Category Archives: Vacation2016

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Kauai – Sun, Oahu – Flash Floods

15 Thursday Sep 2016

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The alarm went off at 5AM, and we were on our way to the airport at 5:45AM to catch our 7:20 flight. As we walked into the lobby we were greeted with signs reminding us why we are in Hawaii. It was still a little drizzly this morning after the downpours last night.

We got there with no problem, and had plenty of time to spare.  Island Air’s terminal is very separate from the main terminals, and was more like the airport I remembered – long glass windows looking out to the tarmac where you would stand and watch arriving guests deplane, and departing guests would stand at the top of the stairs and wave goodbye.  

It’s been a long time since I’ve ridden in a prop plane!

A quick, easy flight and we were on the ground in Lihue, Kauai. We got our rental car, and we were off! Kauai is lush and green, just the way I remember it. 

First stop, Kauai Coffee Company. We sampled a lot of coffee, and learned a lot on the self-guided tour. Did you know dark roast coffee has more body, but medium roast has more caffeine? The coffee was excellent, and their sense of humor evident throughout.

Next on our list, Waimea Canyon, the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. Stunningly beautiful and serene. As we were pulling into the lookout, there were two blacktail deer on the ridge above the parking lot. One buck, the other possibly a doe. And lots of “free range” roosters.  The nene may be the Hawaii state bird, but the rooster is the unofficial bird of Kauai.

Waterfall on the way to Waimea Canyon

Hydrangeas! Not sure who brought them to Kauai, but they were abundant at this lookout.

The nene – Hawaii’s state bird. This is a teenaged one 

A drive back down the mountain into town where we stopped for lunch at Porky’s. Sausage or hot dog covered with kalua pork, or a grilled cheese with kalua pork. We double checked the time and distance to the light house, and realized we were going to be cutting it very close as they closed at 4PM. 

Fortunately traffic was light, but phone batteries were dying, so no photos of the scenery along the way. (I brought my battery pack with me today, but I forgot the charging cable. Guess we’ll chalk that up to the early morning hour!)   We passed Sleeping Giant in the Noi Noi mountains. Lush, tropical paradise continued, and even included a few stretches of beachs. We pulled into the lighthouse parking lot at 3:52PM. The park ranger tried to convince us we didn’t have time. D and I looked at each other and knew we could do what we needed to do – she stopped in the gift store to pick up a special request, I ran ahead for the photos. She had time to round the corner and see the lighthouse in person before the park rangers began shooing us out. One of the straggling visitors even pointed out a baby bird in its nest to us.

As we began our trek back toward Lihue, we stopped at a market we’d passed earlier, Kong Lung Market. Wonderful shops and local artisan’s wares. We had to be mindful of what we purchased as we had to carry everything back with us, in a carry-on, on a plane…let’s just say I wish I’d remembered that at stop #1 this morning! I can’t say what TSA confiscated or I will give away a Christmas gift (which I will replace before I head home.)

Fortunately most of the artisan’s we have seen and really liked have websites where we can purchase items. We were back to the airport in plenty of time. The ticket agent advised us Honolulu was under a flash flood watch as it had been raining all day, and there was a good possibility we could hit turbulence on the way home. Our initial thought? What a stroke of luck for us! We had sun and gorgeous weather the entire day. The flight left about 15 minutes early, and all was drying out when we arrived back in Oahu. Fingers crossed it stays dry for the next several days.

We went back to Duke’s tonight for a quick bite to eat before turning in.  We both opted for Hula Pie. I would say a perfect way to end a great day! Tomorrow we are headed back to the North Shore of Oahu for a slower look around at stores, swimming, sunning and whatever strikes our fancy.

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Relaxation

14 Wednesday Sep 2016

As yesterday was a full day, and tomorrow’s adventure requires a 5:45AM departure from the hotel, we opted to have a relaxation day today. We returned one rental car, picked up another, walked a bit of the Waikiki strip, ate lunch at Duke’s, then sat on the beach and poolside for a few hours.  We’re going to explore the other end of the strip tonight, grab a bite to eat, and call it an early night. Yes, it truly was relaxing even if it doesn’t sound like it!

International Marketplace is very different than it was 43 years ago, even than 3 years ago.  What used to be stalls selling inexpensive souvenirs and chatzky, is now an upscale shopping mall anchored by Saks Fifth Avenue. Trendy chain restuarants are on the third floor. The only thing that remains of the original International Marketplace is the banyon tree. They have incorporated the history and stories of the original Marketplace throughout, and you even have the opportunity to share your own memory.  

There were seating areas throughout the shopping center…great idea to give those who don’t like shopping a place to relax!

And, of course, Dad had to “make an appearance” today…as I took the first photo of the banyan tree the song “Hawaiian Superman” started to play. It wasn’t Iz’s version, fortunately, I might have had to sit in one of the rocking chairs to compose myself. (My father passed away in 2008. Hawaiian Superman was the song playing as he took his last breath. So the song can still transport me back to that day in an instant.)

We had walked down an alley on Saturday night lined with surfboard lockers. I wanted to find it again for a picture…fortunately it was right across the street from the Marketplace!  The different sizes, shapes and colors of the surfboards, lined up next to each other, making a wonderful collage.

It was then back to the room to change into our bathing suits, grab some lunch, and claim our spots in the sand and in the ocean. We’ve been in Hawaii for 3 days, and we’d yet to spend any significant time on the beach. We opted for lunch at Duke’s. Fish tacos and Korean steak street tacos. Both delicious! We will be back to try the Hula pie – the beach was calling and the rain had stopped!

The honu statue at the entrance to the hotel lobby

View from Duke’s

I was too busy swimming and napping to take pictures while we were on the beach. While we were eating lunch I kept hearing a noise that sounded like thunder.  Turns out it was the waves hitting the sea wall just in front of our hotel as the tide came in.  It was fun being in the water and watching the wave crash and roll along the wall. I will bring the waterproof case next beach visit and see if I can’t capture it. I did take some photos of Diamond Head from the pool area.  After all, a trip to Hawaii isn’t complete without photos of Diamond Head, is it?


We took a walk down the other end of the Waikiki strip to the Hawaii Convention Center and around the area a bit.  We got to see some crew practice by what seemed to be a club rather than a local school as the rowers were different ages, stages and genders. 


The backside of the Convention Center. There are beautiful waterfalls running down the outside which you can’t see in the photo.

We had Vietnamese phô for dinner, and are now back ready to say good night.  Tomorrow we off extra early to explore the island of Kuai for the day.

Posted by | Filed under beach, Diamond Head, Hawaii, Hawaii beaches, Hawaii Convention Center, Honolulu, Honu, Honu statue, Oahu, ocean, Pacific Ocean, Sea turtle statue, sea turtles, Sheraton Waikiki, Vacation2016

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Hidden Gems and Sea Turtles

13 Tuesday Sep 2016

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Today was an early start as we had to meet the tour bus at 7:30 for the Hidden Gems Tour of Oahu. We were up in time to see the sunrise, but being on the west side of the island with a mountain range in between, it was a little hard to see.  And the cloud cover wasn’t helping much, either.  Once the van was full our driver, Mikos (the short version of his name. He is named for 7 generations of grandfathers, so his given name is very long!) pulled over and had us introduce ourselves. Quite an international group in our tour – Australia, New Zealand, Portugal, Brazil, Egypt, Alaska, Slovakia, California, and of course, Arizona and Georgia. It made for very interesting conversation throughout the day, but I have to say the youngest two Californians did not make the best impression. They did provide us with plenty of “entertainment” throughout the day, though. Our driver was very patient and kind…I’m sure he has seen it all! The driver’s wife and 2 year old grandson were also along for the ride. 

We drove around the south end of the island, past Hanauma Bay with our first official stop at Blow Hole and Eternity Beach.  (So named because scenes in the movie From Here to Eternity were filmed here.)  Unfortunately it was low tide, so we weren’t able to see it “blow.”

An ancient altar to a Hawaiian god on the way to Halona Blowhole.

From there we went to Makapu’u and Rabbit Island, Waimanalo Bay, through part of Kailua and on a small portion of the Pali Highway to He’eia Park where we could see Gilligan’s Island.

Gilligan’s Island was filmed on the small island on the left.

When the tide is high, the waves carry fish over the sea wall. Holes in the wall allow the smaller fish to return to the sea when the tide goes out. The medium and large fish are then caught by local fishermen.

A quick stop at the Macadamia Nut Outlet for samples of macadamia nuts and coffee, stretching our legs and picking up some gift items, and we were back underway to Kualoa , Ka’a’awa, Hau’ula, and on into Kahuku for lunch at Funi’s Kahuku Shrimp.

Hala, or pandanus trees.

Mokoli’i Island, otherwise known as Chinaman’s Hat

One of two houses built with coral. It is illegal to use coral as a building product now.

The “back” side of Crouching Lion in Ka’a’awa.

Hukilau Cafe – part of the movie 50 First Dates was filmed here.

Hawaii is seeking alternative forms of energy, including wind energy. We passed 2 areas of windmills today.

After lunch you need dessert, right? And why not a Hawaiian fried banana and fresh fruit? The fried bananas were scrumptious, and the fruit will be dessert after dinner tonight.

Fresh coconuts…juice, anyone?

After filling our bellies, we began the drive south with stops at Sunset Beach, Waimea Bay Beach, and on into Hale’iwa Beach to swim with the Honu – Hawaiian sea turtles.

I purchased a waterproof case for my phone on Sunday just for the turtle swim.  With the weather today, the water was just a bit murky.  Between the murky water and my mask continually fogging up, I really wasn’t sure what I was taking pictures of…but somehow managed to capture a photo of a turtle!

Murky water today due to cloud cover

I managed to get a photo of a honu underwater!

We were lucky to have a turtle come very close to shore (the waves kept washing it up, and he didn’t seem in much of a hurry to leave), so I was able to get some better pictures.  Such an incredible experience!

After all the excitement of seeing the honus, we dried off and boarded the bus.  A stop at the Dole Pineapple Factory for those who were still hungry and wanted a pineapple whip (we both passed but wandered around the gift shop), then it was on to the final bit of our journey, down the west coast and back to Waikiki.  We dropped one couple off in downtown Honolulu just near the Aloha Tower, once the tallest structure in Honolulu. 

Pineapple field

 Hawaiian free range rooster

A short walk back to the hotel from our drop off spot, and in time to catch the final moments of tonight’s sunset. Tomorrow is a “down” day with nothing major planned. A welcome break after the long day today.

 

Posted by | Filed under beach, Blow Hole, Crouching Lion, Dole, Dole Pineapple, Dole Pineapple Factory, Halona, Halona Blow Hole, Hanauma Bay, Hawaii, Hawaii beaches, Honolulu, Honu, Kahuku, Kahuku shrimp, Kailua, Kualoa Ranch, Maunaloa Bay Beach, North Shore, Oahu, Oahu Hidden Gems Tour, pineapple, Rabbit Island, sea turtles, Travel, Vacation2016, Waimanalo Beach, Waimea Bay

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Memorials, submarines and memories

12 Monday Sep 2016

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We slept in a bit this morning…we were both awake by 6:30AM or so. Considering the time change, that is sleeping in for us!  We grabbed a coffee from the lobby, enjoyed the remainder of yesterday’s grandona and had a leisurely morning.  And with this view, how could you not?!

First on today’s list was a visit to the USS Arizona Memorial. I was too young to visit it when we lived here, so this was a first for me, too. And to be there on the 15th anniversary of the 2nd surprise attack on the US was very poignant and humbling. We got to the park about an hour or so before our scheduled tour time, so we had a chance to wander through many of the exhibits. So many thoughts and emotions as we read the history, and particularly the names, of those killed. 

We watched the short movie prior to boarding the boat that took us out the the Arizona Memorial. I hope the pictures convey what words cannot…

35 of the original survivors have been buried with their shipmates, the most recent on December 7, 2015 at the age of 100. There are 6 remaining survivors of the Arizona today.

When we finished our visit here, we were picked up by my cousin and his wife and given a wonderful tour of Pearl Harbor Navy Base and Ford Island. We had to stop and get cleared to go on base due to the high security given the day. A lot has changed, but there were many spots that were very familiar and held many memories…especially the submarines! The USS Mississippi must have recently returned as she was still wearing her lei and the welcome home banners were still on the fence. I remember standing on the pier watching and waiting for the arrival of my dad after many patrols. We were fortunate to see the USS Utah Memorial, the bullet markings in the concrete from machine gun fire, the original Arizona Memorial, and a view of the more well known Arizona Memorial that most do not get to see.

And a trip to Ford Island wouldn’t be complete without a picture of my parent’s names carved in the banyan tree. There’s no confirmation that it is in fact them, or who carved it, but it dates to roughly our early years in Hawaii…and given the Navy social events of the time, anything is possible! Plus, I just love the thought that my father would have proclaimed his love for my mother by carving their names in a tree for the all to see

A short drive back to our car, and we followed them home for dinner. PuPus of poke, kimchi octopus, edamame and poi followed by a delicious hot sandwich roll. I did try the octopus (yes, Mom, I tried it…still not tops on my list of seafood) and the poi.  I cannot believe I used to eat poi as a child without hesitation.  I admit I am not as much a fan as an adult.  A wonderful evening of good food, great conversation, laughs, and lots of kisses from Lui, their dog. 

We made it back to the hotel in time to catch the 3-D Liquid Light Show at the pool. A lot of fun, and a perfect end to the day. 

Posted by | Filed under Ford Island, Hawaii, Honolulu, Memorials, Navy, Pearl Harbor, PuPus, Submarines, Travel, USS Arizona, USS Utah, Vacation2016

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Hawaiian Adventures – Day 1

11 Sunday Sep 2016

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Several months ago a friend, D.,  asked if I would be interested in accompanying her to Hawaii to celebrate her birthday (which was actually in July and one worth celebrating) and her achieving a significant designation in our industry.  Of course I said yes, and my other half agreed to let me travel without him for 2 weeks. We’ve done months of text messaging, FB messaging and phone calls to decide what were “must do” items, when we wanted to do them, what needed reservations…all the little details that go into planning what we hope will be an unforgettable visit to the land of Aloha.I snuck into Arizona on Friday night, got to visit my favorite pizza joint where we’d had dinner a few times before, then crawled into bed after we got my friend packed.  Thank goodness for the small travel scales you hook on the suitcase. They aren’t perfectly accurate, but we both were just under the 50 pound limit.  Whew! 

An easy check-in at the airport, and we departed on time. A quick 6 hour 20 minute flight and we were in Hawaii. (I am probably one of a small number of people who think nothing of a 6 hour flight…trips to Sri Lanka will do that to you, I guess.)  We got to baggage claim and I spotted a familiar face.  My cousin had come to meet us and gave us the traditional Hawaiian lei greeting. He also had a bag of goodies for us – bottled water, macadamia nuts, and chocolate covered macadamias.  It was fun to see him after 4 years, and a nice surprise for D. He walked us to the rental car center, helped get our bags in the car, then left us to our own devices for the day.

Our first stop was downtown Honolulu as we’d placed a special order that would be ready for pick-up at 3PM. As our plane had arrived 30 minutes early, we had plenty of time to kill.  First order of business, find a spot for lunch!  So after driving around the block twice (I missed the parking lot entrance the first time), we parked the car and checked Yelp for nearby restaurants.  We were in Chinatown, so we had lots to chose from!  We settled on Lucky Belly, a ramen fusion restuarant. One of the things they’re known for are homemade sodas. Our waitress recommended the lilikoi fizz – a passion fruit soda.  It was wonderful!  Fruity but not overly sweet, and just the thing after walking in the heat and humidity. 

We had a wonderful lunch, then wandered around Chinatown a bit as we were told our order wouldn’t be ready until 3. We passed several flower shops where women were stringing leis, and found the Chinese Cultural Center where the Moon Festival was taking place. A walk across the river brought us to a Japanese Shinto shrine.

We still had time to kill before our order was ready, so we headed in the opposite direction and stumbled onto the Catholic cathedral where Fr. Damian was ordained and celebrated his first mass. It is a relatively non-descript building from the outside, dwarfed by the large highrise buildings surrounding it.  Inside, a beautiful respite from the world outside its walls. 

We had to tear ourselves away as it was just before 3PM, and our order was ready for pick-up.  Just a few doors down was our destination – Let Them Eat Cupcakes Bakery. We had preordered their grandona pastries. (Thanks to the article in Hawaii Magazine espousing their buttery, flaky goodness, we had to try them!) These are described as malasada meets croissant. They were hot, delicious smelling, and it took a fair amount of will power (ok, and the fact we put them on the back seat out of reach) not to indulge as soon as we left the bakery!

An easy drive further south, and we were checking into our hotel at 4PM. We settled in, decided we really had an obligation to try the grandonas and make sure they were good (we plan to take them to my cousins’ house tomorrow when we visit).  We sat on the balcony and savored several bites. They were sinfully rich, and I don’t know that I could even attempt to eat a whole one in one sitting. Well, enough sitting around eating pastries – the beach called, and we didn’t want to miss the 6PM torch lighting and hula show.

We set off down the beach thinking it would be an easy walk. I had completely forgotten how “soft” Hawaiian sand is.  Even going closer to the water was a good workout for the calves! So we wound our way to the sidewalk, and walked and walked and walked…all the way to the Honolulu Zoo entrance, and a little bit beyond.  We thought we were in the right area, but it turns out we’d walked about 1/2 mile beyond where we needed to be. Oops. Nothing like an extra mile of walking for the day, right? We figured it helped burn off one of the bites of grandona!

We eventually found Kuhio Park and a place to sit on the sea wall to watch the show. So many memories flooding back for me of all my hula lessons many, many years ago.  

It turned out we had stopped on the other side of this banyan tree to take a picture of it while walking to the park…we just missed the signs that said the show was there.  That seems to be today’s theme – hidden/hard to find or follow signs. The show was wonderful, and thanks to D.’s tap on my shoulder, I was able to turn around and grab a last photo before my camera died for the day.

(Along with the many others trying to capture the beauty of the moment!)

A light dinner back at the hotel with a Hawaiian musical duet and hula dancer, then it was back to the room where we are turning in and resting up for more adventure tomorrow!

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Spur of the moment adventure!

05 Monday Sep 2016

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For those who don’t know me (or us) well, I am prone to last minute, sometimes late at night, flights of fancy which usually include some sort of local adventure.  To say that I am blessed with a husband who sometimes encourages, but always indulges, in these crazy ideas is a complete and utter understatement. Today was just further proof of this.

We had a wonderful Saturday evening with friends, enjoyed some scrumptious BBQ and great conversation.  We got the kitchen cleaned up and were sitting around relaxing.  I hopped online just out of curiousity to see what options we might have if we decided to drive to the coast. (I may have been feeling just a little guilty that I will soon be spending 2 weeks in Hawaii on a girls trip, and the beach is a very special place for both of us.)

Whether it was Hurrican Hermine (downgraded to Tropical Storm Hermine by the time she hit the GA/SC coast) causing people to cancel reservations, or our guardian angels who knew how important and special a trip to the ocean would be for us, I managed to find an exceptionally reasonably priced hotel for Labor Day weekend that was pet friendly. (The cat is good at home on her own for an overnight trip.  The dog, not so much.  She needs to come with us, or be boarded.)  She was clearly up for the adventure!

I have the hotel website up and ready to press the “reserve now” button…I verify one last and final time (after checking the weather forecast, storm damage and travel time) that he was willing to go along with my last minute excursion plans.  It was probably less than a second from his “I’m in” response to the click of the button. (I don’t waste time when adventure calls and there is anything resembling agreeement to my shenanigans!)
We decided to shoot for a 9AM departure, with 9:30AM being our “drop dead” out the door time. We packed overnight bags, the dog, and lots of leftover snacks, and left the driveway at precisely 9:30AM.  (The whole departure time negotiation is an entire post in and of itself.  I was happy to be on the road by our final time of 9:30.)

The drive was easy and uneventful, just the way we like them. There wasn’t much traffic, and the weather was wonderful – sunny with just the right amount of clouds to keep the sun from overheating us.

We hit the GA/SC border about 1:30PM (we’d made a few stops along the way…breakfast, pitstop, lunch), so we were just a tad later than planned. We were checked in to our hotel, changed and headed to the beach by 3:15PM. If you aren’t a rewards/club member of your favorite hotel chain, you really should be. Not only did we get an awesome deal, we got a free upgrade to a suite for being members.  I generally don’t give shout-outs/endorsements on here, but I have to make an exception for the Holiday Inn Express in Bluffton, SC.  Their front desk staff are the tops – so knowledgeable, friendly and accomodating. We got great directions to the “local” beach that would be less touristy. It was an easy 20 minute drive, free parking, and an easy walk to the beach. On our way across the bridge to Hilton Head Island. my other half got to see a dolphin breach. I couldn’t see it, but I don’t doubt it given the look on his face!

We weren’t quite sure what the “rules” of the beach were, so we brought just the bare minimum.  We’re already much better prepared for the next time…we got to swim a bit, sun a bit, and enjoy the people watching. It was fun watching the kites dance and weave further down the beach, and on our last trip into the water I almost stepped on a starfish! Unfortuantely I had left the camera back at our spot, so I wasn’t able to get a photo of him. 

We headed back to the hotel and took a quick swim in the pool just to say we did. A wonderful recommendation from the front desk on a local restaurant for fresh seafood, and we were off for dinner.  We ate on the upstairs deck bar at Captain Woody’s and had great food and live entertainment. We hit it at just the right time, too, as it filled up rather quickly shortly thereafter.
Our pooch was happy to see us when we finally returned for the evening.  She looks like we feel, I think!  

Tomorrow we’ll drive around the island a bit more before we head inland and back to reality. This was a very serendipitous trip, and I believe the first of many to this little stretch of heaven on earth!

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Home, Sweet Home

14 Thursday Jul 2016

It’s always bittersweet to come home after a wonderful trip, but I must say sleeping in our bed last night felt so good! We forced ourselves to go to bed at a relatively normal hour, and to sleep in until a normal hour.  (I was ready to prowl the house at about 3:30AM, but I knew that would lead to a longer jetlag recovery.) Our purring fur-baby was very happy to see us, so much so that she sat outside our bedroom door and meowed until I finally let her in with us. (We don’t generally let the fur-babies in our bedroom, so this was a special treat for her!) We unpacked essentials last night, and my other half will attack the laundry over the next few days. 

Some of the smaller details of our trip for those who may be looking to travel to Norway or Italy, or those who are just curious-minded like me.

 We flew British Airways between the US and Oslo with a layover/transit in London’s Heathrow. Not the worst flights, but certainly not the best we’ve had either.  (The best is still held by Singapore Airlines in my opinion.) BA has a new computer system that crashed multiple times on both of our main travel days. Customs & Immigration was a breeze in each country, and the airports were easy to navigate. Oslo and Heathrow both had plenty of assistants available to answer questions and point you in the right direction. 

From Rome to Oslo we flew Norwegian Airlines. For the price ($327 total for two of us, including travel insurance), we got a brand new airplane (although the WiFi had not been hooked up yet). Flight crew was very friendly, but they charge for all beverages (250 NOK for a water) and you can only eat food purchased onboard. If it’s a short flight, I would definitely fly them again.

The first night in Oslo we stayed at CityBox Hotel. Reception and concierge were Ipads. Very hip and modern, and we didn’t have to worry about a late check-in! Room was clean and comfortable.  There was a wonderful French cafe just off the lobby for breakfast. If you are traveling from the US to Europe, you need to quickly adjust to the size and room amenity differences.  Closet space is small or non-existent throughout Europe, and only the hotels in Italy had a mini fridge.  Granted, we stayed in moderately priced rooms at 3+ star hotels. 4-5 star hotels might be somewhat different – I prefer to spend my money on the daytime experiences, food and shopping. A hotel room to me is where I get my rest and freshen up each day, so I don’t require much in the way of amenities. 

The hotel in Verona, Hotel Gardenia, was probably the worst experience of the trip. Fortunately it was only one night (technically about 5 hours)…the front desk clerk was essentially incompetent, and wanted to keep our documents (passports, etc) until morning. No, thank you!  The ladies took the room keys and our luggage and set off to find our rooms and left the guys to wait for the documents.  The clerk did not tell us which way to go to get to our room until we showed up again in the lobby to ask for directions.  I did not go into the lobby in the morning, but I was told the desk clerk then was as rude as the evening one. A review was left on TripAdvisor, so at least others can be informed as well.

Our flat in Trequanda is available on VRBO (https://www.vrbo.com/440247). I cannot express in words how wonderful this little town is. The flat is situated conveniently to the square and parking area. (On street parking is very limited due to the narrow streets.)  An early morning stroll for a cappucino and pastry in town, then off to explore the surrounding areas, of which there are many. 

Tuscan towns are built on top of hills.  We walked an average of 3 – 6 miles per day (at least according to my Samsung Gear Fit2). Comfortable, supportive walking shoes are a must, especially as most of the roads in town are all cobblestone. There are plenty of benches and places to sit throughout the towns if you need a rest. The shopping was wonderful, and a great selection of items.  We generally browsed at the bottom of the hill and checked prices for items, then compared as we went up.  If the shop at the bottom was still the best price, we made our purchases on our way back to the car rather than carrying bags with us the entire day. If you travel to Italy in the summer, bring a fan – it is hot and humid, and very few places are air conditioned. There was a wonderful breeze most days, but that alone will not keep you cool. I finally purchased a fan in Montepulciano, and was using it daily through the flight home yesterday.

Always throw a bathing suit in your luggage, even if you are positive you won’t need it. (That’s a reminder for me, mostly.)  The Mediterranean coast of Italy is rocky and slippery, so beach/water shoes are recommended. 

Rome really needs more than 2 days to see it properly.  We did the quick tour because of time, but next trip will be a longer stay. Taxis are easily found and relatively inexpensive. (A 15 – 20 minute ride for 4-5 of us averaged €9 – €10.) Grab a street map from your hotel as Rome is not easy to navigate without one. We stayed at Grand Hotel Olympic near Vatican City. Donatella, the hotel manager, was wonderful. My other half taught her how to reset the WiFi when it became overloaded. It is an older hotel and showed signs of wear and tear. The shower was very small, as is the case with most European hotels, but this one seemed extra small. Breakfast was included, but the food was fair.  One morning the cappucino machine was broken, the pastries did not seem particularly fresh, but there was a large selection of meat and cheese. I would have liked some fresh fruit as a option.

Our final nights in Oslo were at the Comfort Hotel Børsparken. A huge lobby area with tables and chairs, free coffee 24 hours/day, and a small selection of snacks and beverages for purchase by the front desk. There is apparently one of the largest and best gyms in the area on their lower level, but we didn’t check it out. Very conveniently located to the train station and a slightly longer walk to the waterfront and ferries. Ask ahead of checkout if there are tour groups staying at the hotel…we had to take the service elevator to get down to check out on our last day as the main elevator was consistently full. Turned out there were two tour buses checking out the same time we were. 

Not sure when or where our next Big Adventure will be, but we will be checking out areas closer to home in the coming months.  I do get a daytrip to Chicago with my mom in 10 days, so there may be a quick post then.  Not sure what she has planned, other than a train ride up and back! 

Until the next time…thanks for traveling with us! We hope you enjoyed our trip virtually as much as we did in reality. 

Posted by | Filed under Europe, Italy, Norway, Oslo, Roma, Rome, Travel, Trequanda, Tuscany, Vacation2016

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Last day of Big Adventure 2016

12 Tuesday Jul 2016

We arrived in Oslo last evening, successfully left 2 bags checked at the airport, and took the train into town. A quick walk from the Sentralstasjon to our hotel…maybe not as quick as it would have been under normal circumstances as my legs were still sore from the cupola climb and Roma expedition, but we made it!  A very hip little place an easy walk to transportation and things we wanted to see.  

Last night’s dinner was at Nilsen Spiseri, a small restaurant a block away from the hotel.  It is right next door to a hostel, and our waiter has been working there for 6 months after a stay in the hostel. My other half opted for poached salmon, and I decided to go outside the comfort zone with reindeer stew. I must say I was a little nervous, but it was absolutely delicious! 

We slept in a bit this morning (exhaustion had begun to hit us both), then ventured out about 11AM. My other half went to the tourist information center a block away and bought two Oslo Passes for us. Best purchase of the day as they allowed free admission to every place we visited and free rides on transportation (ferries and light rail).  A quick walk to the waterfront, and we boarded a ferry to the Norsk Folkemuseum and Viking Ship Museum.  

The Folkemuseum did not have a lot going on, but was still an interesting walk about.  The Viking Ship Museum was great fun.  Amazing that these actual vessels were found buried and intact. They’d actually been used as burial ships, a coffin of sorts. They’d been looted, so there was no jewelry or articles of value, but the items that did survive have some significant historical value!

From there it was a leisurely walk to the Fram Museum. The Fram was the first wooden sailing vessel to explore both the North and South Poles. It is fully preserved, and you can go aboard. Very interesting to read about the expeditions and science experiments carried out on each voyage.

A ferry ride across the fjord back to Oslo, and we decided it was lunchtime.  A stroll down the pier reading every menu, and we opted for Louise’s. Tasty mussels steamed in white wine with lemon and seasoning for me, and fish and chips for the Mister. His fish was more along the lines of Sri Lankan fish cutlets and not the British fish and chips he expected.  But we will have a layover in London tomorrow, so we can make up for it there.  Not that he minded fish cutlets at all – they are one of his favorite foods!  A small rain shower as we finished lunch, and a light drizzle while we ate our Swiss ice cream cones on our way to the Nobel Peace Center.

Nobel Peace Center had wonderful exhibits. It was very moving, and photos were an afterthought.  The current exhibit was about the 1936 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Carl Von Ossietzky. Upstairs were more exhibits, and a large section on the Syrian refugee crisis from the perspective of Syrian children.  Hard to read their words without getting a lump in the throat. As you go back down to the main level, children (and adults, too, I suppose) are encouraged to post a “thought bubble” about peace. 


  Next stop, Vigeland Park. Too far away to walk, especially with dark clouds gathering on the horizon.  We pulled up Google maps, figured out where to catch the light rail, and off we went.  My father was in Oslo in 1956 or 1957, and I was in search of the fountain from one of his photos.  We thought this might be the one.  I’m not quite sure and will need to look at his photo when I get home.  Either way, it was an easy trip, and worth the train ride.  The park has over 200 bronze and granite scuptures by Gustav Vigeland.  A tremendous rose garden surrounded the center fountain, leading the way to the monolith.  The monolith is 121 figures trying to reach the top of the structure. 


A quick train ride back to the hotel, and we have essentially brought 2016 Big Adventure to an end.  Off to find our last dinner in Oslo for this trip. Tomorrow we return home, and try to wrap our heads around everything we’ve seen and done!

Posted by | Filed under Europe, Fram, Nobel Peace Center, Norway, Oslo, Travel, Vacation2016, Viking Museum

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Rome wasn’t built in a day

11 Monday Jul 2016

And we had the tour to confirm it! A full day exploring all the other “must see” places in Rome – piazas, the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, the Coliseum, and Basilica di San Clementi. The climb up to the cupola the prior day had my legs feeling like jelly for the better part of the day, so it was a slow and steady pace for us. I considered calling it quits once or twice during the day, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.

We started at Campo di Fiori where there was an open air market. A fresh fruit cup from a vendor, and it was time to hit the cobblestones.

It seemed every few streets we’d stumble onto another piaza, each with its own feel. 

From there we found the Pantheon. Seemed like it was dropped in the middle of the city.  There was a long line to get in, but as admission was free it moved rather quickly. 2 Roman “soldiers” were outside the exit posing for photos. 

The next piaza had a rather non-descript church from the outside. My other half and I waited outside while the others ventured in to explore. What could top St. Peter’s and the Sistine Chapel? Based on their encouragement, we went in for a tour…and very glad we did! Gregorian chant being played quietly through the speakers seemed to have a magical effect on all visitors – the level of respect and quiet was considerably higher than the day before.  I wonder what effect piping music into the Basilica and Sistine Chapel would do? Might bring down the amount of “shushing” and overall chatter. But, it might not with the tour guides trying to hold their group together and impart information.  It makes me wonder, though.  

This is the ceiling in the nave!

From there we wound our way through side streets and main streets and found ourselves standing at the Trevi Fountain. As disappointed as I was with Michaelangelo’s Creation, I was very pleasantly surprised with this site. So much bigger than I’d expected. It has been under renovation for the past few years, so this was the first time our hosts had seen it in full splendor, too. 

Lunch was at a small pizzeria around the corner, and very good. We rested, chatted and enjoyed the air conditioning as long as possible. We then hit the streets to the ancient part of the city…the Forum of Trajan (112 – 113A.C.) and Forum of Augustus (2 B.C.)

It was rather surreal to think about standing on/near sites that were built centuries before the beginning of Christianity. There is a tremendous archeological effort underway to rebuild what areas they can from the original pieces.  A short walk further, and we had to pinch ourselves to remember we weren’t on a movie set…

Well, maybe just a little bit of a set!

The final stop was Basilica di San Clemente. No photos are allowed, but it was by far one of the highlights. The current basilica was built just before 1100AD.  It sits on a 4th century basilica which was previously the home of a Roman nobleman. In the 1st century the home had served as an early church. In the 2nd century, the basement was used as a mithraeum. The nobleman’s home has been built on the remains of a villa and warehouse which had been destroyed by fire in 64AD. We went all the way down into the catacombs and shook our heads in amazement. The frescoes that have survived all these years later brought goosebumps.

Dinner at a neighborhood restaurant outside the city center. Pasta and risotto primi courses, rabbit cacciatore and calamari spiedino for secondi. Neither of us could finish either of our courses – the portions were enormous! A final tiramisu and glass of grappa rounded off the meal.

Back to Piaza di Campo di Fiore to buy a small suitcase to get everything home, then back to the hotel to repack and get some sleep.  We were headed back to Norway in the morning for the final days of our Big Adventure 2016.

Posted by | Filed under Basilica San Clemente, Colliseum, Europe, Italy, Pantheon, Roma, Rome, Trevi Fountain, Vacation2016

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Once in a lifetime…Part 2

11 Monday Jul 2016

​Our tickets for the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel were for 1:30PM admission.  We arrived at the entrance just a bit late but had no issues being admitted. We managed to maneuver around the many tour groups queuing up and crowding the entrance hall, got our receipt for our audio guides, and headed upstairs.  A quick lesson on how to use the audio guide, and we were off to explore.

You really need a week to see all the treasures at an appropriate pace. But as our ticket was good for one day only, we had to see everything we could in the limited time available. I’d say we did a pretty good job.  We did double back a few hours into our exploration as empty bellies and thirst were getting the better of us. Fortunately the cafe near Pinecone Courtyard had one remaining vegetarian sandwich! That with a side of caprese and Italian beer, and we had the energy needed to complete our tour. 

The Hall of Maps was breathtaking.  The Sistine Chapel beautiful and awe-inspiring. I was somewhat disappointed in Michalangelo’s The Creation, if that’s even possible…having seen it in photos for so many years, it was much smaller than I expected. However, the fact that I was standing in the Sistine Chapel looking at it was pretty amazing in and of itself.  

No photos were allowed in the Sistine Chapel, so we will continue to rely on the photos in books and online to remember that portion of our visit.  From there we essentially skipped the Contemporary Art collection, stopped at the gift store on our way out, and headed back toward our hotel – exhausted with our brains on overload.  We opted for a quick beverage to celebrate our anniversary in a small wine cafe just down the street from the hotel…a glass of proseco, a glass of chardonnay, and a cheese board made for a perfect end to the afternoon’s adverture.
Out of curiousity we checked some statistics for the Vatican Museum. It is the 5th most visited and 5th largest museum in the world. (The Louvre being #1 for visitors and the State Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia for size.)

We had dinner reservations at 9:30PM. We all met at the rooftop garden of our friends’ hotel on Piaza Campo di Fiori. We shared a bottle of proseco and a bottle of La Fornace brunello, and watched the sun set over St. Peter’s dome. 

Dinner was at Roscioli Restuarant. We were seated in the basement amongst many, many bottles of wine. It was fun to read labels, and the wine list was like a phone book.  If money had been no object, we might have splurged on the 1955 Brunello di Montalcino Reserva. Alas, none of really wanted to wash dishes for the next year to pay it off!  A fantastic dinner – primi of pasta with fried pork cheek, secondi of tuna carpaccio. A primi of spinach and ricotta raviolis and secondi of lamb chops for my other half. We shared pistachio crême brulee for dessert, with a glass of syrah. 

We left the restaurant about 12:30AM and caught cabs back to our hotel. As our brains and bellies were still on sensory overload from the day’s excursion and wonderful meal, we opted for a late night bottle of wine with our best man at a cafe right around the corner from the hotel. Sharing memories, people watching, and talking about life in general – I’d say the perfect way to spend your 11th anniversary!

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