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Manitou Cliff Dwellings

October 23, 2020 by 3 Comments

The day after our friends’ wedding near Denver, we drove down to Colorado Springs to enjoy the beautiful scenery. We would have loved to visit Rocky Mountain National Park, but we had heard about how busy it was, and we didn’t want to throw ourselves into huge crowds of people and be exposed to a bunch of germs. 

We made a quick stop at the Manitou Cliff Dwellings, where we were able to walk into cliff homes that were inhabited by Native Americans 800 to 1,000 years ago.

The cliff dwellings were originally located in southwestern Colorado and were moved to Colorado Springs and reassembled between 1904 and 1907. The moving process included transport by oxen, horse, and railroad.

Filed Under: Travel, U.S., West Tagged With: Colorado Springs, Manitou Cliff Dwellings

Red Rocks Amphitheater

October 5, 2020 by 17 Comments

Red Rocks Amphitheater

It was still light outside when our friends’ wedding near Denver wrapped up, so we headed over to Red Rocks Amphitheater to stroll around. The park was just about to close, and there were very few people still there. We weren’t able to hike any of the trails, but we walked into the amphitheater and looked out over the seats. It was an amazing view!

Red Rocks Amphitheater

Have any of you ever seen a show at Red Rocks Amphitheater? I have heard that the sound quality is unbeatable. 

Red Rocks Amphitheater
Red Rocks Amphitheater

Filed Under: Travel, U.S., West Tagged With: Colorado, Denver, Red Rocks Amphitheater

Denver, Colorado

September 28, 2020 by 26 Comments

We recently returned from a weekend trip to Denver, Colorado. Mr. Handsome was the best man for his best friend’s wedding, which was planned about a month in advance. I was nervous about traveling with a toddler with everything that’s going on, but the trip was incredibly smooth, thanks to the wonderful airport and airline employees.

Southwest Airlines is not selling their middle seats, so the three of us were able to sit in our own row and bring the car seat on for free, even though Little Buddy is under age two and didn’t purchase a seat. Having him contained made the trip much simpler. When we flew to New York City last year with little Buddy as a lap child, it was pretty challenging to keep him from squirming. (Did you read our Baby’s 1st Plane Ride post?) This experience was exponentially better than our flight to NYC.

When we disembarked the airplane, we picked up our rental car and headed straight to the rehearsal dinner. There were about 25 people at the rehearsal and 40 at the wedding ceremony and reception. Most were family of the bride and groom. Little Buddy had four other young children to play with, so he was very happy.

The wedding took place in the hills outside Denver. While Mr. Handsome took photos with the wedding party, Little Buddy and I took a driving tour of the area. Rather, Little Buddy had his afternoon nap in his car seat while Mama silently marveled at the beautiful scenery.

I stumbled upon Red Rocks Amphitheater and enjoyed driving around the large park. Later, we visited with Mr. Handsome and were able to walk around. This was my first trip to Colorado, and I hope to have a chance to go back. Both Mr. Handsome and I were surprised at how desert-like Denver was. We stuck around for an extra two days to do some sight-seeing (more photos coming).

Filed Under: Travel, U.S., West Tagged With: Colorado, Denver, Denver Colorado, Red Rocks Amphitheater

A Walk on the Brooklyn Bridge

November 22, 2019 by 7 Comments

Brooklyn Bridge

On the evening of our second day in New York City, we decided to take an excursion over the Brooklyn Bridge. A friend had told us that Grimaldi’s, located under the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn, has the best pizza in the city. It’s coal fired pizza (cooked in a coal-burning oven at 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit), and that intrigued us. Apparently the dough recipe is 100 years old.

It was 8 o’clock when we started out from our hotel in the Manhattan Financial District. We were a little concerned that the bridge might be empty because it was a Sunday night, but the concierge at our hotel had assured us that there would be plenty of people out and about. And boy was he right! The bridge was absolutely packed. And the walking path is extremely narrow. If two people walk shoulder to shoulder, others are barely able to pass. The other half of the path is reserved for bikers, who whizzed by, in the dark, like they were training for the Tour de France. 

The view of the Manhattan skyline from the bridge was spectacular! I only wish we had had newer smart phones to take a better quality picture. As we walked, we talked about the fact that there is a Cold War era bunker inside the bridge. It was recently rediscovered after being forgotten for many decades. The general public knows that it exists, but the exact location has not been leaked, although it is believed to be under an arch on the Manhattan side. Apparently it is still filled with 70-year-old supplies. Perhaps someday they will open it to the public and give tours.

We arrived at Grimaldi‘s pizza after a two-mike walk to find that there was a line and a 30-minute wait just to get inside the restaurant. Must be good pizza, we thought. We decided to stick it out, and Little Buddy was very well behaved as we waited over an hour before tasting a bite of pizza. But it was well worth the wait. That pizza was like none we had ever had. Below are links to my other NYC posts.

Wall Street and Times Square

Korean BBQ and Saks Fifth Avenue

Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

NYC Themed Art

Filed Under: East, Travel, U.S. Tagged With: Brooklyn, Brooklyn Bridge, coal fired, Cold war era bunker, Manhattan Financial District, Manhattan skyline, New York City

Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

November 1, 2019 by 9 Comments

Little Buddy New York City Skyline

Our second day in New York City was spent at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. We took a ferry to Liberty Island, where we enjoyed lunch on a bench along the water, admiring the beautiful view of Manhattan. There were several hundred people on Liberty Island, but the atmosphere was surprisingly calm and serene. Definitely not something we expected to find in the Big Apple.

Sadly, we weren’t able to go inside the Statue of Liberty. Touring the crown and pedestal requires a reservation several months in advance, and the torch has been closed since July 30th, 1916, when it was damaged by the Black Tom Bombing. The bombing was done by German agents in order to destroy United States munitions that would be sent to the Allies during World War I. The U.S. was still neutral at that point.

The only people who have access to the torch are National Park Service employees. They have to climb a 40-foot ladder to access the floodlights that light the torch. Have any of you been inside the statue? What was it like? Perhaps you even know someone who climbed up to the torch a hundred years ago?

Ellis island was the highlight for me. We walked through the main building, where the immigrants arrived, with an excellent tour guide. It was interesting to hear that only the steerage passenger set foot on Ellis Island. The richer folks had their inspections on the ship and were dropped off right in Manhattan.

The photo above shows the main hall, where the immigrants were processed. Below are the stairs that they were sent down after inspection. One row was for those who were cleared to enter the United States. One was for those who would be detained on the island. In that case, immigrants would have to decide whether the entire family would stay together on Ellis Island together, at their own expense, or whether the rest of the family would leave the detained individuals behind and begin to make a life in America, with hopes of reuniting. If the family’s sole breadwinner was detained, the others would not be allowed to enter the country until he or she was released. The government wanted to make sure that immigrant families had the ability to earn money and feed their children.

The third row was for the immigrants who would be sent back to their home country, expenses paid for by the company that owned the ship that had brought them. We were intrigued to learn that that is still the case. If you fly to another country and are not allowed to enter for whatever reason, the airline is responsible for taking you home.

Through the doors at the bottom of the stairs is the area known as the “Kissing Post,” where family members and friends were reunited.

Near the main hall, the tour guide pointed out a pillar covered in historic graffiti, written by immigrants who were detained at Ellis Island.

Do any of my American or Canadian readers have relatives who passed through Ellis Island? Our tour guide said that 40% of United States citizens do.

Filed Under: East, Travel, U.S. Tagged With: Ellis Island, ferry to liberty island, Liberty Island, Manhattan, New York City, Statue of Liberty

Wall Street and Times Square

October 2, 2019 by 14 Comments

We arrived in New York City late in the evening. I was thrilled to have found a reputable car service that provides car seats to drive us from LaGuardia Airport to our hotel in the Financial District in Lower Manhattan. Taking the subway with our luggage and a baby would have been a nightmare, especially because it wouldn’t have been a direct route. When he’s not taking shuttling common folk like us to and from the airport, our driver drives for a number of famous people, including actress Sarah Jessica Parker. We had a great time hearing about all his adventures.

The hotel staff was kind enough to put us in a handicap accessible room so the baby crib would fit. We were grateful for the extra space, although the room was still only the size of the stateroom we had had on our Mexico cruise. I can only imagine how small the regular rooms must have been! Space sure if limited in the Big Apple.

Our first morning was spent wandering around Wall Street and the Financial District. We stepped inside Trinity Church, although the main sanctuary was closed for renovation.

Trinity was chartered by King William III in 1697. Founding Fathers John Jay and Alexander Hamilton attended. Hamilton, the United States’ first Secretary of the Treasury and the man credited for establishing a national bank, is buried in the church’s graveyard. Some of his children were baptized at Trinity. The current Trinity Church building was completed in 1846. The first burned down in 1776, and the second was torn down in 1839.

Trinity Church

We walked past the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on a Saturday morning, and there was a huge, orange advertising banner stretched across the iconic windows. On Sunday, it was gone. Mr. Handsome wonders if they put it over the windows for security while people are in the building and then pull it up on weekends.

The cobblestone near the NYSE made Wall Street feel oddly quaint, although it proved to be a bit problematic when I was trying to push the sleeping Little Buddy in his stroller without waking him.

Later that day, we ventured up to Midtown Manhattan on the subway. I experienced the subway during a visit to New York City almost ten years, but I didn’t remember it being so confusing. “Everything about that was terrible,” Mr. Handsome stated after we were safely above ground.

Taking the stroller on the subway was a bit of a challenge, but not as much as I had expected. We were able to find elevators most of the time, and when we couldn’t, it wasn’t too difficult to carry the stroller up or down the stairs. And Little Buddy always smiled and laughed when we picked it up.

We had already become accustomed to the slower pace in the Financial District, but the minute we stepped out onto the street in Midtown, we realized that this was a very different place. People everywhere. Heavy air with a lack of oxygen. Every time we crossed the street, it seemed like there was at least one car that almost hit us.

But Times Square was spectacular, as was the chocolate mousse cheesecake from Junior’s (a recommendation from a friend). The best cheesecake we’ve ever had, hands down.

Cheesecake from Junior’s

That evening, we had two very unique experiences. We walked through Saks Fifth Avenue and ate Korean BBQ. Not at the same time, though. I’ll write about that later.

Filed Under: East, Travel, U.S. Tagged With: Alexander Hamilton, Big Apple, cheesecake, Financial Distric, founding fathers, John Jay, Korean BBq, Manhattan, New York City, Sarah Jessica Parker, Stock exchange, Subway, Trinity Church, Wall Street

Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies

August 10, 2019 by 21 Comments

Gatlinburg Ripleys Aquarium of the Smokies

While we were in the Great Smoky Mountains a few weeks ago (see my photos from Parrot Mountain), we visited Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies. I was surprised to learn that it is owned by the same company that does the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not books, comics, and TV show.

Mr. Handsome and I have somehow become aquarium and zoo people. I didn’t grow up spending time at either, but since we have been married, we have visited quite a few (Nashville Zoo at Grassmere, Chattanooga’s Tennessee Aquarium,  St. Louis Zoo, New Orleans Audubon Zoo, and Memphis Zoo). We also went to the Knoxville Zoo on our way home from the Smokies. We both agree that going to a zoo or aquarium isn’t the absolute most exciting thing that anyone could ever do with their time, but we love how relaxing and therapeutic it is to walk through the exhibits and watch the animals. You can allow yourself to lose track of time for a few hours.

The aquarium has a huge shark tank, where you can see the sharks from above water and then walk through a glass tunnel and watch them swim above you.

Gatlinburg Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies shark lagoon

Gatlinburg Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies shark lagoon

The creature in Shark Lagoon that fascinated us the most is not actually a shark, although it looks like one. It’s a sawfish, and while it can cause harm to prey with its “saw,” it is not aggressive towards humans (unlike actual sharks). It also has what looks like a human face on its underside.

Gatlinburg Ripleys Aquarium of the Smokies sawfish

Gatlinburg Ripleys Aquarium of the Smokies sawfish
The penguin exhibit was my favorite, and it was hilarious to put Little Buddy up to the glass and watch a swimming penguin try to grab his swinging pacifier.

Gatlinburg Ripleys Aquarium of the Smokies penguins

Gatlinburg Ripleys Aquarium of the Smokies

The stingrays were also pretty neat and reminded us of our honeymoon on Grand Cayman, when we swam with wild stingrays at Stingray City. Mr. Handsome enjoyed seeing the jellyfish, but he now unfortunately wants one as a pet.

Gatlinburg Ripleys Aquarium of the Smokies

 

Filed Under: South, TN, Travel, U.S. Tagged With: Chattanooga, Great Smoky Mountains, Knoxville, Nashville, Parrot Mountain, Ripley's Aquiarium of the Smokies, Ripley's Believe it or Not, sawfish, Smokies

Parrot Mountain in Pigeon Forge

July 30, 2019 by 38 Comments

Our little family of three recently took a weekend trip to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge in East Tennessee so Mr. Handsome could attend a conference. We did several touristy things, as it is a popular vacation area and has tons of attractions. Friends of ours invited us to stay with them, which made the trip very cheap.

On the first day, Little Buddy and I visited Parrot Mountain while Mr. H was at the conference. Located at the top of a huge hill, Parrot Mountain is home to hundreds of tropical birds. As you walk through the gardens (which are very hilly, making pushing the stroller a great workout) you pass by all the birds. Some are in large cages, while others are just on perches.

I absolutely adore birds because I had two as pets growing up. Our budgie was beautiful and brought lots of joy to our home with his constant singing, but he wasn’t trained and wouldn’t allow us to hold him. Our cockatiel, on the other hand, loved human interaction and would even allow us to stroke her head.

Our current lifestyle is not one that would allow us to have a pet bird, so visiting Parrot Mountain fed my soul. There are two locations in the gardens where visitors are able to hold birds, and I was thrilled to be able to convince a cockatiel to step up on my hand.

Little Buddy had a great time at Parrot Mountain and even laughed at some of the birds when they chirped. A couple of the smaller ones took an interest in him and came over to get a closer look. But don’t worry, I made sure they maintained a safe distance, and I didn’t allow him anywhere near the larger birds. I honestly am not a huge fan of the bigger birds, like macaws, African greys, and cockatoos. They are fun to look at, but their beaks are just too large and sharp for my liking. I much prefer the cockatiels, lorikeets, Quaker parrots, and love birds.

I am curious to hear if any of you have ever had a pet bird? It seems like most people prefer dogs and cats, although I don’t know that I could see myself with either because I never had any growing up. Would you enjoy visiting a place like Parrot Mountain?

 

Filed Under: TN, Travel, U.S. Tagged With: cockatiel, cockatoo, East Tennessee, Gatlinburg, lorikeet, macaw, Parrot Mountain, Pigeon Forge, quaker parrot

St. Louis Vacation

May 31, 2019 by 25 Comments

I think it’s safe to say that Mr. Handsome and I are officially “zoo people.” So far, I have written posts about our trips to the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere (including Little Buddy’s first visit), the New Orleans Audubon Zoo, and the Memphis Zoo. Recently, we took a St. Louis vacation with Mr. Handsome’s family (altogether, there are almost 20 of us!), where we visited the St. Louis Zoo and Grant’s Farm, which is basically a zoo.

Grant’s Farm is a family attraction that has free admission and is enjoyable for all ages. The tour starts with a tram safari ride through a prairie that is home to several unique species of deer, as well as zebra and long-horned cows. The farm also has a pond filled with koi fish. Did you know that koi can live a couple hundred years? Apparently, there was a koi fish called Hanako that died in 1977 at the age of 226.

Grant’s Farm is named after Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th president of the United States, because a portion of the land was a wedding gift from his wife’s parents in the mid-1800s. The farm was purchased by the Busch family about 50 years later, after Grant filed for bankruptcy.

While there is a Busch family mansion on the grounds, there is also a cabin (called “Hardscrabble”) that was built by Grant. According to the tour guide, the cabin is one of only a few remaining residences that were built and lived in by United States presidents. At Grant’s Farm, we also saw…

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Filed Under: Midwest, U.S. Tagged With: Audubon Zoo, Grant's Farm, Nashville Zoo at Grassmere, New Orleans, St Louis, St Louis Zoo, United States Ulysses S Grant

Cadillac Mountain at Sunset

May 29, 2019 by 11 Comments

Cadillac Mountain Acadia National Park

Have you ever visited Acadia National Park along the Maine Coast? Last fall, after exploring Boston and the upper and lower sections of Old Quebec City and before doing our Maine lighthouse tour, Mr. Handsome and I made a quick stop at Acadia National Park. We arrived just as the sun was beginning to set.

We were concerned that it might be too late to drive up to the top of Cadillac Mountain, but there were still a decent amount of tourists headed for the narrow mountain road, so we decided to take the chance. It was 40 degrees and windy, and the weather only felt colder on the mountain. We stopped at a couple quick lookout points before reaching the top.

Cadillac Mountain Acadia National Park

 

When we arrived at the peak and walked out to the iconic photo spot, we were blown away (figuratively and almost literally). The view was absolutely spectacular, and the lighting was just perfect.

Cadillac Mountain Acadia National Park

Cadillac Mountain used to be known as Green Mountain and was renamed Cadillac Mountain in 1918 to honor the 17th century French explorer who at one point had ownership of the mountain and surrounding area. As the highest point along the Eastern Seaboard, Cadillac Mountain (elevation of 1,530 feet or 466 meters) sees the sunrise before any other place …

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Filed Under: East, Travel, U.S. Tagged With: Acadia National Park, Boston, Cadillac Mountain, Maine coast, Old Quebec, Quebec

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