Eastern & Oriental Hotel - Penang, Malaysia

E & O Hotel

We arrived in George Town Penang after two flights from San Francisco that took 18 hours in the air. We were able to sleep on our flights so we didn’t really have jet lag. We took a Taxi from Penang International Airport to the wonderful Eastern and Oriental Hotel on the Andaman Sea  in the Old Town area of George Town.

Corner Suite Living Room

At the E&O we had a fantastic stay in a huge Corner Suite (1200 sq ft) in the modern, colonial style Victory Annex. Views of Andaman sea and George Town were incredible . It's also in a charming part of old town Penang. It’s in a very walkable location. Original colonial hotel dates from 1885. This hotel is a very good value for the price.

Tub with a View of Andaman Sea

Bedroom

The Corner Suite was immaculate and had everything we needed for a luxurious stay. It had his and her Marble vanity counters and wonderful old time freestanding bath tub. The overall design had a heritage style borrowed from the original 1885 hotel building with contemporary comforts. We were on the top floor and had a wraparound balcony with incredible views of the ocean from one side and views of Bukit Bendera (Flagstaff Hill) on the other.

Old Shop Houses, Now Bars, Restaurants

George Town itself is the capital city of the Malaysian State of Penang. It’s located at the northeastern tip of Penang Island. Greater George Town is the second largest city in Malaysia and has an estimated population of 2.5 million. It’s also one of the oldest cities in Malaysia, George Town, along with Malacca, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.

Francis Light Grave 1784

The City of George Town was established by Captain Francis Light of the British East India Company in 1786. George Town was one of the first British settlements in SE Asia. Together with Singapore and Malacca, George Town was governed under the Straights Settlements which later became a British Crown Colony in 1867.

Malaya attained independence from the British Empire in 1957. In 2015, the entire Penang Island was granted city status. Penang Island is an interesting location with many cultures including Malay, Chinese and Tamil and also a large population of others  from many countries.

Andaman Sea from Balcony

Penang Hill from the Balcony

The Eastern and Oriental delivered old-world charm and luxury for us in Penang and served as a central base for us to walk and explore old town and other parts on Penang Island.

Highly recommended!  

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Flight to Penang Malaysia

Cathay Pacific Welcome

We started our trip to Penang Malaysia and Cambodia in the Cathay Pacific Lounge in Terminal A at SFO. Beautiful lounge with very inviting seating. San Francisco Airport is one of the nicer airports in the United States, at least for some of the terminals. While Terminal 2 is probably my favorite, International Terminals A & G are quite nice as well.

Dan-Dan Noodles

At the CX lounge entrance we were welcomed by a friendly associate in a Cathay Pacific uniform. She reprinted our boarding passes on Cathay Pacific card stock, along with invitations to Cathay Pacific’s arrivals lounge in Hong Kong. She also asked if we were familiar with the lounge’s recent expansion, so proceeded to give us a rundown of the features of the lounge.

CX879 Seat 17A

After getting settled, I went the famous Noodle Bar where I ordered my Fav Dan-Dan Noodles that has a wonderful peanut sauce. You could order from three types of noodles, Dan-Dan, Wonton and Vegetarian. When you place an order you are given a buzzer. When your noodles were finished they buzz you for pick-up.

In Flight

Cathay has stopped flying 747s so we were excited to be on a 777 Business Class for flight CX 879. At around 10:45 boarding began and we were scheduled to depart from gate A3, which was just a three minute walk from the lounge. 

Dinner at 37,000 ft

When we got to Terminal A, the boarding gates are on the lower level, so we took the escalator down a level where the gate area was pretty civilized for Business Class. We boarded using the priority lane, settled into our seats, and got ready for the15 hour flight to Hong Kong.

Air Show

Tropical Clouds

Hong Kong was just a plane change and we only had an hour to get through the Transit Lane and get to the gate for our flight to Kuala Lumpur International departing at 20:20. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to visit the CX arrivals lounge at HKG. Only had an hour but, it all worked out. We got to gate 27 from gate 3 and passed through Transit no problem and we were soon in the air heading to Malaysia. We departed SFO at 11:45 and arrived HKG at 19:00.

Tropical Sunset at KLIA

 

Cathay Pacific Airlines is highly recommended!  

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Alcatraz

Voyage to Alcatraz

Visited Alcatraz while in San Francisco. It is such a historic place. We loved the short boat ride to the island. Booked the tickets on line about 3 weeks ahead which is important as they sell out.

This is such a cool piece of the Bay Area history. This attraction is almost always booked months in advance. 

Alcatraz Island

Once on Alcatraz there’s a hill to walk up before you get to the prison itself. There’s a tram that runs up and the down the hill for anyone who can’t manage it. The tour is audio-guided and narrated by former Alcatraz guards and inmates and is really well done. It's gritty, informative, and gives an idea of what life was like being in prison here. Interestingly,  Alcatraz was known for having the best food in the prison system.

Welcome

Alcatraz Boat Dock

Learn the history from former prison guards and prisoners themselves and step into the life of an Alcatraz resident as you tour their cells, sit in their cafeteria, and stare at the beautiful-yet-unattainable cityscape a little over a mile away.

Al Capone's Cell

Michigan Ave and A Block

Plan to spend at least two hours on Alcatraz - any less and you're doing yourself a true disfavor. And don’t forget your camera as this island is very photogenic.

 

San Francisco

On a clear day there are beautiful sweeping vistas of the city and the Golden Gate bridge.  Incredibly beautiful.

Golden Gate Bridge

Sometimes the island also plays host to art exhibits and previous guards/inmates who have put their stories on paper (their books are for sale in the gift shop).

SF Fisherman's Wharf

It can get pretty chilly so dressing in layers is a good idea since it can also be quite warm there too. Alcatraz is a wonderful place to see and experience.

Highly recommended.

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SFMOMA

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

Got a chance to visit the reopened San Francisco Museum of Modern art (SFMOMA). It was fantastic in every way. Absolutely beautiful space filled with wonderful art and natural light. It’s a beautiful expansion of the old museum.

Oculus Bridge

If you love modern art, you can't miss this experience when in SF. They recently expanded with additions from the Fisher Collection and more. It is well worth the price of the ticket. Tickets should be bought in advance as they’re sold by entry time which kind of keeps the museum from getting over crowded. It was pretty crowded Saturday afternoon though.

Chuck Close Agnes

Andy Warhol Silver Marlon

The art itself is a nice mix of contemporary art along with a nice section of old California photography gallery. There’s also a nice section with interesting British sculpture.

The new media section had some strong pieces. Lots of large scale Chuck Close works which is impressive. Nice full selection section of graphic design work. There’s also a nice group of Andy Warhol prints and silkscreens.

Living Wall

One thing not to be missed is the living wall on the 3rd floor sculpture terrace. It is said to be the largest vertical garden in the United States. It is 150 feet long by 35 feet tall. It contains 19,442 plants with 21 of which are CA native species. The plantings are evocative of the forest floors of Mount Tamalpais, Muir Woods, and the East Bay Regional Parks.  

Also not to be missed is the Oculus Bridge for an interesting vantage point of another Calder that hangs above the Botta Lobby off 3rd St. Beautiful natural light shines from the oculus and lights the lobby while welcoming visitors. 

When you are in San Francisco and want to explore modern art, you must not miss  this museum. Many of the pieces of art on display have been in private collections and have not ever been seen by the public in one place.

The SFMOMA is a beautiful example of how space, food and art can work in harmony. The balance of shape and architectural points makes the entire experience a rich and spectacular experience.

Highly recommended.

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Loews Regency Hotel San Francisco

Loews Regency on Sansome Street, San Francisco

We had a great experience staying at the Loews Regency in San Francisco. We were in SF for a dinner at Perbacco and we wanted to enjoy somewhere that had the best views in town. We had stayed at this location before when it was a Mandarin Oriental and those stays were always quite nice. Happily, nothing’s changed except for a few minor updates that are all for the better.

Room 4411

The Bridge to Bridge room met all our expectations - beautifully furnished, spacious, good storage options and the most amazing views of Alcatraz, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Bridge, Coit Tower, the Transamerica Pyramid, North Beach, Chinatown and the entire East Bay.

View of Golden Gate Bridge from Room

The Loews Regency occupies the top 11 floors of the 3rd tallest SF office tower in the City’s financial district. The beautifully remodeled hotel continues its well known excellence. The lobby and downstairs lounge/bar have been completely renovated and updated to an understated calm elegance, which was also reflected in the renovated room we enjoyed. The view rooms are unmatched in any hotel, in any city.

View of Bay Bridge from Room

The lobby area is modern, but warm and inviting. The hostess and managers are all very friendly, professional. The bar area is nice also, well lit, well stocked and the chairs were very comfortable. The service can't be beat, the drinks are well made, and the whole atmosphere is very, very nice.

Cost Tower and Alcatraz from Room

The hotel opened the 40th floor outside deck and set up a wine and champagne bar for hotel guests only at 5:00. We had a really good time there meeting people from all over the world. It was a wonderful experience.

Bathroom with a view

Loews Regency has done good job with the 2015 takeover from the Mandarin Oriental and is highly recommended.

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Shanghai China

Hyatt on the Bund

After our quick day trip to Shenzhen we flew up to Shanghai on China Southern Airlines for a couple of days at Hyatt on the Bund to explore the area.

Club Floor Room

Pudong from the Room

The location of the Hyatt is just perfect. The hotel is at one end of the Bund and is over 30 stories high. We stayed in a Club River View room on a high floor. There were unobstructed panoramic views of the city on both sides of the Huangpu River. Pudong was beautiful across the river.

M at the Bund Terrace

The food at the Hyatt was quite good but we had a chance  to try a couple of really good restaurants on the Bund. One that really stood out was M on the Bund. Fantastic restaurant that specializes in dishes with a mixture of Middle Eastern and European flavor. M at the Bund is undoubtedly a high-end spot with superb views and a strikingly beautiful terrace.

Fish at Jishi

We also loved Jishi for true Shanghai food. It’s tiny and always crowded. Luckily, we had a Chinese friend who helped us through the menu. At Jishi we had all the standards and each dish was well prepared and delicious. Shanghai food is oily and heavy, so I don't recommend eating it everyday. I could eat Jishi's fish everyday though.

Walking along the River

Sitting Along the Bund

The Crowd Along the Huangpu

The Bund itself is fantastic to walk around and just take in the crowds of Chinese and western tourists. The  views of old time buildings and Pudong across the river are wonderful.

Down the Bund at Night from Room

The Bund is alongside Huangpu River. It once was the financial center of the Far East. It's been considered Shanghai's symbol since the 1920s. It is often referred to as “a museum of buildings”. Many different styles of European buildings can be found here. Now it is even more attractive as you can also see the modern skyscrapers of Pudong across the Huangpu River. The view gives you a strong contrast between modern life and the past.

Highly recommended!

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Shenzhen China

Shenzhen Marriott

After spending some time in Hong Kong we decided on a quick trip to Shenzhen and Shanghai before we caught our flights back to SFO. With our 10 year visas, since both cities are in mainland China, it was pretty easy to visit the PRC. 

Hotel Room

We were staying at the Four Seasons Hong Kong and the nice concierge got us a shuttle van straight through on the modern express way to Shenzhen. A lot of people take the ferry or train which takes 3-5 hours with long lines at the border. The great thing about the van is it only takes about an hour and you never have to get out to clear customs or show your visa. The driver takes care of it all. Cost about USD 250.00 and is well worth it.

Shenzhen is a major city in Guangdong Province. It’s immediately north of Hong Kong and the area has become one of China’s first and most successful Special Economic Zones. According to the Government report for 2014, Shenzhen had a population of 10,628,900 people in the city proper, and a metropolitan area population of over 18 million. A huge city.

Marriott Lobby

We had reservations at the new-ish JW Marriott in Bao’an in a new area being developed by the airport. The Marriott has a beautiful lobby and two restaurants both of which serve terrific food. The buffet breakfast, lunch, and dinner offer outstanding broad selections of delicious food. The rooms are well appointed and very new and clean. The spa, pool, and exercise facilities are among the best we’ve seen at any hotel. 

Shenzhen Apartments

The Marriott staff is exceptionally friendly and helpful. Free fast wifi is included and the security is excellent. Not much to do near the hotel though, the area is a major construction zone now but eventually there will be a lot in this area.

Replica of Tibetan Lamasery

We were only in Shenzhen for one night so we only had time to see the city sights in a cab and also visit the Splendid China Park with its miniature Folk Culture Villages. It has all the attractions in China located in one place. The Great Wall, the Potala Palace, the Forbidden City, the Sun Yat Sen Memorial, and the original Three Gorges (before it was flooded by the dam). For a quick review of all the important sites in China, this is the place to see. It was fun and interesting.

Lamasery Main Alter

Pulling Taffy at The Chinese Cultural Center

Shenzhen is an interesting city to visit in China and we’ll probably go see it again when we’re in Hong Kong next time.

Highly recommended!

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