We planned a trip to Mexico City and one of the top experiences you should do is a hot air balloon ride. This is actually on the outskirts of CDMX, in Teotihuacan. We booked our trip through Viator, but the actual company was AL Sol Globos. There was a clear disconnect between Viator and the company. We kept getting emails telling us we had been moved to a later time, which we did not want, since the whole point is to experience the sunrise, ten late the night before, we were back on for a 4:40am pick up. The email came in after 9pm. If we had not seen it, we would have missed out on the entire experience. Horrible communication.
We were picked up at our hotel, and got the last 2 seats in the van. During the almost hour long ride in a van with no shocks every pothole felt like a personal attack. My spine learned new swear words that morning. In Spanish.
We finally arrived, just in time to watch the workers start to set up and begin the procedure of inflating the balloons. This is worth getting there early. The process is fascinating and especially watching it in the dark.
I really wasn’t afraid or nervous and our pilot seemed in control and the flight was uneventful, as far as anything scary or unnerving. The flight lasted about 45 minutes and went by quickly. It was very calm and seeing all of the other balloons looked like the sky was celebrating.
The landing was a little rough and makes you appreciate all of the people it takes to make this experience special. It is not that easy to stop a basket filled with people, that has a giant balloon attached, and get it into a trailer attached to a truck.
We had paid for the entire package that included breakfast in a cave and walking around the pyramids. We did the breakfast in the cave, which was not what I expected it to be. We decided to get an Uber and skip the pyramids, since we had flown over them and have seen ruins in Chichen Itza and Tulum. I would recommend only doing the hot air balloon ride, but that is up to you. It will definitely be the highlight of your trip.
Going to Gros Morne in August, you expect somewhat of a break in the scorching hot summer weather of the Southern United States. That did not happen. We arrived just in time for an unseasonal heatwave and no air conditioning. That did not deter us. We still had a great time exploring what NASA calls, “a geologists’ dream” …”one of the few places where you can set foot on the Earth’s mantle without digging an inch.”
We stayed in Norris Point at the Tides Inn, in the Executive King Loft Suite. It is the only 2 story room they have and it includes 2 bathrooms, a mini fridge, microwave, soaking tub, living room area and bedroom. It does not have AC, but does have a couple of fans. The majority of time, this is not an issue. It also comes with a hot continental breakfast with real eggs!
While we were there, across the street, Jeremy Charles’ King Lobster Food Truck was set up. He is a well known Canadian chef and is now making delicious lobster rolls in Norris Point. You can get a lobster roll for $25 and add 3 salads for $40. I would stick with just the roll, since the salads we had were uninspiring.
Jeremy Charles’ delicious lobster roll
Before heading out on your adventure, make sure to get a latte at The Old Store Cafe. It was there that I met the Newfoundland version of the “Soup Nazi” Can I say that? I mean it in the most loving way. She didn’t try to deny me a latte, but she was probably thinking about it. I made the mistake of asking what kind of syrups they had and another about the menu. They were met with heavy sighs. I settled on an old familiar, vanilla latte and she changed her tone and called me love. Of course I had to go every morning and was greeted with her not-quite, smiling face. 10/10 highly recommend.
Gros Morne is one of the four UNESCO sites in Newfoundland. A must do is the Bon Tour Western Brook Boat Tour. It is a 2 hour boat tour of a fjord in the Northern most section of the Appalachian Mountains, called the long Range Mountains, surrounded by deep rock walls in a lake that is 541 feet deep. The scenery is amazing and the tour is informative. To get to the actual dock you have 2 choices. Both of them require you to allow enough time to get to the destination. Arrive at least an hour and a half prior to your reservation. We walked the 1.86 miles to get there. It is a nice, scenic walk. Not hard. There were several older people walking. We stopped to take pictures, so it took at least an hour. The other option is to ride in a golf cart. It costs 10.00 per person. The day we were there, there was only one cart running, so it took a long time to get a ride. Keep that in mind.
Western Brook Pond
There are so many places to explore and stop and take a picture, that its hard to see them all in the 3 days I had. Here are a few of the places we saw.
Arches Provincial ParkThe Lighthouse at Rocky HarbourView from the Cat Stop Waterfront Pub in Norris Point
There are very few restaurants in the park. Seaside Restaurant is in Trout River and is pretty much the only game in town. Don’t make a trip just to eat there. The food is bland and underwhelming. It does have a great view, though.
Seaside restaurant view.
The best meal that we had was at Chanterelles. They had great food, and a good wine selection. Which was very difficult to find elsewhere.
Gros Morne is more than just a beautiful landscape; it is a living, breathing geology lesson. The dramatic fjords and barren Tablelands are a testament to the immense forces of continental drift, allowing visitors to stand upon ancient ocean floor and touch the Earth’s mantle. For anyone with a curiosity about our planet’s history, Gros Morne offers a unique blend of breathtaking scenery and human spirit that makes a trip to Gros Morne National Park a truly unforgettable experience.
Lakeland is just an exit off of I4 between Orlando and Tampa, to most people. The next time you are in the area, you should take a few hours and check this gem out.
You can start with a trip to The Polk Museum of Art, is a small, non-profit museum. There is always an exhibition worth checking out. They recently had Chagall and Degas on display.
If you are into architecture Lakeland is a dream come true. Florida Southern College is home to the world’s largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture. The campus has twice been chosen Most Beautiful Campus in the Country, by The Princeton Review.
The group of buildings designed by Wright are called, Child of the Sun. On March 2, 2012 they were designated a National Historic Landmark. You can tour this collection, which Wright called one of his favorites, daily. Check the website for times.
You can also drive around and admire the many 1920’s Arts and Crafts Bungalows and Mediterranean Revival homes.
Lakeland is also unofficially known as, “Swan City”. Lake Morton is home to descendants of The Royal Flock of Swans on the Thames and were gifted to Lakeland in1957 by Queen Elizabeth II. Make sure to bring change so you can feed the many White Mute swans, Australian Black Swans, White Coscorba Swans, Black Neck Swans, pelicans, ducks, and geese.
There is also a fabulous farmer’s market on Saturday mornings, in their thriving downtown area. Pick up your veggies, cheese and kombucha then grab lunch and a drink at on of the many restaurants and bars.
If you are still around in the evening pull into one of the last drive in theatres in the U.S., Silver Moon. They have 2 screens and show first run movies. During the day on Saturday and Sunday, they also have a Flea Market.
As you can see there is plenty to do in this land of lakes.
Visiting Paris is on most people’s bucket list. I decided to mark it off mine for my birthday, this past October. Here is what I accomplished in 6 days.
I had read pros and cons of buying the Paris Pass. I decided to go for it. You don’t have to purchase it before your trip. You can purchase it at the Charles de Gaulle Airport. I found it to be more than worth the price. I went to several museums and used the Metro to get around. The mistake I made was to only buy a four day pass instead of six days.
Getting from the airport to my Airbnb was easy. Taxis charge a flat rate of 50 or 55 euros, depending on if it is the Left Bank or Right Bank. (Orly is slightly cheaper at 30 or 35 euros.)
I arrived a little early, so I explored the neighborhood in Bastille. I found a lovely farmer’s market and flea market, a few blocks away. Beautiful fruits and vegetables that looked so much more appetizing than what is available at home.
Farmer’s Market in Bastille.
After checking in and unpacking it was time to begin my Parisian adventure.
The Picasso Museum. If you like Picasso it is well worth a visit. The entrance fee is also included with the Paris Pass.
The Centre Pompidou . If you like modern art you have to set aside plenty of time to explore this multi-level cultural center. It is included with the Paris Pass. Start at the top and work your way down to the weird, (in a good way) Avant-Garde stuff. I would say this is the second best museum in Paris. (Tip. It is free the first Sunday of every month.) There are also great views of Paris.
The Louve . Of course everyone has to visit the Louve and take a photo of the most over-rated painting ever. I would rate this as the third best museum in Paris. If you are a big fan of the Renaissance and headless Greek statues then by all means make time to visit, otherwise, there are other more interesting museums.
The Eiffel Tower entry is not included in the Paris Pass. I had to wait in line and purchase a ticket. I bought the ticket to visit the very top of the tower. By the time I got there it was dark and the nighttime view was spectacular. Keep in mind that there are lots of people looking to sell you flashing Eiffel towers and other souvenirs and there are others looking for an opportunity to rob you. Especially kids/teens/women, pretending to be deaf mutes and shoving clipboards at you. They are at every tourist spot. Do not acknowledge them. Do not look them in the eye. They are all pickpockets and they are out to ruin your vacation.
Day two.
Musée du quai Branly – Jacques Chirac Entrance is included with the Paris Pass. This museum celebrates the arts of the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It is a very modern looking, beautiful museum.
Palais Garnier . The opera house is most famous as the setting for Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel, The Phantom of the Opera. Architecturally it is beautiful inside and included with the Paris Pass.
Chagall.
Sacre-Coeur . This can be a sketchy area. There are warnings spray painted on the walls, as you walk up, warning of pickpockets and deaf mutes. You can get off at the Anvers metro stop. While there I also checked out the Musee Montmarte and the Dali museum. Both are small and privately owned, so they are not included with the Paris Pass.
Arc de Triomphe . A must see and it is included in the Paris Pass.
Day Four.
Musée d’Orsay . The museum is closed on Monday. I found that out the hard way by being surrounded and robbed by the aforementioned deaf mutes. But, on a positive note, they were terrible thieves and I grabbed my wallet back. Even after a bad first impression, I returned the following day. This is the best museum in Paris. If you are short on time and have a choice of this or the Louve, definitely go here. It is also included in the Paris Pass. When I visited they had a Picasso Bleu et Rose exhibition and also a curated show by Julian Schnabel.
Schnabel
Musee de Rodin. A short walk from the D’Orsay. The home of Rodin. His personal collection of other artists as well as his own, are on display. Lovely grounds too. Included with the Paris Pass.
Rodin
Hotel des Invalides, The Musée de l’Armée and Napoleon’s Tomb, are all located together . This is also included in the Paris Pass. The Sun King ordered the construction of Les Invalides as a retirement home for France’s disabled and impoverished veterans. This is a must see for history lovers and military history. Napoleon is buried directly under the golden dome.
The Golden Dome
Day Five.
Versailles. You can take the Metro to the RER C train. This is included with the Paris Pass. You will appreciate the skip-the-line since the lines here are horrendous. Set aside at least half a day to see the Palace and grounds.
Versaille
Catacombs Of Paris . If you like the unusual and morbid, this is for you. Not included with the Paris Pass.
Catacombs
Day Six.
The Louis Vuitton Foundation . I found out about this place because of advertisements in the Metro. What piqued my attention was the Jean-Michel Basquiat exhibition. I love his art and had to go. It overlooks the Jardin d’ Acclimation. The building was designed by Frank Gehry and opened in October of 2014. You can take the Metro line 1 to Les Sablons and walk to the museum. The wait was about an hour and a half, so I recommend buying the tickets online. It is also the only place I had an issue with my credit card. It kept wanting me to enter a pin number. I had no idea what the number was, since I do not get cash advances. The ticket booth tried it several times and a young man who worked there overheard my problem and we tried it at a kiosk too. Same problem. He was very nice and gave me a comp journalist ticket, which I was very grateful for.
The Louis Vuitton Foundation
Pere Lachaise Cemetery . This may sound like an odd place to visit, but it is well worth it. Admission is free. I grabbed a map and started to look around on my own, but on the way to Jim Morrison’s grave a guide found me and showed me around. He made it much easier and showed me all of the famous graves and saved me a few hours. If you are not famous and are buried here, after 100 years you are sent to the “bbq”, as my guide put it, and your ashes are scattered in the Jardin du Souvenir. Look for Oscar Wilde, Chopin, Balzac and Proust, among many others. Make sure you have euros for a tip.
Jim Morrison’s grave
That is just an outline of places to go. As far as food, there are cafes literally on every corner. The food and coffee was delicious everywhere I tried it. Don’t forget to go to Shakespeare and Company for a book and a tote bag.
Trek with Kim 
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