What a long day! We didn’t get to the hotel and to bed until 3am and woke up at 8:30 so we could enjoy a sunny day in Anchorage. The weather ahead isn’t looking promising so this may be our only day of sunshine.
Our hotel is a Comfort Inn! I’m not crazy about this brand but the person at Alaska Tours who set up our itinerary said it was in a nice location. It’s right next to the train station which will be easy to get to tomorrow morning.
Breakfast included waffles, scrambled eggs and sausage. It was tasty and is free. I like free. The hotel shuttle also picked us up at the airport in the middle of the night and took us to the visitors center this morning. This was complimentary as well.
We were going to take the trolley around town but it was $25 each for an hour ride and I really needed to get some walking in. Bruce can walk a little and we took it very easy and slow.
Found some neat wall art. I like to photograph graffiti from different cities.
We spent a few hours in the Alaska Museum. It was quite large and diverse.
They had exhibits of sea life. We thought this turtle was fake until it started swimming. It’s a large snapping turtle.
And we watched the museum worker feed the starfish. They eat mussels.
There were these giant colorful bears on display in the art gallery. The Kodiak bear in neon.
On our way back to the hotel, I took some photos of the mountains.
Then we stopped into a shop that makes Ulu knives.
And back to the hotel for a little rest before we go out for dinner.
In our lobby was a Kodiak bear. These bears can stand 10’ tall on their hind legs. Not something I’d want to run into in the Alaskan wilderness.
Bruce and I decided to eat Thai tonight. We found this hole in the wall place in town – nothing fancy – but the food was great.
We shared shrimp Pad Thai and egg rolls. It was great.
On our walk back to the hotel, the sky was amazing.
Now to bed early because our day begins at 5am tomorrow!
We woke at 5am to catch a 5:30 shuttle to the train station. It was walking distance but it was raining, so I was glad I reserved seats on the shuttle. The train station was packed with half asleep travelers. I was able to take a few photos without people.
Bruce and I got our Gold Star pins, which gave us reserved seats in the upper deck with dome ceilings and included breakfast in the dining car on the first level. The Alaska Railroad was a treat!
The train left the station on time and it was still dark out. But as the morning light edged in, it opened up to a world of immense beauty.
For breakfast we had 3 choices. I chose a barley oatmeal with blueberry compote and coconut flakes and Bruce chose scrambled eggs, reindeer sausage and home fries. Bruce let me have one of his sausages.
Our trip took us by glaciers, rivers and oceans. We saw moose, beluga whales and bald eagles. Unfortunately, the wildlife did not cooperate. But it was amazing scenery.
That little black spot in the field was a moose.
The glaciers were stunning.
The train went through tunnels and over bridges. It meandered around the mountains along the banks of pristine lakes.
It was a great way to admire the majestic landscape without getting wet.
After a four hour train trip from Anchorage to Seward, we finally arrived in Seward which will be our base for the next two days!
Our drive back to Reno was uneventful. We dropped off the car at Hertz and skipped the lines at the Delta checkin because we are Sky Priority.
We worked our way through security. Another breeze since we have Global Entry and TSA pre check. Love that.
They also have slot machines everywhere in the airport. I guess if you want to get rid of more money.
We made it to The Escape, a Centurion Lounge which I have access through my American Express Platinum.
We spent several hours there. They had soup, sandwiches, cookies, cheese and crackers but nothing was really noteworthy.
We are flying on an Embraer 175, a regional plane. First class is Meh! But the plane is a two seater throughout which is nice. A little bottle of water was waiting at our seat.
The flight attendants were attractive and well groomed. On US airlines that is not always the case.
We stopped into the Delta Sky club. I get free access but had to pay $39 for Bruce. It was a really nice lounge with soups, sandwiches, pasta dishes, salads. If we drank, that would be free.
This lounge had nice bathrooms with lotions. I didn’t see any showers.
Salt Lake City airport was pretty busy at night. It was clean and very interesting.
Our flight to Anchorage was on time. Seats were comfortable and there were tv screens on the back of each seat. Water was waiting and they handed out head sets.
A four hour flight with snacks went smoothly and we finally arrived in Alaska! As far as first class, it’s overrated unless you are in the lay down beds.
For some reason, probably dating back to my years working in corporate America, I ended up as a Hertz Gold member. It usually doesn’t mean much but on this trip it did. The lines for all the rental cars dominated the baggage area at the Reno Airport.
Since I am a Gold member and had booked and paid for my car in advance, I jumped the lines and was able to get my car in 15 minutes. Some of these people were going to be waiting on line a long time. This is the second time I chose the managers special, which is at a very cheap rate. And I ended up with a relatively good vehicle.
We drove the 40 minutes to Truckee to visit Bruce’s daughter Kami, and to meet our newest granddaughter Emmy. She was a delight.
After we left we stopped so I could take a photo of this gorgeous scenery.
We checked into our Hampton Inn a few miles from their home. I like Hampton Inns. Are they luxurious? No! But they are always clean, the beds are comfy and the staff is usually pleasant.
A lovely view from our room.
We met Kami and family at a local park. The girls had fun on the swings.
On our way to dinner the sky was bright orange with a glow around the sun. Apparently it gets like this from the smoke. There are a lot of fires out west.
We ate dinner at Zano’s Pizza. It was good and Emmy and Lilly were able to run around. They are 2 and 4. Sitting in a restaurant is not their idea of fun. So this was a good place to take them.
On our way home the moon was up. It’s almost a full moon.
Bruce and I were in bed sleeping by 10.
We had a good night’s sleep and had the usual Hampton Inn breakfast. I ate a waffle and yogurt, Bruce had eggs and yogurt. Then we headed down to the Local Airport to meet up with Kami and kids.
Kami and family met us for lunch at the Red Truck by the airfield. There’s a play area for kids there and picnic tables to sit at. I wasn’t hungry after breakfast so I just had a bottle of water. The kids ate hummus and pita.
Lilly really does love her Poppop.
After lunch we headed back to our hotel for some pool time. The water was a bit nippy but that didn’t stop Lilly and Emmy.
We stopped at Raley’s, a cross between Fresh market and Whole Foods. We bought some cupcakes, fruit and salads.
We had a nice cookout at the O’Connor’s house overlooking the mountains.
We ate chicken and salad. It was fun with Lilly and Emmy. Lilly was smitten with her Poppop.
On our way back to the hotel, we stopped so I could take a few photos of Truckee. It’s lit up like Christmas all year long.
This morning we woke to the smell of smoke. Ash is falling on Truckee and the air quality is 152. Very unhealthy. We are going to wear masks today, not because of Covid but for breathing purposes. So those gorgeous skies at night have consequences.
We walked around the cute little town going into the various shops.
Lilly and Emmy went wild in the toy store. So many things! Lilly ended up with a remote control car and Emmy a duck. Emmy was cheated so we threw in a few other things but she was happy with her duck!
We spent a few minutes together and took a family photo and then went on our way to the airport!
Today Bruce and I are beginning our first leg of our Alaska trip on American Airlines. We began our journey by taking Lyft to Fort Lauderdale Airport. I’m finding taking Lyft saves wear and tear on our mental stability without breaking the bank. It was a $44 ride with and $8 tip. So $52 and we were dropped off in front of American Airlines. Our driver was pleasant, the trip was quick and I earn 5 points for each dollar spent on my Chase Sapphire Card, which helps with future travel!
I booked us first class using American Airline miles costing 37,500 miles each with $11.20 fee. We have TSA pre check and Global entry so shorter lines and no need to take off shoes and jackets. It was a breeze passing through the gate.
We were the first to board and were seated in row 2D and F. Lots of legroom especially for Bruce’s long legs.
The seats are nice and roomy. If you are overweight, this is the best way to travel.
Traveling First Class you get a meal. I had a Greek Salad. Bruce had a ham sandwich. Both came with potato salad and a sort of brownie.
The flight went smoothly and we arrived in Dallas on time. We had a three hour layover and I had bought as first class passengers we could go into the Admiral’s Club. However, that’s only first class internationally. So I used my Priority Pass and we went to the Club.
They had an array of salad fixings, some rice and enchiladas and brownies. Having eaten on the plane, I opted for the brownie.
If I drank, there’s a full bar and drinks are included. I get my membership in Priority Pass through my Amex Platinum which has a whopping $695 a year annual fee. It comes with a lot of perks and I want to make sure I use them to offset the high AF. So when I travel, I try to use the lounges.
The Club at DFW is a bit of a disappointment. I would have thought a major airport would have something a little better but oh well. It was what it was. On to our next segment!
The flight from Dallas to Reno was a few minutes delayed but overall American Airlines did a good job getting the plane off the ground without too much time lost. Snacks and beverages were served in First Class but overall it was underwhelming. No night kits, toothbrushes or toiletries for the domestic flights. Also no screens for watching movies on either flight. It would be hard to justify paying $$$ for these seats, although they were a bit larger with more leg room then economy.
We received a free night in Reno at the Silver Legacy, a Caesar’s property. Didn’t expect much but ended up with a nice suite.
It had a very nice view of the city and mountains.
We had coffee and pastries at a little cafe in the lobby then lost our $80 in the slots! Time to go!
Now over to the airport to pick up the car! Next up Our Visit to Truckee!
It’s been a while since our last girl’s trip. I believe it was 2019 when we took a cruise on Royal Caribbean and shortly after the world shut down. We’ve been trying to come up with something that would be a short flight and would be of interest to all. Tired of Myrtle Beach. That was our go to spot for two years; we were kind of looking for something a little more adventurous. Not a lover of Country music but open to anything and everything.
I flew Southwest -second time ever. Not a bad flight. On time and only 45 passengers. I was in row 10 without anyone near me. I read a bit and dozed a bit. It was 5:45 am and I woke at 3 am with Lyft picking me up at 3:30am. A very quick start to a long and fun filled day.
I met Lauren and Kadyn’s flight at 7 am. All of us on time and ready to go. I am using Lyft to get around. Their rates are a bit cheaper then Uber and so far no problems.
We arrived at the Holston House, a Hyatt hotel, in downtown Nashville right off Broadway. They checked us in right away and it wasn’t even 9am. I thought that was pretty good. We dropped our bags and did a quick tour of this old hotel. Especially the rooftop pool.
Afterwards we went in search of our much needed coffee. Luckily, Lauren needed her morning fix as much as I did.
We found a local coffee shop a few blocks from the hotel. Anchorhead, kind of a strange name not on the water but the coffee was good. Of course it was very avant-garde rather than your old fashioned DD. But good nevertheless. I did get a peach turnover which I shared with Kadyn. That was pretty good too!
We spent a few hours walking around Broadway. It was relatively quiet; everyone sleeping off Friday night hangovers.
Lauren and Kadyn went to Whole Foods and brought back a few salads for lunch. We ate in our room and then headed to the rooftop pool. It was very refreshing. But again it’s a party town with everyone hanging by the pool and in the pool – imbibing for quite sometime. The party had begun. This is a town for drinkers who like music. No children anywhere!
After showers and a lot of back and forth about wardrobe, I contacted Lyft and we were on our way to the Grand Old Opry. We left early so we could check out the Gaylord Opryland Resort. It was well worth a trip over to check it out.
A tropical paradise within acres of a massive glass atrium, complete with a gently rolling river, boat rides offered, and waterfalls cascading several stories, it was quite magical.
We decided to eat sushi and ate at Wasabi our table set beside a lovely waterfall. We had an appetizer of spinach artichoke dip and then several different sushi rolls. It was very delicious and satisfying.
Live music could be heard throughout the restaurant. Live music is everywhere in Nashville. Then we unfortunately stopped for gelati and cookies. We went from satisfied to stuffed. No more of that tomorrow.
We made our way back to the Grand Old Opry. Time for a photo op and to listen to some more live music before we headed into the show.
The show was great. A mixture of bluegrass, country rock, country pop with a great comedian thrown in. Loved it and I don’t like country. But now I guess I do like some of it, especially country rock and I love the fiddle!
Exhausted, we waited about 20 minutes for our Lyft driver. We made it back to our hotel and all crashed around 11 pm.
Sunday we stopped for coffee and then headed to General Jackson’s Showboat cruise for a lunch time sail. I called for a Lyft and the first driver seemed high or hungover. No way to report that in the app. We did not go with him. Finally we got our ride and all was well.
All aboard for a 12 noon sail. We sat with six other people who were not overly friendly but oh well. They served chicken, Mac and cheese and green beans. It was ok. Then we went on deck to view the Nashville skyline!
Dessert was a blueberry crumble which was tasty. The show was good but sound system had the musicians overpowering the singers for the most part. It was entertaining but a little lack luster.
The Elvis rendition was lively and fun!
After the cruise we meandered over to the mall where we checked out Katy Perry at Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum.
Johnny Cash was there beckoning us in but we decided that we really didn’t want to go inside.
We spent a few hours by the pool in the late afternoon. It was quite crowded but I had a nice spot to start my blog.
For dinner we ate sushi at the food court. Kadyn loves California rolls. Then we walked the strip.
The Nashville scene is not for the faint of heart. The sounds of the music competing from bar to bar overpowers the frenzy of people speaking in elevated tones trying to overcome the incessant noise of traffic. And in the midst of all this chaos is the smells of yesterdays beers, the unwashed bodies of the homeless, exhaust from the cars and buses, and the occasional intermingling of vomit and dog poop! Even the sugary smell of the praline store could not stamp out these odors.
I think Lauren, Kadyn and I had enough stimulation of our senses and were more then ready to retire to our room and comfy beds at the Holston House.
Monday morning Kadyn and I went for breakfast at the crepe place while Lauren did her morning workout. I had a chicken basil crepe and Kadyn had a sweet berry crepe.
We picked Lauren up and headed to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
There were lots of interesting exhibits and I learned a lot about country music, its roots and its many stars.
There were two floors of exhibits, including clothing, guitars and movie clips. A collection of gold records aligned one wall.
We took a photo in front of a giant guitar and in a mock up of Taylor Swift’s tour bus.
Elvis Presley’s gold plated car was on display as well as clothes, guitars and movie clips.
Also two other cars – one a Bonneville convertible with a gun as the hood ornament and Smokey and The Bandits car.
We spent quite a few hours there before heading out to find Kadyn some Bobo tea.
We walked almost two miles to get the tea – climbed many stairs and checked out the capital building before we made it back to our hotel before the storm and the rain came crashing down.
The sky cleared a bit but we played a few games in the lobby.
We decided to go back to the food court for dinner. Kadyn and I had sushi. Lauren had Shwarma.
Then we went to the Savannah candy shop for some tasty delectables and pralines.
The food court was hosting some live music so we headed back there to enjoy the entertainment. A couple of the singer/song writers were great. One guy sounded just like Johnny Cash.
Our last morning in Nashville, Kadyn and I headed out to the Donut Distillery. These mini donuts were delicious.
Lauren, Kadyn and I walked the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge. It was an easy half mile each way. Nice views of the Nashville Skyline.
Now back at the pool for some afternoon R&R.
Our last dinner out, we decided to go a little fancy and went to an Italian restaurant off Broadway, Trattoria IL Mulino.
We ordered an artichoke salad, ricotta meatballs and a pizza with balsamic glaze.
For dessert we had cappuccino coffees and shared a chocolate dessert.
And I can’t forget the delicious salted caramel gelato.
After dinner we listened to live music again at the Food Assembly. It was Anthony Michael who we liked so much last night. Kadyn even drew a picture of him and gave him a tip.
We are making it an early evening. My flight is at 7:45 am so a quick trip to the rooftop to see the city lights and then to bed! It’s been a wonderful girls trip with my two favorite girls.
We did our second Caribbean cruise post Covid and it was nothing like the first. In December the ship was 40% filled in July close to 100%. With that meant more lines, more waiting, more people people people.
Our first stop was in Grand Cayman. We made friends with another couple on the ship and decided to hire a taxi to take us around the island. June Blair was our driver.
June took us to her favorite bakery. I had pineapple coconut ice cream. It was delicious. Our friends had coconut cookies.
Grand Cayman is a very wealthy island with beautiful homes. This is a gate to one of those homes. It looked more like A1A in Glorida then a Caribbean island.
We had a lovely time on Grand Cayman. Avoided the crowds and were lucky enough not to have to wait on lines for the tender on or off the ship.
I climb volcanoes, bike ride, kayak and consider myself a very active senior. And up until this night I had never broken a bone. But my middle of the night visit to the bathroom changed all that. As I closed the bathroom door, I closed it on my thumb. Yes ouch!! It caused me to break out in a cold sweat and I thought I would be sick.
Bruce called medical but they weren’t open until 8am and I didn’t want to make a big deal about my thumb. So he found a ton of ice which I thankfully placed my thumb in and went back to bed.
They X-rayed it – I have an open fracture at the area of the cuticle and yes I will most likely lose the nail.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get to go on my excursion to the monkeys or snorkeling. But we did walk off the ship and visit some shops.
I spent more time than usual sitting on our balcony watching the waves and clouds stream by as I read my novel.
Bruce and I went to the shows every night.
And we met many wonderful people! So although it wasn’t an exciting cruise it was very restful and enjoyable. Now I’m back home ready to walk and eat keto again.
Sometimes I think I’m still 30 years old. I love to explore and experience different things, sometimes a bit challenging for this old girl. Today, Bruce and I headed out with eight young people to explore some of Mexico’s treasures. Our first stop was the Mayan ruins of Tulum.
Our guide, Adriana was great. She had in depth knowledge of the site plus she was very funny and entertaining.
It was unbelievably hot while we were exploring the ruins. On the drive there, the sky was overcast. Unfortunately, it didn’t stay that way. If you ever go, pick a day that’s cloudy.
I’ve been to Tikal in Guatemala twice. That was in the jungle. This is by the ocean and is very nice but much smaller than Tikal.
No howlers or Jaguars here but plenty of Iguanas.
And a very long fast moving snake that nobody could identify. I’m still trying to figure out what it is.
Our next stop was a cenote. This was an underground cave. The water temp felt quite chilly especially since we had been so hot. There I am getting in the water.
In order to go into the cenote we had to shower first to rinse off any bug spray or lotion on us. This is one of the ways they try to protect the waters.
Most of my photos weren’t very good. We had forgotten to pack the underwater camera and had the phone in a case which didn’t work well. Adriana shared some of her photos which I’m posting here.
It was a lot of fun but hard work. And sometimes it was pretty dark and you had to be careful not to hit your head on the low hanging formations.
Our next stop was Yalku in Akumal. It was a lagoon where we went snorkeling. Here we had to shower off as well. I’m glad to see countries concerned about their environment.
My photos were terrible but there were a lot of fish to see. This was the only part of the tour I would have changed. I like to snorkel and do my own thing. I found it frustrating to have to keep up with the tour guide. I would have enjoyed this more on my own so I could spend time observing the different schools of fish.
For our final event we went to a beach club for lunch. I had fajitas and Bruce had ceviche. All very good. Well fed and well exercised, I actually slept on the bus on the way back to the hotel.
Back at the hotel we took a dip in the pool and sat and watched the waves roll in. Then we had pizza and virgin pina coladas for supper. It was a fun but exhausting day. And we loved every minute of it.
Sometimes I think I’m still 30 years old. I love to explore and experience different things, sometimes a bit challenging for this old girl. Today, Bruce and I headed out with eight young people to explore some of Mexico’s treasures. Our first stop was the Mayan ruins of Tulum.
Our guide, Adriana was great. She had in depth knowledge of the site plus she was very funny and entertaining.
It was unbelievably hot while we were exploring the ruins. On the drive there, the sky was overcast. Unfortunately, it didn’t stay that way. If you ever go, pick a day that’s cloudy.
I’ve been to Tikal in Guatemala twice. That was in the jungle. This is by the ocean and is very nice but much smaller than Tikal.
No howlers or Jaguars here but plenty of Iguanas.
And a very long fast moving snake that nobody could identify. I’m still trying to figure out what it is.
Our next stop was a cenote. This was an underground cave. The water temp felt quite chilly especially since we had been so hot. There I am getting in the water.
In order to go into the cenote we had to shower first to rinse off any bug spray or lotion on us. This is one of the ways they try to protect the waters.
Most of my photos weren’t very good. We had forgotten to pack the underwater camera and had the phone in a case which didn’t work well. Adriana shared some of her photos which I’m posting here.
It was a lot of fun but hard work. And sometimes it was pretty dark and you had to be careful not to hit your head on the low hanging formations.
Our next stop was Yalku in Akumal. It was a lagoon where we went snorkeling. Here we had to shower off as well. I’m glad to see countries concerned about their environment.
My photos were terrible but there were a lot of fish to see. This was the only part of the tour I would have changed. I like to snorkel and do my own thing. I found it frustrating to have to keep up with the tour guide. I would have enjoyed this more on my own so I could spend time observing the different schools of fish.
For our final event we went to a beach club for lunch. I had fajitas and Bruce had ceviche. All very good. Well fed and well exercised, I actually slept on the bus on the way back to the hotel.
Back at the hotel we took a dip in the pool and sat and watched the waves roll in. Then we had pizza and virgin pina coladas for supper. It was a fun but exhausting day. And we loved every minute of it.
We started our day with the time share presentation which turned out delightful. No hard sell and we saw the newest units on the ocean. It was supposed to be 90 minutes but after 60 we all called it a day. Just a lovely sales person who could tell we weren’t interested but we let her do her thing. So no Marriott time share in our future although I do like some of their hotels very much
We had a delicious breakfast at the hotel. One of my favorite things is yogurt, granola and fruit. They also had chia and flax seeds to add.
And then we were off to spend the day laying under an umbrella with dips in the ocean and pool.
We did spend some time enjoying the water chases but I have to be careful not to get too much sun!
We also tried a little water aerobics which did draw quite a crowd.
In the evening we ate at the Sand and Stone restaurant on site. Our table was overlooking the ocean,
I judge a restaurant by its bread. They had delicious warm bread with herb butter. As a side they gave us pickled eggplant.
I had cheese and spinach raviolis and Bruce had a seafood soup.
The night was coming on and the surf was churning.
For dessert Bruce and I shared a rustic carrot cake with tres leche ice cream. I am stuffed!
It was such a relaxing day in this beautiful Cancun!
For years, I never wanted to go to Cancun. We had a bad experience in Puerto Vallarta 15 years ago and that put me off about going anywhere in Mexico. But I was offered a great deal and if you know me, you know I love great deals.
I booked the trip several months ago but wasn’t aware that I would be having major surgery two weeks prior to this trip. But a little bit of cutting never keeps me down, of course, I didn’t cancel. My surgeon looked at me like I was nuts going to Mexico, but I said I had the utmost faith in his abilities. He did a great job and I never even needed pain medication.
So off we went two weeks to the day after my surgery and I’m having fun frolicking in the ocean and back walking my five or six miles a day.
Now to keep this trip on a budget,I did book Frontier Airlines to get here. Our first ever and we made it without a hitch. The plane was mostly on time and it was direct from Miami and $400 cheaper than American or Jet Blue after paying for seats and one checked bag. However just as we started taking off smoke or fog was coming through the cabin. I’ve never seen this before but it is fairly common in planes leaving tropical climates. But it was a little unnerving at first.
I think we look quite the dashing couple, especially me with the scarf to hide the ugly scar.
We are staying at the Westin and it’s nice. Is it the best room I’ve ever had? No but it will do and we have a view of the lagoon.
It’s quite lovely, but no balcony. Oh well. It was $249 for 4 nights and we have to do a time share presentation. I will let you know about that tomorrow. They gave me $175 to apply to a tour – we go to Tulum on Wednesday. Will let you know about that too!
We arrived early. Before 10 am and they had a room ready for us. So it’s been a day soaking up the sun and enjoying the beach and pool.
We enjoyed lunch – Bruce had a burrito and I had a Thai salad. Very tasty. And a beautiful view.
For dinner we walked off the resort to a wonderful restaurant, Navios. It was the best meal we’ve had in ages. Virgin Pina Coladas, ceviche, grouper and virgin margaritas on the house.
And a magnificent sunset. Let’s just say we underestimated Cancun. It’s actually very nice!
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