Здравствуйте! (Zdravstvuyte!) A Salaam Alaykom! Hello! My name is Pepe the Superfly Monkey. Several years ago, I found myself traveling the globe in the luggage of a man with thick, black glasses and his sassafrass wife. They took me in as their own and since then we have had many grand adventures. We now find ourselves in at home in Colorado, but still enjoying traveling the US and beyond!
I am out in California for a conference and convinced my hubby to tag along. It does not start until Tuesday (well, technically Wednesday, but my co-workers arrive Tuesday afternoon), so we have had a few days to explore LA and the surrounding area. It is unusually rainy right now. Our flight into Long Beach was slightly delayed due to flooding and huge storm that had started the evening before.
One of my staple moves when traveling is taking the double decker bus tours. Here in LA we chose Starline as they have 5 or 6 different buses throughout the area. [Buy tickets online to save $$$] You can take the green buses along the coast, get on the yellow line through Beverly Hills, or take the red line through Hollywood (just to name our top 3).
Sailboat at Fishman's Village
Sunday was our first full day and since we have a week to explore we got off to a slow start in the morning. We reached the green line around 11 am and were taken 1 stop to Fisherman's Village before the driver was on his break. We walked around a bit just to see the water until the next driver was ready to leave. It is a cute little stop if you have the time to check it out.
Pelicans looking for food around Fisherman's Village
View of the ocean off the pier.
We rode the green line up to Santa Monica Pier and took a look around. There are a lot of street performers that want you to pay for their entertainment and selfie opportunities. Some of them live off their income so do not be shy to hand over some cash, especially if they really are entertaining.
View of the ocean off the pier.
Walk all the way down the pier and gaze into the ocean, watching people play on the beach or swim in the waves. Stop along your walk to grab a bit to eat or peruse the shops and carts along the way. Do not miss a picture with the "End of the Trail" sign for Route 66.
About quarter mile (485 meters) up Colorado Avenue is the 3rd Street Promenade full of shops and eateries (and more street performers). It runs several blocks, up to Wilshire, so hubby and I took our time checking it out.
The remainder of our day was spent riding the yellow line through Beverly Hills. You can get a glimpse of the famous Beverly Hills shield which, according to Starline, you can only see in 5 places. Pictures you take of the shield can only be used for personal use as the city charges for commercial use. The yellow line also passess the famous Rodeo Drive, hubby and I talked about its prominence in the show "Entourage."
Our evening ended at the Killer Shrimp restaurant which makes their own shrimp broth bowl which is absolutely delicious!
Killer Shrimp served with french bread
I also blogged about Santa Monica and 3rd Street Promenade here.
After a hot day of walking through the Coliseum and the Forum we decided it was time for a beer and a snack. The last major site on our list was the Trevi Fountain, so we started walking toward that area of town and happened across a pub. Snacks and beers all around!
In the cool of evening we were able to visit the Fountain, but everyone else had the same idea. It was packed! There were tourists clambering up and down the steps right in front of the fountain, and vendors selling wares all across the square. The cacophony of sound was almost overwhelming, but exciting too. We managed to steal a seat just to the right of the Fountain to sit and take in the elaborate design.
The Fountain was completed in 1762 and is made from Travertine stone (from Tivoli about 22 miles east of Rome). A restoration in 2015 led to additional lighting to improve nighttime illumination.
The Fountain appeared in the movies La Dolce Vita and Three Coins in the Fountain. The latter describing it to be good luck to throw a coin in the fountain by using your right arm and tossing it over your left shoulder. Of course we had to do this - for good luck and a return to Rome, right?!?!
To get away from the crowds we wandered down some side streets and came across the Pantheon. The square was busy but not as crowded at the one by the Trevi Fountain. Although the Pantheon did not make it on our "must see" list it was a pleasant surprise to be confronted by it late at night.
Completed in A.D. 125 it has stood the test of time.
A terrible pic, but apparently the only one I took at the Pantheon.
While sitting in the square and people watching we ate one of many scoops of gelato - a must have in Italy. I am sure that frequent travelers can tell you where to get the best gelato, but we just ate it every chance we got. If you're unsure, just check to see what type of ingredients are used to make it - artificial colors or flavors are a big no-no - look for fresh ingredients. TripAdvisor has good recommendations for further review.
Feeling the effects of jetlag, we were sure to sleep a lot the first night in order to accomplish the sites on our list for Day 2.
To start off we visited the Roman Coliseum. For the second site, again, we were sure to pre-buy our tickets before we left the States. This saved us standing in line for the second time, but today we made it on time! We met up with a group of about 12 people and had a guided tour. Afterwards, we had plenty of time to explore on our own.
It officially opened in A.D. 80 and was used consistently for four hundred years. The "basement" of the Coliseum is open to the air, it is thought that there was a covering but it was movable. Fighters or animals could be raised on elevators through openings in the floor for ease of movement.
Each level of the Coliseum was reserved for different castes of people. Nobility were allowed to sit the closest while those that were poor could observe from the highest levels. Very similar to today - your seats in a stadium are mostly based on where you can afford to buy tickets (yep, upper level for me!).
There are a few shops and restaurants surrounding the Coliseum. If you can walk a few blocks away it will save you some money. We stopped at a little place for lunch and sat outside in the shade (at least there was a bit of a breeze). Of course we had to order pizza, but we also tried an interesting appetizer made of pumpkin flower. It was deep fried and tasted delicious - if you get a chance, try one!
Fried pumpkin flower
After lunch we walked over to the Roman Forum. This is where the people used to live and interact with one another. Rick Steves also offers an audio guide of the Forum, so we popped on our headphones and took a self-guided tour.
Some of the buildings have served multiple purposes over the centuries. A temple built for a wife by a grieving husband stood at much higher ground. Later, when the building became a church and the street level had been lowered a set of stairs was added to provide access.
Temple of Antonius and Faustina, later on became a church.
Julius Caesar lived and died at the Forum. His funeral pyre is preserved and many people have left offerings of money.
Caesar's funeral pyre - many have left offerings.
The Forum also contains the House of the Vestals and the Temple of Vesta. This classic story of the Virgins that kept the fire burning to Vesta. Young aristocratic girls were chosen (aged 6 to 10) to serve in the temple for 30 years and were required to stay chaste for the entirety of their service. In A.D. 394 the temple was abandoned when Theodosius I, a Christian emperor, ordered it.
Temple of Vesta - the Vestal virgins lived behind the temple in an elaborate house.
Thickblackglasses and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary in June 2016 and decided we would take a trip to Italy - along with a Mediterranean cruise - to celebrate!
We started off with 2 days in Rome, you know, to see the most important sites first - ha! There's so much to see and 2 days just doesn't do it justice, but here's a summary of Day 1.
After many delays just to get out of the States we finally landed in Rome at midnight. We were supposed to arrive at 9 pm or so and the hotel said they would just leave a key at the door. Well, due to the delays there was no one around. Tracking down the phone number we made an international call from our US phones in order to find someone to let us into our room. Thankfully there was someone out and about only a few blocks away so she came to our rescue!
The hotel, Residenza Santa Maria, was a little place tucked in some back streets in the Trastevere neighborhood. The area is not real close to all the sites, but it was worth the extra walking and bus riding as it was quaint, quiet, and beautiful. There is easy access to the tram, the bus and taxis.
Due to our late start we missed our appointment to tour the Vatican Gardens (that included a pass to the museum). Unable to get a refund, we were told to re-book. Since we were able to get inside the Vatican without standing in line for 3 hours, we decided just to re-purchase the tickets for the museum. Yes, you heard that right, we by-passed a huge line of people waiting to get inside, so buy your tickets ahead of time!!!
One thing we did not know was how much there is to see in the museum before reaching the Sistine Chapel, the piece de resistance. So don't linger too long in the other parts, but don't forget to take it all in! Download Rick Steve's audio tour of the Chapel in order to get a closer look at the intricacies of Michelangelo's work. It is forbidden to take pictures inside too, so keep that in mind.
Luckily we visited during a Jubilee year for Catholics, so extra doors were open in St. Peter's Basilica. If you are Catholic I am sure you understand the significance but for me I was unsure what exactly that meant. For sure it means that more people than normal were visiting the Vatican during 2016.
The alter inside St. Peter's Basilica
Please note that Italy is very hot and humid during the summer months. If you can avoid traveling during that time I highly recommend the fall. If not, bring a water bottle. Rome is full of fountains to fill your bottle and keep you hydrated.
The past two days have been packed with fun. Yesterday we actually visited the Space Needle and got to see the Seattle sites from 605 feet in the air. The Needle was built in 1962 for the World's Fair. There are 3 elevators and 3 floors. The second floor houses an over-priced rotating restaurant and the top floor is the observatory with indoor and outdoor areas. You can almost see Canada!
Next to the Space Needle is the EMO Museum containing pop culture history from music, TV, movies and more. They have an extensive exhibit dedicated to local alternative rock band, Nirvana. Pictures, instruments, hand written notes and lyrics, videos etc. all dedicated to the beginning to end of the band. We also enjoyed the Infinite Worlds exhibit that displays memorabilia from sci-fi movies and television shows. It was our nerdy paradise!
Guitar tornado inside the EMP
Hoverboards from Back to the Future
Dalek from Dr. Who
Last night we ended up at a restaurant specializing in clam chowder. Served in warm sourdough bread bowls they didn't skimp on the servings. We also tried their fried salmon bites. I'm not a huge fan of salmon, but having fresh, fried salmon did the trick and I'm in love. Afterwards we walked through the city back to our hotel.
First thing this morning we headed to the pier to get booked on a harbor tour. While we waited for the tour to begin we wandered over to check out Ye Olde Curiosity Shop. It's been a part of the pier for over 100 years. We met Sylvester, a mummy discovered in the Arizona desert. We also saw shrunken heads, a female mummy from South America, the preserved body of a two headed cow, and many other curious objects.
The harbor tour gave us more information about the piers and West Seattle. The West Seattle neighborhood was the landing place for the first white settlers, although they quickly realized that it's not well protected and, upon Chief Seattle's urging, moved the city to where it stands today. Seattle is a hub for crate shipping, so parts of the shore are lined with huge crates. The Port of Seattle bought cranes from China, for $10 million a piece, to help unload large barge cargo!
After the cruise we walked up to Pioneer Square and grabbed some lunch at an Irish pub.
Totem at Pioneer Square
Right around the corner is Bob Spiedel's Underground Tour. We walked under Seattle for an hour to learn about some of the city's history. A huge fire burned 33 square blocks of the city in 1889, causing them to decide to level out the city and require buildings be built with brick or stone. I'm sure there is much more rich history to be had from the Emerald City, but the tiny bits we did hear were fascinating.
Toilet on the Underground Tour
The evening brought us to Columbia Center, containing the tallest observation deck in Seattle. 73 stories up you get a 360 degree view. The night lights of the city are beautiful!
Our night ended with Chinese food in the International District. I thought the food would blow me out of the water, but, honestly, it was just okay.
The people were very friendly which helped the overall atmosphere. I wish we had more time to spend in this area of the city, but it will have to wait for another time.
This is our first time to Seattle, Washington in the upper northwest of the US. A few months ago we decided we needed a trip and this just fell in our lap.
Frontier Airlines had cheap tickets, of course they are a budget airline, but we thought it was worth it. We were delayed because of Seattle's weather, so we landed a little late. It had been almost 6 hours since we had eaten and getting to the hotel might take an hour so we decided to eat before grabbing our baggage, bad idea! Apparently, Frontier has very few flights out of Seattle so once their flights are done everyone disappears. Our baggage had been cleared away from the luggage carousel so we spent a good hour on the hunt through the airport and on the phone with the airline. By the luck of it, we walked by a lady pulling a bag out of a cage behind the carousel, come to find out our bag had been there the whole time! It was a lucky thing and we were finally on our way into town.
Monorail from below
Seattle's Link Light Rail goes right into the city, where we connected to the monorail to take us near our hotel at the Seattle Center. The monorail was built for the 1962 World's Fair to ferry people between downtown and the fairgrounds (that also contains the Space Needle). The monorail is 3 stories off the ground and starts at a mall. The monorail trains still look very '60s in design and the creaking doesn't give much confidence, but we made it safely to the drop off point. I guess 50 years of ferrying people back and forth can't be wrong!
It was a short walk to our hotel from there. Unfortunately, the Space Needle was closed for a private event so our plans to see Seattle at night are on hold, but the view from our hotel is amazing! The Seattle City Pass allows us to visit the observation tower on the Needle twice, once during the day and once at night, so we anticipate incredible views.
Space Needle from our hotel room
For dinner we decided to partake in Seattle's fresh seafood. Cutter's, near Pike's Place Market, served up fresh crab, salmon, and prawns to satisfy our craving. This was a short start to a highly anticipated trip. Thanks for reading :)
My niece and I set out on a road trip to Rapid City, South Dakota to attend the wedding of my brother-in-law. My husband left a few days early to help prepare and set-up. We left Denver around mid-morning on a Thursday and had to stop and take pictures of ourselves at the Wyoming border, the first state north of Colorado.
View of Wyoming... somewhere...
About 92 miles into Wyoming we veered off onto highway 26. I did not realize it until we were traveling along it that the highway follows a similar path to the Oregan Trail. There is one section where wagon wheels were cemented in rock and can still be seen today.
From that point on two lane roads wound through hilly areas and eventually led through the Black Hills into South Dakota. Only 7 short hours after starting we arrived in Rapid City to settle into our hotel, the Alex Johnson. The hotel opened in 1928, right after construction began on Mt. Rushmore, and is now famous for ghost sightings. It was updated nicely but still held a bit of old charm. Some of the decor is reminiscent of native american design. Although we did not have any supernatural encounters, our stay was comfortable.
Chandelier hanging above the lobby at the Alex Johnson - native american art
Decor and balcony above the lobby
We spent our first evening milling around the downtown area near the hotel and enjoying the Summer Nights live bands. We then headed over to swim with my brother-in-law's family at their hotel (not the one getting married!).
Even though the wedding was on Friday it was scheduled for 6 pm so we had time to do some sight-seeing in the morning. As we walked back from breakfast we noticed that on each corner in Rapid City, there is a different bronze statue of various presidents of the United States. My sister-in-law, a recently former resident of the city explained that it's good luck to high-five President Jimmy Carter. Although I did not photograph anyone actually doing that, I did get my nephews messing around like boys do!!
All the nieces and nephews wanted to see Reptile Gardens, an award winning amusement park filled with birds, reptiles, and insects. It was a beautiful day to be outside and pet some alligators! We saw a bird show and a snake show. There was a prairie dog habitat and a dome filled with tropical plants and animals. The kids and adults had a blast and I would highly recommend it for those traveling that way.
Petting a baby alligator
Bald eagle at Reptile Gardens
Afterwards, there was a short amount of time to visit Mt. Rushmore. It was Friday morning and I was worried about the traffic and number of people that would be visiting the site, but we were lucky enough to get right in and find a parking space. It was a quick "Chevy Chase" type of visit ("uh huh uh huh, let's go!") but totally worth the $11 parking fee.
George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln
Along the walkway to view Mt. Rushmore is flag row, below my state's flag this was inscribed.
Back at the hotel we showered, dressed, and headed over to the Journey Museum for the wedding! It was a beautiful venue and interesting museum to see. Congrats to my brother-in-law, Ben, and my new sister-in-law, Johnelle!!!
