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Here I would love to share with you our travels and adventures as international mushroom consultants. MEMOIRS about husband Pieter Vedder, who was a SCIENTIFIC PIONEER in Mushroom Cultivation Education. His practical handbook is in 9 languages and is called the MUSHROOM BIBLE: https://mariettesbacktobasics.blogspot.com/2020/08/modern-mushroom-growing-2020-harvesting.html
Showing posts with label Hyatt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hyatt. Show all posts

Monday, March 18, 2024

Our Acapulco, Mexico Vacation I

 Yes, we have enjoyed some very special vacations in Acapulco, México.
A country where we both worked for over ten years as consultants.
View of Acapulco Bay from our room 2103 at the 21st floor
My flight ticket home on February 25, 2005. 
We arrived on February 15...
Hyatt Regency Acapulco was our home for those 10 days...
It read: WELCOME TO THE PEARL OF THE PACIFIC! 
Of course with our Hyatt card we had access to Regency Club.
Quite a luxury which we enjoyed world wide!
City view and you see bottom right they even had a Walmart Super Center
View of the 3 big pools and the beach with large tropical garden all around
View from the beach
View towards hotel, from beach area
We both loved the lush tropical garden setting...
Such a happy place to be together!
Well, on February 18, we both made a phone call to The Netherlands, using our American Express card. This due to the somber news of Wilhelmien, Pieter's middle brother Toon's love. She had pancreatic cancer and only three more weeks to live.
That was a rip off but to both of us those 7 minutes talking to her for US $ 49.89 was worth it!
It sure did lift her up 💕
On Sunday, February 20, we also prayed for her during Mass at noon, on the 23rd floor.
Our boss Tino and his wife Carmen drove four hours down from México City on the Maxi Pista for visiting us! They arrived on August 23.
We felt honored and enjoyed this dinner together at the Kookaburra restaurant across from our hotel on the Acapulco Bay. It is unique due to its spectacular bay views. See the tree beam to the right of me? A very unique open construction.
We all together went to the old town to see: ACAPULCO, MEXICO — THE CLIFF DIVERS OF LA QUEBRADA ←click for 1 minute video. 
Both of us had seen cliff divers before, in Hawaii
Our last night, we enjoyed this spectacular sunset...

Our arrival flights on February 15, were an adventure as I flew with Continental via Houston and Pieter with United via México City and with Aviasco to Acapulco. But they didn't fly, so he got there with AeroMexico a good hour later.

Going home was another adventure.
We both left for the airport in the taxi I'd bought my round trip ticket for upon arrival. We had hugged Tino and Carmen goodby and left at 10:30 AM for Pieter's earlier flight around noon.

We both only flew with hand luggage so checking in went swift. Pieter had to go to the domestic terminal and I to international so we hugged goodbye.
Pieter's flight got delayed one hour and I worried about his connection in Chicago... from México City and then to Atlanta.
Pieter left at 2:30 PM instead of at noon time—needless to say that he missed his connection with United to Chicago.
He arrived in México City and after pleading with AeroMexico, they gave him a ticket for 8:00 AM next day and non–stop to Atlanta. They also dropped him off at the Riazor Hotel in México City.
Pieter had requested Continental and United to page me but I never heard any message...

In Atlanta around midnight, there was no service at all. The information booth was un–staffed!
Did wait till 0:30 AM and used my spare key from our Mazda Millenia S and sat in the car by 0:50 AM on my way home. 
At home by 2:50 AM when checking the answering machine, sure enough I got a message from Pieter from the Riazor Hotel in México City with his number there and request to call him.
Sorry for having to wake him up—Georgia is one hour ahead of time but Pieter was glad we made contact. He was mad at the airlines for poor service and not contacting me.

Well, by 4:15 AM I was in bed and up again at  8:15 AM and after a light breakfast I was on my way to the airport after I'd gassed up.
Went to the AeroMexico counter after seeing that flight 306 had landed slightly early. They still had to go through customs.
So I had time to verify that Pieter actually had been ON that flight. Went to three people before I finally got my info—after pushing for it.
No, this is protected information for security reason...! Yes, I said but the plane is already on the ground, no longer in the air... So she did check and asked: Pieter?—yes, that's him!

It took Pieter 40 minutes till we could hug each other and were re–united again.
Pieter drove home and went straight to the Country Lane Pet Lodge to pick up our kitties Spooky and Barty boy. 

That was the closing of United Airlines for us after this adventure with the frequent flyer 'free ticket' for Pieter. Well, still $ 60 and he paid $ 375 for the small segment from México City to Acapulco. The gain was merely $ 200 compared to my ticket of $ 605 all in with Continental. 

Pieter vowed to never travel separately again!

Thursday, March 14, 2024

My Estonian Socks with ROSES

 Already for two years I had this pair of hand knitted Estonian woolen socks with ROSES
But they did not fit in ANY of my shoes...
Got me some bone colored Crocs in a size 9 and that works perfect!
Knew Mieke, from the blog Gebreide Sjaals in The Netherlands.
Did have her knit a beautiful lace knitted scarf in black, for our adopted daughter Liz in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Never got any photo of it however...
Dikke wollen kniekousen winter 21/2022 ←click link and at the very top you also find knitted scarfs.
All hand knitted in Estonia and they truly are gorgeous!
Pieter took this detail from my leg...
One can only admire such incredible work!
Wearing my Escada skirt (pleated in the back) with my roses socks and cashmere sweater.
Bare legs as I was having my medical pedicure at Georgia Podology Services in Lithonia, GA near Atlanta.
Next day, wearing my Wolford pantyhose under my knee socks with roses. 
This was at the Hyatt House Atlanta/Cobb Galleria.
Inside our room...

Do you like ROSES and warm woolen socks?

Sunday, October 15, 2023

Niagara Falls with Sister Diny

 Since my sister Diny would be staying with us for a full month, together with her significant other, we had planned a trip to the Niagara Falls in Canada.
What a sight from our room 2329 at the Marriott
Niagara Falls with Rainbow... on September 20, 2007
A different view and as you can see, we were very lucky with the weather!
Yes, via Internet I'd managed to get us a room with the Niagara Falls view on their TOP floor 23!
Lunch at the restaurant of Marriott
overlooking the Falls
Joop, me and sister Diny
Wearing my favorite silk jacket from Escada...
Feeling happy for having reached our destination...
What a perfect day!
Diny with Pieter
It was quite a trip for both of us!
From Dublin, Georgia via Augusta, Charlotte North Caroline where we ate lunch at a Bob Evans, Dobson North Caroline to gas up, via the Blue Ridge Parkway at Fancy Gap North Carolina. We went to Hyatt Place in Roanoke Virginia  for our first night.
Next day, Pieter drives first and then we let Diny drive into Gettysburg, Pennsylvania—a historic moment for Joop. By 18:00 we leave the museum and shops at Gettysburg after an ice cream and beer for Joop at a terrace. A long ride of 310 km for me in heavy traffic to Morristown in New Jersey where we spent the night at the Hyatt Summerfield Suites. 
Next day we went to the Woodbury Commons Premium Outlet.
Then Pieter drives the first stretch towards the Niagara Falls and at Whitney Point, New York he gassed up and I do the rest.
Next day we stayed at the Hyatt Summerfield Suites in East Norristown, Pennsylvania for two nights.
We did go to the Campbell's Headquarters in New Jersey and stocked up on our favorite Godiva dark chocolate with raspberries. 
Over the Ben Franklin Bridge I drove them to Shillington, Pennsylvania where we used to live and we visited antique stores in Adamstown.
Next day we went to Hyatt Summerfield Suites in Charlotte, North Carolina after a stop at Replacements Ltd. 
Home next day... For our Infiniti FX35 we accumulated 4,896 km with 520 liters gas at $ 416
From my hometown of Horst, The Netherlands that would be the equivalent of traveling to Kiev in the Ukraine.
Or from Horst, Netherlands all the way south to Madrid in Spain.
We sure did go the extra mile!
But we found this in our guest book for an entire month of hosting them...
~
While visiting my Uncle Louis in Broken Hill, NSW/Australia he discussed the vastness of their country and ours.
He too had to pick up relatives from the airport—the big one long distance, not their local airport where I flew in from Melbourne on a weekend while working there.
My aunt Nelly with her husband came to Australia for two months and Uncle Louis toured 6,000 km with them...
That sure did top off our mileage but he wanted to share that as there is so much difference between these continents.

Related links:
6th NAMC and Niagara Falls | previous post by me

Friday, April 14, 2023

Our LONG Connection with Hyatt Hotels

It was exactly on April 12, 2023 that Pieter's account with WORLD OF HYATT got closed.
Already during the time Pieter worked for Campbell Soup, he frequently stayed at their Hyatt Regency at Cherry Hill, New Jersey—close to the Campbell Soup Headquarters.
That now is a Hilton.
Even our canine Mauzie spent the night there with us on October 23, 1983 as Pieter had to make a presentation for the President of Campbell Soup—while we were in San Francisco he had to write this...
So that means Pieter was in his 40th year of membership.
But now I got my own WORLD OF HYATT
~
In March of 2008, Pieter received a very unique email message
For Pieter's 50 unique Hyatt hotel stays—he received a gift of 10,000 bonus points!
That was for stays between January 1995 and March 2008...
Pieter's Hyatt Map with Hawaii, USA, Curaçao in the Caribbean and to the right Singapore
Showing the different locations from left to right:
Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport; Hyatt Place Scottsdale/Old Town in Arizona; Grand Hyatt Atlanta, Georgia; Hyatt Regency Jacksonville, Florida; Grand Hyatt Washington, DC
More cities from left to right:
Hyatt Place Scottsdale/Old Town in Arizona; Hyatt Place Atlanta/Cobb Galleria in Smyrna, Georgia; Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort an Spa in Bonita Springs, Florida where we took our Foster–Daughter after her graduation from the University in Surabaya, Indonesia; Grand Hyatt Washington DC where we also took our Foster–Daughter; Hyatt House Philadelphia in Pennsylvania
Some favorite ones in the South East:
Hyatt Regency Savannah, Georgia; Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Resort and Spa Bonita Springs in Florida
Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa in Honolulu, Tempe in Arizona, Norcross in Georgia
Again Waikiki, Hawaii and Grand Hyatt Tampa in Florida
Hyatt Place Tempe/Phoenix Airport in Arizona and Hyatt Regency, Savannah in Georgia and Hyatt Place Orlando/Universal in Florida
Our favorite Hyatt Regency Pier Sixty Six where we watched Princess Diana's funeral... Princess Diana's Funeral and Our Hyatt Regency Pier 66 Adventure ←click it.
Hyatt Regency Miami
Fun games for points...
Addictive those games for points!
We ALWAYS enjoyed all of our Hyatt stays!

We did start using Pieter's remaining points by the end of 2022 for free nights: Our Stay at Hyatt Place Downtown Knoxville and Meeting Blogger Friend ←click link. Also on 2nd Christmas Day when we used more points for free nights: Our Stay at Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando, Florida ←click link. 
Pieter also did earn a $ 100 Hyatt Gift Card* which we used towards the end for paying for our meals in Orlando...
Followed by this free stay: Our Stay at Hyatt Regency Sarasota Florida ←click link.
For our Trip to the WEST last year July, we also stayed mainly at Hyatt hotels.

Now I am looking forward to using my personal WORLD OF HYATT card for the first stay at a Hyatt hotel — hoping that will be soon enough in the coming months.

Tuesday, January 10, 2023

Our Stay at Hyatt Regency Sarasota Florida

 Once again we were at our favorite Hyatt Regency in Sarasota, Florida.
We once more had to fight heavy traffic, coming from the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando. See previous post...
But here we are!
At 15:50 I stepped out on our balcony and made this photo from the Sarasota Bay and to the right you see the Van Wezel performing arts building.
First time EVER that we were at the very front and center of the Hyatt Regency.
Next day on December 30, we went for a walk through the Sarasota Bay area.
This is the front of the hotel and our balcony is hidden behind the 2nd palm tree from center.
We were on the 6th floor (out of 10) in room 614.
Behind the glass sections are glassed in seating areas—no balcony and not open.
We had that in February of 2022.
In February there was a huge fence around here—due to construction. Now there were beach chairs for a beautiful view of the John Ringling Causeway Bridge towards Saint Armands Circle on Lido Key.
Since February also this playground got finished.
The Ibis Playground...
We continued our sunny walk along the Bay towards the Van Wezel performing arts building...
Me standing at the Bay waters with a rather dramatic sky.
It sure was a lovely day with highest 27°C or 80.6°F
Peering over the menu at the Currents Restaurant on our first day we discussed with friendly waiter George several dinner options.
He arranged with the Chef for taking out pork chops for us and having them prepared in a healthy way—for me at least, for the next evening.
On the menu it was ALE BRINED PORK CHOP with cauliflower puree | rainbow chard | black cherry demi
The only thing wrong was that they served mine with mashed potatoes instead of cauliflower puree and I'm not allowed to eat potatoes in any form due to their high potassium levels for my kidneys...
But the pork chop sure was good not being ALE BRINED and so was the black cherry demi—very special taste!
Our New Year's Eve walk.
Pieter standing here at the place where you can slide with your kayak into the water...
Just in jeans and his Burberry shirt—so mild and no more wind.
Love this area called the Mangrove Bayou Walkway
There are many live oaks on the parking lot of the Van Wezel performing arts building and also very tame squirrels!
Once again I had to take a WeFie in the gold reflecting glass door of the Van Wezel building...
Van Wezel with a dramatic sky resulting in dense fog the next morning on New Year's day.
We ended the year 2022 with a bowl of GULF COAST SEAFOOD CHOWDER...
That was delicious with some bread on the side.
On New Year's Day, we once more went for a walk and fed the tame squirrels some nuts.
We also had a great swim in the afternoon.
Only on our first afternoon we did lie at the pool, just to relax... 
It is said to be heated to 86°F or 30°C but it felt rather cool when getting into the water but with the sun above us, it was great!
Our Hyatt Regency room 614 had the BEST shower/tub we've ever experienced.
Having both had back aches, it was a great massage and warming.
We walked after that...
Doves were sitting on the electrical wiring above us.
Zoomed in on both doves...
They started roosting for the evening, just like the water fowl that we again observed in the Mangrove.
You can see pictures in the links below from previous posts.
This time we did NOT visit any friends like we did during previous stays.
Also for not disrupting their family plans during the holidays and we both enjoyed a truly relaxed stay of four nights here. No driving involved but reading, cross stitching (trying to finish a project started in 2007... and on New Year's Eve we watched the darling movie of The Bear (1988) ←click it) that I'd found on a blog. We had this on video but gifted it to Mom & Dad to play on their Multi system VCR (gifted by us as well as a gifted Multi system TV). Mom LOVED it so much and so did my young nieces and nephews.
Pieter and I watched this fond movie once more.
It is filmed in British Columbia, Canada and such beautiful nature!
What a blissful 4 free nights on Pieter's accumulated Hyatt points these were!
Booked already on October 20...
On Monday, January 2 of 2023 our wonderful Hyatt stay ended as we had to check out.
Driving once again through very heavy traffic jam.
This entire trip was like that—coming and going.
By 6:30 PM we arrived home in the dark and our kitties were oh so happy!!!

Related links:
{Sarasota Bay, Florida - Anhinga} | previous post by me




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