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.

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.

It’s understandable that many people are unsure what to tip at a hotel while on vacation.

Here are some guidelines that may help on your next vacation.

Valet parking. Don’t tip a hotel staff member who opens a guest’s car door at the hotel entrance or parks the car in a valet lot. The valet who retrieves the car from the parking lot should be given $2 to $5.

Bellmen. The common tip is $1 to $2 per bag. You can give more if the bags are heavy or the bellman provides other services.

Maid. They should receive $1 to $5 daily. Pay this tip daily to ensure it goes to the person that took care of your room.

Concierge. No tip is needed for directions, restaurant recommendations or answers to simple questions. A $10 to $50 tip is recommended for a concierge who obtains hard-to-get event tickets or a table at a popular premier restaurant.

Guests should expect good service at luxury hotels rather they tip or not.  And if you stay at a budget or moderate hotel you will not have the valet, concierge and bellmen to worry about anyway.

It is always nice to tip the person who goes out of their way to give you extra service and make your stay special.

Always carry lots of $1 bills so you don’t have to look for someone to give you change.  Also, if you are going to a different country, it is wise to have some of thier currency upon arrival for tips at the airport and transfers.

If you frequent a particular hotel or resort it is amazing how the staff remembers you, especially if you are a great tipper.

Best tip you can give.  Find out the name of the staff that offered that extra service and made your trip memorable.  Then write a quick note acknowledging this person and what they did; take a minute to find the manager of the hotel and give him the note.  Many hotels train their staff for better positions and this may help them get that promotion.

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.

Telluride is the sole U.S. stop of the LG sponsored FIS (International Ski Federation) Snowboard World Cup and will feature both SBX (snowboardcross) and PGS (parallel giant slalom) competitions during the second in a series of five Olympic qualification events for the two disciplines.

If you would like to take your family skiing or snowboarding, Telluride would be a great family vacation.