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2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Beach cleanup for Thanks'giving' 2009
Our family has started a tradition of volunteering on Thanksgiving and this year we spent the morning cleaning up a beach in Encinitas called Moonlight ~ our favorite. We had so much fun and our girls loved the comments they were getting from the people on the beach. One surfer came up to our youngest daughter and said, "Are you picking up trash today?" When she said yes... He said, "You're awesome!" Both girls had a big smile on their face all day... Well done, girls! Happy Thanks'giving'!
2009
2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Costa Rica
July 2009
We just returned from our trip to Costa Rica and it is a fabulous place to take kids. We landed in Liberia, which is the smaller airport in the north versus the major airport in San Jose. We found it was less expensive than flying into San Jose and closer to the areas we wanted to visit. We decided to split our trip between the Arenal volcano/jungle area and the beach communities of Samara and Tamarindo.
Out first stop was Leaves & Lizards, a wonderful cabin retreat near La Fortuna/Monterrey area. The owners are an American couple who moved to Costa Rica. We took our new Flip with us this time, so enjoy some short videos along with pictures of Costa Rica... Pura Vida!
We took the red eye in and had a 4 hour drive on our first day -- I would not recommend doing this unless you can sleep on a plane, which my husband and I cannot. We did not have a great map and got lost a few times. But, we eventually found our way and discovered that we are spoiled with the roads in the US because many roads in CR are not paved. The main roads are actually pretty good, but the back roads can be a challenge. Make sure you rent a 4 WD. Also, we opted to buy the full insurance from the car rental agency. Unless you bring a copy of your auto insurance plan or your credit card companies coverage, they will not let you rent a car without their insurance. I would recommend it anyway because you never know what is ahead of you and why worry...
We absolutely loved Leaves & Lizards... our daughters thought they were in heaven... We had a great view of the Arenal volcano from our cabin.
They have 11 horses, 2 dogs, 1 pig, 1 parrot, 1 cow and 10+ chickens. The girls loved washing Ms. Piggy and feeding her our leftovers at night...
We ate breakfast there every morning (all baked from scratch) with their parrot, Lorita (who loves pancakes) and headed out on our adventures... Debbie and Steve are the owners and are wonderful people, along with their entire staff. I just can't say enough wonderful things about this place.
We decided that our first adventure would be the canopy tour/zip line. Our 8 year daughter was a little hesitant, especially when the guide told us to pee before we left because they do not like to wash the harnesses. OK... we will find el bano pronto ;-) Our 10 year old was very independent all day... we would turn around to see where she was and she was already gone...
The canopy tour company was called El Mundo Adventuras -- right outside of La Fortuna... Awesome place... The guide who worked with our 8 year old daughter was Muerte (j/k)... I think he tricks some gringos with that one though! He was kind of disappointed when I asked him his name and he said, "Muerte" and I said, "Your name is death?" We did call him Muerte all day (after we realized we weren't going to die ;-)
The next day we went with a wonderful guide, Enrique to visit the Rio Frio on the border of Nicaragua. We took a boat trip through the rainforest and saw some amazing creatures. We saw the Jesus Christ lizard (who walks on water), howler monkeys, white faced monkeys, caiman, many rare birds, bats and so much more. It was an amazing journey. We even sat through a rather intense rainstorm while eating lunch... rainforest style.
Here is the Jesus Christ lizard in action:
We stopped at The Springs resort on the way back to Leaves & Lizards to eat and soak in the natural hot springs... very posh place, but your typical resort. You do not really get the feel of Costa Rica and the people if you stay in the high end resorts... But, it was a good lunch and the hot springs cannot be missed... at least for an afternoon.
We took the girls to visit a working Tico farm with a local Tico family. The husband and wife (Eric and Nayu), along with their 2 young daughters run a working dairy farm. It was fascinating. We milked cows, made our own cheese from the milk, fished in the small lake on their property, made homemade tortillas, went horseback riding and relaxed in hammocks throughout the day. Their daughter even caught a baby armadillo, which was quite a sight to see. Their life is truly extraordinary. The pace is slow and they are happy. If you have seen the new study that just came out that names Costa Rica as the happiest country in the world... when you visit, you really see why. They just have an ease and contentment about themselves. At first glance, you see that they are poor, but they do not value material possessions like many other countries such as our beloved, America. They live off the land and have a sense of community that is to be admired. It was quite an education for all four of us.
Riding horses:
Milking the cows:
After our amazing 4 days in the rainforest, we headed out to Playa Samara. If you are familiar with Costa Rica at all, you always hear about Tamarindo. But, the locals all know the secret -- Tamarindo is built up and very "Americanized" while Samara is a hidden treasure. It was very quiet and beautiful. We stayed at the Hideaway Hotel -- another hotel owned by an American couple who have relocated to CR. It was lovely and very inexpensive. Here is one of the howler monkeys right outside our door that would talk to us every day...
We ate where the locales ate in town and the food was very good. The people were very kind and we enjoyed our solitude on the beaches.
The first full day we were there, we decided to rent a boat with local guides and go in search of dolphins... we were not disappointed... it was a very small boat with lots of big waves... But, we found the dolphins and they put on quite a show... much better than any we have ever seen at Sea World!
We stopped at a local "zoo" in Playa Samara. It was really more of an animal sanctuary that a wonderful lady runs (on donations only)... The lady who runs it brings animals in with the intention of setting them back into the wild eventually... if possible. Some were brought up by humans and cannot be returned to the wild, but she can release most of them... awesome place and an amazing lady!
Here is Pancho -- one of our favorites at the "zoo." He will go back into the wild someday, too.
Now, we did want to check out Tamarindo and see what all the buzz was about... We decided to meet back up with a great Canadian family, the Prices that we met at Leaves & Lizards. They were staying at the JW Marriott... This is a really nice resort and we wanted to be pampered for a couple of days... it was really fun... The Marriott is about 8 km outside of Tamarindo and you need to drive to town.
We do see why surfers love Tamarindo -- it is a great surfers town... Very busy town center and lots of Americans... We did find a really cool coffee shop right outside of town called Cafe Cafe... Blink and you will miss it... But, we loved it... and really enjoyed seeing Tamarindo... But, we were glad we were staying at the Marriott outside of town.
Copyright 2009
We just returned from our trip to Costa Rica and it is a fabulous place to take kids. We landed in Liberia, which is the smaller airport in the north versus the major airport in San Jose. We found it was less expensive than flying into San Jose and closer to the areas we wanted to visit. We decided to split our trip between the Arenal volcano/jungle area and the beach communities of Samara and Tamarindo.
Out first stop was Leaves & Lizards, a wonderful cabin retreat near La Fortuna/Monterrey area. The owners are an American couple who moved to Costa Rica. We took our new Flip with us this time, so enjoy some short videos along with pictures of Costa Rica... Pura Vida!
We took the red eye in and had a 4 hour drive on our first day -- I would not recommend doing this unless you can sleep on a plane, which my husband and I cannot. We did not have a great map and got lost a few times. But, we eventually found our way and discovered that we are spoiled with the roads in the US because many roads in CR are not paved. The main roads are actually pretty good, but the back roads can be a challenge. Make sure you rent a 4 WD. Also, we opted to buy the full insurance from the car rental agency. Unless you bring a copy of your auto insurance plan or your credit card companies coverage, they will not let you rent a car without their insurance. I would recommend it anyway because you never know what is ahead of you and why worry...
We absolutely loved Leaves & Lizards... our daughters thought they were in heaven... We had a great view of the Arenal volcano from our cabin.
They have 11 horses, 2 dogs, 1 pig, 1 parrot, 1 cow and 10+ chickens. The girls loved washing Ms. Piggy and feeding her our leftovers at night...
We ate breakfast there every morning (all baked from scratch) with their parrot, Lorita (who loves pancakes) and headed out on our adventures... Debbie and Steve are the owners and are wonderful people, along with their entire staff. I just can't say enough wonderful things about this place.
We decided that our first adventure would be the canopy tour/zip line. Our 8 year daughter was a little hesitant, especially when the guide told us to pee before we left because they do not like to wash the harnesses. OK... we will find el bano pronto ;-) Our 10 year old was very independent all day... we would turn around to see where she was and she was already gone...
The canopy tour company was called El Mundo Adventuras -- right outside of La Fortuna... Awesome place... The guide who worked with our 8 year old daughter was Muerte (j/k)... I think he tricks some gringos with that one though! He was kind of disappointed when I asked him his name and he said, "Muerte" and I said, "Your name is death?" We did call him Muerte all day (after we realized we weren't going to die ;-)
The next day we went with a wonderful guide, Enrique to visit the Rio Frio on the border of Nicaragua. We took a boat trip through the rainforest and saw some amazing creatures. We saw the Jesus Christ lizard (who walks on water), howler monkeys, white faced monkeys, caiman, many rare birds, bats and so much more. It was an amazing journey. We even sat through a rather intense rainstorm while eating lunch... rainforest style.
Here is the Jesus Christ lizard in action:
We stopped at The Springs resort on the way back to Leaves & Lizards to eat and soak in the natural hot springs... very posh place, but your typical resort. You do not really get the feel of Costa Rica and the people if you stay in the high end resorts... But, it was a good lunch and the hot springs cannot be missed... at least for an afternoon.
We took the girls to visit a working Tico farm with a local Tico family. The husband and wife (Eric and Nayu), along with their 2 young daughters run a working dairy farm. It was fascinating. We milked cows, made our own cheese from the milk, fished in the small lake on their property, made homemade tortillas, went horseback riding and relaxed in hammocks throughout the day. Their daughter even caught a baby armadillo, which was quite a sight to see. Their life is truly extraordinary. The pace is slow and they are happy. If you have seen the new study that just came out that names Costa Rica as the happiest country in the world... when you visit, you really see why. They just have an ease and contentment about themselves. At first glance, you see that they are poor, but they do not value material possessions like many other countries such as our beloved, America. They live off the land and have a sense of community that is to be admired. It was quite an education for all four of us.
Riding horses:
Milking the cows:
After our amazing 4 days in the rainforest, we headed out to Playa Samara. If you are familiar with Costa Rica at all, you always hear about Tamarindo. But, the locals all know the secret -- Tamarindo is built up and very "Americanized" while Samara is a hidden treasure. It was very quiet and beautiful. We stayed at the Hideaway Hotel -- another hotel owned by an American couple who have relocated to CR. It was lovely and very inexpensive. Here is one of the howler monkeys right outside our door that would talk to us every day...
We ate where the locales ate in town and the food was very good. The people were very kind and we enjoyed our solitude on the beaches.
The first full day we were there, we decided to rent a boat with local guides and go in search of dolphins... we were not disappointed... it was a very small boat with lots of big waves... But, we found the dolphins and they put on quite a show... much better than any we have ever seen at Sea World!
We stopped at a local "zoo" in Playa Samara. It was really more of an animal sanctuary that a wonderful lady runs (on donations only)... The lady who runs it brings animals in with the intention of setting them back into the wild eventually... if possible. Some were brought up by humans and cannot be returned to the wild, but she can release most of them... awesome place and an amazing lady!
Here is Pancho -- one of our favorites at the "zoo." He will go back into the wild someday, too.
Now, we did want to check out Tamarindo and see what all the buzz was about... We decided to meet back up with a great Canadian family, the Prices that we met at Leaves & Lizards. They were staying at the JW Marriott... This is a really nice resort and we wanted to be pampered for a couple of days... it was really fun... The Marriott is about 8 km outside of Tamarindo and you need to drive to town.
We do see why surfers love Tamarindo -- it is a great surfers town... Very busy town center and lots of Americans... We did find a really cool coffee shop right outside of town called Cafe Cafe... Blink and you will miss it... But, we loved it... and really enjoyed seeing Tamarindo... But, we were glad we were staying at the Marriott outside of town.
Copyright 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Beaver Lake, AR
June 2009
My parents have a house at Beaver Lake in NW Arkansas. It is a beautiful part of the country. We had a great time... and my roommate from college met us there from Dallas with her family. Once you get used to the humidity and the bugs during the summer, you will love the lake...
Here is one of our fun boat trips:
My brother having a catch with his two doggies in the lake:
Copyright 2009
My parents have a house at Beaver Lake in NW Arkansas. It is a beautiful part of the country. We had a great time... and my roommate from college met us there from Dallas with her family. Once you get used to the humidity and the bugs during the summer, you will love the lake...
Here is one of our fun boat trips:
My brother having a catch with his two doggies in the lake:
Copyright 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Next Stop -- Costa Rica!
We are planning our first trip to Central America this summer -- specifically, Costa Rica! We are planning a 10 day trip and spending half the time on the beach and the other half near the Arenal volcano...
We found a great airfare flying from LAX direct to Liberia ($260 round trip per person -- crazy!). We also found an amazing hotel called Leaves & Lizards for the "jungle" part of our trip.
Any suggestions for a beach hotel? We have many friends who have been there and have their recommendations, but we wanted to see what others thought...
Copyright 2009
We found a great airfare flying from LAX direct to Liberia ($260 round trip per person -- crazy!). We also found an amazing hotel called Leaves & Lizards for the "jungle" part of our trip.
Any suggestions for a beach hotel? We have many friends who have been there and have their recommendations, but we wanted to see what others thought...
Copyright 2009
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Wild Animal Park
San Diego, CA
Our youngest daughter turned 8 this month and wanted to take the photo safari at the Wild Animal Park in San Diego. It was an amazing day. We took a partially covered jeep throughout the Out of Africa and Asia exhibits and had the chance to hand feed a rhinoceros and giraffe. It is a once in a lifetime experience and I highly recommend it for the young and old (minimum age is 8 yrs. old).
Copyright 2008
Our youngest daughter turned 8 this month and wanted to take the photo safari at the Wild Animal Park in San Diego. It was an amazing day. We took a partially covered jeep throughout the Out of Africa and Asia exhibits and had the chance to hand feed a rhinoceros and giraffe. It is a once in a lifetime experience and I highly recommend it for the young and old (minimum age is 8 yrs. old).
Copyright 2008
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Savoca, Sicily
Summer 2008
We decided to jump right into the stereotype of Sicily and take the "Godfather" tour... it was really interesting. We went to the town (Savoca, population 120) that they filmed the wedding sequence and the scene that Al Pacino asks the padrone for the hand of his daughter Apollonia. The village was chosen to stand in for the less-photogenic Corleone: also off-limits because the real Mafia were none to keen on Coppola's project.
The lady who owns the bar (Bar Vitelli) was in the scene with Al Pacino when he came to ask for the daughters hand and that bar was also the place that the wedding party walked to for the reception. She is still there greeting visitors today.
We visited Bar Vitelli, tasted their famous granita and my husband sat in the same chair that Al Pacino did over 30 years ago...
It was fun. The girls didn't really see the significance, but they will someday (when they can watch the movies).
Copyright 2008
We decided to jump right into the stereotype of Sicily and take the "Godfather" tour... it was really interesting. We went to the town (Savoca, population 120) that they filmed the wedding sequence and the scene that Al Pacino asks the padrone for the hand of his daughter Apollonia. The village was chosen to stand in for the less-photogenic Corleone: also off-limits because the real Mafia were none to keen on Coppola's project.
The lady who owns the bar (Bar Vitelli) was in the scene with Al Pacino when he came to ask for the daughters hand and that bar was also the place that the wedding party walked to for the reception. She is still there greeting visitors today.
We visited Bar Vitelli, tasted their famous granita and my husband sat in the same chair that Al Pacino did over 30 years ago...
It was fun. The girls didn't really see the significance, but they will someday (when they can watch the movies).
Copyright 2008
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Ephesus, Turkey
Summer 2008
Ephesus was the biggest sleeper from our trip. It was fantastic. We had no idea what to expect and we were so pleasantly surprised. We went to visit the ruins at Ephesus to begin our day. The ruins are impressive and more intact than any we have seen until this point. The library was gorgeous (shown at the end of the road). And, the amphitheater was amazing. They still have concerts here... Elton John, Sting and many more have made the trip to play this historic venue (that holds 50,000-60,000).
We also visited the House of the Virgin Mary. It is believed that several years after the death of Christ, St. John brought the Virgin Mother to Ephesus and built this house for her (the actual building has been restored to what they believe it looked like from the structure they discovered). They have even discovered a baptism pool on the grounds. It is believed she lived in this house until she died at the age of 64. It was a beautiful place.
We also went to a carpet making demonstration, which was fun. We were quickly educated on the art of handcrafting carpets out of cotton, wool or silk.
All in all, Ephesus was one of our favorite stops.
Copyright 2008
Ephesus was the biggest sleeper from our trip. It was fantastic. We had no idea what to expect and we were so pleasantly surprised. We went to visit the ruins at Ephesus to begin our day. The ruins are impressive and more intact than any we have seen until this point. The library was gorgeous (shown at the end of the road). And, the amphitheater was amazing. They still have concerts here... Elton John, Sting and many more have made the trip to play this historic venue (that holds 50,000-60,000).
We also visited the House of the Virgin Mary. It is believed that several years after the death of Christ, St. John brought the Virgin Mother to Ephesus and built this house for her (the actual building has been restored to what they believe it looked like from the structure they discovered). They have even discovered a baptism pool on the grounds. It is believed she lived in this house until she died at the age of 64. It was a beautiful place.
We also went to a carpet making demonstration, which was fun. We were quickly educated on the art of handcrafting carpets out of cotton, wool or silk.
All in all, Ephesus was one of our favorite stops.
Copyright 2008
Santorini, Greece
Summer 2008
Santorini is quite an amazing place. Santorini is essentially what remains of an enormous volcanic explosion, destroying the earliest settlements on what was formerly a single island. What was left behind was this gorgeous hilltop and this small island surrounded by the Aegean Sea. With that in mind, the main way to reach the island is by sea and head up the one road either by bus, donkey or cable car. We chose bus to go up and donkey to go down. The bus ride going up was a bit scary at times, but the donkey ride down was for the pure adventurer. So, after spending the day on the island and visiting a couple of quaint villages, having lunch, a stop at the black beach and some shopping, we headed to the donkey station. It wasn't until we actually sat on the donkey that our daughter decided she would not be going down the hill this way. So, instead of heading back up to catch the cable car (which would have been the wise choice), we decided to walk down the long, winding stone path -- with the donkeys... It was a memory! You can actually see the zig zag path on the hill that we took down in the last picture shown below.
Resting by one of the many churches -- great breezes up here
Enjoying the view
Black beach on the east side of the island
Black beach -- it was a bit chilly
The front door to one of the homes -- it's a little bigger than our 7 year old.
A great view at the top of the hill (our ship is in the background)
Gorgeous view
The donkey station
The zig zag road we walked down to return to the ship
Copyright 2008
Santorini is quite an amazing place. Santorini is essentially what remains of an enormous volcanic explosion, destroying the earliest settlements on what was formerly a single island. What was left behind was this gorgeous hilltop and this small island surrounded by the Aegean Sea. With that in mind, the main way to reach the island is by sea and head up the one road either by bus, donkey or cable car. We chose bus to go up and donkey to go down. The bus ride going up was a bit scary at times, but the donkey ride down was for the pure adventurer. So, after spending the day on the island and visiting a couple of quaint villages, having lunch, a stop at the black beach and some shopping, we headed to the donkey station. It wasn't until we actually sat on the donkey that our daughter decided she would not be going down the hill this way. So, instead of heading back up to catch the cable car (which would have been the wise choice), we decided to walk down the long, winding stone path -- with the donkeys... It was a memory! You can actually see the zig zag path on the hill that we took down in the last picture shown below.
Resting by one of the many churches -- great breezes up here
Enjoying the view
Black beach on the east side of the island
Black beach -- it was a bit chilly
The front door to one of the homes -- it's a little bigger than our 7 year old.
A great view at the top of the hill (our ship is in the background)
Gorgeous view
The donkey station
The zig zag road we walked down to return to the ship
Copyright 2008
Olympia, Greece
Summer 2008
It was great timing to visit Olympia -- a week before the Olympic games in Beijing. The ruins of the Ancient Olympic games were breathtaking. A few that we saw included the temple of Zeus, the gymnasium, the temple of Hera and our favorite, the ancient track. It was pretty amazing to stand (and run) on the same ground that the original Olympians competed on in 776 B.C.
The Temple of Zeus
The marble blocks where the winners were crowned.
The walkway and arch that leads to the stadium
Ready to race
Running and crossing the finish line on the ancient track
Cooling off on the hills for the spectators
Copyright 2008
It was great timing to visit Olympia -- a week before the Olympic games in Beijing. The ruins of the Ancient Olympic games were breathtaking. A few that we saw included the temple of Zeus, the gymnasium, the temple of Hera and our favorite, the ancient track. It was pretty amazing to stand (and run) on the same ground that the original Olympians competed on in 776 B.C.
The Temple of Zeus
The marble blocks where the winners were crowned.
The walkway and arch that leads to the stadium
Ready to race
Running and crossing the finish line on the ancient track
Cooling off on the hills for the spectators
Copyright 2008
Corfu, Greece
Summer 2008
Corfu was really interesting. We took a tour of the summer estate of Queen Elizabeth of Austria. She had a very tragic life and the statue of Achilles seemed quite appropriate to be on the grounds -- one in his glory and the other at his fall. The home was very modest by royal standards. She was apparently a very discreet Queen.
We made a stop at a tiny village that had a great view of an even tinier island called Mouse Island. We tried some Greek beer at this stop that everyone said we had to try since it is a local favorite. It does not have alcohol or taste like what we know as "beer," it is more of a really sweet lemonade/tang type drink. It was really good. They say it is great for motion sickness, which we needed with all the hairpin turns we took on this tour.
We also made our way to Corfu City and stopped for some ice cream and espresso. It was a really gorgeous town square.
The view from the Queen's estate.
Statue of Achilles
Mouse Island (in the background)
The town square in Corfu City
Copyright 2008
Corfu was really interesting. We took a tour of the summer estate of Queen Elizabeth of Austria. She had a very tragic life and the statue of Achilles seemed quite appropriate to be on the grounds -- one in his glory and the other at his fall. The home was very modest by royal standards. She was apparently a very discreet Queen.
We made a stop at a tiny village that had a great view of an even tinier island called Mouse Island. We tried some Greek beer at this stop that everyone said we had to try since it is a local favorite. It does not have alcohol or taste like what we know as "beer," it is more of a really sweet lemonade/tang type drink. It was really good. They say it is great for motion sickness, which we needed with all the hairpin turns we took on this tour.
We also made our way to Corfu City and stopped for some ice cream and espresso. It was a really gorgeous town square.
The view from the Queen's estate.
Statue of Achilles
Mouse Island (in the background)
The town square in Corfu City
Copyright 2008
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Summer 2008
Our first stop on our whirlwind Mediterranean trip was Dubrovnik. Croatia is absolutely beautiful and the people are very kind. We stopped in a small village by a bay that was charming. We also were lucky enough to see a 30 minute presentation by local Croatian dancers. They were amazing. My husband and I were amazed by the water. It is a gorgeous cobalt blue -- we have never really seen anything like it. The Mediterranean Sea and Aegean Sea are really more beautiful than you can imagine. The only water we can compare it to is the water around the glaciers in Alaska. We loved it.
Welcome to Dubrovnik
Croatian dancers
Quaint village by the bay called Catvat
Catvat center
Copyright 2008
Our first stop on our whirlwind Mediterranean trip was Dubrovnik. Croatia is absolutely beautiful and the people are very kind. We stopped in a small village by a bay that was charming. We also were lucky enough to see a 30 minute presentation by local Croatian dancers. They were amazing. My husband and I were amazed by the water. It is a gorgeous cobalt blue -- we have never really seen anything like it. The Mediterranean Sea and Aegean Sea are really more beautiful than you can imagine. The only water we can compare it to is the water around the glaciers in Alaska. We loved it.
Welcome to Dubrovnik
Croatian dancers
Quaint village by the bay called Catvat
Catvat center
Copyright 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
Moonlight Beach (Encinitas, CA)
Summer 2008
We met a bunch of friends and their families at Moonlight beach in Encinitas yesterday. It was so fun... the kids had a great time boogie boarding during the day and playing baseball on the sand as the sun went down. Is there anything better than watching the sun go down at the beach? It was gorgeous. We roasted hot dogs and made smores over the bonfire. Moonlight Beach in Encinitas is our favorite spot -- and it is less than an hour from our house...
Copyright 2008
We met a bunch of friends and their families at Moonlight beach in Encinitas yesterday. It was so fun... the kids had a great time boogie boarding during the day and playing baseball on the sand as the sun went down. Is there anything better than watching the sun go down at the beach? It was gorgeous. We roasted hot dogs and made smores over the bonfire. Moonlight Beach in Encinitas is our favorite spot -- and it is less than an hour from our house...
Copyright 2008
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Beaver Lake (NW Arkansas)
Summer 2008
My parents recently bought a lakehouse in NW AR at Beaver Lake. My two brothers live and work in Fayetteville, which is about 30 minutes from the lake. It is a beautiful lake and the girls had a great time on the boat. If you are looking for quiet and peaceful escape -- this is your place. Rogers is a quaint town -- check out Slim Chicken's restaurant there. It has great food (and happens to be one of my brother's restaurants, so I am really not biased at all).
I will try to add some more pics soon -- it is really gorgeous there -- and my parents have a great view of the lake.
Copyright 2008
My parents recently bought a lakehouse in NW AR at Beaver Lake. My two brothers live and work in Fayetteville, which is about 30 minutes from the lake. It is a beautiful lake and the girls had a great time on the boat. If you are looking for quiet and peaceful escape -- this is your place. Rogers is a quaint town -- check out Slim Chicken's restaurant there. It has great food (and happens to be one of my brother's restaurants, so I am really not biased at all).
I will try to add some more pics soon -- it is really gorgeous there -- and my parents have a great view of the lake.
Copyright 2008
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Maryland & DC
Summer 2008
We took the girls to Maryland and DC for the 4th of July and stayed with some old friends in Bethesda... We also stopped by to visit one of my funniest friends, Maggie and her family in Olney... She has a great blog here. On our way to stay with my husband's mother, we stopped by to visit one of our most entertaining friends near Annapolis and he told us how much he LOVES our blog about travelling with kids. He has just become a father himself to a sweet little girl and he is thinking about "blogging" soon. He is just having a hard time deciding on the theme. Here are some topics he is contemplating: "Backyard bird-watching with Daddy" or "A dad's guide to the perfect block party" or my favorite, "The suburban dad's shopping guide." I guess we will just have to wait and see what he picks. He is quite the poet, so I am sure he will be a great blogger. Can you tell that he loves to have his picture taken?
We went with Grandy to Hanover, PA to visit Nana -- she just moved into a nursing home and seems to have adjusted very well. The girls had a great visit with her.
We stayed with Grandy in Arnold, MD... had some crabs, walked around Annapolis and had a great time. The girls loved her dog, Tarquin.
We made a few stops in DC -- Capitol Hill (where I used to live), Smithsonian - Air & Space museum & Natural History museum and the Mall to see the monuments... and the Capitol. The girls loved it. You could spend days here and not see all the sites. Plan your trip soon -- it is amazing...
Copyright 2008
We took the girls to Maryland and DC for the 4th of July and stayed with some old friends in Bethesda... We also stopped by to visit one of my funniest friends, Maggie and her family in Olney... She has a great blog here. On our way to stay with my husband's mother, we stopped by to visit one of our most entertaining friends near Annapolis and he told us how much he LOVES our blog about travelling with kids. He has just become a father himself to a sweet little girl and he is thinking about "blogging" soon. He is just having a hard time deciding on the theme. Here are some topics he is contemplating: "Backyard bird-watching with Daddy" or "A dad's guide to the perfect block party" or my favorite, "The suburban dad's shopping guide." I guess we will just have to wait and see what he picks. He is quite the poet, so I am sure he will be a great blogger. Can you tell that he loves to have his picture taken?
We went with Grandy to Hanover, PA to visit Nana -- she just moved into a nursing home and seems to have adjusted very well. The girls had a great visit with her.
We stayed with Grandy in Arnold, MD... had some crabs, walked around Annapolis and had a great time. The girls loved her dog, Tarquin.
We made a few stops in DC -- Capitol Hill (where I used to live), Smithsonian - Air & Space museum & Natural History museum and the Mall to see the monuments... and the Capitol. The girls loved it. You could spend days here and not see all the sites. Plan your trip soon -- it is amazing...
Copyright 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Arizona
Spring 2008
We took the girls to Scottsdale for a few days for spring break this year.
We stayed at the Phoenician, which is a great resort to stay with children. The huge slide at the pool was a big hit and the rooms and service are really fabulous. We were there for Easter weekend and the Easter bunny hand delivered Easter baskets to the room for the girls and they had a wonderful Easter carnival on the grounds that day, too.
We decided to hang out at the resort all morning and head into Tempe for the afternoon.
I graduated from ASU and we thought the girls would like to visit (it's never too early to start the "college talk"). We took them to the campus on a Sunday when school was not in session and the girls kept saying, "This place is so big" and "How much more walking do we have to do?" (This is why I road a bike everyday -- the campus is not small ;-) So, the tour lasted a couple hours with a quick drive through Mill Avenue (definitely stop here is you have time) and we headed back to Scottsdale...
We ate at one of the best pizza places in Old Town Scottsdale called Grimaldi's. They have coal burning ovens... and the only other place I have had pizza this good was in New York... Scottsdale is a great place with great restaurants (and people have discovered this). So, expect to wait for a table when eating out at one of the popular restaurants... We met a lady at the resort who waited an hour and a half (with a reservation) to be seated with her family at Don & Charlie's... Is it worth the wait? I guess that depends on how hungry you are ;-)
The next day we decided to take a trip up to Sedona. We booked the Pink Jeep tour and took the Ancient Ruins tours. Tip: book Pink jeep tour at least a week in advance...
You do really step back in time as you explore a 700 year old Sinaguan cliff dwelling. Some of the cave drawings date back over 5,000 years. It is the only place like it in the United States.
It was absolutely unbelievable and our guide, Dan was a wealth of information.
Our girls loved it, too. Sedona is really a magical place... next time, we will spend more than a day here... there is so much to see.
On our way back to Scottsdale, we stopped at another pizza place (yes, we love pizza) called Picazzo's... it is outside the touristy Sedona center of town ("Uptown") and frequented by locals... (our guide told us to stop here). Great place.
Arizona still remains as one of my favorite places in the whole world... and my family agrees... We will be back again soon to explore some more...
Copyright 2008
We took the girls to Scottsdale for a few days for spring break this year.
We stayed at the Phoenician, which is a great resort to stay with children. The huge slide at the pool was a big hit and the rooms and service are really fabulous. We were there for Easter weekend and the Easter bunny hand delivered Easter baskets to the room for the girls and they had a wonderful Easter carnival on the grounds that day, too.
We decided to hang out at the resort all morning and head into Tempe for the afternoon.
I graduated from ASU and we thought the girls would like to visit (it's never too early to start the "college talk"). We took them to the campus on a Sunday when school was not in session and the girls kept saying, "This place is so big" and "How much more walking do we have to do?" (This is why I road a bike everyday -- the campus is not small ;-) So, the tour lasted a couple hours with a quick drive through Mill Avenue (definitely stop here is you have time) and we headed back to Scottsdale...
We ate at one of the best pizza places in Old Town Scottsdale called Grimaldi's. They have coal burning ovens... and the only other place I have had pizza this good was in New York... Scottsdale is a great place with great restaurants (and people have discovered this). So, expect to wait for a table when eating out at one of the popular restaurants... We met a lady at the resort who waited an hour and a half (with a reservation) to be seated with her family at Don & Charlie's... Is it worth the wait? I guess that depends on how hungry you are ;-)
The next day we decided to take a trip up to Sedona. We booked the Pink Jeep tour and took the Ancient Ruins tours. Tip: book Pink jeep tour at least a week in advance...
You do really step back in time as you explore a 700 year old Sinaguan cliff dwelling. Some of the cave drawings date back over 5,000 years. It is the only place like it in the United States.
It was absolutely unbelievable and our guide, Dan was a wealth of information.
Our girls loved it, too. Sedona is really a magical place... next time, we will spend more than a day here... there is so much to see.
On our way back to Scottsdale, we stopped at another pizza place (yes, we love pizza) called Picazzo's... it is outside the touristy Sedona center of town ("Uptown") and frequented by locals... (our guide told us to stop here). Great place.
Arizona still remains as one of my favorite places in the whole world... and my family agrees... We will be back again soon to explore some more...
Copyright 2008
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Venice, Italy
Summer 2007
We drove into Venice to drop off the rental car -- that was another crazy trip... The rental car agent was so sweet... Apparently, they have been in the midst of construction on one of the bridges by the train station, which is where we had to drop off the car. So, many of the water taxis and water buses were canceled or delayed. He walked us over to an out of the way water taxi stand and driver and helped load us into the taxi... All of this he did without being asked and with a huge smile on his face... Love it already!
The ride was awesome... the girls were in heaven... A city on water... What could be better? We stayed on the Lido, which is the island right off of Venice. At the time, it was a great idea because our hotel had Venice on one side and the Adriatic Sea on the other, so we were beachfront. Now, in retrospect we would definitely stay in Venice and just walk wherever we wanted to go. While on the Lido, we had to take the water shuttles over to Venice and back... This was the best part of the trip for the girls, but very time consuming.
The main thing I can say about Venice is you have to see it for yourself. The people are fascinating... like the mask maker we met in a little shop when we bought our authentic carnival masks to take home... She actually closed her shop to take us over to another one to look at some other masks when we couldn't make up our mind. She was wonderful...
And, the waiter who stopped us and convinced us to come into his restaurant to have dinner... another great meal -- the food is really out of this world!
Or, the glass maker apprentice who educated us about the glass making done on the island of Murano. Here's a tip: go to Murano to watch the glass blowers, but buy your glass in Venice (it is less expensive and the same Murano glass)...
Our first water taxi ride... so much to see...
One of many gorgeous gondolas...
St. Marks Square and the pigeons (the girls loved this part, so we did it twice!)
A view from the bell tower of St Mark's Basilica...
We left when the sun was coming up and began our long journey back home... As our water taxi pulled into the train station, I was sad to leave and thought to myself, "We will be back again someday soon."
"Not soon enough..."
Copyright 2008
We drove into Venice to drop off the rental car -- that was another crazy trip... The rental car agent was so sweet... Apparently, they have been in the midst of construction on one of the bridges by the train station, which is where we had to drop off the car. So, many of the water taxis and water buses were canceled or delayed. He walked us over to an out of the way water taxi stand and driver and helped load us into the taxi... All of this he did without being asked and with a huge smile on his face... Love it already!
The ride was awesome... the girls were in heaven... A city on water... What could be better? We stayed on the Lido, which is the island right off of Venice. At the time, it was a great idea because our hotel had Venice on one side and the Adriatic Sea on the other, so we were beachfront. Now, in retrospect we would definitely stay in Venice and just walk wherever we wanted to go. While on the Lido, we had to take the water shuttles over to Venice and back... This was the best part of the trip for the girls, but very time consuming.
The main thing I can say about Venice is you have to see it for yourself. The people are fascinating... like the mask maker we met in a little shop when we bought our authentic carnival masks to take home... She actually closed her shop to take us over to another one to look at some other masks when we couldn't make up our mind. She was wonderful...
And, the waiter who stopped us and convinced us to come into his restaurant to have dinner... another great meal -- the food is really out of this world!
Or, the glass maker apprentice who educated us about the glass making done on the island of Murano. Here's a tip: go to Murano to watch the glass blowers, but buy your glass in Venice (it is less expensive and the same Murano glass)...
Our first water taxi ride... so much to see...
One of many gorgeous gondolas...
St. Marks Square and the pigeons (the girls loved this part, so we did it twice!)
A view from the bell tower of St Mark's Basilica...
We left when the sun was coming up and began our long journey back home... As our water taxi pulled into the train station, I was sad to leave and thought to myself, "We will be back again someday soon."
"Not soon enough..."
Copyright 2008
Tuscany (Sinalunga, Siena)
Summer 2007
Getting out of Florence was really a trip... We were going to stop at some of the outlets we were hearing so much about on our way to Tuscany ... Gucci, Prada, Armani, etc... My husband was not as excited about this stop as I was (I can't imagine why). But, it was really fun once we got here (after being lost about 3-4 times trying to find it)... Whose idea was this anyway??? We had lunch at the outdoor outlet and it was actually really good. We bought a couple things, but didn't break the bank... and off we go to Amorosa. Amorosa is a small village next to Sinalunga. Sinalunga is a town and commune in the province of Siena, in the Tuscany region of Italy... I know... it took me about 2 days to figure this out ;-) The funny thing about driving here is that they have these great turnarounds (if you know DC at all, we are talking a crazier version of Dupont Circle). It is not crazy because it is so crowded... It is crazy because each turnaround has about 10-15 signs that mark different places (and directions). We found ourselves going around the circle a few times to try to catch the sign (and direction) we needed.
We did find our way, eventually... and getting lost in Tuscany is not so bad... But, you do get a little nervous when you stray off the beaten path and you do not speak the language.
Our hotel in Amorosa -- amazing grounds... and wonderful staff:
Walking up a street in Siena:
More gelato...
The piazza of Siena...
The town of Siena is fascinating. They are probably best known for the Palio, which is a horse race that lasts less than 2 minutes. It is the subject of debate and competition all year round and can cause men and women to laugh or cry. The Palio is considered the greatest traditional festival in Siena. Personally, I am glad we weren't there for it (it is held on July 2nd and August 16th) because it sounds kind of like the "running of the bulls" where the horses (and riders) can be injured or killed in the name of sport... But, it is a tradition that has been going on for centuries... you be the judge.
Siena is divided into seventeen contrade, or areas of the city. The Sienese people belong first to a contrada and then to the city. Each street has the crest posted boldly stating their contrade. Their pride and loyalty is really amazing.
Copyright 2008
Getting out of Florence was really a trip... We were going to stop at some of the outlets we were hearing so much about on our way to Tuscany ... Gucci, Prada, Armani, etc... My husband was not as excited about this stop as I was (I can't imagine why). But, it was really fun once we got here (after being lost about 3-4 times trying to find it)... Whose idea was this anyway??? We had lunch at the outdoor outlet and it was actually really good. We bought a couple things, but didn't break the bank... and off we go to Amorosa. Amorosa is a small village next to Sinalunga. Sinalunga is a town and commune in the province of Siena, in the Tuscany region of Italy... I know... it took me about 2 days to figure this out ;-) The funny thing about driving here is that they have these great turnarounds (if you know DC at all, we are talking a crazier version of Dupont Circle). It is not crazy because it is so crowded... It is crazy because each turnaround has about 10-15 signs that mark different places (and directions). We found ourselves going around the circle a few times to try to catch the sign (and direction) we needed.
We did find our way, eventually... and getting lost in Tuscany is not so bad... But, you do get a little nervous when you stray off the beaten path and you do not speak the language.
Our hotel in Amorosa -- amazing grounds... and wonderful staff:
Walking up a street in Siena:
More gelato...
The piazza of Siena...
The town of Siena is fascinating. They are probably best known for the Palio, which is a horse race that lasts less than 2 minutes. It is the subject of debate and competition all year round and can cause men and women to laugh or cry. The Palio is considered the greatest traditional festival in Siena. Personally, I am glad we weren't there for it (it is held on July 2nd and August 16th) because it sounds kind of like the "running of the bulls" where the horses (and riders) can be injured or killed in the name of sport... But, it is a tradition that has been going on for centuries... you be the judge.
Siena is divided into seventeen contrade, or areas of the city. The Sienese people belong first to a contrada and then to the city. Each street has the crest posted boldly stating their contrade. Their pride and loyalty is really amazing.
Copyright 2008
Monday, March 3, 2008
Florence, Italy
Summer 2007
Italy is truly as wonderful as people say it is... I always knew it would be true... But, it is such an amazing place. I don't even know if I can describe it and do it justice... but, I will try. Our girls absolutely LOVED it as much as we did!
Here they are right outside our hotel -- you can see the Duomo down at the end of the street... You have to visit the Duomo and climb the 467 stairs to the top... It was a little cramped at times, but well worth the view when you get to the top.
Now, on to the food and the gelato. There was the best little gelato shop on the corner by our hotel -- the gelato shops are everywhere and so amazingly delicious! This was my favorite city with regard to the food... The paninis were a favorite as well. We stopped at a small restaurant run by one very nice lady and had our lunch both days. Everything was fresh. The paninis and pizzas were the best. We would sit with the girls in the only 4 stools she had and watch the locals come in to visit with her and pick up a little snack... We also had dinner at two different restaurants recommended by the staff at Residence Hilda (always ask the staff where to eat) and the pasta was incredible. We had some of our best meals here.
We also visited the Accademia museum that has the world famous sculpture of David by Michaelangelo, which was absolutely incredible! It is massive at 17 feet tall... It is hard to believe that he sculpted this by hand many centuries ago.
I would suggest ordering your museum tickets ahead of time or arriving as soon as the museum opens or you will wait for an hour or two in line. But, the people watching and little stores around the museum really can make the time fly...
We also went to the Uffizi museum across town... walking in Florence can be an adventure -- bring your walking shoes!
My favorite was the Birth of Venus by Botticelli (I think it is the favorite of many who visit the museum).
This gallery was right across the street from our hotel... We loved watching this dog in the doorway...
After a couple of days we are ready to head to our next stop -- Tuscany. We decide to rent a car and drive... seriously, it sounded like a great idea at the time ;-)
Copyright 2008
Italy is truly as wonderful as people say it is... I always knew it would be true... But, it is such an amazing place. I don't even know if I can describe it and do it justice... but, I will try. Our girls absolutely LOVED it as much as we did!
Here they are right outside our hotel -- you can see the Duomo down at the end of the street... You have to visit the Duomo and climb the 467 stairs to the top... It was a little cramped at times, but well worth the view when you get to the top.
Now, on to the food and the gelato. There was the best little gelato shop on the corner by our hotel -- the gelato shops are everywhere and so amazingly delicious! This was my favorite city with regard to the food... The paninis were a favorite as well. We stopped at a small restaurant run by one very nice lady and had our lunch both days. Everything was fresh. The paninis and pizzas were the best. We would sit with the girls in the only 4 stools she had and watch the locals come in to visit with her and pick up a little snack... We also had dinner at two different restaurants recommended by the staff at Residence Hilda (always ask the staff where to eat) and the pasta was incredible. We had some of our best meals here.
We also visited the Accademia museum that has the world famous sculpture of David by Michaelangelo, which was absolutely incredible! It is massive at 17 feet tall... It is hard to believe that he sculpted this by hand many centuries ago.
I would suggest ordering your museum tickets ahead of time or arriving as soon as the museum opens or you will wait for an hour or two in line. But, the people watching and little stores around the museum really can make the time fly...
We also went to the Uffizi museum across town... walking in Florence can be an adventure -- bring your walking shoes!
My favorite was the Birth of Venus by Botticelli (I think it is the favorite of many who visit the museum).
This gallery was right across the street from our hotel... We loved watching this dog in the doorway...
After a couple of days we are ready to head to our next stop -- Tuscany. We decide to rent a car and drive... seriously, it sounded like a great idea at the time ;-)
Copyright 2008
London to Florence
Summer 2007
We were on our way to a 10-day trip to Italy via London.
We flew Virgin Atlantic from LAX to London -- and had a great experience again! It is just a fabulous airline. We arrive in London and stay at the Marriott London County Hall right by the London Eye. Hotels in London are not cheap, but the Marriott is a great location... right next to the River Thames and withing walking distance to the London Eye (where we met a funny Brit named Elvis... classic!)
Now, we decide that we want to have an adventure, so we are going to take a train to Italy... We take the Eurostar from London to Paris -- amazing train experience. Then, we need to take a cab to the train station across town to pick up the overnight train to Florence. Now, we are feeling pretty good after the Eurostar (fast train) experience and are so excited. We get to the train station and wait... This is also the time I realize I need to really double check the signs when reading them. When the girls have to go to the bathroom, we walk right over to the sign that looks like a girl and walk right in -- to the MEN'S bathroom... Yikes!!! Well, there was noone in there, so we weren't tipped off by the people in the bathroom... It did look kind of odd when we walked in and there were no toilet seats and they had urinals in the back area. I just thought -- 'those wacky Europeans and their odd restrooms.' I finally realized what happened when we were met by a group of men coming in as we were leaving... I laughed about this for a while -- the girls did not ;-)
So, we get on the train and are sent to our compartment/room... We accept that this small little place will be our home for the next 16 hours and we are fine with it (until about 2am when my husband and I are bouncing around the top bunk and unable to sleep at all). We finally move down to the bottom bunk and slide in next to the girls... Mind you... the bunks are about half the width of a twin bed... We were so tired, we became really slap-happy... all the while the girls were sleeping like little angels... And, by the way, they LOVED the train ride.
Our daughter here is loving the top bunk (until later in the night when she wants to move down to the bottom one)...
Daddy trying to sleep (in the same bunk with our daughter)...
The view from the train before the sun set... makes it all worth while! Only 12 more hours to go (in the dark ;-)
We arrive in Florence and get our passports back after quite a long wait (did I tell you that they keep your passports when you get on the train, so thiefs won't jump on at one of the stops and have some easy 'picking' while you are asleep?). This was told to us by a local when we were having a hard time giving up our passports to our valet at the beginning of the trip. This is how they do things and we were not there to argue. But, it was weird and we did make sure our compartment was locked tightly when we were going to bed...
The train station in Florence was pretty deserted -- except for our fellow train passengers. We could not find a cab to save our lives... So, we waited and waited and waited. We were going to call a cab or the hotel -- like some of the other weary travelers were doing -- but my cell phone battery was dead... of course it was ;-) So, we waited and waited... Then, a cab pulled in looking for someone who had called for one... He couldn't find the person who called him and asked us if we needed a ride... "SI, GRAZIE!!!"
He was a very nice man and knew exactly where our hotel was in Florence... So, we were on our way!
Copyright 2008
We were on our way to a 10-day trip to Italy via London.
We flew Virgin Atlantic from LAX to London -- and had a great experience again! It is just a fabulous airline. We arrive in London and stay at the Marriott London County Hall right by the London Eye. Hotels in London are not cheap, but the Marriott is a great location... right next to the River Thames and withing walking distance to the London Eye (where we met a funny Brit named Elvis... classic!)
Now, we decide that we want to have an adventure, so we are going to take a train to Italy... We take the Eurostar from London to Paris -- amazing train experience. Then, we need to take a cab to the train station across town to pick up the overnight train to Florence. Now, we are feeling pretty good after the Eurostar (fast train) experience and are so excited. We get to the train station and wait... This is also the time I realize I need to really double check the signs when reading them. When the girls have to go to the bathroom, we walk right over to the sign that looks like a girl and walk right in -- to the MEN'S bathroom... Yikes!!! Well, there was noone in there, so we weren't tipped off by the people in the bathroom... It did look kind of odd when we walked in and there were no toilet seats and they had urinals in the back area. I just thought -- 'those wacky Europeans and their odd restrooms.' I finally realized what happened when we were met by a group of men coming in as we were leaving... I laughed about this for a while -- the girls did not ;-)
So, we get on the train and are sent to our compartment/room... We accept that this small little place will be our home for the next 16 hours and we are fine with it (until about 2am when my husband and I are bouncing around the top bunk and unable to sleep at all). We finally move down to the bottom bunk and slide in next to the girls... Mind you... the bunks are about half the width of a twin bed... We were so tired, we became really slap-happy... all the while the girls were sleeping like little angels... And, by the way, they LOVED the train ride.
Our daughter here is loving the top bunk (until later in the night when she wants to move down to the bottom one)...
Daddy trying to sleep (in the same bunk with our daughter)...
The view from the train before the sun set... makes it all worth while! Only 12 more hours to go (in the dark ;-)
We arrive in Florence and get our passports back after quite a long wait (did I tell you that they keep your passports when you get on the train, so thiefs won't jump on at one of the stops and have some easy 'picking' while you are asleep?). This was told to us by a local when we were having a hard time giving up our passports to our valet at the beginning of the trip. This is how they do things and we were not there to argue. But, it was weird and we did make sure our compartment was locked tightly when we were going to bed...
The train station in Florence was pretty deserted -- except for our fellow train passengers. We could not find a cab to save our lives... So, we waited and waited and waited. We were going to call a cab or the hotel -- like some of the other weary travelers were doing -- but my cell phone battery was dead... of course it was ;-) So, we waited and waited... Then, a cab pulled in looking for someone who had called for one... He couldn't find the person who called him and asked us if we needed a ride... "SI, GRAZIE!!!"
He was a very nice man and knew exactly where our hotel was in Florence... So, we were on our way!
Copyright 2008
Friday, February 29, 2008
Alaska
Summer 2007
We have always wanted to go to Alaska and from what we read and heard, cruising is the best way to see it. So, we had such a great time on the Princess cruise last summer in Europe... we booked it for Alaska -- Inner Passage.
We arrived in Seattle a day ahead of time to see a bit of the city and be ready to get on the ship without any delays on the day of departure.
Seattle is a great city... It is a hidden gem and we loved it. We stayed downtown and walked down to the Market by the docks the next morning. The people are great and we made a mental note that we have to go back with the kids and spend more time there.
My parents came along with us for the cruise because they have always wanted to see Alaska, too. We board the ship and are so excited for the adventure that lies ahead...
The girls know the drill... and take their positions on our room's balcony as we leave the port... So much ahead for us... we are very excited...
Now, we found cruising to be amazing. You can book excursions at each port through the cruise ship or you can explore on your own. Since, we have never been to any of these places, we chose to book some shore excursions... most of which my parents joined us, which made it really fun.
Juneau -- summer dog sledding camp:
Now, if you are an animal lover like me, you may think that this is not fun for the dogs... But, we came to learn that the dogs absolutely LOVE it... you can see from this picture that they are rolling around or waiting to get going... They love to run and this is their workout for the winter races... The trainers treat them so well and truly love all the dogs:
Tracy Arm Fjord -- glacier cruising:
If you have never seen a glacier... please put it on your list! It is an unbelievable sight to see... really takes your breath away:
Ketchikan:
We were feeling very adventurous and decided to book the sea plane excursion to a crab feast at the George Inlet lodge. Now, our 6 year old daughter had such a brave face. But, as soon as we were all fastened in with our headphones on (in an 8 seater plane) and we started to taxi out into the choppy water for our takeoff... the waterworks began. It may have been a year or two too early for her because our 8 year old thought it was a blast. I have to say that I thought it was a little scary, too... Shhh! We kept her distracted for the 15-20 minute flight when we landed (on the water) at the lodge for the crab feast...
After our arrival with our pilot (Granny is happy to be on solid ground, can you tell?):
Here's our little plane... leaving... we are taking a bus back to the ship... (big sigh of relief from my youngest (and me)... ;-)
Copyright 2008
We have always wanted to go to Alaska and from what we read and heard, cruising is the best way to see it. So, we had such a great time on the Princess cruise last summer in Europe... we booked it for Alaska -- Inner Passage.
We arrived in Seattle a day ahead of time to see a bit of the city and be ready to get on the ship without any delays on the day of departure.
Seattle is a great city... It is a hidden gem and we loved it. We stayed downtown and walked down to the Market by the docks the next morning. The people are great and we made a mental note that we have to go back with the kids and spend more time there.
My parents came along with us for the cruise because they have always wanted to see Alaska, too. We board the ship and are so excited for the adventure that lies ahead...
The girls know the drill... and take their positions on our room's balcony as we leave the port... So much ahead for us... we are very excited...
Now, we found cruising to be amazing. You can book excursions at each port through the cruise ship or you can explore on your own. Since, we have never been to any of these places, we chose to book some shore excursions... most of which my parents joined us, which made it really fun.
Juneau -- summer dog sledding camp:
Now, if you are an animal lover like me, you may think that this is not fun for the dogs... But, we came to learn that the dogs absolutely LOVE it... you can see from this picture that they are rolling around or waiting to get going... They love to run and this is their workout for the winter races... The trainers treat them so well and truly love all the dogs:
Tracy Arm Fjord -- glacier cruising:
If you have never seen a glacier... please put it on your list! It is an unbelievable sight to see... really takes your breath away:
Ketchikan:
We were feeling very adventurous and decided to book the sea plane excursion to a crab feast at the George Inlet lodge. Now, our 6 year old daughter had such a brave face. But, as soon as we were all fastened in with our headphones on (in an 8 seater plane) and we started to taxi out into the choppy water for our takeoff... the waterworks began. It may have been a year or two too early for her because our 8 year old thought it was a blast. I have to say that I thought it was a little scary, too... Shhh! We kept her distracted for the 15-20 minute flight when we landed (on the water) at the lodge for the crab feast...
After our arrival with our pilot (Granny is happy to be on solid ground, can you tell?):
Here's our little plane... leaving... we are taking a bus back to the ship... (big sigh of relief from my youngest (and me)... ;-)
Copyright 2008
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