Florida manatees and the Plantation on Crystal River For several years we have nursed a fervid desire to swim with Florida manatees and stay at the Plantation on Crystal River. But we didn't do a thing about it. Then Blonde decided she might move away from Florida and Brunette was preparing to put on her snow bird wings and fly off to Pennsylvania for the … [Read more...]
The Ringling Circus Museum, Villa and Art Gallery in Sarasota, Florida
The Ringling Circus Museum, Villa and Art Gallery If anyone tried to convince two (unnamed) life-long clown haters that they would love the The Ringling Circus Museum, Villa and Art Gallery those two (unnamed) sisters wouldn't have believed it. Wrong again - although "they" didn't really change their opinions of clowns very much (although the video of one doing his make-up … [Read more...]
Our travel blogger code of ethics
Why we need to have a code of ethics Blonde is sitting at her kitchen counter writing about our code of ethics. She was supposed to be leaving on a cruise today. Not only a free cruise but one she was actually going to be paid to take. What happened that resulted in this situation? Illness? Stupidity? Couldn't get George Clooney out of her bed early enough to still make … [Read more...]
Our visit to Dry Tortugas National Park
A brief history of Dry Tortugas National Park Dry Tortugas National Park helps the reputation of poor misunderstood Ponce de Leon. His name is firmly linked to the erroneous myth, apparently started by a Spanish court chronicler wanting to make him seem foolish, that he was in search of a "Fountain of Youth". He gets mocked for failing to find what he never sought and fails … [Read more...]
Our 2016 travel plans – where and why (so far)
Our 2016 travel plans We have excitedly been pulling our 2016 travel plans together over the last couple months. Admittedly Blonde already went to Panama and Iceland this year but those were trips with friends not "official" blog business. When planning this year's travel we mainly selected places we have never been before. To the extent that we have any other common theme … [Read more...]
Planning travel to other hemispheres
Planning travel to other hemispheres When you're planning to travel to another hemisphere a good starting place is to answer the question: What other hemisphere are we talking about? The world has two circles around it (not literally). One divides it in half horizontally and uses the equator to separate the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. The other one is vertical and … [Read more...]
Rick Steves is right (but not all the time, according to us)
Rick Steves' presentation for PBS in Naples, Florida According to his own website "guidebook author and travel TV host Rick Steves is America's most respected authority on European travel". It should come as a huge relief to Rick that we agree. When we learned he was coming to speak at a fundraiser for the local PBS station we got tickets for the event. We showed up early … [Read more...]
Enjoying Reykjavik in the winter
Enjoying Reykjavik in the winter - seriously? Yes, even a Florida-living blonde enjoyed Reykjavik in the winter. Misgivings about Iceland being brutally cold and dark in winter proved to be unfounded. Over the course of a 4 day visit 3 days featured bright blue skies and one was snowy but not impressively (or depressingly) so . The temperatures were in the mid 30s … [Read more...]
Capturing Amazing Photos of the Northern Lights
Prepare, before you leave home, to photograph the Northern Lights When Blonde received a call, in early July, to go see the Northern Lights in Iceland in February she immediately agreed and fantasized about how she would take amazing photos of the Northern Lights. She would become an admired and sought-after photographer, silencing any naysayers who may have criticized her … [Read more...]
Gateway to adventure in Patagonia: El Calafate, Argentina
Why visit El Calafate? El Calafate provided me with an epiphany; I'm a mountain person! After a lifetime of putting myself in the "water person" category I was stunned by the joy of experiencing Patagonia's mountains. Clear, bright skies, raptors swooping overhead, glaciers and clean air converted me. El Calafate provided several of the experiences which changed me in terms … [Read more...]