New Orleans

When Kris told me he had a meeting in New Orleans, I tried to remember how many times I'd been there before.  Definitely three, maybe four.  However, I didn't see near as much those times as I did now!

First of all, my friend Sharon goes to the Jazz Festival every year, so I asked her what to do.  She texted me a wonderful list.  Here's the best of New Orleans!

World War II Museum

I was iffy about going here.  I didn't hear a lot about it beforehand, and I don't generally love books or movies about war.  However, I was surprised.  This was my favorite part of New Orleans.  

I blanched at the price, too - $28 for a ticket and $7 for a movie on top of that?  I wasn't sure if it was worth it.  Kris said, "Well, we'll never be here again.  We should see the 4-D movie."  Yes!  We all saw it, and it was immersive and impressive.

The use of real film footage is what really made this museum work for me.  As you enter each room, there was a little 2-minute film showing what was going on at the time.  It was so incredibly moving to see the actual film - tons of which I hadn't seen before.  I learned so much about parts of the war I didn't know much about before, like the Battle of the Bulge.  Even though I thought I knew a lot about Normandy, the information and video on it taught me even more.

Go here!  Go here!  The entire rest of the trip everyone was talking about it and it got rave reviews.

Bourbon Street

This is the opposite of the museum.  However, I love the feeling of when you walk up to Bourbon Street and everything is buzzing with excitement.  People!  Music!  Lights!  We met up with our friends here two nights and had a great time listening to the bands in many different places.  It reminds me of Austin, but it just goes on and on and on!

I've been to Bourbon Street on New Year's Eve, I've been on weekend nights, I've been on weeknights.  It's all generally the same, depending on the weather and amount of people.  But I've never been there for Mardi Gras ... 

Cafe du Monde

Another huge tourist activity to do in New Orleans is to eat beignets.  I don't like donuts, and the last time I ate one was at least 15 years ago.  (That's how much I don't like them.)  I took one bite of this and asked Kris, "Is this what donuts taste like?!"  He said, "No, this is way better."  I loved it.  It was warm, tasty, and I was covered with powdered sugar afterward.  We were walking with it, instead of sitting, and we figured locals must laugh at people who don't know how to eat it neatly!  Seriously, there was powdered sugar all over the streets.

We waited in the takeout line at the side of the restaurant, which really sped up our service.    

Jackson Square, French Quarter, St Louis Cathedral

Right across from Cafe du Monde - I liked walking around here seeing the horses, the street performers, the bands playing, and the tourists.  We checked out the inside of the pretty cathedral as well.  What's different from other city centers is the amount of voodoo stores and palm readers.  

This was my favorite sculpture in the sculpture park.

New Orleans Museum of Art

Since the Hard Rock Cafe collapsed during construction, Canal Street was closed for a large portion, which meant that only one streetcar was running.  We took it to the New Orleans Museum of Art.  It's in such a beautiful place, surrounded by the ponds and walking trails of City Park.  Jerry and I saw the art inside - totally worth it, with some great pieces - and Kris and I went to the sculpture park, which I absolutely loved as well!  This is a museum where you really feel you can see everything with enough time. 

Pretty day, pretty river.

Mississippi River
I honestly don't remember ever going to the river before, but this time I ran there every morning.  There were giant cargo boats, it was wide and pretty, and I thought about my old thesis-subject, Mark Twain.  

Mother's Restaurant

This place is obviously very popular, but we didn't know about it and just happened upon it.  It was so, so good.  The biscuit I ate was so fantastic.  I was talking about it with Jerry, and a lovely server walked by and asked if we would like another one.  OF COURSE was our answer, and she set two more down on our table.  She said they used to serve two biscuits to everyone, but most people couldn't finish two.  Mine was half gone before she finished this sentence.

Garden District

Kris and I took an Uber here to see a different part of the city.  We both really liked walking around here.  There were lots of places to eat and drink, the houses were interesting, and it just had a good vibe.  We wandered into The Bulldog, and everyone was really friendly.  We sat outside with a beautiful view of the fountain and the street.

Royal Street & Magazine Street

There were shops on these streets and sights to see that you don't see just anywhere.  There was a shop full of amazing, giant, expensive light fixtures.  My favorite was $4000 - and it was half off!  There were shops with confederate money and old guns.  There were lots of vintage-type stores.  I bought nothing - but I liked looking.   

Napoleon House
This place reminded me of home.  Literally, my home.  It was old, it had electrical fixtures that looked like they were a hazard, and the walls were falling apart.  We loved it.  Great atmosphere.  The specialty here is a Pimm's Cup.  I came here with Annie and Jerry and sat right between them at the bar.  Who doesn't love a third wheel along?! 

Roosevelt Hotel - just walked through a few times to admire it.

You can't not take a picture of a building this pretty! Well, I can't.

This was also a picture in our hotel room.  I just loved these.  It wasn't that long ago when people used them!

Paris and Brussels

My friend Stephanie and I wanted to take a trip and ... Paris it was! I'd been in France, but not Paris, and I felt like I was missing out. Brussels was added in to sightsee another European city and country.

We booked our Airbnbs, Louvre, Eiffel Tower top, and train tickets ahead of time. The earlier you do the train tickets, the cheaper they are. Since I didn't know the cities, just picked Airbnbs based on their description of what they were near - like the city center.

Since I was using my brother's standby pass, I arrived before Steph,  and I didn't have anywhere to stay for the first night. I contacted the Airbnb owner of our stay there the next night, and she offered me a flat since ours was occupied. Florence made me a cup of coffee in the kitchen and talked with me about Paris. She treated me more like a friend than a guest. I took a short nap and went off to explore.

Sacre Coeur, Montmartre, Marais
Walking from the train station to Sacre Coeur I thought, this place is dirty and trashy. And it was! The farther I got away from the station, the nicer it got. I got to Sacre Coeur and a street performer was playing guitar and singing Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah'. I melted and thought ... ah. this is what people were talking about. Beautiful church, gorgeous high view of the city (all the buildings are white!), romantic locks on the fence ... picturesque.

I spent the rest of the night walking through the Montmartre neighborhood - seeing cafes, a farmers market, people hanging out. And Marais, where Florence told me the locals hang out. Lots of vintage clothes shops, smelling like attics and stuffed with people.

I sat at a cafe and had coffee, just like in the books. I went to the Seine, ate ice cream, and looked at the tons of people out sitting in cafes, driving, eating, drinking, wearing high pants and fanny packs and smoking and speaking French.

This day was different from all the rest, because the subway workers were on strike. The sidewalks and streets were PACKED with people on scooters, bikes, one wheels. A Parisian joked to me that people pulled out any junk with wheels to get to work. I didn't have anything to compare it to, but the following days had much less foot traffic!

When Steph came, we went back to Sacre Coeur to go to the top.  It was such a gorgeous view, and such a beautiful interior.  There were three times as many people there, since it was a weekday.  We walked the neighborhoods again to and enjoyed a street festival with a band, seeing what was for sale, checking out the cafes, and I enjoyed eating and entire whole wheat baguette.  It was warm!  How could I stop?!

Notre Dame
Everyone told us to go to see Notre Dame, but since the fire, you can't go inside.  You can see the outside of it, so we did.  There were many tourists there taking pictures of it.  It's pretty, but you don't really get the full effect of it from the outside anymore.  The other three sides have giant plastic walls around it.  There were also tons of pickpocket scammers - the ones holding clipboards trying to get you to give them money for a fake charity and then asking you for money or straight up stealing it - around it, due to the amount of tourists, so feel free to walk briefly by Notre Dame until it's restored!

Eiffel Tower
I'm really a kind of 'I love nature and hiking' person, but as my cousin Cindy wrote to me recently, 'Humans can create such beauty.'  Why is this super tall tower that lights up so appealing to me?  And everyone else?  It's huge, it's sweeping, it's impressive, and it has a LIGHT SHOW!

Steph and I walked to the tower along the Seine, which is a beautiful walk.  There are little cafes along the river, there are gorgeous bridges, and tons of other people are out walking.  We got to the tower and sat in the grass below with a bunch of other people picnicking.  We waited until it lit up at about 8:00 p.m., and then we wanted to see the light show at 9:00 p.m. (It happens for five minutes on the hour with the last one at 1:00 a.m.)

At the base across the street, some vendors were selling food, and I bought a nutella crepe.

Oh my goodness.  It was warm, it was melty, and I was sitting at the base of the Eiffel Tower eating a crepe ... it all came together for perfection.  Steph and I ooohed and aaahed over the twinkly, impressive light show, and it was all wonderful!

We walked back along the Seine and there were TONS of Parisians hanging out on the river.  They had brought wine, snacks, some put down blankets, but most were just sitting on the cement bank in little groups, eating and talking.  It was so cool to see, and I was really glad we walked.  We stopped at a cafe, too.  It was late at night on a Saturday and everyone was out late!  Fun.

The next morning we walked back to the Eiffel Tower and the Seine was transformed.  Now, it was full of people walking and running and even doing Crossfit!  I loved seeing how it was Saturday - hang out.  Sunday - exercise.  All along the same path.

Steph and I had purchased tickets to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower.  I didn't know that anyone could walk up super close to it in the garden after security - we didn't try the night before - but then we then got to go to the top.  It was hot and long, like an hour, but totally worth it, because I apparently like seeing views from up high!  They also sell champagne up there - we didn't buy any, but I admired their product placement.

Arc de Triomphe
This was a another can't-be-missed monument.  The size!  The detail!  The history and beauty!  All of it.  We really loved seeing this.  Also, as we stood, wondering how people got to it, seeing as how it's surrounded by a giant traffic circle and we didn't see any way to cross it.  We asked some people and saw that you go underground, underneath the road, and can go right up to it!  They just so happened to be performing the 6:30 p.m. daily ceremony of laying a wreath at the tomb of the unknown solider, which we watched.

You can also go to the top of this for €8, which we didn't do since we had just been on top of the Eiffel Tower, but looks like it would be fun.

Louvre
Oh my goodness.  I love the outdoor Louvre Pyramid by the unfortunately named I.M. Pei, and of course I absolutely loved seeing the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, Napoleon III Apartments, Nike, the Sphinx, and more!  We had a map and had written directions of what rooms certain art was in, and we still had to ask people where to go.  The Louvre isn't easy to get around, but there is a considerable reward for your hard work.  We had to wait in line for a total of an hour and a half to see the Mona Lisa.  I'd read that you get there and it's small and dark and not worth it, but - I don't agree! It was actually bigger than I thought, we got to go right up to it, and I loved seeing it and her.  Also, the people in line were delightful.

Parisians
That's another thing.  Everyone knows that the French have a reputation of being rude, but I didn't find that to be the case, either.  Yes, the service in cafes is terrible, but there's one person waiting on 20 tables.  The server doesn't have a chance.  When we didn't have time to sit around and not be waited on, we would just buy food at a shop and eat in a park.  But when I talked to people, even servers, they were friendly and chatty. I told one girl that I was eating crepes, and did French people really eat crepes, or was this just a tourist thing?  She didn't understand what I said, and then said, "Oh, creeps?  Yes, we eat creeps all the time!  Every day!  I love them."  I said, "Oh, is that how you say it?  Creeps?"  She said, "No, it's pronounced 'crepes'," and said it one degree differently than I said it originally - or that's how it sounded to me.  Ha!

Luxembourg Palace, Cluny Museum, Pantheon, various churches
The Luxembourg Palace was a surprise.  It was absolutely gorgeous, in part because of the flowers.  I also loved the Medici Fountain.  I'd never heard of either of these things, and they were so beautiful we just had to stop and enjoy them for a long time.  Go here!

The Cluny Museum has a series of tapestries called The Lady and The Unicorn that I went to go see specifically because two of my cousins told me to and it was closed for restoration.  I looked at pictures in the gift shop and figured it would have to do for now!  I do love the unicorn's expressions.

The Pantheon was pretty, and the churches - like churches in Europe - were impressive and peaceful and beautiful.

BRUSSELS

We took the Thalys train from Paris to Brussels.  The train station was a lot like an airport, and there were tons of people to help if you had questions.  The train was luxurious and wonderful and had wifi and a charger!       

We couldn't check into our Airbnb yet, so we stored our luggage in the locker in the train station - it cost €5 a day - and just took what we needed for one night in a small backpack.

We went straight to the Grand Place, where everyone was congregated.  It was golden and beautiful.  We bought tickets to the Hop on, Hop off bus tour http://www.citysightseeingbrussel.be/en so we could see the entire city!  Highly recommended.

Atomium
It's shaped like an atom!  It's shiny!  It's huge!  I loved this sculpture so much.  It's so big that the circles are used for office rooms.

Ferris Wheel 
For a month, this ferris wheel is perched on top of the city instead of at the Christmas market.  We rode it and loved it!  Another great high view of a city - and you could see Atomium from it, even.

Series of Peeing Statues
Brussels is known for fries (seriously), chocolate, and waffles ... but the city has chosen as their symbol a fountain of a peeing boy, named Manneken Pis.  I don't get it, but there it is.  The boy has a girl and a dog around the city similarly peeing.  We went to see them all.  How could you not?

Waffles and Chocolate
Yes, we ate both.  I had a stuffed waffle even, stuffed with spinach and ricotta and tomatoes, and it was fantastic.     

We stated in a lovely Airbnb here, right in the city center.  This was a very international city, more so than Paris.  There were people from all countries living here, and they were happy to talk to us and talk about living in Brussels.

One morning I went to the grocery store at 8:05 a.m. to buy some fruit.  I saw people in the store, but I couldn't see how they got in, because construction workers were pouring a large amount of cement right in front of the store where you would walk in.  I went around the block and watched a guy take 10 steps through the wet cement, and wipe his feet on the rug inside the grocery store.  I stared.  He left footprints.  I looked incredulously at the construction worker working on the cement, and he gestured that it was fine for me to WALK THROUGH THE CEMENT.  I did.  I wiped my feet, and then when I left the store five minutes later, I walked through the wet cement again.

Why was this happening at the same time?  Why wouldn't the cement be poured before or after the store was open?  It boggled my mind.  We poured cement at home and I didn't even want the boys to put their handprints in it.

There were also lots of museums we didn't go to - like the museum of musical instruments and beer - but again, there's a lot of hanging out in beautiful places, eating, cafes, and Belgians.

We took the train back to Paris and had our first bad Airbnb experience - the codes he sent us to get in didn't work, and the second set of codes he sent didn't work, and finally the third did.  We were starving by this point and ate a meal at a nice place across the street, and while I was enjoying my meal I saw a mouse.  To be fair, the place was open to the outside like a lot of cafes.  I just told Steph and we continued eating.  Time to go home!  If I had the trip to do all over again, this is what I would have changed - earlier train from Brussels, different last Airbnb, and not looking at the floor in this restaurant. 

Uber
We used Uber to get to the airport, and the driver didn't speak English at all, so he and I spoke French the entire 25-minute ride.  I really felt like my six years of French education paid off - finally!

I'm glad I saw Paris, I'm glad we went to Brussels, and we had a lovely time.  Au revoir!

New York City in two days with kids

I used to live in Connecticut, and when people came we always took them to New York City.  We even spent New Year's Eve in Times Square!  It had been years, though, and I figured the boys should see the city that never sleeps, the Big Apple, the ... you get the point.  The big one.  New York City!  We did it, we had a great time, and I'd do it all over again.  (This time, though, I'd pay attention on the drive home and notice when my GPS altered to drive me through Canada, adding an hour to my drive since I was sans passport or birth certificates.  But if that's the only thing I'd change?!  Not half bad.)

Day one:

We drove to Edgewater, New Jersey, and stayed in the Comfort Inn.  It has free parking, it's right across the Hudson, and it makes staying close affordable.  We walked along the river to Target and picked up some food.  Lots of people walking and running to see along the way.  We ate singles of pizza just across the parking lot at the Pizza Club and stared at the city.  Max said it looked like the lost city of gold.  There were a lot of shopping carts thrown in the water and we saw men fishing who caught eels - one they put in a cooler, and one they draped on their unsuspecting friend's neck when he was turned away.  Everyone had a big laugh, including us!

Day two:

We drove to Liberty Island Park (this was a harrowing drive, even though it was only 30 minutes.  Drink your coffee first.  Lots of very fast traffic of people who actually knew where they were going.) and parked there for $7 for the whole day.  We had already bought tickets to the ferry to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.  We bought our tickets for 10:30 a.m., but they let us on the 8:30 a.m. ferry.  "It doesn't really matter what your ticket says," the ticket taker told me.  "We just do that so it's staggered."  Good to know!

The ferry ride was exhilarating as always, and we rode on top to have the best view.  There weren't very many people - lots of empty seats, and I was surprised.  We went to Ellis Island first and honestly did the whole museum in less than an hour.  I love the part about the medical checks and how they sent people back if they had medical conditions or seemed mentally ill.  (How awful to make it all that way and then be turned away!)

I loved going to see the Statue of Liberty!  We wanted tickets to the head, but they were already sold out three months ago when I bought tickets.  https://www.statueoflibertytickets.com/  So we got tickets to the pedestal.  We tried listening to the audio tour, which is included in the price, but none of us liked it.  You do have to go through security once you're there, and you're not allowed to bring food.  They have $ .25 lockers to store things, but I just stashed mine behind a tree. Imagine my distress when they removed M&Ms from my purse that I had forgotten about!  They said I could go back out, but I didn't feel like going through security again and so they threw them away.  I'm over it, I promise.

We walked up to the pedestal up many stairs and LOVED the view.  I hadn't done this, and I loved it.  We all did.

We went through the museum and learned all about it, and then we went outside and looked at it from the front.  So fun!  So huge!

We saw a ferry coming in and it was PACKED.  Apparently we were just there early.  We got back on and took the ferry to New York City, where it docks at Battery Park.

 It was now about 10:30 a.m.  We checked out Battery Park, the Esplanade, (my mom's favorite), and made our way to the 911 Memorial.

I know - I KNOW - that New Yorkers have the stereotype of being rude and unhelpful.  I've never found this to be true, and especially didn't experience it this time.  We had to ask a few people - security guards, parking attendants, random people on the street - the right way, and everyone was falling all over themselves to help us.  So kind!

We made it to the memorial and it was incredibly moving.  I explained to the boys that a lot of the people at it were alive when it happened, and it makes it that much more meaningful to us.  I went up in the Twin Towers the first time I was in NYC, and I went there not long after the terrorist attack.  So seeing the 911 Memorial now brought it all back.

It's next to Oculus and the new One World Trade Center.  Such beautiful architecture.

We split a package of Oreos I bought at a Walgreens inside Oculus.  My kids were thrilled at this rare treat.  This isn't a foodie blog, can you tell?

Side note - there are drinking fountains ALL OVER the city, and my kids stopped at so many of them.  Public bathrooms also weren't a problem, as most stores had them, just a floor up or down.

We walked to Chinatown and Little Italy, taking in the sights.  We went into New York City Hall.  We stopped and had gelato, and we saw a TV show being filmed.  The boys bought I heart NY shirts, of course.  We went to Washington Square Park and saw the men playing chess, all the people relaxing after work, and a beautiful arch and fountain.  Lovely.

We walked back to Battery Park and caught the New York Water Taxi back across the Hudson to Liberty Park.  We drove home - much less traffic - and ate again at the Pizza Club, staring at the city.

Day three:

We took bus 158 from right from our hotel's street (River Rd) to the Port Authority Bus Terminal on 42nd Street in Times Square.  It's $4.50 a person, but the driver told me my kids could get on for free!  (Again, those nice New Yorkers.)

We got off right in the heart of Times Square.  (I bought my return bus tickets then from the ticket agent, which were good for any time that night.) We walked around, and headed over to Central Park.  We played in a water feature with kids speaking many different languages, walked to the castle, walked the Literary Walk, ate our packed lunch by a fountain, posed on the Group of Bears sculpture, and enjoyed the nature.

We went to Times Square and experienced the JOY of the people, stores, and sights.  We went in the Nike store, M&Ms, Legos, Gucci, Trump Tower, and one of their now-favorites, FAO Schwarz.  (It was amazing for kids and adults.  Yes, they played the giant piano with their feet, but the highlight was the magicians they had selling magician kits.  I think they may have really been magic.)

We hung out in Times Square for about ten minutes, just watching people and the lights and the screens.  I love that Times Square feeling.

We all liked Rockefeller Center, then Atlas, St Paul's Cathedral, and the New York Public Library (not what I expected.  You can skip this one.  We needed wi-fi for the boys to use their accounts to check their school schedules.)  Half of us wanted burritos for dinner, and half of us wanted ice cream, so we ate 2/2 and then ... Phantom of the Opera!

I debated on whether to take them, because I wasn't sure if it was worth buying a great ticket - would the cheap tickets still be okay to see?  I told them the people would be very small.  BUT.  Broadway seemingly (haha) knows what it's doing, because the view was fantastic, and we loved it.  The boys often cite this as their favorite thing we did in New York City.  (Sometimes they answer the Statue of Liberty.  Both pretty impressive, yes, but less music in one.)

We got out of the play and experienced another one of my favorite things - it was 10:45 p.m. and the city was ALIVE with people.  Going places, dressed up, heading out.  I love that!

We caught the same bus back to our hotel and went to bed, happy.

Day four:

We drove to my lovely cousin's house, just an hour north of the city.  I love their whole family.  They'll probably let you stay, too.

Enjoy New York City, and let me know if you have any questions!     

Austin and nearby places in Texas - yeehaw!

I've been to Austin a number of times.  My family and I just went to visit Kris' family in March, so here's what we did and what I think is worth seeing ...

FROM THE AIRPORT -

DAY 1 -

The Texas Capitol

We just parked in a downtown parking garage, so we could leave the car there and walk around.  What's not to like about this?  It's usually open, it's free, and it's pretty inside.  If you want to spend just a little time, go in and look, and if you want to spend more, you can take a tour.  I like going into state capitol buildings and hit them whenever I can.

6th Street

Sometimes 6th Street looks trashy, as in actually has trash on it, and there are lots of people asking for money.  But at night it's transformed into a musical wonderland.  When the music is coming from every place, the street is closed off, and everyone's walking around it's just ... exciting and fun.  It just gives you that city feeling.  I love walking here at night and ducking in to listen to different bands. 

Places to Eat

Cooper's Old Time Pit BBQ is Kris' favorite Texas BBQ, and he's tried a lot of them.  We've been to the one in Llano, but there's one on Congress in Austin.  (If you like BBQ, which I don't.)  If you're more into giant pretzels and beer gardens, then Scholz Garten is your place.  It was a fun outside area with tons of taps, a giant pretzel, and when we were there, a trio of string musicians jamming together.  They weren't doing it for us, just for them.  Nice atmosphere.

We've also enjoyed the Iron Cactus, because you can sit outside on a balcony and look at all the Austin weirdos.  Easy Tiger is another outdoor place we've been a couple of times.  I love the ping pong tables and the greenery wall.  I could easily spend a few hours here ... and again, they have a giant pretzel.  (You may be picking up on my food favorites.  BBQ, no, huge hunks of bread covered in salt, yes.)

Bats at Congress Bridge

After seeing the Capitol, 6th street, stopping at Easy Tiger and a few other places, Kris' sister Meghan said, "We're about a half mile from Congress Bridge!"  I knew just what she meant because although I've been here before, I've never been here at a time I could see the bats fly out from under Congress Bridge.  It happens March-ish through Septemberi-sh at sunset.  People gather in huge crowds - and in kayaks on the water - to watch 1.5 million bats head out from their batcave for the night.

We have bats here in Michigan ... every night in the summer we have a few that circle the yard.  But to see a stream of them that went on and on and ON was pretty cool.  There were just so many of them.  It made you wonder how the bridge stayed up with all that extra weight!

DAY 2 -

Enchanted Rock

I love cities, but I love nature even more.  Enchanted Rock is a fun, easy hike up a giant rock.  Once you reach the peak and hit the other side, there are rock caves to explore, the scenery to admire, and the fun of looking at being on such a giant rock that is, ostensibly, enchanted.  How else did it get that name?

While we were up there Ty found a 20-lb weight someone had apparently lugged up it.  THAT'S a workout.  I once walked up here when I was pregnant with twins, and they didn't even weigh that much.

Fredericksburg

Fredericksburg is a touristy town that is German, so it reminds me of Frankenmuth, MI, and every tourist beach town in Michigan.  Cute stores, ice cream, pretty parks - all the markers of a tourist town if you feel like walking around and sitting in cow seats.  This cow must be German!

We ate at the Fredericksburg Brewery which was beautiful and almost empty.  Great outdoor seating - perhaps it's more popular in the summer and not on a spring Wednesday at 4:00 p.m.

DAY 3 -

Pedernales Falls State Park

This is more exploring than hike, but there are a lot of places to explore.  The water and rock mix makes for some pretty beautiful scenery.  It warns you everywhere to not swim in it, but I can see how that would be difficult to follow when it was hot outside.  We jumped around, skipped rocks, and then went left from the entrance, where there were spots you could climb even farther and higher.

We stopped off at Bear King Brewing Company in Marble Falls later that night.  It had recently opened and didn't offer pretzels...yet.  Better call and ask before going here!

DAY 4 -

Inks Lake State Park

This is the prettiest park of the three in my opinion.  It has nice, twisty, cool hikes through it.  We brought kayaks and kayaked on the water, which was fun, and we jumped off a cliff into the water.

There are two places you can jump off - a high cliff and a lower cliff.  I was sure I was going to jump off the higher cliff, but then once I went there, I was really uncertain.  For one, you can't see into the water to make sure you're not going to hit something, because it's not clear.  For two, the other people jumping off told me to make sure I jumped toward the sign, because there weren't rocks that way.  For three, the cliff is not straight down - it's angled out so you also have to jump OUT to make sure you clear it.

As a result, I went on the lower cliff, since I was weighing how mad I would be if I hit something in the water and was paralyzed for life.  It didn't seem worth it.

My first jump off the lower cliff was fine.  The second time I jumped with my son, and in the water, I hit a big rock with my leg.  It wasn't painful or anything, but I did hit it, because there are rocks down there!  I'd probably pick a different park to cliff jump ... like one that DOESN'T have big rocks that you can't see in the water!  But hiking and kayaking here?  Totally fun.

DAY 5 -

We flew home out of Austin, because there are some really cheap flights to here.  Spirit flies into here, so you're always going to be able to find something reasonable from a big airport.

Other things in Austin and surrounding areas?  E-scooters - this is the first place I saw them, last summer!  My friend Aimee just did a line dancing class at the White Horse, rented bikes to ride all around the city, and liked the Hops & Grain Brewery.  I also like running along the river early in the morning.  The difference between 6th Street at night and the early morning river is a nice comparison.

And any place you can get a pretzel.  I'm always in favor of that.

Questions?  Email carla.wardin@gmail.com.

St Thomas and the British Virgin Islands

My friend Alicia has been to the BVIs numerous times, and she really wanted us to see it.  Aimee, Annie, and I are game for going anywhere, and somewhere this beautiful was particularly exciting.

DAY 1 -

St Thomas

We flew into St Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands from our various states.  I LOVE meeting up with my friends in other places.  It's always a sort of - where am I going to see you and is this really going to work out - type of thing.  It always has so far!

Aimee and Alicia had gotten there a few hours before me, so I took a taxi to meet them at our Airbnb.  We were taking some steep, twisty roads up a mountain, and I said, "This is really steep," and the driver didn't respond.  As I found out later, he didn't respond because THIS WAS NOTHING COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE ISLANDS.  Twisty, incredibly steep, incredibly narrow roads were the norm.

It was so steep that the taxi driver didn't even drive me all the way to the hotel.  He left me at the bottom of the driveway and I walked up.  I didn't think anything of it, but the Airbnb owners couldn't believe it.

Aimee and Alicia had already befriended the owners, (this is also the norm), so they drove us to see the sunset on a pretty beach, and then they made us dinner.

DAY 2 -

Tortola

We got up early to catch the ferry to Tortola.  We had bought tickets in advance, but this didn't seem to matter.  The person who worked for our ferry company wasn't in yet, so another woman just processed our tickets and passports for us.  Very island-like!

The ferry ride was pretty, because the water was so blue, and the islands were so mountainous.

We rented a car, and the Airbnb owner Karen said she would meet us on the road and we could follow her up to our house.

This is why - there is no way we would have thought we were going the right way.  We drove on the tightest turn, narrowest, twistiest, steepest cliff roads I'd ever been on before.  If she had directed us up there, we would have said, "There's no way this is a road.  This is clearly a path to our doom."  But!  Aimee drove like a champ and we made it to the top with no problem.  Night, rain, other cars - Aimee never had any problems doing it.

The view from the Airbnb was worth it - all open, all island and water.  We had lunch in town and found out it was election day, and as a result, there were no alcohol sales.  We made many jokes about this, as everyone went out of their way to tell us about it.  We drove to Smuggler's Beach on an awful road - and bottomed out the car on the way - and enjoyed the pretty beach.  Check out Nigel's Boom Boom Beach Bar & Grill - we ran into Nigel himself around town three times on our trip!

We were heading across the island and stopped to ask for directions at Stoutt's Look Out, a really happening place on top of a mountain.  The owner was very friendly, as were all the people in there - and then a political candidate drove by and they beckoned him in, wishing him luck.  It had an amazing view and a GREAT atmosphere!  You should definitely go here.

It is here we were introduced to a different definition for the word 'lime.'  Some super fun women told us it means to hang out and have drinks.  "We lime all the time," "He just likes to lime," and "Just liming," are all proper uses.  Go ahead, try and use it - we did!

DAY 3 -

The Baths on Virgin Gorda

There is an interesting thing about the BVIs.  There are no signs.  No street signs, no gas station signs, no grocery store signs - everyone just tells you 'You can't miss it.'  We missed it A LOT.

One spa brochure read, "West End, Tortola.  Right after Jerry Car Rental.  Exactly where Kelly's Hardware used to be."

Another factor is that there was a gigantic hurricane - Irma - here in 2017.  It majorly affected the island and they are still recovering.  Everyone local will talk to you about it, because it was massive and changed everyone's lives.

Through a friend of a friend, ahead of time Alicia found a private ship captain - Bryson - and boat for hire.  We met up with him at a restaurant on the water (without an easily visible sign) and he used his sailboat to take us about two hours to another island - Virgin Gorda, to the Baths.

The Baths are giant rocks you can climb through, under, over - and it's gorgeous.  The water, the rocks, everything.  (I simply cannot get over the water color in the BVIs.)  This is a must see in the BVIs.  We went all through them and then ate lunch at the Top of the Baths Restaurant and Bar.

I tried (unsuccessfully) to sail the boat on the way back.  We went to the Nanny Cay, pronounced key, Beach Bar to eat and hang out.  Our lovely Airbnb host Karen came and bought us drinks, as Annie, Aimee, and Alicia had already befriended her - the theme continues!  There were a lot of locals here, which made it an especially fun place to hang out.

DAY 4 -

The Indians, Willy T's, Cane Garden Bay Beach

We met up with Bryson again and he ferried us to The Indians, which are huge rocks that stick a little above the water and then are the size of skyscrapers under the water.  We snorkeled here and I loved it.

I don't actually snorkel.  I just wear the mask, no flippers, and no mouthpiece.  For me, it's far more enjoyable that way.  It was a little choppy in the water, but it was super exciting seeing how tall the rocks were in the clear water, and we saw lots of fish.  Swimming in the ocean here was great, and seemed almost magical - so far from the boat and any land, but no trouble staying up.  Aimee said, "I like being by the rocks, but when you go away from them, I can almost hear the shark music."  Ha!

We went to Willy T's, which is an iconic BVI stop.  It's a giant floating bar/restaurant!  People were feeding a barracuda chicken wings.  One of the things to do is jump off the second story of the boat.  The water was so clear that I wasn't sure how deep it was, but a guy showed me he could dive off of it.  So, I took the plunge!  It's a tourist thing - you have to!

We snorkeled around and Alicia saw the barracuda, but I didn't - thank goodness.

We hit Stoutt's Look Out again because Annie hadn't seen it, ate dinner at Bananakeet and watched the sunset, and spent the evening at Cane Garden Bay Beach, mostly at the Paradise Club Lounge.  Tons of people out, on the beach, all fun.

DAY 5 -

Jost Van Dyke

After a beautiful breakfast at Sebastian's on the Beach, (truly another gorgeous beach), we met up with our captain again.  We went to White Bay to the Soggy Dollar, which was full of people and sports memorabilia.  People bring flags from all across the world to hang up.

Did I mention the color of the water?!  You could hang out here for hours, but we decided to hike across the peak to take in the sweeping vistas.  It was like looking at a postcard.

We went to Foxy's and met the legendary owner himself, and then we boated over to Bubbly Pool.

Bubbly Pool is accessible from a short walk from the shore.  There are giant rocks that allow waves to swell in, and when they recede it leaves little bubbles.  We watched our Bryson play in the waves as we stayed back a safe distance, and then when he got out he told us that people have died there when they've been swept out past the rocks.  The waves are enough to knock you over, and at some point it had taken away a lot of our shoes that we were able to find.  We all made it, though!  It's worth going - as long as you don't get sucked past the rocks.

We went back to Smuggler's Beach at sunset, and we were the only ones there.  We watched flying fish leap into the air, then we ate dinner and headed for home.

DAY 6 -

Road Town

We took the car back - I should mention that we originally reserved an SUV, but they didn't have one.  We took it back to get one after we bottomed out and I had to tuck part of the broken plastic back under the car, and then it got a flat tire we half changed and then had to get the tire repaired.  Ah, rentals!

Annie and Alicia had an earlier flight, so they took an earlier ferry.  Aimee and I walked around Road Town and looked at people there from the cruise ships.

Everyone told us to NOT rely on the internet for the ferry schedule.  We found that the ferry schedule was very fluid.  When we got there, Annie and Alicia bought tickets for an earlier ferry, and the woman there told Aimee and me to come back later.  When we were walking by later, she said, "Come in and get on this ferry RIGHT NOW!"  about an hour earlier than she had said we should be there.  So we quickly processed our passports and paid the fee for getting out of the country - so many countries make you pay something to get in and leave - and walked in the ferry waiting area to see ... Annie and Alicia!  We were all on the same ferry!  Luckily they made it to their flights on time.

The sights, the different islands, the views, the snorkeling, the Baths, the boat, the amazingly twisty roads - all of it was exciting and fun.  My travel partners are hard to beat, too - just ask any Airbnb host, because they're already friends with them.  Lime away!


Any questions?  Email me at carla.wardin@gmail.com.

Arizona in three days

Kate and I had three days - plus two travel days - to see Arizona.  If that's the kind of time you have, here's what we did and what you might want to do, too!

Thursday - 

Phoenix

We flew into Phoenix Sky Harbor International because we found super cheap flights, but don't overlook the Phoenix-Mesa airport, because it has some sweet deals, too.  For instance, Allegiant flies into there.  Last year I went from Grand Rapids to Phoenix-Mesa with a $200 ticket, and the fact that the girl next to me had a cat in her lap the entire time, and at one point the cat clawed my dress ... still totally worth the money.  And that's saying a lot.  

We took an Uber to Phoenix to check out Lustre, a rooftop bar and restaurant.  It was a little hard to get into and looked closed, but when we found our way up there, it was lovely!  Pretty pool, comfy furniture, and a great view.  Kate ordered a drink that came in a little honey bear on ice.  We were taken.

Kate is a total foodie so she always orders interesting items.  She loved her seafood dish and dips, and I loved my pretzel sticks.  Salt and bread - that's my jam.

The Diamondbacks were playing, plus Disney on Ice was about to start, so we walked around and checked out the people coming into downtown.  We went for a drink at Copper Blues - Rock Pub & Kitchen, which was an artsy outdoor place with a lot of taps - and another open, warm outdoor area!  (Sitting outdoors and eating AND being warm is right up there for a lot of people from Michigan.  I have, in some cases, done this in a winter coat.)

DAY 1 - Friday

Lake Pleasant Regional Park to Yavapai Peak

Hiking!  We went to Lake Pleasant Regional Park to hike to Yavapai Peak.  After paying the entrance fee of $7.00, we parked at the wrong trailhead, then found the right one due to the map.  If you tell them at the gate where you want to go they can direct you.  

The whole desert was in bloom, and the entire landscape is full of saguaro cactus!  Please note - it is imperative that you imitate their branches with your arm motion and take a picture.

The trail is well-maintained and an easy three-mile out and back.  Last year my dad and son went off track and got into some teddy bear cactus.  Cole got it in his elbow, head, arm ... my dad had it all over his backside ... but the park service has now thoughtfully put up a sign indicating that this trail - that USED to look like a trail - is NOT the trail.

The view from the bench at the top is so beautiful, and the sweeping vistas are just as nice on the way down.

I don't normally carry water around, but in Arizona it is dry.  You know, with it being the desert and all.  I like to take water on hikes and I always drink it.  

Next up -     

White Tank Mountain Regional Park and Petroglyphs

We drove about 30 minutes to the White Tank Mountains and on the way got to see a field of roses!  Not wild roses - like a crop of roses.  (We didn't have to pay again - the park receipt is good for the day.)

The White Tank Mountain Regional Park features petroglyphs.  Petroglyphs are unlike hieroglyphics, because they look like a lot of graffiti, but really old graffiti.  They have signs talking about what the doodlings might mean, so you can make fun of their interpretations.  "This swirl may indicate the eternity of life and the uncertainty we all face ... or the artist might have really liked a curvy line."

This trail is touted as family friendly, and for a long way it is a cement sidewalk.  After you get off the sidewalk, it takes you to a fun canyon.  You can take off your shoes, wade through the water, and climb up the canyon to where there is sometimes a trickle of a waterfall (a very small trickle).  I did that with my mountain goat-children, but Kate and I opted to lie on a very large, very warm rock and take in the gorgeous view.

Scottsdale

We got dressed up and headed to Scottsdale for dinner.  We ate at Hot Noodles, Cold Saki because Kate thought that the ramen looked amazing.  Don't be put off by the fact that it is really hard to find in a strip mall.  (We had some difficulty finding it - but there was a rainbow that led us right to it!  Don't expect this when you go.  Especially if you go after dark.)

Kate loved her food so much that she couldn't talk to me while she ate it.  It was that good!  I also liked mine - an egg on top of noodles and lots of vegetables.

Old Town Scottsdale was immediately attractive to me, because anytime you hang lights criss cross across a downtown I'm IN.  We went to the most happening place on the block, The Rusty Spur Saloon.  A band of old guys played and the people were friendly.  We ventured outside because I wanted to try ... the e-scooters!  We downloaded the app and I rode the Bird for the first time!  There were lots of art galleries around us and Kate and I - sometimes riding double and sometimes single - checked them out.  They were surprisingly easy to ride, because I'm not that great at a regular scooter, but these were fun!

DAY 2 - Saturday

Cathedral Rock Trail

We headed to Sedona to hike the Cathedral Rock trail.  This is easily one of my favorite hikes.  You have to actually climb - on all fours - and find footholds, but if  you fell you wouldn't get hurt.  It's the perfect angle!

You have to pay at the machine in the parking lot, then put the receipt in your car.  The earlier you get there, the better, because it fills up on nice days.  People just start parking along the street, which is fine, too, but pretty narrow.

Have you already heard about the vortex in Sedona?  Some people claim to feel some force when in Sedona.  Before I went there I thought it was kind of silly, but 2/3 times I've been to Sedona I've definitely felt something, which feels a lot like an abrupt change in altitude.  I like it.

It's just a two-mile round trip.  You can enjoy the views all the way up, and once you're up there, the red of the rock and the blue of the sky is absolutely beautiful.  Lots of people were just hanging out on top, taking pictures, eating, drinking water, and even meditating.  We did too.  Lovely hike and view! 

We ate great Mexican food at Miley's Cafe and wonderful ice cream at Rocky Road Ice Cream Company, but there are a million choices of places to eat.  

Chapel of the Holy Cross

We went to Chapel of the Holy Cross, which is a beautiful church built into a rock, up really high, surrounded by red rocks.  

The builder seemingly didn't anticipate that masses of people would want to come and see the church, because the parking situation is awful.

Everyone wants to see it, and there's no entry fee - other than voluntarily paying for candles to light and a gift shop.  There's angled parking on the street up, and the parking attendant motioned for me to go forward, but there was no parking any closer.  You just have to go to the top and do a three point turn in a parking lot and head back down.  My advice - go when it's not busy, or just park below in the street on the way there.  We got lucky and got a spot on the way down, but I wouldn't count on it.

But it's worth it!  The church is so pretty, the art is lovely, and the view from the church is gorgeous.

Grand Canyon

Kate and I parked at the Grand Canyon National Park Visitors Center ($35 per car for 1-7 day pass) and hit Mather Point for the sunset.  It was the first time Kate had been, and the fourth time I've been ... but it does NOT get old.  It is so gorgeous that it brought tears to my eyes.  (So dramatic...)  We moved off to the west to see more and to get away from the crowds.  We toasted the sunset.  By the time we left, we were both shivering.  When the sun's gone it immediately gets cold.  Take warm clothes!

DAY 3 - Sunday

Grand Canyon South Kaibab Trail

After spending the night in Tusayan at the Canyon Plaza Premier Studio and Apartments (only a few miles from the entrance to the Grand Canyon), we went back to the visitor center to catch the 8:00 a.m. shuttle bus to the South Kaibab Trail, my favorite trail into the canyon.  I have also hiked halfway down into the canyon on the Bright Angel trail, but I prefer the views and less traffic of this one.

There are signs upon signs that instruct you to not to go down into the canyon and back up in one day, and I haven't...but WOW is it tempting.  Seems fine, really.  But you didn't hear it from me.

We had a gorgeous day, sunny and perfect weather for hiking.  We hiked past Ooh Ahh Point to Cedar Ridge, where there are bathrooms.  We went on a huge rock outcropping here to stop and eat and drink and once again, look at the gorgeous view and talk about how great it was.

This is my top thing to do in Arizona - hiking down this trail.  I really love it, everyone there is happy, (there are some nervous parents clutching their children, but they all seemed excited, too) and the views are one of the best things I've seen.  I just love going so far down into it that you're surrounded.  This time, we didn't even have to share the trail with mules, which made me feel much more confident that nothing was going to accidentally knock me to my death.  My mom sent me three articles about people who fell into the canyon and died in the weeks leading up to our trip, but there were no mules involved in any of the accidents.

Flagstaff

After the trail, we drove to Flagstaff to eat.  There was snow on the mountains!  Flagstaff was a hip, cool college town, full of students, hipsters, and murals.  We ate great food at the Lumberyard Brewing Co, but there are a ton of choices.  People were eating outside, enjoying the sunshine, looking at the snow capped mountains. 

Sun City West

My parents live in Sun City West in the winter, which is where Kate and I stayed.  It's a 17,000 house retirement neighborhood with three rec centers, clubs for every activity imaginable, and opportunities to play, play, play.  You have to be 55 to own a home there, but there is no age limit for visitors!  We stayed here Sunday night and flew home Monday.

So that's Arizona in three days.  It's warm, it's fun, and there is so much to do within a few hours.

Thanks to Kate for suggesting the trip and my parents for living there!  I'll go cry at a beautiful sight anytime.  Mule attendance optional.

If you have any questions about your upcoming trip, please feel free to email me at carla.wardin@gmail.com.