Visiting The Eisenhower's Home - Gettysburg, PA (House Tour)

 The tour basically starts outside of the front door, where the tour guide would give short introduction about the Eisenhowers and the farm. After which you'll then be invited to go inside with your first stop  at the living room, then the guide will continue to give a little more details about the area, and then you will be free to tour the entire house after that.

Here are the rooms with their brief description of each and some photos of each. Some of the photos taken were not that great, but still recognizable...so pardon the dust! LOL!

1. The Living Room - formal in style, showcases the gifts the Eisenhowers received from head of state and friends.

2. Porch - the family's favorite room. Ike Eisnehower and his wife mamie enjoyed their entertainment here, such as watching TV, playing cards with friends, and where Ike also did his oil painting hobby. He also entertained world leader guests here for more intimate conversations.

3. Entrance Hall - Mamie requested all her visitors from world officials and leaders down to her grandchildren to sign her guestbook here.

4. Dining Room - dinner was served here whenever family or friends visited. Otherwise, the couple preferred to dine on TV trays on the porch.

5. Mrs. Doud's Room - is Mamie's mom, Elivera's room whenever she stayed at the farm. It became as a guest room after she died in 1960.

6. Sitting Room - served as TV room for the couple's grandchildren, and Mamie used it as a sitting room after Ike died.

7. General's Room - served as his dressing room. After his heart attack in 1955, he took naps in this room which he took daily under his doctor's orders. The photo that hangs over the bed is that his portrait painting of his two oldest grandchildren.

8. Mamie's Dressing Room & Bath - has an adjoining dressing room with her brightly colored outfits in the closet and hats line the shelves. There's a photo of Ike on the dressing table that says "To the dearest, sweetest girl in the world"...

9. Master's Bedroom - Mamie spent most of her time here where she met with staff members, wrote letters, planned her activities, and visits with close friends, all while in bed propped up on pillows. 

10. Maid's Room - Some of the Eisnehower's earliest furniture was used in this room by Rose Wood, - Mamie's personal maid. The maid's room, along with the kitchen and pantry downstairs, is in the portion of the original house salvaged when the Eisenhowers rebuilt their home.

11. Guest Rooms - visiting friends and family often spent their nights here. The most famous visitor to spend the weekend in the guest rooms was PM Nehru of India in 1956.

12. Laundry Room - Sgt. John Moaney and his wife Delores were employed as the valet and cook. Sgt. Moaney washed, repaired and ironed the General's clothes in here. He also did all sewings on an old Singer sewing machine that he brought from overseas after the wae and kept in his room.

13. Moaney's Room - Sgt. Moaney served the general in 1942, and during the war, Moaney took care of Eisenhower's Scottie dogs, so he and the general became friends. He continued to serve him after the war, while his wife Delores cooked and did the household shopping. They both worked for Mamie long after general died.

14. Kitchen - General Eisenhower enjoyed cooking in this 1950's style of linoleum counters in his kitchen. His specialties included stews, soups and Pennsylvania Dutch breakfasts, but most of the meals were prepared by Delores Moaney.

15. Office - this room including a den became a temporary "White House" while Eisenhower was recovering from heart attack. The desk is a reproduction of one used by George Washington. The gift was made with pine boards recovered from the White House during its 1948-1952 renovation. The room also reflects the down-to-earth nature that served Eisenhower so well as one of the world's great soldiers and statesmen.

The Bible Tabernacle Reproduction Tour - Lancaster, Pennsylvania

 The Bible Tabernacle located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania is a life-size replica based on what is being described in the Bible. It makes the Bible story about the tabernacle come to life!

The tabernacle is located in the Mennonite Visitor Center and is run by the Mennonites. Before entering the tabernacle, there is a glass window wall on the right reflecting a full-scale replica of the Court and Brazen altar. 

There is also a seer mural on the wall on the opposite side showing the entire Israelite camp. 

The tour (45 mins. to 1 hr.) starts with a 20-minute video presentation at the auditorium about the Mennonites, after which the visitors would then be ushered into the ante-room of the tabernacle area and hear a 20-minute live narrative about the biblical history and the significance of the tabernacle by a tour guide.

The tour is informative which significantly enhances the experience when it comes to knowledge and background necessary for proper understanding about the tabernacle, especially for those who are unfamiliar with all its details and symbolism.

The tour shows the Holy Place, the High Priest and the Veil in the background; the Ark of the Covenant and other more details.

For those who know little about biblical history, this presentation about the tabernacle is fascinating and interesting. For those who know, it makes the story come to life.

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!

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!

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!

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.