tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2193325379084490422024-03-18T16:58:18.061-07:00Go Family Go!Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219332537908449042.post-60553984272897237872024-03-03T13:30:00.000-08:002024-03-03T13:30:32.003-08:00Saint Mary College Men's Basketball 23-24 season<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHWRPEDzGXercoSsoOx-StcaL0wsKI1DMCN8Pvy5pTcnnWjN4nwXMogiWvWsPuN4jPBmaxWk_bQOQKNncppWljPE03-0DETHAyhlvMC1TSBSo6QFEj3LnJeRzmp5SSSeRIuec7No4Fc7ZlbRDvb15jrV_7gTc0Cs5FpWYEbAENRxRZNet3lyzGawWG5w/s225/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHWRPEDzGXercoSsoOx-StcaL0wsKI1DMCN8Pvy5pTcnnWjN4nwXMogiWvWsPuN4jPBmaxWk_bQOQKNncppWljPE03-0DETHAyhlvMC1TSBSo6QFEj3LnJeRzmp5SSSeRIuec7No4Fc7ZlbRDvb15jrV_7gTc0Cs5FpWYEbAENRxRZNet3lyzGawWG5w/s1600/images.jpg" width="225" /></a></div>Have your heard about my new obsession?? It's men's college basketball. Namely, the Saint Mary's Gaels.<p></p><p style="text-align: left;">Do you know how much it costs to go to a Warriors Game? The absolute nose bleed seats on a random Wednesday against the Milwaukee Bucks run more than $150 a piece. Tickets on the first level are over $500 and tickets in roughly the 4th row are going for over $1000. Just for kicks let's check out this week's game against the Lakers..nosebleeds $250, 1st tier up to $900, 4th row..$2500! And did you also know the average cost to park your car at Chase Center is $170? Anyway, the prices are nuts, especially for a third place team with barely a .500 winning percentage. The players make oodles of money and some of them are not very well behaved which makes paying this much to see them even less appealing. Where can the average sports fan go see an exciting team play basketball without completely breaking the bank?!!</p><p style="text-align: left;">Go to Moraga.</p><p>Saint Mary's College is a small Roman Catholic liberal arts school in Moraga, CA. Many people living in the San Francisco Bay Area have not even heard of Moraga, let alone Saint Mary's College. The undergraduate enrollment at SMC is just over 2000 students, which is actually about the same size as my children's high school. For being such a small school, we know plenty of people that went there, and my son is currently a sophomore. We took him along on a tour with my older daughter while he was in 8th grade, and after that, SMC is where he said he wanted to go to school.</p><p>Believe it or not, Saint Mary's College is a D1 athletics school. You would think that such a small school would have difficulty fielding competitive athletic teams. Well, I don't know much about that, because those Gaels can sure play themselves some basketball.</p><p>The Gaels (<span style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Gaels are an ethnolinguistic group native to Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man--thank you Wikipedia) has been led by Coach Randy Bennett since 2001. In his time with the Gaels, Mr. Bennett has a winning percentage of .711, with nine NCAA Tournament appearances and three WCC (West Coast Conference) championships. Bennett has also been named the WCC Coach of the Year for the last two years. Not too shabby for a school with 2000 undergrads. Bennett will be the coach of the Gaels until at least 2027, much longer I hope. From what I can observe, Bennett attracts athletes who are team players. There is no superstar on this team, rather, all seem to contribute generously. On several occasions this year, when I attended games the point spread was such that the third string was able to get into the game. The starters, now on the bench, cheered them on as if it was a two point game. These boys play their hearts out for Randy Bennett, their teammates, and their school, and it is infectious. </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZOr3yPdT25i89xrDtxWj-ZlKmdUvhswqskTZND1KLpEcjtzNHtzbc128LsYX88lZy6NdetDwf9bMAa95tWmBgjc7BtXzRzRPRIZVRRNDob5HsC2qUc2YMF2JpPznC8YKcbj_ChGAAN7Tr0xSYgz3DN54VJTiLeD8DfOnGBOyrs4WoWZZ4vx6GP9NQEck/s2048/IMG_4459.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZOr3yPdT25i89xrDtxWj-ZlKmdUvhswqskTZND1KLpEcjtzNHtzbc128LsYX88lZy6NdetDwf9bMAa95tWmBgjc7BtXzRzRPRIZVRRNDob5HsC2qUc2YMF2JpPznC8YKcbj_ChGAAN7Tr0xSYgz3DN54VJTiLeD8DfOnGBOyrs4WoWZZ4vx6GP9NQEck/w400-h300/IMG_4459.jpeg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: medium;">From behind the Gaels bench..</span></span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Gaels play in the West Coast Conference, otherwise known as the WCC. This conference has a presence of strong competition in teams such as the USF Dons and the powerhouse Gonzaga Bulldogs. The Gaels are currently 15-0 in WCC play this season with a 16 game win streak. We have been to 5 games this year at University Credit Union Pavilion and the Gaels have won all of them, usually by a sizeable margin. By the end of every game I am exhausted from the cheering and the excitement. It doesn't help that the game starts at 8 pm, and now it's past 10pm and my bedtime. The season didn't start out so well, though. The Gaels suffered some hard losses early in the season to mediocre teams like Boise State, Weber State and Missouri State and when we went to their December 29th game against Kent State, their record was a dismal and disappointing 9-6. That night they killed Kent State 66-46, and they have not lost a game since. Last night the Gaels clinched the championship of the WCC, with one more conference game to be played against Gonzaga this weekend.</span></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rHgS8Ky6BtWYC9-e_mWAKq1e2rXeII5T3uLjLooIr6rM1vItDxddkhLBDfE-aGycZhyU0mmZruVFjqB94ngR-7z5miM5T87APAoo_4IuQ4wZD5MT3wlhIMOOFBPESx3YCBK5025nesdRttWIDLrMEjBx0GfFjw2-2bePUtMsNok1Wte0I97ExmacNnA/s1281/IMG_1883.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1281" data-original-width="1066" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5rHgS8Ky6BtWYC9-e_mWAKq1e2rXeII5T3uLjLooIr6rM1vItDxddkhLBDfE-aGycZhyU0mmZruVFjqB94ngR-7z5miM5T87APAoo_4IuQ4wZD5MT3wlhIMOOFBPESx3YCBK5025nesdRttWIDLrMEjBx0GfFjw2-2bePUtMsNok1Wte0I97ExmacNnA/w333-h400/IMG_1883.jpeg" width="333" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy of Instagram<br /><span style="font-size: medium;">Congratulations, Gaels!!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>One cool thing about SMC being such a small school is that the players are actually in class with my son and have been known to attend the same social events. The mascot, Gideon the Gael, a fearsome looking thing I must say, is friends with my son. When I went to Cal, I had know idea who or what was under that Oski costume.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BwgZUYTl7UKH0Tv5r08cJsqtIVEGwRTqawit5K1CG_80mjB2hPiId8-GQIJmCzxJY39Hs_7TP2nk6bMsHi8IMmnfbF_49xpT06u8U3DQTwfh2VsewBbbkbWS2C_kA2Dregfn8AO1AmByN1tYXTejmo66dWq3qF4RK-Y3GCTLvIPY2AS3Gw6Gf8K2NAk/s2048/IMG_1807.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9BwgZUYTl7UKH0Tv5r08cJsqtIVEGwRTqawit5K1CG_80mjB2hPiId8-GQIJmCzxJY39Hs_7TP2nk6bMsHi8IMmnfbF_49xpT06u8U3DQTwfh2VsewBbbkbWS2C_kA2Dregfn8AO1AmByN1tYXTejmo66dWq3qF4RK-Y3GCTLvIPY2AS3Gw6Gf8K2NAk/w300-h400/IMG_1807.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The fierce Gideon likes moms too!</span></div><p>Anyway lets talk about the venue. University Credit Union Pavilion (formerly McKeon Pavilion) is a 3500 seat arena, which is pretty small by college basketball arena standards. UCU opened in 1978. Apparently, thank you again Wikipedia, both its size and its age are a bone of contention. There are some plans to knock out some walls and add 1000 seats, but this project has no funding (interesting considering how much this school costs!) so it does not look like it will happen any time soon. Anyway, the tightness of the space and a very invigorated student section can really pump up the volume, making UCU one of the tougher venues for an opposing team.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbAV6YZBD5vLL6ZlcgprcbZvsNW17fnxL3VK7WUzrB7IQdtabrRyHiCr_7-8CGwBS_WezLPGtySakAWqrxg0deA8eIyoG0decSWhPs02FGjrCUTB937LFp34WdY54v-GDPfpPnv-ahhbwGnuy-PJoc7GpFqPO6aQpDsNHAmY92kFEz6URzTNY9p79xzw/s2048/IMG_1417.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYbAV6YZBD5vLL6ZlcgprcbZvsNW17fnxL3VK7WUzrB7IQdtabrRyHiCr_7-8CGwBS_WezLPGtySakAWqrxg0deA8eIyoG0decSWhPs02FGjrCUTB937LFp34WdY54v-GDPfpPnv-ahhbwGnuy-PJoc7GpFqPO6aQpDsNHAmY92kFEz6URzTNY9p79xzw/s320/IMG_1417.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>Bleacher general admission seats for non-conference games were 30$ this year, conference games 35$, higher demand games, like USF 50$. When school was not in session, lower general admission was available at the same prices, putting the general public into what was usually the student section. Seats with backs are considerably more and are on the opposite side from the students. At conference games, one needs to take care to get there early enough to hold desirable seats a few rows back. From the first few rows it is difficult to see the basket through the heads of the student section. At the USF game, we got there a full 60 minutes before the game started, parked jackets on our seats and headed out to the cozy Vieira Family Courtyard where pizza, beer, hot dogs, clam chowder, popcorn, wine, and cocktails, are available, as well as heat lamps and a big screen TV, playing the days most important match ups.<p></p><p>Parking is available for 20$, just a short walk from the arena.</p><p>Anyway, super worth it. It's been an exciting season and I was happy to have shared a small part of it. Next week, on to the WCC tournament in Las Vegas and then onto the NCAA Tournament!</p><p>Well, this wasn't exactly travel, but I had been spending so much time in Moraga watching these kids tear it up, I thought I'd better write about it. </p><p><b><i>Well, here is a post script.</i></b> I tried my darndest to get this post off before the game against Gonzaga was played but I ran out of time. Last night the Gaels lost handily to the Bulldogs, ending their 16 game winning streak and perfect record in conference play. I am still a little sad about it. They won't play again until the WCC tounament, in a little over a week. :(</p><p>Here are some pictures!, </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5XppOyXi7i4c-fBe27Kpzst9x9bsMUBV0Fki2-yb67DeoGf7Ayo3ut6Bk7zEt466fS_NK2JUTDupCYOeFmkdOKXnD3GgZFjduFMZde5CUDQdf_Ehyi4wioXWXjXoUjxU1dWi1jl2DuIFLJsNZUd2U61GjvDrT2m8S7_5uKj1XCyNviptWiAt5NxWbsM/s2048/IMG_1823.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5XppOyXi7i4c-fBe27Kpzst9x9bsMUBV0Fki2-yb67DeoGf7Ayo3ut6Bk7zEt466fS_NK2JUTDupCYOeFmkdOKXnD3GgZFjduFMZde5CUDQdf_Ehyi4wioXWXjXoUjxU1dWi1jl2DuIFLJsNZUd2U61GjvDrT2m8S7_5uKj1XCyNviptWiAt5NxWbsM/w400-h300/IMG_1823.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Gaels on Replica Jersey Giveaway Night against USF</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">#GaelsRise</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzI-KjmKLKJp34PzQQa8WOSpFl3OzWtc_i29NbyQGEsQOl-JcN8hONm6SvKmiYH0ZW49sCgYwEik1DJtBb4JcUkGCWP9k_dP7qrvdDojzAkaKHdB99ouV8yaOqvan1SqTxqaST_g8aYd5kDBJmw11sv34HdBOx3J5ZJwiv9p2y5ttmg0LbuESm5NsmwvQ/s2048/IMG_4568.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzI-KjmKLKJp34PzQQa8WOSpFl3OzWtc_i29NbyQGEsQOl-JcN8hONm6SvKmiYH0ZW49sCgYwEik1DJtBb4JcUkGCWP9k_dP7qrvdDojzAkaKHdB99ouV8yaOqvan1SqTxqaST_g8aYd5kDBJmw11sv34HdBOx3J5ZJwiv9p2y5ttmg0LbuESm5NsmwvQ/w400-h300/IMG_4568.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Gael Family on the same night, also "Paint Moraga Red" night</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEier62EoB_PZhuGLRE3IPZb_MVOHtVXp2XnkKeG8u-q3XBmnRYL1VKowMgdLuGOv71JYkSFdR8_FUFKkEN6-vi3FEcxzuymVbe6F1jMaqFcm6qvijKxw6TRp5h_oW9you-giVpmrgoIDHhlLyllOllMChQPPkL845OAxjCTn9LepQbE79ktzBS8_nG0rrU/s2048/IMG_1445.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEier62EoB_PZhuGLRE3IPZb_MVOHtVXp2XnkKeG8u-q3XBmnRYL1VKowMgdLuGOv71JYkSFdR8_FUFKkEN6-vi3FEcxzuymVbe6F1jMaqFcm6qvijKxw6TRp5h_oW9you-giVpmrgoIDHhlLyllOllMChQPPkL845OAxjCTn9LepQbE79ktzBS8_nG0rrU/w400-h300/IMG_1445.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Lower GA seats on December 29th</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsc89hkIPvznC6aUQqappqVC7xsrSC0-QTCkBPTtf5ALp1qrbqbE1LwqrKI48Xw4uBGSDT94n0ZTY83OkSVsAH1_pPG4Zgn5E4rRwFyvBGQniMem9v5l7Acp9FU6CyALQz__uH3q8BCDeS71Y-4Mvk15VcxpYuovxW6Vu7oH1WaiofptxkPELdXV3d4e8/s2048/IMG_1454.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsc89hkIPvznC6aUQqappqVC7xsrSC0-QTCkBPTtf5ALp1qrbqbE1LwqrKI48Xw4uBGSDT94n0ZTY83OkSVsAH1_pPG4Zgn5E4rRwFyvBGQniMem9v5l7Acp9FU6CyALQz__uH3q8BCDeS71Y-4Mvk15VcxpYuovxW6Vu7oH1WaiofptxkPELdXV3d4e8/w300-h400/IMG_1454.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A common happy sight this season!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtb1qcN65XrEjpRvM9342aM7j3m234jqdZUAiryPj-NLyOvpzTX2AJJ0jvPt8w4unNOKBhmas7KFWCDehEhoGZMG3AC79punfq2zHzIemK7z604Do2C35zxwbKn4Cvi_jGcaF2VhDpIcbV9s2nZeRaiYo9WFXyJty9w-GpKqTTHCC7hf6SGyBBmgUU6mo/s1179/IMG_1850.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="892" data-original-width="1179" height="303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtb1qcN65XrEjpRvM9342aM7j3m234jqdZUAiryPj-NLyOvpzTX2AJJ0jvPt8w4unNOKBhmas7KFWCDehEhoGZMG3AC79punfq2zHzIemK7z604Do2C35zxwbKn4Cvi_jGcaF2VhDpIcbV9s2nZeRaiYo9WFXyJty9w-GpKqTTHCC7hf6SGyBBmgUU6mo/w400-h303/IMG_1850.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">courtesy of Instagram</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">One more shout out to the team!!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Thank you for reading this post!!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Please subscribe if you are reading this</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">on your laptop.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219332537908449042.post-19144837928149348402024-02-06T19:22:00.000-08:002024-02-06T19:27:18.578-08:00New and Exciting in 2024 at Disneyland Resort. February 2-3, 2024<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0iSG0hMaN5pB3_jFuXnCdH_J3hjSCoalRjaCInwyts4ezNWwcBoY2mPf7FKp1nhwhw_yqZ61r2VhriwTUaKfbAIYs1YeEDEqhKsidyrf6YILoSZX7JB0XwRc3lqLbyPwjVF2bODBVt8O0W7_RFshpnJ80o-1QhBexmoLOal5U6utl5GecdSZhk5XUWs/s254/download.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="148" data-original-width="254" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ0iSG0hMaN5pB3_jFuXnCdH_J3hjSCoalRjaCInwyts4ezNWwcBoY2mPf7FKp1nhwhw_yqZ61r2VhriwTUaKfbAIYs1YeEDEqhKsidyrf6YILoSZX7JB0XwRc3lqLbyPwjVF2bODBVt8O0W7_RFshpnJ80o-1QhBexmoLOal5U6utl5GecdSZhk5XUWs/w320-h186/download.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Well, it has been a while since I posted but now I have just returned from two days in the Disneyland Resort. We chose to go during my son's semester break which meant we had to get him back to school by Monday, so our usual Saturday and Sunday trip turned out to be a trip on Friday and Saturday. We had not gone this weekend before, in fact, over the last ten years we either did the first weekend in January, MLK weekend, or during when the resort was decorated for Christmas. Crowd wise, things were pretty good. We did not feel the need to purchase Genie + (loved saving that $150) the first day at all, in light of the fact that none of the lines offered by Genie Plus were more than 35 minutes or so. Even those marked as taking that long, were not. The second day we did purchase the add on, but even with the purchase we were too late on Space Mountain to get a lightning lane and wound up standing in line 40 minutes at 10:45 pm. It would have been nice to have it then, but otherwise in Disneyland that day we only used it for three rides. In DCA, we used it on everything. There was a lot down for refurbishment, some of the faves--but this is the price you pay, or don't pay, for going in the off season.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Now this post is kind of an experiment because it is the first in which MailChimp should notify subscribers that I have posted. It is also my first post with a subscribe button (laptop version only, not mobile), so if you want to subscribe (and you are on your laptop!), please do! When you subscribe you should get a welcome email. If you don't, please contact me and I will go back to the drawing board and try to figure out what's wrong.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Anyway, our last trip to Disneyland Resort was in December 2022. These are the changes that have taken place since we've been there...</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>MICKEY AND MINNIE'S RUNAWAY RAILWAY:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBddscLmdg03JA5fmg_KD15n_Njt1AelAi0eAJOdEWVhZggH7e8aLDgyCYRnQfS4WiZa89x0WQu3TXD4LNll4QCQWbXQ8Uo97NOBIN_aFe2HYCbdQVTnAyqOjW3-aCQTPttyWSC-2yNIFgJ7kli_CzSuHPI7kXK_yywrNvr792Zq2KVljNK_TO4pbmK1Y/s2048/IMG_1651.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBddscLmdg03JA5fmg_KD15n_Njt1AelAi0eAJOdEWVhZggH7e8aLDgyCYRnQfS4WiZa89x0WQu3TXD4LNll4QCQWbXQ8Uo97NOBIN_aFe2HYCbdQVTnAyqOjW3-aCQTPttyWSC-2yNIFgJ7kli_CzSuHPI7kXK_yywrNvr792Zq2KVljNK_TO4pbmK1Y/s320/IMG_1651.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The outdoor marquis of the<br />"El Capitoon"</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The long awaited renovation of Toon Town debuted on March 19, 2023 and its biggest star is Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway. The attraction opened two months earlier as a Lightning Lane attraction with initially a virtual queue but, on October 11, 2023, it was demoted to being simply a ride with Genie + service. For more explanation of Genie + and Lightning Lanes, please refer to my Jan 2022 blogpost entitled <a href="http://www.gofamilygo.net/2022/01/is-magic-back-disneyland-january-14-17.html">Is the Magic Back?</a> </span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway is the first ride in Disneyland to feature Mickey and Minnie Mouse as its focal characters. The ride's venue is the "El Capitoon" theater. The venue accommodates a LONG queue, though we never waited more than 20 minutes (both times stand by). A longer wait time would allow you to enjoy the not exactly fake but somewhat contrived Disney memorabilia, including a giant "Mouse-ke-doer" from by gone days of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and the "costumes" from the cartoon, "The Prince and the Pauper," displayed in the queue show rooms. Past the snack bar, complete with ketchup puddles and condiment cups, you are on your way to the theater for the preshow.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6P9IRPXPgSxmlWZ7QnIqrer2tH0wFktjFe2J9dSqylgh22Bh95MPUgXHs0caFKDxu7KTM2lz8h9Weaym-xGvZ1qRmhSgeECDXTiQmf1FSpaC-UrpWibDN5WWO0GCfm85xR7CIgmve2ymRaAFG4lV5Rycz6IzGHa1IQKKbIkX-ogUQZ9EHlWAgSJRgV20/s2048/IMG_1652.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6P9IRPXPgSxmlWZ7QnIqrer2tH0wFktjFe2J9dSqylgh22Bh95MPUgXHs0caFKDxu7KTM2lz8h9Weaym-xGvZ1qRmhSgeECDXTiQmf1FSpaC-UrpWibDN5WWO0GCfm85xR7CIgmve2ymRaAFG4lV5Rycz6IzGHa1IQKKbIkX-ogUQZ9EHlWAgSJRgV20/w300-h400/IMG_1652.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The walls have all these parody movie posters</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwbxOpgxTw48YVR1wMlGFA_UshhRHCnYuFWXDz5j0HrIz-sy6dmmMjgXyIu9hVW0szAaUAQyN8iBOxuybBrfPiQUOTcMinjTIoXUc1lTbAL8BbHBFUAgRBO2tiZRSJV3ORKLKxbkqtMRqQXGfghzZniteIa1GIqt6sr3KkjRyY-fSM3bKMHn_KQ_4ExyM/s2048/IMG_1753.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwbxOpgxTw48YVR1wMlGFA_UshhRHCnYuFWXDz5j0HrIz-sy6dmmMjgXyIu9hVW0szAaUAQyN8iBOxuybBrfPiQUOTcMinjTIoXUc1lTbAL8BbHBFUAgRBO2tiZRSJV3ORKLKxbkqtMRqQXGfghzZniteIa1GIqt6sr3KkjRyY-fSM3bKMHn_KQ_4ExyM/w400-h300/IMG_1753.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Passing the snack bar in the queue area..</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5hJCdfIUQjy7Q7uEFxJOaAoVzgY_IGSnf0zngsu4CboAMyobt7VK6uFefQtT0xKq9nVCci5pHHOf6I5xa9RT76OvpU1HrSrPnBQdaNuZxKzXkkQ14onk8pdXx5WMFm51E2K8ZVLmZpLUZCs1_uHE17b1pAAVhNpFfeZPo4E7Tju0Z2sAd21XVVV7Jims/s2048/IMG_1754.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5hJCdfIUQjy7Q7uEFxJOaAoVzgY_IGSnf0zngsu4CboAMyobt7VK6uFefQtT0xKq9nVCci5pHHOf6I5xa9RT76OvpU1HrSrPnBQdaNuZxKzXkkQ14onk8pdXx5WMFm51E2K8ZVLmZpLUZCs1_uHE17b1pAAVhNpFfeZPo4E7Tju0Z2sAd21XVVV7Jims/w300-h400/IMG_1754.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The detail is so realistic!!</span></div><span><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The ride premise in my opinion is a little odd. Mickey and Minnie are going on a picnic which begins with a slightly annoying ditty about "nothing can stop us now/nothing can go wrong today" sung by the two mice as they head out to the countryside. Totally unconnected to this event, we the riders board Goofy's train. We don't make our way past the first bend before Mickey hits the train switch with his car, causing the train to come apart and to go off in several different directions. Now one would think that Mickey and Minnie's day would pretty much be over before it began after crashing into the train switch and all, but it seems that this is actually where the adventures begin, including being swept over a waterfall, riding through the wild west and enjoying the lights of the big city. Then suddenly Daisy Duck is conducting a waltz. Hmm... Well, soon Mickey and Minnie are picnicking with Pluto and we are back safe and sound at the train station where we started. </span></p></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Well, I didn't get it, but its a great ride. Disney once again makes use of trackless technology, a la Rise of the Resistance, to zip your car in all directions. The screens are huge and colorful. This is by no means a thrill ride and there are no scary elements. No height restrictions.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>ADVENTURELAND TREEHOUSE:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5yO-hNJMGZdH10Efo5buj_0BhCzXFzHIog5gFnd_K4MvizPlwNx_CGwSu8zUiJqURVdSORztBqUlfa6tg0Bx0tSZ5cM1IpJiyywuGJ7ImqfIyXO01C0shk0LRfMzoYLtMs0NQycszGZ4S4Iy7epof3icdSHFDlkMAXPchj_zYpT2HAclMVWfkAUVFaD0/s2048/IMG_1666.JPEG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5yO-hNJMGZdH10Efo5buj_0BhCzXFzHIog5gFnd_K4MvizPlwNx_CGwSu8zUiJqURVdSORztBqUlfa6tg0Bx0tSZ5cM1IpJiyywuGJ7ImqfIyXO01C0shk0LRfMzoYLtMs0NQycszGZ4S4Iy7epof3icdSHFDlkMAXPchj_zYpT2HAclMVWfkAUVFaD0/s320/IMG_1666.JPEG" width="240" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Bye bye, Tarzan! Not sure why--but Tarzan has been evicted from his treehouse to make way for a mysterious family of five that does not seem to be connected to any Disney production. The sign says that the new edifice is "inspired by the Swiss Family Robinson," and the organ still plays the old Swiss Family Robinson music, but Fritz, Ernst, Francis and their mom and dad are no where to be found. Anyway, it's cute and all and of course new and worth a look, but it's kind of hard to get excited about without any connection to a Disney plot. The views up top are also worth the stair climbing!</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>MORE REFURBS:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In terms of additional facelifts around the park, AstroOrbiter, Splash Mountain (now being completely scrapped and reimagined into the much anticipated Tiana's Bayou Adventure), Haunted Mansion, and Grizzly River Run are all closed (Feb 2024).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Both Indiana Jones and Space Mountain got small additions since last year, mostly in the form of projections. Tiana's Palace quick service restaurant opened in September 2023 in New Orleans Square replacing the French Quarter restaurant. The French Creole theme is the same but we did not eat there so I can't vouch for the quality of the food.</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiqVETdqA0sd_5xHb0f0c0cSW0tjEko_Hb5D__ARfEoOCfHZnlnuSSZpZ-UuCW-VQoisaz5TUvGdbLyNI3lPyifw4rkBc0gRLvGgAW4PJj7Ien13ENMgYcJA51HAhILGzKm6KjalxyUUX9tF1g1AkStUkEb16MvaFqD65YZqmFsro7_6gnEOtqJ4Jz7Bw/s2048/IMG_1738.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiqVETdqA0sd_5xHb0f0c0cSW0tjEko_Hb5D__ARfEoOCfHZnlnuSSZpZ-UuCW-VQoisaz5TUvGdbLyNI3lPyifw4rkBc0gRLvGgAW4PJj7Ien13ENMgYcJA51HAhILGzKm6KjalxyUUX9tF1g1AkStUkEb16MvaFqD65YZqmFsro7_6gnEOtqJ4Jz7Bw/w300-h400/IMG_1738.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The newly opened Tiana's Palace Restaurant</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">MAGIC HAPPENS PARADE RETURNS:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvH8szWNvsIe-OuHBCw9UqvlSOjSaDhP8T0HFtsuwyjNpGH-PxCRe9wnkoCEnHOPYwrSwPdB66Nkx6Fhmi-HHptED0Jzb2gpXO7oo2CEguatnK8mYD777P8lHJ_Lt4zmkYr7_2sma7ihvxJCYajSCudobD8VU8HvFZ_uMc7IDfKO3WGNX8bz0Mer0PS6U/s2048/IMG_1716.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvH8szWNvsIe-OuHBCw9UqvlSOjSaDhP8T0HFtsuwyjNpGH-PxCRe9wnkoCEnHOPYwrSwPdB66Nkx6Fhmi-HHptED0Jzb2gpXO7oo2CEguatnK8mYD777P8lHJ_Lt4zmkYr7_2sma7ihvxJCYajSCudobD8VU8HvFZ_uMc7IDfKO3WGNX8bz0Mer0PS6U/s320/IMG_1716.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mickey gets things going!</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Saturday February 3rd marked the return of Magic Happens, the parade marking the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Walt Disney Company. You know, parades are a funny thing at Disneyland, perceived by many to be a waste of time that could be spent riding rides or avoiding crowds. I beg to differ. I would not say that parades are much of an opportunity for rest, but what they are is a chance to marvel at the creativity and artistry that Disney injects into everything it touches, not to mention the talent and energy of the performers, who dance for like forty straight minutes, all the way from Small World to Town Square. Sit (if you can), admire, and appreciate.</span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Magic Happens is your usual cavalcade of large floats with moving parts, catchy music and characters waving interspersed with colorfully costumed dancers executing playful choreography while interacting with the public. It was great and we all loved it.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaLr0IyMfn3xV5OkhYx7aLKuirbImtkfR7E8rbldviU8DDHcNzdwlrD_Pgfe8vPIYQx3ykjeUxJspJjnxd33wIdiIBfOoGkplZbczAm8NIBTih18Cpcdt4F-g1sqXA2bq9GFCcNfnVCw9J_6BwcQcQoHUfXGeUZHzIVGbmsq9mLFho1ABEMxGV-nyrSgI/s2048/IMG_1725.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaLr0IyMfn3xV5OkhYx7aLKuirbImtkfR7E8rbldviU8DDHcNzdwlrD_Pgfe8vPIYQx3ykjeUxJspJjnxd33wIdiIBfOoGkplZbczAm8NIBTih18Cpcdt4F-g1sqXA2bq9GFCcNfnVCw9J_6BwcQcQoHUfXGeUZHzIVGbmsq9mLFho1ABEMxGV-nyrSgI/w300-h400/IMG_1725.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The costumes are out of this world!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaRLuGHi6junJDg6SQyUfGmibGC1WNK4L7cOaJmBYKtcVja7K_myuWF5fSNE8ru64LxQZH4S5QpP7IVxyP05hpaq29pFZ_vU6VLPBkBF52-_FyUgQpNE1UbXQKNQd46iuVtmyHqo2i45OWZM_Ui7P4VHerbWkSGlGNL_AjGqDoBsuOQ-9Fba6RpPAsUE/s2048/IMG_1720.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOaRLuGHi6junJDg6SQyUfGmibGC1WNK4L7cOaJmBYKtcVja7K_myuWF5fSNE8ru64LxQZH4S5QpP7IVxyP05hpaq29pFZ_vU6VLPBkBF52-_FyUgQpNE1UbXQKNQd46iuVtmyHqo2i45OWZM_Ui7P4VHerbWkSGlGNL_AjGqDoBsuOQ-9Fba6RpPAsUE/w400-h300/IMG_1720.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Here come all the Disney pals!</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46pGf3K289xPFG3AD84KUs1fRf5UkaVLI2RymyKx-4fNik-ZxqA9duo8OAmxmuKNSbxp84XM1nVt9I8ZXXDYD4yJrbvKxeHR2yyZqgWOLacA8ARnqpr4yZdYIeggDB0zZocBQawsMymTHwQqGKFsgSz-TgPtK0RfyNyNFcXLQ3R54-O35FFChyphenhyphenyuLSa8/s2048/IMG_1721.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi46pGf3K289xPFG3AD84KUs1fRf5UkaVLI2RymyKx-4fNik-ZxqA9duo8OAmxmuKNSbxp84XM1nVt9I8ZXXDYD4yJrbvKxeHR2yyZqgWOLacA8ARnqpr4yZdYIeggDB0zZocBQawsMymTHwQqGKFsgSz-TgPtK0RfyNyNFcXLQ3R54-O35FFChyphenhyphenyuLSa8/w300-h400/IMG_1721.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Moana sails in</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOFTmIWtqHosusBty6YluSCEuZn4forvJLf9ObnkhHMsKjEoBe4wSC9D0JIsOP1XMnNWI5htmZAZ5tllCKwAhYPniWfG_-4BKyBQ5c4uGa1uMp5CpEe1_5Jp8fqvl8mtU1jNhyF7URvClpUWIFdB3bG7QR3iz3mCXjOPUGwyEY0c_qXuCrQcEPFMZXGk/s2048/IMG_1723.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOFTmIWtqHosusBty6YluSCEuZn4forvJLf9ObnkhHMsKjEoBe4wSC9D0JIsOP1XMnNWI5htmZAZ5tllCKwAhYPniWfG_-4BKyBQ5c4uGa1uMp5CpEe1_5Jp8fqvl8mtU1jNhyF7URvClpUWIFdB3bG7QR3iz3mCXjOPUGwyEY0c_qXuCrQcEPFMZXGk/w300-h400/IMG_1723.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and my fave, Miguel sings "Remember Me" </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">mixed with "My Proud Corazon"</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz5wBododvGf3uD0eAriM0Ad0MB9yNh_VpjXFmGIo6n-IGMP9csEwlYWyei9HxBNqZVLVP27KX7foWUyecGIli-cp6hzOmLqwZ4YQLC5yffm9ftPu6rG69sH_8NwdsUiEVt_00xnS8MelIDFaZniKiEuWKWPfnb5-sccUvPAEyRayhgI1J5bKWERPGwko/s2048/IMG_1729.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz5wBododvGf3uD0eAriM0Ad0MB9yNh_VpjXFmGIo6n-IGMP9csEwlYWyei9HxBNqZVLVP27KX7foWUyecGIli-cp6hzOmLqwZ4YQLC5yffm9ftPu6rG69sH_8NwdsUiEVt_00xnS8MelIDFaZniKiEuWKWPfnb5-sccUvPAEyRayhgI1J5bKWERPGwko/w300-h400/IMG_1729.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I was soundly criticized for not having seen</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">this movie, but dang, that Naveen has some good hair!</span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">My favorite place to watch a parade at Disneyland is in front of the 'King and Queen' rest rooms, across from the Matterhorn and next to Alice in Wonderland. On all but the busiest days you can run up to this area minutes before the parade starts and find yourself a good spot. A bit of advice, as I can appreciate the time spent away from the rides--if viewing the earlier 3 pm parade, plunk yourself near Small World (like where I suggested). If viewing the later parade, either aim for Town Square or wait until about 10 min after the parade starts to aim for the aforementioned viewing spot.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>LUNAR NEW YEAR at DCA</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">For as long as I can remember Disneyland has decorations up for the Winter holidays from mid November to early January. From what I can gather, since 2020 (which was the year of the mouse) Disney has had its Lunar New Year Celebration at DCA. This year the event will run from January 23 to February 18th. There is a lot to enjoy, mostly in the form of decor, food and specialty drinks. Disney has created a festive red and gold jersey to honor the occasion. There is a great parade, Mulan's Lunar New Year Procession, complete with Mu Shu and Mulan accompanied by lots of color, music and dance. Many of your favorite characters are greeting guests in traditional costumes.</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4DJfF9562i5A-OGlu4T_sNEIRpdVvANMzdBrnBvA59XJ69XqM_QBtOBpGRpaN2JoCZTF3uA-DRsU_419J7-LqJStbAkYXFWQAF0eDWt4Y3ChTwArmPTdEpgTWy0K8mMAB8xRhOcCI8cIXEn9r6CU6J74hRumOyO6327dzqiwBDS4SFc3uIkXzjVmmG8s/s2048/IMG_1704.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4DJfF9562i5A-OGlu4T_sNEIRpdVvANMzdBrnBvA59XJ69XqM_QBtOBpGRpaN2JoCZTF3uA-DRsU_419J7-LqJStbAkYXFWQAF0eDWt4Y3ChTwArmPTdEpgTWy0K8mMAB8xRhOcCI8cIXEn9r6CU6J74hRumOyO6327dzqiwBDS4SFc3uIkXzjVmmG8s/w300-h400/IMG_1704.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Mu Shu greets the New Year!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgcy3S04AOlpmwoL5gMbpjaVUbT1BoEbAWjN2roxb8FxOENYIeF5w2P_yWAAM7XQeX8G8EUTqwtxp8AtRIWOPPNlcENvK7VcQ4W-V41oLQZsQ3XaMIxDfr0VZlmcWOVVjtN3FqhrgomiLYSKih0WRriLe9I68ciiW_H7TOU8qkRodAj7OGzOJVbcZdag/s2048/IMG_1709.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvgcy3S04AOlpmwoL5gMbpjaVUbT1BoEbAWjN2roxb8FxOENYIeF5w2P_yWAAM7XQeX8G8EUTqwtxp8AtRIWOPPNlcENvK7VcQ4W-V41oLQZsQ3XaMIxDfr0VZlmcWOVVjtN3FqhrgomiLYSKih0WRriLe9I68ciiW_H7TOU8qkRodAj7OGzOJVbcZdag/w300-h400/IMG_1709.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This was a kid's jersey for sale. So cute,<br />but too expensive for how often you'll wear it!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVCZTXpjTw95iBWvnnB8wfWPk7lDlVZLVmaxotR5IcBjbKl21QKwK9N6mt9kC844szobDgr-UbW-Lc_e3H_WprZ2oQ72aR4tGgSNSjkVI80ahEY6FUEHbO4O-BJXuY_NZIpPpHLwU1N9GsoEDuQVjedgyfYCETEH_almxvP1cvVlepJoLHtRDn538JjpE/s2048/IMG_1711.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVCZTXpjTw95iBWvnnB8wfWPk7lDlVZLVmaxotR5IcBjbKl21QKwK9N6mt9kC844szobDgr-UbW-Lc_e3H_WprZ2oQ72aR4tGgSNSjkVI80ahEY6FUEHbO4O-BJXuY_NZIpPpHLwU1N9GsoEDuQVjedgyfYCETEH_almxvP1cvVlepJoLHtRDn538JjpE/w400-h300/IMG_1711.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And of course you can buy Mickey in a traditional costume!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Fashion of course is a thing when one comes to Disneyland and we saw many beautifully dressed guests of all ages joining in the New Year celebration.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Well, I guess that's all! I'll be travelling a bit now so hoping to do a little more blogging. If you are on your phone, access GoFamilyGo on your laptop and hit the subscribe button, so you are sure to never miss a blogpost!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Here are a few more pictures! You decide if we had fun!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-156eHvMeKF6GiV2cJipoVMclDNTX9JbxLZQeeF7OXJ4AX66284RC9BY4Nb7RCOyGRbhexNBzsczcIxCuxqpCXthm5MMxN56dyEu3DxvkEQyMrR48llWoTdp_dyJehCWgp8seF8OPuZzghSfq5Q-eU7zas7KbQ-t9jM986Ny0YJS0IskKW1ve3IxmEFY/s1280/IMG_1759.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-156eHvMeKF6GiV2cJipoVMclDNTX9JbxLZQeeF7OXJ4AX66284RC9BY4Nb7RCOyGRbhexNBzsczcIxCuxqpCXthm5MMxN56dyEu3DxvkEQyMrR48llWoTdp_dyJehCWgp8seF8OPuZzghSfq5Q-eU7zas7KbQ-t9jM986Ny0YJS0IskKW1ve3IxmEFY/w266-h400/IMG_1759.JPG" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCToyi5o7V61zXRAWtPMK01purQfctWU1CtvGWnqjHztNU_RLzKTeAxhKuUJI6T9Ji9NKaT8vNbf3tmAdGSxx3JuoLIAkzqPhKIftykUKYKOtovPR8sBwdlIj6SicjvZMfVAjfmRRavlgXEJoDOXh1qlcVB5Ezq41DLQxr4kYU_8R2zexzJoCJVFAO95s/s2080/IMG_1657.jpeg"><img border="0" data-original-height="1512" data-original-width="2080" height="291" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCToyi5o7V61zXRAWtPMK01purQfctWU1CtvGWnqjHztNU_RLzKTeAxhKuUJI6T9Ji9NKaT8vNbf3tmAdGSxx3JuoLIAkzqPhKIftykUKYKOtovPR8sBwdlIj6SicjvZMfVAjfmRRavlgXEJoDOXh1qlcVB5Ezq41DLQxr4kYU_8R2zexzJoCJVFAO95s/w400-h291/IMG_1657.jpeg" width="400" /></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpUDB8xkgKw9RJLVuxL6fCOfuQmOcG0tp9UAKqRkFDwP7QcYhEydRFEr_72lAXTHGyDUhYCP1hqgAZcialY9z2Nv8Y9jW4w8BVpB9a6Vi2qwj2BiuaXyMGBafUEfeRcDJkLPPJEcMSn2AOrIfno3P0L7ZHQWYAlbF3gQ6ZrKRDryqXSDbFpg9vRvT-7Zg/s2048/IMG_1659.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpUDB8xkgKw9RJLVuxL6fCOfuQmOcG0tp9UAKqRkFDwP7QcYhEydRFEr_72lAXTHGyDUhYCP1hqgAZcialY9z2Nv8Y9jW4w8BVpB9a6Vi2qwj2BiuaXyMGBafUEfeRcDJkLPPJEcMSn2AOrIfno3P0L7ZHQWYAlbF3gQ6ZrKRDryqXSDbFpg9vRvT-7Zg/w400-h300/IMG_1659.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf-oIWnPDeaGmLiVTWEelgEus2lPg-5dmHwBFCfhDUmgeSwMzMH5HXjCCF-qqB8rKgBtEbRYRU-GHFn3tQnuWeBt1Y6h5pIfTHC7dt_MV0Le4ZNEKg1IEI9xMnglA9aZCVRI-DsLV3iwhyUjVtuwM_dUU500-dCQjan53qTAUjadOrci_KekXnAIq3-lE/s552/IMG_2467.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="310" data-original-width="552" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf-oIWnPDeaGmLiVTWEelgEus2lPg-5dmHwBFCfhDUmgeSwMzMH5HXjCCF-qqB8rKgBtEbRYRU-GHFn3tQnuWeBt1Y6h5pIfTHC7dt_MV0Le4ZNEKg1IEI9xMnglA9aZCVRI-DsLV3iwhyUjVtuwM_dUU500-dCQjan53qTAUjadOrci_KekXnAIq3-lE/w400-h225/IMG_2467.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg06XtujZM-iT_kjvTExo0aZ3-tjPIbtrgMtq7rwCmDpij22El1eUi4XXkj15tv06vKicwmGXqiv-nBnm6_LdwB1S9zgeDt3kQLNaZjoF0zqvQY3qzgL3MNMCrz0J314irOvXhb1cBUnOiC5SQFheNy5JSAghbCeD_n1CJ-l6o7gSksqWaKl12MkgMVIT4/s2048/IMG_1647.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg06XtujZM-iT_kjvTExo0aZ3-tjPIbtrgMtq7rwCmDpij22El1eUi4XXkj15tv06vKicwmGXqiv-nBnm6_LdwB1S9zgeDt3kQLNaZjoF0zqvQY3qzgL3MNMCrz0J314irOvXhb1cBUnOiC5SQFheNy5JSAghbCeD_n1CJ-l6o7gSksqWaKl12MkgMVIT4/w400-h300/IMG_1647.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p></div>Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219332537908449042.post-67766326013492125702023-11-07T17:10:00.017-08:002023-11-11T13:57:00.424-08:00Wine Tasting in Temecula, CA, a Cool Sunset Cruise and it's time for some Football! October 19-22, 2023<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvaHVLVlxBOQji6UEcq9zina3a9kysG8szZEtzR8EwoBbrOXRnUZQ19X3OZOduDaYRIRbvwMaIyhEb5pekOZNLzgqJrxnUMqM4w4_UTaHW1wL9zcsIMx7zj5rpvJVt49DHe2j97dhEosWToQx-dLI0Po4mvGTvr59DHss6veGX37L8Ue4Z-gwHbOfyLkk/s287/download.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="176" data-original-width="287" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvaHVLVlxBOQji6UEcq9zina3a9kysG8szZEtzR8EwoBbrOXRnUZQ19X3OZOduDaYRIRbvwMaIyhEb5pekOZNLzgqJrxnUMqM4w4_UTaHW1wL9zcsIMx7zj5rpvJVt49DHe2j97dhEosWToQx-dLI0Po4mvGTvr59DHss6veGX37L8Ue4Z-gwHbOfyLkk/s1600/download.png" width="287" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Well, I'll start off with a little sob story. I have a group of girlfriends with whom I get together to chat quite regularly, one of which is a very experienced blogger. As I had taken some rather lovely trips and had written some rather well thought out blog posts lately I was hoping that my friends were getting notifications when I posted. Anyway, with some research I discovered that not only are my "followers" not getting an email notification when I post (with the exception of my mother, who seems to get my whole blog by email), but I do not have a functional "Subscribe" button anywhere on my blog. So no one can follow me. Actually the "Follow" button just puts my blog into a reading list on blogspot or something, so if you don't go to your reading list, you don't even know I posted. Basically, if you are my friend on Facebook, you get to see my blog because I post to Facebook, but you can't subscribe.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Anyway, the long and short of it is that it needs a complete overhaul. I write this post about my recent experiences in San Diego with a heavy heart realizing that most of this hard work has just been for me. My girlfriends and I were going to get together and have a "tech summit," with the plan of my getting back on track. It's too far gone--I am hoping for a morning soon with my friend that we can just grind through my issues. I may need a whole new platform.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Also really need a new name and a new vision. My current name does not reflect my current concept as now my kids are grown and hardly ever do we all go somewhere together, and the whole goal is not sticking to a budget. Anyone have creative thoughts?? FB message me--as you FB friends are the only one seeing this apparently 😭😞😞</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">OK sick of my whining yet.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I was lucky enough to spend last weekend in just about my favorite city, San Diego!!! We go here a fair amount. My daughter was in school here until May 2022, and my brother in law lives here, so we always have somewhere to stay and someone to see, but we had not visited since May of 2022, when my daughter graduated. We thought it was time to make another visit so three of us (me, my husband, and my oldest daughter) decided to make a three day four night trek down there. Whenever you go to a city you have visited many times, finding new things to do can be a challenge. This time we took a day to go wine tasting in the Temecula Valley, hopped aboard a sunset cruise, and cheered on our favorite football team in a Pacific Beach bar/restaurant.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>WINE TASTING IN TEMECULA</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeFBeoDTdf1zy0BD6pxws0_Jx9ScpjbJwgIpbC1cNC0BKqLBvobfyJSpSx08mqbIsrCN_FJF2smaQs_zN4rZ5IYiZU8ax47I9XJ_6YNKmpOBtUcrcBPddXkYHmFAY-17LueM5zM03sm2M8zQA3U-VI_6sJDCeYoZdSo3V1H8QUqCAgYw3HERr1aD7wU-E/s1896/IMG_1173.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1896" data-original-width="1659" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeFBeoDTdf1zy0BD6pxws0_Jx9ScpjbJwgIpbC1cNC0BKqLBvobfyJSpSx08mqbIsrCN_FJF2smaQs_zN4rZ5IYiZU8ax47I9XJ_6YNKmpOBtUcrcBPddXkYHmFAY-17LueM5zM03sm2M8zQA3U-VI_6sJDCeYoZdSo3V1H8QUqCAgYw3HERr1aD7wU-E/s320/IMG_1173.jpeg" width="280" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Temecula, or more accurately the Temecula Valley, as Temecula is a town and Temecula Valley is a wine tasting region, is about an hour drive from the coastal cities of San Diego. Interestingly, Temecula is actually closer to some of the eastern cities of what I consider to be the LA area, such as Riverside. It is also considerably hotter in the Temecula Valley than on the coast so bring your water and dress for warm temperatures.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There are nearly 50 wineries in the region, all for the most part within a reasonable distance from each other. All charge a pretty significant tasting fee now-remember the days when you could taste wine for free?--ranging in usually the 25-30$ range for about 5-6 pours, which are chosen off a fairly extensive menu. Though of course I wish tasting was free again, I do notice that in these paid settings you usually get a little better attention than you would with the free tastings. Pours tend to be more generous and you might even get a table and a personal server. Often if something is open, the server will go "off menu" and pour you a little extra something. We find that with these substantial pours, a group of 3 or so (probably easier if you are family) can pretty much try most of what is offered on a menu simply by switching glasses with each other. If you are not much of a wine drinker, or are even deemed by some to be a "lightweight" it is also possible to share a tasting, so the 5-6 tastes are consumed by two people from one glass, same price.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Many of the wineries in the Temecula Valley are lavish estates, many offering restaurants, spas, extensive gift shops and sometimes even hotel rooms. Very few require reservations, and most are open from about 11 until 5 or 6 or sometimes later depending on the day of the week. Because of the presence of served food on the premises, many wineries will not let you bring your own picnic, so just be aware. Really the best thing is to find yourself a nice map on the internet, maybe like <a href="https://www.temeculalife.tv/temecula-valley-wine-country-map">this one</a>, do some internet research, and get yourself a little game plan. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We visited three wineries. Gone are the days of visiting like five or six in a day. Really with the pours and the fees and the driving, kiddos, it's impossible.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>WILSON CREEK WINERY AND VINEYARDS:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">35960 Rancho California Road</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://www.wilsoncreekwinery.com/winery/">Wilson Creek</a> is fabulous! This is where we started our day and the only winery to which we returned following our first visit to the Temecula Valley late in 2021. Tasting is $25 for 6 pours. Wilson Creek has lots of area for wine tasting in a bar type setting. The menu is extensive and deciding on 6 to try was hard! They have a variety of sparkling wines which can be served straight or in a champagne cocktail fashion and an abundance of tasty whites, including the cutely named "Yes, dear Chardonnay" and the Golden Jubilee. The reds are scrumptious. Our server, John, kept pulling out more and more options--Barbera, Grenache, Mourvedre, Tempranillo, Petite Sirah, Malbec. And if you are ready for dessert, there are more options, including the "Chocolate Decadence."</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So much of a temptation to join the wine club here. Oooooo, hold me back! But at the end of the day, remembering our carry on limitations, we bought the Cab-Zin, the Grenache, and an Angelica Sherry. Looks like we are just going to have to come back...</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYgGGaMyk13VPASFmtWzERK_91Gqxz3AHtwH-3w-GLMwnlc9y0kp8PKPmTFLZLmsxSsmxAw0Ebhkbd6VT2-Qzj50JEqdFQHEAYjs66vrtLbBhua1D5XSzmkjUn_KdY5NrMS_PYC8dslpMBtq8d5ZBTtuX7OquHlVqXMQwPYUfXwveRzht9nGG0OhdVlZA/s2020/IMG_1166.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1557" data-original-width="2020" height="309" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYgGGaMyk13VPASFmtWzERK_91Gqxz3AHtwH-3w-GLMwnlc9y0kp8PKPmTFLZLmsxSsmxAw0Ebhkbd6VT2-Qzj50JEqdFQHEAYjs66vrtLbBhua1D5XSzmkjUn_KdY5NrMS_PYC8dslpMBtq8d5ZBTtuX7OquHlVqXMQwPYUfXwveRzht9nGG0OhdVlZA/w400-h309/IMG_1166.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Enjoying ourselves at Wilson Creek!!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="font-size: large;"><br /></b><p></p><p><b style="font-size: large;">WIENS FAMILY CELLARS:</b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">35055 Via Del Ponte</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The folks at Wilson Creek recommended <a href="https://www.wienscellars.com/">Wiens Cellars</a>. The fee at Wiens is 30$ for 6 tastes. Wiens has more of a sit down experience in which a server comes to your table with whatever you choose from the menu. The wines at Wiens were also very good. There was a large selection of unique whites, the likes of which we don't see so much in Northern California: Albarino, Pinot Grigio, Fiano, Vermentino, and signature white and rose blends aptly named "White Crowded" and "Pink Crowded." The reds include a Refugio Cabernet, a Sangiovese, a Barbera, a "Merrytage," and a signature red simply known as "Crowded". Of course these lists are not complete. Several sparkling wines and dessert wines are also available.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Wiens had good service and good wines. They also let us eat our picnic lunch on their grounds. We did not buy any wine here but it would not stop us from going back.</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HQPaMBnXK4CxlRMTmD1mrJEDdyy_44IakwpUgMRp5d_B7ZUXK5E_a78JLqOVFd7KsYPr8X3K8xsqH8mJhASrp5BTDUawOvkRZs4S3H_yOi_Y15Xmu0T2wTubQvH-LwBmBIuQ6XriC_7us_uKOmq9WuVyCCBq_d8kqgblnJEPHVoLJjdGXgoUqL-A-2E/s2048/IMG_1174.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7HQPaMBnXK4CxlRMTmD1mrJEDdyy_44IakwpUgMRp5d_B7ZUXK5E_a78JLqOVFd7KsYPr8X3K8xsqH8mJhASrp5BTDUawOvkRZs4S3H_yOi_Y15Xmu0T2wTubQvH-LwBmBIuQ6XriC_7us_uKOmq9WuVyCCBq_d8kqgblnJEPHVoLJjdGXgoUqL-A-2E/w400-h300/IMG_1174.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A more relaxed sit down tasting at Wiens Cellars</span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></b><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">CHAPIN FAMILY VINEYARDS:</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">36084 Summitville St,</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Quite frankly, I'm not sure how we got here because it is kind of out there on the outskirts, but <a href="https://www.chapinfamilyvineyards.com/">Chapin Family Vineyard</a> has a deck with a lovely view on which you can enjoy your 5 tastes for 25$. The gentleman who served us here was very pleasant, and once again, the area was not crowded. Slightly unfortunately, by the time we got to Chapin we were getting a bit wine boggled and I sort of felt like it was hard to get through more wine at this point, so Chapin got an unfair view from us I would say. Chapin also has some unique reds including a "Tannat," a Montepulciano, and an Aglianico. Whites include a Fume Blanc, a Sauvignon Blanc, and other varietals unique to the region.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I highly recommend a day wine tasting in the Temecula Valley. I can hardly wait to return!</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">SUNSET "CRUISE SAN DIEGO"</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We were looking for something to do on the water Saturday night and this little adventure popped up on TripAdvisor. <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/AttractionProductReview-g60750-d12470553-San_Diego_Sunset_Cruise_from_Mission_Bay-San_Diego_California.html">Cruise San Diego</a> runs a nightly 1 hr and 15 minute sunset cruise out of Mission Bay. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Check in is in a little shack on Quivira Road in the Mission Bay Harbor Marina. It is advised to be on the boat 30 minutes in advance as the best seats do fill--learned this the hard way--don't even get me started. Alcoholic beverages are available for purchase on board as are light snacks.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The tour is scenic and pleasant. Staying on the bay gives you a relative amount of protection from high surf or wind. In October, with only a denim jacket, I was quite comfortable. The staff is pleasant and informative. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We had a nearly perfect sunset the night we went. At 40$, it is quite a steal and a great way to spend a Saturday night, or any night for that matter. <a href="https://sportsmensseafood.com/">Sportman's Seafood Fish and Chips</a> is a great place to pop in for some more substantial food or just a pitcher of beer before or after your cruise.</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn3tOVs_JLTfpODkZJIV-W6mqT5_tdSWtdpQdhw5BUrx4fj5WGUZ8MlzBN9Tf1aXxv7aaVeRJ9aNkRK7b_P9VMSCneGeGWERTH5a5PjQxjAQyevk_09YEqtxPrkXjsbKeZYp9MMaCpTpYfiuNXKJvbxa3YMWGi5wyHusBxWjzbzlvZBJg9q3Vq1v_6wZ0/s2048/IMG_1190.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn3tOVs_JLTfpODkZJIV-W6mqT5_tdSWtdpQdhw5BUrx4fj5WGUZ8MlzBN9Tf1aXxv7aaVeRJ9aNkRK7b_P9VMSCneGeGWERTH5a5PjQxjAQyevk_09YEqtxPrkXjsbKeZYp9MMaCpTpYfiuNXKJvbxa3YMWGi5wyHusBxWjzbzlvZBJg9q3Vq1v_6wZ0/w300-h400/IMG_1190.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Some friends watching the boat go by!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5oMjyDw-xnf01phuZJAwrzgyrDyxPvG_6uOsOWytKFEWLGvcxQ3n6ikWtGvunZT5KdJbvebMlGX2vhl0AUIXarMvENafX_1XHZm2dj-26IakuoT4vIpv8yaIJLUT0ldiO24RlogNlXcNWx3_3Ig5fRolsa_7x8Q7ce-dyfaLWLIoA48UIMBPGAVhORLY/s2048/IMG_1198.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5oMjyDw-xnf01phuZJAwrzgyrDyxPvG_6uOsOWytKFEWLGvcxQ3n6ikWtGvunZT5KdJbvebMlGX2vhl0AUIXarMvENafX_1XHZm2dj-26IakuoT4vIpv8yaIJLUT0ldiO24RlogNlXcNWx3_3Ig5fRolsa_7x8Q7ce-dyfaLWLIoA48UIMBPGAVhORLY/w400-h300/IMG_1198.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Enjoying the cruise so far!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIgpIIytypHREtkx67oE6GopliWKS3SyARsjKo1MAy3Zvcx3rpKJlnt31_ejHbVeMn-T3sv-0Wn-p-GOddH-VQmoa-XqR85AKY_nYmr81BaOApO-aOXdaEMO3PlSoViuT0jX91eTGESBeQZnSJosDB6yz47qo6i0JisABv1hoGgIEKMj6gVQ7M2tqCcrg/s2048/IMG_1194.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIgpIIytypHREtkx67oE6GopliWKS3SyARsjKo1MAy3Zvcx3rpKJlnt31_ejHbVeMn-T3sv-0Wn-p-GOddH-VQmoa-XqR85AKY_nYmr81BaOApO-aOXdaEMO3PlSoViuT0jX91eTGESBeQZnSJosDB6yz47qo6i0JisABv1hoGgIEKMj6gVQ7M2tqCcrg/w300-h400/IMG_1194.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">How's that for perfect??</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL??</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNsSdbMJebtWKnsjFVmXQoOM1WhSYrqmvKxJ-YUkmTjsGFUrk2c1HFedNKBMK0KmccND78G6x-YAfoy9HvXPqACmn_Acq9Nbkd8M-DhuGfS4VwH6sB9XdgB8Wwr62_HPMXIk8Dsjz5onRhGRvm0YYefGO1gKJaq3MrRsfPDEagPt98buLMv584b2lTY4o/s2048/IMG_1207.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNsSdbMJebtWKnsjFVmXQoOM1WhSYrqmvKxJ-YUkmTjsGFUrk2c1HFedNKBMK0KmccND78G6x-YAfoy9HvXPqACmn_Acq9Nbkd8M-DhuGfS4VwH6sB9XdgB8Wwr62_HPMXIk8Dsjz5onRhGRvm0YYefGO1gKJaq3MrRsfPDEagPt98buLMv584b2lTY4o/s320/IMG_1207.jpeg" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Now this is something that Pacific Beach does right. Many of the bars in the area play "host" to one football team. When that team plays, the big screens and the audio are tuned to that game. This is definitely done for NFL teams on Sundays but we got the vibe that bars tend to do this for certain college teams as well. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Where were we on Sunday at 1pm? We were at <a href="https://breakpointpb.com/">Break Point</a>, located at 945 Garnet Avenue, where the TV's were tuned to the Pittsburgh Steelers game against the Los Angeles Rams. Black and yellow clad members of Steeler Nation snacked on pierogies and other Steeler themed menu items such as the Roethlisburger and the Pittsburger.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Fun to be in a crowd with every one cheering for the same team. Food and drinks were tasty and the staff was attentive. One thing I will say for this place is that you probably should get there early and get your food order in. There came a point at which the servers ceased to take any food orders for about 30-45 min as the kitchen was too far backed up.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Anyway, the Steelers won this game, which was cause for a round of "victory beer." Budweiser served in red solo cups, on the house.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Break Point also has bowling and I hear their college team is OSU, or at least their schedule is on their web-page.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPv-HdooShIi5QffBRtYTMa5zIlIaS6ysPGRCgUCIMThdCVgRf9mMmWA9Mw-ckRsLl18JWZSrW8AX9ZCZrpfl0Pa6CnRbcQ0iwIj1YsWiyRslZ1BVu6MFUxVDLLt1RaXh5jJVfQVDXV-Ai0HPSQgH0riG1ibjsM-hAjrX2czk6M3VJQilnFR6eL9bLK_o/s2048/IMG_1208.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPv-HdooShIi5QffBRtYTMa5zIlIaS6ysPGRCgUCIMThdCVgRf9mMmWA9Mw-ckRsLl18JWZSrW8AX9ZCZrpfl0Pa6CnRbcQ0iwIj1YsWiyRslZ1BVu6MFUxVDLLt1RaXh5jJVfQVDXV-Ai0HPSQgH0riG1ibjsM-hAjrX2czk6M3VJQilnFR6eL9bLK_o/w300-h400/IMG_1208.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">All TV's tuned to the same game!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Well, that's that! I won't be traveling for a bit now, but hopefully before I post again I can get my poor blog into a little better shape!!</span></p>Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219332537908449042.post-14731992003826117012023-10-15T17:35:00.001-07:002023-10-18T13:43:18.383-07:00My Edinburgh Top Five and another Five Honorable Mentions September 2023<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8xd5ShohjokC3ch_K6A2J_izKF3jsryWbCOMB8V8RkeiKxzkuo6QlDY8ybLAG4Ni9jV-5UbHb55vuK_HmBQY16_yraldW_FAfRhiy_oOYEildkGud5xG0NB6L1nCbQ1ZoeMFj4aqXx3LPTTVWzdtj2aWi84GgATtNiHbAvFdxMxywDE5VgtLUVzewqE8/s512/5.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="512" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8xd5ShohjokC3ch_K6A2J_izKF3jsryWbCOMB8V8RkeiKxzkuo6QlDY8ybLAG4Ni9jV-5UbHb55vuK_HmBQY16_yraldW_FAfRhiy_oOYEildkGud5xG0NB6L1nCbQ1ZoeMFj4aqXx3LPTTVWzdtj2aWi84GgATtNiHbAvFdxMxywDE5VgtLUVzewqE8/w200-h200/5.png" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Well, now we have been back from Scotland for about a week </span><span style="font-size: medium;">and since <a href="http://www.gofamilygo.net/2023/09/drinking-in-edinburgh-scotland.html">my last post </a>was more about drinking culture than actual Edinburgh sights, I think I owe you all a post mentioning some things to actually go and do while in Edinburgh. So here are my FIVE must do's while in Edinburgh with an additional five honorable mentions.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">1) <b>Take a Highlands tour.</b> Now literally there are like a million of them and it's a little tricky to sort through them all. They all seem to follow about the same structure, and all the buses you see on your stops would confirm this; an early meeting on the Royal Mile followed by a scenic drive to a loch with an optional boat cruise (for an additional fee) and a return to where you left off about 12 hours later, with a few snack stops, photo opportunities and potty breaks along the way. I happened upon a blog post that <a href="https://www.getyourguide.com/edinburgh-l44/5-loch-ness-glencoe-and-whisky-distillery-1-day-tour-t66504/">recommended the tour with a company called the Hairy Coo</a>, which I booked through Get Your Guide. After initially bristling at the name of the outfit-I learned that a hairy coo is simply a highland cow. The joy of the experience is really in the journey itself, as there is nothing to "do" along the way except view the scenery, and take photographs. I would have to say that your tour guide makes or breaks your experience. Our guide, Martin, in the full day we were with him, told us everything there was to know about Scotland, from history to economics to politics to common culture. He did this whilst interspersing personal stories in his thick Scottish accent, leaving us positively in stitches-seriously nearly rolling on the ground at some points. He was also quick to advise us where to eat lunch, what snacks to grab, and where the local toilets were. As mentioned above, most of these highland tours include a 90 min boat trip on a loch (mostly Loch Ness or Loch Lomond) which is not included in the price. The ticket was about 20 pounds and what else are you going to do with the time? Also included, a stop at the Hairy Coo himself!...or herself.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTh-JE-PQ3s19uKMDtWMX6K1TVW_48BlRNVc4tmnZNYHCfXhmajZDloww2Y6IPLBZffEzCiMPXfi30XjyCDjKSa7P_lcxX_09S_OXm0q6VgaGTpvOSN9Tvwvyxqvdfj2AZBb4Nu1u_8nBGV-T0iAukDUJqMW2EWSGH9Xo0e-GYPCvrUSi-Kjwa8cAhLoM/s4032/IMG_0968.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTh-JE-PQ3s19uKMDtWMX6K1TVW_48BlRNVc4tmnZNYHCfXhmajZDloww2Y6IPLBZffEzCiMPXfi30XjyCDjKSa7P_lcxX_09S_OXm0q6VgaGTpvOSN9Tvwvyxqvdfj2AZBb4Nu1u_8nBGV-T0iAukDUJqMW2EWSGH9Xo0e-GYPCvrUSi-Kjwa8cAhLoM/w300-h400/IMG_0968.HEIC" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Overlooking Loch Ness</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJe6ltGOmWaMySd69u_BFMrw7mW7V4vbmZx0hj2A1LE7iIdm73jXcUek19FPacWAK3oTHoVH1CPpV9vb2MgDwezop4ZmQSKWjWWdhkDrMesJbJvlga-EEblRAyGDbF6n9HYdIuPaPQulPLVlcKjCL_9hLdWDgkK7TpDaKbSZmIDTwF6Dvz6Zenj_hrLEA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="240" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgJe6ltGOmWaMySd69u_BFMrw7mW7V4vbmZx0hj2A1LE7iIdm73jXcUek19FPacWAK3oTHoVH1CPpV9vb2MgDwezop4ZmQSKWjWWdhkDrMesJbJvlga-EEblRAyGDbF6n9HYdIuPaPQulPLVlcKjCL_9hLdWDgkK7TpDaKbSZmIDTwF6Dvz6Zenj_hrLEA=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Hairy Coo herself!!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"></span><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT93P1QaarYE-oHHwZQdskiQQo8bfIVMb4D39S3l9s7PBRpEv87_enM1lwdq9rw5K1rtRu8nCKkhQSnfMmKcnV2b2d-5W6g0GXTw5PMmyThzjNGME4gQb8dV11e7U41xAqB93lzLqsBFae-CKjhuWTIX4U_Obo3jiGL3SP4qrGoNxCp4b3fcUSJrKDrHk/s4032/IMG_0954.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT93P1QaarYE-oHHwZQdskiQQo8bfIVMb4D39S3l9s7PBRpEv87_enM1lwdq9rw5K1rtRu8nCKkhQSnfMmKcnV2b2d-5W6g0GXTw5PMmyThzjNGME4gQb8dV11e7U41xAqB93lzLqsBFae-CKjhuWTIX4U_Obo3jiGL3SP4qrGoNxCp4b3fcUSJrKDrHk/w300-h400/IMG_0954.HEIC" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Nothing like Highlands Fish and Chips and Cider<br />at the Lock Inn</span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">2) <b>Hike Arthur's Seat.</b> This trail is described in <a href="https://www.alltrails.com/trail/scotland/edinburgh/arthurs-seat?u=i">All Trails</a> as a 2.5 mile moderately difficult loop with a 853ft elevation gain which begins and ends in Holyrood Park. We took this trail in the mid afternoon on a Sunday. The Salisbury Crags, which is described as one half of the loop seemed to be gated off so we just came up one side and came down the same side, which took a little over an hour. We hiked it after spending the morning at Edinburgh Castle and then walking down the entire Royal Mile to Holyrood Park, so though difficult, it can be completed on the reserves of your energy. We also completed the trail in sneakers, which was doable, but did get them quite dusty. There were a lot of people on the trail, including an 80 student freshman orientation group from the University of Edinburgh. Arthur's Seat is by far the highest point in Edinburgh and from the pinnacle the views are breathtaking. Your can oversee Calton Hill, the Holyroodhouse Palace, Edinburgh Castle, the Meadows--basically all of Edinburgh all the way to the Firth of Forth. It also feels pretty good later as you down your haggis or your steak pie or your fish and chips that you got some proper exercise during the day.</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUQi1TceIDCupWbjxWZYsAoMCLbrwgyvzabAt1w-hRX9DNjqaX5uaHaHRWdZ0Ze4fHI9_M8P3MCaZWzFibWZ2Umdv1RzRH6Jky1r7CzS0JuUt1pwW_5CzaAexzrpY61wiLpt0HZkq4qfCemOpR4B7YETbJzQ2q-0i3CRZxXKDQ8VmfyB8_1fagPxBAD4/s4032/IMG_3125.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvUQi1TceIDCupWbjxWZYsAoMCLbrwgyvzabAt1w-hRX9DNjqaX5uaHaHRWdZ0Ze4fHI9_M8P3MCaZWzFibWZ2Umdv1RzRH6Jky1r7CzS0JuUt1pwW_5CzaAexzrpY61wiLpt0HZkq4qfCemOpR4B7YETbJzQ2q-0i3CRZxXKDQ8VmfyB8_1fagPxBAD4/w400-h300/IMG_3125.heic" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Made it to the top!<br />There are sure a lot of people up here!!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigxY2f5H7D3j6uYJ_HyT31UordGfTsFwwyCqxbGWXQ_NUuy7Uusk4pfn15Q9wAt_-KraWo1phO5jCgxNgJRdyHmZGJ9B0ZbLvjHPbGQq6hbxmXva0GpqHPpIr2fjJRTRXgrqRdcDT-kdnyp18KU0JiBdyxhUESuRSzhbsPpdzvNWvBnVcIKutXwuPPXLg/s4032/IMG_0923.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigxY2f5H7D3j6uYJ_HyT31UordGfTsFwwyCqxbGWXQ_NUuy7Uusk4pfn15Q9wAt_-KraWo1phO5jCgxNgJRdyHmZGJ9B0ZbLvjHPbGQq6hbxmXva0GpqHPpIr2fjJRTRXgrqRdcDT-kdnyp18KU0JiBdyxhUESuRSzhbsPpdzvNWvBnVcIKutXwuPPXLg/w300-h400/IMG_0923.HEIC" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">From Arthur's Seat all the way to the<br />Firth of Forth</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9HkUGDJyeIVo3_krqpedTlGmmmodQT0gUtNvc5xkF8Bs7tArkNTKV_QlwWHtOzTVIMsCMcLIu7Ix1yiXtc1_gAKo9MQABuFsju1dXOZS7uL5ciKrqKqoLa2o5PlBZiXp0sBJnRQeAiCtfm5dEmw1ae52eFBqLEbpGo8Uv7rEoi2eklxi4vTBy8sA6_jA/s4032/IMG_0926.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9HkUGDJyeIVo3_krqpedTlGmmmodQT0gUtNvc5xkF8Bs7tArkNTKV_QlwWHtOzTVIMsCMcLIu7Ix1yiXtc1_gAKo9MQABuFsju1dXOZS7uL5ciKrqKqoLa2o5PlBZiXp0sBJnRQeAiCtfm5dEmw1ae52eFBqLEbpGo8Uv7rEoi2eklxi4vTBy8sA6_jA/w300-h400/IMG_0926.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">From the trail with Calton Hill and the</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Palace of Holyroodhouse in the foreground</div></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">3) <b>Find a way to learn about Scotch, and then start drinking it.</b> Scotch is what Scottish people drink, and it is offered everywhere with a huge variety that can get rather overwhelming if you don't have an oar to paddle through the stream. Much in the same way that one learns about wine, what you like and do not like, one can learn about Scotch. We came</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-align: center;"> to Scotland knowing absolutely nothing about Scotch Whisky, but got a </span><span style="text-align: center;">great education at</span><span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://www.scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk/" style="text-align: center;">The Scotch Whisky Experience.</a><span style="text-align: center;"> The SWE ( I'm just going to call it that) is located at 354 Castlehill on the Royal Mile right at the exit of Edinburgh Castle and is faulted for being extremely touristy. Well, it is touristy, but it was super educational. From 10 to 5 daily the SWE runs tours ranging from 21 to 90 pounds. We took the Gold Tour which allowed us to taste 5 single malts from each region and a blended Scotch. The tour takes you through an informative film, then a single tasting and instruction in how to taste, then into a very cool collection of 3384 bottles of whisky-all different! The tour concludes as a self paced seated tasting of your remaining single malts. There is an extensive gift shop, no surprise there. Anyway, that last little bit is lifted directly from my last post, which was strictly about drinking. With our new knowledge we were able to order in pubs and restaurants with some degree of authority, and we pretty much did so daily thereafter. While still in Scotland I ordered a set of Glencairn glasses and I picked up my first bottle at Safeway (followed by my husband picking one up at Costco). Now we are Scotch drinkers!</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ63-4fvFwfHgh1iYSc37JrysVl-065mDDGV29E41nWeAiFu0wyYj6zkpfBQrZsQPRg3Ocr1w-tBAPODsGMedDc1TiB5Ybt-w2uNXBhl22M2t-i7dsvcHZ72CMxfmh30Q56DZGhnWADxdxUL5sX2WEpGZ2VW5uDAjC9D3-uUV3AA2VAtOp61Dn0nFyriw/s4032/IMG_1013.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ63-4fvFwfHgh1iYSc37JrysVl-065mDDGV29E41nWeAiFu0wyYj6zkpfBQrZsQPRg3Ocr1w-tBAPODsGMedDc1TiB5Ybt-w2uNXBhl22M2t-i7dsvcHZ72CMxfmh30Q56DZGhnWADxdxUL5sX2WEpGZ2VW5uDAjC9D3-uUV3AA2VAtOp61Dn0nFyriw/w300-h400/IMG_1013.HEIC" width="300" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Putting forth our best efforts!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="text-align: center;">4) </span><b style="text-align: center;">Visit the Palace of Holyroodhouse. </b><span style="text-align: center;">Quite frankly I liked this more than Edinburgh Castle. The <a href="https://www.rct.uk/visit/palace-of-holyroodhouse">Palace of Holyroodhouse</a> is run by the Royal Collection Trust and is the official residence of the King (actually he </span><i style="text-align: center;">owns</i><span style="text-align: center;"> it) while he is in Scotland. Having visited both Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, also run by the RCT, it is evident that the company has a tried and true method for presenting these royal homes, from their included audio guides which keep visitors moving along to a steady pace to their classy gift shops. Anyway, Holyrood Palace was finished in the late 1600's and is built on the same site as the ruins of Holyrood Abbey which was founded by King David in the 1200's. The place has seen a whole lot of Scottish history, including the murder of Margaret Tudor's private secretary by her looney husband, Lord Darnley. Anyway, the Palace of Holyroodhouse is open every day except Tuesday and is located at the end of the Royal Mile next to Holyrood Park. Why did I like it better than Edinburgh Castle, I don't know. It's brighter, newer, less crowded, takes less time to see, and is in use by the current royal family who offer commentary on the audio tour. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Xyg9zYImvRDQKFjtQvv-xOK71ZFGm7X0vurXRWbxJNFi-f7fLoM58-G3BON1tWM7qFXJ1dZAjc2_HSIVjz4t6qnvpyKBIDwOUBKioWEL8618Y512xMzMzKS6VcGWzxdxFWJ5jZZvYaDNQDDG93AXNmp-cAFUgiZ4tXAKAmSIejrjiYWr7h0jUSa8Pbc/s4032/IMG_1001.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8Xyg9zYImvRDQKFjtQvv-xOK71ZFGm7X0vurXRWbxJNFi-f7fLoM58-G3BON1tWM7qFXJ1dZAjc2_HSIVjz4t6qnvpyKBIDwOUBKioWEL8618Y512xMzMzKS6VcGWzxdxFWJ5jZZvYaDNQDDG93AXNmp-cAFUgiZ4tXAKAmSIejrjiYWr7h0jUSa8Pbc/w300-h400/IMG_1001.HEIC" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUePakwtRzyXAfhyFx6FFyR9j5iQVgrtJM8Q6rbq58yCpTZOkHtjvVZzpmZXOAq5YyS3XXE1qbtK7Q_3G-110OU9ZYLxLMLHeIueEoZ8Nzr1kCqQ0AhqIhl3UjIP2JsUOVU-Avtm4CtBhfCubNEVv7ECzJLS7Ii1oLz8LQKAb6gwe3QDYQmXpIjrAA4E/s4032/IMG_1006.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVUePakwtRzyXAfhyFx6FFyR9j5iQVgrtJM8Q6rbq58yCpTZOkHtjvVZzpmZXOAq5YyS3XXE1qbtK7Q_3G-110OU9ZYLxLMLHeIueEoZ8Nzr1kCqQ0AhqIhl3UjIP2JsUOVU-Avtm4CtBhfCubNEVv7ECzJLS7Ii1oLz8LQKAb6gwe3QDYQmXpIjrAA4E/w400-h300/IMG_1006.HEIC" width="400" /></a></div></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;">5) <b> The Royal Yacht Britannia.</b> Now this was just great! The <a href="https://www.royalyachtbritannia.co.uk/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=local&utm_campaign=hotel-royalyachtbritannia">HMY Britannia</a> was the Royal Yacht from 1952 until its decommission in 1997. During its exalted career, Britannia travelled nearly one million miles and visited 600 ports in 135 countries (thank you Wikipedia). Though many cities competed for the chance to claim the Britannia follwoing her retirement, Edinburgh prevailed as the host city and the yacht was moored at Ocean Terminal in Leith--a 15 minute 2 pound tram ride from Picardy Square on the Newhaven line (there is actually only one tram line to my knowledge). The yacht itself is delightful. The tour includes an audio tour, which again, keeps the line moving. Yes, you can see the bridge and the engine room, but far more charming are the original quarters of the Royal Family-understated and humble yet cozy and personal, with family photos displayed on the walls and on desks. The dining room seats 56 and is adjacent to a large living room complete with a fireplace which apparently was once home to a grand piano. I just like Queen Elizabeth II and her history. She was such a classy lady. I loved seeing all the pictures of her on the yacht throughout its lifetime.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzfo2Hroi92X0QNsudfgSKrsXBeucErOU4ayDQmKfPfPFhxPwCDmTPpyoxFUjW5lKLgCV19aLnJ0gnGx3WRBOvg0kwsLnAAi38ql0mSzhm38F3BPtxb6yw4ayUx9iNa5bpQrSlGA-JbE9fInr5fk-ST79JhA_Hx8cTwB9TkheI2Z9uv9XckUyi3Uh3X6o/s4032/IMG_1084.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzfo2Hroi92X0QNsudfgSKrsXBeucErOU4ayDQmKfPfPFhxPwCDmTPpyoxFUjW5lKLgCV19aLnJ0gnGx3WRBOvg0kwsLnAAi38ql0mSzhm38F3BPtxb6yw4ayUx9iNa5bpQrSlGA-JbE9fInr5fk-ST79JhA_Hx8cTwB9TkheI2Z9uv9XckUyi3Uh3X6o/w300-h400/IMG_1084.HEIC" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: center;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Okay now for some Honorable Mentions:</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">1) <a href="https://www.edinburghcastle.scot/"><b>Edinburgh Castle</b>. </a> Well, it IS the focal point of Edinburgh and the oldest structure, so you best go. There is a lot of historical info, a lot of info about the Scottish military, and of course the crown jewels of Scotland, which are alone worth queueing up for. </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh96Ts7kmGEVMBESQ7R1MVlCBGF9ktQ2PZqE0RowizCmsjRnpv8k2faxg9PeJXEk63tEDYndnnlr7zGeI2MNASErud3wZUi5y6QEKXW6Q3yCrj1IE_sn-I04AhE-7iqCUC7aXiEkcmX3auz3vZO2gRIccrBEeFY9AguPRNJpIFXLtLM5B7wnBdp6szbMJU/s4032/IMG_0919.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh96Ts7kmGEVMBESQ7R1MVlCBGF9ktQ2PZqE0RowizCmsjRnpv8k2faxg9PeJXEk63tEDYndnnlr7zGeI2MNASErud3wZUi5y6QEKXW6Q3yCrj1IE_sn-I04AhE-7iqCUC7aXiEkcmX3auz3vZO2gRIccrBEeFY9AguPRNJpIFXLtLM5B7wnBdp6szbMJU/w400-h300/IMG_0919.HEIC" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Scotland's Crown Jewels are in the building on the right.<br />The last person to wear them was Charles II in the 1600's</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">2) </span><b style="font-size: large;">Stirling Castle.</b><span style="font-size: large;"> More impressive IMO than Edinburgh Castle, </span><a href="https://www.stirlingcastle.scot/" style="font-size: large;">Stirling Castle</a><span style="font-size: large;"> requires a 50 minute train ride from Edinburgh Waverly to Stirling. Also a lot of historical info and great views. The town is rather lame though so when you are done with the castle there is not much to do.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGmRnbrDqV6ULo9aSil73YQQ-_f_l57VmilvI6ClN-qtxtvz91VoHs1TZsg2xVFQoDO-gIxGkvwhJ6t8TL3tTqMPVL6QuO0hTidFIOacQos_ox6a9e_laV4VqKxQe23CUBT1lc8waEs2T9BPjX70zvlUtHEY-ovF6ULAk7g9fEoo1o7x9sN-LWBYe4mjE/s4032/IMG_1026.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGmRnbrDqV6ULo9aSil73YQQ-_f_l57VmilvI6ClN-qtxtvz91VoHs1TZsg2xVFQoDO-gIxGkvwhJ6t8TL3tTqMPVL6QuO0hTidFIOacQos_ox6a9e_laV4VqKxQe23CUBT1lc8waEs2T9BPjX70zvlUtHEY-ovF6ULAk7g9fEoo1o7x9sN-LWBYe4mjE/w300-h400/IMG_1026.HEIC" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">3) <b>Calton Hill</b>. Don't feel like the making the trek to Arthur's Seat? Calton Hill is a short trek off of New Town at the top of Waterloo Place. It takes pretty much zero fitness level to get up here and it affords pretty nice views of Princes Street and the city in general. There are several monuments up here, including the National Monument of Scotland, a small copy of the Acropolis built to honor Scots who perished in the Napoleonic wars, whose development was abandoned due to lack of funds in 1829. Calton Burial Grounds is also right there and worth a look. The beauty here really is in the exercise and the views.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOftmWyM2CUhSAvXYy9_ciK6kMlQVYSZsyUtl8WLz3NcBgmmBr69AcRCX_jHMKC8GbeU3pbFaLrAeob8VA1-yfg4oEXybDz39ZqrEWbAJ-1VzJfnvQJeXBl60E0FzLSWbQF5P9LNvaCZXN07WypSVe_selNSIqJNVhl-hd9lMEwjY0gN1-PJwyJXaObjQ/s4032/IMG_0984.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOftmWyM2CUhSAvXYy9_ciK6kMlQVYSZsyUtl8WLz3NcBgmmBr69AcRCX_jHMKC8GbeU3pbFaLrAeob8VA1-yfg4oEXybDz39ZqrEWbAJ-1VzJfnvQJeXBl60E0FzLSWbQF5P9LNvaCZXN07WypSVe_selNSIqJNVhl-hd9lMEwjY0gN1-PJwyJXaObjQ/w300-h400/IMG_0984.HEIC" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja8ypgz9kjKqIeVRkx1OZRNqySJV5eedzFpWCPA3rDladfDQDv3Q-Zq-qjTE9oaCKHTQPTYQWMiXe-Ifweu8Se_hE3rm_yhNrhKi6b3A5AW5y1t1sXeHgncEy5vPQMfBKFF3RLhwC2lYZZDAa6-hqqnL34rCVGzwEHDB-oJ3Nc-86SC3ty9QVKi6rCuDs/s4032/IMG_0983.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja8ypgz9kjKqIeVRkx1OZRNqySJV5eedzFpWCPA3rDladfDQDv3Q-Zq-qjTE9oaCKHTQPTYQWMiXe-Ifweu8Se_hE3rm_yhNrhKi6b3A5AW5y1t1sXeHgncEy5vPQMfBKFF3RLhwC2lYZZDAa6-hqqnL34rCVGzwEHDB-oJ3Nc-86SC3ty9QVKi6rCuDs/w300-h400/IMG_0983.HEIC" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Great views from Calton Hill!</span></td></tr></tbody></table></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">4) <b> Tea at the Dome. </b> Ooooo did I really put this in honorable mention?? </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>The <a href="https://www.thedomeedinburgh.com/georgiantearoom">Georgian Tea Room at the Dome</a> is all class at its pinnacle.</span><span> I am not much of a tea person, but the detail and delicacy of the treats served on the three tiered tower is not unnoticed! Located at 14 George St. 29.50 pounds per person. Reservations a must. Full bar, and we took advantage. This experience cost more than many of the dinners we ate.</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXdxSiloW1fx5Cc93rXzVqVZX3ZIcFOg_9-BGqvpkShazdqyOm-655nXbu4zW4uRO8wgRcDE_UgZGUDaTrupA5rXu18UhacDay9tn8SnkKjPTF7CeAVXkSXF_lwnIdvZDeZ_s7r8bYNIupi2kLQRuzCf2NVh5GPUyMZXi9UOsiEf2lnuwVOMqiRlS2do/s4032/IMG_0987.HEIC" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKXdxSiloW1fx5Cc93rXzVqVZX3ZIcFOg_9-BGqvpkShazdqyOm-655nXbu4zW4uRO8wgRcDE_UgZGUDaTrupA5rXu18UhacDay9tn8SnkKjPTF7CeAVXkSXF_lwnIdvZDeZ_s7r8bYNIupi2kLQRuzCf2NVh5GPUyMZXi9UOsiEf2lnuwVOMqiRlS2do/w300-h400/IMG_0987.HEIC" width="300" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_d3f55-7HDQfGxlRNlirKxlO3RLI23-v7NT_7L0keVnsFINHikq7he0Zv6jafARVZ6_VRly-QGLrhCYML2jgcvl1fYmsyE_9Dl1O14eWzpsJs3ChbBBj3wV0u_sdb5m3HzEp2_58PcUo0UDyHKgcKj81SJQWkr1WuBluOqVTCgjzef7ji0VCZ3-_2Pg/s4032/IMG_3180.heic" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc_d3f55-7HDQfGxlRNlirKxlO3RLI23-v7NT_7L0keVnsFINHikq7he0Zv6jafARVZ6_VRly-QGLrhCYML2jgcvl1fYmsyE_9Dl1O14eWzpsJs3ChbBBj3wV0u_sdb5m3HzEp2_58PcUo0UDyHKgcKj81SJQWkr1WuBluOqVTCgjzef7ji0VCZ3-_2Pg/w300-h400/IMG_3180.heic" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">That's what I'm talking about!!</span></td></tr></tbody></table></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">5) <b><a href="https://www.thewitchery.com/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=local&utm_campaign=hotel-witcherybythecastle">Witchery at the Castle.</a></b> Restaurant located just outside Edinburgh Castle. It's semi fancy and super romantic. Service exquisite. Wine list worth just ogling over. When reserving you can choose from the opulent dark wood original dining room or the slightly more airy Secret Garden room. Both are lovely. Try the Lamb Wellington for two. Reservations required.</span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzBu9nKre2uQ8qrs9-cGN11o3-mykodGNl6QWBvYajU7O6c7xSO7tfI-xaHayfjMQXD5rW_f9rit9E1r6JW0R6Dmz3SroP6lnHda9xyWyfqFTyW74hI7PKoZ14NvvkKb0viEX1ewPguiDEdTJBQ8vC5bmAyIQzXIhnAwAJ4lTOeWex4nvdYIhGVOlsLnk/s4032/IMG_1071.HEIC" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzBu9nKre2uQ8qrs9-cGN11o3-mykodGNl6QWBvYajU7O6c7xSO7tfI-xaHayfjMQXD5rW_f9rit9E1r6JW0R6Dmz3SroP6lnHda9xyWyfqFTyW74hI7PKoZ14NvvkKb0viEX1ewPguiDEdTJBQ8vC5bmAyIQzXIhnAwAJ4lTOeWex4nvdYIhGVOlsLnk/w300-h400/IMG_1071.HEIC" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Our table in the Secret Garden..</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Well, that's my take on things! Thank you for reading my post! I am going to San Diego soon and I hope to find out some new experiences to share!</span></p>Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219332537908449042.post-46098773066166229252023-09-19T17:40:00.003-07:002023-10-10T17:19:56.578-07:00Drinking in Edinburgh, Scotland September 8 through 16, 2023<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavprqmzIITn71-VywWbh3xtAm9V5q2Txoe3OqebOIXUJufKGyQ1yqcQUb-RarRA63QoTZcLx3g0_XSAj_SHJod_5OC6tVpxYIdDmtBveFG5Z2fR5auUiXxk66r16JLm0OXRPKiETZGLi65C0GOxZaNaWbPU2PiH0xa9qBZmn3tLMuokLGb62XHA5hH6w/s290/download%20(2).png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="174" data-original-width="290" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhavprqmzIITn71-VywWbh3xtAm9V5q2Txoe3OqebOIXUJufKGyQ1yqcQUb-RarRA63QoTZcLx3g0_XSAj_SHJod_5OC6tVpxYIdDmtBveFG5Z2fR5auUiXxk66r16JLm0OXRPKiETZGLi65C0GOxZaNaWbPU2PiH0xa9qBZmn3tLMuokLGb62XHA5hH6w/s1600/download%20(2).png" width="290" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">OK. Probably the first thing I have to explain is what in the world I was doing in Scotland such a very short time after my three week vacation in Greece. My daughter decided to complete the last semester of her college education at the University of Edinburgh, the choice of location largely being dependent on where she could take the very few classes she needed and get credit for them. So less than one month after returning from Greece my husband and I accompanied our delightful daughter to Edinburgh, Scotland, where she will spend the time from September to Christmas. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So why the crazy title of the blogpost. Well, drinking is a huge party of Scottish culture, and you'd best know what you are doing when you get to the bar, because there is a lot to wrap your head around, and the choices are mindboggling.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>SCOTCH WHISKY:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIjPjlelevzFuZ1nV03dLHOZfkKB6jRikhWR9AoQb-iYnEZ0uv1bokPHlDthCAvYj4-3lbsBZRcFJJ083w-x710TSFcNXBfXS_OAyVPgsyAsMzojvc8V5zKOera0sdRXRBVmIk2gtOMZrrWqPS82eI4CJUcuA8jT0YciLptglBUyKReOQoL0A8fnkrvtI/s2048/IMG_1013.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIjPjlelevzFuZ1nV03dLHOZfkKB6jRikhWR9AoQb-iYnEZ0uv1bokPHlDthCAvYj4-3lbsBZRcFJJ083w-x710TSFcNXBfXS_OAyVPgsyAsMzojvc8V5zKOera0sdRXRBVmIk2gtOMZrrWqPS82eI4CJUcuA8jT0YciLptglBUyKReOQoL0A8fnkrvtI/s320/IMG_1013.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A delicious flight of <br />single malt whisky<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The spirit best associated with Scotland is Whisky. The Americans usually call it Scotch. The same stuff in Ireland is called Whiskey (Irish Whiskey) and in America its called bourbon. Scotch seems to get more expensive depending on how old it is. By law, in order to be called a Scotch Whisky the liquor must mature in an oak barrel for three years and have no other ingredients besides water and caramel coloring (aside from the alcohol part I guess). Whisky can either be single malt or can be blended, the single malts being far higher quality. Whisky can be diluted with water before drinking or can be served over ice cubes, but the far more common way of drinking it is neat and at room temperature, one to two ounces at a time (after all this stuff is at least 80 proof!) out of a special glass called a Glencairn. Whisky is made in a distillery, as opposed to a brewery or a winery.</span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">OK. The single malts come from a single region of which there are six: Lowland, Highland, Speyside, Campbeltown, Islands and Islay. Each region brags its own influence over the type of whisky it produces and these differences are very noticeable. The Speyside region, though comparatively small when compared to the larger lowlands and highlands, has by far the most extensive whisky production. Its single malts are fruit and spice forward. Highland single malts on the other hand are noted with heather and honey. The Islay are extremely peat forward, due to the peat that is used to fuel the fermentation process. This makes Islay whisky taste like drinking a campfire. Dang. I tried it a second time just to see if I could get through it. After the second time I said no more. Though the Islay region is really just a speck on the map, there are nine distilleries there.</span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkP-0FjfBPCBzCu3EBeDHrrp7nMFOA7-6vvhfvJ7KwvwVMshwGblPwhP7bEBTGv1f7IiiZhLN3pjFUrqighNlHSBWrdaO5vembscO6NL8o2Ls_ILd5VSrXzTMH4AUzWoSqBhuas4Fz8KdahzFa2yiJOmE1579CV4VjkhITbO6iaK5s5ubiA1g1yE8pBVE/s2048/IMG_0910.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkP-0FjfBPCBzCu3EBeDHrrp7nMFOA7-6vvhfvJ7KwvwVMshwGblPwhP7bEBTGv1f7IiiZhLN3pjFUrqighNlHSBWrdaO5vembscO6NL8o2Ls_ILd5VSrXzTMH4AUzWoSqBhuas4Fz8KdahzFa2yiJOmE1579CV4VjkhITbO6iaK5s5ubiA1g1yE8pBVE/s320/IMG_0910.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tasting in the Collection Room</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;">Anyway, I went to Scotland knowing absolutely nothing about Scotch Whisky. But I got a</span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;">great education at <a href="https://www.scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk/">The Scotch Whisky Experience.</a> The SWE ( I'm just going to call it that) is located at 354 Castlehill on the Royal Mile right at the exit of Edinburgh Castle and is faulted for being extremely touristy. Well, it is touristy, but it was super educational. From 10 to 5 daily the SWE runs tours ranging from 21 to 90 pounds. We took the Gold Tour which allowed us to taste 5 single malts from each region and a blended Scotch. The tour takes you through an informative film, then a single tasting and instruction in how to taste, then into a very cool collection of 3384 bottles of whisky-all different! The tour concludes as a self paced seated tasting of your remaining single malts. There is an extensive gift shop, no surprise there.</div></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I recommend it, but bring your ID! Scotland is strict. My 21 year old daughter was with us and forgot her ID and they would not let her drink. That was a big bummer.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Anyway, given our new knowledge we ran a nightly ritual of getting a whisky or even a whisky flight in a variety of pubs/bars. Most had a great selection and making a choice always proved to be a challenge. Scotch Whisky is sipped while you relax, much in the same way one might enjoy a cigar. Anyway, before I left Scotland I ordered a 4 pack of Glencairn glasses from Amazon which were waiting for me when I returned. Costco has a good selection of single malts at reasonable prices. We looked at duty free in the airport but that was good stuff and it was expensive.</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTTpcgUwOiMQO17xZ_MJ8kztd_Ykzf72g1dXcQKyot9t85JsJKkRV7AE7gbxxMzx_3Y7txl0SQW0Xar66g6Jd9GOzf15jhC5Q4a72UogCoQR6qRU-VXRxaWrgaZUUgX2wy3VMQf11uhBTr6QO6Vf_glIY0wlDhRo1Rn0p-Vwc-VN1znSIAJZTwILUTyg/s2048/IMG_0912.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSTTpcgUwOiMQO17xZ_MJ8kztd_Ykzf72g1dXcQKyot9t85JsJKkRV7AE7gbxxMzx_3Y7txl0SQW0Xar66g6Jd9GOzf15jhC5Q4a72UogCoQR6qRU-VXRxaWrgaZUUgX2wy3VMQf11uhBTr6QO6Vf_glIY0wlDhRo1Rn0p-Vwc-VN1znSIAJZTwILUTyg/w400-h300/IMG_0912.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A flight of Single Malt Whiskys <br />served in Glencairn glasses with tasting notes </span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>GIN:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">My first Gin and Tonic was in the Heathrow airport duty free shop in 2019 and since then I am hooked! I guess I always thought that gin was a English thing-something about being called "London Dry," but in fact, the per capita consumption of gin is higher in Edinburgh than in any other city in the UK.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Gin is just vodka with juniper flavoring, but with that juniper flavoring, believe me it tastes totally different.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In Scotland, you can really get whatever kind of gin you want in your G and T. You just order it. The gin comes in a glass of ice and your bottled tonic comes on the side for you to govern the strength of your libation. Nice touch. Anyhow, the most visible gin in Edinburgh is none other than ... <a href="https://www.edinburghgin.com/">Edinburgh Gin</a>, or simply EG. It's everywhere. You can visit their showroom on the west side of the castle. Their basic gin experience is 25 pounds. Anyway, we chose "the other guy" for a distillery tour, maybe cuz it was listed first in Rick Steves book, but we passed by their retail shop on Hanover street and decided to take a peek inside. We were floored by the variety of gin in there! Classic London Dry, a navy strength label, a seaside label, plus oodles of flavor combos (Rhubarb and Ginger/Lemon and Jasmine/Orange Blossom and Basil), and Gin Liquors (Mulled Wine/Plum/Raspberry/Orange Blossom). The best part, the darling girl in there let us try whatever we wanted, so we really got a great overview of what they make. And it paid off too, cuz the next day we went back and bought three different gins, two flavored and a liquor. So so hard to make a decision!</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU-IP_S62BHyQ0u8QEfSXobvTVO_WCOh5V89bC8f6PRfc6burTIdJU5qADdn0w_C50ydDCvvot4j_4gKvkOQreFTNigkwiq8-SL7uVzpkmuHrFHuW8zsdrdOdZG_k0Qcnd4MVqt6UqRp7hMKHiEfdGd9uqGa3-ymldA9QrIvIaXdLesSo0IEPTmRLwhAQ/s2048/IMG_0998.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU-IP_S62BHyQ0u8QEfSXobvTVO_WCOh5V89bC8f6PRfc6burTIdJU5qADdn0w_C50ydDCvvot4j_4gKvkOQreFTNigkwiq8-SL7uVzpkmuHrFHuW8zsdrdOdZG_k0Qcnd4MVqt6UqRp7hMKHiEfdGd9uqGa3-ymldA9QrIvIaXdLesSo0IEPTmRLwhAQ/w300-h400/IMG_0998.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Tasting at the Edinburgh Gin store</span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The other distillery in town is <a href="https://summerhalldistillery.com/collections/pickerings-gin">Pickering's Gin,</a> which is located about a 20 minute walk south of the Royal Mile in what used to be an Old Veterinary School. Their Gin Jolly experience takes about one hour and costs 25 pounds which includes a welcome gin and tonic, a tour and 4 tastings. It was good but not great. This tour had 15 people and a very goofy guide who just seemed like he was trying too hard to be funny. The tour was interesting and informative and could have stood on its own without the corny humor. We had to stand the entire tour-that got tiring. Before we got to taste a lot of time was wasted as each person dipped their souvenir bottle into red wax while the samples were poured into plastic cups. They had less gin variety as they are much newer and a smaller operation, so we basically tried all they had to offer, and it was good--but no cool flavors or liquors. You can buy their gin at the distillery. I did not see it in the grocery or at duty free. We didn't </span><span style="font-size: medium;">buy any. </span><span style="font-size: medium;">I would try the Edinburgh Gin experience.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Anyway, I looked up what is the difference between Indian Tonic and Mediterranean Tonic. Indian Tonic has more quinine in it and thereby is better mixer for your classic London Dry gin. Mediterranean Tonic is lighter and is to be mixed with flavored gin and gin heavier in botanicals. Get it? Now ya know.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>BEER:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Beer is also heavily consumed in Scotland. There are Scottish breweries, mostly craft breweries, so when we drank beer we tried to drink Scottish beer.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUaS7_VCE1yU0ouz6R89iU_5NXPkOCD2iRkcknwueUpbDqC4b07wwmZe7pC75v4UCVnLf7K86QIBFXaNJzZForlIw6iFr5HR_ubECjG6Txelz52wWNRCwM24hg-8rz-lm34zO10yu1_oFuBbRcasSVPxTBjfZus2JyHLEbdu5NyLmuYIEvKA50xcYw9lg/s2048/IMG_1092.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUaS7_VCE1yU0ouz6R89iU_5NXPkOCD2iRkcknwueUpbDqC4b07wwmZe7pC75v4UCVnLf7K86QIBFXaNJzZForlIw6iFr5HR_ubECjG6Txelz52wWNRCwM24hg-8rz-lm34zO10yu1_oFuBbRcasSVPxTBjfZus2JyHLEbdu5NyLmuYIEvKA50xcYw9lg/w400-h317/IMG_1092.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">See! Beer is yummy in Scotland too</span></div><p><span><span style="font-size: large;">OK that's that! Thank you for reading my post! I will try to get something else written about our week in Scotland. Here are some more pictures!</span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: x-large; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZyMNkk5By27AjCuJ4FjZpL8NX_zrrQMrGCBEoSW3wLli4d5lQIfJPZABrUeAWIPcCh873jx1tMhIrVPYvfufOQQ9JqMRTu1dsWqJ7mD4omMDAhhMpovatVNp05r2TOkOnh6pVblqpNWTpeFooI8MMjhDsIaSIpD7FHzIzvi3MzuSdOmmQpSODtzODZs/s2048/IMG_0953.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZyMNkk5By27AjCuJ4FjZpL8NX_zrrQMrGCBEoSW3wLli4d5lQIfJPZABrUeAWIPcCh873jx1tMhIrVPYvfufOQQ9JqMRTu1dsWqJ7mD4omMDAhhMpovatVNp05r2TOkOnh6pVblqpNWTpeFooI8MMjhDsIaSIpD7FHzIzvi3MzuSdOmmQpSODtzODZs/w300-h400/IMG_0953.jpeg" width="300" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: medium;">And yeah..cider is great too!</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbF9WOngPTPQNbZ7st2fL87oKzE_rLa6Gr9P7ZbZ-O6SZHmHisjl9IfpkDo4c-6nhlM6LxOxpuQ76EPh7khCwrpxbML66jR5t9N660gIqYWrlagtrkyAl2KaprEZntFZt19aR0WuECW6UjiKGGp0e3f3DuSmK2f3eP_lW5DTmmw0ithDoWSCeJ2GfQPA/s2048/IMG_1037.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbF9WOngPTPQNbZ7st2fL87oKzE_rLa6Gr9P7ZbZ-O6SZHmHisjl9IfpkDo4c-6nhlM6LxOxpuQ76EPh7khCwrpxbML66jR5t9N660gIqYWrlagtrkyAl2KaprEZntFZt19aR0WuECW6UjiKGGp0e3f3DuSmK2f3eP_lW5DTmmw0ithDoWSCeJ2GfQPA/w300-h400/IMG_1037.jpeg" width="300" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span><span style="font-size: medium;">Our nightly ritual!</span></span></div><span><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><span><br /></span><p></p>Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219332537908449042.post-83988381237851608242023-08-30T17:55:00.006-07:002023-08-30T18:00:12.162-07:00Naxos August 6-10 2023 <div class="separator"><br /></div><div class="separator"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjACWWmMjfy3dYf2gBUMiBwe2Xo8BjlC7PqKEjx7o6AW3PeohV2zoyfVgoYBX53FPqnSIimyLTpHuBwtIArXDsOhWDzkR57K1GIbAP8NMC5OOf_SKTIb2miS03dUzo2YkO6w__UpWqGtn-dRgAEpoJzhNJq572LiwUC0BI64CPyIxIlTNraeOQN2Ck2oT8/s2048/IMG_0520.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjACWWmMjfy3dYf2gBUMiBwe2Xo8BjlC7PqKEjx7o6AW3PeohV2zoyfVgoYBX53FPqnSIimyLTpHuBwtIArXDsOhWDzkR57K1GIbAP8NMC5OOf_SKTIb2miS03dUzo2YkO6w__UpWqGtn-dRgAEpoJzhNJq572LiwUC0BI64CPyIxIlTNraeOQN2Ck2oT8/s320/IMG_0520.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>Well, I hope by now you have had a chance to read my blog post on "<a href="http://www.gofamilygo.net/2023/08/some-hard-and-fast-truths-about-greece.html">Some Hard and Fast Truths about Greece.</a>" That post was very general, so I am now going to delve into some more specific areas. I have lots to write about, and the fact of the matter is I may run out of time before heading to Scotland in a few weeks, so I want to start with the area likely least known to my readers, the island of Naxos.</div><p>Naxos, with an area of 170 square miles (about one third the size of Kauai), is the largest island in the group of islands called the Cyclades. Naxos has a population of 19000, which shrinks to a mere 7000 in the off season winter months. Most (8000) of the people live in the town of Naxos Chora, home to both the port and the airport. Others populate the outlying villages of Filoti, Chalki, Apiranthos, Koronos, etc. Naxos is a 30 min plane ride from Athens or a 3.5 to 5.5 hour ferry ride from Piraeus. Naxos is also accessible by ferry to all other Cycladic islands and Crete, with day trip accessibility to Mykonos, Santorini, and twin island Paros.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-QP2YVK3r5hYD_TjubO4D10bQvc6fpAUicc7x3F7AwOF4yaCD8CkwA7oQ5O-NJg33P2k3GGcqVC34quYUffbKX9SgAM25RqE8YrUsc1g5IYQQDd18cM8L9S0GEbD-kk_nk7-cePsCcmukuYeQoSLpzq2-roZsc8EeBvkMHCPO9pRcgiqcvlbhDnw7HBE/s2048/IMG_0505.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-QP2YVK3r5hYD_TjubO4D10bQvc6fpAUicc7x3F7AwOF4yaCD8CkwA7oQ5O-NJg33P2k3GGcqVC34quYUffbKX9SgAM25RqE8YrUsc1g5IYQQDd18cM8L9S0GEbD-kk_nk7-cePsCcmukuYeQoSLpzq2-roZsc8EeBvkMHCPO9pRcgiqcvlbhDnw7HBE/s320/IMG_0505.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A small plane can get you from Athens to Naxos</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4_lhGKZeXz_h6heDFKcO9p96t6c0UpnSZY6MQFXdrE06sHGG1N6XjuycnnTbLT6gVgFsv9WDEm5dcYCdEwwahmTWwgC4qHTai5HzNFMdsTGHu0jft8oGHkRsL-9pSGRnGaP8pPBnUXZ5eqcq7zkDiwQMvbzkCZPj6qwCDHnzA9gPf7F9Oq9Q0MnJYKzY/s2048/IMG_0543.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4_lhGKZeXz_h6heDFKcO9p96t6c0UpnSZY6MQFXdrE06sHGG1N6XjuycnnTbLT6gVgFsv9WDEm5dcYCdEwwahmTWwgC4qHTai5HzNFMdsTGHu0jft8oGHkRsL-9pSGRnGaP8pPBnUXZ5eqcq7zkDiwQMvbzkCZPj6qwCDHnzA9gPf7F9Oq9Q0MnJYKzY/s320/IMG_0543.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A ferry is an option too</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Prior to the beginning of researching this trip I had never heard of Naxos. So what happened?</span></div><p></p><p>I had only heard of Mykonos and Santorini, really, but I knew this was not the vibe I was looking for. (See my last blogpost). I chose Naxos because it repeatedly came up as one of the most family friendly islands with great beaches and high marks for outdoor activities. It had both a port and an airport and it was not too far from Athens. You gotta pick somewhere; Naxos was it.</p><p><b>Getting there:</b> Once again, you can get to Naxos by propeller plane from Athens or by ferry. The plane is more expensive (about 100E per person on Sky Express) but easier and far faster, and this is how we arrived. As far as I can ascertain, planes into Naxos land about 6 times per day and only come from Athens. The Naxos airport has one gate. The ferry port has two berths. At either place on arrival, there are plenty of drivers holding signs waiting to meet guests. Our driver came from our hotel, the <a href="https://naxos-colosseo.com/">Naxos Colosseo Apartments</a>. The public bus is available, at some distance from the airport. Given the amount of luggage we had, I am glad we did not go this route and I do not recommend it.</p><p><b>Getting around:</b> We only rented a car for two days. We came in on Sunday at noon and we were not going to have a car until Tuesday morning. This might be a good opportunity to talk about the lay of the land. The main town is Naxos Chora, where the harbor is. There are not really any worthwhile beaches in town. Beach cities, such as Agios Prokopios (where we stayed), Agia Anna, Plaka, and Mikra Vigla, are at least a 10-12 minute drive south. Naxos has multiple inland villages up narrow and winding roads. We needed to be back in Naxos Chora that night for a dinner reservation and again early in the morning for a catamaran cruise. We also needed a taxi to get to dinner after the cruise at the best restaurant on the island. Naxos has a bus route from Agios Prokopios to Naxos Town which takes about 17 minutes and costs about 2 euros and comes every 15 minutes from 730 in the morning until 2 in the morning. Our driver told us however that the buses fill, so just because you are in line does not mean you are going to be able to get on the bus. We were also informed that a taxi to town was about 35 euros and that we were going to need two. Though we planned to visit the less connected areas on the days we had a car, it was pretty clear we were going to need a car the whole time we were there. Thank God, our driver got us connected lickety split with someone who had a vehicle that could fit us (small as it was) and in just an hour, we had our own set of wheels and we were ready to roll! Ok, so on Naxos, you really need a car.</p><p><b>Where to stay:</b> Well, we stayed in a place called the Naxos Colosseo Apartments which was a beachfront property in Agios Prokopios and the first property that pops up in Naxos on <a href="http://booking.com">booking.com</a>, the sight I used to book all our accommodations in Greece. Well, this is kind of a long story but I booked a one bedroom apartment for 5 with a hot tub (which I knew was in the room). Later I was offered a discount by a representative if a paid 30% up front, which I accepted. Anyway, this was all fine. The only problem is that it left me unable to write a review through booking.com. The property is badly misrepresented. Our room did not look anything like anything in the pictures. Our room was like a bunker with one window and all three kids sleeping in the living room. The beachfront picture is ridiculous. It doesn't look anything like this. I asked for another room, they didn't have one, so we made do. Now, knowing what to expect-I might even stay here again. There is a wonderful breakfast every day, it's rolling distance to the beach, it's right smack in the middle of Agios Prokopios, and the airport/port transfer was a lifesaver. Anyway, poke around, but I wouldn't rule it out. You can stay in Chora but some of those guest houses are hard to find and tough to manage with your luggage. Just a thought. I recommend a stay in the beach towns. </p><p><b>What's there to do?</b> Well, the beach is always a great option! Naxos is home to some of most beautiful beaches in Greece. We did not need to venture far from the gentle refreshing waters of Agios Prokopios, but also highly recommended are the beaches of Agia Anna, Plaka, Mikra Vigla, and Alyko (also referred to as Hawaii). There seems to be plenty of public parking wherever you go so a car is ideal, but many of these beaches are connected on the bus line. While many Greek beaches are pebbly, Naxos' beaches are sandy and at least Agios Prokopios have a sandy bottom. On a windy day you can get some crud akin to sea grass in the water, but we really only saw this one day. Remember from my last post that beaching is done a bit differently, be aware!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_ZZfBXWjEaUB3e8Ehxn-4d8U0AOAixa7laEiFstRe2i2ar5Ueetb1IfvwW3VYWr-i0ksUoe5fOkmixPACM3iuh3yY19FN9Gbf9_i5rqL7k7xGJSi1kM-jFzisAgpvRzZPzG5SFRj5C5AJRFTx1nmtK8S3ZxhQ8v2UdYIWO8xYskLKR2ACD3zLEYjs9Y/s2048/IMG_0633.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6_ZZfBXWjEaUB3e8Ehxn-4d8U0AOAixa7laEiFstRe2i2ar5Ueetb1IfvwW3VYWr-i0ksUoe5fOkmixPACM3iuh3yY19FN9Gbf9_i5rqL7k7xGJSi1kM-jFzisAgpvRzZPzG5SFRj5C5AJRFTx1nmtK8S3ZxhQ8v2UdYIWO8xYskLKR2ACD3zLEYjs9Y/w300-h400/IMG_0633.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A gorgeous sunset on Agios Prokopios Beach</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVbP86DodZAXqozxzRyfffER_06l2ASLND168e-8JbfUGwCDIY3MVAXz7nJxpZFXfXvH3-sEb__iiDSrLvf3DLqlo6bS53JKp-DBahseeSfAL1XQ0vzJksmj_YuT2HH5je5Kx_VpTqutiNRrGkC8E1D6dIpgVLrN1eMe2t1zFKjwlMj5zBE8fiWf-O-t4/s2048/IMG_0706.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVbP86DodZAXqozxzRyfffER_06l2ASLND168e-8JbfUGwCDIY3MVAXz7nJxpZFXfXvH3-sEb__iiDSrLvf3DLqlo6bS53JKp-DBahseeSfAL1XQ0vzJksmj_YuT2HH5je5Kx_VpTqutiNRrGkC8E1D6dIpgVLrN1eMe2t1zFKjwlMj5zBE8fiWf-O-t4/s320/IMG_0706.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But it's pretty fun during the day too!!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">If water is your thing, just about the best thing you can do is hop on a day long catamaran cruise and simply enjoy the opportunity to be on the sea and swim in the offshore crystal blue water. There are many outfits that run such voyages, but we chose, and I highly recommend, the all day tour by Actionseaze (which I actually booked through Get Your Guide through this </span><a href="https://www.getyourguide.com/naxos-l145614/naxos-rhina-cave-and-islands-catamaran-cruise-with-lunch-t349126/" style="text-align: left;">link</a><span style="text-align: left;">) Captain Nikolas and his first mate Bregil took us on a lovely journey north of Naxos Chora to three lovely swimming areas. Beer and wine flowed freely throughout the day and we met darling people in our company of about 20 plus crew. At lunch we all squished around the galley table and had the freshest moussaka and greek salad off real plates with real utensils, in a real family atmosphere. This really ranked as just about or best day on our entire vacation.</span></div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbeuPxugHUsLaSg_g2953vVnQ2Su2lGZVt-b9OAGUBlhFJdoRfL540FvIpxkWLrqm3l7tkjJlb3K875TUE8V57pB8tEMZx8wr9W2CeH4U1580voPpRbv0JaWghfi_UBgJbgJ2Ku6WXSd1SK5oxDSlkKn6uV1lWZoHtaJVGqtnr5OvFG4ZEpE6Swjtio78/s2048/IMG_0565.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbeuPxugHUsLaSg_g2953vVnQ2Su2lGZVt-b9OAGUBlhFJdoRfL540FvIpxkWLrqm3l7tkjJlb3K875TUE8V57pB8tEMZx8wr9W2CeH4U1580voPpRbv0JaWghfi_UBgJbgJ2Ku6WXSd1SK5oxDSlkKn6uV1lWZoHtaJVGqtnr5OvFG4ZEpE6Swjtio78/w300-h400/IMG_0565.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Time to set sail!!<br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxMMu28fKnOmhXuQLzUf9x5rPYSsXCzo2eFWr0uX2eSxyJRd7n9ENAvyqhzmewbrfSaAQ0GbCYjYO9QXj_Fh1G0LcWJVap5vosJCUUaiwVXKI48ynuKcHAa43LCtB8g2J8IsfMkB2j9lPrGhhg1ZpCMZ4r2hVMJMW0nSxCCGqUtwaqHQ9XIhtX3hVb9o/s2048/IMG_5449.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbxMMu28fKnOmhXuQLzUf9x5rPYSsXCzo2eFWr0uX2eSxyJRd7n9ENAvyqhzmewbrfSaAQ0GbCYjYO9QXj_Fh1G0LcWJVap5vosJCUUaiwVXKI48ynuKcHAa43LCtB8g2J8IsfMkB2j9lPrGhhg1ZpCMZ4r2hVMJMW0nSxCCGqUtwaqHQ9XIhtX3hVb9o/w300-h400/IMG_5449.JPEG" width="300" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">And there is no substitute for swimming <br />in that blue water!!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Naxos has great hiking as well, and many know the best hike on the island is to the peak of Mount Zas (or Mount Zeus), the highest point in the Cyclades at 3290 feet. There are at least two starting points, one of which will pass you by Zeus Cave, though this route, which starts in the village of Filoti, tacks on about 700 vertical feet and 1.2 miles. I say no thank you. Far easier (did I just say that??) to start considerably higher up at the Agia Marina Chapel, where parking is available. From this trailhead you will still climb 1300 feet over the 5km out and back. There is little shade, but its not that hot up here, so it is more tolerable. You will not have it to yourself. Start early. Bring hiking boots and water. The last part is the toughest, but when you reach the peak you can see forever.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMvyTQbn3uogKYK_OsNW2R36yzTbgDdNucrBrRkpgZ7WKSRem6impO01TdCfukQzuHCP_VcS2CB1FYKlEEmsXsgsPNpi-nnYbO6LPCDfmIGRbWrojwdLFSkYrL0WT3rEu9eEEPXt_xJkXeBZQW6XUHlUy8E6JIQu7L3Lqc1XNYkwE7myGwB1zXhNCk3lg/s2048/IMG_2949.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMvyTQbn3uogKYK_OsNW2R36yzTbgDdNucrBrRkpgZ7WKSRem6impO01TdCfukQzuHCP_VcS2CB1FYKlEEmsXsgsPNpi-nnYbO6LPCDfmIGRbWrojwdLFSkYrL0WT3rEu9eEEPXt_xJkXeBZQW6XUHlUy8E6JIQu7L3Lqc1XNYkwE7myGwB1zXhNCk3lg/s320/IMG_2949.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It's not easy!!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNgAMGV27T_QB9cPsJJ3IQn1v6pSkgAEUgvy0idHJivIfKqR4SNHK6_SICeHAI18acYZrFcc-RMSLj-x1zPgMaTGicD6WFWlRhRC74WpYk4sGiVN_uI7UOqhFcPUxQdWGFJrt0BSFJrQ51Vinqfxg-OCJVIlC1_uiniHD5K3piNc9utwNUlp8BBStQMWg/s2048/IMG_0622.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNgAMGV27T_QB9cPsJJ3IQn1v6pSkgAEUgvy0idHJivIfKqR4SNHK6_SICeHAI18acYZrFcc-RMSLj-x1zPgMaTGicD6WFWlRhRC74WpYk4sGiVN_uI7UOqhFcPUxQdWGFJrt0BSFJrQ51Vinqfxg-OCJVIlC1_uiniHD5K3piNc9utwNUlp8BBStQMWg/w300-h400/IMG_0622.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">But reaching the top is quite satisfying!</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><p></p><p>Naxos has a Kitron Distillery in the city of Chalki, Vallindras Distillery, which is open from 10am to 10 pm. This place was a big let down and certainly not worth making a trip for (we did not, we were coming down from Mt Zas when we visited). The 5 minute tour and tasting are free. There are three liquers to taste and an ouzo. Anyway, despite the fact there were five of us, the girl poured me one half shot of each and then suggested we share the tasting! The fifth person was literally licking the inside. Thank you, we will take our business elsewhere....LIKE...</p><p>The <a href="https://www.olivemuseum.com/">Eggares Olive Press</a>! Located in where else but the small northern village of Eggares, the Eggares Olive Press dates back to the 1800's and is one of the country's oldest olive presses. The delightful Spiros (who was literally like 21) took us on a very short tour. His English was impeccable and we enjoyed the way he made jokes and poked fun at Americans. After the short and informative tour-samples! Lovely olives, olive oil, olive oil infused with lemon, basil, orange, chili, chocolate, olive pastes, and jams, all served over hunks of soft homemade bread. Don't forget the honey and the cake made from the chocolate infused olive oil. Anyway, we left here with several bags full of merchandise and left Spiros with a nice tip. Vallindras Distillery really needs to learn from Eggares Olive Press!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivBkqW1ve1dVwZnweMkV4_sn9XoCa5-d4Sqmb5unjj7-E3VuKjcpB5_KAz-T6JaAQsDJByJpm5vz24cv_-NGydwxdDNx-0gzEnh-xopvOo7E4Z1gYzK0eVMB3y0Mq6AeYRgvt33y4iacUtTbOWMGd6c-9x4r1YN4vC1fKwoM0aXz9_61aZAOQm75AjS3Y/s2048/IMG_0648.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivBkqW1ve1dVwZnweMkV4_sn9XoCa5-d4Sqmb5unjj7-E3VuKjcpB5_KAz-T6JaAQsDJByJpm5vz24cv_-NGydwxdDNx-0gzEnh-xopvOo7E4Z1gYzK0eVMB3y0Mq6AeYRgvt33y4iacUtTbOWMGd6c-9x4r1YN4vC1fKwoM0aXz9_61aZAOQm75AjS3Y/w300-h400/IMG_0648.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Lots of happy samplers!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b>Where do we eat??</b> You have to eat on Naxos and we ate at some great tavernas!! <a href="https://axiotissa.com/">Axiostissa</a> is about a 20 minute drive along winding roads south to the town of Kastraki. There is no bus service at night to or from the restaurant. I read in one guide book that when on Naxos, the writer made sure she made a reservation at Axiotissa every night! Every night! Another writer said that Axiotissa had the best food on the island. Well, I had to see what all the hype was about. Reservations are a must on every night of the week (we went on a Monday). I made mine via Facebook messenger. This was the kind of place where you wish that you wrote down everything you ate. The food was unique for a taverna and there was plenty of choice. The service was great and the atmosphere relaxing, almost like eating at someone's farm house. Dinner was capped off by complimentary Rakomelo and fruit. The cost was about 90$. We ate in nearly 30 establishments, and Axiotissa was in our top 3 or 4 for sure. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWkCPxcNqT0rn8bJdH6Qc4a907dz3iUH4Kk0DumWW697HU7uPkhToteQeCYufibe6JolEuBD8ygqnDiz_v6eKDjcFXIGYDVEBa7DQA-bZ0ZW8T6DTniK7WIuRMvaf7GoqB9gRIPQi9OyBrREWyujXEv55gFAhJOpOEjMaGgE4-k51hXmGezaJ04xPFAgc/s2048/IMG_0614.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWkCPxcNqT0rn8bJdH6Qc4a907dz3iUH4Kk0DumWW697HU7uPkhToteQeCYufibe6JolEuBD8ygqnDiz_v6eKDjcFXIGYDVEBa7DQA-bZ0ZW8T6DTniK7WIuRMvaf7GoqB9gRIPQi9OyBrREWyujXEv55gFAhJOpOEjMaGgE4-k51hXmGezaJ04xPFAgc/w300-h400/IMG_0614.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Yiamas!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSVNG5thirLE0ICYYRJdzlpETA_75ZSe4bDOIwRs6Dd-PatH930-Up_aJjNhiDrMZaA-xhwfLbA-4H9VrVaxLgvzv8rYwzoEoutC8hiEeQxt_K5ZueQXPoflBagKx88Uhctu4D0SZ0hj0tXXoiFVKxUEm07Vys2bhxCYyfsGZ536bt3ICezoD-F9EnNcw/s2048/IMG_0619.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSVNG5thirLE0ICYYRJdzlpETA_75ZSe4bDOIwRs6Dd-PatH930-Up_aJjNhiDrMZaA-xhwfLbA-4H9VrVaxLgvzv8rYwzoEoutC8hiEeQxt_K5ZueQXPoflBagKx88Uhctu4D0SZ0hj0tXXoiFVKxUEm07Vys2bhxCYyfsGZ536bt3ICezoD-F9EnNcw/w300-h400/IMG_0619.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Incredible food!!</span></div><span style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>Running in stiff competition, however, and also on the island of Naxos is the charming </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/taverna.o.apostolis/" style="text-align: left;">Apostolis</a><span style="text-align: left;">. (Somehow this seems to be the name of a great many things on the Greek islands) Apostolis is completely different from Axiotissa. Apostolis is right in the middle of Naxos Chora. You cannot take a car to the front of the restaurant, so once you have parked, you just need to be lucky enough to find it. Apostolis has great atmosphere, with whitewashed walls and colorful lanterns under the night sky. The area is busy! It almost seems that there is a constant parade of people by and even through the restaurant. Hey, this is one place that if you don't have a reservation, (mine again was made via FB Messenger) you can forget it. The hostess told me that they were full that night and the next and half full the day after! Anyway, at Apostolis we were first served a complimentary split pea soup. Food here was also delicious, including a Naxian salad served in a bread bowl. The service was friendly. Curiously, one of the waiters here turned up serving in another restaurant on the day shift. These kids work their tails off and they are great at what they do. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4P_VmGgvtDixJWKPWzKQUoFTiuKbUr5dwYRigdmAvwZs0oKoWfLfuuWxawZSXgOZqfkEdn3bBPzhXNwFmfN8AyVP23nfCZ31SDpFUbqDICE5FF9zYiFHWOnU1G5uz-O9UJre509j8ArRlhwvp9LnxeCTLpEt5oZzjPHL2PdqcCI2ci5yZxZarsUowqTc/s2048/IMG_0521.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4P_VmGgvtDixJWKPWzKQUoFTiuKbUr5dwYRigdmAvwZs0oKoWfLfuuWxawZSXgOZqfkEdn3bBPzhXNwFmfN8AyVP23nfCZ31SDpFUbqDICE5FF9zYiFHWOnU1G5uz-O9UJre509j8ArRlhwvp9LnxeCTLpEt5oZzjPHL2PdqcCI2ci5yZxZarsUowqTc/w300-h400/IMG_0521.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">What a cute place!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6wbU3Kkzw-zDWwsV-ZQ55Rvy9cpOpNDTiieybmpyMwKYaeGPua7MNGy57tx0YNNg26PgWSOFoa3NyjDm1cZcd-4eeHhkXNIC6DGDqxaejeGxTlRo1XSDARgjzUGyiosTk8sC72DCaerjhhzxUi85sa__93tlEr8Dt3r27i9pR2MbIAx1AI5j4EItjnQ/s2048/IMG_0530.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis6wbU3Kkzw-zDWwsV-ZQ55Rvy9cpOpNDTiieybmpyMwKYaeGPua7MNGy57tx0YNNg26PgWSOFoa3NyjDm1cZcd-4eeHhkXNIC6DGDqxaejeGxTlRo1XSDARgjzUGyiosTk8sC72DCaerjhhzxUi85sa__93tlEr8Dt3r27i9pR2MbIAx1AI5j4EItjnQ/w300-h400/IMG_0530.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And did we mention the food is amazing??!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Anyway, I highly recommend these two restaurants. We also enjoyed very much <a href="https://nikosnaxos.com/category/restaurant-beach/">Nikos Restaurant</a> in Agios Prokopios, about 5 min walk from our hotel, where we ate twice. The restaurant is literally on the beach. We did not have a reservation the first night but they squeezed us in. We enjoyed it so much I walked over and made a reservation for the next night. Our table the second night was front row to the beach. The staff was so tickled by our return that they brought us extra free desserts and a free extra half liter of wine. Good luck resisting the adorable cats here, some of which are bold enough to jump right onto the empty table and gobble the shrimps left behind by the last diners!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJgGz5tkJy0UcfEPQQStsmIikiEzSKn4KNoqUA9M4qn4BQzkRiGl0b1mZFqUxPzo2ndz9mfDxjhPHC2wFUpsvk-h2z6HCzllnDpQJwmR5KK8LR4xegoxQF-IETIV5TbdXWia3F6H5RTeQoIxDF9rcM6P2-KOlNjnSX1SwJazElhE13kSzZRWXA8Tsjpcc/s2048/IMG_0731.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJgGz5tkJy0UcfEPQQStsmIikiEzSKn4KNoqUA9M4qn4BQzkRiGl0b1mZFqUxPzo2ndz9mfDxjhPHC2wFUpsvk-h2z6HCzllnDpQJwmR5KK8LR4xegoxQF-IETIV5TbdXWia3F6H5RTeQoIxDF9rcM6P2-KOlNjnSX1SwJazElhE13kSzZRWXA8Tsjpcc/s320/IMG_0731.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A nice table at Nikos Restaurant</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifBirj9fILjGYXCLfwr7nyc8Fp_-QGdQp-iDnODKByo2MTtS1NCgwIcF7CXmumlGg4_-MoGFLRTeenPJBh9xO14eipRQcYLPYR5iWoeSw0AeblOZ4Xj8ukBS235PLc84tTth2lW1JEviY-9iNMZHAc3bXLMBzD8SklyBmiFXfS8RKExhX7hNccloz3p5g/s2048/IMG_0894.JPG" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifBirj9fILjGYXCLfwr7nyc8Fp_-QGdQp-iDnODKByo2MTtS1NCgwIcF7CXmumlGg4_-MoGFLRTeenPJBh9xO14eipRQcYLPYR5iWoeSw0AeblOZ4Xj8ukBS235PLc84tTth2lW1JEviY-9iNMZHAc3bXLMBzD8SklyBmiFXfS8RKExhX7hNccloz3p5g/s320/IMG_0894.JPG" width="226" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Domus Festival <br />Schedule</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div style="text-align: center;">There are many festivals on Naxos such as the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100066336529833">Domus Festival</a> which takes place at the Kastro in Naxos Chora during the months of July and August. There are also a lot of ancient sites on Naxos such as the Temple of Apollo in Naxos Chora, the Temple of Demeter, the Kouroi of Flerio, and the Ancient Naxos Aqueduct. Hey, we had been to Athens already. If this is your thing, go ahead. At this point, we were saying "Greece rocks," when it came to more hot dry archeological ruins. We hit the beach. Windsurfing is huge on windy Naxos. A bay full of surfers is the first thing you'll see as your plane is about to touch down.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Naxos is known for honey and cheese. Mmmmmm.</p><p style="text-align: center;">You should go. Please, skip Santorini and go to Naxos. You will not regret it.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I hope you enjoyed this post! I hope I have time for another chapter before taking off for my next vacation in a little less than a week.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxewzFOZxyDrSpYsTkwSlV_gJx2meRuQcP3n0d6m58eTL84tJMtGCCKE7zIFNSXdveGZNBT4_psMTNSqQCXQL9xJXrn4lZ-zX-P-LeR44B8BY4RBbVT56vveQi6zz2ZklycUJQuBatWvI0PHL5hxermJroZV7jcyBWdCd-JiAnxbzdi1KnBD3y-6whOAQ/s2048/IMG_0683.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxewzFOZxyDrSpYsTkwSlV_gJx2meRuQcP3n0d6m58eTL84tJMtGCCKE7zIFNSXdveGZNBT4_psMTNSqQCXQL9xJXrn4lZ-zX-P-LeR44B8BY4RBbVT56vveQi6zz2ZklycUJQuBatWvI0PHL5hxermJroZV7jcyBWdCd-JiAnxbzdi1KnBD3y-6whOAQ/w300-h400/IMG_0683.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Okay so we did go to the Temple of Apollo..</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisbkxgV9k-uJMd_5RrJChFCNb9Wmm6XWc8vFmuJ9Nf609548yqia58BxU-X063c_dtmf7g-TDHVXDA5amZ9FI1SYCKK1vJb9kXwkuLi1B8XJbrl59rt1WMuzL_B2yVESOYO0JfNo8uuCmc4zA0HqjegLopjb4OQcJ7t-Yg-JmZu5hHvlN1wuAo4w-9u2E/s2048/IMG_0684.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisbkxgV9k-uJMd_5RrJChFCNb9Wmm6XWc8vFmuJ9Nf609548yqia58BxU-X063c_dtmf7g-TDHVXDA5amZ9FI1SYCKK1vJb9kXwkuLi1B8XJbrl59rt1WMuzL_B2yVESOYO0JfNo8uuCmc4zA0HqjegLopjb4OQcJ7t-Yg-JmZu5hHvlN1wuAo4w-9u2E/w300-h400/IMG_0684.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">from which the views of Naxos Town are stunning.</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219332537908449042.post-37035150917265731912023-08-22T20:40:00.005-07:002023-08-23T17:10:56.509-07:00Some Hard and Fast Truths about Greece July/Aug 2023<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2EDZyOxQCLqQRR_VK2D59UBijp9f7yXnGKqU9IF1iJSejEDhmzbySsiholcYZluFJI2MTvdXKN3cs45pXYu0wApIDygs78UXHqgSEdoApUrMWDLVBcgSs1VHuVTKPgo4Pxzn2GXofvjI8QBGrqyO921b1ljBRYgyQzTEUf7gpb1dGlVgT9a-vFw8FZzA/s234/download.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="215" data-original-width="234" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2EDZyOxQCLqQRR_VK2D59UBijp9f7yXnGKqU9IF1iJSejEDhmzbySsiholcYZluFJI2MTvdXKN3cs45pXYu0wApIDygs78UXHqgSEdoApUrMWDLVBcgSs1VHuVTKPgo4Pxzn2GXofvjI8QBGrqyO921b1ljBRYgyQzTEUf7gpb1dGlVgT9a-vFw8FZzA/s1600/download.png" width="234" /></a></div>My family is returning from a three week vacation in Greece. I spent nearly a year and countless hours preparing for this trip during which we traveled from the ancient ruins of the mainland to the beauty of the islands. I was terrified to finally embark on our journey. I had traveled to Greece only once before. I was 16 and remember very little. I had concerns and preconceived notions about travelling to a country where we did not speak the language. Well, when you spend three weeks in a foreign country, you really start to learn some things about how life is lived. These are my "facts about Greece" I learned over the last 21 days. I hope that they will be helpful for anyone planning their own Greek vacation.<p></p><p>1. ENGLISH IS THE DEFAULT LANGUAGE. Everyone speaks English and MOST, especially the 35 and under crowd, speak it really well. No matter what your country of origin, you will likely be addressed in English first. At no time did we have any trouble communicating, not at restaurants, not with our lodging hosts, not with anyone, seriously. Signage is in English is everywhere, often ONLY English signage. Though I tried to order in Greek and use it when I could, it was really unnecessary. When we were on a Catamaran cruise on Naxos, I asked a family from Amsterdam how in the world does everyone speak English so well (her kids were 19 and 15). She said that all the television is in English and that is how they learn. SOOOO you really don't need to worry about speaking Greek. That being said, however, brings me to #2.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg503KUR6jhmELkcucsc9ByE7Ndo-U4_GN5ym9EtnuzOPnJDUc_HKLwnJvruO5Jzd81ev4yufRkUu3ur8ic6H1nk4ybOr2WhPeOwHcT6HBssNFopkyINN3CMv2Oo5lg4G54TOipRK42HpAyfiS80RHtDIq968X_DtbYo-erEu6Mejq31zNqHnck9sJW1CY/s2048/IMG_0247.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg503KUR6jhmELkcucsc9ByE7Ndo-U4_GN5ym9EtnuzOPnJDUc_HKLwnJvruO5Jzd81ev4yufRkUu3ur8ic6H1nk4ybOr2WhPeOwHcT6HBssNFopkyINN3CMv2Oo5lg4G54TOipRK42HpAyfiS80RHtDIq968X_DtbYo-erEu6Mejq31zNqHnck9sJW1CY/w300-h400/IMG_0247.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">It's all English here!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCFXGjAhRm-a1IP9gXpBLcQ2BgFXnvIRL7MsQfGHuZSQgx0QmLo5pj-SjKWHWOrNV_-1AaZ-6byb_8ll_aeRnZMNrXAhh4UWB9mRh95Xg5YAu72XAv_i5BKi1sfjKGY7qpPPhM-AXIoV3RqUI502aBRvVgujlHnVwipdXKCZh40uN_DCG-4hquuMV7puU/s2048/IMG_0210.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCFXGjAhRm-a1IP9gXpBLcQ2BgFXnvIRL7MsQfGHuZSQgx0QmLo5pj-SjKWHWOrNV_-1AaZ-6byb_8ll_aeRnZMNrXAhh4UWB9mRh95Xg5YAu72XAv_i5BKi1sfjKGY7qpPPhM-AXIoV3RqUI502aBRvVgujlHnVwipdXKCZh40uN_DCG-4hquuMV7puU/w300-h400/IMG_0210.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Movie in English, subtitles in Greek!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>2. IT IS VERY HELPFUL TO HAVE SOME ELEMENTARY KNOWLEDGE OF THE LANGUAGE: Before I left I had been doing daily Greek Duolingo for 6 month. This gave me a rudimentary knowledge of easy words---foods, please, thank you very much, excuse me, good morning, numbers, where is the toilet--but almost more importantly, the alphabet. This came in handy in the local grocery stores, when reading street signs in more remote areas, when reviewing our restaurant receipt and when deciphering script in churches. The locals do appreciate efforts to use whatever words you can.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOMsUirV7v38HL4go_PH5st3Jt9FREGjGkxJwiCmm3x-kX-z3RomCiTh11WjqEz5W3AyynQgh0P5nKF5vVI7aJtDOhxdijs0Q-C63LR3ZUOT9HYUDPE_WAMWZlwxcGDTZPMeiKDJBMGGYO8YK3qXpn-wtksDCeSgaVXdtoL2867Ec7MNpZmUIq1inOE4/s2048/IMG_0629.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXOMsUirV7v38HL4go_PH5st3Jt9FREGjGkxJwiCmm3x-kX-z3RomCiTh11WjqEz5W3AyynQgh0P5nKF5vVI7aJtDOhxdijs0Q-C63LR3ZUOT9HYUDPE_WAMWZlwxcGDTZPMeiKDJBMGGYO8YK3qXpn-wtksDCeSgaVXdtoL2867Ec7MNpZmUIq1inOE4/w300-h400/IMG_0629.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This very rare Greek sign says "Zeus' Peak"</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8XuB8BsLArGTTl0SBtIs7AyJhE-6vIpXZMegG969_FASS06mRA38zghXfXIWTCJTUAMJxx0NeoBmZ2QFWHrPZxK6dYVsc0pqcNU0trxdODVPZ05S1k5GyysQl2hvEg4FAaOMD3Y4RoJqEj4RIRNskpnyjE48O8cCkcIsK18775d9C50KS6xm2nrI2DE/s2048/IMG_0663.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih8XuB8BsLArGTTl0SBtIs7AyJhE-6vIpXZMegG969_FASS06mRA38zghXfXIWTCJTUAMJxx0NeoBmZ2QFWHrPZxK6dYVsc0pqcNU0trxdODVPZ05S1k5GyysQl2hvEg4FAaOMD3Y4RoJqEj4RIRNskpnyjE48O8cCkcIsK18775d9C50KS6xm2nrI2DE/w300-h400/IMG_0663.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The writing tells you this is St Nicholas Planas,<br /><b>not</b> the St Nick known as Santa Claus</td></tr></tbody></table><p>3. THE GREEKS EAT DINNER LATE AND PARTY EVEN LATER. This is no joke. I was aware of this and made all of our dinner reservations at 8 pm or later. We found that if you go earlier than that, you just wind up looking dumb-or old-or American. On at least three occasions, we went to dinner after 10pm and there was no trouble getting good food at that hour. Just a word on reservations...I made them for about half of the dinners we had, especially at the more highly recommended restaurants, but I would say they were not always necessary. Most hosts will do whatever they can to get you in, frequently moving and setting new tables to accomodate unexpected guests. We were never turned away, even at highly recommended Tamam in Chania, Crete, and Skolarchio in Athens. The restaurant experience is a bit different in Greece. Usually, you will be brought bread and cold bottled water without having asked for it and this will appear as a charge on your bill. On the flip side, freebies, such as dessert and after dinner drinks are common. We returned to one restaurant a second night in a row on Naxos and they brought us an extra liter of house wine and several extra desserts. We never ordered dessert because it was so often provided. Many dishes are served in a way that it is easy to divide them and share. Nightly we ordered an appetizer, frequently a delicious fried cheese known as 'Saganaki', a Greek salad (Horiatiki), and three entrees, all of which we shared. More would have been too much. Another bonus--tipping is not expected anywhere and is only an expression of really appreciating your service. It is not even an option most of the time you charge a meal to your card. We tipped about 8-10% usually and sometimes a bit more. It was a joy to give even a few euros to our wine hostesses or tour guides as they were so gracious in the receiving, not like in the US where now kids want 22% after serving you a cup of coffee! But I digress. One more thing about eating in Greece. When you are ready to leave, you need to ask for your bill. They will not bring it until you ask for it.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlBYlA7oBCFainyzjuqgFZf44DgL9tzEf3KcFZh4UP0jUcgW3buMxnk2iyIQby1xl7RYYfY_xb6GSWWPXkb6KS5oZptoyKhOROq2KP1lK5rGAmMpXznwUNgvZHKdCIMDcK6cS_3lawzz4aYDIX_KaZE6DOsbTRJ9A878IdqOFhBkuapvpGD2-EBOVLks/s2048/IMG_0317.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlBYlA7oBCFainyzjuqgFZf44DgL9tzEf3KcFZh4UP0jUcgW3buMxnk2iyIQby1xl7RYYfY_xb6GSWWPXkb6KS5oZptoyKhOROq2KP1lK5rGAmMpXznwUNgvZHKdCIMDcK6cS_3lawzz4aYDIX_KaZE6DOsbTRJ9A878IdqOFhBkuapvpGD2-EBOVLks/w300-h400/IMG_0317.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Seated at Scholarchio without a reservation</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEbuEfAOY5Zwph8ZtBMeCbCMYQQgrDJ0M3j9fWL2Kbck-KDFxvaJf-pMYHKDjvVLRGfiSvaaCnIy7GVh2GwkiuHAFB4_mkkNeBQ04_013EuSYFas6RX4cUadA6p0B19yFKWBcWsb-Vp03FlkziIMvNqQHLyO-j8JsYE2b_PT_RZ03i9V8AsMudPlueB48/s2048/IMG_0763.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEbuEfAOY5Zwph8ZtBMeCbCMYQQgrDJ0M3j9fWL2Kbck-KDFxvaJf-pMYHKDjvVLRGfiSvaaCnIy7GVh2GwkiuHAFB4_mkkNeBQ04_013EuSYFas6RX4cUadA6p0B19yFKWBcWsb-Vp03FlkziIMvNqQHLyO-j8JsYE2b_PT_RZ03i9V8AsMudPlueB48/w300-h400/IMG_0763.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Also seated at Tamam without a reservation<br />Free baklava and raki!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>Did I mention the partying?? Omigoodness! We had a bar under our apartment in Chania that carried on until 5am. When we went to hike Samaria Gorge our meeting time was 6am. We stumbled sleepily through the streets that we shared with the kids that were returning home from the bars...</p><p>4. NO MATTER HOW NERVOUS IT MAKES YOU, AND HOW MUCH OF A HASSLE IT IS, OUTSIDE OF ATHENS, YOU NEED A CAR. Driving in Greece is no picnic. The roads can be narrow, and everyone seems to want to to push the limits of how many "objects" (cars, parked cars, mopeds, motorcycles, pedestrians, etc.) will fit across any given street. The fact of the matter is, if you do not have a car, you are dependent on public transportation. This works fine in Athens, but it took exactly one hour on the island of Naxos before we decided we needed a car for the entirety of our stay, once our airport transfer driver reported to us the price of taxis and the overcrowding of buses that come around only twice an hour. Our car afforded us the luxury of driving to wineries out of town, to out of town beaches and to out of town ancient sites such as Mycenae and Epidavros. The only other time we did not have a car was in Kastraki in the Meteora, and we were literally stuck within walking distance of the hotel. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsw4upQ3g214FuE9pufyZwIas_PYbdau4prL3OWXw32s-ZTojPDNlQnKzQQDtXOVcuEfGjHV181tLeAjiVWPYsVn_W2q7aUe7nJ9ocvuI6nTfnbnGFX4nZCQYRkV_zTFJ8DBxPG5IxhIgSV5wgscfuK1QG0gkFN7BWKcCWh7jPeV3B3InyiQodT-6Mj0M/s2048/IMG_2961.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsw4upQ3g214FuE9pufyZwIas_PYbdau4prL3OWXw32s-ZTojPDNlQnKzQQDtXOVcuEfGjHV181tLeAjiVWPYsVn_W2q7aUe7nJ9ocvuI6nTfnbnGFX4nZCQYRkV_zTFJ8DBxPG5IxhIgSV5wgscfuK1QG0gkFN7BWKcCWh7jPeV3B3InyiQodT-6Mj0M/w400-h300/IMG_2961.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">How is this going to end?</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>Anyway, the driving is not THAT bad. The roads are well signed and are in pretty good shape. Free parking is readily available. We made sure that our accommodations came with a parking space. One note...finding a large car that fits five adults and five people's luggage is expensive and cars few and far between. Our last car was so tight we had to strap one suitcase to the roof. Book early.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_ZhBwbg8IREPZNpgV4C5JE3zHGlIhG7zFUnahu0dPwB9TnUZWGYQwui9CG9xnefIrfHH5pJ5t_8sNqi7vA8WVN16LmDmVgH1LfS4NiZ1K22YNbSdL0j9n0Md1wZZVdFPEzv7pGz0X2LJUioGwAUCBMhmYaS565AFJ10hCGbUMjq6y2bG0qUx0cy9YmA/s2048/IMG_0176.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_ZhBwbg8IREPZNpgV4C5JE3zHGlIhG7zFUnahu0dPwB9TnUZWGYQwui9CG9xnefIrfHH5pJ5t_8sNqi7vA8WVN16LmDmVgH1LfS4NiZ1K22YNbSdL0j9n0Md1wZZVdFPEzv7pGz0X2LJUioGwAUCBMhmYaS565AFJ10hCGbUMjq6y2bG0qUx0cy9YmA/w400-h300/IMG_0176.jpeg" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">We were thrilled with this ginormous car!!<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU1GK2xgjYFBiLLZ5tNpmsVpcBEFXWIjRTY2ULkCxH2qMLhPhjEMwPhxMhu7iUKQEyeOaeAxl5ys21L67827Z4ms-lS8XfbDritksqTVjRc-k4nUwsoceYt3htG6FgKJYn2vQKcKlZ7YIOXFjRD1a5dS9Pb1jPaWGwAIt-ufx2fjT4S_UhVQ8nyXjKhlQ/s2048/IMG_0874.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU1GK2xgjYFBiLLZ5tNpmsVpcBEFXWIjRTY2ULkCxH2qMLhPhjEMwPhxMhu7iUKQEyeOaeAxl5ys21L67827Z4ms-lS8XfbDritksqTVjRc-k4nUwsoceYt3htG6FgKJYn2vQKcKlZ7YIOXFjRD1a5dS9Pb1jPaWGwAIt-ufx2fjT4S_UhVQ8nyXjKhlQ/s320/IMG_0874.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">But not quite as happy with this one!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />5. THE GREEKS DON'T SMOKE AS MUCH AS THEY USED TO, BUT SMOKING IS STILL ALIVE AND WELL The last time I came to Greece in 1984, the country literally stewed under a constant veil of cigarette smoke--airports, hotel lobbies, restaurants, taxis--everywhere. Good gracious it was bad. Now you can really only smoke outdoors, and many take advantage of this opportunity. Cigarette smoking has largely been replaced by vaping, especially among the young crowd. I was shocked by how many interrupted their meals to suck on those vape pens! One of the worst instances of smoke is at the beach clubs, where if you are unlucky enough to park yourself next to a pair of smokers, you are inhaling their second hand pollution all day long.<p>6. GREEK PLUMBING Well , this could almost be its own blogpost. Yep this a real thing and a tough one for Americans to get used to. Pretty much across the board, no matter if you are in the airport, on the ferry, in a restaurant, or in your own rented AirBnB, it is forbidden, and I mean forbidden, to put any paper of any kind (yes, this does include TP) into the toilet. Every bathroom is equipped with a pedal operated trash can for the deposit of your potty paper after cleaning up your business. While I mentioned that not only do old habits die hard, the bigger reality is that if you are in a rental without maid service for days on end, that can is gonna stink, and fast! We did our best, but generally if we were staying in our own place, we tossed the paper into the toilet. In public, we used the can-but NEVER EVER did #2 paper go anywhere but down the pipes. Anyway, public restrooms in Greece are better than they used to be. They were generally free, clean enough, and readily available. A few of the previously ubiquitous "squatters" still remain, but most public restrooms have been updated with more civilized facilities.</p><p>7. GREECE IS SAFE It really is. This was really where my preconceived notions got the best of me. I really had visions of pickpockets everywhere and little gypsy children distracting you with bracelets while their cousin sliced open your back pack and made off with the spilled contents. Yeh, well, it really wasn't like that at all. On the metro and the bus and in crowded places in Athens, such as the Monastiraki Market, it is advisable to watch your personal belongings by keeping a hand on your purse or your backpack. I also would not advise a late night visit to the area north of Omonoia Square or near the Central Athens Rail station. Otherwise, there's just no problem. In Athens, we felt perfectly safe walking at night to our lodgings. On the islands we were advised not to leave belongings on the beach and all go for a swim, so we did not. There are a few homeless (though far more in California). Men in general are also far less aggressive than I remember them being. Shop and taverna owners are also far less aggressive-they don't follow you or resort to tricks to get you into their store. Quite refreshing actually.</p><p>One thing that <i>is</i> unsafe in Greece is the uneven slick surfaces!!! These stones have been worn down by years and years of wear and are slippery as can be! This is pretty universal. I saw people totally bite it in broad daylight. Mars Hill was like climbing a glacier. Bring sturdy shoes! NO JOKE! Many staircases in the ancient sites do not have safety railings. If you misstep on the side of a staircase, you might be taking a nice 10-12 foot tumble. This added to the fact that you really can walk wherever you want, can be potentially the most unsafe aspect of Greece.</p><p>Actually another potential hazard is that they'll pretty much let you do whatever you want. If your car fits, park it. You want to dangle your legs over the fortress wall? Go ahead. Want to ride a motorcycle in your bikini, walk on the highway with a flashlight, run in front of a bus? Have at it. They really don't care. It's your life. In Greece they are definitely not focused on being sued by tourists.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyeiQjhXIh5czHrXOWAoGOEni5iOrJ3FXVB4GfcIn5qLIW3Iy_PEYq1QSpd9GgJakFD5NkX2bvaj09AanFG1Pw97B_JJWTctBPRaWSxX5i8eQhJuNXU2_pZIqPz5j_SQKPa6JWwR4XjQHMcQRpEDkbXC9KkZBAcmesgWGFXCSduuBQGrK12W3RUdQlu68/s2048/IMG_0294.JPEG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyeiQjhXIh5czHrXOWAoGOEni5iOrJ3FXVB4GfcIn5qLIW3Iy_PEYq1QSpd9GgJakFD5NkX2bvaj09AanFG1Pw97B_JJWTctBPRaWSxX5i8eQhJuNXU2_pZIqPz5j_SQKPa6JWwR4XjQHMcQRpEDkbXC9KkZBAcmesgWGFXCSduuBQGrK12W3RUdQlu68/w400-h300/IMG_0294.JPEG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">If your car fits, park it!!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>8. GREEKS BEACH DIFFERENTLY: You know how in Hawaii you have to get down to your pool chair at like five in the morning to lay your towel down to reserve the chair for the day? Well, while you can bring your own umbrellas to the beach and spread out wherever you like, it is far more common to spend your day in a lounge chair under a fixed thatched umbrella. The sunchairs and umbrellas are owned by the local businesses usually behind the beaches, usually delivering food and drinks to hungry and thirsty sun worshippers. They are first come first served and they do fill, but more likely by 11am, AND they come with a price. A pair of sunbeds in the first row may run you about 50 euros, but they are generally fluffier and with better sun coverage. We wound up buying four sun chairs about 5 times and we usually paid about 20 E for two chairs further back. Once we paid like 12 and it came with 2 beers! Nice! The choice is pretty obvious, the sun is extremely intense and you need some shade, otherwise, it can be quite miserable. It is nice to have a seat with a back and have ice cold beers delivered without having to leave your seat. The vibe in the beach clubs is fun. There's usually music playing and generally people are just having a good time.</p><p>More about the beach. We brought our own sunscreen because we heard 50 SPF was not available-not true. Another biggee is that nudity/toplessness is just not a thing anymore. We saw hundreds and hundreds of beach goers on 6 different beaches and saw about three pair of naked boobs. I was relieved that this was the case. When we went to Mykonos in 1984, there were more bare breasts than covered ones. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiexLAXsGd-CzErYG4jZBi47G7oO9HN8OWpiuCDpHPWqK1IeCb34nMPwu46KiSChkOcuenhdyxwSiO4gUxyYybGpHgRv2wRNDoUmB2-esVAD-trPiNriXSrM5POLlIUcrBc21oJ6-WVJplttIYKoAlant6WD9IGXAbLhRIC43RkZtjqDWy0zOIUMSUB-hU/s2048/IMG_0745.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiexLAXsGd-CzErYG4jZBi47G7oO9HN8OWpiuCDpHPWqK1IeCb34nMPwu46KiSChkOcuenhdyxwSiO4gUxyYybGpHgRv2wRNDoUmB2-esVAD-trPiNriXSrM5POLlIUcrBc21oJ6-WVJplttIYKoAlant6WD9IGXAbLhRIC43RkZtjqDWy0zOIUMSUB-hU/w300-h400/IMG_0745.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The beach club at Falasarna Beach, Crete<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddzX2fjGjisL0oi6mX9uhl3W05gsuq8l7YGMKRVtWg5BxC4NeyFajOYpibM9vEM50z796-HHP0QcSsUnmYjQSvSCmKU6tWtRwCBMKmjD9y66WSI3pEADRxvz3GL2OF7WPKlc7sSkPRiwwyP6Xb_iHya7uUab6vrU3TGASorQjf3aESNeTETN_S1vTWsI/s2048/IMG_0706.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiddzX2fjGjisL0oi6mX9uhl3W05gsuq8l7YGMKRVtWg5BxC4NeyFajOYpibM9vEM50z796-HHP0QcSsUnmYjQSvSCmKU6tWtRwCBMKmjD9y66WSI3pEADRxvz3GL2OF7WPKlc7sSkPRiwwyP6Xb_iHya7uUab6vrU3TGASorQjf3aESNeTETN_S1vTWsI/w400-h300/IMG_0706.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And joining the party at Agios Prokopios</span></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsFlEgmfKZnbXWS4_pnbS89frbdkXhQZLDH2VuVRA_NwBEo9H24D5F7azsxXnDxVFRYXWsMAZ1HchlKQX_zm_SQoVm9kMQ4QrdelNNWbjYlhPaJEckUk1an9Kum7LXYI8yk2BJU6NfwkMyhPbw5MlIm-oT-ZAvq0Ca3fb0tllc4jN7L550YcKRSxHXsq4/s2048/IMG_0705.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsFlEgmfKZnbXWS4_pnbS89frbdkXhQZLDH2VuVRA_NwBEo9H24D5F7azsxXnDxVFRYXWsMAZ1HchlKQX_zm_SQoVm9kMQ4QrdelNNWbjYlhPaJEckUk1an9Kum7LXYI8yk2BJU6NfwkMyhPbw5MlIm-oT-ZAvq0Ca3fb0tllc4jN7L550YcKRSxHXsq4/w300-h400/IMG_0705.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Agios Prokopios</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>9. IT IS PRUDENT TO HAVE SOME CASH Before we left I took a stab at how many euros we would need on each day and my husband ordered euros from Bank of America free of charge and had it mailed to our house. This meant Craig carried about $1300. This avoided the hassle of trying to find ATMs and all the transaction fees that would have been incurred. Though a credit card is accepted just about everywhere, and the connections to the servers are lightning fast, there are definitely times when cash is preferred. Most credit card transactions do not give the option to add a tip, so most of our gratuities were left in cash. Cash was also great for paying for donations to churches, entrances to monasteries, ferry fees, tolls, public transportation, and dropping a few coins to the little boy playing the accordion in the restaurant. We had more than we needed, but we just used it at the end of the trip.</p><p>10. IF YOU ARE GOING TO GREECE FOR THE FIRST TIME, PLEASE DON'T JUST GO TO THE ISLANDS, AND PLEASE DON'T JUST GO TO SANTORINI. You would never guess how many people asked me 1) if we were going on a cruise and 2) if we were to Santorini (as if Santorini was the only Greek island). My answers were no and no.</p><p>There is so much to see in Athens and throughout the mainland, and this may best be where the culture and beauty of Greece is best discovered. Go to Nafplio (highly recommended by our friend Rick Steves), Delphi, Olympia, Thessaloniki, and Meteora. On our trip we stayed in Athens, Nafplio, the Meteora, Naxos (island), and Crete (also technically an island but a lot to see). I thought our trip of three weeks was the bare minimum. I hope to maybe write about planning your trip so I won't get into too much here.</p><p>I can understand why someone might need to see Greece on a cruise. A cruise takes the entire planning aspect out of the works. It also provides security and safety for those that might need more assistance. For the able bodied though, why a cruise, why?? Port, boat, bus into town, dumped off in town for sightseeing or a shore excursion and back to the boat for dinner. Same this next day on another island. You really miss Greece and see a lot of Holland America.</p><p>Why not Santorini? I know I'm goin to catch grief here. Rick Steves loves Santorini and lists it as not to be missed, but Rick can go in the off season! Santorini is the most expensive commercialized island in the entire country. The port teems with cruise ships and yachts. Santorini is crowded with rich Europeans. One of our wine hosts told us that going to Santorini is like not going to Greece at all. Santorini might be worthwhile during the off season, but during July and August stay away! Yeah it's beautiful. It's not the only island that is beautiful. I am not alone..just Google 'why not Santorini.'</p><p>This blog is getting pretty long winded so I will try to be a little less wordy on a few remaining facts:</p><p>WATER GENERALLY IS DRINKABLE, AVAILABLE AND NEEDED. Ice is harder to come by. I debated bringing my Hydroflask and wound up bringing it and I am really glad I did. The only place we were advised to not drink the water from the tap was Naxos. In the Samaria Gorge in Crete, you can drink the water right from the stream.</p><p>ONCE YOU GET HERE IT IS CHEAP. Our accommodations were about half of what they would have cost in the US, and there were none of those pesky taxes that make your $100 per night room suddenly $200. A beer is like 3 euros, a gyro 5 euros, breakfast for five 10 euros, a hearty snack for my son 2 euros, dinner for 5 with drinks for all, under 100$ across the board. Gas is expensive, so are cocktails.</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">This is long! I must stop now. Going forward I will tell you all about the sights and give you my thoughts and advice!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219332537908449042.post-38852723221784418162023-03-03T17:13:00.008-08:002023-03-03T17:18:25.034-08:00Three great short hikes and one great adventure on Oahu Jan 28 - Feb 4 2023<p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoR79kIdt7pcfcIKMJNczVGVzknMy7sRh7M-LGZ42_kazzWUH8mmOtdGof-yb7TgoFR8TkzYFOKvGFW1Lh5caj_xR7JSte-tcTeGcb4SaDn7eFw8vrbUCbQCWp0BMZKEZxDRx8NmzqrKSbjdSIB4n94H4S8qxpA8qGbK_z7IjHrHlg51mo0BuSwNAK/s2048/IMG_2438.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoR79kIdt7pcfcIKMJNczVGVzknMy7sRh7M-LGZ42_kazzWUH8mmOtdGof-yb7TgoFR8TkzYFOKvGFW1Lh5caj_xR7JSte-tcTeGcb4SaDn7eFw8vrbUCbQCWp0BMZKEZxDRx8NmzqrKSbjdSIB4n94H4S8qxpA8qGbK_z7IjHrHlg51mo0BuSwNAK/w259-h320/IMG_2438.jpeg" width="259" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Well, I have been blogging a lot over the last few weeks but I promise that this is the last one. It is pretty hard to have such great experiences on such a great island and not want to share them with everyone!</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>THREE SHORT HIKES:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We took three great short hikes while on the island of Oahu.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Makapu'u Point Lighthouse Trail:</b> Makapu'u Point Lighthouse Trail is a 2 mile out and back hike to none other than...the Makapu'u Lighthouse. Makapu'u Point is the easternmost point of the island of Oahu so the drive to get out there takes a while past Hanauma Bay, the Lanai Lookout, and the Halona Blowhole. Parking is free and is a piece of cake, ya just pull in off the Kalaniana'ole Hwy. The path is busy, so if you cannot find parking immediately, someone is bound to arrive at their car shortly. Be forewarned, there are no restrooms at the trailhead.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Sooo, the trail is not actually a trail, it is a service road, and it is paved all the way. It is not at all difficult, just a gradual incline of about 520 feet. The lighthouse is cute but not accessible. The views from the top are quite sweeping, and you can see both sides of the point from this spot.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Anyway, its a good quick hike to a great viewpoint. Incidentally, this is supposedly a good spot for whale watching during the winter months, but though I watched and watched, no whales appeared. There are a few little concrete buildings up here, evidence of how the point was put to use during World War II.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I might add that we had pelting sideways rain while on this trail and it really made me want to cry. Don't avoid this trail because of my experience with bad weather. I would do it again. Just for your planning, we did this the same day we did Hanuama Bay, the Halona Blowhole, and the Lanai Lookout.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBe2a9UEgMNJqQjoNDrawyAj8GUMUXwI7hZ7nV275-PxO00Izieik46a72WI9nRKvQyLt5N1_ZXp-ilxTSX5z8Qz_QxPfxzQIN3q-lJeDCtqRMsHCumNfyoVyXGWbb7BzXi8fP_QA3mYv58ClmiZPbB9Ra9PMhFAjJRkEzjE6bplb4yoRO6-8sg0Jv/s2048/IMG_7593.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBe2a9UEgMNJqQjoNDrawyAj8GUMUXwI7hZ7nV275-PxO00Izieik46a72WI9nRKvQyLt5N1_ZXp-ilxTSX5z8Qz_QxPfxzQIN3q-lJeDCtqRMsHCumNfyoVyXGWbb7BzXi8fP_QA3mYv58ClmiZPbB9Ra9PMhFAjJRkEzjE6bplb4yoRO6-8sg0Jv/w300-h400/IMG_7593.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Lovely view of windward Oahu </span>from Makapu'u Pt.</div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAlm9QXFh2tsdbWs7PQFzb-l9fmHAemKuh-bHcueakhrZiF5YIyTen7ZdurBTJ8QcUHvd-5SG0ZNofWMg48Oghbms1pUQYSjRbFQy56KpeBwA4W7rovLoDEV35j_WuUp1pZDZMmUbudvdaR12WhQSmCRuDTpcnRIiOV-19trtLmDxIgrmNiMOdNAKW/s2048/IMG_7594.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAlm9QXFh2tsdbWs7PQFzb-l9fmHAemKuh-bHcueakhrZiF5YIyTen7ZdurBTJ8QcUHvd-5SG0ZNofWMg48Oghbms1pUQYSjRbFQy56KpeBwA4W7rovLoDEV35j_WuUp1pZDZMmUbudvdaR12WhQSmCRuDTpcnRIiOV-19trtLmDxIgrmNiMOdNAKW/w300-h400/IMG_7594.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;">The Makapu'u Lighthouse</div></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-lqkb4ekk9drfjs7zZx2nyhE1ZaLlnVzFG0YOSRJL-dltD4Yui088NcRxzOid64cMRgdwMAs1rsxGDBheMhLMIuZ_TW1WFdcSlpXc89ltBYT6YJDLQVZNkPKfLjtegpmQAYpdR2h-QpgiCF1WAkrsRUoSkuF_UsGTBTeL_kS01hQp5t4QX5fsTpf8/s2048/IMG_7756.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-lqkb4ekk9drfjs7zZx2nyhE1ZaLlnVzFG0YOSRJL-dltD4Yui088NcRxzOid64cMRgdwMAs1rsxGDBheMhLMIuZ_TW1WFdcSlpXc89ltBYT6YJDLQVZNkPKfLjtegpmQAYpdR2h-QpgiCF1WAkrsRUoSkuF_UsGTBTeL_kS01hQp5t4QX5fsTpf8/s320/IMG_7756.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><b style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">Manoa Falls Trail:</b><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium; text-align: left;">The Manoa Falls Trail is a 2 mile trail out and back trail to none otherthan...Manoa Falls! The beauty (or one of the many beauties of this trail) is the ease of accessibility from the Honolulu area--up through the upscale University of Hawaii, Manoa neighborhood and there you are. It costs $7 to park--quite frankly a little steep considering the hike will take less than one hour. Anyway, the parking lot is abutted by a building, the purpose of which I never did ascertain, but there are CLEAN bathrooms (certainly for a trail head!), a few vending machines, and a hose for spraying off muddy shoes. The guy at the booth sells snacks, mosquito repellent, and sunscreen.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Anyway, it's about a mile each way and about an 800 foot gain. We are quick and we did this in about 20 minutes (to the falls). Water shoes were advised (and this is what we hiked in) but the trail was not muddy. Mosquito repellent was also advised but we did not see any mosquitos. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The trail, for being so close to civilization is lush and beautiful. The reward at the end is a 160 foot waterfall dropping into a small pool below. Now there are people in the pool below, climbing over the warning sign and taking a dip. It did not look particularly inviting, and the thought of a rock dropping 160 feet onto my head was not at all appealing.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The Manoa Falls Trail branches out to the entire Tantalus Trail System as per the map above.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We got to this trailhead I would say about 3ish and we were done less than an hour later. We did this trail after our day at Pearl Harbor followed by a delicious lunch at Ono Seafood in Waikiki/Honolulu.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWTxW6f-US7UGX9csxhrFjlw4MxT28wI0wOu9Alw943Q-FvY581VTO022opP76ZVPQaNJTg3-mHZRktRP_xB7bTiwr_kO1VsHr23Nve6ZFT-iXNuoae5UZh2Mddzj4nnN3hUWWmc3I1J6hoc6nCBhf393vqFGeykMZP9uzHi7Lgnn6Jrk8RH2J9qI/s2048/IMG_7754.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGWTxW6f-US7UGX9csxhrFjlw4MxT28wI0wOu9Alw943Q-FvY581VTO022opP76ZVPQaNJTg3-mHZRktRP_xB7bTiwr_kO1VsHr23Nve6ZFT-iXNuoae5UZh2Mddzj4nnN3hUWWmc3I1J6hoc6nCBhf393vqFGeykMZP9uzHi7Lgnn6Jrk8RH2J9qI/w300-h400/IMG_7754.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjeTmFe0vX3-b9dclK9y8PIflMCI3wYLnNF6Uq1t6XIPIydbYnJPRkl35csj2SjVeX9bIJTZVJ1ZjsyuEwbBYMcb1c9JZfEEZC397XDW4T9LortyMQETnzdZMAAEFl1OnpxXfND5JCxaPaObPcSUvLiRZsHVuppL2QTYjARcZNgnLkzwI9q6ePFlh/s2048/IMG_7753.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDjeTmFe0vX3-b9dclK9y8PIflMCI3wYLnNF6Uq1t6XIPIydbYnJPRkl35csj2SjVeX9bIJTZVJ1ZjsyuEwbBYMcb1c9JZfEEZC397XDW4T9LortyMQETnzdZMAAEFl1OnpxXfND5JCxaPaObPcSUvLiRZsHVuppL2QTYjARcZNgnLkzwI9q6ePFlh/w300-h400/IMG_7753.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK7Th-x_Ji3-pQB3w3_gWJD-F9RsYpgweCB7uLxJW4GakuWQBQIV8ALQc_1ei813YIzRyh1A3_APyl8Xi9RECZmJzLHFSSoYKqQplEwtXFuKpGnJn4fmvgnhwY70a_lKEH_BLDY50hPUmwHpiuMvr79nYLr2Vfn05ML-Sq7CaR0O93MXLg9UwjZt4i/s2048/IMG_7752.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK7Th-x_Ji3-pQB3w3_gWJD-F9RsYpgweCB7uLxJW4GakuWQBQIV8ALQc_1ei813YIzRyh1A3_APyl8Xi9RECZmJzLHFSSoYKqQplEwtXFuKpGnJn4fmvgnhwY70a_lKEH_BLDY50hPUmwHpiuMvr79nYLr2Vfn05ML-Sq7CaR0O93MXLg9UwjZt4i/w300-h400/IMG_7752.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwO8U8wiV-4jLHlR4iM1ffxBmupLTGq4Y5RkIZYIjpRpJUEIJxjdwWJefGooghEIUYDB9k9fWzLz_QsOgTB5ix0fsGft1XU-u42UsM93dooN8GndvAxmu5bn56eD5VJ90Wjb_JHo-82xwohKgDwDOtZET1qcax4cL774xSpot8-uQ3MfDTcsohHy6-/s2048/IMG_7749.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwO8U8wiV-4jLHlR4iM1ffxBmupLTGq4Y5RkIZYIjpRpJUEIJxjdwWJefGooghEIUYDB9k9fWzLz_QsOgTB5ix0fsGft1XU-u42UsM93dooN8GndvAxmu5bn56eD5VJ90Wjb_JHo-82xwohKgDwDOtZET1qcax4cL774xSpot8-uQ3MfDTcsohHy6-/w300-h400/IMG_7749.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And finally, Manoa Falls!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><b style="font-size: large;"><br /></b><p></p><p><b style="font-size: large;"></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yq4hYUknz777SUmzB7UCa8rZR8NKMPgKmXwDiZqmXPcoBnVQHAMxl-sI4z4OP2qhWPUaEBww5EI08hf8yf9yiw-B52OcPyEPmK-XEYp7OjzylNYm1ReJJDl9kvLhdBU8ycxJ-WP_3iKQ6HKf1yAST2BxTaSN1iGUiQVIWwbMi71TiFotza_CClL8/s2048/IMG_0412.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-yq4hYUknz777SUmzB7UCa8rZR8NKMPgKmXwDiZqmXPcoBnVQHAMxl-sI4z4OP2qhWPUaEBww5EI08hf8yf9yiw-B52OcPyEPmK-XEYp7OjzylNYm1ReJJDl9kvLhdBU8ycxJ-WP_3iKQ6HKf1yAST2BxTaSN1iGUiQVIWwbMi71TiFotza_CClL8/s320/IMG_0412.jpeg" width="240" /></a></b></div><b style="font-size: large;">Diamond Head:</b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Now THIS is the crown jewel mac daddy of short hikes on the island of Oahu, and everyone knows it too. A hike to the top of Diamond Head is pretty much imperative when visiting Oahu. Diamond Head, like the two other hikes we took, is a 2 mile out and back trail. The trailhead is accessed south of Waikiki at the Diamond Head State Monument. There are restrooms at the bottom of the trail at the visitor center. Anyway, the trail is narrow, and like I said, because hiking Diamond Head is a necessity, everyone is on it, so we found ourselves having to overtake the advanced in years (good for them, by the way), families with children, and those who had failed to exercise a single day in their lives and now were taking this not to be missed hike, with some frequency. The trail gains about 560 feet over one mile and the views come about quite quickly. There are some stairs to negotiate and a portion of narrow dark tunnel. On the way down there is a spiral staircase and more stairs. We completed the ascent in about 25 minutes and found it to be easy. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There are a lot of people at the top, and there is some jockeying to get the perfect selfie with the incredible views of Waikiki and Honolulu in the background. The day was very clear when we went, and the views breathtaking! Well worth it!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Well, here is the rub. As of May 2022, you need a reservation to hike Diamond Head. We arrived at the entrance at about 8:30am without one. A timed reservation needs to be made through the Hawaii Department of State Parks at <a href="http://dlnr.hawaii.gov">dlnr.hawaii.gov</a>. The park is open daily at 6am with the last entry at 4pm with the gates closing at 6pm. It costs $5 for each person to hike and another $10 to park your car.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Well, we quickly pulled into an available parking spot, outside the main parking lot before the tunnel, but still reasonably close, and looked at what our options were. The only time available with parking was at 2pm, which was going to mess up our entire day's plan. We did however notice that we could get entrance to the hike without parking quite a bit earlier at 10. Since we were already occupying a parking space, we took this reservation and decided to wait it out. Then someone had the idea to just march on down there and see if they would let us in early. They did, a full 45 minutes early. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I highly recommend a stop by <a href="https://www.leonardshawaii.com/home/">Leonard's Malasadas</a> following your semi-strenuous hike up Diamond Head</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cbqPP6g_CEh1dsfiqgj_gtW36awmnKhyLzL7pIerpuAj4NRC8WC5pd0d5qTVoErN3bZQJqkXVDT-gNcz2mUQoIjTsjCmv4OcebhKaOXLnZceZ8gad7kNOmAr9uF1gkd-QCgaVG71JZ_-picvPCLE8oXnYSZBH38Cewal4AWytlZA5yRcaQVQg2X-/s2048/IMG_0403.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cbqPP6g_CEh1dsfiqgj_gtW36awmnKhyLzL7pIerpuAj4NRC8WC5pd0d5qTVoErN3bZQJqkXVDT-gNcz2mUQoIjTsjCmv4OcebhKaOXLnZceZ8gad7kNOmAr9uF1gkd-QCgaVG71JZ_-picvPCLE8oXnYSZBH38Cewal4AWytlZA5yRcaQVQg2X-/w400-h300/IMG_0403.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Jockeying for that perfect selfie!</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgslprFNF6XmnyhuZuBkl0qFRsYmcdaMqYAg0hgaJfRwqfJ_PDEGRoOMx88jjlRp1AxTFXdj1Q_ksIx4rYrZ-DD_FQ8uWWmsOW6zj6-9T4XWCQjTkqREDUtS6uHH0_THJK_M1ziySpHzzYbuz7KqjZFn2ZYIel17kqbiU0Bp-mmpWm8H7-6O03FR0LU/s2048/IMG_7675.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgslprFNF6XmnyhuZuBkl0qFRsYmcdaMqYAg0hgaJfRwqfJ_PDEGRoOMx88jjlRp1AxTFXdj1Q_ksIx4rYrZ-DD_FQ8uWWmsOW6zj6-9T4XWCQjTkqREDUtS6uHH0_THJK_M1ziySpHzzYbuz7KqjZFn2ZYIel17kqbiU0Bp-mmpWm8H7-6O03FR0LU/w400-h300/IMG_7675.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Beautiful views of Waikiki from the top!</span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>AND ONE GREAT ADVENTURE:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjtvwnLIS0tCBjqGyCBDINfQO4Yo2m_rivhNOhpfTFvJOvgSO3KkcZ5Kzq8UG3DoovGIvEabJWHqNFql0aMKnETiwUb5_JsP5mn-uvNw8uzit5m-tMe0M9TFBWeR7McJmoun_Xl8tmPjj84ReKPzhQUf2SVD2fPQpITb3s4xPkkKbWf7IQozPPX8zE/s2744/IMG_0361.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1146" data-original-width="2744" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjtvwnLIS0tCBjqGyCBDINfQO4Yo2m_rivhNOhpfTFvJOvgSO3KkcZ5Kzq8UG3DoovGIvEabJWHqNFql0aMKnETiwUb5_JsP5mn-uvNw8uzit5m-tMe0M9TFBWeR7McJmoun_Xl8tmPjj84ReKPzhQUf2SVD2fPQpITb3s4xPkkKbWf7IQozPPX8zE/w640-h269/IMG_0361.jpeg" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">On the windward side of the island, north of Kane'ohe, there is a over touristed stop at the base of the Ko'olau Mountain Range known as <a href="https://www.kualoa.com/">Kualoa Ranch</a>. This place offers a wide variety of tours ranging from horse back riding to movie tours to ATV's to trips to their "Secret Beach." Tours can satisfy people of all ages and relative desire for adventure, as the movie tour has you in an open jeep with no physical exertion required. People came in skirts/white pants/flip flops and others were dressed more like, well, we were. What tour did we choose? The experienced (as opposed to novice) 2 hours E-bike tour--the most active tour offered by Kualoa Ranch. We had considered the ATV tour, but it was more expensive and only one person could drive the ATV, so the E-Bike tour it was.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Though I signed up for the experienced tour, I had never ridden an e bike. None of us had. It rained the entire way to the ranch, and the tour made no mention of cancelling because of weather. My daughter was not warmly dressed and it was on the cold side. I started to get a bit nervous- saw a lot of visions of slick mud, cliffs, and narrow steep paths--i.e. one of us plunging to our deaths. Our guide, Christian, however, set our minds at ease. We equipped my daughter with a $2 poncho and her dad's extra sweater, and off we went.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyCH2mEBGzwF5wRXiSmLZzoWK3N2CGk-1AYe11f2kQg0biHlhIRMzjqyyitC0H72F4Fu3aE2UgV7YuycTyv-5hH97eqFcii8mfQ5QoGdnbvpTBLGA_fhp67PQvomqcG4-l2msFHZe-inCh0fyh7bbWaJrkxIdV3WddpnB9oWKTESycN3-tDQ3jpqgq/s2048/IMG_7602.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyCH2mEBGzwF5wRXiSmLZzoWK3N2CGk-1AYe11f2kQg0biHlhIRMzjqyyitC0H72F4Fu3aE2UgV7YuycTyv-5hH97eqFcii8mfQ5QoGdnbvpTBLGA_fhp67PQvomqcG4-l2msFHZe-inCh0fyh7bbWaJrkxIdV3WddpnB9oWKTESycN3-tDQ3jpqgq/w400-h300/IMG_7602.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">About to set out!</span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Besides the four of us, there was only one other couple on the tour, so with the guide there were seven of us. Except for some very rare and light rain, it did not rain during our tour.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Now the e bike is pretty cool. There are four settings which basically give you a boost as you ride. Wanting to actually get some exercise, I kept mine in the lowest assist mode almost the entire time, but the lazy a men in our family kept their bikes in "turbo" mode. Pretty much as</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-size: medium;">soon as you start to pedal you can feel the power kick in, and it's pretty cool. On an uphill climb you can pretty much turn your bicycle into a motorcycle.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Anyway, what an experience! The tour winds through 12 miles of rolling single track and some more open dirt roads. The scenery becomes outstanding really quickly. The tour leads you by several deserted movie sets, including Jurassic World, King Kong, and Jurassic Park. It is a good workout, but not really that hard. We finished the tour early because we were all good riders so we got to see some additional stuff, including going into an old WWII bunker. Our guide was really awesome and made sure that we were all ok. At one point the chain on my bike broke. He immediately gave me his back and within minutes a bike had been delivered to us by another staff member.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga12ElhB7is-X68pYtDwtKpUAyRXG071jcWHO38ghs6r6GFhs0DfYFMSOGjRQBML1DixkzSWTJqxnJzEZd6vs2nyzZnbXgG0dD4OvQf0WI01mGv6qHINiLYmukPTfMBMUkEmDd-eYKPQAoGFI8zzVAN5eZ7LIaiP_iIHgxXkNM1gWT-iHvI60060EZ/s2048/IMG_0344.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga12ElhB7is-X68pYtDwtKpUAyRXG071jcWHO38ghs6r6GFhs0DfYFMSOGjRQBML1DixkzSWTJqxnJzEZd6vs2nyzZnbXgG0dD4OvQf0WI01mGv6qHINiLYmukPTfMBMUkEmDd-eYKPQAoGFI8zzVAN5eZ7LIaiP_iIHgxXkNM1gWT-iHvI60060EZ/w300-h400/IMG_0344.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Still clean...</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3hiEsCSb_4dS7Dy7X86mn34AJLWp9kQuKqeXDnX0eycb1Wnn2shKy30krnRzDFp_-v9nszG1IFLvSj0ySQ2fD_-O30pqqb0W8PR5LbBh-GL2VREPtckctCH5XV-Dj6cPGa5NAzcitfPAUo6Zi4dN3wRVRxOMAKMWAVS0pdb9xSfgPV1NAArjSBobI/s2048/IMG_0359.JPEG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3hiEsCSb_4dS7Dy7X86mn34AJLWp9kQuKqeXDnX0eycb1Wnn2shKy30krnRzDFp_-v9nszG1IFLvSj0ySQ2fD_-O30pqqb0W8PR5LbBh-GL2VREPtckctCH5XV-Dj6cPGa5NAzcitfPAUo6Zi4dN3wRVRxOMAKMWAVS0pdb9xSfgPV1NAArjSBobI/w300-h400/IMG_0359.JPEG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Can you see the dinosaurs running behind us?</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsphEzi2w9WLwvv5n4JXUA7cron_oESs64qH8i9y8jJOA-8t94obEINEgxJt85ckm1heUHAXZ9Wgt9I7exuzfyd0Rt4gvmA5hXSD9puNQtkzvJJdKgK8ssvglyYANAkJu79J2KXYLKjIkeChRBMtAXoan5LCIjHhr9kCFP5hQcQepy4OSb8urLLQfl/s2048/IMG_2396.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsphEzi2w9WLwvv5n4JXUA7cron_oESs64qH8i9y8jJOA-8t94obEINEgxJt85ckm1heUHAXZ9Wgt9I7exuzfyd0Rt4gvmA5hXSD9puNQtkzvJJdKgK8ssvglyYANAkJu79J2KXYLKjIkeChRBMtAXoan5LCIjHhr9kCFP5hQcQepy4OSb8urLLQfl/w400-h300/IMG_2396.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Ok so why was this an adventure really? Sounds just like a bike ride so far, right? Ok, the one thing we did not expect was how dirty we were going to get on account of the muddy conditions. Every muddy puddle or stretch of wet dirt road you cycled through flew right off your bike tire and up your entire back, as far as your hair. Now the mud was one thing, but you had to make </span><b>darn sure </b><span>you did not ride through any rain drenched fresh cowshit, of which there was much. The thought of this stuff flying up onto my back made me literally nauseous, so I was really attentive as to where my tires were going, and I made sure my family did the same!</span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Anyway, this was the dirtiest I had been in my entire life. People from other tours gawked at us in disbelief. After the ride was over, there was a hose to wash your legs and water shoes, but hosing down the rest of your clothes and your backpacks was not really an option. We pulled some used ponchos out of a garbage can and gingerly changed into some swim suits, the only other clothes we had, and wrapped our defiled clothing into one large muddy ball. We had plans to go out to eat in Honolulu-nope, no way. We weren't fit to even grocery shop. When we got home I spent 30 full minutes in the shower scrubbing mud out of everything. THEN we threw it all in the washing machine. OMG.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBoAf-K0sJJU1XvmMMZk4fuCCgnyX8XlmNVZ09HUtP8wFI1moTGB6Nt2aEYa0tZ2nndr7eBwQpLI8RdAclhaSwlO6J5ED7Br6XzXF8XRyXAmFVHE3g093Bw2aQgQxAFfg1XTbi5BVpDc9JGIoj6Wmw7QeQ1UuaT0l-msifWnBBNf7XKDD9AXybfjj/s2048/IMG_2402.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDBoAf-K0sJJU1XvmMMZk4fuCCgnyX8XlmNVZ09HUtP8wFI1moTGB6Nt2aEYa0tZ2nndr7eBwQpLI8RdAclhaSwlO6J5ED7Br6XzXF8XRyXAmFVHE3g093Bw2aQgQxAFfg1XTbi5BVpDc9JGIoj6Wmw7QeQ1UuaT0l-msifWnBBNf7XKDD9AXybfjj/s320/IMG_2402.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">you've got to scroll in to see how dirty he was..</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I am on the left with the hose, trying to un-mud..</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEkjyhVM1Z7hLiSFjn7ODN7HS_DRxr__Tol8pttb0tSqTck_-9kFsbZhMBynFaasiopULwaL3WcJBeFyElhhmFlhDG1Zns0p98Gvl5BzmGWCbOkKPcKsCQS_gAVNxXB6tKI6DrXLfv6bvKxqIRUJcI-BE41Jth7NPJr4e0qSrLCs6fiCUBrPOf_RcG/s2048/IMG_7612.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEkjyhVM1Z7hLiSFjn7ODN7HS_DRxr__Tol8pttb0tSqTck_-9kFsbZhMBynFaasiopULwaL3WcJBeFyElhhmFlhDG1Zns0p98Gvl5BzmGWCbOkKPcKsCQS_gAVNxXB6tKI6DrXLfv6bvKxqIRUJcI-BE41Jth7NPJr4e0qSrLCs6fiCUBrPOf_RcG/s320/IMG_7612.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and now from the front!</span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">But it was fun and I would recommend it, but I did tell them in a review that they should let people know about the dirt factor.</span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Thank you for reading this post!! No travel for a while but I am planning a Greek Odyssey in July! I will let you know how that is going!!</span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtiVLufN7KD3E7zRoW65IAt6tveJ4ldITxLxwnugEIRsk454DA87X5GWSBz6JkPnY4omjQ_NZb8USXOQ_qzl04I_8jTEr4IuUpVR6YB3-se-b5zOFSoHtS3gwalj4DDPNIR3joda9lfL8msu-FLpZ95p_Y9quoJZRmWGhHdIE0H8ZMRiatxRQcEJ5X/s2048/IMG_7748.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtiVLufN7KD3E7zRoW65IAt6tveJ4ldITxLxwnugEIRsk454DA87X5GWSBz6JkPnY4omjQ_NZb8USXOQ_qzl04I_8jTEr4IuUpVR6YB3-se-b5zOFSoHtS3gwalj4DDPNIR3joda9lfL8msu-FLpZ95p_Y9quoJZRmWGhHdIE0H8ZMRiatxRQcEJ5X/w300-h400/IMG_7748.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Oh yeah, baby--Lunch at Ono Seafood</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2PxAqK8TEJocfvk6CizpEk2qqAwEKCjE96V-LGfqYPNhk6vnl8OQMFq_3hibfL2vG4DOVu2mmxzhk8XS6jzyeUfj4QNb8f6uJpVBsijB8MYf5ZUXbtNhULMgS7P5wRBxRkgBBrCFxnqlav-PolS40JRVWiLhqDtuLrBktEHvyO3m5XxFpLoA6DSi/s2048/IMG_7679.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz2PxAqK8TEJocfvk6CizpEk2qqAwEKCjE96V-LGfqYPNhk6vnl8OQMFq_3hibfL2vG4DOVu2mmxzhk8XS6jzyeUfj4QNb8f6uJpVBsijB8MYf5ZUXbtNhULMgS7P5wRBxRkgBBrCFxnqlav-PolS40JRVWiLhqDtuLrBktEHvyO3m5XxFpLoA6DSi/w300-h400/IMG_7679.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Aim for this sign after your <br />Diamond Head Hike</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219332537908449042.post-37555930938115446512023-02-20T17:29:00.004-08:002023-02-20T17:30:56.370-08:00Pearl Harbor Wednesday February 1, 2023<p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPWxPhFmmsunhR5czCknISMMRv9oW5AfthhRd7zc29GEqhUsQZSuC5_tauwgQsT9F1_pBcbkB5Dwt44QxQSNVjLT5AYXRpil1x2FzcYc9zaTnLh9gzRzYaVHPAMzGsRSGuGHgUi4dknQTa2HUuDTiacl6XmbIDxbleSBBQt5QTxBeMjMZd0qjBMrT/s2048/IMG_2424.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsPWxPhFmmsunhR5czCknISMMRv9oW5AfthhRd7zc29GEqhUsQZSuC5_tauwgQsT9F1_pBcbkB5Dwt44QxQSNVjLT5AYXRpil1x2FzcYc9zaTnLh9gzRzYaVHPAMzGsRSGuGHgUi4dknQTa2HUuDTiacl6XmbIDxbleSBBQt5QTxBeMjMZd0qjBMrT/w320-h240/IMG_2424.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The USS Arizona Memorial</span></td></tr></tbody></table>When visiting the island of Oahu, a visit to Pearl Harbor is necessary. Pearl Harbor is somewhat of a misnomer because 'Pearl Harbor' is an expansive working harbor north and east of Honolulu. The historical area is actually the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/perl/index.htm">Pearl Harbor National Monument</a>, which includes of the USS Arizona Memorial and its accompanying visitor center. This is usually what people are talking about when they say they saw Pearl Harbor.</p><p>In the same area is the <a href="https://www.bowfin.org/">USS Bowfin</a>, a fleet attack submarine that fought in the Pacific during WWII. The <a href="https://www.pearlharboraviationmuseum.org/">Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum</a> and the <a href="https://www.ussmissouri.org/#modal">USS Missouri Memorial</a>, the battleship on which the terms of surrender of Japan were signed, are on nearby Ford Island and are accessible by free shuttle. These three require separate admission. The Bowfin is $22, the Aviation Museum is $26, and the USS Missouri is $35. They all have their own websites through which you can purchase tickets You really can't do them all plus the USS Arizona Memorial in one day. You can, but you would be pretty tired, and you would be hurried. Anyway, we were on the 8:45am boat to the USS Arizona. After we completed this and the visitor center we saw only the USS Missouri which took about two additional hours. After that we were beat..and hungry.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">THE USS ARIZONA MEMORIAL:</span></b></p><p>The actual USS Arizona Memorial requires a ticketed boat ride. Every 30 minutes a boat takes 75 visitors to the memorial which is built directly over the sunken battleship. Tickets are free, with a $1 reservation fee (you really can't beat that deal) and include the visitor center. Tickets must be purchased through the National Park service's website, <a href="http://recreation.gov">recreation.gov</a>. Tickets are released at 3pm HST 8 weeks in advance. A second release occurs 24 hours in advance. Now I was warned that this ticket was a hot commodity and that I needed to get right on it to ensure my date and time. I bought the tickets 8 weeks in advance, though not precisely at 3 pm HST, and had no trouble. Today I looked at what was available in 8 weeks and there is quite a bit left. It's only sold out for about the next four weeks, so it does seem you have some flexibility-it's not like Hanauma Bay. Through the same website you can get an audio tour narrated by Jamie Lee Curtis for $8. We did get this as I heard it was worthwhile. It's good, though in hindsight, not essential. What I will say is that if you do purchase the audio tour, you should pick it up immediately. We thought it was just for the visitor center itself, but there are stations on the outdoor grounds and also at the USS Arizona Memorial.</p><p>The parking at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center site is free. They are also extremely strict about what you can take onto the premises. No purses. No backpacks. I had my phone in my pocket and that was it.</p><p>Ok. Back to the USS Arizona Memorial. The experience is very moving from the very start. First, the tour group sits in a small auditorium where a gentleman seriously shares what is about to be experienced. He sadly reported that every day people come to this sight with no idea about what happened here.</p><p>This might be a good place to mention how little I knew and how much I learned about what went down in the early morning hours of December 7, 1941. Twenty four hundred Americans lost their lives that day, including 68 civilians. The attack was a complete surprise. Most of the men were below deck or still in their beds. The Japanese sunk 12 ships, including 8 battleships, and damaged another 7 vessels, most of which were repaired and later sent back into service. The American government was in active talks with the Japanese government up to the day before the attack, an effort to avoid war. They knew that a Japanese attack was imminent, but were not able to discern from where it might come. The battleships were parked in the harbor in pairs, and the aircraft were parked wing to wing, making them both particularly susceptible during the attack. The entire attack took one hour and 15 minutes. The Japanese lost 129 soldiers.</p><p>Many were rescued in the valiant efforts of the survivors over the next several hours. Two aircraft carriers usually stationed at Pearl Harbor were out on exercises in the Pacific. Also somehow spared were fuel tanks. It is said that if these had been blown up, the impact of Pearl Harbor might have been far more dismal.</p><p>1177 men died on the USS Arizona alone after the ship was hit with an armor piercing bomb shortly after 8 in the morning. Of these men, 1102 remain with the sunken ship and are considered to be buried at sea. </p><p>The boat takes you to the memorial where you remain for about 15 minutes, or about the time it takes for the boat to go back and get the next group. The respect shown by those working the site and those visiting is encouraging--no selfies or loud laughing--thank God. There is a room at the end with a wall carved with the names of those who perished there. Forty three survivors have joined their brothers in the sea following their deaths in the years since the attack, and their names are also added. The area is a somber site without a doubt. The completely visible sunken ship still bleeds oil today, more than 80 years later.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUuPqYAJaZFf5IXIDA5k_bFKgNlw_z5bAyOHei5PGWDo89dI3lkq3rAGs97bfOWoysRwmx-5rzjw0l2yQGZFcKyrsGFxjq7RxJTGj8Ax3fPxob2MY0L43oKWvpjfA7osRFQu7-q1hytEJNadyljRTNaTQaz_8boIm_1FV0V_s4zQbuL-2G_uFP5Jiq/s2048/IMG_7733.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUuPqYAJaZFf5IXIDA5k_bFKgNlw_z5bAyOHei5PGWDo89dI3lkq3rAGs97bfOWoysRwmx-5rzjw0l2yQGZFcKyrsGFxjq7RxJTGj8Ax3fPxob2MY0L43oKWvpjfA7osRFQu7-q1hytEJNadyljRTNaTQaz_8boIm_1FV0V_s4zQbuL-2G_uFP5Jiq/w400-h300/IMG_7733.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The names of those lost on the Arizona</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2g397XhXNPbq9gxyNo04zoKdBymeLDufH1J8LwDqtx8FfZ1VzvrkzJeDyavAkReE_hZaUdcTLp2Dy3M05PJEbNbHSuXmJ5acS00o830KDMdnung5vA-EtPUBj362GFnTBazobyy49_3b_jSywXpwpUp8JpDZYDbIwa7p-JKsF0ZqO9DyiBQ5jvp-n/s2048/IMG_7732.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2g397XhXNPbq9gxyNo04zoKdBymeLDufH1J8LwDqtx8FfZ1VzvrkzJeDyavAkReE_hZaUdcTLp2Dy3M05PJEbNbHSuXmJ5acS00o830KDMdnung5vA-EtPUBj362GFnTBazobyy49_3b_jSywXpwpUp8JpDZYDbIwa7p-JKsF0ZqO9DyiBQ5jvp-n/w300-h400/IMG_7732.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The memorial is built right over the sunken boat</span></div></div><p>Upon returning to the center, it is well worth the time to watch the 23 minute video. "Pearl Harbor: the Death of the USS Arizona," narrated by actress Stockard Channing. The film really puts everything into perspective. I really have no idea how some of these films were obtained of recovered, but it is extremely well done and informative.</p><p>The visitor center is small but also so informative. There is excellent documentation of the circumstances leading up to the attack, the details of actual attack, and the immediate aftermath and recovery. On the grounds closer to the water are the Pearl Harbor Remembrance Circle, which lists the names of all those that lost their lives on that day and on what vessels, including those in lesser known areas also attacked that day, such as Hickam Field and the Naval Air Field at Kaneohe Bay. There is also a circle dedicated to those who survived, also separated by vessel.</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>USS MISSOURI- </b></span>:</p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSf1Mq4LrJZr7eNHCFzQF07RVtUyUcCNIEuIefml0Xc37D_3k_Hl0Sa5kBLHJo94wYMe-raPbUnsBc_APPWfTAJSEJRQdsakUZ6frB5Fr7bAtHbGyIylc01y-azTHM4sN4O81dPM2xnxcRekXGDWYgne2gnlm5QQH8UPox5h-zxuZepGJmgseEcez/s2048/IMG_0447.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFSf1Mq4LrJZr7eNHCFzQF07RVtUyUcCNIEuIefml0Xc37D_3k_Hl0Sa5kBLHJo94wYMe-raPbUnsBc_APPWfTAJSEJRQdsakUZ6frB5Fr7bAtHbGyIylc01y-azTHM4sN4O81dPM2xnxcRekXGDWYgne2gnlm5QQH8UPox5h-zxuZepGJmgseEcez/s320/IMG_0447.JPEG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Mighty Mo</span></td></tr></tbody></table></p><div style="text-align: center;">As mentioned above, the USS Missouri, or the 'Mighty Mo' as it is commonly referred to, is it's own sight and is parked on Ford Island, which is about a 10 minute free shuttle ride from the visitor center. </div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">The USS Missouri was not involved in the attack on Pearl Harbor. However, the USS Missouri, stationed in Tokyo Bay at the time, was the sight of the signing of the terms of surrender of Japan to the Allied powers on September 2, 1945. The Missouri had been active in the Pacific theatre in WWII, and then went on to service in the Korean War before being decommissioned in 1955. The ship found a new purpose in the 80's and 90's, participating in military operations in the Middle East, before being permanently decommissioned in 1992. </p><p style="text-align: center;">After some debate, it was decided that it would be fitting for the places that the American participation in WWII began and ended to be in visible proximity to one another and Missouri was returned to Pearl Harbor where she was opened as a <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> <span> </span><span> </span></span>museum in 1999 and remains to this day.</p><p>The entrance fee includes an approximately 30 minute tour around the main deck of the ship, which includes the exact spot the terms of surrender were signed. The tour is informative and worthwhile. </p><p>A large portion of the ship is open for self touring, and we also found this to be quite interesting. Certain parts of the ship are converted to museum like displays, others have been left as they were when the ship was operational, such as the bunks, the showers, the mess hall, the bakery (complete with the smell of doughnuts), and the officers quarters. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIS6Z1oJL2lEwDpjXvjh3PiC8lQm4RjhCaUD4nkNzUlnE1SsGe3O9Jf375q6IihHAFXcMNOxi9W6xPn6D1gT0fwoivaPUzuduY3b04XFQPeVFU5oPo2VAHmU83dm_jKLdmuWR8cqMpabIP144Ta2fmM1-XQg79Vpg1_yHtPxGrLWmf_U-0NoBjkDde/s2048/IMG_7746.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIS6Z1oJL2lEwDpjXvjh3PiC8lQm4RjhCaUD4nkNzUlnE1SsGe3O9Jf375q6IihHAFXcMNOxi9W6xPn6D1gT0fwoivaPUzuduY3b04XFQPeVFU5oPo2VAHmU83dm_jKLdmuWR8cqMpabIP144Ta2fmM1-XQg79Vpg1_yHtPxGrLWmf_U-0NoBjkDde/w400-h300/IMG_7746.JPEG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Interesting that the US Military and I have the same rules</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyN_qK-v8clBoX9wiZR0wfXgs-aBx72JNR7l4WK6nH_Ke9Es34Dlvm4hgt4XBYihDoc5xfkc7tAl8VxfV7KeMw4reY0zNp0qAnb0g_3qa1hYUGUV-C0rMx-dd5RkJoanPlGEH66zBSaNcOl_-vdgqT-cpUzIxn38SC0_Yz2JFBBzpjhAOLNFb9XvV7/s2048/IMG_0444.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyN_qK-v8clBoX9wiZR0wfXgs-aBx72JNR7l4WK6nH_Ke9Es34Dlvm4hgt4XBYihDoc5xfkc7tAl8VxfV7KeMw4reY0zNp0qAnb0g_3qa1hYUGUV-C0rMx-dd5RkJoanPlGEH66zBSaNcOl_-vdgqT-cpUzIxn38SC0_Yz2JFBBzpjhAOLNFb9XvV7/w300-h400/IMG_0444.JPEG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Pretty tight for a tall guy!</span></div><br /><p>One very interesting area is dedicated to Kamikaze pilots, Japanese pilots, as most of you know, that gave their lives for Japan simply by crashing into things with their planes. These young men, some as young as the age of 17, made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, and their last letters to their loved ones, some of them unborn children, displayed in the museum hall, reveal a surprising spirit of confidence and joy in their own suicides. I found it difficult to imagine being on the receiving end of one of these letters, and could only force myself to read a few.</p><p>Incidentally, a kamikaze attempted to take out the USS Missouri in April of 1945. The poor kid barely nicked the hull but his plane flipped onto the deck and exploded, killing none but the poor pilot himself. The sailors, it being a better time with better people, used items around the ship to construct a makeshift Japanese flag and buried the youngster with military honors. A truly human story.</p><p>I will add this here as a comment. In general at both the Missouri and the Visitor Center site I was impressed by the neutrality of the presentation. The presentation is factual and fair. Though Japan was our enemy in war at the time, the presentation reminds us that the Japanese who fought were human souls who had families and loved ones. Though we were at war then, we are not at war now, and all are welcome to mourn the loss of human life, both American and Japanese, that happened in the Pacific during WWII</p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">A FEW THOUGHTS:</span></b></p><p>Anyway, I will repeat. Every American needs to see and understand this place and what happened here. In my opinion, it is probably best for children/teens to have had at least at least some US History, so I think the age of appreciation may be about 16 (mine were 19 and 23). Schools now are frightfully deficient in their presentation of the facts of history, and truly there is just too much to teach, so it is important for parents to bring their teens to fill in the gaps and help our future to appreciate the sacrifices that were made so that they can enjoy freedom. </p><p>Memorials are sad but necessary. Knowing that you stand over the grave of over 1000 American boys who were probably eating pancakes as they took their last breaths is a sobering reminder of your own mortality.</p><p>Pearl Harbor is almost more of a pilgrimage than an activity.</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Thank you for reading this post!! I hope to write another post about some great hikes on Oahu this week! And now for some more pictures!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVWCsw8pPZabBd-PPzU1mLEVzkbMn4ki8zKiUYkK2jltkdG4Ojg0SXZ6MHw_Ly7cerFv7ZBo3fwFP6hyPnbuACQgaqb5D5O0zqbsMXg2x3NVs8e5KVUFnztsUkPXkwuHM4YQRTbdQEEwlVhPWeq_6VsKOqNP_gfPJ3QKVO3f7g_WIjp1Q2Bp_sx-cT/s2048/IMG_7744.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVWCsw8pPZabBd-PPzU1mLEVzkbMn4ki8zKiUYkK2jltkdG4Ojg0SXZ6MHw_Ly7cerFv7ZBo3fwFP6hyPnbuACQgaqb5D5O0zqbsMXg2x3NVs8e5KVUFnztsUkPXkwuHM4YQRTbdQEEwlVhPWeq_6VsKOqNP_gfPJ3QKVO3f7g_WIjp1Q2Bp_sx-cT/w300-h400/IMG_7744.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The guns of the USS Missouri</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG321hTS1kf3ijTFoOKnPgLYrK54n6kivWfQgMDin1Mh9kt_IiTKhAddOb0c3gpyDLDTpnMz0L3VgV298JX0ZcaShhCoVU942_h2k4xzudr9OYqbad0RDvvlFzh2jko_UdLRnP0AsUQEg55nzh42RkJHOJmL0J9dz7qD3lt3mbBdzxvpMJjbIFQXR5/s2048/IMG_7738.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG321hTS1kf3ijTFoOKnPgLYrK54n6kivWfQgMDin1Mh9kt_IiTKhAddOb0c3gpyDLDTpnMz0L3VgV298JX0ZcaShhCoVU942_h2k4xzudr9OYqbad0RDvvlFzh2jko_UdLRnP0AsUQEg55nzh42RkJHOJmL0J9dz7qD3lt3mbBdzxvpMJjbIFQXR5/w400-h300/IMG_7738.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Arizona Memorial and the USS Missouri</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">are only a short distance from each other</span></div><p><br /></p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p> </p><p><br /></p>Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219332537908449042.post-52580428930193385822023-02-16T20:29:00.002-08:002023-02-16T20:31:11.535-08:00Disney Aulani Resort and Spa, Ko Olina, and a Meh Luau January 28-Feb 4, 2023<p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFwWUAmLQ4SpqBAbUSDmtD5Xn4LQyvya95iRSenZOAqtpTkmy5fsv4olshj8TqX8deMt47RhxHsiUJLV7C2SwabLmLTwm5EkrXuUKGOJYq4VZ1csZ_oNnOdIoY_lWS8sShiWsQwCiOwD02Dj0qEuYR5EbFQY9nrcVp_nd56jg8_hZrsD1siMWVSRK/s2048/IMG_7649.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqFwWUAmLQ4SpqBAbUSDmtD5Xn4LQyvya95iRSenZOAqtpTkmy5fsv4olshj8TqX8deMt47RhxHsiUJLV7C2SwabLmLTwm5EkrXuUKGOJYq4VZ1csZ_oNnOdIoY_lWS8sShiWsQwCiOwD02Dj0qEuYR5EbFQY9nrcVp_nd56jg8_hZrsD1siMWVSRK/w300-h400/IMG_7649.jpeg" width="300" /></a>If there is any time in your life that you have the opportunity and the means to stay at <a href="https://www.disneyaulani.com/?CMP=OKC-16108664_GM_AUL_resort_aulani_NA">Aulani Disney Resort and Spa</a>, I recommend that you take advantage. This resort is a true treat and worth the price, if you can get a discount. We had a free week at the end of January, during which we decided to visit the island of Oahu. We had never taken our kids to Oahu (actually the last time I went was when I was about 5) so we decided to see what it was all about. We booked our trip through Disney Vacation Club members who had more points than they could use. These members were friends of ours and booked us the one bedroom villa for about 50% of the rack rate. There is a considerable internet market for resale of "extra" DVC points, and I would recommend this route. The offerings on other timeshare rental sites such as <a href="https://www.redweek.com/">redweek.com </a>did not seem to be much better than the rack rates. We have not attempted to look into buying a DVC membership so I cannot relate how much money this would entail, but your membership would allow you to stay at Aulani for a considerable discount. We stayed in a one bedroom villa with a garden view (which quite frankly is delightful as your balcony faces the sunrise every morning). The rack rate on this room is 959$ per night. Like, are you kidding me?? Who on God's green earth has that kind of money? Even with our substantial discount through our friends and DVC members, this was the most we had EVER spent on a hotel room, and we have done a lot of travelling. A studio/standard room, which also sleeps 4 is available (rack rate about $600) but lacks the amenities and the space, and was not going to work for us. Was it worth it? You bet. I would lay out the dough for that room again in a heartbeat should the opportunity ever arise again.</p><p>The 1 bedroom villa room itself is over 750 square feet. It has two televisions, a king size bed and a queen size sleeper sofa, two sliding glass doors to a balcony, a full kitchen, a shower with a bench, a rain head and detachable shower wand, and a washer and dryer. Now ya have to look at the fine print, because I am fairly sure that the 1 bedroom suite occupied by non DVC members may not have a washer and dryer or a full kitchen. I gotta say that would be a deal breaker for us. </p><p>The hotel is situated beachfront on the northernmost of the four Ko Olina man made lagoons. There are no waves at all in the lagoons and they are lifeguarded. Beverage service comes along occasionally, but can take a while, and the pool bar is just steps away. The beach is set up with lounge chairs and umbrellas, which are available first come first served, and we never had any trouble getting four together. Boogie boards, sand toys and life jackets are available free of charge. Snorkeling equipment, beach chairs and stand up paddle boards are available for a fee, but I can't think of any reason why anyone would use them in a waveless, fishless lagoon.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtr46uzK-Ro_ZdOkuDTLjZT5V81pxBZnK7QNOFS6IHIQ4eE2OBWb4qqHl6XpeIL-enIZImTSSJ5r3AfOWWf2G1pQT_rEBFWV3oOb9NJJnBwAj31in2crgbtr8Xvo-hGqjcJ4SEV6w8W3cPTmb1Ng5y1g-RNT5yRz_Awkb8XTf0qbJ-_Y8r2kliNJPN/s2048/IMG_7831.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtr46uzK-Ro_ZdOkuDTLjZT5V81pxBZnK7QNOFS6IHIQ4eE2OBWb4qqHl6XpeIL-enIZImTSSJ5r3AfOWWf2G1pQT_rEBFWV3oOb9NJJnBwAj31in2crgbtr8Xvo-hGqjcJ4SEV6w8W3cPTmb1Ng5y1g-RNT5yRz_Awkb8XTf0qbJ-_Y8r2kliNJPN/w300-h400/IMG_7831.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hanging out on the Aulani Beach</div><p></p><p>Apparently there are 6 pools, including an adults only pool, though we never set foot in any of them. Much appreciated was the adults only infinity hot tub, with its gorgeous view of the beach. The pool area has two slides which originate from a man made volcano, one a tube slide and one a body slide. The tube slide connects to the lazy river, which really is <i>quite</i> lazy, so after coming down the slide, which we did every day, the next logical thing was our 15 minute float around the pool grounds. There is a snorkeling reef there too for an extra charge of 25$. You can actually look through the glass at the fish and snorkelers with their life vests. No thank you-I'll stick to the real thing. The lazy river and slide close at 6pm. Sunset is at 6:20pm or so. After that it is mass exodus from the pool. Honestly, in January, it's just too cold to be out there once the sun goes down.</p><p>There are lots of activities that guests can enjoy while visiting Aulani. These range from making your own Aloha themed Mickey ears, to Stargazing, to Storytime, to fitness classes, hair braiding, SNUBA, Hula Lessons, and character greetings. Some of these are included but you can bet that if you are walking away with something, like a head full of beautiful braids, there is an additional charge. Disney is very stingy with info letting guests know via the Aulani app how much their "Premium Experiences" cost. I did figure out that making your own Mickey Ears costs somewhere between 26 and 35 dollars. We did not participate in any of these activities. Thank you very much but we were out actually SEEING Oahu.</p><p>There are several restaurants on the Aulani Resort grounds. The fanciest is Ama'ama. We did make a reservation and eat here as our "fancy night". The service is impeccable. Every morsel on your plate is painstakingly described by attentive servers as it arrives at your table. The servers are unrushed and will stop by to make sure all is okay with your meal and inquire as to your day's activities. The setting is beachfront (or at least 'covefront') and is peaceful and calm. Live music plays at just the right volume. The menu is prix fixe and includes an appetizer, a starter, an entree and a dessert. The drinks are about 15$ and are excellent, though there is a wine pairing available for about 44 extra dollars per person. The final amount: don't ask. The bill was the highest we had ever paid in a restaurant with our family, and that was down one person. The fixed price is 125$ per person. You do the math. It was good though, and kind of our special night. Dinner only.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5zLsZ9Cjq3GLJ78tgY3usIOwOOXY8A5eqNxgjhQv_MOZfec8UlNm9FyoNc-CAlRFScRZpdjKnnOjQIZ5-FaJIuaH6UwKYwXelTWnDIg0u7NOBO7qvlR4TPN4u9UKDgOK_ZHrZD5UHErGDq3cCb9Ul2ed5lJkkICsTNkIE7Xuq2AVe8gChNcKKKPV/s2048/IMG_7660.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD5zLsZ9Cjq3GLJ78tgY3usIOwOOXY8A5eqNxgjhQv_MOZfec8UlNm9FyoNc-CAlRFScRZpdjKnnOjQIZ5-FaJIuaH6UwKYwXelTWnDIg0u7NOBO7qvlR4TPN4u9UKDgOK_ZHrZD5UHErGDq3cCb9Ul2ed5lJkkICsTNkIE7Xuq2AVe8gChNcKKKPV/w300-h400/IMG_7660.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">My starter salad and my gin drink</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifM0lWK7D3u1W_MCIQ7ySmGTvIOq2HOrCxqHzmgh4PBrRy4Q0bNiw6a-bDhd3yx1mC--mVOzGmxxldCIgG0XvB5EiXdDuOc2qdYNUQIqQSD-QxtjgDyy6dRLyf5vnFSESN0wDqGkUHkSAXOBR4MXhyqvScdre9hz3jo9Z4sTtZc-IXMpNHc8OTN21B/s2048/IMG_7662.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifM0lWK7D3u1W_MCIQ7ySmGTvIOq2HOrCxqHzmgh4PBrRy4Q0bNiw6a-bDhd3yx1mC--mVOzGmxxldCIgG0XvB5EiXdDuOc2qdYNUQIqQSD-QxtjgDyy6dRLyf5vnFSESN0wDqGkUHkSAXOBR4MXhyqvScdre9hz3jo9Z4sTtZc-IXMpNHc8OTN21B/w300-h400/IMG_7662.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My yummy lamb chop entree</div><p>Makahiki serves the obligatory character breakfast from 7-11am each morning, and regular dinner in the evening. I think this used to be a buffet, but now it is a fixed three course menu for both breakfast and dinner. But once again, good luck trying to get a price online. We did make a reservation to come here for breakfast, but a severe thunderstorm prevented this from happening, so I can't speak to how it was, but I think it was going to be about $50 per person.</p><p>There is a walk in cafe called "Off the Hook" and another cafe/convenience store called the Ulu Cafe. We saw lots of people coming out of here with pizza. </p><p>There is a luau at Aulani, Ka Wa'a. Wanting to get out of the resort we chose another luau, but more on that later. Ka Wa'a is $199 for adults and $104 for children through the age of 9. All beverages are included. Well that's pretty expensive, so I sure hope it was good. Oh, and by the way, the prices are going up on May 1, 2023.</p><p>Now how about the Disney bit?? One thing is for sure. Aulani is more Hawaii than Disney. I found the Disney touches to be subtle. Now we were here in January, and I imagine July might be different, but this place was no Typhoon Lagoon overrun with small brats. This was a classy place with classy people, some taking the trip of a lifetime. There were lots of retired people too, some with kids, some without-most just knowing how to take advantage of a beautiful opportunity.\</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAEKgB7F6YLbzvsk-l2H2lo4o76m8V7XaG6wz-Q2FTJvLBVMpuBmviOjL0FUQk3sZ3iB0PIIbrxrkW8uEkx1PniLFnb0X3gB6lXF8dhV5kkFAaLD95YHQjcSl-9WhVpsu6hC1I-2_Th1oFRk-7PApKUmNPSUSVWhutUxy8e28YyYGQ3JFzRK-zKFK/s2048/IMG_2444.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxAEKgB7F6YLbzvsk-l2H2lo4o76m8V7XaG6wz-Q2FTJvLBVMpuBmviOjL0FUQk3sZ3iB0PIIbrxrkW8uEkx1PniLFnb0X3gB6lXF8dhV5kkFAaLD95YHQjcSl-9WhVpsu6hC1I-2_Th1oFRk-7PApKUmNPSUSVWhutUxy8e28YyYGQ3JFzRK-zKFK/w400-h300/IMG_2444.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Sunset from the beach path</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHkkHk6GgtbiZaLWJqupzi6kLXbJA9T82R1qpzoLiYW6WKo_gutdykGQ2ct2YyWLGjX8haEszH5dgG2rmWqqupA5CVyQcTXX_GFLxHyzyh5Ecu8HKK2P2b5TQS0sEjZ-SvLkxdtMZH_zqUAhPFOu4qeKYrKkwSkWP7G_4Jl1y6MEZcdUbZt3j1kTMf/s2048/IMG_7601.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHkkHk6GgtbiZaLWJqupzi6kLXbJA9T82R1qpzoLiYW6WKo_gutdykGQ2ct2YyWLGjX8haEszH5dgG2rmWqqupA5CVyQcTXX_GFLxHyzyh5Ecu8HKK2P2b5TQS0sEjZ-SvLkxdtMZH_zqUAhPFOu4qeKYrKkwSkWP7G_4Jl1y6MEZcdUbZt3j1kTMf/w400-h300/IMG_7601.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Sunrise from the lobby</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjslv504XdE5lwV8chLRcCuE7tpQyuQmWJ4QNzCytfqYJs1j7h9DNrG9Q203UczpR5_xPyFQ6uct8dqjC-ifJI4QDaAIyrMISB9Z7IL7ow9342WBoGgPSQm5ScNeZ7YLBJGXYZsvu_ztaR6pmD7p-GI_sDvcqMxzYyoNGZlLXjZY8F9veDwl-qKpOVI/s2048/IMG_2445.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjslv504XdE5lwV8chLRcCuE7tpQyuQmWJ4QNzCytfqYJs1j7h9DNrG9Q203UczpR5_xPyFQ6uct8dqjC-ifJI4QDaAIyrMISB9Z7IL7ow9342WBoGgPSQm5ScNeZ7YLBJGXYZsvu_ztaR6pmD7p-GI_sDvcqMxzYyoNGZlLXjZY8F9veDwl-qKpOVI/w400-h300/IMG_2445.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Looking back on the resort at almost sunset</span></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSBU5is8x5vzGnyGfPX7JSLdsL4haZ1v9j90TayczQeaueXJ0mBmBPhLCsKwVS6NaXGvLw6tHa7HcigiO200pObi36ASDWFcMCpHkniZw9312Ueqi_m_QRHqdcs7xAoQ0e4WI7wdhTKO7u0_t4AnrH10-EtELR3Mqp1ZcPvpuquJUCuVxLRMWWoeT/s2048/IMG_7653.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGSBU5is8x5vzGnyGfPX7JSLdsL4haZ1v9j90TayczQeaueXJ0mBmBPhLCsKwVS6NaXGvLw6tHa7HcigiO200pObi36ASDWFcMCpHkniZw9312Ueqi_m_QRHqdcs7xAoQ0e4WI7wdhTKO7u0_t4AnrH10-EtELR3Mqp1ZcPvpuquJUCuVxLRMWWoeT/w400-h300/IMG_7653.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Sunset from the cove</span></div><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">KO OLINA in general:</span></b></p><p>Ko Olina is a master plan community consisting of four man made beach lagoons (all of which are public access, as per Hawaiian law), some residences, four large resort hotels, a golf course, a marina, and a small shopping complex, the Ko Olina Center. The one problem with staying at Aulani, or at Ko Olina in general, is that you are on average 45 minutes from any of the major attractions on the island including Hanauma Bay, Diamond Head, Kualoa Ranch, the airport, and Waikiki Beach. A rental car is an absolute necessity-unless you just want to sit there in the resort--in which case I say, 'why go to Hawaii at all?' This was not a problem for us, we just expected we were going to need to drive. </p><p>The eating and shopping options are minimal. There is NO grocery store, unless you count the ABC. The nearest is about 10 minutes away in Kapolei. The shopping is also limited and rather high end. There is one restaurant at the Ko Olina center, the overpriced Monkeypod, though a brewpub seems to be under development.</p><p>Summary: if you stay in Ko Olina and don't have a car, be ready to stay in your resort or spend a whole bunch in transportation fees. Also, even with a car, you need a kitchen.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">AND A MEDIOCRE LUAU:</span></b></p><p>Well, I already mentioned that we wanted to get off the property to experience a luau, which seems to be ubiquitous when coming to Hawaii. The luau on Oahu that seems to get the most consistent glowing reviews is the Ali'i Luau, followed by the Ha: Breath of Life show at the <a href="https://polynesia.com/">Polynesian Cultural Center.</a> We considered this luau but then made another decision for the following reasons: 1) the PCC is about a one hour drive from Ko Olina, so at the end of the night you still need to drive one hour to get back to your hotel, and 2) though the PCC Luau includes admission to the PCC and all its exhibits, the price is more than the local luau ($190), and NO ALCOHOL IS SERVED. The entire locale is run by members of the Church of Latter Day Saints, so alcohol is absent. Big time deal breaker. To me nothing says luau like a mai tai in your hand. </p><p>So anyway, we chose the <a href="https://www.paradisecove.com/">Paradise Cove Luau</a> because of its decent reviews and walking distance from the Aulani. The Paradise Cove has three "luau packages" you can choose from; the Deluxe, which costs $230 and includes front seating (in relation to the stage), a souvenir photo and a 'souvenir gift' (?), and table service which I guess means you don't have to get up to go the bar which has no view of the stage; the Orchid which is $165 an includes 'middle seating' and a fresh orchid lei, or the Hawaiian which includes a shell lei and wing seating for $140. Each package also comes with a 'cove card,' loaded with either 20, 16, or 12 dollars, which can be spent on drinks or souvenirs. Only one mai tai is included. Drinks at the bar were about 8$ so you can do the math and see that our cards with our Orchid level package allowed us to buy about two extra drinks.</p><p>What happened to luau and why are they now so expensive? This was the most we had ever spent on a luau. The last time we went on Maui was less than two years ago and it was considerably less. Anyway, I digress..</p><p>I do have to give Paradise Cove a few kudos for their included pre-dinner activities. Few a few dollars of "Aloha" you can get temporary tattoos, take a short canoe ride, compete in spear throwing with other guests, or have you name translated into Hawaiian. There is a good sized amphitheater for watching the imu ceremony with its short hula show. I was appreciative of the blessing that was supposed to be said before dinner was served, but this was literally at the same time as the sunset, so whatever they said, I didn't hear it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO3fSNG19JECBYy-xaVTMNkhRbWBfgaOgBLwdwdxaQuk3AqrK-LC4mJFKjr65sj39xgjyjoSEs3jJfhGRVOGqNNVtwqRqWvXUtnBcsnUuY0NWhV2HRaea0A0xp6-HsgZ67Ae7_ZdcGDZQ7LonE-9LS_2hK4yb1szFNFd0SAJpgdrsae5XMFJgT6H6b/s2048/IMG_2453.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO3fSNG19JECBYy-xaVTMNkhRbWBfgaOgBLwdwdxaQuk3AqrK-LC4mJFKjr65sj39xgjyjoSEs3jJfhGRVOGqNNVtwqRqWvXUtnBcsnUuY0NWhV2HRaea0A0xp6-HsgZ67Ae7_ZdcGDZQ7LonE-9LS_2hK4yb1szFNFd0SAJpgdrsae5XMFJgT6H6b/w400-h300/IMG_2453.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ready for our pre-dinner canoe ride</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ieKE-coKRzyNjw9O-Y7aFz0ElXiSoAy9awz5T5JdFvvGIq7cqWw49VyI4AqXCICPcniEif0lju9kBJdg5ypRohNmwxsk79ILJn5tWThJzfMN7FSwmINFgYmZrMP8GLc8aU-mM0Q8oWsv9zT1nhKBQd0NXA9GARNEtY6NRNrMLLAyPSIeCwB8uCGQ/s2048/IMG_7798.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-ieKE-coKRzyNjw9O-Y7aFz0ElXiSoAy9awz5T5JdFvvGIq7cqWw49VyI4AqXCICPcniEif0lju9kBJdg5ypRohNmwxsk79ILJn5tWThJzfMN7FSwmINFgYmZrMP8GLc8aU-mM0Q8oWsv9zT1nhKBQd0NXA9GARNEtY6NRNrMLLAyPSIeCwB8uCGQ/w300-h400/IMG_7798.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Sitting in the tattoo parlor!</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt11mrzVaJstcvmLaVDZQNCVc8_t__WA_aiu20eGbFEjcDmq286_r_rktRqf7JHlC6IZeVNmAkmyD_bD6g47mGweDPJH9ih06nzRmT6rTGTxrIj5F8dov5wcdcdqVQeLRwrNxOIUMoEj3SuiFqGifGkzTPPksuMEU1_gTuveyqSs0gVswpO0CvGTWk/s2048/IMG_7802.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt11mrzVaJstcvmLaVDZQNCVc8_t__WA_aiu20eGbFEjcDmq286_r_rktRqf7JHlC6IZeVNmAkmyD_bD6g47mGweDPJH9ih06nzRmT6rTGTxrIj5F8dov5wcdcdqVQeLRwrNxOIUMoEj3SuiFqGifGkzTPPksuMEU1_gTuveyqSs0gVswpO0CvGTWk/w400-h300/IMG_7802.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Showing off our fierce tattoos!</span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">But kiddos, that is it. Beyond that it was plastic chairs, a dirt floor, plastic utensils, semi-friendly bartenders serving wimpy drinks in plastic cups, and sitting shoulder to shoulder with strangers. The food was good, though without a whole lot of variety. The desserts, on the other hand, were garbage. I didn't even have any--you got that?--I didn't have dessert.</span></p><p>The show had a lounge lizard, who was a middle aged female. Most of the songs were sung in English about "hula silhouettes" and sunset darlings. I literally was waiting to here Tiny Bubbles or Little Grass Shack any minute. There was a lot of hype about the fire dancers who got called out on stage for an encore, as if that is the only reason you come to a luau. Then of course there was the obligatory call out to all the 'lovers' in the audience, who are invited to get up and dance to a cheesy love song. Ugh. </p><p>It was fine. It just wasn't good. For $165, it needed to be good.</p><p>The best luau on the islands hands down is the <a href="https://oldlahainaluau.com/">Old Lahaina Luau</a> on Maui. It is possible that I will never attend another luau aside from this one. This luau is complete class....but I hear it costs $230 per person. Suck it up and spend it--its not worth wasting the money on a substandard affair. No fooling.</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Well, that's that! Actually, I have a lot more to write about our trip to Oahu. Hopefully I can crank it out! No travel for a while, so lots of time to write! Thank you for reading this post. Here are some more pictures!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQkRh_1T7KzkDJTUao4VUYx-HWKWBXbOGQpLRjB8Xu4xeEa7_yDDJGJhqGFi1ZODW_UgAzSlW6oBKf3ZF5ryl75_ID3Ebag81jJNuEhtcR5FEbP39Kd6qO0HZRM_Ffx-S5qfm7fZiOIJpE_IF7_5RSi_hhxrl-CFiq4YCUhYbm7ls6IUHJVlws-VP/s2011/IMG_0473.JPEG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2011" data-original-width="1562" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxQkRh_1T7KzkDJTUao4VUYx-HWKWBXbOGQpLRjB8Xu4xeEa7_yDDJGJhqGFi1ZODW_UgAzSlW6oBKf3ZF5ryl75_ID3Ebag81jJNuEhtcR5FEbP39Kd6qO0HZRM_Ffx-S5qfm7fZiOIJpE_IF7_5RSi_hhxrl-CFiq4YCUhYbm7ls6IUHJVlws-VP/w311-h400/IMG_0473.JPEG" width="311" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Arrival at the Paradise Cove Luau</span></div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJ0IeBgcsy1UzcdAiBPP2Ui0vYQNgQESSKZoskbVzng7SlTVmA9L3wASISabneIG55E3f1H-Az8RgcQh4wFmx2ATwoBvS3eU__eKc2IYVFpVc6L0tX_SZkmwX3uaVYHivj_PVMvmGWNj9YLJZPLDrUrCr8_lYVbM3uHvU_nYXT8aKGePrMIfIynig/s2048/IMG_0479.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJ0IeBgcsy1UzcdAiBPP2Ui0vYQNgQESSKZoskbVzng7SlTVmA9L3wASISabneIG55E3f1H-Az8RgcQh4wFmx2ATwoBvS3eU__eKc2IYVFpVc6L0tX_SZkmwX3uaVYHivj_PVMvmGWNj9YLJZPLDrUrCr8_lYVbM3uHvU_nYXT8aKGePrMIfIynig/w400-h300/IMG_0479.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ready to party!</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6N_6SjD3DP_gfBlyqGDuGRuu2lDyzm5y2TOg_8clAgKZfXsJ8hPhjf5t1kBtP1bBXPrZfqXZOrkfF80nEkgjEjFRvKCOY7Yff6NJZm5nwhv3NC0ZFkcBcHQmnkyL3S7gJYLhLDkrYdvuG9VoTtgAq01jDoe0jkiLTuLu_kUCABig0dt0yTrrcqYP/s2048/IMG_7805.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6N_6SjD3DP_gfBlyqGDuGRuu2lDyzm5y2TOg_8clAgKZfXsJ8hPhjf5t1kBtP1bBXPrZfqXZOrkfF80nEkgjEjFRvKCOY7Yff6NJZm5nwhv3NC0ZFkcBcHQmnkyL3S7gJYLhLDkrYdvuG9VoTtgAq01jDoe0jkiLTuLu_kUCABig0dt0yTrrcqYP/w300-h400/IMG_7805.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Oh the beautiful sunset!!</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219332537908449042.post-5322237797544448272023-01-09T11:26:00.000-08:002023-01-09T11:26:30.016-08:00Rain Rain Go Away: Disneyland and San Francisco December 2022<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfu1w_xQr8ABBM6d5wQMVcvCf16F7Vd25cDBrzeYMeqQKPaIUBiDrQ2nQPIWqVCx13M4PVz3v86oPysKJ00Ynuk34JJZumgG_mBU0IkJVYlTrTMDEojSBGBkJUC5g7poMXfO265s1RsQPSMigevjgPFQe_2y1TTSEUqB_Ifqz7w7WoLKS7KhJaz2HQ/s275/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfu1w_xQr8ABBM6d5wQMVcvCf16F7Vd25cDBrzeYMeqQKPaIUBiDrQ2nQPIWqVCx13M4PVz3v86oPysKJ00Ynuk34JJZumgG_mBU0IkJVYlTrTMDEojSBGBkJUC5g7poMXfO265s1RsQPSMigevjgPFQe_2y1TTSEUqB_Ifqz7w7WoLKS7KhJaz2HQ/s1600/download.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>Well, if there is anything that there has been a lot of in the state of California during the month of December, it's rain. Weather this month has been interfering with the holiday travel and activities of many a Californian, and we were no exception. We went to Disneyland in the middle of the month and discovered before we left that there was no way were going to escape the rain. Then later in the month, our friend visited from western Pennsylvania, and our promised day trip to San Francisco also promised to be awash in rainfall.<p></p><p>Anyway, this post is not about rain, but rather how we managed it and the experiences we managed to have despite the unpleasant weather in both places.</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>DISNEYLAND:</b></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmZXqKffNU6ahDEQS4Ehjsf2BEg-Obwy74ZU-Z5jJ6hLUmrgHy7RVD786GIhBnmKunrLcE8IWY6ywaz_gDyc5d4AA711bwsywaQZiHS36IlMjapnb5dsdBDK-hdBqMhN3jjgdfLL8XtgeyafX5obpACYmVwPnTX5vEGb8_6RYf6B7Zgt9XCVTOMhWt/s225/download%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmZXqKffNU6ahDEQS4Ehjsf2BEg-Obwy74ZU-Z5jJ6hLUmrgHy7RVD786GIhBnmKunrLcE8IWY6ywaz_gDyc5d4AA711bwsywaQZiHS36IlMjapnb5dsdBDK-hdBqMhN3jjgdfLL8XtgeyafX5obpACYmVwPnTX5vEGb8_6RYf6B7Zgt9XCVTOMhWt/s1600/download%20(1).jpg" width="225" /></a></div>Well, we had been going to Disneyland in January over the last several years because this had worked out best for the kids' school schedules. This year all the kids would be home and done with finals by mid December so my family suggested the possibility of going to the Happiest Place on Earth during the holiday season. We had done this many times in the past, in the days of the now defunct "Fast Pass" system, and all I could think of was "crowded." My requirement was that if we were going to go during this time, we were going during the week. After much deliberation, we decided to try a three day single park ticket, which put us in the parks Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, December 11-13, with our reservations for Disneyland Park, California Adventure and back to Disneyland Park. Our hope was with the forecasted rain and the midweek reservations we would not need to buy Genie Plus.<p></p><p>Ok, well I guess we can talk about rain first. Sunday at 7:15am, the time at which we departed from our hotel to walk to Disneyland park, the city of Anaheim was under a complete deluge. We pulled out our rain ponchos and our portable umbrellas and made the 3/4 mile trek to the park entrance. Without a doubt the rain was keeping the initial crowds away, but when the rain stopped at about 12 noon, a lot more people showed up. The next day as well, we walked to the park in slightly less rainy conditions and endured rain at DCA until about 9 in the morning.</p><p>Now I can't say that an entire day (or two) in a constant downpour would be particularly fun, but days like this in southern California really are quite rare. It is much more likely that the rain will be temporary. There are a few items that are an absolute must when rain is expected and came in very handy: <a href="https://www.walmart.com/ip/By-totes-Unisex-Rain-Poncho-Lightweight-Reusable-and-packable/475558403?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=5884&adid=22222222277475558403_117755028669_12420145346&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=501107745824&wl4=aud-1651068665266:pla-294505072980&wl5=9061323&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=475558403&wl13=5884&veh=sem_LIA&gclid=CjwKCAiAqt-dBhBcEiwATw-ggF27Iex-6MHQioObSCgSzR7FHEOUooQZkXcUY1DsAKlvBVQuQbhX-xoCvN4QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds">a 5$ poncho from WalMart</a> (ponchos in the park range from about 12-14 dollars), a portable umbrella (preferably a sturdy one and not the tiniest you can find), an extra pair of socks, and a rag towel. The ponchos cover your bottom and will assist in not sitting in a puddle on a wet outdoor ride and actually keep you quite warm. Most indoor rides require your ponchos to be removed while you ride (I guess they are trying to keep their indoor rides dry.) The ponchos fold up and can be returned to your rented locker when the rain stops. We kept ours with us for riding Splash Mountain in 48 degree weather both nights. Not a great temperature to be soaking wet, or even mildly wet!</p><p>The weather can result in your nighttime shows being cancelled. Fireworks were cancelled "due to windy conditions in the upper atmosphere" (??) Sunday night (and Saturday night apparently) and World of Color was cancelled at DCA on Monday for the same reason (though that day fireworks did go on as scheduled at Disneyland Park). The most infuriating thing is the way Disney manages to gather every person in the park to one crowded area and then tell them at the last second that the show is cancelled. 😡 Fantasmic show (finally back!) went on as scheduled and fireworks did show on Tuesday night.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUWeZ3kXNz0uikCoXjXJyvo51PDj_ilhbey6ewlZQchmyoC-mGCFhpmZQfCJoCqyfQRc3vbOsQxaOAaCVsAfBkp-_AOaGKjuCzELrfxPjTFPjkrud1BJxrSrjPf9HqyP7an-CRdzgByNgWkjLFUS2T-5G9yYZ9yv4SG5n6dj9_vpoe3EpViO-LWf2q/s2048/IMG_7215.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUWeZ3kXNz0uikCoXjXJyvo51PDj_ilhbey6ewlZQchmyoC-mGCFhpmZQfCJoCqyfQRc3vbOsQxaOAaCVsAfBkp-_AOaGKjuCzELrfxPjTFPjkrud1BJxrSrjPf9HqyP7an-CRdzgByNgWkjLFUS2T-5G9yYZ9yv4SG5n6dj9_vpoe3EpViO-LWf2q/w480-h640/IMG_7215.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Who's afraid of a little rain???</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi319FoU-5c1rdr8YTQzIOT8jEnhC4HOdzsu0bzge5IJtKrQkMIzC4ZczP3rW2lNJteRUwmEy1IQpotH90vSuNhScUgrb1UjdpkME57tvh9vJpfvHr2y7f8NJRATQ6iejPL7RSehdwbWgjkjSHZWSAQheLid573kNj39jCF7fTBICiZUb9sCdLb0-78/s2048/IMG_7216.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi319FoU-5c1rdr8YTQzIOT8jEnhC4HOdzsu0bzge5IJtKrQkMIzC4ZczP3rW2lNJteRUwmEy1IQpotH90vSuNhScUgrb1UjdpkME57tvh9vJpfvHr2y7f8NJRATQ6iejPL7RSehdwbWgjkjSHZWSAQheLid573kNj39jCF7fTBICiZUb9sCdLb0-78/w480-h640/IMG_7216.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">But this rain is serious!!</div><p>Well, what about those lessened weekday crowds? Yeah, well forget that. The only day that was a little less crowded was surprisingly Sunday at Disneyland Park. California Adventure was beyond crowded on Monday. This day was almost a complete disaster. On walking into DCA, nearly every ride was closed, and this lasted for most of the day, so people scrambled from place to place as any given ride would open until it broke again. With nearly every Genie Plus ride down, the lines everywhere became much longer--causing waits where you never have waits, like for "the Little Mermaid," also which was closed for most of the day. We were trying to avoid Genie Plus on this day so we waited in some long lines of one hour or more. We were able to get on the Incredicoaster for the one hour it was open. Though the line for Guardians of the Galaxy (which I don't ride) said 60 minutes, I wound up waiting nearly two hours for the rest of my family to get off that ride..omg. Anyway, the rides were breaking at Disneyland too. We were on Indiana Jones when the ride stopped, the lights flipped on and there we sat for 15 minutes. Closures all over the park on and off, but somehow at Disneyland park there are enough rides to buffer it out. The best part about our terrible day at DCA was that we left early enough (9:15) to get home and get a decent night's sleep.</p><p>The last day after the terrible day at DCA the minute the lines got bad, we bought the Genie plus for 25$ per person which is its cheapest price. Last year we bought it for 20$. On Sunday it had been 30$ per person. Disney will charge whatever they want and people will pay it, it seems.</p><p>A little bit back to the prices, gosh, everything is insane. Every cocktail everywhere is over 17 dollars. Dinner at Blue Bayou was just under $300 with just one beer a piece for three of us, Oga's Cantina (again three alcoholic drinks and two not and no snacks) was $80. Dinner at Lamplight Lounge, which was more like bites than actual dinner (three drinks) was 215$. Naples, a literal pasta and pizza place, $240. A pitcher of beer was $50. Naples and Lamplight Lounge, by the way, were FREEZING. At Lamplight we were placed at a bar table with a gas fire, which we had to hover over to get warm. At Naples we sat indoors, but the constant opening and closing of the door to the patio left us unable to take our jackets off. Maybe take some of the revenue generated by the alcohol and put it into heat. Anyway, back to cocktails. The yummy cocktails at the PYM lab have also gone up at least a dollar since we were there one year ago.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYEYkfrX7310N_b0CZaQnzV0I7DrDiHSS2iUfmqnXaTctcwyKL8zjFnUOBs6SCxssA1mjU38Bu0ceJ9m2K0A7UjSAAjaWIgy0hxhXjE9pgvxBbHYP0FiSySMxnFvcZ2YEBxljMF-XdEPzgbrfOiAlJJRAAxwI_0hEp-NyrROUk5OqstuUf-nz7cqsS/s2048/IMG_7271.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYEYkfrX7310N_b0CZaQnzV0I7DrDiHSS2iUfmqnXaTctcwyKL8zjFnUOBs6SCxssA1mjU38Bu0ceJ9m2K0A7UjSAAjaWIgy0hxhXjE9pgvxBbHYP0FiSySMxnFvcZ2YEBxljMF-XdEPzgbrfOiAlJJRAAxwI_0hEp-NyrROUk5OqstuUf-nz7cqsS/w480-h640/IMG_7271.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Eighty dollars...</div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIm5wn-xM8d2tUGoRXJhrs6gl5SfQygsnavJKgNcRE0lY1LU_8W_4QyVYhx4U2_7v_WKlVeyBakR-sBso0hZ_N3EpB6wMGFp2TGjeN3aNrjB_y3MqVnSF3kIKKKGELsQfr_uRSvY65euo58PeOlfp5X4fRfilvqc716k28jIjRzfe8C4rgU58xBMpR/s2048/IMG_2154.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIm5wn-xM8d2tUGoRXJhrs6gl5SfQygsnavJKgNcRE0lY1LU_8W_4QyVYhx4U2_7v_WKlVeyBakR-sBso0hZ_N3EpB6wMGFp2TGjeN3aNrjB_y3MqVnSF3kIKKKGELsQfr_uRSvY65euo58PeOlfp5X4fRfilvqc716k28jIjRzfe8C4rgU58xBMpR/w640-h480/IMG_2154.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oga's Cantina is a good break and really a fun experience!</td></tr></tbody></table><p>It seems like I am complaining a lot, and true, the conditions were not fabulous-but we really had an amazing time. Genie Plus on the third day really made the day tolerable with less standing in line. The third day rest stops at both Blue Bayou at 4pm and Oga's Cantina at about 7 pm were also helpful. I made a promise to my kids after the disastrous second day that I would be staying until the park closed and that I would not complain about being tired even once. I was true to my word.</p><p>So the big question is what is my verdict on the choice of ticket? Well, after some deliberation, we did decide that the <b>two day park hopper with a Genie Plus purchase on a weekday</b> is probably the most bang for your buck. California Adventure just has too few rides to keep you there full day, making the Genie Plus add on almost imperative to avoid every line being over an hour. If you were going on a weekday not in high season, it might be reasonable to try to not purchase Genie Plus, but on pretty much every weekend, you are going to need it. </p><p>Here is another picture of Disneyland!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggB_DuYPgnrVC4hMEU3e4oVZ4q6G1kuxPjLTXDuB1RNVMAKMpRdxjSE0onPoz4gwBtrFK3ZWXRGCjurqp0Pq_MFmBdMB4arZnYqHJrUEXqqhBs2SdGKXvVWwoPO5KpCardaYoPvAS_hxYM-ZYfqhZh3ClIQhtqQSNxXSElqnWDKNjfkQn5qpaCU1Oi/s1280/social%20%20294445267.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggB_DuYPgnrVC4hMEU3e4oVZ4q6G1kuxPjLTXDuB1RNVMAKMpRdxjSE0onPoz4gwBtrFK3ZWXRGCjurqp0Pq_MFmBdMB4arZnYqHJrUEXqqhBs2SdGKXvVWwoPO5KpCardaYoPvAS_hxYM-ZYfqhZh3ClIQhtqQSNxXSElqnWDKNjfkQn5qpaCU1Oi/w426-h640/social%20%20294445267.jpeg" width="426" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">See, the ponchos can come in handy for some cute pictures as well!</div><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">SAN FRANCISCO:</span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Y4b8WPv4dLyx8a123eOuZ-FPrEsCTYdX6iFF3VLwgrrwjxohIpfhdNbuSyKEuICZAdH6NjRE5f16wZaQ-nqcCFRic329fryUeiAAFQPBUJaw1rdWXvYZcKCg9XRf1IahvEFC3UKSEZbeuHlUICkGVbSPZUtXcs3js15c6NXjZj4j2zYp7wL5V9bM/s275/images.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Y4b8WPv4dLyx8a123eOuZ-FPrEsCTYdX6iFF3VLwgrrwjxohIpfhdNbuSyKEuICZAdH6NjRE5f16wZaQ-nqcCFRic329fryUeiAAFQPBUJaw1rdWXvYZcKCg9XRf1IahvEFC3UKSEZbeuHlUICkGVbSPZUtXcs3js15c6NXjZj4j2zYp7wL5V9bM/s1600/images.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>We live about one hour south of San Francisco. We've recently joked that we only go to San Francisco for three things: Ball Games, Weddings, and Funerals. Actually the last time I did any form of sightseeing there was when I went with my husband to shop (if you can call that sightseeing) while our daughter did a one day job shadow. That was 2018! <p></p><p>Well, our friend came from Pennsylvania and we had promised to take him to San Francisco on December 27th, but alas, what was in our forecast again-RAIN. Outdoor walking and shopping and cable car rides were just not going to work, so we opted for a free driving tour my daughter found on the web at <a href="http://crosbyreport.com.">crosbyreport.com.</a> She modified it slightly and started us in the middle of the tour so we missed out on a few areas-Mission Dolores Park, the Castro, Alamo Square, Haight-Ashbury. We did get out when we wanted to but literally in two hours we saw..</p><p>The Sea Cliff neighborhood (I didn't even know this existed)</p><p>The Presidio (great views of the city from a turnout here)</p><p>Chrissy Field and the Golden Gate Bridge (We also got out here and beheld majestic views of the Golden Gate Bridge. This was especially neat in the rain as the fog horns were blowing from the bridge)</p><p>Palace of Fine Arts </p><p>Fillmore Street</p><p>Union Square</p><p>Chinatown</p><p>The Fairmont Hotel/Nob Hill</p><p>North Beach</p><p>Coit Tower (we actually got out here and had a much needed bathroom break though we did not go up in the elevator)</p><p>Lombard Street (we actually drove down the crookedest-is that a word?- street in the world!)</p><p>Fisherman's Wharf </p><p>Pier 39</p><p>The Ferry Building </p><p>Oracle Park</p><p>Anyway, this is a nice way to see the whole city even if its not a rainy day. We did finally park and get out at Fisherman's Wharf where we enjoyed the Happy Hour menu at the <a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz/chowder-hut-fresh-grill-san-francisco">Chowder Hut</a>, smack dab in the middle of the wharf area. We enjoyed Fish and Chips, Fish Sliders and beer. There were a few fire pits in the round restaurant, but we were not lucky enough to score one of these. After eating, it was actually getting dark, and we headed to Pier 39 to see a few seals and browse a few stores.</p><p>This area I gotta say is not what it used to be. When I was in college we used to whip over the Bay Bridge on a Friday or Saturday night and stroll the wharf and the pier and get something to eat or maybe pop by Ghirardelli Square. Just not that appealing anymore. A lot of the shops were boarded up and vacant. A lot of the famous restaurants were we used to eat before sorority formals or on special occasions, places like Neptune's Palace and Rainforest Cafe are gone. Even the crab stands at the wharf are half of what they used to be. The worst was the demise of the beautifully classic A. Sabella's, which is now an Applebee's. Not sure when all these changes occurred... too bad, but then again if I had frequented them with more regularity, maybe they'd still be open!</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Ok, well that's enough on this long post. I'm going to Vegas again and seeing a new show and will visit some new bars and restaurants. Also planning to see the new Diana exhibit. Ok, now for a few pictures!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1W6PswFGriFWm2nTUpF53nmTeN8q9e0nNRYAYtfyspQhRVtLj6-Wpeaxb1i4_3Fu_zahBqnRDgby_nCK-GSf8wOVyFNM2qrRUerd9gEEZjklxIkv-KCAJOHucjdMVybGVvzcOA6PF1TipjthQbjZhN21BdZehVzU9r0wgQUhEU3K2Z7yrpnpAqFL/s2048/IMG_7389.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1W6PswFGriFWm2nTUpF53nmTeN8q9e0nNRYAYtfyspQhRVtLj6-Wpeaxb1i4_3Fu_zahBqnRDgby_nCK-GSf8wOVyFNM2qrRUerd9gEEZjklxIkv-KCAJOHucjdMVybGVvzcOA6PF1TipjthQbjZhN21BdZehVzU9r0wgQUhEU3K2Z7yrpnpAqFL/w640-h480/IMG_7389.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Presidio turn out had a beautiful view</div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBDsC-_TrG-MmLxQX7wR0zyCkuWRXpaXZWoqyzRPxwuahWPwEPUf33apCFKfPAgu8DW19f6LNCd1NNPIVfWF4Fpo7xkAF9mgJEjW2wDh7fFM1bEnsAMoPVvklAO7dl6A47wYeJ9TCLc5cCPqcS5s_dOgpaXdoeSDruBjhimGdtL_NtsamZyrLUPu_2/s2048/IMG_7392.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBDsC-_TrG-MmLxQX7wR0zyCkuWRXpaXZWoqyzRPxwuahWPwEPUf33apCFKfPAgu8DW19f6LNCd1NNPIVfWF4Fpo7xkAF9mgJEjW2wDh7fFM1bEnsAMoPVvklAO7dl6A47wYeJ9TCLc5cCPqcS5s_dOgpaXdoeSDruBjhimGdtL_NtsamZyrLUPu_2/w480-h640/IMG_7392.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A new way of seeing the Golden Gate Bridge</div><br /><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKyB3g49spd2jYqVs7AeF9IVsWG_LUT0qZYJZPxNKXkP8IXW6cd79r14lXKDVoPGpuEIWborBvcCERKmw5NkAOg1_rN1hTnIgkstLPr63dxTJKbp-oMRxEyfO1zLY1O2kkOIEY2XMJvV8-IEEeUVGyiYhjPqrNlVDnMci2jsqIG6aiWa94L0pxeor/s2048/IMG_7397.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEKyB3g49spd2jYqVs7AeF9IVsWG_LUT0qZYJZPxNKXkP8IXW6cd79r14lXKDVoPGpuEIWborBvcCERKmw5NkAOg1_rN1hTnIgkstLPr63dxTJKbp-oMRxEyfO1zLY1O2kkOIEY2XMJvV8-IEEeUVGyiYhjPqrNlVDnMci2jsqIG6aiWa94L0pxeor/w640-h480/IMG_7397.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Our crew at the Chowder Hut</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxnCFVQ00ZaTHwTnYLDJMns8mIiDgSQYiaa_iYdPj87FN3dhEtwLe831ZWr-HH3jbtcto99_cbHgut9lWE68g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our trek down Lombard Street</div><br /><p><br /></p>Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219332537908449042.post-69893957399246095562022-11-14T12:31:00.001-08:002022-11-14T12:31:46.915-08:00New Experiences in Las Vegas November 5-7, 2022<div><br /></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ6r8sabL_C58mwCngQ-esS8AnRNJpu-8PmqIKDVzkgVVAGMLfEE6DTT0k-OGEX9avqsnhVwc4_v8fCJS-iouzVpUNyNGVgveZNes1W1k2n_-gfooBm_b8QXLuDi8XgwDb-L5o5u_HW4cgg-CMZctkZCGB8Jp0FSmR6791XQIbbezJ_3YD9EhlL5Zb/s2048/IMG_7094.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ6r8sabL_C58mwCngQ-esS8AnRNJpu-8PmqIKDVzkgVVAGMLfEE6DTT0k-OGEX9avqsnhVwc4_v8fCJS-iouzVpUNyNGVgveZNes1W1k2n_-gfooBm_b8QXLuDi8XgwDb-L5o5u_HW4cgg-CMZctkZCGB8Jp0FSmR6791XQIbbezJ_3YD9EhlL5Zb/w640-h480/IMG_7094.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div>Well, as everyone knows, it has been less than one year since my last trip to Las Vegas, which was in January of 2022. Things are ever evolving in Las Vegas, and no matter how often I come, which now has been TEN times in the last 20 years, there seems to be more and more to experience.<p></p><p style="text-align: left;">Our friends had been planning this trip with us for at least 5 years, with the purpose of taking our daughters (who are now nearly 23) to this ultimate of adult playgrounds for their 21st birthdays, which incidentally fall a day apart. I was back in planning mode for this one. I mostly made suggestions, but I was given pretty much free reign as to what we were going to do. This can be great, but when taking someone to Vegas for the first time, it can be a lot of pressure!! </p><p>Anyway, we had an absolutely fabulous time, chock full of brand new experiences. These are the new things we experienced and what I thought about them.</p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><b>SHOWS:</b></span></p><p><b><i>SHIN LIM: LIMITLESS</i></b><span> </span></p><p>We only saw one show while we were there, and it was hard to find a show I hadn't seen, because I've pretty much seen them all. I chose "<a href="https://mirage.mgmresorts.com/en/entertainment/shin-lim.html">Shin Lim: Limitless</a>" at the Mirage because I had never seen it, as he had only begun his long term residency at the Mirage in October of 2019. All I knew was that Shin Lim had won America's Got Talent in 2018 and that his act was mostly magic and cards. I was pretty nervous about delivering on my choice.</p><p>Every show I have seen in Vegas has been great.</p><p>THIS WAS HANDS DOWN THE BEST VEGAS SHOW I HAVE EVER SEEN</p><p>Shin Lim was a marvel. The 6 of us literally sat with our mouths open and our hands on our faces shaking our heads the entire show. These were card tricks that were completely unimaginable. Shin Lim is borderline creepy and mysterious in exactly the way you need a magician to be, but then he cracks jokes and interacts with the audience. There is a good amount of audience participation.</p><p>Shin Lim has a sidekick named Chris Cloud, who also does magic, but his line of work is more in the mind reading category. He is a quirky Scot dressed liked a professor. Chris performs while the headliner is changing sets and preparing how to blow your mind next. He is equally entertaining and just as mind boggling.</p><p>Listen, I don't want to say too much because you just gotta go see it. This show is an absolute MUST! At the Mirage theater. 90 minutes. Great seats for about 100$ including fees.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgssd0lfWEbZMb2XXX_IfpRisIU2-WSH7kLBxuvYIb905Pww-8xDZXzk5XC3df8shp6RhduIK-eyRVmFtLDLOOxsr1quXq0-It9PyNk_zbZ6itQLQpoIhKp-DPrttuQ11OvjvePIc4uAxNDJxW8UkHLJW-bpt6FFXWrDIbmo1VQXW6X-mSWRozDZkHL/s2048/IMG_7127.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgssd0lfWEbZMb2XXX_IfpRisIU2-WSH7kLBxuvYIb905Pww-8xDZXzk5XC3df8shp6RhduIK-eyRVmFtLDLOOxsr1quXq0-It9PyNk_zbZ6itQLQpoIhKp-DPrttuQ11OvjvePIc4uAxNDJxW8UkHLJW-bpt6FFXWrDIbmo1VQXW6X-mSWRozDZkHL/w300-h400/IMG_7127.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Unbelievable show!!! Not to be missed!!</span></div><br /><p><b style="font-size: x-large;">ATTRACTIONS and ACTIVITIES:</b></p><p>I hesitated to start with Shin Lim because some of the new experiences were not nearly as impressive.</p><p><b><i>FLY OVER:</i></b></p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_lP40FRelUZNo5NaavcJKOOFzgaf-UNHgIVP0guiNwDIJZcgNUDgvu8mKJ14M76PSzkLakXEQ7xtskbsCGckuXmHy1rSx7J9gFQX8JCHFDO1vF8LMcjn6sHBneVfPsWX1qfnN9EyzmhQPaeE2Ji6OG71SBgAcVyqCUqXCsq-RIj6-h7aJkpiFr34/s308/download%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="164" data-original-width="308" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga_lP40FRelUZNo5NaavcJKOOFzgaf-UNHgIVP0guiNwDIJZcgNUDgvu8mKJ14M76PSzkLakXEQ7xtskbsCGckuXmHy1rSx7J9gFQX8JCHFDO1vF8LMcjn6sHBneVfPsWX1qfnN9EyzmhQPaeE2Ji6OG71SBgAcVyqCUqXCsq-RIj6-h7aJkpiFr34/s1600/download%20(1).jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It seriously looks nothing like this..</td></tr></tbody></table><a href="https://www.flyoverlasvegas.com/">Flyover</a> opened on Las Vegas Blvd in September of 2021. Its entrance is tucked between the Hard Rock Cafe and a Ross store, right across the street from the Park MGM.</p><p>There are three shows currently to choose from: Wild Wild West, Iceland, and the newest addition, the Canadian Rockies (Windborne), which is what we rode. </p><p>Think of Flyover as kind of a kind of Soarin' on steroids. There is a pre preshow and then a pre show, both of which are kind of mother earthey as opposed to comic, like the famous quotable Patrick Warburton intro we are all used to. The turns and swings in the glider are more pronounced on the FlyOver. The ride is longer (8 1/2 minutes) and the photography is more expansive. There's a great view no matter where you are sitting and none of the horrific "bent" photography you experience in Soarin should you not get in the best seats.</p><p>My complaint is that the "wind in your hair" generated by the ride is FREEZING and blows right into your eyes the entire ride, finally forcing me to put my hands up to shield my face. Worse, occasionally you go through a cloud, which is actually wet, so now you are both wet and cold. This killed it for me. I would not go again. It was 30$ per person. I wish I had kept my jacket on.</p><p><b><i>MEOW WOLF: OMEGA MART at AREA 15:</i></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9r5Cpbq0rA_kmltfe-xDzowGCPUGb3lTvpgFYyXdwAoBjz9BNjLBdHPBM8BUD0xKeEKBRh5p24r1WpB-3IM8HmWKyZbcnViiwWP6yzz1sirVsRTEutxapmGo84ib2Y3TRQzxImcBClyrRpJUQgtDml2wsmRYqF-qNzC5C1NgClF8Qp6BSOhxyhNx6/s279/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="181" data-original-width="279" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9r5Cpbq0rA_kmltfe-xDzowGCPUGb3lTvpgFYyXdwAoBjz9BNjLBdHPBM8BUD0xKeEKBRh5p24r1WpB-3IM8HmWKyZbcnViiwWP6yzz1sirVsRTEutxapmGo84ib2Y3TRQzxImcBClyrRpJUQgtDml2wsmRYqF-qNzC5C1NgClF8Qp6BSOhxyhNx6/s1600/download.jpg" width="279" /></a></div>As I mentioned in another blog post not very long ago, AREA 15 opened in an off strip location September of 2020. The building houses a handful of "experiences" and other attractions, such as a hot air balloon ride, a restaurant, a bar, and an axe throwing venue. Anyway, if you Google AREA 15, you will discover that the anchor tenant is the <a href="https://tickets.meowwolf.com/las-vegas/">Meow Wolf Omega Mart</a> which is described online as "an imaginative, immersive installation with interactive artwork, optical illusions and hidden passageways." The reviews were impressive, so despite the fact the tickets were $59 dollars, we decided to take the plunge and go. Listen, it's Vegas, so it is probably worth it.<p></p><p>Okay whatever? I expected this to be much cooler than it was. It's a contrived supermarket with a bunch of fake colorful groceries with some doors and passageways that lead to a bunch of weird areas. There is nothing to do particularly or play with or read or discover. It's just a bunch of lights and paint and stairs and colorful stuff. I kept expecting something to happen. It just never did.</p><p>The online guides will tell you to allow 2-3 hours to see the attraction. We were out in just over an hour, wondering what all the hype was about. There is a card you can add for I guess three dollars which was supposed to add some storyline and context to the whole nonsense, but we didn't get it. Not sure if anything could have helped.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: large;">RESTAURANTS:</span></b></p><p></p><p>Restaurants in Las Vegas rarely disappoint. The restaurants seem to turn over fairly quickly. I would be inclined to say that at least half of the restaurants we have enjoyed over the last 20 years have folded, some of them quite famous, including Rao's, Spago, Circo (where we spent my 40th birthday), and Alize.</p><p>On this trip, we tried five new eating establishments and one new bar, The two restaurants that I'm not reviewing are Carson Kitchen, at 6th and Carson downtown, very close to the Fremont Street Experience, and the Buffet at the Wynn. Both were excellent and come with my highest recommendation. We had a late reservation on a Sunday night at Carson Kitchen and though we had only 30 minutes until the kitchen and bar closed, they did not rush us a bit. The buffet had everything to eat you could imagine. The 50$ price tag was well worth it. I also highly recommend the PRE-PAYMENT option, which gets you right up to the front of the line, which was long.</p><p><i><b>PRIMAL STEAKHOUSE:</b></i></p><p>If you type "best Steakhouse in Las Vegas" into Google, Primal Steakhouse comes right up. I had never heard of this place before. The reviews were outstanding and the pictures looked fun so I made the Saturday night reservation</p><p><a href="http://primalsteakhouse.com/">Primal Steakhouse</a> opened in January of 2021 in the unlikely location of Boulevard Mall, a shopping center on Maryland Parkway about 4 miles off the strip. No joke, though, the medieval decor including red velvet wallpaper, swords, helmets, and candelabras dripping wax transport diners to a different time and place. There is a specialty drink menu and a fairly good wine list. Corkage fee is an unbelievable-for-Las-Vegas $25. Apparently happy hour pricing last all night if you are dining at the bar. Anyway, no drink discounts for us, we were comfortably seated in our cozy booth.</p><p>The menu as the name would suggest consists of mostly steak, many of which are too big for one person to eat. In fact, three of us shared the 32 oz Tomahawk Steak medium rare which was cut up for us on a carving board before we ate. This steak was so delicious, my husband accepted the dare to try and gnaw on the bone for extra meat! The meat was complimented by the usual a la carte sides: broccolini, brussel sprouts, mac and cheese and mashed potatoes. Our share of the dinner with tax and tip for three people was about $285. Really not too bad. I have spent more than this for two people in Vegas.</p><p>There was some live music which was just slightly too loud for my taste, but it seemed to die down as the night went on. The restaurant has a themed little corner with some props and big chairs and the like where you can take some pictures. This was a fun end to our time at the restaurant.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgopFuYkqn1E47HbKDVjZGUjJXGtRxDrAn1yUPk1RkfWYSXbBjuu--YA4G_qvZXK9m9YGiOcWVpANK8MvjbTKl5HZ2TVMlUIsayLXP_lTFSqzEwGjIub_0bNP4OO1qgJ5XzbrRE8_Urd9fP3Z1xITN6uaDJnCRK-tpZ9awtUtXtohvT6MwDtz8cnl4s/s2048/IMG_7054.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgopFuYkqn1E47HbKDVjZGUjJXGtRxDrAn1yUPk1RkfWYSXbBjuu--YA4G_qvZXK9m9YGiOcWVpANK8MvjbTKl5HZ2TVMlUIsayLXP_lTFSqzEwGjIub_0bNP4OO1qgJ5XzbrRE8_Urd9fP3Z1xITN6uaDJnCRK-tpZ9awtUtXtohvT6MwDtz8cnl4s/w300-h400/IMG_7054.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Tomahawk Chop, baby!!!</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAtOi1V90Zpz2wvm0j0cgFpiqSgZM4qbRrCCwXaVwtVZaNBp4NTulFCv2ssHl77Eqh6QSnz9Qm_RBF8029PxTTr0vkVWDfC3CvngFUAQFsf5n0_LV9iUvxn9_NmO9Gg0P8P0TfwEB2tlOaybvwDzYYw03BuECCK3G9pm-Vm3dCR2favXkLgl0pr10i/s2048/IMG_7058.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAtOi1V90Zpz2wvm0j0cgFpiqSgZM4qbRrCCwXaVwtVZaNBp4NTulFCv2ssHl77Eqh6QSnz9Qm_RBF8029PxTTr0vkVWDfC3CvngFUAQFsf5n0_LV9iUvxn9_NmO9Gg0P8P0TfwEB2tlOaybvwDzYYw03BuECCK3G9pm-Vm3dCR2favXkLgl0pr10i/w300-h400/IMG_7058.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf3waZBKB7oatUv3UN-iXbBemtDDSxynvIFwSiB-Q2E0dy5S9kxXrotojw_Df-CWGJAu0FgnKwPr0S0MebmonOpbq4yCFKENTQ3DjcQQd3GZGKp49vxgIdAFgQQ73rrAdyae2coSwW8b86vtVH3MHleAGJQ6XEqK642mX0vtwTl1FTm9rZ5guapJ9y/s2048/IMG_7060.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf3waZBKB7oatUv3UN-iXbBemtDDSxynvIFwSiB-Q2E0dy5S9kxXrotojw_Df-CWGJAu0FgnKwPr0S0MebmonOpbq4yCFKENTQ3DjcQQd3GZGKp49vxgIdAFgQQ73rrAdyae2coSwW8b86vtVH3MHleAGJQ6XEqK642mX0vtwTl1FTm9rZ5guapJ9y/w640-h480/IMG_7060.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hard to not have fun here!</span></div><p><b><i><a href="https://www.hashhouseagogo.com/location/hash-house-a-go-go-las-vegas-nevada-the-linq">HASH HOUSE A GOGO:</a></i></b></p><p>This has got to be the most popular breakfast spot on the Las Vegas Strip and we found out why. I warned my friends that there was bound to be a wait and that we should get there as quickly as possible. We left at nine and were at the restaurant at about 9:20 and we were looking at a 1 hour and 15 minute wait. Luckily the LINQ promenade is right there with its own Starbucks (also with its own very long line) so the time went pretty quickly and we were actually seated in about an hour.</p><p>What a menu! And the portions, holy Toledo! There are a lot of tempting drinks on the menu, but they are all about 20$ and come with a souvenir cup you are never going to use again, so we mostly opted for beer (remember we had all had coffee at the Starbucks and it had to be 5 o'clock somewhere) except our friend who got the 24 oz Johnny's Famous B.L.T. Mary. The food was amazing and it was pretty incredible how much of it we were able to put down. The girls got the Roasted chicken, Garlic, Onions, Asparagus and Rosemary Hash, I got Andy's Sage Fried Chicken and Eggs, and my husband got the Andy's Sage Fried Chicken Benedict. OMG. I can't believe he did not just lay down and die after that. I kid you not. It was serious.</p><p>I wouldn't bother going here if you are not eating meat. It's just pointless.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQcKAtNrpKh9H-9gnr2pog6Tph-w1xKOlchFt9sl6HLpEk_VH2qAqsWA8E6_qodP-H5woWN5XlQPPK0qTY4DF0UQPe17qN_TBwEPsehNPooY-9LPY1JMwtWd2VKP967l4_Q30xhHDPvcTqwazsLoWBxgTVCEsIZXg6upTPKBmmIxS0IhRU2mzU5TD/s2048/IMG_7079.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjQcKAtNrpKh9H-9gnr2pog6Tph-w1xKOlchFt9sl6HLpEk_VH2qAqsWA8E6_qodP-H5woWN5XlQPPK0qTY4DF0UQPe17qN_TBwEPsehNPooY-9LPY1JMwtWd2VKP967l4_Q30xhHDPvcTqwazsLoWBxgTVCEsIZXg6upTPKBmmIxS0IhRU2mzU5TD/w300-h400/IMG_7079.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Andy's Sage Fried Chicken and Eggs</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqW_t_6eEwm23thpqw6BD56vwOef5itswqs2qS1RpoZcGlw7VlcMr9NFOpOcHZP2e9MdrL_7eqCvm-dhijxH7b_GFy6TL2i2GuIUkN7B1RgGvIXuX-M1_vkGJbBhyBemTXamqQahnjMWw7p87CHhYChQ5QoEZwym7RNH11TyJqzppkyjy6EfAH6Zi/s2048/IMG_7077.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlqW_t_6eEwm23thpqw6BD56vwOef5itswqs2qS1RpoZcGlw7VlcMr9NFOpOcHZP2e9MdrL_7eqCvm-dhijxH7b_GFy6TL2i2GuIUkN7B1RgGvIXuX-M1_vkGJbBhyBemTXamqQahnjMWw7p87CHhYChQ5QoEZwym7RNH11TyJqzppkyjy6EfAH6Zi/w300-h400/IMG_7077.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">OMG! Andy's Sage Fried Chicken Benedict</span></div><br /><p></p><p><b><i><a href="https://oceanonegrill.com/pos/register/o1.asp?companyid=5">OCEAN BAR AND GRILL:</a></i></b></p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDD0acMWRRmwMg3BnANgNQVhdqY3KONU-zsY0uiy78vUMPWqbtmRu8VxNuFN3PZGCv0QeAF4QzX8ooWU76K5GZwwB9dUNwZ1-lEztYIbGuIMR2kWaGVBSqjNlJBcp8qti94JFUfyDZTt5ObC0ldYpGzT2OE6sXOKLXuj-c2LPFBmsbUFee7qEvz2uc/s2048/IMG_7028.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDD0acMWRRmwMg3BnANgNQVhdqY3KONU-zsY0uiy78vUMPWqbtmRu8VxNuFN3PZGCv0QeAF4QzX8ooWU76K5GZwwB9dUNwZ1-lEztYIbGuIMR2kWaGVBSqjNlJBcp8qti94JFUfyDZTt5ObC0ldYpGzT2OE6sXOKLXuj-c2LPFBmsbUFee7qEvz2uc/w150-h200/IMG_7028.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1 of 3 </td></tr></tbody></table>This is a great little place largely because of its location in the Miracle Mile Shops so close to our hotel (Marriot Grand Chateau). The food is not fancy, but man is it cheap, like they have steak and eggs for $12.95. I had a Florentine Benedict for like $7.99. Breakfast service ends at like 10 or 11, so that is something to keep mind. The place is large and cozy, and has plenty of televisions for your sports viewing pleasure.</p><p>They have a good selection of cocktails all of which are 3 for 12$ all day long. You cannot split the special but they did not seem to have any issue with us having one at time at the table and all sipping out of it. If you only drink one at the table, they will give you the other two to go, but we drank all three at the table. Yes it was 830 am, but how can you pass up a special like that??</p><p><b><i><a href="https://bellagio.mgmresorts.com/en/nightlife/petrossian-bar.html">PETROSSIAN BAR:</a></i></b></p><p>Ok well this is not a restaurant at all but it definitely is a food and beverage experience so it kind of belongs in this category. Anyway, this super classy bar is located in the front lobby of the Bellagio in full view of the front door and the glass flower ceiling. From the moment you approach the hostess podium the space exudes class and style. There is a certain clientele visiting this bar, and it's not the same people you see at the Fremont Street Experience or the Dueling Axes. The chairs and sofa are crushed velvet, a soft piano plays, the lighting is low. The average age in this bar is definitely higher than we saw at the Golden Tiki.</p><p> I didn't really gather that you could make a reservation here, except for certain events, like afternoon English tea service, which only is available on the weekends. If you try at a different time the reservation system will default to nothing being available, which does not mean they are full, it just means that they are not taking reservations at that time. Anyway, we did not have a reservation. It was a Sunday night at primo happy hour time so we waited about 20 minutes. </p><p>We spent more here than we spent on dinner downtown later on in the night. There are drinks on the menu that are 40$. Pretty intense. There is also caviar service that can cost you over 1000$ dollars-knock yourself out-not really my thing. <span> I'll stick with the 30$ cheese board. My Old Fashioned, which was likely served in Baccarat crystal, came with a craft ice cube and was made with Japanese whiskey, was smooth and delightful. Our bill was over 200 for six of us. One drink a piece and a cheese board. You do the math. This was possibly the most opulent Vegas experience of my life. I would do it again. I would like to be a bit less rushed.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxwtxBF-atbipKifsTiP23rjMEhTwBVWdbdrjWXmIhJcLZ-38ML0J13O_yYX5L7CG39UHJ4Cm3dyzxBWcieGTcOYDpxsWitYfIz8qtmODyMpu3gjvApsocB5rJW8xneqrrRCHtNK9r770zgigpf33k_jnMVy2DS8nPSc41Q4Mml7BxdjY23SJSVt0/s2048/IMG_7095.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkxwtxBF-atbipKifsTiP23rjMEhTwBVWdbdrjWXmIhJcLZ-38ML0J13O_yYX5L7CG39UHJ4Cm3dyzxBWcieGTcOYDpxsWitYfIz8qtmODyMpu3gjvApsocB5rJW8xneqrrRCHtNK9r770zgigpf33k_jnMVy2DS8nPSc41Q4Mml7BxdjY23SJSVt0/w400-h300/IMG_7095.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-y3HpI5KRjZFGz-t096o12UehN4Dw2M1kXANE0v8FxPOMEA7r5Xij3lu4uqNfYfTyi_ey73ip9UItrgrICji72aCqz4DEjE-QxRtx0Ck4b2wikQuU8hKsamafvpHcv2zMVSDm6aY3YI-BygKedAJxiFRWf-TU7o5CpZjNklktQzJtA-BJx6JD7nUD/s2048/IMG_7100.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-y3HpI5KRjZFGz-t096o12UehN4Dw2M1kXANE0v8FxPOMEA7r5Xij3lu4uqNfYfTyi_ey73ip9UItrgrICji72aCqz4DEjE-QxRtx0Ck4b2wikQuU8hKsamafvpHcv2zMVSDm6aY3YI-BygKedAJxiFRWf-TU7o5CpZjNklktQzJtA-BJx6JD7nUD/w300-h400/IMG_7100.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">That's 30$ worth of cheese you're lookin' at!</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXQjkuKMbk7izb637chwG0_9K9gHopK74UC3ADJtD4SIq2Xebt0rteDv4xyVkDnw2PTHDhkccK5zZEZOh5MGURCbaV6Dk8ya07GDVXUbQcFiLt6agEKgZYbet_M8gmlEwgcWM8dvg6CooBKJTIooxQTQgW_kNApNhT2DkdqchCzALXN5vFLJ7NiKD/s2048/IMG_7104.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGXQjkuKMbk7izb637chwG0_9K9gHopK74UC3ADJtD4SIq2Xebt0rteDv4xyVkDnw2PTHDhkccK5zZEZOh5MGURCbaV6Dk8ya07GDVXUbQcFiLt6agEKgZYbet_M8gmlEwgcWM8dvg6CooBKJTIooxQTQgW_kNApNhT2DkdqchCzALXN5vFLJ7NiKD/w400-h300/IMG_7104.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><p><span><span style="font-size: large;">Thank you for reading my post! In less than a month we are off to Disneyland! Looking forward to more experiences and more posting then!</span></span></p><p> </p>Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219332537908449042.post-2770980442334807292022-08-18T14:07:00.063-07:002022-08-18T14:46:56.105-07:00Sun, sand and history: The Outer Banks, North Carolina July 31-Aug 7, 2022<p>The circumstances surrounding our trip to the Outer Banks are rather roundabout. Last October and November I was at least knee deep in planning a four city trip to central Europe, but near and about Christmastime 2021, the area pretty much shut down entirely. Considering my penchant for planning, and the very real need to avoid potential COVID related cancellation expenses, we decided as a family we needed an alternate plan. We decided to go to Pennsylvania to see Craig's mom whom we hadn't seen in several years. But to where after? I remembered many years ago a girlfriend of mine telling me if she could choose any place in the United States to go on vacation, it would be the Outer Banks in North Carolina, so the research began. We invited my sister in law and her family and sent them some pictures and they were literally in by the end of the night. Off to the Carolina<span> </span>coast we go!</p><p></p><p>The Outer Banks is a 175 mile long thin stretch of land ranging from near the Virginia border (though you can't drive to its northmost point from VA) to the mostly uninhabited Cape Lookout National Seashore. The land is separated from the North Carolina Mainland by a series of shallow sounds. On a map, the area is so thin as to be barely visible. At most given points, the distance from sound to shore is just a short walk. </p><p>The Outer Banks are a short 2 hour drive from Norfolk International Airport. From inland you cross the Albemarle Sound on the Wright Memorial Bridge which takes you directly to Kitty Hawk. From here you can drive highway 12 north to the communities of Duck and Corolla, or proceed south to the more densely populated areas of Kill Devil Hills, Nag's Head and Roanoke Island, or much farther south to the remote areas of Rodanthe, Avon, and Ocracoke. As first timers, we were advised to stay in a more bustling area, so we chose an apartment at a beachfront property in Kill Devil Hills, the Outer Banks Beach Club Resort.</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>AN AREA FULL OF HISTORY</b></span></p><p>Though the main attraction in this area is the wide sandy beaches and the beautiful blue water, there is a lot of history in this area which is not to be missed.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3_vsT7fNkHqg9tdKPdw1gobACWpSBqohoMK0vQOuyuZUQu22A41gYJRI-tEx0npYcKQ-uL-1pdtCoUXZXhGEQ08sk4YtBTJ6Zp0pDOVM8vdV4vzwggkDxgSQ1gV1Tufori2Ar8Ox3FYIHzkMSmW9vt9P8Se5QzJVLcaPTAeAzv0Hs6vzC1UwpaUCF/s2048/IMG_6662.jpeg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3_vsT7fNkHqg9tdKPdw1gobACWpSBqohoMK0vQOuyuZUQu22A41gYJRI-tEx0npYcKQ-uL-1pdtCoUXZXhGEQ08sk4YtBTJ6Zp0pDOVM8vdV4vzwggkDxgSQ1gV1Tufori2Ar8Ox3FYIHzkMSmW9vt9P8Se5QzJVLcaPTAeAzv0Hs6vzC1UwpaUCF/w240-h320/IMG_6662.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div>A lovely area is the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/wrbr/index.htm">Wright Brothers National Memorial</a> in Kitty Hawk. Included in the $10 admission fee (though we were fortunate to come on a free day) are the visitor center, which chronicles with photographs and correspondence the endeavors of Orville and Wilbur Wright in their pursuit of powered flight and an outdoor area, which consists of recreations of the hangars and barracks inhabited by the Wright Brothers, four stone markers measuring the four flights that took place on December 17, 1903, and the memorial itself, completed in 1932, which is a short climb up a now stabilized sand dune.<p></p><p>The <a href="https://www.nps.gov/fora/index.htm">Fort Raleigh National Historic Site</a> is at the northern tip of Roanoke Island, a 25 min drive south and then west from Kitty Hawk. The site is mostly dedicated to the story of the Lost Colony of Roanoke which goes as follows. In the year 1587, about 100 men, women and children made the nine week voyage over the Atlantic to establish a colony under the crown of Elizabeth I. The conditions, which included drought and strained relations with the natives, were not favorable to the colonists and eventually forced the return to their governor, John White, to England to organize the delivery of provisions to the perishing community in Roanoke. Mr. White was delayed in his return as the queen's ships were all tied up in the war with Spain. When he finally returned to the colony 3 years later, all trace of the community and its inhabitants had mysteriously vanished. There are all sorts of theories as to what happened to the colonists, none of them conclusive. The visitor center on the site describes how it all went down. Admission is free.</p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQARmQx-5Utq-m6qpusAwFg51lr9bK_ALl9CRSW_w3OxtrcNcRlMTT9b9OyC53fWLZ9ac3JQsM-183C5AATSJVvBxISmyH9PzSi_F-sRoDoSk7gWXyxxkfiFFqfkRb19Fl94IuFRKw6UXleCv7QH8UzNZaJx5gtl57A3zgysML7WG9r8rmaeK_9i0L/s2048/IMG_6625.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQARmQx-5Utq-m6qpusAwFg51lr9bK_ALl9CRSW_w3OxtrcNcRlMTT9b9OyC53fWLZ9ac3JQsM-183C5AATSJVvBxISmyH9PzSi_F-sRoDoSk7gWXyxxkfiFFqfkRb19Fl94IuFRKw6UXleCv7QH8UzNZaJx5gtl57A3zgysML7WG9r8rmaeK_9i0L/w229-h320/IMG_6625.jpeg" width="229" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our crew goofing off onstage!</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">Also on the site is the Waterside Theatre, home to "<a href="https://www.thelostcolony.org/">The Lost Colony</a>," a musical production which has been reenacting the plight of the Roanoke colonists for 85 seasons, since 1937. The show starts at 8:30 pm Monday through Saturday and is considered a "must do" while visiting the Outer Banks. The outdoor ampitheater is warm and comfortable despite the late hour. Beer, wine, soda, and snacks are available. Casual dress. Tickets starts at about $25 or so. The show is a bit campy and borders on being a bit Oklahoma-esque, but it made for a fun and lively conversation on the way home. I say 'yes.' Go see it.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Just steps away from the Visitor Center are the <a href="https://www.elizabethangardens.org/">Elizabethan Gardens</a>. These are lovely and worth the price of $12 per person. The ten acre garden recreates the fanciful and elaborate gardens that were designed to entertain Queen Elizabeth I during her reign. There is a gazebo, a butterfly house, a large lawn area, fountains, and antique statuary. There is an audio tour included which leaves you fiddling with your phone quite a bit. Better to just stroll and take in the gardens. The gardens opened in 1960 and are a project of the Garden Club of North Carolina. They are located right next to the Fort Raleigh site, but are a separate private entity. Here are a few pictures...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_p3QY_ScOhlB1OjCvS9n50AYJoG2DmyDYpo0JUTz07mCd33KJRurWMp9YxcKsP_UiIZzCAZ2maZIdHVRmZY_Oz2h8vE61UUZXvy_8tieAJXj0ovEePBkv5gS62gfcBHJWVcojWgSs09MRGfMh_gR1z6Xy2JexnOE9VHhHFDJqqegcB8ND2Tuxdoo/s2048/IMG_6631.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_p3QY_ScOhlB1OjCvS9n50AYJoG2DmyDYpo0JUTz07mCd33KJRurWMp9YxcKsP_UiIZzCAZ2maZIdHVRmZY_Oz2h8vE61UUZXvy_8tieAJXj0ovEePBkv5gS62gfcBHJWVcojWgSs09MRGfMh_gR1z6Xy2JexnOE9VHhHFDJqqegcB8ND2Tuxdoo/w300-h400/IMG_6631.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-eoSArH8dm9OSj1C3z7UpPyTLJrYgY0U012bz6BA1znh3d7HcQo47AKoWfTIIBz1Coc5Bkfrb9AHHqOize1h9ofrrpshBfHrRXEhfb_IioXnq69e9ytqaPqAMwbKifrfa6YTTx117IyFut4-oAloq0t6XBcchs_35RwqDu2IMf-C2-8nevrfxAmEc/s2048/IMG_6638.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-eoSArH8dm9OSj1C3z7UpPyTLJrYgY0U012bz6BA1znh3d7HcQo47AKoWfTIIBz1Coc5Bkfrb9AHHqOize1h9ofrrpshBfHrRXEhfb_IioXnq69e9ytqaPqAMwbKifrfa6YTTx117IyFut4-oAloq0t6XBcchs_35RwqDu2IMf-C2-8nevrfxAmEc/w300-h400/IMG_6638.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrwgzoaCat33v9PoKu-wVUO3m46J4jCAbQ8t5YmoPIOsgk70-1ZTR8wl6pjUeAsEL7yq18JZ0GA-IMN7trq9dekIurYg9iG3BpNS6_9P0lq0GABK7j_LpPmbrSYp1d-AgnX9BEzkgxK7V7Bpw728eTtdwQzb_FWPRZUct-UqGqFz7z-bU6ay6OZiP/s2048/IMG_6643.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDrwgzoaCat33v9PoKu-wVUO3m46J4jCAbQ8t5YmoPIOsgk70-1ZTR8wl6pjUeAsEL7yq18JZ0GA-IMN7trq9dekIurYg9iG3BpNS6_9P0lq0GABK7j_LpPmbrSYp1d-AgnX9BEzkgxK7V7Bpw728eTtdwQzb_FWPRZUct-UqGqFz7z-bU6ay6OZiP/w300-h400/IMG_6643.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkNysbTufXVykpLGmu9gmvSXyGRihxNQqTEEKBk-05NGfMt8u5bclzjxbQpdnSORrG5llXsJo1mFCqAqzbuiBVAABtFe8p_TbneCEKxn0y-lDf2eP6bAT7XGTm7HbufsMfECNo8P5u71PnZLQrY3DycVH4j0C2lk7PWcCo2-hBLATZaOR41ozZLtg/s2048/IMG_6707.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkNysbTufXVykpLGmu9gmvSXyGRihxNQqTEEKBk-05NGfMt8u5bclzjxbQpdnSORrG5llXsJo1mFCqAqzbuiBVAABtFe8p_TbneCEKxn0y-lDf2eP6bAT7XGTm7HbufsMfECNo8P5u71PnZLQrY3DycVH4j0C2lk7PWcCo2-hBLATZaOR41ozZLtg/w150-h200/IMG_6707.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Elizabeth II at night</td></tr></tbody></table>The <a href="https://www.roanokeisland.com/">Roanoke Island Festival Park </a>is walking distance from the downtown area of Manteo, the "big city" on Roanoke Island. The Settlement site is a living history museum depicting how the colonists of 1585 would have worked and played. Also on the site is the Elizabeth II, a recreation of a typical English merchant vessel that made the trip with the colonists. It's open Tuesday through Saturday 9 to 5 and costs $11 for adults and $8 for kids 3-17. Admission includes the whole site. <p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span></p><p><b style="font-size: large;"><br /></b></p><p><b style="font-size: large;">BEACH LIFE</b></p><p>Beach life in the Outer Banks is DA BOMB. People come here every summer to enjoy sun and sand with their families, and frankly, you could come to the Outer Banks and do nothing but sit on the beach. The sun is intense however and a beach umbrella is pretty much a must. Our beachfront apartment at the <a href="https://www.outerbanksbeachclubresort.com/">Outer Banks Beach Club Resort</a> partnered with a business that would set up your rented chairs and green and white parasols daily for a fee of $150 for a week. We thought that was pretty steep so we skipped it, though we did squat under the umbrellas of beach goers who had abandoned their rentals for the day.</p><p>A beach front house, hotel or condo is ideal, as there is nothing better than being two minutes from the fridge or the bathroom, but there is plenty of free public access parking all along the shoreline that does not seem to fill up until midday or so should you need to come from farther away.</p><p>The water temperature is cool but is clear and swimmable, unlike the arctic foam we are accustomed to on the west coast. On two consecutive days while we were there, a bloom of brown jellyfish lined the shore from north to south, making the beach on those days unswimmable. On more usual days, one does have to use caution, as the brown jellies can give you a nasty zap, which is more annoying than painful, though I wouldn't recommend it. The water is also inhabited by clear moon jellies which do not sting and are fun to collect.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRAVN-_tiPAUEbjeueRet9F27AfRRIE-tX9nzopsiuSfLA3idBiK7g64Xr4Xe9yiG6t-qq-EFDc2cndsS7bFI5bMiMLcTY0TRzMK-RKhrihCJTO3wkZIUGyBO6WqrwSU-4H8iSvrpbDsL4AMrFruasqhd2fvHk9WpmTBNXHUleZTG6-7mayu-krQbU/s2048/IMG_6616.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRAVN-_tiPAUEbjeueRet9F27AfRRIE-tX9nzopsiuSfLA3idBiK7g64Xr4Xe9yiG6t-qq-EFDc2cndsS7bFI5bMiMLcTY0TRzMK-RKhrihCJTO3wkZIUGyBO6WqrwSU-4H8iSvrpbDsL4AMrFruasqhd2fvHk9WpmTBNXHUleZTG6-7mayu-krQbU/w300-h400/IMG_6616.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good morning, Outer Banks!</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDEzbuiZVxSYyVQALb91VWN9OVrmSY5eiKczz31bcs33aDRwaDSBKK95WlaXHHAZ2ISJUIZ-holM46JWZVTA6EA7rkGZwmC7uukFtSw-nabTEMKAQKAehP5DQ876JJcDEprGIRBOUCKXCtR1wcc4TfEzQr9ACBvtr_MmAu2Ia66BM8le5Lq8EpIods/s2048/IMG_6617.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDEzbuiZVxSYyVQALb91VWN9OVrmSY5eiKczz31bcs33aDRwaDSBKK95WlaXHHAZ2ISJUIZ-holM46JWZVTA6EA7rkGZwmC7uukFtSw-nabTEMKAQKAehP5DQ876JJcDEprGIRBOUCKXCtR1wcc4TfEzQr9ACBvtr_MmAu2Ia66BM8le5Lq8EpIods/w300-h400/IMG_6617.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU-TvnCs3a4gSC91GVVaFm7y7HGstD3ccH5TxAHV49In9MLIjMM_ZolUTnOHlb_AP3nRRn2LBKwvQoI8jHloGOjiQN3AyqOEiixhNU2sGxbplNvt3xYsa4FEA5HJfT9tJIouNQAB2GbcCeXnFpwl5ku4c3XjM_a1RssD7axAc-zUptMRGGwZN1fpDN/s2048/IMG_6699.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU-TvnCs3a4gSC91GVVaFm7y7HGstD3ccH5TxAHV49In9MLIjMM_ZolUTnOHlb_AP3nRRn2LBKwvQoI8jHloGOjiQN3AyqOEiixhNU2sGxbplNvt3xYsa4FEA5HJfT9tJIouNQAB2GbcCeXnFpwl5ku4c3XjM_a1RssD7axAc-zUptMRGGwZN1fpDN/w400-h300/IMG_6699.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>OTHER OBX EXPERIENCES</b></span></p><p>While visiting the Outer Banks it would be unfortunate to not take advantage of some of the other attractions in the area.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7DXpkrRsO-G0Wxixr_3w0mN0aGVIhPzTfiNBWy_lftmPCLJkmERvuUcRnoNLEAmO7Sv6hLA18VcDqEJNrsL1tww7GRrFaRtNSnJWQMQG-zZ8QiXoolG0WTLvtLg1efDyl66BV7GNPph84q7ZYjvD35lhCa6-iU-iijjE0aaA1s0Ms6tBCsw1scxX4/s225/download%20(1).jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7DXpkrRsO-G0Wxixr_3w0mN0aGVIhPzTfiNBWy_lftmPCLJkmERvuUcRnoNLEAmO7Sv6hLA18VcDqEJNrsL1tww7GRrFaRtNSnJWQMQG-zZ8QiXoolG0WTLvtLg1efDyl66BV7GNPph84q7ZYjvD35lhCa6-iU-iijjE0aaA1s0Ms6tBCsw1scxX4/s1600/download%20(1).jpg" width="225" /></a></div>About 20 minutes north of Kill Devil Hills in Powell's Point right on Highway 158 is the <a href="https://www.h2obxwaterpark.com/">H2OBX </a>water park. This place is great for beating the heat! The park has everything you would expect: a wave pool, a lazy river, family slides, body slides, tube slides, of course a huge kiddie area, and lots and lots and lots of stairs. The park often runs specials on tickets. I think we got a 4 pack for about $130. A worthwhile add on, though somewhat of a splurge for us, was a cabana with our own server for $250. It was great to have the reserved shade, the patio furniture, a mini fridge full of water and our own server. We never had to get up and stand in scorching hot lines burning our feet whenever we wanted to eat. We just hit a buzzer and ordered! We put over 14000 steps on our feet on this day--got there at opening and shut the place down. Man, were we wiped out! H2OBX is open daily, varying hours but we went from 10-6 which are typical hours.<p></p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfV_EKAH7WjtAJENyNOy_2OXqtl0qMvMMJXGm--hqJnIc049YPpPZj4m4SuWA-2-NxfMCp1vUZs0707N4SIlDVzvDLFmXqmbekA-dK8JdKY2wozwbBJaDH0MNesaIdXQ7qhE3C0c2qNpKpzLn52f-dkZENAiXz_Mvjom6F5hh6hLRzb-Ht5CW4wD8J/s2198/IMG_6586.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2198" data-original-width="1428" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfV_EKAH7WjtAJENyNOy_2OXqtl0qMvMMJXGm--hqJnIc049YPpPZj4m4SuWA-2-NxfMCp1vUZs0707N4SIlDVzvDLFmXqmbekA-dK8JdKY2wozwbBJaDH0MNesaIdXQ7qhE3C0c2qNpKpzLn52f-dkZENAiXz_Mvjom6F5hh6hLRzb-Ht5CW4wD8J/s320/IMG_6586.jpeg" width="208" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A wild Spanish Mustang</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div style="text-align: center;">Another not to be missed activity is some type of tour to see the wild horses of Corolla. The horses are a group of feral Spanish mustangs that have inhabited the Outer Banks for 500 years, making them in fact the earliest "settlers" of the area. It has been thought that the horses were left by a Spanish explorer. They are now protected. It is illegal to feed them or even to approach. There are about 100 horses in number now. They hang out on the beaches and dunes north of Corolla, where there are no paved roads (however many large houses). You don't NEED a horse tour to see the horses but you do need a permit to drive on the beach, and then ya better not get stuck. Better to pay the tour guide than the tow truck! </div><p></p><p>There are many outfits to choose from but we went with <a href="https://wildhorsetour.com/">Wild Horse Adventure Tours.</a> The thing that set this outfit apart is the vehicle used for the tour, an 13 passenger Hummer. This vehicle is unique for several reasons, likely the most important being that you are in the same vehicle as the tour guide. Most other outfits we saw were towing their passengers in a 5th wheel. Talk about a bumpy ride. Some seating was arranged in rows with what looked like an easy up over the passengers. Others had a "hayride" type arrangement, where the passengers actually face each other and were seated on benches-what a mess! Anyway, go with the Hummer. We were arranged in three rows of four bucket seats with seat belts in ascending height front to back for optimum viewing. </p><p>The horses are just horses. They roam in the dunes between the houses and eat. It's not like there are tons of them running majestically down the beach in the crashing waves, but it's neat, and I'd do it once. I actually enjoyed looking at the houses in this remote area as much as viewing the horses, remembering that anyone living or renting for that matter out here has to drive miles on the sand to get to a grocery store!</p><p>The tours run just about every hour when it's busy and last two hours.</p><p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbYGXtOak3fVLpzWoymOK06r2LkpZ0Eft8H1NC8UtnvjN137krVYf9NCUczp72KwCTDUNgPoM71flDDIMs5RsfBpRBlBtrS1O6CrdxmP0r3vTODjcOC2vLNfpApHOJBhh9o3JaRPedtfXDk9nBqrSZL0xuW5iDJr3ebHM_lh2cpTsVmOIBJ1dwrpfd/s2048/IMG_6701.jpeg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbYGXtOak3fVLpzWoymOK06r2LkpZ0Eft8H1NC8UtnvjN137krVYf9NCUczp72KwCTDUNgPoM71flDDIMs5RsfBpRBlBtrS1O6CrdxmP0r3vTODjcOC2vLNfpApHOJBhh9o3JaRPedtfXDk9nBqrSZL0xuW5iDJr3ebHM_lh2cpTsVmOIBJ1dwrpfd/s320/IMG_6701.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Setting sail on the Downeast Rover</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div style="text-align: center;">Ok I seem to be writing quite a bit so I will chop it down a bit here and mention a few more worthwhile stops more briefly. The <a href="http://ncaquariums.com/roanoke-island">North Carolina Aquarium</a> is also on Roanoke Island. It is a worthwhile stop if for no other reason than it is air conditioned. It's $12.95 for adults and is open every day from 9 to 5. Reservations are required but on a Wednesday at 1:30pm we were able to walk up and enter right away. There are some interesting exhibits including those about the marine life in the local sounds and one about shipwrecks and how the Outer Banks got its moniker, "The Graveyard of the Atlantic."</div><div style="text-align: center;"> A 2 hour sunset cruise on the <a href="https://www.downeastrover.com/">Downeast Rover</a> out of Manteo Harbor is a good time-6:15pm to about 8:30pm. The crew is lively and full of info. You are allowed to bring drinks and snacks aboard (and we did!). A little less exciting when you here the sound is only 4-6 feet deep. I thought the per person price of $60 was high considering they give you nothing to eat or drink.</div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>SO YOU WANT TO EAT??</b></span></p><p>Well, so does everyone else on the Outer Banks. One night we waited 75 minutes. Getting your name in at 5 pm to eat at 7 is not unheard of. Most places do not take reservations. Many are closed one of more nights per week (usually midweek). We also waited about 30 minutes in a sandwich line. It's all good. Just plan.</p><p>Anyway, here are a few places I would recommend:</p><p><a href="https://www.mamakwans.com/">Mama Kwans BBQ and Tiki Bar,</a> 1701 S. Croatan Highway, Kill Devil Hills: A wide variety of tropical drinks and food in a diner setting. Okay to sit at tiki bar without eating. Here is where we waited 75 minutes after they quoted us 1.75 hours. Closed Wednesday.</p><p><a href="http://poorrichardsmanteo.com/">Poor Richards Sandwich Shop</a>, 305 Queen Elizabeth Avenue, Manteo: Wide variety of hot and cold sandwiches on the Manteo Harbor. Long line almost constantly. Take out or dine in. Inside or outdoor seating. Closed Sunday.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcSPr4C4hFRmjv2VU_MVNRe517R4HgzDVi6RTIHwbdDdqv_THFoboi0xASezjrN1Ch9ItF3LnIYIm_rUylqhTftgIvkW2uS6txT17d5cLwAdvBqjjQ9hJBdu6VMUnlQ2a6e0cQypTny14HaCxMzSIlYN3RU1_8G0IGWPAq3VlHG406jbPGirZNzdVw/s2048/IMG_6645.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcSPr4C4hFRmjv2VU_MVNRe517R4HgzDVi6RTIHwbdDdqv_THFoboi0xASezjrN1Ch9ItF3LnIYIm_rUylqhTftgIvkW2uS6txT17d5cLwAdvBqjjQ9hJBdu6VMUnlQ2a6e0cQypTny14HaCxMzSIlYN3RU1_8G0IGWPAq3VlHG406jbPGirZNzdVw/w300-h400/IMG_6645.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p><a href="https://pigman.com/">Pigmans BBQ</a>, 1606 S. Croatan Hwy, Kill Devil Hills. Good selection of beer and BBQ dishes, including tuna. First come first served seating. Open everyday! What?</p><p><a href="https://www.swellsabrewing.com/">Swells A'Brewin Beer Company</a>, 1802 S. Virginia Dare Trail. Kill Devil Hills. Brand spankin' new microbrewery with limited snacks available. Dog and child friendly. Great upstairs deck. Also open daily.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhII1UuHz0aLr9WtdXgMEE5ecr4iy2BeGgfc6eWfrVyXM3QQ3UkOFWmJKB3Jzk-4elvsye1HdXwvrrfNL6-5KBJv1hhcpLIW-hkFrkF_PDIpAB1UReHWgI0ifEGCegDk9D8rWBOwBUK-PIBXr0zuKeqdokhoGMmf3NffAq9-K3W1hGFRmHQkDnesqa8/s2048/IMG_6609.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhII1UuHz0aLr9WtdXgMEE5ecr4iy2BeGgfc6eWfrVyXM3QQ3UkOFWmJKB3Jzk-4elvsye1HdXwvrrfNL6-5KBJv1hhcpLIW-hkFrkF_PDIpAB1UReHWgI0ifEGCegDk9D8rWBOwBUK-PIBXr0zuKeqdokhoGMmf3NffAq9-K3W1hGFRmHQkDnesqa8/w400-h300/IMG_6609.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rooftop deck at Swells A'Brewin<br />(before it rained!)</td></tr></tbody></table><p><a href="http://www.gritsgrill.com/">Grits Grill and Bakery,</a> 5000 S. Croatan Hwy Nag's Head Original breakfast items. Serving breakfast and lunch. This is one place we did not have to wait. Open daily 6am to 2 pm.</p><p><a href="https://www.duckdonuts.com/">Duck Donuts</a>, Multiple locations. Too bad we discovered this on the last day. Vanilla cake donuts custom made to your order. Maple bacon, peanut butter and chocolate, etc. Oh soooo good!</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_adtZl-WmyubJxH8I5eB1ULeDQEiuAI0y8UIANTIq66IXxdMzEVItYdvIA3kmKHsYsUTtdLsPqm742TmKdTjFcncrjBQ6eKZufir0TNlxMh2gKh4VOmt_eQh5T0PKflBUD1uZcjy7uHaLWR7hUKiWT3Sny6deBj4uwMSYFkG_JUu-VON8fRWZsDnb/s2048/IMG_6715.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_adtZl-WmyubJxH8I5eB1ULeDQEiuAI0y8UIANTIq66IXxdMzEVItYdvIA3kmKHsYsUTtdLsPqm742TmKdTjFcncrjBQ6eKZufir0TNlxMh2gKh4VOmt_eQh5T0PKflBUD1uZcjy7uHaLWR7hUKiWT3Sny6deBj4uwMSYFkG_JUu-VON8fRWZsDnb/w300-h400/IMG_6715.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seriously, do not miss Duck Donuts!<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-size: large;">Thank you for reading this post! Where have you been this summer? Here are a few more pictures from the Outer Banks!</span><div><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmTimX3pd1VfaQKEYuTMmxLEm9sT9HKqPyI-EHFpgILACSb1g6pBi9KZKJ-Y-QBCLb_Vb5c4JCZVXIX8ZhiS-vr6vJQhpr15RELst3hCHoTJoqKnFuxey0_djEbheV0eS0Jb6uayTdqa6ftwgphcheeZRZlFwqNgKeLDHdifds1YBgSLGP7gpTt4Vo/s2048/IMG_6567.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmTimX3pd1VfaQKEYuTMmxLEm9sT9HKqPyI-EHFpgILACSb1g6pBi9KZKJ-Y-QBCLb_Vb5c4JCZVXIX8ZhiS-vr6vJQhpr15RELst3hCHoTJoqKnFuxey0_djEbheV0eS0Jb6uayTdqa6ftwgphcheeZRZlFwqNgKeLDHdifds1YBgSLGP7gpTt4Vo/w640-h480/IMG_6567.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A Happy Hour stroll on the beach!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBfEfjG-mKRTidRb8MYRdGF4-xCbqmU_7LeiMKTSgS1Mei9PkyGPsMTgZXFxcd8-2om7NukDue-NBej3NpoR2mogV1rkmuIk3jLd7WCCO2scAH-na3jcWKl7fq4b-J83eviui0Y2JgFjRT376uYI-BNUKhdKMN4K2qxVqU7xgLQYOgQgE57tcPhyZ8/s2048/IMG_6646.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBfEfjG-mKRTidRb8MYRdGF4-xCbqmU_7LeiMKTSgS1Mei9PkyGPsMTgZXFxcd8-2om7NukDue-NBej3NpoR2mogV1rkmuIk3jLd7WCCO2scAH-na3jcWKl7fq4b-J83eviui0Y2JgFjRT376uYI-BNUKhdKMN4K2qxVqU7xgLQYOgQgE57tcPhyZ8/w640-h480/IMG_6646.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Manteo Harbor</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhilFR61OJhokkbeGgILo_kcuTezJfx_auto7bJqasp4rS2VZimMkOIBJVqAJJPOZXrB5ohZ_5_B0pGd9noWRTxMgQN2LwDTeqT__-bs39VWecnKN2vDTQhboK-Mzucv7H0NeqHwuDIup2MZqwBGe0gIgX58Phb7JDEzetnbxdl-fBqAKQE6n7kgzFl/s2048/IMG_6689.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhilFR61OJhokkbeGgILo_kcuTezJfx_auto7bJqasp4rS2VZimMkOIBJVqAJJPOZXrB5ohZ_5_B0pGd9noWRTxMgQN2LwDTeqT__-bs39VWecnKN2vDTQhboK-Mzucv7H0NeqHwuDIup2MZqwBGe0gIgX58Phb7JDEzetnbxdl-fBqAKQE6n7kgzFl/w480-h640/IMG_6689.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Downtown Manteo First Friday night</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCIDRdjpAkbyRWZhwLK-MByxMSACBmaIMx_CcFMEkxi77fiar6WWILFR4PfBuz-n9yXBjopcEZZdg4FIagdcZt8TWV1CMQ3_y4YqLZAcbdTw0PxGm_MZ1ePC-cNxmSkktCwOgr0dQ-UIIrjxTSocaFCV5ex5dxn2peYurIFOm6lCmgdunNTBF1Hea-/s2048/IMG_7435.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCIDRdjpAkbyRWZhwLK-MByxMSACBmaIMx_CcFMEkxi77fiar6WWILFR4PfBuz-n9yXBjopcEZZdg4FIagdcZt8TWV1CMQ3_y4YqLZAcbdTw0PxGm_MZ1ePC-cNxmSkktCwOgr0dQ-UIIrjxTSocaFCV5ex5dxn2peYurIFOm6lCmgdunNTBF1Hea-/w480-h640/IMG_7435.jpeg" width="480" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Inside the Currituck Lighthouse<br /><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div>Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219332537908449042.post-33556726523971051612022-03-02T20:05:00.004-08:002022-03-02T20:07:36.299-08:00Wining in Carmel by the Sea and Santa Barbara February 2022<p><span style="font-size: large;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjS0tGvVHX13S6BD9paqmEloXX18lwne7eMVUmLJjJXV6uo5GCkvC32t-imbuOtSRydqttxjCbUIsNULu7oqqQhPZyIoRGCPMQW9PrsM9IV_OgnqnHLQJJ33ztNjMP1eZmwPA1Ky3NVb5rQ-S9eKufQZdQ-TKu4PR7B9cSQbotPxCjc0GpQbhEVS0j9=s290" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="290" data-original-width="173" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjS0tGvVHX13S6BD9paqmEloXX18lwne7eMVUmLJjJXV6uo5GCkvC32t-imbuOtSRydqttxjCbUIsNULu7oqqQhPZyIoRGCPMQW9PrsM9IV_OgnqnHLQJJ33ztNjMP1eZmwPA1Ky3NVb5rQ-S9eKufQZdQ-TKu4PR7B9cSQbotPxCjc0GpQbhEVS0j9" width="173" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><span>Well, this is about the time that my GoFamily and I would be taking the opportunity</span> <span>provided by the February break to take a little ski vacation, most commonly out of the state. This year, however, with the two oldest having returned to in person college (no Feb break) and my second semester senior playing a full season of varsity baseball (thank God), no traveling was going to take place as a family. I took the whole week off anyway and planned two short bookend getaways, a Sunday to Tuesday trip to Carmel-by-the-Sea with my husband and a Friday to Sunday visit to Santa Barbara with two girlfriends. On the agenda in both destinations? Wine!</span></span><p></p><p><br /></p><p><b style="font-size: large;">CARMEL:</b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhW7oFpqz58fTf2eL7b-0Y_sud975mPyrDWmPUk9TitXv7hWlN_Ohnlbzgf7uhk7XicghyZbatpT7mIfwFJ6CRjeLwwlenRuMj1udJtxwt59hBRQetbDV1XTlp9QcewbQN_frBy6ddIANe3lGilBPLjzXLVtxWhnLeSQMxLj82Pbhsz8epp7-CxGnbr=s2048" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhW7oFpqz58fTf2eL7b-0Y_sud975mPyrDWmPUk9TitXv7hWlN_Ohnlbzgf7uhk7XicghyZbatpT7mIfwFJ6CRjeLwwlenRuMj1udJtxwt59hBRQetbDV1XTlp9QcewbQN_frBy6ddIANe3lGilBPLjzXLVtxWhnLeSQMxLj82Pbhsz8epp7-CxGnbr=s320" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div>There are plenty of wineries in the Carmel Valley and Monterey areas. The issue here is the driving. It is also hard to choose which wineries to visit. Well, "Visit Carmel by the Sea" makes it easy on the Carmel wine taster by offering the <a href="https://www.carmelcalifornia.com/carmel-by-the-sea-wine-walk.htm">Carmel by the Sea Wine Walk</a>. The Wine walk is a stroll to 13 different tasting rooms that have been set up remotely in downtown Carmel all within a few blocks of each other. Kind of a pub crawl if you will, but with wine. Basically you download the app which lists the names, locations, and hours of the participating wineries and off you go! Wine walkers pay the usual tasting room fee, but each winery has a special offer for tasters on the wine walk, ranging from an olive and salami plate to additional reserve tastings to two for one tasting. On arriving at a winery, you check in using a special wine walk code to redeem your offer. I think this is only for the simple reason to avoid people coming back over and over and repeating their perks by saying they are on the wine walk.</div></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Fees were typically 20 to 25 dollars for 4-7 pours. As you might expect, there is quite a variety of generosity when it comes to pouring ranging from the 1.5 oz test tubes presented at De Tierra to the chincey pours at Blair Estate, in which I could barely see the wine in the glass. It took us only one winery to figure out that we were going to have to pace ourselves by splitting tastings. In this manner we were able to visit three wineries on day one and four on day two. Tasting wine this way also cuts your tasting fees in half. It is possible in most of the tasting rooms to waive the tasting fee with a purchase of wine, some quite a bit more than others.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Not all the info in the app was accurate. For instance, Talbott was not open at 11 as advertised and neither was Scheid. Scheid did open about noon and we did take advantage of that but we never circled back to Talbott. Vino Napoli was also closed. This was all fine because there was no way anyone could visit all the wineries anyway, seriously, you would die.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The wine is good but not excellent in my opinion. Though we visited 7 wineries, we bought only one bottle of wine. The guilt here is easily dispersed by the fact that now you pay a tasting fee. Remember when it used to be free?? However, it is the experience really you are paying for. We had excellent service at all wineries and did tip all our servers accordingly.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Of all these tasting rooms, only De Tierra had a bathroom.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So lets get a little synopsis of where we walked on our wine walk!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://detierra.com">De Tierra</a> (Mission between 5th and 6th): Bar and table seating. Great presentation of wines in a test tube rack allowed for proceeding at your own pace. Charcuterie board available. Incredible live music from Meredith McHenry. She managed keyboard and a guitar and had some rig that allowed her to harmonize with herself. Dang I was impressed.<br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMbNO0zXmcGH8mclGZhTBwJAYVA23bi-XiFdUhpamNwX6QTSV5qg-x_9rrVmLpe9mF8YioMpuhayML6gTKQa1FSd2cyAfIcF2PCt-7nMoO1V2Fs_dQnwLW_yptkpvtjqaWqmdGPMLKvkksdVMECXnaUQtVIo5N5VJq27cy5FtaTfsdnsYPRi62IwcC=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiMbNO0zXmcGH8mclGZhTBwJAYVA23bi-XiFdUhpamNwX6QTSV5qg-x_9rrVmLpe9mF8YioMpuhayML6gTKQa1FSd2cyAfIcF2PCt-7nMoO1V2Fs_dQnwLW_yptkpvtjqaWqmdGPMLKvkksdVMECXnaUQtVIo5N5VJq27cy5FtaTfsdnsYPRi62IwcC=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Cute presentation of tasting</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> in Test tubes at De Tierra</span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://hahnwines.com">Hahn Family Wines</a> (Ocean and Mission in Carmel Plaza): No food but outside food allowed. We had to sit outside as the indoor seating was full and it got pretty wicked cold out there.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVSx8p_Mco21rfZ9HTK6lkfvvOhR9eZFQ7lRRkRSw_NP0USmbY0KWYMuZLhJZ0LHrGqel1eYDqKlX1bq5RV538Q2SMWK_8vDU7cl37AyGee4LPQWPaKttIkZBW1AYdf_9xgPHKC_x-GdwRmcFBvmKdsMyNzYKORHoyFPSBI6gK47EmBduH9_olR-ST=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgVSx8p_Mco21rfZ9HTK6lkfvvOhR9eZFQ7lRRkRSw_NP0USmbY0KWYMuZLhJZ0LHrGqel1eYDqKlX1bq5RV538Q2SMWK_8vDU7cl37AyGee4LPQWPaKttIkZBW1AYdf_9xgPHKC_x-GdwRmcFBvmKdsMyNzYKORHoyFPSBI6gK47EmBduH9_olR-ST=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4wzXmwwOkqufFWzgs6JFvMlggn-iAoq6H4fz6tKno2U5hRWxBYNNt98u0n0P2CZHRnCWKxRFwvkRAwGqzuMazzVrbeeIQpPyAEE5onm3GDzWFw2fa9YC-fomtEAq6GoZo2ru-2BqAwxA5BaGzX_v3Rf46oodVTjhDNpY6zw93IYUjGqarzmHJPCVh=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi4wzXmwwOkqufFWzgs6JFvMlggn-iAoq6H4fz6tKno2U5hRWxBYNNt98u0n0P2CZHRnCWKxRFwvkRAwGqzuMazzVrbeeIQpPyAEE5onm3GDzWFw2fa9YC-fomtEAq6GoZo2ru-2BqAwxA5BaGzX_v3Rf46oodVTjhDNpY6zw93IYUjGqarzmHJPCVh=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://blairwines.com">Blair Estate</a> (also Ocean and Mission in Carmel Plaza): Limited seating and tasting at the bar. No food available. Good wine but really small pours, the worst pours of all the rooms we visited.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://manzoniwines.com">Manzoni Cellars</a> (7th between San Carlos and Dolores in the Hampton Ct.): Very limited seating and some bar space. 15$ charcuterie box available (which we did buy). Pleasant unhurried service.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWwTb5KMXpHFMuV6SbOWnbDyNvlADw918UlHmdj5Wt3lyCbsXOXyLkhb0MAR5xrd4ayMTeRuTQJFZD0-7XigT8TVV-quWCL1XoRhefbjp7LhzjKeKNNVVLrkjcGt6zfjOh2D7KxAhHRcr_enN5tNFx33MrwSXrM2Opf0-rm3tjHmdBU-KJJLh26Upb=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWwTb5KMXpHFMuV6SbOWnbDyNvlADw918UlHmdj5Wt3lyCbsXOXyLkhb0MAR5xrd4ayMTeRuTQJFZD0-7XigT8TVV-quWCL1XoRhefbjp7LhzjKeKNNVVLrkjcGt6zfjOh2D7KxAhHRcr_enN5tNFx33MrwSXrM2Opf0-rm3tjHmdBU-KJJLh26Upb=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://scheidvineyards.com">Scheid Vineyards </a>(San Carlos and 7th): Good wine and pleasant service at tabletops. No food. Minimal docking for not being open when the website said it would be open.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglco3fZPoFUVfZP5Ddp9XJE9Dan9PAswZYHOo7UEnwFNmpMINtAhMaHabqfOTQxaqN26bMqDm97BY6ppqkHdjTtDDb8Ic76lpD1dDj-D6yuijDQbLey42KEF6Gfw7pS0q9ujTv448SGLuOhKTTIdwSEKG81qxXKLi4BJ3VM2JJpFfc30wBkhTgluPD=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEglco3fZPoFUVfZP5Ddp9XJE9Dan9PAswZYHOo7UEnwFNmpMINtAhMaHabqfOTQxaqN26bMqDm97BY6ppqkHdjTtDDb8Ic76lpD1dDj-D6yuijDQbLey42KEF6Gfw7pS0q9ujTv448SGLuOhKTTIdwSEKG81qxXKLi4BJ3VM2JJpFfc30wBkhTgluPD=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://dawnsdreamwinery.com">Dawn's Dream Winery</a> (San Carlos and 7th, Plaza San Carlos) Cheerful setting with bar, tabletop, and outdoor seating. Excellent service. The staff at Dawn's also referred us to ...</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnDbadX8zd6rdknQFMJSSbUzxscEZI1TQ-X_BjwYFD8Wb1lFXayxHycwqW1zYCeMSGwfgQxUHqnnjnKMGzzBda8dW9Kg9yiDT--2aN_qhecAOTHA51kZTNBl9cWmi3s3TUS1hPcLJS64JFZkVboSN_wy_4fDF6Zmy_97BC32lJTvD86PZiqEu7ZI1x=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhnDbadX8zd6rdknQFMJSSbUzxscEZI1TQ-X_BjwYFD8Wb1lFXayxHycwqW1zYCeMSGwfgQxUHqnnjnKMGzzBda8dW9Kg9yiDT--2aN_qhecAOTHA51kZTNBl9cWmi3s3TUS1hPcLJS64JFZkVboSN_wy_4fDF6Zmy_97BC32lJTvD86PZiqEu7ZI1x=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhimW4qsIrqCZ8HcxICLpgfWoA1vLm-vgZwJlZKPbGjHGVRdhLjMXoUO18gpj3tUXur2wyrz6A19mmbmwmSxfRG6kqACXBYXUnuTGHDPZOpV2u1ejEH4x8szaopLgQvB7rgiVCWh6cD_I-B6vyXBBsPHTFXAxtmwDZ6-3I00tK_5ugEWKc-S_bdHq_p=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhimW4qsIrqCZ8HcxICLpgfWoA1vLm-vgZwJlZKPbGjHGVRdhLjMXoUO18gpj3tUXur2wyrz6A19mmbmwmSxfRG6kqACXBYXUnuTGHDPZOpV2u1ejEH4x8szaopLgQvB7rgiVCWh6cD_I-B6vyXBBsPHTFXAxtmwDZ6-3I00tK_5ugEWKc-S_bdHq_p=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://galantevineyards.com">Galante Vineyards</a> (Dolores between Ocean and 7th, in the Der Ling Passageway). A very cute tasting area with minimal bar </span><span style="font-size: large;">and outdoor (firepit) seating tucked in the back area of the aforementioned passageway. The young lady here was just adorable and generous with the pours and the extras. This is the only winery where we actually purchased a bottle, a lovely dessert wine.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlmLjKIUSQgMNVGu5RJZNSEU_FeaVtwzCr6hc7Yc2UdElaJhC_bFD9Ii51V1bFpH8RDJI0HEHbRmK3F7W047sZ5oPClOrrGPqfltk4doVx6pIWbEkwbXJmEvwvIy-kA_LpV5-ILqfrObcXDbUiV7_UzswPahCvYu33LAKzVcy4w8m1QHBwX9b_ebOA=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhlmLjKIUSQgMNVGu5RJZNSEU_FeaVtwzCr6hc7Yc2UdElaJhC_bFD9Ii51V1bFpH8RDJI0HEHbRmK3F7W047sZ5oPClOrrGPqfltk4doVx6pIWbEkwbXJmEvwvIy-kA_LpV5-ILqfrObcXDbUiV7_UzswPahCvYu33LAKzVcy4w8m1QHBwX9b_ebOA=w400-h300" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Thank you Galante for the display of the American flag!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyHtEAd4DMrKAZEdqDGOQZinUHuvfSkYMivqSJ_ffpbHMZxy4EyHgukJwrT946WQMqQDSa3t-fdc0Fsjbh-jiHJAhxNnMsRbTtwipxSdE_BRS1Q49O-XcvcVtpxdepK-sCfBrCWoDC9PYijVZuU04a9BX94AeikfIMa5l_aJgH9RpXGIB7331v6Jh4=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiyHtEAd4DMrKAZEdqDGOQZinUHuvfSkYMivqSJ_ffpbHMZxy4EyHgukJwrT946WQMqQDSa3t-fdc0Fsjbh-jiHJAhxNnMsRbTtwipxSdE_BRS1Q49O-XcvcVtpxdepK-sCfBrCWoDC9PYijVZuU04a9BX94AeikfIMa5l_aJgH9RpXGIB7331v6Jh4=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>SANTA BARBARA:</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Now our experience in Santa Barbara was quite a bit different. The area around State Street and the general downtown in Santa Barbara also has a lengthy list of tasting rooms and even tasting patios that can be enjoyed simply by walking from one to the other.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Well, we didn't explore the easy route this time, but hopped in the car and drove to the wine region of the Santa Ynez Valley to visit some actual wineries. The Santa Ynez Valley can be accessed by exiting 101 onto Highway 154, also known as San Marcos Pass Road, and travelling about 35 miles north and west, which actually aims you toward the cities of Solvang and Buellton. The area is quite undeveloped, widespread and beautiful.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">As there are quite a few wineries to choose from, it was difficult to choose exactly which two wineries to visit. Only two wineries of the 10 or so I checked out (which turned out to be the ones we visited, though I did make reservations at both) did not require reservations. Most cost about the going rate of $20 for 5-6 tastes, though one cost up to $50 I guess depending on what you tried. Most limit your tasting time to 60-90 minutes. Many wineries did not allow outside food, though some did have snacks available for purchase.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Despite the limitations and additional hassles, I would be interested in spending more time tasting wine in this region. The wine in general was better than what we tasted in Carmel, but that's just my own expert opinion.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So lets review the wineries we chose and how it went!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://sunstonewinery.com">Sunstone Winery</a> (125 N Refugio Rd, Santa Ynez) Sunstone Winery is a huge venue! There is a huge hilltop tasting area with what looks to be about 40-50 picnic tables. Groups of wine tasters are escorted to picnic tables appropriate to the party size. Thereafter a server comes by and takes care of your table. Outside food is allowed, but on site there is a food truck if you forget your cheese and crackers. The tasting fee is waived if you buy three bottles of wine (which added up minimally to about $90, so we did not take advantage of this). The tasting time is supposed to be about one hour, but we did not feel rushed. 6 tastes for 20$. Lovely, and worth the stop. The only thing I would recommend to the winery is the installation of a few more bathrooms. 5 stalls was too few for so many people and there was frequently a line.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgg-_48xrJh_olhjaTV1qn2dAUoCJYS35_EOLom6RCN-9GQtMCF4D7ElkEZNQJIrCtLMmSURDWpw2HVdjB0C1RDihgdgUUarPyaMzagKarGa7gHL0Wj-2MmsU30i9xA9ZIO-FhlWsq6dRfP4NfmkTv1H9j1-N1n9k8JtkcJmZzGYQ60lbvhMfO85efn=s2010" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2010" data-original-width="1562" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgg-_48xrJh_olhjaTV1qn2dAUoCJYS35_EOLom6RCN-9GQtMCF4D7ElkEZNQJIrCtLMmSURDWpw2HVdjB0C1RDihgdgUUarPyaMzagKarGa7gHL0Wj-2MmsU30i9xA9ZIO-FhlWsq6dRfP4NfmkTv1H9j1-N1n9k8JtkcJmZzGYQ60lbvhMfO85efn=w311-h400" width="311" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Friends enjoying the Sunstone Winery</span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://gaineyvineyard.com">Gainey Vineyards</a> (3950 East Highway 246, Santa Ynez) Gainey Vineyards does tasting on a smaller enclosed patio. One thing I liked about Gainey was that the wine came out all at once in small flasks, allowing us to take our time. The disadvantage to this was that both my and my friend's taste were brought in one flask, requiring us to divvy up between two glasses. Most of the time it was pretty fair, but well, you know, lots of pressure! I believe that Gainey allows outside food in a separate picnic area but we were already pretty full and did not need to eat more, actually I think our food was gone! Gainey also has a little gift shop and a quite nice bathroom. Delicious pinot noir was the highlight.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiT1WtmcLSGujILU-GmBmY_ggKOFlEYs7tFKvZrXzFHFTKMvxP3eAfn1YTagmnBvaeIpWZPH9CDJn79cZn7qMk1znNGOGtmacP07XkxEb9hj-UVt3pK1D7AzQoMLq5-wu4djxNa-GhSeO5eKQe4B_TOoZS_ib_qIqJCKk7YE_v4B-NCdGcQOL2ucrLt=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiT1WtmcLSGujILU-GmBmY_ggKOFlEYs7tFKvZrXzFHFTKMvxP3eAfn1YTagmnBvaeIpWZPH9CDJn79cZn7qMk1znNGOGtmacP07XkxEb9hj-UVt3pK1D7AzQoMLq5-wu4djxNa-GhSeO5eKQe4B_TOoZS_ib_qIqJCKk7YE_v4B-NCdGcQOL2ucrLt=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;">Lovely presentation at Gainey Vineyards</div></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">After returning to the downtown area, we wanted to visit one of the downtown venues. I know better than to mix, but one of my friends doesn't drink wine so we decided to go to </span><a href="https://cutlersartisan.com/" style="font-size: large;">Cutler's Artisan Spirits</a><span style="font-size: medium;">, just a nine minute walk from our hotel, to address some of her drinking needs. This was a mistake. The "London Mule" I ordered, which was a guess gin and ginger beer, was really strong, ok so like pure alcohol. Very sadly, there is no kitchen, so the only thing you can do is order a pizza from a venue in the complex (all outside drinking patios). Things started to go south pretty quickly and that pizza could not come fast enough and was downed in about three minutes. Some people never learn, like me. The place was fine, but I shoulda stuck to one thing. I was fine, but it kind of put a damper on the rest of the night!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: large; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3HcHvb70eqP_fLKOSetWXlzEmOrHHMcdP2TtiNJb10npE9yRshbMUCiDgoEBtoiTJSywLIzXM8GhD5Dk5NNRJGN_uJBDOFpUvVIJP2_hxFJkXCeMeq_k7Xm8DfgDbYPJTutY6rW5pXMqBUWWhVdugDKkMitaIwhZhrZ0ZLUYPPaU9TzP5IWL2j0bg=s4032" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3HcHvb70eqP_fLKOSetWXlzEmOrHHMcdP2TtiNJb10npE9yRshbMUCiDgoEBtoiTJSywLIzXM8GhD5Dk5NNRJGN_uJBDOFpUvVIJP2_hxFJkXCeMeq_k7Xm8DfgDbYPJTutY6rW5pXMqBUWWhVdugDKkMitaIwhZhrZ0ZLUYPPaU9TzP5IWL2j0bg=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div style="font-size: large; text-align: center;">Lovely, but too much for me tonight!</div><div style="font-size: large; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">Thank you for reading this post! No traveling for a while! Maybe I will find something to write about!</span></div><p></p>Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219332537908449042.post-43012101174048880282022-02-07T09:19:00.000-08:002022-02-07T09:19:14.462-08:00Las Vegas--Off Strip Discoveries January 30 thru Feb 1, 2022<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEUhyv-qOcq_2CuNinNarUCHf9YQcUX0cQVP2yx1OqzDtKtT3qIShlN6FIagohlLyKPzg7ybEP32yRuvT6NfVPPCFmdKB8OxVN1fo9iArl0z19UR4A6BC3AirO1DP71KAbAXgpaBgA5z-1mHsNyvDlRVluAHSZF3Wev-9oPUwhZPhzmEw72qULGOqd=s259" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiEUhyv-qOcq_2CuNinNarUCHf9YQcUX0cQVP2yx1OqzDtKtT3qIShlN6FIagohlLyKPzg7ybEP32yRuvT6NfVPPCFmdKB8OxVN1fo9iArl0z19UR4A6BC3AirO1DP71KAbAXgpaBgA5z-1mHsNyvDlRVluAHSZF3Wev-9oPUwhZPhzmEw72qULGOqd" width="259" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Well, can you believe that only about one week after publishing my last blog post I am here back at it again. May not be as long as my last post but I am determined to keep writing! In fact, I will be taking two more short trips in the not so distant future and my goal is to share at least something about all these adventures.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Ok, so how did we wind up in Vegas? In about November of 2021, my dear girlfriend threw an invitation out to all her friends to come and join them in Vegas to help them celebrate their 25th anniversary for four nights in Sin City. They had their whole itinerary planned, including where to stay, what to do during the day and where to eat lunch and dinner. We were discouraged about the midweek plan, but with a little arranging, we were able to join them for three days and two nights.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">As per the unusual..I had nothing to plan. Every time we have been to Vegas we have stayed right in the central strip, spent the day on the Strip, went to shows on the Strip and ate dinner on the Strip. This time we weren't spending anytime on the Strip. We were headed to off Strip dining, off Strip drinking and off Strip play, and it did not disappoint. So let me tell you a bit about it!</span></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">DINING-the GOLDEN STEER</span></b></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The Golden Steer is located at 308 W Sahara Avenue about a 10 minute Lyft ride from the</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWM_biGtXXyYkIliUjrssTE0fSeX0qG6CfmUFokIj4JSvrU-KMmpCiu7zV-w1-g715PWRoTbE_lW5BfK2NgvLKfM4fzIJmUySY8vrVnt9O22Mn4vmJENnd2nLXBRDhQPbv8tGz2SRpy8n5UuhVJ7n0pBY7sD05XamgiMAYObYIl8aM6Ts8b1rtUB6L=s229" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="229" data-original-width="221" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWM_biGtXXyYkIliUjrssTE0fSeX0qG6CfmUFokIj4JSvrU-KMmpCiu7zV-w1-g715PWRoTbE_lW5BfK2NgvLKfM4fzIJmUySY8vrVnt9O22Mn4vmJENnd2nLXBRDhQPbv8tGz2SRpy8n5UuhVJ7n0pBY7sD05XamgiMAYObYIl8aM6Ts8b1rtUB6L" width="221" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"> Park MGM (formerly the Monte Carlo). The Golden Steer is your typical OLD Las Vegas Steakhouse. The front is illuminated with a yellow marquis sign bragging its 1958 establishment and there are no windows on the front wall. Indoor the theme continues, with wood paneled walls, booths upholstered in red leather, the bar front and center, and plenty of pictures of Frank Sinatra. The restaurant has been host to the "famous and the infamous" as the <a href="https://www.goldensteerlasvegas.com/">website </a>says, like Elvis Presley, Mario Andretti, Joe DiMaggio and Natalie Wood, hmm, strangely all Italian, except that Russian young lady, who probably came with an Italian.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The cocktail list is the kind that lists five different gins and ten different vodkas, as if I'm supposed to know the difference between them. I'll have a gin and tonic with a splash of grapefruit, please. There is also an extensive wine list (I did not see a red under $100). The order of the day is steaks and they are pricey, with the cheapest item being a $58 10 oz prime rib. We were lucky enough to be offered a special which including a tomahawk chop with two salads (we both chose Caesar, tossed at the tableside) and two sides (we chose a loaded potato and steamed asparagus) for $210. All three couples at the table ordered it. There are also multiple market priced surf and turf options and a few Italian specialties. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Dinner was good, and the company fabulous. We were there for nearly three hours. The food was not the best I have had. My steak was fatty and the asparagus was a bit tough. Our bill was over $1100 for the 6 of us, making it close to the most I ever spent for two of us. Worth it? Borderline for the food but the ambiance cant be beat.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhx5J4luIJ5SjpxouEIhz241D2cIe3fH8JmjCz_vZh2zkP_wW2K_Fq32uijBSuzQUrKKeJE6bwrL0KGa5eRzMHgMrrLsFHHCbU5M_1RxLfDNUEvbXAQKh3L6IMvVNLjL0C0cU2b_oPyIg-uhAOk49T8ka-xww90Y6KhymrYAgE7SBCW8EZDOgJrd0mI=s275" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhx5J4luIJ5SjpxouEIhz241D2cIe3fH8JmjCz_vZh2zkP_wW2K_Fq32uijBSuzQUrKKeJE6bwrL0KGa5eRzMHgMrrLsFHHCbU5M_1RxLfDNUEvbXAQKh3L6IMvVNLjL0C0cU2b_oPyIg-uhAOk49T8ka-xww90Y6KhymrYAgE7SBCW8EZDOgJrd0mI=w400-h266" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>DINING-HERBS AND RYE</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Now we are talking! Herbs and Rye is also on West Sahara Blvd at 3713. From the outside the place looks like a block with no windows, a flat roof, a cheesy marquee, and a big red door. But inside, gosh, it's happening. We were there on a Monday night and at 8:30pm the place was packed. The decor of the dimly lit dining room borders on similar to what we saw at the Golden Steer, from the leather booths to the red velvet wallpaper, but the place has a less dressy feel. There is no dress code.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The Herbs and Rye <a href="https://www.herbsandrye.com/">website </a>says that it makes "pretty good steaks and REALLY good cocktails" They aren't kidding. The cocktail menu is two full pages of original libations listed categorically under what "period of alcohol history" they fall into i.e The Rat Pack Era, Prohibition. The drinks are all about $15. I ordered a gin and lemon drink called "The Bees Knees" which was delicious. There was a happy hour special running (at 8:30?) which offered all well drinks for $5. Very very tempting to go for the cheap stuff but none of us could pass up the chance at one of the fun original cocktails. The wine list is also extensive and our friend ordered two bottles whether we needed them or not. The mark up on the wine was also not nearly as severe, and we did finish it off !</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The menu has a similar selection to the night before but is a far better value, with many options that were half off. I had the Herb's and Rye favorite, the Pork and Figs, a lovely (and better tasting) pork chop on a bed of mashed potatoes served with sweet figs. With this I ordered a side of Sprouts and Swine, which was roasted brussels sprouts with huge chunks of bacon sprinkled with parmesan cheese. Heaven-seriously. Around the table was a surf and turf, a pasta carbonara, two pasta agnolotti, and even a stab at another steak.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">This restaurant hands down was my favorite of the two. Our share of the bill was literally $200 less than the night before! Almost 50% less for what I thought was a better meal with better drinks. Well, I guess you don't know until you try!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxTeGqTSWGWJ2BnTJRJPxdwh6CEfga_OKwflIO8XOF4vLpQCctmhI8B7f-4W55Mgh_vVgQWwSa3GowzLbFoc88gSNlvxDV8d7uH0Lb-_HR8O2BpItAqOzX9zrJUTAOIHOwUqbU7FgsO3ftHD_JQwF813Jw3ZfS6kwfzg0sAwQDdurLAlp6Kq1NWgcA=s2048" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjxTeGqTSWGWJ2BnTJRJPxdwh6CEfga_OKwflIO8XOF4vLpQCctmhI8B7f-4W55Mgh_vVgQWwSa3GowzLbFoc88gSNlvxDV8d7uH0Lb-_HR8O2BpItAqOzX9zrJUTAOIHOwUqbU7FgsO3ftHD_JQwF813Jw3ZfS6kwfzg0sAwQDdurLAlp6Kq1NWgcA=w300-h400" width="300" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A cute message about ordering your steaks!!<br />Wish I could pass this to a few people I know!</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUxlO5-k3Q8TSe6VPOTl_mEGt6Z9ENFZ-8vM1Kglez4YCuMvLxR8-AGyzCLwUkBUxOS2orYdmIny5eGE0gdg_2FU8PX34r75ekfiaA-s9YQPBNaqa8JiePJK-K4cakea26nmln_1DsRHJMPq7LAMx_50eB5d4q15x57UAlJb22gVV30cVNooniJGZw=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiUxlO5-k3Q8TSe6VPOTl_mEGt6Z9ENFZ-8vM1Kglez4YCuMvLxR8-AGyzCLwUkBUxOS2orYdmIny5eGE0gdg_2FU8PX34r75ekfiaA-s9YQPBNaqa8JiePJK-K4cakea26nmln_1DsRHJMPq7LAMx_50eB5d4q15x57UAlJb22gVV30cVNooniJGZw=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">My beautiful Pork and Figs and Sprouts and Swine</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">at Herbs and Rye. So yummy!</span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>DRINKING-THE GOLDEN TIKI</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Craig and I had some time around lunch and decided to head to Frankie's Tiki Room. Well, the downside of this renowned establishment is the fact that there is no food served there and we were getting hungry! So our next choice was <a href="https://www.thegoldentiki.com/">The Golden Tiki</a>, located at 3939 Spring Mountain Road. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The bar is open 24 hours and serves light snacks during the day with some more substantial offerings at dinner. The outside continues with our current theme of just being a store front with a marquee sign and no windows facing the parking lot. You can make a reservation but when we arrived, which was about 12:30 pm, we could pretty much has our run of the place so we got a nice cozy booth in the corner. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">What a place! It's part Disneyland, part Hawaii, part Vegas. This place is decorated to the hilt with tiki paraphernalia including torches, tikis, shells, flotsam, nets, shrunken heads and the three dolls you'd find doing the hula in 'It's a Small World.' There is a lot of borderline artwork and a fair amount of decor that is just downright naughty--thank goodness more nudity than pornography. The bar is 21 and over, and for good reason. Welcome to Vegas.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The drink menu is two full pages-with offerings such as the Painkiller, Piranha Punch, Trial by Fire and Hemingway's Ruin. I got the Navy Grog with a shot of 151 shot of fire included. Craig got the Mai Tai. All drinks can be fortified with an extra shot of rum for 3$. And back to Disneyland, the Golden Tiki offers boozed up classic dole whip, omg. The drinks are tasty and fun, but do have a fair amount of ice. If you want to get lit, go for the shots. My second drink was The Kraken and Craig had the Huka Pele. Yep, we were feelin' it after that.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We did eat while we were there, just one appetizer, the Sticky Fingers. It was just a bite for 15$ but was tasty and took the edge off the hunger (and the buzz)</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoA7-cd6gqWctbejZXu3RjLP24Rt1aWMekZxvq42THL6ZjtnN6qHiU0L5yenciOYUxXVtE_NYqS0XqzCAKAoSuD12K1GUxmED9P4MPE_kVviILPvScsP7TEyW7fZZ14MSYfGgd2Jicr7lp-EXEm4p6e2x6MyHWbZKdzpuJj4cBbkXz2dA4su4SsixA=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjoA7-cd6gqWctbejZXu3RjLP24Rt1aWMekZxvq42THL6ZjtnN6qHiU0L5yenciOYUxXVtE_NYqS0XqzCAKAoSuD12K1GUxmED9P4MPE_kVviILPvScsP7TEyW7fZZ14MSYfGgd2Jicr7lp-EXEm4p6e2x6MyHWbZKdzpuJj4cBbkXz2dA4su4SsixA=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The snacks menu </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtsPL-XWGRWYWmBEkkteRIIOuvQ36CvuxU8egNJg14H-lbjN0P9xv66wZC4hfX4lXPitbEEyqDhmuO9IP3GVEpPwu6cbcZGnUiXMtOGlF1pmOP5XdtINx3cYn2QQHUTNabnu4eOWZwWYUFmu4tSq9H5qt02izWGcHhfyCVCvwOyJsq97kNyrkPP6tj=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhtsPL-XWGRWYWmBEkkteRIIOuvQ36CvuxU8egNJg14H-lbjN0P9xv66wZC4hfX4lXPitbEEyqDhmuO9IP3GVEpPwu6cbcZGnUiXMtOGlF1pmOP5XdtINx3cYn2QQHUTNabnu4eOWZwWYUFmu4tSq9H5qt02izWGcHhfyCVCvwOyJsq97kNyrkPP6tj=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Rocking that Dole Whip!!</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3db-UXq0OqkprTi-cWmgNk60dUEqSuTnH_8nMH6zZZY-nn7vtTYmnHagb9kLgIatC1P5KLvkcTtRUhjxrFQ8ifqm_cS-oa988L6neRGacYyLcIWAg1OWXnU3a7hQKmzWYbG0t-zttlvDCivC4lBZ52Jf-abkNzaW99GdQiDz4TBMwaGda4DTro5pF=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh3db-UXq0OqkprTi-cWmgNk60dUEqSuTnH_8nMH6zZZY-nn7vtTYmnHagb9kLgIatC1P5KLvkcTtRUhjxrFQ8ifqm_cS-oa988L6neRGacYyLcIWAg1OWXnU3a7hQKmzWYbG0t-zttlvDCivC4lBZ52Jf-abkNzaW99GdQiDz4TBMwaGda4DTro5pF=w300-h400" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The drink menu</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHcVoCg8MFd6Ctr6vp6EeiC4cBbZZ5h0zUL3XCuwdg1PtdC_RGHhczXwaUs4lxbdKfn2ZBk6pjS-p0v3fFxokR2syExuf5Bs1aAsf4CN-782Oh81z-e0eEk4nTiwD1QX21nEdLhsDxpgb3KlfxfOzSSfbnnARDmaCO63_MyXTdqOrP_whZ1CjlfWNd=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiHcVoCg8MFd6Ctr6vp6EeiC4cBbZZ5h0zUL3XCuwdg1PtdC_RGHhczXwaUs4lxbdKfn2ZBk6pjS-p0v3fFxokR2syExuf5Bs1aAsf4CN-782Oh81z-e0eEk4nTiwD1QX21nEdLhsDxpgb3KlfxfOzSSfbnnARDmaCO63_MyXTdqOrP_whZ1CjlfWNd=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Our yummy drinks!!!</span></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnFThaZgbY_XIA8PNtqzedK2dMK-z9COlZ1kUuUj5yJoClYSUs4tz0_fEOdfw5ZMHB0ypt2SpoYYlBFy2K4jdj8_lRY8gjmk0WRWh7QMl3UsG-c-h6SEiQcPwUAnBXr0Ac8IDe5Db4-gnEjeDDOGcy5cK9SOW2vjVX21rMsa8KNf0fQ5jMhNERFpiQ=s2048" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgnFThaZgbY_XIA8PNtqzedK2dMK-z9COlZ1kUuUj5yJoClYSUs4tz0_fEOdfw5ZMHB0ypt2SpoYYlBFy2K4jdj8_lRY8gjmk0WRWh7QMl3UsG-c-h6SEiQcPwUAnBXr0Ac8IDe5Db4-gnEjeDDOGcy5cK9SOW2vjVX21rMsa8KNf0fQ5jMhNERFpiQ=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNG59wgCdeGsuaGCNd0m8AKA3NzwCtltrPpxWt22L4mypXKJFFc5NwQqlrGPMFQF2ObFcJVDURnelmA4Y_7TkRbBS2WAWvEM8p2XCGXnTVyLdOUGBJCMKQl5PpIm_R4LxNd3em5quBkWwCBWQVJiafGhU-QMIrQ1ATpTA2P9AUEK9KInhK2XZztsEO=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNG59wgCdeGsuaGCNd0m8AKA3NzwCtltrPpxWt22L4mypXKJFFc5NwQqlrGPMFQF2ObFcJVDURnelmA4Y_7TkRbBS2WAWvEM8p2XCGXnTVyLdOUGBJCMKQl5PpIm_R4LxNd3em5quBkWwCBWQVJiafGhU-QMIrQ1ATpTA2P9AUEK9KInhK2XZztsEO=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and our second drinks!!</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrFOFNTjL6XVKgGlEHb4lFZGD0oafj_wqflVA2eaHryveX1saWvx7siCNKNxz-8B-SE49mITGi0MRe_-dZP_KzNuZNyzWZCg-dQu2MeYuHaghFU-mlVa-l2dMuIc5Fr4fqv2FsRV1iAZgKEExoEZw02-m72CmXEnlXFubA84gZO4QzECdMYu9FQOi7=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgrFOFNTjL6XVKgGlEHb4lFZGD0oafj_wqflVA2eaHryveX1saWvx7siCNKNxz-8B-SE49mITGi0MRe_-dZP_KzNuZNyzWZCg-dQu2MeYuHaghFU-mlVa-l2dMuIc5Fr4fqv2FsRV1iAZgKEExoEZw02-m72CmXEnlXFubA84gZO4QzECdMYu9FQOi7=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">and the three young ladies that lost their way</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">from Disneyland</span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>PLAY-AREA15</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXvgd6UwSN0ij7Ljbqh9n1-GTGWdEx7Aqk788Iwu81oDYnMmJ678-nBVW97JIhk1vJulnxO8O9DeXsb3cyrQ4d-tw6ZAxeCvXjuEYxqTUSjOMoaMsA0X_Jx7xRDS4f2l4UrGu83MrRaQjofYZ6Y2sWya1kdMTPtjH89NJ607MBkVk5gwb8xkfQgv8S=s263" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="263" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjXvgd6UwSN0ij7Ljbqh9n1-GTGWdEx7Aqk788Iwu81oDYnMmJ678-nBVW97JIhk1vJulnxO8O9DeXsb3cyrQ4d-tw6ZAxeCvXjuEYxqTUSjOMoaMsA0X_Jx7xRDS4f2l4UrGu83MrRaQjofYZ6Y2sWya1kdMTPtjH89NJ607MBkVk5gwb8xkfQgv8S" width="263" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Now this is an interesting place! We walked from the Golden Tiki about one mile to Area 15, which is located at 3215 S Rancho Drive. Area 15 is the newest retail and entertainment center in Las Vegas. I guess it is best described as an immersive adult playground, though you do not need to be 21 to get in. There is no cover charge until ten pm on Fridays and Saturdays, at which times you will need to pay $15 to get in. After 10pm the place also becomes 21+. At all other times, you pay by the experience. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Maybe the hardest part of coming to <a href="https://area15.com/">Area 15</a> is deciding how you want to spend your time. The experiences are not cheap and a few hours spent here could certainly set you back several hundred dollars. Our friends got there while we were still gawking at imbibing at the Golden Tiki, so they had already enjoyed a sub par zipline experience and had moved on to throwing axes. We were going to have to pay full price to join them midway into their game so we decided to sit it out and just sit and watch and drink which they (meaning the establishment) did not seem to mind. We were going to move on to a distillery tour (yes also in Area 15) but we had all had a few by then and $55 seemed like a lot to put ourselves over the edge. (So we went black light mini golfing at Bally's instead--but that is not part of this blogpost)</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Anyway, back to describing some of the experiences... I got an email that they had just added "Liftoff" which is somewhat of a Hot Air Balloon ride that takes you 130 feet (that doesn't seem very high) into the air. That's 18$ with no alcohol. There is Meow Wolf's Omega Mart, which I can't even describe which is $49. There is an immersive Van Gogh exhibit, general admission $35, more for the immersive experience. The website <a href="http://localadventurer.com">localadventurer.com</a> includes these last two, our passed up distillery tour, 'Museum Fiasco' and 'Wink World' as "<a href="https://localadventurer.com/area-15-las-vegas/">5 Things you can't miss at Area 15</a>."</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Listen, I'm game. I'm going back. At least to get my chance to throw axes.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dybiBW5IZoE_BDwYYBzt5Po0qtr-BR0j1T6rHTBD2ywlILy_FZBnsoyirmCn_DFFHTIz7biy-izcs7ROp0cdA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This is supposed to be video, but you get the general idea!</span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Thank you for reading this post! I am off to Carmel in a week or too. Hopefully I am jumping back on the posting bandwagon!</span></p>Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219332537908449042.post-61143353788267328842022-01-25T19:44:00.002-08:002022-01-25T19:44:17.532-08:00Is the Magic Back? Disneyland January 14-17 2022<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpuTqTOUNszVa-aMzHjbtLYRq6L1nK4eoXlQ8rpMFjC_LyYkytazSXTb1KnBPNovW3aeZ3xYEyK1hXr3jhzaUomKHjhWfpxUy1ZhQqxQctGqSOxK6eKgE_ORak9NqGyufXs9wuPkN8F4u7wP42C5o3CYsAaG5EnYzyf2HXThCPVuPuCz-sOg8js__N=s200" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgpuTqTOUNszVa-aMzHjbtLYRq6L1nK4eoXlQ8rpMFjC_LyYkytazSXTb1KnBPNovW3aeZ3xYEyK1hXr3jhzaUomKHjhWfpxUy1ZhQqxQctGqSOxK6eKgE_ORak9NqGyufXs9wuPkN8F4u7wP42C5o3CYsAaG5EnYzyf2HXThCPVuPuCz-sOg8js__N=w320-h320" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">On March 14, 2020 Disneyland Park did the unprecedented by closing its doors to the public in the wake of the COVID 19 pandemic. They did not open again until over a year later, on April 30, 2021, with a laundry list of restrictions, limitations, and changes which have continued to evolve since. We missed our January 2021 yearly weekend in Disneyland, so we were eager to get on the band wagon for January of 2022. While visiting the parks, it was evident that we were not the only Disney fans eager to return to the promised land. Though not the worst I had ever seen on a weekend, the parks were full and the lines were a challenge. It almost was the old Disneyland as we knew it, or was it???</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>GENIE PLUS</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">When Disneyland reopened in the spring, it eliminated its over 20 year old Fast Pass system and for many months had no other option for riders but to queue in the stand by lines. Slowly Disney advertising stared to reveal its plans for its new improved and rebranded "Lightning Lane" system under the new name Genie Plus, and on December 8, 2021 or thereabouts, the long awaited plan was launched. Now, to spell out the intricacies of this whole new system would probably require its own blog post, but if I had to describe it in as few words as possible...</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Genie Plus is the old free Fast Pass system but now you pay for it.</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Genie Plus is available for purchase the minute you walk in the park and is available to all ticket holders at any time of the day you should decide to add it. It costs 20 dollars per person per day and purchase is an easy transaction from your phone. Once purchased, you can choose your first "lightning lane" (that's the new name of the FP line) reservation from your phone which shows you all the times that are available for the rides within the system. There are 12 rides at Disneyland Park and 7 that are on the system, so by no means is it every ride. You may only reserve each ride once per day. Many reservations are in the next minutes but others you have to wait a bit longer for. If you can't make your reservation time, you can cancel it and book a different one. For the most part, you can only hold one reservation at a time, so you do have to work the system a bit, to catch your favorites before they run out for the day (which they can, just like Fast Pass could) but not have to wait 5 hours for your next reservation. When it is time for your reservation, you just scan your paper ticket or your phone at the lightning lane kiosk and off you go to your shortened wait time.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Here's the catch though, and it's a biggee. The highest demand rides, namely Rise of the Resistance in Disneyland and both Webslingers and Radiator Springs Racers in DCA are not included on the Genie plus upcharge. In order to ride these rides with a Lightning Lane you have to pay another additional fee which apparently fluctuates by demand. When we were there the upcharge for the DCA rides was 15$, for Rise, 20$. It is possible to pay to ride these rides with a lightning lane WITHOUT purchasing Genie Plus for all the other rides.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Who's confused?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><b>Is Genie Plus worth it??</b></i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Well, there is no doubt that Genie Plus is a financial commitment. Disneyland is already over $150 per adult per day with a Park Hopper ticket so you can see 20 additional dollars as just too much or not that big a deal. On Saturday in the Disneyland park, we decided to watch how things were going. We rode three rides before at about 9:30 am as we stood in a long line for Dumbo, we caved and bought the Genie Plus add on as the lines throughout the park were inching to 45 minutes and beyond. On Sunday, when we were hopping, we had always intended to purchase Genie plus and did as soon as we entered the park.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Yep, despite the $200 kick in the pants, for us this weekend it was worth it. At no time did I feel like we wasted our money.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">We did not purchase the extra lightning lanes for the excluded rides. To compensate for this though we literally were at the Disneyland gates at 7:30am (8 am park opening) and all the way to the Adventureland rope by 7:40am Saturday morning and at the same spots respectively the following morning at DCA. We waited about 18 minutes for Rise and maybe 25 for Webslingers. Unfortunately, after Webslingers on Sunday we had to wait 60 minutes for Radiator Springs Racers, the longest line the entire weekend. At no time later in the days did the standby cues become less than 90 minutes for these rides throughout the weekend. If you were not purchasing the Lightning Lane for these rides, it was the rope drop run or nothing. We did not get on any of these rides a second time.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>COVID Restrictions</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Did I get this far in this post without mentioning our old friend, COVID 19? Well, here it is, high time to mention it.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">OK-really the limitations are few, but it is worth it to be aware of them.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Once you buy your ticket you have to make a park reservation, in others words, you must declare which park you will visit (or start in, if you have a Park Hopper) on each day. If you are park hopping, you cannot change parks until 1pm. Though I wanted to buy tickets closer to the date, I did not feel comfortable doing this less than 30 days in advance. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There are no character meet and greets. No hugging Cinderella. They just wave from about 10 feet away. I just read that this is what is happening similarly at character dining venues, such as Goofy's Kitchen.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWL31NltA8AOjhJxj3jhxw6JXhPjxBIXgKmShPhoZ6upFiDKg5aggEfM7bwS7KeNlDVgiWKENsPDpYGbkN34K4-81BQO1KVfUAmOZPn-2mXKSoHHwg_iR4gDZtPsp5GIPWt4tQN4kRcfwm8EWSEEHCaCUE2e-TJve116uerjlzFxs6vW45P_cUdX36=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjWL31NltA8AOjhJxj3jhxw6JXhPjxBIXgKmShPhoZ6upFiDKg5aggEfM7bwS7KeNlDVgiWKENsPDpYGbkN34K4-81BQO1KVfUAmOZPn-2mXKSoHHwg_iR4gDZtPsp5GIPWt4tQN4kRcfwm8EWSEEHCaCUE2e-TJve116uerjlzFxs6vW45P_cUdX36=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><div style="text-align: center;">See Mickey from afar...</div></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Masks are required indoors, period. And they are pretty strict about it. It wasn't warm, but if it had been, I don't think I would have liked it. The mask requirement also messes up most of your ride photo opportunities, like on Space Mountain.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIx86foh5jGuXz5Wb5exiQ7SpocrZGn7xHyoqW5qt-BUPCKWgMdnGNaFeLPtV0snaFmEj_ZfiUosVqmvDKimrlig3HqnfPDhDIxn6ODbPKS1ZrixpaP8KUYHLrFdUjK1lBmdc4ffiSxVtjksjKD2x_pt02jUcLq3vG_wkz643J35zmE4RhVj2DgyrC=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiIx86foh5jGuXz5Wb5exiQ7SpocrZGn7xHyoqW5qt-BUPCKWgMdnGNaFeLPtV0snaFmEj_ZfiUosVqmvDKimrlig3HqnfPDhDIxn6ODbPKS1ZrixpaP8KUYHLrFdUjK1lBmdc4ffiSxVtjksjKD2x_pt02jUcLq3vG_wkz643J35zmE4RhVj2DgyrC=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">You see what I mean about the </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">messed up photo opportunities?</span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">No night shows like Fantasmic and World of Color, but somehow the quirky Mickey's Mix Magic (which my kids say is like Disney Rave) is still shown nightly, with fireworks on select nights. Parades if you can call them that are really abbreviated.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Not sure if they are limiting capacity in restaurants, but some places are impossible to get. After they cancelled my 2pm reservation at the coveted Oga's Cantina which I got up at 4 am to make, I was able to get 10pm, which actually was a fun way to end the day.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There is no plexiglass, no social distancing, no empty seats on rides, no wiping and rewiping, no vaccine requirements. Thank God for all of this.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>WHAT'S NEW?</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Well, thank goodness there is more that is new than just an expensive FastPass system! There are four rides that are either new or have been renovated.</span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQ3vhn1twAtXdxezEtwlRBV0Yu9n3XpgIqXcqWiBcbvswbElXohdmzTtm-SK0adUNfl27qxT8nhPEtkpllR3zhvRAw59NqaIAxGj0xvTD0wyj1xvkVjDCVPG1ITwbKAb2me9JkTDrUf-BZj4lYMvfjwckoVNr71XiYpgQ05rTEbI--wHOjXRa21hY5=s224" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: large; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="224" data-original-width="224" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjQ3vhn1twAtXdxezEtwlRBV0Yu9n3XpgIqXcqWiBcbvswbElXohdmzTtm-SK0adUNfl27qxT8nhPEtkpllR3zhvRAw59NqaIAxGj0xvTD0wyj1xvkVjDCVPG1ITwbKAb2me9JkTDrUf-BZj4lYMvfjwckoVNr71XiYpgQ05rTEbI--wHOjXRa21hY5" width="224" /></a><span style="font-size: medium;">Snow White's Scary Adventures (est.1955 on opening day) has undergone a renovation and has a new name, "Snow White's Enchanted Wish." And guess what? As the name suggests, the ride isn't scary anymore! The new ride has a lot of technological advance, not to mention a nice colorful facelift. The witch is still there, I mean, she is kinda vital to the story, but the lightning and the terrifying forest are replaced by bright gems and lively music. Th</span><span style="font-size: medium;">e story makes more sense now, it doesn't just go from the witch to and they lived happily ever after. All in all, nice changes.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The same cannot be said for the Jungle Cruise which quite frankly now is just annoying. Disney just needs to leave well enough alone. The changes to the Jungle Cruise echo the lame attempts of Disney to make Pirates of the Caribbean a politically sensitive ride. In this case, they took the headhunters/indigenous people out and replaced them with a bunch of chimps. I swear the ride is all monkeys now. Apparently there is some new back story-but under that mask the guide wore I couldn't hear a gosh darned thing. All in all, lame changes.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The Rise of the Resistance opened about a week after we were in Disneyland in 2020. This ride is a completely immersive Star Wars experience which has your rebel transport sucked by a tractor beam onto an Imperial cruiser. All the characters are there-Rey, Poe, Finn. It's a good time. The only problems with this ride are its distance from the main hub and the wait times. I would have loved to ride it again, but it was not to be.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3whfBiveyvUDA4ZFlsFpwwKrZK2LTL9nm8V0JlHT76OD7vNv4rPYmpPdw4fUxDranUNRKr9q1tN7qgtrRj6RMC2g8ZwwOX0MZ2hZDLAWAYJdjpIfCBQZNwB4dvU6tV7H_x9yJe-2enf-UPPRwcQ3Eat-5zOUAtXFUsjnEt2QD8hx99n0vgfcIGjG7=s2048" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj3whfBiveyvUDA4ZFlsFpwwKrZK2LTL9nm8V0JlHT76OD7vNv4rPYmpPdw4fUxDranUNRKr9q1tN7qgtrRj6RMC2g8ZwwOX0MZ2hZDLAWAYJdjpIfCBQZNwB4dvU6tV7H_x9yJe-2enf-UPPRwcQ3Eat-5zOUAtXFUsjnEt2QD8hx99n0vgfcIGjG7=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Me and the stormtroopers on</div><div style="text-align: center;">Rise of the Resistance</div><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Webslingers at DCA which opened in July 2021 however is pretty lame and not worth it. Read all the Google reviews on this one and it will just about sum things up. Radiator Springs Racers is so creative and fun. This ride just left me frustrated. It's like a bad arcade game that leaves you with sore arms. </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span> </span><span>I was against the wall and it was nerve wracking how much worse I did than my family in the center chairs. </span></span></p><span style="font-size: medium;">If you have to run to one, maybe this is one you run to because the Cars ride is so much better, you don't mind waiting longer.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>IS THE MAGIC BACK?</b></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Disneyland is always magic. The magic can be annoying, but it's there.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">And now for some pictures!!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDEx-dNCLbUyBeJcmCpVaZExlq5__TEYEB0PT_VlBL5ie7It4cTKEz8T4vTpXjgoTDfBhEEBD4k7VRu63sI2DxXK9rUC5WMu1nCPo1F4v_ZQkwlNAlqh-2tY51WAW_0VUtPNuLffO3c_zwPaxXVJzgkKHf2G5pn1JB3ZeUe2F9msFh2p0FWvPthgbn=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDEx-dNCLbUyBeJcmCpVaZExlq5__TEYEB0PT_VlBL5ie7It4cTKEz8T4vTpXjgoTDfBhEEBD4k7VRu63sI2DxXK9rUC5WMu1nCPo1F4v_ZQkwlNAlqh-2tY51WAW_0VUtPNuLffO3c_zwPaxXVJzgkKHf2G5pn1JB3ZeUe2F9msFh2p0FWvPthgbn=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Finally a mask free picture</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZPvzy04ITi0Kp7UbwWZgtvRa8wy6B3aezJcJ5d7Fg77EECn0c4Unxt-bEhx3RZXRFUo6KarQgcifjLvDH9hgx92JSOscKgwqAS8TpNjQpHLkqGvRYDKTrA8KL6Le_Tjg7Cmd7A3V9_nJmWjQnFd419Gn1AKzuuWE5Ai9gz-7jkOTZfMDhJdRzhxq6=s2044" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1539" data-original-width="2044" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhZPvzy04ITi0Kp7UbwWZgtvRa8wy6B3aezJcJ5d7Fg77EECn0c4Unxt-bEhx3RZXRFUo6KarQgcifjLvDH9hgx92JSOscKgwqAS8TpNjQpHLkqGvRYDKTrA8KL6Le_Tjg7Cmd7A3V9_nJmWjQnFd419Gn1AKzuuWE5Ai9gz-7jkOTZfMDhJdRzhxq6=s320" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Oga's Cantina is a hot reservation</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYdH-4NUpf7ksHI4Ip1Iv5JPWZVdWH6-qEFsnutK1xsUy2CbB8dDo4HCntyhuXYFgIsrV527xbN6xZ4k9OQwMGvfXL8uZ_cG9Wl8l9WqkVRi7e81Q3UiBD1swGFyhmqjpx1fjolwzbj9tVv5EV8FHryyZ-ZKtYvCkTldaYCX5GeUcR2GEbO7PhDeVq=s2048" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYdH-4NUpf7ksHI4Ip1Iv5JPWZVdWH6-qEFsnutK1xsUy2CbB8dDo4HCntyhuXYFgIsrV527xbN6xZ4k9OQwMGvfXL8uZ_cG9Wl8l9WqkVRi7e81Q3UiBD1swGFyhmqjpx1fjolwzbj9tVv5EV8FHryyZ-ZKtYvCkTldaYCX5GeUcR2GEbO7PhDeVq=s320" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I didn't write about PYM's Test Lab,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">but it is a MUST stop!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Trying to recreate "Honey Fusion" at home.</span></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219332537908449042.post-89962018809235070292021-08-19T20:49:00.013-07:002021-08-19T20:55:30.322-07:00Hawaii is Up and Running, or is it? July 18 through 30, 2021<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6d-nN6Kl21P3NiV2o7Euoc1iVse7lkjTdlyA-Yi6gSs57V2D0JNaUjWSC8cgHEG8rUBNaP3M8KyveZx41loUgHulwxkwJ4apk2uxFw7eV6VmqljPCiLDiCGozKEep6SJQfi4mbCMV-E/s266/images.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="189" data-original-width="266" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6d-nN6Kl21P3NiV2o7Euoc1iVse7lkjTdlyA-Yi6gSs57V2D0JNaUjWSC8cgHEG8rUBNaP3M8KyveZx41loUgHulwxkwJ4apk2uxFw7eV6VmqljPCiLDiCGozKEep6SJQfi4mbCMV-E/s0/images.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>Throughout the COVID 19 pandemic, the beloved vacation destination Hawaiian islands caused frustration for would be tourists. In the first days of the pandemic, Hawaiian governor David Ige subjected all travelers from the mainland as well as from other Hawaiian islands to a mandatory 14 day quarantine (at your expense my friends) once arriving on the islands. This decree was promised to be lifted by June 30th initially but was cruelly extended over and over, thwarting the summer plans of hopeful visitors. It wasn't until October 15th that a plan was enacted by which a visitor to Hawaii could present a negative COVID test taken within 72 hours of arrival on the islands to avoid the quarantine. Within a month this was changed to within 72 hours of departure, but the results had to be uploaded to a special site and then an approval was generated by the site and sent to you by email. Also within a month the mayor of the county of Kauai requested that visitors to this island still be required to quarantine, a request Ige approved. This nonsense went on another arduous seven months, until at long last, Hawaii announced that as of July 8, 2021, fully vaccinated individuals could travel to Hawaii (all islands, at some point Kauai got on board) with proof of vaccination, also uploaded to the Hawaii Safe Travels sight, in pdf form to be sure, and approval from said site. Today, nearly 18 months after the onset of the pandemic, you still cannot travel to Hawaii without restrictions, but it is easier. Frankly, I do not think the Hawaiian tourist industry could survive another summer like 2020. It has been stated that once a certain percentage of Hawaiian residents are vaccinated, the restrictions could be lifted altogether, but poor Hawaii is not getting closer to this goal with any speed.<p></p><p>We cancelled out trip last summer and sat in wait to see the restrictions in Hawaii finally lift. We all scheduled our COVID tests we didn't have to take. We uploaded our vaccine cards and were ready to go back to the Hawaii we had known and loved all these years. Well, not so fast. It's different now. Hawaii is still in pandemic mode, so there are a few things you should be aware of before you head out to the islands.</p><p><b>EXTREME CAR RENTAL SHORTAGE AND CRAZY PRICES</b></p><p>Right now the first thing you have to book once you have decided on your dates is your rental car. You <b>have</b> to have a car on the islands, there is just no getting around it! There is a nationwide shortage of rental cars which is particularly bad on the Hawaiian islands. All the major carriers sold off large portions of their fleets and have yet to be able to rebuild at the rate of customer demand. This has led to prices at least double that of previous years. It is not unheard of to hear about people renting Uhaul trucks to get around on the islands, though many just have to settle with more (or less) car than they need. On Kauai fate delivered this huge Ford Expedition. Gotta confess, nice to stretch out. All told we spent about 1200 on the rental car for 12 days, but I think we were lucky. It is easy to book a car and then cancel it if need be, as most rental companies do not require payment in advance, so just do it and get it over with.</p><p><b>GOOD LUCK WITH THAT DINNER RESERVATION: </b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFFWgqzwg-VEQ_tDMp3NjZmuF_-uw5lb8errF0juOe5jx3tq-LMOcQCDOrVXwuf4RmA488_2TwvaY0VEKxonyYO5sjR29Hs2lB_WHQteOy1KnRNv1YsniUmYaixjojMUM-oSjSh_OtF7E/s275/download.png" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="183" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFFWgqzwg-VEQ_tDMp3NjZmuF_-uw5lb8errF0juOe5jx3tq-LMOcQCDOrVXwuf4RmA488_2TwvaY0VEKxonyYO5sjR29Hs2lB_WHQteOy1KnRNv1YsniUmYaixjojMUM-oSjSh_OtF7E/s0/download.png" width="183" /></a></div>Yea and while we are talking about reserving things, good luck making that dinner reservation. Many restaurants on the islands we visited were not operating at capacity, had significantly reduced hours, or were just plain closed. Though this week (August 15) Hawaii tightened its restrictions on restaurants, bars and indoor gatherings, I believe when we were there capacity was at 75%. However, many restaurants claimed that they could not open more tables because they were just understaffed, creating long waits and an underavailability of seating. Many businesses claimed that it was difficult to get people to work, either because of the generosity of unemployment benefits and eviction moratoriums, or just simply because young adults who came to Hawaii for an adventure had to return to the mainland when the work opportunities dried up on the islands.<p></p><p>Though I called Mamas Fish House more than two months in advance, I could not get a table. Bubba's Burgers on Kauai (Kikuiula location) closed at 4 on Tuesday and Wednesdays. Gaylord's was not serving Sunday Brunch. Wrangler's Steakhouse had reduced hours (better now I see). And wow, restaurant after restaurant gone, just gone. Aloha Mixed Plate, Bubba Gump's, Bubba's Burgers Hanalei, Poipu Tropical Burger, Kalapaki Beach Hut, Ono-Char Burger, JJ's Broiler-all GONE!</p><p>That's food. Should mention that retail sales not going much better. The happening upscale Kikuiula Shopping Village is shut down by 7 pm. Shops at Kilohana closed earlier. There was no Hanapepe art night and stores there such as the beloved Talk Story Bookstore and the Banana Patch Studio closed early-like 4 pm--or at least earlier than we could get to them. Banana Patch was closed Saturday and Sunday. </p><p>And watch websites for activity hours too. <a href="http://anainahou.org/mini-golf-gardens/"> Kauai Mini Golf</a> was only open Friday Saturday and Sunday. <a href="https://koloarum.com/"> Koloa Rum Company </a>was closed Sunday and Monday and the last tasting was at four. </p><p>Gotta say, for a family that spends all day outdoors and returns to the room by 5 to get ready for a night of strolling and relaxed eating, these early closures were a mess. It was more like hurry up and shower because such and such place is going to close in 5 minutes.</p><p><b>NEW RESTRICTIONS IN STATE PARKS:</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHVu1nbCUECYsWXp_AKrcLsIR9IjGtLmY5LybzC8-P-pUmsRXds5duWJji5LZDmWPJXBFnYabQUAxnWov1gU1xtzxmfSYw7iqDFy_ipn8wtwa-jeV5G-JTCvZiWs8vzLVDCTuqQSCzw94/s275/images+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHVu1nbCUECYsWXp_AKrcLsIR9IjGtLmY5LybzC8-P-pUmsRXds5duWJji5LZDmWPJXBFnYabQUAxnWov1gU1xtzxmfSYw7iqDFy_ipn8wtwa-jeV5G-JTCvZiWs8vzLVDCTuqQSCzw94/s0/images+%25281%2529.jpg" width="275" /></a></div>In order to minimize crowds during the pandemic, which I believe is going to turn into permanently in order to minimize crowds, both the islands of Maui and Kauai have limited access to State and National Parks. In true Hawaiian fashion there is no uniformity, so you better be on top of your game so you are not left out in the cold so to speak.<p></p><p></p><p>On Maui you are required to make a reservation to watch the sunrise from the summit of Haleakala (entrance between 3 and 7am), but entrance at other times can be made without a reservation. This can be done 60 days in advance using the national parks website. The Kipahulu district can be entered without a reservation, but is only open 9-5. To enter Waianapanapa State Park off the Hana Highway, you also must make a reservation, and this can be done 14 days in advance using this <a href="https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp/parks/maui/waianapanapa-state-park/">link.</a></p><p>On Kauai you now must pay a day use parking fee and a day use entrance fee per person for <a href="http://kokee.org/">Kokee State park</a>, but this does not need to be done in advance. The price to park is $10 for a non-commercial vehicle and $5 per person in your car, plus tax. Though I seem to remember getting some kind of ticket to put on the dashboard, the per person fee seems to be pretty much on the honors system. None the less, we were honorable and paid a bit over $36 to park and hike in Kokee.</p><p>On the other side of the island, it cost us over 50$ to park at and enter <a href="https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/dsp/parks/kauai/haena-state-park/">Haena State Park</a> (why you would want to park and somehow not enter is unbeknownst to me). Now granted, Haena State Park used to be a zoo, no joke. People crammed into unmarked potholed parking spaces that generally filled by 8 am. The latecomers would park illegally on both sides of the road and then walk down the middle of the highway, heavy laden with chairs, coolers, .....and children. It was a meter maid's paradise..don't even get me started on the tow truck driver! </p><p>Anyway, that's all gone now. Kauai took advantage of a north shore 2018 landslide and flooding that virtually ended north shore access to make a few changes down there at Haena. There are now 75 parking spaces available at Haena (25 additional are reserved for locals). You have to pay an entry fee per person plus a parking fee for a designated time slot, basically morning, afternoon or sunset. If ya think your activity, say like, walking 8 miles on the Kalalau trail, might take longer than the morning slot allows you, you need to reserve the afternoon slot too. There is a cheerful lady there bright and early (the first parking slot opens at 6:30 am) to make sure you have a QR code printed out. Reservations can be made 30 days in advance. The website makes this pretty friendly but you'd better hurry. Reservations open at midnight on the dot 30 days in advance, which most painfully is 3am in California. The first morning I didn't have my fastest fingers and missed the boat, as the passes were gone by 3:03am, no kidding. I was faster the next bleary eyed morning and got the passes.</p><p>If you miss out on the parking the<a href="https://www.kauai.com/haena-north-shore-shuttle"> North Shore Shuttle</a> began operation on July 11. The shuttle carts visitors from a point a little beyond Hanalei (the Waipa Park and Ride to be exact) to the Haena parking lot. $35 round trip for one person which includes entry. Sooooo, basically my way $50 for five people, that way $175, a substantial difference. </p><p>Now regardless if you take the shuttle OR decide to get up in the middle of the night to reserve your parking, you still have to coordinate getting over the Hanalei Bridge which on weekdays is only open (an one lane at a time at that) 5:30 to 7:45 am, 1 to 2:30pm and 5:30 to 11pm because of the road repairs and construction at the site of the aforementioned landslide. Saturdays are different. Sundays and holidays it's open all day. Oh, and Wednesdays during the school year are different. Oy.</p><p>Getting the picture when I say we are not quite wide open??</p><p><b>INDOOR MASK REQUIREMENT:</b></p><p>One thing ya gotta remember is that in Hawaii you still have to wear a mask indoors. In Hawaii's humid environment and frequently open air retail, this is very uncomfortable. It deterred me from shopping for sure.</p><p><b>OMG THE AIRPORT:</b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickA2wnYstkVAhh5Z22IVhT-dS4oS_Z241K4zx-XOW8j1SlFLFqE-99WxQGW8Qw-JIliGx1DxVnOodEvnMR7udE7xDqgxcqfcFIbC8hrMjdg2MdKu6RAQnGuVLt6HDbUk6yYVc3vOrHdM/s274/download.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="184" data-original-width="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEickA2wnYstkVAhh5Z22IVhT-dS4oS_Z241K4zx-XOW8j1SlFLFqE-99WxQGW8Qw-JIliGx1DxVnOodEvnMR7udE7xDqgxcqfcFIbC8hrMjdg2MdKu6RAQnGuVLt6HDbUk6yYVc3vOrHdM/s16000/download.jpg" /></a></div>And OMG the airport. Remember that thing where businesses can't get people to work? Well, this applies to TSA apparently as well. We dutifully arrived at the Lihue, Kauai airport for our interisland flight over one hour before our flight left and lined up for security. There were three security checkpoints and each one progressed an an insufferable snail's pace. Each person was checked and rechecked by the same two staff members, every single person with their several pieces of carry on luggage, loading and unloading and unpacking and repacking and taking off shoes and jackets and hats and jewelry. There was no mercy whatsoever for anyone whose flight might be boarding. By the time we arrived at our gate, my shoes in one hand and my boarding pass in the other, our flight bound for Maui was on the tarmac.<p></p><p>We had learned our lesson when boarding our flight from Maui to the mainland and arrived at the airport over two and a half hours before our flight. Security took an hour and wrapped around the entire airport to the baggage claim area. It was a long walk to the gate and we only arrived a few minutes before our flight boarded. </p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Was Hawaii fabulous? Yes. Can I wait to go again? No. So was all the hassle worth it? Yes it was. Everything about Hawaii makes it all worth it.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Thank you for reading this post. And now for some pictures to remind you how beautiful this place is!!</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH5aWWOSMET9Gt6xsIlCzS8QqfQzmTUh9bgYooG7TzLrGSqIzJsYuiG-o5eE2TSTHYqKOaZfUnqSH4d8m_O52ll7UzVVK2ufwVe6a4oCpJEiOgGKrMreWrWSMKwoj3HxyOM-z0fMRoB3g/s2048/IMG_4688.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH5aWWOSMET9Gt6xsIlCzS8QqfQzmTUh9bgYooG7TzLrGSqIzJsYuiG-o5eE2TSTHYqKOaZfUnqSH4d8m_O52ll7UzVVK2ufwVe6a4oCpJEiOgGKrMreWrWSMKwoj3HxyOM-z0fMRoB3g/w300-h400/IMG_4688.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hanakapiai Beach from the Kalalau Trail</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJE_0a46TBpz_lGMTOPbcYoMPW_Eiiev3hJqs1FvP_mKdyhUuUNEBLbe22C6bHs-dGu3URDRqIRmkzlJHRKFNPPXAbFzH_Cs2e27PAaA_ImAxWVrql9kbc51jhEXvbQRclTwPS3pZBxbs/s2048/IMG_4714.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJE_0a46TBpz_lGMTOPbcYoMPW_Eiiev3hJqs1FvP_mKdyhUuUNEBLbe22C6bHs-dGu3URDRqIRmkzlJHRKFNPPXAbFzH_Cs2e27PAaA_ImAxWVrql9kbc51jhEXvbQRclTwPS3pZBxbs/w300-h400/IMG_4714.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Kauai's East Shore from the bike path</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrC4aKVtYQUEXuODdUSbSrQepTABRp6RR_8e-1tqTm266jHpe-9ZHAE0uJiey-TaVUWpMZDURq1tGqBdxDUMeucZe65uo_XW_nJ25oIoSqNhRivM4VV81mVN0QJIhE9OxuYvjQjZeuYvk/s2048/IMG_4830.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrC4aKVtYQUEXuODdUSbSrQepTABRp6RR_8e-1tqTm266jHpe-9ZHAE0uJiey-TaVUWpMZDURq1tGqBdxDUMeucZe65uo_XW_nJ25oIoSqNhRivM4VV81mVN0QJIhE9OxuYvjQjZeuYvk/w300-h400/IMG_4830.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Sunset off Lahaina</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg71xgdqZUQnc6j3WAJLeVZDvOVe0-EroZ8A6xRAQfP3uJoTjokXheTn3vV3nZbRYT_dy0CrVVltDaGeWf6-GbtbHzrxQRIKaOdbZIv3tAPNxrDx6jQ7UD9Btas-U_1Il5AenRnaQQQAI/s2048/IMG_4935.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg71xgdqZUQnc6j3WAJLeVZDvOVe0-EroZ8A6xRAQfP3uJoTjokXheTn3vV3nZbRYT_dy0CrVVltDaGeWf6-GbtbHzrxQRIKaOdbZIv3tAPNxrDx6jQ7UD9Btas-U_1Il5AenRnaQQQAI/w300-h400/IMG_4935.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Off the Kaanapali Shore</span></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE90ZCBJgLDg4TitdlSCuxRVUcLp0vQtWXlaAp1fwP6LPivlAHyfMNEjpC46Mceav0eUsLXDfE47-Q68-eppn1UXCfVDswAUrfLO6FiIirZAcmYZ2BgUtmx3Y7Z98-y7Yu_Z3uAgsZNec/s2048/IMG_5052.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE90ZCBJgLDg4TitdlSCuxRVUcLp0vQtWXlaAp1fwP6LPivlAHyfMNEjpC46Mceav0eUsLXDfE47-Q68-eppn1UXCfVDswAUrfLO6FiIirZAcmYZ2BgUtmx3Y7Z98-y7Yu_Z3uAgsZNec/w640-h426/IMG_5052.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Oh yeah, and we are beautiful too...<br />Shipwreck Beach in Kauai</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p>Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219332537908449042.post-90793060662219917792021-02-24T19:57:00.002-08:002021-02-24T19:57:37.674-08:00Skiing Sun Valley, ID during the COVID pandemic February 16-22, 2021<p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijpw_UAp0MIrtHPRnU9P2C27K2OVhlXpa2ovZnHseHqvIFtM-dn6laQX2tfDGrtYLAgOze0zx140XxrIEbu1MIwvL0VHAaS01pKLItrjW7cWdBY011WHf6-Loz1MDsJVY9ZwZxUeAhyD0/s2048/IMG_4264+%25281%2529.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijpw_UAp0MIrtHPRnU9P2C27K2OVhlXpa2ovZnHseHqvIFtM-dn6laQX2tfDGrtYLAgOze0zx140XxrIEbu1MIwvL0VHAaS01pKLItrjW7cWdBY011WHf6-Loz1MDsJVY9ZwZxUeAhyD0/w150-h200/IMG_4264+%25281%2529.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good morning, Mt. Baldy!</td></tr></tbody></table> It is strange that in the midst of a pandemic that has seemed to prevent any type of opportunity, our worst enemy coronavirus made it possible for us to take a trip we could not have taken otherwise. Last year we had figured would be the last we could destination ski over the February break. We would have two children away at college who would not have a break in their school schedules and the third would be starting his first varsity baseball season. Well, with NONE of my kids actually attending live classes and baseball practice nowhere on the immediate horizon, we had an opportunity and we grabbed it. Not only were the four of us that live at home going back to Sun Valley, our oldest daughter, who had not been able to join us the previous two years, was coming from San Diego to ski with us in Idaho.</p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFV6bfmkr-AUT4y3yvjrbU_X6WM-KFKSBaPY5D1441GBDDjLwj0SHYtwwNBHZwpBT1To1qu4ZhreMO3HfeR3qDcIWa_PfprOf0i-M6DITlRkyijJJ6vRY9xmLzr5Avhp9FZEgYVBtT2AE/s2048/IMG_4275.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFV6bfmkr-AUT4y3yvjrbU_X6WM-KFKSBaPY5D1441GBDDjLwj0SHYtwwNBHZwpBT1To1qu4ZhreMO3HfeR3qDcIWa_PfprOf0i-M6DITlRkyijJJ6vRY9xmLzr5Avhp9FZEgYVBtT2AE/w150-h200/IMG_4275.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Visibility for days!</td></tr></tbody></table>I really needed this trip. I was really done with all the COVID crap in California and even worse, Santa Clara County. There was nothing that was going to stop me. In the weeks and months preceding, it seemed like we got bad news after more bad news. There were times however I wondered if this vacation was actually going to happen. About one month prior, Alaska changed all our flights around, making it virtually impossible for all of us to meet up at the Boise airport. We were able to fix things, but now the flying was not so easy. About ten days before the trip, I had my family on lockdown, trying to prevent any unnecessary exposure, but lo and behold, my son managed to get exposed to COVID anyway at baseball conditioning, literally 8 days before we were to leave. I knew he wasn't going to get it, but a 10 day quarantine was the rule, negative tests or not. There was no way we were not going but getting on a plane was pretty blatant, so we drove. We cancelled the flights, packed the car, bought groceries, changed the oil, made a hotel reservation in Reno, left a day early, and drove 12.5 hours to Sun Valley, ID.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">SKIING DURING THE COVID PANDEMIC:</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">The Ski Area itself....</span></b></p><p>Honestly, I have to say that between the weather, the snow conditions, the location and the company, these were the three best days of skiing we ever had in our lives. Now for me to say that, we must have been very minimally impacted by COVID restrictions. There were restrictions in place, but they did not seem to have the same oppressive nature experienced in other walks of life.</p><p>It was my understanding that they were limiting the number of tickets being sold daily, but you did not have to make a reservation. I bought my tickets about a week in advance.</p><p>Probably the biggest accommodation made for COVID came in the form of lift operations. Instead of packing the empty seats with singles and awkwardly putting people who don't know each other on a painful ten minute ride up the mountain, it was no longer permitted to ride with some one you did not know. As the chairs are mostly quads, we were forced into a group of three and a group of two. Two separate household singles could ride together but at opposite ends of the chair. Though the gondola seats 8, you could not ride with someone you didn't know. All this spacing did effectively make the lift lines a bit longer, especially the Saturday the gondola was closed, but it was still nothing like what I used to experience during ski week in California. Face masks were required while in line and this was enforced. I think there was some weak effort at keeping people six feet apart in line, but this was not enforced.</p><p>You did not have to wear your mask while skiing or while riding the lift, but quite frankly, when ya get up to a good speed you really do want that thing on or risk freezing your face. You do have to wear it outdoors on the grounds and inside the lodge in the bathrooms and when not seated at your table. Another nice thing is that everyone is just wearing those tube neck gaiters anyway, not those awful blue medical masks, so it's almost just part of your ski gear.</p><p>There are far fewer tables in the lodge. There are signs encouraging you to limit your time at the table. You can no longer toss your bag in a corner (now people just toss them outside). No more free cubbies, but there is a very easily accessible bag check ($7 per day). No more water glasses and water cooler. No live music. There is a fairly lively bar scene set up outside with some of the coolest space heaters I have ever seen. You can still eat food brought from home in the lodge and no one bugs you about it.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">And otherwise:</span></b></p><p>A big big thank you to Snowcreek Apartments (where we stayed for the third time) who decided adults could be intelligent enough to follow some simple rules and allowed the hot tub to be open! The hot tub was limited to 8 adults and this was self enforced. Two nights we had only one other couple join us, The third night there were 8 adults already there when we got there, so we turned around and went back to the apartment and enjoyed hot showers instead. Go figure!</p><p>Another item worth mentioning is that our decision to drive required us to spend the night in Reno Nevada where we went once again for a great INDOOR meal. When we crossed the border into Nevada from California I literally fist pumped. So sick of all the restrictions here. Obviously, both Idaho and Nevada have shown that in fact you can be indoors during a pandemic and not get sick.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">AND WHAT'S NEW ON MOUNT BALDY??</span></b></p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Warmer weather!!</span></b></p><p>Though the past two years had left us believing that Sun Valley, ID was the next best thing to Siberia, this year we actually saw double digit temperatures!! Though the first day hovered at about 20, the second and third days hovered around 30! The first day I didn't make it two hours before shedding a T shirt which I wound up carrying until lunch AND my glove liners, which I never wore again. The second day I braved shedding yet another layer and by the third afternoon, I, dare I say it, shed my fleece sweater as well. You still had to wear a lot of clothes, 4 layers at the minimum instead of 7, but it was nice not feeling so much like a stuffed turkey AND not having numb fingers and toes.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">Sunrise Expansion of 380 acres and a new lift:</span></b></p><p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOARwIMhStACXEAhqE-xvSiraBBPk-ecrlyEVIZPt0r6C0NLFMXOYZMbe0mhYLATHDD14ZWwW0P9aCgV3M85nO4M6SFReY4p80_UOGu9KhoVIEpZwOQ8Ge2_73J24v9az2OXVgbymgtEk/s2048/IMG_4252.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOARwIMhStACXEAhqE-xvSiraBBPk-ecrlyEVIZPt0r6C0NLFMXOYZMbe0mhYLATHDD14ZWwW0P9aCgV3M85nO4M6SFReY4p80_UOGu9KhoVIEpZwOQ8Ge2_73J24v9az2OXVgbymgtEk/w150-h200/IMG_4252.jpeg" width="150" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise expansion from<br /> the Broadway chair</td></tr></tbody></table>Since last winter, Sun Valley has completed the Sunrise Expansion, which is the biggest expansion of terrain on Mount Baldy in two decades. The expansion, which officially opened on February 3, 2021,just two weeks before we arrived, added 380 acres, or an additional 20% of skiable terrain. It is largely considered to be an advanced/expert area, including open bowls and steep chutes. We stayed out of that stuff, but most noteworthy for us was the replacement of the dilapidated 2 seater Cold Springs chair (circa 1970) with the slick detachable high speed Broadway Express Quad Chair. The chair drops you at mostly the same place as the Cold Springs chair did, but begins over a 1000 feet farther down the mountain. The new chair reminds us of Peter Pan in the way it whips you into position and then shoots you off into flight.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: medium;">AND NOW FOR MY NEW LITTLE APP-STRAVA!!</span></b></p><p>About a month ago I was turned on to this cool little app while trying to find a GPS type tracking system for my hikes, walks and rides completed during my daily exercise. The super cool thing about Strava is that can track all sorts of activity, including in line skating, canoeing, swimming, and yes, SKIING. I actually didn't turn it on until the third day. I turned it on in the morning and then separately in the afternoon. Super fun to see that we skied nearly 47 miles and 33,000 vertical feet over the course of the day, though I confess I think that includes the distances covered on the chair lifts. The app also gives you a little map of the mountain that shows all the terrain you have covered. My favorite stat, my top speed of 51 MPH. Yea, some day I am going to live to regret that....</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN1IDLbnFq0SXtk88djZVbPCoFTtl9SN28vhj3xhHPvTEAH0o-NNJ5ukegLBqZL66Eh7p-og0Xi9ahgQ9UQjii7YanINakxrcTKs1iZlu5I7jRDjtHpshBaB5mZDZcBoTWKzxn8AgS4Uk/s1624/IMG_4285.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1624" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN1IDLbnFq0SXtk88djZVbPCoFTtl9SN28vhj3xhHPvTEAH0o-NNJ5ukegLBqZL66Eh7p-og0Xi9ahgQ9UQjii7YanINakxrcTKs1iZlu5I7jRDjtHpshBaB5mZDZcBoTWKzxn8AgS4Uk/w296-h640/IMG_4285.PNG" width="296" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">ISN'T THIS SUPER COOL?</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqdzwAzWokJqVtqtASr6C5zWdp8Ol0yI_ZaVK3FkB7dPqSGQMicMsn8fRFJw5TgkfDvkTdh4MQmpgTA_nfLxGsTmB5cDThpETY9D6GTXu9e-6iz3sQX8FVApIKI38l7CMl5ka6KpRCPeY/s1624/IMG_4287.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1624" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqdzwAzWokJqVtqtASr6C5zWdp8Ol0yI_ZaVK3FkB7dPqSGQMicMsn8fRFJw5TgkfDvkTdh4MQmpgTA_nfLxGsTmB5cDThpETY9D6GTXu9e-6iz3sQX8FVApIKI38l7CMl5ka6KpRCPeY/w296-h640/IMG_4287.PNG" width="296" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">STRAVA describes our afternoon ..</div><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Hey how about we look at some more pictures!!</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPy-6ypOi0tav7Idh4hZmStzOAlqcvdPiXH1p344sGFoPGXQW8cpGvlxIIf1dkLjskfecNK_0bxxMiqcAJ-2RYmwTMrrnV2U5qhnjxfmwekGVL3gbqtFbGxVmgLvZkB-sRbu3xU-8ZOiM/s2048/IMG_4266.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPy-6ypOi0tav7Idh4hZmStzOAlqcvdPiXH1p344sGFoPGXQW8cpGvlxIIf1dkLjskfecNK_0bxxMiqcAJ-2RYmwTMrrnV2U5qhnjxfmwekGVL3gbqtFbGxVmgLvZkB-sRbu3xU-8ZOiM/w400-h300/IMG_4266.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ready to ride the Gondola!!</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9YArCelRqEGZU40AR-9h20HiMTnXzalL69tQTgOgMRS0YUclEsId3lyBXPo-rui30aKala4erFv2MqCLqTURGr4A6cWXXBxx20bZi_VJlsvH3kl03QjjyWVRUgYsb4ZmoVJdpluM45x0/s2048/IMG_4274.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9YArCelRqEGZU40AR-9h20HiMTnXzalL69tQTgOgMRS0YUclEsId3lyBXPo-rui30aKala4erFv2MqCLqTURGr4A6cWXXBxx20bZi_VJlsvH3kl03QjjyWVRUgYsb4ZmoVJdpluM45x0/w400-h300/IMG_4274.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A cozy ride up the hill</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5svYuB4At_Zb9WJp_gke2KYcWP86-TCnBf8yBwEGm7_eQwZA_x1eg3dGWqp5RMHTXbWJRVzWInyr81BVT_1Cu3deS9-AS3ftGcQG-qdbNEyCllyPmuT6rB_QYem9wjeiRk-2MhLmclsY/s2048/IMG_4268.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5svYuB4At_Zb9WJp_gke2KYcWP86-TCnBf8yBwEGm7_eQwZA_x1eg3dGWqp5RMHTXbWJRVzWInyr81BVT_1Cu3deS9-AS3ftGcQG-qdbNEyCllyPmuT6rB_QYem9wjeiRk-2MhLmclsY/w400-h300/IMG_4268.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Ready to brave the Mayday Bowl!</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYpUr4mCAjAUS0XdU1E9CUwmBazdrNqt4T-xQdBHOlOGdco7x3_FjfDRMSNaX0pLBjKKCKzeNwntZRL6xBPHtaOxnwNc8ALf5c2700pE7DYw8lX_87FRoEyfRxMj30zU2drYV64EHxp2Y/s2048/IMG_4277.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYpUr4mCAjAUS0XdU1E9CUwmBazdrNqt4T-xQdBHOlOGdco7x3_FjfDRMSNaX0pLBjKKCKzeNwntZRL6xBPHtaOxnwNc8ALf5c2700pE7DYw8lX_87FRoEyfRxMj30zU2drYV64EHxp2Y/w300-h400/IMG_4277.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">At the top of Seattle Ridge with majestic Mayday </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Bowl in the background</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPKeO0_627E6AQMK58hJf3sZ4N5r0nKQP6CAU-eIMYeGpxgKPMLWMzVC-8Pu8vQr1S4yV5s7O9WmTq6vSaAsy6cH_T3fFcFaku3uqsOV-dWZUDFej-hLKywiWvmFHhZa0ckLjYL1sPYs/s2048/IMG_4280.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGPKeO0_627E6AQMK58hJf3sZ4N5r0nKQP6CAU-eIMYeGpxgKPMLWMzVC-8Pu8vQr1S4yV5s7O9WmTq6vSaAsy6cH_T3fFcFaku3uqsOV-dWZUDFej-hLKywiWvmFHhZa0ckLjYL1sPYs/w400-h300/IMG_4280.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And enjoying our Sun Valley family favorite,</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The Ram</span></div><div><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-large;">Well, it has been a long time since I posted. I sure would love to to start travelling more regularly soon! </span><br /><p><br /></p>Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219332537908449042.post-40372109698484169012020-08-22T14:30:00.000-07:002020-08-22T14:30:53.232-07:00Lake Tahoe travel and the COVID epidemic July 31 to Aug 5 2020<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZlzIDDkr2nA7TsRlSj1a3Vtl8s-VjOeg3GAEcMndQNeoT2xg8qP5Bx3gzGUF3gi4fKpmG1nwGNzB_S9EtlOnzNvik8zpcOv5Uj6BAki8IUJ2kcFIl06lYirN7A5L5DqBGkpkYcLXBQ4o/s3070/IMG_3661.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="3070" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZlzIDDkr2nA7TsRlSj1a3Vtl8s-VjOeg3GAEcMndQNeoT2xg8qP5Bx3gzGUF3gi4fKpmG1nwGNzB_S9EtlOnzNvik8zpcOv5Uj6BAki8IUJ2kcFIl06lYirN7A5L5DqBGkpkYcLXBQ4o/s640/IMG_3661.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p> I made my reservations for Lake Tahoe in January of 2020, far before we had even heard of COVID. The intention was to return from two weeks in Hawaii on July 31 and leave for Tahoe for four nights the next day. When I learned that we weren't going to Hawaii at all, I booked a week in Sunriver, OR. (See my<a href="http://www.gofamilygo.net/"> blogpost</a> on this!) However, this still gave us a week before we were scheduled to go to Tahoe so I needed to fill this time or risk feeling like I needed to work at my real job during the break-yuck! I got to work on extending the Tahoe vacation. By the time I started working on this, June 20 or so, Tahoe accommodations were quite occupied and there was very little available in our price range. I managed to book an additional day onto our VRBO rental, and hoped to secure another Lake Village condo for another three nights prior, making our pack up and move in the middle of the week a little less stressful. This was not to be, however, so I checked into <a href="https://www.clubtahoe.com/">Club Tahoe Resort</a> in Incline Village for the first three nights of our Tahoe vacation. I chose to book on the Nevada side, hoping for a less heavy handed COVID restrictions.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">TAHOE AND COVID-</span></b></p><p>Well, whether in Nevada or California, COVID does not seem to be impacting the amount of fun people are having this summer in this area. The Tahoe counties (of which we drove through 5) are not Bay Area Counties, that is for sure. You are required to wear a mask indoors. In outdoor restaurants on the California side, you can remove your mask when seated at your table. In Nevada you can eat indoors at socially distanced tables with the same mask restrictions. We did both, dining al fresco at the darling <a href="https://scusalaketahoe.com/">Scusa</a> on Lake Tahoe Blvd, and enjoying breakfast at the Kingsbury grade location of the<a href="http://redhutcafe.com/"> Red Hut</a>. Both felt really safe. Mini golf is open, trails are open, marinas and rental activities are open. Wear your mask while you fill out paperwork and start off, then take it off--simple, right?</p><p>Some limitations popped up. The clubhouse at Lake Village, with access to the pool, BBQ's, tennis, ping pong and pool, was closed. Club Tahoe Resort's bar was closed and there was no housekeeping. Another big bummer at CTR was the moratorium on beach passes for Incline Village's private beaches, which forced us to the public beaches, yucky Kings Beach, a wasteland of heat and bodies, and much more pleasantly Lake Forest Beach, a quiet and secluded tiny spot against the water. Public beach parking lots also decreased their capacities, necessitating the back up of cars on the highways early in the morning. Ever eat your breakfast on the beach?</p><p>The beaches are all open and they are packed and no one wears a mask on the beaches. Despite the crowds, there is plenty of room to social distance. Days we were at the beaches, Pope, Sand Harbor, and Skunk Harbor, we followed the examples of others and marked out wide boundaries of "stuff" discouraging others from coming too close and giving ourselves a wide berth to gather our group.</p><p>We saw a few people wearing masks on the trails. This is quite a surprise as the decreased oxygen in the air coupled with the heat and exertion would cause any normal person to just give up the ghost. This is really where I draw the line. There is no possibility that anyone who climbed 3300 feet to make it to the top of Mount Tallac has COVID-19, or anything else for that matter, except a strong aerobically sound body, and possibly some mental insanity.</p><p>Now if I said that everyone in Lake Tahoe was taking COVID seriously by socially distancing from all those outside their households I'd be big time lying. Yes, I would say people were staying away from other parties, however, some of the parties were HUGE, as much as like 40 people. Now, I'm not thinking these people were all living under one roof back in the Bay Area. Here in Tahoe with their "extended pods," people were definitely taking risks. Oh boy. We saw a group of like fifteen 20 year olds getting drunk as skunks huddled under one easy up on Sand Harbor Beach. The girls were so lit they couldn't even stand, let alone execute sound COVID judgement. Another time we saw three boats in Skunk Harbor pull up side by side, each with about 8 passengers, tie off and start to co-mingle as if it was a normal day. My fave was when rafting down the Truckee River we encountered like 5 eight person rafts pulled off to the side. 30-40 men women and children sat stood and swam, close talking and drinking beer. We are not too crazy strict about this whole thing but my kids sat wide eyed at the spectacle. My 20 year old daughter summed it up, "and THAT is how you spread COVID!" Yeah, I get it. It's families, cousins, college friends, who miss each other and want to have a good time just for a few days in a beautiful place and forget about the damn virus. I can't say that given the same situation I wouldn't take the same risks. I don't know. It's nice to feel normal for a bit.</p><p><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">CROWDS:</span></b></p><p>Well one thing is for sure. The coronavirus did not keep anyone away from the lake. In fact, it seemed that all those Bay Area families who, like us, were denied their Hawaiian, Mexican, and European vacations all went in their desperation to wherever they could go, and, like us, they went to Lake Tahoe.</p><p>Oh and the crowds were real, necessitating some real planning. If you couldn't get your butt out of bed and to your beach destination early in the morning, you were basically up a creek without a lily pad. Sand Harbor was only allowing about 60% of their usual parking capacity, requiring people to queue up on Highway 28 prior to 8AM opening. On Saturday morning at 7:40 am we were a significant distance from the entrance, maybe half a mile, and feared having the gates shut on us! Luckily we were able to slowly make our way up to the front to be admitted at about 8:10 am. It is nearly certain the gates closed within minutes behind us, not to open to anyone for the day until 5 pm. </p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7o4darvT9OlODGrkt8NoycVmP_5FxLqOiMnRnvERIJHKO77GuKzMDoc2GXdUzKeFcY1uSuiyt3torp4wfGuV9wOSyNozwIQwpokq_XFXJoI4wpxmgAoFln_95O5Su0Z30NFvqnYUV2JE/s2048/IMG_3693.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7o4darvT9OlODGrkt8NoycVmP_5FxLqOiMnRnvERIJHKO77GuKzMDoc2GXdUzKeFcY1uSuiyt3torp4wfGuV9wOSyNozwIQwpokq_XFXJoI4wpxmgAoFln_95O5Su0Z30NFvqnYUV2JE/w300-h400/IMG_3693.jpeg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The scary line to get into Sand Harbor</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>On Saturday we set up our easy up and chairs and left them to make our paddle surfboard reservation at 8:30. Sand Harbor Rentals started only taking reservations at 8:30 and 9 as those who were getting to the beach later were getting shut out on parking and were getting stuck being charged for their missed later reservations. After returning to our beach camp and spending a lovely day on the slightly overcrowded beach we drove back to our Lake Village condo. Here we saw the damage to all the lazy shmucks ,that missed their wake up calls. Basically every inch of Highway 28 in both directions was lined with cars. People just parked and headed down the slope looking for water, many already ticketed having ignored the no parking signs. There are real beaches down there, Chimney Beach and Secret Beach, but the real estate down there is not expansive, and the best part is you get to haul your stuff down there, and then back up at the end of the day. No thanks.</p><p>Tuesday we returned to Sand Harbor at the same ungodly hour. This time the highway patrol prevented us from queuing so we had to find a turn out and approach from the other side. The week day seemed to <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span>present a little less pressure.</p><p>On Sunday we arrived at the Mount Tallac trailhead at 7:50am. It was full so we parked about .1 mile down the road. No biggee. On the way we passed by Pope Beach which had a queue on the highway. After the hike we headed to Nevada Beach at 4pm hoping for a quick dip, but again parking was full and we wound up adding more steps to reach the beach from our roadside parking spot.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQygPUkHAXQ21kdSIpPjjBAiAILZm0407FWKhlqw7aEUPFQrUea3dc-epda2EiI5NyR6k6f5GLLoXRNiu4yXAzOS_h0HwXitw7Z03FD2770flBNfS3PgMrDpsW9zYTXBvMYvM8-AD9BE/s2048/IMG_1050.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVQygPUkHAXQ21kdSIpPjjBAiAILZm0407FWKhlqw7aEUPFQrUea3dc-epda2EiI5NyR6k6f5GLLoXRNiu4yXAzOS_h0HwXitw7Z03FD2770flBNfS3PgMrDpsW9zYTXBvMYvM8-AD9BE/s640/IMG_1050.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h3>We finally DID get onto Sand Harbor Beach</h3></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">NEW ADVENTURE! TRUCKEE RIVER RAFTING</span></b></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyvqeBAQ8t1Y_S3xhYdIln-rOxaXVur6WsCLPIHY0V0pE6cVIHrSUzPuAQko2nWP7ohI7svNmP88GT-F6YB9z2ts7QiiaIvbJTlikfCMMX9TZB8wZmtpK0AGkPyPrcslmo6U-wlJT4aHU/s2048/IMG_3676.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyvqeBAQ8t1Y_S3xhYdIln-rOxaXVur6WsCLPIHY0V0pE6cVIHrSUzPuAQko2nWP7ohI7svNmP88GT-F6YB9z2ts7QiiaIvbJTlikfCMMX9TZB8wZmtpK0AGkPyPrcslmo6U-wlJT4aHU/w300-h400/IMG_3676.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div>With the extension of our vacation, we now had two full days to occupy ourselves in a completely new area of the lake! One thing we had heard a lot about but had never tried.was rafting down the Truckee River. Since we were to be in the area, I decided to book us a raft.<p></p><p>From start to finish this whole experience was a hoot and we would do it again in a second. The put in site is located at 175 W River Road in Tahoe City. Because of COVID the number of rafts on the river has been decreased by 50% making reservations mandatory. Two to ten person rafts are available. Each adult costs 55$ which include the rental of the raft and the shuttle ride back to Tahoe City. Kids 6-12 are $35. Life vests are provided but I did not notice anywhere that wearing them is required. You can start as early at 8:30 or as late at 3:30, though on Saturday you must be on the river by 12:30 pm (last shuttle at four). </p><p>First you are escorted to 5 minute parking where you can unload before your driver moves your car to an offsite lot and is shuttled back. Then it's off to the put in site!</p><p>The whole venture is 4 miles long and takes anywhere from 2-4 hours depending on the level of the river. It is a slow and scenic float trip along which is it easy to pull off, jump out, swim, and party if you want. The current is very gentle and in most spots shallow enough to stand. There are a few portapotties along the way if the hang over the side and pee avenue is not your thing. Soft coolers are allowed and highly encouraged as the partaking of adult beverages greatly minimizes the frustration of the raft floating into the branches protruding from the sides of the river and cooperating on the steering. Pair this with a bluetooth speaker and a good play list and you have a lovely midday excursion including water, sun, music, beer, scenery and hopefully some good company. Really, it's fabulous. Big thumbs up.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPMBTyh-OOLZDXdz78aKvBnXP4kwcdhzcI0LEHnXcQZ3c3tgK1GB-zJaNQn6CUYbbbD5tnbwdns7eh2HChTgYt_dNGrBlIZXwuSnBpoyM8LC6F1n8pmotfpLkC4IveUrWRRmd74BnAVPk/s2048/IMG_3679.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPMBTyh-OOLZDXdz78aKvBnXP4kwcdhzcI0LEHnXcQZ3c3tgK1GB-zJaNQn6CUYbbbD5tnbwdns7eh2HChTgYt_dNGrBlIZXwuSnBpoyM8LC6F1n8pmotfpLkC4IveUrWRRmd74BnAVPk/s640/IMG_3679.jpeg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h3>Lots of opportunity to swim</h3></td></tr></tbody></table>The ride ends at a River Ranch Pond where you pull into a platform, your raft is taken care of, and you head for the waiting shuttle bus for your 10 minute ride back to Tahoe City.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2nY1nif3GMPoXo5uoX5WlcxV6CEtdtEnOBQltZh1aY4qAP8bplrL6v4-GTJVtZyITs8fujVR4LpImQBk7I2xCvhd34xxmUfupmj7NbMsTD5t-2cb48syIoZQdP7Y-XWwdxveHEyLBjA/s2048/IMG_3683.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2nY1nif3GMPoXo5uoX5WlcxV6CEtdtEnOBQltZh1aY4qAP8bplrL6v4-GTJVtZyITs8fujVR4LpImQBk7I2xCvhd34xxmUfupmj7NbMsTD5t-2cb48syIoZQdP7Y-XWwdxveHEyLBjA/s640/IMG_3683.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h2>Having lots of fun!</h2></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />Well, that's about it for the summer travels. Here's to hoping we will get some opportunities to get out of town in the future!! Here are some pictures!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_zrcwU96xgY3dL05jOhTX3pYAD9qQkFzJIC5q_SjASXrtwufScHJaL4VKJt-TQ5A_ohTRSuxZ7e8UP5N33bgL4Hv9Pji9dItCNAe7MGEkaSZdTR0KNeKd2bV_nJ03WECYjUHgo-jUUW8/s2048/IMG_3712.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_zrcwU96xgY3dL05jOhTX3pYAD9qQkFzJIC5q_SjASXrtwufScHJaL4VKJt-TQ5A_ohTRSuxZ7e8UP5N33bgL4Hv9Pji9dItCNAe7MGEkaSZdTR0KNeKd2bV_nJ03WECYjUHgo-jUUW8/s640/IMG_3712.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h3>Words of warning at the Mount Tallac Trailhead</h3><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw263GGGR4a6dcfC0RZBCeiFhfsPXBP4Rh7RKtRPXxzn2GpD-tL25FRtMDGlAIqpbNnh2Tx8nXdHaGOCjJ-5RuHQx6VkJnfrewBtIe5eAjQz8RqEWsxIQaHlsQJN-1OMALlP8RJZoXyTo/s2048/IMG_3701.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw263GGGR4a6dcfC0RZBCeiFhfsPXBP4Rh7RKtRPXxzn2GpD-tL25FRtMDGlAIqpbNnh2Tx8nXdHaGOCjJ-5RuHQx6VkJnfrewBtIe5eAjQz8RqEWsxIQaHlsQJN-1OMALlP8RJZoXyTo/s640/IMG_3701.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><h3>After I stopped crying.....</h3><div><br /></div><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRUYqGNNkQYKzNTVeYl8Y9KPHDR_luZ5NiCsNtKMVE3poBokvQiGZnvxdbkX87nFrNBMH_OyX-nBNdUd5DQg2GSX9Xs13BQPQhzA-br7UQkQkUBe_UOsASpi-rM1e-57I633yJf8owOkY/s2048/IMG_3720.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRUYqGNNkQYKzNTVeYl8Y9KPHDR_luZ5NiCsNtKMVE3poBokvQiGZnvxdbkX87nFrNBMH_OyX-nBNdUd5DQg2GSX9Xs13BQPQhzA-br7UQkQkUBe_UOsASpi-rM1e-57I633yJf8owOkY/s640/IMG_3720.jpeg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">Dinner outside at Scusa</span></h3><div><h2 style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhlSj6v0sORkeCiEAchlfECRQGZQRnwWukityw5cwa-U3dDibEqlEjsZvazU9D3wph-cU2FiwDOfCQrT2oyc989DqJ6dLdpSaSAok2EmKKosQCttzFeg7zCbH4M5iOevK66hOJx202RnA/s2048/IMG_3691.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhlSj6v0sORkeCiEAchlfECRQGZQRnwWukityw5cwa-U3dDibEqlEjsZvazU9D3wph-cU2FiwDOfCQrT2oyc989DqJ6dLdpSaSAok2EmKKosQCttzFeg7zCbH4M5iOevK66hOJx202RnA/s640/IMG_3691.jpeg" width="640" /></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">Skunk Harbor is a great piece of lakefront property, </span>if you are willing to make the hike...</h2></div></td></tr></tbody></table></span></p>Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219332537908449042.post-26782172156502873862020-07-27T17:21:00.000-07:002020-07-27T17:21:03.367-07:00Travel during the COVID epidemic Sunriver, OR July 18-July 25, 2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Possibly the hardest consequence of the COVID 19 pandemic is the restriction on summer travel. As the spring months waned and the hot summer months approached, almost daily I heard the sad stories of those who had shut down their precious summer plans, trips to Europe, Hawaii, Yosemite, and even Mt. Kilimanjaro. Though some tried to make smaller plans, even more just resigned themselves to a summer without spending more than a night or two away from their homes.<br />
Our story followed a similar path. I had taken two and a half weeks in late July and early August nearly nine months prior for a planned excursion to Hawaii for two weeks followed by a four night stint in Lake Tahoe. As most know, early in the pandemic the governor of Hawaii mandated a two week quarantine for all mainlanders coming into Hawaii. When the quarantine was extended to June 30, my parents bowed out of the trip, but we hung on with hope. On June 12, or thereabouts, the quarantine was extended to August 1, and our dreams of a Hawaiian vacation this year were dashed.<br />
I needed to shift gears fast. I already had the time off scheduled, so there was no way on God's green earth that we were not going on a family vacation. We had all put up with a lot during the pandemic, and needed a vacation, so we were going, just where? It didn't take long to make a decision. We had been to central Oregon in the winter several times and loved the area. I remembered an exit off the main road returning from Mt Bachelor to a place called 'Sunriver.' I googled Sunriver, <a href="https://www.destinationhotels.com/sunriver-resort?&utm_source=GoogleMyBusiness&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=GMB&utm_term=SUNR">Sunriver Resort</a> popped up, it looked good, and more importantly, it was <b>open</b>. On June 17, after a few nods of approval from my family, I booked it. We got a "lodge suite" with a small kitchenette, beds for six, 2 bathrooms, a deck with a couple rocking chairs, a grassy place to play, and all the resort activities nearby. <br />
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Let's not forget the coronavirus!</h3>
Now before I rave about how positively beautiful this area is and how completely replete the region is with adrenaline pumping adventure, it's worthwhile to mention how COVID restrictions impacted the trip. Well, Oregon is different from California, no doubt, but still is doing its part in stopping the spread of the virus. Only a few days before we departed, Oregon began to require the wearing of masks indoors and outdoors as well when social distancing could not take place. One huge difference (at least while we were there) was that indoor dining was allowed. However, the amount of tables and the number of people permitted in the restaurant at one time was greatly reduced, so you really had to be smart about planning. If you showed up about 6, you could expect to wait about an hour to be seated. Most restaurants were also wrapping up dining by nine at the latest. The lack of seating pushed a lot of poor planners to the grocery stores and to the takeout options, leaving the grocery shelves of hot food empty and backing up restaurant kitchens for hours. Ever waited 75 minutes for a pizza??? Anyway, despite all this, the restaurants felt extremely safe! All were required to wear masks unless seated at the table. Tables were widely spaced. Condiments and utensils were brought out individually. All the servers wore face coverings. Listen! Nothing to fear! It is frustrating that CA can't seem to follow suit. This <b>CAN</b> be done!<br />
The pool was open on an appointment basis. Pool reservations could be made one week in advance for one of four two hour timeslots. You were then notified of your confirmed reservation or your spot on the waitlist. We found that the system was rather rudimentary. With only three of seven reservations confirmed, we were only turned away from the pool once. Once admitted, parties were separated, provided with towels and brought pitchers of water and plastic cups. Plenty of spacing. All servers wearing masks. Complete safety-GO OREGON.<br />
Another thing you can do in Oregon is workout in a gym, including on the cardio equipment, without wearing a mask. This also required an advanced appointment. We did this one day, after not being in a gym since mid March. The mask rule was changed during the week, requiring the use of a mask while exercising. Rather than risk another COVID related death from suffocation while using the elliptical trainer, we cancelled our second appointment.<br />
Our outdoor activities (which were what we were there for) were very minimally impacted. Basically, you wear your face covering in the marina and then take it off on the river. If someone is hooking you into a zipline harness, you wear it, then you remove it to zip. Simple stuff. We did see some people biking and hiking with masks on, but we did not.<br />
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Heart Pumping Activity!</h3>
So here are just a few things we did in the Sunriver area to enjoy the outdoors and get some thrills. We did all these things and more, but there was so much more we could have done.<br />
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1) <b>Ziplining on Mt Bachelor.</b> So what do you do with a perfectly good ski hill in the summer? Open it up to ziplining of course!! This is exactly what Mt Bachelor did on July 4th of this year. Mt Bachelor's zipline adventure begins at the base of the mountain with a short training followed by a uphill ride on the Pine Marten chairlift. The zipping itself consists of three lines descending nearly 1400 vertical feet down the mountain slopes. $99 for the excursion which takes about 2-2.5 hours. There are some height and weight restrictions so be sure to check those out on the <a href="https://www.mtbachelor.com/events-activities/zipline/">website.</a> Reservations are required.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ready to zip!</span></td></tr>
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As a cable breaking or a harness failure would spell certain death, I am always a bit nervous the day before a zip, but I always seem to get over it pretty quickly and am pretty sorry when the whole thing is over. Overall, this experience was a little different from previous zips. 1) It's a duel line, so you and a buddy can go at once. 2) <u>You </u>are the braking system, so how fast or how slow you go is entirely up to you. As such, it is your responsibility to slow yourself down before you hit the landing platform. Actually, you can come to a <i>full stop</i> while in the middle of the line. Why would you though? I unlocked that brake as much as I could and flew at max speed, which was like 60 mph, or so they say. 3) These lines are really <u>lon</u>g, the last being over 800ft in vertical descent and 3100 feet long, so ya get going really fast! 4) The scenery is UNMATCHED!<br />
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2) <b>The Paulina Plunge.</b> The very next day we headed about 20 miles south and east of Sunriver to the Newberry Caldera area to experience the Paulina Plunge. The <a href="http://www.paulinaplunge.com/">Paulina Plunge</a> is a combination of more than 6 miles of downhill mountain bike riding and short hikes to gorgeous waterfalls and natural waterslides. $75 for a five hour adventure. <br />
Omigosh! What a blast! I literally never wanted this to end. I think pretty much every one in our family named this adventure as the favorite of the week. Our young shirtless guide, Brighton (sigh) learned everyone's name, ensured everyone's safety, and pointed out fun and interesting facts about the area. We stopped at three waterfalls. The water was pretty cold, but there was no way to not want to jump/slide in over and over again. Really my only complaint was being a bit rushed at the waterfalls.<br />
The website said ages 4-70, but I might add that you really need to be confident on a bike. My family was kept near the front, being faster riders. The slow riders were really slow. The downhill stretches do get your speed going and if you're scared you're just gonna ride your brakes the whole way--not much fun.<br />
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3) <a href="https://www.suncountrytours.com/"> </a><b><a href="https://www.suncountrytours.com/">Sun Country Tours</a>-White water rafting.</b> I have to bravely admit that after over a half century of life, I had never been whitewater rafting. It was one of those things that inherently scared the crap out of me and then at the same time was kind of expensive, so I just avoided it. Well, when Sun Country Tours, with its Sunriver location just minutes from the resort, presented an opportunity to get a taste of the rapids without too much financial commitment with the Big Eddy Thriller, I decided it was time to suck up my fear and stop denying my family this adventure.<br />
<a href="https://www.suncountrytours.com/rafting-trips/whitewater-rafting/trip-names/the-big-eddy-thriller">The Big Eddy Thriller</a> is basically and introduction to whitewater rafting. Pardon the pun, but it's meant to get your feet (and everything else) wet! The three hour adventure, which departs about every 90 minutes 5 times a day, begins with a 45 minute bus ride. Really there is only about one hour on the water and even less in the class three rapids, but the time in the rapids was thrilling and did get you soaking wet. Really reminded me of the Kali River Rapids ride at Disney World Anyway, the price varies based on your boat, but for us it turned out to be about 65$ per person with four to a raft. They run longer and more expensive trips which would definitely be an option in the future. Pictures are taken by a professional, $39 for the album. The pictures are good quality and a nice momento, but since we had family members on two rafts, $78 was not worth it. I would have loved to show you a picture here, but a cell phone and rafting don't mix well, so I didn't bring it.<br />
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Also recommended is renting a bike and riding 8 miles to Benham Falls, renting a raft at the Marina and floating 6 miles down the river with a cooler full of yummy Oregonian beer, and the amazing hikes in the Cascade Lakes area. Central Oregon is stunning in the summer, and we left so much more to do. We would definitely recommend this area and hope to come back soon!!<br />
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Here are some pictures!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> Hike to Green Lakes on the Cascades Lakes Byway</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Benham Falls</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Floating down the Deschutes River</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">On the Green Lakes Trail</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thank you for reading this post. Feel free to leave comments or ask questions! Travel is limited now! But if I can find something to post about I will!</span></div>
Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219332537908449042.post-17179850771346164832020-03-05T20:38:00.000-08:002020-03-05T20:38:02.286-08:00Back to Sun Valley, ID February 15-19, 2020<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ya know there is one thing about writing a travel blog, and that is, if you are going to visit the same places, you are going to have to come up with some new material for the same place. This is basically what has gone on with our return visit to Sun Valley, Idaho during the month of February this year. There is nothing new particularly to report, but I can do a little comparing between our experiences of this year and last, and maybe reinforce or negate some of my comments from my blog about the same subject last year.<br />
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How did we end up in Sun Valley again? Well, the same issues arose this year as last, and try as we to contact the baseball coaches and get some semblance of blessing to miss some events/practices during a period of time which was a school vacation anyway, we got no response, so as soon as I heard some vague commentary that we could leave Saturday to Tuesday, I booked it, and stretched it a day. Next year my son will be playing varsity, and the days of leaving during this break will be over, so we decided to splurge one more year.<br />
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Expenses:</h3>
Well, we stayed one less day and had our skis one day less, so on some small level we minimized some expense this way, however, much to our disappointment, we were unable to get any discounts with early booking through either <a href="http://getlifttickets.com/">getlifttickets.com</a> or any ski rental company, so we paid top dollar for everything. Our lift tickets were a whopping $1862 for four adults to ski for three days, which worked out to over $150 per day even purchasing a multi day ticket. Wow.<br />
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Likewise with the ski rentals. I did not want to rent from <a href="https://sturtevants-sv.com/">Sturtevants</a> again, because of their weird inability to get our rental price correct last year, but no outfit was any cheaper that allowed us to reserve in advance. There were a lot of slightly more expensive options which had people actually come out to your condo with the equipment to outfit you, but I didn't really trust being on anyone else's timetable so back to Sturtevants we went. They did allow us to pick the skis up the night -before, and thanks to some quick driving through the mountains following the Boise arrival at 3:50, we did make it just in time. Again the guys are nice and the place was empty at that hour so equipment rental was smooth, though pricey--$35 per day per person, three days.<br />
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<h3>
Accommodations:</h3>
Well, the early bird catches the worm, and for that reason we did not get the beautiful 1530 Snow Creek Condo we had last year. We did not have much time to book and there were not too many options in Snow Creek, where we knew we wanted to stay, so we grabbed the only other 2 bed 2 bath condo available at 1538, just a few steps away. I rented directly through the property manager, <a href="https://www.vacasa.com/usa/Sun-Valley-Ketchum/">Vacasa</a>.<br />
We knew this condo was not going to be as nice, and it wasn't. The kitchen, bathroom and furnishings in general were in need of an overhaul. That being said, the condo was clean and had a washer and dryer and the kitchen was well stocked, so really there was nothing to complain about. We did have some trouble with the cable, and three out of four nights were without television, but we think this was more because of the local cable service than because of the cable equipment in the condo.<br />
One thing I must mention is how pleasant it was to deal with Vacasa. They offered us an early check in and a late check out. Each time I texted they responded AND acted within minutes. Many times property managers don't come through when things go wrong, but Vacasa was right on it. I would rent another Vacasa condo again just based on their customer service.<br />
Now back to Snow Creek in general, since we were there last the entire Clubhouse has been redone.<br />
It is far more modern with a much bigger sitting area and a TV and a gas fireplace. There is a huge sign outside the door prohibiting food, glass, or ALCOHOL in the hot tub and pool area. I can guarantee you not one person we encountered in three days of post ski hot tubbing was following that last rule. One afternoon the board of directors for the HOA was in the clubhouse, trying to conduct some kind of interviews, and even they didn't care.<br />
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New on Baldy:</h3>
Well, last year there was a ridiculous amount of snow on the mountain and three clear sunny days,<br />
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making the absolute best conditions ever. This year we were treated to a dose of reality--still the three sunny days but some exposed grass and other debris on the runs, and at times some darned icy conditions. Still fabulous, just a little short of heaven. After the second day of skiing they blew some snow around, making the third day far less icy and more enjoyable. A local on the lift told me that these conditions were normal for Baldy in February.<br />
There is word on the street the skiable terrain on Baldy will expand by 380 acres next year which will include bowls, chutes, and tree skiing. Lower Broadway will also be extended by 3400 feet to the base of a brand new detachable lift that will replace the Cold Springs chair, which actually looks like it could crumble any minute--think Badger Pass in the 70's--so this is a good thing!<br />
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Eating:</h3>
What? No, here me out. This is really a thing. Eating in Ketchum can be a real challenge, especially during a busy week. A huge problem is that many of the Main Street hot spots do not take reservations, so it's first come first served, and I swear there are people that come directly from the slopes and don't leave for hours! We tried to go to dinner about 7pm on the Sunday before President's Day. Whoops. We tried three places, Whiskey Jacques, Pioneer Saloon, and Sawtooth Brewery Public House. All were full. Pioneer Saloon could at least tell us 1-2 hours but the other places told us we could hang out and wait. Well after this we wound up at the Burger Grill downtown, which was tasty and quite satisfying, if not quite what we set out to do.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Eating fondue at the Ram</span></td></tr>
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The brings me to the lovely Sun Valley Inn restaurant, <a href="https://www.sunvalley.com/dining/the-ram/">The Ram</a>. We wound up here last year when a similar dining fiasco happened. We were all so taken with the charm of this restaurant that the kids insisted we return. It has a Bavarian look to it, but I would not say the menu is German, though the nightly heritage dinners seem to lean that way and the draft beers are all German. The food is fabulous. We started with fondue and moved onto steaks and lamb shanks followed by bread pudding and ice cream. I also had no reason to complain about my yummy gin and tonic! The service here is absolutely top notch. The maitre'd (there seemed to be more than one) is in a suit and attends to each guest who enters the restaurant and shakes each hand as you leave. A young lady takes your coat and gives you a claim check. The waiter is unhurried and thorough. The ambiance is perfected by pianist Larry who plays renditions of favorite show tunes and other classics on his baby grand piano at a perfected level that still allows you to enjoy your conversation! He is especially sweet to youngsters and is able to carry on a conversation with guests while playing the piano without skipping a note!<br />
For the record, this year we had a reservation and were here on a Tuesday night, just like last year.<br />
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Cold:</h3>
Dagnabbit this place is cold, cold, cold! Actually the first day the temperatures were slightly warmer than last year, but the second and third day were wicked. I think the average up there was about 10.<br />
If you read my blog last year about the cold, I listed what I wore just to survive. The cold is truly almost unbearable. I'm not sure it is really possible to make clothes for skiing that truly prevent frozen fingers and toes in this type of cold. The fact is, you just have to go in and warm up occasionally. One time I let this go a bit too long and I nearly puked from the pain of the warm blood reentering my fingers. Thereafter I was more careful, always tucking my hands into fists on the lifts and NEVER EVER removing my gloves.<br />
This year I made a purchase that was a godsend to all of us, <a href="https://www.rei.com/product/136322/buff-polar-multifunctional-headwear">Buff Multifunctional Headwear</a>. In effect<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">My kids model the Buff Headwear</span></td></tr>
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it's like a big fleece tube you wear around your neck and pull up over your face to meet your goggles. At $32 from REI, they were a bit pricey, but OMG, worth every penny. Often when I make such a purchase someone has some issue and refuses to buy into the need for such apparel. Not one of the four of us skied one minute without our new friend.<br />
Also I don't know who in the world would be stupid enough not to, but wearing a helmet keeps you far warmer than a hat alone. I can't believe I ever didn't wear one--what a dummy.<br />
The morning we left we headed over a mountain pass on the way to the airport. The lowest temperature was -16. Unfortunately, at some point we had to stop at a rest area and get out. It was -8 then. That was the coldest air temperature I had even experienced.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Well not such a repetitive post after all. And now for some pictures!</span><br />
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Approaching the River Run Lodge in the morning</div>
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The view of beautiful Mount Baldy from our condo parking lot </div>
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Seattle Ridge</div>
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Cold but happy!!</div>
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Still happy!!</div>
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Don't even think about going out in this temperature!</div>
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<br />Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219332537908449042.post-42943327080356708892019-10-21T21:13:00.001-07:002019-10-21T21:13:41.667-07:00San Diego October 4-6, 2019<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I swear to you that I have spent the last four years of my life travelling all over the state of California (and even a bit outside of California) touring colleges. Dang, I've been to Berkeley, Palo Alto, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Orinda (twice), Santa Clara (twice), San Jose, and even to Pittsburgh PA. Yeah, these places all have one thing in common. They are places that I might want to go to visit!! Luckily, my first child decided to go to school in a fabulous area, San Diego! When it's time to go to "visit Natalya," it really is time for the whole family, my student included, to get to see all the fun this sunny city has to offer, and to take a mini vacay, all planned out to the last minute of course by yours truly.<br />
San Diego is a huge city spanning just over 456 square miles, which makes it the second largest city in California by area, falling behind Los Angeles. Travelling within the city itself can take a long time, and city attractions can be widespread. Travelling from Cabrillo National Monument on the south tip of the Point Loma peninsula to swanky La Jolla takes 35 minutes, all within the city of San Diego. Just to put some college reference upon it, it takes 21 minutes to get from SDSU to UCSD.<br />
Your trip is going to take some planning to prevent you from ping ponging back and forth across the city. First, decide what you want to do, then where you are going to stay, then based on both those things, find yourself some great places to eat!<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">WHAT TO DO..</span></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">We made it to the top!!</span></td></tr>
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San Diego has wonderful weather, so I say if you can, GET ACTIVE! We have opted twice now for a quick sprint up Cowles Mountain, trailhead located at the corner of Golfcrest and Navajo Drives in the eastern part of San Diego about 10 minutes from SDSU. This 2.9 out and back hike must be the most heavily trafficked in the area. On a Saturday morning, the biggest problem was parking, as at 8:15 am the lot of about 20 spaces and all immediate street parking was completely full. We still had to park on the street even when we went Friday morning at 11am. The hike is a steady stream of people. Frequently we found the need to step around slower hikers and even a few times the need to step aside while hikers RAN past. No thank you. The popularity if the trail is easy to understand. Not only is it a really quick way to get your exercise (we cranked this out at a wicked pace in just about an hour) but the views at the top are beyond measure. A clear day will allow you to see all the way to downtown and beyond to the harbor. That's more than 13 miles.<br />
Another great area to hike is the <a href="https://torreypine.org/">Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve</a>, located in the northern part of the city between Del Mar and La Jolla, adjacent to the famous Torrey Pines Golf Course and Country Club. It costs something to park there, but my brother in law had it all figured out where to park without paying. The hiking there will not wind you as did Cowles Mountain, except maybe as you descent the ridge to the beach. The beach is lovely and not spoiled by industry. No dogs. No food on the trail.<br />
Another option for getting active is to rent a bike and ride around the popular Mission Bay. We were able to rent cruisers through Groupon in the Pacific Beach area last year with the intention of riding around the entire bay. There really is no path that goes all the way around. But we wove our way through picnic areas, parking lots, some city streets and beach paths to manage to circle the bay. We were out about 2 hours and the ride was about 13 miles, plus some extra for going the wrong way.<br />
There are lots of options on Mission Bay-kayaking, paddleboarding, jetskiing--we have a lot yet to try!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying the 2 Hour Harbor Cruise</td></tr>
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This weekend we opted for the 2 hour Harbor Cruise tour run by Flagship Cruises. Once again through Groupon, we took the 2 hour cruise for an adult fare of $15, which was less than half the normal adult price of $33. Discounts are also available by booking ahead online through the <a href="https://www.flagshipsd.com/">Flagship Cruises</a> website or even through <a href="http://booking.com/">booking.com</a>, likely only if you booked your hotel through them.<br />
This was a great way to spend a sunny San Diego afternoon on the water of the harbor. The tour is well narrated. I learned a LOT about San Diego and its layout. The 1 hour southbound cruise heads past the USS Midway under the Coronado Bridge to views of Imperial Beach and the Silver Strand. The boat then returns to port and after a change of a few passengers who could only tolerate an hour, the boat heads out via the northern waters of the bay, past Harbor Island and Point Loma. Bar on board.<br />
There are a lot of other great options near downtown-Balboa Park, Mission San Diego, Old Town, the USS Midway, San Diego Zoo, Seaport Village, the Gas Lamp district....so much more we have to see.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">WHERE TO STAY:</span></b><br />
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On all of the four occasions that we chose to visit San Diego, we had business at SDSU, which is significantly inland (about 20 minutes) from what might be considered the more touristy part of San Diego. Twice we chose to stay in a house about one mile from campus which offered us the ability to cook, to make our own drinks, and read and relax in the darling back yard. If coming to campus as a family, we will never stay anywhere else. But literally there is no limit to the places you can stay in every price range. If you want to stay downtown, get ready to pay top dollar and expect a steep parking and possibly resort fee. The Hotel Circle area has a great selection of chain type hotels at a more reasonable price not far from the center of the action. The most famous and historic hotel in San Diego is actually on Coronado Island, the Hotel del Coronado, or just simply "the Del." This fancy hotel will set you back over $300 per night, likely a lot more in peak seasons. The Fairmont actually costs more, at prices up to $650 a night.<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">WHERE TO EAT:</span></b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Hangover Burger!!</span></td></tr>
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Well during this trip we knew that we were headed to the harbor so all I had to do was check out Yelp or Trip Advisor for the "Best Breakfasts Downtown." We chose <b>Breakfast Republic</b> in the Gaslamp District but were sorely disappointed to find the wait was 45 minutes! (Incidentally, I'm not positive,but I seem to remember leaving this same restaurant in Irvine for the same reason!) So back to the phone for "breakfasts near me" and taking its advice we walked just a block and a half to a delightful sports pub/restaurant, <b>The Morning After.</b> The restaurant was neither crowded nor loud and the service was warm and unhurried. The breakfast menu is full of both sweet and savory offerings of the type of comfort food you might seek on your own "morning after." Try the Buttermilk Biscuits and Gravy or the Meat Lover Omelette, or if that sugar bug is calling you, try the Oreo Cookie Waffle. Or just quit beating around the bush and go for the Hangover Burger like my son and husband. Moderate prices in gastropub-like surroundings. Casual. No wait at 11 on Saturday morning.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looks like a Truckstop Pile-Up!</td></tr>
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The last time we came we were meeting my brother in law in the Pacific Beach/Mission Beach area,<b>Truckstop</b>, also per the recommendation of "best breakfasts near Pacific Beach." What did we do before Google?? The menu has a wide variety of pancakes, waffles, skillets, benedicts, and "pile-ups." I think I went for the Carne Asada Benedict but don't those Lemon Ricotta Pancakes sound good! All meals playfully served on a metal tray. Full bar. Parking available, no wait at 10 am Saturday morning. Good service. Casual.<br />
also for breakfast. This time we visited <br />
Hey listen I could talk about food forever. Closer to State I have to throw a shout out to the sweet and reasonably priced <b>Cucina Basilico</b>, where I have been twice. It has a good variety of simple Italian inspired dishes. Service is attentive and thorough. Another fun place close to the airport is <b>Corvette Diner</b>, a kitschy 50's themed restaurant. Half the fun here is the sassy service of the waitstaff decked in poodle skirts and beehives. Food is fries, burgers, shakes--all the stuff you might expect to see.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thank you for reading this post! Now for some more pictures!</span><br />
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Last fall at the top of Cowles Mountain</div>
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Ready to leave the San Diego Harbor</div>
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Right next door is the USS Midway</div>
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Last year on the beach at Torrey Pines State Reserve</div>
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Bar on Board!!</div>
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<br />Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219332537908449042.post-29179486803733751412019-08-17T15:48:00.002-07:002019-08-17T15:56:10.410-07:00Planning your trip to London<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, a few months after out last trip to Hawaii it was time to start thinking about what we wanted to do the following summer. It is always difficult to decide where to go in the "off Hawaii" year. Since 2011 or so we have taken many wonderful trips within the United States and Canada. The trip in the off year also requires a lot more planning than the Hawaii year, so starting to plan the fall before has never been a bad idea. I pulled books from the public library on Croatia and Costa Rica. Croatia, though lovely, had a strong reputation for nudism and I decided quickly that this was not how I wanted my 15 year old son to get an education. Costa Rica looked great but the travel was complicated and expensive. During the fall we spent a lot of time watching Masterpiece on PBS, stuff like Downton Abbey and Victoria, and we started to think it might be fun to go to England. We soon figured out that British airways flew non stop to London for less than it would cost us to go to Costa Rica or Hawaii for that matter. Though we had little hope of running into Prince Albert or Ross Poldark, by Christmastime we had decided we were going to the UK.<br />
We had a very successful trip, but it took painstaking planning. Here I'm just going to throw out a whole bunch of information I found to be useful and hopefully it will be of benefit when planning your own UK vacation.<br />
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1) <b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span>Planning needs to start early and needs to be thorough.</b><br />
The busiest time for tourism in London is mid July, when school gets out, through the month of August. London literally is wall to wall people during this time, people from all over the world. The person who doesn't plan is going to spend a lot of time in lines waiting for entry, and may be denied entry altogether. People who don't plan whilst (UK term there) still in the US can also spend a lot of their precious time in London trying to decide "what to do" and then trying to arrange how to do it. Better to have a streamlined plan.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Saint Paul's Cathedral</span></td></tr>
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The first step is to procure all the books you can from your local library and write down ALL the things you might possibly want to do. You're going to have to prioritize and decide what is essential and what is impractical. <b>Then depending on how many days you will be there, start piecing together an itinerary.</b> I had nearly 30 items on my list-but some things never made it to the plan (Highclere Castle, Selfridge's Department Store) and some things fell off even after the itinerary was made whilst already in London (afternoon tea, full English Breakfast, Evensong at Westminster Abbey). I say the absolute minimum for seeing London and it's environs is five days and this could easily be expanded to seven at a slightly slower pace. Our pace was grueling, but all told we managed to fit in about 18 things in 5 days. <b>I recommend purchasing a detailed street map of London, or making a copy of one out of a book.</b> With a good way of seeing how attractions are laid out within the city, your days will be far more efficient. It makes far more sense to see the London Eye and the Imperial War museum the same afternoon than to run from Westminster Abbey to Tower Bridge and back to the London Eye.<br />
Once you know what you want to do and on what days, it is time to purchase tickets. The popular attractions have time slots and fill fast. I recommend speedy booking for <b>Churchill War Rooms</b>, the <b>Warner Bros Studios (the Making of Harry Potter)</b>, <b>the State rooms at Buckingham Palace</b> (if they are open) and for any popular theatre shows. For<b> Hamilton</b> and <b>BBC Proms</b> it is critical to purchase tickets the minute they go on sale. There are many other attractions that do not have time slots but allow you to use tickets anytime during the day. These include <b>St Paul's Cathedral, Tower of London, and Windsor Castle</b>. I still recommend the purchase of tickets in advance as these typically offer discounts and entry is quite a bit faster. Basically, all the time standing in a ticket line is time WASTED!<br />
There is an opportunity called the <b><a href="https://www.londonpass.com/">London Pass</a> </b>which basically allows you entrance to a long list of London attractions for a flat fee over a given number of consecutive days. Though I could see how this might be beneficial if you had a very limited number of consecutive days and were travelling with kids under 11, it did not work for us. It did not include the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace or the London Eye or Harry Potter, so we would have paid extra. Even with the included admissions, which we did not accomplish on consecutive days, the cost did not add up to the price of the London Pass. We also got to pick our times, not sure how this works with the London Pass.<br />
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2) <b>Decide where you are going to stay.</b><br />
In order to not be travelling long distances into the city every day, it is best to stay in Central London and that is expensive. Hotels for families are limited, in fact, I did not find one hotel in a decent area that could accommodate our family of five in one room. I highly recommend looking at <a href="https://www.vrbo.com/">VRBO</a> and Airbnb for a flat that allows you spread out a bit and make a little food and do some laundry. Flats in desired neighborhoods like Knightsbridge and Mayfair are very expensive, but just staying one tube stop down the street can greatly drop your prices. I'd say with taxes and cleaning fees and charges, we wound up paying about $350 a night for our two bedroom one bath apartment near Gloucester Road--and that was a steal. When choosing a place you want access to a nearby Tube station. This is critical, because the Tube is going to be a daily part of your life.<br />
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3) <b>Getting around</b><br />
Forget renting a car. That would be ridiculous. London and the surrounding areas have the finest in public transportation. In fact, Central London has a congestion charge zone during business hours Monday through Friday. If you operate a car in this area, you are charged 11.50 (roughly 14$) per day! So no car.<br />
It is very easy and safe to walk the streets of Central London to get from place to place. We found Google maps walking feature to be a little tricky and somewhat delayed, so many times we found ourselves walking in the wrong direction or having missed a turn, so here's where that street map comes in handy again.<br />
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The London Underground is cheap, expansive, quick, and because everyone knows this, it's crowded all the time. The tube is safe and gets you to wherever you want to go in London. When using the Underground, you can pay as you go, which will run you about 4.9 pounds<b> per ride, or about $6.50. </b>Multiply this by your family of five and the Tube is not really looking like such a good option. The way to go is the Oyster Card, which is a preloaded card. The kicker about the Oyster Card is that the fare reduced from the card is about 50% of the pay as you go fare. The Oyster card also gets you discounts on the bus as well. Anyway, for being in London 6 full days plus two half days, the only choice for us was the 7 day Travel Card in Zones 1-2. The Travel card gave us unlimited tube and bus fare for about 50 pounds per adult (my son was cheaper). To make this worth it (vs just buying the preloaded Oyster card) we had to take about 20 <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Our Local Tube Station</span></td></tr>
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tube rides during the course of our 7 day stay. I'm pretty darn sure we achieved this, but at any rate, to not have to quibble about riding the Tube when your feet were going to fall off because you didn't want to spend the money was quite liberating. The money has already been spent. Ride the tube as much as you darn well please, and we did. I have heard this is ideal if you are staying 7 or more days, otherwise just get the Oyster card.<br />
London has Uber and a lot of taxis, but these are neither fast nor cheap.<br />
There are EXCELLENT websites and apps that will plan any route for you from point A to point B using a variety of means of transport, calculating costs and time it will take to get there. Knowing how long it will take to get somewhere by foot, taxi, bus or tube is critical in planning your days. Refer here back to those timed entries into those heavily visited attractions. I like Transport for London's app and website,(<a href="http://tfl.gov.uk/">tfl.gov.uk</a>) and <a href="http://rome2rio.com/">Rome2Rio.com</a>.<br />
Also available are Santander Cycles which are kind of all the rage but didn't go so well for me and my husband. Think trying to cycle through London while trying to navigate holding your phone.<br />
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<b>4) Data and Phones</b><br />
It is pretty essential that at least one person in your party has access to data and calling at all times.<br />
Data separate from wifi (which is in a lot of places but not everywhere) comes in pretty handy, mostly to access mobile tickets embedded in email and of course to navigate yourself around the UK and the streets of London, which can be tricky. All plans and phones are different. Iphones will work in the UK on a pay per use basis, but you are pretty much going to pay some really hefty fees.<br />
For a short stay such as ours, AT&T offers an international day pass for 10 dollars a day per device, which is only billed if you use data (which I did every day) or make a call. I put the plan only on my phone. The rest stayed in airplane mode.<br />
It was indeed liberating for the kids to not have the ability to be plugged in all day.<br />
One thing to be aware of is that when only one person in the group has data, the group needs to stay together and not get accidentally separated, because there is no way to text each other and find out where anyone is. We found this out the hard way when my daughter (who should have known better) wandered ahead of us until we had no idea where she was. We lost about 90 minutes trying to find her. This could have been avoided obviously if she had had a data plan, or if she had just been smarter!<br />
Some parents might think it's worth it to pay for international data on 5 phones for 10 days. We did not.<br />
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<b>5) Theatre</b><br />
London has an incredibly vibrant theatre scene which offers just about any show you could possibly want to see. It is true that you can go to the <a href="https://officiallondontheatre.com/tkts/">Kiosk in Leicester Square</a> and procure half priced tickets for shows the same evening. This is fine if you really don't' care what you see. The pickin's by this time are slim and some are not even offered at a discount.<br />
If you have your heart set on seeing something special in London-get your tickets far in advance. Look up the theatre's seating map and pricing and choose which seats you want and pay full price. Make it a gift to yourself.<br />
The hottest ticket in London is of course<a href="https://hamiltonmusical.com/london/"> Hamilton </a>at the Victoria Palace Theatre. On April 1 at 4 in<br />
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the morning (12:00 London time), I bought 5 tickets for August 1, but let me tell you, it was not all that easy. Though most productions offer tickets far more than four months in advance, Hamilton does not. They release tickets about a month at a time and give you about three days notice as to when they will be released. I signed up for a twitter notification to find out when this day would be, then I went on multiple blogs and the theatre website to pick the best possible tickets in my price range. Assuming you get tickets, you are required to pick them up at the theatre the day of the show with your photo ID, credit card, and email confirmation. Then you walk right into the theatre. This is all to avoid the selling of these tickets on the secondary market.<br />
It was all worth it. It's fantastic.<br />
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<b>6) More</b><br />
-I would like to say quite quickly before you get tired of me that tipping is not expected. If you order drinks and food at a bar, no tip is expected. If you like your service and food, 12% tip is the norm. Watch that the 12.5% service charge is not included in the bill and double tip. I heard that Americans are loved because they are such good tippers--well, we are used to much more expected gratuity and also tipping all the time. Another fact is that there is no tax on food in restaurants. So from a budgetary standpoint, you can plan on spending up to 25% less on dining out, than you would here.<br />
AND two things that are hard to come by are tap water/drinking fountains and free rest rooms. We found really early on not to wait until the last minute and to have change on your person to access the public potties. Even the private potties sometime require an access code. One time we bought a banana just to get it.<br />
This predicament can leave you quite sick, you don't drink because you don't want to get stuck and it's hot so you get how this can become problematic.<br />
If you want tap water in a restaurant your have to ask for it--and don't ask for still water because then it's coming in a bottle.<br />
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<b>7) MUST SEES!!</b><br />
Okay here is my list of must sees in London and the UK. Some are more like experiences and they are in no particular order....<br />
1) the <a href="https://www.londoneye.com/">London Eye</a><br />
2) <a href="https://www.stpauls.co.uk/">St Paul's Cathedral</a> (make sure you take the 528 stairs to the top of the dome!)<br />
3) <a href="https://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/churchill-war-rooms">Churchill War Rooms</a> and the Churchill Museum<br />
4) the <a href="https://www.rct.uk/visit/the-state-rooms-buckingham-palace">State Rooms at Buckingham Palace</a><br />
5)<a href="https://www.westminster-abbey.org/"> Westminster Abbey</a><br />
6) the <a href="https://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-london">Imperial War Museum</a><br />
7) <a href="https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/?utm_source=Google%20Business&utm_campaign=Local%20Listings&utm_medium=Google%20Business%20Profiles&utm_content=stonehenge&utm_source=Google%20Business&utm_campaign=Local%20Listings&utm_medium=Google%20Business%20Profiles&utm_content=stonehenge">Stonehenge</a> (ok, not really London)<br />
8) Pubs and pub food<br />
9) London Theatre<br />
10) The <a href="https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/#gs.x1c2l0">Tower of London</a><br />
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Honorable mention to Windsor Castle, Borough Market, the Hard Rock Cafe and the London Underground. What missed my list were the museums, which I know are fabulous but just made us tired. Also skipped the whole afternoon tea thing. A friend of our put it best.."I am more interested in afternoon beers than afternoon tea."<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This was long but I hope you enjoyed reading! Here are some more pictures!</span><br />
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View from the London Eye</div>
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Buck House, please!</div>
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View from St. Paul's Cathedral</div>
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Westminster Abbey</div>
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Overlooking the Thames and the London Eye</div>
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Queen Victoria and Windsor Castle</div>
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London Calling!!</div>
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Can I please get some service??</div>
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Tower of London </div>
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<br />Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219332537908449042.post-8029429642232234312019-03-05T20:56:00.000-08:002019-03-05T20:56:15.754-08:00Winter Wonderland Sun Valley, ID February 15-20<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRhIsvrX3L8VNQrlK_0YNtvfg5sZEfXhLdVKH4rTyHtPghHqYxl3rXAcc_sqUYBCiLyItLvj6gMRFkBthODZ_Su_ITARu3F2zKW09UV_6_71viHroQWlr9JQJmGm6hSMJOw4cN3KX7FQg/s1600/images+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="185" data-original-width="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRhIsvrX3L8VNQrlK_0YNtvfg5sZEfXhLdVKH4rTyHtPghHqYxl3rXAcc_sqUYBCiLyItLvj6gMRFkBthODZ_Su_ITARu3F2zKW09UV_6_71viHroQWlr9JQJmGm6hSMJOw4cN3KX7FQg/s1600/images+1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sun Valley Resort and Mount "Baldy"</td></tr>
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Well, life has been moving pretty quickly in our household. We went to Disneyland, then my daughter returned to school, then it rained an awful lot but we still managed to get to Fan Fest, then it was my birthday, then my dad had heart surgery, then it was February/Winter break/Ski week. A month and a half of the new year had flown by.<br />
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When you are in college, you don't get a February break, so we were going to have one less kid to pay for if we wanted to go somewhere. Another issue that reared its ugly head was that the baseball season had started and it was generally frowned upon to leave town. We got on this right away, and our answer was that it was better to go earlier than later, so we decided to leave Friday February 15 and be back by the middle of the following week. We thought this was a great shot at some destination skiing.<br />
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We looked at all the usual spots. Mount Bachelor in Bend is by far the least expensive, but our time was limited so we did not have much interest in spending 9 hours in the car each way. We also considered Whistler but to keep the air prices down we would haveto fly to Seattle and drive four hours. Also not so fun after a school day. Utah offered a lot of options, but the idea of staying in Salt Lake City and the limitations on alcohol in that state were less than appealing. Sun Valley Idaho required a flight to Boise followed by a two hour drive north. We could leave after school on Friday and be there by 10:30 pm, so Sun Valley, ID it was.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Staying in Sun Valley-</b></span><br />
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For a town of only like 3200 people, there sure are an awful lot of places you can stay. A LOT of people own vacation rentals in the area and there are plenty to chose from. The last time we were here my husband booked us in some crappy downtown motel and after one morning of a single once in a lifetime attempt at snowboarding which left me feeling like I had been run over by a truck AND beaten with a baseball bat, I insisted that we get out the flea bag roach coach and we moved to the Sun Valley Lodge. At over $300 per night for a standard room with 2 queen beds, staying there was not practical this time, so we needed to look for a condo.<br />
You can stay in lots of different areas, Elkhorn, River Run, downtown Ketchum, Warm Springs, etc. They are all within 5 minutes drive of both ski areas and are all serviced by the free shuttle bus service.<br />
We did not know too much about the area so after night after night of pouring over VRBO trying to decide on a place to stay we came upon the crown jewel of Sun Valley accomodations, a 2BR 2 bath Snowcreek condo.<br />
<a href="https://www.vrbo.com/1206610">This is the link to the VRBO listing.</a> but the pictures are not accurate--if this is even the same condo, it has been completely updated. Regardless, it's the same owner. Ask to be put in his nicer condo.<br />
Snow Creek is a good location anyway. We walked to the SunValley Lodge in about 12 minutes. If you want to ski at Dollar Mountain, which caters to less advanced skiers (and is a lot cheaper), all you have to do is carry your skis out the back door and there lies the lodge. If you want to ski on the much larger Bald Mountain , lovingly referred to locally as "Baldy", you can either wait for the bus or hop in your car and drive 5 minutes. Parking at the mountain is a piece of cake, so we drove all three days and never used the bus.<br />
But listen, I cannot say enough about this condo. It was not luxury so the price was reasonable, at what turned out to be about 275$ a night, but dang it had everything you needed! The kitchen and the bathrooms had been remodeled. All the appliances are brand new and there is a lovely foam mat which protects your feet from the cold tile. The floors in the master bath are, wait for it, heated! OMG! Such comfort. There is a washer and a dryer. The kitchen is well stocked. Oh, and speaking of stocked--I LOVED that the dry supplies from the last renters were not completely cleaned out. We were happy to have some necessities, like flour, sugar, coffee, oil, bread crumbs, sandwich bags, aluminum foil, and also some NOT necessities like half a bottle of vodka, brownie mix, oatmeal packets and hot cocoa. We made use of it all!<br />
Another fabulous benefit of the unit was the HOT TUB. More on the cold later but dang, the hot tub was absolutely essential or you would never emerge from the skiing induced ice block. We went to the hot tub, about a 75 yard run in your swim suit and UGG boots in 18 degree weather, every evening. About 15 feet from the hot tub was a heated changing room, which avoided the need to put on all your clothes in the freezing cold and give yourself a heart attack running back to the condo.<br />
Anyway, we would stay again in a second.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Skiing:</b></span><br />
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Unlike Mount Bachelor, there is absolutely nothing budget about skiing in Sun Valley. When we got there during the peak President's day weekend, it did appear that a 3 of 5 day pass on Bald Mountain was about 466$. 466! Even with a multiday pass that is more than 150$ per day. Remember that at Bend our 3 of 5 day in 2014 worked out to less than 60$ per day! We did get a significant discount using the website getskitickets.com, through which we purchased our tickets at about $353 for the same 3 of 5 pass, but we had to buy the non-refundable adult tickets for the four of us about 90 days in advance. Did anyone say trip insurance! We sure did!<br />
Renting ski equipment also costs a pretty penny. Renting at Sturtevants of Sun Valley in downtown Ketchum costs a rather steep 140$ for 4 days (we rented an extra day to allow us to get the skis in the middle of the day before). We chose them because they did offer an online discount once again if we purchased the package 3 months in advance. The total was 420$ instead of 560$, which brought down the price to like 26.25 a day, instead of 35$. But then they tried to charge us the balance, and then gave us some line about that we were lucky because we got a 20% discount twice, and then another line about the discount not including the tax. Whatever!!! No matter what they were saying, the numbers didn't add up at all. The guys were nice and the equipment was good but the business practices lame. It would be our choice to not rent from them again.<br />
Anyway, let's talk about that glorious ski area. Yes, expensive. Yes, cold. But WHAT a glorious mountain and what a swank ski resort.<br />
First lets talk about that mountain! Baldy is a 3400 ft mountain from top to bottom with 2054 acres of skiable area. There are 14 lifts, including one 8 person gondola and seven high speed quad chairs. There is a fair division of green, blue and black runs. We may have been lucky with regards to the weather, but the entire mountain from top to bottom has good snow, no icy faces, no windy ridges blasting your nuggies off. A run the length of the mountain (including lift time) can take near 30 minutes. Even on President's day and the week following, no lift lines-NONE, ZERO. Three days, no waiting..just skiing.<br />
And the ski resort itself...Yeah, you pay for it, but it has some serious amenities I have never seen anywhere. All the bathrooms everywhere are spotless--no water on the floor, no mud tracked it. Each stall is individual and fully enclosed, with room to put all your stuff. The lodges, even on the top of the mountain, have roaring fireplaces, enormous flat screen TV's, and nice furniture. There is kleenex and water everywhere. The lockers are first come, first served and are FREE. There is no banishing of those who bring their own lunches to outdoor picnic tables. They are just as welcome as those who bought their food at the cafeteria (we brought our lunch every day). A waitress comes by occasionally and asks if you need anything from the bar. The cafeteria has a full salad buffet and lots of variety of sandwiches and entrees (but expensive, we passed). The resort is connected to the bus line servicing the entire area. My favorite amenity? The WAGONS available to haul your stuff to and from your car or to the bus stop (which really isn't that far!).<br />
Pretty much we all confessed--this is our new favorite place to ski!<br />
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On Bald Mountain with Ketchum in the background</div>
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Better stay bundled up!</div>
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Snow fo' days</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Day of Rest:</b></span><br />
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Well, we got in really late on Friday night, and we still hadn't picked up our skis, so we decided our "day off" was going to be the first day we were there.<br />
Besides getting our lift tickets, picking up our skis and picking up a few groceries at the charming downtown Atkinson Market, there is plenty to keep you occupied on a day off. Honestly, you could just go to a base ski lodge and sit by the fire and drink beer and listen to music all day, but we decided to walk on over to Sun Valley Lodge and Village, about a 12 minute walk from our condo.<br />
The <a href="https://www.sunvalley.com/lodging/sun-valley-lodge/">Sun Valley Lodge</a> is a large and comfortable hotel, with a restaurant and a bar in the lobby. The lobby overlooks a large outdoor ice rink. Craig and I skated here 20 years ago. Today in 2019, it was nearly 80$ for the four of us to skate--that's expensive. The customer service was pretty paltry and the rink music was terrible, but heck, when do you to skate when it's actually snowing and 25 degrees? It was fun and good exercise, so we skated the better part of two hours.<br />
Sun Valley Village is home to cute shops and restaurants. Ski wear, mountain resort wear, furniture, candy, jewelry--you can find it all down there. Lots of parking available--handy when we chose to eat dinner here a few nights later. We wandered into the little cafe <a href="https://www.sunvalley.com/dining/konditorei/">Konditorei</a>, which was packed at the lunch hour, to oooo and aaaah over the delicious looking pastries.<br />
Slowly we made our way back to the condo and headed for that hot tub while making use of that leftover vodka!<br />
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Outside iconic Sun Valley Lodge</div>
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Ice Skating at the Lodge</div>
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The mouth watering pastries at Konditorei!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>COLD!!</b></span><br />
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OK. For everything that was absolutely wonderful about this place, these were the lowest temperatures I ever endured in my entire life. The lowest temperature we saw while there was minus 2 (Fahrenheit everyone) and that was at 845 in the morning putting boots on at the car in the morning in the parking lot of the ski area. By 10 in the morning on the ski slopes it was 3 degrees. 3. I was wearing 8 layers--a sports bra, a camisole, thermal underwear, a T shirt, a cotton turtleneck, a fleece half zip top and a fully lined ski jacket, double gloved and double socked up to the knee. It was absolutely necessary to cover every portion of your face with scarf and goggles, or die, and FORGET taking a glove off to text or some other ridiculousness. One thing I do have to say is that there was no wind and it did not seem to be horribly colder at the top of the mountain, what a relief. Really, and I never thought I would do this-we went in once or twice just to literally thaw out--but of course I said it was to go to the bathroom.<br />
In contrast to the outdoors, a lot of the indoor areas are overheated-making me and my eight layers almost sick.<br />
The nightly run to and from the hot tub in about 16 degrees was interesting, but necessary, and walking to dinner in jeans and a sweater and no helmet or ski socks when it was approaching 10 degrees was also interesting.<br />
Summary, it was CRAZY cold. Watch the weather forecast and do not come here unprepared! California it ain't!<br />
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Okay, well let's look at some pictures!!<br />
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We had to poke Nicky to make sure he was breathing.</div>
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That sofa sure is nice!</div>
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Uh, yeah...that's cold</div>
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Snowy downtown Ketchum in the morning..</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thank you for reading this post! Next trip is a college tour in April!</span></div>
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<br />Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-219332537908449042.post-92098648448701947602019-02-20T16:32:00.000-08:002019-02-20T16:36:33.448-08:00Pretty close to Cloud Nine. KNBR SF Giants Fan Fest February 9, 2019<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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KNBR SF Giants Fan Fest is one of those things that happens every year but every year something happens that prevents me from going. Since the Giants started winning World Series in 2010, I either had to work a school play, someone needed a ride somewhere, or some other social obligation came up. My daughter got to go with some friends one year and Sergio Romo (now of the Tampa Bay Rays) signed her Sergio Romo jersey. She called me hyperventilating as if she had met the Queen of England herself, but I guess at that time having Sergio Romo sign your shirt was better than meeting Queen Elizabeth.<br />
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I had two daughters out of town so it was determined we were going to do <i>something</i> February 9th, which incidentally is the day before my birthday. There were three events to choose from, and we couldn't decide so we left it up to chance and the lot fell upon Fan Fest. Early in the week it was determined that there would be no baseball practice for freshman on Saturdays, so I loaded my car with 15 year old boys and 10 of us headed up to Oracle Park in San Francisco to mingle with our favorite players.<br />
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KNBR Fan Fest is a free annual event held at the ballpark scheduled just a few days before pitchers and catchers report to spring training. Fans can wander the field and have access to some very cool areas usually off limits to the run of the mill audience, such as a the dugout and the press box. As one of those that never has seats that allowed me to visit the club level, it was cool to go up there and see all the memorabilia displayed and see how those club level seats are accessed. We had hoped the Clubhouse would be open, but it was not.<br />
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Our bunch in the Giants Dugout</div>
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Make the call to the bullpen!</div>
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How long before we pull him, Bruce?</div>
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We were given two strong warnings. One was to take public transportation and the other was to get there early. One story relayed stated that a few years ago they stopped letting people in at 9:45 am!<br />
We ran into no such problems. We parked in an offsite lot at 470 Brannan for 15$ and lined up at the Willie Mays gate at about 9:20. The gates opened precisely at 10 am and every one made it in without incident.<br />
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Our crew is ready to go!</div>
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There are a lot of sponsors there giving away free stuff, drink cuzzies and paper placards and the same backpack I got last year on a giveaway day. There is lots of stuff to buy. A lot of last years merchandise was marked down for quick clearance. Especially tempting was the twenty dollar "mystery bag," which made it's way home with just about everyone in our party. Once the first one was opened and the contents were discovered to not be so bad, others followed suit, particularly in the last hour of the event, when the bags were marked to two for twenty dollars. Members of our group starting gifting them to one another. I walked away with an Andrew McCutchen Tshirt, a rally rag, a water bottle and a Will Clark Autism Awareness Bobblehead--all likely leftover giveaways from last year. I was pretty lucky-one of our poor boys came home with TWO Crazy Crab scarfs--the same ones we chucked out the minute we came home with them last year.<br />
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Anyway, throughout most of the day, KNBR personalities conducted interviews with players down on the field. Despite the occasional standing in the rain, it was actually quite nice to get close and watch the discussions. Out by "the garden", there was also a sponsored question and answer area, but we never ventured out that way.<br />
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A lot of the concessions were available and alcohol was available, though in our desire to be good examples, we did not buy any.<br />
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While all this is fine and dandy, no one comes out to the ballpark for this stuff, and neither did we. People come out to get autographs and to meet players. From what I could ascertain,there were two autograph stations, one kids 16 and under autograph station (which came in very handy for our 15 year olds) and one selfie station. The autograph stations were on opposite ends of the ball park, one at the top of the Willie Mays ramp and the other in the Alaska Airlines Loft at the right field wall. The kids station was on the club level, quite appealing as it was indoors. The selfie station was also up in the nosebleeds and the endless line in the downpour kept us away.<br />
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The lines for autographs were like waiting for Space Mountain, fully equipped with the "wait time is 45 minutes from this point" signs posted strategically. Another tricky thing is that the players/VIP's in the autograph booth once you finally get there rotate every 50 minutes, which leaves you with the very real possibility that after waiting for Brandon Belt for one hour, you could be five minutes away from having him sign your #9 jersey before he is whisked away to be replaced by Pat Venditte (actually he was really nice), so disappointment can really be a thing, but all the players/VIP's are so nice that it really didn't matter who you meet. During the rotation the line abruptly stops moving for about 10 minutes while the VIPs change. Another thing we noticed is that you might see the same player rotated to another autograph station--yes we actually have one autograph twice, but for the most part we did not fall into this predicament. There are three to six VIPs at every station, so even if you are repeating one meet and greet experience, there are three others you haven't met. There are some rules for the autograph stations. No posed pictures are allowed, though you can take pictures of the players themselves as they sign your gear. Also only one autograph is allowed per person, so don't even think about having both your baseball and your jersey signed. There is no hurry once you get there. The players and VIPs, who are for the most part phenomenally well dressed and good looking--sigh, are polite, make eye contact and are up for a little conversation.<br />
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Dear fan, I love you. Signed Austin Slater</div>
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Kickin' it a little with Austin Slater and Drew Pomeranz</div>
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The boys stop by the "kids only" autograph station</div>
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We got there with plenty of time, and made a beeline for the top of the Willie Mays ramp. The adults <br />
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went here to wait for Ty Blach, Tyler Beede, and Austin Slater, but due to the 50 minute rule wound up meeting Shawon Dunston, Pat Venditte (who just beamed over from the kids section) and Drew Ferguson. The 15 year olds ran off with another adult where they met Brandon Crawford, Aramis Garcia, Pat Venditte, and Jeff Samardzija. One of the guys that came with us had the Brandon Crawford jersey he was wearing signed. Now that's pretty cool. Then the boys found their way back to us and sneaked into line with us and got the signatures we were waiting for.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brandon Crawford signs Nicky's baseball</td></tr>
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The kids line became very crowded as the day went on. I believe largely because it was indoors. One of our party decided on the strategy of just getting back in the kids line over and over throughout the day, betting on the 50 minute rotation rule.<br />
Eventually we made our way across the stadium to the Alaska Airlines Loft. By now it was raining steadily, making part of the wait time rather uncomfortable. We did wait a fair amount of time in this line. Our scouts told us that Mike Krukow, Amy G., and Dave Fleming were in the loft but by the time we got there it was Mark Melancon ( "you were supposed to save the games, not destroy them!"), pitching coach Curt Young and hitting coach Bam Bam Muellens. Yeah, missing out on the first three was a bummer, oh well.<br />
After visiting the press box we had time to stand in one more line. The adults headed back to the top of the Willie Mays ramp to meet with Aramis Garcia, Austin Slater and Drew Pomeranz, the kids went back to the kids line, which we heard was closed since 1:30pm, and pulled off the biggest VIP coup of the day. The line was closed but they just hung out at the back and sad faced their ways into being allowed into the end of the line. Who was signing autographs? Serious, BUSTER POSEY, THE BUSTER POSEY. Buster, 2012 NL MVP, 2012 NL batting champion, 2012 Comeback Player of the Year, 6 time All Star catcher, 3 time World Series Champion, Golden Glover, Silver Slugger 2010 Rookie of the Year, Posey.<br />
The autograph was plenty to be envious of. I told my son to send me a picture and he sends me this.<br />
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I texted this to my daughter in San Diego and she could only respond with one word...."AHHHH!!"<br />
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I asked one of the boys what he said when he met Buster. He said he just blathered like a dumbstruck idiot.<br />
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After that, there was nothing to top it. We took the boys to Amici's for some fabulous pizza and drove home.<br />
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What an amazing day. Now for some pictures!<br />
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Thank you Sir Hensley Meulens for letting m photograph your WS ring!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizJEsicFCVmuGocGzMznP76vbPNAvMCJFf_YxTZxRCQcmGh7FL0CQDjbqEf-dBMxZdA3pyXlWGPqEkQajrvJSfPDogBZJd4kfiEpINY3BoBT2lmOOsF5CBXvih0UnJ7aXv6VRTOAtTz34/s1600/IMG_1640.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizJEsicFCVmuGocGzMznP76vbPNAvMCJFf_YxTZxRCQcmGh7FL0CQDjbqEf-dBMxZdA3pyXlWGPqEkQajrvJSfPDogBZJd4kfiEpINY3BoBT2lmOOsF5CBXvih0UnJ7aXv6VRTOAtTz34/s400/IMG_1640.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Future sports writers visit the press box</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58AT97WSJS0NXTDv9C_n0fp23nBXBo46ZRVFQFBmy49psX-ACfp2lumFNwyO8_14LpQASJ4hbt0wVNuWs409HWq8xVtqoWyj8AYxSYw_2RmOwKecxFhDvZwnY0RLiu4cKEsBH3cG1b1s/s1600/IMG_1611.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj58AT97WSJS0NXTDv9C_n0fp23nBXBo46ZRVFQFBmy49psX-ACfp2lumFNwyO8_14LpQASJ4hbt0wVNuWs409HWq8xVtqoWyj8AYxSYw_2RmOwKecxFhDvZwnY0RLiu4cKEsBH3cG1b1s/s400/IMG_1611.jpeg" width="300" /></a></div>
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Now officially the coolest jersey ever!</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Thank you for reading this post! I just got back from the winter wonderland of Sun Vallley, ID. Hoping to get to post about that mighty soon!</span></div>
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<br />Nadia Marie Thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13373210176607801365noreply@blogger.com0