Travels

Ever since our first trip to Europe in 2009, Eric and I have been hit with the travel bug and have been making an effort to really rack up the travel miles. I thought it might be nice to have all of our travel recaps and photos linked in one convenient place, largely for me to look back on with ease, but if you happen to be planning a trip to any of these places, perhaps my recaps can help you. I know that whenever I am planning a trip, I like to read about other people's experiences there, so maybe this will enable me to "pay it forward," so to speak.

In addition to the places listed below, Eric and I have had the great opportunity to live in two amazing cities for three years each: Washington, D.C. and New York City. I hope to get all my tips for touring these cities put together in a meaningful way on this blog at some point, but in the meantime, feel free to flip through past posts. If you have any specific questions or need tips/advice/recommendations for these two cities, please don't hesitate to email me.

Feel free to use the links below to check out whichever travels interest you.

Grand Cayman: August 2008

Hungary: July 2009
(Includes Budapest & Győr, plus Jacob & Zita's wedding!)

Scotland: July 2009
(Includes St. Andrews, Edinburgh & North Berwick)

Caribbean Cruise: February 2010
(Includes Aruba, Curacao, Trinidad, Barbados, St. Vincent, St. Kitts, St. Thomas, San Juan & Grand Turk)

Los Angeles: May 2010

Mumbai, India: May 2010

Mexico: November 2010
(Includes Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, plus Molly & Arturo's wedding!)

(Includes Cooperstown, Buffalo, Toronto, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Falls and Scranton)



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August 2008

Eric and I have been to Grand Cayman many times, thanks to his father's timeshare at Morritt's Tortuga Club on the East End. Our most recent trip was taken in honor of our first wedding anniversary in August 2008, and included lots of beach time, a swim with the stingrays, an island bike ride, some delicious food and some relaxation.

Read all about it here: Aaahh, the Caymans

Hanging out at the resort

Ready to snorkel

Kissing a stingray at Stingray City

Bike riding around the East End

You can also read a brief synopsis of past Cayman travels here: Ode to the Beach


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July 2010

In July 2010, Eric and I made our first trip to Europe for my cousin Jacob's wedding in Hungary. Although we had a bit of a rocky start (thanks a lot, Delta Airlines!), while we were in Hungary we were able to tour both sides of Budapest before heading to the smaller town of Győr for the wedding festivities. The wedding itself was one of the most fabulous I've been too, also - those Hungarians know how to party!

Hungary recaps:

St. Stephen's Basillica

View from Danube dinner cruise

Chain Bridge and Buda Castle behind us

The Chain Bridge

On a street in Győr

The happy newlyweds!

You can also see our full set of pictures on Shutterfly at the following links: Are We There Yet?; Budapest; Győr; and Jacob and Zita's Wedding.


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July 2009

After attending Jacob and Zita's wedding in Hungary, Eric and I extended our first European trip with a side trip to Scotland. We stayed for two days in St. Andrews (where Eric golfed the Old Course), then spent three days in Edinburgh with one side trip to North Berwick. We loved every second in Scotland and are dying to go back.

Scotland recaps:
  • Making plans: World Travelers
  • St. Andrews: To Scotland! St. Andrews Day 1 (including the British Golf Museum, Eric golfing the Old Course, Himalayas putting greens and dinner at The Seafood Restaurant); and St. Andrews Day 2 (including the castle and cathedral ruins, St. Mary on the Rock, Holy Trinity Church, Blackfriars Chapel and lunch at the Dunvegan.)
  • Edinburgh: Edinburgh Day 1 (including a ghost tour, Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh Castle, Greyfriars Kirk and Greyfriars Bobby statue, Palace of Holyrood, Scottish Parliament Building, St. Giles Cathedral, Calton Hill, and the Scott Monument); Edinburgh Day 2; Heading Home (including the Scotch Whisky Experience and dinner at The Witchery.)
  • North Berwick: North Berwick (including more golf for Eric, Tantallon Castle and North Berwick Law.)

Eric on the Old Course

St. Andrews

On Calton Hill in Edinburgh

Golfing in North Berwick

At the top of North Berwick Law

You can also see our full set of Scotland pictures on Shutterfly at the following links: St. Andrews; Edinburgh; and North Berwick.


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February 2010

In the fall of 2009, my sister landed the best job ever as a singer on a Princess cruise ship. Her six-month contract first took her to the Mediterranean for a few months, where she pretty much went everywhere I would ever want to go and did everything one might want to do, from touring a pyramid to drinking wine at a volcano. (You can read a summary of her Mediterranean travels here.)

After cruising the Med for a couple months, her ship sailed back across the Atlantic and spent the rest of her contract in the Caribbean, out to see for two-week cruises at a time. In February 2010, I had the opportunity to join her for one of those two-week stints, which included stops in Aruba, Curacao, Trinidad, Barbados, St. Vincent, St. Kitts, St. Thomas, San Juan and Grand Turk. Plus, I got to spend two weeks hanging out with my sister, watching her perform and bonding. All around: AWESOME.

Cruise recaps:
  • First days at sea: Out to Sea! (including booze shopping and lunch with my dad, a tour of Heather's ship, Heather's "Welcome Aboard Show," Heather's "Stardust" show, and our Valentine's Day.)
  • Aruba: Aruba (including our first experience with scuba diving, beach time, wandering through port, the invention of a new cocktail, and dinner and a show on the ship.)
  • Curacao: Curacao, and Back Out to Sea (including a charming port, the floating bridge, Heather's "Cinematastic" show, and another day at sea.)
  • Trinidad: Trinidad (including a hike to a waterfall and Movies Under the Stars on the ship.)
  • Barbados: Barbados (including swimming with sea turtles, a fun afternoon at the Boatyard and Island Night on the ship.)
  • St. Vincent: St. Vincent (including a taxi ride to the beach, some gorgeous scenery and Heather's "Motor City" show.)
  • St. Kitts: St. Kitts (including lunch in port and dinner at the ship's steakhouse.)
  • St. Thomas: St. Thomas (including swimming with sea lions and beach time at Magen's Bay.)
  • San Juan: San Juan (including the Castillo San Cristobal, the Paseo del Morro, the Raíces Fountain, the Paseo de la Princesa, the most amazing lunch ever and Heather's "Do You Wanna Dance" show.)
  • Grand Turk: Grand Turk (including horseback riding on the beach and lunch at Margaritaville.)
  • Last day at sea: Back to Ft. Lauderdale (including our last day on the ship and a visit with my mom in F.t Lauderdale.)
  • Debriefing: All Good Things Must Come to an End

My sister performing on the ship. She's awesome.

Scuba diving in Aruba

Happy Curacao

Island Night on the ship

Sea lion kisses in St. Thomas

Horseback riding in Grand Turk

You can see the full set of my cruise pictures on Shutterfly at the following links: Cruise! First Days at Sea; Aruba; Curacao; At Sea and "Cinematastic"; Trinidad; Barbados; St. Vincent; "Motor City"; St. Kitts; St. Thomas; San Juan; "Do You Wanna Dance?"; and Grand Turk.        


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May 2010

In May 2010, I was just browsing through Twitter and came across a JetBlue deal for airfare and hotel in Los Angeles that weekend. It was a steal, so we jumped on it, and we had an awesome time. We visited Hollywood, Downtown L.A., Warner Bros. Studios, and even caught a baseball game at Dodger Stadium.

Los Angeles recaps:

Walk of Fame

Hollywood sign

At Dodger Stadium

On the Friends couch at Warner Bros. Studios

You can also see the full set of our Los Angeles pictures on Shutterfly at the following links: Weekend in Los Angeles and Hollywood Walk of Fame.


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May 2010

Eric has been sent to Mumbai twice now for business, and during one of these business trips he was able to take a little time for sightseeing.

You can read Eric's Mumbai recap here: Eric in India.

Victoria Terminus

Gateway of India

You can view the full set of Eric's Mumbai pictures on Shutterfly here: Eric in Mumbai.


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November 2010

In November 2010, my dear cousin Molly got married to Arturo, in Arturo's home country of Mexico. We spent the week before the wedding frolicking on the beaches of Ixtapa, and then celebrated the newlyweds in grand fashion in Zihuatanejo on November 20th. I have to say, I'm really pulling for my cousins to keep getting married in such fabulous places!

Mexico recaps:
  • Making plans: ¡Hasta Luego!
  • Brief (relatively speaking) synopsis of the full trip: ¡Viva Mexico!
  • Arrival in Mexico: ¡Bienvenidos a Mexico! (including our arrival in Ixtapa, a pretty sunset, and our first dinner out with family.)
  • Beach day at Ixtapa Island: Ixtapa Island (including snorkeling, lunch, more sunset and another dinner out.)
  • Golfing and horseback riding: A Dream Come True (including Eric's golf outing at the Marina Ixtapa Golf Club, poolside fun, horseback riding on Playa Larga and a group dinner out with sombreros!)
  • Bachelorette party day: Celebrating La Futura Novia (including relaxation on the beach and with massages, boogie boarding, volleyball, a rowdy dinner out and bachelorette shenanigans!)
  • The day before the wedding: Molly's Wedding Eve (including more boogie boarding, last minute planning and a delicious rehearsal dinner.)
  • Molly and Arturo's wedding day: Molly and Arturo Get Married (including getting ready and the ceremony); and Molly and Arturo Throw a Party (reception, including an unforgettable finish!)
  • Heading home: ¡Adios! (including our last day, last dinner out and last breakfast before flying home.)

Beautiful sunset

Horseback riding on Playa Larga

Bachelorette Party

The beautiful bride and her handsome groom

Everybody JUMP!

You can see our full set of Mexico photos on Shutterfly at the following links: Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, Mexico and Molly & Arturo 11.20.10.


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May 2011

In May 2011 Eric and I rented a car and took a little road trip. The primary destination was Niagara Falls, but the entire trip consisted of the following: one day spent at the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown followed by a dinner stop in Buffalo, a day and a half in Toronto, one night in Niagara-on-the-Lake, one day in Niagara Falls and a stop in Scranton, PA on the way home. It was a blast!

Road trip recaps:
  • Making plans: Our Next Trip!
  • Trip overview: Niagara Falls Road Trip: A Preview
  • Cooperstown and Buffalo: Cooperstown and Buffalo (including the Baseball Hall of Fame, Doubleday Field and Batting Range, and dinner at Anchor Bar in Buffalo, the original home of chicken wings.)
  • Toronto: Toronto (including Chinatown, the University of Toronto, the Bata Shoe Museum, Royal Ontario Museum, Queens Park, Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto Art School, Blue Jays game at the Rogers Centre, Hockey Hall of Fame, CN tower, Old Town, Flatiron (Gooderham) Building, St. Lawrence Market, Sculpture Garden, St. James Park, St. James Cathedral, Mackenzie House, Yonge-Dundas Square and Old City Hall.)
  • Niagara-on-the-Lake: Niagara-on-the-Lake (including our great B&B, golf for Eric at the Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Club, shopping on Queen Street, Queen's Royal Park, dinner out and a power outage.)
  • Niagara Falls: Niagara Falls (including a walk from the Canada side to the American side across the Rainbow Bridge, Maid of the Mist, Goat Island, Cave of the Winds, dinner at The Keg, Falls Illumination and Fireworks.)
  • Scranton: Back to Hoboken, By Way of Scranton (including a stop at the Steamtown Mall for a photo with the Scranton sign from The Office, and our return to Hoboken.)

In front of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown

Eating chicken wings in Buffalo

At a Blue Jays game in Toronto

Looking out at Lake Ontario in Niagara-on-the-Lake

At Cave of the Winds in Niagara Falls

With the sign from the opening credits of The Office in Scranton

You can see our full set of road trip pictures on Shutterfly at the following links: Road Trip Part 1: Cooperstown and Buffalo; Road Trip Part 2: Toronto; Road Trip Part 3: Niagara-on-the-Lake; Road Trip Part 4: Niagara Falls; and Road Trip Part 5: Coming Home, By Way of Scranton.  


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We have a couple more trips on tap this summer!

In July, we will be making a Pennsylvania road trip, to include Gettysburg, Hershey, Pittsburgh (for my family reunion) and Philadelphia.

In August, we will be spending a few days in Chicago for sightseeing and baseball games.

We hope to also get to Boston in September.

Additionally, we regularly travel to Florida and Cleveland to see family. Be sure to check out the Florida and Cleveland post labels if you are interested in those places.

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