Hoover at British Columbia FallFriday, September 16, 2011
Monday, September 5, 2011
Bob's new Princess Cruises experiences
For our sixth Princess cruise, I was determined to try some new Princess-specific experiences. I feared that this would be a challenge as our 12-night Star Princess Venice to Rome Greek Island itinerary was very port intensive with only one day at sea.
First Sanctuary experience: most of the Princess ships have been refitted with an adult-only quiet area called the sanctuary. On the Star it is located above the adult pool and the spa. I am not a big user of the pools on-board and never visit the main pool as it is usually quite a zoo and on this voyage the indoor pool was filled with lots of kids. The adult pools on many of the ships are generally very comfortable. On the Star there were only 6 lounge chairs on either side of the adult pool and half of these were normally in full sun. One day I went to the pool about 1PM to find that all of the loungers on the shady side were occupied or 'saved' with towels and stuff. I decided to move upstairs to the Sanctuary where I could rent a lounger for $10 for the afternoon. I found that all of the best lounge locations were already taken by people that had booked the full day ($20) experience. However I found a nice location in dappled shade and settled in to read my book. Several times servers brought me fresh water flavored with lemon. They also offered food service for a small service charge (something like $3). It is a short walk down to the adult pool and hot tubs. At one point a group of loud Europeans began whooping, hollering and doing canon balls into the pool. I was a bit surprised that no one from the Sanctuary or the adjoining spa did anything to correct this behavior. I solved the problem by requesting a complementary mp3 player which came with high-end Bose noise canceling headphones. They really work. I very much enjoyed my Sanctuary afternoon and will repeat it on future cruises.
First Princess afternoon tea: each day between 3:30 and 4:30 an afternoon tea is featured in one of the main dining venues. White-gloved waiters pour from prebrewed pots of tea while other waiters circulate with platters of finger sandwiches, pastries and scones with cream and jam. This experience is not as elegant as on Cunard where the stunning Queens Room venue and live musicians create a very special event. However the Princess tea is a reasonably civilized experience and provides a nice opportunity to chat with fellow passengers. It is worth checking out.
First 'special order ethnic meal' in the main dining room: I had read on Cruise Critic that it is possible to special order either an Indian or a Filipino meal in the main dining room. I was interested in trying their Indian offering. Since our table of eight only had four diners, I recruited three friends from the 'anytime' dining venue to join us. I spoke with the head waiter and she agreed that it could be done the following day. I was expecting a full dinner, perhaps starting with Mulligatawny soup, papadams with chutney, some samosas and an interesting main course. As we sat down our waiter presented us with the normal menu for the evening. I reminded him that we were going to be having the Indian dinner. After the third time he asked us what we wanted to eat I determined that we had a failure to communicate. I chased down the head waiter and explained my concern. She informed me that the 'Indian meal' is only a main course with two side dishes and that we should order soups, salads and starters from the traditional menu to round out our meal. She returned to the table with me and took our orders for some starters. After our starters the Indian food arrived featuring chicken in a red sauce (they called it tandoori but it was more likely a variant of tikka masala), an amazing spinach and corn dish, and a garbanzo dish. I found the chicken to be quite good and loved the spinach. I don't eat garbanzos but it got favorable reviews from the others. Dessert was from the main menu (thankfully as gulab jamun and rice pudding don't qualify as proper desserts in my opinion). With regard to the confusion, clearly I didn't ask enough questions when arranging the event. Now that I understand the system, I'd be inclined to try again on another voyage as the Indian food provides a nice diversion from the normal meat/fish/poultry offerings.
First Princess airport transfer: our outbound flights were scheduled from Rome airport, a distance of over one hour from the cruise port. On a previous cruise into Rome I had used a private taxi service for the transfer of four people to downtown Rome. This time the same taxi service offered an 8:30 AM pickup for an 11:00 AM flight which I found to be too risky. Princess initially offered a 7:00 meeting time but I was able to switch to a 6:00 AM meeting time. Promptly at 6:00 we were released to the gangway for a short walk to the baggage claim terminal. Our bags were neatly laid out in color-coded areas. Our luggage was loaded onto a bus and we departed by 7:15. We were at the terminal by 8:30 and met by a Princess rep who provided luggage carts. Our arrival was in plenty of time for a very inefficient US Air check-in process. Overall I was very impressed with Princess' ability to provide a virtually effortless transfer to the airport.
Conclusion: many cruisers are reluctant to spend additional money on specialty restaurants and experiences like the Sanctuary. Given the very low per diem rates currently offered by Princess, this seems short sighted. While spending $20 on a special meal or $10-20 on a Sanctuary experience is not going to turn a $100/day Princess cruise into a $400/day Crystal cruise, these expenditures can make the very affordable Princess cruise feel a bit more special. I suggest that Princess cruisers give them a try.
This was a great itinerary with on overnight in Venice providing two half-days to see the city along with stops in Dubrovnik Croatia, Corfu, Katakolon (for Olympia), Athens, Mykonos, Kusadasi Turkey (for Ephesus), Rhodes, Santorini and Naples before concluding in the port city for Rome. I did manage to accomplish several 'firsts' as described below:
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| Bob, Sharon and new cruise friend enjoy Sabatini's |
First alternative dining experience: Sabatini's Italian restaurant. I'm generally very happy with the food in the main dining room so I've been reluctant to spend the $20/person for the Italian venue or the premium steakhouse. Also, Sabatini's had a reputation for significantly overfeeding you. Recently they switched to an a la carte menu so I decided to give it a try. Our experience was marred by an arrogant and obnoxious head waiter and marginal service. However we enjoyed three starters and all were excellent. The main course lobster tail was large and perfectly cooked and served in a lobster bisque sauce. Except for Tommy Toy's, this was the best lobster that I have ever eaten. The accompanying lobster risotto was gummy and not very appetizing but I didn't really need the starch. Another minor disappointment is that the dessert menu lacked a real chocolate dessert. Overall I would rate the dining experience to be quite good provided that you select good starters. I will likely try the Crown Grill steakhouse on my next cruise.
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| A portion of the Sanctuary |
First Princess afternoon tea: each day between 3:30 and 4:30 an afternoon tea is featured in one of the main dining venues. White-gloved waiters pour from prebrewed pots of tea while other waiters circulate with platters of finger sandwiches, pastries and scones with cream and jam. This experience is not as elegant as on Cunard where the stunning Queens Room venue and live musicians create a very special event. However the Princess tea is a reasonably civilized experience and provides a nice opportunity to chat with fellow passengers. It is worth checking out.
First 'special order ethnic meal' in the main dining room: I had read on Cruise Critic that it is possible to special order either an Indian or a Filipino meal in the main dining room. I was interested in trying their Indian offering. Since our table of eight only had four diners, I recruited three friends from the 'anytime' dining venue to join us. I spoke with the head waiter and she agreed that it could be done the following day. I was expecting a full dinner, perhaps starting with Mulligatawny soup, papadams with chutney, some samosas and an interesting main course. As we sat down our waiter presented us with the normal menu for the evening. I reminded him that we were going to be having the Indian dinner. After the third time he asked us what we wanted to eat I determined that we had a failure to communicate. I chased down the head waiter and explained my concern. She informed me that the 'Indian meal' is only a main course with two side dishes and that we should order soups, salads and starters from the traditional menu to round out our meal. She returned to the table with me and took our orders for some starters. After our starters the Indian food arrived featuring chicken in a red sauce (they called it tandoori but it was more likely a variant of tikka masala), an amazing spinach and corn dish, and a garbanzo dish. I found the chicken to be quite good and loved the spinach. I don't eat garbanzos but it got favorable reviews from the others. Dessert was from the main menu (thankfully as gulab jamun and rice pudding don't qualify as proper desserts in my opinion). With regard to the confusion, clearly I didn't ask enough questions when arranging the event. Now that I understand the system, I'd be inclined to try again on another voyage as the Indian food provides a nice diversion from the normal meat/fish/poultry offerings.
First Princess airport transfer: our outbound flights were scheduled from Rome airport, a distance of over one hour from the cruise port. On a previous cruise into Rome I had used a private taxi service for the transfer of four people to downtown Rome. This time the same taxi service offered an 8:30 AM pickup for an 11:00 AM flight which I found to be too risky. Princess initially offered a 7:00 meeting time but I was able to switch to a 6:00 AM meeting time. Promptly at 6:00 we were released to the gangway for a short walk to the baggage claim terminal. Our bags were neatly laid out in color-coded areas. Our luggage was loaded onto a bus and we departed by 7:15. We were at the terminal by 8:30 and met by a Princess rep who provided luggage carts. Our arrival was in plenty of time for a very inefficient US Air check-in process. Overall I was very impressed with Princess' ability to provide a virtually effortless transfer to the airport.
Conclusion: many cruisers are reluctant to spend additional money on specialty restaurants and experiences like the Sanctuary. Given the very low per diem rates currently offered by Princess, this seems short sighted. While spending $20 on a special meal or $10-20 on a Sanctuary experience is not going to turn a $100/day Princess cruise into a $400/day Crystal cruise, these expenditures can make the very affordable Princess cruise feel a bit more special. I suggest that Princess cruisers give them a try.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
StayCation
In February, the kids had a week off, but I was not sure I would be able to take the time off work. I negotiated a few days off so I started making phone calls. I wanted to stay in San Francisco near the wharf, but there was some trade show taking all the local rooms. The Best Western agent I was talking to found me a 50% off rate at a hotel only 30 minutes out of SF, but right on the beach.
The first day we drove directly to SF and bought the SF pass. It included tickets to several attractions and saves hundreds if you use them all... We started by using our first ticket on a bay cruise under the Golden Gate bridge. Kids loved that. Then to pier 39 for Bubba Gumps. We used a ticket from our pass to explore the Aquarium by the bay. We then headed to the cable cars for the price of 1 more ticket (unlimited rides). It started to rain, so we bailed and picked up some chocolate at Ghiradelli's. The rain was picking up as well as the wind, so we decided to head to the hotel.
When I arrived in Pacifica, the hotel looks a little weathered, but it is right on the beach. The agent asked for my business card and upgraded me for free to their best ocean view/balcony room RIGHT OVER THE BEACH on the 3rd floor. It was a beautiful view. We unpacked and went walking around the hotel. They had a few shops and restaurants around the area, so we picked a burger place. They had many choices and we all picked something a bit different and shared. We left and picked up some Dryer's ice cream on our way out.
That night at the hotel was amazing.. we kept the door open most of the time and just listed to the ocean as I worked (one of the deals to get away...).
The next morning, we headed out to a little Mom & Pop shop for breakfast, but we missed them by 5 minutes.. they closed at 10:30 to prepare for lunch...so we went a few doors down to the High Tide for breakfast. I am not exaggerating, we could have ordered 1 plate and all shared it. I have never seen such large plates overflowing with food. Not even my teen son could finish.
Back to SF for another busy day of touristing... started at the Walt Disney Museum, which I loved, but my youngest wanted to rush through. Then to Exploritorium for a day of kids hands on fun...We stayed until they closed then picked up Gorilla's BBQ (From Dine in's, Diners & Dives show). Again, so much food and so little room... It was really good thought.
That night, a bad storm blew in. I woke up around 2 am to what sounded like gun fire on our patio doors. It was raining and hailing so hard I thought the glass was going to break. Keep us up for several hours, so we all curled up and watched TV for a bit.
The next morning, the sun was shining and we tried breakfast at the Hotel restaurant. It was really good, but pricey. The view was wonderful, with a stacked row of tables all having an ocean view. We packed up and checked out and headed back to the city. We spent the day at the CA Academy of Science. Fun for all and then only a 35 minute drive home.
The benefits of a staycation is that it is far enough away to feel like a vacation, but close enough that we didn't lose days traveling. (rather inexpensive too)...Another great thing was it was Tulipmania in SF - so the whole city was beautiful:
The first day we drove directly to SF and bought the SF pass. It included tickets to several attractions and saves hundreds if you use them all... We started by using our first ticket on a bay cruise under the Golden Gate bridge. Kids loved that. Then to pier 39 for Bubba Gumps. We used a ticket from our pass to explore the Aquarium by the bay. We then headed to the cable cars for the price of 1 more ticket (unlimited rides). It started to rain, so we bailed and picked up some chocolate at Ghiradelli's. The rain was picking up as well as the wind, so we decided to head to the hotel.
When I arrived in Pacifica, the hotel looks a little weathered, but it is right on the beach. The agent asked for my business card and upgraded me for free to their best ocean view/balcony room RIGHT OVER THE BEACH on the 3rd floor. It was a beautiful view. We unpacked and went walking around the hotel. They had a few shops and restaurants around the area, so we picked a burger place. They had many choices and we all picked something a bit different and shared. We left and picked up some Dryer's ice cream on our way out.
That night at the hotel was amazing.. we kept the door open most of the time and just listed to the ocean as I worked (one of the deals to get away...).
The next morning, we headed out to a little Mom & Pop shop for breakfast, but we missed them by 5 minutes.. they closed at 10:30 to prepare for lunch...so we went a few doors down to the High Tide for breakfast. I am not exaggerating, we could have ordered 1 plate and all shared it. I have never seen such large plates overflowing with food. Not even my teen son could finish.
Back to SF for another busy day of touristing... started at the Walt Disney Museum, which I loved, but my youngest wanted to rush through. Then to Exploritorium for a day of kids hands on fun...We stayed until they closed then picked up Gorilla's BBQ (From Dine in's, Diners & Dives show). Again, so much food and so little room... It was really good thought.
That night, a bad storm blew in. I woke up around 2 am to what sounded like gun fire on our patio doors. It was raining and hailing so hard I thought the glass was going to break. Keep us up for several hours, so we all curled up and watched TV for a bit.
The next morning, the sun was shining and we tried breakfast at the Hotel restaurant. It was really good, but pricey. The view was wonderful, with a stacked row of tables all having an ocean view. We packed up and checked out and headed back to the city. We spent the day at the CA Academy of Science. Fun for all and then only a 35 minute drive home.
The benefits of a staycation is that it is far enough away to feel like a vacation, but close enough that we didn't lose days traveling. (rather inexpensive too)...Another great thing was it was Tulipmania in SF - so the whole city was beautiful:
Monday, March 7, 2011
Panama Canal on Island Princess, November 2010
In late November Sharon and I traveled to Ft. Lauderdale to embark on a 15-night cruise to Los Angeles on the Island Princess. This was an excellent trip with an interesting itinerary on a recently refurbished ship. I particularly enjoyed this cruise because:
--cruise length of 15 days is a good amount of time to really get to know a ship and enjoy its features
--there was a good balance of days at sea and port stops
--two excellent lecturers, one who addressed the ports and their history (no shopping pitch!), the other spoke about various topics related to space travel.
--an extra day in Panama: this itinerary features the 'Princess 2-day Experience' including a day spent at Fuerte Amador so that passengers can further investigate the Panama Canal, visit Panama City visit the rainforest. I found port this to be a great addition; this port and Puntarenas Costa Rica were our favorite port stops and we hope to visit both countries on a land-based trip sometime soon.
Partial Transit or Full Transit? Canal cruises are available as a partial transit, generally 10-days from Florida, in which they enter the Caribbean-side locks into Lake Gatun, then exit these same locks and return to Florida. Full transit voyages are generally 14 or 15 days from Florida to LA or San Diego or reverse. I prefer a longer voyage so I selected the full transit. I chose to start in Ft. Lauderdale primarily to get the longer flight out of the way at the beginning. We took a Jet Blue red-eye nonstop SFO-FLL flight, checked into an inexpensive hotel (Days Inn Dania Beach), spent a fun day hiking around the area, purchased some wine for the cruise and had a great fish dinner at a Florida-style diner. A disadvantage of the full transit is that there are 2 Mexican Rivera ports that many people may have already visited.
The ship: Island Princess: this ship was built in 2003 and carries just under 2000 passengers. It has recent improvements like "Movies Under the Stars" but it is too narrow to incorporate the Piazza-style atrium. I found the ship to be in excellent condition and quite user-friendly.
The food: I'm generally quite happy with the dinners in the main dining room so I've yet to try any of the Princess specialty restaurants. Our experience was enhanced by an excellent waitress who helped guide us to good menu selections each evening. We ate about half of our lunches in the main dining room. In addition to a more civilized dining experience you get to meet some interesting passengers who are randomly assigned to your table. I had a really good bratwurst at the grill and the pizza was quite good if it was relatively fresh.
Shore excursions: During this trip we used a combination of independent shore excursions (coordinated by using the Cruise Critic Roll-call message board) and Princess shore excursions. The independent excursions weren't much cheaper than the Princess excursions but group sizes were much smaller. The Princess excursions offer somewhat lower prices if booked online prior to the cruise rather than onboard. And yes, I know that there is always a measure of risk of being stranded when on a non-Princess excursion but this risk can be minimized by careful selection of tour operator and itinerary.
Aruba: We had a relatively short stay in Aruba (7AM until noon). Many of the passengers did beach oriented excursions but we were up for something a bit more adventurous. I booked us on a Princess excursion featuring a nature hike in Arikok National Park. This hike was led by a park ranger who was very knowledgeable about the plants and wildlife. During our few hours on the trails we saw lizards, goats, colorful flowers, and interesting cacti. At the conclusion of the hike we were taken to a beautiful beach where I was able to swim in the warm water for about 1/2 hour. On our ride back to the ship we drove through the hotel zone; someone who enjoys fancy hotels and beautiful beaches could really enjoy a trip to Aruba.
--cruise length of 15 days is a good amount of time to really get to know a ship and enjoy its features
--there was a good balance of days at sea and port stops
--two excellent lecturers, one who addressed the ports and their history (no shopping pitch!), the other spoke about various topics related to space travel.
--an extra day in Panama: this itinerary features the 'Princess 2-day Experience' including a day spent at Fuerte Amador so that passengers can further investigate the Panama Canal, visit Panama City visit the rainforest. I found port this to be a great addition; this port and Puntarenas Costa Rica were our favorite port stops and we hope to visit both countries on a land-based trip sometime soon.
Partial Transit or Full Transit? Canal cruises are available as a partial transit, generally 10-days from Florida, in which they enter the Caribbean-side locks into Lake Gatun, then exit these same locks and return to Florida. Full transit voyages are generally 14 or 15 days from Florida to LA or San Diego or reverse. I prefer a longer voyage so I selected the full transit. I chose to start in Ft. Lauderdale primarily to get the longer flight out of the way at the beginning. We took a Jet Blue red-eye nonstop SFO-FLL flight, checked into an inexpensive hotel (Days Inn Dania Beach), spent a fun day hiking around the area, purchased some wine for the cruise and had a great fish dinner at a Florida-style diner. A disadvantage of the full transit is that there are 2 Mexican Rivera ports that many people may have already visited.
The ship: Island Princess: this ship was built in 2003 and carries just under 2000 passengers. It has recent improvements like "Movies Under the Stars" but it is too narrow to incorporate the Piazza-style atrium. I found the ship to be in excellent condition and quite user-friendly.
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| Island Princess at anchor at Cabo |
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| "Movies Under the Stars" screen at sailaway |
The food: I'm generally quite happy with the dinners in the main dining room so I've yet to try any of the Princess specialty restaurants. Our experience was enhanced by an excellent waitress who helped guide us to good menu selections each evening. We ate about half of our lunches in the main dining room. In addition to a more civilized dining experience you get to meet some interesting passengers who are randomly assigned to your table. I had a really good bratwurst at the grill and the pizza was quite good if it was relatively fresh.
Shore excursions: During this trip we used a combination of independent shore excursions (coordinated by using the Cruise Critic Roll-call message board) and Princess shore excursions. The independent excursions weren't much cheaper than the Princess excursions but group sizes were much smaller. The Princess excursions offer somewhat lower prices if booked online prior to the cruise rather than onboard. And yes, I know that there is always a measure of risk of being stranded when on a non-Princess excursion but this risk can be minimized by careful selection of tour operator and itinerary.
Aruba: We had a relatively short stay in Aruba (7AM until noon). Many of the passengers did beach oriented excursions but we were up for something a bit more adventurous. I booked us on a Princess excursion featuring a nature hike in Arikok National Park. This hike was led by a park ranger who was very knowledgeable about the plants and wildlife. During our few hours on the trails we saw lizards, goats, colorful flowers, and interesting cacti. At the conclusion of the hike we were taken to a beautiful beach where I was able to swim in the warm water for about 1/2 hour. On our ride back to the ship we drove through the hotel zone; someone who enjoys fancy hotels and beautiful beaches could really enjoy a trip to Aruba.
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| Divi Divi Tree |
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| A typical Aruba beach scene |
Cartagena, Columbia: I booked a private tour coordinated by a cruise critic member. This tour used Lee Miles private tours, tour C-CC, http://www.destinationcartagena.com/privatetours/, This tour began at the fort and continued with a walking tour of the old town including a famous church and palace. The streets of the old town were quite scenic, reminding me somewhat of New Orleans. We really enjoyed our day there but I wouldn't likely revisit Cartagena for a longer stay.
The Canal Passage: The Panama Canal is an amazing feat of engineering, perserverance and medical beakthroughs. It was initially begun by the French who were defeated by lack of money and disease. Americans took over the effort in 1904 and the canal opened ten years later. Prior to the cruise I obtained an excellent video from the library: A Man, A Plan, A Canal, Panama. This video was also shown onboard the ship and was augmented with a lecture about the history of the canal construction.
We woke up very early to be able to see the entry into the first lock. Much of the canal passage was narrated by the port lecturer and available on all of the outside decks.
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| freighter entering lock, we will use the lock on the right |
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| Clearance to the edge of the lock |
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| on our way out to the Pacific Ocean |
Fuerte Amador, Panama: this is the port for Panama City. We arranged a private tour to visit an Embera Indian village. This tour was guided by an American woman, Anne Gordon de Barrigon, who is married to one of the local Embera. Princess offers a similar excursion but the reviews told me that Anne would do a much more personalized tour (and we were not disappointed). The tour included a scenic drive, a trip on the river in a dugout canoe, a visit to a waterfall, and a visit to a village. The village visit included a dance performance, lunch, a Q&A session with one of the village leaders, and a tour of the village compound. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and I highly recommend a trip with Anne (http://emberavillagetours.com/).
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| Our welcome to the village |
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| Part of the dance demonstration |
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| Anne showing kids some photos on the laptop |
Puntarenas Costa Rica: For this stop I booked a Princess excursion called "Forest Sky Walk and Pura Vida Gardens". We had a small group, about 14, with an outstanding guide. After this excursion I am anxious to return to Costa Rica to see more of this country, likely to visit Panama at the same time. A highlight of this excursion is a hike through the rainforest including crossing several bridges suspended high in the tree canopy.
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| Our very knowledgeable guide |
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| Sharon on the suspension bridge |
Acapulco: On a recent cruise visit I attempted a self-guided walking tour from the cruise port but we found that this was not very satisfying. For this trip I booked an independent tour arranged through Rosie's tours http://www.acapulcorosiestours.com/. Rosie met us at the dock and handed us off to a driver-guide who gave us a nice overview of Acapulco including some of the famous sites from the 1950's when Acapulco was a mecca for the Hollywood types. The Cruise Critic group was divided among 3 vehicles; ours had about 10 passengers. I was very happy with Rosie's operation and highly recommend it.
The two pictures below are us with Acapulco as the backdrop and one of the famous cliff divers. There is also a link to a very short video of a cliff dive.
Cabo san Lucas: another short port stop (7AM-2PM). I booked a Princess excursion to Todos Santos, an 'artsy' town just over an hour north of Cabo. We were given a short walking tour of the town finishing with lunch at Hotel California (some claim that this hotel was the inspiration for the well known Eagles song but that claim is generally in dispute.) I found this excursion to be mildly amusing but I don't highly recommend it.
Some tips:
--one of the main dining rooms was open at embarkation. This is a more civilized way to start your journey and avoids the crowds of newbies in the buffet. This feature is not advertised, you must seek it out through a search of the various dining rooms.
--there is a dessert that it available but never on the dessert menu: the Volcano. It is basically a glorified banana split but it is a beautiful presentation. Order it early in the sailing; your tablemates will be jealous and will order one for themselves the next night.
--there are two 'semi-secret decks' at the front of the ship which are great for watching the passage through the locks. Go to either the Baja or Caribe deck and go all the way forward through a pair of doors to the outside. We spent several hours here during the day and it was never crowded. It's a great place from which to take photos.
Some tips:
--one of the main dining rooms was open at embarkation. This is a more civilized way to start your journey and avoids the crowds of newbies in the buffet. This feature is not advertised, you must seek it out through a search of the various dining rooms.
--there is a dessert that it available but never on the dessert menu: the Volcano. It is basically a glorified banana split but it is a beautiful presentation. Order it early in the sailing; your tablemates will be jealous and will order one for themselves the next night.
--there are two 'semi-secret decks' at the front of the ship which are great for watching the passage through the locks. Go to either the Baja or Caribe deck and go all the way forward through a pair of doors to the outside. We spent several hours here during the day and it was never crowded. It's a great place from which to take photos.
Travel South Showcase Georgia and South Carolina
TRAVEL SOUTH SHOWCASE FEB 18 TH – 28TH ATLANTA GA
PRE FAM “CREATE YOUR OWN MOUNTAIN ADVENTURE
DAWSON COUNTY, DAWSONVILLE POOLROOM, DAHLONEGA- FOREST
HILLS MOUNTAIN RESORT, CONSOLIDATED GOLD MINE, SMITH HOUSE, HELEN-WHITE COUNTY, BABYLAND GENERAL HOSPITAL, FOLK POTTERY MUSEUM O, HELEN, UNICOL STATE PARK First Day
Rabun County – Chattooga Ridge Canopy Tours, I did it, Grapes and Beans Clayton, Wine Tasting Clayton, Goats on the Roof, Tiger, Tallulah Gorge State Park, Talluah Falls, Dillard House overnights. Third Day Breakfast Family Style Dillard House Restaurant. OMG the amount of food was extraordinary. Arrive back in Atlanta.
Three Day Conference with three nights of Special Events. Atlanta Aquarium. Toured Coke Museum and CNN Tower Tour.
POST FAM SOUTH CAROLINA BEACH BOUND - Left Atlanta, and arrived in Camden for lunch- Horse Race Hall of Fame Then Visiting Boykin (Population of 3) Watched the Broom Maker. Arrived in Myrtle Beach. Dinner at Planet Hollywood and then on
To the Palace Theatre for “Hooray for Hollywood. Then desert at a private restaurant. Next morning off to the Hopsewee Plantation. A Sculpture Garden, Then on to Brook Green Gardens for a tour of the beautiful Orchards and water displays. Had lunch in their Restaurant. Next Ripley’s Aquarium Behind the scenes tour. Dinner at the Giant Crab. And on to the Alabama Theatre for a Great Singing and Dance Show. Next Morning Leave Myrtle Beach for the Florence Area. Visited the Darlington NASCAR Speedway Experience. Also took a ride in a lap car around the track. Saw the Stock Car Museum and took one picture.
Departed for Pearl Fryar Topiary Garden in Bishopville. He has managed to tame Trees that are not supposed to be tamed. Lunch at the Newberry Opera House. Last Dinner in Greenville at Sobys' Restaurant. Drove up to Pendleton an hiked the Ocornee County Tunnel at Stumphouse. Also viewed the Issaquena Falls. Then back
To the Airport. For my flight home.
Link to all my pictues
https://picasaweb.google.com/RobinsTrips/AltantaGeorgiaNEMountainsAndSouthCarolina
Robin Wilfong
PRE FAM “CREATE YOUR OWN MOUNTAIN ADVENTURE
DAWSON COUNTY, DAWSONVILLE POOLROOM, DAHLONEGA- FOREST
HILLS MOUNTAIN RESORT, CONSOLIDATED GOLD MINE, SMITH HOUSE, HELEN-WHITE COUNTY, BABYLAND GENERAL HOSPITAL, FOLK POTTERY MUSEUM O, HELEN, UNICOL STATE PARK First Day
Rabun County – Chattooga Ridge Canopy Tours, I did it, Grapes and Beans Clayton, Wine Tasting Clayton, Goats on the Roof, Tiger, Tallulah Gorge State Park, Talluah Falls, Dillard House overnights. Third Day Breakfast Family Style Dillard House Restaurant. OMG the amount of food was extraordinary. Arrive back in Atlanta.
Three Day Conference with three nights of Special Events. Atlanta Aquarium. Toured Coke Museum and CNN Tower Tour.
POST FAM SOUTH CAROLINA BEACH BOUND - Left Atlanta, and arrived in Camden for lunch- Horse Race Hall of Fame Then Visiting Boykin (Population of 3) Watched the Broom Maker. Arrived in Myrtle Beach. Dinner at Planet Hollywood and then on
To the Palace Theatre for “Hooray for Hollywood. Then desert at a private restaurant. Next morning off to the Hopsewee Plantation. A Sculpture Garden, Then on to Brook Green Gardens for a tour of the beautiful Orchards and water displays. Had lunch in their Restaurant. Next Ripley’s Aquarium Behind the scenes tour. Dinner at the Giant Crab. And on to the Alabama Theatre for a Great Singing and Dance Show. Next Morning Leave Myrtle Beach for the Florence Area. Visited the Darlington NASCAR Speedway Experience. Also took a ride in a lap car around the track. Saw the Stock Car Museum and took one picture.
Departed for Pearl Fryar Topiary Garden in Bishopville. He has managed to tame Trees that are not supposed to be tamed. Lunch at the Newberry Opera House. Last Dinner in Greenville at Sobys' Restaurant. Drove up to Pendleton an hiked the Ocornee County Tunnel at Stumphouse. Also viewed the Issaquena Falls. Then back
To the Airport. For my flight home.
Link to all my pictues
https://picasaweb.google.com/RobinsTrips/AltantaGeorgiaNEMountainsAndSouthCarolina
Robin Wilfong
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Lin's Surfing Dream Came True!
I just came back from a business trip to Hawaii. I stayed on the island of Oahu , at the Westin Moana Surfrider Waikiki Beach for the first half of the week, and the Sheratin Waikiki for the remainder. I spent a lot of time checking out hotels, so there was not much free time. On my last day, however I managed to squeeze in a few hours of fun. For the first time in my life I took a surfing lesson! It was a struggle at first, but when I was finally able to stand up on the board and surf it was such thrill it go with the waves!Surfing did not come easily to me. It is a lot harder than it looks.First, I did not have enough shoulder and arm strength to paddle. Then when I finally succeeded in paddling to where the waves were, I got stuck there because I did not know how to turn the surf board to face the beach. Then once I was turned around, I would either be pushed too close to the beach or I would get knocked down by the waves! So, then I would have to get to the surface and climb up on the board again. Once I even drifted away from my class and I couldn't get back to my group where my instructor was! I felt so alone, struggling and not knowing what to do. I almost wanted to give up.
Thankfully, the owner of Hans Hedemann Surf, Hans Hedemann came by to help the beginners that were stuck. I was lucky to have Hans as my instructor. The first thing he did was give me a softer surf board which my feet could grip. This was great. I followed his instructions and did all that he taught me. There I was...........feeling and hearing the sound of the wave as I was gliding through the water. I could enjoy feeling of the wind blowing on my face while surfing. I was totally elated and on a total high after that! A couple things to be aware of……not only do you have to be in relatively good shape, but having good balance surely helps! AND, it takes a lot of perseverance!!!As this was a business trip, my husband, Ken, stayed home with the kids. I think he had more time for fun and relaxation!! Each day I, along with 43 other travel agents from California , went to inspect and learn the unique features of many hotels. Needless to say, the surfing lesson was by far the highlight of my trip!
Located:
Sunday, September 5, 2010
World of Color Dinners
I just made reservations for dinner and the World of Color show at Disneyland for November. I am going to Disneyland with my daughter,son,daughter-in-law, granddaughter and grandsons. My granddaughter is marshing in the Disney Holiday Parade and it is being taped the first weekend in November. Back to the dinner reservations. I made reservations for dinner at Ariel's Grotto and then we get VIP tickets for the World of Color show in California Adventure. You can make reservations up to 60 days in advance at either Ariel's Grotto or the Wine Country Trattoria. Very easy and makes sure that we get a spot for the World of Color.
Chris
Chris
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