Company Affair

A beached wale was found the other day with human trash in it’s stomach with everything from plastic golf balls and plastic bags, to sweat pants and duct tape. While it is common to find small amounts of trash in the stomach of whales that are beached, this is the largest quantity ever of human trash found in a gray whale. More information on this can be found in this article. If there was ever a time to be thinking about what we are doing to our environment, this reminds us why we need to start now.

Our four-star Dubai hotels offer a sumptuous blend of innovation and tradition, meeting some of the highest luxury standards in the hotel industry.  Guests here will find themselves enjoying all the amenities our hotels have to offer, including fantastic food, gracious hospitality, and a host of extras that are sure to make a stay here memorable for years to come.  The ambience here is exquisite, where contemporary design meets with classical beauty, making the hotels as inviting as the city itself.  Our lodging provides a splendid base to center your stay in this gorgeous place, that has both desert and beach.  Dubai has really come into its own in recent years, and there are plenty of good reasons why it’s one of the hottest vacation spots in the world.

For one thing, Dubai has some of the world’s largest shopping malls, with a variety of attractions inside the malls.  This means that an already-fantastic shopping experience is further heightened by a host of distractions that will entertain family members of all ages.  There are also a dizzying number of galleries showing some of the most innovative works of contemporary art in the world.  On top of this, Dubai has a dog show!  Already in its third decade, the show, now known as the Pedigree and Whiskas Pet Show is held in late Winter, and is a treat for local pet owners, as well as an excellent attraction for international visitors.

Recently added is a special pavilion for cats and birds, although the emphasis is still very much on the dog.  The Dubai Pet Show has a full day of events that will appeal to animal lovers of all walks (and flights) of life, but the competition is for the dogs.  With categories like Happiest Dog, and Dog Most Like its Owner, there is a genuine spirit of good fun here, although serious competitors will also find their place.  This is a free event, and one that brings joy into the hearts of children and adults who love dogs and all animals.

Ask at any of the hotels Brisbane has to offer about what to do in town and they will invariable mention the Gallery of Modern Art or GoMA. It’s actually part of a complex of museums reached by ambling down River Walk, which is a walkway that’s actually floating and links the business core of the city; and past beaches and swimming lagoons. It’s right on the Stanley River and overlooks the city. The GoMA has works by Australian and artists from all over the world. Giant windows frame the view of the city, and sits next to the Queensland Art Gallery.

Or try the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, the largest koala sanctuary in the world. 40 miles north of Brisbane, you can get there by bus which will drop you off at the gate. Animals from Australia are everywhere and we enjoyed the petting zoo. Holding a koala is a must do, so is feeding the kangaroos. They have wallabies which are related to kangaroos, which they look like but are smaller. All these animals are a kick to see, especially in this pleasant sanctuary. Also living there are dingoes and flying foxes, which are large bats. Where else can you get to hold a koala?

For more animals Brisbane Whalewatching will take you on a day tour of humpback whales in Moreton Bay. A high speed catamaran takes you quickly out into the bay where you can observe the whales as well as dolphin pods and turtles. Live commentary make this a wonderfully educational and enjoyable tour. The food is almost as good as the view as guests are treated to a delicious buffet. Seeing the whales is unforgettable as they jump out of the water and come right up to the boat.

Sea World, California, Shamu, other fabulous sea creatures. When you picture Sea World, all kinds of images form in your mind. The beauty of these wonderfully mysterious underwater mammals is so entertaining and fascinating to us. Wouldn’t you love to know, really know the depth of their intelligence? What about their souls, their feelings? The whales, the dolphins, the porpoises, all of them have been trained to respond to their handlers and they are there for our entertainment. But these marvelous creatures are so much more than mere learned behavior and responses. What a thrill it must be as a handler to experience first hand the incredible bond between human and mammal. You can peer into their impelling eyes and be drawn into their very being. The trust that is given to the human is incredible and hopefully never ill deserved.

Millions of people from all over the world make San Diego, California their destination so they can get event tickets and visit Sea World. It’s almost like walking into a whole different dimension of life when you get up close and personal with these exceptional creatures. You sit there on the bleachers with other visitors, all with growing anticipation, knowing full well you will probably be drenched from one or more of the huge splashes that come from a tail or fin, but that’s ok, that’s part of the thrill of it all. Being able to actually touch one of these beautiful animals is amazing. But for me, it’s the eyes. It’s almost like they can read our minds, knowing what we are thinking; and believing in us, believing we will do no harm. How they can communicate with humans, creating this bond of deep friendship and love is beyond me. I don’t know how, I just believe it does exist. And I also believe that is what draws so many people from so many places, every year, to capture a little piece of this unique mystery for themselves.

When it comes to world-class in accommodations, our four-star hotel in Delhi are the cream of the crop.  There is a splendid blend of old-world hospitality and new-world amenities here, allowing the guests to focus on the rejuvenation of the body and mind, rather than fret over the small details.  We’ve already got the details covered, and also have many added details to make your vacation sweeter.  Delhi is a fascinating city, and a unique combination of tradition and innovation, and so are our hotels.  Luxury is an experience that is not to be missed in this lifetime, and you can find it here.

While your hotel will be the place you lay your hat while you’re here, there are fantastic urban adventures to be had in the city.  Delhi is one of the oldest continually-occupied cities in the world, and it is extremely rich in history and culture.  People watching is at a premium here, where the whole human drama plays itself out daily on the streets here.  And there are excellent tours and sight-seeing opportunities here that the whole family can enjoy.  There are also monitor lizards here.  Wait.  Monitor lizards in Delhi?

There are a lot of myths about these creatures, and they are terribly terribly interesting.  They are endangered, and poachers and smugglers still try to capture them for their meat.  It is believed in some circles that their tails hold aphrodisiac powers, and there are other legends, but one thing is certain: spotting one is a very rare event, and a remarkable one.  They don’t move very fast when in the light of day, so it’s best to call the authorities right away, to keep the lizards safe and away from humans.  There is an excellent organization in Delhi called Wildlife S.O.S., and they receive some interesting phone calls.  Scared citizens will call about the snake in their yard with claws, and crowds will be gathering around the small dragon with a snake’s tongue.  At least one of the employees of Wildlife S.O.S., Kapur, once worked as a snake charmer, so he’s well-prepared to meet small dragons.  Monitor lizards, however, are harmless, and rather beautiful creatures that help make India an interesting place.

I noticed it’s nesting season in Singapore. Once the migrants leave, by late March, our local birds got into high gear. Courting rituals, gathering nesting materials and then incubating and hatching their little babies. I have witnessed this everywhere. The Doves, Mynas, to Hornbills and now the Olive-backed Sunbirds, which really thrills me. See, birds in Singapore tend to nest this time of year because there is less competition for food from those wonderfully beautiful, but pesky migratory birds. So, there’s more grub to feed the their new brood of cute little twittering, hungry and featherless chicks.

I was so excited when I located a nest of an Olive-backed Sunbird in one of the trees in the garden of one of the Singapore Luxury Hotels
I work for. I discovered its brown droplet nest in a tree with which I was pruning. I managed to delicately prune around the nest to leave it undisturbed. I’ve been monitoring it assiduously in between the other hotels I work at. I’ve seen the female bird fly to and fro sporadically from the nest to go fetch for food for her young. I wish I was an expert photographer because that activity is hard to capture because the intervals between her arrival is extremely short and she heads straight into the nest without hanging about outside the nest. Very frustrating to capture on film.

Plus, there’s no way to photograph the baby chicks cause of the distance and angle I’d need, it’s just not available. So, it’s just the female and the occasional male that I manage to see, but not see how they feed or what they feed there young. Too bad, really. Maybe I should set up my telescope instead! Or, like those National Geographic people do, hide a video camera inside the nest. Oh well, I’m not that sophisticated or have the means to do so. Someday, maybe, just maybe.