By RamonRamon is the creator of Traveling Companion. He focuses on flight review, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further.  Downtown Puerto Vallarta Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta Overview Our first trip together to an all inclusive was a mixed bag. The views and beach experience at this resort were spectacular though the all-inclusive experience at this resort didn't meet our expectations. Pros- Spectacular ocean views, private beach, suites with outdoor jacuzzi, outdoor dining, complimentary room service, strong drink selection, large selection of activities, huge selection of pools, swim up bar Cons- Inconsistent service, tasteless and bland Mexican food, pricey rooms and suites, expensive transportation and spa options, high humidity, poor elite recognition Booking We travelled to Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta in March 2020 about one week before most of the world shut down for the COVID-19 pandemic. We didn't know it at the time but it was our last trip for about a year and a half until vaccines were widely available. In February 2020 we booked a Garden King for $350 per night. We chose the Hyatt Ziva because it was an all-inclusive and we were looking for an escape to warm weather and relaxation after a few stressful months. The AAA rate ended up being the same as the member rate and the member rate was less than the promotion rate so we just booked the member rate. We also decided not to book a private transfer since it was just the two of us and it would have cost $125 for two people. Eight days before our arrival I received a pre-arrival upgrade offer with various options to request an upgrade to a room at a reduced price. The options ranged from $59-$83 but did not include an offer a suite or junior suite. This meant that is I accepted any of these offers I would be accepting something I was already entitled too as a Hyatt elite member so we passed. I was really looking forward to this experience since I had a great stay for the bachelor party at the Hyatt Zilara Cancun though this ended up not being as solid of a stay as the Hyatt Zilara Cancun because of the difference in the quality of the food.  Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta Entrance Sign Check In We arrived at the resort via Uber and when we pulled up to the resort, we were required to give our names to the guard who cross checked our name on the guest list and then asked for the name of the driver and her license. This definitely added to the sense of the privacy at the resort since not only were we behind a gate but the resort was locked in a private cove with a private beach.  Lobby When we got out of the car, I gave my name to the bellhop who matched it to his list and sent us to check in at the Hyatt elite status desk. This is the desk used for all Hyatt elite levels and was less grand than the separate area at the Zilara Cancun. One of the benefits given in Cancun was a welcome toast, however, we were not offered a beverage at check-in here. We were given the full list of amenities for elites which included access to the club lounge, a preferred room within type booked, a 10% discount on room upgrade to another room, 10% discount on tours, 10% discount on upgraded wines and lobster. As part of the check-in process we were given the opportunity to upgrade from our base level Garden View room to a Jacuzzi Suite for an additional $90 a night versus the normal cost of an additional $150 or to upgrade to a swim up suite for an additional $120 a night. We decided to go with the Jacuzzi Suite because we heard bad reviews about the rooms in the old building. We wanted and ended up appreciating the privacy of the Jacuzzi Suite over the exposure of the swim up suite. We ended up finding this to a be a good decision since the “garden view” rooms were essentially rooms with views of the parking lot. We ended up getting a lot of use out of our jacuzzi and enjoyed the amazing views from our room on the 17th floor. I also really appreciated that Hyatt recognizes even low-level elite as the resort sent us a bottle of sparkling wine for just being a Discoverist elite. Though this palled in comparison to the bottle of sparkling wine we received during my trip to Cancun. However, I was disappointed because in Cancun the worst room is still a junior suite and all have ocean views so there would be no need for the upgrade. Since we upgraded our room wasn’t ready yet but we were told to come back in about an hour. They held our bags at check-in instead of bringing them to the room and also it was weird that they did not allow us to check in at the other towers check-in desks since were now in the new tower. Club Ocean Front Hot Tub King Our upgraded room (1755) was in the newer club tower on the top floor.  Old Tower  New Club Tower When we walked off of the elevator we were already impressed by the amazing view. The hallways have windows which were left open during our entire stay to let in the cool breeze and right off the elevators give access to the spectacular view which I heard one guest describe as a postcard. These views continued in our room as were one of the best features of the room. We were treated to amazing sunsets every day and on our last morning an amazing sunrise since the other mornings were cloudy.  Hallway in New Tower The suite was really large and had a big flatscreen TV, we never used, a separate sitting area with a couch and table with two chairs. The suite itself had amazing decor and was in good condition. It had lots of wood paneling and a circular curved ceiling with a fan. While the room had air conditioning (AC), the ceiling fan proved critical for the very humid nights when humidity reached 96%. Even when we turned on the AC the humidity was still unbearable and we had to turn on the fan. The bathroom was also very nice with marble countertops a closet and four shelves one of which had a safe. The bathroom also had sliding doors. In additional it also had a separate toilet room for privacy which I really appreciated. The room also had two snacks in a drawer which looked really sad and we did not touch. The shower was also really nice and had both a handheld and rainforest shower head. The water pressure was very good. Though I think the Kenneth MD (Zilara/Ziva shower amenities) were only average when compared to other hotels.  Shower The really amazing part of the room was the jacuzzi, which we used three times and found well worth the upgrade. It was on the balcony along with another table and set of wooden chairs. The hot tub was definitely only big enough to only fit two people. It filled up with turn dials and we found it easy to use as it had a button to turn on jets. The only issue we had with it was that on the day we were checking out we woke up and found that it was leaking water through the faucet and seemed to have been leaking for hours. It was amazing to be able to view the sunset from our deck and get warm when it got chilly late at night. Amenities and Activities Beach and Pools The resort is located directly on a private beach and offered stunning views. During our time there we jogged along the beach and swam on one occasion. However, the water was still a little too cold in March to enjoy the ocean. Because of the cold water most of the other guests also swam in the pools over the ocean. The biggest frustration of the beach and our stay were the beach vendors. Every day that we went to the beach there were vendors bothering us and trying to hawk items. I was really surprised that the vendors weren't kicked off of the beach since it was a private beach and security knew each person staying at the resort. The hotel also featured four infinity pools, a kid-friendly pool, and a swim up bar. We enjoyed these multiple times a day and they were refreshing because of the very humid climate in Puerto Vallarta. I once again loved the swim up bar and I think it may be my favorite amenity at all-inclusive resorts. During our stay the pools were full of people during the middle of the day but quieter in the early morning. The pool also offered stunning ocean views. Gym, Salon, and Spa The resort also had a gym, salon, and spa. We used the gym once during our stay and we were the only people there. It had a wide variety of equipment including ellipticals, treadmills, and weights. We didn't try the gym or the salon but the wide variety of offerings seemed expensive relative to the lower cost of living in Mexico. Resort Activities The resort offered a wide variety of beach and water activities during the day and at least one activity each night. The beach activities included beach volleyball and kayaking. Though we ended up wanting to relax and didn't try any of these beach and ocean activities.  Activities Center During our stay other activities included a movie night, dance party, and multiple shows. The fun part about the movie night was that it was set up with a projector on the beach. When we walked by no one was watching the movie but if we had a young child with us, I think this would have been a fun activity
One night the show featured fire and on another night, it featured acrobats by the pool. Both of these shows were packed with people and entertaining.
Visiting Downtown Puerto Vallarta Because we were staying at an all-inclusive and looking for a relaxing vacation we only ventured out once to Puerto Vallarta. My overall impression of the city is that it was a sleepy beach town with an economy heavily dependent on tourism and expats. As is often the case on our trips I was saddened by the significant development downtown and in the tourist areas, contrasted with the poor conditions on the outskirts of town where I assume many of the workers live. Dining During our stay the resort had vast array of dining options including five restaurants, a coffee shop, sports bar, club lounge, and room service. Blaze (American and Mexican) This was the resort's seafood restaurant where we went for lunch on first day and later for breakfast. It had a blend of Mexican and American seafood and I found the food wholly unimpressive. When we got there the first day Christina ordered a fish taco and while the fish was good the tortilla wasn’t tasty and they automatically served it on a flour tortilla instead of a corn one without asking. She had to ask afterwards specifically for corn which came back and tasted much better. I ordered the steak tacos but they were boring and flavorless. Everything at this restaurant felt like it was made blander for the American pallet to be non-offensive to any American or Canadian pallet since there were many Canadian tourists. Also, the service here was terrible. When we sat down, we were asked if we wanted anything to drink before we even had a chance to look at the menu. I asked for more time and that server never came back and instead another server came by our table. The same bland food and terrible service continued as breakfast which showed this restaurant continually delivered bad food and service. I ordered the Huevos y Asada and found it again to be very bland. Christina ordered some Mexican breads and was given three croissants and a turnover once again showing how they served inauthentic and bland version of Mexican food. The best part of the breakfast was the drinks including the Mexican hot chocolate and fresh juice which were really good and I found that to be a theme throughout the resort. The drinks were consistently really good while the food was generally bad or bland. The only other positive about this restaurant was its ocean views. Casa Grande (Mexican) This was the resort’s flagship Mexican restaurant. It was really large with a bar and then a big dining area at the back with a stage at the center. The restaurant had a lot of decorations and a thatched roof. Inside the room were Spanish clay tiles. Christina found the decorations to be over the top and tacky. In general, we found the Mexican food we ordered to be average and again bland. Also, we found the service to be average at best. Though once again we did really like our drinks which this time were margaritas. Melanzane (Italian) We visited this restaurant one day for lunch. The restaurant is right next to the main pool and open for lunch and dinner serving Italian food. It offered a range of pizza and pasta for lunch. We ended up sharing a margherita pizza which was really good. It was served warm, fresh, with a thin crust, and had flavor. It was funny that the Italian food was better than the Mexican food at this Mexican resort. Vivaz (Buffet) This was the busiest restaurant on the property and served breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We found that this restaurant consistently offered above average food and better service than everywhere other than Puerza. Even though it was a buffet the servers offered to retrieve drinks and food for guests and constantly checked if anything else was needed. Pureza (Asian) We found this restaurant which is only open for dinner to be the most impressive. It is located next to Kids Club on the opposite end of the beach from Blaze. The setting is very sophisticated with no walls and a thatched roof and wood floors which allowed us to feel the great ocean breeze and hear the ocean. The service here was excellent with our server having indulged us by asking every question in Spanish and correcting us if we got any words wrong. He also checked back in with us several times when our dishes took longer than he expected. The food here was also really good and we felt that they were delivering authentic Asian cuisine. I really liked the Satay and it tasted as good as the one we had in Singapore. My beef ribs were also amazing and cooked to perfection so they fell off of the bone. This was the best dish I had during the entire trip. Christina's Pad Thai was also good but made with tomato sauce which is not typical for Pad Thai. We finally finished off with fried ice cream which was really good. Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our dinner here. Deli (Coffee Shop) This was a good spot for warm drinks at the resort and we constantly found the staff to be friendly. Also continuing the theme at this resort, the drinks were good. It also offered a variety of pastries focused on breads and cakes. The cakes I had I found bland but the bread particularly the chocolate bread was consistently good. The biggest disappointment here was that it did not offer ice cream which was one of my favorite deserts at the Hyatt Zilara Cancun. We were told by other guests that the Deli used to offer ice cream so I am not sure what happened. Hyghlightz (Sports Bar) This is the resort's sports bar and we stopped in briefly to check it out. It offered what you would expect from a sports bar. Beer on tap and lots of televisions with sports on every television.
Room Service The resort offered 24/7 room service and one afternoon we ordered room service for lunch. The order took about 30 minutes to arrive. I ordered a burger with bacon and found the taste to be bland and not flavorful. However, I was annoyed that after it arrived, we got a call to ask how long it took. There has to a better way to make sure they are evaluating how fast their service is without disturbing guests eating. Club Lounge At check-in we were told that with our room in the club tower we had access to a club lounge with additional food offerings and a separate bar. Since this was an all-inclusive, I was curious what would be offered at this club lounge and it was very underwhelming. It was located on the first floor of the new tower and included a very small additional buffet selection. Service The service here can only be described as remarkably inconsistent. In some instances, the staff were friendly and went out of their way to provide good service. However, in other instances the service was slow and not friendly. It felt staff were just going through the motions. One example of the slow service was at the pool bars. The resorts had multiple pool bars but the servers were slow and not friendly. Often, we had to go to the bar to put in or check- in on our orders which should be unnecessary. I would say the service at the Hyatt Zilara Cancun blew this service out of the water. It is amazing even through both are Hyatt all-inclusive and owned by the same hotel operator Playa Hotels & Resorts. Take Away Overall, I enjoyed our very relaxing stay at the Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta. My biggest disappointment was the food which generally did not live up to the quality I experienced at the Hyatt Zilara Cancun. This was hard since the food is one of the most important components of an all-inclusive resort. However, the resort did make up for this with a strong drink selection, stunning ocean views, a jacuzzi on the balcony of our suite, a large selection of activities, and a huge number of pools. I don't think we would come back to Puerto Vallarta because I don't think there are enough activities outside of the resorts. However, if I came back to Puerto Vallarta, I would probably choose to stay at a non-all-inclusive so I could experience good Mexican cuisine.
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By RamonRamon is the creator of Traveling Companion. He focuses on flight review, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further. California Dreaming with Dad Trip Report California Dreaming with Dad Overview Delta 757 DCA-LAX Economy Class Review Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel Review Exploring California's Central Coast Exploring Los Angeles Delta 757 LAX-DCA Economy Class Review  View of Los Angeles from Dodger's Stadium Exploring Los Angeles Overview Los Angeles is the second largest city in the United States and the metro area is home to major film/television studios and a center of culture, particularly Chicano culture. With all of this in mind I planned a two -night stay in Los Angeles to give my dad a small taste of what the largest city on the west coast of the United States has to offer. I previously visited Los Angeles briefly for work but this is the most time I had spent consecutively in the city. While I had fun on my visit, I came away from my visit unimpressed with the city. The city has a host of problems which took away from my enjoyment including major homeless encampments, terrible public transportation which further drives its horrendous traffic and smog, boring architecture with massive sprawl, and insufficient density. Attractions Dodgers Stadium My dad is a huge baseball fan and Christina and her family are big Dodger's fan's so the first major stop in Los Angeles was a tour at Dodger's Stadium. Dodger's stadium is located in Chavez Ravine and its construction was controversial since the city utilized eminent domain to evict primarily Latino homeowners from the site to construct the stadium. The stadium is the third oldest in baseball behind only Fenway Park and Wrigley Field. I was impressed by the sweeping, though smog filled, view of Los Angeles from the stadium.  View of Los Angeles from Dodger's Stadium The tour was very informative and started in the outfield with an opportunity to look out over the stadium. The tour guide informed us that the stadium capacity is 56,000, the second largest in baseball behind the Oakland Coliseum, and the seats are color coded by level. Yellow representing sunshine, orange the beach, and blue for the ocean and sky.  Dodger's Stadium As the tour continued, we were shown the suites and the press box. We were told that the suites at the time in 2020 ranged from $5,000-$15,000 and did not include food or drink. One cool fact is that Dodgers Stadium allows fans to bring outside food and drink.  Dodger's Stadium Press Box Other interesting information that was shared with us is that the Dodger's at the time had only retired 10 jerseys and to retire a Jersey you were required to be in the Hall of Fame. One of the retired jerseys was #42 for Jackie Robinson who played for the Dodgers who were the first team to integrate baseball with the inclusion of the first Black player on a Major League Baseball roster. The tour of Dodgers Stadium was cool and I would recommend it to any sports fan visiting Los Angeles. Queen Mary As we continued our exploration of the Los Angeles area, we decided to take a trip to the Queen Mary. The Queen Mary is a British ocean liner which served at various time as trans-Atlantic civilian transportation and a during World War II as a ferry for Allied troops across the Atlantic. One of the servicemen included Christina grandpa who served in World War II. The ocean liner was retired in 1967 and purchased by the city of Long Beach to serve as a tourist attraction and now is on the National Register of Historic Places. It was a cool experience for my dad to visit the ship since he remembered this large vessel entering the harbor in Nassau, The Bahamas as a child. Also, during the tour of ship we learned several interesting facts. Even though it served as a troop transport the Queen Mary was never fired upon during World War II. As a passenger transport it hosted several celebrities including Bob Hope and Bing Crosby and made an appearance in the movie The Aviator. For 10 years the ship held the transatlantic speed record with a 3-day crossing. The tour guide said this trip normally takes about six days for an ocean liner today. When it served as a civilian ocean liner it, was divided into three classes and was often compared to another ocean liner the Titanic, even though it was larger and faster than the Titanic. Its First Class round trip tickets costs about $5,000 in 1936 which would be about $111,000 in 2023 dollars. The ship seemed in need of a refresh and after our visit in February 2020 the company that operated the ship went into bankruptcy due to the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the subsequent year the attraction underwent millions of dollars of repairs and reopened in April 2023. Overall, I found the tour interesting as a history lover and was happy to have a chance to have my dad aboard the ship he saw as a child. I would recommend it if you are a tourist interested in history. Sony Pictures Studio Tour Our next stop on our visit to Los Angeles was Sony Pictures Studio. Christina didn't join us since she had to go back to Washington D.C. for work. The Sony Pictures Studio is located on the same lot as the old famous MGM Studios. Sony purchased the land and items located on the lot from MGM when MGM shifted its focus to hotels.
The first stop on our tour was a room chock full of memorabilia from various Sony Pictures television shows and movies. This included the set from the classic television show Seinfeld and items the various Men in Black movies. In this room we also got a chance to have a picture with a few Oscars, which sure looked real. As we continued the tour the tour guide talked with us about some of the famous movies filmed on the lot including Air Force One, Star Trek, and The Wizard of Oz. At the time of our tour filming had just wrapped for the television show Shark Tank which the tour guide said was filmed in 20 days. We also got a chance to take pictures with some items from sets that were around the lot including one of the cars from Ghostbusters.  Car from Ghostbusters The iconic game shows Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! also are filmed on the Sony Pictures lot and as part of the tour we got to visit the Wheel of Fortune set. As a regular watcher of these shows when I was a kid this was really cool. My mom also was very impressed since she is still a big fan of Wheel of Fortune. The tour guide told us that typically six episodes of the show are filmed in one day.  Sean Giambrone from The Goldbergs During our tour the biggest highlight was getting to actually meet a celebrity. While we were walking around the lot, we ran into Sean Giambrone who stars on The Goldbergs, one of my mom's favorite shows. He came over to talk and take pictures with our tour group and I was impressed by how down to earth he was. Our tour guide also explained that child actors, like Sean at the time of our tour, have an on-site school. He said that in old Hollywood it wasn't a required for kids to receive education. In response, Congress passed legislation requiring that entertainment companies provide education for child actors.  Stage 30 at Sony Studios This was my parents and I first visit ever to a movie studio and there were a few things I found interesting. First, there were trailers everywhere not just for the actors but for all of the support staff including hair and makeup. Second, it is amazing how small some of the television sets are and how good camera work can make a set look a lot bigger on television. Third, at Sony Pictures Studios other media companies were using the lot to film entertainment that wasn't being distributed by Sony Pictures. For example, while we were on the lot Apple TV+ was filming The Morning Show season 2. Finally, I came away with the impression that Sony Pictures was a little behind the times. Most of the television shows and movie released by the studio were not big hits during the time of our tour. Hollywood Walk of Fame Our next stop was the Hollywood Walk of Fame. We walked around the streets looking for the stars of actors whom we knew. My dad was very happy to take a picture with the star, of perhaps the most famous Bahamian ever, Sidney Poitier. As we walked around the Hollywood Walk of Fame, I was surprised by just how many celebrities have a star. I wouldn't consider some of these celebrities to be legendary celebrities and I wondered if it just took the right amount of money to get star. As we walked around it also seemed that some stars got more prominent placements for those who were more famous.  Sidney Poitier's Star While we were walking around, we stopped in front of the Chinese Theatre and the El Capitan Theatre. I was really disappointed by the Chinese Theater which wasn't architecturally impressive and was surrounded by vendors hawking cheap tourist souvenirs. I thought that the nearby El Captain theater was much more impressive. Hollywood Museum Our final stop was the Hollywood Museum located a block from the Chinese Theatre and El Capitan Theatre. This museum claims it has the largest collection of Hollywood memorabilia in the world. It is located in the former Max Factor building, which housed makeup artists to celebrities. I was impressed by the enormous number of items housed at this building. At the time of our visit the basement housed items for horror films, Star Wars, Hunger Games, and Planet of the Apes items were on the first floor, and an exhibit dedicated to the Pointer Sisters was on the second floor. I thought the most impressive floor was the third floor. This floor housed some original DeLoreans from the Back to the Future movies and the original Batmobile from the Batman television series. While the sheer number of memorabilia items at this museum was impressive, I thought the museum was dated and could have done a better job updating both the items on display and the way in which the items were displayed. Take Away
It was great being able to show my dad a slice of Los Angeles. The most frustrating parts of Los Angeles were the poor air quality, poor public transportation, homelessness, and traffic. However, I really liked the weather, seeing Dodgers Stadium, and doing the Sony Pictures Studio tour. I really felt on this trip that I was getting to see slice of Tinsel Town. Overall, I think it was a great trip and I think my dad was left impressed and overwhelmed by the size of Los Angeles. Even though I couldn't picture myself living in Los Angeles because of the problems I mentioned, there is so much to see in Los Angeles that if I had the chance I would come back for another visit and recommend that others visit the city. One place I look forward to visiting on my next trip is The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures which wasn't open during our visit in February 2020. By ChristinaChristina writes and edits Travelling Companion. Her writing covers expeditions, food, and culture for the blog.
California Dreaming with Dad Trip Report
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101 North Gaviota Pass - Highway tunnel as seen in the movies like The Graduate and Sideways
Exploring California's Central Coast Overview
Roughly half way between San Francisco and Los Angeles, the Central Coast of California is not well known outside of California. When Californians think of the Central Coast they usually think of the amazing food, beautiful weather, and picturesque scenery. Born and raised in the Central Coast, I was thrilled to be able to share a bit of my "home" with my new mother and father in-law. We had limited time to explore, so I built an itinerary aimed to have a quick overview of what the Central Coast can offer. AttractionsHearst Castle
Hearst Castle was one of the homes of newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst in which he created his own castle with the help of the architect Julia Morgan. The castle was not finished at the time of William Randolph Hearst's death and the property is now being maintained and preserved by the California State Parks. Hearst Castle feels frozen in time as many of the original pieces are on display for visitors to enjoy including art, gardens, artifacts, and furnishings. The property is nestled on a large cattle ranch, in a mountain range, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, giving the castle's location a balance of seclusion and natural beauty.
Opulent, bordering gaudy, Hearst Castle had its own zoo, airport, theater, indoor and outdoor pool, a wine cellar built during prohibition, and three guest houses. The main house "Casa Grande" has 38 bedrooms and 42 bathrooms. The property's grandeur made its way into pop culture, including the two famous pools which were used in Lady Gaga's music video, G.U.Y. The castle offers multiple tours, which focus on different aspects of the property and change depending on the season. If you visit you are likely only going to have time for one tour and will want to come back to see different parts of the castle. Elephant Seals Beach
Just up the road from Hearst Castle is a beach where the beach goers are limited to elephant seals. Human species are regulated to the sidelines where they can look at the elephant seals bask in the sun and dip in the water. Facts and history are available to read along the walk parallel to the beach regulated to humans. There are a few benches to sit and watch the seals, but we couldn't find any bench available due to the large number of visitors. We visited during mating season, which is from early December through March; the males were quite loud. You can expect to spend about 30-45 minutes visiting with the seals.
Pismo Beach
Another hidden gem, Pismo Beach is a sleepy beach town that has appeared in movies and television shows including in Clueless and Looney Tunes. I was excited to show my Bahamian in-laws our version of beach life which is slower and involves lots of surfing. We stopped at Splash Cafe and got ourselves a delicious bread bowl of clam chowder. Then we walked the beach and the pier. My in-laws enjoyed the low-key vibes and the natural beauty at Pismo, but they were shocked on how chilly the water was. It was definitely not as warm as Bahamian waters.
Take Away
Photo of a winery lined up against the 101 freeway. Farmworkers are visible in the distance.
Visiting my hometown with my in-laws was really fun. My in-laws were excited to explore the Central Coast and surprised on how much there was to do. While we were driving down the Pacific Coast Highway, I was creating a list of all the things we missed and should do on the next visit such as:
By ChristinaChristina writes and edits Travelling Companion. Her writing covers expeditions, food, and culture for the blog.
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Exploring Abu Dhabi Overview
Ministry of Presidential Affairs
We were only in Abu Dhabi for a day and a half, but in that short time the city made a lasting impression. This was our first experience inside a middle eastern country, which was an especially unique experience since we were there during Ramadan. Our adventure in the city showed Abu Dhabi as a city with intricate architecture, new infrastructure, strict conservative culture, and a mixed welcome from the locals.
Mural
Attractions
Qasr Al Hosn It was late when we arrived in Abu Dhabi, so we only were able to visit one place before heading to bed. Qasr Al Hosn is an old fort inside the heart of city that is now used as a museum. We arrived at night and saw the building was lit up beautifully. When we pulled up from our Uber, we were a bit taken aback as there were military people with automatic riffles surrounding the whole campus. When they saw we were concerned, the guards gave us a friendly gesture signaling that it was okay for us to continue inside. 
Qasr Al Hosn
Once inside, we were greeted by a few Emirati women, dress in their traditional clothes. At that time, we thought they were probably dressed this way for their job, but as we continued to venture through the city, we realized Emiratis dressed in their traditional garb as their daily wear. This made it very clear which people were immigrants or visitors, versus which people were Emirati.
Qasr Al Hosn
The Emirati women first spoke to me in Arabic. After learning that my Arabic vocabulary is limited to about ten words, the women switched to flawless English and said they couldn’t believe I wasn’t Emirati, or at least Arabic. When they found out I was of Mexican decent, the women kept questioning if I was at least part Arabic. This was an experience that continued during the entire trip in the UAE.
Qasr Al Hosn
As we continued through the museum, we learned a bit about the history of the UAE, the culture, and so on. While the museum was light on content, the architecture was stunning.
House of Artisans Exhibit
Tickets included a second museum close by, House of Artisans, where they had a showing of the traditional making of coffee (which was quite delicious), and how traditional Emartis used to basket weave when they were nomads. Compared to other museums we have visited around the world these museums did not have a lot of content. I also noticed throughout the museum, there was a noticeable dearth of information regarding the contributions women made to UAE history.
Coffee Making
Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque
Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque
We only had one full day in Abu Dhabi and Sheik Zayed Gran Mosque was our first stop. The mosque was another beautiful piece of architecture, but there wasn’t a tour guide or a pamphlet to understand what we were viewing.
Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque
When we entered the building, there was several rounds of security check points including guards with semi-automatic weapons, then a person checking the clothes that we were wearing to see if the guests were dressed appropriately. I thought I did a good job finding loose conservative clothing but my top which had ¾ sleeves were called out as inappropriate. So, I was pulled from the line, sent to a dressing room where ladies provided me a robe to wear during our visit.
Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque
After we saw the mosque, we were starving. There was a small café at the entrance of the mosque, that was covered head to floor in heavy black drapes blocking the general public from viewing inside. This was common practice in food areas during Ramadan. This allowed tourists to eat between sunrise and sunset, without insulting Emirates practices during the religious month. Inside the cafeteria was basic food and basic décor. The quick stop did its job to fuel us up as we kept going for the day.
Sheik Zayed Grand Mosque
Louvre Abu Dhabi
Louvre Abu Dhabi
The second stop of the day was the Louvre Abu Dhabi. I was very intrigued to see what this Louvre part 2 was all about. I spent a summer in Paris during my junior year of college studying art history, and was able to navigate the halls of the Louvre without a map by the end of my time in Paris. When I found out there was another Louvre, I did a bit of digging to figure how this came to be.
Louvre Abu Dhabi
Since UAE is a newer country, and relatively new with wealth, the country is using global brands (like the Louvre and the Guggenheim) and paying the rights to the well-established names to create recognition and legitimacy in arts, science, and philanthropy.
Louvre Abu Dhabi Artwork
The Louvre Abu Dhabi is a beautiful piece of architecture, filled with light, bright, and open space. The majority of the art inside the museum is borrowed or bought from other museums. I was expecting the dominant form of the art to be Middle Eastern, but the collections were heavily westernized, followed by east Asian pieces, then collections from Africa. The museum reminded me of The British Museum, but with better technology and layout.
Louvre Abu Dhabi Artwork
Towards the end of the visit, we were approached by a local Emirati woman telling us that we had to speak with her to give our opinions of the museum. The questionnaire did not feel optional, but rather a forced conversation, and the woman’s tone was demeaning. This was extra nerve racking since there were security guards walking around the entrance and exits of the museum carrying weapons.
Louvre Abu Dhabi George Washington Portrait
Overall, the museum was a really lovely place to spend some time in, but didn’t connect with the original Louvre in any way.
Emirates Palace Hotel
Emirates Palace Hotel
The third stop of the day was the Emirates Palace Hotel for afternoon tea. The hotel’s architecture is one of grandeur, invoking thoughts of palaces and sultans. Opulence continued throughout the inside with over-the-top decor filled with gold and crystals. Everything around seemed to be dripping with wealth. Most of the hotel guests in the lobby seemed to be locals gathering together, ready to break their fast. The locals were dressed head to toe in their local garb, with added bling, like Rolex watches, designer shoes, and jewelry with diamonds and gold.
Emirates Palace Hotel
The location for afternoon tea was in a small café that had a spot which overlooked the sea. We told the waiter that we were here for high tea. They provided Ramon with a tea, and me with a latte, topped with drinkable gold leaf flakes. High tea also came with a tower of small snack sandwiches and sweet treats. We were impressed with the presentation and the amount of food that came with afternoon tea. The food and drinks were good, but not memorable. Over all, the afternoon tea experience was a good way to relax and decompress.
Emirate Palace Hotel Afternoon Tea
After we had the food, we walked around the property and saw there were small markets built inside the hotel. Some of the stores were filled with high end luxury goods, and others were marketed for tourists. While we were in the store for the tourist, the staff member watched us closely. The staff member aggressively suggested that I should buy a scarf to cover my hair, and made it clear that he thought it was not appropriate for me to be with Ramon. Shaken up, we left the store and the hotel.
Emirates Palace Hotel
Souk
Ramadam Kareem Sign
Our last stop for the day was to visit a souk that was recommended to us by the hotel concierge. Souk is a marketplace in the Middle East, the location where we could buy some gifts and tokens to take home and remember our time in the UAE. When we arrived at the souk, the entrance was again guarded with men with guns.
Souk Abu Dhabi
The inside of the souk had a lot of different little kiosks where you could buy goods like rugs, gold, perfume, and food. I was a bit surprised how much of their goods were imported. It was hard to find things that were made in the UAE. We casually looked around and found a few gems that we brought home. After visiting the souk, we went back to the hotel and packed for our return trip home.
Souk Abu Dhabi
Take Away
Abu Dhabi Skyscrapers
The UAE was an interesting country, and our first experience in the Middle East. The trip was especially unique as we were able to visit the UAE during Ramadan. Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, is a conservative city trying to balance their devotion to religion and their desire to attract tourists from around the globe. The best part of this city was the stunning architecture and sleek infrastructure. The privilege to travel and experience another culture and way of life is never lost to me. But, the majority of the experiences we had with local Emirates were filled with tension. The only warm welcome we received was from the ladies working at Qasr Al Hosn. Otherwise, we were feeling as if we were disrespectful for not having me cover my hair, or having a non-Emirate Black husband. It was never out of my mind that we were being watched and followed. I think other tourists could have a better experience if they don’t “pass” as a local. We watched other tourist move around the city without judgmental looks. It was especially nerve racking knowing we were being watched and constantly seeing guards around with guns. While we hear the city of Dubai is more liberal and welcoming, returning to the UAE is not high on our list.
Abu Dhabi Skyline
By ChristinaChristina writes and edits Travelling Companion. Her writing covers expeditions, food, and culture for the blog. First Class Honeymoon Trip Report First Class Honeymoon Overview Delta Sky Club DCA Review Delta CRJ 900 DCA-JFK First Class Review Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse New York JFK Review Singapore Airlines A380 JFK-FRA Suites Review Singapore Airlines A380 FRA-SIN Suites Review JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach Review Singapore Surprise Singapore Airlines 737-800 SIN-MLE Business Class Review The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort Review Etihad Airways A320 MLE-AUH Business Class Review Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa Dubai Review The St. Regis Abu Dhabi Review Exploring Abu Dhabi Etihad Apartments A380 AUH-JFK Apartments Review  Singapore Singapore Surprise Overview Prior to booking our tickets, I never really thought about Singapore. After we finalized our honeymoon itinerary, Ramon and I did some light research. We asked for advice from friends who traveled to Singapore, looked for suggestions from the internet, and went to the theater to watch Crazy Rich Asians. We learned that Singapore is a very safe city-state, with some interesting rules, and a foodie's dream destination. We made a list of places we would like to see, but mostly wanted to wander the streets and see where the city took us. What I didn't realize at that time was that I was going to fall in love with Singapore. I left with a promise to myself that I would return. Here are some of the highlights to our first adventure in Asia. Attractions  National Museum of Singapore Our first stop was to visit the National Museum of Singapore. Google Maps told us the walk from our hotel to the museum was about 15 minutes, so we decided to walk. Along the way, we stumbled into Fort Canning Park and some really beautiful murals.  Armenian Street Murals The National Museum was extremely impressive. The Republic of Singapore is a very young country, only 55 years old. The free museum did a beautiful job explaining the pre-independence history of Singapore and bringing the visitor to modern day. I highly recommend this museum as a first stop if you visit Singapore, especially if you are not as well versed in the history and sociology of this region of the world. The museum gave us context to the country and set us up for success for the rest of the trip. Some things that we learned:
Singapore Flyer and Gardens by the Bay Nighttime It is really hot in Singapore. I mean, really, really hot. The walk to the National Museum, while not a far distance, completely zapped our energy. When we came back to the hotel, Ramon and I switched our plans to try to capitalize our experiences by exploring the nightlife. We found out Singapore comes alive at night.  View from Singapore Flyer I highly recommend carving time to visit the Singapore Flyer at the start one's vacation in Singapore. While it may be a bit of tourist trap, it provides a nice overview of the landscape and gives an opportunity to learn landmarks as points of reference. We took the "flight" at night. The journey was slow and steady around the ferris wheel and offered beautiful views of a twinkling city. The trip around was about 30 minutes, and about $25 USD a person.  Gardens by the Bay Gardens by the Bay is another popular attraction in Singapore. The park has two free nightly shows where their gardens dance with popular music through lights. When we arrived to watch the show, we were overwhelmed with the size of the park, and decided to circle back another day to visit additional attractions. There were a large number of people attending the show, so I recommend coming a bit early if you would like good seats. The show lasts only 15 minutes, which was about as much as we could handle being outside in the high temperatures. Gardens by the Bay Daytime Gardens by the Bay is essentially the ride Living with the Land at Epcot, but IRL and not Disneyfied. With a futuristic mindset, Gardens by the Bay tackles how the city-state could self-sustain their growth in population, protect biodiversity from climate change, and continually promote Singapore as a City in the Garden. Since the attraction is a large national park, and we would need to spend most of the time in a climate-controlled space, we limited our experience to the Cloud Forest and the Flower Dome.  The Cloud Forest The Cloud Forest is a conservatory that replicates cooler mountainous climates. As you climb the mountain inside, you experience the temperature dropping while learning about threatened biodiversity.  The Cloud Forest The Flower Dome is the largest greenhouse in the world, displaying the variety of plants and flowers from arid and Mediterranean regions. I was especially tuned to the section the California Garden. For a brief minute or two, I was transported to a very familiar landscape.  The Flower Dome Cultural Diversity Whenever Ramon and I travel, we get a small exposure of how a society views race and interracial marriage. It can be uncomfortable at times, but it is an experience that I am continually grateful to have. This being our first trip to a whole new continent, I didn’t have preconceived ideas. What I found was an extremely kind and welcoming city who did not show any interest in us other than wanting to show us hospitality. This is not by accident, rather than by design from the city. Four languages are recognized as the official language, English, Mandarin, Malay, and Tamil. Three quarters of the population are ethnically Chinese, followed Malay, then Indian. Within the ethnic groups, there are further subgroups that continuously split but not necessarily within ethnic lines. Buddhist is the largest religious group followed by Christian, then people who do not identify by religion, followed by Taoist and Muslim. In addition, because of the geographic and economic position of Singapore, there are multiple nationalities from around the world calling Singapore home. It is not out of the ordinary to see different people from all corners of the earth. This cultural creates a unique identity all on to Singapore. The music, art, and food all unapologetically point to their origin, but at times the culture blends with each other at a graceful pace. Singapore gives space for their citizens to honor their history with the new nation. Malay Heritage Center  Sultan Mosque The Malay Heritage Center explores the cultural and historical experience of Malay Singaporeans. The building was once the palace of a sultan in the early 1800s. The expeditions display the experience of the Malay people prior to the 1800s through present day.  Arab Street The community surrounding the Malay Heritage is a vibrant section of the city with wonderful unique shops, small cafes, murals and specialty stores. There are multiple shops that cater to Muslims, but the community is not exclusively Islamic. The neighborhood is a fun place to walk around and enjoy the sites. Chinatown  Buddha Tooth Relic Temple Chinatown is another neighborhood with winding streets that invite you to wander in and out. Multiple shops and restaurants with their own specialties dot the area, but the two main structures of architecture are the Sri Mariamman Temple and the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum. We were not able to visit the Sri Mariamman Temple as we were not dressed appropriately, and they did not have coverings available to visitors. We did see the building from the outside and we were awe of the intricate designs. I wished we had a docent who would have been able to talk us through and explain what we were seeing. Regardless, it was still super enjoyable.  Buddha Tooth Relic Temple We were able to see the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. Again, I found myself wishing I had someone to explain to me what I was seeing. I tried my hardest to learn but found it difficult to take in all of the details while trying to be respectful of the people who were in their place of worship. Still, I enjoyed the experience taking my time to be a wallflower and observe.  Sri Mariamman Temple Little India Little India Store Walking through Little India was an awaking for all our senses. There was so much color, sounds, and smells coming from each direction. The shops carry items from all parts of India. The food also represented the culinary diversity within India. We originally planned to visit the Indian Heritage Center, but we had our days wrong (yay jetlag!) and they were closed when we arrived.  Indian Heritage Centre We decided to explore a little and see what we could find. The food smelled so wonderful, it made me wish we didn’t have such a big breakfast. There were wonderful keepsakes at Little India Arcade, but we were nervous about buying anything as we had to keep our luggage empty for our next flight. With 20/20 vision, I would end my trips in Singapore so I could stock up with trinkets to my heart’s content.  Little India Jewelry Store Singapore Zoo We took a Grab from our hotel for a 30-minute ride to the Singapore Zoo. Grab is Singapore’s common ride share app. The drive to the Zoo was really fascinating. We were able to get a glimpse of life outside of downtown Singapore, and really appreciated the large size of the island.  Singapore Zoo Giraffes We spent a whole day at Singapore’s Zoo. I am intrigued how other countries set up and run their museums and Zoos. In comparison to what I experienced stateside, the Singapore Zoo is a hybrid between the San Diego Zoo and their Safari Park. The Singapore Zoo is an open concept zoo, meaning the animals are given large amounts of space, separated by natural barriers like boulders and rivers.  Singapore Zoo At night, the zoo turns into a separate excursion where visitors pile into a vehicle and are driven around the park in the dark. The tour guides point out nocturnal animals throughout the drive, and visitors observe how the park comes alive in a whole new way.  Singapore Zoo Elephants A highlight was being able to feed an elephant banana during their snack time. The second big takeaway from our visit to the zoo was their delicious food. We ordered a variety of food during our stay and everything was surprising exquisitely delicious. We are used to eating park food to be passable at best, but the food in Singapore never disappointed. Food is the Universal Language I can’t say it enough, but if you consider yourself a foodie, Singapore should be on your wish list of countries to visit. Their food is out of this world. Ramon and I were never hungry during this trip because the second we had even a bit of room in our stomachs, we made a pit stop to try something new. The surprising part of experiencing food in Singapore is that all of their food is super high quality. From street food, to cafes, to five course dinners are all served with a strong sense of pride in their work. And because Singapore takes food safety super seriously, we were not nervous to try out street vendor’s food. We did not experience one tummy aches from the variety of things we ate, and oh boy, did we try everything and anything. Hawkers  Singapore Hawker Sign Hawkers are a foundational part of Singapore culture. Hawkers are essentially street food vendors from Singapore, and their history dates back to the early 1800s. In an effort to maintain a high level of food safety, Singapore moved the hawkers from the streets and rivers and placed them in Hawker centers, a version of an open-air food court. With strict regulations and essentials like running water and shelter provided, the hawker culture thrived. Generations of Singaporeans and immigrants to Singapore passed down their recipes, perfecting cheap food. Adding the concentration of diverse people, you could essentially eat around Asia in a very small space.  Hawker Stalls Hawker food is high-quality and low-cost. For example, in 2019 there were 7 recognized hawker stalls with a Michelin star, and multiple more with the distinction of a Bib Gourmand. You can have a Michelin star meal of chicken and rice for under $3.00 USD. If the hawker stall is well known, you would need to plan to arrive early. Multiple times we tried to eat at a famous hawker stall, but they would run out of food by noon.  Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle Hawker Stall Some of the hawkers responded to this new level of popularity by capitalizing on their name and recipes by franchising out. We ate at Hawker Chan’s franchise in Chinatown and was not impressed. It wasn’t bad, but it didn’t hold a light to all of the other food we had in Singapore, especially considering the name was associated with a Michelin star.  Hawker Chan If you are in Singapore and want to experience the hype, by all means plan out your day to guarantee you can have the experience of a $3.00 Michelin star meal. But I wouldn’t be too worried about it. We had plenty of mind-boggling meals at the hawker stalls by walking around and doing eeny-meeny-miny-moe. Singapore Sling  Singapore Slings While food in Singapore is relatively inexpensive, alcohol come’s with a hefty price tag. Because of this, we didn’t really seek out too much to drink, but wanted to try the Singapore Sling, Singapore’s Long Island Iced Tea, but classy.  Singapore Sling Sign Singapore Sling is a gin-based drink, created first in the Long Bar at the famous Raffles Hotel in 1915. Raffles Hotel was still under renovation when we were visiting, but the Long Bar was still up and running. After a long day of playing tourist, we walked across the street from our hotel to the bar for a night cap.  Raffles Hotel Old-World colonial England is alive and well at the Long Bar. Rich mahogany wood, colonial ceiling fans, colonial décor, and peanut shells on the floor all harken back to when England occupied modern day Singapore. The drink itself is a refreshing cool drink to break the Singapore heat and is roughly $27 dollars per drink. While the drink was pretty tasty, we didn’t think it was $27 dollars’ worth of tasty. We heard there were other, better, options to try the Singapore Sling, but didn’t seek it out since the cost was pretty much the same throughout all of Singapore. Chimjes  Lei Garden Chimjes was originally a Catholic convent in the 1800s. Currently the space is multi use, including event space, restaurants, bars, cafes, fitness centers, spas, and open gardens. We visited Chimjes a few times as it was just a few blocks from the hotel.  Lei Garden Menu One of our memorable meals at Chijmes was at Lei Garden. Lei Garden is a Chinese (Cantonese) restaurant with one Michelin star. We decided to eat the chef’s lunch, which was a eight-course meal. Ramon and I are not well versed in Chinese food, nor did we know what we ate as we could not read the menu. But it was really wonderful!
Singapore in Hindsight
Singapore has so much to offer. Food, art, shopping, museums, gardens, public transportation, and much more. While we were there for a week, there was still so much we didn’t get to do or see. I couldn’t bring myself to say goodbye, so instead I said, see you soon. Now, I am off to convince Ramon to have another long layover in Singapore for our next trip. By RamonRamon is the creator of Travelling Companion. He focuses on flight review, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further. Exploring the Las Vegas Strip Overview My third trip to Las Vegas left me with the feeling that I had enough of Las Vegas for a while. Pros- Easily Accessible via Walking, Numerous Entertainment Options Cons- Expensive Drinks, Oppressive Summer Temperatures, Unimpressive Show, and Phony Attractions Las Vegas Strip Trip Report Las Vegas Strip Trip Overview Aria Resort and Casino Deluxe Queen Room Review Aria Resort and Casino Dining and Activities Review Exploring the Las Vegas Strip American Airlines Boeing 737-800 LAS-DCA Review Walking the Strip One of the great things about staying on the Las Vegas Strip is how easy it is to access all of the hotels, restaurants, and entertainment on the strip as as a pedestrian. During the day we spent a lot of time exploring the strip by walking. Because of the many unique hotel concepts which seek to bring ideas an architecture from around the world to Las Vegas it can be interesting to walk around the Strip and check out the hotels.  The Shops at Crystals We found one of the easiest ways to access the Strip from our hotel during the blazing heat was walking through The Shops at Crystals which is a luxury shopping mall attached to the Aria. This mall featured luxury brands including Gucci, Tiffany & Co., and Lalique. I found that this mall represented the glitz and glam of Las Vegas which seems to push everyone who visits to open up their wallets and throw caution to the wind. I resisted this push and did not but anything in the pricey mall during our stay.  Eifel Tower Restaurant at Paris Hotel During our stay we also walked by Paris and the Bellagio Fountains. I like the Bellagio Fountains and I would recommend stopping by to watch the fountain show if you visit Las Vegas.  Venetian Las Vegas Gondola Rides One of surreal things we saw on our walk were the gondoliers taking people for gondola rides and singing in the pond outside The Venetian . To me it just seemed ridiculous to have gondola rides in a man-made pond in the middle of the desert. I understand that most people will never be able to see gondoliers in Venice during their life, I haven't had the opportunity to do so either, but the way it is done in Las Vegas still seems phony and strange.  Summer Weather in Las Vegas The biggest downside to the Las Vegas Strip in the summer is the oppressive heat. While we were in Las Vegas it was over 110 degrees. While the humidity was low you can only walk so long in this heat and we found ourselves dipping into the hotels to cool off or into a store to grab a bottle of water whenever we could. Having been to Las Vegas in the the spring, winter, and summer my advice is to avoid going to Las Vegas in the summer. The sun makes it very difficult to enjoy being outside during the day and even going from one hotel to the next can wear you out. Las Vegas Strip Entertainment In the past when I visited Las Vegas I had the opportunity to see some great entertainment. Las Vegas offers numerous entertainment options but expect to spend a lot if you want to purchase beverages while watching any of this entertainment. The biggest draw in Las Vegas for me are the unique entertainers you can see any of the week. Because of numerous artists in residence in Las Vegas you have the ability on any given night to probably see more entertainers than anywhere else in the United States. The draw for me are the top DJs that have partnerships with the Las Vegas nightclubs. On a previous trip to Las Vegas I saw The Chainsmokers perform at XS nightclub in the Encore Hotel. When I found out I was going to Las Vegas again I jumped at the opportunity to see another DJ.  Sign for Calvin Harris Show This time around we decided to see Calvin Harris who was performing at the Omnia nightclub located inside Caesars Palace. We bought our tickets in advance for $64 which I thought was reasonable for a concert. However, be warned that many of the nightclubs in Las Vegas have separate pricing for males and female even to attend concerts. In this case it was about $20 cheaper for females.  View from Omnia Nightclub This was my first time ever going to the Omnia nightclub and I was very impressed. Before the show started we went outside to the roof deck and I was floored by the view of the Las Vegas Strip from Omnia. The nightclub is located at the center of the strip and the views offered were amazing.  Omnia Nightclub When we entered the nightclub itself I was also impressed since it was multi-level and at the center had a massive display which changed shapes throughout the Calvin Harris' performance. The nightclub also had an impressive sounds systems and dancers hanging down from the ceiling. The biggest down side to Omnia were the very expensive drinks among the most expensive I have ever seen and the club's water policy which made no sense. During the oppressive summer heat this nightclub refused to provide us any tap water or even ice for drinking and only sells bottle water. At the nightclub a mini-bottle of non-brand water cost about $10 a bottle. To me this policy along with the prices was a strong reason not spend any money on drinks at the nightclub and another reason to avoid Las Vegas in the summer. I really enjoyed the show at Omnia and I would recommend going to the Omnia if you are in Las Vegas and get the opportunity but once again I would recommend not going during the summer.  Luxor Hotel & Casino Entrance This trip to Las Vegas was also the first time I have gone to a traditional Las Vegas show. Our group decided to go see MindFreak Live! by Criss Angel at the Luxor. I was really impressed by the design of the Luxor with its imposing entrance and hotel rooms housed inside a pyramid. Since we saw Criss Angel his show has moved from the Luxor to Planet Hollywood with the cheapest tickets going for about $70.  Sign for Mind Freak Live! I was excited to see my first Las Vegas show but I left the experience disappointed. I personally found his magic tricks to be unimpressive and the videos included in the whole experience dated. Hopefully, he has updated his show since he moved to Planet Hollywood. However, I would suggest anyone going to Las Vegas skip this show unless you are a big Criss Angel or magic fan.
Summary My third visit to Las Vegas was fun but left me feeling like I won't be back for a while and definitely not in the summer. While I really enjoyed my stay at the Aria and seeing Calvin Harris performance at the Omina I did not like the oppressive summer temperatures, the expensive drinks at the nightclubs, what I found to be unimpressive first Las Vegas show, and phony attractions at the various hotels along the Las Vegas strip. If you do end up visiting Las Vegas my recommendation is do not go during the summer, see a DJ show, and stay on the Las Vegas Strip so you have easy access to all of the attractions. By RamonRamon is the creator of Travelling Companion. He focuses on flight reviews, hotel reviews, and helping stretch your travel dollars, miles, and points further while traveling in comfort. Dining and Activities Overview "The dining destination" impressed with a wide array of high-quality food choices while the activities were expensive and the service was mixed Pros-Array of Dining Choices, Tasty and Creative Food, Fun Entertainment Options, Multiple Pools Cons- Expensive Entertainment, Lukewarm pools, mixed, pretentious day club, and mixed service Las Vegas Strip Trip Report Las Vegas Strip Trip Overview Aria Resort and Casino Deluxe Queen Room Review Aria Resort and Casino Dining and Activities Review Exploring the Las Vegas Strip American Airlines Boeing 737-800 LAS-DCA Review  Dining Aria's tagline is "The Dining Destination" and with an impressive array of about 15 dining choices the hotel delivered. We were intent on using every dollar of our $100 per room dining credit and $30 per person per day breakfast credit so were able to check out four of the dining location together. We got off to a quick start by checking out The Patisserie, located on the lobby level off of the casino, which is the Aria's French bakery.  The Patisserie The bakery is open 24 hours a day and featured coffee and all of the sweets you could desire including sweet and savory crepes, chocolate strawberries, gelato, and macaroons. I ordered the bananas foster and was so happy with my choice. The dish was sweet and lovely. The Patisserie is definitely worth a trip for breakfast, lunch, or a snack.  The Patisserie For breakfast we checked out the Aria Cafe where we could use our $30 per person breakfast credit. Aria Cafe is open for breakfast and lunch and is located on the lobby level off of the casino. I generally liked the atmosphere of the Cafe as it had a large water feature and large window letting in natural light. One interesting thing about the cafe's location is that it has a view of valet parking area in front of the hotel lobby and felt very Las Vegas with a bunch of luxury cars parked out front.  View from Aria Cafe We ate at the Aria Cafe for breakfast three times during our stay and each time I was impressed by the wide array of high-quality food options and the creativity of the dishes. Throughout my stay I never got bored with the selections and found the prices to be reasonable for Las Vegas allowing us to stretch our breakfast credits. One thing to note is that the credit did not include tax and tip.  Aria Cafe Breakfast Menu My favorite breakfast item on the menu was the red velvet pancakes. This dish featured chocolate chips melted onto red velvet pancakes and was simply amazing! I also ordered freshly squeezed orange juice with breakfast on my first morning at the Aria Cafe and was so impressed that had had it for all three breakfasts.  Aria Cafe Breakfast This was my third trip to Las Vegas and the first time I had the opportunity to check out a Las Vegas buffet. The Aria's buffet is simply called The Buffett at Aria. The Buffet is open for breakfast, brunch, and dinner and located on the second level of the Aria. We went to The Buffet for dinner once during our stay.  The Buffet Entrance Overall, I thought The Buffet's food quality was okay, however, what it lacked in food quality compensated with selection. The buffet featured numerous stations including a Fish Market, Pizza, Carvery, Asian, and Latin. The item I liked the most were the fresh cuts of meats but I would probably skip doing a buffet next time I am in Las Vegas.  The Buffet at Aria The final dining location we tried together was the Burger Lounge. This is Aria's casual take away grass fed burger place located on the lobby level right off of the casino floor. One cool feature of this restaurant is that it lets customers watch the chef's preparing the food.  The Burger Lounge I ordered the special which came with a burger, fries, and a drink. I thought the burger was okay while I loved the fries and the shake. I found the Burger Lounge to best choice for an affordable dinner at the Aria. Activities Like many of the Las Vegas resorts Aria's main activity is gambling in the casino. However, when I go on vacation gambling is never my main focus so I will discuss all of the non-gambling activities we experienced at the Aria. The Aria only has a handful of non-casino activities including a Game Room, Jewel Nightclub, multiple pools, and the Liquid Day Club. We never made it to the Jewel Nightclub and checked out the pricing at the Game Room but found it overpriced so I will focus on the Aria's pools and the Liquid Day Club. Aria has a large number of pools including two main pools for all guests and the Sky Pool exclusively reserved for guests of the Sky Suites. The pools were shallow and meant more for relaxing than swimming. The pools are surrounded by a large number of loungers and cabanas. The loungers are free and the cabanas have an additional cost and must be reserved. The Aria also had hot tubs which were completely unnecessary on these 100 degrees plus summer days in Las Vegas. My biggest compliant about the pool was how hot it was. The pool deck was so hot that walking barefoot on the deck could burn your feet. The pool water provided no relief because it was lukewarm. I really wished that they would cool the pool temperature on the hot summer days.  Aria Sky Pool The Aria also features a day club call Liquid Pool Lounge which also features a pool. This day club normally has a cover, however, because we were hotel guests we had complimentary general admission. The day club is located next to the Sky Pool and features a large pool, a live DJ, cabanas and a bar. When we went to the pool mid-day we were the only guests in the pool. It was fun to have a private pool and DJ for thirty minutes. The DJ spinning beats was very good and we enjoyed hanging out in the pool listening to her beats.  Liquid Pool Lounge The biggest downside to Liquid Pool Lounge was the pretentious atmosphere and high cost of using the cabanas. From the minute we walked in it was clear that the staff was only interested in serving guests with cabanas and were worried about us messing up the look of the club. On several occasions the staff came by and asked if they could clean up our clothing or fold out towels to keep up the look of the club. As time went by the day club's cabanas filled up with big spenders who ordered rounds of bottles and were treated well by the staff.  Liquid Pool Lounge Service
Service during our stay at the Aria was a mixed bag. For example, we called the concierge during our stay to find out about the location of various activities and the cost for entry into the day and night clubs for hotel guests. The concierge was friendly and efficiently answered our questions, however, there was a long wait to answer our call. At check-in the staff seemed fairly robotic and did not impress. At the restaurants we found some staff to be very friendly while others were okay. The treatment we received at Liquid Day club though was symbolic of staff at the Aria. No one was rude to us but it was clear that they cared most about serving those who they thought were big spenders. Summary Overall I was impressed with the Aria's hotel rooms and dining but not impressed by its activities. The quality and wide variety of the Aria's dining was impressive and set it apart from other hotel's on the Las Vegas Strip. If I find myself in Las Vegas again and was able to find a deal through the Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection I would certainly consider staying at the Aria Resort and Casino again. By ChristinaChristina writes and edits Travelling Companion. Her writing covers expeditions, food, and culture for the blog.  Hemiciclo a Juarez A Weekend in Mexico City Trip Report A Weekend in Mexico City Trip Overview Delta A321 DCA-ATL Review Delta Boeing 737-800 Economy ATL-MEX Review Hilton Mexico City Reforma Review Exploring Mexico City Delta A319 Economy MEX-ATL Review Delta A320 Economy ATL-DCA Review For Ramon’s 30th birthday, we celebrated by visiting his 30th state Louisiana. My 30th was just a few months after his, and I was not sure how I wanted to spend it. Ramon was a hawk, looking for last-minute flight deals when Mexico City popped up. I have never been to Mexico City, but I have multiple friends who raved that the city is great. Food? Check. Art? Check. Culture? Check. Night Life? Check. So arming ourselves with a few suggestions for places to visit, we booked my 30th birthday weekend trip to MXDX. Here are some of the best things we saw and did on this quick trip: Hemiciclo a Juarez Right outside our hotel was a monument to a past Mexican president, Bendito Juarez. History nerds that we are, Ramon and I happily learned a lot about this amazing man throughout this stay. President Juarez pops up in murals, buildings, and music while walking the streets of Mexico City. Bendito Juarez was an indigenous president from Oaxaca who led Mexico through their Liberal Reform and the French Invasion. Palacio de Bellas Artes  Man, Controller of the Universe The Palacio de Bella Artes (Palace of Fine Arts) is best known for its striking architecture, along with Diego Rivera’s Man, Controller of the Universe. The original version, Man at a Crossroads, was in New York City but was destroyed by Rockefeller because of the anti-capitalism message. It is hard not to be taken aback by this piece. Ramon, who is not as enthusiastic about the arts as I am, really enjoyed taking in the mural, discovering various historical and symbolic aspects. I recommend going to the Palacio de Bella artes when it first opens. By the time we left, the place was taken over by various school and tour groups. Zócalo  Dancers in the Zócalo Zócalo is the main city square in Mexico City, the country’s version of the National Mall, but a deeper history. Zócalo was the main square during Aztec times and is now where the majority of national government business convenes. Aztec roots are not forgotten.You will find street performers dancing traditional Aztec dances, wearing traditional Aztec garb, and providing spiritual offerings and/or cleansing for a few pesos. They are definitely worth a few minutes of your time to stop and enjoy some culture. Attached to the Zocalo is the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral, Templo Mayor Museum, and the National Palace. Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral  Ramon and I did a quick walk through the Cathedral, as we knew we had limited time in the city. Similar to the other cathedrals, inside you will find various chapels dedicated to various saints, along with a crypt where archbishops are laid to eternal rest. The most striking thing from this stop was learning the Spaniards used sacred ground from the Aztecs to build the church. Before entering the cathedral, there are two large glass windows on the ground that show the archeological dig of the Aztec holy ground. Templo Mayor  Temlo Mayor For the Templo Mayor, I suggest carving out a half day. This is an archeological site of the main Aztec Temple. It is breathtaking. I recommend either bushing up on Aztec history or going with a tour guide. I feel like we may have missed some important aspects of the temple. At the end of the archeological site is a beautiful museum where you can walk through the various artifacts from the dig. A worker from the museum asked if we would like to have a personal tour guide. We took him up on the offer, and so glad we did. He made the history come alive while we looked at jewelry, bones, and codex writings. Best part, it was free! We only went through the first floor of the museum since we already clocked four hours in Templo Mayor, and had to keep going. Warning: There are multiple human skulls on display, mostly from human sacrifice from the Aztecs. It is sobering, but a real part of human history. Palacio Nacional  Palacio Nacional The Palacio Nacional (National Palace) has two main attractions in addition to its unique architecture. Diego Rivera has another mural describing the history of Mexico. There is also a small museum where you can walk through the rooms occupied by President Juarez, and learn more about his remarkable life. What kept us longer at the Palacio Nacional was a group of high school kids dancing Ballet Folklorico. Ballet Folklorico is a type of national folk dance, and each state has its own specialty. Seeing the dancers was a great reminder of just how size and diversity of Mexico. Each group danced their local folk dance for the tourist, and they were fantastic. Miralto  View from Miralto After a long day in the main square, Ramon and I decided to take it easy for a nice long dinner at Miralto. Miralto is located in the Torre Latinoamericana and was a suggested stop from Ramon’s cousin for the uncompromising views of the city. The views did not disappoint. We scheduled ourselves to be there just before sunset to watch the city turn from day to night, and we were memorized of seeing the city breathe full of life. The food was forgettable; there are way better places to eat in the city. I recommend getting a drink at the bar for these views, without needing to pay for entry to the observatory, and skipping the food. Plaza de La Solidaridad Across the street from our hotel is a small plaza called the Plaza de La Solidaridad (Plaza of Solidarity). During the day, it is an open air shop, where local people are selling food, clothes, and gadgets. This is a perfect place to stock up on gifts, and to try out some street food. At night, this plaza comes alive with a local band, and some of salsa dancing. Ramon and I joined the party, hoping to dance off a few extra calories, before heading in for the night. Diego Rivera Mural Museum  Dream of a Sunday Afternoon Similar to President Juarez, Diego Rivera is everywhere. This museum is a few feet from our hotel, and finishing up restorations. We squeezed this visit in before heading to the airport. Because it was not in its full glory, the cost to get in was waved. The only piece open to the public was Rivera’s most famous painting, Dream of a Sunday Afternoon in the Alameda. Another complex piece, it would have been helpful to have someone or something walk us through the painting. It was overwhelming and beautiful. Overall, seeing the city made two things clear. 1. We were correct in focusing in one district for the first visit. 2. We need to return.  Almeda Central Some hardest parts to handle were, the size of the city, the number of people in the city, the air quality, and the altitude. Mexico City is very large. Overlooking the city from Miralta, I felt overwhelmed knowing I could never discover all of Mexico City. The city also has so many people within the borders. It is home to roughly nine million people within the proper city limits, and close to 21 million people in the greater urban area. Walking the streets can feel suffocating, especially for someone who has claustrophobia. One quiet time when we were able to enjoy the city without the sea of people was early in the morning on Saturday and Sunday. On these mornings the street in front our hotel, Avenida Juarez was closed to cars. We watched numerous people walking and biking up and down the street without a car in sight.  Avenida Juarez Mexico City can also suffer from poor air quality, and it is high in altitude. By the end of the first day, I knew we could not push ourselves the next day, and was happy to partake in hotel amenities.
All that being said, Mexico City has a spirit, unlike any other city. Ramon and I fell in love with Mexico City. The people are warm and welcoming, the culture is comfortable, and the city is beautiful. We have so much more we want to see, guaranteeing our return. What do you recommend for us to visit on our next trip to Mexico City? By ChristinaChristina writes and edits Travelling Companion. Her writing covers expeditions, food, and culture for the blog. Trip Overview: European Adventures 2018 Flight Review: American Airlines A330-300 Economy CLT-LHR Hotel Review: London Marriott Regent's Park Food in London Flight Review: British Airways A319 Economy LGW-BCN Hotel Review: AC Hotel Irla Barcelona Train Review: Renfe Clase Turista Barcelona-Valencia Exploring Life in Valencia Exploring Life in Barcelona Flight Review: American Airlines 777-200 Economy BCN-JFK Flight Review: American Airlines A321T Business Class Seats JFK-DCA Back in Barcelona we had more misses with the meals. I think it was partly our fault for not doing research before heading to Barcelona. I assumed the food experience would generally be an easy win, but we had a few let downs. Also, food is much more expensive in Barcelona than in London. Our first night we went to a restaurant called 4Latas. We ordered some wine with a few appetizers. Nothing was memorable from our meal but the service was friendly.  After visiting La Sagrada Familia, we stoped at Bodega Monumental. Our game plan was to move further away from the tourist traps near La Sagrada Familia, and find something quiet and authentic. The restaurant was cute and quaint. It looked promising from the outside and we entered excited. We had the table red wine, which was served chilled, some chips that reminded me of chicarones, a Barcelona bomb (a bread shaped into a circle and stuffed with meat and drowned in a tomato sauce), mini toast with butter, mediocre calamari, raw salmon slices, and Ramon had separately a plate with raw ham, potatoes and eggs. Nothing was really of note, and at best it was C grade. Ramon liked his plate of eggs and ham, but I was bored with it. One piece of advice is that almost everywhere in Europe, tips aren’t needed or expected, and that was the case in Barcelona.  Chicarones Style Chips One of the food related things that Barcelona had going for it was lovely cafes around every corner. While I purchased cellular internet access though AT&T, it rarely worked. If we needed to grab tickets, or find our way around the city with Google Maps, we would duck in a cafe, grab a delicious coffee, and connect to their WiFi. It worked really well, and we were able to people watch. I would recommend that you forgo buying a data plan in Barcelona and instead enjoy the cafe experience.
Our favorite dining experience in Barcelona was at Medio o Pinto. This restaurant was right across the street from our hotel. We were exhausted after walking 11 Miles in the city (most of it up hill) and decided to give this place a shot. We came in around 7:30 pm and it was dead. Most Spaniards eat dinner closer to 9:30pm, so we expected an empty restaurant.
 Appetizers Then we had mini maiz pancake, with Venezuelan cheese. This was so simple and the favors were unique. Additional mini corn made pancakes came out as a kind gesture from the chef. One was topped with shrimp and another topped with carne. I don't know how the carne tasted because Ramon ate it with such gusto that I couldn't sample it. The shrimp mini maiz was great. The flavor of the corn balanced well with the salty-sweet taste of fresh shrimp that tasted like it was caught three hours before our meal.  Mini Pancakes topped with Meat and Fish For the main course, Ramon had leg of beef topped with sweet mole. No knife was needed and the meat fell apart with the touch of the fork. The side dish was a sweet potato with a crisp apple. That seemed like an odd pairing at first, but with a dash of mole, my mouth was super duper happy. I was able to steal a bite of Ramon’s dish before he finished and it was A plus. I’ve never had a leg of beef where the meat was so tender and flavorful. It was soaked in slow cooked in herbs for 16 hours. And boy, did it show.  Leg of Beef with Sweet Mole We decided to order another glass of table red, and try their dessert. Ramon ordered a desert covered in various flavors of chocolate. I had a Lost in Translation moment and ordered something with coconut. I hate coconut. Ramon was so sweet and pretend that he liked the coconut dessert so I could eat his chocolate dessert. However, Ramon did not finish it and the server noticed we didn’t like the coconut desert, so she sent over a new desert. The way she explained it sounded like a churro. So I asked, "Is it a churro?" She promised it was better than a churro and it was. It had a soft dough outside with Nutella inside. Medio o Pinto hit the trifecta. It had great atmosphere, great service, and great food. When we return to Barcelona we will definitely make the trek to eat there again.
Life While we know a lot of people who spent time in Barcelona, most of the suggestions we received were tailored to summertime fun. While it was not very cold in Barcelona, it was February and not beach season. I was a little worried we would run out of things to see and do, but that definitely was not an issue.  Nativity Facade of Sagrada Familia La Sagrada Família is arguably the best known tourist attraction in Barcelona, and rightfully so. While it was very impressive and spiritual, it is not the typical European church. The architecture is breathtaking, especially from the inside. The gospel story was delivered though light and glass. I found it moving and profound, something I did not get visiting other churches.  Inside La Sagrada Familia We bought a special ticket which allowed us to climb a tower of the church. This gave us breathtaking views of the city, and allowed us to see how large this city truly is. However, I would stay on ground level if you have a fear of heights. Ramon and I spent over three hours enjoying the church.  View of Barcelona from La Sagrada Familia The person you will learn the most about in Barcelona is Gaudi. Gaudi this, Gaudi that. Gaudi is the architect of La Sagrada Família, and a legend in Catalonia, the region in Spain which includes Barcelona. If you are really into architecture, you can spend a week visiting every single building that Gaudi touched. If you are like me and my travelling companion, and just want to get enough of a feel to understand the hype, then you should visit Park Güell . This is a lovely park, with a whimsical touch. The house where Gaudi lived is within this park, along with additional buildings he designed. After going through the park, it was easy to spot Gaudi’s work while walking throughout Barcelona.  View of Barcelona from Parc Güell
Ramon especially loved the Barcelona Museum of History and would highly recommend it to anyone visiting the city. We could easily spend another five days and still have more things to see and do.  Roman Ruins at the Barcelona City Museum of History Take Away
Both Barcelona and Valencia pride themselves on their distinct culture and language. In Barcelona, speaking Catalan is king, English second, and further down is Spanish. We would find the Catalan flag everywhere along with protests and political art. There was a fever in the air to succeed from Spain. While we both have an elementary grasp of the Spanish language, it was not the best place to practice our skill. Also, we walked everywhere. There is a metro and bus option, but Ramon and I love to walk because you get to see a city in a much more intimate way, and make your self open to letting the life within the city surprise you. We walked between 10-12 miles a day, which allowed us to eat our meals without any hesitation. Barcelona is a wonderful city. I hope to try it again in summertime. By ChristinaChristina writes and edits Travelling Companion. Her writing covers expeditions, food, and culture for the blog. Trip Overview: European Adventures 2018 Flight Review: American Airlines A330-300 Economy CLT-LHR Hotel Review: London Marriott Regent's Park Food in London Flight Review: British Airways A319 Economy LGW-BCN Hotel Review: AC Hotel Irla Barcelona Train Review: Renfe Clase Turista Barcelona-Valencia Exploring Life in Valencia Exploring Life in Barcelona Flight Review: American Airlines 777-200 Economy BCN-JFK Flight Review: American Airlines A321T Business Class Seats JFK-DCA  Ramon and I spent a few days in Barcelona and a full day in Valencia. Our first full day in Spain was in Valencia. As Ramon said earlier, I have a cousin, who lives in Valencia and she was our wonderful tour guide for the day. Since we had to catch our train back to Barcelona, we limited our exploration to the oldest parts of town, but there is definitely enough to see if you wanted to spend a long weekend in this beautiful coastal city.  During our walking tour we saw Torres de Serranos, Mercado Central, and the Valencia Cathedral. It is obvious Valencia has so much to offer walking within the city’s ancient walls. There was beautiful artwork, history, and craftsmanship on every corner. It is the ideal city to get lost in. The thing that stuck in my mind over everything else was the food in Valencia.  The paella was absolutely unbelievable. My cousin had done her due diligence asking various restaurants about the quality of their paella, the typical meal in Valencia. She went to eight different restaurants requesting “paella de Valencia” which is a specific type of paella. When she found a restaurant that suited her requests, we sat outside and began the Valencian meal experience. Our meal consists of a first course, a second course, and a desert all for the price of 12 euros. This is considered a normal sized meal in Valencia. Gloria informed us that lunch in Spain is at 11:00am, but they eat again at 2:00pm. It puzzles me how Valencian's can be so petite. 
The second course was paella de Valencia. This was paella with chicken and other goodies. I’m not sure how they cooked it, or what exactly was in it, but it was perfect. Warm, flavorful, and filling, this paella was a new culinary experience for me. Despite the fact that Valencia is a port city their traditional paella does not seafood, however, they do offer other paella dishes with seafood. I found the traditional paella de Valencia to be delicious.
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