Sunday, April 24, 2016

Singapore, Marina Bay, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Sands Marina Bay Casino and Resort, Westin Stamford Hotel, Boat Quay, Clarke Quay, Hot Stone Restaurants, Durian fruit.





If you read my earlier Blog of  “My Top 10 Vacation destinations around the World” posted in January 2013, the modern and delightful country of Singapore was listed as #5 on that list.  Since then friends of ours recently invited us to Singapore for a 3 day vacation while we were traveling in Asia on business and pleasure.  The Singapore International Airport, in my opinion, is one of the finest in the world.  There is much to see and to do in this very large airport including fine shops, restaurants, lounges, etc., and when you eventually find your way past Immigration, your bags are usually there waiting for you.  So many other airports make you wait up to a half an hour or more for your bags. 






My previous visit to Singapore was in November 2008 strictly for business.  During that trip, I stayed at 5 star Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Marina Bay.  This was a wonderful hotel, and just across the bay was the new Sands Hotel/Casino resort under construction.  I knew then that I just had to come back and stay at the Sands Marina Bay Resort and visit their casino after it was completed.   More on the Sands Casino and Hotel Resort at Marina Bay in my next blog posting.

The photo below is from the Mandarin Oriental, Marina Bay website, and of course this was taken more recently after the Sands project was completed.
Walking the City at Night
City at Sunset

Courtesy of internet (Mandarin Oriental, Marina Bay)

My first of many trips to Singapore on business began in October 1995.  During that visit and most of the other 20+ trips to Singapore, I stayed at the Westin Stamford, (now owned by Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts and known as Swissôtel The Stamford).  When this hotel was completed in 1986, it was then the tallest hotel in the world.


Courtesy of internet (Westin Stamford)

I loved staying at the Westin Stamford because there was a large underground shopping area, a short walk to the subway as well as the Boat Quay along the Singapore River, and a quick taxi ride to the Clarke Quay.  Both the Boat Quay and the Clarke Quay are famous shopping, dining and night entertainment areas in downtown Singapore.  Each floor is circular and all rooms have a wonderful perspective view of the city.  The bar on the top floor is a great place to relax and enjoy a few cocktails after a busy work day.  The food and service was superb back then, and I can only hope that under new management, they continue to live up to Westin Stamford’s heritage in Singapore.

Courtesy of internet (Boat Quay at Night)

Courtesy of internet (Boat Quay)

Courtesy of internet Clarke Quay at night)


The Boat and Clarke Quays have great restaurants along the river. Two of my more memorable restaurants were outdoors on a boat docked along the Singapore River at Boat quay, and on River Valley Road at Clarke Quay, that served its meals on HOT STONES.   You simply order your uncooked steak, seafood, or other meats and vegetables, and they bring them to the table on a plate along with a HOT STONE, placed on a heavy wood platter.  The Hot Stone is heated in special ovens and when you place your food on the stone, the food “sizzles” and cooks quickly and you can cook your food until it is just right for you!

Courtesy of internet (Hot Stone)

Courtesy of internet (Hot Stone)


“Hot Stones Steak and Seafood Restaurant” located at Clarke Quay has a website and they state:
 “…… features a unique dining concept that involves cooking fresh meats and seafood on serpentine volcanic stone slabs. This method seals in the natural juices of the food, providing extraordinary flavour and taste. The restaurant prides itself for giving diners an unforgettable experience by letting the freshness of its produce do the talking.”
 
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Durian on Sale at a Singapore street market

Most Americans and Europeans that have not traveled to Asia or know people that have done so are missing out on many interesting things to do in Singapore including eating fresh durian fruit after a nice meal at Clarke Quay.  On my second trip to Singapore, enjoying a nice meal with my business associates, they started talking about walking down the quay to buy some fresh durian.  When I asked them about durian, they of course started laughing and they answered in contradictions such as: “Delicious”, “Best fruit in the world”, “simply disgusting”, “YUCK”, and much more.  My closest friend, Shawn, was honestly candid and said to me, “…… durian tastes like HEAVEN, but smells like HELL”.  Now I was really curious and said how can something that tastes that wonderful smell that bad????  Now I did not know what to really believe, but I said in candor that we just had to go try this durian.


You pay by the weight and grade of the durian fruit
Durian Fruit after the first BITE!

Selected Durian available for take home
Opening a Durian for our friend

Ready to eat




OK, now that I have your attention, Wikipedia states that: “the durian is distinctive for its large size, strong odour, and formidable thorn-covered husk. The fruit can grow as large as 30 centimetres (12 in) long and 15 centimetres (6 in) in diameter, and it typically weighs one to three kilograms (2 to 7 lb). Its shape ranges from oblong to round, the colour of its husk green to brown, and its flesh pale yellow to red, depending on the species…….”.   Durian trees are large, growing to 25–50 metres (80–164 ft) in height depending on the species…….”.

As we approached this small stand/stall at the end of Clarke Quay, there was a long line of at least 15-20 people waiting to buy a fresh durian.  Behind the stand under a tarp covering was several large groups of tables where people ate their durian.  As we got closer to the stand, I certainly did not smell anything at all so I was convinced this “tastes like HEAVEN, but smells like HELL” was a trick or sham.  The seller reached behind in large crates of durian and selected a fruit.  The outer husk is thick and hard so it took a very sharp and long machete knife to hack through the husk to expose the “meaty” fruit inside.  The customers used their fingers to poke the fruit inside to determine its ripeness.   The vendor did put aside a couple durians and open another for a few customers and once they were satisfied, he opened the rest of the fruit to eat.  Inside there are several “pockets” surrounding the fruit so he had to cut open the durian fruit in three or four times.

Once it was our turn, I politely stood behind my friends as our fruit was opened, and I still did not have any indication of an unpleasant odor.  We paid for the fruit and he put it on a tray and set it on the table behind him.  As we walked around the stall…….”POW”….”WHAM” …… “OMG” …. the odor/smell/stench was totally overwhelming to me.  

I have never experienced such a terrible smell in my life and I was not expecting this at all.  In that moment it smelled about as bad as stagnant swamp gas, foul sewer gas, or a dead, decomposing rat.  I immediately turned around and announced that I was not going to join in and eat durian.
Now, I do not want to offend any of my readers, because I have since gone back to these durian markets with my friends and my wife, and sat down at the same table as they consumed this fruit.  I have become somewhat tolerant of the odor, but it still is not on my list of favorite fragrances!  

 Just so you know, Wikipedia has the following text describing a durian:
“The edible flesh emits a distinctive odour that is strong and penetrating even when the husk is intact. Some people regard the durian as having a pleasantly sweet fragrance; others find the aroma overpowering and revolting. The smell evokes reactions from deep appreciation to intense disgust, and has been described variously as rotten onions, turpentine, and raw sewage. The persistence of its odour, which may linger for several days, has led to the fruit's banishment from certain hotels and public transportation in Southeast Asia.”

On every subway entrance in Singapore, as well as other public including hotels, etc., have signs such as the one below that indicates that durian fruit (and other products) are not allowed.

Courtesy of internet


In Singapore there is an area, not too far from the red light district, that has open markets and stalls lined up on both sides of the street for more than a mile or so.  (Sorry I do not remember the name of the street.)   But below are actual photos I took of some of the markets along with many other interesting Southeast Asia fruits that I DO enjoy eating….


Rambutan Fruit ...... Delicious

Red Dragon Fruit and other fruits




Mangosteen...one of my FAVORITES

Coourtesy of Internet - Inside a Mangosteen


Lychee and Mangosteens...Yummmmmm

In my next blog post, find out more about our stay at the Sands Casino & Resort at Marina Bay and more!!!!

Courtesy of internet
Marina Bay Sands Resort from a car Ride around the city

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Live Aqua Resort; Cancun, Mexico; Yucatan Peninsula; Sea Turtles; mb Restaurant, Fusion and Molecular Cuisine; All Inclusive!



Live Aqua Resort; Cancun, Mexico; Yucatan Peninsula; Sea Turtles; mb Restaurant, Fusion and Molecular Cuisine; All Inclusive!





The Live Aqua Resort is located in Cancun, Mexico, on the Yucatán Peninsula in the Mexican state of Quintana Roo.   The peninsula is the Eastern most portion of Mexico and is a very close distance to the western tip of Cuba.  This 5 star ***** resort is set on a lovely white sand beach along the Caribbean coast, and this sprawling, all-inclusive hotel is just 6 km from the Mayan ruins at El Rey Zona Arqueológica.


There are hundreds of hotels in the Cancun area and is a hot spot for travel for young and old adventurers from around the world.  We chose the Live Aqua resort because it is one of the few adult only resorts that caters to your needs without interruptions from children. 



Just across the street from the hotel is a very nice outdoor shopping mall!







From the moment we arrived at this resort, we could feel the serenity of the resort with aromatic smells, meditative music, and top quality service.  We even received a complimentary hand massage in the lobby before we were shown to our room.




The comfortable rooms have contemporary furnishings, with free Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs. 



While we were there, we indulged ourselves to the spas with full body massage and also treated ourselves to manicures and pedicures at reasonable prices.  We chose the all-inclusive vacation, so all our food and beverages were included free of charge.  The rooms have minibars that are restocked daily.  

A big guy watching over the pool area swing bar

A pool area swing bar

There are 7 restaurants and 3 bars, including a swim-up bar.  Other amenities include 8 fabulous outdoor pools, as well as a spa and a gym.

A Beautiful view from our ocean side room

An infinity pool overlooking the ocean

A nice view !!

One of many large king size cabanas around the pools


A Yoga staff member at the pool area

 
OK, the pools are great, but the beach and beautiful white sand is just spectacular!

The Hotel adds messages in the sandy beach, ocean side

Many umbrellas to get out of the sun!


.... and Lots of lounge chairs to enjoy the sun!

The end of a sunny day on the beach





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While we tried most of the restaurants, our favorite at Live Aqua by far is the mb restaurant.  

mb restaurant's beautiful and relaxing decor



The Live Aqua website says: “Experience an exceptional evening at mb. An exquisite dinner created with the flavor of Latin cuisine with an emphasis on local Mexican ingredients and flavors.  The Chef's recipes are liberally seasoned and offer distinct and expressive flavors”. 



From my experience of eating at fabulous restaurants around the world, the chefs at mb restaurant are combining modern culinary techniques that include fusion and molecular gastronomy cuisines.


Wikipedia defines these styles of cuisine as follows: 


Molecular gastronomy is a sub-discipline of food science that seeks to investigate the physical and chemical transformations of ingredients that occur in cooking. 


Fusion cuisine is cuisine that combines elements of different culinary traditions.


Below are photo image portions of mb restaurant’s tantalizing menu:






We also took many photo images of the actual dishes which we truly enjoyed eating during our stay.  The portions may be small, but they are packed with wonderful flavors and cooked to perfection.   

Corn Soup with Coconut Foams

Grouper with Celery Bulb

Shrimp in Garlic with Peppers and Ham

Farmer Salad with Lime Air

A Specialty Desert just for us!!!!

Tuna Prepared 4 ways

Veal Cheeks with Yam Emulsion ....

Mango Scallops

Prawn Salad with Blue Cheese Foam

Beef Ribs Brazed with Sweet Potato and Carrots


Well, you bay be asking yourself where is the Molecular and Fusion Cuisine that I mentioned above.  The menu itself lists many of the ingredients or components of the dishes which gives you a hint of the Fusion cuisine.  But to see the combination of fusion and Molecular cuisines, you have to look at the actual dishes themselves.  You can see in the photos that the chef uses fine powders brush strokes, foams, creams, and much more in both his presentation and ingredients for his many wonderful dishes. 

By the way, they do have a great buffet restaurant that serves a wide variety of food for both breakfast and dinner.  Here are just a few photos:










And, the great thing about the all-inclusive hotel package is that if you want to eat 2 or 3 or ??? of the small dish, just order more! Or, just try as many different plates until you are full or completely satisfied!!!




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Image is Courtesy of the internet
 

One amazing part of our stay was to see hundreds of newly hatched sea turtles and we participated in the release of them after dark.  The hotel annually has many adult female sea turtles visit their sandy beaches in the summer to lay their eggs.  The hotel staff relocates the large nest of eggs along with the sand at the nest site, to a guarded and fenced in area to protect the eggs until they hatch.  The photo shows that area, and all of the markers in the sand are for different clutches of eggs they found last year. 


Sea Turtles typically lay a clutch of eggs between approximately 50 to 350 eggs and the eggs incubate for 6 to 10 weeks in the sand.  The baby turtles are born with a sharp point on their nose to break through the egg shell.  The hatchlings are carefully rounded up and kept in a crate until their release after sunset. 

Sunset at the Beach just before Sea Turtle release
  


  As you set the hatchlings down 10-20 feet from the water, they head directly towards the water at a fast pace as if they had a GPS to show them the way.  We released 144 baby turtles just after sunset to give the baby turtles the best possible chance of safely making it to the water on their own.  Below are the hatchlings waiting for sunset to be released.  Unfortunately, we were not allowed to take photos of the turtles being released, because the camera flash could disorient the babys or hurt their delicate young eyes.  The below photos were taking in the sunlight without a flash.  These are the ones we actually released that night!





This is the area that the egg clutches are transported to and protected until they hatch

Guests of the hotel that participate will receive a certificate showing that they participated in the release program and naming the ones you first released.  You can even name the first two you release!!!







It is sad to hear the statistics in these incredible creatures that only 1 in every 1000 to 10,000 baby sea turtles survive to maturity so they can return and lay their own eggs.


There are seven (7) extant species as follows:  the Green, Loggerhead, Kemp's Ridley, Olive Ridley, Hawksbill, Flatback, and Leatherback, and most of these species have females that travel up to a 1000 miles or more to lay their clutch of eggs in the sands of Yucatan Peninsula.  The sands and climate are perfect for incubation.  All of these sea turtle species are endangered except the loggerhead which is listed as threatened.




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When you are thinking of going to Cancun and you want a place to relax with other adults only, a place to receive pampering and special attention, quality service, with a wonderful variety of food, and right on the ocean, you really should consider LIVE AQUA Resort for your next vacation.


This is my personal opinion from my personal experience when we paid for a super vacation in Cancun, Mexico.




For more information, below is the address and phone number:

Live Aqua Hotel and Resort

Address: Blvd. Kukulcan Km.12.5, Zona Hotelera, 77500 Cancún, Q.R., Mexico

Phone:+52 998 881 7600