egypt

egypt

Friday, March 21, 2014

Stay hungry and travel well! Travel tips for the curious...



Michael and I love to travel, I'm a bed and breakfast kind of gal, and Michael is a fan of 4 star hotels! ( our amazing hotel adventures are another blog! Yikes)
No matter what, we find lots of things to agree on......Like food




One should always drink Sangria, and eat Tapas while in Spain! One of our favorite meals ever was in a local out of the way Tapas bar


Local street vendors can be scary, but the food is usually delicious!
If you have a sensitive stomach, RUN AWAY!


Chicken feet in Singapore......We did not try this, but not to say it wouldn't be a great dining experience!



The dumplings were awesome



along with the local beer!


One of the most amazing parts of travel is meeting new people and making friends. I will never forget these 2 Japanese Ladies, who dressed me up in this beautiful Kimono! We were at a local market, and needless to say, I own this kimono, and it is a treasure!



When we are traveling, I always ask Michael to wear a bright colored hat...I can always find him in a crowd!


This yellow hat is my favorite! I have never lost him!


I try to do the same.....The brighter the better!

Be adventurous

I tried the Zip line on the Oasis, on my 60th birthday! 


And we crossed a rope bridge in Ireland!


Enjoy the local or out of the way spots, and you can get a real feel for the city you are in..
.

Walk the back streets of Venice


You never know what you'll find!


A snake charmer in India......I was Hugely impressed!





A beautiful area in Bali, off the beaten track.


We took a riverboat tour in India, and shopped with the locals in a little village.


A street scene in Alexandria.....I wanted to hop out of the car and buy some fruit!


Sometimes, only the tourist spots will do! 



This picture needs no introduction!


The Temple of Karnak


Or the highest building in the world!  Who can resist going to the top!

Meet the locals....Stop and chat with the interesting people you see along the way. We didn't speak any Chinese, and they didn't understand English.  Ya know what, We understood each other perfectly...smiles work everywhere!



We didn't get to meet them, but we were honored to be a part of the celebration!


n
This Gal was amazing, So funny, and pleased to tell us about her town. This picture always brings me back to Salvador, Brazil!




A local Aborigine in playing the didgeridoo...how colorful is that! We would never have seen this in Sydney!




Don't be afraid to have fun!


We look serious, don't we!


The 2 look-a likes!

Sometimes Michael pushes me over the edge.....and sometimes I push him! haha


Creepy, scary picture! love it!


Always be respectful of the culture.
Dress like the locals when you visit a mosque.

Cover your arms and legs when in the Mideast...(The heat did tend to make me a little crazy!)


and pay homage to the dead of Pompeii


We always visit family when we can.

A visit to Rome is not complete without spending a day with my Niece and her family, who live in Tuscany
and who can resist my little darling Giulia...Such a spitfire...just like her Great-Aunt!


Happy trails to you!





Saturday, March 15, 2014

Traveling on a budget

Michael and I cruise 2-4 months every year.....In my mind, making memories is far more important, than accumulating "stuff".....Besides you can't take it with you!  Note to kids....


We're taking 2 of our granddaughters on a cruise for less than most people pay for 1
cruise alone!
They live in Alaska, and will be flying back to Florida, with their father, next month
A cruise in the Caribbean will be a welcome diversion from the cold Alaskan winter.

We chose the
Liberty of The Seas for the children's adventures,
Like the Wave rider

                                                            And the ice skating rink





Lets break down how you pick a cruise.....
There are usually 3 very important categories

Money
Ship
Itinerary



We chose Itinerary first. We live in Florida, and we only wanted to be gone for 4 or 5 days
so the Caribbean fit the bill.


We picked the ship next, we prefer to stay close to Tampa ports, but we wanted a ship that would be large and give the girls an opportunity for lots of adventures. Bingo! Royal Caribbean is the only way to go!
 

Who wouldn't love the grand Promenade?


The fun restaurants


and Kid friendly fun!

Money....a big consideration for everyone! I checked out the Royal Caribbean website and filled in the appropriate boxes and found a Great deal.

                       Where would you like to go?


When can you cruise?

2014

2015


Exclusive Savings [?]


About your trip

Any Departure Port
Any Number of Nights
Any Price

 

                                                              My choices were,
                                                          Destination.......Caribbean 
                                                          Date...We needed April
                                                          Length of cruise 4-7 days

I selected 3 or 4 cruises to look at. 

Price, I always check to see if they have a senior rate, Military rate, and a discount for Floridians
We fit the bill for all three discounts and believe me, It has saved us tens of thousands of dollars over the years!


This cruise had a discounted price due to low sales and also a senior rate. Woo-hoo! 
I then looked for ways of adding on-board credit. Checked my usual travel sites for special offers. Special offers can include paying your tips, on-board credit, specialty meals, airfare, or spa treatments. I was able to wangle $50 on board credit by booking with Crucon
On this 5 day cruise I was able to save 30% by just doing the research myself and not using a travel agent.


A few other tips 
 1.If you are new to cruising, Pick one line and stick with it until you will reach a loyalty status that gives youthe perks you want.

  2. CHECK PRICES EVERY DAY!  Your cruise line will most likely drop the price periodically, and if         you call the line or your agent, you will be able to get the lower price. We once booked a 43 day cruise, the initial price was over 11k for 2. We ended up paying less than 6k for two, by just taking advantage of monitoring price drops!
 
3. sign up for emails from cruise lines, and online cruise agencies. They offer fabulous bargains, with many perks!
Cruise lines I use

Royal Caribbean...they have the most amazing ships in the world!
Celebrity...beautiful classy ships that offer elegance and beautiful public lounges
Princess...We started using princess because the itinerary's were awesome.
princess gives up to $250 per person for veterans!


Agencies we have used
Crucon.com  wonderful deals and great on board credit
Vacations to go offers a program for reduced prices ( 90 day ticker)
Online Vacation Center offers complete packages for a reasonable price
Always check the cruise line websites for deals.


It always pays off, when you pay attention to the details.....
Happy Cruising!




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Sunday, March 2, 2014

Home Sweet Home....

I've dreamed all my life about traveling the world.....I had visions of Pyramids, Great walls, and Castles dancing in my head, and for the most part I've made my dreams come true.  It occurred to me last week as I was walking through my neighborhood, that in pursuit of exotic places,  I had forgotten how beautiful the colors are, in my own backyard.
Literally in my own backyard!  This beauty crawled up on our lawn, to bask in the sun! We usually only see them in the winter, as the summer is to hot for them to be out of the water.

Michael thinks these two were mating...Honestly, What will the neighbors think!!

As I strolled into our front yard, this is the view of the pond across the street...Yes, we have seen alligators there too!

Glancing to the right I see the beautiful Hibiscus....blooming all year round, here in Florida! Nothing is better than having a few cocktails, and putting one of these in your hair! I feel beautiful already!

Potted plants do well too....This color is amazing....and even more amazing, this is a flower that you can't kill!

Further down the street, I spied this in a neighbors yard.....I had to sneak up close to get this shot....I love the green and hot pink together!

Look at the shades of browns, greens, and purples.....ornamental grasses need little or no care here in hot and humid Florida!  Guess that's why so many people plant them...count me in!!

On the next street over,oranges and yellows abound among the foliage. 

and purple flowers climb the trees....

I walk past another pond, full of wildlife, birds, and perhaps gators....hmmmmm, what do you think?

And we cannot forget the turtles! They wander from yard to yard, crossing streets, where people stop and pick them up to return them to safety. Even brown is a beautiful color, when it's roaming around in the garden....

People love to adorn the front porches....I could be in Italy here...

Or perhaps somewhere in Mexico

Or Barcelona....
Reminds me a little bit of Gaudi....,I do miss Barcelona..  Actually, this one resides on my front walkway!


The most beautiful of all, is my brand new granddaughter....Born just last week....and that's why there is nowhere like...
Home sweet Home....