Heaven on Horseback

October 16, 2019October 15, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

Today (Monday), was a very special day for us! Today, the “big girls” got to hang out! Char and my sister, Becky and I, got to spend most of the day together – we did some shopping for our Aulani trip and then headed across the island to take a dip and go for a horseback ride. It was a fabulous day!!!

We decided to stop for a swim before we took our ride and stopped at a beach at Kane’ohe Bay called Chinaman’s Hat (named for the distinctive basalt rock feature in the bay). We took a dip, got some great photos and Char climbed some trees!

Afterwards, we headed across the street to Kualoa Ranch for our 2 hour horseback ride. The Kualoa Ranch is UBER famous for the beautiful setting and stunning views! You would recognize this place as the setting for hundreds of small and big screen events – Jurassic Park, Jurassic World, Lost, Tour of Duty, 50 First Dates, Godzilla, Hawai’i 5-0….and so many more!

I can’t even tell you how many pictures I took! And with geography like this, you can’t go wrong! I will share my favorites with you – but if you ever come to O’ahu, check out the Kualoa Ranch – they not only have horseback riding, zip lines, ATV tours, Jurassic tours on a cool bus and so much more, BUT this is a working cattle and horse ranch that has been in the same family for 8 generations. They are eco-friendly and on the National Register of Historic Places. A definite MUST SEE!!! When we come back here in 2021 we will absolutely come back to Kualoa Ranch! Oh, and if you’re curious – my horse’s name is Reckless (said to be named after a general and not his demeanor), Becky rode Hollywood and Char’s horse is named Mercury.

PS – the lighting in some of these photos is just stunning! All mother nature and camera phone – you can’t fake beauty like this!

Aloha

October 15, 2019October 15, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

A few months ago, my sister and her two littles moved to Hawai’i to await the arrival of my brother in law. My sister is a proud Navy wife and her hubby is a proud sub-mariner! I am proud of them both!

My sister is so strong! She left New Hampshire with my two nieces (ages 2 and 3 at the time) with the help of her mom for a LONG journey to Hawai’i in June. My BIL’s submarine didn’t leave the northeast until August (and if you know anything about how stressful and hectic it is for sailors when they are preparing to get “underway”, you know that his attentions were forced to be on his job).

So, needless to say, my amazing sister not only left New England with 10 suitcases, 2 kids and a mom, but also arranged for the packing and shipping of their household goods, did all the paperwork and medical for shipping their family dog and cat, arrived in Hawai’i to temporary housing and lived there for a month while finding a house. While my step-mom helped Becky with life and kids, Becky arranged the delivery of their household goods, vehicle, unpacked, mitigated troubles with getting the pets here, set all the Navy end of things to rights in Hawai’i as far as families go, began updating her nursing licenses so she could work in Hawai’i if it struck her fancy, enrolled the oldest in pre-school, continued living as a geographical single-mom and continued her work with the families of her husband’s submarine as a senior non-commissioned officer’s wife. Oh, AND she took up running and did her first 5K last weekend. She is nothing short of amazing and her journey is like so many other military spouses around the world – I honor them for their sacrifice, patriotism and selfless giving towards the cause of freedom! Behind every great soldier, sailor, airman, marine and coastie is a family who supports them! I pray for them all daily and hope they get the support THEY need!

Back to the story….to be honest, Hawai’i was never on my radar – I know everyone says it is beautiful and the people are warm and welcoming and the geography is stunning, but to me, there were other places I would rather visit. BBBUUUTTTT….if my sister is going to be in Hawai’i, then heck yea – I’m going!!!

So, here I am in Hawai’i, after taking the world’s longest, daily direct domestic flight in history (Hawaiian Air Flight 89 – Boston to Hawai’i – 11 hours and 15 minutes gate to gate) – up super early because my body thinks I am still in Maine – setting up what will hopefully be a trip of a lifetime!

OH and to sweeten the deal, my husband and I decided last minute to have my daughter join me – this was for a lot of reasons – she doesn’t like missing school but with the Columbus Day holiday will only miss 4 days for a 10 day trip to Hawai’i – and my nieces (and the dog) are super happy to see her – I love my adventures with Charlotte!! We surprised Becky with Char – check out the video below – you’ll cry!

While I am here, I plan on getting the MOST out of family time AND touring time – we will check out lots of amazing places, including Disney’s Aulani – Oh My Goodness – DISNEY in Hawai’i!!!!!! We will visit the ranch where so many of your favorite films where shot – 50 First Dates, Jurassic Park, Lost…..and try to find the Hukilau Cafe!!!

I hope you’ll join me for this journey – I am hoping there are more pictures than words – and I hope to inspire you to go somewhere you may not have thought of going before – my sister was my catalyst for this adventure – what will be yours?

Hawaiian Air

October 13, 2019October 12, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

Back in April of this year, Hawaiian Air launched nonstop flights between Honolulu and Boston, which it says is “the longest regularly scheduled route in US history”.

I took this flight on Friday from Boston to Honolulu and from gate to gate, the trip was about 11.5 hours. Honolulu to Boston is about 10 hours – thank you jet stream!

This flight takes place on an Airbus330, which is a plane that has eight seats across – 2 – 4 – 2, in the main cabin. As much as I would have LOVED the full reclining seats of first class, a $3000+ plane ticket just wasn’t in the budget!

So, I like to fly and I have flown budget airlines and big carriers; huge double deckers and twin engine turbo props; 20 minute puddle jumpers and up until now, my longest single flight was 6 hours – I am not picky – I really just want a safe, non-smelly plane. Of course I did my research and found this plane and airline to be just what I expected – efficient, well appointed (lots of in-flight entertainment on seat-back TVs – no internet – which was tough to swallow with such a long flight – but I kept busy), kind and courteous attendants and a delightful journey! Oh and not smelly!!! The plane actually smelled like hibiscus – it might have been my imagination but it smelled like Disney’s Polynesian Resort to me!

My daughter and I were positioned in row 30, seats A and B – this is the row directly in front of the mid-plane bathrooms, and while some might not like this because of congestion with people waiting for the bathroom, we actually LOVED it – it was roomy, the seats DID recline and we didn’t have anyone behind us! I would sit there again in a heartbeat!

We were served two complimentary in-flight meals – meals with a distinctly Hawaiian flare – a noodle dish with a guava centered cookie for the first meal and an amazing goat cheese and seasoned roasted pepper panini sandwich for the second meal. Complimentary snacks included a delicious pineapple oat breakfast bar cookie, chocolate covered macadamia nuts and an assortment of crackers or trail mix type options. Beverages came around twice with meals and every hour, an attendant came around to refill everyone’s water cup to maintain hydration – super important for any flight – especially such a long one! Other snacks were available at an additional cost – we got some Hawai’ian popcorn –

I have to admit this was probably one of the best flights I have every taken – the thought of spending so long in one single seat (with stand up breaks) was daunting, but when you look at the price tag (I got my ticket, round trip, nonstop for just under $700) and the other options of stops in LA, for example, for MORE MONEY – (WHAT???? Who would choose that?) you can’t go wrong!

My family of 4 has plans to visit again in June of 2021 – after my son graduates, to see my sister and her family. We will hopefully stay at Disney’s Aulani for a few nights and we have planned a cruise on Norwegian’s Pride of America (with group space held if anyone wants to join in!!) to see the glory of the Hawaiian Islands. We will definitively be taking advantage of Hawaiian Air’s nonstop Boston to Honolulu flight!!!

Taking it slow

July 30, 2019July 30, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

Last month, I wrote a bit about Impact Travel and my own experience with the emerging trend. Another emerging trend in travel in Slow Travel. This type of adventure engages the traveler in an experience that revolves around not only immersing one’s self in the cultural aspects of a destination, but that idea is reinforced and made possible by the ACT of traveling slowly. Examples of slow travel include rail vacations, river cruising (all over the world) and the American favorite – the road trip! Traditional ocean/sea cruising can also take the form of slow travel, but the idea would be staying overnight or multiple nights in one port before moving on.

I think this concept was brought about by the fact that we desire to slow the revolution of the earth. Time is fleeting and the older we get, the faster it seems to go! We are so busy; we have so little vacation time; we realize our kids grow so fast and our parents are aging before our eyes. Our family trips to Disney are wonderful and anything BUT a vacation and hopping from spot to spot on a cruise ship is not only filled with constant entertainment, but endless stimulation options that busy the mind and exercise the spirit. People are realizing the beauty in slowing down, stopping to smell the roses, and the knowledge gained by personal interactions in culture and with people who are different than we are.

Every vacation can contain some aspects of slow travel – whether you are traveling abroad or to another part of your own country. For example, instead of aiming to visit four destinations in a week-long trip, choose two and dive in – eat where the locals eat. Shop where locals shop. Ask a local about the hidden treasures of their city – they want to brag about THEIR place on this big blue ball and they are the EXPERTS! Try a new mode of transportation! When my daughter and I were in Paris earlier this year, we not only did a bike tour but also “rented” Lime scooters (the kind you stand on like a big kid) and scooted around everywhere! Find a quiet place and reflect. This single act allows me to inhale a place. Become a people watcher and learn through observation. Basically, slow it down.

Don’t get me wrong – there is a time and a place for the hurried vacation – I am planning a group cruise to Hawaii in 2021 for my son’s graduation (wanna go?) and know that we may never go to Hawaii again – especially as a family – so we are seeing as much as possible!!! In the meantime, I plan on enjoying a few slow travel experiences in my near future – a river cruise in November and our weekly long camping trip coming up later in July – it doesn’t get much slower than camping!!! The world is big and time is flying by….take it slow!

Here are some ways we have experienced aspects of slow travel on our adventures.

Amtrak Downeaster on a gorgeous summer’s day in New Hampshire! Old school slow travel.

Anyone need a hat?

Harbour Island – ACTUAL pink sand!!!

Cadiz, Spain. Churros and chocolate and a little bit of people watching.

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Try a new form of transportation….Char and Sable on a Segway tour of the city – in Europe, kids can do many things they aren’t “allowed” to do in the US.

Try to blend in. Zurich, Switzerland – these are our “Polish faces” – my sister in law is Polish, and she said Americans smile too big in pictures – so this is how we imagine the Poles smile!

June 2018. Shortly after sunrise over Vatican City. I ache for another opportunity like this one….we were high tailing it to our private Vatican Tour so we could barely stop to smell the roses, but man, I wish I could’ve frozen time in this very spot. It was so peaceful and serene.

Well, I am not generally a wine drinker but I was in PARIS!!! A glass of wine was a requirement. Eat and drink like the locals.

The Eiffel Tower was closed due to the weather, but we scooted all the way there to take in the rare sight!

Eating like the locals in Quebec….this place was off the beaten path and we were rewarded with an amazing dinner. Everyone got a platter of thinly sliced beef, then there was shrimp and chicken to fondue as well!

Our appetizer..bread dipped in cheese!

Taking it easy at the Siberian Spa outside of Quebec. A family trip to remember.

It isn’t hard to eat like a local in Italy. Lemon risotto – the most amazing risotto ever!

Scooter pick up! Try a new form of transportation….the best way to see the Amalfi Coast!

Limoncello to end the evening! Drink like the locals! This is the restaurant near the Vatican – halfway through our meal about 20 priests walked into the restaurant….a good beginning to a joke!

Eat where the locals eat. Giuseppe and his biggest fans!

So much Caprese!

Our greatest find! Just hop off the highway to find your treasure!

The Doors

July 9, 2019June 25, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

I always want to bring home a ton of things when I travel to a new place. I find so many things that are cool, unusual, and signify an experience I never want to forget. My son “collects” key chains and my daughter “collects” snow globes from our travels. My husband “collects” shot glasses and I always bring back a Christmas ornament for my tree. Recently, I started collecting Nativity Scenes unique to the place I am visiting.

Another ritual I have is taking pictures of doors. I love how doors are so culturally significant and really indicative of personally, class and background. I love the variation of size, color, materials and purpose. I imagine what is on the other side of the doors, how old they are and what stories they would tell if they could talk. I enjoy making simple blank greeting cards out of many of the pictures I take during my travels and sending those to clients. The door pictures are some of my favorites. Here are some I took last year in Italy and last month in Mexico.

Rome, Italy

Rome, Italy

Rome, Italy

Rome, Italy

Rome, Italy

Rome, Italy

Sorrento, Italy

Villa Cimbrone, Ravello, Amalfi Coast, Italy – the most stunning place I have EVER been!!!

Villa Cimbrone, Ravello, Amalfi Coast, Italy

Pompeii, Italy

Pompeii, Italy

Oaxaca, Mexico

Oaxaca, Mexico

Oaxaca, Mexico

Oaxaca, Mexico

Oaxaca, Mexico

Oaxaca, Mexico

Oaxaca, Mexico

Oaxaca, Mexico

Oaxaca, Mexico

Oaxaca, Mexico

Oaxaca, Mexico

Oaxaca, Mexico

Oaxaca, Mexico

TBT…BEFORE the cruise…

June 20, 2019June 20, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

Before our fabulous cruise in May of 2015, we hung out in London for 5 days and toured the area! We arrived in April and we were met by my brother in law and his wife and daughter. They live in Poland and we took advantage of being close to them and arranged a short holiday! This was our second visit to London and we enjoyed it very much! We stayed in a suburb all together and did some AMAZING touring! Here is a photo journal of that visit!

We walked EVERYWHERE and this photo was taken on way to Harrods!

Windsor Castle – one of our favorite stops! We were rushed in our visit and I cannot wait to go back. This castle is really a fine example of Royal castles and it was a highlight of my stay in London!

Windsor, Char and Sable – you all haven’t met Sable yet, but this kitty gets around. She even has her own book series in the works!

Windsor!!!!

My first favorite thing about this London visit (aside from seeing family, or course) was scoring coveted tickets to tour Highclere Castle – AKA Downtown Abbey. Here, Sable checks out the grounds as “Downtown Tabby”.

My handsome hubby and I at Highclere Castle.

Family photo taken by dad. Yes it was cold, rainy and windy – it was April in England!!!

Kelly and I ate out one night while the kids went back to the flat with the family. We ate at a restaurant in the basement of Harrod’s that specialized in TRUFFLES!!!!! It was SO good!!!!

Kelly and Freddie Mercury at Madame Tussauds.

Sable MIGHT have been getting a bit too familiar with the queen. Madame Tussauds.

Kelton’s hair resembled Albert Einstein’s a bit too much!! Madame Tussauds.

Oh Char….well this is a statue representing the overindulgence of King Henry the VIII’s court at Hampton Court – another FAVORITE stop of mine – a must see!

Char strikes again….sleeping next to the famous wine fountain that was created for a treaty meeting in northern France between Henry the VIII of England “and France” and King Frances I of France. This fountain flowed with wine in front of a “castle” built out of golden cloth to represent King Henry’s magnificence. So famous is this amazing tent that the event in history is referred to the Field of the Cloth of Gold. My history buff side shines through!

Gardens at Hampton Court

My beautiful rose petal and Hampton Court gardens.

Iconic Tower Bridge!

Mind the gap. We got an Oyster Card and used all manner of public transportation throughout London! I love this shot of Char and Sable!

A view of Parliament from the London Eye.

Westminster Abbey

Big Ben!

These adorable sheep were all over the city and the kids posed with them whenever possible! The sheep were dressed in outfits that represented the area where they stood.

Girls’ Trips, and why you need one!

June 18, 2019June 18, 2019 / Denise Smith / 2 Comments

For about eight years, I have attempted to organize and take a girls’ trip. We have been successful MOST years, and we have done a few different things – including staying in Eleuthera, Bahamas multiple times and taking a cruise. Our numbers have ranged from 4 of us to 11 so far. In 2020, we are going to our first all inclusive in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic and for this trip, we are up to 28 ladies!!! It should be an amazing week.

Before I begin, let me start off by saying this isn’t about dad-bashing and why moms/women are the only ones that deserve a “break”. Dads and father figures TOTALLY deserve a break and I encourage that! But since I am a woman, I can really only speak from that perspective, so while it may seem like I am saying moms need a break because we do so much more than dads, that’s not totally true – although some DO do more than their significant others – or just DIFFERENT things. When it comes down to it, it is typically the men at home holding down the fort so the moms CAN go away – so for that and so many other things, I am truly grateful.

But let’s face it! Women do a lot! I have a wonderful husband and I praise God every day for him. But when it comes to the running of our home and keeping everything in smooth working order, that falls mostly on me. I am the shopper, planner, chef, banker, appointment maker and taker, housekeeper (for the things my children do not do for chores), gardener, business owner, secretary and more. I don’t resent this lot I have willingly accepted, but I do get tired of feeling like I do “everything”. I am sure a lot of it has to do with my Type-A personality and things having to be a certain way (my way), but that is the way of it and I either embrace it or it breaks me. Enter the girls’ trip!

I am so lucky to have a wonderful group of friends that truly care about one another and each other’s lives. These ladies are people I can count on when the going gets rough and if you live in the real world, the going gets rough sometimes! Relationships, marriages, raising kids, work, self-worth…these are all things women deal with and they are hard. Many talks have been had at sunrise on the beach in Tarpum Bay, Eleuthera about feelings of shortcomings as wives, mothers, daughters and friends. Beach therapy has saved some of those relationships and continues to work to preserve others. The opportunity to spend precious time with other people who can relate to our most personal experiences on some level is priceless.

But it does cost. Our girls’ trips have been kept at around $1000-$1200 each for a week. So many women have said, “Oh I wish I could go but I just can’t afford it.” And for some, that is true. People who raise a family on one salary, are still paying college loans, have had extra bills lately or unexpected expenses. I get it. But some people say they can’t afford it but really what they mean is, it isn’t necessary in their lives. Rather, they would prefer to spend the $45 every two weeks on their nails or buy a new iPhone every time it comes out, or get Starbucks four days a week or whatever it is they CHOOSE to spend money on. And that’s cool – for those people, those expenditures might have the same soothing effect as my once a year girls’ trip. But for me, I want to go someplace (almost any place) where the only person I have to tend to is me. I only have to pack for me; make sure I put on sunscreen and not everyone; skip a meal if I want; read in bed until 10am if I want; only do my own laundry and not have to clean up after anyone! To me, that is worth the $20ish I have to save per week to go on my girls’ trip every year.

Every year, the ladies that are able to attend changes slightly, but I have some steadfast girls’ trippers and I am thankful for them and the close relationships we have formed on the beaches of the Caribbean. I look to these ladies for help, guidance, celebration and they make up the core of my village. These are also relationships that have taken work and as I have experienced with so many other relationships, it is worth the time and effort for those we care about.

I hope you get the chance to take that friends getaway – that time of rejuvenation, reflection, growth, self-evaluation and a little indulgence. When you return to your families, you will do so with a fuller heart and a patient soul – ready to take on the world like the wonder woman that you are! Here are a few photos taken on some Girls’ trips so far – most of the photos we take are group selfies so these are just some of the picturesque places to preserve the privacy of my friends.

Storm clouds following the island. Lighthouse Beach, Eleuthera, Bahamas

Queen’s Bath, Eleuthera, Bahamas

Sunsets on Eleuthera are the most stunning ever! Tarpum Bay, Eleuthera, Bahamas

Lighthouse Beach, Eleuthera, Bahamas

Glass Window Bridge – where the “Caribbean” meets the Atlantic, Eleuthera, Bahamas

Harbour Island – ACTUAL pink sand!!!

The stillness of Tarpum Bay, Eleuthera, Bahamas

Throw Back Thursday….Growing up Disney

June 13, 2019June 6, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

If you know me in real life, you now that if you start talking about Disney World, my eyes light up, my voice raises an octave and I talk 100 miles per minute because I LOVE DISNEY!!!!! I know people who hate Disney and I am not sure they are human or believe in magic 😊 Seriously, though…I think you either love Disney or you do not…there aren’t many wishy washy Disney people out there!

When we plan our Disney trips (we go every 12-18 months), we start getting pretty psyched about a year out! We start with the WHEN (we never go during school vacations or holidays), then move to the WHERE (we have stayed at Saratoga Springs, Bay Lake Towers, Animal Kingdom Resort, Coronado Springs, Old Key West, Art of Animation and the Polynesian). We plan out which parks we will be at which days based on crowd projections, plan our dining experiences and fast passes when the time is right. And then we wait – probably not so patiently – for our vacation to begin!!

I love helping my clients do all this planning as well! It is a labor of love – as not all agents take on Disney, but I know it well and love to help bring the magic to others! Every new trip presents a new point of view and new experience! I have enjoyed this ritual trip with my family and have enjoyed how, at each stage of my kids’ lives, Disney brings another level of wonder and growth along with the crazy joy that is Disney!

Here are some of my favorite memories from some of our trips at Disney over the years. This succession of memories are so precious to me! They are experiences my kids will always remember as times spent with their parents, family and friends. I hope as they become adults, they will also enjoy bringing their families to Disney and have the same fond remembrances that I do of my own childhood at Disney with my mom. What an awesome gift!

PS – we ALWAYS wear matching/themed shirts and always will! That is part of the fun!!

I have a picture of my kids doing this SAME thing in London in 2013. It is fun to recreate special moments in different locations! EPCOT 2019

Beef hot dogs. OK – well…what can I say?! We were at Disneyland Paris and needed a pick me up!!! 2019

From the other side!!! Disneyland Paris 2019

Finding Eva and Wally – pure joy!!!! Disneyland Paris 2019

Gusteau’s!!! Disneyland Paris 2019

Germany/EPCOT 2018

Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train, Magic Kingdom 2018

Cousin’s Trip – Animal Kingdom 2016

Magical Christmas – EVERY year!

Magic Kingdom 2017 – mom and dad’s second trip to Disney without kids!!!!

France/EPCOT

Sunset from the Contemporary 2019

Our first trip to Disney as family. Magic Kingdom 2006

Magic Kingdom 2006

Magic Kingdom 2009

Magic Kingdom 2009

Polynesian Luau 2013

Morocco/EPCOT 2015

Hollywood Studios 2015

Hollywood Studios 2015 (our favorite time of year to go to Disney is during the Holidays!

Notre Dame

June 11, 2019June 4, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

In April, while I was traveling to the American south west, I learned about the tragic fire that destroyed the wooden spire and 700+ year old roof of Notre Dame in Paris. I certainly won’t get into the social implications of the fire; the costs to rebuild and the controversy that surrounds all the donations coming forth, but I wanted to share my own experiences with this amazing place and some of my favorite personal pictures.

I first visited Notre Dame in 2013 with my family as a part of a month-long European Adventure. We went in March during the off season and enjoy fewer lines and more exploring! My kids were 6 (almost 7) and 10. They did great! We spent 4 nights in Paris and saw all the must-see sights! As soon as we arrived (even after traveling overnight), we unloaded our luggage and headed to Notre Dame! It was right around the corner from where we were staying in the Latin Quarter and we loved it!

I can really appreciate this site on many levels – as a Christian, I appreciate the devotion of the followers who, for years, poured their lives into building this masterpiece as an outward expression of their faith. I appreciate the significance of this holy place to Catholics all around the world and marvel in its beauty and divine mission.

As a historian, I appreciate the place this building holds in history – the advancements in architecture and science it took to build; the priceless artifacts that are preserved in this building; the craftsmanship that went in to the carvings, the stained glass and masonry and how this place has witnessed so very much over time. If those walls could talk!

As a humanitarian, I appreciate the grief and joy this place has housed; the turning point for so many on their journey of faith and life and the hard times that have brought people to its huge doors. I image how many people brought their sorrows to the alter – how many marriages and deaths were observed over the past 700+ years and the unfathomable amounts of history that took place within these walls built by men.

This past January, my daughter and I had the joy of seeing this beautiful site once more. We saw the outside of the cathedral three or four times and went inside once. We visited in the snow and made a small snowman in the park in front of the cathedral. We visited on our final day and fed the pigeons there. We have made many memories of this place and I feel eternally blessed and thankful that I have had an opportunity to visit a place that embodies history and humanity. My hope is that, however it is arranged, this place is restored and reopened expeditiously for countless people that journey to Paris just to see this holy place. I hope you get to see it, too!

Snowfall at Notre Dame, January 2019

What do you do with fresh snow in Paris? Build a French snowman at Notre Dame!

We pop out of the metro and the phone comes out!!!

The arrival!!!!

TBT…The Best Cruise Ever, Part II – my husband’s pictures!!

June 6, 2019June 4, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

Last week I shared with you a photo journal of our dream cruise of the Mediterranean in May 2015. Here are some other pictures of that fabulous journey and the stories behind them!

On a 15 night cruise, one collects A LOT of towel creatures!

Cadiz, Spain. Churros and chocolate!!!! AMAZING!

Like a garden of Eden – Malaga, Spain

I *think* this was in Marseilles, France…but I could be wrong!

Scooting in Cinque Terre, Italy.

The Roman Colosseum

Villa-France-sur-Mer, France – this is where we moored and was the port for Nice and Monaco. The town of Villa-France itself is stunning and quintessential Mediterranean. I am itching to go back!