My Son Sanctuary - UNESCO Site
My Son Sanctuary - UNESCO Site
An absolute NOT TO BE MISSED experience we had while in Hoi An, was taking a private half-day tour of the My Son Sanctuary. Built by the Champa people (a culture which occupied the land currently known as Vietnam) between the 4th and 14th centuries, the site is truly breathtaking. Unlike the Vietnamese who are largely Buddhist, the Champa people were Hindu and used an entirely different alphabet.
Much to our advantage, we booked an early morning private tour and were some of the very first people to arrive at the park, around 8:30 am. This was ideal in the aspect of not only being able to take better photographs but also provided a lovely stillness in which to experience it.
Sadly, the site was heavily damaged due to American bombs during the war, and given several factors, the restoration work has proved to be extremely difficult, and in some cases impossible. This site is yet another painful mark left on the country and a terrible loss to world history.
After we had completed our tour of the sanctuary, our guide took us to a tiny little village where we had lunch before setting out via boat, to visit a village known for making pottery.
Probably the most interesting temple we visited, was also located in this pottery village, as it contained a hidden artifact from the 6th century! A tree growing directly out front of the temple has grown around a statue of Ganesha, the Hindu elephant god, which as I mentioned earlier, was part of the Champa culture during the 6th century. BAM, history.
We also got the opportunity to try our hands at manipulating clay on a wheel, the whole experience was great.
Questions? Leave them below!
Tailoring Vietnam
Custom Clothing in Vietnam
This activity was one that had me excited for months leading up to our trip. Articles and blog posts about how to select a tailor, what to have made, or how long it would take, were nearly daily reads in my travel preparation phase.
Lucky for you, I’m going to make this simple and tell you that with very little effort before you leave, you can make this tailoring process easy as pie!
If You Can Dream it They Can Make it
Coats, dresses, pants, suits, whatever it is as long as you have good pictures, they can copy it. Not wanting an exact copy of something? There are magazines, books, and sample items at every tailor, and you need only to tell them what you like about a given piece, and what you want changed to meet your taste.
Fabrics are plentiful, but if it’s leather and fur that you’re seeking, these are materials that weren’t obvious at any of the tailors we visited.
I selected a half dozen items which I had long coveted, but couldn’t afford or find, and printed multiple images from online of the items (if I could find differing photos which showed elements of the construction) from the internet, and these would ultimately service as the best thing I could have done.
Selecting A Tailor in Hoi An
First off, don’t bother researching before you go. I spent HOURS reading reviews and inquiring about folks on TripAdvisor, but it’s honestly a total waste of time. You can’t go more than ten steps in any direction without finding a tailoring shop, and asking locals (or staff at your hotel) will also not be helpful because everyone gets paid for referrals there.
Frustrated by the number of “My good friend works at this or that shop,” or being given discount cards to this or that tailor because I was a “preferred” customer at some hotel or took a tour or who knows what, we decided to cast a wide net and try several.
The first shop we visited, Yaly Couture, was a chain of tailoring shops that our hotel recommended. This shop claimed that they could do body image scans and then make additional images for you using your body scans and ship to you. The scan was a joke, but the staff and shop were welcoming, and between my husband and I, ordered three suits and two button-down dress shirts.
The second shop was Bebe couture and was one of the shops which I found on the internet while researching the trip. This shop was by far the nicest showroom, had the most satellite locations, and was the most expensive. Here we ordered one suit and two pairs of dress pants.
The third shop was a moment of travel weakness, in which we were looking for directions to a particular part of town, and an all too friendly local offered to walk with us to where we needed to go. “Fortunately” this journey landed us directly in front of her very good friend’s shop. That said, being the least fancy of tailoring establishments that we had seen, I decided that it couldn’t hurt to give it shot and ordered a dress. I don’t even know the name of this particular shop, or even if it had one, as it consisted of a table just inside the door of a larger shopping market.
What was the result of all of these orders? You might be surprised to discover that the quality was the same at all three shops. Having factored in enough time to appropriately utilize the tailors during our time in Hoi An, by allowing enough time to have more than one fitting done, we very satisfied with everything we had made.
To rank the shops we visited, I would have to say that Yaly Couture was best because I liked the feel of the showroom. I liked the experience at the no-name tailor second, because it was cheapest, probably because it didn’t have a fancy showroom. I liked Bebe the least because it was the most expensive and the showroom was overwhelming.
My advice is to pick a tailoring shop that you can easily find a second time (it’s REALLY easy to confuse the shops with each other), make sure you stay at least three days (four would be better), so you can have more than one fitting, and show them pictures of what you want.
Lastly, haggle as if your life depends on it.
Five Days in Hoi An Vietnam
Some people take vacations for relaxation, while others (like myself) attempt to fill every waking second with activities in foreign places, for fear of missing out on something life-changing. Five days in Hoi An is the cure to being busy.
Planning Your Stay
While planning our time in Vietnam, the advice I found regarding the recommended amount of time to spend there varied wildly. What was consistent, however, was that if you wanted to have tailoring done while there, you should stay AT LEAST three days, which was ultimately proven to be sound advice.
That said, the first third of our trip was shaping up to be pretty busy, and had us moving locations every third night, so we decided to embrace the essence of what Hoi An was touted to be (a small fishing and beach town) and slow down for an extended stay of five days.
Getting From Hanoi to Hoi An
Normally, avid train travelers we decided to maximize our time by flying from Hanoi (in the North) to Danang (Central coastal, and the nearest airport to Hoi An), as the difference in time between traveling by train or air was more than eight hours difference. Adding to the advantage of flight, was the relatively low cost of just $60, making the travel time saved well worth the price.
After a short one and a half hour flight, we arrived at the Danang airport where we charted a private car (from one of the authorized services within the airport) to drive us the 40 minutes from Danang to Hoi An, as well as for the return service at the end of our time there. Without a doubt, we paid more to do it this way (it cost us about $80), but we appreciated the ease of having door to door service, as well as the relative security of the arrangement.
The ride from Danang was very pleasant, being almost entirely along the coast, but left us feeling good about our choice not to spend time in Danang itself, which by all appearances had a very "generic" feel from what we observed from the car. However, while I was unable to capture a quality image myself, I’ve reposted an image of an amazing bridge we saw from a distance, known as the Dragon Bridge, for obvious reasons.
Little Hoi An Hotel & Spa
We LOVED our time at this hotel, and we would stay here again for multiple reasons. There’s no shortage or lack in variety of accommodations here, but this little hotel won the day by having the BEST location, and value for money (we paid about $90 per night). It’s not a five star “western” hotel, but it’s very comfortable, very cute, and has amenities such as daily laundry service, a full-service SPA, pool, transportation to a private beach, and a great restaurant on site.
Speaking of the spa, it took us about 30 seconds after check-in to decide that we wanted to make a spa appointment. In reality, the hotel is SO much nicer than we had expected from the website and pictures, so we jumped at the offer of a two-hour couples massage with facials and full body scrubs for just $70 (yep, the total for two people), and it was magical.
The Service
Among the many qualities of the hotel which I’ve already mentioned, was the quality of the interaction we had with the staff during our stay. Not only did the front desk personnel remember us by name and assist with booking tours or making reservations with services not provided by the hotel, but the restaurant staff also referred to us by name and was aware of the details of our stay.
A somewhat comical example of their attention to detail (for which we'll be forever grateful), was a lapse in awareness of our itinerary on the fourth day (of a five-day reservation) of our stay.
On the morning of our fourth day, we began by sitting at our usual table for breakfast when our usual server came to take our orders. She proceeded to inquire as to our plans for the day but was seemingly confused when we replied that we were reluctantly preparing for our imminent departure shortly after breakfast. Fortunately, she went and confirmed this detail with the front desk and thereby helped us avoid making a mess of the day due to our case of "travel brain."
To this day, we refer to that particular day as our "extra day" in Hoi An and it brings a smile to our faces.
How Many Days Should You Stay in Hoi An?
An ongoing theme among our travels is an apparent obsession with time maximization. Some people take vacations for relaxation, while others (like myself) attempt to fill every waking second with activities in foreign places, for fear of missing out on something life-changing.
In an attempt to find a balance between these two competing travel philosophies, I opted to pad our list of desired activities with an extra day to nap or do whatever it is that people do when they don’t have a plan.
I’ll cover our various activities in other posts, but for now, you can see the way our daily schedule was broken down:
Day One - Arrival > Hotel Check-in > Commission Tailoring
Day Two - Explore Old Town Hoi An > First fitting for tailoring > Attend the Night Markets
Day Three - Private Half-Day Tour of the My Son Sanctuary > Refinement Fitting or Tailoring Pickup
Day Four - Open Day > Pickup Tailoring > Beach?
Day Five - Open Day > ??
Day Six - Morning Departure
Exploring Old Town Hoi An
Walking through the streets of Old Town was one of the highlights of my time in Vietnam. The architecture, the colorful lanterns, and the variety of shops and restaurants make turning every corner into an adventure. Something to be aware of, however, is that buses of day tourists (largely from south Korea) arrive every afternoon and transform the otherwise peaceful town into a bustling destination.
Likewise, after the sun goes down the night market opens, shifting the center of activity from one side of the river to the other. We enjoyed the night market for the stunning variety in streetfoods much of which isn’t available earlier in the day. The market itself pops-up near where the bars and “clubs” are largely clustered, making a trip to the night market a destination for your entire evening.
Cruising in Ha Long Bay Vietnam
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, the late Anthony Bourdain and his various travel shows, are a resource that I utilize when planning our trips. Never was this more true then while planning our trip to Vietnam, due to his repeated visits to this particular country.
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, the late Anthony Bourdain and his various travel shows, are a resource that I utilize when planning our trips. Never was this more true then while planning our trip to Vietnam, due to his repeated visits to this particular country.
During season 8 (airing in 2016) of Parts Unknown, Anthony Bourdain visits Hanoi and shares a meal with President Barack Obama, followed by a dreamy cruise aboard a restored antique steamship through Ha Long Bay. While I wish that it would have been possible to replicate both experiences, I set my mind to work on the cruise portion of the episode and watched it multiple times to gather details.
Investigation yielded that the ship he had rented and cruised on, is called the Emeraude, and while not the cheapest option, was FAR from what I would consider too expensive for the experience that is offered. We opted for a two day, one night cruise, which while we were initially concerned might not be enough time, turned out to be just right.
I’ve included a link to the booking site, but HERE it is again just in case you missed it.
From Hanoi to Ha Long Bay
Selecting our cruise was relatively easy since we knew that we wanted the same ship that Anthony Bourdain had taken, but figuring out the transportation from Hanoi to the ship in Ha Long Bay was rather perplexing.
Transportation services are abundant between Hanoi and this popular cruise destination, however, none of the services I checked into made the pickup or drop-off easy for folks that weren’t staying in one of the larger hotels in Hanoi. Ultimately I reached out to our chosen cruise company and inquired of any recommended transportation services, and while shuttle service wasn’t explicitly offered on their website (at least at the time we booked), they not only offered it but were willing to pick us up wherever we wanted but were also willing to drop us off at an alternative location!
I learned a valuable lesson through this experience, which was that the quickest way to an answer is to ask questions.
All Aboard!
The morning of our departure from Hanoi and travel to Ha Long Bay was a little nerve-wracking. While we knew that transportation was scheduled to come for us, we didn’t know if it would be a van or a bus or if it would be labeled as the cruise company (In this case, Emeraude) or not. Not wanting to miss our ride, we were packed up early and checked out of our homestay (parting ways with our pet rat) and waited on the curb out in front, to keep an eye out for our promised transportation.
After a couple of incorrect guesses which proved to be other shuttle services waiting for other riders, a bus bearing the name of "Emeraude Cruises" arrived (sigh of relief), and we were finally on our way.
Making just a single stop between Hanoi and Ha Long Bay, we were taken to a roadside pearl workshop (which sounds odd). A ploy to sell merchandise to captive tourists, it wasn't without a certain level interest, as we were able to watch how they extracted pearls from oysters and made jewelry. We spent an hour here which was more than we would have liked but could have been much worse. After being ushered back onto the bus, we were taken to our port of call and began our wait to board the ship.
Shortly after our arrival, we were met by our cruise director who provided the schedule of activities, as well as our room assignments. The first item on the schedule, room check-in and the second was a complimentary happy hour.
Excursions
Included in our short cruise, was two island excursions, as well as a visit to a floating pearl farm. The excursions are entirely optional, but considering that there is very little to do on the boat, why not go? We had a lot of fun, and it was a great way to meet some of the other passengers on our same cruise.
First stop, the island of Hang Sung Sot, otherwise known as the Cave of Wonders….
Floating Pearl Farm
For our second excursion of the day, we went to a floating pearl farm, which was unlike anything I had ever seen before, and found truly fascinating. Knowing next to nothing about pearls, other than that they come from clams, I very much enjoyed this experience despite it being yet another ploy to sell pearl jewelry to captive tourists.
The End of Day One
Having had a VERY full day of activities aboard the Emeraude, it seemed strange that we had started our day in Hanoi, but with having had lunch, two excursions, and dinner under our belts we felt like we had been aboard for more than just a single day.
As a side note, it’s worth mentioning that due to our visit being in low season, not only was the traffic in the bay from other ships also low, but the occupancy of our ship was well below capacity. In fact, with a max occupancy of 72 guests plus 21 crew members, our particular voyage only contained 14 guests but with the bonus of a full crew! We had plenty of personal attention, and lots of room to relax…but I digress.
That evening after dinner, we once again enjoyed happy hour on the main deck, followed by a cooking demonstration in which yours truly absolutely annihilated a spring-roll, followed by the showing of a classic film below deck. However, having made friends with two other sets of couples (the only other Americans on the ship), the group of us proceeded to while away the remainder of the evening drinking wine and exchanging tales of our Vietnam experiences up to that point. It was a truly wonderful way to spend an evening on the water.
Day Two - Excursion Three
Ti Top Island
After a long evening of frivolity with our new friends and a night of very deep sleep (I had never slept aboard a boat before!), I found myself fighting the urge to skip the final excursion in favor of staying snuggled in my bed. However, my better judgment won out and I strapped on my hiking boots (figuratively speaking), and had an early breakfast.
I’m not going to sugar coat it, this was an aggressive way to start the day. Climbing 450 steep steps, which once started would be difficult to change your mind about, even those that are in good physical shape will find to be a bit of a butt buster. However, the view from the top is spectacular and worth the climb.
Following our island hike and safe return back aboard our floating home, we began our journey back to port. Along the way, we passed two large rocks (shown above) known as the “Kissing Chickens,” which made a particularly funny impression on me.
We greatly enjoyed our time on this cruise, but I think it’s important to remember that we were here in January (low season) when the weather is cool and rainy, and when attendance was low. I can see how this same experience could be significantly different if the circumstances were also different. I would be sure to consider the time of year and experience you hope to have when planning your visit here.
Questions or Comments?
Hoa Lo Prison the Hanoi Hilton
Nothing justifies cruelty or violence toward another person or creature, but violence begets violence, and without an attempt at understanding history, it’s entirely too easy to assign roles such as “good guy,” and “bad guy” when stories are re-told.
Playful Nickname or Home of Human Atrocity
The “Vietnam” War is a historical event frequently referenced in American culture, whether it be in films, music, games and toys, or by family members, it was an event that touched a generation and more. Something funny about history, however, is that it can be fickle, revised, embellished and framed to flatter, rather than objectively record events.
A sweeping example of this is that we don’t include this war as a part of the standard curriculum in school, which in my opinion is because we (the United States) lost. However, a more narrow example is Hoa Lo Prison, which is frequently referred to as the “Hanoi Hilton.”
Hoa Lo Prison And The Birth of Vietnamese Communism
Long before American soldiers set foot in Vietnam, the Vietnamese people were under French occupation. Without getting into the weeds of that period in history, suffice it to say that the French went far beyond what the average American would consider “reasonable governance” to maintain tight control over the country. So extreme were the punishments inflicted for minor infractions, that the Vietnamese communist movement began within the walls of Hoa Lo prison.
Designed with the intent to break the will of the Vietnamese people, the prison was built to de-humanize those that entered, by using tactics such as tomb-like cells where individuals would be inserted (the cells being too small in diameter to sit up) and thereby forced to lay on their backs in the darkness for days or weeks. Additionally, and equally as horrific, were the communal cells for female prisoners, which were designed to be air deficient and forced captives to compete for ventilation space. Hoa Lo Prison was designed and built as a place of torture and despair.
Fast forward to the American/Vietnamese War, this prison is where John McCain and other American Pilots that had been captured, were kept for years! Suffice it to say, that after seeing this place for myself, I find no amount of humor in the satirical comparison of this place to a hotel. To do so, I feel, is disgraceful and disrespectful to all the people that passed through its doors unwillingly.
In an outer courtyard of the prison is a memorial dedicated to the men and women that suffered and died within the prison walls at the hands of the French.
American Prisoners
The most famous American that spent time here was former senator John McCain, who served as a piolet during the war. Shot down and imprisoned here for five years, his flight suit and helmet are still on display. Also on display for this period of the history of the prison is a book containing photographs of every American prisoner held here, as well as their names, and date of capture.
In an outer walled area, a profile of each of the American prisoners is available to read, as well as what some of them went on to do after being released and returned to the United States. John McCain for example, made multiple trips back to Vietnam as well as to this very prison, visiting both in a personal capacity, as well as within an official role. Photographs of Senator McCain can be found all over the country, praising his efforts to unify the two countries and to heal old wounds.
Historical Context
Nothing justifies cruelty or violence toward another person or creature, but violence begets violence, and without an attempt at understanding history, it’s entirely too easy to assign roles such as “good guy,” and “bad guy” when stories are re-told. However, I also understand that hindsight can be 20/20 and that it can be difficult to be aware of all the facts while being empathetic amidst the unfolding of events. Long since closed, it was with grief that I walked these halls of this prison and imagined the terror felt by my fellow humans that suffered at the hands of the same.
Questions or Comments? Leave them below.
January in Hanoi Vietnam
When considering travel to Southeast Asia, one typically envisions a warm, humid climate filled with exotic foliage and cuisine. While all of that is true, there’s a much larger range of climate than what an inexperienced traveler to that region would expect.
When considering travel to Southeast Asia, one typically envisions a warm, humid climate filled with exotic foliage and cuisine. While all of that is true, there’s a much larger range of climate than what an inexperienced traveler to that region would expect.
In northern Vietnam, the winter months are cool and damp, with temperatures averaging in the mid to low 50 degrees Fahrenheit range. Given that we are notoriously minimal packers, this presented a bit of a challenge, which we were only able to solve by doing a little bit of shopping upon arrival.
Where to stay in Hanoi
The Old Quarter
Having spent our first night in Vietnam at a high-end hotel, we were ready to immerse ourselves in a more authentic culture or urban living in Hanoi. Sticking very closely to points of reference provided by Anthony Bourdain in his 2015 episode, featuring Hanoi.
The Old Quarter, with its French colonial architecture, and proximity to the sites we wanted to be able to walk to, made it the obvious choice for us to spend the next two days.
Budget-Friendly Accommodation or Nightmare?
As is the case on most of our trips, I’m always looking for areas that we can save a few bucks, and have generally accomplished this by carefully selecting our accommodations well in advance. Unfortunately, even with my diligence at reading reviews and crosschecking ratings between multiple booking sites, it did not prepare me for the reality of our accommodation in the old quarter.
We booked a private room at a hostel, which had amazing reviews, a perfect location, a private bathroom, and was actually on the upper end of nightly cost for the area ($38 per night… but hey, it’s Vietnam). However, when we arrived, it became immediately evident that our room was an informal addition to the rooftop of the building, and in places, the walls were nothing more than sheets of vinyl siding that had been zip-tied to the structural polls that had been added at some point and flapped when a good wind would blow.
The rough finish of the room was only amplified by the fact that it was in the low 50s, and we were already cold, but then we only had a single blanket for our bed (which was on the floor), and a heater that was insufficient to the task countering the extreme nature of our draft. Making matters infinitely worse, there was a rat, which I guess a sighting is to be expected when staying in budget accommodations in a developing country, but oh my goodness, I had never felt so much like a fish out of water, than that night we spent clinging to each other for warmth, and visually tracking that rat.
Willing to practice what we preach, we decided to stay in that hostel for the duration of our time in Hanoi, and in hindsight, I’m glad that we did. Part of traveling should be to get outside of your comfort zone and to experience the way that other people and cultures live. Not to imply that the people of Vietnam all live in shacks that have rats, but the average yearly income is $2,800. It’s us, that expect a certain level of comfort, that would feel upset by circumstances we found ourselves in, which in reality, were pretty good in contrast. This was an opportunity to experience something different, and to feel grateful for what we have back home, which is why we stayed.
What To-Do in Hanoi
I booked us a private street food tour, which I scheduled immediately following our check-in at our hostel. It can be risky to schedule things like this back to back, but I was really glad in this instance.
Our tour guide met us at our hostel, and thankfully, spoke excellent English. He was a university student and gave tours like this one, part-time for a local tour company. At any rate, after introductions, he asked us if we had tried crossing the street yet, which to us was an odd question, but in reality, we hadn’t. Up until that point, we had been picked up and dropped off in a door to door fashion, but hadn’t done any exploring. So, first things being first, he gave us our first lesson in how not to die crossing the street.
Lesson One - Step Off the Curb, and NEVER STOP MOVING
The traffic in Hanoi was overwhelming to me, a constant stream of traffic that ran like water from a faucet. Traffic signals, crosswalks, lanes, even direction, are all just “suggestions” there. Almost exclusively scooters, you’ll see families of four, all piled onto a single scooter, that will NOT stop. Traffic moving too slow? Why not pop onto the sidewalk and go around? Yep, all bets are off, and to an American faced with the need to cross one of these concrete streams of death, local intervention is worth GOLD.
Our instructions were simple, “wait until the traffic is lighter, step off the curb, walk slowly, and no matter what, do not stop.” The horrors. However, much to my surprise, it works! The stream of scooters simply goes around you, which is why you can’t stop moving because THEY don’t stop moving. It was a miracle.
Street-food Tour
My first introduction to Vietnamese food, was in 2006 when I lived in San Diego. I remember feeling so “international” while trying to explain what “Pho” was, to my mother, who lived in the Midwest.
However, with more options than just chicken pho and spring rolls, we learned a lot about the variety, and regional diversity of Vietnamese cuisine that evening.
Probably the most surprising thing that we tried, was Egg Coffee. Created during the French occupation of Vietnam, egg coffee consists of espresso, sweet and condensed milk, and egg yolk. I was concerned about this item when it was placed in front of me, but hey, you only live once? Much to our surprise, it was good! The coffee itself is served in a small espresso cup, which is placed inside a slightly larger bowl (a bath) of hot water. You take a sip and then return the coffee cup to the bowl of hot water, to keep the egg from cooling and tasting bitter. If you get the chance, be sure to try it!
Cultural Tour
After surviving our first night in our Hanoi, we kicked-off our second day with a cultural tour and made a pit stop for something warmer to wear. Our tour guide was also a student at the university, and she was full of helpful tips about how to behave in certain places, or certain situations. It was $30 well spent!
In addition to our little side trip to get sweaters, our guide took us to temple, a historical house (there’s not many left in Hanoi), a church built by the French (she asked us if it was just like Notre Dame in Paris, to which it was almost painful to disappoint her), as well as explaining many cultural practices, legends, and providing us with some popular snacks along the way.
All said and done, I would recommend the experience.
Questions or comments, leave them below!
New Years Eve in Hanoi Vietnam
After breakfast, we went back to our room with just enough time to watch the ball drop in Times Square. It was really strange watching everyone celebrate something that to us, had happened the day before, but we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to celebrate a second time.
Arrival in Hanoi
In a previous post, I mentioned that this trip opened my eyes to what my limitations are, as they relate to travel duration. No flight to Europe can equip you for the toll which 27 hours, three airports, and a twelve-hour time difference will do to your mental and physical state.
That said, my self-gratified attitude toward my travel skills, had aspirations of us arriving in Vietnam on New Years eve night, taking some pictures that say “we’re so awesome,” and ringing in the new year a full 12 hours before all of our friends back home would be able.
Ha!
I’ve never been more deliriously tired in my entire life, and the best we could do after landing was to try and stay awake long enough to take a shower.
JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi Vietnam
From the moment we got through customs at the airport, the staff of the JW Marriott was there assist us in our transition to being in Vietnam. My husband (the angel of hotel research), discovered while reserving our room, that they offered a private car service for picking you up from the airport, and had taken the step to arrange it before we had departed, and was THE BEST DECISION.
Completely bedraggled, we arrived at the airport and were met by both a driver and a guest service liaison, who scooped us up in a beautiful Audi and whisked us away to the hotel. It was was like being Cinderella and discovering your pumpkin carriage for the first time. We felt like royalty that was in desperate need of a shower.
Nonetheless, through the darkness of the night, we zipped along, too tired to notice anything outside of the backseat of the car. That is until we reached the long winding driveway of the hotel, which is impressive, to say the least.
There’s no place like a Marriott
Entirely focussed on the immediate necessity of a shower and bed to sleep in, I don’t recall much about my first impressions of the hotel, the check-in process, or anything before stepping into our room, but I tell you what, it could have been the delirium, but I’m pretty sure that angels began singing when we stepped through the door.
Needless to say, I took one look at that bathtub and turned the water on before I had even set down my luggage.
This very tired bird has finally landed, and just in time to watch the clock strike midnight.
Waking-up At the J.W.
After some MUCH needed rest, we were able to begin exploring our new digs, which were SO NICE. Anxious to start looking around, but VERY ready to eat something other than airplane food, our priority became making our way to the complimentary breakfast.
Happy New Year - USA
After breakfast, we went back to our room with just enough time to watch the ball drop in Times Square. It was really strange watching everyone celebrate something that to us, had happened the day before, but we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to celebrate a second time.
The Spa
Hotels are not typically known for their reasonably priced spa services, and neither was this one, but the difference is that after the journey we had to get there, I wanted a massage. However, the spa was fully booked and so we decided to “make do” with a hot tub and pool.
So the pool is amazing, and views from the pool-deck are awesome, but it was the hot tub we were on the hunt for…
Located inside of the locker room for both men and women, is the largest hot tub I’ve ever seen. Not being able to share the experience with my husband was a bummer, but a clothing-optional hot tub was worth it. That said, for the same reason, there are no pictures I can show you of the room containing it, but the rest of the space was great, and I took FULL advantage.
The Lobby
The lobby was lovely, and when we went to inspect it, we realized that this hotel is MASSIVE! Multiple restaurants, and conference facilities, this place is a city unto itself!
Tea Time
We had a great breakfast, then a leisurely soak, and then it was time for tea. A typical practice in Vietnam, high-tea begins in mid-afternoon and involves any number of tasty treats.
Vietnam Awaits
As lovely as it was, we didn’t fly to Vietnam to just hang out in a hotel. We were super grateful to have had such a wonderful experience for our arrival in a new country, but the next leg of our journey was going to be one of a more “authentic” nature, and containing zero stars from any hotel ranking system.
To the staff at the J.W., thank you for helping to turn two weary travelers back into humans again! If we’re ever in Hanoi again, we’ll be sure to stay here again.
Questions or comments? Leave me a comment!
Flying to Vietnam: A Survival Guide
As 2019 is rapidly drawing to a close, I thought it would be a great time to finally start posting about another area of the world, which also happens to coincide with the first anniversary of when we began this particular adventure on December 30th, of 2018.
Traveling to Southeast Asia
First off, congratulations on your choice to visit that region of the world, and potentially stepping outside of your western comfort zone.
Second, I hope you packed your compression socks.
The Flight
My husband and I are avid travelers, but mainly to Europe. Having made the six to nine-hour flight across the pond several times, I considered myself a semi-professional traveler, and since we decided to take a much-delayed honeymoon, we wanted to GO BIG!
For several reasons, Vietnam shot to the top of our list, and thanks to a deal we found through Scott’s Cheap Flights, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Backpacks at the ready, we boarded the first leg of our journey to Hanoi Vietnam, on December 30th, 2018.
From Kansas City, we flew Delta airlines to Seattle Washington, where we caught our second and longest flight, to Seoul South Korea.
After a three hour layover, we boarded our third and final flight to Hanoi, this time on Korean Air (which was a MUCH better flight experience, that I’ll come back to later in this post).
After three flights with layovers, amounting to just over 27 hours of travel, we landed in Hanoi at around 10:30 pm, on December 31st (Keep in mind that Vietnam is twelve hours ahead).
Landing in Hanoi
Half out of my mind (I can’t sleep on planes), in need of showers, and not at our most functional, I was grateful that my husband had sprung for the car service provided by our hotel (which we had booked with points). I’ve heard terrible stories about weary travelers being picked up by independent drivers/car services and then being ransomed for release, but our hotel had a very clearly identified reception area for us to meet them upon our arrival, which set us at ease.
Challenges of Extended Flight
As I said earlier in this post, I thought that my multiple trips to Europe had prepared me for the duration of travel required to fly to Southeast Asia. I was wrong, and nothing could have prepared me (other than maybe first-class, hehehe).
Adding to the general stress of being cooped up for that long, were a few factors which won't apply to everyone, but should be taken into consideration none the less.
Physical and Medical Challenges
Typically I’m a very healthy person, but due to an accident a couple of months before this trip, I was still living with a great deal of physical discomfort, stemming from a herniated disc in my back (an improvement from my initial injury of three herniated discs). Additionally, and most difficult to cope with, was that the compromised disc, was pinching my sciatic nerve, leaving me often in tears, and with little to no recourse other than to just “grin and bear it.”
Struggling to sit or stand without pain, made the idea of 27 hours without being able to lay down to mitigate that stress, more than a little horrifying. But beyond back issues, sitting for more than just a handful of hours can result in swelling of your legs, which can be uncomfortable at best, and unhealthy at worst.
Depending on which seat you’re in, it might result in getting up and down semi-regularly to let people out of your row, or could be that you avoid getting-up at all, because you have to displace as many as three people to do so, just to walk the short distance of the aisle and return to your seat just three minutes later to repeat the whole shuffle.
Plane Design
For anyone that travels, it’s no secret that in recent years, Airlines have been reducing the level of comfort to those passengers purchasing Basic Economy tickets. Generally, I welcome the reduced sticker price of these seats and don’t even bother to investigate the model of plane a given flight may be on, for a domestic flight.
However, for international flights, when you know your backside is gonna start regretting your choice to be cheap around hour four, it can be helpful to investigate the actual model of the plane before you purchase the ticket, commercial aircraft are NOT all created equal.
That being said, even the best-laid plans can change, and never is this more true than when traveling. A great example was our flight from Seattle to Seoul, which was supposed to have been on a large plane operated by Korean Air. However, at the last minute, Delta (whom we had booked our travel through) changed the plane from the partner airline to one of their own Boeing 666 planes. If you’re not familiar with the 666, it’s an older style plane, is smaller than is typically flown internationally, and was a very unwelcome surprise for the twelve-hour duration of this leg of our flight.
How-To Improve Your Inflight Experience
While most people covet the window seat, on long flights, it pays to get up and move around at least once every couple of hours. In my case, I had to get up and walk the isles in an attempt to keep my back from cramping, every 45 minutes, much to the chagrin of the passengers I had to displace each time I left my seat.
As an additional aside to this, it can be really easy to forget to drink water while on long flights. Remembering to stay hydrated, while increasing the number of times you may need to “go” during your flight, will help keep your body comfortable by the act of getting up, and will in general help you feel much less gross and irregular by the time you land.
Compression socks! While not at all fashionable, they do help keep your legs from feeling like watermelons about to burst. I would advise putting them on before boarding the plane though because it can be a challenge to do so once in your seat.
Invest in your rest, and get a good neck pillow. The typical crescent-shaped neck pillows are a total waste of money for me because I have a long neck. I spent a little more money (about $35) and got a neck-wrap, which looks like a blanket wrapped around your neck but hides a supportive neck form for one side of your neck and lower jaw. This design also packs away MUCH better than a pillow.
I’m not recommending drugs, but it’s not a bad idea to bring some over the counter options with you. I typically keep a couple of tablets of aspirin or ibuprofen, and low dose melatonin, at arms reach. The melatonin doesn’t help me sleep, but it does help me relax and feel less crampy on long flights.
Headphones can change your life. I’m guilty of being a bit of a scrooge when it comes to spending money on headphones, but on a long flight, they can help keep you from losing your mind. My husband has a nice pair of over-ear, noise-canceling, BOSE headphones, which he often uses solely for the noise-canceling function to block the loud hum of the plane engines out. I, on the other hand, have a much cheaper option of noise-canceling earbuds which cost about $50 (generic brand found on Amazon). The noise-canceling function isn’t nearly as good, and the earbuds aren’t as comfortable for prolonged wear but are MUCH better than having none, or not having any noise-canceling function at all.
Hygiene can improve your inflight disposition, so I try to make that easier on myself by not wearing makeup while traveling. Instead, I wear a tinted moisturizer, and keep a travel-size tube of it, along with facial cleansing cloths, a mini hairbrush, and a toothbrush in my purse. You can wash, brush, and re-moisturize as often as you need.
Learn some yoga poses before you go! While the thought of doing some downward dog while waiting at your gate might seem “icky,” it was my saving grace on this trip. Stretching cramped muscles, and decompressing your spine (injury or no), is a great tool to have in your traveler toolbox. Not restricted just to layovers in the airport, there are even some stretches you can do while seated on the plane! Granted you may not be as uncomfortable as I was, but I gave no F’s what other people thought I was doing, and instead did whatever it took to remain comfortable.
Per what I mentioned above regarding investigating the model of the plane before booking your trip, this is also a way to help mitigate discomfort. Planes might be changed, but if they don’t, you might have the opportunity to gain yourself an additional couple of inches of legroom, over another plane. At 5’9” both of my knees touched the seat in front of me on the 666… for twelve hours. Chew on that before you rush through the checkout process.
While I’m not making this an item on my list, I would hope that if you’re considering a trip like this, it goes without saying that comfort MUST take precedence over fashion. I wore my “laying around the house on a Sunday” outfit and just make it a point not to take pictures of myself while in travel mode.
Got Travel Tips?
I want to hear from you, things that you do or use, to improve your travel experience. Leave your comments below, and let's have a conversation :)
Visiting Versailles - Part 2
When the time comes to visiting Versailles, it’s the gardens that take the cake (pun intended). The palace is amazing, and the hall of mirrors will take your breath away, but you’ll be sharing that experience with several hundred other people at the same time, so they might be sucking some of that air as well.
A Garden Fit for A King
When the time comes to visit Versailles, it’s the gardens that take the cake (pun intended). The palace is amazing, and the hall of mirrors will take your breath away, but you’ll be sharing that experience with several hundred other people at the same time, so they might be sucking some of that air as well.
The gardens, on the other hand, are spectacular and provide the space to experience the splendor of this place as a whole. We were there in mid-October, and I can only imagine how amazing it would be earlier in the year.
Don’t Forget Your Map
The gardens are like a neighborhood and contain other homes and an actual neighborhood, but you’re going to want a map if ever plan on actually finding them.
The gardens and estate as a whole, are bordered by a fence, but it’s easy to lose your point of reference due to the rows of all shrubs and trees.
We spent the better part of a day walking through the gardens, but still didn’t get to see everything, so if you’re limited on time or energy, I recommend bee-lining it to the Queen's Hamlet, which is the entirely fake world which Marie Antoinette had constructed for her amusement, complete with working gardens and fake historical ruins.
We didn’t tour the other palaces on the grounds, but we did attempt to make it to many of the groves and fountains, unfortunately, due to an impending rainstorm, our time got cut short and we missed a few.
Should You Visit Versailles?
All in all, I say yes. Would I recommend trying to see it all in one day, no thanks.
Question or Comments? Leave them below!
Chateau of the Loire Valley
The Loire valley, probably most widely known for the many world-class wines it produces, is also known for some of the most opulent homes in Europe.
What To Do In The Loire Valley
The Loire valley, just a couple hours south of Paris, is probably most widely known for the many world-class wines it produces, is also known for some of the most opulent palace homes in Europe. If you’re looking to “take a break,” and are in the mood to sip some rosé at a riverside cafe, or for walking the halls of the palaces scattered through the area, it won't take long to become intoxicated with an attitude of “la vie en rosé.”
French Château
While driving through the countryside, several differences between French and American navigation become apparent. The first being the absence of visual clutter. No billboards or non-government signage, and what little you do see, is limited to necessary road signs, or for navigating to historical sites or parks.
Fortunately, many chateaus fall under this category, so you’ll regularly see road signs for homes that you probably didn’t hear anything about while doing your internet research.
The second is the absence of police or any kind of physical law enforcement. Driver beware, France uses an unforgiving camera system, so you might discover one or more speeding tickets in four to eight weeks after you get home from vacation. It will take time to arrive, as it must navigate through your rental car company first, who will also charge you a fee for handling the ticket transfer to you in the States.
That said, of the chateau that I knew about ahead of time, a tour of Chenonceau was at the top of my list, and I wanted to treat any additional tours a little more spontaneously. Fortunately, it was a good idea to only plan the one large chateau tour, because the combination of a large and small (less popular) home, is an ideal way to spend a full day.
Château d’Azay le Rideau
Having previously decided to be flexible about whatever chateau we toured in addition to Chenonceau, it was suggested to us by someone more familiar with the area, that we tour Azay le Rideau. Much less touristy, while still being straight out of a storybook, it was our first stop on our home tour.
The history of this home and the “regular” people that built and lived in it was fascinating. I greatly enjoyed my time here, and am still drooling over the floors and wallpaper!
Château de Chenonceau
I’ve long thought that this particular chateau was especially dreamy, and seeing it in person didn’t disappoint. If you do a little research on the history, you’ll find that it was a gift to a mistress of King Henry II, lived here. However, when the king died, better believe that the Queen (Catherine de' Medici) took a special interest in this place, and made sure that it was thoroughly understood that this was her house.
Further, I didn’t expect that the house would be regularly ornamented with fresh flowers and vegetation (and I’m not talking the kind from Trader Joe’s). Every room of this palatial palace had amazing floral arrangements, most (if not all) of which were grown on the grounds.
The Queen Bee, come home to roost!
Despite the shocking absence of a Vitamix, this is kitchen goals for sure!
The Gardens of Chenonceau
Honestly, the gardens weren’t even on my radar, but after we had finished our tour and went back outside, golden hour had illuminated everything in such a romantic way that I couldn’t make myself beeline it back to the car. Fortunately, half of our party was also feeling the need to meander our way in that general direction and explore the grounds a bit.
There is another chateau that I would like to see on future trips, but seeing both of these filled an entire day, I couldn’t justify devoting additional days to touring more of them. That said, I’d love to hear your feedback about any not mentioned, that you might have enjoyed on your travels.
Leave a comment below!
Visiting Versailles - Part 1
Visiting the Palace of Versailles is almost mandatory for many travelers visiting France. The gilt gates, extravagant fixtures, and fantastical gardens are unmatched, and so is the volume of tourists that swarm it every day.
Storming the Palace
Visiting the Palace of Versailles is almost mandatory for many travelers visiting France. The gilt gates, extravagant fixtures, and fantastical gardens are unmatched, and so is the volume of tourists that swarm it every day.
If there’s one thing that I dislike more than anything else, it’s probably being crowded by people. I don’t enjoy attending concerts or crowded bars, having strangers bumping into me, or standing so close that I can smell their deodorant (or lack of it). It stands to reason, that I struggle with my desire to avoid high volumes of tourists, against getting to see the things that draw them in the first place.
Why Visiting the Palace is Worth the Effort
Of all the people I know who have visited Versailles, almost all did so as a day trip from Paris. Just a quick 45 minutes on the train, makes it a very convenient way for people staying in Paris, to do as a day trip. However, attempting to cram a place like this into a single day, sounds almost as stressful as dealing with the massive amount of people that are also attempting to do the same thing. The solution, fortunately, is as easy as “slowing down,” and spreading it out.
We decided to stretch this typical “day trip,” into a two-night stay, and break the palace experience into two parts. This provided us with a chance to catch our breath between touring the palace, the EXPANSIVE gardens, and the stables (now a premier riding academy). I highly recommend this methodology to anyone with more “introverted” tendencies.
Points To Live By
As I’ve mentioned before, “points” make it possible to stay in places that aren’t traditionally within reach for budgets like mine. Fortunately, my husband treats the accrual of credit card points, like a high stakes game of chess, which always pays off when we travel. In the case of France, we decided to cost mindful for the bulk of our trip, and then cash them all in on just a few nights, at a nice hotel.
Trianon Palace, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel
Probably more common than what is apparent to me, I tend to dress for comfort and practicality when traveling. On the rare occasion when we stay in luxury hotels such as this, however, simply placing my hand on the door handle makes me suddenly become aware of my need for a manicure and a hairbrush. The staff at Trianon Palace was warm and welcoming, but must have been thinking “here comes a ‘points’ redemption stay.”
My inner cynic aside, we were treated like royalty and after we got checked-in, we fully immersed ourselves in the “Versailles experience,” and did our best to look the part.
To Live is to Dine
Checked in and showered, we met some of the friends that had been traveling around France simultaneously, in the hotel lobby. With the assistance of the concierge, we were able to get last-minute dinner reservations for a party of nine, at a nice restaurant that wouldn’t break the bank.
La Tour - Restaurant Edition
I’ve often mused, that the best experiences in life, are rarely the experiences that you anticipate having. A trip to France, while memorable, still leaves large holes, in terms of the details, like what I ate for breakfast on the fourth day of the second city we visited.
However, what was a hastily planned dinner, became one of those memories that carved out a little space for itself in my memory. That said, I still don’t remember what I ate, but I remember every detail of the dining room, how the table was set, where each person in our party sat, and those details are recalled with what I can only describe as a “warm feeling.”
Be sure to visit them, or visit the website in advance, by clicking HERE.
The Palace
As I mentioned before, a MASSIVE benefit of actually staying in Versailles is that it allows you to take breaks from the crowds, and sorta spread the activities over a larger period. That said, touring the Palace itself, still requires some personal fortitude.
The morning of our second day, we rose bright and early, to go get in line before the palace gates opened. Fortunately, we had purchased tickets in advance, but despite arriving before opening for the day, we still had to stand in line for well over an hour, as they attempt to regulate the number of people entering.
Versailles Academy of Equestrian Arts
Probably not the first activity that jumps into your mind when you consider visiting Versailles, but a wonderful experience none the less!
We booked our tickets in advance, because seating is very limited, and we purchased the basic ticket for just the show (there is more than one option for these purposes). They don’t allow photos during the show, but even if you don’t care that much about horses, it’s a worthwhile experience to go watch.
A couple of the friends we were with, purchased tickets that included access to watch a practice session, which is where this photo was taken
To keep this post from being any longer than it already is, I’m going to cover the Palace Gardens on their own, because there’s A LOT to cover.
Been to Versailles? Leave me your thoughts below!
Monet And His Garden in Giverney
Getting There
Having spent the previous few days on the Normandy coast (Here, and Here), we were somewhat frantically attempting to make our way to Versailles, where we had scheduled to drop-off our rental car. However, while not officially on our list of stops to make along the way, I had observed that we would be passing right by Giverney, which was the home of Claude Monet, and the location of the gardens in which the famous “water lilies” were painted. I put my best sad puppy face on, and my husband agreed to stop on the condition that we stay no longer than 45 minutes.
Needless to say, 45 minutes isn’t much time to see anything but is preferable to not stopping at all, so we power walked our way through those gardens like the Americans all Europeans think we are. Thank goodness for camera phones, because our quick snaps allowed us to view spots of interest at our leisure, as we rushed through the whole of the gardens and the house, without damaging our schedule.
Ultimately, we were able to drop our car off at our destination in Versailles, with just 20 minutes to spare!
The Art Experience
You don’t have to be an art lover, or even be familiar with the work of Monet, to appreciate the artistic inspiration that oozes from the gardens, and carefully appointed rooms of the house. I recommend getting an ice cream at the entrance gate and taking your time in the gardens, which is something I desperately wish I would have had time to do. You’ll not regret the experience, and you’ll be sure to walk away with a new appreciation for his work.
There’s not much else I can say about a place that I spent less than an hour in, but I hope you enjoyed the pictures (this visit occurred in mid-October)!
Next stop, Versailles!!
Leave a comment or question below.
A Pilgrimage to Normandy
Travel is About More Than Relaxation
It has been my experience, that most people do not strive to be ignorant, but also that people tend to think of themselves as being “better” than what their present life situation would indicate. It’s this disparity between our perception of self, and our reality, that can often mirror our personal motivations and development.
The mental framework which people use to view themselves, as well as the world around them, are created and reinforced, through education. Formal education is extremely important to learn about our world, while informal education via life experiences aid us in understanding the realities of how our small corners of it work. Unfortunately, both forms of education are limited by context.
This “context” of which I speak, is in regard to how information is presented to you in the classroom, or the context in which you live your life (ex. some people spend their whole lives living in the same place, doing a single kind of job, meeting the same kind of people), and can both severely limit, and influence the way a person thinks and feels about a subject.
It’s my opinion, that travel is the best way to truly bridge that gap between what you’re taught, and the experiences you’ve had because it can provide much-needed context for both.
The world is a book, and those that do not travel, read only a single page.
- Saint Augustine
To be philosophical for a moment, if there’s anything I’ve learned in my 37 years, it’s that Albert Einstein said it best when he said, “The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know.”
Buckle-up, check your opinions at the door, and please observe the following experience for what it was to me.
With Kindest Regards, Management.
Americans Abroad
Having done a fair bit of travel, I’ve come to understand a little bit of how a decent portion of the western world, views Americans:
They think we all sound like we’re from Texas
Florida and Las Vegas, are the two places that we vacation domestically
We’re all rich
We’re all eternal optimists, with an air of entitlement
We’re indifferent to what’s going on in world politics
We all talk way too loudly
And we all fall into one of two main buckets, which also correspond with our politics.
Those that travel, and those that don’t
With extra emphasis on the last two points of that list (I’ve been told that I’m loud in more than one country), I think it’s important to try to understand our culture through the eyes of those that are outside of it. Through that outside perspective, we might learn some things about your culture (and ourselves), that may be in direct opposition to either our belief system within our culture or with our perception of self and culture. A personal example of this mismatch between personal perception and reality is that I don’t think I’m loud, but the people around me think otherwise. In becoming aware of how we are perceived by others, we can make personal adjustments.
The American Military
A Brief History
Left largely undisturbed until World War 1, the United States didn’t even attempt to enter the global stage until after it reluctantly entered World War ll in the 1940s. Within the lens of our Military, we introduced our nation to the world, guns a’blazen.
In 1961, President Dwight Eisenhower (who had been the general that led the allied troops in 1941), in his farewell address from office, gave the nation a warning about our ongoing use of the Military. In that address, he referred to “a threat to our democratic government,” and he coined the term, “the military-industrial complex.”
The “complex” he refers to, are the military contractors which develop and produce the products of warfare, and other military uses.
He went on to say, “We must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists, and will persist."
He understood the cost and already knew that the United States was choosing to march down a path that was no longer needed in times of peace. He knew that we had created a war monster, and it would need to be fed by continued engagement in conflict. This is evidenced largely in the middle-east, still today.
The human cost of war should be the responsibility of every citizen (not just politicians), both directly and indirectly. The willful disregard of the magnitude of this responsibility is to condemn future generations to suffer the same fate as the brave men and women of history, that fought and died for our freedoms, by simply repeating mistakes of the past.
Setting aside opinions regarding both Patriotism and Nationalism, I believe that the involvement of American troops in WW2 was both necessary and good. However, it is our militarized behavior that has followed that war, which I’m addressing here.
Normandy France, and Omaha Beach
June 1944, allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy France, to liberate the French people from Nazi occupation. While successful, and effectively turning the tide of the war, over 2000 men died on this beach, in a single day.
Allied forces won the war, but for the families that lost brothers, sons, husbands, and fathers, we felt that it was our duty as Americans, to make the effort to visit the ground they gave their lives for. We owe it to them, to the families they left behind, and their legacy, to never forget the sacrifice they made so far from home, for the freedoms we enjoy daily.
Bayeux
Not far from the landing beaches, is a little town with a special history all its own. While not there with the intent of exploring it in great detail, we used it as our home base for the exploration of the war memorial sites located in the surrounding area.
VERY charming, this little town shows a particular fondness toward Americans, which can be seen in the decorations, shops, and to some extent, the products available for purchase. A great example of this fondness ( I wish I had taken a photo of), was our little hotel, which had a china cabinet in the lobby filled with commemorative plates of U.S. Presidents. Both odd, and charming, Bayeux was a great stop on our trip.
The Beach
We departed our hotel early in the morning and made the short drive to Omaha Beach. It was chilly that day and was raining on and off, but it was our only chance to go, so we pressed on and hoped for the best.
Fortunately, the rain ceased by the time we arrived and was replaced with a peaceful stillness as the sun began to rise. The only beachgoers being us, and a man exercising a horse on the sand, the mood was a perfect mix of reflection and prosperity.
It’s hard to imagine this place being anything other than how it is now, but it was an emotional experience to attempt to do so. As we were about to leave, this rainbow appeared, as if to say “thank you” for coming, and remembering those that had fallen here.
Memorial Cemetery
Just a few minutes up the road from the beach, is a cliffside memorial park, dedicated to the men (and women) that lost their lives on D-Day. Overlooking the landing beaches, it is a beautifully sad sight to see, because it adds scope to the human loss that had occurred.
Each headstone bares a name and a hometown, and it’s while reading those names that what I had learned from history books, actually became real. The loss of life may have occurred decades before I was born, but it felt fresh, and the sea of headstones overwhelming.
We had arrived together (my husband, mother-in-law, and I), but we each walked through the grounds and experienced this place separately. Each of us trying to reconcile the event that had brought us here, to what we were experiencing at that moment, each in our way.
I cried (pretty sure we all did), and tears again filled my eyes as I recall that day to write this post.
*Note - Near the entrance to the cemetery, is a memorial, and near the center of the grounds, is a chapel. Both are open for those that wander the grounds, as we did.
Closing Thoughts
It would have been easy to take a trip to France, and not do anything that didn’t “sound fun.” Vacations from everyday life, are opportunities to get away from the mundane stresses of things we don’t always enjoy. However, it’s these same opportunities that provide each of us with a chance to enrich our lives, and thereby grow as people. It would be a tragedy to only focus on what is fun and easy because that’s not where growth and change happen.
I’m not anti-military, or anti-American, but the weight of responsibility for the choices being made by those in power (which should be true for any person, in any country), hangs heavier upon me now, than it did before this experience.
The reason those men fought and died, was to preserve the right, the freedom, to protest against injustice. It wasn’t for a flag at football games, it was to preserve your right to protest when that flag is not living up to the obligations it represents. THAT is what freedom looks like, and that’s what the men on Omaha Beach, died to protect from the Nazis.
In recent years, politics have become increasingly polarized and my views have resulted in my being called a socialist, or “UN-American.” I say that my criticism of the government is in direct response to the call of President Eisenhower and the MOST American thing I could possibly be doing. After all, so long as there are those that wield the power of our military, so must there also be those that seek to ensure that power is not abused, and writing an American story that doesn’t reflect me or culture I’m apart of.
Keep learning, keep reflecting, and strive to make tomorrow better than yesterday, so that eventually people will define Americans not by our indifference to the world around us, but by our benevolence, education, and consideration.
A Night on Mont Saint-Michel
Combine every fairy tale you heard as a child, and add a dash of Harry Potter, bake for a century or so, and what you end up with is Mont Saint Michel.
In all respects, it exists outside of time, which becomes apparent as soon as it appears on the horizon of your approach, and then gets reinforced after you’ve experienced the change in tide.
When our travel plans for France were still in the infancy stage, my husband began his campaign to add this as a stop on our itinerary. Not aware of what it was before that time, it didn’t take much beyond a picture, to get me to sign-on to the idea of a visit.
Isolated monastery/village/fortress by day, and monolithic island retreat by night, the role that this architectural marvel has played in French history, is very unique. Historical significance aside, it’s just cool to see and will be the best workout for the ole backside, that you’ve ever had.
That said, despite all of the above, very few people live there anymore, and those that do, are for the tourists that swarm it each day. You’ll be hard-pressed to find much in the way of authenticity here, as pretty much every building has been turned into tourist accommodation, tourist-centric restaurant, or junky trinket store.
At the top, and just outside the entrance of the monastery, is a little artist studio and gallery. The woman that owns it is a painter and print-maker, and her work is actually fantastic and produced right there in her studio. Both my husband and I, as well as my mother-in-law, purchased prints from her.
Why would I suggest just “one night?” There are a lot of reasons why you’ll want to see this place, and an equal amount of reasons why you’ll thank me later, for limiting your stay to a single night. Let’s focus on the reasons why you want to see and stay on, this fascinating rock:
Duh, it’s cool, and looks like Diagon Alley… but seriously though, it’s amazing.
You have to experience the changing of the tide, where it goes from being a remote village to an island, in about 20 minutes. The water rushes in so loudly, that we had to run to the balcony of the restaurant we were having dinner at, to see what was going on.
The monastery is the only thing to tour here, and while it does take a substantial portion of the day, it’s not something that takes more than a day to see. Also of note, is that it is still a working monastery, and holds services which can be attended.
While this entire place keeps 10-6 business hours (because of the evening tide), the good news is that with the VAST majority of tourists gone in the evenings, the drama and charm of the place has a chance to stick its nose out. Keep in mind that everything will be closed, but walking around and taking in the views, are MUCH better at this time of day.
Per reasons 2 & 4, you’ll need to stay at one of the itty bitty hotels on the island, to take advantage of these experiences, which can be fun on its own.
With all that said, there’s no need to stay here for two nights, but if I can make one last suggestion… it would be to migrate your stay into a hotel nearby and schedule one of the horseback tours. They take you around the perimeter of the island, while the tide is out during the afternoon and looked fun, but I didn’t get the chance to do this myself, and I regret it.
Questions of Comments? Leave them below!
Three days in Venice
There’s a lot of reasons the make Venice a special place to visit, and there’s a lot of reasons why you’ll probably only go once. Love it or hate it, it’s a very special city that is in rapidly escalating danger of disappearing due to climate change, so better go see it before it’s gone.
Like a right of passage, a visit to Venice should be on your to-do list.
There are a lot of reasons why Venice is a special place to visit, and there are also a lot of reasons why you’ll probably only go once. Love it or hate it, it’s a very special city that is in rapidly escalating danger of disappearing due to climate change, so better go see it before it’s gone.
The final train stop on our tour around northern Italy, Venice was one of my most favorite arrivals in all of my European travels. Arriving via high-speed train, we emerged from the Venezia-Santa Lucia station, and were met with immediate views of the magic that is Venice. As campy as that may sound, it’s how I felt. There’s no place like Venice, and it’s evident from the very first glimpse at it.
Venice, feels “reality adjacent.”
The island of Venice, is plagued by tourists arriving on large cruise ships, which drop anchor just off shore each day. Throngs of tour groups invade each morning, creating multi hour long lines to get into attractions like St Mark’s Basilica, the Campanile bell tower, and the Rialto Bridge. If you hope to see either of those attractions, which are also both located in the heavily congested St. Marks Square, I recommend that you reserve tickets in advance.
That said, around five o’clock, the sea of tourists begins to recede, as they return to the massive ships from which they arrived, as well the tourists that chose to stay on the mainland side of Venice, in the chain hotels. The world quiets down considerably, and the city takes on an heir of romance.
Speaking of the mainland vs. the island, there are pluses and minuses to each option, in terms of where you choose to stay during your time in Venice. Staying on the island itself is much more expensive than on the mainland, and the possibility of your stay turning soggy, is very high. Additionally, the island is NOT for night owls, as everything shuts down around 10pm.
However, the mainland is just a short water taxi ride away from the island, and there are more entertainment and accommodation options available at more affordable prices.
We were of the mindset that we were there to experience the famous floating city, and set aside the more familiar amenities for the few days that we would have the option of doing so. Always on the hunt for ways to stretch our dollars while still achieving our authenticity goals, however, we found a charming little (and I stress “little”) hotel just a short distance from St. Mark’s Square, called Hotel Lisbona that fit the brief.
It’s packed with tourists, the lines are super long, and everything shuts down early, so what do you do?
The good news, is that there’s still a ton of stuff to do, and it doesn’t have to cost a lot. Navigating the island of Venice is like being a marble in one of those puzzle games that you roll around, and you just have to be comfortable with being “lost” most of the time. However, wandering around the tiny winding paths is where you’ll discover the shops, craftsmen, and galleries that you’ll remember about your time spent there.
So try not to over plan your days.
If a tour is still on your to-do list, I recommend visiting the Doge’s Palace, which despite being located immediately next to St Mark’s Basilica, is not nearly the tourist destination that its neighbor is, and is also fascinating and beautiful. In fact, we were able to get tickets and enter within fifteen minutes of arriving at the entrance.
But wait, there’s more!?
Did you know that there are other islands neighboring Venice? I know I sure didn’t, but just a short water taxi ride away are the islands of Murano and Burano. *Tip: Water taxi drivers frequently go on strike, which can have a crippling affect on your plans while in Venice. However, the strikes are usually semi-scheduled. Be sure to ask the staff at your hotel or a local shop about any known dates regarding strikes so that you can plan your visit to these islands accordingly.
Unfortunately for us, the day we had set aside to visit both of these islands, the water taxi’s were on strike, which was a real kink in our slinky. But we were able to visit one of them the following day, prior to another previously scheduled event.
With only the option to visit one island, we chose Burano due to the transportation time it takes to get from Venice. Burano is a quaint little place with brightly painted homes, and is known for it's fishermen and lace makers. It won’t take you much time at all to see the entirety of Burano and while it was great, I would recommend visiting Murano to anyone that has the extra time.
If you still need something more, consider the Opera.
On our final night in Venice, we attended a performance of La Traviata, at Teatro la Fenice (Venice Opera House). The theater is stunning, tickets were reasonable due to having booked well in advance, and was truly one of the highlights of our time in Italy as a whole. I would encourage you to plan a special activity on every trip.
It was great while it lasted, but now it’s time to head home and start wedding planning!
Do you have questions or need advice? Comment below!
Italy - Part 4 of 4
The Shape of Barcelona Spain
One word, Gaudi.
After having visited Barcelona, I now think of it in terms of a single man, Antoni Gaudi. Before visiting some of his more famous buildings, I knew nothing about him and didn’t recognize how often I see references to his work in my everyday life. Architecture buff or not, his distinctive design style has a quality to it that everyone can find something to be interested in.
But first, the park.
Taking the lead on attractions to visit in Barcelona, was my dear friend, Lyndsey. She said, “we’re going to Park Güell,” and I simply said that I didn’t understand what she was saying, but onward ho!
*Park Güell - sounds like “Park Way”
Intended to be a “designer home” neighborhood with lots of dwellings, this pet project designed by Gaudi, was a flop, and only a few model units were built. However, it was later dedicated as a park, and it’s the best place for views of Barcelona!
Be advised, that they don’t allow food inside the park, so you’ll have to scrap that picnic lunch (as we discovered the hard way).
When in Rome, or something like that.
While visiting the grand cities of the world, we try to participate in activities that aren’t what you would typically participate in as an international tourist. Meaning, that if you’re a California resident, and you see someone swimming in the ocean in December, you know immediately that they're a visiting tourist.
To "do as the locals do,” we have attended a variety of different events and shows, and while visiting Barcelona, my husband, and his sister, attended a significant “football match,” called The Kings Cup.
If “sportsball” isn’t your thing, there’s MORE!
Barcelona is a big, busy, modern city, akin to places like Chicago or New York. If you’re looking for “romantic Spain,” this is not the city for you. However, not without charms of its own, there’s something for everyone here.
I recall the evening that Sam and Megan went to the game, Lyndsey and I decided to go to a champagne and crepe bar, just down the street from our hotel, which was a party of a different kind.
It’s like an onion, it has layers…
I think that the more time you spend here, the more things you find to do.
You can entertain yourself with just walking around and doing some shopping, or perhaps wander over to the Picasso Museum, hours and ticket info HERE.
If food is your drug of choice, you’ll be in good company, because there’s something for everyone here, even Gandhi! If you’re in a rush to catch the metro, you might stumble upon one of these MASSIVE vending machines, where you should be able to find just what you’re looking for.
If you go to Barcelona without visiting La Sagrada Familia, you’ve failed at Barcelona.
I’ve seen a lot of beautiful churches, and historical sites in Europe, but La Sagrada Familia is something fully, deeply, and uniquely it's own. I have to take my hat off again to my friend Lyndsey, as it was her initiative and forethought, that booked the tickets in advance (a MUST do, HERE) and booked us on an English speaking tour.
Maybe I’m just sensitive, but the experience of standing in the center of this place, amidst all the color… it moved me to tears. I was truly beyond words.
Before leaving, we agreed that we would be returning to see it when it is finally completed in 2026.
Feeling greedy?
Barcelona also has beaches! I found it funny that the locals think that the beaches are terrible and dirty, but we had a lovely experience.
Keep in mind, you’re probably gonna see some nudity. Boardwalk bars, or directly on the sand, people will always be nearby, ready to sell you cans of “Cerveza” (beer), or other items.
I think that’s about as much as could be packed into 16 days, so if you haven’t checked out the other posts in this Iberian Peninsula series, be sure to check them all out!
Questions? Leave them in the comments.
Time in Tarifa Spain
Tarifa, a refreshing departure from the hustle and bustle of large cities.
Not just a postcard stop
We didn’t spend hardly any time at all in Tarifa, but it’s a refreshing departure from the hustle and bustle of large cities. We came with the intent of taking a day trip to Morocco and only spent two nights in Tarifa to sandwich the tour.
Limited as it was, the charms of this little community, with all of the whitewashed buildings and narrow cobbled lanes, it still managed to make an impression on me. I had one of my most memorable pub experiences I’ve had in all of Europe, and all it took was a power outage and some strangers.
What the Greek?
As I mentioned, we spent VERY little time in Tarifa, but in the evening we arrived in town, we also discovered a great little tavern called the Moby Dick. Tucked away in the center of old town, we wandered into this rather elaborately themed bar and proceeded to make some great travel memories. For whatever reason, the power kept turning on and off, and rather than leaving all the patrons sitting in pure darkness, the staff lit candles on all the tables, which set a “mood” that helped to cement the evening in my memory.
Adding to the charm, was the fact that many of the other guests that night, all broke out into song, which while in Spanish, still produced a smile on the faces of everyone sitting close enough to the candles at our table, to be seen.
That same evening, we were joined by three, random Greek twenty-something men, that were wanting to practice their English skills. Being that you can hear Americans in Europe from a mile away (or at least you can hear me), they sought us out and we proceeded to have a lively conversation, mixed with a few shots of who knows what.
Ahh, travel memory magic.
Let's get old…
Typically when traveling abroad, we choose accommodations in the older parts of whatever city we’re in. Particularly in Europe, this translates to staying in buildings older than our own country (weird to think about)! We do this partly to experience the traditional culture and architecture of a place, and partly because it tends to yield a higher concentration of things we want to do.
While the little hostel (or Guest House) we stayed in during our time here was rather non-distinct, the Pensión Correo, was still a gem of old-world Spanish charm. If you’re ever looking for a little place to stay in Tarifa, perhaps to do some Kite Surfing, or to take a day trip to Tangier, you should book a night with them, HERE.
A French Destination Wedding
France, one of the most romantic countries in the world, is also wedding ready.
Ask just about anyone with a desire to one day get married, and they will most likely have some sort of an idea about what they want their wedding to be like, what they want to wear, or where they want it to occur. Granted these things might change between the age of eight and thirty-five, but the having of that “ideal” for your big day, is there.
Fast forward a few years, and congratulations, you finally met the right person and got engaged! Sadly, if you’re like me, those once firmly held wedding ideals, have flown the coop, and you suddenly have no idea about what you want for this long-anticipated occasion.
Location
Local, or Destination?
First thing’s first, you need a location that will then set the stage for the other choices you’ll need to make. Unfortunately, this will probably be the most difficult part of the whole process, and everyone and their dog will have opinions, so keep in mind that this is YOUR day.
Aside from the above, by the time it was my turn to tie the knot (at age 35), I had attended a lot of weddings, and while I had fun at most of them (I think), they had largely faded into a blur of bridesmaid dresses, and vanilla wedding cake.
For better or for worse, I found myself armed only with a decisive nature, and a desire to do something “else,” by having a wedding that would be unforgettable.
*Side Note: If you ask my husband about wedding planning, he’ll climb onto a soapbox about what he likes to call, “the wedding industrial complex,” which I knew existed, but didn’t understand before planning ours.
The Wedding Industry Complex
When costs for products or services become inflated due to intangible forces, unrelated to the actual cost to make or produce that item or service. Example: Cake is not expensive to make, you can even purchase a custom sheet cake at Costco for 30 people, for just $18. However, the second you ask a bakery to have cakes stacked on top of one another, it suddenly costs $800 for a product made from the same elements as the $18 Costco cake.
But back to destination hunting.
The Venue
Somewhat desperate to avoid the costly trappings of a traditional wedding, and the obligations that invariably invade that special day, we decided that the only solution was to get out of town. I don’t just mean the state, because the same issues and obligations, would still be there. And let's face it, no one enjoys taking a whole weekend to go out of town to some random city they don’t care about, for someone’s wedding, or redeeming those hard-earned air miles, to fly for this purpose.
So, the “go big or go home” strategy, was born.
Did Someone Say Europe?
Already avid travelers, my fiance and I got engaged while abroad, and have made traveling the world together, a significant element of our relationship. What could be more natural, than to have a wedding that reflects who we are as a couple, and have our wedding be an experience that we can share with everyone, by doing it in Europe?
France, one of the most romantic countries in the world, is also littered with large palatial homes, resulting from its grandiose history. Many of these mini palaces are located on vacation rental sites, like Airbnb, with VERY reasonable nightly rates. With that in mind, what could be better than a large, beautifully decorated home, where you can provide accommodations for friends or family for several days, and also have your wedding for less than the cost of a few hours rental time in a generic event space?
*Side Note: Different countries have different legal requirements for getting legally married within their borders, so be sure to research well in advance. Alternatively, you can always legally tie the knot prior or post the ceremony, which is what we did.
We settled on a home built in the 15th century, located a couple of hours south of Paris, in a small village in the Loire Valley. The house itself was large, having six bedrooms, four bathrooms, two living rooms, two kitchens, and ample space for seventeen overnight guests. Located next to a church, it had plenty of space for additional wedding guests to park on the day of the wedding, and it had a beautiful back yard that abutted a tributary of the Loire river, replete with rowboats, and fairy tale charm. Basically, the home was the idyllic setting for a romantic wedding weekend.
*Side Note: Be sure to check or contact the owner of the property you’re interested in, and explain your plans, as not all homes will allow events. That said, the owner of the house we rented, was THRILLED to have us and even gifted us with flowers and champagne.
Party Planning
Okay, so you’re probably thinking, “great, you got a good deal on the venue, but what about everything else, and how the H* do you arrange that stuff in France!?”
I’m not going to say, “easy,” but in hindsight, it kinda was.
It was really important for us to have our day be focused on what was important about the occasion, and not the package it came in. After all, a “wedding” is simply an exchange of promises between two people, and not flowers and chair rentals. We were determined to keep that in mind and create an environment, that was uncomplicated, allowing the significance of the event to take center stage.
At times, it felt like we might still slide into the trappings we were going all the way to France to avoid, but I just needed to keep reminding myself that the more details we allowed to creep into the planning process, the more that the day would become about those silly details, and not us.
“Fire the butter mints, and burn the custom napkins!”
So… It was time to take stock and get creative with what was already at our disposal.
The Guest List
A couple of fundamental elements to any party plan is A) The size of your party and B) How fancy of an outfit do you want to wear. Mostly though, it’s the number of people, and it’s truly amazing how much easier this part is, when you place a hurdle like an ocean, into the equation. Not in any way to suggest that we didn’t want to share our day with everyone that we care about, and that love us, but more like giving many of those people an easy “out,” in terms of the feelings of obligation to attend.
However, we opened our wedding arms wide and invited everyone that wanted to come to France, to come join us on the day.
The above abandonment of the usual guest list protocol had three intended and resulting consequences:
The burden of provision was greatly lifted, as compared to a wedding at home, where we would have had somewhere between 100 and 150+ guests, and the increased responsibility and costs for each of those guests.
A destination wedding like ours becomes about more than just “attending a wedding,” and becomes a vacation for your guests. Memories of your wedding will merge into those of their vacation, and in general, become a positive and memorable experience that they won't forget.
The elimination of all but the most close of friends and family, in addition to all of you being removed from your normal setting, allows you the freedom to buck other conventions, without it being as noticeable.
*Side Note: We also planned a modest, afternoon reception back home, to invite the friends and family that we’re unable to come to France, which you can read a little more about, HERE.
Necessary Elements
Um HELLO, look at the house you rented, and the setting it is in! Yes, you could layer “stuff” on top of it, but it’s so beautiful just as it is, why not let the centuries-old stone walls, green mossy grass of the yard, fig-trees, and gently moving waters of the river, be beautiful enough?
Candelabras and draperies aside, with 40 people having purchased flights to attend, we needed (at bare minimum), food for that many, so working backward from 40, catering became the second hurdle.
Time to take inventory.
Any home that can accommodate seventeen overnight guests, has furniture, and a fair amount of it at that. I reached out to the owner of our Airbnb and got an inventory of what was already at the house, and it turned out that there were several large, iron, outdoor dining sets scattered around the property (all in good usable shape), that we could simply move around for our purposes.
Further, the owner recommended a local chef (Erik Maillard), that had previously prepared meals at the home for other large group events, and who was already stocked with the appropriate sized table linens and serving ware. Score!
With no desire for the formality of a seated service, we chose to forgo the rental of additional chairs, in favor of a short, standing service, set alongside nicely appointed tables in the yard.
Table linens and floral centerpieces for the tables was all that was physically used to decorate. Simple.
Never Wear White to A Wedding
As widely accepted as that rule is, I decided to go another way.
If you notice in films or advertising campaigns, guests at classy events, all seem to magically coordinate with the decoration and themes of the events they are attending, which to me, makes the whole affair look much more polished. Not wanting anything to distract from the “vibe” of our venue, I hoped to employ this same tactic to achieve a cohesive “look” for our wedding, and thereby the same idyllic appearance in our wedding photos. With this in mind, I told all of our guests to please abide by a specific dress-code.
White, shades of white or light tan were my marching orders, and I sent everyone images for outfit inspiration. This was by far, the best idea I had, because it truly enhanced the overall curated look of the event, with minimal effort on my part to decorate the space itself.
Bridal Flowers
When thinking about how and where to procure flowers while abroad, if I didn’t want to hire a florist, there wouldn’t be any guarantee of what kind of flowers I would have access to or any guarantee of being able to find any when I would need them.
Throwing caution to the wind, I decided that this was a detail that wasn’t worth stressing about (I don’t remember the flowers at any of the weddings I’ve ever attended, so why should mine be any different?), and to just deal with it when the time came. However, I did pack ribbon and a locket with a picture of my dad (who wasn’t in France for the occasion), in anticipation of whatever flowers I would find.
Food
I hired the chef that was recommended to me, and who turned out to be a LOVELY human. Sadly, my French is terrible, and he didn’t speak great English, which made communication difficult. However, through the course of several dozen roughly translated emails in Google Translate, we were able to establish that he would be making food for forty, bring wine from a local winery, would NOT serve any shellfish (my groom is allergic), and there would be a cheese course instead of cake. Beyond that, I wasn’t able to understand what it was that he would be making.
The breezy side of me had firmly taken hold at this point, and let's face it, he was a french chef and how bad could it really be?
Additionally, at some point in our broken conversation, we discussed how to set the tables (plated or buffet, and table linens or no), I had also mentioned that I wanted room for floral centerpieces. The stars all aligned, and he had a neighbor (or friend, I’m still not sure) that was a florist that he could contract for this purpose. He said that for an extra 60€ (about $73), he would bring tasteful flowers for each table.
So, with no idea what food we would be eating (other than cheese), what the wine would taste like, or what the flowers would look like, my wedding day was basically planned. Done!
Didn’t they turn out amazing!
It’s all about the dress
Oh gosh, the dress. Another wedding expense that steams my clams, is the cost of that silly dress. I mean, I get it, “it’s the most significant dress you’ll ever wear,” but to spend $2k (or more) on a dress you only wear ONE TIME… who am I, Marie Antoinette?
Nope, it wasn’t gonna fly with me (and I do mean that literally). I went wedding dress shopping at home and had the whole champagne experience with my mother and future mother-in-law, but while I found gowns that I LOVED, it didn’t override my reservations about the expense, or about hauling it to France.
Not only would keeping track of such an item be cumbersome for someone that typically only takes a backpack when traveling, but then the pressing and floofing of it, sounded like a pain. So, revisiting the goal of the whole affair… I was reminded that a simple wedding, would require a simple dress.
Happily, I’ve been very fortunate to have some extremely talented, creative people in my orbit, one of which is a gown designer (you can find out more about her, HERE). After crafting a list of my needs, she was able to make me a custom dress, that while still being 10X more expensive than anything else I own, was designed in such a way as that I’ve actually worn it four times since my wedding (five times in total), which has greatly mitigated my gripe about the cost per wear issue.
I’d also like to qualify my comments regarding the expense of gowns, to exempt those which have been custom made, rather than mass-produced overseas. Ateliers (such as my friend) deserve to be paid for their time, which is considerable when crafting custom goods by hand.
In the end, my dress needed to achieve the following:
Make me feel like a bride
Not wrinkle
Be slim enough to be rolled up and packed into my backpack (yep, I did it)
And not be so “bridal” in style, that it couldn’t be worn for other nice events
She delivered on all four points.
No pressing needed, it was simply UN-rolled and was ready to go!
The shoes
Honestly, the shoes were almost harder to figure out than the dress. I must have bought and returned four different pairs. In addition to my dress being tea length, and therefore the shoes being on full display, was the fact that we were getting married on grass, which posed a “sinking” issue, but I didn’t want wedges or flats.
Thanks to an eavesdropping co-worker who heard me complaining about my shoe dilemma, I was introduced to heel caps (like these, HERE). Acting as snowshoes for your heels, they prevent you from sinking in the grass. GENIUS!
With that dilemma sorted out, I soon visited UAL while visiting Nashville, and found my dream wedding heels. Always looking for a deal, these just happened to be on clearance for $80 (marked down from $1200). Thanks to the heel caps, and a recently repaired strand of my grandmother's pearls, I was now fully dressed and accessorized for the big day.
The Groom
We decided that there was no need to purchase a new suite for the occasion because he already owned a lovely powder blue one, which would complement the shades of white, cream, and pink, that myself and the guests would be wearing. I did, however, have a special pocket square made from the same material as my dress, as well as commissioned a custom lapel pin (not shown) for him to wear (another talented friend, that can be found HERE), which I gifted to him on the morning of our wedding.
The Bridal Flowers Cont…
Back to my breezy plan for flowers, which TOTALLY paid off.
When we checked into our Airbnb the day before our wedding (also the day to get wedding flowers), the owner/host, met us in person to get us checked in. She was so excited to have her home be the location of our nuptials (the first ever), that she gifted me a HUGE bouquet of white lilies and roses, as well as champagne. It was these flowers that I used to make my bouquet.
My mother-in-law had a brilliant idea to save some of these flowers after the wedding and pressed them between pages of a book which I purchased while in Paris. Most of them survived the process remarkably well, and are now framed and mounted on the wall in our bedroom.
As for the Groom, the property was lined with enormous lavender plants and using the handy dandy lapel pin that I had gifted him, we simply pinned a lovely sprig of sweet-smelling lavender, to his jacket.
The Wedding Day
In the end, we flew over (on an amazing flight deal we found with Google Flights), rented the house for a weekend, had a private chef, brought our photographer (whom if you couldn’t tell from the photos, is AMAZING and can be booked HERE), and had a beautiful service for less than the cost of renting a venue and tables for four or five hours, in Kansas City.
(Picks jaw up from floor)
Of the many memorable moments from that day, quite possibly my favorite is one that happened while alone, and I feel encapsulates the magic of the day as a whole. The morning of the wedding, in the stillness of my bedroom, I had just woken up and gotten out of bed. I crossed the room to open the powder blue window shutters, to look outside at the back yard (I was concerned about rain), what I saw will forever live in my heart.
The sky was clear and blue, morning bird songs were mingled with the gentle rustling of leaves in the trees, and scattered below my window, were white doves peacefully looking for their breakfasts. It was like looking at a painting, and I remember thinking, “Of course.”
In France, I guess scenes like this happen on your wedding day.
Wedding Video
There’s more? Yep, my husband has a step-brother that’s also a VERY talented videographer. He made us a short (at our request) 3-minute wedding video, which captures the essence of our day, in a way which I feel is lost in longer wedding videos. If you’re curious, I’ve included it here, and his contact info, HERE.
Questions or comments? Leave them for me below.
A French Countryside Vacation
If you want a place where you hear church bells on the hour, see white doves just casually hanging out in the back yard, and nothing else…this is a place where you can just, be.
3 Days in Saint-Martin-de-Sanzay
I’m a HUGE fan of historical docudramas, and Masterpiece Theater has filled my weekend calendar on more than one occasion. All that to say, I have a soft spot for “old-world charm.”
Visiting the larger cities of a given country (such as Paris) might be logistically easier, but you can learn and experience SO much about the people and history of a place by visiting the small towns and villages.
Why visit Saint-martin-de-sanzay, you ask? Equal parts random choice, regional location, and just the right amount of “unimportant to other tourists,” is what made it the perfect place for us to stay.
Where to Stay in the Loire Valley
Located in central France, it is best known for world-class wine and the stunning chateaus. I can’t recommend highly enough, spending some time exploring this area and sampling the many treasures that it has to offer.
Like anyplace that has wonderful things to see and do, there are going to be people that want to see all those wonderful things, and as a result, more touristy things invade the area. However, it’s possible to both see the things, and not so many of the “people,” by simply staying just off the beaten path.
The third part of this equation is the “random choice,” element. As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, we regularly utilize Airbnb when we travel, and in keeping with the “close, but not too close” guidelines, I simply opened up my search preferences to “Map View,” and started looking at properties in the general area of the things and places I wanted to see.
Voila, Saint-Martin-de-Sanzay yielded the result I was looking for!
Saint-Martin-de-Sanzay
Population 900, has a pub/convenience store and a post office. If you want restaurants and shopping, you’ll have to hop over to the neighboring village, which is just a few minutes away by car.
I adore this picture of my mother playing the piano, we were all laughing, drinking wine, and truly celebrating our time together in that house.
If you want a place where you hear church bells on the hour, see white doves just casually hanging out in the back yard, and nothing else…this is a place where you can just, “be.”
What “French Village” Dreams are made of
Want to open the shuttered windows and listen to some music on vinyl (we did)? Perhaps you just want to take a nap with the windows open? My father-in-law did, and when he woke up, a tiny kitten had climbed in through the window and curled up to sleep on his chest. I don’t know whom it belonged to, but I will forever affectionately call it, “le meow.”
Just a short drive to the many vineyards and chateau in the region, this countryside home has forever created a space in my heart, a space in which I mentally return to when I think of resting.
*Side Note: I also got married in this house, which I’ll share in another post.
The owner is an absolute sweetheart, and we have every intention of returning to this home again someday. If you want to reserve it for yourself, you can find the listing HERE.
Questions or comments? Leave one for me below!
Bologna, Not Just For Sandwiches
Bologna feels like a “slice” of authentic Italy
Ham or cheese, anything else is simply not Italian
What a bunch of Bologna
Neighbor to Florence, Bologna was a thoroughly delightful surprise and unexpected foodie haven. In many respects a college town, Bologna felt like a slice of authentic Italian life (pun intended), away from the tourist-centric stores and hoards of sightseers.
It was here that we rented a tiny Airbnb, which was located on one of the many streets restricted to foot traffic by day, but at night, transformed by cafes and shops. So surprising was the transformation, that we had difficulty finding our way back again on the first evening of our stay.
That said, this is a city that enjoys food, and was the natural place to have my first authentic cannoli, which did not disappoint.
Here’s a medium funny, “lost in translation” food story for you. One afternoon, we stopped at a random sidewalk cafe for lunch, and I ordered a ham sandwich (a staple item that I knew how to order). However, when the stated sandwich arrived (as shown below), I immediately had serious questions that I didn’t know how to ask in Italian. Turns out, we were at a vegan restaurant, and this was their version of a ham sandwich.
Friends that travel together, climb stairs together.
At least that’s the case when you visit Bologna. Among the things which this city is known for, are the leaning towers, and no, they aren’t like another famous leaning tower in Italy.
The “Two Towers,” or Le due Torri, are but two of multiple medieval towers of their kind, the Garisenda and Asinelli towers (named by the rival families that built them) are simply the most famous.
Not for the faint of heart, a climb to the top of the Asinelli Tower, will involve 498, narrow wooden stairs, which lead you to the rooftop. The views are truly memorable, but unbeknownst to us at the time we decided to make the climb, one of our friends was extremely afraid of heights and enclosed spaces. With that in mind, this activity is NOT for everybody.
What goes up, must come down.
Much to the relief of our elevation phobic friend, with feet firmly planted on the ground, celebratory drinks were in order.
On a train headed to Venice, accompanied by none other than a ham and cheese sandwich.
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Italy - Part 3 of 4