Travel – Kevin Blyth

New York, New York

December 23, 2025 by Kevin Blyth, posted in New York, Travel, Travel and tourism

As October was my wife Josanne’s birthday, I’d been looking for something to do for it that was a little less “normal”. New York (and particularly Manhattan) has been on both of our Bucket Lists for some time, but the distance from NZ had always been a challenge. That is until direct flights from Auckland to JFK came along. I managed to score a fantastic deal on return flights, which set the wheels in motion for adding a tick to that particular bucket list item. Despite the hotel costs and the feeble Kiwi dollar erasing any savings from the flights, the allure of New York was irresistible. Thanks to the direct flights (via both Qantas and Air New Zealand), the once-daunting distance is no longer a barrier, as long as you’re willing to endure over 16 hours in the air there and over 15 on the way back. We were more than ready to embrace the journey for a whirlwind six-night stay on East 32nd Street, a prime spot for lovers of Korean and Japanese cuisine.

Our choice of airline was Qantas, and while the prospect of spending over 16 hours in economy didn’t exactly thrill me, we were prepared to make the best of it. Opting for the middle three seats on the Boeing 787-9, configured in a 3-3-3 layout, seemed a wise decision as this would ensure no climbing over strangers to reach the aisle. Fortune smiled upon us, as we ended up with all three seats to ourselves on both legs. Surprisingly, the flight had no notable turbulence disrupting our journey in either direction. The seatbelt sign was only on for take-off and landing across the entire 32 hours’ worth of flying. This felt like a real rarity.

Upon landing at JFK airport, we faced the choice of navigating public transport or indulging in a traditional yellow cab ride (though they don’t look like they used to on the TV when I was much younger any more, mainly being replaced with hybrid Japanese variants. After 17 hours in the air, we opted for the cab’s set fare as it felt like a small price for a hassle-free ride to our hotel. We checked into the HGU Hotel at 34 East 32nd Street, quickly changed, and set off to explore. Sleep was not on the agenda; instead, we wandered the streets, soaking in the vibrant energy of New York. Our hotel’s location proved ideal, as it was a short stroll from the Empire State Building, Koreatown, and 5th Avenue. That evening, we meandered up 5th Avenue, taking the opportunity to get some photos of the Empire State Building, the Rockefeller Centre, the Chrysler Building as well as perusing the shops on 5th Avenue (many of which were closed as it was Sunday evening). Having eaten plenty on the plane, we didn’t feel the urge to eat anything but stopped at a 7/11 to grab some supplies for the room, before retreating to our hotel, where (not for the only night), it turned out that my jetlag would ensure that I was like New York and would never sleep!

Before our departure, we had planned our itinerary, ensuring we wouldn’t miss out on the city’s iconic sights that we both wanted to see:

The Gilded Age Mansions Tour (Josanne’s pick, not mine),
The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island,
The 9/11 Memorial Museum,
The Brooklyn Bridge (including a photo of the Manhattan Bridge from Dumbo),
The Intrepid Museum (my choice, balancing the scales),
Times Square and Broadway,
A sky-high view from SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, and
The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

I enlisted AI to craft an optimal schedule, factoring in walking distances and dining options near each landmark. Claude AI delivered admirably, and our plans unfolded seamlessly. Both avid walkers, we clocked 16-20km on our first two days, immersing ourselves in the city’s vibrant tapestry. I’d hoped that this would see me suitably tired to sleep well, but that was not to be. Subsequent days involved less walking but were equally filled with exploration, with our hotel serving merely as a pit stop (although the room was small, it was clean and tidy with a lovely king size bed and a good shower).

I’d deliberately left the morning of the first full day free so that we could have a slow and steady start. As we were both jetlagged, we were up nice and early so went exploring straight away in any case. We’d slightly misjudged the cold wind, so while we’d taken our puffer jackets, we hadn’t worn them on day 1. When you got out of the sunshine (which is pretty easy when surrounded by so many skyscrapers), the wind was cutting through our lack of layers. There was a good lesson learned that day that stood us in good stead for the remainder of our stay however!

We headed out for a spot of breakfast (a NY bagel, what else are you going to eat for your first breakfast in NY?) and then headed West across to the Hudson Yards. We popped into a mall (which was still in the process of opening), but it was nice and warm compared to the chilling wind outside.

We then headed northwards and swung through Times Square which was pretty busy, including with buskers trying to get their photos taken (for money of course) but none of them bothered us and we managed a few photos as well as popping into a couple of the shops.

We kept heading north as our tour was starting up at East 78th Street. We decided it was a good opportunity to visit Central Park given that we had to pass the start of it to get there. Don’t let the photos fool you though, that wind was getting right into your bones! We took a few photos and sat down on a bench to watch the world pass by, given that we were still slightly early for our 1.30pm tour.

The Gilded Age Mansions tour took us around several of the famous mansions in what’s probably the boundary between Midtown and Upper Manhattan. You did get to go inside some of them while being told of their history and previous owners. I clearly wasn’t as enthused about it as Josanne was as I don’t have too many photos from them, at least none that are any good! It was an enjoyable and informative tour though, and definitely aided in getting some of those early day kilometres in!

On the way back, we meandered down 5th Avenue, stopping to look at shops and buildings. While we didn’t go into the Guggenheim Museum, I did get one of my favourite photos of my trip from outside it. A couple of gents were playing chess and for some reason I thought it would be a great photo in black and white. I’d taken a couple and then the gent on the left crossed his legs and I thought “bingo”, that’s the shot I was looking for. I’ll let you decide, but I thought it was a good photo for me.

From here, we headed back to the hotel, stopping at Trump Tower for a photo and then had a shower before heading out to one of the restaurants in Koreatown for dinner. Though it wasn’t a late night, I did my best to stay awake till after 11pm, thinking this would surely let me sleep through the night. I was wrong, and was wide awake again at 2.30am.

Day 2 was the one day that we had two main activities planned. In the morning, we had to make our way to Battery Park, where we would pick up the tour for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. We had to be there for 9am.

While it again looked like the weather was OK, it was an even colder wind than the day before but we’d learnt our lesson and went out with puffer jackets on. We made our way down to the start point and had a coffee and muffin at the Starbucks close to the subway station.

The tour started at Castle Clinton National Monument at Battery Park, where a brief overview of the history of the area was shared, before jumping on the ferry to the Statue of Liberty. If you’ve never done this before, make sure that you are on the right-hand side of the boat as the best views are from there.

Once on the Island, our tour guide gave us a run-through of the history, took some individual and group photos for us and then let us explore the area for a while before getting back on the boat and heading to Ellis Island.

Once there, we were given an overview of what those arriving into the United States went through before having the rest of the time to ourselves to explore. Josanne and I spent a couple of hours here before jumping back on the boat as we had a tour of the 9/11 Museum that started at 3pm. We stopped in the Financial District for lunch, where we just grabbed some sushi from a food hall.

We arrived a little bit early at the 9/11 Memorial Museum, so spent some time walking around outside and taking in the enormity of what took place on that fateful day. We also popped into the World Trade Centre Shopping Mall, about a third of which survived the collapse of the Twin Towers.

Even outside, it is a moving experience and I have to say that those in the area seemed to be very respectful. We took some photos of the new World Trade Centre, along with the Remembrance Ponds. The names of all those who perished are emblazoned around the side of these, and there were white roses on some. Josanne tells me that is usually to signify that it is someone’s birthday.

As with many exhibits, there is airport-style security to get inside the 9/11 Memorial Museum, so it pays to give yourself plenty of time if there is a set start time for your tour.

We’d decided that as we were in this part of Manhattan that we would also visit the Brooklyn Bridge. Despite the cold it was very busy, so unobstructed photos aren’t a happening thing.

We headed from Manhattan to Brooklyn while it was still light. I wanted to get the photo of the Manhattan Bridge that you get between the two buildings in the Dumbo region. It was easy to find, though I did check on Google maps to ensure we were headed in the right direction.

We took some photos (again, you have to be adaptable to try to get one without lots of people in), before heading to a local Dumbo Italian restaurant for the traditional slice (or two if you are me) of pizza and a beer! This meant that it was dark for the return leg of the trip over the Brooklyn Bridge, enabling a different perspective.

On getting back to the Manhattan side of the bridge, there was a sign for Chinatown, so we thought that we may as well walk there for a look around. We inadvertently found Little Italy and made the decision to head back there for dinner the following night.

This was a fairly full-on day and still I didn’t get a good night’s sleep due to the jetlag, and even the melatonin that I was taking seemed to do nothing. While I got to sleep easily, I woke up really early. I decided that I may as well use that time of being awake to lie in bed and catch up with some podcasts that I listen to, so it wasn’t wasted.

Day 3 saw us heading to Pier 86 to visit the Intrepid Air and Space Museum. This started with a visit to the Submarine USS Growler (I’m assuming that name isn’t as amusing in US English as it is in British English) before heading to the USS Intrepid Aircraft Carrier. The Space Shuttle Enterprise is also housed at the back of the Carrier, and there is even a Concord alongside it on the dock. It’s a strange set-up but it sort of works.

I’d been in touch with the Big Apple Bears Rangers Supporters Club and they were showing the live game of Hibernian vs Rangers, so once we’d finished looking around, we headed along to that via some stores where Josanne did some shopping. Unusually, Rangers won. We had a couple of beers and then headed back to the hotel.

We knew that Day 4 was scheduled to be the one rainy day of the trip and it delivered in the proverbial cats and dogs. It rained very heavily for most of the day. We used the opportunity to go shopping at Macy’s in the morning (it was only around a 10-minute walk from the hotel). We had a good few hours in the dry (all 11 floors of the dry) before having to head back to the hotel with our shopping. We were drenched but we kept the shopping fairly dry. It was brollies and raincoats over the shower in a half-hearted attempt to get them to dry out before our second excursion of the day; a trip up SUMMIT One Vanderbilt.

Our tour was scheduled to start at 3pm. We headed up there getting soaked (again) and we were unsure whether or not we’d actually get a view of anything from the top. On checking in, we were advised that the visibility at the top was negligible, but as it was already paid for, we decided that we’d give it a go in any case. When we first got to the top (and that elevator moves at some speed by the way), we couldn’t see anything, but it gradually cleared sufficiently to get a view. Josanne reckoned that she could feel the building swaying, but I certainly didn’t feel anything. We did manage to get some photos, even though the view wasn’t the best. I can imagine that it is stunning on a clear day.

There were multiple different levels to pass through and I thought the one with the bouncing helium balloons was very cool, as was the one with all the mirrors. There were definitely some up there who were struggling with a fear of heights, but most seemed to be enjoying themselves. Due to the weather, no-one was allowed in the outside section, so when we got to the very top, it was off to the elevator to head back down again. While it would have been fantastic to have been up there on a clear day, we both still had a great time and were glad that we didn’t call it off when shown the view from the top.

As we were very close to Grand Central Station, we took the opportunity to pop in there and have a look. While there were plenty of people there to use the transport, there were also a large number of tourists in there and it’s definitely an impressive station to visit. Plus, it kept us out of the rain for a further 25 minutes or so.

On the way back to the hotel, we also popped into the library. Josanne spent around 15 minutes in the shop there looking around, though I was more interested in the architecture.

It was another long day, but as the rain had stopped by the evening, we decided that we would still catch the subway down to Little Italy. We checked Google for recommendations and opted for one of the more popular restaurants. We decided to share a seafood pasta dish, which was delicious but would have cost about half the amount had we eaten it back in Auckland (definitely don’t be comparing prices though, or you’ll be too afraid to eat or buy anything).

I think I actually slept through till around 3.30am on Day 5, which was a good result as far as I was concerned. By now I’d given up on getting over the jetlag before heading back, so it was more nighttime podcasts for me! We only had one thing planned for today, which was a guided tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We walked up there again (which was up at 82nd street, so another decent walk to get there). The tour was scheduled to start at 10.30 and our guide took us through some of the main points at breakneck speed. We weren’t worried as it gave us some ideas of where to go back to at the end of the tour, given that you could stay in the museum after it. We probably spent most of our time in the Egyptian section, given that it was something that Josanne studied at University and is a time and place that I also find utterly fascinating.

We spent a good few hours here before taking a leisurely stroll back to the hotel, stopping to view the patrons at a couple of open-air ice rinks before stopping at a small market for a very tasty hot chocolate. We had planned on heading to the Halloween Parade on 6th Avenue but figured we’d walked far enough that day, so headed off to another restaurant in Koreatown for a bite to eat instead.

As we didn’t leave until late in the day on day 6, we had breakfast and headed back up to Macy’s for some last-minute shopping. I bought a pair of Ted Baker shoes (with Josanne trying to talk me into buying two pairs) and a pair of trainers. From there, it was off to lunch at a traditional delicatessen for a Reuben’s sandwich for lunch. We knew that, like a slice of pizza, we had to try this here and this was our last opportunity. We had, however, seen how large they were so opted to share one. The waitress didn’t seem surprised, so it’s maybe not that unusual.

Then it was a case of booking out of the hotel and heading to the airport. We flew out of Terminal 8, which isn’t a particularly great terminal, but it was time to sit and relax after what was a whistlestop tour where we got through so much. Was it tiring? Sure it was. Probably not helped by jetlag, but it was fine and it ticked off a bucket list activity for both of us. Six days was probably a perfect duration for us. It enabled us to get around and see what we’d had on our itinerary. We did use the subway occasionally, but preferred to walk to make sure we weren’t missing out on the sights and sounds. It’s a very easy city to get around both walking (you just need to know the avenue and the street and whether it’s east or west and you will never be able to get lost). Similarly, the subway is very easy to follow and Google will even tell you which entrance you need for where you are heading.

Will we go back? I genuinely don’t know. I think that if New York was a stop-off for a flight back to Europe, we possibly would. But I don’t think I’d need to go and do it all again. It was a bucket list destination and there are plenty of other ones on the list still. But it was an incredibly worthwhile trip. I’m glad we did it in October and not the height of summer though, as the temperature, whilst a bit on the chilly side at times, was excellent for exploring.

One of the most surprising pieces for me was the incessant smell of people smoking marijuana on the streets. We noticed that on the first night and all the way through you could smell it everywhere you went. It is legal in New York, so maybe the surprise was that I was surprised!

Useful Tips for Travelling to New York:

Pack Smart: The weather in October can be quite chilly, especially with the wind, so make sure to pack warm clothes, including a good puffer jacket. Layers are your friend!
Plan Your Itinerary: With so much to see, planning ahead is key. Use tools like Google Maps to plan walking routes and check out dining options near your destinations. I used Claude AI to help me plan an itinerary.
Use Public Transport: The subway is efficient and easy to navigate. Google Maps can help you find the right entrances and exits. It’s cheap and easy.
Be Prepared for Security: Many attractions, especially museums, have airport-style security checks. Allow extra time for these.
Try Local Delicacies: Don’t miss out on iconic New York foods like bagels, pizza, and Reuben sandwiches. Sharing is a good option if portions seem large.
Embrace the Walk: Walking is one of the best ways to soak in the city’s atmosphere. Just remember to wear comfortable shoes and clothes!
Expect the Unexpected: From street performers to the aroma of marijuana, New York is full of surprises. Keep an open mind and enjoy the experience!
Jetlag Strategies: If jetlag hits, use the time to catch up on podcasts or relax. Sometimes, it’s best to go with the flow. Don’t use it as an excuse to spend more time in bed in the morning, especially if you are only there for a short time.
Capture the Moments: Whether it’s the iconic skyline or a candid street scene, keep your camera ready to capture those unforgettable memories.
Travel Insurance: Don’t, under any circumstances, go to the US without travel insurance. It’s genuinely not worth the risk if something should happen to you while you are there.

Rome 3-Day Itinerary: Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Colosseum and much more!

July 20, 2024July 20, 2024 by Kevin Blyth, posted in Travel, Travel and tourism

Day 1, The Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain

I was in Europe for a business trip and we decided that it was time for us both to see Rome. We’d been to Italy several times, but never actually made it to Rome. Josanne wanted to see the Sistine Chapel, and I’d always wanted to see the Colosseum, so both of those were on our “must do” list.

I’m not sure on exactly what needs to be done to be like a Roman in Rome (per the “When in Rome, do as the Romans do“), but as we only had 3 days to spend there, we ate, we drank, we walked (and then walked some more) and we took in the sights. That felt sufficiently Roman to me!

We had pre-booked 3 excursions before arriving via Tripadvisor / Viator:

Skip the queue for the Vatican and Sistine Chapel,
The Colosseum and Roman Forum, and
a Walking Food Tour.

We flew into Rome Fiumicino airport from Paris Orly and then jumped on the train into the city. This was quick, easy and efficient. We’d booked into The Hive hotel, which was only a 5-minute walk from the Termini railway station. We put our bags in the room, put on our walking shoes and set out straight away to explore.

One thing that we always do when overseas is walk wherever possible. You get to see so much by not jumping in a cab or on a train / metro.

Due to it being a short visit, we wanted to maximise our time, so on day 1, the challenge was to get to the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain and to grab a bite to eat.

Now the first thing to be clear on is that getting photos with no-one in is always a significant challenge in large cities. Sure, you get the photos that look like no-one is there, but if you pull the camera back……

Rome is no different and as you can see with the photos below, you can “sort of” create the illusion that you are there on your own. But zoom out just a little bit and the truth becomes very apparent!

They always tell you to be very careful of pickpockets in Rome. I bought myself a bag that you wear across your chest. I could fit cash, credit cards and a phone into it easily and it kept it all in front of me and out of my pockets. We had no issues at all with people trying to pickpocket us, but anywhere there was a crowd, we were always wary.

We managed to spend several hours looking around Rome in the area between our hotel and the Trevi Fountain, before heading back to shower and get ready for dinner as Day 2 was a big (and busy) one for us. At this stage, we didn’t know that Viator were about to let us down in a big way!

That evening, we decided to eat at the hotel. It was the first night of Euro 2024, Scotland were playing Germany and after the first 45 minutes, I knew it was going to be yet another disappointing tournament for Scotland. There, got that off my chest and I don’t have to mention it again!

The plan for Day 2 was to do the Vatican and Sistine Chapel followed by the Colosseum. It was a warm day, close to 30 degrees.

Day 2 – The Vatican, Sistine Chapel and Colosseum

We were up nice and early and headed off for the meeting point for the 7.30am tour. I’d deliberately booked both of today’s tours as “skip the queue” ones through Viator as we only had limited time to get around. We arrived around 30 minutes before it began. Unfortunately, while Viator had taken our money, they hadn’t actually booked us on the tour.

We eventually managed to speak to someone from the tour company who basically said “Sorry, we can’t do anything for you. We suggest you find another tour“. I asked if they could get us on one the following day, but they said no. We were both disappointed but with no other choice, we set about doing what we didn’t want to do – stood in queues to get in. I was kept amused with some conversations with friends back in New Zealand, both of whom are journalists and were making up spoof headlines for my predicament!

Josanne somehow guided us to a relatively short queue to get into the actual Vatican. For 10 Euros, we got right to the top for some stunning views down to St Peters Square as well as seeing inside of the Vatican. Although I’m a Rangers supporter, I’m happy to say that I didn’t burst into flames!

It was an interesting climb getting up to the top and there were parts where it felt that they were out to get those who were both claustrophobic and scared of heights!

We were fortunate that this was only a 30-minute queue to wait in, as we had a longer 3 hour wait in the queue for the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. Josanne really enjoyed seeing Michaelangelo’s work though, especially the fresco of The Creation of Adam. That said, we couldn’t hang about, as thanks to Viator, we only had a short period of time now to get across the city for our tour of the Colosseum.

Some views of inside the Vatican:

Once we made it to the roof, the views were stunning:

There were also, of course, the colourful Swiss guards on show. Given that there are only 135 of them in total, there are 1.48% of them on show in the photos below!

Once finished in the Sistine Chapel (no photos are allowed in there), we had to grab a taxi to the Colosseum as we didn’t have the time to walk or take the underground. Be aware that in Rome, taxi drivers will frequently want cash. As we had none on us, it took us a while to find one who would take us. Once we did though, he got us there pretty swiftly.

The Colosseum was everything that I hoped it would be. However, our tour guide kept us in suspense, as we were first taken around the Roman Forum. This was also very worthwhile from our perspective, as it gave you a great insight into the history of the area. It’s definitely worth spending some time looking around the Forum, especially with a guide. It was hot, and there isn’t much shade around, so a hat and water were essential.

And then it was onto my undoubted highlight of our time in Rome; the Colosseum. It’s something I’ve always wanted to see. When you take the modern-day arena or stadium, no matter the sport that you are watching, this was its predecessor. Built between 72 and 80 AD, it is just over 1,950 years old.

That it is still standing is fortuitous if you believe the folklore that says,

“As long as the Colosseum stands, Rome shall stand; when the Colosseum falls, Rome will fall; when Rome falls, the whole world will fall“.

It’s probably as well that it was built on such solid foundations!

The Colosseum didn’t disappoint. It was all I’d hoped it would be and more. Majestic in appearance, I stood in awe looking at it from the outside but was much more in awe on stepping inside and looking down at the floor then up at the stands. I took the time to stop, to listen, to imagine the cheering crowds who will have witnessed sights that, fortunately, I never will. It’s as stunning a monument as I’ve ever seen.

After only a brief wait in the queue, and the obligatory bag x-ray, we were inside. The tour guide spent around 25 minutes giving us an overview of the history, after which we handed back our headphones and were left to continue exploring on our own. I could have spent the whole day there!

We stayed inside until closing time and I lost track of the number of photos I took. I only had my iPhone with me and not my actual camera, but the photos with just a phone were impressive enough.

We managed to lose each other inside, but as there was only one way out, I hung about and waited for Josanne. The Colosseum closing coincided with Rome’s very large Pride Parade, so it took us quite a long time amidst a plethora of colourful characters in various states of (un)dress, to get back home.

One of the things that I loved about the underground in Rome is that you can just use your credit card to tap on. You did this and it gave you 90 minutes access to it. This was eminently more sensible than queuing to buy tickets, although sadly, I only found this out on the last day!

On finishing our walk home, we were so tired that we just stopped off for a McDonalds, had a shower and an early night to be ready for the next day.

Day 3 – Exploring the lesser-known sights with a Roman Historian

On our last day, we were very fortunate that one of Josanne’s friends, a Roman Historian from Auckland University had said that he’d give us a tour around the city looking at some of the “less famous” but equally interesting sights.

Jeremy met us just after breakfast at the Pantheon and we walked around the city for 3 or 4 hours before stopping for lunch (and a couple of drinks). I only had one Negroni as it was so strong and settled for an Aperol Spritz as my second one.

The queue for the Pantheon was already very long so we didn’t go in. Jeremy noted that one of the best things inside was the floor which gave a great indication of floors from that period.

We next went into the Sant Ignazio of Loyola Church. There were lots of people taking pictures of the frescoes via a mirror in the middle of the church, but that wasn’t why Jeremy had taken us in there.

On walking up to the end of the church and looking up, it appears that you are looking up at the inside of a Dome. But look closer (and you have to look very carefully and get right up underneath it) and you can see that it is actually a fake dome. The artist, Andrea Pozzo, has actually painted it on a flat surface to make it appear as a dome after a fire destroyed the original one.

The other frescoes in the church are also fascinating and give a 3D impression of characters floating upwards.

Next, we headed to the Piazza Colonna, where there is a marble column of Marcus Aurelias (think Russell Crowe in Gladiator and it’s that Marcus Aurelius). The column tells the story of his battles, so provides a very good overview of life in those Roman days.

The Piazza Navoni was next, although we couldn’t really get good photos here as all the fountains were covered up and being worked on. Jeremy noted that you’d get very expensive but poor-quality food here, so we didn’t stop for lunch.

In quick succession, we then took in a quaint old bridge into a newer part of the city (which turned out to be handy as it’s where we picked up our walking food tour later that evening) a couple of temples (one of Portunus, the other of Hercules Victor), the Santa Maria in Cosmedin Church (famous for the Mouth of Truth – I didn’t get a photograph of this – but the floors in the church were also worth seeing as they were typical for that period).

Jeremy then showed us the first known solid building in Rome, as this was one of the digs that he had been on.

The next area we passed was one that I found particularly fascinating, as it was an old Roman theatre, upon which some apartments had been built. They are still inhabited, apparently by a very wealthy (and one assumes powerful) Roman family. We walked past this area a couple of times during our stay, so I’ve attached the various photos I took from both;

By now, we knew we had to start heading back to the hotel to freshen up for our walking dinner that evening, but Jeremy still had time to whisk us past the Victor Emmanuel II Monument (referred to as the wedding cake), the Forum of Caesar, the Santi Luca e Martina church, Trajan’s Market, Trajan’s Column, the Spanish Steps (from a different viewpoint this time), the Piazza del Popolo with its two matching churches (Santa Maria dei Miracoli and Santa Maria in Montesanto), the Flaminio Obelisk and the Piazza del Campidoglio.

We’d bought Jeremy lunch part way through to thank him for showing us round and I must say, we saw and appreciated so much more from having been shown around by a Historian. He kept apologizing for going into teaching mode, but we loved every minute of it, and it certainly added to our enjoyment of the visit.

Our Walking Food Tour

And so, after yet another quick shower and change of clothes, we were back out for our last outing in Rome – our Walking Food Tour. I can’t remember every course that we had, but we started in a restaurant that had over 2,000 wines on their wine list, had an absolutely delicious cheese board, pizza and limoncello tasting to name but a few.

And with the end of the food tour, our 3 days in Rome was at an end. All we had to do was get back to the hotel, get packed up, have one final sleep and then it was off to Venice for the next three days.

But as I said at the start, we love to walk wherever we are and that brought us the last, pleasant surprise of our trip. Getting to see some of the landmarks in the dark was equally as impressive as during the daylight.

We could easily have spent another couple of days in Rome and kept exploring. But we were on a tight schedule and 3 days was what we could manage with everything else we had to fit in. It was a great adventure. Rome is a very walkable city and we managed to get in the main things that we both wanted to see. Having a tour with a genuine archeologist was a fantastic bonus.

Would I go back?

Absolutely.

And given that we both threw a coin over or shoulder into the Trevi Fountain, I believe that means it’s inevitable!

Useful tips for the traveller

Light comfortable clothes are best in summer, when it is hot and humid.
Don’t be a target for pickpockets – it’s easy to get a bag that you can have in front of you and close to your chest
Try to walk as much as you can – you’ll be amazed and how much more you see. We occasionally used the underground, but only when we had to.
Carry a water bottle with you. There are plenty of refilling points around the city with fresh water from wells.
Expect taxi drivers to ask for cash. They almost seemed upset that we didn’t have any on us.
The skip the queue tours are really worthwhile – especially if you are on a limited amount of time. They aren’t cheap, but it’s better than standing in a queue for 3 hours. If you don’t want to pay extra, be wherever you want to be early as that will limit your waiting time.

Beijing – a Far Eastern delight

September 17, 2018September 18, 2018 by Kevin Blyth, posted in Beijing, China, Great Wall of China, Peking duck, The Forbidden City, The Great Wall, Tiananman Square, Travel

The Great Wall of China was a Bucket List destination that, for me, was sufficiently distant that ticking it off would not be without difficulty. That said, it didn’t stop it from actually being on my List.

As I’ve become older (and I hope, just a little wiser!), I’ve gained an increasing interest in history – something that I was at pains to avoid while at school. Not the sort of history that just involves having your head stuck in a book, but the sort that involves visiting the place that is talked about in the book; about experiencing the history alongside its modern inhabitants; about looking, feeling, touching and tasting the history as it envelops you.

I think that being my wife’s proof-reader while she studied ancient Egyptian history only served to reinforce my interest in what I’ll call “travel history”. It was certainly far more interesting than the business degrees that I’ve had to do to keep me in gainful employment!

Right next to The Great Wall on my list was the Forbidden City, so I had a quinella of an opportunity. This was promptly turned into a trifecta by being able to visit Tiananmen Square, made famous by the student who stopped a column of tanks during the much publicised 1989 protests.

Tiananman Square. I think that there were queues just to queue!

I’m also very fortunate in that my job sometimes takes me overseas. When the opportunity to head to Beijing in August 2018 arose, I knew that I had the ideal opportunity to figuratively get my Bucket List marker pen out of the drawer.

Beijing, a city of over 21 million people, wasn’t quite what I expected. Sure, there are some areas that look and feel fairly communist, but it’s also a real mixture of new and old. Some of the architecture, while not along the same lines as Shanghai, is definitely interesting, undoubtedly drawing off feng-shui.

The old. Side streets close to one of the parks close to the hotel where I stayed

The new. This was the HQ of one of the Chinese TV stations.

Getting there

The only direct flight to Beijing from Auckland is currently with Air China. The flight takes 13 hours, although we were slightly delayed, I assume, due to weather en route. I’d booked my flights to arrive on Friday, so that on Saturday and Sunday I could spend some time fulfilling my travel history chores.

Alas, while the weather had been fabulous in the weeks before I travelled, as I got closer to setting off, I could see changing patterns, to the extent that the Saturday and Sunday were now promising thunderstorms, with Friday being the only decent day, given that I’d be working the following Monday to Friday.

With this in mind, I’d been liaising with the concierge staff at the Conrad Hilton in Beijing to try to arrange something for the Friday. This in itself came with a number of risks and difficulties, not the least of which was that I wasn’t scheduled to land until 4.30am on Friday and the tour would set off sometime between 7-8am.

They booked me on a tour that was available and said that they would cancel it if my plane was delayed. Which it was. Fortunately, it wasn’t delayed sufficiently to prevent me from getting to the hotel, showering, changing and heading off!

About the tour

I’d somehow envisaged that I’d be on a bus tour. I suppose that was the intention of the firm that ran them (I used Gray Line tours www.grayline.com) and I opted for their “seat in bus” tour that they called – rather appropriately I thought – “Bucket Life”. This tour would take in Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Juyongguan section of the Great Wall.

On the day I went there was only myself, a Canadian lawyer filling in a day after a number of meetings before flying back to New York, and an American teacher living in Tokyo, who had flown in for 3 days of sightseeing. Our guide Liu (who insisted that we just call him Leo as that was easier) therefore didn’t have to shout to make himself heard – not least of all because we were in a car rather than a bus.

So just an hour after getting to the hotel, I was cleaned up and heading off out. My mind and body weren’t entirely sure what time of day it was, but I assumed I’d get wakened up by either of my travelling companions to take photos if I fell asleep!

But that wasn’t to be a problem. Much of the tour would be spent walking. And unless I mastered somnambulism, I’d most certainly be awake! Not to mention hot and dripping with sweat in the humid 34C conditions.

Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City

The first part of the tour was the part I thought would be quick and easy. What I hadn’t realised was that Tiananmen Square was 109 acres with the Forbidden Palace being an additional 180 acres on top of that. Leo told us we’d be walking in this area for the first two hours of the tour (it didn’t say this in the description of the tour, so comfy shoes are a must).

We started the tour along with many other thousands of (mainly) Chinese tourists close to the Mausoleum of the still revered Mao Zedong, chairman of the Chinese Communist party from 1945 until he died in 1976. The queues of those wanting to see his final resting place were incredible. Leo told us that we were lucky that we were visiting on Friday rather than Saturday, when they’d have been even longer! We were not going to see Mao, so we spent some time looking around the square (which I believe is the largest in the world), taking in the Monument to the People’s Heroes, Parliament (the Great Hall of the People) the National Flag (guarded by Chinese troops stood rigidly to attention in the 34 C heat), and the National Museum before heading down to Tiananmen which Leo told us literally stood for entry to the square if my mind serves me correctly.

This was the queue to see Mau’s mausoleum. It was thousands deep and stretched from one end of the square to the other.

We had a few photos within the square before using the underpass to get to the entry to Tiananmen, where we would enter the actual Forbidden City.

We were told that the 80,000 tickets for that day had all been sold out by the previous evening. No tickets meant no entry, so it was lucky that we’d been on the tour and not just turning up as solo tourists (so if you do decide to do this on your own, it’s worth bearing in mind – book your tickets in advance – don’t just turn up).

It felt as though all 80,000 ticket holders were setting off at the same time as us. Each of them seemed to have an umbrella (as protection from the sun rather than rain), and I was to be hit in the head on many occasions as we covered the 180 acres during an incredibly hot and humid day.

Tiananman Square and the entrance to the Forbidden City

We set off through Tiananmen, passing into the Forbidden City through the Meridian Gate, across the bridges over the Golden Water, the Gate of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Supreme Harmony – Harmony seems to be an integral part of Chinese culture – the Hall of Middle (you guessed it) Harmony, the bedrooms, and out of the Gate of Heavenly Purity (what? Not Harmony?) via the Imperial Garden. The latter was very small considering the overall size of the site and it was about the only shade afforded during the tour. I guess that as it was only the Emperor and his family who could use the gardens, they didn’t need to be big. Their size and position was also an important part of Feng Shui we were told.

The approach to the Forbidden City entrance

Are you really Chinese if you don’t have an umbrella?

How the brochures probably tell you it looks like inside…..

….versus how it actually looks. 80,000 people is a lot of tourists to get through every day!

It is impressively large inside with virtually no shade.

I did manage to find an area inside where there were no crowds!

It took us the full 2 hours to get through and we were literally soaked in sweat, and in need of a couple of bottles of (cold-ish) water by the end.

From here, we set off to have a traditional Chinese lunch (and an obligatory viewing of a silk quilt making factory (where I bought nothing more than a couple of fridge magnets), but where there seemed to be an expectation that I needed a silk-stuffed duvet to take home, before making our way on to the Great Wall.

The Great Wall

At some 21,000km long, there are plenty of places where you could go to see the Great Wall. The trip I’d chosen was to the Juyongguan section. The booking guide notes that this area literally means “First Pass under the Heavens” and that it was a fortified pass often referred to as the Throat of Beijing. There are many others to choose from, but this one was only around 1.5 hours from Beijing and I neither had the time nor the inclination to sit on transport for any longer than that off the back of a 13-hour flight!

And it was everything I’d expected. On the way, we’d learned that while parts of the wall had been started as long ago as 700BC, most of what we know today as the Great Wall was built around 200BC, predominantly to protect the country from nomadic raids. When used for defence, smoke (during the day) and fire (at night) were used to alert soldiers up and down the wall if raids were being attempted.

I hadn’t anticipated quite how steep some sections of the wall were. They were clearly built on ridge lines to maximise their effectiveness but following contours must have made it exceptionally difficult to build. This area has been well reconstructed, so it’s a good choice for a visit. While it is steep, imposing and stark, it didn’t actually always do the job for which it was intended and in the mid-1600s it was breached by the Qing dynasty who defeated their predecessors, the Mings. But the intention of this isn’t to be a history lesson – just to note that it’s a good section of the wall to visit!

We only had a couple of hours here – long enough to cover a couple of the watch-towers and to get up sufficiently high to take some great photos, showing the extent of the wall in the area. While I consider myself “relatively” fit, I don’t mind admitting that I was sucking in air like the best of them. It’s a steep climb, some of the steps are very large, and if you don’t have a head for heights, looking down could be problematic. That said, it was definitely a worthwhile visit and one that I enjoyed. My legs were definitely a bit stiff the following day though!

A tea ceremony

Our tour finished with a visit to a tea house for a tea ceremony. Not being a huge tea drinker (I like the odd cup of earl grey with milk and sugar – which I suspect would be frowned upon in China), I wasn’t too bothered if we did this piece or not. That said, it was good to see how it is made and to try a number of different teas (slurping was actively encouraged, and it turns out I was a natural at that)! Truth be told, a cold beer ceremony would have gone down exceptionally well after climbing in all that heat!

Getting ready to try 6 different types of tea (all of which were actually quite nice if the truth be told).

And from there, it was straight back to the hotel. Well, when I say straight back, we were now in Beijing rush hour, so it wasn’t the quickest of returns.

About the food….

I often think that I like to travel to where I like the food. The food in China didn’t disappoint! I’ve no idea what some of it was but I had Peking Duck (twice) – which is part food and part theatre to be fair – and Hainan Chicken twice. I think that it’s probably more Singaporean than Chinese. I had it once in the hotel (it was raining heavily and I couldn’t be bothered venturing out that night and it was OK. But I also found a local, cheap restaurant where it was fantastic – and with a beer cost me around NZ$8.

This was the Hainan chicken that cost me around $8. It was much more expensive and not nearly as nice in the hotel, so it’s worth heading out for food.

Peking Duck – part food, part theatre.

I was always well fed at work, with something different being ordered for me every day (although I did have to ask if we could limit it to one course so that I stayed awake in the afternoon!).

A few final points

I had a limited amount of time to do the trip but knew what I wanted to see. Often when travelling, I’ll do my own thing and make my own way, but when time is of the essence, tours really are useful to make sure you see as much as you can in a limited amount of time. While I booked it via the hotel, I could just as easily have done it online. The “Bucket Life” tour did what it said on the tin. I got to see my trifecta of Tiananmen, the Forbidden City and the Great Wall within a day. It cost me CNY560 (so around NZD125) and I thought that was good value for money, especially as it did include lunch. I was expecting to be on a coach full of people for that amount but there were 3 of us plus the driver and guide. You can do it on your own with a driver and guide, but this is much more expensive.

The only other thing I’d say is that if you’re visiting in summer, don’t forget a hat, sun block, sunglasses and water. You’ll also do well to wear comfy trainers (you don’t need any more than that) and I’d have loved a change of t-shirt, given that I was literally dripping with sweat on two separate occasions during the day! Other than that, just enjoy it. If, like me, you’ve just come off a flight and are a bit jet-lagged, the beauty of this trip was that there was so much walking, so you couldn’t possibly fall asleep.

Now, I need to find 3 additional items for my Bucket List (I could have said 4, but a tea ceremony has never actually been on my bucket list!)…….