[drron]

Well time to take off again.Ready for our grandaughters first christmas and her christening.Also along for this trip is my former partner and family .His 4 children look upon us as grandparents so we have had a lot of practice.To pay for this trip meant some extra work hence a week in the Isa.
If you are going through the Isa then a great restaurant is Doms on Camooweal street.A great Italian restaurant.However the locals have realised this now so that bookings are essential any night but you can get anything takeaway.The calamari and garlic prawns along with any of their pastas are very good.another reasonable restaurant is at the Red Earth boutique hotel but a bit more expensive.With the clubs my pick is the Buffs club on the highway.Barramundi is great here and if in town on fridays you cant go past the all you can eat t-bone for $12.
Unfortunately on Sunday 2/12 the mercury reached 43C.Monday flew out to brisbane.The service on QF up and back was very good.This is also the first time I have flown QF since becoming a candy seat and a great surprise to now get my seating preference which hasnt happened before even when i was still with QFF.
Tuesday just after 5am it is off to BNE for the flight with JAL to NRT and on to JFK.At checkin we couldnt get BPs for the second leg.Then at security the vegemite was confiscated-the same size that went through on our carryons in September and cleared BNE,LAX,DEN,ATL.Oh well.Get to QF lounge and mrsdrron breaks her glasses,blind before the first champers!Then flight is delayed due to baggage handling problems.Another announcment that they are using the delay to let QF engineers fix the IFE-grimace!90 minutes late we tahe off and our connection time at NRT is looking a little tight.Fortunateley we make up 30 minutes and are told the JFK flight is looking like being 20 minutes late.So make the flight easily but only get 20 minutes in the new JL Sakura lounge-a great improvement on the old one but when we come back it will be first class for us.
The JL flight to JFK is disappointing as it is obviously an older plane with the original Magic 1 IFE.Food is very good and well presented.Goes down well with a very nice french red.No worries with the IFE-since retirement I have rediscovered the ability to sleep on planes and after dinner nod off to wake 90 minutesout of JFK.On arrival it is -2C,a great change from the ISA.Next instalment more restaurants in NYC.

[drron]

Well back in the Big Apple.Stayiny in our son's in laws apartment in the Trump towers at the UN this time on 1st and 48th.For those interested in airline status his father in law is Chairmans lounge,Concierge key,Solitaire as well as top status on JMB and LH.After my good sleep on the plane it was out to dinner after unpacking.Went to Smorga's cafe on corner of 49th and 2nd.A Swedish restaurant that was quite nice and reasonably priced.The next morning it was off to see our grandaughter in Tudor city.On 47th and 2nd every wednesday is a small farmers market-picked up some veggies,milk,apple cider and apple cider donuts.For lunch though got takeout from Boi to Go on 2nd between 42nd and 43rd-great vietnamese rolls and snacks.If you are going to the UN pick up something here and stroll up to Tudor City and eat it in the park.You will recognise it from the Bourne ultimatum in the scene where he gets Landy to lure the CIA out of their offices.I saw this being filmed in April.From there walk down the stairs at the end of 43rd to the UN.Here is also a very good upmarket Italian restaurant L'Impero-bookings reccomended.
After lunch off to see our other grandkids at The Rockefeller centre.A very clear day with snow the day before so the Top of The Rock was great today.Dinner tonight at Sip Sak one of our favourite cheap eats in NYC.A turkish restaurant on 2nd close to 49th.Fantastic Octopus and the lamb is also good.For deserts the Baclava and rice pudding.
Friday,Saturday and Sunday off to the Hilton on 6th for a conference.At this time of year 5th Ave is bedlam but i found at 7.30am hardly a sole and a great time if you want photos.Tonight dinner at another of our cheap eats favourites-the Mee Noodle house on 49th and 2nd.Had takeaway from here later as well.2 can eat very well for less than $30.Pork ribs,chow fun,prawns and the beef with mushrooms highly reccomended.Unlike many Chinese restaurants this one has resisted Americanisation.
Sunday went to a late lunch with the family to a new Texas BBQ restaurant-Hill Country at 26th between Broadway and 5th.Canteen style,no waiting and very family friendly.Texas BBQ is dry,as they say add sauce if yoyu really have to.Very good game hen,ribs and steak.
Monday night to East-cheap Japanese on 44th between 2nd and 3rd.Other branches 55th west and 66th east.The skewers,sashimi,short ribs and sauteed mushrooms were all great.Also Monday learnt that my first 2 requests for upgrades on AA to Curacao have come through.On the flights back to LGA will make Explat.Will report back then.

[serfty]

Interesting narrative

Originally Posted by drron

... Stayiny in our son's in laws apartment in the Trump towers ... For those interested in airline status his father in law is Chairmans lounge,Concierge key,Solitaire as well as top status on JMB and LH. ...

Hmm ... is this a mistype? AFAIK, my S-I-L's F-I-L is Moi!

[Happy Dude]

Nice reporting here Doc. With all this eating you might end up with excess baggage charges!

[Reggie]

Originally Posted by drron

If you are going through the Isa then a great restaurant is Doms on Camooweal street.A great Italian restaurant.However the locals have realised this now so that bookings are essential any night but you can get anything takeaway.

Agreed

Originally Posted by drron

another reasonable restaurant is at the Red Earth boutique hotel but a bit more expensive.

Agreed, I particularily liked the Wagyu Steak. The accomodation is at the Red Earth is very good, best in town IMHO

Originally Posted by drron

With the clubs my pick is the Buffs club on the highway.Barramundi is great here and if in town on fridays you cant go past the all you can eat t-bone for $12.

Only in town a week and calling it the Buffs, you definitely assimilated quickley.

[drron]

Reggie I have worked there before so know the Buffs well.
NM when I was a boy the apostrophe meant the in laws of my son which is not moi but I may be wrong.
Well Tuesday the 11th it is of to Curacao.AA from LGA via MIA.My surrogate 4yr old grandson is turning out to be quite type A-insists we leave for the 11.55 flight at 8am.Manage to put that off for an hour then have one of the quickest taxi rides to LGA ever-noone overtook us.Up to the first class checkin and once again a very friendly AA agent who it turns out is planning a trip to Australia so allows all 8 of us to book in and overlooks the 52.5 lb. bag.A late breakfast at Au Bon Pain before security.Hardly anyone there with only an Orthodox Jewish couple with 2 infants.Did I think it was going to be quick.No about 10 carryons later and the shedding of several layers of clothing later they finally go through.The Africanamerican TSA agent did a very good impression of a New York Jewish accent which amused us but I dont think went down well with the couple in front.Of to the AC before boarding.Nothing special but at least away from the masses.
To the boarding gate.Now I did tell you this was a sector to MIA.14 wheelchairs lined up for preboarding so took some time.Numbers 13 and 14 though were kicking up a real fuss as the gate agents told them their Zimmers had to go in the hold as they could not stow 14 zimmers on board.Agent relented but as we boarded they were taking the Zimmers out of closet and sending them to hold.That Jewish couple-standing right behind all the wheelchairs.gate agent by now exasperated asked if they were first class-of course not.Well get out of the way NOW!
Have to go now.More of the flight later.

[serfty]

Originally Posted by drron

... when I was a boy the apostrophe meant the in laws of my son which is not moi but I may be wrong. ...

'twas moi, not NM. Quite right drron - I missed the apostrophe, hmmm time to use up this calendar year's extras cover on new reading glasses ...

[drron]

Sorry serfty-was using everyone's drink chits in the AC.So back to boarding.After the 14 wheelchairs and first class boarding a dead heading crew boarded-all with 3 large carryons which they could not get into forward closet as crew had already filled that.Then the last of the first class passengers who took an age to finally push and shove his carryon into the overhead bin.Now mine is at the legal limit and I have no problem getting into an AA 737 overhead bin,a JQ airbus on the other hand.My extended family were in the last group for boarding-their successful plat challenge didnt post until the next day.They reported that the last 50 or so boarding had any large carryons put into the hold as no overhead space left-those that complained were told the next flight to MIA was in 2 hours,no one took that option.
On boarding Mr. 4 year old of my family was greeted by "Hi cutie would you like to talk to the captain"-he readily agreed and had 5 minutes in the cockpit whilst people cleared the aisles-made his day.Service once again was great.
Left lga 40 minutes late but made up 20.Still reasonable time to get to connecting flight to Curacao.Here the problems of connecting in MIA became apparent.The crew from our flight were coming off a flight from Colombia and got caught up in Immigration so we left 30 minutes late.On this flight we met one of the celebrated AA dragons.Mr 4 would come up to visit us in first and we were berated because people moving between cabins was a "security issue."How come you are letting all these coach people use the first class loo was not the right response.Fortunately the rest of the crew were fine but I couldnt help suggesting she had a goods night sleep as we deplaned.
Next the Curacao experience.

[drron]

Arrived in Curacao on time at 8pm.Certainly no aggressive Immigration officials here.Most seemed to want to finish as soon as possible.Two baggage carousels and our bags are set to come out on carousel 1.Everybody lined up and out they come on carousel 2.Fortunately mrsdrron is the first to notice this-I am still quick over 10 metres.Bags collected and the 8 of us get into a van taxi.No meters here and $30 to the Hilton-according to most we did well though not the cheapest possible.
The Hilton Curacao has mixed reports mostly bad but fortunately the truth as usual is in between.Service is slow but as we were to find out the Hilton's service is amongst the best on this island so time to chill out.The hotel originally opened as a Hilton in 1965 but from the eightys on went through a number of operators including as a Sheraton until 2003 when hilton made a comeback.According to the GM in 2008 work will begin on a new block and when that is up and running the current block will be closed for a total refurb.It needs it especially the bathrooms.The rooms however are reasonably spacious and we are all upgraded to the Exec floor.
There is breakfast in the lounge but a continental breakfast is also free to golds and diamonds in the main restaurant which has a slightly better selection.It is meant to be $5 extra for the hot breakfast but no one polices this.Happy hour in the lounge is from 6-8pm but has never started before 6.15.Two computers in lounge for free use.Broadband available in room but $15 per day.The restaurants are not too bad and not that pricy.Kids under 5 eat free and 12 and under at half price making this a good choice for young families.
There are 2 small beaches you can use.A good large pool and a separate kids pool.Snorkelling off the beaches is great with an abundance of small fish and not too far out to live coral.There is also free tennis and a mini golf course again perfect for kids.
The Hilton is next door to the Marriott which is much newer but appears to be populated by older retired Americans or younger European couples.For those that are interested European sunbathing here is the term used for topless.
Across the road is the Floris suites which is much more upmarket and the rooms definitely much better but it is not on the beach.
Next instalment-what to do and eat in Curacao.

[drron]

Well the afternoon rain has just come in and today looks like it will be around for a while.Curacao is one of the Carribeans dry islands but this is its wet month.Has rained every day but usually for about an hour so not much problem.
The town of Willemstad is well worth seeing.Dutch architecture and multicoloured buildings lining the narrow entrance to a large protected harbour.Also the Queen Emma floating bridge which has to open for all shipping traffic which is quite frequent.Blew mr 4 year olds mind.originally constucted in 1888.Quite a few shops but not much variety and a good number of eating places.
Fortunately from the Hilton we had a view of the major cruise ship berth so picked 2 days when none in port.Hilton has a free shuttle to town but only takes 10 and only twice a day.Taxi costs $10-$20 depending on how hard you want to bargain or how honest the driver.The first night in town we ate at Kasbanini cafe on the top floor of Fort Rif.Spectacular view,see all the comings and going of the port and the friendliest wait staff we had.Service still slow but the lobster in whisky sauce was great and a very enjoyable night.
On the second visit we lunched at Le Govereur restaurant on the Otrabanda side-one of the reccomended places to eat.Food good,not badly priced but once again slow service.No such thing as a quick business lunch in Curacao.
For 2 days of our stay we hired a van and drove around the Island.In truth not much to see though there are quite a few very nice beaches on the south coast.Great diving I believe but there are dive companies at the Hilton,Marriott and floris suites.On the second day we visited the Park Tropicale.The kids thought it was great but a very poorly kept zoo-really sad especially the blind and lame panther.
From there we went to visit the ostrich farm.Again the tour for the kids was fantastic and the adults enjoyed the guides sense of humour.We made the mistake though of having lunch there.By now we were used to the very slow sevice but the ostrich meat was overcooked and dried out and everything was smothered in hot chili sauce,even the kids chicken wings.
That night we went to dinner at Fort Nassau which overlooks Willemstad-Fantastic views,food very good but expensive and once again very slow service.We arrived about 6.45pm and the kids meals arrived after 8.30pm.Fortunately Mr.4 was intrigued by the views from the fort but even he said he was getting angry because I havent got my food.
The best meal was at Sjalotte at the Floris Suites.Just the 2 of us for a change.Unfortunately the service was no faster but the food was first rate.The chef was Carribean chef of the year in 2006.Not as pricey as Fort Nassau but of course no view.Towards the end of the night a local fisherman arrived with his catch including a very large tuna.The chef sliced part of the tail flesh and everyone there was offered some of the freshest sashimi you will get.
When driving around the 2 things to do are to stop at some Landhuis-dutch plantation houses and at least one of the larger churches-the cemeteries are fascinating-all above ground.
Summary-a great place to spend a week out of the NYC winter.Not a proposition from australia but expats in the USA or Europe should consider it.Of course if you do have long trips both AA and KLM service Curacao.
Well tomorrow back to NYC with news our christmas cottage has had 2 feet of snow.