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Monday, February 22, 2021

Behind The Scenes Ship Tour (Empress of the Seas-Royal Caribbean)

 One interesting tour that can be done while cruising with Royal Caribbean is that they offer an all-access behind the scenes tour of the ship while you will be cruising at sea. Take note though that not all of their ships offer this tour. So if you're interested in signing up for this type of tour check your ship if they offer one.


This tour lasts for 2 hours and involves a lot of walking and standing most of the time. Closed-toe shoes are recommended for safety reasons as there are some steep areas you will be walking on during the tour. You should be in a good physical condition when joining this tour.

A complimentary ID necklace was provided for each tour guest. (see above photo).

In this tour, you will be given the opportunity to see various back of the ship's house areas that include the dining room, galley, provision area, incinerator room, engine control room, laundry and the bridge.











Photos are allowed, so yes, you can bring your cameras but audio/video taping is not allowed!

Also avoid bringing purses or bags that are huge in sizes. Not sure why, but sling bag is okay coz I carried one! 😊

You will receive a letter of instruction a day before the tour so you don't need to worry about the pros and cons! It is all in the letter. 

It's an interesting tour, because you can actually learn the daily routines of what's happening in the ship, including on how they control it; - you can get the chance to chat with the ship's captain at the bridge and ask questions too!

Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Havana Cuba; - A Place of Untouched Time

 Before planning a trip to Cuba, you need to have a visa. Iand my husband went for a cruise to Cuba and we paid $75 each for the visa, but the processing were all handled by the cruise ship company, so, no hassle! 😉😊

Money Exchange: - You need to have enough US dollars to spend available on your wallet before reaching Cuban waters. It's because once you reach Cuba, all ATMs will not work due to banking restrictions.

Money exchange centers are available at the cruise port terminal (if you're cruising), and at any hotels located throughout Old Havana, if you're in the area.

Cuba has two types of currencies; - Cuban pesos and the one they called CUCs. While Cuban pesos are used by Cuban citizens, CUCs are the ones given to tourists which have higher value. Make sure you only carry CUCs. Be sure you know how to identify between Cuban pesos and CUCs. You can easily identify a "CUC" by having the word "convertible pesos" on the currency (or pesos convertibles"), and has a monument that is printed on the bill, instead of "faces".




Immigration: - Be sure to take your passport and your Cuban visa with you before exiting the ship. (If you're cruising). Your visa should be filled up. Be sure you follow the instructions given on the visa. The immigration personnel will get your visa and retain it with them. A Cuban visa is in paper form, and is not a stamp or sticker as is usually done by most countries. (see above, top most photo on this post). Depending on the situation and the crowd, it may take a longer wait at the immigration area before your turn comes.

While Havana is said to be a safe place, be always watchful of your surroundings and steps. Don't leave your belongings anywhere else and always be mindful about uneven street surfaces while walking. Visitors are only allowed with a people to people experience. So, no beach trips are allowed!

Bathrooms/restrooms are also limited in Cuba, and amenities are not always complete. So, always take some toiletries with you such as tissues, wipes, etc.. Always wash your hands well with soap and water and bring your sanitizers! Only drink bottled water, avoid tap water. Don't eat fresh veggies, just to be sure. If you want to risk it, then do find a restaurant highly recommended by many.

While touring, giving tips to Cuban nationals is highly expected. 

Honestly, visiting Cuba isn't enough for a day!...we only had a few hours in our case because we were in a cruise so we thought, the best way to tour Old Havana was signing up for a 4-hour Old Havana City Sightseeing tour which wasn't really bad. We got our money's worth!

Cuba has a distinct and a fascinating local culture!

Highly recommended places to visit are castles and 18th century fortresses like Morro Castle and La Cabana fortress, the Revolution Square, Colon Cemetery, Christ of Havana Statue, and be sure to witness the colorful vintage cars around! Then enjoy your walk on cobbled stone paths as you discover and witness timeless architectural building designs that dates back to the 15th century. Each place and building has its own story to tell.








Colon Cemetery for instance is worth visiting as you visit some of the gravestones of famous Cuban residents and with more than 500 mausoleums!




Don't forget to visit and shop at Almacenes San Jose, a waterfront market built in 1885!



Wednesday, November 4, 2020

Knowing Key West, Florida Through Train Conch Tour

 This isn't our first time to visit Key West, but there are so many things we haven't seen or done the last time we were here with my husband, so we decided to sign up with the conch train tour.




Key West has a unique charm that's called a little Florida and a lot Caribbean. It was originally a part of Spanish colony, but most who settled on its shores were the Cubans and Bahamian fishermen.

Key West became the wealthiest city when the cigar business boomed, as more Cubans and Bahamians kept arriving by the numbers. Consequently, it also became the place of famous artists, writers and free-spirited types of people like Tennessee Williams and Ernest Hemingway.

You might be wondering where the term "conch" got its name, and how and why Key West was called "Conch Republic"! It's actually interesting knowing the story behind this.

Key West declared itself as a Conch Republic in April 1982. The story about this started when the US Border Patrol started blocking US Highway 1, just north of the entrance to Florida keys, and all residents and visitors were intercepted and asked to provide documents for IDs and prove their US citizenship.

The economy suffered because of this and the Key West mayor including some "conch" residents brought their complaints to the Miami federal court to seek for an injunction to stop the federal blockades. Their plea was denied causing the mayor to lead the Conch Republic Rebellion, and lasted a minute...(that fast!), then followed by his surrender to the US navy admiral in Key West.

Although this short instability happened many years ago, the name Conch Republic wasn't forgotten, and many say that when you live in Key West, you officially hold dual citizenship; - American and Conchs! 😁

The term "conch" itself probably comes from the name of a large sea snail that can be seen in the depths of the Gulf of Mexico that surrounds the Florida Keys! It is the name given to the Key West natives who actually were the first settlers and long time residents of Key West.


Today, Key West still remains to yield fabulous riches both in the waters and in the neighborhood itself. It's been always blessed with bountiful harvests of fresh fish and lobsters!


Tuesday, September 15, 2020

The Historic Penn's Cave & Wildlife



 

If you love gazing various animals enjoying their natural habitat, it's time to step up to the wild. And if you like exploring limestones in caverns or adore the beauty of stalactites and stalagmites, it's time to step down underground.

"Where can I do all that?", - you might ask!

Penn's Cave & Wildlife Park is worth visiting for activities mentioned above. You can enjoy farm, nature and wildlife tour all-in-one! 

The park is located in Centre Hall, Pennsylvania, nestled on the scenic Lion country. It has 1,600 acres of forests and fields providing a lush habitat for birds, plants and other animals. Depending on the season, you can also witness acres of sunflowers. 

Taking the cave tour is a must too! The cavern was discovered centuries ago by the Seneca Indians in the Valley of Karoondinha (Penn's Valley) and became open to the public in 1885. it's now considered as the only cavern in Pennsylvania on the National Register of Historic Places.


There are interesting mysterious shapes that you can even see underground such as the famous Nittany Lion, colored lights and even the statue of Liberty if you can let your imagination run wild!




Other activities you can enjoy at the park site as well are the cave rock mountain tour, a tour off-road by jeep (needs advance reservation) and the Prospector Pete's Miners Maze located near the end of the Visitor's Center. This would be fun for the kids!

There's also a gemstone panning site on the front plaza of the Visitor's Center if you are interested trying your luck to look for real gems. Or visit the gift shop for anything you might wanna buy.

Please observe their schedule for tours and opening. They can easily be located online if you want further info.

Thursday, April 30, 2020

The Washington's Mansion in Mt. Vernon

This was not our first visit to the mansion. We had the mansion walkthrough visit few years back, but we thought of signing up for another same tour, but this time, more locations to visit included in our itinerary.





We started the mansion tour at 10:50AM and it was a fast paced tour because of a growing crowd! Most of the tour inside wasn't guided but just a quick-paced glimpse of the various rooms and kitchen.

This mansion became the beloved home of George and Martha Washington after they got married in 1759 until George Washington's death in 1799.
Did you know that in 1799, there were at least more than 300 men and women and children enslaved at Mt. Vernon? They were the ones who worked mostly within the estate including farmers, carpenters, cooks, and cleaners for the Washington family.
George Washington wasn't happy about the institution of slavery, so after the Revolutionary War, he had questioned it. Ultimately, he freed 123 slaves he owned outright! The rest still remained slaves including Martha Washington's descendants!

The tour is also a visit to more than a dozen outbuildings that includes slave quarters, kitchen, blacksmith shop and stables.





Also, the tomb of both George & Martha lies within the property near other family members in the tomb. It was completed in 1831. There is also an original burial vault located nearby (no photo, sorry).





Another place worth visiting is the distillery & gristmill close by, located 3 miles from the estate. You need transportation to visit the site if you are strictly on a scheduled trip.
The gristmill was built of a large stone built in 1771. It produced flour & cornmeal and was exported as high-quality products. In 1797, a distillery was built adjacent to the gristmill which became a successful producer of rye whiskey and other distilled products in 1799. Both buildings used technologies that were cutting edge in the late 1700's, and still fully functional and reconstructed.