London hotels gouging Games' goers

Let the gouging begin!

London newspapers are reporting that hotels in the 2012 Summer Olympic city are charging as much as 300 per cent more for rooms - that, despite the fact the London Organizing Committee returned more the 120,000 reservations to the hoteliers. (The organizing committee blocks off rooms for sponsors, media and International Olympic Committee members - but obviously fewer people are planning to attend the Games, which start July 27 and runs until August 12).

London's Telegraph newspaper cited examples of the gouging:

"Accommodation at the Premier Inn Victoria during the Games costs from £199 ($315 Cdn.), a rate that is non-refundable and must be paid in advance. For the rest of August, rooms start at £87 ($138 Cdn.). At the Premier Inn Old Street, August rates range from £75 to £132, but during the Games the cheapest rooms are also £199," the newspaper reported today.

Other examples of gouging reported by the Telegraph:
-  "At the Novotel London Paddington, room rates during the Olympics are more than double (from £299 per night) what they are during the rest of the summer (from £149). And at the Z Hotel in Soho, a two-night stay during the Olympics costs from £186 a night, compared to just £102 a night in the week after the closing ceremony. "

British politicians are reportedly "outraged" by the hotel "scandal" but what a bunch of hypocrites.

Laws to protect the public from such gouging could have been passed when London was awarded the Games but instead the members of Parliament sat on their hands until it was too late.

So, once again, the biggest losers at the 2012 London Summer Olympics won't be any athlete, but rather the public - those, at least, who are dumb enough to go to London during the Games' period.

Finding cheap eats in expensive Tokyo

The counters fill up past at the restaurants in Yakitori Alley,
a food street that's Tokyo's best value

 Every time I go to Tokyo, I always stumble upon something new and interesting.

When I was in Japan's capital last month, for instance, I went out looking for some cheap eats and was directed to Yakitori Alley, a small street on the edge of the Ginza that runs parallel to the city's main elevated rail line on which the super fast Shinkansen (bullet) train rides.

In the hollowed out crevasses under the elevated line, restaurateurs have set up shop and sell everything from sushi to horse for very reasonable prices.

The best restaurants in Yakitori Alley are the ones with the longest lineups - like

Midori Sushi, where people start lining up as early as 4 p.m. to eat some of the freshest fish I've ever tasted (bought daily at Tokyo’s legendary Tsukiji fish market). The prices at Midori are very reasonable - two can eat for as little as $30; a steal in expensive Tokyo.

When you enter Midori Sushi, the chefs behind the long counter frantically preparing dynamite and California rolls yell out a welcome - it's a tradition in a lot of Japan's neighourhood restaurants. A la Carte selections like shrimp, sea urchin (you can have medium or extra fatty - guess which one I chose?),  abalone, flatfish and something called striped jack fish (delicious!) cost between $3 and $7 each and sides of chawanmushi (an egg custard filled with fish that's topped with a crab claw and is now one of my all time favourite dishes) run about $10.

The counter is the hottest seat in Midori Sushi and the local atmosphere is truly wonderful.
Yakitoti, by the way, means "meat on a skewer, and as you can imagine, there's plenty of barbecue places in the Alley toasting morsels of meat (beef and lamb) as well as fish and chicken on small habachis.

The Izakaya restaurant around the corner from Midori Sushi - across from the International Arcade - was another of my favorite Yakitori Alley hangouts - lots of Tokyo businessmen come here after a hard day at the office to eat and sip beer and sake while the bullet trains rumble overhead.

There's a great "local" atmosphere in Izakaya but beware of what you order - the dish being consumed at the next table that looks so good could be horse. Not to worry, this eclectic eatery also dishes up chicken, pork, beef and fish - all at very reasonable prices.


The Yakitori Bar Tonton restaurant, tucked away in one of the arches off Yakitori Alley, is another of my favourite places to eat. I consumed lots of skewers of pork and beef but shied away from the smorgasbord of organ meats served in this restaurant, like heart, gizzard, liver, tongue and intestines.

There's also plenty of Western-style restaurants in the Alley.

Finding Yakitori Alley can be a bit of a challenge - the closest subway station is Hibiya (take exit A2)

Turn right at the top of the stairs and walk along the elevated rail line until you see the passage way with the glowing lights and the grill smoke rising from it.

Exit C1 from the Ginza station offers more subway line connections and isn’t too much farther away. From here you’re closer to the "uncovered" yakitori stalls rather than the original ones under the tracks.

The freshest fish is always on the menu in this Alley.

Scotland offers great golf deals



If you've never palyed gold in
Scotland, then you've never played golf!

 Scotland, the home of golf, is showcasing its legendary courses with a program called "Drive it Home" that offers some fabulous stay and play deals, especially in the off season.

Example: You can play Gleneagles, site of the 2014 Ryder Cup, in March and stay one night at its cozy B&B for just $275 Cdn - that's about half off the regular price.

If you've never played golf in Scotland, then you've never played golf.

Gleneagles is one of the premier places to play the game - its three courses, Centenary, King's Course or The Queen's, are rated among the best in the world.That old Scot Jack Nicklaus designed the PGA Centenary course, where the Ryder Cup will be played.

Other examples of what's being offered by Scotland's great tourism agency, VisitScotland, in this "Drive it Home" promotion include:

Fairmont St Andrews, Fife: Situated on the Fife coastline, Fairmont St Andrews offers panoramic views across the Tay and the surrounding golf courses. The spa facilities and regular shuttle bus to the centre of town make this an ideal golf break. Two championship courses are available, the Sam Torrance designed Torrance Course and the Kittocks. During March, April, October, November and December enjoy 1 night B&B and 1 round of golf for two for $315 Cdn.

Mar Hall, Glasgow: Located just 10 minutes from Glasgow airport, Mar Hall is a five star hotel offering fine dining, spa treatments and the par 70 Earl of Mar golf course. Spectacular views over the River Clyde and a host of strategically placed bunkers make this a great course for all levels of golfer. From March until end of May stay and play Mar Hall for $190.

Macdonald Marine Hotel, Scottish Borders: The Macdonald Marine Hotel & Spa in North Berwick is renowned for its beautiful coastal location and glorious 19th century Victorian architecture. Located at the heart of East Lothian's golfing coast, the hotel features 83 rooms, superb dining and a state of the art spa. On offer for $350 is one night's B&B and 2 rounds of golf on the West Links (North Berwick) and Gullane No. 1.

Meldrum House Hotel, Aberdeenshire: Set amidst beautiful countryside only a few miles from Aberdeen, the 4 Star Meldrum House Country Hotel and Golf Course offers unrivalled quality and is one of the finest luxury hotels Scotland has to offer. Meldrum boasts a world-class golf academy and teaching centre and the course is one of only a few in Scotland measuring over 7,000 yards. Throughout the year, based on two people sharing a twin or double room, 2 nights in an Executive Room, including dinner and breakfast, a round of golf at Cruden Bay, Murcar Links and Meldrum House will cost $465 per person.