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.

Oh, and I forgot to mention that Hotel Monaco has a complimentary wine reception at 5p.m. each afternoon.  So for you wine connoisseurs, local Seattle wines are there for you to enjoy.

Everywhere we walked around Seattle my husband kept pointing out all of the hanging flower baskets and planter boxes.  The flowers were beautiful and they were everywhere; hanging in the trees, on railings that might be a block long, everywhere.  We wondered how they watered them all and we were told that is rains almost everyday a little; so mostly God waters them.  Seattle has 40 annual inches of rainfall but luckily most of the rainfall is in the winter.  So the summer is a great time to visit Seattle before your cruise.

The morning of our cruise we got up early and walked down to Pike Place Market.  For some reason we kept ending up there.  But this morning we were there bright and early and the vendors were still setting up their booths.  No crowds this time.  We were able to talk to them and taste and sample fruit, chocolate pasta, smoked salmon, many different kinds of jelly, and vegetable chips and ..well..more things than I can remember.    Then we wandered across the street from the market and discovered a Russian bakery, Piroshky’s on Pike Place.  The line was super long, but it was definitely something we would have regretted if we hadn’t checked it out.  And the wait was well worth it!  We ordered the sausage piroshky and apple/cranberry piroshky and went across the street and sat on a park bench, watched the water and pigeons and ate a scrumptious breakfast while once again being serenaded by street musicians.  What a great morning.

Historic 1914 Smith Corona Building

Then we strolled back down to Pioneer Square and to the Smith Corona Tower.  This tower is almost as tall as the Space Needle but about half of the price to go to the top.  The Smith Corona Tower was built from the fortune made from the typewriters and rifles sharing the same name.  The tower was Seattle’s first skyscraper opening July 14, 1914 with 42 stories.  This building was the fourth tallest building in the world and remained the tallest building west of Chicago for almost 50 years.   

The crown jewel of the Smith Corona Tower is the Chinese Room on the 35^th floor, originally furnished by the last Empress of China as a gift to Mr. Smith.  I got to sit in the hand carved wood Wishing Chair.  The story goes that if women sit in the chair and make a wish to be married; their wish will come true within one year.  You will also see 17^th century works of art and hand-carved wood ceiling with porcelain-inlay.  And the views of Seattle from the complete wrap around outside deck of this 522’ tall building are amazing.  The brass elevators that take you to the observation deck are still run by elevator operators.  And that is something you don’t see anymore.

View from top of Smith Corona Building

We board the Zaandam next.

Pioneer Square

We walked down and up to Pioneer Square.  Many hills in Seattle.  I don’t really know why it is called Pioneer Square because it is not a square.  The area is filled with historical buildings more than 100 years old, quaint restaurants, art galleries, antique shops, a huge toy store and night clubs.  When you walk down the cobblestone street and see the horse drawn carriage pass by you think you have gone back in time. 

Underground Seattle

The Underground Tour is not to be missed.  This tour takes you down under to see Seattle after the 1889 fire.  You walk the streets under the city where most of the old stores are abandoned.  A few of the businesses use this underground as their basement.  The guides on the tour are very entertaining as they take you on this historical and sometimes hysterical jouney of Seattle’s Underground.

The buses in Seattle are great, especially when you have walked a lot and your hotel is several blocks ‘uphill’ from where you are.  And the buses are free in the ‘free zone’ which covers a large area.

We heard about The Inn At The Market and decided to go take a look.  This little boutiqe hotel is right by Pike Place Market.  They have a roof top deck that has beautiful views of Elliott Bay and Pike Place Market.

View from Inn at the Market

The Inn at the Market also has a small cozy outdoor courtyard where there was dining and soft live music.

Courtyard at Inn at the Market

More on Seattle to come.

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.

Honeymoons are often thought of as vacations. In a way, the only difference between a family vacation and a honeymoon is romance and the lack of children. Honeymoons are supposed to a fun, exciting, memorable, but private time. Instead of vacationing with the whole family, a honeymoon often only involves the bride and groom.

As previously mentioned, you have a number of different options when it comes to planning your honeymoon. Many newlyweds schedule their honeymoons at popular beaches, ski resorts, or other secluded areas. Did you know that you can also have a honeymoon aboard a cruise ship? Cruise ships are increasing in popularity, but still many individuals do not consider them as a vacation option.

One of the reasons why cruise ships are rarely thought about when selecting a vacation destination, let alone a honeymoon, is because of their cost. It is no secret that cruise ship tickets are expensive, but this cost should not prevent you from having the perfect honeymoon to go along with the wedding of your dreams. If you are concerned with the cost, you can opt for a lower category cabin and still enjoy all of the wonderful aminities on the ship.

It is important to examine the activities available onboard and the length of the cruise. The longer the cruise and the more services available, the more expensive the cruises are likely to be. If you take the time to figure out all the services that are included and the cost of overnight accommodations, you may see that cruises aren’t all that expensive after all.

Once you have made the decision to spend your honeymoon aboard a cruise ship, you will have to book reservations.   For your honeymoon you  may want to search for cruise ships that have romantic settings and romantic destinations.

When examining cruise ship destinations, you may want to take into consideration the possibility for romance at each destination. Since your honeymoon is supposed to be a romantic and relaxing time, you will want to select an environment that will keep those feelings alive. Cruise ship destinations are located all around the world. Popular destinations include Alaska, Hawaii, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, and Mexico. To find the perfect honeymoon cruise, you are encouraged to select a cruise that offers stops at destinations of your choice.

In addition to taking cruise ship destinations into consideration, you are also encouraged to examine the type of cruise that you wish to set sail on. Multiple cruise lines have ships that are targeted to specific groups of individuals. These cruises often include cruises for adventure lovers, the whole family, or couples. As a couple, you should be welcome on any cruise. If you are looking for a private, romantic, and intimate setting, you may want to avoided cruises that are targeted for family vacations.

Before booking your honeymoon trip on a particular cruise ship, you are urged to examine want you want and need out of your trip. Doing so will enable you to select the perfect cruise ship for you and your new spouse.

Please contact us  and we will be delighted to help you find the perfect cruise or other vacation for your honeymoon.

One exceptional drive located near popular Waikiki is the ten-mile drive up Mount Tantalus. This is a drive you’ll want to take slowly so that you don’t miss any of the scenery. If you travel too quickly, you will miss the many pull offs that give you a chance to enjoy the breathtaking views of the island. Do not be surprised if you get caught in a quick tropical storm and witness a rainbow emerge from the rain! Almost at the top of the mountain, you’ll find Pu’u Ualaka’a State Park, which gives you a panoramic view of Oahu, including popular locations like Diamond Head and Waikiki. Make sure your camera batteries are charged!

The next drive you might want to consider is around the Oahu’s Hawaiian coast on the Kamehameha Highway. Enter the highway through the town of Wahiawa, and head towards the North Shore. You will pass the famous Dole Plantation, so be sure to roll down the windows to enjoy the smell of fresh pineapple fields. To the left you will see towering mountains while the turquoise ocean will be on the right. As you continue your drive, you will find that you are driving right along the Pacific Ocean. The water is so close that you can literally touch it from your car!

A trip down Interstate H-3 in Oahu is something you should not miss. This interstate does not leave Hawaii, but was paid for by our tax dollars, thus earning it the name of an interstate. It towers high above Oahu, giving you a bird’s eye view of the island without the need to pay for a helicopter tour. The road travels along the Ko’olau Mountain Range, offering breathtaking views. There is even a tunnel through the heart of the mountain!

For a shorter drive, head to the eastern end of the island, and drive from Waikiki to Hanauma Bay. This drive will start at Kalakaua Avenue and head towards Kapiolani Park. This is a good place to get out of the car for a few minutes to enjoy some sights, particularly if you are traveling with small children. When you are finsihed at the park, head to Diamond Head, where you will enjoy the view from Diamond Head Beach. Continue following the road through the richest neighbourhoods of Oahu. The road will end at the Kahala Mandarin Oriental Hotel, where you will want to turn onto Kealaolu Avenue and then head towards the Kalanianaole Highway. Take the Lunalilo Home Road to Hanauma Bay, where you can again get out and enjoy some snorkeling.

Taking a scenic drive is one of the best ways to relax on your Hawaiian vacation. Be sure to pack plenty of cold water and lots of film or batteries for your camera! You will love the pictures you get while on your drive, and the day after your road trip, you can head back to the beach, rested and ready to play!

A: What a wonderful honeymoon you are going to have. And for your first cruise to be going to the Mediterranean, you are in for a treat. I would recommend that you pack less than you think you will need for clothes. You always end up bringing clothes home that you never wear. Take things you can mix and match. Some very seasoned travelers I know only take 3 colors and make sure all of the colors go together. It makes your wardrobe go twice as far. Most all cruises have hairdryers in your cabin, and irons and ironing boards available. Make sure you look into travel insurance as you never know what will come up, flight delay, lost luggage, etc. On the days at sea while on your cruise, if you honeymooners want to find a nice quiet romantic place, go to the place that is hopping at night, but go there during the day. On most cruise ships, the bars and dance clubs are very quiet during the day and have nice music and you can be alone watch the scenery go by. I am not sure what ports of call you are going to but if you go to Naples make sure you see Pompeii and pay extra for the guide or you will walk right by amazing things and not know what your are looking at. Cruise travel is a great way to see a new country for the first time because you only have to pack and unpack once and yet you experience so much. Please let me know if you have any more specific questions on cruising.