The Calendar said May 2012!

Seriously.  Alaska.  Breathtaking.  I’ve only been once, so I can’t said for sure if everything was on their best behavior.  I mean the whales were out…wait for the June Calendar picture.  The bears….the otters, the WOLVES, Denali, and then?  Just perfect weather.  I realize it isn’t always like this….but I don’t know how it would matter.  The scenery is unreal.  The animals are to the likes of which we don’t see, save the zoo!  And the glaciers.  Oh.  The glaciers.  This particular one was in Glacier Bay….where we floated by.  WORTH EVERY PENNY for a balcony on the ship.  You’ve seen movies….you’ve heard the sound…it is EXACTLY like that.  Amazing.  Simply, truly, AWESOME!  And I don’t have a fancy schmancy camera, and I certainly don’t know the extent of how I can use the one I do have, and I still took this picture.  Pieces falling off, to their own creaky soundtrack and SPLASH!  Truly, breathtaking.  There is no way to properly capture the feeling, or the sight, so, you’ll just have to go yourself.  Alaska.  The AWESOME frontier!  Also, on a personal note?  Some of my besties live there, and they made treks to see me.  I mean a couple hours, all for the hang time of a couple hours.  So thank you to my Janelley Belly, Garg, Brands, and Whitey.  True friends.  Also, WAY fun to see some of my Tour Guide friends that spend the summers up with Holland America.  I’ve officially drank the Alaskan Kool-Aid….and can’t wait to get back!

The Calendar said April 2012

Good Morning St. Louis!

It's secretly fantastic.  Seriously…the arch is awesome….and it’s our tallest monument!  So SIT DOWN Washington!  The Arch is 630 feet tall and it’s just incredible!  So why is it there?  Extra metal laying around!? Nah…the Gateway Arch is intended to commemorates Thomas Jefferson and St. Louis’ role in the westward expansion of the United States…you’ve heard of those guys Lewis and Clark right!?  Great.  (If not…get reading!)  It’s a real treat to see, cooler than you thought.  And yes, you can go up into it…it’s not overly huge up at the top, but it’s overly SWEET!  You go through the normal bit of security of course, then load into these neat little “pods”?  They seat 5, and it’s like riding a ferris wheel I’d say.  Takes about 4 minutes to the top, and then you have a spectacular view of the Mississippi, the ball park, and the whole of St. Louis!  Plus?  Then you’ve officially been to the top of America’s tallest monument!  Ooooh! Book your trip.

Sally Lunn, Goodness, the size of your head.

They are as big as your head…literally, and as delicious as….well….I don’t even know what to compare them to!!

Here’s the story. I was in Bath, making some confirmations for an upcoming tour….and after stopping by my soon-to-be hotel, I walked out, turned left, and I saw a LINE! (Well, since I was in the UK, it was really a QUEUE!) Anyway, I got it in….didn’t know why or what for….but they had to know something I didn’t! Well, I was seated in less than 5 minutes, and I didn’t know what to have, but there was a quote on the wall mentioning something about “Cinnamon Butter”…..and I like cinnamon, and I like butter!

A little history about the place that created a queue. It’s called "Sally Lunn's", and the location is known for being “The oldest house in Bath”! Here’s a drop of history straight from Sally’s site! “Sally Lunn, a young French refugee, arrived in England over 300 years ago. She found work at what is now known as Sally Lunn's House and began to bake a rich, round and generous bread now known as the Sally Lunn Bun. This bun became a very popular delicacy in Georgian England as its special taste and lightness allowed it to be enjoyed with either sweet or savoury accompaniments.”

SCRUMDIDDLYUMPTIOUS! (Incidentally….a Roald Dahl word….and HE was English!) My first Sally Lunn Bun….and I had NO idea what to expect, was it like a cinnamon bun? Was it like a cake? Was it a hamburger bun? NEITHER! It was a Sally Lunn BUN! Now, I ordered the “Bath Crème Tea” Which was a half a Sally Lunn Bun with their homemade Cinnamon Butter and served with local clotted cream. It came…half….and smothered in cinnamon butter…and it was DELICIOUS! And it was FAST! Service, a smile, tea I had to strain, and a glass of water! Bliss. Plus…rest for my weary feet in a warm, inviting, “Coffee Room”!

Now, of course I went back a week later when I was in town with my group, and I branched out this time…and got a Sally Lunn Bun with Smoked Salmon! And it came as a sandwich, but imagine the most delightful bread!!! Toasted to perfection! And all served so prompt and with a smile! So, the bun, is a bun of delicious bun goodness, but whether it’s sweet or sandwiched, well, that’s up to you. Quite frankly, if you don’t enjoy the bun, or it doesn’t make you smile from the inside, well I’m forced to think, and be right, that you are just a crank pot to the core!

Get to Bath, for lots of reasons, the town is quaint, the people kind, the history is rich, and then, indulge in a smile of a Sally Lunn Bun! And if you haven’t time, and the line’s too long? Head down to their kitchen and buy one (or two) to go! And then you can take your very own photos with a bun, that's the size of your head!!! (To avoid the "queue"? Give them a ring! Make a reservation! You'll be very satisfied you did....unless....well...you read the blog....you know.) So..."Sally Lunn's"!

Everything came up Roses!

It was the 123rd Tournament of Roses in Pasadena, California, (Fine...120th for the picture to the left, with my FAVORITE elephant!) And if you are reading this and took a sharp breath in and said "I WANNA SEE THAT SOMEDAY!!!"...then go ahead and book your tickets for 2013, cuz it's beyond plenty awesome!!! I'll give you the number for Al Brooks-the company of choice to work for and go with for the Rose Parade/Game...and I'll even wait for you to book it and come back. 1-800-341-2766. Tell them I sent you, you won't get a discount, but if you promise to bring a dozen honey crisp apples to Jay Brooks....perhaps you'll get a seat cushion upon arrival!?



Okay. Are ya booked?

Good. Read on.

I'm SMITTEN with the flowers, and it of course helps that it's in SUNNY CALIFORNIA where the average temperature on parade day is? DRUM ROLL PLEASE?! 68 degrees. Insane. And fabulous! Granted layers are clutch, and some years are cooler than others, but this year...it was about 82 degrees by 1pm after our fabulous Mexican lunch on Olvera Street!

So hit the 5 "W"s? Who? What? When? Why? Where? Oh...and HOW!

Who?

I didn't think this through very well. Who what? Who puts it on? The Tournament of Roses! Who has a float in the parade? Whomever can pay for one! Who marches in the parade? Whatever bands qualify, and whatever bands that can raise the money to get to Cali! Who benefits? CALI! They say that the Parade and game generate like $400 million dollars for southern California. Who gets to watch? YOU! On TV! Or hopefully, some year, NEXT, in person! People camp out for good free seats. I vote for paying, sleeping in your own bed the night before, and being dropped off pretty near to your sweet seats!

What?

The parade...full of flowers. 40+ floats...made entirely, and I mean ENTIRELY, of some sort of a living plant. The more actual ROSES, the better, but seeds, petals, bark, leaves, fibers, stems, vegetables, nuts, and almost any other part of a plant are also used! Only 7 types of glue are allowed to be used! Every single visible part of the float, must be covered. Next time, take notice of the hitches! Generally those are covered in onion seeds. Amazing.

When?

January 1! UNLESS January 1 is on a Sunday, then it's January 2. "Never on a Sunday" is a rule steeped in tradition, and thankfully still adhered to today!

Where?
Pasadena, California. 5.5 miles of Rose Parade goodness. Where is best to sit? Me? I've never not sat directly on the corner of Orange Grove and Colorado, but I've been spoiled and living a dream. You? Somewhere in a bleacher! And if you can be somewhere where the sun is behind you? That'd be swell, plus your pictures will turn out better! Honestly though....book a tour with Al Brooks-less hassle, better seats, worth every penny, and plus I hear they have great guides...

Why?

WHY NOT! Well, the real answer is this...which I will steal from the official site of the Rose Parade...

"This uniquely American event began as a promotional effort by Pasadena's distinguished Valley Hunt Club. In the winter of 1890, the club members brainstormed ways to promote the "Mediterranean of the West." They invited their former East Coast neighbors to a mid-winter holiday, where they could watch games such as chariot races, jousting, foot races, polo and tug-of-war under the warm California sun. The abundance of fresh flowers, even in the midst of winter, prompted the club to add another showcase for Pasadena's charm: a parade would precede the competition, where entrants would decorate their carriages with hundreds of blooms. The Tournament of Roses was born.

"In New York, people are buried in snow," announced Professor Charles F. Holder at a Club meeting. "Here our flowers are blooming and our oranges are about to bear. Let's hold a festival to tell the world about our paradise."

(I INTERRUPT THIS QUOTE TO SAY TRUE TRUE TRUE! I SHOVELED OUT OF 36INCHES OF SNOW HERE ON THE EAST COAST IN 2010 SIMPLY TO MAKE IT TO THE 2011 ROSE PARADE!)

"During the next few years, the festival expanded to include marching bands and motorized floats. The games on the town lot (which was re-named Tournament Park in 1900) included ostrich races, bronco busting demonstrations and a race between a camel and an elephant (the elephant won). Reviewing stands were built along the Parade route, and Eastern newspapers began to take notice of the event. In 1895, the Tournament of Roses Association was formed to take charge of the festival, which had grown too large for the Valley Hunt Club to handle."

It's pretty much? JUST AWESOME!

HOW?

Well, it's a science for sure. They estimate that over 18 million flowers are used each year! Growers must time their growing cycle exactly so that the flowers are ready to be picked and shipped just a few days before the parade! Volunteers from all over help out! YOU! Yes, YOU could be a volunteer! "Petal Pushers" as they say! There are many different requirements as to height, as there is a bridge to pass under, and the float must be able to fit under the bridge in less than 25 seconds so as to NOT slow the parade! Planning starts in January, once the THEME is announced, then ideas must be submitted so there are no overlaps, and then by March the sponsor shopping begins! In May those builders must have a scale model to present to the sponsors! June sees them working on the main framework, and by September, the main construction is complete, and any small items are fabricated and installed on the float. Deliveries of non-perishable items such as seeds and beans start in October. Flowers start arriving in late-December and are stored in separate tents until they are needed. Approximately 30,000 workers, many of them young people from schools and church groups, report to the various builder's construction sites to begin the round-the-clock job of decorating the floats. Most flowers are prepared by popping the heads off the stems before being glued in place. Delicate flowers are placed in narrow plastic vials filled with water before being pushed in place. Each float requires an average of 10,000 lbs of flowers and takes 7,000 person-hours or more to decorate! (The photo here is of the 2012 float promoting organ donation, and featured those that had lost a loved one, and the one saved by their loss. )

The first time I ever saw it, I was given SWEET tickets, and I went to all the floats before the parade, they are located in various parts of the county. There are many out by where the Rose Bowl actually takes place in the Rosemont Pavilion. There are some in other buildings around the city. The La Canada-Flintridge float gets built underneath an overpass-and every year is hysterical and VERY cute! Then the morning of? I walked the row of floats, yes, at like 5am. (PS? They get disqualified if they aren't in line by 3am) THEN? You watch the parade, and after? You go to the Post-Floats! Where they are all lined up and ready for onlookers like us! And just when you are all flowered out? You fall into bed, since you've not slept all week, and wake up to the option of having "In and Out Burger" for dinner, as you are in California after all!

Go to the Parade. Go to the game if you want, but really, get float stalking, and get to the parade. You'll thank me. And I'll just go ahead and say it now. You. Are. Welcome!

And yes...yes HGTV DID make it snow on their float! Seriously. MAGICAL!

We count....you don't.

When I title this "We count....you don't.", I mean it, but CHILL first. I am not saying you aren't important. I'm saying that when we are counting people....like 1, 2, 3, and so on? YOU DO NOT! You don't say 14, 37, 9, it's ANNOYING, aggravating, there's one (sometimes two) of you on every tour, and honestly? IT WASTES TIME!!!!!! Now, there is the occasional old man who can't help himself, he's just trying to get your attention, well intended perhaps, annoying still? YEP!

We GET that it's the "thing" to do. I find that even I want to do it sometimes, but the difference? I DON'T!!! Seriously, we have limited time, chances are you were late on the bus anyway, having been given 2 hours for lunch, yet having to go to the bathroom upon meet time. REALLY? (Side blog...when you get free time? It's yours, but be smart and listen to your OWN BLADDER! GO, in the time given. We don't set "meet time", and then the "after meet time" for "bathroom time", we quit doing that once you were over the age of 7.)

So I try to count fast and so we can go, making up for the lateness, and when you jack my counts? It takes longer. Duh. ALSO? It JACKS MY COUNTS! And that's when we leave people, or wait LONGER for people that aren't coming!

So, bottom line, when you hear counting, resist the 12 year old boy in you and do NOT throw out meaningless numbers. Don't do it. We'll instantly like you better.

BIttaly. (And it's only day one.)

My day started out on September 7...like any other travel day. Running around, trying to get the last minute things done, barely remembering the brand new strawberries in my car (no longer brand new as I'd already forgotten them for 2 days-whoops), and hoping I'd packed everything. Jump in the car because my Momma Bear is the best. She drops me off at the train station and I'm on my way...wondering what I've forgotten. At the Asbury Park station this, hmmmm, SNAKE? Gets on the train. And I don't mean creepy person, nor do I mean a real boa, I simply mean this wooden snake. Too windy for a walking stick, I have NO idea what it was!

Moving along. I get to the airport, pretty late as there are still some residual flooding issues affecting the tracks. I book it, get to the Alitalia counter, and mean Jasmine informs me that the flight is running 15 to 20 to well actually an hour late. So is it 15 or is it 20 or is it an hour? It's an hour. She pauses. At least. GREAT! But she assures me I'll make my connection in Roma-no problem. I almost asked her if she'd ever been to Roma. I refrained. Too infuriated at having to take out 14kg from my suitcase. I'd read somewhere that morning that 32kg was acceptable, turns out it's 23kg. I didn't flip my numbers, but I did read the wrong thing. Thankfully they made me feel stupid about it, which is always a bonus. (Moral of the blog here is to never fly Alitalia if you want to skip the rest!) I took the 14kg out and made it into a second carry on. For those of you doing the math? That's a 30lb carry on, that's IN ADDITION to my already 22lb back pack. Yay. So, I go down to my gate, surprisingly TSA wasn't too much of an issue, he did swab my bag, but as usual, paid no mind to my liquids-none of which are in their appropriate "baggies". I found a sushi place, I had time to kill, I ducked in. Awesome. Yum. And then? Stephen Walker waltzed right into where I was having my sushi. WHAT?! Friends in the airport?! I tell you, it's a small world all the time. I say, are you going to Roma!?? He says YES! Are you!? I have a friend for sushi, for waiting, and for ROMA! Granted, I go on to Milan-but whatever! Who is Stephen Walker?! Well, he's another guide, and I met him in France when we were both doing a tour COLD (having never done it before) and we were a two bus move, and we had some adventures for sure...one included a late lost night in Avignon. Oh good times! Last time I saw him was for dinner in Paris with another awesome guide Molly, and some friends Christy and Karyn that I was traveling with. So I've never seen this cat in the country, and I certainly hadn't seen him in 2.5 years. It was awesome. So then...we board, we aren't near each other, and the plane is full. Boo, but I'm sure we both got more sleep because of it! Though, the plane had static music pumped loud enough through it, mainly opera, the whole time, and my seat slid back whenever it wanted to. More plugs on why never to fly Alitalia. We arrive in Roma, I'd said my goodbyes to Stephen on my last run to the bathroom as I'd have to sprint if I had any hope of making my flight.

I bolt. Bolting, as it turns out, doesn't work for cattle getting onto a car or into a pasture, and really, that's the best example I can give you for what security looks like in Roma. If you aren't bold or brazen, they'll mow you down. It's a fierce, evil game, and I was late for a flight, that I was making. I was kind, I prayed, I prayed a LOT! God's got this I told myself, vs. doing the heavy sighing that the lady behind me/trying to cut me was doing. Was I prepared to throw down and defend my spot!? Yes. Was I literally breathing down the neck of the kid in front of me!? You bet I was. So, I make it through, and I still have to get through customs. Bonus to Italy is that signs mean close to nothing so regardless of what countries passport I had, I picked the shortest line, and she stamped it, and I ran. (Let's clarify. I was not running. I do not run holding 55lbs of bags. I barely run with less!) So, walk quickly, pray, and mow down the Italian that thinks it's A-OK to stop in the middle of the walk way. Seriously people. I MADE IT! All grace of God. I boarded at 9:07, my flight was to leave at 9:10, too close for comfort, and I did not smell delicious. Didn't care. Made the flight. Did we leave at 9:10? Nope. We left about 45 minutes later. What was the hold up? FRATERNIZING WORKERS OF ALITALIA! Are you feeling me people!? Seriously? We had some non-revs on board, and one by one they'd come on, greet every one of them, try and find room for their luggage, and then try and find a seat. Seriously. Landing in Milano was so nice, we did it twice. The second bump/landing is what woke me up, a la "throwing me out of my seat". Arrival. Milano. To luggage? NOPE! NO WAY! NO LUGGAGE! So I go to the counter for lost luggage...this photo is an accurate description of what happened when it was my turn up. Oh, you don't see anybody either!? She eventually saunters in, as the other 4 people at the other end of the counter were apparently for a "different" sort of lost luggage!? It was on the next flight, that was landing in 15 minutes, but by the time we were done with paperwork, 5 minutes later? The story changed to it was on the ground. I still waited another hour. FINALLY! I leave the airport, head for my hotel, and I NAP! Never nap, you should never nap on day 1...but, well, I napped. Granted, I was woken up when a strange man simply used his card to open my door. NO BIG DEAL!? Um? WHAT!? I get up, I do paperwork, and then I am determined to not let my BIttaly get the Best of me. BIttaly. My new word for Bitter at Italy equals Bittaly. Since I am, or tend to be. Outside is a gorgeous sky, and as I go to take a picture of it, I see that my camera screen is broken. Yes, the brand new one, apparently it's cracked somewhere between American and Italy. You know who I blame. There's nothing I can do about it, and it's not worth my tears. It still takes pictures, I just can't see them, or any of the settings or whatever. Kinda old school, yet still new school prices! UGH! I proceed to dinner, I walk down dark roads that my mother would question were safe or not (except I know well, as this isn't Alitalia's first punch at me, striking on departure day forcing me to find food/shelter/transportation for 40+ people!) and I found this gem of a restaurant, Samarcanda. Sweet from the outside, where I dined in perfect weather, and fun and pubby on the inside where I steered clear of. I had a prosciutto and mushroom pizza of perfection, and an entire liter of ungassed water. Bliss. Also, affordable at under 11 Euros. Pizza...making Italy bearable for centuries. The Italians should look into that slogan... I leave you with this life lesson. Avoid Alitalia at ALL costs. Give your self 6-8 hours of transfer time within this country. Pray-a Lot, since you still have to maintain that whole LOVE thing! CHILL cuz they don't care. And when all that fails? Have a nap and some pizza!

Travel Tips!

Well...just a couple for now....and stolen from the March issue of Reader's Digest. In talking about flying, and the fear of DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis). As it turns out...they have just found one in every 4,656 trips of four hours or more, HOWEVER, the longer you are in the air....and the more you fly in a short period? The higher the risk. So travelers...be smart. Walk around, drink lots of water, wear loose clothing, avoid sitting with your legs crossed, and get those fun stockings that keep your veins in place! www.nwa.com/travel/tips/tips.html is a good sources for exercises you can do in your seat. My poor sister-in-law got a blood clot on the way to Paris? And it was MISERABLE she said....and it's a process....so prevention is clutch!

Just a shout out since I travel...and most of you cats do too!