Our White Lotus vacation was busy, but so much fun. The tour group did a good job of hitting all the major tourist spots and seeing all the sights. Not as much downtime, but I’m not really a relax on vacation type of person. We saw tons of cathedrals and ancient amphitheaters. We ate a lot of fried food and pasta. We drank lots of Aperol and Hugo spritzes. I don’t think I would change too much. I wanted more down time and less travel, but I also wanted to see everything! Maybe I should have stayed longer.

Basic Travel Tips
* Pack what you can carry. We did one large suitcase and 1 manageable carry on. Also recommend a day bag/purse for excursions (carry in front of you as a caution for pickpockets).
* Don’t keep all your cash in one location. Do not carry too much, but have what you need.
* We recommend traveling light (easier said than done), and wrinkle resistant, easy-care clothing. Hotels do not permit use of travel irons, and curling irons are discouraged. Hairdryers are mostly provided.
* Carry tissues or napkins for public restrooms. Toilet paper is not always provided. Also have a euro handy if they requirement payment to use.
* There may be restrictions on bare legs and/or shoulders at church/cathedral/religious sites
* Umbrella for rain or sun protection
* International cell phone plan or switch SID cards. Know your phone companies policies and charges.
* Electrical converter(s)/multi-plug international adapter – ensure your adapter is sufficiently powerful for appliances, and check if you need individual converters for different items. Italy 220

Food/Wine Summary
Favorite White: Grillo
Favorite Red: Nero D’Avola
Favorite Cocktails: Aperol Spritz, Lemoncello Spritz, Hugo Spritz
Favorite Beer: Messina
Coffee: First of all, I’m not a coffee drinker. In America, I get the sugary drinks or a latte. In Italy, latte is just warm milk to drink with breakfast?! Cappuccino is a safe order if you’re looking for caffeine.
Wineries: Wine club girlies played hooky from some of the tours and went to Emilio Sciacca, Fausta Mansio, and Tenute Senia
Food to Try:
*Arancini – fried rice ball
*Panelle – fried chickpea fritters
*Caponata – eggplant and veggies
*Granita con Brioche – Granita is a slushy sorbet mix that pairs so well with a brioche bun
*Cannoli
*Modica Chocolate – dark and gritty, but it’s grown on me
*Literally anything ricotta, pistachio, pasta, seafood. You can’t go wrong.

Hotel Breakdown
Mercure Palermo Centro Via Mariano Stabile
Mahara Hotel & Wellness Lungomare San Vito
Della Valle Via Ugo La Malfa
Poggio Del Sole Resort
Mercure Siracusa Prometeo Viale Teracati
Hellenia Yachting Hotel

Day (- 1), Thursday June 13, ROME
We were flying standby so we left Newark Wednesday night to pad time for travel changes. It all worked out and we got seats together in economy – until Dad got upgraded to first class. It was a long redeye flight, so I did watch Lisa Frankenstein (new favorite) and Past Lives before falling asleep. We landed noon on Thursday and our hotel – Hosianum – let us check in early. Once we dropped our stuff off and laid down for an hour, we started sightseeing. First stop was coffee near the Vittoriano – Monument to Victor Emmanuel II, the first King of a unified Italy. It also preserves the Altar of the Fatherland, an altar of the goddess Roma, then also a shrine of the Italian Unknown Soldier. We walked up the steps to the Santa Maria in Aracoeli Basilica before continuing South. We saw the Capitoline She-Wolf depicting a Lupa suckling the mythical twin founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus.
The Mamertine Prison (also called Tullianum) was one of our highlights. According to legend, Saint Peter was imprisoned there before being crucified and performed baptisms in a spring at the bottom of the pit. There is little first hand account of St. Peter’s imprisonment there other than being the only single celled prison available for VIPs deemed threats to the state. Paul the Apostle is also believed to have been imprisoned there during his final imprisonment in Rome.
We continued East toward the Roman Forum starting at Arch of Septimius Severus (NW) and ending at Arch of Titus (SE). The Roman Forum was the location of important religious, political and social activities. The rectangular-shaped area, sited on low-lying land between Palatine Hill and Capitoline Hill, was home to many of the ancient city’s most impressive temples and monuments. We saw the Senate House, Temple of Saturn, Temple of Vesta, and Temple of Castor and Pollux. In ancient Rome, the Vestal Virgins were priestesses of Vesta, virgin goddess of Rome’s sacred hearth. They were chosen before puberty (when 6–10 years old), freed from any legal ties and obligations to their birth family, and enrolled in Vesta’s priestly college of six priestesses.
We ended the day with a 6pm tour of the Colosseum. We made our way back toward the hotel and ate at Ristorante Edoardo II before going to the hotel rooftop bar for sunset.

Day 0, Friday June 14 ROME
First night of jetlag is always the worst for me. Since we were all awake at 2am and couldn’t sleep, we did our sunrise Trevi Fountain photoshoot. (We also did this the last Rome trip and I highly recommend). While we were out, we walked around to see the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. We found a nice cafe that served English Breakfast before we went back to the hotel for naps. Woke up around 1pm and really started the day. First was the Museum and Crypt of the Capuchin Monks – which I really enjoyed. It’s interesting and morbid, so my type of attraction. It contains the skeletal remains of 3,700 bodies believed to be Capuchin friars buried by their order. The Catholic order insists that the display is not meant to be macabre, but a silent reminder of the swift passage of life on Earth and our own mortality. There are five rooms in the crypt featuring a unique display of human bones believed to have been taken from the bodies of friars who had died between 1528 and 1870.
Second was the Spanish Steps on the way to the park, Villa Borghese. We wandered around for a bit before finding the Temple of Asclepius. We decided to take a cab to Castel Sant’Angelo to get a break from walking. It was initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. The popes later used the building as a fortress and castle, and it is now a museum. After running around the castle, we found a boat tour on the Tiber and did a quick ride to Trastevere. There were some restaurants lined up along the river that had good atmosphere, so we got beer and anchovy pizza. Once again, ended with wine on our hotel rooftop bar.

Day 1, Saturday June 15, ARRIVE IN PALERMO
We had a noon flight on ITA from Rome to Palermo. We ran into some of the wine club girlies at the gate! By the time we arrived at the hotel, it was time to check in. We had free time until dinner so we saw the Massimo theatre, Pretoria Fountain, and Quattro Canti. The Massimo theatre was used as a location in Godfather 3. We got some drinks and appetizers at a street side restaurant, Curtigghiu, to hold us over until dinner. The Palermo Center and Historical District are good areas to wander and explore. At 6 pm, we meet our Tour Director and travel companions for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. We were served some local appetizers and pasta – similar to our earlier snack. The appetizers tend to be mostly fried, but all good! The house wine was not to our liking so we bought some bottles instead. After dinner, we did an afterparty at Bottiglieria del Massimo. We found a wine bar with a projector of the Italy v. Albania futbol game. The space was very crowded with kids and we felt old. Also cars were driving through the crowd and we could have died.

Day 2, Sunday June 16, DAY IN PALERMO
Probably our least favorite day – mostly because we weren’t prepared for a 7-8 hour tour of Palermo. Unfortunately, we started at 8:30am with everything we saw ourselves the day before. It was nice to have more time for pictures and learn about the history from our guide, but it was a slow pace. I was excited for the Church of Immacolata and a visit to the cathedral, but we couldn’t go inside during Sunday mass. The other new thing was the Capo food market which I loved! Our lunch spot was there and we had more yummy fried appetizers and bad wine. We had some free time for shopping the market and I was able to grab some pasta seasoning and pistachio breading for chicken/fish. Sicily’s cooking traditions originating from the Greeks, Arabs, and Normans blend with those from Spain and North Africa resulting in a fabulous melting pot of flavors and unique dishes.
Next was a scenic drive to Monreale for a panoramic view of the Conca d’Oro and a visit to the Norman Cathedral. I enjoyed this stop as well! I was just tired and again, the tour guide was going at a slow pace. The cathedral was undergoing renovations, but we were able to see the stunning mosaic artwork covering the inside. We had some downtime after the tour and before dinner, so we napped. The wine club went to Obica for dinner and it was perfect! Fresh mozzarella and pasta and pizza with good views and vibes. We learned early on that the tour provided food and drinks were not as good as us finding our own.

Day 3, Monday June 17, PALERMO–ERICE–MARSALA–MAZARA DEL VALLO
First day on the bus! We had breakfast at 6:30am and departure at 7:30am (unfortunately a common timeline going forward). We drove to the hilltop town, Erice, and sampled almond biscuits and Marsala wine at the well-known Pasticceria Maria Grammatico. I wish the importance of this shop was communicated better. I had no idea how big of a deal it was until much later. Here’s a link with more info: https://www.italymagazine.com/featured-story/story-maria-grammatico-and-her-famous-pasticceria-sicily
Erice was beautiful! Population 30,000 and Elevation 2,500. After our biscuits and marsala, we had free time to explore. We walked to a castle and got some panoramic pictures of the view. I also did some shopping and got a pinecone bowl from Tilotta Paolo – Pinecones are a symbol of fertility and fortune in Sicily. Another popular souvenir is the Sicilian moors heads which are realized in pairs in memory of the two murdered lovers. Obviously had some time after shopping for a glass Grillo.
Next stop was a salt mill in Marsala en route to Mazara del Vallo. Lagoons, salt pans and windmills can be found along the coastline near Marsala. This was another cool place for souvenirs. I got 3 flavors of salt (lemon, pepper, and some sort of herb) as well as course salt for gifts. Believe it or not, Sicilian salt pans are ideal habitat for flamingos. Among salt pans and new oases Sicily seems to be the favorite resting place for pink birds. In particular, the salt pans of Priolo Natural Reserve, in the province of Syracuse, is the only flamingo nesting site in Sicily.

Day 4, Tuesday June 18, MAZARA DEL VALLO–SCIACCA–AGRIGENTO
Day started with a guided tour of Mazara del Vallo which is a port town known for it’s ceramics. I don’t remember too much detail from the tour, but it’s a beautiful town with unique architecture and design. The cathedral and Old Town were the highlights. We had some extra time for a quick granita.
Next was a quick pit stop at Sciacca with a panoramic viewpoint and time for lunch. The view by Terrazza Scandaglia was gorgeous, but not the menu we wanted. We ate at Trattoria La Matrice in Piazza Duomo which was delicious! We also passed some very tempting food trucks by the park.
Finally had a guided walking tour at the Valley of Temples in Agrigento. WHAT A HIGHLIGHT! Unfortunately it was very hot out with little shade. Europeans serve wine more than water, so I’m pretty sure I had Heat Exhaustion. The ruins of Akragas remain Sicily’s most amazing archaeological site. The impressively well-preserved Tempio della Concordia sits in spectacular setting upon a ridge where it served as a beacon for homecoming sailors and today draws visitors. It is one of the most outstanding examples of ancient Greek art and architecture of Magna Graecia, and is one of the main attractions of Sicily. Since 1997, the entire area has been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The archaeological and landscape park of the Valle dei Templi, with its 1300 hectares, is the largest archaeological park in Europe and the Mediterranean basin. The Valley includes remains of seven temples, all in Doric style.
Once we were back at the hotel, we had time to cool off and relax at the pool before having dinner in the hotel restaurant.

Day 5, Wednesday June 19, AGRIGENTO–PIAZZA ARMERINA–CALTAGIRONE–RAGUSA
First stop was Piazza Armerina for a guided visit to the Villa Romana del Casale with the largest and most complex collection of Roman mosaics in the world. It has magnificently preserved mosaics that embellish the Villa Romana del Casale, designed and installed by African mosaic workers and the strength of the Roman influence and power throughout the Mediterranean region. Excavations have revealed Roman mosaics which are the richest, largest and most varied collection that remains, for which the site was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. The villa and its artwork date to the early 4th century AD. The mosaic and opus sectile floors cover some 3,500 square meters and are almost unique in their excellent state of preservation due to the landslide and floods that covered the remains. The villa is divided into four sections and you can walk through the Big Hunt Corridor, famous for its mosaic depicting the capture of wild animals in Africa, and reach the Little Hunt Room. We enjoyed the themes of the mosaics, which range from mythology to scenes of domestic life. The Villa also houses a unique mosaic: one of the few representations of female sport in antiquity, with ten bikini-clad girls engaged in various disciplines such as discus throwing, dumbbell exercises and cross-country running.
Next stop was Caltagirone for lunch and the famous Staircase of Santa Maria del Monte en route to Ragusa. This was our first “choo choo” tour. A little train for tourists to see the sights and transport from our bus to the main squares. This town also had beautiful ceramics and I bought an “American-sized” tea cup from Ceramich Artistiche (it was actually meant for milk). I really wanted a wine glass, but I was running out of extra room and was worried about the stem breaking. Lunch was at Trattoria Anima and I had a seafood platter with swordfish, salmon, shrimp, octopus, and squid. After lunch and wine, we literally raced up the stairs for a photo.

Day 6, Thursday June 20, RAGUSA. EXCURSION TO MODICA
I was looking forward to this new city especially with the Sicilian cart workshop, but my body was shutting down. Mom and I slept in and relaxed all morning while Dad went ahead and did the tour. The Ragusa guided walking tour includes the city’s oldest district, the Ibla, the 19th-century gardens of Giardini Iblei, St. George Cathedral, and an authentic Carrettieri (Sicilian carts) workshop. The craft of making the carts is handed down from generation to generation, through the training of apprentices. Carts are known for being covered in carvings and brightly painted scenes from Sicilian history and folklore as well as intricate geometrical designs. These scenes also served the purpose of conveying historical information to those who were illiterate. The colors of Sicily’s flag, yellow and red, feature prominently on the carts, along with details in bright blues and greens. The animals pulling the carts are often elaborately adorned as well.
If I remember correctly, there was no food at the hotel and no shops nearby. Since we skipped the provided lunch with the tour and slept through breakfast – we were starving. Eventually got hotel staff to make some of us grilled cheese paninis lol. Dad got back from the tour around 1pm and we had some pool time even though it was almost too hot to swim.
Evening tour in Modica was also something I was looking forward to. We enjoyed an orientation walk with a chocolate tasting at the famous Dolceria Bonajuto, Sicily’s oldest chocolate factory. The chocolate here was not Hershey’s! It’s pure dark chocolate and has a gritty texture. It was a little jarring at first, but it’s definitely grown on me! It is characterized by an ancient and original recipe using manual grinding (rather than conching) which gives the chocolate a peculiar grainy texture and aromatic flavor. For 150 years, the family tradition of chocolate making has been passed down through the generations of the Banajuto family in Modica. L’Antica Dolceria Bonajuto delights chocolate lovers with its traditional recipes and confections as it has done for more than a century. With some free time, we went shopping. I ended up finding a nice dress at a nearby shop called Magra Sicily Handmade. We had dinner across the street at Osteria dei Sapori Perduti.

Day 7, Friday June 21, RAGUSA–NOTO–SYRACUSE
Noto was all free time with no guided tour. We did a walk along Corso Vittorio Emanuele to admire San Nicolò Cathedral and a few other local sites. Noto is famous for its buildings from the early 18th century, many of which are considered to be among the finest examples of Sicilian baroque style. It is a place of many religious buildings and several palaces. We found a cafe around 10am to relax and have gelato with Messina beer. The bus continued to Syracuse for a guided visit to the Archaeological Park features the Greek Theatre and the Roman Amphitheatre. The city is notable for its rich Greek and Roman history, culture, architecture, and as the birthplace and home of the pre-eminent mathematician and engineer Archimedes. The Archaeological Park was interesting…The Ear of Dionysius, the sacrificial alter, and the amphitheatre were impressive. The Ear is featured as the location of the tomb of Archimedes in the 2023 film Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. A lot of the sculptures were modern replicas while the real ones were in a museum. Unfortunately, the site might look like it’s namesake “Paradise”, but it used to be a slave concentration camp. Not dwelling too long on that, we had lunch by the hotel at Nuova Agora SRL.
Our evening excursion was to Ortigia island which is a popular location for tourists, shopping, entertainment and is also a residential area. During the walking tour, we admired the atmosphere in the lively port area, and marveled at the Apollo Temple, the oldest Doric temple in Sicily; the UNESCO World Heritage Duomo with one of the region’s most beautiful piazzas; the impressive 5th-century BC Temple of Athena; and other historical landmarks. Afterward, we had time to explore the town to relax, do some shopping or enjoy a delicious meal- like a local! The food was really the highlight here! We had dinner at La Mareggiata and had granitas for dessert. There was a cool street puppeteer doing a show for tips.

Day 8, Saturday June 22, SYRACUSE–CATANIA–TAORMINA RIVIERA
Catania is an ancient port city on Sicily’s east coast. It sits at the foot of Mt. Etna, Europe’s tallest volcano. The city’s wide central square, Piazza del Duomo, features the whimsical Fontana dell ‘Elefante statue and richly decorated St. Agata Cathedral. Nearby, La Pescheria weekday fish market is a rowdy spectacle surrounded by seafood restaurants. We had more free time to explore and started with the Roman Amphitheatre. It was 7 euros but a definite highlight. Then we caught one of the tourist “choo choo” trains for a guided tour of the rest of the city. Our legs hurt and it was hot; so the less walking , the better. Mom climbed up to the top of the Cathedral for some pictures while Dad and I ordered pizza for lunch from Caffe del Duomo.
Europe’s tallest active stratovolcano along the eastern coast of Sicily is Mama Etna. We had a guided tour as we drove through scenic orchards, vineyards, and forests to towering 10,922-foot (3,329-meter) Mount Etna, whose activity spans at least 500,000 years―most recently, in 2017 (update: it erupted right after our trip)! Along the way, we heard the fascinating myths and folklore surrounding Etna―and all about some of its most spectacular and destructive eruptions. From a panoramic viewing point at 6,500 feet, we observed the craters, cones, and lava flows that dot the surrounding landscape. They had tourist shops set up with food, drinks, and souvenirs. We did a shot of the local Etna lava – it was awful and I really had to concentrate to not throw up. I ran over to the honey vendor to get local volcano flavored honey. Then I stopped for some lava rock souvenirs and got a slice of bread to settle my stomach.
Afterwards, we were treated to the tastes, aromas, and delectable nuances behind authentic Sicilian cuisine with a magnificent traditional dinner complete with drinks, beautiful surroundings, and spectacular views. The winery Cantina Murgo was our only scheduled winery of the trip and seeing the wine production process did not disappoint.

Day 9, Sunday June 23, TAORMINA RIVIERA EXCURSION TO SAVOCA
After a crazy drive up to Savoca, we had second breakfast at the Godfather bar, Bar Vitelli. The Granita and brioche were delicious! Not quite the same as sorbet, the Sicilian invention of granita is Sicily’s take on frozen concoctions that varies with the delightful tastes of lemon, mandarin orange, jasmine, almond, mint, coffee, or berries. A frozen blend of Sicilian pistachios is also a tempting way to enjoy this traditional treat. We had some free time after so we went to the cathedral, also a Godfather scene, and continued wandering around to see the monastery and castle ruins. The view was beautiful and I truly loved hanging out in this town. After the morning tour, we had some downtime at the hotel to enjoy the beach for 30 minutes lol.
In Taormina Riviera, we had an orientation walk and tickets to the Greek Theatre. If you see nothing else, see this town and the theatre. It is super touristy, but did enjoy it. This town is the Four Seasons location used for White Lotus to give you an idea. We had free time for shopping and lunch. We found lunch at Grotta di Ulisse near our meeting point Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II. Our farewell dinner was local spot with farm to table meals. We were able to get beautiful sunset pictures with the volcano and the vineyards.

Day 10, Monday June 24, TAORMINA RIVIERA
Our vacation ended early in order to get to the Catania airport. We arranged car to take us from the hotel in Taormina Riviera to Catania. Once we got to the airport, we had to kill some time before they even let us through security. Guess we were there too early. We flew Catania to Rome with no problems, but our flight out of Rome was canceled. We got a slightly sketchy room for the day until we could get on the next flight. Taxis and Ubers weren’t willing to drive us to our room, so we asked around until we found a slightly sketchy van. We spent most of the day just napping in the room since we were exhausted. We emerged for early dinner at a local restaurant. June 25 we went back to the airport and were able to get on the plane. We all even watched the Godfather as the inflight entertainment. June 26 I was back to work with no break for recovery.

I joined a wine club November 2021 and it was the best decision I ever made.
Go to Sommelier: @samanthasommelier
Go to Travel Agent: @elevatedexperiencestravel
At the beginning of 2022, they announced international cruise trips with the club! The first was “Vineyards of the Rhine and Moselle” and it immediately caught my attention – especially the 40 castles part. There were also options for land extensions pre/post cruise in Amsterdam, Paris, and Champagne. I choose not to add those for this trip.

Budget Breakdown:
Cruise with French Balcony $4,208 per person
Airfare $977 per person
Travel Insurance $1348 per person (optional but seemed necessary given the state of the world today)

Day 1 Amsterdam: August 8th we had a redeye out of Newark that would get us in Amsterdam at 8am. Did I mention I had to work on Monday then head straight to the airport? We had about 7 hours of flight time to sleep. I did not sleep. Tuesday was full tourist mode. Once we landed, we found the AmaWaterways representative who would take us to the boat. I always wanted to be picked up by one of those people with the names on cards. It was a quick bus ride from the airport to the dock which was conveniently also by the train station. Since we got to the boat so early, we couldn’t check in our room, but we dropped out luggage off and went exploring to find breakfast. Pancakes Amsterdam had a ridiculous line so we highly recommend Dwaze Zaken as an alternative. After breakfast, we went back to the boat for naps on the sun deck couches. We met up with the rest of the group around 11am and went back exploring. We walked down the main road towards Dam Square (insert joke here) and saw all the touristy stops along the way – even stopped at a cute bar for beer. We kept walking down to the Heineken Factory for a tour and free beers. It was an experience lol.

Across the factory was a old carousel that they turned into a restaurant. The Dutch pancakes (aka crepes) were delicious! Instead of walking, we utilized the subway system to get back to the boat to check in, shower, and nap. We met up with the group again in the lounge for cocktail hour (champagne) and a welcome from the crew. After dinner, we speed walked to a sunset canal cruise which was by far my highlight of Amsterdam. Check out Friendship Cruises. It was a smaller boat and had an intimate party vibe while still explaining the sights and history of the city. Once the canal cruise was done, we obviously did the red light district.

Day 2 Amsterdam: AmaWaterways offers daily excursions to explore the stops along the river. We had to choose between the Floriade Expo (pronounced fluoride by me) and another canal cruise. We chose the cruise, because “when in Amsterdam…” This one was more focused on the history and education and probably better suited for families. It was also covered which blocked a lot of our pictures. We saw the 4 main Protestant churches – one where Rembrandt was buried, the Anne Frank house, and the 7 bridges view. I was kind of geeking out about the architecture. I was hoping to have time for an art museum, but didn’t want to miss the boat launching. Instead, we wandered and bought souvenirs. We had lunch on the boat to watch the launch from Amsterdam and the official start of the cruise. We spent the afternoon in the pool enjoying wine and cheese as we sailed. For dinner, we got to sit at the Captain’s table and have a delicious 7 course meal! Then watched the beautiful sunset and full moon from the sun deck until we crossed into Germany.

News tangent – Being 2022 and being the apocalypse, there was a drought in Europe. England was even having troubles with wildfires. This hot summer also meant the water levels on the Rhine were at a record low and presented a problem for our ship. This impacted our trip in a few ways. One, usually the ships flow downstream with the current. Unfortunately we needed the extra speed to avoid getting stuck, so they ran the engines. This made it a little harder to sleep in our room at the back of the boat. Two, we had to have some schedule adjustments. Our docking locations changed and we had to get on a smaller boat for part of Day 4. Overall, it could have been WAY worse. There was some concern especially days 4 and 5, but everything worked out and we had a great trip!
Here are two articles from the week of our cruise if you want to read more.
NPR
Maritime Executive

Day 3 Cologne: Since we had a late night with lots of wine, I stayed in bed all morning as we sailed towards Cologne. We had lunch on the boat and watched the beautiful city get closer. We docked around 3pm and immediately headed out on our 11 mile guided bike tour excursion. Now, I know how to ride a bike. I signed a waiver saying I know how to ride a bike. RIDING A BIKE IN A EUROPEAN CITY IS SCARY. I almost hit so many people, cars, random posts…It was overall fun, but a bit of an exhausting mess. The city, however, was beautiful. We started with crossing the Hohenzollern Bridge which is known for the love locks attached. Next stop was the Cologne Cathedral – one of the only structures that wasn’t destroyed in WW2. Because it is made of sandstone, the cathedral is under constant construction to prevent erosion. It also provides the cool black and white color contrast.

From there, I believe we continued west to the local parks. The biking here was easier for me. We saw the Colonius telecommunications tower and continued south to the Industrial district. There happened to be a wine festival going on that caused us having to bike through a crowd. The tour guide pointed out some apartments that belong to German celebrities, but said we wouldn’t know any of them. Without missing a beat, I said Heidi Klum and she said yes. So I got to see one of Heidi Klum’s apartments lol. We didn’t have time to visit the chocolate museum, but we rode passed the Lindt factory. After over 2 hours, we made it back to the boat. Now, what I didn’t mention was I was having a bit of a rough day already. I dropped a heavy table on my big toe and lost one of my favorite scrunchies on the bike ride (first world problems – I know). We only had a limited time in the city, but I needed to shower and rest before heading out again. We ended up at Gilden im Zims for traditional German dinner and I got stung by a bee. I thought bees were going extinct? Turns out they’re all in Germany…Anyway I had stuffed cabbage and Mom had the marinated beef. Both were delicious! We were running out of time, but wanted to find a souvenir store. Found one, but he didn’t take cards and we disagreed with the amount of cash he was asking for. Moral of the story: Carry cash and know the conversion rate, because we were right and refused to pay what he was asking for. After that ordeal, we had to walk fast back to the boat. It left at 10:15pm. We ran into Cruise Director (and new best friend) Nickie, who was out searching for us. We were escorted back on board just in time at 10:10pm.

Day 4 Rudesheim: We docked at Andernach which I believe was a new port because of the water level. After dinner, we loaded up on a bus that would drive us 90 minutes to Rudesheim. I wish we spent more time here. We chose the Gondola ride and wine tasting excursion (obviously).

The gondola provided a gorgeous view of the Rhine, the town, and the vineyards. We went straight to the wine tasting which I remember being chaotic. It was a large group and the tasting felt rushed. I don’t even remember liking the wine, but I drank it. We had a brief amount of free time and I needed food. After aimlessly wandering around, we found the perfect wine bar that had Backer Dries gourmet pretzels. The shop was local and women owned. We really enjoyed the heavy pours of rose and bacon/cheese pretzels. I spent too long trying to find the name, but here’s a picture of what the front door looks like.

Around lunch time, we boarded a smaller boat with the passengers of another cruise so we could still see the Rhine Gorge. The boat provided cafeteria quality schnitzel and other German food. The line was long so I went upstairs to see the 40 castles and listen to the history tied to each one. I was upstairs for 5 minutes and went back down because it was HOT. This was one of the highlights of the trip, but the combination of wine and heat were not agreeing with me. After the scenic cruise, we took a 1 hour bus ride back to our main boat in Andernach. We had some time before dinner, so I went to the sun deck to swim since it was hot. We continued our tradition of wine and cheese on the deck after dinner. The crew lowered the shade covers and other structures for a low bridge. Naturally, I reached up to touch it as it passed.

Day 5 Lahnstein: Boat arrived in Treis-Karden for the day which I believe was also an unplanned port. I compared the map to the daily logs from the cruise and I’m a little confused, but I think this is when we crossed into the Moselle River. We had a full day of two castles and enjoyed both! We took an early morning bus ride to Burg Eltz. This medieval castle is still owned by a branch of the Eltz family that lived there in the 12th century, thirty-three generations ago. According to Wikipedia, The Eltz Castle (in game name Elzbach Palace) is the Defensive Imperial Age Landmark of the Holy Roman Empire Civilization in Age of Empires IV (WHAAAT). It was exactly the view I was hoping for. I ended up bringing a costume for picture with the plan of changing at the end of the tour. Well it turns out the best view is at the beginning (and less crowds!) so I quickly threw it on for some quick photos before the tour. There was some communication problems with our German tour guide when we got separated from the group and I’m still recovering from being scolded. BUT GOT TO DO IT FOR THE GRAM.

The castle interior was just as beautiful, but I was overheating and dehydrated. At the end, there was more time for pictures, so we grabbed some from the courtyard and bridge. We had a bus ride back to the boat for lunch and some rest, before heading out for castle number 2. We took the afternoon bus to Burg Lahneck which was a smaller castle, but also great for pictures.

The only note I have for this castle is “The guide pronounced ‘moat’ like ‘moot’ and it made my day” (yes, I just quoted my own journal). According to Wikipedia, this 13-century medieval castle is famous for a 17-year old girl being accidently trapped in the tower and dying. So that’s cool. *Insert smooth transition here*. It also happened to be a huge local holiday called Rhine in Flames, but we had to continue on our journey and missed the firework show. Instead, we had a guest performer on the boat and we had a crazy, fun dance party.

Day 6 Cochem: Slept in all morning as the boat continued towards Cochem. Our afternoon excursion was the Cochem walking tour and Reichsburg castle. The town and the castle were so gorgeous and picturesque. This is a 12th century medieval castle, but was destroyed in 1689 in the Nine Years’ War. In 1868, it was bought and restructured in the Gothic Revival style (source: Wikipedia).

Rabbit hole: Nick Cage’s mother was from Cochem?? We had free time after the tours to get wine, cheese, ice cream and the local famous mustard. Unfortunately, we had dinner plans on the boat so we couldn’t stay long. Cocktail hour was a crew appreciation with a local string instrument performance followed by the farewell dinner.

Day 7 Bernkastel: I know I keep saying this, but I loved this town! We had an early morning excursion for a Bernkastel walking tour and wine tasting. We did a tour of the city while the locals were still sleeping, so the streets were empty. Our guide was a pure joy and made it so delightful. We learned about the famous local Doctor wine that has a “healing” reputation. The 14th-century Archbishop Boemund II was miraculously cured of illness not by his physicians, but by a good dose of wine from this site. He was so grateful he then conferred the name Doctor on the vineyard. The wine tasting was in a local cellar and it was good! You can even find Thanisch Bernkasteler Doctor at Total Wines. We had some free time to explore after so we got some pastries for a morning snack and found a cute wine bar for more tasting.

Fortunately for the drought, it started raining so we bunkered inside until it passed. The boat happened to be leaving at 12:30pm and we cut the timing close again. We had lunch on the boat and enjoyed the rainy views. The Captain told us earlier that it’s usually the best view of the trip. Instead, we stayed in the lounge and played Yahtzee and drank espresso martinis. During cocktail hour, there was a photo slide show of the trip and it was fun to see all the fun we just had lol. It was our last night on the boat and we didn’t want it to end, but exhaustion was setting in.

Day 8 Luxembourg to Brussels: We were not quite ready to leave first thing in the morning. We got kicked out of our rooms at 9am, but were allowed to stay in the lounge until we needed to leave. I initially planned our trip and knew all of the details. However, I had gotten very used to the travel agent and the cruise director planning stuff for me. That morning I was exhausted, in a foreign country, and not prepared. After taking some time after breakfast, I realized the train we needed to catch ran every hour and was conveniently located across the street from where we docked. I also realized it was a 5 hour trip from Wasserbillig to Brussels so we needed to catch the 10am train. We had a 1 hour ride to Luxembourg before we had to transfer trains. We got comfortable and didn’t realize we had a second transfer at Liege-Guillemins. We missed our transfer, but it worked out that we had an hour to get lunch and enjoy some Wi-Fi.

We finally arrived to Brussels at 4pm which worked with our AirBnB check-in. I ended up finding a studio apartment in the historic Grand Place (Link for Room). The view was everything and I was honestly impressed with the apartment itself. The Grand Place is central square of the City of Brussels and is surrounded by the guild houses, the City Hall and the Maison du Roi. We laid down for a quick rest before seeing the sights and finding dinner. We saw the Galaries Royales Saint-Hubret which is basically a really pretty shopping mall. We had Belgian cuisine at Le Roy d’Espagne and watched the street performers in the Plaza. Unfortunately did not have time for the 3 things on my bucket list: Belgian chocolate, Belgian waffles, and Brussel sprouts lol.

Day 9 Brussels to Newark: August 17th we had a 10am flight home and landed 8 hours later at 12pm. I love time travel.

A few years ago, I watched and ranked all of the Disney Princess movies. Since then I’ve been wanting to try some other binge-able content. Let me know if anyone wants to hear my thoughts on Disney Sequels or Dreamworks (personal favorite studio). Now there were 13 Princess movies at the time I typed up my other post. There are currently 23 (and counting) Pixar movies so this may turn out to be a two-parter.

I will have different categories to help me decide – Best Character, Best Villain, and Best Story. I will also throw out my favorite side characters, quotes, and songs.

Movie 1: Toy Story 1995 – Despite my 90s baby age, I was never attached to this movie. Movie opens with Andy playing with his toy’s while ‘You Got a Friend’ plays over the opening credits. “You uncultured swine” is probably my most quoted line. It may not seem like it to kids today, but this computer animation was revolutionary for the time. The inciting incident is when Buzz arrives as Andy’s birthday present. Funny part is he doesn’t know he’s a toy. When Woody was first open, did he think he was really a cowboy? Buzz still knows to play dead around Andy. What are the rules for sentient plastic? haha okay, I’m loving the script. “That was falling with style” is my second most quoted line. Sid is still terrifying. Buzz falling out the window was a great use of the Wilhelm scream. Woody and Buzz get left behind on the way to Pizza Planet and hitch a ride with the delivery guy. “The Claaww”. Buzz finally realizes he’s a toy when a commercial comes on at Sid’s house. Woody calls Hannah as a distraction so humans can hear the toys? Also how does Buzz get drunk at a tea party? Also also Hamm and Potato Head were playing strip battleship?? Woody recruits Sid’s misfit toys for the rescue mission. Omg if my toys came out to haunt me….Poor Sid’s gonna need some therapy. Buzz and Woody race to catch up to the movers and shenanigans ensue.
Favorite character: None of the character’s really stood out to me, but I think I like Woody and Rex best.
Honorable mentions: I truly loved the jokes and puns in the script that I’m sure went over my head last time I watched this.
Overall thoughts: It’s definitely better than I remember, but not something I’d regularly rewatch. Is the “villain” Sid or Woody’s jealousy?

Movie 2: Bug’s Life 1998 – I remember this one. No wait. I’m thinking of Dreamwork’s Antz. haha Movie opening with ant jokes. I’m okay with this. Wow there’s a princess story in this? “That’s our lot in life. It’s not a lot, but it’s our life” Shoutout to the voice actors. Do grasshoppers bully ants in real life? Flik wants to help and they basically banish him. Comic relief side characters show up at what I can only assume is a flea circus run by P.T. lol Flik goes to a bar to hire tough bugs and finds the circus bugs. They accept the job thinking it’s a performance and not a real fight. Classic miscommunication. “We drew one of you dying because our teacher thought it would be more dramatic.” They finally tell Flik it was a mistake. BYOB was a thing in 1998? I’m liking Princess Atta’s character. She’s all business and focused on being a good leader for the colony. She bonds with Flik because they’re both just trying to prove themselves. PT blows the circus bug’s cover and Flik gets banished again. Hopper returns for the food and takes over the colony. Dot finds out they plan on killing her mom and flies off for help. Circus bugs come back as the distraction while Flik and the kids get the bird. Plan works until freaking PT lights the bird on fire. Is PT the villain? Dang, the finale is redeeming it for me. It’s intense and high stakes. Flik tricks Hopper into getting eaten by a nest of baby birds so happy ending.
Favorite character: Dot, obviously
Honorable mentions: The jokes were okay. I feel like the plot was lacking. I just wasn’t fully invested in watching the movie.
Overall thoughts: It’s a good movie for kids on perseverance, creativity, and anti-bullying. Not sure about the message of seeking approval though.

Movie 3: Toy Story 2 1999 – I remember this one more than the first which isn’t saying a lot. I mostly just remember getting more female toys like Barbie and Jessie. We open with some Buzz origin story and I don’t know what’s happening. It’s revealed the opening was just Rex playing the Buzz Lightyear video game and we are back in Andy’s bedroom. Andy’s leaving for cowboy camp, but Woody’s arm got ripped in an accident and he gets left behind. Andy’s mom has a yard sale and in the confusion Woody gets taken by “Newman” who is the owner of Al’s Toy Barn. He plans on selling Woody as a collector’s item. Woody finds Jessie and the gang in Newman’s apartment. Buzz and the gang leave Andy’s bedroom to rescue Woody. “There’s a snake in my boot.” Woody gets fixed up and Andy’s toys arrive at Al’s Toy Barn. Buzz gets in trouble with the other Buzz’s. The gang finds the Barbie aisle and picks up the wrong Buzz. We get Jessie’s backstory which is *depressing*. Andy’s toys make their way to Al’s apartment and Buzz manages to free Zorg from his box. Woody’s gang and Andy’s gang all reunite. Woody has to choose which gang to stick with. We got Jurassic Park and Star Wars references in the same movie and I love it. Shenanigans ensue. Did they serious end with an erection joke? hahaha AND THEY ANIMATED BLOOPERS. A BUG’S LIFE JOKE.
Favorite character: Again, no real character stood out in the ensemble. I like the Woody and Buzz duo. Jessie is a bit much for me. I always love Ham, Potato, and Rex comedy bits.
Honorable mentions: Meh. I feel like this one was too much compared to the last movie. A lot was happening and there’s a lot of characters. As always, I think the script was decent. Animation was a lot better than before.
Overall thoughts: It’s a good movie. I’m trying to understand the moral of it. Is it loyalty and friendship? Like Jessie’s kid donated her, but Woody should stay with Andy and risk getting rejected in the future? Interesting concept for a kids movie.

Movie 4: Monster’s Inc. 2001 – Okay now I’m showing my age, but this early-2000s era of Pixar was amazing. We open with scare training. Morning montage with best friends makes me happy. Is it weird I always liked Randall’s villain character? There’s a bit of a workplace class system with the Scarers being at the top. “2319”. Mike leaves for his anniversary date and Sully has to deal with the paperwork. Boo is adorable and fearless. If you’ve never read about how they got Boo’s recording in the studio, you need to. Sully crashes the date to get help with the kid, but Boo ruins the date. lol knocking over the TV in the apartment. She’s chaotic and I love it. Sully starts bonding with her and realizes she’s scared of Randall coming out of the closet. They dress Boo as a monster and bring her back to the factory. We get the first banishment foreshadow. I’m not writing because I’m just enjoying the movie. Sully thinks Boo gets crushed, but she really joined the day care/field trip group. Mike makes a deal with Randall to get the door back. It’s a trap. Randall monologues his evil plan. Then boss man takes Boo and banishes the guys. Sully goes back to save Boo. Fun fact if you’re ever doing Disney trivia: Boo has a name that is never spoken, but you can see it in her file. The door warehouse animation always impresses me. Boo ex machina. Boss fight number 2. Wow multiple plot twists at the end. Ending with standup is a sin – just kidding I’m laughing at the bad jokes. Crap I love this ending.
Favorite character: Sully and Boo
Honorable mentions: This movie felt less funny (at least less punny) than the others, but it upped the feels. Most of the movie is the relationship between Sully and Boo. Trying to get her home and keep her safe is Sully’s priority.
Overall thoughts: I think this one really launched the Pixar studio, but I’m also not the biggest Toy Story fan. It has that emotional touch that we’ve come to know and love in Pixar movies.

Movie 5: Finding Nemo 2003 – I love this movie. Nothing like starting off with murder and trauma. Also the dead parent trope. And overprotect parent. “I’m H2O intolerant” and “I’m obnoxious” are my life mottos. THE ANIMATION. “He touched the butt”. lol Dory is a genius character. Wow this movie happens fast. Already at “fish are friends, not food”. This movie taught me about AA meetings. “Denial” haha I’m just gonna quote the whole thing. What are the odds of finding the exact mask in the entire ocean? There’s a Shining reference in this? Classic fart joke sandwiched between two tense scenes. Tank ensemble may be my favorite part. The dentist “saved” Nemo from his natural habitat only to give him to Darla?? Humanity… “Sea monkey has my money” “Are you my conscience”. This freaking mask. “THE RING OF FIRE” “SHARK BAIT OOH HAHA” This movie switched to Heist B plot real quick. “He lost his son, Fabio” “I shall call him Squishy and he shall be my Squishy”. FYI All drains do NOT lead to the ocean. This movie almost made Clownfish and several other species extinct (not so fun fact). Changed my mind – Crush and Squirt are my favorite. “Give me some fin” “Sweet. Totally” Oh gosh I was not mentally prepared for the “Mine” Seagulls. Movie switched to Jonah A plot in the belly of a whale. So much happens in this movie! Darla is just showing up and Marlin is just arriving in the harbor. “I’m a piranha from the Amazon”. Maybe this movie is why I hate dentists. Ends with Marlin trusting Nemo and letting him go. THERE’S AN END CREDIT BIT? In memory of Glenn McQueen. Hmm that name sounds familiar…
Favorite character: Dory, duh
Honorable mentions: Marlin annoys me, but I get that’s the point. I truly love the Dentist tank fish. Mostly Peach and Bubbles.
Overall thoughts: Interesting way to include disabled characters for kids between Nemo fins and Dory’s short term memory. Maybe a bit with Marlin’s fear of the ocean too and having to get outside his comfort zone. There’s some natural circle of life topics with the food chain. Obviously the parenting and coming of age plotline. There’s a good theme of trust throughout the whole movie

Movie 6: Incredibles 2004 – But I personally LOVE this movie. “Leave the saving the world to the men? I don’t think so”. Off the bat voice actor and soundtrack appreciation. THE SUPER CAR. I love the rooftop playful banter especially when you don’t realize they’re getting married that night. Is suicide jumper a little too dark for Pixar? He evens sues Mr. Incredible for rescuing him?? Also is this a typical night in the city? Do they live in Gotham? hehe “Coincidence? I think NOT”. I read each of the Incredibles powers related to the family stereotype. Did they name the kids before or after they got their powers, because that cannot be a coincidence. Bob struggling with work and family, and wanting to relive the glory days. Is this movie actually about avoiding depressing and finding your purpose in life? When he throws out his back lol. Now that he has a superhero job again, he’s happier, in shape, and involved with the family. “No capes”. Buddy’s villain arc is basically never meet your heroes. “Either his in trouble or he’s going to be”. I know I probably shouldn’t love the airplane scene, but I do. When the Mom pep talk is basically these bad guys will kill children. lol the Pixar mom curves that we appreciate. The kids using their powers for the first time in the jungle is ICONIC. “WHERE IS MY SUPERSUIT?” Aww they’re working together. Wow you really don’t see Jack-Jack’s powers until the very end. “THAT WAS TOTALLY WICKED” Underminer seems like a cool villain. I can’t wait for the sequel which should only take a few years to come out, right? Go watch Jack-Jack Attack if you’ve never seen it. It is 5 minutes of the best footage to ever come out of Pixar.
Favorite character: ALL OF THEM. Mostly Jack-Jack
Honorable mentions: As an older sister around 10 years old (at the time) I totally identified as Violet. Now I might relate more to Helen lol
Overall thoughts: Good commentary on powers and responsibility as heroes. Even the government involvement on regulating Supers. When everyone is special, no one is. Also accurately depicting family relationships at home and trying to be “normal”.

Movie 7: Cars 2006 – And I’m just now realizing I’m going to have to watch all three Cars movies. A quick google confirms that the two Planes movies are not Pixar, so at least I have that going for me. Not that I have a bad memory of Cars, I’d just rather watch something else. Opens with Lightning McQueen racing for the Piston Cup in his rookie year. Ka-chow! McQueen didn’t make a pit stop and it cost him the Cup. The fangirls flash Lightning and this is a kids movie? Annnd he zones out while someone more experienced gives him good advice. Tiebreaker race to decide the true winner. His sponsor is butt cream?? Did someone just say Free Bird? I’m dying! Life is a highway theme song. McQueen makes another stupid decision and has Mack drive through the night. McQueen ends up lost in the middle of nowhere. Snot Rod? Police car backfires and McQueen thinks it’s gunfire and starts “serpentine”. If a car in a Pixar movie can do it, so can Rickon Stark. Hippie van is high, obviously. McQueen is literally terrorizing this town. Jay Limo lol. It took 30 minutes to Mater. We appreciate boss lawyer Sally. McQueen continues to be self-centered and lazy instead of fixing the road. Doc beats him in a race. Is the moral respect your elders? Good old fashion tractor tipping. Mater teaches McQueen backwards driving and this friendship is very one-sided at this point. McQueen finds out Doc’s secret identity. Sally and Lightning go for a romantic cruise. We take a break to talk about how highways kill small towns. Lightning has a change of heart for the town, but then his gets rushed back to his racecar life. I take it all back. The Italian cars are my favorite lol. Stickers is the cutest nickname. Crap it could be the glass of wine I’ve had, but I’m tearing up at this ending. Stay for credits “You are a toy car!” “The Boomobile’s in trouble!” “Wait a minute here. They’re just using the same actor over and over.” Never mind you don’t have to watch the credits. I just did the transcript
Favorite character: I guess McQueen. I don’t like him in the beginning obviously, but I really enjoy the redemption arc.
Honorable mentions: Mater, Sally, Doc
Overall thoughts: Good movie on how not to be a jerk. Way better than I expected though. I truly enjoyed it. Most underrated Pixar movie?

Movie 8: Ratatouille 2007 – Wow we’re really just at the point of the binge where I don’t want to watch this era of movies. I love food, but French cuisine is my least favorite. Am I the food critic villain? Freeze frame narration “wonder how I got here” cliché. Is this Patton Oswalt? Lady uses a shotgun against the rats and I think that’s overkill. THE COLONY WAS IN HER CEILING?! Remy gets separated from his family and explores Paris. Ian Holm is the head chef and now I’m crying. They really named this kid Alfredo Linguini? Remy gets caught fixing the sauce. This French Brad Garrett ghost is weird. Remy and Linguini team up. lol tiny apartment joke. The screaming in the pantry and insane Linguini got me haha. “one can get too familiar with vegetables you know” what is that supposed to mean Pixar? Hair control cooking montage. Lady chef with knives is my favorite. Wait criminal sous chef is my favorite. Remy’s recipes are becoming popular and head chef is threatened. “Rat patootie” Conflict ensues. “I have this tiny, little…” AND SHE LOOKS DOWN. DYING. He tries to tell the truth, but they kiss instead. Omg did Ian get a reward for his voice acting in this scene alone?! “He calls it his tiny chef” How many penis jokes are they gonna make in a kids movie? More conflict. They made up to pull off the dinner with the help of the rats. Ego literally waited until closing just to meet the chef and they tell a food critic EVERYTHING? I always like the unexpected endings in Pixar movies. They didn’t redeem the restaurant’s reputation because of health violations, but they were able to open a new human/rat restaurant instead (which also would have health violations??).
Favorite character: Got to love Colette
Honorable mentions: Ego is a cool character and honestly the part I remember from the first time watching this.
Overall thoughts: It’s about accepting change and following your dream. Better than I remember

Movie 9: Wall-e 2008 – YES the fat people movie! I don’t think I’ve seen this since I became a musical fan and now I REALLY appreciate the Hello, Dolly song. We open with him doing the normal trash run and he already shows personality with the cockroach and collecting. OMG He’s singing. So precious. Is he watching it on an ipod?? RIP. He’s playing more than he’s working and this is me cleaning my room. How many resources do they still have to give Eve her own rocket ship? It took off without her. What were the logistics here? Yep, I ship this relationship. She violent and I like that about her. I love the sound design for this movie since there’s so little dialogue. Anyone else cringe when she pulled out the VHS tape lol? Wow I am a SUCKER for this relationship ❤ This suddenly became weekend at Bernie’s since he’s taking her unconscious body on dates. Oh ship is back. Almost like it shouldn’t have left in the first place *cough**cough*. Wall-e hangs on to the outside of the ship like Tom Cruise in order to follow Eve. LOL I just remembered how funny Mo is. oh gosh the brainwashing children scene. I remember also liking Mary as a character. Wall-e has probably been alone his whole life and he is just so friendly, it’s adorable. 700 anniversary of the 5 year cruise. OH MY GOSH. This pilot needs to be fired. He doesn’t know how books work. Plot twist the plant is gone. “Define Earth”. They find the plant getting sent to self destruct. SUS. How is that plant surviving in space? Is this the most romantic Pixar movie? I ship Mary and John too. “Define hoedown”. Eve is like stop flirting we have a mission lol. The pilot gets the plant and is determined to go back to Earth. A113 Easter egg! Autopilot wants to get the plant to prevent them from going home. “Rather than fixing the problem, it’ll be easier to remain in space” Classic Americans. Okay I love this pilot now. Conflict ensues. Wall-E and Eve get thrown away and Wall-E needs to charge. Eve has to choose between Wall-e and the directive AND SHE CHOOSES WALL-E. Pilot is the MVP. “John, get ready to have some kids” GUYS AM I CRYING?? This pilot is manually flying the spaceship? Is he qualified for that lol?? NOO I forgot the ending. Why does Pixar do this to us? lol holding hands – how scandalous. Aw end credits is Wall-E with the Pixar Lamp and I love it.
Favorite character: I tend to avoid liking main characters, but I truly loved everyone lol Wall-e, Eve, Pilot (does he have a name?), John and Mary
Honorable mentions: Mo and the defect droids and cockroach
Overall thoughts: Wow that made me warm and fuzzy, but I’m also in a romantic phase. This may be my favorite Pixar movie from this era. Obviously, the environmentalism plot that is still relevant and humanity to just not be stupid.

Movie 10: Up 2009 – I actually watched this movie earlier this year and I still hate it. I think it’s the most overrating Pixar movie lol. Fight me. The opening is fantastic – no complaints from me. Carl watching the black and white adventure promo is so well done. And then meeting Ellie is adorable. THE THEME SONG ❤ THE MAIL BOX! Ugh and now I’m crying because they can’t have kids. Justice for Ellie… Grumpy old man and corporate America jokes. Okay, I like Russell. Oh the subtle move of the CEO putting his hand on the fence. What would the legal proceedings be? The construction damaged his property so he fought back. Obviously both are in the wrong. Carl feels guilty that Ellie didn’t live out her childhood dream, but who has? I think Ellie’s dream became her life with Carl and he doesn’t quite understand that. Carl is a dick to retirement home employees lol was the dramatic escape necessary? Plot twist – he kidnapped Russell. They almost die in a storm, but magically end up at their destination. Rus finds Kevin the dodo and immediately bonds. They find Doug in the next scene. SQUIRREL. Carl and Rus bond over father issues. Evil dogs take Carl and Rus to their leader who turns out to be Carl’s hero. Plot twist – he’s the villain. Carl has to decide between helping Kevin and fulfilling his dream with Ellie. Villain is a dick to romance who would burn an old man house for a stupid bird. I don’t even like his motive. Carl continues to be a cranky old man focusing on an old dream instead of appreciating the present. He finally starts to figure it out when he flips through the album.
Favorite character: None are overly likeable, but probably Russell
Honorable mentions: Ellie lol
Overall thoughts: Villain and Carl were so fixated on the past. Villain wanting to prove he wasn’t a fraud, and Carl wanting to give Ellie her dream. The difference is Carl evolves through his relationship with Russell. The soundtrack is great, but the movie is overall just okay.

Movie 11: Cars 2 2011 – I have weird memories of this one. Mostly the pistachio ice cream joke that I frequently quote. James Bond opening. They killed off Doc? lol Mater trash talks McQueen’s competitor and gets McQueen into the world prix instead of enjoying his summer break. Wait Sally’s not even a main character in this movie? Why am I even watching it? Mater and McQueen head off for the world prix and have a bonding montage in Tokyo. hehe Wasabi scene. Through shenanigans, Mater is mistaken for the American agent. Dang they straight up murdered someone in this movie. Ohhh they’re using the fuel to to sabotage the race. Interesting. “Tow Mater, average intelligence”. Mater got sort of caught up on the mission and flew with the agents to Paris then Italy. Coincidentally that’s also where the next race is. Mater has told them twice that he is just a tow truck and at this point, it’s their fault for not listening. The bad guys are sabotaging the alternative fuel so they can control the oil? Sounds about right. First Cars movie was better. Final race is in London and bad guys are targeting McQueen. Mater has to save the day. So at what point to the agents realize he really is just a tow truck? Credits: “Special thanks to Steve Jobs”? What did Jobs do?? Also still love production babies.
Favorite character: uh no one. Maybe Michael Caine James Bond car
Honorable mentions: I didn’t need a full Mater movie, but he had his likeable moments
Overall thoughts: This movie was Mater focused and I think that’s why it wasn’t as good. Also the clandestine plot was a lot compared to the first movie. Protagonist learned to be themselves. Villain motive was power and money. I did like the dramatic reveal of the big boss though.

Movie 12: Brave 2012 – Is the plot great? No. Do I love this movie solely for the Scottish-ness? Yep. Wait is the same as Turning Red? DID PIXAR PLAGIARIZE THEIR OWN MOVIE? Seems like Merida was a mommy’s girl until she got her first bow. DID HE JUST GRAB HER BUTT?! I love that they included Will-o-the-Wisps. This movie is Pixar realizing they don’t need to kill a parent in the opening lol. Girl doesn’t want to be princess cliché. Touch the Sky is top 5 favorite Disney songs. The boys are amazing comic relief. Arranged Marriage cliché. Classic case of stubborn mother and daughter not listening to each other. 3 clans with suitors and they’re all awful. You couldn’t have a least one decent pick lol. Queen doesn’t give Merida enough credit. She found that loop hole quick. I hate it when people take things too far…Merida shouldn’t have cut the tapestry and Queen shouldn’t have burned the bow. Crazy witch in enchanted forest is my life goals. “I want a spell to change my mom” I take it back. Merida could be smarter lol. Bear Mom escaping castle is funny. Bear Mom survival skills are funny. Merida using her mom’s words against her. Did I say this plot was boring? Cause it’s not. There’s not a slow part in the movie and they tie the history really well. Bear shenanigans ensue. Someone please explain the “Dedicated to Steve Jobs”! End credit scene with Merida’s carvings from the witch arriving.
Favorite character: Merida duh
Honorable mentions: The Dad and brothers
Overall thoughts: The story may be a little cliché, but I truly love it. I love anything Scottish so I’m bias. Moral of the story is listen to each other in order to understand the other persons perspective. Honestly like Freaky Friday. Merida has to become the leader her mom wants her to be and Queen understands Merida’s independence. Also I love the soundtrack.

It’s hard to pick out stuff in the “Best” category because it’s mostly ensemble casts without a typical Disney villain. That’s the cool part with Pixar movies that separates it from the Disney Princess stories.
Best Lead(s): Incredibles
I may be personally biased on this one, but I mean come on. They are literally super heroes. A lot of the main characters in the other movies didn’t grab my attention. It was usually side characters or comic relief that I truly enjoyed.
Best Villain: Monster’s Inc
Randall is one of the best Pixar villains. He’s ambitious, crafty, and the true definition of a Slytherin. What I like about Pixar movies is that it’s not always the stereotypical “bad guy” villain. Sometimes it’s relationship problems or achieving personal growth.
Best Story: Finding Nemo, Cars, Wall-e
I knew I’d rate Finding Nemo high on the list going into this, but Cars and Wall-e were pleasant surprises. I truly enjoyed the originality and depth in these three stories. Finding Nemo is so complex with relationships, fear, and disability for a freaking kids movie in 2003. Cars may not be as original or complex, but still thoroughly enjoyable. It’s a good feel-good, sports movie with life lessons and plenty of jokes. Wall-e got a lot of hype at the time, but I think it’s one that’s been forgotten. Obviously the environmental plotline is a huge part of it, but I got so caught up in the romance of the movie.

MY OFFICIAL DISNEY PIXAR MOVIE RANKING:

1. Finding Nemo
2. Cars
3. Incredibles
4. Wall-e
5. Monster’s Inc.
6. Brave
7. Toy Story 1
8. Ratatouille
9. Toy Story 2
10. Bug’s Life
11. Up
12. Cars 2

This trip was my first time using the GyPSy Guide app and it was honestly the best! My parents discovered it when they went to Yellowstone. It’s basically like having a professional travel guide in your pocket. The guide will tell you the best things in the area and how to get there. They’ll even provide local history and stories. The app is free, but you pay for the specific tour you need. For Hawaii, you can do a bundle of 4 islands or just pay for the island your visiting. It is definitely worth it.

Weekend in Kauai

Kauai can be split in half. You can explore the East/North one day and the West/South another day. Here’s a summary of what we did and my recommendations.

Day 1: We landed in Lihue and immediately roadtripped North since our hotel check-in was not till 4pm. We stopped at for Opaekaa waterfall and Wailua river overlook. You can look into doing the Grotto or renting a kayak to explore the river more. There is a 4.5 mile bike path that you can use to explore along the beaches in Kapaa. In general, Kapaa was my favorite town to hang out in. There are really good markets and food in town. We had fish tacos where they filmed a Jurassic Park scene. We continued North towards the Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge and lighthouse. This is the most northern point of the Hawaiian islands. I’m not even a bird watcher, but I had a blast at the Refuge. We saw red-footed boobies and baby shearwaters. From there, we turned around and went back to the hotel. However, I recommend continuing to Hanalei Bay. All the locals said this was one of their favorite spots, but we never made it out. Maybe book dinner at a restaurant for sunset. Since we turned back to the hotel, we had dinner at the resort which ended up being disappointing, but we were exhausted and hungry.

Day 2: We roadtripped West to Waimea Canyon. At the end of the road, there is a lookout of Napali Coast that has the best views in the morning and is known as the wettest spot on Earth. So we rushed to get there before 10am and then hit all the other scenic views on the way back down. I will say the sun lit up the canyon better in the afternoon so it’s okay to not see it immediately in the morning. Instead of spending all day in the car again, we decided to take the Canyon hike to Waipoo Falls. If you don’t have 4WD, you have to park on the side of the road by Kokee State Park sign and walk a few extra miles to the trail head. If you do have 4WD, you can drive the rough road to the trailhead and have a lovely hike. We didn’t want to damage our rental car so we walked down and hitchhiked back up to the car. Don’t forget to stop by Red Dirt Falls on the side of the road. By the time we were done with the canyon, we were exhausted and hungry again. Unfortunately, we also ended back at the resort for a disappointing dinner. (Make reservations ahead of time if you want a good restaurant). When you’re researching food, add Kountry Kitchen to your Brunch options. I was very upset we didn’t get to go.

Day 3: This was our excursion day! We booked a morning helicopter tour and afternoon ATV tour. The most popular way to see the famous West coast is a boat tour, but I really wanted the Jurassic Park helicopter experience and it was amazing. We took off from the Lihue airport and flew through the canyon used in the Jurassic Park opening and the “Jurassic Falls” where they landed. From there, we continued West to Waimea Canyon and was able to see the hiking trail we did the day before. We continued to the Napali Coast and Hanalei Bay to complete the tour of the whole island. This was my second helicopter ride and while I usually get very motion sick, I found the helicopter more steady than the small airplanes I’m used to. After the helicopter, we drove South to Poipu to check in for our ATV tour. This was also so much fun. I got to drive a fairly dangerous, muddy path to a waterfall that we could swim in. Along the way, we would pull over and the guides would provide some local stories and facts. We even saw a WW2 bunker and more film locations. Be prepared to get very dirty. We ended up staying in Poipu and saw sunset on the beach. I tried to get reservations for a nice dinner, but everything was already booked. Let’s just say I was very disappointed with the food options available to us.

Day 4: We went back North to Wailua and Kapaa for a waterfall hike before going to the airport. Hoopii Falls was another Jurassic Park scene and we really enjoyed the few mile hike. It was super muddy and slippery, so be prepared. You can technically swim at the Falls but I read there is some sewage leakage and we didn’t want to risk it. After the dirty hike, we did a quick change and went to the airport and flew to the Big Island.

Week in Hilo

The whole purpose of the trip was to spend time with family, but we were able to squeeze some popular tourist stuff as well.

Day 5: We arrived at my family’s place in Hilo, Hawaii. After the morning routine, we took the coconuts (little cousins) to downtown Hilo. We explored Liliuokalani Gardens and Coconut Island. We also got fruit pops from Locavore. Kept it simple with pizza for dinner.

Day 6: We had a chill day and spent some time relaxing

Day 7: Mom and I went to Café Pesto in downtown Hilo for lunch and I was happy to finally get a decent meal at a restaurant. I’ve heard Takenoko Sushi is also really good, but we couldn’t get reservations. From there, we did Rainbow Falls and Boiling Pots. Both were quick stops off of the main road close to downtown. Boiling Pots had a short path down that you can take to see the waterfall in the back. Just ignore the “No Trespassing” and “Danger” signs. We continued North and did the quick loop for Akaka falls. You can technically see it from the parking lot, but I highly recommend walking the loop for the best views. Up by Akaka falls, there is a scenic drive with an overlook of a bay and local gardens

Day 8: Saturday we ended up getting an authentic Hilo day complete with chilly rain. We mostly ran errands and got some Starbucks to warm up. Ended the day with tacos and Luca move night.

Day 9: We finally got our beach day! Hilo was still a bit rainy so we drove towards the Kona side of the island. We spent most of the day boogie boarding and swimming in the waves at Hapuna Beach. We found a cool cave formed by the tides and I did some barefoot lava rock climbing. I took a quick snooze and woke up sunburn. Do I know better? Yes. Do I learn from my mistakes? Nope.

Day 10: Still raining, but kids had school and I had work so it fit the mood.

Day 11: A few days had past since we saw a waterfall so we drove up the rode to Umauma Falls (many Your Mama jokes were made) to walk around. This location also offers gardens, zip lines, and ATV tours. Not far away was the regular Tuesday farmer’s market. We planned to just window shop, but ended up with rambutan, avocado chocolate mousse, and mint brownies. All vegan of course and delicious.

Day 12: Our trip South started with a quick stop at Big Island Candies in near downtown Hilo. The mint brownies and lemon shortbread are family favorites. Then began the long drive to Green Sand Beach at the southern point. Green Sand beach is 1 of 4 in the world and super cool if you have the time. 1) It is a hike to the beach so be prepared with water and sun protection. 2) There are locals that will give you a ride for $20 a person. However, this is illegal and the trucks damage the landscape. We did hike to the beach, but paid for a ride back since we short on time and tired.

Just down the road from Green Sand Beach is South Point. This is literally the most southern point in the United States. The cliffs provide a good location for fishing and cliff jumping. Several people have gotten injured jumping so be careful. On our drive back North, we stopped at Punaluu for their famous malasadas. We got one of each flavor and really enjoyed them. We took our fancy donuts to Black Sand Beach to sit and watch the sea turtles.

Finally, we made it to Volcano National Park. The volcano was erupting last time I was on the island (4 years ago), but now it was erupting at a different spot. Check the current status for your visit! We’d done the park before so we were really only there to see the lava at night. During the day, I recommend the Crater Rim Drive Tour for the Overlooks and Thurston Lava Tube for a quick walk. If you have extra time, you can do a day hike or Chain of Craters Road. I’m thinking I did Kilauea Iki Trail last time to walk on the solid lava lake floor of the crater. This time we were interrupted by a thunderstorm so we left the park and went to the town of Volcano for dinner at the Kilauea Lodge. We also stopped by the local winery which was fun and fruity. We made our way back to Devastation Trail once the thunderstorm passed and we also avoided the estimated 2 hour wait. The walk to the overlook was quick and easy. We didn’t even need our flashlights with the full moon.

Day 13: This was the day of the lunar eclipse so we had a bonfire, ate smores, and stargazed before running off for our redeye flight home.

Some things we didn’t do this trip, but recommend on the Big Island.

Mauna Kea is the highest point in the state of Hawaii and second-highest peak of an island on Earth. During my solo trip I drove up to the Visitor Center, but didn’t make it to the summit without 4-wheel drive.

Waipio Valley is a traditional Hawaiian landscape with black sand beach, taro farms, and waterfalls. Last time we went, we did a horseback ride down the steep trail.

Snorkeling at Captain Cook Monument is very popular as the bay is home to one of the most abundant coral reefs on the island. The center of the bay is deep and frequently visited by dolphins and turtles.

Kona Coffee Tours are also a popular tourist destination, but I’m not a coffee drinker

Mauna Loa Macadamia Nut Factory is another must do, but I don’t like macadamia nuts.

We planned the weekend to go, but that was about it. Here’s the pros/cons and lessons learned from a spontaneous trip during the local busy season.

Day 1: Boston

We arrived Friday evening and started off by checking into the hotel. We stayed at the Hilton close to the Downtown/Faneuil Hall area. Once we settled in, it was time to pick a restaurant. My request was a pub since that’s a very local vibe. We ended up at The Black Rose for live music, Shepard’s pie, and whiskey. After dinner, we wondered towards the waterfront and some of the North End bakeries. The parks in this area are gorgeous and we found some swinging benches and arbors to take pictures. We got treats from Modern Pastry, but we heard great things about Mike’s Pastry as well. Be prepared to wait in line for both. It’s a blast just to walk the streets, smell the pasta, and pretend you’re really in Italy.

Day 2: Boston

This was our stereotypical tourist day. We did the Freedom Trail starting at the Boston Commons. We had breakfast sandwiches at Beantown Pub with a lovely view of Granary Cemetery. From there we just followed the trail and walked probably 8 miles total. It’s free to walk the trail and see the historical sites, but several sites offer tours for a fee. We skipped most, but took advantage of the tours in the Old North Church. This is where Paul Revere saw the lanterns hung that began his ride to warn about the coming British. We walked around the church then did the bonus crypt tour to walk around under the church. It was really interesting to hear about how burials were handled back then, but I’m weirdly into that stuff. From there, we continued to Charlestown for the end of the trail – Bunker Hill and USS Constitution. I did the Constitution tour a few years ago so we didn’t do it this time, but I do recommend it. At this point we were tired and sore. We headed back to North End for an Italian dinner. Wait times can be long so go early or book in advance. We ended up at L’Osteria and had an amazing time. It was a little off the main section so it was quieter, but it was across the street from a park and we had street performers singing opera for us. The food itself was amazing. We got an appetizer and two entries and dessert between three of us and it was just the right amount. The house red wine and sangria was good, but I still had to get the classic lemoncello with dessert.

Day 3: Salem

We started with breakfast at the hotel restaurant, Tradesman, before driving to Salem. We got a hotel in Danvers – aka Salem Village and drove into Salem (Town). Parking is a mess, so get there as early as possible. This was our main tourist day and a lot of tours were already sold out for the day, so also plan in advance. We started with the Salem Witch Trials exhibit at the Peabody Essex Art museum. We did the combo bundle for the Pirate museum, Witch History museum, and Witch Dungeon. They were all a little cheesy, but fun and educational. The Witch Dungeon was my favorite of the three and led to several Monty Python quotes. The Witch Museum is a separate building on the square. We didn’t go in so I can’t compare with the other museums. We had lunch on the waterfront which was perfect to get my required seafood meal. We continued exploring with the Hawthorne Hotel and the Witch House (opposite sides of Essex St). We saw the Bewitched statue and window shopped. For dinner, we got an outdoor table at Olde Main Street Pub. I had a blast with fall themed cocktails and more seafood.

Day 4: Salem

We had brunch at the Friendly Toast which is known for their brunch. Then we drove to the House of Seven Gables for our scheduled tour. The house was beautiful and had a cool history that helped inspire Nathaniel Hawthorne’s book. They also relocated Hawthorne’s old house to the property so we toured that as well. We circled back to downtown Salem for more shopping and the local cemetery. We tried to go to Pioneer Village, but turns out it was closed on Mondays (plan in advance). We were able to see Max and Dani’s house from Hocus Pocus which is a private residence, but still cool. After we were all done with spooky sites, we drove out to Wingaersheek Beach to see the ocean and some tide pools.

And that ends the trip. After the beach, we packed up and headed home. If we planned ahead of time, I definitely would have got tickets for the Witch House and the Ghosts & Legends Trolley Tour. But we were still able to see and do a lot despite the no plans and large crowds.

Completely coincidental, I ended up in Colorado twice this summer. I had not been to Colorado before, but it has always been a dream destination for me. Trip 1 was Colorado Springs based and Trip 2 was Denver based. There was a little overlap, but I was happy that I got to experience new things each visit. Also Trip 1 was end of May (off season) and Trip 2 was end of June (busy season), so there were several differences with availability and crowds.

Rocky Mountain National Park From Denver, we made the drive to Estes Park. Be prepared for little to no cell service. We got lost and had to go into the Stanley Hotel for a map Trip 1. Before going into the park, we made quick stop at Rocky Mountain Chocolate (also public bathrooms), Safeway for water and snacks, and the Pharmacy for Boost oxygen. Once we got all our gear, we headed to the park entrance. Turns out we were supposed to get Reservations for Trip 2. Check ahead of time if reservations are required for your trip. We ended up killing time by hiking Lily Mt Trail and shopping at the the park gift shop.

I highly recommended starting with Trail Ridge Road, but be prepared for the high elevation. The road leads up the mountain and offers several vistas. Many Parks Curve and Rainbow Curve were my favorites. We made it to about 11,500 ft. elevation before turning back.

Honestly we just winged it and drove around exploring. The rangers at the park entrance have park maps and specific trail maps so be sure to ask for some. We chose Bear Lake area which was gorgeous. Our goal was Emerald Lake. We started the 1.8 mile hike at 6pm. It was more uphill than we were expecting and we were cutting it close with sunset, but it was worth it! It is considered an “easy” trail. But personally, the mix of elevation, bad cardio, and sunset made the hike challenging. From the Bear Lake Trailhead, continue to Nymph Lake and Dream Lake, before arriving at Emerald Lake. This was a there-and-back trail, not a loop.

I’ll say it now: be on the look out for animals! Trip 1, we saw 2 moose grazing in the valley. Trip 2, we saw a pack of elk on the side of the road.

Red Rocks

I loved hiking around the area and checking out the music history. We did the 1.5 mile Trading Post trail around the rock formations. We also checked out view of Denver from the Amphitheatre. Underneath there was Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with music history and all the artist that have performed. There was also a separate building below the amphitheater with gift shop and more music exhibits. We were there on a nonevent day, but you can check out who’s playing during your visit. They also do Drive-In movies. The rock formations were my favorite though and they reminded me of Garden of the Gods.

Mt Evans

Mt Evans is the highest drivable peak in the Rocky Mountains. It’s comparable to Pike’s Peak. This was a super fun experience. Make sure you’re comfortable driving with sharp turns and steep drop offs. Altitude sickness will also effect you. For me, it’s mostly headaches and hyperventilating. We also had to get reservations for a designated time so be sure to research that ahead of time. On the mountain road, there are pull off stops for pictures. We drove straight up and hit the stops on the way down. Echo Lake marks the start of the difficult driving. There’s also the Nature Center, Summit Lake, and Crest House Ruins. Unfortunately for us, the clouds blocked most of the view, but there were some gaps where we could snap a quick picture. We parked in the lot at 14,130 ft. There is a short trail to the summit 14,260 ft., but we chose not to do it. I wanted to make it down the mountain while I was still able to drive.

Idaho Springs

This was honestly our favorite place, so we went back twice. For dinner, we went to Clear Creek Cidery & Eatery. Also everyone plays Cornhole on Monday’s? That was fun. Most of the shops were closed so we went to the Yeti Saloon for drinks. We loved the vibe there. When we went back during the morning hours, we window shopped. Two Brothers Deli and One Door Down are a weird but fun combination of deli, café, bar, and bookstore. The Spice & Tea Exchange was by far my favorite, but I’m really into the tea blends. I also got a guacamole spice blend. I didn’t get the names, but there was an antique store that was so much fun to explore and a standard gift shop where we got souvenirs. We went to Pickaxe Pizza for lunch.

Downtown Denver

For Trip 2, our Airbnb was at the intersection of 70 and 25, so we were close to Coors Field and the Zoo. We found this random diner that had amazing cinnamon rolls. Check out Butcher Block Café if your in the area. Before going to an evening Rockies baseball game at Coors Field, we explored Larimer Square. I spent more money at vintage and souvenir stores. Garage Sale Vintage and Rocket Fizz were my favorite. On the other side of the city, I recommend Ash’Kara for a nice sit down dinner. There are a ton of restaurant and bars in this area if you just want to wander and explore. There were also some table top bars on my bucket list that we didn’t get around to – The Denver Game Lounge. For the Denver Zoo, we had to have reservations for timed entry. We got in at 2pm and made it to the exit just before closing at 7pm. The elephants were a highlight. I also enjoyed the ice cream and cotton candy.

Colorado Springs

For Trip 1, our Airbnb was in the Northern part of town which was nice, but a lot of the attractions were closer to Manitou. For brunch, we hit up Urban Egg Eatery for strawberry cheesecake pancakes. One day we checked out the Ghost Town Museum and Colorado Mountain Brewery across the street. Both were okay, but definitely cheesy tourist destinations. I recommend Goat Patch Brewing or the ViewHouse if you’re looking for a local spot. Me and my friends are aviation nerds so we went to the Airplane Restaurant. Food was not great, but the atmosphere was cool! Definitely check out if you have kids or aviation geeks in your group. A restaurant we really enjoyed was Edelweiss with amazing German food and drinks. We also got dressed up for High Tea at Glen Eyrie Castle near Garden of the Gods.

At the end of our trip, we enjoyed a soak at SunWater Spa. It’s not technically a hot spring, but it is a mineral bath in a hot tub with a view of Pike’s Peak. Since we were traveling off season (and during COVID), some of the things on my list were closed. If you can get to it, check out the Air Force Academy, Olympic Training Center, and Focus on the Family Welcome Center. For Focus on the Family (it’s a Christian company I grew up with), we were able to shop in the bible bookstore, but the Whit’s End Soda shop was closed for renovations. There’s also the Manitou Incline if you’re athletically inclined.

Paint Mines

This one is a drive out, but worth it! The Paint Mines are named for their colorful clays that were collected by American Indians to make paint. Brightly colored bands are found throughout the many different layers of clay. We were prepped for the walking, but unfortunately, the rain turned the ground to mud. We still really enjoyed exploring the trails and taking tons of pictures with the rocks. I can’t give you directions, but we found a cool cave tucked away in the back.

Cave of Winds

For this one, we did the morning haunted lantern tour which was a different experience. I’m from an area that has a lot of spelunking, but I always do the normal educational tours. This was literally candlelight through small spaces. The guide was cool too. She told us spooky stories about the founders, jilted brides, and missing children. They did one tourist photo that you buy for $20, but since the tour itself was pitch black, it was the only picture we ended up having. There is also the normal lighted tour if you prefer that experience. The welcome center has food, gift shop, and other attractions. There was a high ropes course that we almost did, and a Terror-dactyl drop off a 200ft cliff that we most definitely did not do.

Manitou Cliff Dwellings

The replica of ancient Puebloan cliff dwellings opened to the public 100 years ago. We were able to walk through the dwellings and displays to get a feel of how life was back then. There is a two-story gift shop that we honestly spent most of our time in. Tons of local artwork: dreamcatchers, pottery, and stone work. I got an onyx marbled wine glass.

Garden of the Gods

We did a horseback riding tour through Garden of the Gods and I highly recommend it. All the trails are also open to hikers if you prefer walking. It was about an hour ride and they keep the groups small. The guide also provided some information on the rock formations and history of the area. You were allowed to take photos, so my phone was in my bra pocket a lot of the time. If your comfortable riding, you can also hold in it one hand and the reins in the other. After the riding tour, we went to the welcome center across the road to change into shorts and get more souvenirs. We then went back to Garden of the Gods for some of the walking trails and more pictures.

Red Rocks Canyon

I really enjoyed this area! It’s a less touristy version of Garden of the Gods. It’s a good place for walking and hiking. We did a loop around the rock formations and enjoyed looking at the lake. We found the trails a little complicated so research ahead of time. There is a map at the trailhead and online. There is also biking trails and a dog park.

The Broadmoor Seven Falls

To say it upfront – there are 2 sets of stairs that do not connect. Climb the ones that are actually next to the waterfall (224 steps) if you want the experience. Use the elevator for the other set (185 steps). We climbed both staircases. The ones with an elevator provide a good photo op for the falls itself. I find if you climb up next to the waterfall the view is never as good from the side or top. You don’t miss anything if you stay at the bottom 🙂 There is also a restaurant at the base at the waterfall. It’s only open weekends and you will need a reservation. We went during the day, but I heard they light up the water in rainbow colors at night.

Pike’s Peak

The road to drive up to the top was closed, but fortunately the cog railway just reopened. The top still had renovations being done, but the train provided some shelter from the cold. With any of the high elevation trips, you need to dress appropriately. It was roughly 30 degrees Fahrenheit at the summit of Pike’s. I was so happy it was a clear day. The train conductor provided facts about the train and the mountain. He pointed out Inspiration Point which inspired America the Beautiful. You can also notice the end of the tree line which I find fascinating. There’s an elevation point where trees stop growing due to lack of oxygen, and it’s like someone drew a line where to stop the forest. There’s also some critters at the top of the mountain. Marmots are the most common, but you can also spot elk or big horn sheep.