Sanya China

Well Sanya is advertised as China's Hawaii and I guess I can see why - in some ways. There are more than 100 five star hotels and 11 golf courses. The MGM Grand Hotel (where I am staying) and adjacent Sheraton Hotel are jointly used for the bridge. They are both extremely large hotels with marble used for everything, extensive tropical grounds, flowing pools and lovely beaches - pity I never used any of them.

However Sanya is exceptionally expensive, even by Sydney standards. A small foie gras, prawn (4) caesar salad and perrier $A90 - that was a oncer. It is possible to walk 1km and get a Chinese meal for $A30 but all in all very expensive. 

Shopping - not possible. Lacoste polos which cost anywhere between $A80 and $A100 anywhere in the world - $A160 here.

Other tidbits:

• nobody speaks a word of English 
• restaurants have signs and menus in Russian and Chinese - no English
• all tourist signs in Russian
• taxis cheap half hour $A15 and the main city of Sanya is 30 minutes away by cab

Been doing bits and pieces at the bridge some articles some online commentating and some photography. Pity there is no Vugraph theatre where I can use my skills but nobody too upset.

There has been a President's dinner, a staff dinner and a press outing to nearby mountain rain forest.

Not much else to report so here are come pics. Back Monday see all soon.

The Open Teams won by the Polish Team

Women's by Kate McCallum's Baker Team

Seniors by USA Milner Team

Mixed Teams Zia Mahmoud's team with Welland Auken

Best to all

Finishing Paris and Early China

Monday was my most tiring day so far. Got going around 10:00 and headed towards L'Orangerie located in the Tuilieries Gardens. I had not known anything of what proved to be a most enjoyable experience.

Note to self a 7 day Metro pass runs from Monday to Sunday so if you buy on Wednesday it still runs out on Sunday. Oh well day passes €6.20 for the next two days I guess.  

The main part of the gallery comprises just two extremely large oval shaped rooms each wall of which contained extremely large Monet canvases. 

As the plan shows there is a gallery below known as the Guillaume Collection with Renoir, Picasso, Matisse, Soutine and more.

There was a temporary exhibition of an artist Emile Bernhard whom I had never heard of (not hard) but which I really enjoyed at points in his works very similar to Gaugin. Later in his life he returned to traditional religious style and themes.

I wanted to buy a book about him but nothing in English.

I walked along Rue St Honore which again convinced me that although I think I am well off by world standards I am a pauper compared to others who can afford $A2,000 for a manbag or $A2,000 for a backpack.

I head to the more affordable district of Gallery Lafayette and Printemps. I had been looking for a particular cookware with removable handles (saves a lot of cupboard space) for three years and stumbled upon it in Lafayette and at 30% discount noch which covers the cost of shipping it back to Australia. 

Some more shopping for gifts and bits and pieces before heading back to the apartment around 18:00 - exhausted. I settle in for a relaxing night eating much of the food left over from my supermarket shopping. 

One more day to go and I've had a great time in Paris being able to enjoy it in a relaxed way without the pressure of having to do a lot in a short period of time. It's great.    

Well Tuesday and my last day in Paris. The temperature when I leave the apartment at 10:00 is around 9 degrees and there is a bitter cold wind accompanied by sprinkles of rain.  I head to Opera with a final shopping in mind and walk around the department stores and nearby boutiques. Am tempted by a few things but o have a new policy of asking myself whether I have a need or passionate desire before I buy things. On this basis alone I have resisted numerous purchases this trip. However I finally succumb to just one electronic item which I can say I had absolutely no need for but really wanted it - oh well. An old technology burglary at my place would be greatly appreciated.

I grab the metro to Temple and walk around Le Marais for A few hours. Unfortunately I am tempted by a Buffet Asiatique which I didn't realise you then heated in the microwave but as my legs had been on the go for five hours I just accepted it and hey it wasn't THAT bad - well considering I am in Paris it was disgusting. I have a dinner date with Regis to catch up on his job search and love life but it isn't until 19:00 so I spend another two hours doing more window shopping and coffees including one amazingly good one.

Now Regis, someone who has lived in Paris for a long time, asks me to choose the restaurant so I go on Trip Advisor And find the 50th of 12,000+ restaurants in Paris, a Japanese Restaurant Magokoro in the 9th. I walk the 1.5kms there to complete what I am sure has been more than 10kms for the day only to find that the restaurant is at the bottom Rue Des Martyrs, a street where mum's cousin lived for many years, where I had stayed twice with her in the late 70s and early 80s - brought back a lot of memories.

The restaurant was small and I got somewhat pissed when told that a number of items on the small menu were not available.  However what was available was amazingly good. Imagine dourade (bream) with kiwi fruit - so good, raw salmon bruschetta and other delights. A farewell to a somewhat unhappy Regis and metro back to the apartment. Note to self never ever get on or off a metro at St Lazarre it is a labyrinth of a station poorly signposted and extreme walks to find the right line.

Macaron Cake

 

Get home around 22:00 and start the washing cleaning ironing cycle to get ready for my "check-out" tomorrow morning. Vacuuming, mopping wiping - the apartment was super spotless when I arrived so had to try to leave it in same condition.

Up at 05:00 shower dress, wash linen and out of there. Shuttle supposed to arrive 07:30 phone to say late 07:40 OK no problem except they had to wake another driver who arrived at 08:15 hitting traffic that I had tried to avoid by leaving early. Get to airport at 09:45 after shocking traffic whole way. VAT refund check in and brief lounge visit. Board the plan A380 to take my seat in business class which I can only describe as the most amazing plane environment I've ever seen.  It's indescribably spacious and well appointed, Minibar at each seat, huge TV screen, bar and lounge at the back, separate screen for seat control massage - yes massage control, lighting etc..  Fresh orange juice gets FRESHLY SQUEEZED orange juice. What a step above he rest this is - it makes my recent El Al business class look abysmally bad.  With the festival of Eid there's even free wifi on board.   

I do have but one complaint nay two, that the only have 50ml Bulgari EDT in the bathrooms and they don't leave the lids there. Anyway two should last me a while.

Arrive Dubai without a boarding pass for the Cathay Dubai to Hong Kong leg. Why so? Because Emirates and Cathay are on different systems therefore not able to issue in Paris. A very lengthy walk two security checkpoints and some difficulty in finding where to obtain it and I finally get my boarding pass and a lounge entry to the BA lounge.which if ordinary. Flight to Hong Kong and the three hours keep and five hours on this flight sees me in good shape when I arrive in Hong Kong.

First order of business I get a data card for Hong Kong and China and am all set arriving at the Novotel airport hotel. I planned to get the train for the 35 minute ride to Kowloon on Wan Chai until I realise that the hotel is part of an amazing shopping centre which has one of the best selection of shops imaginable all of which have 30-80% discounts. Fortunately and holding to my new ethos I resist buying anything except some outfits for grandkids.

I booked the executive floor and was therefor able to enjoy a free dinner in the lounge before a broken nights sleep. Up early next morning for my included breakfast and off to the airport for what was supposed to be my 11:15 read 12:00 90 minute flight To Sanya. There are around 20+ bridge players on the flight including Ish Del'Monte who is carrying my suit from Sydney which works well.

Sanya is regarded as the Hawaii of China boasting 100 five star hotels and 11 golf courses and is a holiday resort mainly frequented by Chinese and Russians.

I arrive again parking on the tarmac rather than air bridge something which always pisses me off - until of course I realise that this is a pissy little airport with no air bridges at all.

Quickly through immigration and luggage to be taken for the thirty minute drive to the MGM Grand Hotel. The hotel is beautiful with gardens, pools, ponds, water features, massive lobby, restaurants and everything one would expect from a five star resort hotel.

Check-in which is a lengthy process as the receptionists all speak very limited English and before I know it time to don my suit and and attend the Opening Ceremony at the adjoining Sheraton Hotel. All pretty much as one would expect from a Chinese function. Lots of speeches mercifully translated on the big screens around the venue. Lots of mutual admiration as well as a few traditional Chinese performances - think Asian folklorico. Lots of presentations of tokens of friendship all followed by food and drink.

While having one of those (soft) drinks Stephen Burgess asks if I would like to join a mixed team for the next 2+ days playing with his wife Wendi, Nevena Djuravic and two Americans now resident in France. 

Now would be a good time to say that, not long after arriving I discovered that there would be no Vugraph theatre at the venue as no space was available to run a public viewing theatre. This now meant that I was cast into a pool of bridge journalists having to write for the tournament all of whom are much better than at it than I am. Oh well struggle on.

So not having work or should I say "work" duties I agree to play in what would be a minimum of two days and more if we do well.

Saturday morning and all charged to play good bridge. Breakfast would fall into the category of the five best buffet breakfasts I have experienced. Everything from Western, Chinese, Japanese and a lot more. Closer to a lunch buffet actually.

I play 5 of the 8 matches on each day and, together with my partner we play reasonably well but the team struggles as the Americans are probably below the standard of the other four in the team. They keep arriving at the score-up saying "sorry" one of my pet hate - just score up and I'll decide how sorry you should be!!!

In between bridge I enjoy a thirty minute massage in an OSIM massage chair who are one of the sponsors of the tournament. I don't feel guilt as I own of the chairs so feel I am entitled to try the latest models.

Anyway we finish well down the track after two days of play and that ends my playing in this tournament.

If I have a complaint about the hotel it is that no restaurant other than a sandwich bar allows one to have a meal under $50. In fact everything in Sanya is expensive - more below. That said the bridge venue provides heaps of options such as dumplings, noodle soups, burgers, hotdogs, cappuccinos, soft drinks, cakes, sandwiches and more all for $A6 a serve which works well.

Sunday night and not playing I head for the newly completed luxury duty free shopping centre, a thirty minute cab ride from the hotel. While amazing as a structure and the variety of top end retailers (Cartier, Gucci, Chanel, Lacoste and many many more) it is amazingly expensive. My index for price comparison is that a Lacoste Polo costs between $80 and $100 ANYWHERE in the world - except Sanya where it is $A160 and they generously give you 10% off for duty free making it just 45% above Sydney full retail. I was forced to have two pieces of KFC when I found every Asian food outlet had menus in Chinese only and I wasn't feeling too adventurous. 

I then go to a shopping area near to the hotel only to find that I should have eaten there as all the menus were in Russian and English as well as Chinese. On a whim I decide to have a massage as my body feels really stiff and sore. Well after the massage it felt OK but I noticed how well I felt the next morning so well worth the $A55. Interestingly the masseur only knew one word in English - he finished the massage and stood at the door with his hand out and said "tip" haha - gave him $A5 10% seemed fair.

Monday I did an article interviewing the Chief Tournament Organiser Maurizio di Sacco which I hope to get published. As I write this I have submitted three articles and none have made the Bulletin - oh well have to lift my game I guess.

I also do an article based on following Pepsi, a (Polish player Jacek Pzszcola - cola get it?) and his Dutch partner Mieke Wortel another article which didn't make the grade. 

Dinner time and I take a short cab ride to the nearby food precinct where I run into my English friend Simon Gilles and his entourage who are half way through dinner and realising that he has massively over-ordered invites me to join them in an effort to make a dent in which is a massive amount of food. He generously does allow me to contribute and as this like the third time he has bought me a meal the next one will have to be on me.

Being adventurous I decide to walk back to the hotel and something I have rarely done I headed exactly 180 degrees the wrong way not realising that the cab that brought me here had done a U-turn outside the centre before dropping me off. So what was a 2km walk now became a 4km cab ride which started with the driver showing me 20 on his phone, me insisting on his turning on the meter - and yes I was prepared to get out despite waiting 10 minutes to get the cab - and I paid the 9RMB ($A1.80) fare even rounded up despite the attempted ripoff.

Apparently I will be seconded to do keyboard commentary for OurGames which are broadcasting the finals online starting tomorrow. I have decided that unless I do something meaningful here during the balance of the tournament I will donate my per diem back to the WBF Youth Bridge Fund as I would feel quite guilty coming here without a job.

Well a long missive for which I apologise. Maybe with the bridge not too much before I return to Sydney but at least one I am sure. 

Hope all good wherever people are

XD

Shmoosing Around Paris

It feels kind of surreal to think it was only five days ago that I left Sydney - so much has happened, Israel, Dead Sea, Barmitzvah, Paris.

Next morning (Thursday) I wake up and it takes me around three hours to get going. By the end of today i will have done maybe 20 metro sectors and between my knowledge of Paris and a great free app haven't had to catch any cans other than the initial one to the apartment. 

I head back to Opera - reminds me I will never ever go to Lazzare station apart from the impossibly poor signposting and long distances it is almost impossible to find your platform. And when I asked L'Opera in a quizzical way the attendant started to teach me manners by saying Bonjour pointedly - the day I take lessons in manners from a French, Parisien railway attendant is the day I will be six foot under - Puhlease!!!

Its a good time to be in Paris as all the stores have 30% to 50% off sales - only problem is I truly don't need anything and mercifully I understand that so didn't buy anything at all despite four hours of looking. I get back to the apartment around 18:00 and get a message from Regis "Manger?" as we had tentatively agreed to have dinner. As he had two job interviews with Total for a job in the Congo I was keen to find out how it went.

I head back to Concorde to a restaurant Linda and I had been to twenty years ago (sigh) called Le Souffle near the Louvre. Pictures would have been boring as I had Goats Cheese Souffle with walnuts and honey, Chicken and Mushroom Souffle for main and Nutella and Banana Souffle for dessert. Fortunately Regis helped me out as it was VERY filling - rate it highly if you are visiting Paris.

Oh, while waiting for Regis as I was 30 minutes early, I popped into a bar and ordered a Citron Presse - half a glass of lemon juice and a small bottle or Perrier (plus sugar whichI don't add). Ok guess how much. I went to pay and pulled out a 5 Euro note thinking it would be just above or just below that - WTF 20 euros ($A28). Generally I find Paris and Europe quite reasonable when compared to Sydney especially as tips are all included in the price but this one absolutely floored me - then again how can I say "excuse me how much is your citron presse?"

Got home around 01:00 and took another hour to get to sleep. Next morning some FaceTime with grandkids and RG
before a late start for the city. Linda lucky FaceTiming as I thought for some unknown reason that Kol Nidre was Sunday night - no its tonight. So yesterday I phoned the Shul recommended  by Ervin Otvosi to see if I could get a seat - "yes of course monsieur it will cost either 420 or 300 euros or 120 for the cheap seats. Hmm solitude in my apartment and three Michelin Meals or a hard seat in Shul to cleanse my soul - you decide? I did also email three Chabbads none of whom got back to me.

Again this morning the weather looks great. Plan to just keep relaxing walking the streets maybe in my neighbourhood to see what's around. I am staying in the 16th (to the left) which is lovely and only 20 minutes by metro to the Centre Ville.

Planning to lay low for Yom Kippur and make Sunday museum and gallery day with Louvre, D'Orsay which I haven't been to for many years and the Picasso Museum which was probably the worst laid out gallery of all time but which has recently undergone renovation.

Walked around the 16th and found that there is quite lively action a few streets away shops, boutiques, supermarkets etc.. 

I get home and set my fasting time from 17:30 till 18:32 rather than 19:08 till 20:10 which frees up some time on Saturday night to go out to dinner. 

Fast goes well luckily I have Netflix up and running on the TV here so watch and sleep my way through the fast. I have a quick nibble and head out to have dinner at Petite Pontoise, a restaurant I have been to a few times in Paris but not since 2008 I think.

A funny story - the first time I went there maybe 10 years ago i asked for butter with my bread and the waiter refused to give it to me until I explained that I was the customer and that he should really do as I ask in this regard. Well lo and behold I ask for du beurre (butter) with my bread this time to be told "ah Mr Australia you are back how are you". Yep same waiter.

This is all the funnier - two weeks before I left I went to La Pelican in Bourke Street Sydney and again I asked for butter with my bread whereupon the waiter said "Ah Mr Stern how are you". He had worked at La Brasserie and obviously my asking for "du beurre" twigged his memory. Pretty fun pair of circumstances. 

A nice meal but probably not as good as it used to be - Foi Gras with Figs, Grilled Prawns and TiraMisu. 

Home for a good night's sleep and the next morning - what the hell - its been mid twenties the whole time I have been here and now and for the rest of my trip it will be mid teens - freezing - glad I posted my cardigan home thinking I wouldnt need it.

Today is Museum day and good fortune smiles on me as I discover that the first Sunday or the month in non-summer months the Museums are all free. Bad news is that there are massive queues at all of them. Good news is that I manage to avoid the queues but can't say how.

The D'Orsay is still one of my favourite Museums in the world. The physical building and the collection of Impressionist art is amazing.

Interestingly they don't allow photography in the D;Orsay but they do at the Louvre. I bought a book about the art at D'Orsay and plan to read it on the plane. 

I also stop in at the Museum of Legion D'Honour whic tells the different medals and awards made by the French and its colonies over the years - very interesting actually. 

The Louvre, another lengthy queue, is somewhat overpowering for me. It's huge and it's labyrinth layout makes it quite hard to navigate despite the detailed map they provide. 

The French do the pastries and cakes sooooo well. No I didnt have them all just the second one mango and banana, 

After five hours I was Museum'ed out despite wanting to do the Picasso Museum which was one of the worst laid out museums I have ever been to but which has been fully remodeled and L'Orangerie which i have never been to. 

Will try and fit in Pompidou Centre if I have time but have to do washing and cleaning of the apartment and having seen a toothbrush in the kitchen cleaning utensils container I am nervous of my capabilities.

Quiet dinner at the apartment as I reflect on how much I am enjoying an unrushed time absorbing Paris. No need to rush around just do a little each day.

Anyway two more days and off to Hong Kong but staying at airport hotel for one night before heading to Sanya. Not sure if I will get the metro into Kowloon or not given what's happening there.

Best to all
à bientôt
XD

Barmitzvah and Start Paris

Sunday night was a dinner where all the participants, family and guests mingled before the big day. The buffet dinner was excellent with a lot of Jewish and Mediterranean fare to be had. Lots of good friends and family from Sydney as well as Rachel's sisters and parents from London As well as some locals.

Next morning up in time for the 07:00 bus to Mount Masada and the cable car to the top to follow those brave souls who took the 05:00 bus and walked to the top which I have done before when younger and fitter.

Reached the top around 08:00 in warm temperatures with a hot sun beating down. Mercifully the ceremony was held in the old synagogue which, although open air had walls and stone seating which relieved they heat and strain on the legs. The area was large enough to accommodate the 60+ oldies and youngies who came to Israel to join in celebrating the occasion.

The ceremony was amazing with Asher performing his part amazingly well and assisted by a young and enthusiastic rabbi who ensured we sang celebratory songs at every opportunity. The intermingling of the men and women was unusual and made for greater enjoyment for many.  

After the religious part of  Barmitzvah finished around 10:00 the bus took everybody back to the hotel where most everybody swam in the pool and The Dead Sea until we had to check out. I on the other hand took the opportunity for a relax in the room until around 14:30 when I took Justin and two others to the nearby shops which sold Dead Sea minerals and MUDs for a fraction of the regular prices back home.

As I had to drop the others back to the hotel to catch the bus, Justin and I went back to the shop for a more relaxed shop before driving to the Bedouin camp where we Would celebrate the big occasion. The camp consisted of some rustic but totally adequate motel style rooms.

Greeting us in two very large tent style function areas were masses of nuts, dried fruits, Turkish delight, dried peas and much much more. After the meet and greet everybody was invited on a camel ride or for the younger ones a donkey ride. Justin and I fell asleep on our beds for an hour and we struggled a bit To get to the function areas for what would be an amazing evening..

It started with a meal of Mediterranean dips, salads, lamb and chicken - really lovely Middle Eastern fare during which there were some entertaining speeches by Asher and his friends. Around 20:39 we moved to the adjacent area where Mark played a lovely movie of snapshots of Asher's life and dedications from family and friends. The movie was very touching and captured a lot of Asher, his personality and character.

Mark and Rachel gave a lovely speech about Asher as well as Maya and Tali. Then the two musicians started a drum circle which saw everybody, old and young playing drums and learning beats to accompany the musicians. Great fun!

To finish the evening the DJ had all the kids and many of the adults dancing till around 23:00. It was a long day for many who had woken at 04:30 or 06:30 but everybody was having so much fun and enjoying themselves so much it just didn't matter.

Mark and Rachel kept thanking us for coming to Israel for the Barmitzvah but had we not come I think we would have missed out on something very very special. It also took me back 21 years to Justin's Barmitzvah at the Western Wall and stirred a lot of emotions in me about previous times in my life.

Tuesday morning and everybody had breakfast with an organised activity of archaeology which Justin and I respectfully opted out of in favour of a visit to Jaffa and Tel Aviv. After a two hour drive we arrived at Jaffa and walked around the galleries of the old city and had a snack before going to a shopping centre for some gift purchasing.

Off to the airport, return the car and checking in - my flight 17:15 and Justin's 22:00 so he camped in the lounge while I flew up up and away to Paris. 

A relaxing flight which saw me sleep a little bit. A one hour bus ride to L'Opera and a taxi to the apartment saw me capture the key without any problem. Mal warned me that the lift was tiny but it was either breath in deeply or two trips to get my body and luggage to the sixth floor. The apartment proves to be stunning especially by Parisian standards - 1.5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and lovely kitchen dining rooms and kitchen with the narrow but lengthy balcony - most importantly a washer and dryer. The landlord visits with a friend the next morning and I find out that it is 85 sq metres and that she (Italian) purchased it for around 850,000 euros and spent another 200,000 Euros doing it up. 

I get to sleep around 02:00 after emails and other deferred matters are completed. Managed to sleep till 08:00 get ready and show the landlord in around 11:00 before catching the Metro with my newly purchased 7 day Navigo Pass (E20.50) getting off near Opera. The weather for my first day was 28 degrees amazing for this time of the year. More of same forecast ahead.

Just as I started wandering around my friend Regis messaged me to say that he was now free for lunch so I headed to Ecole Militaire and a cafe I had been to previously and loved Cafe Constant. Catching up together with a lovely meal was great except for.....my confusing pois (peas) with poivron (pumpkin) and yes I did eat the pumpkin soup along with salmon tartar with oyster, lobster ravioli and Ile de Flotant (think meringue with custard). 

I spend the rest of the day walking from Etoile Militaire to Louvre and then catching the metro to Opera and finally home with some groceries for breakfasts and lazy meals - of which dinner was one after that lunch.

No major plans for the next few days but some nice relaxing exploration of this great city.

Bye for now - more soon
XD