Guiness, Guiness, Guiness!

Around this same time last year we began planning for our trip to Europe. The date that seemed to be an eternity away was finally here and panic set in. March 22, 2013 was a week away and my solution to the panic was, "don't worry, just pack everything without going over 60 lbs".

For those who don't know me, I'm very much a planner and a list maker, but packing for this trip was testing my planning and list making abilities. After taking everything out of my suitcase, three times, I was ready! Our destinations: Ireland, England, and France.

Ireland was a great place and I would love to go back. Everything from the hotel (Clontarf Castle Hotel) to the food and the people were wonderful. Although the weather was cold (okay, maybe it was more than cold; I'm from Florida where 60 degrees requires a turtleneck), we had a great time and were able to visit all of the popular attractions in Dublin and take some day tours.

Clontarf Castle Hotel

Getting around Dublin City was very easy. We purchased a bus pass from the convenience store down the street from our hotel and were able to get around. We read some reviews before going on this trip and were able to get some ideas on what we wanted to see with the time we had. Don't be discouraged by negative on-line reviews, visit every place you can! We were out most nights until late and we always felt very safe. Also, the locals are very nice people and were always more than happy to help us find our way.

Out hotel concierge was able to give us some advise on tours to take and popular attractions. We decided on a tour of the Cliffs of Moher, Kilkenny, Wicklow, and Limerick and had a wonderful time.

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Kidney Walk 2013

The 2013 Kidney Walk Miami is this Sunday, February 24, 2013 at Bayfront Park. 

Join us! Make a donation to raise money to improve the lives of all people affected by chronic kidney disease and to bring awareness for those who are at risk.

Memorial Day 2012 in New York

When I booked this trip I didn't realize that I hadn't been to NY in about 5 years.

Although the weather was mostly rainy, we had a very busy first day planned. After getting our rental we made our way into the city, the traffic was crazy! - I've been to NYC before and this was the first and last time we get a rental. I highly recommend walking and taking the train everywhere, parking is very expensive and you're better off walking most of the day (NYC walking is not for the faint of heart, be prepared to walk a lot if you've never been).

If you can, try to visit some of the museums and shows. We finally got around to visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art (MOMA). The museum price is $25 per ticket and it has 6 floors of beautiful art and sculptures. It's recommended to spend about 3 hours to see the entire museum, but it can be done in about 2 hours. You can also start on the floor that displays the art you want to see (for example, the 5th floor has art by Van Gogh, Chagall, Monet).

Eating termites in strange places

Out of all the islands we visited during our vacation cruise in November, I had the most fun in Belize. Several weeks before our cruise we looked up some excursions and found a great company named Cave-tubing.com. After spending several minutes looking through their website, we knew this was the excursion for us. We sent them an e-mail with our reservation details and within an hour we received a very friendly phone call from Yhony who finalized our reservation.

Since we were going on vacation with family and friends, we chose the cave tubing and ATV jungle tour. Once we arrived at the port of Belize we had a cave-tubing.com staff member waiting for our group, just as promised and as advertised on their website. We were promptly greeted and taken to our bus (air-conditioned and very comfortable) and within 20-30 minutes we were on our way. 

ridding through the jungle

getting ready to start our ride

The first half of our excursion was the ATV jungle ride. Once we were done with the "how to" and instruction session, we were all very excited to start having fun. For this portion of the tour it's best to wear comfortable clothes and shoes as you WILL get mud on your legs, arms, and on your clothes; I wore my bathing suit with shorts, tank top, and sandal type water shoes. You can also bring a towel and a change or clothes (you will have a bathroom to change in).

entrance to the reserve

cave branch outpost

After a 5 mile guided ride through the Belize rainforest, we met back at the outpost where we had a chance to change our clothes and rinse off some of the rainforest mud (it's not too much mud, just enough for fun times and great stories). We were shortly back on the bus and on our way to the Caves Branch Archaeological Reserve to start the cave tubing portion of our tour. Once we arrived at the reserve we were given yellow tubes and were guided through the rainforest. This part of the tour requires some walking (maybe about 2 miles), the guide also showed us some local medicinal trees and plants - this is where I ate termites! The guide showed us a termite nest on a tree, pointed out how you can eat them if you're lost in the jungle, he ate them to show us how it was done, and so did I.

medicinal plants

they taste a little minty

After eating the termites and assuring my family that I wasn't going to die from eating bugs off a tree, we crossed two sections of the river (not deep, maybe ankle or calf high) and finally made it to the caves. The water was very clear, beautiful, and VERY REFRESHING (a.k.a cold). We were given head lights and were guided into the caves - once you get over how "refreshing" the water is the tubing is very fun and relaxing. The headlights help you see inside the caves and the guides are happy to point out different sections of the caves. This jungle and cave tour with Cave-tubing.com was a great experience and a lot of fun.

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river crossing

going into the caves

out of the caves

Day in Cozumel, Mexico

After what seemed like an endless countdown, our much awaited vacation day finally arrived. After packing too many suit cases and family members in the car, we headed to our cruise. 

Carnival Liberty

Ports of call: Cozumel,Mexico; Isla Roatan, Honduras; Belize, and Grand Cayman.

Puerta Maya port

After settling in and having a nice day at sea, we arrived in Cozumel around 7-8:00 AM. The Cozumel port is very nice, has plenty of shopping, and most importantly, there are cabs readily available at all times. After making taxi arrangements and looking at some of the local maps, we reserved two small buses for our 13+ group and decided to go to the beach.



After a short ride we arrived at Mr. Sancho's beach. This beach was recommended by our driver as the nicest public beach in the area where we didn't have to pay a cover or buy minimum drinks. The common area surrounding the beach is very nice. There are places to shop and buy local arts and crafts, a pool with built-in bar, and a small area for horseback riding. The beach also has a restaurant that serves local food as well as drinks. The prices are very reasonable and the food is wonderful.

There's also plenty to do on the beach. There are kayaks and water bicycles for rent and an area with rock climbing floats in the water and trampolines. We had a great time at this beach. Our day was very relaxing, we had great food and would visit again.

local musicians at the port

shopping at the port

pool with built-in bar

shops in common area

horseback riding

kayaks for rent

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On the road again...

I'm back!!!! After just 2 days shy of 5 months, I'm finally back and ready to travel. I'm also happy to report that "the foot", and all it's torn parts, have healed beautifully and we're all ready for our vacation in November (43 days and counting).

Destination: Western Caribbean (Carnival Cruise)
This vacation should be a lot of fun since we've managed to bring along some family and friends and our itinerary also looks great; Mexico, Honduras, and Grand Cayman.
Possible excursions (we haven't made final decisions yet):

Mexico - Mayan Ruins of Tulum (Carnival excursion price is about $90 USD per adult).
Honduras - Dolphin Encounter (Carnival excursion price is about $90 USD per adult).
Belize - Barrier Reef Snorkel (Carnival excursion price is about $50 USD per adult).

Summer is here! Check out Nat Geo top 10 summer trips.

10 Best Summer Trips of 2011 -- National Geographic

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Caribbean Vacation

PUERTO RICO

Our first day in Puerto Rico was relaxing and somewhat adventurous. After arrive at our hotel, we walked down to the beach and enjoyed the breeze and the sunset.

We asked the front desk clerk to recommend a local dinner spot...

The clerk suggested a BBQ place where she'd had dinner before. Since the dinner place was not within walking distance, we decided to rent a car. The concierge gave us the number to a car rental nearby, so we decided to walk.

As we're heading out, I'm expecting to walk into an Enterprise or Budget rent-a-car type of place. Oh no, this place was hardly a rent-a-car establishment. We walked down a little street that resembled an alley and up to a hotel where "Maria", the attendant, was expecting us. As you can imagine, I wanted to run! But, for the sake of vacation and adventure, I toughed it out. 

We were given a new blue Ford Focus that was parked on the curb (no, it was not parked in a regular rental lot). By the time we signed our life away, it was dark and Maria checked our car with a flashlight and warned us about the insane fee we would be charged if the car was returned with any dents.

After thoroughly inspecting the car, we drove off and decided to get some dinner. Feeling brave from the car rental experience, we turned on the GPS and drove to the local BBQ place our hotel clerk suggested. Before we knew it, we were on the highway and, once again, it was scary! Although I speak Spanish, trying to read the highway signs at 50 mph was interesting as not all of them are in English. However, the most exciting part of the highway experience were the highway exits; the exits sneak up and there are no signs! There are no markings on the road, there are no street lights, and the exits look like alleys.

After missing our exit, we finally made it to the BBQ restaurant. I don't mean to sound redundant, but again, it was scary and this time, we were in a not so very nice looking part of town. The restaurant looked more like a rest stop and, yes, it was on a street that resembled an alley. We pulled up, got out, and got right back in the car! Although we were very hungry, the food looked like it had been left out (uncovered) for a while and we decided to have fast food instead. I wasn't able to take a picture of the restaurant, but the name of the place is BEBO'S BBQ in Isla Verde (open 24 hours). This is the link to the TripAdvisor reviews. 

The next morning we drove to El Yunque National Forest. This place is beautiful. It's lush and green and the air is clean. El Yunque is about 1 hour from the City of Carolina and it's pretty easy to get to. There's a lot to see, so I suggest you drive there early to make the most of your day. There are walking trails and waterfalls and lots of scenic driving. If you're going to take the trails up to the peak, make sure you're in shape. The walk up-hill is about 45 minutes and a little challenging.

Visiting Old San Juan was also very nice. The City still holds a lot of rich culture and history. The streets have been kept in the original cobble stone and there are many historic landmarks including Forts and monuments. There are also many restaurants and shops to visit. The local food is delicious, so don't leave without having lunch or dinner at Cafe Puerto Rico or at Caficultura. Also, make sure you have some Mofongo (made from fried green plantains mashed with garlic, olive oil and pork or it can also be filled with vegetables, chicken, crab, shrimp, or beef) it is amazing.

 



Lunch and cafe at Caficultura

Blackbeards castle

Amber waterfall, Amber museum. St Thomas

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This is a picture of the Amber waterfall in the Amber museum at Blackbeard's Castle.

Blowing Rocks

At the beginning of August I decided to post some of my favorite pictures of summer. As I sorted  through endless photos, I decided to share pictures of my favorite, local, summer place; Blowing Rocks Preserve.

Blowing Rocks Preserve is 73 acre island sanctuary located in Jupiter, Florida. It has the largest stretch of Anastasia Limestone (anastasia limestone is composed of the remains of ancient coral reefs and shells) in the Atlantic Coast. During high tide, the ocean breaks against the rocks and forces the water up about 50 feet in the air, which gives the preserve its name.

Plan your visit...

Entrace to the beach is $2. The beach is open daily, 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. (In my experience, this time schedule is very strict. I once lost track of time and the attendant almost locked my car in the parking lot and I had to run almost a mile on the sand to catch up to her). Other than the crazy attendant, this place is beautiful.

Almost forgot, no food or pets allowed. When I visit, I normally stop for a nice breakfast before getting to the beach and bring water bottles in my beach bag.


 



The tide in this picture is not too high, you can still climb down the rocks and walk on the sand. You can also walk a little ways and reach the sandy side that doesn't have any rocks.

During low tide it's very easy to walk on the rocks and see the formations made by water erosion (erosion has carved out the rocks and created cave-like features).

photos by Olema Lewis