CAIRO - Hilliary Clinton checked out the day before I arrived at the Fairmont Towers, in the aptly named Heliopolis (city of the sun) district of Cairo, but the hotel staff was still abuzz about the visit of the U.S. Secretary of State and an entourage that included 50 security officers.
But then the two-year-old, light-filled hotel - a business redoubt near Cairo International Airport - sees frequent visits by high-profile people. One reason is its proximity to the airport, which sports a handsome new terminal (terminal 3) just several months old. Another reason is this is Egypt's governmental district; the presidential palace is here, as are other walled government buildings, interspersed with highrise apartments, along a broad, beautifully landscaped boulevard that runs between the airport and the congestion and bustle of downtown Cairo. Heliopolis is on the eastern side of the megalopolis (estimated population: 15 million), and prime tourist attractions such as the sphinx and the pyramids are in Giza, are on the far western edge. Old Cairo and the River Nile are halfway in between.
I tumbled off my 6-hour Egyptair flight on a sunny, breezy day and settled into my room: large, well-appointed, with a big, sparkling bathroom, a comfortable bed - covered with Egyptian cotton, of course - and a good-sized desk. My room looks directly out into the hotel's defining feature: a 5-story atrium, complete with skylight, a bar area, an indoor 'stream' and clusters of tall palms and ferns. The business center is right off the main lobby, as is a good place to have a French-press coffee and croissant, which I took advantage of. Just past the reception desk in the lobby is a plush area tucked away behind closed doors: Fairmont Gold, a lounge with food and beverages and comfortable, modern furniture reserved for the Fairmont's best customers.
Hilliary Clinton and her posse may have been gone, but the hotel was packed. Most of the property's guests are business travelers, according to hotel executives, and the meeting rooms below ground level were humming and crowded. My only complaint: smoking is allowed in the public rooms, so tobacco smoke is abundant. This is a cultural feature in much of the world, including the Middle East, where smoking restrictions, let alone bans, have yet to widely catch on. Hence, the hotel goes with the flow. Otherwise, Fairmont Towers Heliopolis is a lovely property with a friendly, attentive staff; it earns its five-star rating.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Thursday, November 5, 2009
The Plans of Mice and Men
You know the old saying about the best-laid plans of mice and men. How things are known to go awry no matter how hard you labor over them? This just happened to me.
I am a seasoned traveler, no stranger to the road, but I had to scramble to make a new flight plan. The details are mundane; it was a perfect storm of a missed phone call, middle of the night departure time, heavy traffic to the airport ... you get the picture.
I was sad to miss the South Africa leg of my round the world trip on Star Alliance carriers, but heading there following the missed connection would have given me just one night in Cape Town. Too far to go for so short a time. So, I was unable to fly the blameless and well-recommended South Africa Airlines. I took a deep breath and re-learned the most important lesson for a traveler: flexibility.
I don't know about you, but when things go wrong, I prefer to speak to a live human, or failing that, start pinging e-mails to live humans. I found booking my RTW ticket online relatively easy, and I know the Internet is our friend, but I relied on the helpful folks at Star to help me get another flight the next day, this one to Cairo; they came through beautifully. Egyptair, which I was going to fly a few days later in any case, stepped into the breach for the ride from Mumbai.
(FYI, see my Oct. 27 post "Booking a Round the World Trip with Star Alliance.'')
Actually, Egyptair brought me on my first ever visit to Cairo, last summer, and there was a Star Alliance connection then, too. Egyptair was joining Star as a new member, and hundreds of airline employees and aviation pros jammed into a massive, air-conditioned tent at Cairo International Airport for the admission ceremony. The joy of the airline employees assembled there was genuine. They weren't blase, they were happy to be recognized as an international standard carrier.
The recognition was well-earned. I had an event-free flight to Cairo - the way I like them - a good lunch of spicy beef and rice and settled in for a good read on the 6-hour journey. I'll be flying Egyptair again on the next leg of my trip a few days hence.
I am a seasoned traveler, no stranger to the road, but I had to scramble to make a new flight plan. The details are mundane; it was a perfect storm of a missed phone call, middle of the night departure time, heavy traffic to the airport ... you get the picture.
I was sad to miss the South Africa leg of my round the world trip on Star Alliance carriers, but heading there following the missed connection would have given me just one night in Cape Town. Too far to go for so short a time. So, I was unable to fly the blameless and well-recommended South Africa Airlines. I took a deep breath and re-learned the most important lesson for a traveler: flexibility.
I don't know about you, but when things go wrong, I prefer to speak to a live human, or failing that, start pinging e-mails to live humans. I found booking my RTW ticket online relatively easy, and I know the Internet is our friend, but I relied on the helpful folks at Star to help me get another flight the next day, this one to Cairo; they came through beautifully. Egyptair, which I was going to fly a few days later in any case, stepped into the breach for the ride from Mumbai.
(FYI, see my Oct. 27 post "Booking a Round the World Trip with Star Alliance.'')
Actually, Egyptair brought me on my first ever visit to Cairo, last summer, and there was a Star Alliance connection then, too. Egyptair was joining Star as a new member, and hundreds of airline employees and aviation pros jammed into a massive, air-conditioned tent at Cairo International Airport for the admission ceremony. The joy of the airline employees assembled there was genuine. They weren't blase, they were happy to be recognized as an international standard carrier.
The recognition was well-earned. I had an event-free flight to Cairo - the way I like them - a good lunch of spicy beef and rice and settled in for a good read on the 6-hour journey. I'll be flying Egyptair again on the next leg of my trip a few days hence.
Mumbai Memories
MUMBAI - The best way to learn the lay of the land in a new place, I believe, is to hire a professional guide on your first full day and have a look around. See the places you like best, find out where they are. You can go back later and spend more time in the places that attract you.
In India's largest city, with a population variously reported at 18 million, 20 million and above, this proved to be a sound strategy. I spent $72 U.S. for an air-conditioned car (important - it's hot in Mumbai), with a driver and the services of a professional guide from the India tourism offices. It was money well spent. The guide was good. In a bit of plug-o-la, I want to mention her and how to reach her; she is allowed to take freelance clients:
(Ms.) Ranjana Jain, e-mail ranjana.j.india@gmail.com, tel. 9833015701.
In a city the size of Mumbai, there are many things to do. Two memories I'll take away are of my visit to a central-city Jain temple, and hearing my guide clue me in to the city's enterprising, grassroots lunchtime delivery service.
The incense-scented temple, located in a busy, leafy midtown district, is a place of worship for Jains, 4 million strong, adherents of a religion founded in India by a contemporary of Buddha. My guide, whose surname is Jain, didn't identify herself as a believer, but she knows a lot about the religion. Basically, Jains believe in causing no harm and leaving the smallest footprint possible on the planet.
"They don't eat root vegetables, because pulling out the plant means you kill the plant,'' she explained. "Also, you'll see people wearing surgical masks.'' Indeed, I did. "That way, they believe they will breath-in fewer microbles. Also, they won't breathe germs on the statues in the temple, which are sacred.''
I thought my family and the school nurse were germ-adverse when I was a kid, but I had no idea.
Moving on around town, my guide pointed out a man pedaling a heavily laden bicycle.
"Are those his belongings?'' I asked.
"No, they are lunchboxes,'' she explained. Most Mumbai workers are men, and they live in the far suburbs and commute to work by train. The trains are so crowded, passengers can't even think of carrying anything. But many commuters like fresh-made lunches from home, not restaurant lunches. So, the wives pack a home lunch, these riders pick them up in the suburbs and pedal back into town. The boxes are color-coded and marked with symbols - helpful in a country where many are illiterate. The customers are regulars, they pay by the month. The riders drop off the lunchboxes at the work sites, pick them up again later and take them back to their owners' home. The next day it all starts again.
"This is unique to Mumbai,'' she said. "They are always on time, very punctual, very regular.''
In fact, the service - run by a private, 100-year-old organization with 500 stakeholder-riders, is so well-regarded "Many management schools in India invite them to lecture on time-management.''
When you are in a place as crowded as Mumbai, necessity really is the mother of invention. Even in the heart of the city's apparent chaos, you must look closely: Sometimes, there is unseen order hiding just under the surface.
In India's largest city, with a population variously reported at 18 million, 20 million and above, this proved to be a sound strategy. I spent $72 U.S. for an air-conditioned car (important - it's hot in Mumbai), with a driver and the services of a professional guide from the India tourism offices. It was money well spent. The guide was good. In a bit of plug-o-la, I want to mention her and how to reach her; she is allowed to take freelance clients:
(Ms.) Ranjana Jain, e-mail ranjana.j.india@gmail.com, tel. 9833015701.
In a city the size of Mumbai, there are many things to do. Two memories I'll take away are of my visit to a central-city Jain temple, and hearing my guide clue me in to the city's enterprising, grassroots lunchtime delivery service.
The incense-scented temple, located in a busy, leafy midtown district, is a place of worship for Jains, 4 million strong, adherents of a religion founded in India by a contemporary of Buddha. My guide, whose surname is Jain, didn't identify herself as a believer, but she knows a lot about the religion. Basically, Jains believe in causing no harm and leaving the smallest footprint possible on the planet.
"They don't eat root vegetables, because pulling out the plant means you kill the plant,'' she explained. "Also, you'll see people wearing surgical masks.'' Indeed, I did. "That way, they believe they will breath-in fewer microbles. Also, they won't breathe germs on the statues in the temple, which are sacred.''
I thought my family and the school nurse were germ-adverse when I was a kid, but I had no idea.
Moving on around town, my guide pointed out a man pedaling a heavily laden bicycle.
"Are those his belongings?'' I asked.
"No, they are lunchboxes,'' she explained. Most Mumbai workers are men, and they live in the far suburbs and commute to work by train. The trains are so crowded, passengers can't even think of carrying anything. But many commuters like fresh-made lunches from home, not restaurant lunches. So, the wives pack a home lunch, these riders pick them up in the suburbs and pedal back into town. The boxes are color-coded and marked with symbols - helpful in a country where many are illiterate. The customers are regulars, they pay by the month. The riders drop off the lunchboxes at the work sites, pick them up again later and take them back to their owners' home. The next day it all starts again.
"This is unique to Mumbai,'' she said. "They are always on time, very punctual, very regular.''
In fact, the service - run by a private, 100-year-old organization with 500 stakeholder-riders, is so well-regarded "Many management schools in India invite them to lecture on time-management.''
When you are in a place as crowded as Mumbai, necessity really is the mother of invention. Even in the heart of the city's apparent chaos, you must look closely: Sometimes, there is unseen order hiding just under the surface.
Terror Tourism?
MUMBAI - I read this in the Times of India the other day... Leopold's is a cafe that was shot up - with customers and staff killed - last November in a terrorist attack that also targeted hotels, the main rail station, and a Jewish cultural center:
"Leopold's has not shied away from taking advantage of this sentimentality (among tourists who want to see the site) and has monetarized its moment in history by creating memorabilia that customers can buy and take away with them. The cafe has been selling coffee mugs with an image of a bullet shot at 300 rupees ($6.60 U.S.) a pop. To date, the cafe has sold close to 4,000 mugs.''
Never-say-die example of the unquenchable human spirit or stunningly crass example of terror tourism? Your call.
FYI: I go more deeply into terrorism and travel in a section on my Web site, www.wishyouwereheretravel.net, called Soapbox. The piece in question is headlined "The Elephant in the Room,'' if you're interested.
"Leopold's has not shied away from taking advantage of this sentimentality (among tourists who want to see the site) and has monetarized its moment in history by creating memorabilia that customers can buy and take away with them. The cafe has been selling coffee mugs with an image of a bullet shot at 300 rupees ($6.60 U.S.) a pop. To date, the cafe has sold close to 4,000 mugs.''
Never-say-die example of the unquenchable human spirit or stunningly crass example of terror tourism? Your call.
FYI: I go more deeply into terrorism and travel in a section on my Web site, www.wishyouwereheretravel.net, called Soapbox. The piece in question is headlined "The Elephant in the Room,'' if you're interested.
The Taj Reborn, and the Elephant Race
MUMBAI - A few more more details about the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower's rebirth after last year's terror attacks on Mumbai emerged in a chat I had last night with the hotel's public relations manager, Nikhila Palat.
I sipped masala tea sweetened with milk in the Sea Lounge, a Mumbai institution and romantic spot for generations of the city's courting couples and matchmakers, while she filled me in on the latest developments: The 260-odd rooms of the 1903 Palace wing are still being repaired and modernized, but some will be available for occupancy by the end of this month. Some parts of the hotel will take longer. For example, the ballrooms, which are acquiring licks of fresh paint, will be fully renovated and repaired "by March, hopefully,'' Palat said. The club rooms for the hotel's best customers, temporarily installed on the second, third and fourth floors of the Tower wing, will move back into the Palace wing "by April, hopefully.'' Already, the grand staircase in the Palace wing that leads from the ground floor to the Sea Lounge and various function rooms is fully restored; it is a beautiful, dignified entryway.
I could still hear some drilling and see workers moving about, putting the finishing touches on the Palace wing, parts of which are draped in netting and scaffolding. Presently, all guests are being put up in the circa 1972 Tower wing, the first part of the hotel to reopen after 26/11. It's quite nice, but it doesn't have the grandeur of the heritage part of the hotel, which Taj recognizes. "We want to give people the experience of staying like royalty,'' Palat said. But in the first year after the attack, "We had to lodge them in the Tower wing because of the situation.''
The good news is "the situation'' is nearly resolved. By next summer, the work will be wrapped up, and the Taj Mumbai will officially reopen with a gala party. It's good to see this famed hotel coming back - and given the enthusiasm and flair that Mumbai people display when they party, the gala should be a party to remember.
It's not related to her work at the hotel, but Palat tells a funny story about a festival in her home town that features an elephant race. For years, she recalls, a male elephant owned by her family won that race, and as a reward, the big guy was allowed to hold the cup that symbolized victory. But age caught up with him and one year, he didn't win. No matter. The elephant went over and picked up the cup anyway. None of the judges had the heart to tell him no. Or maybe they just weren't big enough.
It's a sweet story, and it says something about Indian culture. In my country, we have dogs. In India, elephants.
I sipped masala tea sweetened with milk in the Sea Lounge, a Mumbai institution and romantic spot for generations of the city's courting couples and matchmakers, while she filled me in on the latest developments: The 260-odd rooms of the 1903 Palace wing are still being repaired and modernized, but some will be available for occupancy by the end of this month. Some parts of the hotel will take longer. For example, the ballrooms, which are acquiring licks of fresh paint, will be fully renovated and repaired "by March, hopefully,'' Palat said. The club rooms for the hotel's best customers, temporarily installed on the second, third and fourth floors of the Tower wing, will move back into the Palace wing "by April, hopefully.'' Already, the grand staircase in the Palace wing that leads from the ground floor to the Sea Lounge and various function rooms is fully restored; it is a beautiful, dignified entryway.
I could still hear some drilling and see workers moving about, putting the finishing touches on the Palace wing, parts of which are draped in netting and scaffolding. Presently, all guests are being put up in the circa 1972 Tower wing, the first part of the hotel to reopen after 26/11. It's quite nice, but it doesn't have the grandeur of the heritage part of the hotel, which Taj recognizes. "We want to give people the experience of staying like royalty,'' Palat said. But in the first year after the attack, "We had to lodge them in the Tower wing because of the situation.''
The good news is "the situation'' is nearly resolved. By next summer, the work will be wrapped up, and the Taj Mumbai will officially reopen with a gala party. It's good to see this famed hotel coming back - and given the enthusiasm and flair that Mumbai people display when they party, the gala should be a party to remember.
It's not related to her work at the hotel, but Palat tells a funny story about a festival in her home town that features an elephant race. For years, she recalls, a male elephant owned by her family won that race, and as a reward, the big guy was allowed to hold the cup that symbolized victory. But age caught up with him and one year, he didn't win. No matter. The elephant went over and picked up the cup anyway. None of the judges had the heart to tell him no. Or maybe they just weren't big enough.
It's a sweet story, and it says something about Indian culture. In my country, we have dogs. In India, elephants.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
The Taj Mahal Hotel and Tower, Reborn
MUMBAI - The service is gracious and calm at the Taj Mahal Hotel and Tower. High-speed elevators whisk guests to the higher floors. Ceiling fans whirl and relaxed-looking people swirl chilled drinks at poolside in the courtyard Aquarius Lounge. Executives sip hot, spiced masala tea in the beautifully appointed business center, which occupies most of an entire floor.
During most of the hotel's 106-year history, these things would be unremarkable. Since its founding as Mumbai's (then Bombay's) premier 5-star hotel in 1903, the property has set standards of elegance. What makes it remarkable now is that all this comes less than a year since the Taj, the Oberoi Hotel, a popular nearby cafe and the landmark central railway station, packed with commuters, were attacked by politicized religious fanatics from neighboring Pakistan. The attack killed 183 people and resulted in a plunge of tourism to India. International arrivals fell off nearly 20 percent in the prime travel month of January following the attack, one of the most lethal assaults ever on tourist destinations (not to mention local civilians).
These days, the Taj is skillfully performing a delicate balancing act - balancing hospitality and security. The numerous staffers - the hotel has one of the highest staff-to-guest ratios I've ever seen - couldn't be kinder, and damage to the 1972 tower wing and 1903 palace wing has nearly all been repaired. Still, security is highly visible, and my guess is that it is meant to be, both to reassure guests, who are crowding the hotel again at the start of the Indian tourist season, and deter anyone who might be thinking of launching an encore performance.
A necklace of hardened barriers and parked cars rings the outside of the hotel. Most entrances have been sealed off. Squadrons of security forces and police man the main entrance, which comes equipped with a walk-through screening machine; luggage is also screened. Just across the street, virtually in the shadow of the signature Gateway to India arch, the Mumbai police maintain a significant presence, parking a battlewagon labeled "Marksmen'' and a big blue bus. The Gateway will be the scene of a planned citywide commemoration of the Nov. 26, 2008, attack - "26/11,'' as it is known here - and Indians are debating how large the event should be and exactly what tone it should strike.
Inside, the hotel, the events of 11/26 - which has joined 9/11 (the USA) and 7/7 (London) in the numerology of terror - are neither played up or played down. Visible through an enormous picture window in the tower lobby is a lovely water wall; in front of the wall is a commemorative marker inscribed "In Loving Memory,'' followed by a list of 31 names of staff and guests who lost their lives. "Now and forever, you will always inspire us,'' the inscription reads. Uniformed security men are posted at key points throughout the hotel.
All of which may sound intimdating or unwelcoming, but I haven't found this to be the case. People are enjoying this beautiful hotel again and the security presence helps assure visitors that it is alright to do so. The Taj is reborn, and it is a delight to the senses. A sumptuous breakfast buffet features the likes of sweetlime juice and assorted Indian and Western morsels. The rooftop restaurant Souk scores with desserts such as rose petal ice cream. Guests splash about in the pool and glide by with their wheelies, checking out and checking in.
As I headed off to the business center today, looking for an open PC, I passed the picture window in the lobby. A young man snapped a photo of his girlfriend, who sat demurely in front of the water wall. Overstuffed Western tourists passed by, heading out for city tours of bustling, vibrant, hyper-congested Mumbai. The rituals of travel and tourism are returning.
During most of the hotel's 106-year history, these things would be unremarkable. Since its founding as Mumbai's (then Bombay's) premier 5-star hotel in 1903, the property has set standards of elegance. What makes it remarkable now is that all this comes less than a year since the Taj, the Oberoi Hotel, a popular nearby cafe and the landmark central railway station, packed with commuters, were attacked by politicized religious fanatics from neighboring Pakistan. The attack killed 183 people and resulted in a plunge of tourism to India. International arrivals fell off nearly 20 percent in the prime travel month of January following the attack, one of the most lethal assaults ever on tourist destinations (not to mention local civilians).
These days, the Taj is skillfully performing a delicate balancing act - balancing hospitality and security. The numerous staffers - the hotel has one of the highest staff-to-guest ratios I've ever seen - couldn't be kinder, and damage to the 1972 tower wing and 1903 palace wing has nearly all been repaired. Still, security is highly visible, and my guess is that it is meant to be, both to reassure guests, who are crowding the hotel again at the start of the Indian tourist season, and deter anyone who might be thinking of launching an encore performance.
A necklace of hardened barriers and parked cars rings the outside of the hotel. Most entrances have been sealed off. Squadrons of security forces and police man the main entrance, which comes equipped with a walk-through screening machine; luggage is also screened. Just across the street, virtually in the shadow of the signature Gateway to India arch, the Mumbai police maintain a significant presence, parking a battlewagon labeled "Marksmen'' and a big blue bus. The Gateway will be the scene of a planned citywide commemoration of the Nov. 26, 2008, attack - "26/11,'' as it is known here - and Indians are debating how large the event should be and exactly what tone it should strike.
Inside, the hotel, the events of 11/26 - which has joined 9/11 (the USA) and 7/7 (London) in the numerology of terror - are neither played up or played down. Visible through an enormous picture window in the tower lobby is a lovely water wall; in front of the wall is a commemorative marker inscribed "In Loving Memory,'' followed by a list of 31 names of staff and guests who lost their lives. "Now and forever, you will always inspire us,'' the inscription reads. Uniformed security men are posted at key points throughout the hotel.
All of which may sound intimdating or unwelcoming, but I haven't found this to be the case. People are enjoying this beautiful hotel again and the security presence helps assure visitors that it is alright to do so. The Taj is reborn, and it is a delight to the senses. A sumptuous breakfast buffet features the likes of sweetlime juice and assorted Indian and Western morsels. The rooftop restaurant Souk scores with desserts such as rose petal ice cream. Guests splash about in the pool and glide by with their wheelies, checking out and checking in.
As I headed off to the business center today, looking for an open PC, I passed the picture window in the lobby. A young man snapped a photo of his girlfriend, who sat demurely in front of the water wall. Overstuffed Western tourists passed by, heading out for city tours of bustling, vibrant, hyper-congested Mumbai. The rituals of travel and tourism are returning.
Monday, November 2, 2009
It's in the Stars
MUMBAI - You talk about your full-service hotels, consider this, on offer at the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower, in Mumbai:
"Destiny Planner: Our in-house astrologer is available from Monday to Friday 13:00 hrs-16:00 hrs. For appointments, please call the Business Centre on Extn: 3372.''
For those moments when PCs, printers and secretarial support is just not enough.
"Destiny Planner: Our in-house astrologer is available from Monday to Friday 13:00 hrs-16:00 hrs. For appointments, please call the Business Centre on Extn: 3372.''
For those moments when PCs, printers and secretarial support is just not enough.
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