Category Archives: florida

The Frolicking Birds of St. Martin

March 14, 2011 By in cruise, eastern caribbean, florida, Freedom of the seas, fun, funny, Humor, Life, musings, my life, nudist beach, nudists, Orient Beach, random thoughts, Royal Caribbean, St. Martin, thoughts, travel, vacation, virgin islands Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 20 Comments

On our fifth day we ported in St. Martin and it was love at first sight! As we exited the dock the sound of sweet Caribbean music softened our ears and we strolled to the relaxed vibe of the island.

It was our last destination and all we wanted to do was to have fun on the beach with a cold beer and enjoy the sunny breezes of the Caribbean. We booked our excursion to Orient Beach and were shuttled to our destination.

We were warned by one local as we hit the beach on  the French side of  the island, “On the Dutch side is where you lose your money and on the French side is where you lose your clothes.” We both chuckled as we exited the bus.

 It was there we lounged in our beach chairs, splashed in the water, and strolled along the beach.

We knew one part of the beach was au naturel but as we passed the rocks from the clothed area to the nudist. I wasn’t paying attention..

“Are you sure you want to keep going?”

I looked puzzled, “What do you mean?”

“It’s the nudist part!”

“So! What are you scared of a little penis?”

Mr. MBA gave me the look, I chuckled, how bad could it be, a few nude ladies!It’s not like Mr. MBA would ever have a problem with that… Oops! I was wrong! I discovered my first time stepping on the nude beach was men! Lots of old men! Naked! Letting their flamingos all hang out!

They all stood with pride, content to let their birds flap in the breeze, frolic in the ocean, and let it all swing to the Caribbean music. Perhaps, I’m more North American than I like to believe…I blushed, looked straight ahead, and kept walking. I didn’t want to seem prudish by just stepping over the rocks and heading back to the comforts of our bikini beach.

 I felt as if I stepped into another persons private world. It was this world in which I was acting as an unwilling to participant  lacking in the full freedom of expression that these men seemed to experience in their lack of attire.

Mr. MBA chuckled, “You should take it off!”

“I don’t think so…”

“Why not? When in Rome…”

“I like to give the illusion that my girls stand at attention.”

And with that we headed back to our end of the beach, enjoying another Corona, another splash in the water, and erasing the images of old frolicking birds playing in the ocean.

Would you ever consider taking it off?

The Stifling of the Seas: It’s Just not for Me!

March 9, 2011 By in eastern caribbean, family vacations, florida, Freedom of the seas, fun, funny, Humor, Life, musings, my life, Orlando, random thoughts, Relationship's, Royal Caribbean, thoughts, travel, vacation Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 9 Comments

My husband and I were elated when we discovered his parents planned on being in Florida at the same time with us. They  thought it would be the  perfect way to escape the cold and spend time with their grand kids.

They also offered to watch the kids so Mr. MBA and I could go on a cruise!  It seemed like the perfect getaway! Seven days of  us time! Sailing out on the open seas!

Neither of us had been on a cruise before and everyone told us we would love it!Perhaps, our expectations were too high! But we didn’t love it! Don’t get me wrong – It was a great trip! We got to sample several unexplored destinations. 

 But on board the ship we  felt like we were herded cattle, waiting in line, showing our sea pass card every five seconds…You would walk to the pool to find no chairs, go to the top deck, to be crammed next to a gazillion other people, up, close, and personal with the all of their unmentionables.

Of course, the food and the service was amazing! But we realized we  like the feeling of being in one destination, exploring our surroundings, escaping the crowds by walking on the beach or in a park, trying off beat restaurants, and bartering in the neighboring market place.

Unfortunately, on a cruise ship you don’t have that opportunity to explore , instead  you wander down the over-priced promenade with the feeling of passing time at an airport.  I believe traveling  is about exploring unknown territories and escaping your own  cornered box. Freedom of the Seas didn’t feel like it  owned up to its name.  And it was a very stifling experience.

 It was great to escape the cold, spend time with my husband, but it also felt great to get back on land. Where I didn’t have to be told when to eat, when to be back on ship, or how much extra something costs. I guess cruising isn’t for everyone! But I’m glad I had the opportunity to test it out, visit the Eastern Caribbean, and begin making plans for next winter vacation.

 St. Martin here I come! And it won’t be just a six-hour stop!

Practical Tips to Survive Theme Park Madness

March 8, 2011 By in avoiding long lines, Disney Studios, Disney Vacation, Disney World, epcot center, family vacations, florida, fun, funny, Humor, Islands of Adventure, Life, motherhood, musings, my life, Orlando, parenting, random thoughts, The Magic Kingdom, thoughts, Tips, tips for surviving theme parks, travel, Universal studios, vacation Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 6 Comments

If you have ever been to a Disney or Universal Studios theme park you know that it is bound to be crowded, busy, full of long wait times, and over expensive snacks. The ultimate goal is to go have a great time for the whole family. But there are days when the madness of theme park ensues and you leave feeling tired, anxious, and grumpy. 

I learned a few tips which will save you  grief from crowds, and help maintain your sanity.

1. Go early! If you are there when the theme park opens than you are avoiding a long line of crowds. 

2.  Two words – Fast Pass! If you are early pick-up your fast pass for the rides you want to go on.

3. Don’t follow the crowds when you enter the park. Look at your map, choose the rides you want to do, go directly those rides, and surprise no line-up! Save the happy snappy camera activities for the end of the day when the lines are long and you are done for the day.

4. Pack water and snacks! Theme parks charge you through the roof! So come prepared with your own water, snacks, and sandwiches. It will keep money in your pocket.

5. If you suffer from motion sickness the best recommendation is to have light breakfast and lunch. Your stomach and theme park enthusiasts will thank you for not losing your cookies.

I know this was my first time at a theme park and I followed these five simple steps and it worked!  My sanity was maintained for most of the trip!

 Almost every ride we went on had a wait time less than ten minutes. The best part is we were finished each theme park by three in the afternoon which provided ample  rest and relaxation time by the pool.

Oh! And one warning! Step out-of-the-way for highschool school field trips.  Teens in large groups become wild pack dogs! They are bound to run over you, your child, to get to the next ride…

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

March 7, 2011 By in family vacations, florida, Forbidden Journey, fun, funny, Humor, Islands of Adventure, Life, musings, my life, Orlando, parenting, random thoughts, The Dueling Dragons, The Wizarding World of harry Potter, thoughts, travel, Universal studios, vacation Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 16 Comments

The first thing we did when we hit Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure, and made our way directly to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. As it poured rain, we smiled, we knew when it rains, crowds disperse, and there would be no wait times.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

We entered the castle and prepared for the ride of our lives.  The Forbidden Journey was amazing! We screamed, howled, and laughed, as we made our way on this fast paced interactive ride.

After the ride, we headed to check out the duelling dragons. I looked at it and decided I would opt out of this high-speed roller coaster where you come head to head with, of course, another roller coaster. I knew my heart couldn’t handle the thrill of the scare of speed, dropping, looping, and dueling dragons. It was too much for me to handle!

 My husband, on the other hand, was game! He was ready to recruit his troops!

“Come on Boys!”

My oldest looked at him, “I’m not going on that! I’m sticking with mom!”

Robert on the other hand was in, “Lets go Dad! We will leave these wimps behind!”

And with that they made their way over to the dueling dragons. It was within seconds they came back. Robert had a very sad look on his face, “I’m not tall enough!”

“Oh! I’m sorry buddy!”

My husband had a look of relief on his face. He whispered to me, “ I’m slightly relieved that I don’t have to go on it.”

“Why?”

“My stomach feels a little off.”

I laughed “Ha! Who’s the wimp now Mr. Tough Guy!”

And with that we made our way to Jurassic Park for the ultimate plunge and splash!

A View of The Animal Kingdom

March 6, 2011 By in Animal Kingdom, Disney Vacation, Disney World, family vacations, florida, fun, Life, musings, my life, nature, Orlando, random thoughts, The Magic Kingdom, the tree of life, thoughts, travel, vacation Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 4 Comments

As walked into the  Animal Kingdom it felt as if we had walked into a naturalists dream world full of nature and wildlife. It is a small visionary planet a where men, women, and children could learn about nature and the importance of conservation. The Animal Kingdom exceeded our expectations, it didn’t feel like a theme park, or a zoo but a place to be explored and admired for the beauty of its landscape.

The Tree of Life

 

Free to Roam

 

A View of Mount Everest

 

And getting to know your fellow primate

I know these are only a few images of why we loved the Animal Kingdom. But it was more than just a theme park it took us to another world teaching about the importance of conservation and showing our children that the world is a bigger place that you or I could ever imagine…

The Epcot Center: A Smooth Landing with Mission Space

March 5, 2011 By in Disney Vacation, Disney World, epcot center, florida, fun, funny, Humor, Illuminations Fireworks, Life, Mission Space, musings, my life, random thoughts, thoughts, travel, vacation Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 2 Comments

 We arrived at the Epcot center prepared for a fun afternoon of space exploration, soaring, the world pavilion, and the popular fireworks display Illuminations.

All of us enjoyed Mission Space,  we worked as a team, to land our space craft on planet Mars. I squealed with relief as  we finished the landing. At the end of the mission I  was beginning to feel the on set of  nausea  and  knew it wouldn’t be pretty if the ride didn’t end when it did. It was  at that moment I realized I was never destined to be a true astronaut. My stomach would never survive the launch into space…

After we  finished all of the rides, we headed to the pavilions were we tasted foods of the world and relished in cooling off with a nice German Beer! The highlight of the night by far was the fireworks display. We all gathered around the lake in awe to enjoy the spectacular view of the light show.

It was one of the most relaxing days we experienced at Disney World! And as we  drove back to the condo that night I looked to see two little men asleep in the car dreaming of their next adventure.

Disney Studios: The Suspense of Jedi Training Camp

March 4, 2011 By in Life, family vacations, funny, Humor, musings, my life, thoughts, random thoughts, fun, travel, Orlando, Disney World, Disney Studios, vacation, florida, Disney Vacation, star wars, jedi training camp, darth vader Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 8 Comments

The morning we arrived at Disney Studios  I looked at the long line-up through security and I knew I picked the day Disney offers extra hours to its hotel guests.I thought to myself this going to be one long and crowded day! However,The kids were eager to get started, we made our way through the maze of people,  and headed to  Jedi Training camp.

Jedi Training was the event the kids had been dreaming of for months! They were nearly hopping out of their sneakers to reach the Star Wars pavilion and ready to learn the power of the force!

We arrived at the Stars Wars pavilion to sign-up, we saw the line, my heart sank, the woman in charge of the line, advised us, “You may or may not have a chance to be in Jedi Training Camp. They only take twenty per show, and we are almost full.”

I looked at my husband, “What do we do?”

He replied, “We wait until she tells us to stop waiting.”

So we waited fifteen minutes later it was announced that our little men would have the possibility of being an alternate in the show. I was puzzled as to what an alternate was and asked, “What is an alternate?”

She responded, ” You will get a ticket with a number on it. If someone with a guaranteed spot doesn’t show-up before the show  then the alternate that is there with the lowest number can have their spot.”

I thought about the hassle of running back and forth every hour, “Do you think they have a chance of participating?”

“Yes! Definitely! Usually by the end of the day most of all of  our alternates have been used in the show. What you need to do is – talk to the person in charge, find out each time how many alternates they have already waiting, and see how many they have for each show.”

I looked at my kids, “Do you guys still want to do this?”

They of course both exclaimed in Unison, “Yes!”

So with that they became alternates for Jedi Training Camp.  In the meantime, we decided to check-out the Star Wars tour but to our surprise it was closed to refurbishment.

We then knew the next show was in a less than forty minutes, so we headed to Muppet 3 D vision. As a muppet fan I was in little Miss Piggy heaven and we laughed through the whole show.

Afterwards, we made our way back to Jedi Training, only to discover it was full. I warned the kids “Don’t get your hopes up it might be full for the whole day.”

They looked at me with positive eyes and said “No! We’ll get in!”

It was at that moment we headed over to The Tower of Terror and Rock n’ Roll Rollercoaster each with wait times of over an hour and half. My husband, kids, and I looked at each other we opted out of the lines, and headed to the Indiana Jones Stunt Show.

It was full of surprises! The kids ate every acrobatic move, fist fight, and explosion up! My oldest guy at the end of the show decided he was going to be a stunt man and would have to be more serious about karate in order to reach his goal.

We  made our way back to Jedi Training camp only to be turned away once again. I thought maybe the third time will be the charm…We headed for lunch at the sci-fi diner which had  1950′s drive-in feel with old school movies like mars attacks on the big screen as you enjoy a yummy burger and milkshake under the stars in your very own car.

After we finished our sci-fi lunch we headed back to Jedi Training. And the woman looked at us, “You have the lowest numbers at this point you might get in. Check back in five minutes.”

We all looked at each other with excitement and five minutes later we let out a massive whoop to celebrate that our little men would be in participating in Jedi Training Camp.

It was the highlight of Disney Studios despite the hassle of waiting, the lines, running back, and forth. It was worth smile and pride on our little guys faces as they stepped on stage to spar with Darth Vader.We cheered our young jedis on as they used their light sabres swooping, and diving to defeat the dark side.

As soon as the show finished my husband and I decided to leave Disney Studios on a high note. We grabbed our excited kids, bribed them with ice cream, a promise to swim in the pool, and made a fast track to the door. It looked like the parade was about to begin and by that point we just wanted to escape the crowded magical world of Disney.

Discovery’s Final Launch

March 2, 2011 By in discovery, discovery's final launch, dreams, florida, fun, inspiration, Life, musings, my life, nasa, nasa space centre, Orlando, outerspace, random thoughts, shuttle launch, space travel, thoughts, titusville, travel, vacation Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 13 Comments

As a young girl, I was a dreamer, and believed in endless possibilities! It was dreams of being a marine biologist, astronaut, anthropologist that made me want to learn about the world around me, dreaming up at the stars, and charting my next adventure into unknown territories.

It was this past week that I was able to get as close to the stars as I could ever imagine. The moment we learned we would be in Florida, at the same time Discovery would make its final launch into space, we decided not to miss the opportunity of a lifetime.

On February 24th we drove from Orlando to Titusville Florida to watch Discovery make its final voyage into space.  My children, husband, and I were ecstatic to be there as we waited patiently in the park with hundreds of other people from all over the states and world. We met people from Baltimore, Mississippi, North Dakota, New York, Michigan, and Ireland. It was amazing to see this ship’s final voyage  bring so many people together on this one extraordinary day.

We had front row seats at the event and were able to watch a clear view of Discovery’s blast off. It was a once in a lifetime experience that my children, husband, and I will always remember.

10, 9, 8,

 

7,6,5,4

 

3,2,1!!!!

 

Blast Off!

 

Disappearing into space,

 

leaving us with a beautiful cloud of dreams and endless possibilities...

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