My friends, I tried my best. I tried to get approved for the Hawaii Business card (see Barclays Hawaii Business Card App: More Information Required). But ultimately, like Donovan McNabb in the Super Bowl, I ran out of time. I called to find out the status and was told that even more information was required, but that I could not provide it because it was more than 90 days since I applied.
Sending a physical copy of my driver’s license and social security card was not enough. Calling and going through screening with three different members of Barclays was not enough.
Resilient, I am applying again and will let you know the result . . . in 90 days.
Hyatt needs to change the name of all Grand Hyatts to Grande Hyatts. Grand means opulent, visible. Grande means big. And that’s all Grand Hyatts are—big hotels.
Another example of a Grand Hyatt that was big in size but not great is the Grand Hyatt Athens.
As a Globalist, I was upgraded to a suite. How can I complain about a suite? Because the bedroom did not have a door. I felt like a lying duck in the bedroom waiting for housekeeping to pounce at any time.
Will this stop them?Who’s there!
Welcome Amenity
I did appreciate the sweet treat and ouzo.
TPOL’s Trivia: Turkish delight is called loukoumi in Greece. Given the history between the countries, it would be awkward to order a Turkish delight at a pastry shop. Per the Internet, “It is often served alongside Greek coffee (as opposed to Turkish coffee), providing a sweet accompaniment to the strong beverage.”
I woke up early, ready for some Greek breakfast (as opposed to Turkish). I found American. It was very disappointing, apart from the orange juice.
Lounge
The lounge was basic and, like the breakfast, there was no trace of Greece.
Alex in Greek
Location
Like the Grand Hyatt Barcelona (see Good, Bad, & Annoying), the Grand Hyatt Athens is not located near the city center, forcing me to rely on Uber more than I would like.
TPOL’s Tip: If you’re looking for a Greek strip club, this is the hotel for you. There are many right across the street.
Zoom for strippers.
Pool
The rooftop pool is very nice. My complaint is that the family pool is facing the Acropolis instead of the adult’s pool.
Last year, I met my Italian friend and real estate attorney (see “Did TPOL Buy a € 1 Italian Villa?“) in Barcelona for our annual reunion. While Barcelona is not God awful like Miami, it is one of the most overrated cities (see The Worst Cities in the World). This year, despite stating that I would go anywhere, my friend chose Athens, Greece. This is a legitimate destination for lovers of history or those who would like to run a marathon (see Athens Marathon Course Review), but it is not a place I would seek out for debauchery.
Landing at the airport, I looked with jealousy as other travelers were making their connection to the party islands. Maybe Mykonos is overrated, but what about Crete? We could have gone to either, and TPOL could have added another ‘country‘ to his list (see Where I’ve Been).
Here’s where we went and how it went:
Best Club: Banana
TPOL’s Tip: The address is Ελλάδα, Ardittou 3, Athina 116 36, Greece.
Best Day Day Drinking: Bolivar Beach Club
TPOL’s Tip: The address is Leof. Poseidonos, Alimos 174 55, Greece
Worst Idea: Underground Club
Worst Still: Bolivar Beach Bar at night.
Overall
Athens for history? Yes. Athens for gyros? Yes. Athens for marathon? Yes. Athens for nightlife? Όχι.
Can you imagine paying 2k for an iPhone? It is a reality coming to an Apple Store near you. Can you imagine paying an annual fee of $895? It is a reality I had to accept as the trade-off for being approved for the American Express Business Card. Why am I willing to pay such an obscene amount for a credit card?
Amex won’t approve me for any other cards. Each time I attempt to apply, it states that I am not eligible. This was the first time that the banner did not come up.
My MR balance is weak. My balance has crashed down to 240k. A 200k bonus would put me back in comfortable territory.
The benefits offset the annual fee.
What are the benefits that I will use?
1. $120 wireless credit
2. $150 Dell credit
3. $600 hotel credit:
4. $200 airline fee credit.
5. $200 Hilton credit.
6. $209 Clear credit
I will not be using the Indeed credit nor the Adobe credit.
The card also comes with Hilton Gold status, which is excellent, given that I continue to be rejected for the Hilton Amex card.
$895 is a lot of money but it’s worth it, at least for year 1.
Yesterday marked the release of the much-anticipated DJI Mini 5 drone. I, like many content creators (see Master of Won & TPOL on YouTube), received an email saying that the time to buy was now.
Giddy with excitement, I clicked only to find this:
Confused, I wondered if I couldn’t buy the drone because I live in Puerto Rico. I switched to the US website and still could not find the drone. I switched the Portugal website where I had purchased the Osmo 360 (see Thank You Trump: TPOL Only American Vlogger with DJI Osmo 360), to find that it was on sale in Europe. Even Canada has the Mini 5 on sale.
Angry, I put the phone down and went about my day. Hours later, I came across this article: DJI’s Mini 5 Pro Looks Amazing, But It’s Not Coming to the US. Here’s Why. As a constitutional law professor, I am not buying this explanation. It appears that the era of the free market is over. The US picks who gets in and who stays out. TikTok, once on death row, has found new life thanks to every Wolverine’s favorite benefactor. Unfortunately for DJI, there has been no public outcry for its products to be released, except for this blog post.
With my limited platform, I want to say, ‘Let Russell cook.’ And let TPOL blog. To deny this inalienable right is un-American.
Having said that, I can say that my previous DJI drone tried to decapitate me, so maybe this is a national TPOL security issue.
It was halftime in my trip to Iraq. Now, the serious sightseeing would begin. The next stop on the trip was the city of Najaf, the holiest city for Shiite Muslims.
Lunch
Before setting off on the long drive from Mosul, a full meal was required.
If you’re Iraqi, you either love or hate this gum. I hate it.
Hotel
We checked into the hotel, which, consistent with others, looked like a SE Asian guesthouse.
Wadi al-Salam Cemetery
From there, we went to our second cemetery of the trip (see Telkaif, Iraq: No Need for 23andMe). This one was unlike anything I had seen before. It holds the Guinness World Records for the largest cemetery at 1,485 acres. There are 6 million people buried here. The place is so big that it has its own parking lot.
TPOL’s Tip: It’s strange to talk about great views and cemeteries in the same sentence, but the best view of the cemetery is from the top floor of the parking lot.
Imam Ali Shrine
Every year, millions of Shiite Muslims make the pilgrimage to the Imam Ali Shrine. I have mixed feelings about going. On the one hand, it is a beautiful architectural structure that is truly impressive to see in person. On the other hand, it is awkward to visit a solemn place as a tourist.
Food
Around the mosque, there are plenty of vendors selling treats. Our first stop was the falafel man. The falafel was ok, but the real treat was finally finding a Diet Coke. The vendor was so surprised I was buying it, he made a point to confirm that it was diet, not regular, “But this is diet”.
TPOL’s Tip: Women visiting the mosque must wear the abaya. Ms. TPOL had hers from visiting in Iraq. It cost 5k.
Dessert
Najaf is famous for its desserts. While samples are free, it is considered impolite not to purchase a small amount afterward. Please do your best to give it away before finishing it all yourself.
The look of when are you going to buy something.Pressured.
Spot Ms. TPOL
Where is she?
Dinner
For dinner, we went to a restaurant that provided great food and entertainment called Al Agid. Without a guide, there’s no way we would have found this fun place that featured waiters fighting waiters.
The usual, phenomenal food was served: hummus, fattoush, mixed meats, followed by reggi (watermelon for dessert).
TPOL’s Tip: The address is 2959+8VF، حي شارع جامع عطيه جبوري, Najaf, Najaf Governorate, Iraq
Overall
Another wonderful day exploring the great country of Iraq.
Day 1 was disappointing, mainly because the US failed to put forward a good effort and because I was sick (see Qatar World Cup Day 1: USA vs. Netherlands). Day 2 held glimmers of hope due to the food, my infatuation with the pristine metro, and the energy of the Senegalese fans (see World Cup Day 2: England vs. Senegal). Day 3 featured Japan vs Croatia and Brazil vs Korea. I was determined, as the pre-kickoff song before each game dictates, get down to business. I was determined to bring the energy since, to this point, Doha had not.
Champions Bar
When I visited Doha the previous October, hoping to find a local partner for the Urban Turban, I frequented the Champions Bar at the Marriott Marquis every night. Having gone there on the first night and seeing actual football fans, I decided to pre-game before the Brazil game. Perhaps it was the $16 Stella that was being consumed in mass quantities or the Japan game that went to PKs, but this night was different. There was energy and excitement. There were also fans from around the globe who enjoyed showcasing the Urban Turban.
Fellow IraqisFellow American
974 Stadium
One of the more innovative stadiums was 974 Stadium. Per Wiki, “Created by Spain’s Fenwick Iribarren Architects in collaboration with Schlaich Bergermann Partner and Hilson Moran, this stadium utilised repurposed shipping containers and recycled steel, resulting in cost-effective construction and reduced waste. Constructed on a 450,000 square-metre (111-acre) waterfront site, it has a modular design and incorporates 974 recycled shipping containers in homage to the site’s strategic location, industrial history and the international dialing code for Qatar (+974).” It was also supposed to be TPOL’s home during his stay at the World Cup (see Housing World Cup Qatar: Adventurous or Fyre Fest?). Fortunately, I found availability at the Hampton Inn Doha (see Hilton World Cup Booked! Your Results Will Vary).
The Game
Unfortunately, it was not much of a game. While I was cheering for Korea, Brazil had other plans.
Bud Light Zero
Bud Light is gross. Bud Light Zero is an abomination. I had to buy it for the souvenir cups.
Overall
Bar was fun, the stadium was cool, but the excitement was not there.
The world wanted videos. TPOL delivered. Here’s the recap from the week. Play with audio and in 4k for the full effect. Read the accompanying blog post because reading is fundamental.
A long-time reader and TPOL’s biggest fan, Gene, wrote:
After going through absolute hell with these morons, I say it is not worth the 50k. I regret ever applying. On the bright side, the 3 month period to spend the required amount turned into 6 months since it took three months to get my last card approved. These people are idiots. I wonder if they actually WANT to offer anyone credit or if they are just pretending to be a credit card issuer.
He may be right. While I was told I was approved (see App Approved: Sort Of), I just received another letter saying that more information is required. What else could they possibly want?
I will continue to fight for my points, but this is a joke.
Giddy with excitement, I clicked only to find this:
After going through absolute hell with these morons, I say it is not worth the 50k. I regret ever applying. On the bright side, the 3 month period to spend the required amount turned into 6 months since it took three months to get my last card approved. These people are idiots. I wonder if they actually WANT to offer anyone credit or if they are just pretending to be a credit card issuer.
He may be right. While I was told I was approved (see App Approved: Sort Of), I just received another letter saying that more information is required. What else could they possibly want?
I will continue to fight for my points, but this is a joke.