Archive for the ‘Travel’ Category
May 17, 2013
Okay, they may not actually be HIDDEN, but far too many 
people miss them none the less. Everyone goes to the Louvre‘, the Eiffel Tower (though last week’s post told you how to skip the line and get more out of the visit), the Arc de Triomphe and you should too, but some of my favorite places are a bit less known.
There are catacombs in Paris. BIG catacombs and you can tour them. You’ll need to take the subway, there are no restrooms there and plan to stand in line but it’s well worth it. Believed to be the source of infections in the 1700′s, bodies were exhumed and moved to old quarries outside (at the time) the city of Paris. So many skeletons were moved an in an effort to honor the dead, patterned walls were constructed from the bones. A bit macabre perhaps, but we loved it!
Are you a fan of the Broadway musical Phantom of the Opera? 
Then a visit to the Paris Opera House is a must! Even if you are not, it’s one of the most spectacular buildings. The outside is impressive, but so many buildings in Paris are beautiful. But inside! WOW! We even got to sneak a peak inside the performance hall and saw the actual chandelier that is replicated in the Broadway musical in rather spectacular fashion.
In many neighborhoods, you will find flyers posted outside decommissioned churches advertising classical music concerts. I’ve been to these in Rome, Venice and Paris and they are always lovely evenings in beautiful settings. The posters are never in English but you should be able to make out the date and time as well as the composer’s music being performed. There are few (if any) tourists and it’s a great way to spend a Paris evening.
Get the museum pass either online before you go or at one of the less busy monuments to save yourself a lot of line time. The line at the Louvre’ and other tourist hotspots is to buy tickets. There is usually an express entrance for those with the museum pass.
Invest in a week long (or however many days you will be there) Paris Metro pass. The system is easy to use and you will feel like a Parisian in no time! The larger stations take credit cards for the purchase and that will give you maximum flexibility.
Do your research ahead of time and plot out your days to make sure you capture as much of this beautiful city as you can in the time you have. But also be sure to allow time to sit at a sidewalk cafe and sip a chilled Rose’ and watch the world go by.
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Tags:Sunny Kobe Cook, Phantom of the Opera, Paris, Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, Catacombs of Paris, Paris Opera House, Museum Pass, subway
Posted in Travel, Travel Tips, Things to See, Things to Do | 1 Comment »
May 10, 2013
Yes, I love Paris. Here are a few suggestions to help you love it as well. Do as much research, book tours and buy tickets on line NOW – it gets busy!
Summer – particularly July – is a great time to visit Paris. It’s warm, there are sidewalk cafes everywhere and Rose’ wine is both inexpensive and delicious!
Bastille Day is July 14th. If you can plan your trip to be there, it’s well worth it! Locals and tourists alike arrive EARLY at the Champ de Mars, the official site of the Bastille Day (French independence day) festivities. Take a picnic and plan to spend the day. We were actually on the other side of the river (both sides were lined with watchers) and as long as you have a perfect view of the Eiffel Tower, you are in for a treat! The fireworks, set off from the Tower, are breath-taking!
You can’t visit Paris without a visit to the Eiffel Tower. On any given day, you will find the lines to buy tickets to visit the tower staggering! 
There is a fee so you will have to pay anyway, but the option I’m suggesting will cost you only a little more, give you a ton of fascinating information AND let you skip the line! There is a tour offered called “Behind the Scenes at the Eiffel Tower”. Buy your ticket up to 3 months in advance and print them at home. You’ll get to see an underground bunker, the machinery that operates the elevators and learn the history of this iconic monument. Once on the 2nd level, you can purchase a ticket at a kiosk to go all the way to the top if you want.
Very near the Cathedral of Notre Dame is Sainte-Chapelle. Without a doubt, the most spectacular stained glass in all of Paris. Due to the narrow 
stairs by which you enter and the security, the line is always down the block. Here’s my next “skip the line” suggestion. On a board near the front of the line you will see posted flyers for concerts. Check the dates – it will be in French so just look for the numbers for both time and date. If there is one taking place during your time in Paris, ignore the line and ask the guard at the front how you buy tickets to the concert. He will send you in through security to a courtyard where a ticket kiosk sits. Bring Euros! When I was last there they didn’t take credit cards. Get your concert tickets and go on with your day.
Later, return about 30 minutes before the concert. There will be
20 or so people in line with you, you will have all the time both before and after the concert to wander the sanctuary taking photos without being jostled by other tourists. Then enjoy the way the setting sun bathes the room in colorful light as the classical concert fills this majestic setting.
Of course there are a couple of more “must do” items you might miss so I’ll have to devote next week’s blog to Paris as well. Time to go open a bottle of Rose’!
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Tags:Bastille Day, Behind the scenes at the Eiffel Tower, Cathedral of Notre Dame, Champ de Mars, Eiffel Tower, Paris, Paris in the summer, Rose', Sainte-Chapelle, stained glass, Sunny Kobe Cook, tips for touring Paris
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April 26, 2013
On a recent cruise, one of our stops was Belize City, Belize. Not one to indulge in “duty free shopping”, we look for unique activities in each destination. Cave tubing definitely filled the bill!
There was about a 40 minute, air-conditioned bus ride from the port to Nohoch Che’en, Caves Branch Archaeological Reserve. There are more than one cave tubing company in the area. We were with Caves Branch Outpost and we found them to be very professional in every regard.
All the touring companies require you carry your tube, life jacket and helmet about 30 minutes down a dirt and pebble trail to the spot in the river where you “put in”. Closed toe shoes are also required. No flip flops or aqua socks. The path is rough underfoot and there are times you have to cross the river on foot so a sturdy sole is a must!
If you have a waterproof camera – bring it! You can also use a “Shark Pack” for your cellphone which is what we did to get these pictures which we shared with our fellow travelers.
The water is “refreshing”. While cool, it feels great on a warm day after your half hour walk to the river. You won’t encounter mosquitoes thanks to the bats that make the cave their home. We also didn’t get a good look at the bats so if you are spooked by them, just don’t look up while you’re in the cave.
Your group of 8 riders will have a guide. Our guide 
strung our inner-tubes together and in places where the water is very shallow, tows the line of guests to deeper water so you don’t get stuck. He also serves as an information source both along the trail and inside the cave.
Once you get to the river, you sit back and enjoy! You are inside the cave about an hour and another hour out on the river. Don’t worry, you don’t have far to walk once you get out (maybe 100 yards) and there is a great lunch waiting for you in the lodge building.
If you are planning a trip or a cruise ship stop in Belize, Cave Tubing will be the highlight of your visit!
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Tags:Belize, Belize City, Cave Tubing, Caves Branch Outpost, cruise ship excursion, Sunny Kobe Cook, Travel Queen
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April 19, 2013
Zip-lines which originated back in the 1970′s have become increasingly popular and now can be found in all sorts of settings and all around the world. There are zip-lines through jungles, across canyons, even down an Olympic ski jump!
Zip-lining is generally safe (accidents are rare). There will be sturdy steel cables and some sort of harness. Sometimes you have to climb up stairs or a ladder to a platform, other times you do a brief “hike” from the end of one line to the start of the next so some level of mobility is needed. You don’t need a lot of upper body strength because you are not holding on, the harness is securely attached to the cable. You “hold on” just to have something to do with your hands and sometimes to operate a brake to slow your arrival into the landing platform. The company should provide a helmet and gloves (if they are needed). Everyone requires closed-toe shoes. No flip flops or loose footwear – they would come off!!!! Be prepared to buy photos so calculate that cost into your activity budget.
In the Utah Olympic Park in Park City, Utah the “ride” is 1500 feet long and is said to be the “steepest in the world”. It offers a 500 foot vertical drop at a top speed of 60 mph. There are 4 cables side by side so several members of your party can “race”.
Known as the “birthplace of zip-line touring”, Costa Rica offers many choices of rides from rain forest canopy and waterfalls to beach settings. Many other Central American countries also offer zip-line tours. The cruise ship traffic to destinations in Honduras, Mexico and Guatemala all offer zip-line shore excursions. Keep in mind that the more ships in port, the longer the wait can be for your ride.
Many West Coast residents travel to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico more often than they do to the Caribbean or Yucatan Peninsula due to the ease of airline flights. While in Cabo, my husband and I went zip-lining with Wild Canyon Adventures.
They picked us up at our hotel in an air-conditioned van, the equipment was top notch and the ride was close to flying! The steel cables (8 in all) stretch across a VAST desert canyon. A few of the 8 “rides” we could do together as a couple, which was fun.
It’s an easy walk between the launch platforms (sometimes uphill for short sections) and there are covered areas to wait out of the heat for your turn. There is also cold water at these wait stations and plenty of staff to give all the help you need.
We particularly like this zip activity because of the span – the “Big Ocho”, line 8 is 2674 feet – yes, half a mile – 295 ft up in the air!!!
Planning a trip this summer? Do a Google search for the combination of zip line and your city to see if there is a nearby zip line. Read the online reviews and if you find one that looks fun, you can often get a discount if you book on line or print an on line coupon.
The great thing about zip lines is that you can do it over and over again in different locations and have different experiences. The variety of terrain; through rain forests, over waterfalls, high up in the tree canopies, across vast canyons, over beautiful beaches or even down a competitive ski jump, each offer a unique, “adrenaline injected” adventure to your next vacation.
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Tags:Big Ocho, Cabo San Lucas, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Park City, Sunny Kobe Cook, Travel Queen, Utah Olympic Park, Zip-line tours
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March 16, 2013
Looking for a great place to take a break from shopping while in downtown Seattle? How about a place for a bite before or after a show? A conveniently located spot to meet friends for a glass of wine?
Then look no further than the Fountain Wine Bar in the Seattle Sheraton on 6th Avenue. The newly renovated space along the Pike Street side of the lobby is a lively space to refresh and recharge.
With over 40 wines by the glass, most with ratings of 90 points or above, you are sure to find something to your liking. They also proudly boast some of the lowest per glass prices on premium wines – refreshing indeed!
Want a bite to eat? Order from the tapas menu and then sit back in a cozy chair, sip your wine and relax! The fountain in the center of the room creates a welcome oasis in downtown Seattle.
This new “hotspot” will quickly become your “go to” spot and like me, you’ll be looking for excuses to go there!
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Tags:Downtown Seattle, Fountain Wine bar, Seattle Sheraton, Sunny Kobe Cook, Travel Queen, wines by the glass
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March 1, 2013
Are you hooked on Downton Abbey? We are! I watched the first episode under protest – I was sure I wouldn’t enjoy it. I’m not a fan of historical, period type dramas. By the end of the first episode of Season 1 (watch it for free on Comcast on Demand, Hulu or Amazon streaming if you are a Prime Member) we were royally hooked! We’ve since convinced several friends to try it and yes, they are all hooked too.
The show is filmed at a real castle, Highclere Castle, and you can visit! Even though a family lives there, several times a year, the castle and grounds are open to the public. Tickets for this summer are on sale now through their website.
If you’ve watched all 3 seasons, you’ve also seen the spectacular castle in Scotland where the family travels in the last episode. That castle, Inveraray Castle is also available to tour.
If a trip to England and Scotland is in your plans, a visit to one of these iconic castles should be part of your itinerary. Imagine the envy of your family and friends when your holiday card arrives with a photo of YOU in front of the “Crowley family home”, Downton Abbey.
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Tags:Crowley family, Downton Abbey, Highclere Castle, Inveraray Castle, Scotland castle in Season 3 of Downton Abbey, Sunny Kobe Cook, Travel Queen, visit the Downton Abbey house
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December 21, 2012
On a recent trip to South Florida we did a Culinary Tour of South Beach in Miami. Known for its many colorful, chic and exotic dining choices, its hard to know what to try. The Miami Culinary Tour proven a great solution.
Cuban Coffee
All total we made 8 stops where we sampled everything from scallops to Colombian chicken. We visited Larios on the Beach, a restaurant owned by the singer Gloria Estefan serving “Old Clothes”, traditional shredded Cuban beef, rice and beans, plantains. There were French ham and cheese sandwiches, Cuban coffee, specialty cookies, bubble tea and delicious gelato.
The bites were generous and on the stroll from place to place Mirka provided a bit of history. We got to appreciate the food, architecture and culture of this unique area.
Versace Mansion
Well-organized and nicely paced – each restaurant was ready and expecting us. At the end we were given a list of the places we visited to make it easy to return on our own.
It was such a great experience that I look forward to trying the Little Havana tour as well.
It also prompted me to look for culinary tours in other cities. Have family visiting for the holidays? Seattle offers a similar dine around tour. Chicago, San Francisco offer several and other major cities do as well. We’re scheduling one in Scottsdale while visiting my sister and her family over Christmas. I’m getting hungry just thinking about it! Bon appetit!
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Tags:660 At the Anglers, Architecture of South Beach, Bolivar Restaurant, Bubble Tea, Cuban coffee, Cuban cuisine, David's Cafe, Gelateria Milani, Gloria Estefan, Jerry's Famous Deli, Larios on the Beach, Miami Culinary Tours, Old Clothes, Seattle Culinary Tours, Sunny Kobe Cook, Taste of Old Scottsdale, Travel Queen, Versace Mansion
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December 14, 2012
My husband and I just spent a great week with friends who met us in Florida. Finding others to travel with is often challenging. Here are some things to consider as you think about who to invite share your next vacation.
Traveling Styles – Are you a planner or a no reservations type? Planes? Trains? Boats? Road trip? Outdoors or museums? Hikes or spas? Five star or camping? Dancing the night away or an early run on the beach? Ask friends to describe their favorite vacation. If it doesn’t sound fun to you, find someone whose does.
Together…or Not. Do you like some time on your own on vacation? Its important to ask other travelers in advance. Can you do independent things at least some days and then swap stories over dinner or do you expect to do everything together?
Who Pays for What? Money can be a trouble spot in any relationship including travel partners. If you love pricey food and drink, be sure the others do as well. Non-drinkers quickly resent being asked to “Just split it” when the bill includes cocktails or bottles of wine.
Separate checks is a good solution if half the party consistently eats and drinks more or less than the other. Just ask the server up front and let everyone enjoy their meal.
We bought a great trip for 4 at a charity auction that included air, hotels, some activities and car. We weren’t looking for reimbursement for half from the other couple, but the friends we invited immediately said they’d pick up all the meals and gas.
Sharing adventures can be great but be realistic. If someone drives you crazy over an evening with their bickering, drinking, tardiness, cheapness, negative attitude or drama – it will only be worse with the repeated exposure of traveling together.
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Tags:compatible travel styles, picking traveling companions, Sunny Kobe Cook, Travel Queen, traveling with friends
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December 7, 2012
The first time I went snorkeling it was at John Pennekamp State Park in Key Largo, Florida. That was a long time ago and since then I’ve snorkeled in various Caribbean spots, Hawaii, Tahiti, Fiji and even the Great Barrier Reef. Returning to Pennekamp as a seasoned veteran, I was curious how I would view the experience.
If you are new to snorkeling, Pennekamp is a perfect place to start. About an hour south of Miami, Key Largo is the northern most of the Florida Keys so its easier access than all the other coral reefs. The park is easy to find and the entrance well signed.
You can book your reservation on line and you’ll get an email confirmation. We also got a follow up call the morning of our scheduled tour. Be sure to arrive at the concession stand an hour before your tour time and park entry fee is extra.
The price was reasonable (under $30), less than most other snorkel excursions elsewhere. They rent fins, masks and a snorkel that’s yours to keep. If the water is a few degrees too cold for you (it was 77 and I found it comfortable after the initial shock) you can also rent a wetsuit for only a few dollars more.
Its also the only place I’ve ever been where they provide and require snorkel vests which is great for new snorkelers or those uncomfortable in open ocean.
The boat ride out to the reef was scenic and gave us a sampling of the mangrove forest you can also kayak through. The reefs are about 5 miles off shore and the one they take you to depends on weather and sea conditions. I had hoped to visit the undersea Christ statue but the ideal conditions gave us the rare chance to visit Banana Reef instead.
We saw a nice assortment of sea life from Parrotfish, 
various Damselfish, Puffers and numerous Barracuda swimming through and around the fan coral. There are schools of tiny fish, colorful fish and squid that I can’t name. The water is clear with great visibility.
There’s a snack shop, gift shop, cold water showers to rinse the salt off when you return and clean restrooms with changing stalls so bring dry clothes for a more comfortable ride back to your base hotel.
Its a well run operation, a relatively low cost outing and a great look under the sea. It’s an easy “add on” to a Miami or Fort Lauderdale visit and well worth a day. New snorkelers will be hooked, I know I was – and still am!
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Tags:Barracuda, Damselfish, day trip from Fort Lauderdale, day trip from Miami, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Key Largo Florida, Parrotfish, snorkeling for beginners, squid, Sunny Kobe Cook, Travel Queen
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November 30, 2012
It was about this time last year when we decided to go to Bhutan on a hiking trip for our October birthdays.
Canary Islands
For Christmas I got hiking boots and we began breaking them in. On every trip we scheduled at least 1 hiking day. Red Rock Canyon in Las Vegas, Saguaro Lake and Hole in the Rock while in Phoenix for Christmas. Hikes to falls in the San Gabriel Mountains around Pasadena. Even on a cruise we hiked some of the 300+ volcanic cones on the Canary Islands.
Rattlesnake Ledge
As the weather warmed we got friends to join us on Rattlesnake Ledge. We hiked a couple of days in Kauai on our annual honeymoon.
Waimea Canyon, Kauai
Then, in an attempt to prepare for the elevation of Bhutan, we went to Deer Valley, Utah – minimum elevation 8,500ft. During our 2 weeks there, we hiked over 70 miles.
Deer Valley, UT
Tiger’s Nest Monastery Hike
All that and the hike to the Tiger’s Nest Monastery was still the single most physically demanding thing I’ve done to date. Begin at 8,500 feet – end at 10,200. Steep, thin air and 9.1 miles round-trip. Add in the 1556 stairs cut into the sides of the ravines (300 in one stretch – 478 in the other) not to mention the 100 or so stairs within the monastery complex I didn’t even bother to count – well, you get the idea.
Even if you never plan to go on a hiking trip to Bhutan, hiking is a great activity. You can do it virtually anywhere, you get to see some wonderful slices of nature, it increases your physical activity level and stretches your budget. Other than a pair of decent shoes (even tennis shoes in many cases) you don’t need any special or expensive equipment.
Vasquez Rocks
So how do you find a hike that’s right for you? Type into your favorite search engine an appropriate phrase such as “easy hikes near Seattle”. You’ll get plenty of results to explore. Look for the hike profile which includes information such as length of hike, usually a time estimate, a difficulty rating and the elevation change. Some will even have photos and comments by other hikers.
A couple of safety notes, you should try not to hike alone. Always carry at least a basic first aid kit, appropriate amounts of water and a cellphone. It’s also a good idea for someone at home to know where you were headed and about when to expect you back – just in case.
Sarguaro Lake
There is a world of beauty out there – breathtaking vistas, colorful canyons, stunning falls, towering trees and an abundance of flora and fauna. You don’t need any special training, just put one foot in front of the other and GO!
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Tags:altitude change to Tiger's Nest, Arizona, Canary Islands, Deer Valley, Distance of hike to Tiger's Nest, hiking Deer Valley, Hiking in Bhutan, Hole in the Rock, Kauai, Las Vegas, Pasadena, Rattlesnake Ledge, Red Rock Canyon, Saguaro Lake, San Gabriel Mountains, stairs to and from Tiger's Nest, Sunny Kobe Cook, Tiger's Nest Monastery, Travel Queen, volcano cone, Waimea Canyon
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people miss them none the less. Everyone goes to the Louvre‘, the Eiffel Tower (though last week’s post told you how to skip the line and get more out of the visit), the Arc de Triomphe and you should too, but some of my favorite places are a bit less known.
There are catacombs in Paris. BIG catacombs and you can tour them. You’ll need to take the subway, there are no restrooms there and plan to stand in line but it’s well worth it. Believed to be the source of infections in the 1700′s, bodies were exhumed and moved to old quarries outside (at the time) the city of Paris. So many skeletons were moved an in an effort to honor the dead, patterned walls were constructed from the bones. A bit macabre perhaps, but we loved it!
Then a visit to the Paris Opera House is a must! Even if you are not, it’s one of the most spectacular buildings. The outside is impressive, but so many buildings in Paris are beautiful. But inside! WOW! We even got to sneak a peak inside the performance hall and saw the actual chandelier that is replicated in the Broadway musical in rather spectacular fashion.
In many neighborhoods, you will find flyers posted outside decommissioned churches advertising classical music concerts. I’ve been to these in Rome, Venice and Paris and they are always lovely evenings in beautiful settings. The posters are never in English but you should be able to make out the date and time as well as the composer’s music being performed. There are few (if any) tourists and it’s a great way to spend a Paris evening.
