Tag: travel

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Helicopter Tour Over Kauai: Dangling outside the chopper with no doors!

We took an unforgettable, bucket-list helicopter tour across the gorgeous island of Kauai.

This is not for the fainthearted – Lisa sat in the middle by the pilot, but Bob spent the whole ride hanging off the outside. His GoPro was firmly tethered to his wrist as we were bounced around in pouring rain, then swooped so close to canyon walls that we could practically touch them. The heart-pounding cliffs, rugged mountains framing endless waterfalls, lush greenery, followed by a swing above the turquoise water of the majestic Na Pali Coast, filled us with wonder.

The ride we took was the Doors-Off MD500 Tour, from Jack Harter Heli Tours. The cost was $400 apiece plus tax and a tip for a one-hour flight across the island with our capable and knowledgeable pilot Chris. It was worth every penny for the ride of a lifetime!

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Jack Harter Helicopters
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Snorkeling–and Napping–with Turtles in Hawaii

We were fortunate to experience sea turtles, on land and under the sea, in both Kauai and Maui. How magical!

On Kauai, we discovered that green sea turtles, called “honu,” nap on the sand on Poipu Beach on the south coast every afternoon. At sunset, scores of them haul themselves up onto the beach to spend the night. We saw at least 40 there, though darkness obscured our view. The area is cordoned off to prevent humans from getting too close, and a couple of naturalists informed us about the turtles, which were once endangered and have been upgraded to “threatened” status.

On Maui, there’s a similar beach on the Road to Hana that also attracts sea turtles napping.

And in West Maui, at Black Rock at the north end of Ka’anapali Beach, you can walk into the water in your snorkel gear and spend an afternoon floating while watching sea turtles eat. We also say spotted rays and a huge variety of other fish.

This video is long. The first five minutes are enough to give you an idea of the experience. But if you really want to immerse yourself in the sea with the turtles, watch the whole thing!

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Ka’anapali Beach, Maui
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Poipu Beach, Kauai
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Sagrada Familia

The Basilica Sagrada Familia (Holy Family Basilica) in Barcelona is the most over-the-top cathedral in the world. And it’s still under construction!

Designed mostly by the inimitable Antoni Gaudí, it is Seussian on the exterior and equally fascinating inside. The way Gaudí plays with light with the stained-glass windows boggles the senses with its natural exuberance. Don’t miss it if you travel to Barcelona! And make sure you go to the Passion Tower. (Stay through the video to the end, and you’ll enjoy a concert in the bell tower.)

We also discovered a couple of hidden museums in the bowels of the basilica, and even a bust of the architect, Gaudí.

The guided tour with the tower included cost about 40 euros each, which included an English-language audio tour and a trip up one of the towers. There are cheaper options available, and we did leave the tour and just use the audio guide, which was more our style. We spent at least three hours there.

TIP: Reserve your tickets well in advance of your trip, because the Basilica is very popular and sells out. And it’s best to buy them directly from the cathedral’s website, because other distributors jack up the prices.

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Basilica de la Sagrada Familia
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Madrid’s Astounding Royal Palace (Palacio Real)

No trip to Madrid is complete without a visit to the Palacio Real, or Royal Palace, a stunning structure that has more than 3,000 rooms, most of them embellished with gold. Bob’s camera is unusually tilted during this video, so try not to get dizzy!

Entrance tickets cost 12 euros for Lisa, half price for Bob as a senior. (There are some advantages!)

It’s hard to describe the beauty. You’ll have to watch to see!

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Madrid Tourism
Palacio Real
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Riding Lisbon’s Famous Tram 28

No trip to Lisbon is complete without a ride on iconic Tram 28, an old-fashioned tram that takes you through the city’s most famous neighborhoods in a vehicle so narrow it almost brushes the historic buildings.

The classic yellow trams retain original 1930s features like brass dials and polished wood interiors. It squeezes in and out of unimaginably narrow alleys.

It’s a great introduction to the city, and a unique experience no one should miss!

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Hamlet in Prague

We went to a fascinating art exhibition called “To Be or Not To Be” the Clam-Gallas Palace in Prague’s Old Town. The first is called Hamlet, and the bust is a study of the contrast and struggle between life and death. The last image in this series has the names of the artists.

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A Mexican Mega-Resort Experience, Part 3: Even More Vidanta

Want to feel like you’re rich and famous? Come with us on Part 3 of our tour of a Mexican mega-resort, the luxurious Vidanta Nayarit on the west coast of Mexico.

We’ll tour more of enormous Vidanta, including La Cantina, Gong, and other restaurants; the Grand Bliss; the Mayan Palace; walking on the boardwalk pathways that connect the resort; the Plaza marketplace that carries everything you need (groceries, bakery, froyo, flip flops, sunglasses), and everything you don’t ( gourmet chocolate, jewelry); the Sanctuario entertainment hub; and many other parts of this breathtaking resort.

Want to see what you missed? Part 1 took us from arrival at Puerto Vallarta Airport, through transit to the resort, and the check-in experience. 

In Part 2, we took an early morning tour of Vidanta’s Grand Mayan Hotel and beyond, including breakfast, restaurants, beach, pools, fitness center, a lazy river, and the sky dream gondola. Soak up the lifestyle of the rich and famous! 

Thanks for joining us on this three-part tour of this Mexican mega-resort!

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Vidanta Resort
Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta

Map

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A Mexican Mega-Resort Experience, Part 2: More Vidanta

When we bought a fractional ownership at Vidanta Resort in Mexico, we had no idea the world of luxury we would soon encounter. We’re a middle-class family, not accustomed to the perks of the super-rich that we find at Vidanta. If you’re like us, you’ll enjoy taking me take a three-part tour of this Mexican mega-resort, and spend a few minutes feeling like one of the rich and famous.

In this Part 2 of our Mexican Mega-Resort Experience series on the Messy Suitcase travel channel, we’ll take an early morning tour of Vidanta’s Grand Mayan Hotel and beyond, including breakfast, restaurants, beach, pools, fitness center, a lazy river, and the sky dream gondola. Soak up the lifestyle of the rich and famous!

Part 1 took us from arrival at Puerto Vallarta Airport, through transit to the resort, and the check-in experience. 

Part 3 – coming soon! – will feature a tour of more of the enormous Vidanta, including La Cantina, Gong, and other restaurants; the Grand Bliss; the Mayan Palace; walking on the boardwalk pathways that connect the resort; the Plaza marketplace that carries everything you need (groceries, bakery, froyo, flip flops, sunglasses), and everything you don’t ( gourmet chocolate, jewelry); the Sanctuario entertainment hub; and many other parts of this breathtaking resort.

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Vidanta Resort
Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta

Map 

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A Mexican Mega-Resort Experience, Part 1: Arrival at Vidanta

When we bought a fractional ownership at Vidanta Resort, we had no idea about the world of luxury we would soon find ourselves wrapped in. Two ordinary, middle-class people who allowed ourselves to get sucked into the timeshare game, we are not accustomed to valets transporting our luggage to our room, or giant soaking bathtubs in our bathrooms, or massive fitness centers, or luxury spas, incredible swimming pools, a lazy river outside the door, or countless other perks of the super-rich that we find at Vidanta.

Come take a three-part tour of a Mexican mega-resort, and spend a few minutes feeling like one of the rich and famous.

Part 1 takes us from arrival at Puerto Vallarta Airport, through transit to the resort, and the check-in experience.

Part 2 takes us on an early morning tour of the Grand Mayan and beyond, including breakfast, restaurants, beach, pools, fitness center, a lazy river, and the sky dream gondola

Part 3 takes us on a tour of more parts of enormous Vidanta, including La Cantina, Gong, and other restaurants: the Grand Bliss, the Mayan Palace, walking on the pathways, the Plaza marketplace that carries everything you need (groceries, bakery, froyo, flip flops, sunglasses),and everything you don’t ( gourmet chocolate, jewelry), the Sanctuario entertainment hub, and many other parts of the resort.

Watch for Parts 2 and 3, coming soon. Enjoy!

Info

Vidanta Resort
Vidanta Nuevo Vallarta

Map

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