum defined thickness, height and length. China's Great Wall is a series of walls joined together. The fired brick construction was see at locations near Beijing are the newest construction. Some of the oldest and still standing parts are actually tamped dirt.
There are certain areas round Beijing where the Wall has been restored and those locales are tourist friendly. This visit to the wall was my 3rd and the takeaway is that where you visit the wall matters. My first time I was in a sea of tourists. The second time, in 2008 with Gerald Hatherly of A&K Hong Kong, we went about an hour outside of the city center to an area that felt quiet and serene. This time, because of the large size of our group, we visited an area that was more populated than visit #2 and much better than my first Great Wall experience. I sound like I'm telling a spin-off of Goldilocks and the three bears, don't I?
St. Regis Hotels hosted our Great Wall experience, an event that began with champagne on a terrace. Next we watched 7 young women in red, skintight costumes combine drumming and dancing in a chorus line type act. The main wow was our sit-down luncheon on the Great Wall, highlighted by a menu of delicious courses served by scores of waiters who served all the tables simultaneously. One of our luncheon companions was William Lindsay, noted conservationist and Great Wall advocate. A lovely singer serenaded us with ballads and jazz favorites of the 1930's.
Greg Nacco, Julie Nacco, and Kimberly Wilson Wetty were brave souls who actually ran a length of the Great Wall. Nancy Stein, of Aldine Travel in St. Louis, had a different Great Wall run, one of bad luck. Reaching the last step of the Wall returning to our motor coaches, Nancy's foot rolled desiring in a broken bone. I hope your foot heals quickly, Nancy!
We made it back to Raffles in time to rest and change into our "party fashions" and to make the mental shift from the "lure of the past" to "the impact of the future" (the theme of our journey to China) as we made our way to the Water Cube, the 2008 Olympics swimming venue. Shangri-La Hotels hosted our evening, which began with a red carpet walk alongside an outside wall of the cube and led us indoors and up an escalator to what was normally the tennis courts but now transformed into a heavenly room dotted with sprays of blue hydrangeas. Liquid refreshment was served from a magnificently carved circular ice bar. I easy found my way to our assigned table and I had wonderful dinner partners including Priscilla Alexander and Tova Fink of Protravel International, Inc, Marina Linhares and Tomas Perez of Teresa Perez Tours in Sao Paulo, Brazil; Angie Goiricuria,Virtuoso's Vice President of Alliances; Nancy Kim, Managing Director of Imperial Tours; and, our table host Wolfgang Krueger, GM of the Shangri-La Tokyo.
Needless to say the food was deliciously exquisite! Greg Dogan, President and CEO of Shangril-La Hotels welcomed us and Matthew Upchurch responded with gratitude to Greg's welcome. If we felt we had overeaten, we had the opportunity to dance off the calories as Beijing's most popular DJ and a bevy of 1980's clad disco dancers entertained us and helped remove any shyness about dancing! President and Chief Executive OfficerMatthew Upchurch, Virtuoso's CEO, and dance afficianado, was among the first on the dance floor followed quickly by Valerie Wilson and Rosie Goldberger. A personal highlight was watching the Chinese government officials dancing with the advisors. Proving the "Dancing with the Stars" element of the evening, I took a photo of the Vice Chairman of the Tourism Adminsitration with Kimberly Wilson Wetty and an Elton John wannabe!
What a day--a day of contrasts, elegance, and history. We truly spanned the centuries from the lure of the past to the pulsating contemporary feel of today's Beijing. Having traveled all those years in one day, I was exhausted and ready for a good night's rest. Sweet dreams!
Holy Chopstiks, Batman, it's the 2011 Virtuoso Chairman's Event in China!
Hi, I’m back! It’s me, Barbara King, for twitter followers it’s @travelingking1, and my regular blog is www.travelingking.net, or you can follow me on our website, www.greatgetaways.travel. Last year I blogged my way through the Virtuoso Chairman’s event in Kenya. This year I have the honor of sharing the Virtuoso Chairman’s Event 2011 in Beijing and Shanghai.
The prequel: Along with my guest, Ms. Sam Wehunt, I arrived in Beijing on Saturday afternoon after a 12 ½ hour flight from SFO. Greeted by an airport butler, we were taken to China World Summit Wing Hotel, and we enjoyed a lovely night’s sleep followed by a private and very tasty breakfast hosted by the hotel for Virtuoso event attendees. Next, Nancy Kim, managing partner of Imperial Tours, took 37 of us on a fast-paced shopping tour. First stop was the Pearl Market and we all appreciated Nancy’s expert assistance in bargaining. Imperial Tours takes no commission from shop vendors so the original asking price is significantly lower than the average tourist is quoted.
Next, we strolled through the Antique Market and our tired feet and burning credit cards enjoyed a wonderful respite at the Park Hyatt Beijing. A “OMG” (oh my God, for those not Facebook or texting inclined) lunch was followed by a site inspection of their “contemporary feel” rooms. Many of us were ready to be dropped off at Raffles, our home for 3 nights of the Chairman’s event, while the veteran shoppers continued on to the Silk Market.
Virtuoso Chairman’s Event: The opening - Last night, Raffles hosted us at the Opening Cocktail Reception. Signing the guest book in traditional Chinese inkstone, ink and brush, we were escorted inside by beautifully gowned hostesses. Food stations offered dim sum, Peking duck, succulent crispy pork, a variety of fresh, cold noodle salads, and passed hors d’ouevers of pate, shrimp, and ,and, and….It was so fun to see friends I had shared previous Chairman’s events as well as connect with “first timers”, those new to the event. I remember the first time I “qualified” for a Chairman’s event, 2008 in India, and how overwhelming it felt and yet totally wonderful. Now I feel like I am attending a family reunion with family members who all get along! While we see each other at Travel Mart every year, we are so busy interacting with vendors we don’t get to spend much time networking among ourselves.
This morning began with a complete breakfast buffet followed by a meeting for members and activities for guests. The theme was summed up by Guy Rubin, Managing Partner (along with Nancy Kim) of Imperial Tours and our Beijing host, “China-the lure of the past and the impact on our future.” Speakers included the Vice Chairman of the China Tourism Administration; Lijia Xhang, noted author; David Ben Kay, who cemented the relationship between China and Microsoft, now owner of a gallery and art incubator; and two college students, Shuai Yang-age 22 and an undergrad at Communications University, and Yan Wanqiu-a 27 year old grad student at Remnin University.
Focus on our industry came from Guy Rubin’s talk focused on the importance of China in the travel world as well as the great value offered in China. Patrick Macleod, Managing Director of A&K Hong Kong, focused on the new opportunities and new cities to visit in China. Virtuoso’s CEO, Matthew Upchurch, reminded us of the immense effect our industry, in total, has on the world GDP and David Kolner and Scott Ahlsmith, of 23 Touchpoints, showed how mining our data offered valuable insights into the profile of the Virtuoso traveler who visits China.
The takeaway message from this morning is that China is growing and changing. It is an exciting source of fresh ideas, possibilities and new solutions. What impressed me was the fact a person who visits China is likely to return at least twice more. This journey is my 4th visit to China and I already am mentally planning my next China itinerary!
I know this was a more “reporting of the facts” kind of blog post today-short on clever, long on details. That’s the price I pay for blogging while exhausted AND there are two more wonderful experiences to describe from today, lunch at Opposite House Hotel and Aman’s dinner at the Summer Palace. Alas, those will wait until tomorrow when, hopefully, I will be less prone to crashing my head onto the keyboard of my laptop. I’m so tired that almost every other word is misspelled, or is it Miss Spelled, or is it…oh who cares, that’s it for tonight!
Barbara S King l Co-President l www.greatgetaways.travel l 913.338.2244 l Virtuoso Member
Tell us what to buy for you!
Hundreds of handshakes, thousands of air kisses, and the most amazing networking event of the year---yes, it's that time again---we’re off to Virtuoso’s Annual Travel Mart! Compare this to a fashion buyer going to Milan to discover the newest and latest trends, we head to Virtuoso’s Travel Mart to see what’s new in travel. Think of this as speed-dating on steroids because, in addition to the meetings, the parties, the dinners, and unsurpassed training, we meet with hundreds of vendors 1-on-1 daily for several days.
So, why do you need to know about this? Because we know you’re dreaming about a vacation and if you tell us your wishes, we’ll discuss them with the vendors we meet. If I know what kind of vacation and where you envision going, I’ll be sure to be on the lookout for the perfect experience, designed, exclusively for you.
To help us out, please go to http://www.greatgetaways.travel/contact/wishes-and-wants/ and let us know your preferences!
As you know, we help you escape from the ordinary. Send us your wish list today! Imagine. Create. Experience.
River Cruising in this Issue of Virtuoso Insights
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Exclusive 2011 Escapes
  | ||
 | ||
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
Fares, schedules, Virtuoso exclusives, events and amenities are subject to availability and blackout dates and may change without notice. Virtuoso Voyager Club events may require a minimum/maximum number of participants. Unless otherwise stated, prices are in U.S. dollars, per person and based on double occupancy. Restrictions may apply. Virtuoso is not responsible for errors in pricing. MASTERCARD and the MasterCard Brand Mark are registered trademarks of MasterCard International Incorporated. The trademarks VIRTUOSO, the Globe Swirl Logo, and SPECIALISTS IN THE ART OF TRAVEL are registered trademarks of Virtuoso, Ltd. All rights reserved. Images: Shutterstock CST#2069091-40 351001 |
And for the best shower, the winner is...
If there were a CNT or T+L rating guide, I'm put Fairmont Mt. Kenya Safari Club as #1 for best hotel shower in Kenya. Folks, we're talking from the ceiling and with great water pressure and lots of hot water (Excuse me, did I just say, "Folks?" Folks reminds me of an infomercial, "Folks, if you call in the next 5 minutes...).
If you've been following along on my blog, www.greatgetaways.travel/blog or www.lta.com, click on blogs about the 2010 Virtuoso Chairman's Club Safari (you ARE taking copious notes, aren't you?), you'll know we've been at Fairmont Mara Safari Club for 3 nights. Yesterday was our last full day and I've already chronicled about most of the day. I will add a small footnote and then on to "who, what and where" today:
Yesterday afternoon we were determined to go on the afternoon game drive to hopefully spot the leopard (no pun intended) others saw the other day. During the morning drive, we pressured our guide to find the gorgeous cat who shies away from the bright daylight. Unfortunately, we didn't find him/her so we knew we just had to see him on this drive because it would be the last game drive on the Mara for this safari. Although it rained all afternoon, we veteran safari-goers (help me out with a better word choice, please! Leave your suggestions in the comments) didn't let rain stop us. Two safari vehicles loaded with us die-hards took off for our last drive in the Maasai Mara. With us on this drive were Amy and Stefan Bisciglia, Specialty Cruise & Villas, Kristi Jones, President of Virtuoso, and Albert Herrera, Vice President, Virtuoso Hotels, Destinations, and Tours. By the way, our driver/guide, Sammy, was superb at navigating through the mud---thank you, Sammy! We saw a herd of topi all facing the same way---their rears facing the direction the wind was blowing. Pretty clever way to avoid getting rained at! While those of us in the second row and rear of the vehicle were surrounded by somewhat clear plastic, Albert and Sammy braved the rain with no protection. Is this the same Albert Herrera I know, the impeccably dressed, dapper Virtuoso fashion plate? I think he was taking this dressing down and "roughing it" concept a bit too far! Of course, the designer pashmina wrapped around his neck did add a touch of class to the rain soaked safari shirt he wore. Suddenly lightning flashed brilliantly on the horizon and immediately we heard thunder. I know there's some formula for counting the time between lightning and thunder to determine the proximity of the strike and Kristi quickly computed that we best head back to Fairmont Mara Safari Club. Alas, no leopard on this safari but I have great leopard shots on Picasaweb.google.com/travelingking1 of some of our past safaris.
On to today: after a delicious breakfast, we headed to the landing strip and boarded our flight for the Fairmont Mt. Kenya Safari Club. 45 minutes later found us off the plane near Mt. Kenya and on a coach en route to the iconic hotel and then, "Jambo, welcome Virtuoso to the Fairmont Mt. Kenya Safari Club." African tribal-dressed men drummed an escort as we drove through the gates. Michael and I were eager to see the face lift performed by Fairmont Hotels Int'l. We had stayed here twice before, and on our last visit in 2004 prior to Fairmont taking over, we panned the property. Grounds were not well kept, the decor was "tired" (don't you love it when I talk "Realtor-ese?"), and the staff surly. Only because I was familiar with the footprint of the property did I believe I was actually at the same place I remember from 2004, the one with the toilet seat that fell off: the grounds are immaculate and flowers are plentiful; the chef has a true chef's garden, replete with everything necessary to prepare gourmet cuisine; the staff is gracious, attentive and friendly; and our suite is just that-sweet!
And that brings me to the title of this post, "And for the best shower, the winner is..." What wonderfully improved accommodations! A true class act! No problems with sliding toilet seats because everything is shiny, new, and functioning. Congratulations, Fairmont, on a job superbly done!
A last comment: Leslie (as in Leslie Dodson, Fairmont Hotels) offered me a snack this noon that looked like dried worms. Silly me----they weren't worms, they were tiny dried fish who still had their charming little bug-like eyes. Being polite, I ate a few. "Oh, they taste like sardines somewhat," I commented. Now for the truth, Leslie---was this your version of trick or treat?
Photos from today are at: Mt Kenya Safari Club: Virtuoso Chairman's Safari
You snooze, you lose!
Yesterday afternoon I opted to stay at Fairmont Mara Safari Club rather than take the afternoon game drive. My bad! While dreaming about lions and leopards, the rest of the Virtuoso crowd actually saw them---and a herd of elephants, too! Grrrrr! The rainy season seems to have begun a little early. Some background: there are 2 rainy seasons--the long rains are in March and April and the short rains are in November. Apparently, elephants aren't into rain showers and migrate uphill when it's soggy outside. So, although we saw several elephants in November, 2004, we were told that was unusual. Can you believe the elephants and the leopard had the gall to wander around when I wasn't there???
Last night it rained but that didn't stop the Virtuoso bunch from having a good time. David Hanson, Terrie Hanson and Keith Waldon, of Virtuoso fame, decided to play a trick on Alex Sharpe, Regent Cruises. They planted a rubber snake in his tent. There was one teeny, weeny problem---they put the snake in the tent of Sharon and Michael Fake, Travel Experts! When Terrie shared the prank with David Lowy, Renshaw Travel, he told Terrie she was a polysyllabic word that meant a person who enjoys teasing others (can't remember the word-it's from a German word, I think). That made her pause while Elaine looked up the definition on her phone.
This morning we went for a morning game drive, hoping to see the leopard and elephants we missed yesterday. Alas, it was not to be; however, we saw a mama lion and her cubs, some mongooses (Google claims "mongooses" is more common than "mongeese"), an elephant, lots of antelope (again, Google opts for no "s"), ostrich, giraffes, zebras, dik dik, gazelles, wildebeests, impalas, hyena and a stork. It's amazing how quickly we become jaded because I and several others were heard to whine, "Oh, another zebra" or "Just some more impalas" as if we see them every day of our lives!
This morning's treat was a gourmet buffet breakfast in the bush. Only Fairmont and Micato would know that we Virtuoso members are inveterate shoppers---they invited some Maasai to join us and set up a gift boutique on a traditional red and blue plaid Maasai blanket! We spent time visiting with Sean Walwyn, Fairmont Hotels. He's lived in some amazing places. He was born in Jamaica, moved to Barbados, schooled in the UK, worked in Kuwait, Istanbul, Japan, and Canada (to name just a few of his posts).
This afternoon is another game drive and we have one more chance to spot some wildlife tomorrow before we wing our way to Fairmont Mt. Kenya Safari Club for two nights. Chris Cahill, COO of Fairmont Raffles Hotels International will join us there along with Sean, Serge and Leslie, who have escorted us so far.
Okay, enough jabber! It's time for lunch and, God knows, I haven't eaten in at least 3 hours!
Photos from today are at: Mara Safari Club Day 2-Virtuoso Chairman's Safari. I just checked and I'm having difficulty uploading photos to the Internet. While I'm trying to upload 36 photos, only 6 have uploaded so far and I've been waiting 2 1/2 hours! My laptop's battery is low, so if you don't see all 36, I'll try again tomorrow from Mt. Kenya Safari Club. I can't complain because I'm sitting in the middle of Kenya away from any city and I'm still able to communicate with you. I think I'm beginning to sound like an "Ugly American". Oy!
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's the Traveling Kings!
It's Saturday morning and my mind is racing: Did I pack the fleece top in case it gets cold in the mountains of Rwanda? Have I left an out-of-office message on my work phone? Do I have an extra copy of my passport tucked safely away? Toothpaste? Computer cord, Kindle cord, iPod cord, camera cord, cord cord???? Yikes! We leave in a few hours and I'm blogging?????
Better get back to my to-do list! Just a quick reminder you can follow us at www.greatgetaways.travel/blog and picasaweb.google.com/travelingking1 as we visit Rwanda's mountain gorillas (Thanks, Volcanoes Safaris!), participate in the Virtuoso Chairman's Club Safari in Kenya (Thanks Virtuoso, Micato, Fairmont, Crystal, Regent, and Magical Kenya!), attend the Classic Partners Event in Kauai (Thanks, Classic Vacations), and hug and kiss our daughter, Lauren, Jon, and 6 month old baby, Jacob!
Whew! That was a mouthful! Okay, did I stop the mail, water the plants, pack my Sudoku.....
