DK Kuranda and Cairns, September 2009

coming soon...

DK in Port Douglas, Queensland, September 2009

coming soon..

DK and the Low Isles, Queensland September 2009

Tropical Paradise.

DK in Bali August 2009

coming soon...

DK in Port Macquarie, NSW, June 2009

Port Macquarie is a popular seaside retirement town 400kms north of Sydney. It was originally founded as a penal settlement for convicts that had committed secondary crimes in New South Wales... the land of convicts amongst the convicts.
It has little to offer for the seasoned traveller but may be suitable for those looking for a quaint and sedate little town to visit or pass through. For those looking to catch some waves, Port has many beach breaks including Shelly beach which recently made the news after a large shark was spotted swimming close to surfers...

Dk Surf Trip to Seal Rocks June 2009

Bags packed, surfboards racked up, long weekend fast approaching and the 10 of us are all ready to hit the road for our much anticipated surf trip together. Destination Seal Rocks, a small coastal town 4 hours drive north of Sydney and renowned for its surfing beaches and diving with grey nurse sharks. We were hoping to see less of the latter and do more of the former and after long drives through dark bumpy dirt roads and reception-less areas, we finally arrived to our cottage, Lot 3.



As morning rose, we checked out Lighthouse beach, Treachery and Yagon but finally settled for a pumping Boomerang beach 20 minutes drive from our base. 6 foot swells, clean and glassy, with numerous breaks on offer along its mile stretch of uncrowded surf. 6 hours of epic surf later, we retired back to Lot 3, fireplace lit, beers in hand, reminiscing the waves we each caught that day and thinking about tomorrow’s swell.





The rest of the trip was surf, food and drinks and lots of fun and memories for all on tour. There were a few morning hangovers and the drive home was tiresome, but overall a small price to pay for a brilliant time, great waves and some good friends all round, so a big thank you to Georgie, Jaqui, Jenny, Kirk, Shannon and the beautiful Gabby, Simon "Sing-Sing", Steve-O, Chao and D-R for making it an awesome trip.

DK's Summer of Surf, Sydney January- April 2009

Sun, Surf, beautiful beaches and a relaxed lifestyle. This is what i moved half way across the world for just over 12 months ago. Light up the night skies with open air bars, amazingly fresh seafood diet and a gorgeous evening skyline and you have all the ingredients of a great city. Fall asleep knowing tomorrow will be a beautiful day. This is Sydney, and these are the waves ive been making.

Manly









Maroubra






Garie's






Curl Curl








Cronulla

DK in Tokyo December 2008 January 2009

DK in Marvelous Melbourne September 2008

The Melbourne Sydney rivalry dominates the inpromptu conversation.

“Marvelous Melbourne!” Exclaims this rather animated Melbournian I randomly encounter at the concierge at the Hilton on the Park. “You’ll love it here! Melbourne Cup!? Are you into horse racing? Or the Australian Open maybe?” I gently nod in approval. “We’re the cultural capital of Australia and we hold many different international sporting events and festivals. There’s something for everyone!”



“Hmmm how about the cafes? You should have breakfast on Degraves Street in the CBD, then stroll through Center Place and do some shopping, maybe stop in Chinatown for lunch?” He is deep in thought and obviously keen to promote his city. “Do you like to gamble? You should visit the Crowne Casino this evening! Anyways, you’ll find the people to be a lot friendlier than in Sydney… !” He shakes his head at the mention of Melbourne City’s great rival.

Melbourne does indeed have that distinct “European” feel everyone talks about. It was cold, windy and grey the morning I arrived. It has a tram that efficiently guides you through the compact CBD, a relaxed café culture, an informative City Museum, the crowd is fashion and art conscious and all around the city, you’ll encounter funky and striking sculptures and buildings.





However, comparing Melbourne to Sydney I thought was unjustified. They are essentially, two very different cities with little in common. You’re either a dog person or a cat person and pitching a Sydneysider against a Melbournian is a lose-lose situation.





The conversation winds down as I reach the front of the queue. I approach the concierge, pick up my room keys and a map of the city which highlitghts the to do’s. As I leave the desk, the concierge smugly adds: by the way, don’t worry about it, its not your fault you’re not from Melbourne.

DK's Travel Destinations continued 1...

DK in Hangzhou (杭州) July 2008

Our journey into the lesser provinces of China takes us 180 kilometres Southwest of Shanghai and into Hangzhou, a city famed for its scenic West Lake (西湖) and numerous historical relics. Marco Polo referred to it as "beyond dispute the finest and the noblest city in the world" back in the 13th century. Today, it remains the number one city in China for business, as rated by Forbes magazine 5 years running.

West Lake's incredible scenery only tells half the story. A deeper search into its history reveals fascinating stories of national heroes and revolutionary martyrs relating to the numerous ancient buildings, stone caves and engraved tablets around the Lake, many of which are today considered national treasures of China.





Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon (三潭印月), one of the scenic ten (西湖十景) of West Lake.


The story of General Yu Fei (岳飛) is one that stands out and a personal favourite of mine amongst Chinese history. He was a Chinese patriot and military general who fought for the Southern Song Dynasty in the 1100's with a fascinating story of loyalty, patriotism, war and ultimately deception, false treason and unjust execution. He has come to symbolise loyalty in Chinese culture and his tomb in Hangzhou has two bronze kneeling and hand tied statues of the couple who treacherously assassinated him. "The green hill is fortunate to be the burial ground of a loyal general, the white iron was innocent to be cast into the statues of traitors." reads a poem outside his grave.

Another impressive landmark is the Lingyin temple (靈隐寺), one of the largest and wealthiest temple in China. It sits on the Wulin Mountains (武林山) and its halls extends further and further uphill, each containing amazing carvings of various buddhas and some of the largest stone, bronze, wood and gold buddha statues in the world. Incredible journey through the temple with equally fascinating sculptures.



Id like to wrap up this blog entry with the famous Chinese saying: "上有天堂, 下有苏杭" (Above is Heaven, Below are Suzhou and Hangzhou.) or, in other words, heaven on earth.

DK in Shanghai (上海) July 2008

Scratchpad in hand, im sitting on my balcony at home in Puxi (浦西) in Shanghai jotting these words down. It is early on a summer morning and the city underneath is already bustling with activity. A man in an open white shirt is weaving his bike in and out of the chaotic traffic lanes jammed with cars. There’s an elderly lady dressed in a purple traditional Chinese dress manning her roadside food stall, sitting legs crossed on an old wooden stool and gracefully fanning herself in this morning heat. A man in a grey suit walks past hurriedly and crosses the road and into the underground metro station.

I glimpse across the Huangpu river (黃浦江) at the smog blurred Pudon (浦東) skyline. The Oriental Pearl Tower’s (东方明珠塔) unique architecture is immediately noticeable, with the Jin Mao Tower (金茂大廈) and the Shanghai World Financial Center (上海環球金融中心) dominating the collection of super skyscrapers.



Interesting fact, I noted to self, as I read my scribbles: use of word “home” in opening line. I double circle the word and place a question mark next to it.

I often get asked where home is, to which I always reply: depends how one defines the word… Is home… where I was born? Where I have lived the longest? Where my family is predominantly based? Where i feel most comfortable and at ease? Where im living at a particular time? Where my better half and loved one lives (or that oh so clichéd saying of home is where the heart is)? For every definition I have listed, I have a different answer to. Except Shanghai doesnt feature, so lets rewind 81 years.

March 6th 1927, in the Shanghai province of Nanhui (南汇区), not far from where I am located today, marks the day my grandad was born. He does often recount numerous stories of his younger days over dinner conversations but it was only reading a recent book publication on Chinese entrepreneurs in a somewhat more detailed biography of his that I got a better understanding of his days in Shanghai. I have been to this city many many times over the last few years but it was only in the last 2 or 3 visits that I felt this sense of …origin? A feeling of.. home?

I flick to a new page and title it :” The Must Do’s”:

Stroll The Bund (外灘), check out this famed Embankment along the Western Bank of the Huangpu River, lined with historical buildings. Dinner at Three on the Bund, degustation menu at Laris, followed by drinks at Bar Rouge and its incredible night view.





Stroll past the shops on Nanjing Road (南京路), the Champs Elysees of Shanghai and towards the People’s Square for some sight seeing. Head to YuYuan Gardens (豫園) in the old city, go to the nearby City God Temple (城隍庙) and stop for an absolute must eat Xiaolongbao (小籠包) at the Nanxiang Bun Shop (Nanxiang Mantou Dian).

Of course, there’s also Xintiandi (新天地) for a spot of nightlife and dinner at one of my firm favourite, Din Tai Fung (鼎泰豐), also famed for its Xiaolongbao’s.











The morning news comes on, headlines dominated by the upcoming Beijing Olympics and events surrounding it. The phone rings, my grandad checks in with us and makes sure everything is in order and under control. Yes, I say, all good, wont be a problem. This is, afterall, a small part of what id call home.

DK in Zhouzhuang (周庄) July 2008

Often dubbed the "Venice of the East", Zhouzhuang is a small town in the Jiangsu province of China. It remains a popular local tourist destination thanks to its waterways and scenic canals, as well as its well preserved ancient residential houses, the Shen (1742) and the Zhang (1436-1449) residences.

Perhaps most symbolic of Zhouzhuang are the Twin Bridges (Shuang qiao), brought to international limelight by the late artist Chen Yifei (1946-2005) (陈逸飞), in his painting "Memory of my Country" which was presented to the then Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping by US collector Armand Hammer in 1983. Chen was considered a leading painter of the Cultural Revolution with his numerous portraits of Mao Zedong and large canvases of major revolutionary events.








Many would consider Venice one of the most beautifully romantic cities of the World, so Zhouzhuang's comparison to the Queen of the Adriatic is hard to live up to. However, it is a destination relatively unspoilt and unexplored by the international tourist crowd, and, unlike Venice, its beauty is not ironically ruined by the masses it attracts.

DK Fiji June 2008

The Pacific Islands. Untouched, idyllic and more beautiful than the perfect ten you can ever imagine, this is nature flaunting her flawless beauty, where sand meets sea, sun meets sky and where I, for the first time, meet Melanesia.





Side step into some geography and focus on the Pacific Ocean where tens of thousands of islands are traditionally divided into 3 main groups: Polynesia, forming a geographical triangle stretching from New Zealand to the Easter Islands and North to Hawaii. Micronesia, lying between Hawaii and the Philippines in the North Pacific. And finally, Melanesia, curving down from New Guinea to the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Fiji.

Bula! As we were welcomed to Fiji, an archipelago of 322 islands. The country may have been plagued in the last decade by ongoing political instability but there is an air of calm and friendliness amongst the locals. We arrive on the island of Viti Levu and get dropped off at the Westin Spa and Resort on Denarau island, our Fijian refuge for the week.





Days were spent sailing towards the Mamanuca Islands, a group of circa 20 islands of varying size and attributes. We barbequed lobster and fish on our 38 foot yacht, snorkled off the shores of Castaway (filmed nearby) to some beautiful coral and fish, sunbathed on the magnificent beaches of the uninhabited island of Modriki and visited Yanuya’s village chief who greeted us with a traditional Kava ceremony. Incredible, breathtaking moments where I stood in awe on miles of white sand beach, not a person in sight and surrounded by crystal blue water.









By late afternoon, we would retire back to the Westin and into our bungalow, back doors wide open to the warm seabreeze and overlooking what can only be described as one of the most amazing sunset over the sea I have ever witnessed.







Islands aside, we day tripped towards the city of Nadi to visit the landmark Sri Siva Subramaniya Hindu temple, and further inland past the famous Mt Batilamu or “Sleeping Giant” and towards a picturesque village of Navilawa.







The Fiji blog may be coming to an end but perhaps the most memorable of times were the littlest of things: the evening strolls on the beach, staring at the moon and starry skies, discussing my very own Fijian warrior dance routine, or maybe lying in our hammock, trying not to overbalance each other and fall off onto the sandy beach. Or even something as simple as that captivating smile of hers that would rival any of the most beautiful Fijian sights. Flawless beauty. Perfect 10. This was my Fiji story.


DK

DK Blue Mountains and Jenolan Caves April 2008

Three sisters

Meehni (922 m), Wimlah (918 m), and Gunnedoo (906 m)




Lucas Cave, Jenolan Caves

At approximately 340 million years old, The Jenolan Caves, discovered in 1838, is the oldest cave system known to man today. Its complexity, size, remote location and its fascinating limestone stalactitic formations makes it an absolute natural marvel.

DK Hunter Valley April 2008

Hunter Valley Wine Country

DK Hawaii Surfing March 2008

Hawaii remains my top all time destination and my annual pilgrimage to Oahu since 2003 never fails to bring me so much amazement, excitement and a great sense of passion towards everything about the Aloha spirit and the paradise islands.





Hawaii ranks as one of the top surfing destinations in the world with the islands hosting some of the worlds biggest international surfing competitions: The Triple Crown, and Pipeline Masters on the North Shore and of course, the Goliath of the biggest waves on Earth, the 70 foot Jaws of Maui.

We started our week long surf tour off the slow long gentle waves of Queens, Canoes and Pops off Waikiki down in South Oahu, spent a day watching the insanely large Pipeline/Sunset breaks up on the North Shore, camped out overnight in Kahuku and surfed the nearby breaks of Turtle Bay/ Pupukea. One of the greatest moment was paddling out towards an orange sunset glow reflected off the calm waters, sea turtles lazily swimming past underneath your board, it was truly a picture perfect moment of calm, beauty and an absolute harmony of nature, body and mind.









The people, the waves, the memories… Giovanni’s shrimp truck, Matsumoto’s shaved ice, Duke’s restaurant, the scenic drives along the coast, all such awesome Hawaii fixtures but the best part of the trip undoubtedly is that golden post surfing hour where we’d all retire to the Caleda home for a Pipeline beer, sitting on the balcony, watching the beautiful sunset over Honolulu, laughing about the day’s events and above all, being in the company of some great people, my Hawaiian family, my Ohana, Brian, Brynne and my ever so gorgeous Karen.





DK

DK's Travel Destinations continued 2...

DK Bali February 2008

Indonesian myth has it that the southern ocean is haunted by a spirit queen who abducts young men to be her servants. Fishermen who brave the seas to ply their trade make numerous offerings for protection by the Gods from the ghosts and evil spirits. For those of us who travelled here in search of the perfect tide, Bali is South East Asia’s answer to Hawaii’s North Shore. Servants of the sea, maybe, seekers of the waves, definitely.



Phone rings: “This is your morning wake up call sir” I draw the curtains and swing open the balcony doors. A blast of tropical air gushes past, the ocean aroma fills the room and that warm Indonesian sun gently stimulates the senses. I look out onto the Nusa Dua beach, perfect white sand, calm waters, waiters busy setting up beach chairs and eagerly awaiting the trickle of guests from the Spa and Resort. A lonely open-air pagoda sits on a small man-made island in the middle of the sea, the perfect spot, the hotel claims, for your morning massage.

Lets do this! Bags packed and surfboard slung over my shoulder, I leave the luxurious Nusa Dua Spa Resort and head towards the famed Kuta beach, the first stop on my Bali Surf Story.





Kuta started life as a fishing village in southern Bali and was first discovered by tourists as a surfing Mecca of the island. A steady flow of perfect surf graces the white sand and rainbow reefs of this 5 kilometre long arching stretch of beach, arguably one of Bali’s best. Today, the area is overrun by scooter madness, and aggressive street vendors and littered with shops advertising boat trips and “surfaris”. Little cafes dotted along the road offer the usual sandwich and drinks, others, the rather unusual psychedelic mushroom omelette dishes. Interesting, I thought.

The next day, we took a road trip towards the southernmost tip of the island, towards Uluwatu, one of the better known spots for surfing enthusiasts. 7 foot swells, fast strong waves and long tube rides make it one of the best and most dangerous surfs in the region. Dreamlands, Impossibles, Padang Padang and Uluwata make up some of the more well known waves and beaches of the Bukit Peninsula.



We found time to explore several important Balinese landmarks, including many of the numerous temples. The Taman Ayun Temple, the KlungKung Palace, Tanalot, and watching the sunset at the Uluwatu Temple, extraordinarily perched on a steep cliff high above the roaring ocean and overrun with wild monkeys.

Other interesting sights and sounds of Bali include the Jati Luwih rice fields in Tabanan, the Kecak dance at Uluwatu, the Gik Gik waterfalls, the outlook post over Batul lake, the modern and fashionable Ku-De Ta, the great Made’s Warung, an authentic Balinese restaurant with their delightful Tipak Tjantok (sticky rice in peanut sauce), Pepsan Ikan (tuna in banana leaf) and Baby Guling (roast pork) and a very “interesting” night life of Kuta and Legian with their famed and notorious “Kuta Cowboys”…

DK Macau January 2008

The gambling mecca of Asia, the Las Vegas of the East. The city of Macau is synonymous with the scintillating sounds of slot machines, sights of rolling dice and the colourful flashing lights of super casinos. With gambling revenues greater than Vegas’ and a location central to Asia, this “Special Administrative Region” of the People’s Republic of China provides the ultimate getaway destination in South East Asia for the card sharks and odds beaters.



However, it would be gross injustice to label Macau as simply a gambling city. A look back into its history and traces of Macau surfaced circa 215 BC during the Qin Dynasty. It survived a colourful journey through the Song and Ming Dynasties and became a major settlement in the 16th Century when the Portuguese sailed and anchored and subsequently administered the region until the handover on December 20th 1999, making Macau both the oldest and the last European colony in China.

The Portuguese influence is visibly felt strolling down the city streets, with signs and street names labelled in both Chinese and Portuguese (both official languages of Macau), giving it a rather uniquely exciting mix of a somewhat Eurasian city.

We strolled the cobbled streets and towards Macau’s iconic cultural landmark, the Ruinas de Sao Paulo. Enlisted as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, it is the only surviving (south) façade of the Cathedral of St Paul, a 17th century Portuguese cathedral dedicated to Saint Paul the Apostle. Completed in 20 years by the Jesuits in 1602, it was the largest Catholic church in Asia at the time and was unfortunately destroyed by a fire during a typhoon in 1835.



Around the city center are numerous Pastelarias selling the Portuguese famed pasteis de nata, little cream tarts that are thought to have originated around the 18th century from the Jeronimos Monastery of Belem in Lisbon, and makes for popular souvenir gifts for visiting tourists from around Asia.



Keeping with the topic of food, Macanese cuisine has a few renowned specialties : the pork chop buns, popular snacks of deep fried pork chop wrapped in a slightly toasted and crispy bun, the Galinha a Portuguesa, a chicken, potato and rice combination in a mild coconut curry sauce and, of course, the Macanese Chili shrimps and stir fry curry crab, an absolute culinary delight for seafood lovers.

I feel Macau’s fascinating and historically important history and culture will always, unfortunately, be overshadowed by the constructions of super casinos. We stayed at the newly constructed and much raved about Venetian Macau, a modern day superstructure that houses luxury shops, international cuisines in its various restaurants and of course, the hotel casino whose predecessor sits famously on the Vegas strip and where hundreds and thousands of people bet the tables at the roll of the dice.

Roulette anyone?

DK Hong Kong January 2008

DK's Christmas Sydney December 2007

New Years Eve 2007 @ Ravesis on Bondi, with my little hearbeat



Sydney Opera House



Sydney Harbour Bridge



Christmas @ Icebergs



Golf @ St Michael's, Little Bay, Sydney


Surfing Bondi Beach, Sydney

DK London's Annual Black Tie Poker November 2007

The 3rd Poker Maniacs' Annual Black Tie Poker Event hosted by Shed London, 2007.

DK HK's Septic September 2007

The modern metropolis that Hong Kong is provides that brilliant playground for some souless partying. New bars, new restaurants, new clubs, new faces, constantly changing and yet unchanged. Facelift after facelift but what lies underneath remains desperately unaltered.



This year's tasting delights took me past Matsuhisa's Nobu at the Intercontinental, Robuchon's Atelier at the Landmark and Pierre Gagnaire's Pierre at the Mandarin Oriental. Having spent most of my time in the latter- mentioned and much appreciated institution that the Mandarin Oriental is , i would also recommend its two bars, M and MO. Perhaps slightly over rated but still provides that classic bar atmosphere that is increasingly diminishing. Try the Kabuki lounge at the top of the Lan Kwai Fong Hotel for a cosy drink in the heart of the city, or maybe Racks, the new billiard lounge with its regular events night for a more casual atmosphere. Keep an eye out for the numerous launch parties and fashion events that take place on a weekly basis around town.

Nike Launch Event


LKF Hotel with my gorgeous CC



My views about Hong Kong remains largely unchanged, that it is an excellent location to party and play, with a dynamic hip crowd to join you on your adventures. It is convenient, affordable and is the hub of Asia, a fact unchanged as yet despite the emerging powerhouses of Shanghai and Co.

For me, 10 days a year in the city is enough to soak up and catch up with all the new happenings gone by, but not long enough to start feeling the mundane repetitiveness and social claustrophobia that many detest. All in all, a destination high on my recommended list.

Club Prive


DK

DK Marbella Pimpin' Reunion Tour August 2007

-- Nikki Beach-- Puerto Banus-- Toju-- Ocean Beach-- Mansion-- White Party-- Wesley-- Olivia Valere-- Champagne Party-- Michelin Star-- Casa Tara-- Mr Problem--

DK Istanbul June 2007

Anchored between Asia and Europe and surrounded by waters, Istanbul is one of the truly romantic cities of the world.

Straddling the Bosphorous, the clichéd notion of East meets West (both literally and figuratively) transpires beautifully through the streets of the city: Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman monuments weaving through the latest fashion boutiques and building complexes, shy veiled women strolling alongside the city’s young socialites.



Walking the winding streets crusaders and janissaries once walked, admiring the architecturally-unique mosques that were once churches and hunting for bargains in the colourful chaos of the Kapalıçarşı (The Grand Bazaar), my love affair with Istanbul started in the summer of 2007.

Historically known as Byzantium and later, Constantinople, the fascinating history of Istanbul backtracks several thousand years BC. Napoleon once declared it “the capital of the Earth” and to quote what a member of the Turkish parliament recently said about Istanbul today: “At a time when people fear a clash of civilisations, Istanbul is a city where church, mosque and synagogue operate side by side in the same street, the city shows that a harmony of civilisations is possible, and indeed has been possible for centuries in this city.”

Here are my recommendations that would cater for all tastes and traveller’s demands:

For those with a penchant for the yesteryears, visit the fascinating Hagia Sophia, a former Basilica turned Mosque and now museum that is widely considered to be the epitome of Byzantine architecture. Monument aside, take a tour into this religiously unique grounds where Islam and Christianity live side by side, holy relics and mosaics dotted around the minbar and inscriptions of Allah’s name. Finish the day with a gorgeous dinner at the Hotel Les Ottomans, the classic five star hotel with its riverside restaurant, overlooking the Bosphorous at night… an absolutely sublime spot for the classic romantics.







Those wanting to see the more local side of town (often referred to the asian side), stroll across the Bosphorous bridge, past the numerous locals fishing off the shores and towards the buzzing grand Bazaar for some Turkish delight to bring home and Turkish tea to savour on the spot. Schedule a Hammam appointment to escape the stress of the crowds then stroll into Taksim and Beyoglu in the late evening and head into one of the numerous Turkish restaurants serving little meze specialist dishes during an all singing, all dancing affair. Beware of the Raki, Turkey’s unofficial spirit which ive had the pleasure (and later, displeasure plus plus) to extensively consume neat over dinner. (Only whilst researching for this blog recently that I realised it was 42% alcohol.) (thanks Miray)





Finally, for those preferring the colours of the Istanbul of new, your expectations will be far surpassed. Istanbul Modern, opened in 2004 in the Tophane district of the city, is an absolute must. We had the pleasure of Andreas Gursky’s works as well as several of the museum’s permanent exhibitions. Dine at 360 Istanbul, named and renowned for its top floor open air views of the Bosphorous and the city, and where the hip of Istanbul gathers in the evenings.





An absolute special mention to the best club ive come across all year, Club Reina of Istanbul. Located right off the flamboyantly lit Bosphorous bridge and with the open- air club facing the waters, it is the playground for Europe and Turkey’s top socialites where models, supermodels and gentlemen playboys gather for an evening of sophisticated clubbing. There is no VIP entrance to the club.. on land. Instead, hire (or, if you have your own….) a yacht or speedboat to cruise the Bosphorous and there you will see an island pier where you can dock and stroll in, Puffy style.



That would sum up my travels to Istanbul: three different days, three distinctly contrasting atmosphere and sights and sounds. The old, the local and the modern. Its like staring at a black and white canvas with brightly coloured stripes dancing across: each segment distinct and unique on its own and heavily contrasting each other but stand back and you have a chaotic yet quirkily beautiful oxymoron of culture.

But without a doubt, the highlight of those days for me personally, was the company of my gorgeous better half making each step along the way that bit more wonderful, that bit more meaningful. I would highly recommend Istanbul to any of you reading this, but my most incredible journey thus far started over a game of poorly played pool in the late spring of 2007 in East London, months before this trip…



So, to you, Tara, my heart, my soul and my little angel, my first ever blog dedication goes to you.


DK

Big thank you for AC Shake for being a wonderful guide book reader and Mimi for being gorgeous as usual.

DK/J2 in Berlin June 2007

J2's Guestblog: Berlin June 2007

Sleepy eyes and Sleepy smiles,
A journey ahead Marks a journey already met.
Like a winding ledge caressing a Mountains edge,
We travel together with dreams in our heads,
To a fantasy place we can see in our minds,
With an exterior seemingly “shiny & happy now”
Due to the passing of time.

The Walls have come down; a city reunited,
Will we see it this way? Or will it remain divided?
The physical barriers have disappeared
But how can we judge when maybe we were once “the feared”?
My senses are awakened by foreign smells, sounds and sights,
But you my friend provide familiarity amongst the stark city lights.

Conversations & meditations in this foreign land,
Enliven my heart & mind guided by your steady hand.
My eyes sparkle with life as i inhale Berlin deep into my lungs,
This journey is finishing, but I wait with anticipation,
To see what adventures are to come.

J2 07’


DK Berlin June 2007

“No more wars. No more walls. A united world.” A popular slogan plastered across Berlin as the wall came crumbling down on November 9th 1989.

The Berlin wall may only be a chapter in the history of the Cold War but the broadcasted scenes of thousands of people flying German flags on top of this graffiti laden iconic symbol, celebrating hand in hand, helping each other across, remain vividly etched in my then 8 year old memory.





18 years later, I finally set foot in Berlin, the once capital of Prussia, of the German Empire, the Weimar Republic and, as we know it today, the capital of reunified Germany.

One of the most striking features of Berlin, perhaps somewhat unsurprising given its historic context, is its eclectic mix of architecture: Raschdorff’s Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral rebuilt 1905) with its Italian Renaissance influences, Carl Gotthard Langhans’ Bradenburg gate and its troubled past (1791), metres away from Frank Gehry’s DZ Bank (1999), to the amalgamation and restoration of the Reichstag, Berlin’s parliament house (opened 1894 by Paul Wallot, restored by Norman Foster in 1999).







My personal favourite is undoubtedly Daniel Libeskind’s Jewish Museum (opened 1999) and Menache Kadishman’s incredible installation “Shalechet or Fallen Leaves” with its eerie Holocaust ambience within.





Architour aside, Berlin has much to offer for the new generation of global nomads. We were housed under the roof of Ku’Damm 101, a tablet hotel located in the heart of the Kufurstendamm shopping district, a stone’s throw from the boutique stores of the fashion heavyweights. The 7th floor heaven breakfast room looks out onto the Berlin skyline with each room decked out with Arne Jacobsen chairs.



J2’s penchant for seafood and mine for interior décor and ambience took us onto a gastronomical journey that surpassed all expectations. Shiroishiro provided the setting of a blue and white Japanese castle housed in the quirky Lux 11 hotel (think Marie Antoinette meets modern Oriental minimalism), with head chef Eduard Dimant (Gault Millau Chef’s hat, Top Ten Feinshchmecker) manning the knives and carving out melt-in-your mouth lobster sashimi and scallops. (www.shiroishiro.com)

Saturday night was club night so we opted for Bungaluu’s private dinner tables, each separated by sheer white curtains with softly chandelier-lit walls. We popped downstairs to the dinnerclub afterwards for a chillout drink on the large white bed cushions with pink lit lights before joining the legions of clubbers in the awesome club downstairs.
(www.bungaluu.com)

My final recommendation would be Susuru, a Japanese tapas and noodle bar for lunch in the Rosa Luxembourg district. The gyoza and the Knusper shrimps were so incredible we were both stunned to a jaw-on-floor silence, which occured shortly again after we exchanged tastes. (www.susuru.de)







As I was staring out of the car window on the journey back to the airport in Berlin, I started mentally piecing these lines together, composing my words, my ideas and thoughts. I wondered what my one most memorable highlight of Berlin would be: and there she was, sitting next to me with a gentle lean, eyes slowly dozing off and looking more gorgeous than ever.

DK's Travel Destinations continued 3...

DK & The America's Cup Valencia May 2007

Spain’s 3rd largest city has largely been ignored behind the tourist heavyweights of Barcelona and Madrid but the arrival of the America’s Cup to Valencia has seen major constructions under way: The America’s Port, a cyber space park, a new metro system and new luxury hotels sprouting on the Malvarossa beach front and nearby marina.





I checked into Valencia’s sole tablethotels.com representative, the Palau de La Mar, a boutique hotel owned by the Hospes group which dominates the Spanish luxury hotels scene. Its central location meant easy access to the old quarter and within minutes, I arrived at the Plaza de la Reina and strolled past the must-sees of La Seu (cathedral of Valencia), the Basilica de la Virgen de los Desamarados, the Mercat Central (central market) and La Longa de la Seda, a glorious 15 th century indoor market place where silk merchants used to exchange their goods.





Local architect Santiago Calatrava designed the futuristic all-white Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, an incredible park which includes a science museum, a planetarium (l’Hemispheric) and an ocean park (l’Oceanographic). Its all white buildings are flanked by baby blue lagoons and a calm and serene atmosphere surrounds this area.





The 32nd America’s Cup 2007

For the first time since its conception, the cup arrived in Europe after the Swiss ship Alinghi sailed to a first ever European win 4 years ago in the trophy’s 156 years history. The Louis Vuitton Cup’s winner would be the eventual Challenger to Alinghi, the 32nd America’s Cup Defender ship.

This is the holy grail of the sailing world, the most prestigious trophy in the world today and the absolute highlight of my trip to have the opportunity to share the same waters and warm up race the Louis Vuitton Cup contestants in our very own America Cup Class ship (also an ex Louis Vuitton Cup finalist).







"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -- Mark Twain --

DK in Boston March 2007

Opened only 3 months ago in December 2006, the newly renovated Institute of Contemporary Arts is Dillier Scofidio + Renfro's first US based design monument. It sits beautifully on the Boston waterfront with superb views of the harbour from Wolfgang Puck's (who dominates the Vegas fine dining scene) Water Cafe.



Most notably, the first artist commissioned (annually) to exhibit their work on the Fineberg Art Wall at the entrance of the ICA is the truly amazing Chiho Aoshima, renowned for her mind bending digitally rendered graphics. Londoners with be familiar with her commissioned work, "City Glow, Mountaint Whisper", in Gloucester Road Tube Station and Aoshima's work for the ICA, "The Divine Gas" instantly shot up on my list of favourites:



""The Divine Gas, Aoshima's work for the ICA, depicts a giant girl lying in a lush landscape. The setting seems idyllic and serene-butterflies flutter, a deer nestles near her foot, a couple frolics hand-in-hand. Meanwhile, a billowing cloudscape, lorded over by a genie creature, emerges from her bottom. A few figures sit nestled in the clouds, while others tumble toward the ground. With its blend of darkness and light, fantasy and humor, Aoshima's mural promises to delight visitors from the moment they enter the new ICA."" (From the ICA website)


Boston and seafood goes hand in hand and we picked the all time classic Pier 4 for our clam chowder and lobster fix. Its walls are somewhat tackily plastered with photos of past presidents and old school celebrities that has visited this quasi historic restaurant since its debut in 1963.

DK's Spring Break Miami March 2007

Miami/ South Beach/ Spring Break/ Tango

Wet Tshirt/ Wet Pant/ Hole in the Sand/

Nikki Beach/ The Sexiest Place on Earth/ Photo Shoot/ Puff Daddy

8th and Ocean/ Irene Marie/












Setai/

Hedonist/ Luxury Granite/Rooftop Infiniti Spa/ 1k/ 1night/

Pelican/

Diesel/ Café/ Cheeseburger/ Italia/ Michele/ Double Bed/ Ferrero Rochers/

Shore Club/ Nobu/ Sky Bar/ Nicolle/

Ian Schrager/ Delano/ Rose Bar/ Poolside Bungalow/








Mynt/ In BED with…/ Sherry/ Prive/ Mansion/ Ludacris/ Dropping K's

11th Street Diner/ Jerry’s Famous Deli/ Tony's Sushi/

Lambo/ 430/ Continental GT/ Bugati Veyron/






Amanda 21st/ Pina Colada

Dulci/ Dominique/ Nicole/ Anie/ Warrior/ Worryer/ Rokbar





Miami Ink/

DK in DC Georgetown, Washington Jan 2007

I was pleasantly surprised by my short visit to Washington DC, penciled in as a last minute alternative to the much visited NYC.



We stayed at the Hotel Rouge, a boutique hotel with a blend of jazz meets RnB, all themed to the colour red, serving Jamaican Red Stripe Beers and Red wine in its lobby bar. Customers checking out gossiped about their previous nite’s New Year’s Eve escapades, their hang overs and the drag of having to return to work soon.



DC, for those who never been, is a city full of monuments and museums. Capitol Hill, the White House, Jefferson and Lincoln Memorial, it felt like being on the set of Independence day. Monuments aside, the Smithsonian museums (made up of 19 museums) provide a brilliant distraction and a little educational tour of Art and Science, History and Culture and Science and Technology. As you walk along the beautiful reflective pool, you’ll come across the Vietnam and FDR memorials with row after row of names of fallen heroes engraved in stone and visited by millions every year. It makes you question the reasons of wars and, given today’s political climate, makes you wonder whether we ever learnt anything from these costly lessons.





As daylight faded, we eagerly anticipated a meal at DC’s famous Citronelle diner but were disappointed to find out they were closed for the evening so settled for Yannick Cam’s elegant and sophisticated French restaurant, Le Paradou. Scallops with Parma Ham, Black Truffles and Sweet Bell Peppers Sauce, wild salmon tartare with caviar, and Estouffade’ of Rabbit with Olives,
Rosemary and Stuffed Mushrooms Tort made up for a delightful gastronomical treat and a pleasant conclusion to the evening.



As the warm winter sun shone through the dark red curtains to wake us up, some RnB blasts out of the in-room sound system. Quite why the rest of the world’s radio stations cant play the same decent tunes as their American counterparts remains a mystery..



We trotted down towards Georgetown, a clean little town in the East of Washington and heavily associated with its University. It was a pleasant place, perfect for a spot of shopping as its pebbled streets are lined with your well-recognized American brands. Overall, Georgetown was DC’s gorgeous highlight and, with a Four Seasons to provide shoppers with a quick break, it was the perfect final stop before returning home.

DK Toronto December 2006

DK Ottawa Christmas 2006

Ottawa isn’t exactly a premium tourist destination. It has a large lake that freezes over in the winter, a parliament square which doubles as a tourist site and google “Ottawa” and little else comes to light for the seasoned travel veteran. Rideau center and Place D’Orleans makes up its shopping and the Ottawa Senators, the city’s hockey club, provides a constant talking point for the locals.

For the outdoor lovers, it provides ground for kayaking, biking, wilderness exploration tours and a whole lot of activities more suited for the warmer weathers.

For me though, it’s the city where my grandparents and family live in and that makes it the most important destination in North America.



We spent christmas day at the Chateau Montebello, a large resort located on the Quebec side of Canada. It has all the usual resort facilities from kids play areas to tennis courts to a host of other activities including an all attractive dog sleighing in the winter. Thanks to global warming Ottawa stayed green for Christmas giving the huskies the day off ..

DK Montreal December 2006

Copenhagen.DK November 2006

Knock knock "wake up DK!" Shouts Ben as he enters the room at 5 Am on a Saturday morning. I roll over, eyes wide shut and still half asleep, nerve impulses slowly firing away to wake me up.



For the past week, my inbox has been flooded with emails back and forth about Copenhagen. We are all excited at this short trip away, its restaurants, hotels, bars but perhaps most well known to this city is its distinguished architectural pedigree. This is a city where the notion of design is ingrained into the culture and good architecture is the norm, rather than a novelty.

As our morning flight approaches Kastrup airport, we marvel at the Øresund Bridge, a modern day superstructure spanning the 7,845 metres that seperates Denmark from its neighbooring Sweden. Our cab journey to our hotel takes us into the heart of Copenhagen and on its way, we pass by the Tivoli park and Arne Jacobsen's SAS Radisson and its legendary room 606.



Hotel Fox is the most talked about new addition to Copenhagen. A collaborative effort between graphic designers, illustrators and graffiti artists from around the World, this hotel is daring, cut edge and carves into a growing niche of boutique hotels where interiors is paramount, design attention grabbing.



We spend the day strolling the avenues around Strøget, a pedestrian shopping district lined by the international titans of Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Hermes, and finally venture into Illums Bolighus, a legenday homewares store and the shrine of Scandinavian design.

With no less than 10 michelin one stars sprinkled around, Copenhagen offers a wide range of cuisines with almost all tastes catered for. We opt for the Bar Grill for dinner, a dimly lit modern restaurant with an open kitchen and lined by an exclusive cocktail bar.

The next day, the early birds lay in Fox's lounge for a funky breakfast of strawberry cheesecakes, exotic juices, and a small dose of the Copenhagen Post. The MTV music awards took over the city's headlines and as i guzzle down my second pancake of the morning, the professor turns up and announces that we are heading to Cafe Victor for lunch...

Cafe Victor outdid its original French Brasserie counterpart and established itself as one of the top spots for dinner and lunch. Located adjacent to the central shopping district, it offers a quiet nearby retreat from the hussle and bustle of the city's crowd. The snow crab was a delight and the accompanying oysters and Victor's specialty, the beef Rydberg with pan-fried potatoes made up this gorgeous Sunday lunch.


Unlike other European capitals, Copenhagen is a city with few historical sights. However, we still managed to catch a glimpse of Henning Larsen's Opera House along the waters, on the Eastern side of the city. Further up, we saw Hans Christian Anderson's story's "Little Mermaid", the most photographed statue in the World.




A special thanks to those that made the trip so memorable: Professor for his recommendations and map reading attempts, Shirley for being a new addition to our little crowd, Miranda for the pre trip organisation, Big Ben for his photography and the photos on this blog (and the Coastal UK blog) and Amy for dipping her foot into the Danish waters...

Finally, a last thank you to that person that scribbled this on the back pages of my guide book, beautifully summarising my love for travel:

DK Rioting in Budapest September 2006

Budapest is regarded as the finest of the Habsburg triumvirate of Budapest, Prague and Vienna. Its monuments significance lies in its historical importance and not its architectural grandeur or individuality: The Hungarian parliament is based on the British Houses of Parliament, its opera, the one in Vienna and Dresden and it’s most famous Chain Bridge doesn’t rival Charles Bridge of Prague or the Pont Neuf of Paris. Even its famed street of Vaci Ut was no grander or more fascinating than any main street running across the heart of its city. It is therefore little surprise when previous travelers rated the city as an average European destination and certainly, as I flicked through the guide books on my way to Budapest, very little stood out. Still, I was intrigued to visit this city bathed in history and politics.

Our trip was made interesting thanks to the revelations of the lies the Hungarian Prime Minister Gyuscarny told to win the elections. It triggered Hungary into a political turmoil and civil unrest, with unprecedented protests and outbreaks of violence throughout its capital.

We kept a close eye on the news and events and by the 6th day, despite the president’s stern stance not to resign and the public’s increasing discontentment, the protests remained peaceful.

Never one to shy away from witnessing history in the making, we journeyed as planned into Budapest and settled into our little residence on Andrassy Ut, a quiet district at the heart of the diplomatic region.

Protestors camped outside the Hungarian Parliament with banners lining the adjacent streets and, as we casually strolled past, reporters buzzed around the armed guards waiting for their next big story. As Gyuscarny’s rival puts it, “the President has sealed his own future, but it is the future of Hungary that is in question. His comments have only exposed the deep rooted problems of the country.” I await with interest the impending changes in Hungary’s political world.

As evening set, we made our way to Budapest’s legendary restaurant, Gundel. It has been serving fine classic Hungarian cuisine since the mid 19th century and remains the city’s most famous culinary destination. It has a beautifully classic décor, with a quartet playing some of the most famous music of the classical world. Everyone is dressed immaculately, the men in jackets and the ladies in their evening dresses, it provided the perfect atmosphere for a dinner for two.

We later ventured into the nearby Heroes’ Square, a large gathering place used during the communist era for demonstrations, now the home of the millennium monument sitting at its center. It was magnificently lit at night, and a brilliant place for a peaceful evening stroll.

The next day, we took a short tram up towards the Royal Palace and the Hungarian National Museum. From up the hill, you gaze out onto the panoramic view of Budapest. To your left, the Hungarian parliament, and, on the other side of Chain bridge crossing the Danube is Vaci Ut, with the roof of St Stephen’s Basilica visible in its the background. Just below is Gellert Hotel, home of the famous Turkish baths and across the river stands the Four Seasons Hotel, a brilliant spot for an afternoon tea break.

DK's Travel Destinations continued 4...

DK in Vienna September 2006

My image of Vienna is one of imperial nostalgia and grandeur with imposing baroque churches and monumental projects from the late nineteenth century. Its culture lies in its musical forte with names such as Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Shubert and Brahms all coming from the city. It is perhaps unsurprisingly dubbed as the most unique and romantic city of the world, reinforced by the image of Emperor Franz Josef and his beautiful wife Elisabeth. Vienna’s remnants of its golden age of music art and architecture still stands today and my visit was one of amazement and wonder, delight and romance.

Vienna is centered around its most famous and beloved landmark, the Stephansdom. Around it, locals encourage concerts, street performers are abundant and all roads seemingly lead back to this heart of the city. As night falls, the area lights up with a golden glow and even side streets are lined with beautifully intricate monuments and buildings.

Hofburg palace at night undoubtedly provides the most wonderful sights I have ever seen in Europe. The photos and words will never do it justice. The palace is spread over a large area within the city and is quite simply monumental and magnificent. Horse drawn carriages gallop across its paved roads past the exquisite buildings, lit and giving the whole area a golden glow. We took a long stroll around the area and finally got to the Spanish Riding School, in time for the long awaited show.

I first heard of the Spanish riding school a few years back during a casual conversation with a horse loving friend. She spoke with such passion and excitement that it gave me great desire to discover this holy grail of horse riding. My first encounter came a few years back whilst traveling near the Italian Slovenian border, at a little town called Trieste. I heard of a nearby stud farm that bred Lipizzan horses for the Spanish Riding School, so surely enough, armed with just my passport, I trekked across to learn about them and ever since, the Spanish Riding School appeared high on my list of things to experience. And it didn’t disappoint, for even I, with little knowledge about these animals, appreciated and tremendously enjoyed the show that was put on. These horses arrive at the school around the age of 4 and are trained for a further 8 years before being considered for the show. They performed a series of tricky steps that clearly has taken much practice and choreography and shows the tremendous intelligence, agility and strength of the horses, a truly admirable feat. I left the show with many more questions. I remember visiting Maximilian’s castle in Trieste in Italy, the same city where these horses were originally from. I learnt that Maximilian was a King of Austria. So where is the link and why was it called the Spanish Riding School? As I slowly discovered the answers, I had a great sense of excitement that im slowly putting together pieces of this giant history jigsaw on my travels and it certainly made my trip to Trieste that much more interesting and significant.

Another world renowned show is the Vienna’s boys choir. I have heard them perform many moons ago whilst they were on tour for those interested, they can be heard during Sunday Mass at the imperial palace.

We also found time to visit the famed Opera house of Vienna, the Staatsoper, where the annual Debutante’s Ball takes place. The majority of the building was destroyed during the WWII and rebuilt in 1955. Since then, it has housed some of the most important Opera productions in the World, another cultural forte of the city.

Further south of the city is the Schloss Shonbrunn, the former summer residence of the Habsburgs. Beautfiul fountains, roman ruins and mythical statues line the park.

For all the classic beauty of Vienna, one of the biggest highlights of our visit was an ultra modern and chic boutique hotel we stumbled across whilst bar hopping. The DO&CO hotel. As we walked into the room, it was as though everything I had imaged my perfect apartment would look like had come to light. A sleek mixture of black and brown shades with an incredible view of Vienna’s most famous landmark, the Stephansdom. To the right, a large king size low set black borderless birchwood bed with textured sheets, flanked by dimly lit night tables. On them, a pair of long curved Bang and Olufsen phones with a matching remote controlling the large sleek black flat screen B&O plasma TV across the room and its speakers in the 4 corners. A glance across from the bed through the see-through shower unit and into the large contrasting marble bathroom. Adjacent to it a large walk in wardrobe with its sliding door system.
The bar was equally impressive with neat brown and black leather sofas and seats surrounding the neon blue lit bar. Think Bang & Olufsen meets black nano and you get the idea of what DOCO is about.

And, as to the romantic side of the city, i have my wonderful girlfriend to share all the sights and sounds of the trip with. Never mind DO&CO, this is the story of D&O.

DK The Velvet Revolution of Prague September 2006

DK Bank Holiday Coastal UK August 2006

I am an alternate city hopper and beach cruiser so the suggestion of spending a long weekend in the British countryside was met with initial scepticism.

I have often heard about this "hidden gem" lying on the coastal borders of England but never found the time or enthusiasm to discover it. Lush green fields and little country houses lining pebble beaches never sounded that appealing, or at least, they didnt when compared to the tastes of Italy and the sights of Paris.

But my years of travelling and meeting people taught me to keep an open mind, to try new things and to discover and research other people's passions, so we set out on a long car journey into the South East of England, towards a little town called Hadleigh.

We were first to arrive at the farm cottage. The exterior was unspectacular, borderline eerie a la Stephen King, with broken down tractors, large dusty storage spaces with shattered windows, shotgun shells on the floor and a wood axe lying nearby. Apart from a young lad that briefly appeared, the place was devoid of people.

Thankfully, the interior was a different story: a beautiful cottage with a calming and comfortable ambience, overlooking a large neatly trimmed garden with an apple tree at its center. A country fresh breeze blew lightly around us and the peacefulness surrounding us was perfect for a relaxing retreat.

We stocked up the fridge, found time to scrabble and argue over the existence of the word "sod" (n. a person regarded as obnoxious or contemptible) and waited for the nite to fall. As the rest of the party made their way in , we sat around the glowing fireplace, chatting and reminiscing until sleep took its toll.

The following morning, we took a long drive towards Great Yarmouth, a pleasant seaside resort lined with beaches. I never knew sandy beaches existed in England so was pleasanly surprised to see miles of oceanfront as we climbed down a little steep hill. Nearby, a beach volleyball competition was taking place, with contestants lazing around on the sand, waiting for their match. We ventured into the nearby amusement park and enjoyed the colours and sounds of ongoing games and shows, big slides and bumper cars and all the rest of the carnival atmosphere.

Sunday was action packed as we tried our hands on the extreme sport of kite buggying. We initially learnt how to control and navigate these two-stringed kites, then moved onto the bigger more powerful ones. The girls needed the heavy instructors to keep them from taking off wherease the boys were happy to slide 40 foot along the ground, dragged by the powerful winds. Once mastered, the buggying was immense fun with speeds of up to 50 miles an hour attainable by harvesting nature's wind force.

After a day's hard work, we retired back to the cottage for some much needed TLC, and after much initial concern, the boys finally managed to fire up the barbeque, ready for some serious gastronomic action.

Two nights of barbeque made me realise that no restaurants or 2 starred michelins even comes close to having a bunch of friends around. We drank cheap beers, burnt our fingers and mouths with overcooked honey dipped pork sausages, felt cold and smelled of burning coal and yet that was one of the best dinner occasion i can remember. It was a priceless moment to look up into the smokey starry sky, hear the laughter of your friends echo in your head and feel the cold little arms of the one you love wrapped snuggly around your full belly.

Its been a month since our perfect weekend getaway and, as i write this, i reminisce that time, playing giant jenga in the living room, couple's scrabble, the hundreds of shrimps we munched, maddog's sinking canoe and the rest of the catalogue of memories..

My views on the coastal towns of UK have undoubtedly changed but the saying: "its not the place, but the people" rings true. I dont think i would have half enjoyed it if it werent for the presence of some great people and, for that, i thank them. Not just for Gees and M for organising the whole trip, or B&A for taking all the photos, or Maddog's legendary shrimps but for their company and humour, and for being there to share memories with.

Finally, i want to thank my gorgeous girlfriend O's for unconditionally opening her little heart for me to retreat into every night, as i fall asleep and dream of the future.

DK

DK Hong Kong Revisited June 2006

how one week can shape the rest of your life....

DK World Superbike Championship at Silverstone May 2006

Im a lot more MotoGP than World Super Bike but working on the emergency medical team in big international events is always entertaining, has numerous perks including licence to roam anywhere on the track.

We assessed all the riders who managed to fall off their bikes (a broken wrist, numerous bruises and sprains, broken ribs...) as well as anyone in the general public who felt unwell in our fully equiped mini hospital with two emergency evacuation helicopters.

Fortunately, it was a medically quiet day so i spent most of the time checking out the pits, the bikes, meeting the riders, chatting to the pit girls and every now and then watching the race, track side.

I recognised a few of the ex- Moto GP boys including Troy Bayliss , N Haga, J Tolseland, Ruben Xaus (who came top 4), Milan Baros and one of my favourite drivers, Norick Abe.

DK in Lima May 2006

"Lima the Horrible" is an often heard description of today's Peruvian capital. Its smog filled chaotic and polluted atmosphere, combined with the noise and muggings has relegated this city to an unpopular destination for locals and tourists alike. Most spend time there as a forced stopover en route to Cusco and would wish to spend as little time there as possible.




We spent a day in Lima roaming around the Plaza de Armas, a beautiful colonial square built on top of ancient Inca ruins, lined by the Palacio de Gobierno (government palace), a Cathedral and the Archbishop's palace.

Across it is the famous pedestrian precinct of Jiron de la Union with its numerous cheap shops and fried chicken parlours. It was indeed chaotic and noisy but I certainly did not feel threatened or uncomfortable mingling with the city locals. In fact, I quite enjoyed that bustling city atmosphere and even had an educational visit to the Aero Club de Peru/Dunkin Donuts.

We managed to tour the nearby Church of San Francisco as well as the fascinating catacombs of its monastery where the bones of some 70,000 of the city's dead are piled. It also houses an amazing untouched library.

After a few hours around the square, we drove down to Miraflores, one of Lima's modern suburbs with superb views over the sea, high rise hotels (the Mariott) and massive north american style entertainment complexes. It is completely characterless an area but a nice place to sit and chill, enjoy the sights, have a beer and chat to the lovely locals, Louisa, Maria and
Co.....

DK: Peru and the Inca Trail May 2006

I sit here trying to put into words my discovery adventure into Peru and the Lost City of the Incas but soon realize no words can come close to describing the incredible ruins, the people and the challenges that surfaced during this week long trip. Trust me when I say this was the most physically testing trip ive endured in the last few years of traveling and exploring. The trip was uniquely wonderful and, as one of our fellow trekkers said, if you think this was a holiday, you must have some sick sense of humor.

Cusco is a city at around 3500 meters above sea level in southeastern Peru. It is located near the Sacred Valley (Urabamba) of the Andes mountain range. The focus of the activities lies around the Plaza de Armas, a colonial square guarded by the Church of La Compania, the Corichanca (The Temple of the Sun) and the monastery of Santa Domingo. Everywhere you go, remains of Inca foundations and arts are prominent, a constant reminder of the brutal destruction by the Spanish of this once great religious center of the Inca empire.

We spent a day acclimatizing in this ancient capital of the Inca empire, before setting off on a 4 day journey on foot from the Urabamba Valley up through the Andes mountain range and towards the famed Macchu Picchu, also known as the Lost City of the Incas.

After a day at altitude and a practice trek to the nearby ruin of the sacred springs/ Inca bath of Tambo Machay at 3700 metres, we set out on the following day to the start the Inca trail at KM 82 on the Urabamba river. There, we visited a few local stores to stock up on bamboo walking sticks and top up rations for the trip up onto the mountains.

We trekked for 4 days without electricity and the only signs of civilizations around came in the form of long abandoned Inca ruins hidden amongst the high altitude jungles. The paths varied from beaten forest routes to foot- thin high cliff passages to high stepping rocks and river trails. Along the way, many developed altitude related headaches, nausea and vomiting. About half the group suffered from diarrhea and with the increased intensity of the sun, many suffered from heat-strokes and dehydration. All that meant sleepless evenings in their tents, severely reduced energy levels with loss of appetite and a great compromise to next day’s trekking. There are times when you do really wonder whether its all worth it, that is, until you reach those incredible heights, see these amazing ruins that have been lost for thousands of years.

Dead Women’s Pass stands at 4200 metres and is the highest and most talked about point on our trekking map. A few succumbed to increasingly severe altitude sickness and never made it there. It is, what we called the point of no return. Once over, you have to continue down the steep descent regardless of circumstances. The option of turning back is no longer there past it. Unfortunately, I didnt have a chance to rest and enjoy the sights for long before realizing one of the trekkers was fast developing High Altitude Pulmonary Oedema with possibly an element of High Altitude Cerebral Oedema. These two conditions are potentially life-threatening and needed urgent rapid descent with medical treatment. The person became increasingly breathless, lethargic and started becoming disorientated. Our medical team immediately stretchered her down at an incredible pace: a normally 3-hour steep descent to the next camp took us just over 40 minutes. Whilst there was a huge sense of achievement making it to Dead Women’s Pass, nothing would compare seeing that sick person get better over the next two days and knowing you played a part in assisting a fellow trekker.

For me, the most incredible moment of the trip came the following day. The day was not as steepness demanding but that was compensated by the added trek distance. As we went by mountain edges, high cliffs and through high altitude forests and finally up past the tree line (an altitude where air becomes so thin trees can no longer survive), we got to the third pass where Victor, Eric and I sat on top of this big rock on top. I stared into the distance, clouds at eye level with snow capped mountain peaks rising through from the deep lush valleys below to the clear blue skies above. Right there was the answer to what my most memorable moment of the trip was. This was the moment that made all that trekking worth it. The moment I felt sad not having some of you by my side to share it with. The moment that defined my expedition trip on the Inca trail.

As we made it back to camp just before sunset, the celebrations were already beginning. We have yet to see Macchu Picchu but that already became a secondary goal. Anyone can take the train to Macchu Picchu but to see what the ancient Incas saw and to feel how they felt, you need to brave the physical and mental challenges that comes with the Inca trail.

On the final day on the trail, we did a short 3 hour trek to the train station and hitched a 10 minute rail ride to the bottom of Macchu Picchu and a half hour bus ride up the mountain to see the city. Sitting there and staring out, it felt as though someone sliced the top of the mountain off and built a city on top. How anyone could have constructed this and lived here was simply incredible. I cant imagine that moment when Bingham discovered this Lost City of the Incas under all the overgrown vegetation. The rest of the city was incredibly organized and well thought out and I spent a good few hours discovering the temple of the sun, the royal tombs, the living and working quarters, as well as mingling with the local lamas, avoiding being spat on.

A bunch of strangers got together on day one for this great cultural mission and by the end of the journey we not only just shared a common hard earned experience and achievement but also developed a great sense of camaraderie and mutual support that made this trip most memorable. So, when people ask what was the most difficult part of the trek, it wasn’t Dead Women’s Pass, it wasn’t the numerous knee murdering 3 foot high steps we came across ,but the goodbyes to the fellow trekkers, leaving the great people of Peru and their incredibly fascinating history of the ancient empire of the Incas.

DK

A big thank you to all the fellow trekkers, the DA crew and MacMillan Cancer Support for a wonderful time in Peru.

DK: Romeo and Juliet's Verona January 2006

"There is no World without Verona walls, but purgatory, torture, hell itself.
Hence banished is banish'd from the World, and World's exile is death..."

(Shakespeare, "Romeo and Juliet", Act3 scene 3)

Verona boasts the third largest Roman Amphitheatre in Italy, numerous important ruins of arches as well as the Basilicas San Zeno, San Lorenzo and a few important others. In fact, the city is surrounded by so many historically important monuments that it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

My main reason for being in Verona, aside from the monuments, was to discover this famed town of Romeo and Juliet. Myth has it that any love wish made under her balcony will come true and an opportunity like that, for someone like me, was simply not to be missed.

The piazza Erbe and center of town is in a loop of the Adige River near the famed Lake Garda, providing beautiful scenic sights from the bridges.

For those of you interested in a more in depth read at the historical significance of the sites, sitiunesco.it provides an explaination of the UNESCO status awarded.

http://www.sitiunesco.it/index.phtml?id=566

And as to the wishes coming true. You never know. Maybe it already has.

DK Milano Revisited January 2006

Cimitero Monumentale opened in 1866 and houses some of Milan's most rich and famous' gravestones and monuments, from sculptures to obelisks, to reproductions of Greek temples and Egyptian pyramids.

Of note, Davide Campari's (of the alcohol group Campari) grave is an impressive sculpted reproduction of the Last Supper made by Giannino Castiglioni.

Staying with the theme of "The Last Supper", any Da Vinci Code enthusiasts must make the pilgrimage to the Cenacolo next to the Basilica Sant Maria in the center of Milan.

My recent last trip to Milan covered most of the sights and sounds but i did find time to take Sambo and Lisa up to the top of the Duomo, as well as the Milan must do of shopping through the Galleria Emanuele 2 and the Quadrilatero D'Oro.

The highlight definitely were the food (see "Twenty, Twenty- Five, DK Dining in Milano at Boccondivino", Blog co-authored with Larry)

http://michelinstars.blogspot.com/2006/01/dk-dining-in-milano-boccondivino.html

and of course.... the partying....................!

DK's Travel Destinations continued 5...

DK Northern Italy: Milan and Como in search of Bellagio November 2005

I set certain criterias out before picking a city break. It has to have a deeper culture than your average European city, sights and sounds worthy of a top 101 must-sees before death, interesting people with an even more interesting history. Whether it is music, art, architecture or natural beauty that forms its culture, i dont mind so long its unique to the place. A church or basilica, for example, is hardly unique. A basilica housing the Cenacolo (better known to us as Leonardo Da Vinci's Last Supper of Christ), on the other hand, is. So there begun my journey on a frosty bright afternoon, out of the Linate airport, and onto the streets of Milano.

The Duomo di Milano is where everyone begins their journey. "They say that the Cathedral of Milan is second only to St. Peter's at Rome. I cannot understand how it can be second to anything made by human hands." Mark Twain. It took me an eternity to walk up the spiral stairs to get up to the roof where i enjoyed a panoramic view of Milan on a beautiful sunny day. I sat there staring into the sky and admiring the grandness and details of every inch of the Duomo. Looking up, you could see life size statues atop each spire, staring over the Italian winter skies.

Next to it, is the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a world renowned indoor shopping gallery houseing the likes of Gucci and Prada. These famous Italian houses no doubt contribute to the popularity of this spending district but the building itself must take credit. Its high and bold arch entrance alone is enough to attract the crowds as does the beautifully decorated and grand interior of two intersecting streets forming a cruciform plan with a domed octagon at the center.

The shopping district extends into the Quadrillatero D'Oro, or the golden rectangle which encloses nearly every major fashion power house you can name. Armani boasts an entire building selling not just clothes, but a complete high rolling lifestyle including Armani flowers, chocolates, arts and any luxurious item you can think of. We stopped at the Nobu Armani bar in time for an aperativo.

For the price of a drink, you get to mingle with the fashion conscious Italian crowd and nibble on the aperativos, or pre dinner eats. For most locals, the aperativo scene replaces dinner as by the time you've strolled into 2 or 3 other bars, you would have tasted enough to happily omit the meal itself. Past Nobu, we checked into the Bulgari hotel bar, the Just Cavalli cafe and numerous currently popular in-places.

The night life was comparable to any other major cities of the world, clubs come and go, but the party flair remains. Its the people that define the night scene and the venue merely houses them under a roof. The same place, on different nights could have different outcomes but i think we hit it spot on for being at the right place, at the right time, and more importantly, with the right people.

I visited so many museums and galleries that ive almost lost track of the number of Da Vinci's, Raphael's, Michelangelo's and Caravaggio's ive seen. Reading about the history of some of the paintings and works of such great artists then coming face to canvas with them, is just surreal.

Northern Italy is also famous for its numerous lakes and so i hopped onto an early train from Milano Centrale Stazione towards Como, a little town at the southwestern fork of Lagua di Como. There, i hopped onto a ferry towards the various little towns dotted along this mile stretch of scenic beauty of water on a moutainous backdrop. Halfway up the lake, where the two forks join to form the rest of the northern part of the lake, is my destination and reason for this trip: The famed town of Bellagio.

Bellagio. For someone to name one of the most luxurious and famous hotel in the world after this little town, it has to be something special. Its location provides what many regard as the best view and scenery of Lake Como and, as i pulled up to the port and took my first steps onto dry land, i looked up to see this beautiful and neat little village with walkways and cafes up towards the mountain. All the buildings were painted an earthly neutral colour of pink and maroon tones, blending in perfectly with the mountains behind, and staring out onto this wonderful lake. It was as though you were staring at a painting so beautiful that you thought it could only possibly exist in one's imagination. Only its real. And there i was, standing, strolling and soaking it all in.

DK Winter Travel: Insatiable Stockholm November 2005.

I set out to Stockholm with a few goals in mind. Taste the legendary Swedish meatballs, visit the Vasa Museum, check out the hip and heavily interior-design minded bars and ferry across the little islands that make Stockholm one of the most beautiful settings for any city in the world.

We checked into the uber cool, ultra hip, party-minded and informal Lydmar hotel on Friday evening. Made up of 60 individually quirky rooms decorated with various arts and corridors lined with portraits of passing artists, Lydmar stands out unlike any. As we arrived, the bar, which also served as the only entrance to the hotel, was buzzing with interesting types and a roaring live band.

As we strolled out, we quickly realised all the main clubs and bars are within a few blocks of each other. All our received recommendations were densely packed within central Stockholm and in one weekend, we must have managed nearly ever worth mentioning bar and club in the city. And they did not disappoint. The Nordic Light bar ranks as one of my favourites. With its brilliant use of various exotically coloured lights, it creates an ambiance of simple chic. Its menu is projected across the room onto the wall and below it, a long table under the dim blue light is contrasted with the sexy purple-lit lounge area with string curtains all the way to the ceiling.

Across the road was the Nordic Sea Hotel, famous for its Absolut Ice Bar. We donned our heavy duty ponchos and entered this sub zero igloo bar made from ice blocks from the Torne river from North of Stockholm and guzzled some raspberry vodkas from our shot glasses: also made of ice. Before long, my lips were purple and that assured a prompt exit back onto the warm snowing streets of Stockholm….

Ill skip the section on clubbing as I cant remember a huge deal about it. Partly due to intoxication and partly due to the presence of large quantities of the dark man’s kryptonite: blondes…… (made me weak at knees….)

When you’re traveling with a guy whose nickname is Larry Leisure and who has eaten at more Michelin star restaurants than I have McDonalds, you know you can trust him on that front. So when he reserved a spot at Edsbacka Krog, a restaurant originally set up in 1626 with King Gustav 2 Adolf’s permission and with recent Michelin star credentials and numerous awards, I knew it was gonna be a culinary treat unlike others. I started with a composition of duck's liver with autumn apples and rosemary sorbet, followed by the Bagarby soup awarded by the Gastronimic Academy in 1984. For mains, Edsbacka Krog's classical saddle of roe deer with a blackcurrants sauce and potato dumpling was the recommendation of the house. I made a mental note of the remaining 8 courses but its far too long and complex to be blabbing about that 5 hour meal on a travel blog…

Sticking with the food theme, ive always said this: I was dining at Cipriani’s one night, then had a 4 dollar steak the other. Loved it both equally despite the obvious gulf in presentation and price. And this time was no different. On par with the stars was a quick visit to the open Saturday market where I finally had a taste of these Swedish meatballs Ive been raving about all week. 60 Kronas and a plate of 5 meatballs with special sauce and a prawn pancake. It was so good I nearly went back to hug the guy who sold those darn things…

King Gustavo 2 Adolf, mentioned earlier, was the King of Sweden (1611 till his death) who commissioned the building of the Vasa warship that was supposed to put the country on the Naval war map. The massive construction of this 69 metres, 64 canon, 10 sails ship, took 3 years to build. It unfortunately sunk on its maiden voyage, 20 minutes after leaving the port of Stockholm and after 333 years, it was finally found in 1956 and salvaged in 1961. Today, it stands in its full glory as the only intact and surviving 17th century ship in the world and is a must see visit.
Keeping with the sail topic, winter unfortunately was not a good time for cruising around the archipelagos. We managed to admire the sea front from the port and took an evening stroll along the waters of Stockholm admiring the perfectly still water reflecting the dark blue winter sky. We may not have managed a cruise but if those sights were a preview of the islands, then I cannot wait to head back for the show… and the meatballs of course!

DK's search for Beach Paradise: Mauritius October 2005

Published in Honololu's Star Bulletin Sunday Travel: http://starbulletin.com/2006/03/19/travel/story01.html

My quest to explore the most beautiful beaches of the world has taken me to shores afar. The beautiful bodies of Copacabana, the waves of Waikiki, the white sands of Phuket, the list goes on and on. Next off my list was Mauritius: can this little island off the coast of East Africa live up to its reputation? White sand beaches, turquoise waters, unparalleled beauty are habitually mentioned and comparisons to paradise often made. Paradise, a land favoured by the Gods. Those are powerful images to live up to. Was Rudyard Kipling right to say God modeled heaven on Mauritius?

I land early Sunday morning after a lengthy 10 hour flight. “Bienvenue a Maurice!” exclaims my driver. A criss cross inland from the Eastern shores of the airport to the South Western lie of Flic en Flac beach reveals little of the Mauritian magic.

Our villa’s location was carefully picked prior to departure. Flic en Flac, regularly voted by leading travel magazines as one of the top ten beaches in the World, is a 2-minute stroll from my doorstep. As we approached, the early morning sun reflects off the beach and seeps in between the palm trees lining the roads, producing a bright orange glow strobe effect with intermittent warmth flashing across my face. Wake up Derrick. We have arrived.

First stop was an uphill drive towards the southern moutainous landscape to explore the inland region of Chamarel. We were met by giant turtles roaming nearby "terre des sept couleurs", natural sand dunes with 7 different colours of volcanic ashes, as well as the waterfalls. Past that and towards the southern tip of the island was "la roche qui pleure gris gris", a giant rock standing alone against the waves. Standing on top, you can feel the vast power of the ocean fighting against the shoreline as wave after wave collide with the rocks beneath your feet. It felt like David vs Goliath, Land vs Sea.. until i spotted these massive bright blue fishes swimming calmly within the waves. No, this is not a fight, this is nature's perfect harmony. And im there to witness it all.

On the South Eastern tip is Le Morne, where the resort Paradis is located. This would be our first encounter with Paradise beach. I have little expectations as our rental Jeep rolls past its vast golf course with its perfect sand bunkers and a mountainous backdrop. Finally, we stop, we get out. And there it is: a long stretch of white sand beach lined with little palm trees that provide the perfect shelter. The water is blue. but not blue as you and i know, not the blue I call blue. Its as though God adjusted the contrast of the colour and created this perfect new mix. The patches of coral under water has the effect of darkening the colours on the surface, creating this wonderful sight im staring at.

The flawless beauty of Paradis beach attracted the construction of this resort which, ironically, blemished it by doing so. So, as the sun was setting, we drove away from it all: the beach chairs, the bar, the water skis, the artificial human touch to paradise. And it was then, i found the untouched beauty of it all, the Mauritian magic. We stopped a few kilometers from Paradis, drove towards the sea off a beaten track and stopped in a little local village. Dogs ran astray, villagers sat around, there were no constructed roads and the homes were put together with scraps of metal. With no roads to go, I carry on my journey on foot, armed with nothing more than my camera and sandals. It was getting darker by the minute and i stroll towards the sea in search of the perfect scenery, my version of paradise. I go past barking dogs, so called back gardens which are more in line with abandoned mosquito infested swamps, and, as i climb over a beaten fence, it was there: Sun setting behind the moutains, the calm blue seas offering a near perfect reflection of the cloudy skies, a little barge some 20 yards away, and an island further behind. I have not, in my years of travelling, seen something as spectacular. I sat on the broken bench and stared away, wondering what possibly could outdo this. It was so calm, so peaceful and for me personally, one of the best moments ive ever experienced, my very own paradise frozen in time.

Up the Western coast, we stop in a little village called Tamarin, well known for its salt fields: basins lined with rocks and filled with a thin film of sea water during the day. As the water evaporates, the local workers brush up the salt crystals into little white dunes to be collected. This is also where the Marlin export factory is, but that my friends, we'll talk about later on.

East of Flic en Flac, still on the Western coast, lies a couple of big towns. Port Louis, with its big hotels and the Caudon waterfront, is lined with restaurants and bars. Past that and slightly inland are Rose Hill, Quatre Bornes, Phoenix, Curepipe, each with a distinct local feel. This is the true Mauritius and not the resorts that provide it all and gives you no reason to set foot outside. There are no BMWs, no tennis courts, and, most distinclty, no foreigners walking around these towns. The lavish restos and designer shops are replaced with corner stores with aluminum sheets as walls, broken panels and 100,000 miles mileage cars.

Ile au Cerfs, an island on the Eastern side of Mauritius, is the postcard of Mauritius: beautiful lagoons with turquoise waters, calm seas and white sandy beaches. Every photo is picture perfect but yet frustrating. Its not the angle, not the lighing, but something just isnt right. And soon, you'll come to realise something: Turquoise is a colour you cannot see, you cannot imagine, but a colour you have to experience. I have read a million descriptions about this area and none came close to describing what i saw, what i felt.

My final words on the highlights of Mauritius comes from one of my "things to do in life" list: Deep sea fishing and the hunt for the blue Marlin. Fishing and the seas has been a long time passion of mine but i wont go into the details of it all. That alone is worth a dozen more chapters in my book of life. Mauritius is world renowned for deep sea fishing and besides the beaches, besides the sun, that was the main reason for me being there. We chartered a local fisherman's boat and set out for the hunt. Almost 10 hours spent at sea, trolling, waiting. The occasional dolphins and baby whales would come keep us company, play with us off the boat. We never caught the Marlin but instead a 30 pound, 4 foot long yellow blue Dorado fish that i fought against for a good half hour. On one occasion, my 50 lb flatline snapped at a bite of a fish. It may have been a Marlin, i will never know. But rest assured, ill be back to find out soon enough again.

DK

DK's 24th: Dublin July 2005

Saturday 2nd July, 0500am, a short smooth jazz piece starts to play admist the early morning light seeping into my room. I wake and look out to see a shade of orange sky above the layer of mist that shrouds the river thames. I roll out of bed, tired and wishing i hadnt stayed up the night before watching another French movie that defies the morals and norm set by our society. A blend of homosexuality, paedaphoelia, incest, all rolled into one and smoked with a smile.. it was certainly different from the big budget hollywood movies we are used to.

I had exactly 17 minutes to shower, change and decide what to bring along for my weekend trip away to Dublin.

An early arrival meant we had time to stroll the city and do some sight seeing before embarking on a drinking fiasko. We made morning stops at the Dublin castle, Christ Church Cathedral and St Patricks Cathedral and proceeded to unintentionally fall asleep in the park whilst taking a short sightseeing break. The three sights were hardly impressive.. Dublin's culture lies not in its sights, but rather, in its pubs and bars. The drinking culture.

Our next stop was the Guiness factory where, aparently, good things come to those who wait. 7 floors of museum before reaching the bar on the top floor with its 360 degrees view of the city. Thats a whole lot of waiting before getting to a pint alright. I made some vague attempt to pretend i was interested in the various types of malt, grains and water used to make a pint and after an hour or so we finally reached the top. We were met with bemused looks when we got to the bar and asked for a Heineken... "we only serve Guiness at the Guiness factory and museum, came the reply".... a fair point perhaps........................................................

We sat by the window, the sun was shining brightly, the view was superb. The Guiness was no Heineken but provided a refreshing drink nevertheless.

By 4 Oclock, it had reached a socially acceptable hour to commence the downhill spiral of body and mind caused by a seemingly harmless OH group attached to a complex hydrocarbon. We made our way to the Temple Bar Area, attempted to drink in each and every of the 30 or so bars that lined the street. Before we got too far, a call from an Irish Italian buddy took us to taste one of his dad's many restaurants in town. The food was great, the views even better. We ignored the fact that it was a sophisticated restaurant about town and proceeded to, after dinner, do digestives at the table. Lots of them. We then went across to the Morrisson hotel bar (a hugely recommended place), cracked open our usual champagne and started drowning the night away.

Unfortunately, thats about all i remember of dublin. I get intermittent flashbacks of chating to numerous people over the phone, hopping into several different clubs (aka, Lillies, Cafe en Seine, Pravda, Reynards etc) and then waking up in the middle of Trinity College on Sunday morning.........

All in all, a good weekend. Made infinitely better by the company of several good friends who managed the trip. I havent laughed like that for a long time!! and thanks for all of you who rang, msged and emailed! deeply deeply appreciated it!

DK

DK J'adore Paris June 2005

Just 3 hours away from my doorstep and with my buddy Wesley residing across the pond, Paris quickly became a top weekend destination. Ive been numerous times before: strolled the shopping streets of Champs Elysees, rode on the "bateaux- mouches" on the Seine soaking up the romantic vibes of the Rive gauche, climbed up the Eiffel Tower, visited the Louvre more than any other museums in this world and did every other tourist-worthy attraction you can care to mention....

Before i hopped onto the Eurostar, a quick phone call to Wes went as follows: Hey, we need to find a good excuse to drink day and night! Ok, came the reply, ill take care of it..... A few hours later, we found ourselves in a little gritty wine "tasting" cavern getting smashed. It was barely 11am...

By the time we got through the various different wines that were supposed to enhance the taste of the different courses of our meal, it was mid afternoon and time to meet up with a friend who kindly agreed to show us round the magnificent stables and castle of Chantilly. Located just an hour's drive from the capital, it is surrounded by stunning landscape of canals and formal gardens, a huge contrast to the busy streets of Paris. Within the castle is housed over 1000 paintings including those of Raphael, Poussin and Ingres, as well as a large collection of 16th century Royal portraits.

As they day came to an end, we headed back to Paris and checked into the "Crazy Horse" cabaret show. The "Moulin Rouge" has always been a favourite of mine and remains that way but Crazy Horse definitely has its moments and worth a visit.


Sunday provided some much needed rest and leisure lounging. After a cosy buffet we headed into a children's park, fighting with them to stand in front of the funny mirrors and go-karting lines... va va vrooooom!

DK in Morocco: Casablanca & Marrakesh May 2005

DK's Casablanca May 2005

When you mention Casablanca, one conjures up images of Humphrey Bogart's version of the city: lost love, honour and duty, self sacrifice and romance within a chaotic world. The reality is that despite it being the largest city in Morocco with luxury hotels and an undeniable reputation, there is nothing that would attract me back there.

The Grand Hyatt Regency is centrally located on Place des Nations Unies and offers a beautiful view of the city and old medina. It has everything one expects from one of the top luxury hotels of the city as well as a tribute piano bar uniquely decorated to bring back to life Ingrid Bergman, Humphrey Bogart and Rick's cafe.

The old medina, often passionately described as the interesting blend of old and new Morocco, is more in line with a run down low-income dirty version of a junk market with beggers running riot at the sight of foreigners and flies hovering above puddles of rancid water. I can see how westerners could fall in love with it: primitively chaotic and run down but yet functional within its constraints, there is nothing that compares with it in the developing world. For me though, having grown up in West Africa, the old medina was nothing of interest and reminded me of a market back at home, where ive stepped foot in once and never returned.

Of course, Casablanca is not all bad news. The seaside stretch offers beautiful views of the sea and beach from rooftop cafes, its perfect for a lazy afternoon staring at the numerous locals playing football on a dirty beach. Not a beach i would flop my towel open and wander around on but from afar, it still provides a nice relaxing sight.

The highlight of Casablanca comes in the form of the second largest mosque in the world behind the Mecca: the King Hassan II Mosque, An architectural marvel built on a reclaimed embankment in line with the Koran stating that "the throne of God was built on water". It cost an estimated $1 billion to build and it shows. It incorporates modern technology and yet accounts for all the details of the Koran and retains its Islamic roots. The marble floors, the electronic sliding sun roof and the heated floors blend in with a variety of Islamic art of the mosaics, sculped pillars and carved and painted ceilings. I sat in the hall and just trying to imagine 25,000 people in prayer in this beautiful monument was an overwhelming thought.

Despite the negative comments i had on Casablanca, i was glad i went. I had to see it with my own eyes and experience it myself. Its reputation and my expectations do extend far beyond the reality but perhaps that is why, sitting here now and looking back, i did truly enjoy my Casablanca experience. There is something about the atmosphere of just being there that makes it an interesting experience. Maybe the movie's influence is so great that its title alone was enough to make a city? Maybe one day, afterall, i might head back to find out.


DK Marrakesh May 2005

Riad Tchaikana is an exotically decorated 4 room house, run by Delphine and her husband, a couple from Belgium who started it up 3 years ago. It has a neat courtyard with a dining table in the middle of a little green garden. Whilst most Riads are heavily ornamented with tones of dark red, Tchaikana, modeled after peaceful tea houses, uses more pacifying tones of white and lighter neutral colours creating a quiet ambiance of calm and serenity. At its rooftop, an open white tent to the side was the perfect location to sip a cool drink and look out onto the the city of Marrakesh. At nightime, you can lie on the star gazing chairs and stare into an undisturbed starry sky. At a distance, the smoke and bright lights from the food stalls at Djemma El Fna were instantly recognisable.

Djemma El Fna, the heart of Marrakesh, is a place for locals and tourists alike. Daytime sees monkey shows, snake charmers, story tellers and various performance acts and street sellers dominate the area. As day falls and the sky darkens, locals gradually set up food stalls. One by one, the bright bulbs light up, the chefs start concocting their specialist dishes until eventually, the entire square is lined with stalls and seats brightly lit and with smoke rising into the dark skies. The people, the aroma the blinding lights and this glorious cloud of smoke makes you feel so disorientated. There was so much seemingly incredibly delicious food around that you run around stall after stall salivating over the local delicacies and wondering where to start, what to taste. By the end of the night, when dinner is served and people's hunger attended to, the stalls dismantle, the lights gradually switched off, Djemma El Fna fades into a near total darkness and Marrakesh takes its well deserved rest.
The morning prayer blasts out of the speakers and is broadcasted across the city. A long deep chant begins and the city stops momentarily for their 5 daily ritual. A short moment later, as the chants subside, it is gradually replaced by the sounds of the narrow crammed streets, with bikes cutting through, donkeys pulling their owner's merchandises on carts and hundreds of people hurrying from one place to another, no doubt towards the souks surrounding Djemma El Fnaa.

Everyone visiting the souks will be lost in this brilliantly colourful maze of zig zaging streets lined with shop after shop of local moroccan merchandise. Tapestry, ornaments, silk products, carpets, pillows, local artworks make up the majority of the sales. Light drapes extend from the top of the shops across each other giving you shade from the burning African sun. The first thing that strikes you amongst this chaos are the wonderful colours of Morocco. Every shade of red and orange you have ever seen was invading my visual senses. Bright beams of orange light seeping between the colourful drapes reflect on the dusty streets creating this colourful glow as you walk through this tunnel of colours.

Driving out of the city, you'll notice its continous landscape from the dry arid desert to lush green vegetables to even snow up on the Atlas mountains, an entertainingly interesting sight and geography. Two and a half hours' drive North of Marrakesh are Morocco's most impressive waterfalls, Les Cascades D'Ouzoud. We trekked down to the gorge below where a bunch of local kids were playing and then decided to look for a more hidden spot for an indisturbed dip. It didnt take long to get lost up the mountains and, after running into snakes, wild monkeys and all sorts of vertical cliff climbs, we finally found a quiet natural pool, perfectly located in a valley, secluded from any forms of modern constructions and technology, a nice reflection of the North African life.

DK Le Mans Moto GP May 2005

The 24 hours Le Mans track is world renowned in the world of motor racing. It was also host of the MotoGP France leg which at the time saw the legendary Valentino Rossi aka The Doctor, blitz the tracks and leave his opponents for dead towards yet another championship. Already hailed as one of the greatest riders the sport has ever seen, he defined our generation of racers. What Jordan did to basketball, Tiger Woods to golf, is what Rossi is doing to MotoGP. An absolute legend and an oppurtunity to see his God given talents in motion was simple not to be missed.

For those who love fast bikes and hot girls, the racetrack is a god-sent. The sound of the bikes as they flash in front of the home straight is excitedly deafning... and no one is complaining about the skimpily clad Alice girls on the day either.....

4 hours and a pair of deaf ears later, i was tired from the screaming and yet still excited to have witnessed a legend at work.. i strolled around the town of Le Mans afterwards and it is quickly aparent that racing dominates this otherwise mundane and unexciting town. It didnt take a second thought to hop back onto the train and back towards my beloved Paris.

Back in Paris, i per chance strolled into the "Quartier Latin", a historically scholastic area where the Sorbonne University now stands. Founded in 1253, it attracts to this day numeours students and remains a powerful center for learning. We strolled along the bustling streets full of young academics filling the busy bars and towards the calm of the "Grande Mosquee de Paris"....

"La Grande Mosquee" provided a relaxing retreat from the hussle of the streets outside and with its white marble floor and walls surrounding the courtyard, it exudes a serene calm atmosphere, perfect for some quiet reflection in this house of God. Whilst im an atheist, i take great interest in religions and their arts, architecture, history and it was interesting to consult a few followers of Islam over a couscous and tea at the nearby Moroccan restaurant and learn about their views on life and events surrounding our modern society.

DK in Malaysia: Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan March 2005

"I dont care where, just find me a nice beach, good sunshine and something interesting to do" Thats the conversation i had with my travel agent before being sent packing on an early morning flight to Kota Kinabalu in Borneo in Malaysia. I have done no research on the area, have never even heard of the place before let alone realise that there was an alleged 5 star resort along the coastal stretch of white sand beaches.


"Excuse me, do you know what the weather is like at KK?" I asked this young American girl sitting nearby oustide the flight's gate. "Never been" came the reply. I looked around and bar her, there were hardly anyone under the age of 50. In fact, never mind the age factor, there were simlpy hardly anyone boarding the flight. In a mild state of worry, i struck up an interesting conversation with the New Yorker. Turns out Borneo's rainforest is home to many important wildlife conversation programmes, notably the green sea turtles and the orangutans.

An hour's flight away from Kota Kinabalu is the city of Sandakan where one of the most successful and well known conservation programme ran its work. Founded in 1964, Sepilok Orang Utan Rehabilitation centre is a well preserved 10,000 hectares (43 sq. km) tropical lowland rainforest sanctuary where scores of the primate roam and mate freely. Borneo and Sumatra are the only places left on this planet where these animals can be found and despite all the efforts put in and being on the critically endangered list, the population is still dwindling and is estimated to become extinct within 10 years. I spent the day learning about the facts and figures of our primate cousins and the destruction of rainforests and damage we have caused over the last decade or so. It was interesting to meet these people who have devoted so much of their time and life trying to fight a seemingly losing and desperate battle. They are the true unsung heroes of modern day life.

I caught the last flight back from Sandakan and headed back to the Nexus resort. It is located on the Karambunai Peninsula, with a 6 kilometre stretch of white sandy beach and a million year old rainforest as the backdrop to the South China Sea. I spent hours watching the waves weave across the ocean, sipping pina coladas on the secluded beach. Time was no longer a dimension that mattered, this was all about getting some rest and much needed pampering, away from the cities we live in, away from the noise, the deadlines and the stress. This is the time when doing nothing is the best thing to do.

DK's Pearl of the Orient: Hong Kong July 2005

Another month, another trip. This time it was Eastward towards familiar territory, the ever changing, hyper dynamic city that is Hong Kong.

A 4pm Saturday arrival meant that i had circa 4 hours of rest before having to hit town, drink up and live it large till the weeny hours of the morning. We roamed around several bars, bumped into familiar faces, the busting drinking street of Lan Kwai Fong remains ever so crowded with ex pats and locals alike. After lots of pushing and shoving, we finally decided to head into Volar, a members-only celebrity hang out, the place to see and be seen. And thats where we stayed. All week.


Volar, not Hong Kong, has now become my favourite destination in Asia. Ive also decided it is probably the best club in the world, or at least, provided some of the best nights out i can remember. No, not even Bungalow Eight, Lotus or Suite 16 of NYC, or Chinawhite, Aura, Roof Gardens of London, or even Man Ray or Nirvana of Paris rivalled some of those nights out that week. The list goes on.

So, let me explain. Apart from having an already fun crowd to hang out with (canada C, aussie K and uncle Sammi), we also met countless people who's lives seemingly revolves around drugs, sex and rock n roll (i even got myself a JLindeberg skull T). ok, maybe not quite, but definitely around alcohol and partying like there's no tomorrow (despite noticing the early sunlight seeping through at 5am) 24/7 party people, which, in my books, is how life should be. Put Einstein into that crowd and lifestyle, and he'll turn into Hugh Hefner. Put me there, and its like Casanova on Viagra in the playboy grotto.... hmmmm. I just cannot argue with open bars, feeling like an ugly midget amongst 6ft tall models from Russia, Brazil and Czechoslovakia and frolicking with ex miss HKs and local celebs. repeat 7 days a week and we have a winning formula towards the ultimate corruption of one's body and soul.


I would love to write about all the other stuff i did during my stay in the city of sin (never mind pearl of the orient), but, to tell the truth, that WAS all i did. Daylight hours were limited and spent strolling around the hip district of Soho (which, coincidently, lies on the street above Volar) searching for a bite. Also found time to do some spot shopping at JLindeberg, and, best of all, our planned day trip to Macau turned into a 30 minute trip to a nearby Island called Lamma. We actually spent more time getting there and back than actually being there... That also applies to our visit to Stanley Market and Beach. Our other planned trip to shoot a round of golf at Mission Hills got as far as getting the clubs out of the store room (i didnt even do that myself......)

DK's Travel Destinations continued 6...

DK in Zurich March 2005

DK in Hong Kong March 2005

There's always something going on in Hong Kong. Its a recurring theme of overseas parties, new bars, new restaurants, new weird trends. I cant recall doing a great deal but its always fun to go back and say hi to everyone there.

With my sis, at some Japanese restaurant.

DKNY March 2005

So much has been written about New York City that im not even gong to make an attempt at describing the moments there. Ive been many a times in the past but its one of those ever changing cities that everytime you head back, it seems different. You discover something new, you meet someone interesting, there are never two trips to NYC that are similar.

We checked into the Waldorf Astoria towers, dined at the famous New York City Crab and Seafood, The Oyster Bar at Grand Central station, Cipriani's Rainbow Room with its superb view of Manhattan from the top of the Rockefeller center, rubbed shoulders with the likes of Rachel Weiss at the Mercer hotel's brunch. You get the idea. It was a weekend of pure indulgence and excess. "Live to eat and not eat to live" as the saying goes.

We did more shopping than a dozen high maintenance women put together, more drinking than Alcoholics Anonymous and more partying that we thought physically possible. Oh, we also did more sightseeing than your average Japanese tourist...

Of note, we stumbled into the Coyote Bar.. for those who have seen the movie.. the real thing is infinitely better.. or at least.. more fun. Dont you think, Al?

DK Valentine Prague February 2005

Prague is one of those dream cities for us travelers. It has a notoriously fun night life which attracts hordes of men and women from all over Europe to party here, and yet by day, it is a place full of interesting places to visit, its stories alone can take you days to read before scratching the surface and every other corner you turn you’ll find a building or monument of great historical significance.

We practically did and saw everything any guide book can recommend. From following Franz Kafka’s trail to visiting the major sights such as Charles Bridge, there were hardly anything left unexplored. After a few days, we dropped the guidebooks and strolled worry free along the river, admiring the sights once again, but without being buried into the written words of previous visitors. We tried the local food (although I must highly recommend the chain of delicious restaurants in Prague, an absolute must for the culinary tourist) and drank the local beer and just happily strolled around this great city.

The list of things to do and see goes on forever. Consult a guidebook which will undoubtedly provide a better and more accurate description of everything but for me, Prague’s cultural significance was overshadowed by the company of my gorgeous girlfriend with whom I was celebrating our 4th Valentine’s date as a couple. Prague may be God’s gift to Europe, but she, was my gift of life.

DK's New Years Eve in Hong Kong December 2004

DK in Rio de Janeiro October 2004

The saying goes, "Deus e Brasileiro". Well, i dont know whether thats true but what is undeniable is that he has gifted Rio de Janeiro with deep resources of natural beauty and cultural riches.

As we were driving towards our hotel and past the favelas: districts with poor sanitation, security, housing and lack of schools, and largely ignored by the government, scenes of City of God inevitably flashed through our minds. Part of what makes Rio de Janeiro that exciting, in my mind, stems from these so called slumps which generate nearly 30 million US dollars a month in drug money. Violence, unsurprisingly, is rife within these inner city areas, largely due to the fight for control between drug lords and bringing a rather undeserved reputation to the place.



As we drove past these colourful houses up the hill (incidentally, the poor live on the hills, the rich at the foot, a rather inverted phenom compared to most other cities), I couldnt help notice the number of football fields around. Every other block you'll see little kids chasing a football admist the dust and dirt . Football indeed isnt just a sport, its a way of life.Kids barely able to walk are learning to kick a ball. As they say: "no, football isnt about life and death. I assure you, its a lot more important than that"

Our hotel, Ipanema Everest Rio on Via Prudente de Morais, is right on the beach. Our swimming pool on the 23rd floor overlooks the beach by Poste 9 (where the beautiful people hang out). Definitely a good choice.

Ipanema beach may be part of Rio's landscape, but it also forms its culture. By Poste 8, the multi coloured flags representing the gays fligh high in the sky. Next one down, where we stayed on most days, is where everyone's perceptions of Brazilian girls come true. The bikinis, the people, the music is simply jaw dropping. Body beautiful like no where else on this planet, it was quite simply, incredible. If you can get away from Poste 9 and its sights and sounds, you'll get to the body builders beach. Several beach gyms with chin up bars and metal weights lie around open for public use. After a good 20 minutes staring at it, we got tired and moved on.....


Past Ipanema is the district of Leblon, full of stylish lounges, open bars, music blasting through. At nite, it forms part of the sophisticated Rio social scene. I would recommend the Devassa bar for a drink before popping into "Melt", a modern two storied bar with live bands playing.

There's just so much more to Rio that i cant possibly sit here and describe it all. Sipping caipirinhas and drinking Coco verde on Ipanema, getting trashed 8-4 by the locals at beach footy, surfing the huge waves on Arpoador, riding the Bonde tram, the last of the surviving urban roller-coaster in Rio, up to Santa Teresa, going to Samba clubs in the district of Lapa, trekking through the Tijuca rainforest and seeing the waterfall and the old church up there.

Then of course, you have the usual must sees in the Cristo Redentor atop Corcovado, going up Pao de Acucar for the spectacular views, visiting the Maracana for a local derby game (ive been converted to a hard core Flamengo fan since with tattoo and all), strolling Copacabana beach at day and nite and, probably most breathtaking of all, admiring Gods beautiful creations in these amazing brazilian girls. Deus e Carioca.

DK

DK WAIKIKI in Hawaii September 2004

The Hawaiian islands, simply put, is breathtaking. You really have to spend time to explore the wonders away from the tourists guides. The staircase to heaven, a wooden flight built on the face of a rock so high it runs into the clouds, the numerous water falls (we treked one of them through treacherous conditions that left scars all over), the history of Captain Cooks arrival and subsequent death, the famous Matsumoto's shaved ice (http://www.matsumotoshaveice.com/) up by the north shore, the baywatch lookout post, the triple crown beaches, the myths of the island...and the best part of all.. the people there. Their laid back attitude and relaxed way of life and thoughts really opened up my attitude towards the way i think and deal with problems and others. I almost feel like its given me all the answers i could possibly ask myself at this stage in life, in other words, the ALOHA spirit in full effect.

The Aloha Spirit is the coordination of the True Self's mind, heart and soul, manifested by thinking good thoughts, emoting good feelings, and sharing goodness with others. Our kup?elder), has taught us that the letters of Aloha help to remind us of its meaning:
Akahai: careful offering, kindness, modesty, gentleness, unpretentious, being anassuming, unobtrusive, tenderness
Lokahi: to obtain oneness unity, agreement, accord, unison, harmony
OluOlu: cool, refreshing, agreeable, pleasantness, amiability, contentment, happiness, graciousness, congeniality, cordiality
Ha'a ha'a: humility, humbleness, self effacing, modesty
Ahonui: great breath, patience, perseverance, endurance, long suffereing, tolerance.

These are traits of character that express the charm, warmth and sincerity of Hawaii's people. It was the working philosophy of native Hawaiians and was presented as a gift to the people of Hawaii. "Aloha" is more than a word of greeting or farewell or a salutation. "Aloha" means mutual regard and affection and extends warmth in caring with no obligation in return. "Aloha" is the essence of relationships in which each person is important to every other person for collective existence. "Aloha" means to hear what is not said, to see what cannot be seen and to know the unknowable.

So to you all, Mahalo for reading this and smile, be happy, cuz it is gonna be a beautiful tomorrow. Keep the Aloha spirit alive.

Waikiki beach


Sam and I at Germaine's Luau

Sam, Brian and I with a bunch of Brazilian girls

Shark dive

Nice sharky, nice sharky
Karen and I outside Cold Stone
Sunset Beach

Giovanni's shrimps

Morning run on sunset beach Baywatch beach
Matsumoto's shaved ice, Haleiwa

DK at Work in Tunbridge Wells August 2004

Coco LoungeMy Colleagues: Jon and Matt (upside down)Top flat with Tango, Tiny, DK and SKGermz with boobs and the Bentley coiffure:Chinese ElvisTunbridge Summer Ball with Laura

DK Brighton Beach August 2004

DK Travel Destinations continued 7...

DK Hong Kong Stopover July 2004

DK Phuket July 2004

DK's Chinese Opium Shanghai and HongZhou July 2004

I jetted out to Shanghai to meet with my grandparents this summer. Every morning, id get up at 6am, go downstairs and do some group Tai Chi with the OAPs then have a large traditional Shanghainese breakfast:sticky rice, congee, soya bean milk and some other little dishes. Over breakfast on the balcony, my grandad would start telling me stories about his past war experiences.

From Shanghai, we travelled down to a region called HongZhou, about 2 hours drive away. Its a scenic region with a lot of ancient relics and monuments with a large lake(the West Lake). We stayed at one of the goverment guest houses where chairman Mao had also once stayed.The weather was hot and the sky was bright, it was good to explore the deeper parts of my grandad's hometown as well as visit one of ancient Chinas greatest general's tomb (Ngok Fei). Another region nearby Shanghai is called ShouZhou, dubbed the Eastern Venice. I visited that place several years back and theres a saying in Chinese that: you have the heavens in the sky and Shou-Hong (ShouZhou and HongZhou) here on Earth. Hopefully that gives you some idea of the scenic beauty of theregions, Heaven on Earth indeed.

Back to the city of Shanghai, i was amazed at its development,skyscrapers, restos, starbucks, gucci stores etc you name it, they got it. There were good night spots around town too. Nightlife was buzzingand you could hear them blasting some Santana in one and some JT in another (as well as some common pop songs with replaced Chinese lyrics, almost as bad as the titanic theme song in chinese)

DK Venetian Magic June 2004

DK in Trieste June 2004

Trieste is a city in Northeastern Italy, capital of Friulu- Venezia Giulia region and Trieste province. The sights in Trieste include Miramare, a romantic castle built in the 19th century for Austrian Archduke Maximilian and his wife.
Through a long period of time, Trieste was seen as being peripheral to the centers of Italian commerce and culture, and lost influence—however lately it has been gaining influence as Italy's window to the east.

DK in Corfu June 2004

DK in Croatia: Dubrovnik June 2004

DK in Croatia: Rovinj June 2004

DK Postojna Cave and the secrets of the Underworld in Slovenia June 2004

DK Travel Destinations Continued 8...

DK WAIKIKI's Hawaii August 2003

DK on the Big Island

DK Baltimore and New York shootings July 2003

Fodor guide's Overview of Baltimore:
Baltimore is a city of neighborhoods. From the cobblestone streets of historic Fells Point and Federal Hill, up the wide avenues of elegant Mount Vernon, and across the countless modest blue-collar enclaves, the city wears many different faces. On the east and west sides, seamless blocks of the city's trademark redbrick row houses, each fronted by white marble steps, radiate outward from the modern towers of downtown Baltimore. Uptown, marble mansions, grand churches, and philanthropic institutions proudly bearing their founders' names mark the city's progress: fortunes earned on the harbor flowed north to create these monuments to wealth and power.

DK's Overview of Baltimore:
Johns Hopkins Hospital and Medical school is located at the heart of Baltimore. I was completing my subinternship at one of the greatest medical institutions in the world under one of the greatest neurosurgeons of our time, Dr Benjamin Carson. I cannot say i enjoyed the city much in the little spare time i had. Stray bullets and gun crimes in a deprived neighborhood was the theme of the city. If it weren't for the amazing crowd i travelled with, i might have gone insane with the 18 hour working days and very limited entertainment. Still as they say, what doesnt kill you can only make you stronger.

The Port:
Lucy and I at the Baja Beach Club:
Dr Benjamin Carson and I at Johns Hopkins
Baltimore Ravens
Weekend in New York

DK Moulin Rouge Paris February 2003

DK Mussels in Brussels February 2003

DK European cultural city of the year Lille February 2003

DK Pegasus Athens July 2002

DK Island hopping in IOS July 2002

DK Barcelona April 2002

DK's Got Game New York City February 2002

It took a while before it really sunk in that we were heading to NYC and finally a day or so before the trip, while we were packing, it finally hit home and the excitement grew by the minute. After consulting the many tourist guides, we had a pretty good idea of what we wanted to do in those four days. Natural history museum, Empire state, United Nations HQ, Statue of Liberty, to name but a few of the famous landmarks worth visiting. As well as that there was Chinatown, Little Italy, Soho and Greenwich for the shopping and dining. Ground Zero, which thousands flock to daily, was not going to be missed either.

All bags finally packed, camcorder charged, maps and guides in the bag, we only had a couple more hours to rest before having to head off to the airport at 6am. So we did what anyone with half a sane mind would and stayed up all night, with a couple of friends around, we chatted all night about nothing and everything till finally the doorbell rang and the cabby was calling impatiently in the freezing cold.

The flight worked out great, we both passed out early on from being so tired and 6 or so hours later, we were wide awake and in NYC at around midday. The hotel was impressive, right in the middle of central Manhattan, the location was perfect and central, and the décor classy and comfortable. We quickly ventured out onto 5th avenue for some shopping then into central park, towards the Natural history museum. After a cultural tour of some weird and wonderful creatures that once roamed the Earth, we headed down to a time-out guide recommended sports bar for some much needed refueling.

The second day started early and this time we headed South towards the Statue of Liberty and after a quick salute to the great French dame from the Staten Island ferry we went into the financial district and towards Ground Zero, where the twin towers once stood. The silence was frightening and the atmosphere cold, the dusty streets were filled with people remembering the day Freedom was attacked and despite all this, there was a great feeling of hope and unity that filled the area.

Walking back towards central Manhattan, we went by Chinatown, fresh from its new year celebrations and buzzing with life, it extends over blocks and blocks dwarfing the nearby little Italy. The latter was quieter with dozens of people gathering outside each little cafe dotted around the streets, soaking some of that early spring sunshine and sipping on their lattes. We then ventured into Soho and Greenwich, famous for their shopping and Saturday afternoons always draws the biggest crowds. The hip, the trendy, what’s in what’s out, high street fashion at its best, everything was there waiting to be shopped. And shop we did. All the way back up 5th Avenue, to the point where a stop back at the hotel was more of a necessity than an option. Our stress-reducing retail therapy

carried on the whole afternoon and our final stop was the NBA store on 5th avenue where we were more than happy to be given a $200 voucher to spend. Drained and overloaded once again, we would settle for 200 bucks worth of those tiny basketball shaped choco candies with silver foil wrappings as a souvenir for two of our closer friends back in London who have a seemingly bottomless appetite for all things edible. However the shop assistant laughed it off with a “no one can eat that much” smile…. So we rummaged the shop and finally settled on a lot of clothes, caps and basketball accessories. By the time we walked out of the NBA store, there were enough bags to make a dozen high-maintenance women proud…. Another pit stop later, we were out and about, wandering into Times Square and checking out the night life that makes New York, New York.

Sunday was game day. Knicks were taking on Pick n Roll and the rest of the Utah squad at Madison Square Garden. The atmosphere was great and Chris Rock, a couple of rows ahead of us on the floor, put on his permanent grin and strolled in just before tip off. The game boiled down to the wire with Utah finally claiming the win despite being behind until the final minutes of the game. It was exciting but Brit boy Amaechi’s contribution only came as the occasional cheer from the bench. Madison Square was truly an amazing experience. The Knicks crowd lived up to their reputation as the most passionate fans of the L and the banners hanging above us was a constant reminder of the achievements and history of the club.

Monday morning and the final day of the trip. After a quick breakfast at the roof top café of the hotel, we made our way towards the nearby United Nations center. On arrival there were small crowds gathered round the locked gates of the building which was closed for Presidents day. Undeterred, we made our way towards the Empire State building and up onto the roof for a birds eye view of NYC.

After days of wandering around, countless hot dogs and lots of mischief, it was time to say goodbye to New York. It was a wonderful experience and all our thanks to nba.com/uk for giving us this opportunity to visit the city and a big shout out to the Kings College London basketball crew for holding it against the top teams of the country day in day out.

http://www.nba.com/uk/competition_winner.html

DK Travel Destinations Continued 9...

DK City of Angels Los Angeles August 2001

DK in Shinjuku Toyko August 2001

DK Shanghai and ShouZhou August 2001

DK in Sin City Las Vegas August 2001

DK Fishing trip in Vancouver July 2001

DK in Crete July 2001

DK in Osaka/ Sendai August 2000

DK Chinese Empire Beijing July 2000

Temple of Heaven

DK in Nigeria May 2000

DK Travel Destinations Continued 10...

DK Millenium Party New York City December 1999

DK Christmas Ski Trip Ottawa December 1999

DK World Youth Championship Kano Nigeria April 1999

DK's Travel Destinations continued 11...

DK World Destinations

Australia: Sydney, Blue Mountains, Jenolan Caves, Hunter Valley, Melbourne
Austria: Vienna
Belgium: Brussels
Brazil: Rio de Janeiro
Canada : Montreal, Toronto, Ottawa, Halifax, Niagara Falls
China: Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Shenzhen, HangZhou, ShouZhou, Maca, Zhouzhuang
Croatia: Dubrovnik, Split, Rovinj
Czech Republic: Prague
Fiji: Viti Levu, Denarau
France: Lille, Paris, Le Mans, Rennes, Toulouse
Germany: Berlin
Ghana: Accra
Greece: Athens, Iraklion, Thessalonika
Hungary: Budapest
Ireland: Dublin
Italy: Florence, Rome, Pisa, Trieste, Venice, Milan, Como, Verona
Japan : Toyko, Osaka, Sendai
Malaysia : Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan
Mauritius: Port Louis, Flic-En-Flac, Tamarin
Morocco : Casablanca, Marrakesh
Netherlands: Amsterdam, Rotterdam
Nigeria: Lagos, Kano, Jos, Abuja, Kaduna, Zaria, Katsina, Sokoto
Peru: Lima, Cusco, Inca Trail
Slovenia: Postojna, Lipica
Spain: Barcelona, Valencia
Sweden: Stockholm
Switzerland: Geneva, Zurich, Lausanne
Thailand: Bangkok, Phuket
United Kingdom: London, Birmingham, Brighton, Oxford, Winchester, Southampton, Silverstone
United States of America: Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Buffalo, Honolulu, Houston, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York