One of the disadvantages of traveling the eastern Sierras is that it’s a long way from most people’s homes. Most northern Californians have to come all the way over the mountain passes to get there, and southern Californians have to drive several hundred miles along Highway 395, through some of California’s most inhospitable terrain before arriving at their destination. Of course, it could be argued that one of the best reasons for going to the eastern Sierras is because it’s hard to get there, and therefore doesn’t receive the tourist pressure of other parts of the state. Continue reading →
We’re in the Caribbean aboard the Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas. This is the biggest ship we’ve sailed, and probably the largest cruise ship afloat. This week, we’re traveling from the Fort Lauderdale Port Everglades, to Haiti, jamaica, Cozumel, and back. We’ll have three “sea days”.
It’s been a couple of years since we’ve been aboard a Royal Caribbean ship, and we’ve almost forgotten how different it is compared to some of the other cruise lines we’ve tried. The service is great and the ship is full of Wow factor.
Join us again in the next few days and we’ll have a complete description of this great ship with as many pictures as we think you can stand.
There’s a new Starbucks at Hollywood Studios. It’s called the Trolley Car Cafe. Decorated to look like a southern California trolley station, maybe in the 1940s, this store is as breathtaking to view as all the other Starbucks that have recently opened at Walt Disney World. Staffed by Disney cast members, you get the best of two great brands; superior Starbucks drinks, and outstanding Disney cast members to serve you. A great place for a cup of coffee and maybe a snack.
There are only a handful of places on earth where millions of people plan for years to come and spend a week, and the Magic Kingdom is one of them. You would think that a simple amusement park wouldn’t hold so many in awe, but people come to see it, and come back again and again. It’s not just marketing either. For many people, it’s been a life long relationship. Walt Disney set out the rules for making an amusement park that everyone could enjoy over 60 years ago, and that foundation holds true today. After all it’s still the “happiest place on earth”.
These are some our images from our one day trip into Rome, Italy. The day was dreary and rainy, and much of the time our cameras were safely tucked away under our rain jackets. Still, we were able to get a few shots that helped us make the memories. In looking at them, for us it reminds us just how much we need to go back and spend some more time. The idea of “Rome in a Day” was okay for the article,but it is certainly no way to see this fascinating city.
The North Rim of the Grand Canyon, while park of the Grand Canyon National Park, is a very different place. Sure, it has the same spectacular views as the south rim, but it has considerably fewer visitors. This is because it’s much more difficult to get to, and actually closes for the winter because of its remoteness and of course the higher terrain brings much more snow. Still, even though it requires more effort to visit, it is well worth the experience.
Some of our more interesting images from Barcelona and Cadiz, Spain. In each case, we were able to spend only one day in these historic and beautiful cities, and it was certainly enough time to know we need to come back.
