Star Alliance RTW 2004 in F, many nice places to stay, eat and play!
Sep 1, 2004, 11:59 pm
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: CH / D
Programs: Amex, Avis, BA, BD, CX, FS, Hertz, HH, IC, LH, NH, RC, RCCL, Sixt, SPG, SQ, UA
Posts: 7,050
Thursday, August 26, 2004
All I can write is that South-East Asia is strikingly beautiful, different, intriguing, full of nice people and some who want to screw you. After Jakarta I was in Bangkok where I met both my old school-friend Uschi who is on her way to Denpasar for her studies and a very successful businessman called Larry from Denver. Bangkok’s Grand and Royal Palace, the Wat Arun, the Chao Praya River, the Oriental Hotel, the night market, the food, the dining style without shoes on, this is all overwhelming. I loved it and will definitely return. The same is valid for Singapore. So different from BKK, yet also very appealing, especially to the law-and-order loving German I am. I am blessed to have met Professor Konstantinos Stergiopolous in the Ritz Carlton Club. He is my newest friend and I am in for a free consultation on Bintan at the Banyan Tree where he will invite me to. I am looking forward to seeing him there tomorrow evening. Prof. Stergiololous always stays in Suite 3106 at the Ritz Carlton Millenia and at the Jim Thompson Suite at the Oriental. Great choices. I hope the Sea-Front Jacuzzi Villa is equally appealing to us. Yesterdays dinner at Senso, Singapore’s best Italian restaurant was stunning and expensive due to his Barolo from 1997 which alone cost 248 SGD. Food was another 500 SGD for our party. Afterwards we went up to the New Asia Bar in the Swisshotel. Floor 72, but the view from the Ritz Carlton across the Marina is better. Unfortunately I was not able to call Mathis Wilke in the evening, I regret it. We spent a wonderful day sight-seeing thru Singapore’s different districts. He gave me a nice tour. Due to tropical downpour we were not able to take advantage of the Botanical Gardens. I will do this after the Bintan weekend when I return once more to Singapore. I apologize to Mathis herewith sincerely for not thanking and getting back to him. This morning he did not pick his cellphone up. Hopefully the Ferry tomorrow to Bintan will take everything I have with me at no charge.
Tuesday, August 31, 2004
There was a surcharge for my luggage of about 50 SGD both ways in addition to the 50 SGD ticket. Bintan is lovely, especially the beautiful Banyan Tree Resort with 74 secluded private Villas each with Jacuzzi or pool or both. Golf was not as good as the Spa, Pool, beach and wildlife in the jungle. I had four amazingly relaxing days with the Professor who enlightened me a little more about myself. I am very thankful for his generosity, advice and the pure luck it was to meet him. Now I am back in Singapore at the Ritz Carlton Millenia, the hotel with the “world’s sexiest bathrooms” and a great view of the Singapore skyline. I took a cab to the botanical gardens and saw plenty of orchids. My RTW trip ends tomorrow when I take flight SQ 326 SIN to FRA and the LH 5028 FRA to CGN. It was the best holiday of my life. No doubt, it will be a challenge to beat this amazing cornucopia of tremendous experiences. I am blessed and feel this way. Thank you very much to anyone who contributed a lot or a little to this journey.
Wednesday, September 01, 2004
Although I had problems with my stomach I arrived safely, because a very smart Professor helped me a lot, in FRA and later CGN where I had to wait 30 minutes to complain about my lost suitcase. I approach the only Lady dealing with 20 disgruntled LH customers and tell her the suitcase was lost, but the golfbag arrived. I ask her about any compensation for LH Senator and SQ PPS member flying in paid First Class and I get the answer, you are at home here, no compensation
. Will complain later to LH. Horrible, rude LH service, had to wait 30 minutes until I was first in the line, only one line, nothing for F class. Ridculous service from LH in Germany. So different from SQ. A true pleasure to fly SQ although they messed up my mileage credit. Overall this was the best educational trip/vacation I ever had.
^
All I can write is that South-East Asia is strikingly beautiful, different, intriguing, full of nice people and some who want to screw you. After Jakarta I was in Bangkok where I met both my old school-friend Uschi who is on her way to Denpasar for her studies and a very successful businessman called Larry from Denver. Bangkok’s Grand and Royal Palace, the Wat Arun, the Chao Praya River, the Oriental Hotel, the night market, the food, the dining style without shoes on, this is all overwhelming. I loved it and will definitely return. The same is valid for Singapore. So different from BKK, yet also very appealing, especially to the law-and-order loving German I am. I am blessed to have met Professor Konstantinos Stergiopolous in the Ritz Carlton Club. He is my newest friend and I am in for a free consultation on Bintan at the Banyan Tree where he will invite me to. I am looking forward to seeing him there tomorrow evening. Prof. Stergiololous always stays in Suite 3106 at the Ritz Carlton Millenia and at the Jim Thompson Suite at the Oriental. Great choices. I hope the Sea-Front Jacuzzi Villa is equally appealing to us. Yesterdays dinner at Senso, Singapore’s best Italian restaurant was stunning and expensive due to his Barolo from 1997 which alone cost 248 SGD. Food was another 500 SGD for our party. Afterwards we went up to the New Asia Bar in the Swisshotel. Floor 72, but the view from the Ritz Carlton across the Marina is better. Unfortunately I was not able to call Mathis Wilke in the evening, I regret it. We spent a wonderful day sight-seeing thru Singapore’s different districts. He gave me a nice tour. Due to tropical downpour we were not able to take advantage of the Botanical Gardens. I will do this after the Bintan weekend when I return once more to Singapore. I apologize to Mathis herewith sincerely for not thanking and getting back to him. This morning he did not pick his cellphone up. Hopefully the Ferry tomorrow to Bintan will take everything I have with me at no charge.
Tuesday, August 31, 2004
There was a surcharge for my luggage of about 50 SGD both ways in addition to the 50 SGD ticket. Bintan is lovely, especially the beautiful Banyan Tree Resort with 74 secluded private Villas each with Jacuzzi or pool or both. Golf was not as good as the Spa, Pool, beach and wildlife in the jungle. I had four amazingly relaxing days with the Professor who enlightened me a little more about myself. I am very thankful for his generosity, advice and the pure luck it was to meet him. Now I am back in Singapore at the Ritz Carlton Millenia, the hotel with the “world’s sexiest bathrooms” and a great view of the Singapore skyline. I took a cab to the botanical gardens and saw plenty of orchids. My RTW trip ends tomorrow when I take flight SQ 326 SIN to FRA and the LH 5028 FRA to CGN. It was the best holiday of my life. No doubt, it will be a challenge to beat this amazing cornucopia of tremendous experiences. I am blessed and feel this way. Thank you very much to anyone who contributed a lot or a little to this journey.
Wednesday, September 01, 2004
Although I had problems with my stomach I arrived safely, because a very smart Professor helped me a lot, in FRA and later CGN where I had to wait 30 minutes to complain about my lost suitcase. I approach the only Lady dealing with 20 disgruntled LH customers and tell her the suitcase was lost, but the golfbag arrived. I ask her about any compensation for LH Senator and SQ PPS member flying in paid First Class and I get the answer, you are at home here, no compensation
. Will complain later to LH. Horrible, rude LH service, had to wait 30 minutes until I was first in the line, only one line, nothing for F class. Ridculous service from LH in Germany. So different from SQ. A true pleasure to fly SQ although they messed up my mileage credit. Overall this was the best educational trip/vacation I ever had. ^
Last edited by flamboyant 1; Sep 4, 2004 at 3:03 am Reason: To add two paragraphs
Sep 4, 2004, 3:06 am
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: CH / D
Programs: Amex, Avis, BA, BD, CX, FS, Hertz, HH, IC, LH, NH, RC, RCCL, Sixt, SPG, SQ, UA
Posts: 7,050
Updated my previous post. The Banyan Tree Bintan was lovely. Thanks KiwiFlyer for the helpful post in your PM and the kind words.
Sep 4, 2004, 2:12 pm
#20
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Living in SIN™
Programs: TK/QR Gold, Marriott/Accor Plat, IC Dia Amb, Avis/Hertz PC
Posts: 6,706
Originally Posted by Kiwi Flyer
Why is the Ritz Carlton Millenia the hotel with the “world’s sexiest bathrooms”???
Good stuff, Sebastian. Makes me want to do one of those F RTWs myself
Sep 4, 2004, 2:36 pm
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: CH / D
Programs: Amex, Avis, BA, BD, CX, FS, Hertz, HH, IC, LH, NH, RC, RCCL, Sixt, SPG, SQ, UA
Posts: 7,050
Singapore photos
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=3983970093
Singapore pictures accessible thru the link above. Rooms shown in order are 1118, 1808 (Deluxe Marina Bay View rooms) and 3106 (Presidential Suite which was occupied by my new friend from Greece). I really enjoyed my time in SIN. Great restaurants, all clean and safe, very nice city to live in.
A magazine like travel and leisure gave the RC in SIN the award for the "world's sexiest bathrooms"!
Will try to upload more images tomorrow or next weekend.
Singapore pictures accessible thru the link above. Rooms shown in order are 1118, 1808 (Deluxe Marina Bay View rooms) and 3106 (Presidential Suite which was occupied by my new friend from Greece). I really enjoyed my time in SIN. Great restaurants, all clean and safe, very nice city to live in.
A magazine like travel and leisure gave the RC in SIN the award for the "world's sexiest bathrooms"!
Will try to upload more images tomorrow or next weekend.
Sep 5, 2004, 3:14 am
#22
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: CH / D
Programs: Amex, Avis, BA, BD, CX, FS, Hertz, HH, IC, LH, NH, RC, RCCL, Sixt, SPG, SQ, UA
Posts: 7,050
Banyan Tree Bintan photos
The Banyan Tree Resort on Bintan, a small Indonesian island 45 minutes from Singapore:
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=3971365093
Check out the beautiful photos and the lovely sunset towards the end of the slide show.
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=3971365093
Check out the beautiful photos and the lovely sunset towards the end of the slide show.
Sep 5, 2004, 12:15 pm
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: CH / D
Programs: Amex, Avis, BA, BD, CX, FS, Hertz, HH, IC, LH, NH, RC, RCCL, Sixt, SPG, SQ, UA
Posts: 7,050
Yes, all bags arrived, although my suitcase was 22 hours late I am happy that at least nothing was missing. Customs in Germany open all bags that miss a connection. Late next week I will upload more pictures. Thanks for all your kind invitations (StarG: I loved the Dharwa... Restaurant; great atmosphere there), comments and suggestions before, during and after my trip.
Sep 11, 2004, 9:05 am
#26
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: CH / D
Programs: Amex, Avis, BA, BD, CX, FS, Hertz, HH, IC, LH, NH, RC, RCCL, Sixt, SPG, SQ, UA
Posts: 7,050
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=3816005093
A short morning hike of 2 hours around the Pinnacle Peak. A nice morning exercise with beautiful desert views.
A short morning hike of 2 hours around the Pinnacle Peak. A nice morning exercise with beautiful desert views.
Sep 11, 2004, 10:19 am
#28
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: CH / D
Programs: Amex, Avis, BA, BD, CX, FS, Hertz, HH, IC, LH, NH, RC, RCCL, Sixt, SPG, SQ, UA
Posts: 7,050
StarG, Thanks for your kind PM.
http://www.dharmawangsa.com/index.cfm
The Jakarta Restaurant it was, I loved the atmosphere in the garden with the light Mexican music and the outdoor kitchen.
http://www.dharmawangsa.com/index.cfm
The Jakarta Restaurant it was, I loved the atmosphere in the garden with the light Mexican music and the outdoor kitchen.
Last edited by flamboyant 1; Sep 11, 2004 at 10:24 am
Sep 17, 2004, 7:57 am
#29
Guest
Posts: n/a
Thanks for sharing your adventures with us!
Originally Posted by flamboyant 1
... It was the best holiday of my life. No doubt, it will be a challenge to beat this amazing cornucopia of tremendous experiences. I am blessed and feel this way....
Sep 17, 2004, 1:51 pm
#30
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: CH / D
Programs: Amex, Avis, BA, BD, CX, FS, Hertz, HH, IC, LH, NH, RC, RCCL, Sixt, SPG, SQ, UA
Posts: 7,050
Mandarin Oriental New York Pictures
Thanks Patron.
As there are plenty of questions and answers in the Luxury Hotels Forum on the Mandarin Oriental at Time Warner Center/Columbus Circle, I decided to upload a few more images for you:
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=3676355093
As there are plenty of questions and answers in the Luxury Hotels Forum on the Mandarin Oriental at Time Warner Center/Columbus Circle, I decided to upload a few more images for you:
http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=3676355093