Alexandria is where we spent our second day in Egypt. Today is the day after Christian Easter. This is also a holiday in Egypt. Ramasside Tours ramassidetours.com met us at the port to pick up our group of 10 in an air conditioned van. While the city was very beautiful, most of the major attractions do close for this holiday.

We are so lucky that we have been able to visit Turkey. Our family is truly blown away by the beauty of this country. The beautiful landscapes and inviting people are awesome. Ephesus Deluxe is our guide for the sites on this tour. Dennis is professional and prompt in all of our interactions during the booking process. Definitely choose a

Couples Swept Away We love Couples Swept Away in Negril, Jamaica. We are two time guests at this beautiful and laid back resort. This blog entry will include a blend of our experiences on two separate trips. Our Wedding This is the site of our wedding!! A wedding is really easy to plan at Couples. The staff is very helpful, and the beach

Athens, Greece We have been to Athens multiple times over the past ten years or so. While the country may have gone through some severe economic woes, Greece and Athens remain one of our favorite places to visit. When we visit any city for the first time, we book a day or two on the Hop On Hop Off bus (HOHO).

For our first cruise, we decided to sail in the Mediterranean on the NCL Jade. We chose to expose our kids to other cultures and feel that a trip to Europe was in order. As we looked into traveling to several countries with our kids, we read an article suggesting that cruising would be a great option. The prospect of

We have the opportunity to visit Malta as a stop during a Mediterranean cruise. This is a beautiful port to sail in to. We advise securing a prime spot on a top deck if you do not have a balcony. You will have beautiful views from both sides of the ship as you enter the port. While I am sure

Our visit to Rome was during a port stop during a Mediterranean cruise. Karen's extensive research and planning prior to the cruise proved invaluable. The cruise port is not close to the city. For us, selecting a local tour company is important!  Miles and Miles Tour Co. met us at the port. The ride to Rome in a Mercedes van

The Cyclades Islands, Greece. Our Best Vacation Ever! If you're familiar with our story and read many of our blog posts, you know that we travel extensively. This is our best vacation ever!!! We are looking for a special trip to celebrate a big birthday and this trip exceeds our expectations, which can be a high bar. Festiva Sailing Vacations operates catamaran

Barcelona, Spain This beautiful port city holds a special place in our hearts. While the history and beauty are paramount, the fact that it was our first European city as a family is probably the real reason. Having been to other cities around the world, Barcelona is still one of our favorites. Know Before You Go A significant portion of the citizens of

Our Two Trips on Princess Regal You may read somewhere that we are not cruise people. With that being said, with a laugh, we have sailed on The Regal Princess twice in five years. Living in South Florida makes cruising a deal too hard to pass up at times. Our first trip is a 7 night Eastern Caribbean girls trip for Karen

Our family of four set sail on this trip as our eldest prepares to enter medical school. It is one of the only ships and itineraries that fits our schedules. The ports of call are St. Marten, St. Thomas, and Bahamas. Medallion Class This entire ship is a Medallion Class ship. While not mandatory, we choose to enroll in the Medallion program.

A recent visit to Chicago is our first time as a family. Corey has had several work meetings here but has not been able to be a tourist. Our trip is quite a whirlwind because we are moving Tobias to the city for his MD / PhD at Feinberg Medical school (Northwestern University). After a full day and late night

We have visited Tampa on a few occasions . Tampa is a really cool city with vibrant night life. We are a bit jaded as residents of the South East Coast of Florida, but Tampa has some great things about it as well. There are a number of ways to have fun in Tampa including boat tours, renting jet skis, and

As residents of South Florida, we visit Ft. Lauderdale somewhat frequently. This is a beautiful city, "the Venice of the U.S.", with canals everywhere and a lively atmosphere. Las Olas Boulevard is a great area. It's beautiful to see, but also quite touristy. There are great shops and wonderful restaurants all over the city. Our favorite restaurant in Ft. Lauderdale

San Francisco Weather The quote attributed to Mark Twain which states "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco" is accurate in context. Historians dispute these are Twain's exact words. Regardless, we can attest to the cold weather in mid-June in San Francisco. You will want to choose layering pieces when packing for this great city at

While we are visiting San Francisco, we add a day trip to Napa. This is a HUGE error on our part. Napa deserves two or three days and we suggest that you stay overnight. We have learned from our mistake and will stay in Napa overnight during our next trip. Our day trip begins with catching the ferry from San Francisco

While we currently live in South Florida, we used to live in Greenville, S.C., which is only an hour or so away from Asheville. Living there, we would visit Asheville frequently. The Blue Ridge Mountains, Black Mountain, and the surrounding area are beautiful. Asheville is a cool small city with a bit of a "hippie" vibe. Many people refer to it

For our two days in Egypt, we book a small group tour with Mohamed of Ramasside. Usama, our guide and a separate driver meet our group of 10 (8 adults and 2 children) promptly at the cruise port. During our 2 hour ride to Cairo in an air conditioned van, Usama educates us on the history of Cairo and the

Four Days In Beijing I arrive with two friends by bullet train from Shanghai for four wonderful days in Beijing. We are met at the train station by our tour guide, Xiaowei. Temple Of Heaven Our first stop is the Temple of Heaven. This beautiful complex of religious buildings was visited by Emperors of both the Ming and Qing Dynasties. We receive an

Shanghai, my first and last stop during my 19 day trip to China. My stay begins with a friend who lives in the Xintiandi district of Shanghai. This district is in the center of Shanghai, therefore the area is very pedestrian friendly. Xintiandi includes a lot of modern architecture mixed with the Shikumen residences of Old Shanghai. There are many

My arrival in Xian involves one of the craziest flights of my life! While terrifying, the story is even more hilarious. Extreme turbulence causes the older man beside me to practice Tai Chi as the flight attendants continually scream at passengers. As you can imagine, I am glad to land safely. Our tour guide for the next 2 days picks us

Getting There The area of Suzhou is on an hour and half drive from Shanghai. This area is full of beauty and is a worthy side trip. The historic and picturesque site is built along canals. Main City Touring the water town of Tongli is exciting and beautiful. Tongli is a classic Chinese Water town, built during the Song Dynasty. Tonglli has more

First Impression Initially, I am disappointed in the weather. Soon I discover that arriving in Vienna on a cloudy day does not obscure the beauty of this Central European metropolis. The architecture is beautiful and buildings are grand in scale. One of the first buildings I see is the State Opera House, which is the featured image for this post. Later

Overview The short ride from the Airport in Cancun to the resort is quick and mostly pleasant until you hit the unpaved road. After some jostling about, we arrive at El Dorado Maroma. This is an all-inclusive adults only resort near Playa del Carmen. The resort has a group of over water bungalows and 128 suites. There are some suites with

Our Choice We choose to spend our vacation over Christmas at Now Sapphire located near Puerto Morelos, Mexico. The resort is a great value for your vacation dollar.  Now Sapphire is a family friendly all inclusive resort and boasts an excellent kids club. Arrival Upon arrival, we are greeted with drinks and cold towels. The architecture of the resort is beautiful. The lobby

Hello New Haven! Visiting New Haven for five consecutive years has been phenomenal! Arriving in New Haven, you are instantly drawn into the atmosphere. Home to one of the world's best educational institutions, Yale University, New Haven is an old small Connecticut city. New Haven has been a college town since 1718 when Yale relocated there. New Haven was the first

Luxury vacation and holiday travels. Day trip from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, and Lake Mead.

First Impressions Arriving in this oasis in the Southwest, you notice how pristine and quiet everything is. This is particularly noticeable after flying into Phoenix and driving up Scottsdale. Not to disparage Phoenix, but Scottsdale is quite different. The desert landscapes are beautiful and there are many more green areas than you would expect in this climate. The Scottsdale and greater

Welcome to Miami Living an hour or so north of Miami, we visit often. As a result of living so close, this post will be subject to frequent updates. Miami is everything that you think it is. It is an an urban oasis with South Florida flair. There are too many cultural and ethnically diverse groups to name, but it you're

Last Minute Decision On Wednesday, we drive into Orlando for a last minute vacation prior to our daughter beginning her senior year in high school. With everything changing due to the pandemic, we want to get away but do so safely. We choose to reserve a vacation home and make our first stop at Magic Kingdom. With capacity capped and safety

Arrival The pictures online don't do it justice! After a long afternoon in the Magic Kingdom, we arrive at our vacation rental through Orlando Insider Vacations and are blown away. Serendipity is a beautiful 5 bedroom / 4 bathroom home in the Orlando area. Located only 6 miles away, Disney World is less than a 15 minute drive. Prior to arrival, we