Sandra Scott Travels

Here are 10 fun things to do. Louisville, Kentucky’s largest city is home to several iconic sites. It is home to the Mohammed Ali Center and where the Louisville Slugger is made. The city likes to be called the “Bourbon Capital of the World” but there are also beautiful parks, historical sites, and more.

One of the things that I love about Asian food is that the preparation is so easy. I once mentioned to a Myanmar friend, “I like the fact that there are no fast-food restaurants in Myanmar.” The reply was, “All food in Myanmar is fast food.” Indeed, with many Myanmar recipes, once you have the ingredients, creating the dish is quick. In addition, simple alterations to many recipes can create equally delicious dishes.

Visiting NYC can be costly so I welcome any way to save money. Hotels are especially expensive, but luckily we had points that allowed us to stay at the Holiday Inn Express Wall Street for free. The hotel had a great location but the rooms are small – very small. From the hotel we walked to South Street Seaport’s TKTS kiosk for half-price Broadway show tickets (the line is shorter than at the Times Square TKTS kiosk).

When I was 10, on my first trip to NYC, my parents took me to Radio City Music Hall. I was brought to tears when the organs came out the side walls and the orchestra rose up from the floor. To me it was magical. Radio City’s two Wurlitzer Organs are the only two of its kind in the world. Interestingly, the organ players crawl through a tiny door to get to their stools without being noticed.

The most exciting Kentucky Derby for those of us who live in Upstate New York was in 2003 when Funny Cide from Sackets Harbor “Ran for the Roses.” He was the first New York bred horse to win the Derby. After Funny Cide won the Kentucky Derby the excitement continued when he went on to win the Preakness Stakes. Excitement reached a fever pitch when Funny Cide ran in the Belmont Stakes. A win at Belmont would mean Funny Cide would earn the coveted Triple Crown.

When I see the many articles listing the “Top Ten Beaches” it seemed to me that sooner later every great beach would make the list. So, I knew Ngapali Beach in Myanmar would be discovered. It finally made CNN’s list of “Best Beaches” in February 2016. John and I have been to Ngapali Beach nine times, staying each year at Amazing Resort. Ngapali Beach is truly a wonderful beach on the Bay of Bengal.

John and I are not fond of tour groups but a cruise accomplishes the same thing better without changing hotels. We flew Air Asia from Bangkok to Mandalay and stayed at the Amazing Hotel Mandalay. The Pandaw people picked us up at the hotel and transported us to the Pandaw Kindat. We chose a Pandaw cruise because the ships are built by the same company, the Irrawaddy Flotilla Company, which had hundreds of ships that plied the river during their British colonial days when their fleet numbered in the hundreds.

Many retired folks head to Florida to avoid the snow without realizing there are other options some of which are exciting and no more expensive. John and I discovered that long-staying at various hotels in Southeast Asia is more interesting. Before deciding on a second home away in sunny climes, consider the expenses: initial outlay to purchase, routine bills such as water, electricity, etc., maintenance costs or association fees, taxes and other miscellaneous expenses. The benefit of long-stays is that there is none of that.

Mui Ne is the kite boarding capital of Vietnam because of the strong on-shore winds. It may not be the best place to begin learning due to the strength of the wind, but there are many kite boarding schools. Typical lessons start with three hours or more on the beach learning to control a trainer kite. Then similar lessons take place in the water until kite control is mastered. Then, after a few more lessons, it is time for the board.