Sunday morning brunches will definitely taste better with this view.

Written in (great) retrospect.

The sixth of September, 2018. 

An ordinary day, to say the least. The neighbourhood was quiet except for twelve bustling few who were busy loading luggages and food coolers into a white twelve-seater mini-coach. They didn't think the day would turn out to be ordinary and neither did I-- it was my birthday, after all, and all twelve of us were going to a secluded refurbished barn in the countryside for some rest and relaxation.

Afternoon has turned to evening over the vineyards of Theescombe.

If, one day, a mad scientist would approach me claiming to have discovered a drug that can banish all despair in the world, I would grimly tell him that his tonic is already being used even long before ancient civilisations came to thrive to modernity-- and it's affectionately called 'vin', the ever-sophisticated 'wine'. Some parts of the Bible even feature this specific fermented solution, while the ancient texts of Greek mythos have a god named "Dionysus" claiming dominion over vineyards and, subsequently, the fruit and the wines cultivated from them.

The European-style Boardwalk in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

~* This post is dedicated to my father:

the reason why I went to South Africa in the first place.*~

Since childhood, I rarely saw my father. His work as an electrical engineer in cargo ships means he's usually gone for most of the year. Whenever he came home, he just stays for two to three months until he's called to duty and had to leave again. When I was relatively younger, I would cry whenever he'd leave; this happened lesser and lesser as I stacked up on the years.

I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem! (Luke 2: 10-11)

The hotel's Deluxe Family Quad Room.

Image from the Dorsett Wanchai's official website.

During our final two days in Hong Kong, we stayed in a hotel that all the mommy bloggers in the world are gushing about because the staff always goes the extra mile to accommodate guests with little tots in tow. 

The Dorsett Wanchai Hong Kong (formerly known as Cosmopolitan Hotel) is the ultimate choice for group travelers and/or tourists traveling as a family. The hotel promises a pleasant experience despite having the lowest rates in town without ultimately having to sacrifice comfort, luxury, and accessibility.

The Dorsett Wanchai (formerly Cosmopolitan Hotel) in the distance.

The Dorsett Wanchai is just a stone's throw away from well-renowned tourist hotspots like the Happy Valley Race Course, the Hong Kong Racing Museum, Victoria Park, and Hong Kong's answer to Japan's kawaii cafes, the Hello Kitty Secret Garden.

The bus stop across the hotel is where Bus #40 (to Stanley Village) drops off and picks up passengers every 4 minutes to take directly to the beautiful Ocean Park. Should you wish to experience the cool, crisp air and the high-end shopping that Victoria Peak up in the mountains has to offer, there's another bus stop near the Dorsett where Bus #15 (to The Peak, Terminus) makes a stop every 12 minutes.

As a reference to its close proximity to Hong Kong's famed Happy Valley Race Track, the hotel's room numbers were superimposed on horse figurines!

Check-in was a breeze. The courteous receptionists just looked at our travel documents and reservation confirmation and, once satisfied, swiped my credit card for the security deposit and called for a bellboy to take us to the nineteenth floor-- all in a span of less than ten minutes!

The Dorsett's Deluxe Family Quad room as captured by my unprofessional photographer's lens.

Mini-bar, coffee, and tea maker.

What's inside the mini-bar?

Ironing board and flat iron, mini-safe, cotton robes, and indoor slippers.

The bathroom.

LCD TV.

When navigating in and around Hong Kong, a pocket wi-fi can be your best friend. The handheld comes free to use for Dorsett Wanchai guests.

When Dorsett Wanchai's hotel manager learned that I was traveling with a three-year old primadonna who celebrated her third birthday one day prior to our stay, he gave her two complimentary Dorsett Wanchai teddy bears instead of the usual one teddy along with the complimentary kiddie snack box and complimentary set of Johnson's baby care products! I didn't know who was more thrilled from all the gifts-- me or the little one.

In Dorsett Wanchai, everything is double the fun.

The complimentary kids' snack box. It has a milk drink, a packet of chips, a packet of sweets, and a box of chocolate balls inside.

Johnson's Baby Bath and Baby Shampoo for our little pampered princess.

One of the thrills that comes with being a child guest in Dorsett Wanchai is going "treasure hunting" inside the room. Playing on the fact that kids are naturally curious about opening drawers and peering inside nooks and crannies, the hotel staff hides "treasures"-- little packets of sweets and snacks-- where an exploring little tyke may find it. In my three-year old princess' case, she found one inside our side-table's drawer and another inside a corner of the closet.

Look at what my princess found inside one of the drawers! What a treat!

Should your little one get bored, Dorsett Wanchai also offers a mobile library service upon request (subject to availability). The management at Dorsett believes that empowering children to read at a very young age can make better our world's future, because is there a better way to cultivate fruit than to nourish the soil that binds the roots? 

A tisket, a tasket, the books are in a basket!

(Some pictures from other blogs show the mobile library in the likeness of a big two-tiered dollhouse in wheels filled with books.)

Reading together is a fun way to bond with your child!

"Today a reader, tomorrow a leader."

Our stay at the Dorsett Wanchai came with free breakfast buffet for four. The buffet is served daily in the Dining House on the second floor from 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM. 

Bread station.

Fruits and vegetable salad station.

Cheese and dried fruit. The kitchen help need to replenish plates more quickly.

Juices and milk.

A table for cereals.

Grilled tomatoes and beef curry.

Chicken sausage and beef burger patties.

Scrambled eggs and Chinese-style sauteed vegetables.

During the afternoon and evening, the Dining House reverts back to being Dorsett Wanchai's Chinese/Seafood Restaurant. Taking pride in serving only the freshest seafood, there are rows upon rows of glass tanks where customers can just pinpoint what they want served to their table.

My sweetheart probably wants to play with them more than have them buttered with garlic and chili.

Are these sea cucumbers?

Clams are surprisingly cute and stretchy!

Overall, we had a wonderful time at the Dorsett Wanchai and would like to stay again if we were to return to Hong Kong with a much older (but still little) travel-savvy baby girl. The service and the warm, hospitable staff were the best! 

Move over, Pokemon Go!

I came across Chef Wars when I opened my App Store and saw it as the Featured Game of the Day. With the promise of being "a food and cooking RPG (role-playing game)" with "over 900 recipes to discover" and "over 500 different towns to explore", I could not resist sacrificing my three-year old niece's Playfirst app (much to her chagrin) just to make more room in my phone for a 116.9 mB app.