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This ship has so much history (and has the been the setting for many movies and TV shows, including the X-Files!). It also has quite a few ghosts, apparently.

There is a lavish champagne brunch on Sundays, and you can even stay in the same suite that Winston Churchill used. Definitely worth a second visit.

I was here on a one-night stopover with my mother, who still has relatives there through her mother. It was beautiful; the perfect juxtaposition between mountain and sea.

The resorts looked lavish and tempting. Shopping and eating out were cheap. Loads of eco-tourism activities. I’m definitely coming back for a proper trip.

I am addicted to Bee Cheng Hiang’s ba gua.

- One of the few places in the world where you can still see hornbills. There is still quite a lot of unspoilt jungle.
- Please respect the local customs and dress modestly. Sorry ladies, no exposed bosoms, minis etc. You’ll also feel more comfortable this way, trust me.
- No alcohol, FYI.
- Helps if you know someone who lives here, it is difficult to get around without a car.

Update: oh look, I already commented below a few years and pretty much said the same thing. Old age is a sad thing. Oh well …

Visited between 2000 and 2004 (sorry, the memory’s going)

This is more of a “damn tourists!” story. We arrived late at night, all the restaurants were shut, and I was extremely hungry. The fact that most buildings had the word “Hamburger” in their name was like torture.

Once my belly was filled, I really enjoyed my visit :)

Visited in February 2006.

You must:
- walk up the hill to the cemetery and pass under the red gates,
- walk through Gion and try to spot a maiko or geisha (and even if you don’t the architecture is beautiful),
- have a look at the little alleys full of tiny bars that seat 5 people,
- go to the undercover arcades and look at the fascinating shops,
- rent a bicycle from your hotel or a nearby department store and go exploring,
- listen to the distinctive tune that the crosswalk plays in the old part of town!

This museum is badly in need of funding, but manages to soldier on quite well. They have such a fantastic array of toys, including ones that I remembered from MY childhood in the 70s and 80s.

Highlights: the creepy Punch and Judy dolls, the royal family’s dollhouses (fascinating and so intricate!), bears and dolls from Victorian times wearing clothes painstakingly handmade by the children who loved them.

The Eygptian exhibition is always crowded but so worth it. I can just see those rich amateur archaeologists from Victorian times visiting and going, “Do you think that statue would look nice in our garden, dear? Abdul, please haul it out and put it on the boat!”

A lovely old building in pleasant surroundings. We got here too close to closing time and our visit was a little rushed.

But you know what I thought of when I was in here? Movies. Specifically “The Ninth Gate” with Johnny Depp, and “The Day After Tomorrow” with Jake Gyllenhaal, especially when they were burning all those tax books to keep warm :)

Coming from Australia, where we have a capital city with similar origins (halfway between the two large contenders for the capital etc.) I thought Ottawa would be a bland, concrete jungle.

I was pleasantly surprised and delighted to find out how beautiful it was. There are so many lovely old buildings, especially the Houses of Parliament, where we were lucky enough to stumble upon an annual ceremony marking the relationship between the British and the Canadians, complete with a symphony that ended in cannons (Beethoven? Tchaikovsky? I am so bad at remembering these things). The War Memorial was also done up for this event, and it was summer. If someone can help me with the details I would be most grateful :) They also played “O Canada” and thrills rushed down my spine.

We visited vibrant markets, went on a really well-presented (and chilling) ghost tour, and saw a fantastic comedy show.

Definitely worth a second visit, this time in winter, to skate on the Rideau Canal.