Friday, December 30, 2011
Fireworks from Lake George
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Last pieces of Barcelona
I thought I had written about everything I wanted to write about in Barcelona, but then realized, I had missed 3 things. So here are the last pieces of Barcelona - Las Ramblas, Barcelona Cathedral and Barceloneta.
Las Ramblas is the main tourist strip in Barcelona. It is situated that on each side there are stores, then a lane of traffic and in the middle is a wide pedestrian walkway. The walkway has kiosks, restaurant seating, street performers and pick pockets. I am happy to say I don't know anyone who was pick pocketed, but this area is known to have lots of pick pockets so you will need to watch your wallet.
While the strip is loaded with tourists and touristy things, there are also many regular shops, like Nike, and a good atmosphere. It feels alive (but not early in the morning), and joyful. Of course you can also pick up any tourist souvenir you want, including a SpongeBob T-Shirt in Spanish (I have a 9 year old nephew). For the first time visitor to Barcelona you do need to take a walk down Las Ramblas, but if you're hungry I would take a walk a block or so away from Las Ramblas. You'll find better, cheaper food.
Barcelona Cathedral is in the gothic quarter, across from my first hotel in Barcelona. It's free to enter and is strikingly different from Sagrada Familia, it's well - gothic. If you have more then a day or two in Barcelona it's worth a visit, particularly if you have seen Sagrada Familia. I went during a mass (does that count as going to church?) so I didn't have free reign of the church. But I was able to see the architecture which was very ornate and detailed. It was pretty dark inside the church, giving the feel of candle light. With vaulted ceilings and the dim light it had a VERY old feel. I'm pretty sure the lights were electric even if they looked like candles. There were many small and ornate chaples in the back of the church, heavy in gold and very detailed in their images. But I'm pretty sure the flat screen TV's were new though.
Finally, I want to talk about Barceloneta, the beach area of Barcelona. I didn't spend too much time here, it wasn't terribly warm and there is so much to do in Barcelona, but I wanted to see the beach here. It was a nice beach, and pretty long. It's strange to think of such a large beach in a city, and only blocks away from the heart of downtown.
The area has a lot of restaurants, I hear it's known for Paella, shops but not as many hotels as I expected. One of the girls I met on the cruise stayed at Hotel Arts (the tall blue one that was formerly part of the olympic athletes village), which is a very nice (and expensive) hotel. There is also a casino here. If you're looking for a relaxing stay in Barcelona this would be a nice place to stay.
Las Ramblas is the main tourist strip in Barcelona. It is situated that on each side there are stores, then a lane of traffic and in the middle is a wide pedestrian walkway. The walkway has kiosks, restaurant seating, street performers and pick pockets. I am happy to say I don't know anyone who was pick pocketed, but this area is known to have lots of pick pockets so you will need to watch your wallet.
Barcelona Cathedral is in the gothic quarter, across from my first hotel in Barcelona. It's free to enter and is strikingly different from Sagrada Familia, it's well - gothic. If you have more then a day or two in Barcelona it's worth a visit, particularly if you have seen Sagrada Familia. I went during a mass (does that count as going to church?) so I didn't have free reign of the church. But I was able to see the architecture which was very ornate and detailed. It was pretty dark inside the church, giving the feel of candle light. With vaulted ceilings and the dim light it had a VERY old feel. I'm pretty sure the lights were electric even if they looked like candles. There were many small and ornate chaples in the back of the church, heavy in gold and very detailed in their images. But I'm pretty sure the flat screen TV's were new though. 
Finally, I want to talk about Barceloneta, the beach area of Barcelona. I didn't spend too much time here, it wasn't terribly warm and there is so much to do in Barcelona, but I wanted to see the beach here. It was a nice beach, and pretty long. It's strange to think of such a large beach in a city, and only blocks away from the heart of downtown. 
The area has a lot of restaurants, I hear it's known for Paella, shops but not as many hotels as I expected. One of the girls I met on the cruise stayed at Hotel Arts (the tall blue one that was formerly part of the olympic athletes village), which is a very nice (and expensive) hotel. There is also a casino here. If you're looking for a relaxing stay in Barcelona this would be a nice place to stay.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Photo of the Week: Spain
Friday, December 23, 2011
A Christmas Photo of a Castle
Cinderella's Castle at the Magic Kingdom during the Very Merry Christmas Party
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
The Holidays In Disney World
This year was the first time I was ever in Disney for the Christmas holidays, I had heard a lot of hype about what Disney does and it lived up to the hype!
The main holiday events are: Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom, Candlelight Processional at Epcot, and The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at the Hollywood Studios. I will go into each of these in great depth later on (probably in the middle to later part of the year as people start planning their own holiday trips.) But aside from these events the parks and resorts are dressed up for the holidays too. I felt fully immersed in the holidays while I was there.
Very Merry Christmas Party - I thought this event was over priced, but it was still fun. They have some special characters for photographs (all 7 dwarves in one place for photos), cookies and hot chocolate, a special show in front of the castle, a special parade and special Wishes fireworks. With the reduced number of people in the park I found you didn't have to fight so hard for a spot for the parade, which was good since I waited an hour to see the 7 dwarfs. The park is magical at night, and even more so when you're not fighting with so many people and are listening to Christmas music, it really does make a difference. This is an event that would be fun to do every couple years, but not necessarily every year, unless you need a little push to get into the holiday spirit.
The Osborne Family Dancing Lights - I had heard about these, I had previously seen the Streets of America. But gosh darn it, these were just cool! I love Christmas lights, I love Christmas music - lights dancing to Christmas music = heaven in my book. But it was very crowded. I actually saw these twice, the first time I was taking photos with my tripod, between that and the crowds it was just cool. But when I went for a private viewing and didn't even have my camera - I was dancing in the streets and singing songs - I LOVED it!. I also finally had a chance to help Terye find the hidden Mickeys. But I guess if you don't like Christmas lights or Christmas music then this would be a waste, of course if that's the case you should probably go to Disney another time of year.
Candlelight Processional - This is another event I had heard great things about, and it was my favorite. It was void of gimmicks and was just about Christmas. A famous person does the narration (Edward James Olmos) of the Christmas story and then a choir (accompanied by an orchestra) sang the appropriate Christmas song. If you enjoy going to church and listening to the choir sing on Christmas you will LOVE this!
Holiday Story Tellers - These are at Epcot at World Showcase. Each country has a story teller that talks about holidays in their country. While I really enjoyed the Christmas ones, I also really enjoyed the ones that talked about other holidays - The Monkey King really stood out. The Christmas ones reminds us of where our traditions come from and the non-Christmas ones remind us that the world is different and people celebrate different holidays while we're opening the presents that Santa placed under our trees.
I did visit a few of the different resorts - Grand Floridian, The Contemporary, Saratoga Springs, Yacht and Beach Club and of course my home resort of Port Orleans French Quarter. The Grand Floridian was my favorite in terms of decorations - a gingerbread house that is big enough to be a store selling gingerbread - impressive. Every resort had trees, multiple trees - I think the ones at Yacht and Beach had the best theming.
The last few years I've had trouble getting myself into the holiday spirit. But by the end of the week in Disney, I couldn't get it out of my spirit. I loved spending the holidays in Disney. I was running around the park singing about baby jesus, what more could you want? Since I bought an annual pass I think I might try to sneak in a trip right after Thanksgiving next year before my pass expires!
The main holiday events are: Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom, Candlelight Processional at Epcot, and The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at the Hollywood Studios. I will go into each of these in great depth later on (probably in the middle to later part of the year as people start planning their own holiday trips.) But aside from these events the parks and resorts are dressed up for the holidays too. I felt fully immersed in the holidays while I was there.
Very Merry Christmas Party - I thought this event was over priced, but it was still fun. They have some special characters for photographs (all 7 dwarves in one place for photos), cookies and hot chocolate, a special show in front of the castle, a special parade and special Wishes fireworks. With the reduced number of people in the park I found you didn't have to fight so hard for a spot for the parade, which was good since I waited an hour to see the 7 dwarfs. The park is magical at night, and even more so when you're not fighting with so many people and are listening to Christmas music, it really does make a difference. This is an event that would be fun to do every couple years, but not necessarily every year, unless you need a little push to get into the holiday spirit.
The Osborne Family Dancing Lights - I had heard about these, I had previously seen the Streets of America. But gosh darn it, these were just cool! I love Christmas lights, I love Christmas music - lights dancing to Christmas music = heaven in my book. But it was very crowded. I actually saw these twice, the first time I was taking photos with my tripod, between that and the crowds it was just cool. But when I went for a private viewing and didn't even have my camera - I was dancing in the streets and singing songs - I LOVED it!. I also finally had a chance to help Terye find the hidden Mickeys. But I guess if you don't like Christmas lights or Christmas music then this would be a waste, of course if that's the case you should probably go to Disney another time of year.
Candlelight Processional - This is another event I had heard great things about, and it was my favorite. It was void of gimmicks and was just about Christmas. A famous person does the narration (Edward James Olmos) of the Christmas story and then a choir (accompanied by an orchestra) sang the appropriate Christmas song. If you enjoy going to church and listening to the choir sing on Christmas you will LOVE this!
Holiday Story Tellers - These are at Epcot at World Showcase. Each country has a story teller that talks about holidays in their country. While I really enjoyed the Christmas ones, I also really enjoyed the ones that talked about other holidays - The Monkey King really stood out. The Christmas ones reminds us of where our traditions come from and the non-Christmas ones remind us that the world is different and people celebrate different holidays while we're opening the presents that Santa placed under our trees.
I did visit a few of the different resorts - Grand Floridian, The Contemporary, Saratoga Springs, Yacht and Beach Club and of course my home resort of Port Orleans French Quarter. The Grand Floridian was my favorite in terms of decorations - a gingerbread house that is big enough to be a store selling gingerbread - impressive. Every resort had trees, multiple trees - I think the ones at Yacht and Beach had the best theming.
The last few years I've had trouble getting myself into the holiday spirit. But by the end of the week in Disney, I couldn't get it out of my spirit. I loved spending the holidays in Disney. I was running around the park singing about baby jesus, what more could you want? Since I bought an annual pass I think I might try to sneak in a trip right after Thanksgiving next year before my pass expires!
Monday, December 19, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
Guest Post: Visiting Boston, Massachusets
A visit to Boston is always a great diversion for me. I live near Providence, so, a day trip to Beantown is accessible almost anytime. Traffic and parking can be a huge hassle. However, once you get by that hurdle, visiting this vibrant, diverse,exciting city is always fun.
This city is a major worldwide destination. It is many different attractions. I recently took a trip to an area called Cambridge. It is situated in the greater Boston area. Cambridge is most famous for being the home of some of the world's most prestigious institutions of higher learning including Harvard, and The Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A walking tour of Harvard is a must. It provides a insightful look at our nation's early history. I visited the area where George Washington took command of the colonial army in our fight for independence against Great Britain, and I touched the foot of the John Harvard statue for luck, I guess. If touching his foot was supposed to make you smarter, it didn't work for me.
The Charles River, the major interior waterway of Boston, runs right by Cambridge. Sail boats, skull boats and kayaks abound in the Charles. There is a terrific pastry shoppe in close by called "Finale's" where all sorts of delectable treats are sold. Pick out your favorite sweet, which can be a daunting task in itself, and take the short walk to the nearby grassy riverbank. It is a great way to kick back and relax.
This city is a major worldwide destination. It is many different attractions. I recently took a trip to an area called Cambridge. It is situated in the greater Boston area. Cambridge is most famous for being the home of some of the world's most prestigious institutions of higher learning including Harvard, and The Massachusetts Institute of Technology. A walking tour of Harvard is a must. It provides a insightful look at our nation's early history. I visited the area where George Washington took command of the colonial army in our fight for independence against Great Britain, and I touched the foot of the John Harvard statue for luck, I guess. If touching his foot was supposed to make you smarter, it didn't work for me.
The Charles River, the major interior waterway of Boston, runs right by Cambridge. Sail boats, skull boats and kayaks abound in the Charles. There is a terrific pastry shoppe in close by called "Finale's" where all sorts of delectable treats are sold. Pick out your favorite sweet, which can be a daunting task in itself, and take the short walk to the nearby grassy riverbank. It is a great way to kick back and relax.
Shopping in the trendy and upscale shops along Newbury and Tremont Streets is another experience not to be missed; at least that is what the women tell me.
Venerable Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox, is very close and worth a walk-by. Tickets for a game are hard to come by, but there is nothing like the atmosphere around Fenway before game time. Landsdowne Street comes alive with vendors hawking thier goods , the distinctive scent of a Fenway Franks wafts through the air, and the crack of the bat when players take batting practice are all experiences particular to Fenway.
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| Paul Revere |
Boston has many interesting and diverse neighborhoods. Beacon Hill is one of them. Beacon Hill is well known for its prominent brownstones that are home to some of the more financially well-heeled Bostonians. Much of the real estate on Beacon Hill is valued in the millions of dollars. A stroll through gives an insight on "how the other half lives". Boston is a city the can be described as the birthplace of the American Revolution. There are many famous landmarks that I visited on a walk throughout the city on what is known as the Freedom Trail. The Freedom Trail includes stops at the Paul Revere house, the Old North Church, Bunker Hill, The U.S.S. Constitution (Old Ironsides), Fanueil Hall (the cradle of Liberty), Boston Harbor, the site of the Boston Massacre, the old State House. All of these attractions are very interesting and, if you are a American History aficionado, this walk is a must-do.
The most perfect way for me to end a busy day in Boston, is to stroll from Quincy Market up to the Italian North End neighborhood and eat at one of the many restaurants Hanover street, and its surroundings, abound with a myriad of choices from the quick and easy Italian pannini shops to more formal ristorantes or trattorias. It is almost impossible to make a bad decision when visiting the North End. A side note for all of those with a sweet tooth, Mikes's Pastry and Modern
Bakery offer the most delectable Italian dolci (sweets). The greater Boston area offers the visitor host of different and interesting experiences. If you get a chance to visit, do not hesitate. You will love it.
Bio: My name is Shane McCormick. I am the owner of NationalRVParks.com. I'm in my late 20's and I enjoy travel. I write about my various travel experiences. I offer tips and hints about my travel destinations. Please follow me on Twitter and Friend Me on FaceBook!
Put down the camera
Incase my photos of the week haven't tipped you off, I enjoy photography. Going through photos after isn't always as much fun when you take as many as I do, but I love taking them and it's a labor of love to edit them. But sometimes you need to put the camera down and be in the moment.
I remember being in Norway on the bus watching the countryside go by. Then all of a sudden a bunch of reindeer appeared. I went to take pictures, and I did get a few. But I had to put my camera down, the reindeer were really cute. They looked like children playing together. It gave me that warm and fuzzy feeling that I never get in nature. Even without any good photos of it, it's a memory that will live with me stronger then any photos could have.
So even when you're running around trying to get pictures, remember to stop once in a while and just be in the moment, the memories will be with you longer then your photos.
So even when you're running around trying to get pictures, remember to stop once in a while and just be in the moment, the memories will be with you longer then your photos.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Minne Ha Ha and a Lost Lens Cap
Back in August when I went to Lake George I did one of the popular lake cruises, a lunch cruise on the Lac du Saint Sacrement with the Lake George Steamboat Company. There are several cruise offerings in Lake George, just cruises, lunch cruises, and dinner cruises. My friend and I choose the lunch cruise, not our best choice.
The experience started with trying to book our cruise. We had a coupon and we wanted to book separately, but only had 1 coupon. We did ask if this would be a problem before and were told it was fine. Umm, 10 minutes later we left the counter and decided we should board early because there was no way this reservation was made right.
We had been told to arrive an hour early, which we did. Our reservation was screwed up, but I think she made our party bigger so it didn't end up being an issue. Once seated we were allowed to approach the buffet, we had a waitress who brought us drinks, dessert and cleared our table. To start the chicken soup didn't look good. The buffet food was ok. There was a lot of bread and sliced meats. Then there was a hot pasta, sliced beef and salad. None of it was bad, but none of it was terribly good either. Though I did see lots of people doing the buffet thing - filling their plates and going back for more.
We were done eating around the time we set sail so we spent most of the trip on a top deck watching the beautiful coastline of the lake. And this was what made the trip worth it, I got to dream about being rich enough to own one of those houses! Ok, if I was that rich I would buy my house somewhere else, but I could rent one of those or stay at a really nice hotel for an occasional trip up there!
But we also saw the Minne Ha Ha, another boat with the Lake George Steamboat Company, that doesn't serve lunch. We should have done that cruise and had lunch in town, we had some great meals in Lake George, but not on the Lac du Saint Sacrement. But the cruise was fun and relaxing.
I'll throw in a funny story, it's only funny because it has a happy ending. I was taking the lens cap off my camera while standing at the edge of the boat and promptly dropped it. Instead of landing in the lake it landed on the edge of the boat. It was saved! Now I just had to find someone to get it for me. I did work it out with a member of the staff to get it when we got back to Lake George, but luckily the boat pulled in so that my lens cap was right next to the dock. I love a happy ending!
Monday, December 12, 2011
Friday, December 9, 2011
Track Your Flight Prices
Today's Tip is: Yapta.com
Yapta is a site partnered with Kayak.com that tracks the price of flights.
You enter the information of a flight you are considering flying and it will sent email updates when there are changes in the price of the flight, particularly when the price goes down.
OR
If you already booked your flight you can enter the flight info and the price you paid and the site will email you when the price goes down and how (and if) you can get a refund or credit with the airline.
I've personally used this to save $50 on a flight to Las Vegas, I used that credit to help pay for my flights to Los Angeles earlier this year when I went to Disneyland.
Yapta is a site partnered with Kayak.com that tracks the price of flights.
You enter the information of a flight you are considering flying and it will sent email updates when there are changes in the price of the flight, particularly when the price goes down.
OR
If you already booked your flight you can enter the flight info and the price you paid and the site will email you when the price goes down and how (and if) you can get a refund or credit with the airline.
I've personally used this to save $50 on a flight to Las Vegas, I used that credit to help pay for my flights to Los Angeles earlier this year when I went to Disneyland.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Dining in Barcelona
In Barcelona I had the chance to eat at 2 restaurants worthy of mention. I am no foody, though I can appreciate a good meal. I also was not terribly interested in Tapas since it was focused around fish, which I don't eat. But these two restaurants were recommended by my hotel. Taller De Tapas was recommended as a less touristy place with good food. The 4 Cats was recommended as being popular with tourists. Both were in the gothic quarter of Barcelona.
Taller De Tapas, Pl. Sant Josep Oriol, 9 (Pl. del Pi). In spite of not being in love with Tapas I had the best food on my whole trip here. It was a special that evening, duck with apple and stuff. OMG, it was delicious, tender, juicy, flavorful! The rest of the non-seafood I had was also very good. My friend got several seafood dishes and she enjoyed them all. I would absolutely recommend this place! And it was very busy there and it seemed like there were quite a few locals there - always a good sign.
The 4 Cats, Montsio, 3bis, 08002. This is known for it's connection to Picasso and has a little fancier then I would expect from a place that primarily caters to tourists. But it did have a nice ambiance. I had a steak here and it was very good, not the best ever, but I enjoyed it. I did go here with a friend and a local (who seemed to be a little annoyed we were going to such a touristy place). He didn't seem to love it, but did often speak with the staff in Catalonian so I wouldn't be surprised if we got slightly better service. He seemed to enjoy the night, but I doubt he'll be returning. In the end I enjoyed it, but thought it was pricey for what it was.
A word about dining in Barcelona. I had been told that dinner doesn't start in Barcelona until 9pm. These two dinners were on a Sunday and Monday night, I'm not sure if that makes a difference, but I found that dinner does start a little earlier then 9pm. On Sunday night I found that walking in to the restaurant at 9pm it was very busy, and walking back to my hotel at 11pm MANY places were closing up for the night. I'm not sure if it's because the gothic quarter is very touristy or if it was because it was a Sunday night. Monday night we arrived at the restaurant around 9pm and dinner seemed to just be starting to pick up, but we weren't the first ones there either. If you go out at 7pm I think you'll find only very touristy places are serving dinner, but I wouldn't be afraid to go out a little earlier then 9pm either.
Taller De Tapas, Pl. Sant Josep Oriol, 9 (Pl. del Pi). In spite of not being in love with Tapas I had the best food on my whole trip here. It was a special that evening, duck with apple and stuff. OMG, it was delicious, tender, juicy, flavorful! The rest of the non-seafood I had was also very good. My friend got several seafood dishes and she enjoyed them all. I would absolutely recommend this place! And it was very busy there and it seemed like there were quite a few locals there - always a good sign.
The 4 Cats, Montsio, 3bis, 08002. This is known for it's connection to Picasso and has a little fancier then I would expect from a place that primarily caters to tourists. But it did have a nice ambiance. I had a steak here and it was very good, not the best ever, but I enjoyed it. I did go here with a friend and a local (who seemed to be a little annoyed we were going to such a touristy place). He didn't seem to love it, but did often speak with the staff in Catalonian so I wouldn't be surprised if we got slightly better service. He seemed to enjoy the night, but I doubt he'll be returning. In the end I enjoyed it, but thought it was pricey for what it was.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Friday, December 2, 2011
Harry Potter Inspires me to travel
I always love when one of my passions meets another passion. In the last few weeks I've become obsessed with Harry Potter. I finally sat down and watched the movies and fell in love with the series, now I'm reading the books. But how does this connect with travel?
2 Ways -
First, my friend Terye and I are going to Disney World next week and I hadn't given any real thought to visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I wasn't really into the series and Terye can't do thrill rides. But as I got sucked in, I started to rethink this, I knew Terye was into Harry Potter so I asked. And we have made one of our days a Harry Potter Day! Yea! Just trying to decide if I should buy a Harry Potter Robe to wear or if that was too much. Hey, we're going to experience the place, since we can't do the rides anyway.
Second, it made me think about money and the things we value in life. I have friends who say, "I don't have the money to travel." No, actually they choose other things in life over travel - fancy apartments, clothing, gadgets. And that's fine, we all decide what is important to us.
Back to Harry Potter and his friends the Weasley's. For those of you unfamiliar with the books, the Weasley's are a poor wizarding family with lots of kids, and are picked on for it. In the second book the Weasley's win some money and after setting aside money for what they needed they took the rest of the money and took the family on vacation for the summer. They could have spent the money on fixing their house, or buying new books instead of used books, but they chose to spend the money on their family and on having an experience in Egypt together. It warmed my heart!
So stop buying expensive designer clothes and spend your money visiting the Wizarding World or Harry Potter! Er, or go do whatever the heck you want, just make sure you enjoy life in the process.
2 Ways -
First, my friend Terye and I are going to Disney World next week and I hadn't given any real thought to visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. I wasn't really into the series and Terye can't do thrill rides. But as I got sucked in, I started to rethink this, I knew Terye was into Harry Potter so I asked. And we have made one of our days a Harry Potter Day! Yea! Just trying to decide if I should buy a Harry Potter Robe to wear or if that was too much. Hey, we're going to experience the place, since we can't do the rides anyway.
Second, it made me think about money and the things we value in life. I have friends who say, "I don't have the money to travel." No, actually they choose other things in life over travel - fancy apartments, clothing, gadgets. And that's fine, we all decide what is important to us.
Back to Harry Potter and his friends the Weasley's. For those of you unfamiliar with the books, the Weasley's are a poor wizarding family with lots of kids, and are picked on for it. In the second book the Weasley's win some money and after setting aside money for what they needed they took the rest of the money and took the family on vacation for the summer. They could have spent the money on fixing their house, or buying new books instead of used books, but they chose to spend the money on their family and on having an experience in Egypt together. It warmed my heart!
So stop buying expensive designer clothes and spend your money visiting the Wizarding World or Harry Potter! Er, or go do whatever the heck you want, just make sure you enjoy life in the process.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Epic Dining
While sailing the Norwegian Epic I had the opportunity to dine in several of the dining venues, with mixed results.
Taste is the more casual of the two main dining rooms. I had lunch and dinner here with mixed experiences. I found the staff to be friendly here, but they were hit and miss on the service. Some servers were very good and on top of things, others would forget to bring things you had asked for. I did eat with someone who had special dietary requirements and found that the head waitress (or whatever their title is) did try to meet that request. But I didn't find they were as aggressive about it as they could have been.
Manhattan Room is the formal main dining room. I ate one dinner here. The staff was very good and quite attentive.
I believe both main dining rooms had the same menu everyday with base items on it. Then everyday they would have a few special items offered that were local to the region we were in.
Cagney's Steak House has a $25 up charge and from what I can tell offers better choices and cuts of meat as well as also offering Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail. The food and the service here were better then the main dining rooms, but it was also pretty quite in the restaurant. I think this is a good choice for the steak lovers out there. There was also a Moderno Churrascaria a Brazilian meatfest! One of those places where they bring around different types of meat. I did not eat here, but I heard good things from those who did.
Shanghai's Chinese Restaurant was a disappointment at $15. I would compare this to a better Chinese restaurant you can find in many places throughout the US. Except that it had the worst fried rice I've ever had, it was sticky and flavorless.
Teppanyaki at $25 this was similar to going to any other Hibachi place in the US and for a similar price. But, like every other Hibachi place it was fun experience with good food. And they had really good green martini's. I wish I remember the name of it, but I had too many!
O'Sheehans Neighborhood Bar and Grill offers breakfast and then regular food for the rest of the day. This is a nice spot for a quicker breakfast (without going through a buffet). They offered a quick breakfast or you could get breakfast to order. In the afternoon and evening they had a Irish Pub menu - burgers, fish and chips, meatloaf, chicken pot pie... This was a nice casual place to eat, but after 2 or 3 meals the menu got boring.
The Garden Cafe on the pool deck was, in my experience, above average compared to other shipboard buffets for lunch and dinner. I rarely encountered a line here, and found a wide variety of food options. But they had the BEST pretzel breadsticks, I miss those!
I covered the Spiegel Tent Cirque Dreams in a previous post. I believe they had just changed the menu there and I thought the food was good, but you really go to see Cirque Dreams and not for the food.
Sorry, but I did not get to eat at the French restaurant, the Italian restaurant, noodle place or the sushi place.
Taste is the more casual of the two main dining rooms. I had lunch and dinner here with mixed experiences. I found the staff to be friendly here, but they were hit and miss on the service. Some servers were very good and on top of things, others would forget to bring things you had asked for. I did eat with someone who had special dietary requirements and found that the head waitress (or whatever their title is) did try to meet that request. But I didn't find they were as aggressive about it as they could have been.
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| Manhattan Room |
I believe both main dining rooms had the same menu everyday with base items on it. Then everyday they would have a few special items offered that were local to the region we were in.
Cagney's Steak House has a $25 up charge and from what I can tell offers better choices and cuts of meat as well as also offering Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail. The food and the service here were better then the main dining rooms, but it was also pretty quite in the restaurant. I think this is a good choice for the steak lovers out there. There was also a Moderno Churrascaria a Brazilian meatfest! One of those places where they bring around different types of meat. I did not eat here, but I heard good things from those who did.
Shanghai's Chinese Restaurant was a disappointment at $15. I would compare this to a better Chinese restaurant you can find in many places throughout the US. Except that it had the worst fried rice I've ever had, it was sticky and flavorless.
Teppanyaki at $25 this was similar to going to any other Hibachi place in the US and for a similar price. But, like every other Hibachi place it was fun experience with good food. And they had really good green martini's. I wish I remember the name of it, but I had too many!O'Sheehans Neighborhood Bar and Grill offers breakfast and then regular food for the rest of the day. This is a nice spot for a quicker breakfast (without going through a buffet). They offered a quick breakfast or you could get breakfast to order. In the afternoon and evening they had a Irish Pub menu - burgers, fish and chips, meatloaf, chicken pot pie... This was a nice casual place to eat, but after 2 or 3 meals the menu got boring.
I covered the Spiegel Tent Cirque Dreams in a previous post. I believe they had just changed the menu there and I thought the food was good, but you really go to see Cirque Dreams and not for the food.
Sorry, but I did not get to eat at the French restaurant, the Italian restaurant, noodle place or the sushi place.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Friday, November 25, 2011
Guest Post: Las Vegas, NV
This is a guest post from a Shane at NationalRVParks.com about affordable Las Vegas!
| A trip to Las Vegas can be a great travel bargain. It is a city where one can get a lot for a little as my recent trip with my family can attest. This city is a favorite destination of ours because it is easy to travel upscale for wholesale. Affordable opulence is how I refer to these visits to our desert mecca.
In September of 2011, my family of four left Providence and flew non-stop to Las Vegas on Southwest Airlines for the price of one ticket which was less than $300. Three tickets were gratis because of frequent flyer points garnered from a easy to accumulate Southwest credit card rewards program. Our hotel of choice for this trip was Aria Resort and Casino a property of the MGMMirage corporation. This hotel is only 2 years old and it is centrally located on the famous Las Vegas Strip. The cost of each room was a paltry $79 per night. This price was secured by an internet offer received when I joined their player's club.
  The Aria hotel houses over three thousand rooms and suites. It is a visually stunning property. It looms majestically over the south strip. It is part of a collection of properties called City Center. City Center includes the Cosmopolitan Hotel, The Vdara Hotel, and the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, along with private condos and an upscale shopping district called Crystals. Our room was furnished with an over sized King bed with a view overlooking the strip. The room also included two televisions, draperies, central lighting, all controlled by an easy to use remote controlled room unit. We just pressed a button and the television tuned in to one of a hundred channels, the lights rose and dimmed, and the draperies opened and closed all at will. All for $79 per night. This is why we love Vegas. 
The pools, yes there are four pools on this property, are spacious and are meticulously maintained by an attentive staff. The Las Vegas sun is extremely hot so, needless to say, a lot of sunscreen was applied. We continually waded into the crystal clear water which provided ample relief from the sweltering sun. There is also a fitness center which we visited daily. It had all the latest workout equipment and a personal trainer at your disposal.
Our daily routine consisted of a sumptuous breakfast at Aria's sterling buffet. This is a buffet where for $13 one can dive into a true gourmet experience. It included a cook-to-order omelet station, home made pastries, every breakfast meat you can imagine, even rib-eye steaks along with too many other items to describe adequately. Every choice was fresh and plentiful. Our servers were attentive and prompt. Coffee, espresso, latte, and juices were always delivered with a smile.
After waddling out of the buffet, it was pool time. It was best to get there early to ensure a prime spot near our favorite pool's edge. It was easier to take a dip when it got too hot. The morning was better for us because of the crowd and the heat.
Next, we were off to the fitness center to burn off a few of the morning's massive caloric intake. Did I mention that the fitness center supplied headphones, fluffy towels, an array of fruit, and the most refreshing lemon infused ice-cold water I've ever tasted! Remember this was for $79 per night :).
After an afternoon shower in a bathroom that was spa-like, it was off to explore the various hotels on the strip which are a show in themselves. Every hotel is a different sensory experience. The Bellagio has its fountains, the Mirage has its volcano, the MGM its lions, Treasure Island has its pirate show. We also visited the Venetian Hotel and Casino complex. This is the largest hotel in the world with over 7000 rooms and suites. Nothing in Vegas is understated or subtle, but that is its allure for us.
Each evening was occupied by trying to decide in which gourmet chef's restaurant to dine. Emeril Lagasse, Thomas Keller, Mario Batali, Kerry Simon, Bobby Flay, Marc LoRusso, just to name a few, own and operate restaurants in this city which has become a foodie's paradise. We particularly enjoyed a restaurant called Botero located in Steve Wynn's property, Encore. We came to know Chef Marc LoRusso because of our frequent visits and he always takes care of us. Let me mention that this chef is a James Beard award winner and his dishes are inventive and delectable . We dined there for a combination of my wife's birthday and our anniversary. The frozen chocolate ganache candy bar and marshmallow filled doughnuts for dessert were absolutely "life altering".
A lounge show at the Palms on a Monday night at 10:30 is always a must for us. Tickets for a group of world class musicians called Santa Fe and the Fat City Horns, a group voted the "best band in Las Vegas" numerous times, are only $7. Another great Las Vegas bargain. These guys jam every Monday night. They get together to play tunes that speak to them, because most of them are musicians for headline strip entertainers like Celine Dion, Barry Manilow, Tom Jones, Bette Midler, and others. Monday nights are their time to kick back and do their own thing.. The result is musical magic.
My family always has a great time in Las Vegas and you can too. Just be flexible with your travel dates, and join the player's club at the different properties. You can go upscale for wholesale too!
Bio: My name is Shane McCormick. I am the owner of NationalRVParks.com. I'm in my late 20's and I enjoy travel. I write about my various travel experiences. I offer tips and hints about my travel destinations.
Shane recently interviewed me for his own blog, if you want to find out more about me:http://nationalrvparks.com/
|
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Photos on the Norwegian Epic
The Norwegian Epic is the first ship I sailed on that uses facial recognition for photographs and; Wow, what a difference it makes!
When you board the ship they take your photo, like they do for most ships these days. After that whenever you take a photo the photo software uses facial recognition to identify you in photos. And it does a great job at it!
The photo area of the ship has triangular pillars with a binder for each cabin, photos are placed in your binder. No more searching through walls of people in the same photo setting as you.
Ok, there was a wall of photos where they weren't able to identify someone, but it was a small wall and I know that every photo I took ended up in my binder.
They do also scan room cards when going to the professional photographers, which I'm sure does help the process, but the mobile photographers did not do this. That is what made this so amazing.
In addition to the binders they also have computer screens where you can view and order your photos. If there is a bad photo, you can say that it's not you and it magically goes away. You just have to be careful that you don't do that to a good photo, I'm not sure if there is a way to get it back. You can also order prints through the computers.
From what I hear the Disney Dream may have similar technology, I hope it does. It's really fantastic and makes the photo buying experience soooo much better on cruise ships!
When you board the ship they take your photo, like they do for most ships these days. After that whenever you take a photo the photo software uses facial recognition to identify you in photos. And it does a great job at it!
The photo area of the ship has triangular pillars with a binder for each cabin, photos are placed in your binder. No more searching through walls of people in the same photo setting as you.
Ok, there was a wall of photos where they weren't able to identify someone, but it was a small wall and I know that every photo I took ended up in my binder.
They do also scan room cards when going to the professional photographers, which I'm sure does help the process, but the mobile photographers did not do this. That is what made this so amazing.
In addition to the binders they also have computer screens where you can view and order your photos. If there is a bad photo, you can say that it's not you and it magically goes away. You just have to be careful that you don't do that to a good photo, I'm not sure if there is a way to get it back. You can also order prints through the computers.
From what I hear the Disney Dream may have similar technology, I hope it does. It's really fantastic and makes the photo buying experience soooo much better on cruise ships!
Monday, November 21, 2011
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