Uncategorized – Scribbles and Snapshots

Liechenstein & Switzerland

October 9, 2025Posted in Europe 2025, Germany, Austria, Lichtenstein, and Switzerland, UncategorizedTagged Austria, euro roadtrip, Europe, Lindt, Princess for a day, Roadtrip, Switzerland, travel, Travel Day, ZürichLeave a comment

September 11, 2025

The next morning we packed up our bags and hopped in the car for our next destination – Liechtenstein! If you haven’t heard of it, it’s a small nation nestled between Switzerland and Austria, which was a perfect pit stop on our roadtrip!

We didn’t have long to stop there before moving on to Zürich. We stopped for a quick walk through town and lunch in Vaduz, the capital, where castle views rise above quaint streets lined with cafes and little shops. Though our visit was short, it felt like stepping into a Hallmark movie: clean, peaceful, and surrounded by stunning Alpine scenery. It’s the perfect place to stretch your legs, grab a bite, and check another country off your list!

We hopped back into the car and finished the drive to Zürich. We wanted to drop our luggage at the hotel before heading to the Lindt factory for the tour, yes, that Lindt factory!

We were staying at the Central Plaza Hotel – and I can’t recommend it enough. We were within walking distance to so many restaurants and the sightseeing destinations, plus the service was exceptional. Our room wasn’t ready, but they helped stow our luggage and get us sent on our way in time for our tour.

A coworker of Andy’s had recently returned from Switzerland and had recommended this tour, so we were glad we had gotten tickets. They tend to sell out – for obvious reasons!

From the moment you walk in, it smells like heaven. You also walk in to see the largest free-standing chocolate fountain at 30 feet tall! The tour starts with a fun and interactive look at how chocolate is made and how it became so popular in Switzerland.

Of course, the best part is the tasting. As you explore the exhibits, you can sample different kinds of chocolate – and do a blind tasting to try to guess what kind it is. It is a true test of willpower to stop at just one bite.

At the end, you get to take a bunch of different samples home with you. And just like any amusement park, they pop you out in a gift shop at the end where you can shop for treats to take home. You can shop for classic gold foil truffles to special flavors you will not find anywhere else. The Lindt factory tour is part museum, part candy dream, and all sweetness. We had a blast exploring the factory!

We made our way back to the hotel and this time our room was ready for us! Andy had to run payroll, so I spent some time mapping out how we would capitalize on our time in Zürich since we just had the one night and a few hours the next morning.

Our friend at the front desk had recommended a restaurant that locals (in addition to tourists) frequented, and once Andy was at a good stopping point we made our way there. There was a small line, but because the tables were so large and we were willing to share a table we got seated really quickly.

It sort of made the experience a bit more fun sharing with strangers, unfortunately our table mates didn’t speak much English. Nearby tables were getting to know each other – and sharing fun stories. (You could see the philosophy worked out well in most cases!)

On our walk back to the hotel we stopped by to admire Grossmünster, St. Peter Church, Fraumuenster, and some of the other picturesque sights that the city had to offer. We really loved it there! It felt really clean and safe, and definitely had some of the friendliest people we had encountered on the trip!

Up Next:
– Sightsee around Zürich
– Fly to London
– Meet up with Kim & Craig!

Accommodations:
– Central Plaza Hotel Zürich

Princess for a day

October 2, 2025Posted in Europe 2025, Germany, Austria, Lichtenstein, and Switzerland, UncategorizedTagged adventure, Birthday, Castles, Disney, Disney Princess, euro roadtrip, Germany, Neuschwanstein Castle, Princess for a day, Roadtrip, travel, travel blog, Travel DayLeave a comment

September 10, 2025

We made our way to Schwangau, Germany about a 1.5 hour drive (2 hour train ride) outside of Munich to visit Neuschwanstein Castle (Pronounced Noy-Shvaan-Stine Castle). If you haven’t heard of Neuschwanstein Castle, it’s okay – but odds are you might be familiar with its look alike, the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland. (Also, the castle in the Disney logo itself!)

We woke up to rain, which was a bit disappointing because we were worried about being able to see the castle from the bridge. But nevertheless, we started our trek over to the castle. We had our car, so we had more flexibility with our start time than if we took the train. Once we arrived, we had made the decision that we were going to pay for the bus to make the trek up to the castle.

You have a few options to make the final descent up to the castle. You can walk, pay a few euros for a bus ride (one-way or round trip), or take a horse carriage. Because of the rain, we decided the bus round trip seemed like the most practical option.

I had also read a lot of blogs ahead of time to not be late because they were strict about their timed entries. Their timing was no joke, there was an older couple that couldn’t figure out the tickets on their phone, the worker was basically counting down for them to figure it out or they wouldn’t be let it; we don’t know, but doubt they got in.

We didn’t want to be late, so we got on one of the first busses and high-tailed it over to the bridge to get one of the best views of the castles. Only to be met with a view of… rain clouds. It was disappointing, but honestly. There’s nothing you can do in situations like that, and thankfully we’ve ridden Soarin’ at Disneyland enough times so we at least know what it looks like!‘

Either take off your glasses or squint really hard 🙂

We made our way back down to the courtyard to wait for our timed entry. We ducked under the overhand to try to avoid the rain. The tour itself is rather short, only about 45 minutes. We had a guide with little devices to listed to him on, so great information! No pictures are allowed inside the castle, which was such a disappointment since quite a few rooms were so beautiful!

Only about 15 rooms were ever finished (turns out dream castles are expensive and Ludwig wasn’t exactly practical), but the ones we got to see felt like stepping straight into a storybook. Each room has its own theme, mostly pulled from operas and old German legends that Ludwig was obsessed with. Basically, the man turned his fan-fiction into interior design.

There’s the Throne Hall, which looks like a church without the pews – full of mosaics, saints, and one very dramatic spot where a throne would have gone… except it never actually got built. Then there’s the Singer’s Hall, a massive space painted with scenes from the knightly adventures of Parzival.

Photo pulled from Wiki so you can see how cool it was since we couldn’t take any photos.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Neuschwanstein_throne_room_00180u.jpg

My favorite? The grotto. Yes, an actual man-made cave inside the castle, complete with colored lights and a little waterfall. Ludwig designed it after the Venusberg scene in Tannhäuser, but honestly it felt more like a secret lair. King Ludwig unfortunately passed away before it was completed and officially used.

The rain cleared up enough as we were leaving for the fairy-tale view ❤️

After Neuschwanstein Castle, we made our way down back to town and had lunch. We hopped back into the car before heading to a palace. Because who doesn’t want to feel like royalty on their birthday?

Neuschwanstein Castle is not on Zillow or Redfin, I checked…

If Neuschwanstein is the dramatic fairy tale castle, then Linderhof Palace is King Ludwig’s over-the-top bachelor pad. He was completely obsessed with Versailles and built this as his own mini version, filled with gold, mirrors, chandeliers, and enough sparkle to make you feel like Marie Antoinette’s plus-one. Of Course no photos in the palace either, what the heck Deutschland?!

The palace is the only one of Ludwig’s big projects he actually finished during his lifetime, and it shows. Every inch is dripping with detail. The Hall of Mirrors makes you feel like you’re in an endless selfie booth, the dining room had a table that magically rose up through the floor so Ludwig could dine without servants watching him, and the gardens are so perfectly arranged they would make Versailles proud. The guide said there was over 8 lbs of gold leaf throughout the palace, it was all of the extra you’d expect from a king that never got to really reign over his father’s country.

It is smaller and more intimate than Neuschwanstein, but just as extra. Think of it as Ludwig’s “Versailles starter pack,” created for one very dramatic bachelor with a flair for royal fantasy. He had a much larger grotto here that was recently restored, but we weren’t able to add it on to our ticket last minute. We were pretty bummed about this, but we wrapped up our tour and made our way back to Munich.

We had dinner at NENI in Munich, which is a fusion of Israeli, Spanish, and Romanian. It was delicious. We had a lovely dinner there before turning in for the evening. After a few failed attempts and closed shops, Andy found a bottle Veuve Clicquot for a birthday cheers (again Germany, don’t shut down at 8pm)!

It was a full day of exploring. The next day we would be off again on another roadtrip!

Up Next:
-Roadtrip to Liechtenstein & Switzerland

The one where Andy turns 40 (in Panama)

April 30, 2025Posted in UncategorizedTagged Panama, Panama Canal, San Blas Islands, San Blas Sailing, SlothsLeave a comment

April 2025

A few months back I came across a TikTok where a group of friends put together decks to pitch an idea for a group trip. I instantly knew that first of all, this had to happen. And secondly, that it needed to happen for Andy’s milestone birthday.

He fleshed out requirements: no more than one flight connection, somewhere warm, need a passport, could do water activities, etc. I already KNEW what idea I was going to pitch. Panama.

I don’t know entirely why, but Panama has called to me. Maybe because of the canal? Maybe because it’s neighbors with Costa Rica (and if you know me – I LOVE Costa Rica) or just that it has a tropical rainforest? I’m not sure, but I knew I could really put together a great trip for the group.

Spoiler alert: the group selected Panama. But you might be wondering, what did I put together that was so enticing? A 3-day, 3-night sailing trip on a private catamaran in the islands of San Blas and then another 4 nights at an all-inclusive resort in Playa Bonita. (More on that later…)

I think what sold everyone was the sloth sanctuary.

I’m not sure how anyone could say no to this sweet face

I’ll be covering our adventures over the next few blog posts, so buckle up for some chaotic fun!

Up Next:
–San Blas Islands charter

Montserrat & you guessed it – more wine tasting!

October 6, 2024Posted in UncategorizedTagged Barcelona, Cava, Cava Tasting, Europe, Monastery, Montserrat, Spain, travel, WineLeave a comment

September 7, 2024

Our final full day in Spain began in Montserrat, which was only about an hour drive from our hotel. We had another beautiful sunrise from Sitges, as we started to climb the mountain – we realized rather quickly we were really socked in with the cloud cover.

Montserrat Monastery is located in the Montserrat mountain range near Barcelona, Spain. It is a significant pilgrimage site with a rich history dating back to the 10th century. Originally established as a small chapel, it evolved into a Benedictine monastery and became renowned for housing the Black Madonna, or La Moreneta, a statue believed to date from the 12th century.

The monastery’s construction features Romanesque and Gothic architectural styles. They used local limestone that blends beautifully with the dramatic mountain landscape. Over the centuries, it has undergone several renovations and expansions, which has only made it that much more impressive.

I had received an email a day or two before from Montserrat explaining that there was a special church service that day. Candidly, it wasn’t really clear (likely lost in translation!) what we were supposed to do instead. Andy and Yvonne dropped myself and Jon off while they went to find parking – and I went to ask what the email meant.

Unfortunately, we either had to get in and view the basilica before 9:30 AM or wait until after 12 PM when it reopened. We decided it would be better to try to see as much as possible inside so we didn’t delay our other plans that day.

Once inside the basilica, it was incredible to see how ornate everything was. When I had booked the tickets, we weren’t able to secure a time for the Black Madonna, which is why a lot of people make their way to Montserrat. It was fun to pop around into the different chapels and other areas outside of the basilica.

The cloud cover really made the whole place feel really moody – and I wish we could have seen it with clear skies. However, it was a really cool view with the clouds. Sort of spooky!

We were deciding if we wanted to go into the museum that opened at 10, or if we wanted to do the aerial tram or funicular to explore further. We ran into some accessibility issues, and I was also concerned how much more we could see because of the cloud cover. We ended up making our way down the mountain to begin our wine tasting.

One of the other wineries had recommended a winery to Jon, but unfortunately, Google maps took us to a more residential looking place. A bit disappointed, we made our way over to a winery that Jon and Yvonne had visited on their last trip to Spain, Frexienet.

The visit started with a short video on the history, and then we were able to dive into the tasting. The tasting came with four different cavas, and they were each paired with a different food. Our server was pretty young, and he was going to be heading to Washington soon for school. He was super knowledgable and really gave us a great experience.

From there, we made our way to Codorníu, another cava house. We had a tour booked at this one – which we were pretty excited about.

Codorníu is one of Spain’s oldest and most prestigious wineries, it was founded in 1551 by the Codorníu family. In the late 19th century, Joseph Codorníu recognized the potential for sparkling wine and adopted the traditional méthode champenoise, establishing Codorníu as a leader in this genre.

The winery is renowned for its stunning modernist building, designed by architect Puig i Cadafalch in 1895, which showcases Catalan modernist architecture. This historical site features beautiful arches and an impressive setting, reflecting the winery’s rich heritage. Over the centuries, Codorníu has continued to stay relevant, which means it is still competitive in the market today!

Codorníu primarily utilizes indigenous grape varieties like Macabeo, Xarel·lo, and Parellada, alongside varieties you might recognize, such as Chardonnay.

No surprises here, we ended up shipping a case home from our Cava tours to enjoy in the future!

After our last tasting, we ended up eating something light at the hotel since we had an early morning flight back home!

Up Next:
– Highlights of Spain/Portugal
– Closing thoughts and next adventures

Jordan – Day 6 (Jerash)

March 30, 2024March 31, 2024Posted in Jordan, UncategorizedTagged Castles, Jerash, Jordan, Petra, Roman Ruins, Rome, Temples, ZeusLeave a comment

Friday we had a pretty early start, as we were cramming a lot into one day. We started with a very brief panoramic tour of Amman. In reality, we just drove to the Roman theater and took a quick picture. Up the hill, we could see the citadel. (I was hoping we would go up there as a group, but it wasn’t part of the agenda). We also drove by a beautiful blue mosque and a Coptic church.

From there, we made our way to the Ajlun castle, which was really neat! It was in really good condition. This castle was built to help defend against the crusaders. It was positioned on top of a hill, and could be seen from miles away.

As we were inside, we saw a very cute cat who was meowing quite a bit. It felt like she was trying to tell us something, and she quickly jumped into a large vase. Upon further inspection, we could see kittens! We aren’t sure if she was trying to ask us for help to get them out or warning us to stay back!

There was a lot to see and do. We quickly made our way to the top to take in the views – from there we went to the “post office” which was actually a rookery.

From there, we went to Jerash. Which is one of the largest and most well preserved sites of Roman architecture in the world – outside of Italy of course! It is an ancient city, and much of the reconstruction was done in the first century AD. By the third century, the city reached about 20,000 people. There was a slow decline in the city due to a variety of different events – crusades and natural disasters that left it deserted in the 13th century.

We toured part of the ruins as a group and at the end we were given about an hour to explore on our own. We could have easily used another 1-2 hours to explore in more detail.

Starting off as a group, we saw their hippodrome – where they would host different events. One of them being chariot racing – but there was also gladiator fighting, etc! There was a large oval plaza that had a ton of columns surrounding it. It was all so stunning to look at.

This is where the chariot races would take place

We also saw a theater – where there were locals who were performing with drums and a bagpipe. It was quite the spectacle. That theater was also able to fit about 3,000 people. It’s just crazy to think about how many people lived there in the past!

The group we spent the week with – view from the Temple of Zeus

It was so vast! You can see the plaza in the background – Jerash is known as the city of 1,000 Columns

We walked a bit further as a group, but then broke off. Andy and I ran ahead to look at the mosaic floors left from a church. It’s mind blowing to know that these tiles are so OLD and exposed to the elements and they were still in incredible condition!

I believe these were in the Church of John the Baptist

We then made our way to the Temple of Artemis – this was one of the Crown Jewels – as you could see its large pillars from far away. Our next stop was the north theater, which actually made the first theater look small. The tile was more intricate – and it was just a stunning structure.

Because it was a bit of a walk to get here, we had the place to ourselves!

We knew we were running out of time – but we could see a gate in the distance so we decided to see if we could make it over there to get a few pictures. We had that whole section to ourselves! It reminded us a lot of the Roman forum, but far less busy!

The giant pillars from the Temple of Artemis

You could see a structure that used to be a fountain, I’m sure it was incredible during its time. This was along the Cardo, which was the Main Street. This is where the hustle and bustle took place in the city.

It must have been a sight to see when it was a bustling city

It was easy to feel so small! You can see a bit of difference in the color of the columns due to how buried in sand some of them were!

We made it back to the group right on time and even had enough time to grab a freshly squeezed pomegranate juice.

We returned to the hotel and hung out for a bit before heading to another hotel that actually was serving wine during Ramadan. It was a short walk, so quite a few people from our group ended up there as well.

Because it is Ramadan, the hotel was putting together special banquets in the evenings. There was a lot more food from when we stayed at this hotel on the front end of our trip. We called it an early evening because we knew we had a busy day following.

Hotel:

Hotel Gerasa (Amman)

Up Next:

Desert castles

Dead Sea

Australia / New Zealand Cruise 12 / 13

March 4, 2024March 3, 2024Posted in Australia/New Zealand, UncategorizedTagged Australia, celebritycruises, New Zealand, Sydney, Sydney Harbor Bridge, Sydney Opera HouseLeave a comment

It had been a late night New Year’s Eve – so we took the next day at a more leisurely pace. We also knew that we were coming to the end of our cruise so just wanted to relax and soak in our vacation.

On New Year’s Day – there was a hypnotist show. Andy volunteered to be a part of it. It was fun to watch – but I won’t embarrass him here with the videos. Let’s just say his impression of a T-Rex left a mark on the hypnotist.

You can see Andy in the first row on the left!

That evening also had a special encore show with Mr. Stephen Barry. The winner of Ireland’s Got Talent. He was super talented and always engaged with the crowd, which made things fun and interesting!

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The next day – our last full day on the ship we went to a special session they were hosting with Giuseppe and Captain Matt. It was meant to be more an informal ask me anything session. We learned a lot about both of them – and a lot of silly facts as well.

It was another nice day at sea – so that afternoon we spent some time on the pool deck in the sun. It was a great way to end our cruise!

The outdoor pool was packed – so we made our way inside. As you can see we almost had the pool to ourselves!

Our last dinner on the ship, we went to the Mediterranean restaurant and had one of our favorite waitresses and sommelier again. We had hoped we would get them – and without asking, we did! They went above and beyond to make our experience special.

The production team had one last show for us – it was a play on Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night Dream. It was called a Hot Summer’s Night Dream. The show started a little earlier – and the squad was interacting with the crowd.

If we could always sail with Captain Matt, we would!

Our friend new friend Viktar (who we had met wine tasting) did an incredible job in this performance. The sheer upper body strength and talent was incredible to watch!

We would pull into Sydney around 5 AM and dock by 6 AM the next morning. We knew we needed to go to bed early, because we had to catch our flight by 11:30 AM. We finished packing that night and headed off to sleep.

The view out of our room as we pulled into Sydney

I woke up and could tell something was really wrong. I felt awful – like I had been hit by a truck. Sore throat, full body aches (actually felt like someone was twisting my spine in their hands), and a fever. Not something you want to happen when you’re about to embark on a 14 hour flight home!

Up Next:

Jordan – March 2024

Australia / New Zealand Cruise Day 12

February 19, 2024February 20, 2024Posted in UncategorizedLeave a comment

We pulled into the Bay of Islands on New Year’s Eve day. This stop doesn’t actually have a formal port – so we were set to tender in from our ship. This was definitely our warmest weather day – and part of us had wished that we could have gone snorkeling and kayaking as our excursion.

However, our activity was a forest and glow worm caves. We had opted for this choice because we thought it was a more unique experience. And how many people do you know that have done glow worm caves?!

Once we got onto shore, we were immediately ushered to a charter bus. This one had working air conditioning – thank goodness because it was so humid! Our first stop was the kauri forest – we would only end up spending about an hour here.

The kauri trees are really unique for New Zealand because they grow to be so big. Candidly, they look pretty pathetic when they are juveniles… but as they grow into adulthood they shed their lower limbs and grow incredibly tall. They look completely different than redwoods and sequoias, but you get the same sense. That you are standing in the presence of something ancient and magnificent.

We also learned more about the fern that you see so often with New Zealand. On the top it’s green, but the underneath is silver. I hadn’t realized this until our guide pointed it out!

After we left the forest, our tour guide dropped us off at a very famous bathroom. Yes, you read that correctly. A famous artist, Friedensreich Hundertwasser designed this bathroom stop – and now it’s a frequent stop for tourists when they are in the area. This was one of his final projects – unfortunately the interior was locked.

We didn’t actually go in – but the outside looked incredible. I’ll let you decide if you think it’s worth the hype.

From there we made our way to the glow worm caves. The caves were discovered on one of the New Zealand tribe’s land. The caves were small – and needed quite a bit of darkness in order to be able to see the glow worms. The guide spread out lanterns among the group – and you could use your cell phone’s flashlight to light the way. (But NOT for taking pictures!)

Tried to sneak a quick picture at the cave entrance

We had to walk pretty far in before we could start to see the different clusters. The glow worms were interesting because they made the cave look like a night sky – they were spread out pretty evenly. Our guide let us know that this was because they are all hunters and they would lay their “web” to try to catch other bugs. They wouldn’t want to be next to each other because it could impact their next meal. There was a river that flowed through the cave that bugs would hatch from, they would hatch in the cave, and fly up towards the light, that is where the glow worms come into play.

They actually lay little “fishing lines” – I’m not sure what else to call them. That dangle down to catch their prey. If they don’t catch anything – they will eat their neighbor if needed.

We actually got to see a few of these up close

Because we couldn’t take our own pictures – I’ll share some I found via Google.

Once we left the caves – we headed back to where we could hop back on a tender. This stop was short – only about 5 hours.

We got cleaned up and made our way to dinner. Our waiter provided us with a crown and a hat that said “Happy New Year” which was great – and also fun to see everyone else in theirs! We splurged and bought a bottle of champagne to kick things off. And we were happy to realize that this was our lobster night! The last 2 cruises we’ve been on with Celebrity has a special lobster night once per cruise. So we were excited to realize that this was the night.

After dinner, we made our way to the theater. This was our favorite production show on the cruise. It had a great story line and also had all of the singers, dancers, and acrobats involved in the story. This squad was really talented!

Polinka and Viktar – two of the talented acrobats

After the show, Giuseppe (the cruise director) let us know that the captain had approved stopping the ship for a few hours to allow an incredible pool deck New Year’s Eve party. If we hadn’t stopped, the wind would have been too much. And thankfully, the weather had cleared.

Embrace this kind of energy going into 2024 – wearing white and drinking red wine. What could go wrong? (Don’t worry, no spills occurred!)

It was a lot of fun – I think we were both half tempted to jump in the pool at midnight. But used our better judgement to stay nice and dry. We rang it in with our new Aussie friends – and some of their’s as well!

Tania and Phil – our friends from Australia

It was a great way to kick off the new year!

Up Next:

Two at sea days

Australia – Day 2

December 27, 2023December 27, 2023Posted in Australia/New Zealand, UncategorizedTagged Australia, celebritycruises, Sydney, Sydney Harbor Bridge, Sydney Opera House1 Comment

We both woke up well rested – I think we slept over 9.5 hours! One of things that I love most about my job, is working for a global company. I have not one, but two gals that have lived in Sydney in the past! It’s always fun to a hear a local’s recommendations of things to do – and places to eat at.

Caroline had recommended a fun brunch spot, The Grounds at Alexandria. They are known for going all out with their decorations – and having excellent food. I had snagged one of the last reservations for when we were in town. It was kind of off in the middle of nowhere, but it was well worth it.

They transform their property into a Christmas wonderland. We had a lot of fun walking around – even in the rain!

Impossible to get a picture without a crowd in the background

The one spot we could get without anyone being in the background!

After we had brunch, we made our way to the Sydney opera house. I’m sure you’ve heard of it, right?

We had booked an hour long tour and lunch. Our tour guide was incredible, and he said we might get lucky and someone might be rehearsing while we were on our tour.

We learned a lot about the history – like – it was funded from funds from a state lottery. It only cost $102 million, just about $95 million over budget! They didn’t have to raise taxes in order to build it and it took over 14 years to build.

The original architect didn’t get to see it completed – and there had been a lot of drama surrounding that. Unfortunately, politics got in the way and they weren’t willing to pay him. That meant someone else had to take over, and they weren’t sure on what the vision of the interior should be.

The lobby of one of the two near identical theaters

To go into the theater, you had to go around to the back side, which has a view of the harbor.

Everything was crafted intentionally – all made with wood to enhance the sound of the opera singers

All this to say, it. Is. STUNNING. Designed to mirror the sailboats in the Sydney harbor, and they actually call it a sculpture.

Nick was able to sneak us into a rehearsal for the Circus 1903 production. We even got to see the acrobat practice. So cool! We couldn’t take any pictures because he made us promise if we got to see a rehearsal that we wouldn’t.

After the tour, we made our way back to the hotel to finish packing up before getting on the cruise ship. Our hotel was so close to the cruise ship port, that we decided to walk. And a bonus for us – it had finally stopped raining!

Our initial itinerary had us cruising up to Newcastle, but a change in the plan had us dock in Sydney for one more night. We had hoped we could go back in to see the full production of Circus 1903, but we found out too late that we COULD get back on the ship that night.

We were sad that we couldn’t see a production, but we agreed that just means we will have to come back to see a show sometime in the future.

We opted out of formal dining the first night and just did more casual snack food so we could get unpacked in our stateroom. This was our first time with the infinite veranda option. On our other two cruises, we had a balcony. The veranda differs slightly – it’s basically an extension of your room. I would almost call it a sunroom.

Our window wouldn’t open when we first got in, our attendant had shared that the captain may have locked everyone’s. So we weren’t too concerned at that time.

When we cruised in Alaska, we had the funniest Cruise Director, Giuseppe. We had hoped he would be here for this cruise – and he is! That already set the tone for our trip.

Accommodations: Celebrity Edge – Infinite Veranda

Up Next:

Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb
Sail away

Hello from the Land Down Under!

December 25, 2023December 25, 2023Posted in UncategorizedTagged Australia, celebritycruises, Sydney, Sydney Harbor Bridge, Sydney Opera HouseLeave a comment

Merry Christmas to those of you joining us from the United States!

Monday evening (December 18th) we took off from LAX on a direct flight to Sydney with United Airlines. We knew it was going to be a long flight, scheduled at 15.5 hours. Our longest flight had been SFO to Delhi back in 2019 at 16 hours.

We had brought books, downloaded shows, and had a lot of options available through United’s in-flight entertainment. I don’t sleep well on planes, and these seats somehow felt smaller than our last few international flights. This flight was no exception – and it made time crawl by. Throw in a bit of turbulence – and we were even more grateful once we had landed!

We landed around 9:00 AM on Wednesday, December 20th. It had been super warm the days leading up to our arrival, but naturally, once we arrived there had been a cold front and it was raining. We were so excited to have made it to Australia – the rain didn’t bother us much anyway.

We made our way to our hotel and crossed our fingers that we would have the option for early check in. Our prayers were answered, and I laid down to take a quick nap. Unfortunately for Andy, he had some end of year payroll to run and he got to work on that while I slept.

View from our hotel room – this was a bustling harbor! Lots of ferries going back and forth

We had booked the Sydney bridge climb months ago – the company takes you to the top of the famous Sydney Harbor Bridge. They go rain or shine – but the last thing we wanted to do was climb in pouring rain. We called and paid a small fee to have it switched over to Friday.

We made our way over to a nearby pub, it was a ton of fun people watching. Lots of people were dressed up in Christmas costumes! We made our way back to the hotel and stopped to take a few pictures.

We were really tired – so we were trying to stay up as late as we could. I think we barely made it until 9:00 PM before we fell asleep.

Accommodations: Four Seasons Sydney – booked with our AMEX hotel credit

Up Next:

Breakfast at Grounds at Alexandria
Sydney Opera House tour
Board our cruise!

Walking in an Inca Wonderland 🎶 – Peru Day 2

November 25, 2023November 25, 2023Posted in Uncategorized1 Comment

We had an another early wake up call today – at 7:00 AM. Doesn’t sound too bad, until you remember that Peru has a 3-hour time difference from California.

Machu Picchu doesn’t allow eating on the premises – because as usual, tourists ruin things for everyone (wrappers, etc. ). It sounds like more established tour companies, like Gate 1 are allowed to have their guests bring snacks, but we had to be discreet about it.

All of this to say, we tried to eat a big breakfast knowing that lunch would be rather small. We had a short drive to the train station, but we had a few stops along the way.

We stopped in a working Inca village – which was really cool. A lot of the walls, roads, canals were over 800 years old! It was nice to see some of the traditional dress – some women would hike down 6 miles to trade in the village before making the same return trek that day. Felt like a different world!

The original walls – and the warehouses in the background

Quick view of one of the streets and its canal

We then finished the bus ride to our train station in Ollantaytambo. We took the Voyager Train to Machu Picchu, which was about an 1.5 hour train ride. They even had a performance on the train – felt like a Disney movie with star crossed lovers. It was nice.

The train was really nice – the ceiling was windows so you could look up as you went by!

Upon getting to Aguas Calientes – we had to take a bus to Machu Picchu. If you’re keeping track we have taken – planes, trains, buses, and automobiles to get to this wonder of the world! 😂

AND IT WAS ALL WORTH IT!

Once we got there – we split off into two groups: the easy route vs. the spot that most pictures you’ve seen from Machu Picchu come from. We obviously took the harder path.

Machu Picchu, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is a remarkable Incan citadel nestled in the Andes Mountains of Peru. It was built in 1438-1472 and then was abandoned in 1532 (?) No one knows why!

It was abandoned for over 400 years before being rediscovered. It was incredible! At this point, we only have one wonder of the modern world left – and all of them make sense. The Inca civilization is one I’m just scraping the surface with – I’ve learned so much about the Mayans. Although completely different, I kept drawing similarities between the two.

We had a walking tour for about 2.5 hours around the area – there was a lot of UP at a high elevation (not as high as Cusco – thankfully!), but still higher than the sea-level area we live in.

I’ll spam the pictures down below – and post descriptions in the captions.

A great view of the city – the farming terraces – housing – temples – etc.

Some of the original doorways had lost their “tops” this was one that was still in tact

They’re free to wander the area – this one came charging past Andy to meet his friends up on the hill

We ended the night with a group dinner. After dinner finished, we went out for a drink with a group of gals from Kentucky (in a treehouse!).We ended the night with a group dinner. After dinner finished, we went out for a drink with a group of gals from Kentucky (in a treehouse!).

Accommodations: El MaPi (Aguas Calientes)

Up Next:

Walking tour of Machu Picchu village
Pisco Sour tasting
Train ride back to Cusco

Going to Machu Picchu? Alpaca my bags – Peru Day 1

November 24, 2023November 24, 2023Posted in UncategorizedTagged Cusco, Lima, Machu Picchu, Peru, sacred valley, wonders of the world2 Comments

Hola and welcome back to our thrilling adventure! We’re on a quest to conquer our bucket lists, currently in pursuit of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World – and let me tell you, it’s shaping up to be an incredible journey!

Our original plan to explore Peru got a detour to Rio de Janeiro last December due to political unrest, but fear not – we’ve rescheduled and are now soaking in the sights and sounds of Peru. The 8.5-hour flight from LAX was surprisingly smooth, and I managed to achieve the seemingly impossible: fitting everything into a carry-on (a personal triumph for this self-proclaimed serial over-packer 😜).

Our arrival in Lima was made extra special with a private driver, a delightful touch courtesy of Gate 1. (Although, we were the latest arrivals – so maybe not so special?!)

The following morning, we embarked on our journey to Cusco, and despite a slightly nerve-wracking landing caused by the city’s high altitude, (over 11,000 feet!) we touched down without a hitch.

This tour is far from a leisurely vacation – we were well aware of that from the start. We got to meet the rest of the group on the bus on the way to the airport. The flight to Cusco was quick, and our bus journey to the Sacred Valley (the gateway to Machu Picchu) was a culinary adventure filled with traditional Peruvian dishes, skillfully presented by our Tour Manager and his assistant.

Our tour manager – Washington with Chuta bread

Beyond the typical tourist experience, Gate 1 actively supports local communities, and we witnessed this firsthand at a one-room elementary school. The children were not only endearing but also a testament to the positive impact of Gate 1’s initiatives.

In addition to these cultural delights, we explored a textile museum that showcased the incredible artistry of alpaca fur and various materials. And let’s not forget our fluffy companions – the alpacas! We had the pleasure of meeting these charming creatures, including an adorable baby alpaca that stole my heart.

Our journey through Peru also introduced us to the delightful surprise of corgi-like pups in one village. It seems a corgi must have left its mark here, given the stumpy pups that melted our hearts.

After a day filled with cultural immersion and adorable encounters, we checked into our hotel in the Sacred Valley, refreshed ourselves, and headed to dinner.

Exhausted but content, we all turned in around 8:30 PM, eagerly anticipating the new adventures that awaited us. Stay tuned for more tales from our Peruvian escapade! 🌎✈️

Accommodations: Urubamba City Hotel

Up Next:

Machu Picchu – our sixth Modern Wonder of the World

San Juan, Puerto Rico

March 15, 2023March 15, 2023Posted in Caribbean Cruise, Uncategorized2 Comments

Saturday, March 11

Since we skipped the walking tour of old San Juan – we opted to get up early so Andy could run payroll for his company and then go on our our own version of a walking tour. Once Andy wrapped up payroll, we finished packing up and started exploring.

We made our way to the Callejon de la Puerta Bandera – a brightly colored aisle way that ends with the vivid colors of the Puerto Rican flag. We walked up when no one was there and did a little photoshoot.

Once we wrapped up in the alley, we started walking to the Plazuela la Rogativa (a monument). It has an incredible view of the San Juan bay – and has a pretty cool story. There had been a British invasion in the city, and a priest had gathered a group of women who marched with torches. The British thought that there were more people who had arrived to defend the city – so they gave up the attack. We thought that statue looked pretty cool, what do you think?

Andy caught me joining the procession with my iced coffee in hand

The San Juan gate is a very short walk from the statue. This gate used to serve as an entrance to the city for Spanish dignitaries. Now, large amounts of tourists pass through this gate in order to get closer to the water – or to walk along the shoreline.

Andy waited patiently to get a shot without any other tourists in it

Sentry towers in the background – walkway was closed due to high surf

From here, we made our way to Castillo San Cristobal, which I affectionately kept calling it “crystal ball.” How exciting for us it was managed by the US National Park Service! More stunning views! This was a fort that had been built to protect the city from the east – it took over 150 years to build!

We even got to walk through a tunnel that led us to the dungeons. It was a cool experience – but we were running out of time. We probably could have spent 1-2 hours there, but we had to power walk through the whole thing rather quickly.

Bored soldiers drew these – incredible to see

After the fort, we wanted to get a little bite to eat before our time to board the cruise ship. We had found a restaurant that looked great and had some empanadas (crab and chicken).

After our snack, we made our way to the cruise ship. It was so easy to get on board this time! When we got on the cruise ship in Alaska there were still a lot of covid protocols in place.

Our boat had been renovated – and looked really nice! It was slightly different than our last cruise, which was not a bad thing!

We met a couple that was from Virginia in the hot tub. We all sat in there for maybe a little bit too long – and then decided to make our way to clean up for dinner. We had booked the “Anytime” dinner slot – which has its pros and cons. Pro – you can go whenever sounds good to you! Cons – when you get there you may have to wait for a table to come available. After dinner we hung out for a little bit, but the seas were pretty rocky so we parted ways.

Up Next

Tortola
Activity: Norman Island Snorkeling