Tag: travel

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Chicago, the Windy City, has a Lot to Offer to Visitors

Cloud Gate, nicknamed The Bean, in Millenium Park, Chicago. (Dr. Noorali Bharwani)
Cloud Gate, nicknamed The Bean, in Millenium Park, Chicago. (Dr. Noorali Bharwani)

If you haven’t been to Chicago then you are missing out on something. I was there to attend the American College of Surgeons meeting. Chicago is home to opera, jazz, museums, aquariums, parks, fountains, theatres, shopping malls, restaurants and extensive walking trails along the river.

Chicago was founded in 1833. It is the third most populous city in the United States. With over 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the state of Illinois and the Midwest.

Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport is the busiest airport in the world when measured by aircraft traffic. The region also has the largest number of U.S. highways and railroad freight. Chicago has many nicknames, the best-known being the Windy City.

In Chicago, tourism is a serious business. In 2014, Chicago attracted 50 million domestic leisure travellers, 11 million domestic business travellers and 1.3 million overseas visitors. These visitors contributed more than US$13.7 billion to Chicago’s economy.

There are many ways to take sightseeing tours in Chicago. Ferries offer sightseeing tours along the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. You can take Hop-On Hop-Off tourist bus or you can walk. A 2011 study by Walk Score ranked Chicago the fourth most walkable of fifty largest cities in the United States.

Chicago’s Attractions

  1. The Magnificent Mile
    Chicago’s Magnificent Mile is the great Chicago shopping experience with an abundance and variety of boutiques and stores. It can satisfy all your shopping needs with towering shopping centers, chic designer studios, intimate specialty retail shops, iconic department stores, lavish luxury boutiques and trendy favorites all within an easy stroll.

  2. The Millennium Park

    The Bean (Cloud Gate) at Millenium Park in Chicago. (Dr. Noorali Bharwani) Looking Into My Dreams, Awilda, is one of four large-scale portrait sculptures titled Jamue Plensa: 1004 Portraits, in Millennium Park, Chicago. (Dr. Noorali Bharwani) Chicago Crown Fountain Sculpture (Dr. Noorali Bharwani)
    In Millennium Park, there is the reflective Cloud Gate sculpture. Cloud Gate, a public sculpture by Indian-born British artist Anish Kapoor, is the centerpiece of the AT&T Plaza in Millennium Park. Also, an outdoor restaurant transforms into an ice rink in the winter season. Two tall glass sculptures make up the Crown Fountain. The fountain’s two towers display visual effects from LED images of Chicagoans’ faces, along with water spouting from their lips.

  3. Chicago Riverwalk and River Cruise
    Originally, the Chicago River flowed into Lake Michigan, which was the source of the city’s drinking water. To improve public heath by reducing water pollution, engineers completed the reversal of the flow of the river in 1900. Now the water flows into Mississippi River and this keeps Lake Michigan clean. Since 1970, the city reduced pollution and started to beatify riverbanks with dazzling views, landscaped riverwalks, parks and cafes. The river today is a constantly changing and improving.

  4. Trump International Hotel and Tower (2009) – 1388 feet (423.1 meters)
    Trump International Hotel and Tower in Chicago. (Dr. Noorali Bharwani)
    At over 90 stories, Trump Tower, with a hotel at the base and residential units above, was designed by Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, the firm responsible for Burj Khalifa, Dubai the world’s current tallest building.

  5. The Chicago Loop
    The Chicago Loop is the central business district. The best way to go through the Loop is by taking Hop-On Hop-Off sight seeing bus.

With an estimated completion date of 2020, the Barack Obama Presidential Center will be housed at the University of Chicago in Hyde Park and include both the Obama presidential library and offices of the Obama Foundation.

If you plan to visit Chicago then make sure you plan well. Enjoy!

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Everything you want can be found in New Orleans.

China Lights at New Orleans City Park Botanical Gardens (Dr. Noorali Bharwani)
China Lights at New Orleans City Park Botanical Gardens (Dr. Noorali Bharwani)

It has been more than 30 years since we were last in New Orleans. It was time to revisit the city that has to offer everything you ever wanted for fun and food.

“New Orleans is one of the world’s most fascinating cities – it’s home to a truly unique melting pot of culture, food and music,” says New Orleans Official Guide. Everything the guide says is true. We were there in early April and the city was full of tourists.

New Orleans is a major United States port on Mississippi River and the largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The population of the city is about 400,000. The city is named after the Duke of Orleans. It is well known for its distinct French and Spanish Creole architecture, as well as its cross-cultural and multilingual heritage. It is also famous for Mardi Gras, dating to French colonial times.

Here are few items of interest to note:

China Lights at New Orleans City Park Botanical Gardens

China Lights at New Orleans City Park Botanical Gardens

This incredible exhibit from China is open for a limited time from February 23 to May 1, 2016. Best time to visit is at night as display of over 30 extraordinary structures light up. There is food and music and things to see in the Botanical Garden. The exhibits will travel the world and may come to a city near you.

New Orleans Cemeteries (Cities of the Dead)

New Orleans Cemeteries (Cities of the Dead)

Normally, a public cemetery would not be a tourist attraction. But in New Orleans it is different. New Orleans is built on a swamp. The deceased have to be buried above ground. Each unit belongs to a family to accommodate multiple bodies. Over time the cemeteries, with elaborate sculptures and other decorative artwork, resemble small villages.

Entertainment

Street Jazz players in New Orleans, LA.

New Orleans business signs.

New Orleans, birthplace of jazz, offers all kinds of music. Whether you like jazz, rock, hip-hop, pop, funk, indie, blues, there is live entertainment for everyone. There are street musicians and there are world famous performers come and perform at Jazz Fest.

The nightlife goes on all night. You can drink anywhere you want. You can play music and dance. Nobody stops you as long as you are having fun. Spending a night or two (or more) walking and drinking on the Bourbon Street is a must. It is a famous historic street dating from the time of French Louisiana, along the French Quarter. Bourbon Street is steeped in history, folklore and beauty that date back to the early 18th century.

Riverside Walk

Riverside Walk in New Orleans, LA.

A walk along the Mississippi River in New Orleans, you get to experience riverfront area adjacent to the French Quarter. You get to experience public art, family activities including food outlets offer delicious food. There is also an air-conditioned mall.

Looking for alligators

Alligator in New Orleans, LA.

Airboat tour in New Orleans, LA.

We used the services of Airboat Tours by Arthur Matherne, Inc. to look for alligators and swamp wild life. This is a high speed adventure that is part tour and part ride.

The adventure takes you through swamp, marsh and lake. You may see anything from a Bald Eagle to a Pelican to Osprey to an Owl and alligators. It is very exciting.

Well, there is a lot to see and do in New Orleans – more than what I can write here.

Start reading the preview of my book A Doctor's Journey for free on Amazon. Available on Kindle for $2.99!

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Georgia (and the Masters) on my mind!

General view of the Augusta National Golf Course.
General view of the Augusta National Golf Course.
Noorali with the Masters trophy at the Augusta National Golf Club.
Noorali with the Masters trophy at the Augusta National Golf Club.
Noorali with Tianlang Guan from China, 14-yr-old eighth grader in school, the youngest player to play the Masters and make a cut.
Noorali with Tianlang Guan from China, 14-yr-old eighth grader in school, the youngest player to play the Masters and make a cut.
Kitchen encounter with "Mr. 59". Al Geiberger. From L to R: Al Geiberger, Harry, Tony, Noorali, Dan.
Kitchen encounter with “Mr. 59”. Al Geiberger. From L to R: Al Geiberger, Harry, Tony, Noorali, Dan.
With Dave Stockton, short game guru and a well known American Golfer. From L to R: Noorali, Tony, Dave Stockton, Dan, Harry.
With Dave Stockton, short game guru and a well known American Golfer. From L to R: Noorali, Tony, Dave Stockton, Dan, Harry.
Having breakfast in the clubhouse - restricted to members and their guests. L to R: Harry, Noorali, Dan, Tony.
Having breakfast in the clubhouse – restricted to members and their guests. L to R: Harry, Noorali, Dan, Tony.
Bubba Watson - 2012 Masters champion quenching thirst during the Masters practice round before hitting his tee shot.
Bubba Watson – 2012 Masters champion quenching thirst during the Masters practice round before hitting his tee shot.
Augusta National Golf Club coffee cup and saucer.
Augusta National Golf Club coffee cup and saucer.
General view of the Augusta National Golf Course.
General view of the Augusta National Golf Course.
General view of the Augusta National Golf Course.
General view of the Augusta National Golf Course.

We (Tony, Dan and yours truly) arrived in Atlanta, Georgia on Friday April 5. We were picked up by our friend from Kentucky, Harry and drove to Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, GA. We checked into our hotel, The Ritz-Carlton.

Reynolds Plantation is a golf and lake community providing a lifestyle with six golf courses and access to Lake Oconee, Georgia’s second largest lake. It has 10,000 acres of land, four full service marinas and 90 miles of shoreline.

We had tickets to the Masters for Tuesday April 9 practice round and Thursday April 11, first day of the Masters. We had decided to golf for three days at Reynolds Plantation before going to Augusta. On Saturday we golfed at The National and Great Waters – 36 holes for the day. On Sunday we golfed The Plantation Course and Harbour Club. Monday we golfed in the morning at The Oconee and drove to Augusta in the afternoon.

In Augusta, we were accommodated in a beautiful house by our host. On Tuesday, we were driven to the Augusta National Golf Club by our host who had special privileges at the Club House. We drove through the famous Magnolia Lane and then given a tour of the clubhouse. We had breakfast at the clubhouse where only members and their guests are allowed. We also had lunch on the lawn which is also a restricted area. We had our pictures taken with the Masters trophy which sits in the clubhouse.

Practice round is the only day cameras and cellphones are allowed on the course. We had an opportunity to walk around the course, follow some famous golfers on the course, take hundreds of pictures of who’s who on the PGA tour, we had a group photo with Dave Stockton, the short game guru of many players including Phil Mickelson. In the evening we had a kitchen encounter in a private home with “Mr. 59” Al Geiberger and his two sons who are also well known in their own sporting fields.

Al Geiberger, won eleven times on the PGA Tour, with victories that included one major championship, the 1966 PGA Championship. On June 10, 1977, in the second round of the Danny Thomas Memphis Classic played at the Colonial Country Club in Cordova, Tennessee, he became the first person in history to post a score of 59 (par was 72) in a PGA event. Incidentally, Dave Stockton was one of Geiberger’s playing partners that day.

That Tuesday afternoon we were free so we booked a course (The River Golf Club) in North Augusta, South Carolina – a 45-minute drive from Augusta, GA. On Wednesday, April 10, we played 36 holes of golf at Palmetto Golf Club in Aiken, South Carolina. So, by that time we had played nine rounds of golf in five days – this is the most golfing I have done in five days. At the end of it I felt tired but rejuvenated that I still had stamina to do this amount of activity! A self vote of confidence – so to speak.

Thursday was the big day – first day of the Masters. We arrived at the course at seven in the morning, first tee time was at eight. Parking is free near the course – about five minutes walk from one of the gates. We went through the security and carefully walked to 14 and 15 hole and put our chairs at the rope around the green. If you are found running then you will be thrown out. There are too many rules to take care of. No cell phones or cameras are allowed inside after Thursday. There are thousands of people, so if you part with the members of your group then you will have hard time contacting them.

Once you put your chair down then nobody will move it. You can walk around and follow a group of golfers for a while. It is a long course. Every fairway has a hilly area to climb. When you are tired you can sit down and watch all the golfers go by. You can decide how you want to spend the day. I was thrilled to see all the players in person so closely from the ring side sit. It was a memorable moment. We returned home on Friday to watch the rest of the Masters on TV.

Masters ticket are one of the most difficult to buy. You can go to their website and apply. You can buy them from a certified ticket broker. According to Augusta Chronicle (April 7 2013), “… practice round tickets were ranging from as low as $350 for Monday, to more than $1,000 for Wednesday, ticket brokers said. A four-day tournament badge was going for about $6,500 but … prices can fluctuate wildly on any given day.” The law also sets a 2,700-foot boundary around the venue where no tickets can be resold. Augusta National policy prohibits the resale of Masters tickets.

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Magic of Maui – Seven Days Not Enough

Sunrise above the clouds at Haleakala National Park. (iStockphoto/Thinkstock)
Sunrise above the clouds at Haleakala National Park. (iStockphoto/Thinkstock)

The most memorable day was spent at the Haleakala volcano summit (10,000 ft) to watch the most beautiful sunrise.
The most memorable day was spent at the Haleakala volcano summit (10,000 ft) to watch the most beautiful sunrise.

After watching the sunrise from the volcano crater at 10,000 ft. Alia (pink jacket), Hussein (yellow jacket) and the rest of the group get ready to bike down the mountain on Volcano Chrome Cruiser Bikes.
After watching the sunrise from the volcano crater at 10,000 ft. Alia (pink jacket), Hussein (yellow jacket) and the rest of the group get ready to bike down the mountain on Volcano Chrome Cruiser Bikes.

The bikers riding down the mountain road under the watchful eyes of Sabiya and Noorali in the van - drinking coffee and taking pictures.
The bikers riding down the mountain road under the watchful eyes of Sabiya and Noorali in the van – drinking coffee and taking pictures.

We were back at the the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel to soak in the sunset.
We were back at the the Ka’anapali Beach Hotel to soak in the sunset.

Then to the magic show: left to right -- Noorali, Sabiya, Alia and Hussein “performing” magic.
Then to the magic show: left to right — Noorali, Sabiya, Alia and Hussein “performing” magic.

Taking a holiday is a wonderful thing. It takes a while to organize one but once you get there, you are glad you made it. That is how my family and I felt when we arrived at mid-night at our hotel in Maui, Hawaii.

We stayed at Ka’anapali Beach Hotel (Hawaii’s most Hawaiian hotel). We had our rooms facing the beach. The sunset every evening was breathtaking. One can sit on the balcony all day to observe the interaction between humans, their pets and nature – sun, sand, water, waves, breeze and fluttering palm trees.

The location of the hotel also provided an opportunity for long walks on the beach, with the presence of multiple shops and other hotels and restaurants meant you could just stay on the beach and get everything you wanted right there. This allowed my daughter, Alia, to continue with her early morning jogs and workouts while we were still in bed.

We decided to take it easy on the first day to recover from the long journey. We spent our time at the beach, the swimming pool and the local village shops. We had lunch at Leilani’s on the Beach where they serve you a giant “killer” Hula pie as desert for free! In the evening, we had dinner at the hotel’s Tiki Terrace restaurant where Hula dancers entertained us.

Other activities during the week included parasailing, zipline adventures from a base camp at 1,600 ft. elevation, and Kupanaha Magic Show Dinner Theater at the hotel. One evening was spent at Maui Theatre watching a show called Ulalena. The show takes you through the same journey as the Hawaiian people – from the creation of the islands to the early island explorers. Through their special effects you will visit volcanoes, vast oceans and primeval rain forests while meeting the Gods who rule each location.

The most memorable day was spent at the Haleakala volcano summit to watch the most beautiful sunrise and then bike 28 miles downhill. Early Hawaiians applied the name Haleakalā (“house of the sun”) to the general mountain. The tallest peak of Haleakalā is at 10,023 feet (3,055 m). The drive to the summit is a two-lane highway containing many blind turns and very steep drop-offs. It takes about two to three hours to drive to the summit if you have no fear of heights.

We decided to go by van as part of a guided tour. Pick-up time was at 2:30 a.m. at our hotel. A continental breakfast was provided before we started the journey. At the summit, it is cold (about zero degree Celsius) and windy. We were provided with warm overalls. Sometimes it rains and the clouds distort the view of the sunrise. We were lucky. No rain and the sunrise was beautiful. There were lots of people. After you have taken pictures it is time to leave.

If you have the stomach to drive by yourself then you can stay as long as you want, hike around and visit the rest of the park. If you have a fear of heights or want to enjoy the view and let somebody else drive then take a guided tour. As the morning broke, we drove downhill about half way. Then we were given Volcano Chrome Cruiser Bikes and helmets. Hussein and Alia biked with the rest of the group while Sabiya and I took photos from the van.

One thing we didn’t do is the famous Hana Highway drive. We had done it 15 years ago and had no desire to do that again as there was no time. We did visit Maui’s Winery, hiked the Maui Rain Forests and Waterfalls and spent an evening to have dinner and a show at Old Lahaina Luau. Our most memorable dining was at the secluded Mama’s Fish House and at Sansei Seafood Restaurant and Sushi Bar.

There was so much more to do but as always, “Hopefully, next time.”

Start reading the preview of my book A Doctor's Journey for free on Amazon. Available on Kindle for $2.99!