But what about those lifetime experiences that you have always dreamed about?  Maybe a photo safari in Africa.  Or traveling to the country where your ancestors are from.  What about ziplining through the rain forest?  Taking your kids or grandkids to Disneyworld or on a Disney Cruise.  Or maybe you have been wanting to do a big family reunion to see everyone you haven’t seen in years.  Exploring the Oreint.  Ever been whalewatching?  Whitewater rafting?  Stayed in an over the water bungalow in Bora Bora?  Pampered in a luxurious SPA?  How about a ‘girls getaway’?  Take cooking classes in Italy.  The list is endless.

Have you made your Bucket List?  Why not start your list now?  And then start planning your next trip and start checking places or things to do off your list.  Experience Life.  Don’t just dream about it! Do it!

We took the ‘Behind the Scenes Kitchen Tour’.  We found out that on our ship 8500 pounds of meat, 4000 pounds of poultry, 1100 pounds of butter and 1800 eggs are just a part of what is used to prepare all of the meals on board.  Mind boggling.

Ice Sculpting

Many meals to serve

Later my husband grabbed a book and headed up to the Crows Nest while I went to a digital workshop by Microsoft.  Jason was very good and I ended up going to several workshops during the cruise.

There were other activites going on; like artistic napkin folding, water color classes, culinary classes and many more.

The day went by too quickly.  Before and after dinner we enjoyed listening to guitarist and vocalist, Charlie Jordan.  He took requests and could perform about everything that was reqested- from The Beatles to Walon & Wille.

Dinner went much more smoothly the 2nd night out.  We called and made reservations and I would highly reccommend doing that. 

The main show was a comedian who was absolutely halarious and very clean and family friendly.  He had everyone laughing and it was over too quckly.

Zaandam at Pier 91

We took a taxi from our hotel to Pier 91 where the Zaandam was waiting for us.  Checking in at the pier went very smooth with a very short line.  After on board we explored the ship a little and then it was time to set sail.  We watched as the Seattle skyline dissappeared behind us. 

Good-bye Seattle

Our luggage is there somewhere!

Then it was time for the mandatory drills.  But you no longer are required to take your life-jackets with you, which was much nicer. 

We did the anytime dining on this cruise.  And I have to say the first night the staff seemed a little confused and unorganized with the anytime dining.  But the food was fantastic.

The show the first night was ‘meet the crew and dancers’ night.  They also had games involving the audience which was halarious.  The Cruise Director so entertaining all by himself that he could have his own act.

After the show we found that there were at least 3 different places we could go to listen to music or dance.  I was pleasantly surprised at the options.

It is an exotic Caribbean group of islands, yet still part of the United States.  So you do not need a passport if you are a U.S. citizen.

Puerto Rico Waterfall

If you like adventure, Puerto Rico is the place for you.  You can hike El Yunque National Rainforest which is a finalist as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World.  Or you can have the thrill of you life as you fly 1000 feet and 200 feet above ground on one of Puerto Rico’s zip lines.  ATV’s and horseback rides through the rainforest are other options.

In  Northwestern Puerto Rico, you can experience part of the third largest underground river cavern system in the world.

Perhaps the crystal clear water of the Caribbean is why you go to Puerto Rico.  Just lounging on the beach may be your perfect day.  But once again, if adventure is more what you like there are plenty of water activities.  Go sailing on a catamaran, surf, snorkel or scuba dive. 

Puerto Rico

Have you dreamed of being on a deserted island?  Puerto Rico has one.  Gilligan’s Island.  The island forms part of the Guanica Biosphere Reserve.  It can be easily reached by ferry for a small fee and is the perfect place to go snorkeling, swimming and sunbathing.  Access to the island is limited so you can enjoy a little bit of paradise.

Looking for something very unique?  How about water that seems to glow a magnificent blue-green at night?  Although there are seven recorded places in the world where this natural phenomenon occurs – three of which are in Puerto Rican waters – it is widely accepted that the picturesque Puerto Mosquito Bio Bay is top of the list when it comes to the quality and brightness of the bio-luminescent experience. 

Puerto Rico seems like the perfect place to go for adventure, relaxing and a little bit of the unusual.

Seattle Flower Hanging baskets

We arrived early at the airport so there was plenty of time to check our bags and go through security without any problems.  And I was very proud of ourselves as we were able to only check one bag and have one carry on each for our 8 night trip.  Feel free to contact me  if you would like to know how to travel with less.

I made arrangements with Shuttle Express in Seattle for our transfers to our hotel and they were waiting for us when we arrived at the Seattle airport.  When we walked in at the Hotel Monaco I was amazed at how friendly the staff greeted us.  It was like they were waiting on us and happy to meet us.  Our room was ready by 11:00 a.m.  I had let them know we would be arriving early but it is unusual for a hotel to actually have your room ready early.  And they even told us ‘Happy Anniversary’ and gave us a VIP room which was on the 11th floor away from the street noise.  And a bottle of sparkling wine and chocolates were waiting for us in our room.  The concierge also greeted us and made dinner reservations for us. 

After we checked in and rested a bit we headed to Pikes Place Market which was only about 6 blocks away.  One of the first things we saw was the famous ‘flying fish’ in the fish market.  When someone would order fish they would yell out the order and toss the fish to each other through the air.  People would cheer and clap, fun to watch. 

Street musicians were entertaining everyone in the Market by playing violins, guitars and some were playing saws.   

It was crazy crowded at Pikes Place Market and this was on a Thursday early afternoon.  I can’t imagine what it is like on the week-ends.  But we had so much fun and there was so much to see.  Beautiful bouquets of flowers and you could get a nice size bouquet for only $5.00.  Then there was fruit, vegetables, jewelry, clothes, toys-just about anything you wanted.  We found a little place that had some fried shrimp that we took outside by the water and ate and a musician came up and serenaded us while we ate.

We found one section right outside of the market where vendors were set up and we found out that these vendors were only allowed to sell things they made locally.  Beautiful paintings, hand blown glass, clothes and homemade food could all be found here.    Next I will tell you about Pioneer Square and Underground Seattle.

One of the first things you should do is decide which type of Alaskan vacation you want to take. You can fly to the state with Alaska Airlines, or you can take a cruise to the state that will allow you to see all the great features of each of the cities while enjoying the entertainment and quality meals that are available to you on a cruise ship. Cruises offer an affordable price and allows you to participate in as many on-board activities as possible. Most of the cruises will cater to people of all ages as well, so you won’t have to worry about finding something for your children to do, or about entertaining older family members if you would like to make it a multi-generational trip.
Of course, there are a number of places on land that you’ll want to visit during your Alaskan vacation as well. The city of Anchorage, which is known for its beautiful mountain ranges, is an ideal vacation spot for nature lovers. The capital city Juneau is rich in history, and you’ll be able to learn a lot about the people and history of the state while you’re there. You can also participate in the helicopter dog sled tour while you’re in Juneau which will allow you to see what glaciers look like from the air, and the helicopter ride is followed by a real dog sled ride on top of one of the glaciers. Trips to areas like Ketchikan, home of the Misty Fjords National Monument is a great trip to take with family.

When you’re planning your Alaskan vacation, you’ll need to find a great place to stay as well. There are plenty of places to camp in the state, but you can also find a great bed and breakfast that will serve quality fare. You can also rent a cabin for your Alaskan vacation, where you find riverfront lodging and take advantage of guided fishing.

During the Sea of Cortez tours, you will spend three to four hours paddling per day, seeking out whales and other marine life including dolphins and exploring desert islands in Loreto Bay National Park.  Now previous kayaking experience is required.  The tours also include snorkeling with angelfish and looking for rare blue-footed boobies.  At night, your family will camp out together on the beach in sheltered coves.  A short night paddle excursion will introduce teens to the ocean’s bio-luminescent properties as well. 

If you are interested in this sea kayaking adventure for your family vacation contact me  to assist you with this adventure travel.  See a video