Exploring the world with two kids...

Positano, Italy

2011-10-13T13:34:00.000-07:00

This was our first trip to the Amalfi Coast. We found this lovely B&B (La Fenice) right on the outside of town. Positano accommodations can be grotesquely expensive and although this B&B is not right in the middle of town, the walk to town is gorgeous and takes 10-15 min. Here's our daughter taking the stroll to town...

The room rate was 180 euro per night (cash only) for 4 people and that included a fabulous breakfast made each morning by the hosts. I talked to many people who have visited Positano and this was a great deal. My favorite review of the property was this one:
"If you are looking for a 5 star luxury hotel experience with snowy white bed linen, fluffy towels, bathrobes and expensive toiletries then La Fenice is not a place for you. La Fenice is perfect for what I imagine Positano to be... perfect in its simplicity: basic amenities; very clean but mismatched towels and linen (adding to it's quirkiness); lovely, clean airy rooms with lovely tiles, old world furniture... ours had a huge balcony with full view of the Mediterranean Sea. Bliss."
I could not agree more. What La Fenice lacked in luxury it made up for in charm. Here was the view from our room:

Afternoon snack time overlooking the Mediterranean.

We decided to take a boat charter to the island of Capri for the day. You must do this if you are visiting the Amalfi Coast. Don't miss the Blue Grotto tour. You might feel like they are ripping off the tourists a bit here as each of the "boats" charge to take you into the Blue Grotto, but that is the only way you can get inside. It's a once in a lifetime experience, so go for it!

Take a dip in the Mediterranean afterwards... what could be better?

Constantino and his family were the hosts at La Fenice and he offered to make our dinner plans every night. Most of the restaurants in the area offer complimentary shuttle service, which is highly recommended. We tried one of his favorite restaurants called Constantino's (no relation, he insists). This was quite an experience. The food is fabulous and the family who runs the restaurant are extremely friendly and entertaining. The girls loved it, too.

Positano is a fabulous town. We spent 3 days here and thought that was the perfect amount of time for us. Others might want to extend their stay to 5-7 days and really embrace the laid back and relaxed feel of the Amalfi Coast.

Paris

2011-10-07T11:10:00.000-07:00

This was our second trip to Paris with the girls. This was actually the "second chance" trip since our first visit there was underwhelming. I have so many friends who absolutely love Paris and I get it. It is a gorgeous city with fascinating history, art, food and culture. However, I always judge a place by its people. I have found that Parisians, in general, are just rather unpleasant. So, if you can look past that and carry on, you will have any amazing time. We did!
We stayed on the Left Bank at the Hotel Left Bank in St. Germain, which I highly recommend. Book the suite on the top floor. It is a bit more expensive than their other rooms, but it's so worth it. It is the perfect size for a family and you get a fabulous view of Notre Dame. Ooh, la la.

The Left Bank is not as touristy as other areas in Paris and the restaurants and hotels are generally less expensive. But, you can walk to almost all of the sights. If not, the subway system is great. We took the subway to the Eiffel Tower after dark with the girls and felt very safe.
Now, if you are in Paris and don't visit the Louvre, you are crazy. We booked a tour of the Louvre through Paris Muse and it was fantastic. If you are visiting the Louvre for the first time, especially with kids, you should really book a personal tour. It's an "investment," but well worth it! Your guide will whisk you through the highlights and engage your children throughout the tour with a "scavenger hunt."

We absolutely loved our tour guide, Davinia and my opinion of Parisians was slowly turning around, except she was a Brit! Oh well.
If you want a more manageable museum, you should also visit the Orsay museum on the Left Bank. It is housed in a former train station... a bit odd, but a real gem.
Of course, you cannot leave Paris without a visit to the Eiffel tower. We decided to go at night to see it lit up. The girls loved it at the top of the hour when the lights starts to blink and everyone cheers. It's a celebration every hour!

The lines are much shorter late night, so make this visit on your 1st or 2nd night when your body clock is still confused. We traveled from NYC, so visiting the Eiffel tower on our 2nd night there at 11pm was no problem for the girls.
You must also visit Sacre Couer. You will get a great view of Paris from the highest point in the city.
One of my favorite sights was the "love bridge" that we crossed from the Left Bank every day... People have written their names on these locks and thrown the key into the Seine. There are hundreds of them and it just puts a smile on your face...
OK, I do love Paris!

Canada

2011-10-04T10:44:00.000-07:00

We went on an incredible trip to Canada with my entire family in June. We started in Vancouver and travelled east by train on the Rocky Mountaineer. It was quite an amazing trip with stops in Whistler, Quesnel and Jasper. We rented vans and drove to Lake Louise from Jasper. I am embarrassed to admit that I never really thought much about visiting Canada, but this trip really opened my eyes. The scenery is gorgeous and the people are rather delightful. Whistler was probably our favorite spot. The girls loved doing the zip line with their grandparents and uncles... We will have to head back when it is a winter wonderland. Lake Louise is stunning. We were lucky enough to stay at the Fairmont, which is right next to the lake and has wonderful views.

Summer is almost here!

2011-05-05T16:39:00.000-07:00

We are in the midst of planning our summer trips as school is coming to a close for the year. We have two very different trips planned for this summer... the first trip is Canada. The girls grandparents have organized a week-long adventure with the help of a great company called Jet Set World Travel. It will be an on the road family reunion with my entire family. It should be an amazing trip as we explore to Canadian Rockies on the Rocky Mountaineer. Everyone I know who has been to Whistler has said it is one of their favorite places. We can't wait!
Our second trip is to Europe... Switzerland, France and Italy. We will be there for almost 2 weeks and have decided to take trains for the entire trip. Actually, we were inspired by my brother's upcoming Ultimate Train Challenge. If you aren't "friends" with him on Facebook, you should do it now! He has been on an almost 2 year long trek around the world. We aren't really sure if he is ever coming home. We would love any tips or suggestions you might have for these cities: Paris, Naples, Positano, Rome and Montreux.
Tip: Did you know that many of the "child discounts" end at age 12, especially in Europe? If you can swing it -- get exploring with your kids now. It's never too early.

Copyright 2011

Yes, you can (have a blast traveling with your kids)!

2011-03-14T11:47:00.000-07:00

We love traveling with our kids and do get some interesting comments from people... This article by one of our favorite travel sites, Ciao Bambino, sums it up perfectly. The time is now... get out there and travel WITH your kids... You will be so glad you did!

Click here to get inspired to take your kids with you!

Copyright 2011

Great tips!

2010-09-09T13:34:00.000-07:00

Travel tips that everyone should read by Lonely Planet... one of our favorite blogs.

Copyright 2010

Florida and the Caribbean

2010-08-19T09:25:00.000-07:00

This photo album created with Smilebox

Fall vacation planning, anyone?

2010-08-19T09:03:00.000-07:00

Some great vacation ideas from our friends at Ciao Bambino!

#1: Banff, Canada

Hawks Cay Resort, Duck Key, FL

2010-08-15T11:46:00.000-07:00

We stayed in Hawk's Cay for a few days in July and loved it. They have a great pool for the kids and a lagoon where you can rent kayaks that provides hours of fun.

They have a lot of great activities for kids throughout the day and dolphins on site.

It was close enough to Key West that we drove down for dinner at Antonia's one night... great Italian food.

Copyright 2010

Miami, Keys and cruise in the Caribbean.

2010-07-28T12:09:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Miami a few days ago with the girls. We stayed a couple of nights in Duck Key at Hawks Cay resort (review coming soon) and headed out of the Port of Miami on Norwegian Epic (review coming soon). We will have many stories and pics soon. Stay tuned...

leaving Miami

Rancho Mirage, CA

2010-04-22T10:51:00.000-07:00

We took the girls to the Rancho Las Palmas resort in Palm Springs/Rancho Mirage for a couple of days during spring break. It is a really great resort, especially with kids. The lazy river was their favorite part -- ours was that kids under 12 eat for free. Seriously! Who does that anymore? Now, we did skip their Easter brunch there because it was outrageously expensive and we decided to check out The River (the outdoor mall across the street). It's hard to beat The Cheesecake Factory... yummy! If you are visiting Palm Springs with kids... consider Rancho Las Palmas... it is so fun!
Here's a tip from our daughter's teacher, Mrs. Warner that we followed: Eat at D'Carlos Italian Cafe near the resort... shhhh! Don't tell the tourists -- it's a secret and it is wonderful. The owner is really cute, too.
Also, make sure you stop by The Living Desert... that was really fun, too.

Beach cleanup for Thanks'giving' 2009

2009-11-26T17:15:00.000-08:00

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'!

Make a Smilebox collage

2009

Costa Rica

2009-07-18T08:40:00.000-07:00

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

Beaver Lake, AR

2009-06-28T08:24:00.000-07:00

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

Next Stop -- Costa Rica!

2009-03-12T10:20:00.001-07:00

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

Wild Animal Park

2008-08-28T12:48:00.000-07:00

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

Savoca, Sicily

2008-08-17T10:17:00.000-07:00

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

Ephesus, Turkey

2008-08-09T10:15:00.000-07:00

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

Santorini, Greece

2008-08-09T09:45:00.001-07:00

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

Olympia, Greece

2008-08-09T09:38:00.000-07:00

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

Corfu, Greece

2008-08-09T09:32:00.000-07:00

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

Dubrovnik, Croatia

2008-08-09T09:28:00.001-07:00

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

Moonlight Beach (Encinitas, CA)

2008-07-21T09:12:00.000-07:00

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

Beaver Lake (NW Arkansas)

2008-07-06T04:37:00.001-07:00

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

Maryland & DC

2008-07-05T19:05:00.000-07:00

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

Arizona

2008-03-26T14:47:00.000-07:00

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

Venice, Italy

2008-03-04T15:59:00.000-08:00

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

Tuscany (Sinalunga, Siena)

2008-03-04T12:19:00.000-08:00

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

Florence, Italy

2008-03-03T17:08:00.000-08:00

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

London to Florence

2008-03-03T15:14:00.000-08:00

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

Alaska

2008-02-29T12:14:00.000-08:00

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

Paris

2008-02-28T13:21:00.000-08:00

Summer 2006

Does it live up to the hype? Yes and No... Yes -- it is absolutely gorgeous... the buildings almost seem fake they are so ornamented and over the top. No -- because the rude Parisians really can ruin it for you... We actually had a sales lady (in a store that we were shopping at) make some odd noise and flick her finger at us when we asked her where something was... Now to be fair, we weren't speaking French, but even when you try the basics... it seems to offend them... And, this was a tourist spot we were at and many different languages were being spoken. I do have to say as a side note how amazed we were by how many people from other countries did speak English... Our driver in Holland spoke something like 4-5 languages. But, they do teach them this in school... Our kids are lucky if they learn Spanish in school... I did find that most Americans expected the locals to speak English, which is very presumptuous and arrogant in itself. A little tip -- try to learn at least the basics of the language in the country you are visiting... i.e., "hello," "goodbye," "thank you," "excuse me," you will find that most people you meet really do appreciate it. Not so much in Paris though... ;-)
The only analogy I can give you is this -- Paris is like a beautiful woman who is very conscious of her beauty and it defines her...
Whereas, a place like Bruge is like a beautiful woman who is unaware of how beautiful she is and carries on like everyone else...
Our port was Le Havre and the ride (by bus) into Paris was almost 3 hours... Our guide was from outside Paris and she was very sweet... she tried to explain the arrogance of the Parisians, but you have to see it to believe it... She also assured us that all Parisians are not this way and most French people do not have this attitude either... We only went to Paris, so we cannot confirm or deny this.
Now, the city itself is probably one of the prettiest I have ever seen... and they know this. They pride themselves on being the most beautiful city in the world. Now, I haven't been close to seeing every city in the world, but it is difficult to believe there is a prettier one out there... The food, the Louvre, the Eiffel tower, the shopping, the Arc de Triomphe, the museums... all of this is hard to argue with...

But, when we are traveling with our girls -- the locals and their personalities define a place more than the beauty we see... Anyway, we did see some amazing architecture and historical sites and I am so glad we went... Would we go back to Paris? Maybe without the kids... maybe not...
Now, I would like to explore some of the towns outside of Paris someday, but it did drop down on our list of places we have to see after this visit...

Copyright 2008

Bruge, Belgium

2008-02-27T19:14:00.000-08:00

Summer 2006

This was probably my favorite city so far... It is absolutely gorgeous and the people are fabulous. We took a walking tour and it was so wonderful. This is the town center that I wanted to stay at forever...

We saw a few very old churches tucked away here and there and they let you take pictures inside at the one below... So, I had to play the ugly American and get a shot... Just think... if I didn't, you wouldn't be able to see it -- so there. ;-) I loved this church... it was tiny and lit up by the sunlight.

Then, we had to see the canal by boat/taxi. The 'taxi drivers' here are so cute and apparently it is a very coveted position... They like Bruge being small and quaint and we get the feeling they want to keep it that way... I am not sure if it will remain undiscovered when the new Colin Farrel movie comes out this year... That should be a great one -- at least I know the setting is amazing -- Colin Farrel is not too bad either...

If you do get a chance to visit Belgium... the chocolate is truly as amazing as they say... They are the only place allowed by law to use more cocoa in their chocolate (or so they told me) and you can really taste the difference... Chocolate stores are all over the place and well worth a visit to stock up. We had our bag on our slow walk back to our ride... we didn't want to leave...

Copyright 2008

Holland

2008-02-27T16:36:00.000-08:00

Summer 2006

We had so much that we wanted to see in Holland that we hired a driver for the day... well worth it... He spoke English and was very patient with us... Our first stop was Amsterdam and the canals... My only regret is that we were so limited on time that we could not wait in the very long line to visit Anne Frank's house -- definitely will make the stop next time. We did take a tour of the canals on a river-taxi/bus...

There were little houseboats all along the canals... very cool. This is a tulip market... seriously... it was so stinkin' cute!

Now, Amsterdam is well known for its red-light district (not at all kid-friendly), legalized drugs and amazing museums... (at least that is what I hear...) Ohhh and apparently, tulips and windmills are a pretty big deal here, too ;-)
We did have a great lunch right in town with some of the best people-watching I have ever seen.

Now, we did have to explain the legalized drug situation to the girls (at least briefly and without too much detail) because we did have a lady sitting next to us at lunch that was having a very loud argument with her "invisible friend." It made me realize that with legalized drug use comes a whole bag of worms, too. It sounds great if you are backpacking through Europe after high school or college -- why wouldn't you stop here to check out the scene? But, we got the feeling that it may attract people with other issues, like those suffering from mental illness or other psychological problems as a safe haven. Now, it seems harmless enough as a tourist. But, it is the one stop on our trip that we were warned to keep our kids close to us -- and watch our wallets and/or purse. Now, they say pickpocketing is something you have to be careful of in many places throughout Europe -- like Venice for instance. But, I have never been told to keep my "kids close."

In retrospect, it may not be any different than all of the poor homeless people who line the streets in Washington, DC who are war veterans or suffer from mental illness. Who knows... I am not here to answer life's mysteries... maybe you can.
Back to the tulips and windmills...
Speaking of windmills... check this one out... It was built when? Look closely at the blue sign...

Next stop -- the Van Gogh museum. Van Gogh's work is organized chronologically into five periods, each representing a different phase of his life and work: The Netherlands, Paris, Arles, Saint-Remy and Auvers-sur-Oise. It was amazing. It is the largest collection of his work in the world.
Then, we were off the the beach to see where the locals summer. Apparently, this has become a favorite beach town for Germans, which our driver seemed a bit annoyed by... Gee, I can't imagine why... yikes! It was beautiful, of course. But, it was pretty chilly for a summer afternoon...

Bergen, Norway

2008-02-27T15:25:00.000-08:00

Summer 2006

Ahhh, Norway... This was a great stop. The people were so lovely and the sights were gorgeous. But, let me tell you... prices for everything here are outrageous! We stopped in a McDonalds to use the bathroom (really, we did not eat at a single McDonalds on our whole trip -- although it may be tempting sometimes with kids -- don't do it!) A Big Mac was 70 krona -- that's over $11! I even took a picture of it b/c I thought noone would believe me...

We ate lunch in town -- pizza and drinks and it was over $100. Now, the people here are so friendly and pleasant that it does take some of the sting out of it, but I don't know if I could spend more than a few days here or we might have to re-finance our mortgage ;-)
We took a ride on a tram to the top of Mount Floyen. It is about a 7-8 minute ride inside a tunnel and out at the top... so cool and the views of the town were amazing.

A view from a pier in town.

A quaint outdoor cafe by the outdoor daily markets...

They had the coolest town center where locals were playing games outside -- all big versions of traditional gameboard games.

Copyright 2008

Dublin & Edinburgh

2008-02-27T11:38:00.000-08:00

Summer 2006

I have some Irish in my blood, so I have always wanted to explore Ireland... it seemed so mystical in theory and I have to say... it did not disappoint. Now, our only stop was Dublin and we want to go back to see the rest of the country. But, I think we laughed the hardest listening to an Irish guide describe the city and people... The Irish sure do know how to laugh and we enjoyed every minute there... We visited Dublin Castle and Trinity College and its library -- I love libraries... (A little side note -- the Folger Shakepeare Library in DC on Capitol Hill is my all-time favorite -- awesome!)
The girls loved the castles, which are impressive and make you wish you had read your history book a little closer... It's never too late ;-)

We did stop to pick up a couple of books on the history of Ireland, Scotland and England... I became fascinated by Mary, Queen of Scots... Now, that was a tough chic... Edinburgh was truly amazing... Old Town is just dripping with history and charm and New Town is contemporary and full of life. I loved this sculpture of Sir Walter Scott...

And, this drawing on the ground...

Now, Edinburgh Castle is crazy cool... The Lang Stairs - 70 steps providing access to the summit were built by French prisoners (now that's punishment) -- I would chuckle to myself about this later when we visit Paris and meet some of the rude French people (I should say Parisians because we are told outside of Paris the French can be very friendly... we'll have to test that someday ;-)... Edinburgh Castle is an ancient stronghold that dominates the sky-line of the city from its position atop Castle Rock and it is truly incredible.

From a distance...

Copyright 2008

First travels abroad

2008-02-27T10:42:00.000-08:00

Summer 2006

We decided to make our first trip to Europe with the kids and take a cruise, so we could see as much as possible in a short period of time. This was a great decision. We chose Princess cruises and absolutely loved it. We flew on Virgin Atlantic from LAX to London/Heathrow... It was about a 9-10 hour flight and Virgin does a great job of making you comfortable and entertaining the kids (who had their own satellite tv and movies at their seat)... We will always fly them if at all possible...
We got to London at around 12noon local time and were feeling OK, although neither my husband nor I can sleep on a plane... major bummer. But, our girls can and they were bright eyed and bushy tailed... We took a cab from the airport to our hotel to find that our room wasn't ready... and we had booked 1 room for 4 people... a big no-no in Europe... I did make the reservations stating it was 2 adults and 2 children. Whatever.
We decided to go have lunch and come back later to see what they came up with...
Lunch was great and the locals are charming -- I don't know what it is, but I am just in love with the English... First of all, Ricky Gervais is one of my all-time favorite people (Extras and the Office are the absolute best)... Coldplay, the Beatles, Hugh Grant, James Blunt, Coupling vs. Friends (Coupling is smarter and usually funnier)... come on... Maybe it's the accent or maybe it is their dry sense of humor, but we love them and their country. Now, you can't really buy anything here or stay for too long b/c the British pound is beating the crap out of the US dollar and everything is pretty pricey... But, I don't care... I still love it...
When we returned to the hotel they had upgraded us to a suite... lovely... So, we went upstairs and crashed... I know --they tell you not to do this, but we could not keep our eyes open -- I don't care how much coffee (or tea) we drank. We fell asleep at about 3:00 pm, woke up for dinner (room service) and went right back to sleep... The girls are awesome travelers and entertained themselves the whole time while mommy and daddy slipped into a minor coma ;-) We did wake up the next day well rested and ready to head down to Southamption where the ship was set to sail. We took the train from London to Southamption -- very fun... and then we hired a driver at the train station to take us to the ship. Our driver's name was Phil and we loved him. We decided to take his number and call him when we returned to take us back to London.

-- Fast forward to the end of the trip and we dock back in Southampton after the cruise is over. We meet Phil at the dock and have a great drive back to London. He was a wealth of information and very entertaining.
We have a lot of time before our flight at 3pm, so we decide to stop at Harrod's before heading to the airport. Phil tells us about a "bomb scare" at Heathrow this morning and the flights will most likely be delayed. We don't think much of it... as you always have delays these days for one reason or another. So, we had lunch and shopped leisurely at Harrod's.
Well, we get to Heathrow and it is absolute chaos. Police with machine guns are very present and we go to check-in. This was the day that they caught a group of people who were planning to bring liquid explosives on a plane and blow it up over the Atlantic (or so we find out later -- noone is telling us much of anything -- maybe to avoid the hysteria that could follow). At the time, we were not aware of how serious this delay would be until we got to the check-in counter and the rep told us that we had to check EVERYTHING... our girls gameboys, my cell phone, books, magazines, crayons... literally everything. I take a deep breath and start packing everything up. The girls are surprisingly OK with all of this. My husband and I are remaining calm, but feel a little uneasy.
So, we are allowed 1 plastic bag with essentials and 1 magazine or 1 book (I tested this when I tried to bring 3 magazines on and they made me throw 2 of them away -- I guess I should have believed them). Now, this is more commonplace today when you fly, but this was the very first day they started this new procedure and people were upset... mostly the adults... the children were fine.
So, we take our place in the 1st of many security lines and see what is lying ahead. Police with machine guns in hand... endless lines for security... people very upset that they have to throw everything away they didn't pack... hours and hours of waiting. Still, the girls are cool about the whole thing...
We waited about 5 hours to board our plane... another 6 hours sitting on the plane when the pilot came on and said we may have to cancel the flight because the US is not allowing any planes to land. A hotel room might not be so bad right now...
30 minutes later we are given the go ahead and we take off... Hold your breath... and off we go... 10 hours later we land at LAX and have to go through another security line where each passengers luggage is hand searched -- Yes, hand searched... 3 hours later... we are heading home after a 24 hour travel day with little sleep... and, the girls are still OK... Mommy and Daddy are just glad to be home after the most uneasy day of travel they have ever experienced...
Will we go back again??? YES!!!

Copyright 2008

Maui

2008-02-26T11:39:00.000-08:00

Spring of 2005, 2006 & 2007

Hawaii is really heaven on earth... It is so beautiful and relaxing (I am sure you have either experienced it or heard... make the trip if you haven't already... you will not regret it... great for kids, too).
We have been to Maui a few times with the girls and have always stayed at the Napili Kai Resort on the West Shore. If you have children, you want to check this place out... we love it...
We have always had the debate though -- should we stay at the world-renowned, Grand Waliea or at the family-friendly, Napili Kai Resort? Napili Kai always wins... But, we always trek down to Grand Waliea for a spa day... don't miss the spa there! You will thank me after your visit... ;-)
We have always traveled to Hawaii with my parents, which is so fun... We would get rooms right next to each other.... each with its own kitchen and have our own family time and time with them.
They have the coolest rock path right along the water to the beach, which is the way the girls always wanted to go, esp. with Granny & Grandpa.

One year we left the girls with Granny and Grandpa and did the bike ride down the volcano... absolutely incredible and awe-inspiring... But, it is not kid-friendly (at least not for small kids)... You pass through clouds to get up to the top (by van) and it is so cold... then, you head down the mountain and suddenly have to start shedding your layers like a snake as it warms up. The van follows you down to the bottom... and you stop for lunch. You have to do it at least once -- if at all possible.

We have also taken the helicopter ride (without the kids) -- We highly recommend it... You can take your kids, but our girls wanted to stay back at the resort with Granny & Grandpa that day. A shot from the helicopter:

And, we have gone on the whale-watching dinner cruise with Granny & Grandpa and the girls... so much fun and you are almost guaranteed to see whales... we have on both time we have done it (very kid-friendly, but can be a bit rocky if you have a sensitive stomach)!

The beach at Napili Kai is perfect for kids... nice little calm bay with mild waves and lots of shallow water... Not too crowded either. This pic is from our oceanfront room... When they say oceanfront, they mean it... You can also spend less and get rooms that are further back, which we have done in the past... You do have to book almost a year ahead of time to get oceanfront -- well, worth it.

Now, my brothers (both single) came with us last year and Napili Kai may not have been their first pick... But, they made the best of it and hung out with their family -- probably more than they wanted to... But, our girls were happy...
We even went snorkeling (you can walk to a great snorkeling beach from Napili Kai) with Uncle Mike and saw a huge puffer fish... awesome!

Granny, Grandpa, Uncle Ryan and Uncle Mike outside Napili Kai.

Florida -- Disney

2008-02-26T11:06:00.000-08:00

Spring or summer of 2004-2006

Disney World seems to be the place to go with small children (have you heard?). We live in southern CA, so our girls have known the Disney experience since they were very little ones. Disney World is such a strange and fabulous place. Strange because of the masses that pack into this place on any given day (many seeming to leave their manners and common courtesy at home) and fabulous because it is the "happiest place on earth," naturally.
One of my fondest memories was when my youngest was crying for some reason and within seconds a Disney staff person was showering her with stickers and candy and told her, "We don't allow any tears at the happiest place on earth."
We have been there many times because my husband's late father lived in Melbourne and we would always stop at Disney for a few days after our family visit. (More about Melbourne later...)
We have stayed at the Floridian and the Animal Kingdom Lodge... Our favorite was definitely the Animal Kingdom Lodge -- make sure to get a room with a view, so you can wake up with the giraffes, if you are lucky (see the pic above from our room)... The Floridian was nice basically because of the boat shuttle service to the Magic Kingdom...
With two girls, we spent most of our time at the Magic Kingdom... If your daughter like princesses (and who doesn't)... make sure you make reservations (in advance) for the lunch at the castle... All of the princesses will come by your table during your meal and sign autographs and take pictures. This saved us so much time finding every princess in the park (which we have done before)...
Also, we bought Disney t-shirts and had all the characters we met sign them with a permanent marker. Now, make sure you bring your own sharpie (they do not sell them or have any in the parks)... and your child cannot wear the t-shirt... you have to just bring it with you... This was the best -- they absolutely LOVE their signed shirts... much better than their autograph book that just sits on their book shelf.

Calendar of travel...

2008-02-24T19:33:00.000-08:00

We are going to start from the beginning, which will bring us back a few years... So, let's get an idea of where it all began to the present and we will highlight each place one by one after the overview...

2006:
Florida
Hawaii
Las Vegas
Northern Europe (England, Ireland, Holland, Norway, France)

2007:
Hawaii
Alaska and Victoria, BC
Italy (Florence, Tuscany, Venice)

2008 (planned trips):
Arizona
Maryland/DC
NW Arkansas
Mediterranean (Italy, Greece, Turkey, Croatia, Malta)

Welcome!

2008-02-24T19:19:00.000-08:00

Welcome to "exploring the world with two kids..."
We are a family of four and love to travel. We thought it was time to share our love of the world and offer some helpful tips for parents out there who are always told by well meaning friends and family, "Why travel now? You should wait until your kids are old enough to remember it."

Well, we are here to tell you -- "Don't wait! Take your kids now -- you will be amazed by what they will remember and what glorious memories you can make with your 6 year old in Paris, your 4 year old in Maui or your 7 year old in Florida... What are you waiting for?"

We have two girls who are 7 and 9... We have taken them with us everywhere we go -- since they were babies. They are wonderful travelers and we started traveling abroad with them a couple of years ago...

We wanted to share some of our experiences... maybe offer some tips on where to stay, what to see, what to eat (very important with small children), how to get there and much more...

We are just getting started... So, get ready... and away we go ;-)