Throw Back Thursday…the best cruise EVER!

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

When I turned 40, I said to my husband that I would love to go on a Mediterranean cruise. At that point in my life, I had been to northern and central France, England and Scotland and really had the Europe bug (I still do!)! I wanted to see more and the best way to do that, is on a cruise!!! Think about it – you only have to unpack once, your hotel goes with you, your meals are already set and you can see multiple countries in a short period of time. It was SPECTACULAR!!!!

We chose Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas – this was in 2015 and she was brand new!!! This was her first REAL voyage (not the quick, work-out-the-kinks 3 or 4 night turn around) and we were beside yourselves with joy. This was my kids’ first cruise and it was a 16 night out of Southampton, England. We departed in early May and hit Gibraltar, Barcelona, Malaga, Cadiz, Villa-France-sur-Mer (Nice/Monaco), Marseilles, La Spezia (Cinque Terre), Civitavecchia (Rome) and Lisbon.

Words cannot describe how awesome this cruise was, so I picked SOME of my favorite pictures to share so you get the idea. The Mediterranean in spring is something wonderful to behold and I hope you get a chance to see it someday, too!!! Wanna go next spring?

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Barcelona cathedral rooftop. Spain

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Sagrada Familia – needs no introduction!

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Kelton posing in Barcelona.

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We rented scooters in La Spezia, Italy and toured Cinque Terre. It was absolutely incredible!!!

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Cinque Terre

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Cinque Terre

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Malaga, Spain is one of the most gorgeous cities we have ever seen!

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Malaga – breathtaking!

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Malaga

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View of the Med from Alcazaba fortress, Malaga

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Gardens in Malaga

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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.

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View of the Anthem of the Seas from Alcazaba

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Moor doorway at Alcazaba – the architecture was stunning!

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Marseilles Cathedral! Marseilles, France

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Plaza in Marseilles

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Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde, Marseilles

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Jeronimos Monastery, Lisbon, Portugal

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Atop the battlements of Castelo de Sao Jorge (St. George Castle)

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Outside of Jeronimos Monastery

We made so many memories on this trip and talk about it today! These times with my kids were and are priceless! I wouldn’t trade them for the world!

Desert in Bloom

April 29, 2019April 23, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

The desert has always had a special pull for me. It is probably because it is such an unusual landscape – living the majority of my life in the Northeast. The idea of few trees and mostly small ones at that, rugged geography of sand or hard-packed red earth and little visible life seems so foreign to me that it is intriguing! The seeming solitude of this place misrepresents itself – as easily as we do. It can appear bleak and desolate – with little good going on – but below the surface lies an abundance of treasure if only we know how to look it!

I was amazed by how many minerals and gems were discovered in them thar hills! Below the stark and lonely desert, where it seems nothing of use or value can be found, some of the greatest strikes in mining history were made! In fact, the southwest cut its teeth on gold mines, copper mines, gem strikes and silver. Who thought, “Hey. Let’s start digging here in the middle of the desert!”?

Another gold mine is spring in the desert. We visited the Desert Museum in Tuscon and were greeted with a beautiful display of cactus blooms and desert flowers. April is a fabulous time to see the desert come to life – and there was so much of it!

Life finds a way where it persists; where it finds ways to adapt and embrace its environment. We would do well to learn from the desert!

A flowering barrel cactus, Sierra Vista, AZ

The largest rose bush (tree) in the world – planted in Tombstone, AZ in the late 1800s – started from a rose twig sent from Scotland to a homesick new bride.

The blooming of the largest rose bush in the world, Tombstone, AZ

Driving through the desert – we were enamored by the saguaro cacti all around! Tuscon, AZ

Saguaro cactus, Tuscon, AZ

These little yellow flowers were popped up everywhere we looked. They blanketed hillsides and sprung out of rocks. This is a bunch in Tuscon, AZ

There are a lot of thorns in the desert. This thorny fellow ended with lovely red flowers! Desert Museum, Tuscon, AZ

Desert Museum, Tuscon, AZ

Prickly Pear blossom – so many foods are made from prickly pear – candies, licorice, jams and jellys, beer…you name it! But look at those thorns!!! Tuscon, AZ

I don’t know which kind of cactus this was, but is was one of my favorites.

Desert Museum, Tuscon, AZ

Desert Museum, Tuscon, AZ

EPCOT International Festival of the Arts

April 11, 2019April 8, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

Disney has really branched out over the years, and I don’t mean into movies, marketing or memorabilia. Those things are great, but not too long ago, Disney began to realize that if they diversified their game plan, they would engage whole new groups of people and bring them into the Parks. A great example of this is all the festivals and yearly planned activities that have had growing attendance over the years – the Food and Wine Festival; Festival of the Arts; Flower and Garden Festival and the 5Ks, half and full marathons that are ever so popular. The folks that work at Disney are geniuses….you can’t deny it!!!!

Twice now we have been lucky enough to be at Disney during the International Festival of the Arts and once during the EPCOT International Flower and Garden Festival. These festivals are diverse – meaning they highlight many aspects of their theme. For the Arts Festival, the “arts” is a broad term and is applied through the culinary, visual, textile and classical arts…and more!! Disney weaves into these themes experiential opportunities to engage adults and children alike. One of my favorite ways they do this is through the large color-by-number mural they do every day. People are “assigned” a color and a number and are sent out to find their square on a large vertical canvas. In the beginning, it is hard to see what the picture will be, but as the day goes on, the art materializes before your eyes and the idea that everyone plays an integral part coloring our world is as important as the next. It is powerful on so many levels!

Here are some photos of this year’s EPCOT International Festival of the Arts. I hope it encourages you to attend next year. You won’t be sorry you did!

A beautiful sight upon arrival! Remember Figment?

Charlotte – pretty as a picture?

The food during the Festival of the Arts is just as amazing as the sights! This delight is a palette of white chocolate accompanied by “colors” of painting chocolate and sprinkles. What fun!!!

Scream? She fits right in!! hahahaha

Brother had to get into the action!

My favorite stop is right around Canada…the Bloody Mary’s are to die for and the poutine chips with lobster meat….magnifique!

Yes, these were BOTH for me!

Post Vacation Reboot! Getting my brain to reengage.

April 8, 2019April 5, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

So, it’s hard to get back into the swing of things after vacation. My brain still wants to be on vacation! And yet, I know I need to start writing again because it keeps my mind flowing! So if my brain is still on vacation, I guess I should write about vacation! Here’s an overview – details to follow in other posts!

This February, we departed the great North East during my kids’ February vacation with thousands of others and headed to a much warmer climate!! We spent 4 days in Florida at the Happiest Place on Earth and then went on a 7 night Eastern Caribbean cruise aboard the amazing Symphony of the Seas – Royal Caribbean’s newest marvel! We had the best time!! Let me highlight each day with my favorite photo from that day!

We are members of Disney Vacation Club and this was our first stay at Bay Lake Towers. We love staying on the monorail line and being able to walk to the Magic Kingdom is wonderful!!!

I cannot help but get a little teary eyed when the opening music plays at Magic Kingdom. It brings back memories that I cherish and makes me feel like a kid!

To me, this photo says, “Follow your dreams.” What greater lessons can we learn from a man and a mouse?

EPCOT is cool for so many reasons! My hubby was definitely rocking this Wreck It Ralph pose!!!

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!

Our boarding day on Symphony of the Seas – she blew me away! I marveled every day at her size, how smoothly she sailed, all of her wonderful amenities and how I felt at home on the giantess of the seas!! I cannot wait to go back!

A day at sea means we get to play at sea! Ten stories above the Boardwalk, I zip-lined across a cruise ship!!!! How cool is that?

Symphony After Dark! Stunning!

My girl makes friends wherever she goes and this beautiful fellow wanted to stick around!

T-Rex, know affectionately as “Rexy” in our family, made an appearance our last day at sea. We may or may not have a few videos of this!

Sunset in the Caribbean. Do I need to say more?

Sea Lions, Sea Urchins and Rays, Oh My!!!

March 19, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

While visiting the beautiful island of St. Thomas, my daughter and I went to a local marine reserve and enjoyed a fabulous Sea Lion encounter. We not only got up close and personal with some adorable sea lions, we also learned a lot about how these animals ended up in St. Thomas, how they were affected by the hurricane 18 months ago and how that has changed their approach to care. Here are some fabulous photos of the Coral World facilities graciously provided by Coral World.

We planned our sea lion adventure about two months out – I love to do research about our ports of call and find unusual and unique experiences that really make a memory. Our sea lion adventure was about 30 minutes away from our cruise ship port. We simply disembarked and sought a taxi! We headed to Coral World and along with our sea lion encounter, we got to enjoy other aquatic life including urchins and star fish in a touch pool, a ray pool, an underwater viewing area, a huge indoor coral reef and an aviary where we could feed birds from the US Virgin Islands. We also became intimately acquainted with some natives….iguanas!!! They wanted our lunch, but don’t worry – we didn’t feed them!

Now on to the encounter. I won’t say this was an inexpensive experience – it cost just under $200 per person, but I have to say it was worth it! There was a small group of 10 of us – some people off cruises ships and some who were vacationing on the island. We were first introduced to a lovie of a sea lion named Omar. We learned about his diet, how he is taught “tricks” and how he is cared for and loved. We gave this gorgeous fellow a nice rub down, got our picture with him and saw him smile, wave and clap!

After meeting Omar, we headed up to the pool area where we met another handsome fellow name Romy (Romulo). He was considered the handsomest of the 3 males at the marine reserve – although I thought they were all pretty adorable! Half of us jumped into Romy’s pool to enjoy a few swim-bys while the other half got a sweet picture taken with Romy to treasure! This experience was so wonderful – to be up close and personal with such a loving and fantastic creature is a memory that my daughter and I will not soon forget! I encourage you to engage in such experiences and share them with your families! Char and I have this memory forever and I am so thankful for it!

Keep an eye out for more posts about my most recent family vacation aboard the Symphony of the Seas and Disney World! My brain is still on vacation but I’m getting around to it:)

Top 10 Culinary Finds in Paris

February 21, 2019February 21, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

Traveling with a rather picky 12 year old doesn’t really lead itself to a culinary adventure, but we did have a few of my Parisian favorites and a few standbys to get me through!

10. At the airport upon our arrival, the child was starving! With a classic mixte brioche sandwich with ham and cheese and an eclair, we were ready to tackle the train to Paris!

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

8. Speaking of Disneyland Paris…did you know they serve MEAT IN A CONE as a snack?

7. Gelato. Need I say more?

6. Coffee? Tea? Nope. Vin Chaud, or hot mulled wine. Only in Paris, people!!!

5. Dinner our first night. While Charlotte enjoyed a hamburger (ugh!) I marveled at burgundy braised beef with shallots, button mushrooms, whipped potatoes and FOIS GRAS that absolutely MELTED in my mouth!!! I’m hungry now!!!

4. Lunch for day 2 – a Hawaiian Poke Bowl! Confession – I do not even LIKE some of the things in this bowl – the avocado and mangoes in particular BUT…sitting outside in a Parisian cafe inspired me to try new things! It was delightful! I did NOT, however, eat the cilantro. I think it tastes like soap and you cannot tell me otherwise!! hahahaha

3. Well, I am not generally a wine drinker but I was in PARIS!!! A glass of wine was a requirement. And they don’t have wine types that Americans are generally familiar with – no Chablis, Chardonnay and pino grigios on every menu. I cannot tell you what this one was named…but it was lovely!

2. The Macaron. NOT a macaroon!!! The macaroon is made from coconut and generally does not have a filling. The French MACARON is wonderfulness in your mouth. A delicate dance of almond flour cookie shell and buttercream or ganache filling. Traditional French flavors include lavender, rose, pistachio, lemon and chocolate. If you haven’t ever tried this bit of magic in your mouth, check out La Maison Navarre in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. You will be delighted with authentic French cooking, macarons, crepes and the most amazing French Onion Soup on the entire planet!!!

1. Last but certainly NOT least – my absolute favorite, most amazing French culinary staple….the crepe! And my crepe of choice is nutella and banana!! Every day/night of our visit involved at least one crepe! Our go-to crepe stand was just around the corner and was a part of an Gyro shop! The guys there were fantastic and I endeared them immediately with my elementary Arabic skills – we were fast friends and they were happy to see us daily!

Our last crepe of the trip!!!! It was kind or our lunch that day!

I hope you enjoyed this picture journey of our culinary experience in Paris. We weren’t fancy, but really enjoyed each meal we took together and really, isn’t that the point?

Tips for Traveling to Paris, Part 2

February 18, 2019February 4, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

Did you read Part 1? These are some basic tips for traveling to Paris – but really, when you plan to travel anywhere!!!

Decide on a basic plan of touring and prepare. We bought our tickets ahead of time to save waiting in long queues. During the winter months, this isn’t as important, but there still were lines for the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower. We didn’t have to wait in those – we just walked right in!!!! Also, figure out how you are getting from the airport to your destination. Explore mass transit options – they are usually VERY user friendly, as the whole continent of Europe is accessible by train and many people use them. Trains tend to be less expensive and an adventure all on their own. Also, we have downloaded on to our phones city maps from Google Maps that can be accessed even if we are off line. These have been fabulous for Paris and Italy for both driving directions and walking city streets! I highly recommend doing this as you prepare for a trip!

Don’t be afraid of the unknown – life is full of them – they make the ride more interesting! You hear about pickpockets in airports and train stations and tourist sites. There are pickpockets in the US, too. Just be aware or your surroundings. Hold your important things close and pay attention. For Paris, I had a little pouch I carried around my neck under my jacket that had my Euros, copies of our passports, keys to the apartment and my ID/credit cards. For Italy, we had cross body purses that had IFR protection for credit cards and anti-theft straps so they couldn’t be cut. Also – be sensible. Don’t venture off the beaten path and if you are worried walking at night, get a cab. Don’t be sacred! Live life!!!

This is the wonderful street action just around the corner from our AirBnB!

Be flexible – I am a planner, but even the best laid plans can take a sharp right turn! Learn to roll with it! I have found that the greatest character building, memory making experiences have come out of adversity. On this trip, we faced with some unexpected closings, some inclement weather (although I loved the snow) and pockets of protesters. We had Plan Bs available when necessary and turned any lemons into lemonade – and hopefully Charlotte learned that there can always be a positive outcome if you look at a situation the right way.

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

Off seasons – I had some amazing deals come up this past summer for European travel this winter. People were afraid to jump on board because it was going to be cold weather. They really missed out! Winter in Europe is generally milder (is was 35 degrees here to the 3 degrees at home while I was gone) and the crowds are way thinner. What does that mean? Fewer queues, better prices and more opportunities to experience something different. Don’t be afraid of the off season – it makes travel affordable for many!

I love this one with the Eiffel Tower in the background!

Learn some French – or whatever language is spoken where you are visiting. I learned some French in high school and have since been using it here and there when I have the chance. To prepare for this trip, I have been listening to French lessons on my phone via Audible (an app) from a company called Pimsleur. I used them to learn some Italian before my trip to Italy. Want to know why some Americans think the French don’t like them? Because we travel to places like Paris and don’t even attempt to speak the language. We try to engage everyone in our loud American voices and think if we speak English louder the French will understand. Guess what? Most of them speak a little English – if you at least attempt some niceties and smile, it will go a long way! Learn how to greet people and say, “thank you”, “please”, “where is the……”, “I would like……” and “goodbye”. Your experience will be must better!!!

These tips can be used in most new situations. I hope you find them helpful and maybe a bit entertaining!!!

Tips for Traveling to Paris – Part 1

February 12, 2019February 4, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

I have to admit that six years ago when I made my first trip to Europe, I came to Paris reluctantly. I had heard it wasn’t friendly for Americans and I just wasn’t excited to visit. I couldn’t have been more WRONG! Here are some tips for traveling to Paris – but I think the info applies to any trip you take!

Plan, plan, plan! Being a Travel Professional, I have access to thousands of great opportunities out there to get YOU to the destinations you want to visit! In fact, I have had a couple of clients take advantage of great deals through one of my favorite vendors for 6 nights in Italy or Paris/Barcelona. Hotel, round trip airfare and breakfast included for the bargain deal of approximately $800 per person. YES – you read that right! Want to know the catch? It’s winter travel. Guess what? It’s winter at home….but the Notre Dame won’t come visit you!

9. If you do your own planning, search everywhere and start early – our flights on Norwegian Air cost us a TOTAL for direct, round trip flights between Boston to Charles de Gaulle, $670 TOTAL for both of us!!!! That included us paying for a bag to go under the plane! It’s not a scam. Pack a backpack and go for it!!!

8. Pack light – Packing is always a challenge. I actually start packing a month ahead of time by slowly collecting things in my bedroom that I don’t want to forget. They start a hill of random items on my window seat and I slowly weed out the things I really don’t “need” and keep the things I can’t live without.

7. Packing for Paris – For this trip, since we were traveling on a low-cost airline (Norwegian Air), we had to be overly aware of our luggage. With the lowest fare, we each got a carry on (like a backpack or small rolling suitcase) and a personal item (like a small purse) – both items not to exceed 10 kilograms (22 pounds). I brought 3 pairs of leggings, 3 tunics, something to sleep in and my unmentionables plus the clothes on my back. One of the tickets we purchased was the slightly upgraded fare and for that we got a piece of luggage to stow under the plane. Low cost airlines are FABULOUS – but read the fine print! Seriously!!!

6. Where to stay? If you don’t know, ask a professional (ME) or someone who has been – Paris is HUGE! And there are definitely better places to stay than others. Our AirBnB was in Saint Germain-du-Pres – an awesome location with a lot of street life and close to EVERYTHING! Our AirBnB was around $150 per night (others were less expensive but we loved the location and wanted a place with its own washer and dryer). There was a gorgeous hotel right across the street for about $150 per night if staying in someone’s apartment isn’t your style. You can find deals, too – like getting a package price from a Travel Professional (ME). Just ask! I’ll give it to you straight!

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Up next, Part 2! Don’t go too far!

Lights and Sights of Paris in Winter – our trip in a nutshell!

February 7, 2019February 1, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

Paris is known as the City of Lights – and Paris did not disappoint! With a glittering Eiffel Tower and some Christmas decorations still on display, we enjoyed the beautiful twinkle that Paris had to offer. We also enjoyed a LOT of sight seeing in a short amount of time.

We visited the Louvre (bought tickets ahead of time on line and printed them out) on our arrival day to help us get through the jet-lag. We have always flown overnight to Europe so arriving around mid morning and staying awake until bedtime has been great advice for concurring jet-lag! We visited the Louvre in the late afternoon – around 3:30pm and this was a great time to visit – the crowds were thinner and we didn’t feel rushed anywhere. Of course, we saw the Mona Lisa and roamed around aimlessly for about 2+ hours before we got board and headed out. I’m just not a museum person but you can’t go to Paris and NOT go to the Louvre!

The next morning, we walked to a rendezvous point to meet up with a great guide named Peter. We took a 2.5 hour bike tour of Paris with another couple and had a fantastic time! It was a Sunday so many cars were off the road and we felt safe enjoying the morning seeing some pretty cool places. We popped into the Marais – a trendy and chic neighborhood on the right bank of Seine. We rode through the plaza of Notre Dame and learned some history there. We rode to and through the courtyards at the Louvre. We rode to the Place de la Concord and saw the glitz and glamour of the set up for Fashion Week! We rode over to the Eiffel Tower and our guide shared some great tips about the city, the history, and what Parisians do!

Monday we went to Disneyland Paris – I already wrote about it so all I will say is that we planned ahead, got our tickets on-line the week before the trip, knew where we were getting the train in Paris to take us directly to DLP. It was a super fun day and I am glad we took the trip!

Tuesday – our last full day – we scooted around the city on electric scooters for much of the day!!! It was snowing so the city was magical! We scooted to Notre Dame, fed some birds and walked into the cathedral. We wanted to go up into the towers but they were closed because of the snow. We picked up the scooters again and took them to the Eiffel Tower to check out the snow! We took some pictures, then scooted all the way back over to the Jardin des Plantes where we visited the small zoo they have there! It was pretty fun and we saw some beautiful creatures enjoying the snow! After a bit of a rest in our apartment, we walked to the Latin Quarter (about 8 minutes away from us) and walked through Saint Severin church (one of my favorites for it’s Gothic style) and finished up some shopping in the narrows of the Latin Quarter.

Wednesday, we woke up late, packed up and headed out to Notre Dame one last time for some bird feeding! We scooted back to the apartment, had our last crepe, finished packing and hoofed it to the train for the airport!

We had a fantastic quick trip and SO worth every single minute and penny spent!!!! We made memories we will never forget!!! Check out some of our funny selfies and be sure to keep and eye out for my Hints for Traveling to Paris!

Our last crepe! Nutella and banana, of course!

I didn’t know she stuck her tongue out until I looked at the pictures that night!!!

Our first selfie in Paris!

Well, who doesn’t eat hot dogs at Disneyland Paris?

The arrival!!!!

Eiffel Tower!!!!

Sleeping Beauty Castle was so pretty!!!!

From the other side!!!

Top 10 Favorite Pictures from Paris

February 1, 2019February 1, 2019 / Denise Smith / Leave a comment

Many of you followed my fantastic mother/daughter adventure to Paris this January. You can catch up on the highlights in my Travel Diaries, but I wanted to take a minute and post my favorite pictures from the trip.

I love so many things about travel, and one of them is making memories that turn into the stories of our lives. Being able to share this special time with my daughter was precious in so many ways and I hope she will look back on it with as much fondness as I know I will!

Our first selfie in Paris!