A pâtissière, eating around the world
Day 6, Punakha to Paro Last impressions of Punakha – breakfast in the sunny courtyard, chirping mynah birds above our heads, and warm smiles from Amankora staff. It was an ideal morning, marred only by our sadness to leave this little piece of paradise. 對 Punakha 的最後印象，是露台上的陽光早餐、樹梢上唱著歌的家八哥、以及 Amankora 工作人員燦爛的笑容。幾乎是個完美的早晨，唯一的遺憾就是我們不得不準備離開這片小天堂了。 When you ask for some fruits…Continue Reading “[BHUTAN 不丹] Amankora Journey Part VI”
Day 4, from Gangtey to Punakha Today, we were to make a 3-hour drive from Gangtey to our next destination – Punakha. But first, I had requested to observe a special assembly at the local village school, organized in celebration of the birthday of none other than His Majesty The King of Bhutan. 旅程的第四天正巧是不丹國王的四十歲生日。為了慶祝這個特別的日子，村落學校的孩子們準備了精彩的歌舞表演，我們也好奇地前去湊熱鬧。 Upon…Continue Reading “[BHUTAN 不丹] Amankora Journey Part III”
Day 2, from Thimphu to Gangtey The next day, we woke up to a soft morning. A dreamy glow shrouded the courtyard, the air refreshing with a faint smell of pine. It all looked very inviting, but unfortunately we didn’t have much time to linger. We only had a total of 7 nights in Bhutan…Continue Reading “[BHUTAN 不丹] Amankora Journey, Part II”
Prelude Prior to my trip to Bhutan, I had certain imaginations about this mystic land, weaved together from scraps of information gathered here and there – “a spiritual mountain kingdom where tranquility reigns”, “the first nation to measure its success not by its economy but by the happiness of its people”, “the last Shangri-La”… 在踏足不丹之前，我對這個神秘的王國有著各種綺麗想象…Continue Reading “[BHUTAN 不丹] Amankora Journey, Part I”
![[Sri Lanka 斯里蘭卡] Amangalla 安縵伽拉](https://www.sugarednspiced.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/1125360634-1.jpg)
Set within the ramparts of the Galle Fort, Amangalla is part of this more than 400-year-told UNESCO World Heritage Site.
![[Hangzhou 杭州] Amanfayun 法雲安縵](https://www.sugarednspiced.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/L1177732.jpg)
Amanfayun
Add: 22 Fayun Lane, West Lake Street, West Lake Scenic Area, Hangzhou
Tel: 571 8732 9999
Website: www.aman.com
Price: from 5865 rmb/night
Visited: Mar 2017
As Spring descends upon us, a get-away to Hangzhou – a city known for its beautiful West Lake, fragrant Longjing tea, and historical temples (and just a 50-minute train ride from Shanghai!) – seems almost obligatory. While looking up accommodations for this mini trip, I had my eyes fixed on Amanfayun, an Aman Resort restored from a centuries-old village surrounded by tea plantations and bamboo groves – sounds surreal, no?
這次杭州兩日小旅行，住在法雲安缦。與其說是因爲想去杭州而住安缦，更准確地說應該是因爲安缦而選擇了杭州。之前曾住過北京的頤和安缦，對這個酒店集團稍有了解 － “Aman” 是梵語裏和平、庇護的意思，而安缦酒店的特征，就是對甯靜、和諧、私密的注重，選址多在文化和曆史結合的地方，如坐落于麗江古鎮的大研安缦，與頤和園一牆之隔的頤和安缦，還有我這次入住，改造于古村落法雲村的法雲安缦。
Amanfayun lies hidden in a valley to the west of West Lake, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famed for its idyllic scenery, and is surrounded by 7 temples – Yongfu Si, Lingyin Si, Faxi Si, to name a few. One cannot help but be effected by its calming ambience upon entering the site, and all worldly troubles, whatever they may be, are left at the gate.
酒店位于西湖西側的山谷之中，距杭州市中心20分鍾車程，是個在永福寺、靈隱寺、法喜寺等七座寺院庇護下的空靈之地。延續西湖畔傳統村落布局與氣息，酒店由幽靜石徑及蔭郁庭院交織而成, 踏入的瞬間就能感受到安詳和靜谧。
![[Beijing 北京] Aman Summer Palace 頤和安縵](https://www.sugarednspiced.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/L1162500.jpg)
Aman Summer Palace 頤和安縵
Add: 1 Gongmenqian Street, Summer Palace, Beijing / 北京颐和园宫门前街1号
Tel: 10 5987 9999
Website: www.aman.com
Price: 3000 RMB+/night
Visited: Sep 2016
Aman somehow always manages to snag the most extraordinary sites as its resort grounds – a private island in the Philippines, the valleys of Bhutan, or here in Beijing, a wall apart from Empress Dowager Cixi’s garden. Set in elegant pavilions that were once imperial waiting rooms, Aman Summer Palace offers a collection of peaceful courtyards and heritage-imbued dwellings…as well as a secret direct access to the imperial garden.
北京之行的最後一天，入住頤和安缦。朋友們提醒我 － 那裡很遠哦，市區打車過去可能要一個小時呢。我說 － 完美，正好想要到安靜的地方放空一下。
This was my first time staying at an Aman, so naturally I was excited to experience this resort brand that I’ve heard so much about. “Aman” is the word for peace and protection in Sanskrit, and the characteristic of Aman Resorts is exactly that – quietude, harmony, and privacy. Opened in 2008, Aman Summer Palace is the first Aman resort in China, followed by Amanfayun (set amid forests and Buddhist temples near West Lake in Hangzhou) and Amandayan (located beneath Jade Dragon Snow Mountain in the hillside city of Lijiang).
從市區出發，加上北京果然名不虛傳的堵車盛況，真的快一個小時才抵達頤和安缦。這是我第一次入住安缦系列的酒店，對這個久仰的品牌自然有不少期待。”Aman” 是梵語裏和平、庇護的意思，而安缦酒店的特征，就是對和諧、私密的注重，選址多在文化和曆史結合的地方，如改造于杭州古村落法雲村的法雲安缦、坐落于麗江古鎮的大研安缦，還有這次我入住，與頤和園一牆之隔的頤和安缦。
From city center, it took me almost an hour to get to Aman Summer Palace with the infamous Beijing traffic. Magically, my frustration with the ride was immediately soothed upon stepping into the resort entrance and its calming ambiance – it was almost like entering another world.
2008年開業的頤和安缦是中國的第一家安缦酒店，據說是清朝時到頤和園參見慈禧太後的官員們住的地方，在安缦開業前是不對外開放的區域。爲了和周邊園景與建築相融，頤和安缦在設計時保留了傳統明清建築和四合院布局，用 “修舊如舊” 的方式改造而成。
There are many small details in the service designed to give guests a most relaxing experience, such as sitting instead of standing during the check-in process.
進入頤和安缦，映入眼簾的是舒服的深木色調，靜谧沈穩的風華，讓人心自然而然的沈靜下來。這裡有許多貼心的小細節，比如 check-in 時不像一般酒店讓客人站在前台，而是請客人舒服的坐在椅子上辦理手續。
