A few weeks ago I traveled to Ocala, Florida with my family to surprise my grandma for her 90th birthday. We left after work on a Thursday night Jet Blue flight. This was my first time on Jet Blue, and it was an enjoyable flight. This may have been because our flight was delayed and I was too tired to stay awake for most of the flight, but still the flight was pleasant with a personal television screen for each person to watch movies, television, listen to music, or play games. I tried to stay awake for the repeat "Jersey Shore" episode, that originally aired while we were delayed in the airport, but I couldn't manage to keep my eyes open through the end. We arrived in Florida quickly, very quickly it was only a 2 hour 12 minutes flight. However, we did not completely arrive at our destination just yet. Once we landed, we rented a car and drove an hour to our hotel in Ocala. It was now around 4am, and we were exhausted.
The next day we slept in, and then went to meet my dad and stepmom at a store. The idea was that we would follow them back to my grandma's house and surprise her. She did not know her grandkids were coming for her birthday. The last time we saw her and my great aunt, her 92-year-old sister who she now lives with, was about 4 years ago. Needless to say they were both caught off-guard and easily surprised when we walked through their door. After opening birthday presents it was time for lunch. We were starving! My grandma picked a Mexican restaurant, and it was delicious, but very heavy. After lunch we headed back to my grandma's house to play games and have cake.
The next day we met for an early lunch at a Seafood restaurant then headed to Downtown Disney. We did not have enough time to go to Disney World or Universal Studios, so we settled for visiting Downtown Disney and the City Walk at Universal. It was also my brother-in-laws birthday the day before, so to celebrate we went to a Cuban restaurant called Bongos in Downtown Disney. The restaurant was of course delicious, and the margaritas, which were served in a souvenir glass, were amazing. The restaurant had live music and dancing, we enjoyed our dinner eating al fresco in the warm air. The 80 degree weather was a pleasant change from the usual March weather we were used to.
Downtown Disney was fun with a magical presence. Of course nothing compares to actually being at Disney World, but Downtown Disney was a close second. They had tons of shops and restaurants, we walked all around and of course stopped for a few souvenirs. After our late night dinner, we headed back to the hotel we were staying at in Orlando. The next morning we packed all of our belongings, and headed back to the airport. This time the drive to the airport was a quick 20 minutes, since we decided to stay in Orlando the night before. Once arriving at the airport, we returned the rented Tahoe and chose a place to have lunch. While we ate we watched people form a very long line for security, where we all were glad we were going to a different security line for our flight. However, after lunch we all realized we in fact had to join that very long line since it was the security line that led to our gate. The line went by quicker than expected, and before long we were in our seats traveling back home.
It was a quick weekend getaway, but much appreciated. My family greatly appreciated the gesture to come visit for my grandma's birthday, and we enjoyed visiting. However, the short trip was a tease for someone who loves to travel as much as I do. So stay tuned, for I am already planning the next trip of 2012.
I should also mention that this grandma, who recently celebrated her 90th birthday, is the same grandma of mine who survived breast cancer. She is one of the reasons why I decided to participate in the 2012 Avon Walk for Breast Cancer this coming October, and in honor of her birthday I would greatly appreciate donations of any amount. I have to raise $1,800 in order to walk, but I am determined to exceed that minimum amount. Each donation is tax deductible, and the money goes to support research to find a cure or prevention, as well as programs that enable all patients to access quality care. It is a great cause, and any donation is greatly appreciated! Thank you in advance!!
To donate please visit my personal donation page: Avon Walk Donation Page
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Watch the Throne
The day was finally here. November 6, 2011. I was going to the Watch the Throne tour. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about Watch the Throne is the name of the Jay-Z and Kanye West collaboration album, as well as the name of the concert tour featuring the two. I purchased tickets in August as a birthday present for my boyfriend, I think I was just as excited about going as he was. After waiting for what seemed like forever, the concert day finally arrived! I knew the two rappers were going to be great live performers, but I never expected it to be that amazing. I opted to purchase floor seat tickets. It was more expensive, but definitely worth it.
The tickets said the show would start at 7:30pm, but to our surprise there was no traffic and not many people waiting for the show to start upon our arrival. After walking around a bit we soon found out that the show did not start until 9pm. We settled into our seats and were impatient with excitement at how close our seats actually were. There were two stages set up: one was a big main stage and the other was a smaller stage in the middle of the floor section, which happened to be right next to our seats. As the hour went by the arena became more and more crowded with fans, and before long the lights were going down and the show was starting!
I immediately got my camera ready, and to our surprise Jay-Z started on the stage right next to our seats! Kanye West then made his appearance on the main stage as the two performed their first song of the night. During the middle of the song both stages lifted the two artists high off the ground while projecting images of wild animals. It was like something I had never seen before, amazing to say the least. The show continued, with the two performing mostly on the main stage, until Kanye West appeared on the stage closest to me around the midway point of the concert.
The two performed songs from the Watch the Throne album as well as their solo albums. One of my favorite parts of the night was when Kanye West performed Heartbreaker. After Kanye finished, Jay-Z stated something along the lines of my hear never gets broken because I'm a P-I-M-P and continued to perform his hit song "P.I.M.P." Mr. West stood to the side listening and enjoying it just as much as the rest of us. Once Jay-Z was done Kanye announced something along the lines of always wanting to live his life in that style, but whenever he tried to he always found a "Golddigger," where he then performed his popular verses. Once completed, Jay-Z responded back with "If you're having girl problems I feel bad for you son, I got 99 problems, but a bitch ain't one" where he then continued the verses of his "99 Problems" lyrics. The two went back and forth responding to each other with their lyrics, as if everything from their past albums had been previously planned out to perfectly fit together at this moment.
The show ended with one of the most recent songs by the two artists titled "That Shit Crazy," which was performed in completion three separate times. To say the least, this was one of the best concerts I had ever been to, and I would not hesitate to purchase floor seats if ever given the opportunity to see them live again. Needless to say by the end of the night we all felt as though we were definitely in their zone.
The tickets said the show would start at 7:30pm, but to our surprise there was no traffic and not many people waiting for the show to start upon our arrival. After walking around a bit we soon found out that the show did not start until 9pm. We settled into our seats and were impatient with excitement at how close our seats actually were. There were two stages set up: one was a big main stage and the other was a smaller stage in the middle of the floor section, which happened to be right next to our seats. As the hour went by the arena became more and more crowded with fans, and before long the lights were going down and the show was starting!
I immediately got my camera ready, and to our surprise Jay-Z started on the stage right next to our seats! Kanye West then made his appearance on the main stage as the two performed their first song of the night. During the middle of the song both stages lifted the two artists high off the ground while projecting images of wild animals. It was like something I had never seen before, amazing to say the least. The show continued, with the two performing mostly on the main stage, until Kanye West appeared on the stage closest to me around the midway point of the concert.
The two performed songs from the Watch the Throne album as well as their solo albums. One of my favorite parts of the night was when Kanye West performed Heartbreaker. After Kanye finished, Jay-Z stated something along the lines of my hear never gets broken because I'm a P-I-M-P and continued to perform his hit song "P.I.M.P." Mr. West stood to the side listening and enjoying it just as much as the rest of us. Once Jay-Z was done Kanye announced something along the lines of always wanting to live his life in that style, but whenever he tried to he always found a "Golddigger," where he then performed his popular verses. Once completed, Jay-Z responded back with "If you're having girl problems I feel bad for you son, I got 99 problems, but a bitch ain't one" where he then continued the verses of his "99 Problems" lyrics. The two went back and forth responding to each other with their lyrics, as if everything from their past albums had been previously planned out to perfectly fit together at this moment.
The show ended with one of the most recent songs by the two artists titled "That Shit Crazy," which was performed in completion three separate times. To say the least, this was one of the best concerts I had ever been to, and I would not hesitate to purchase floor seats if ever given the opportunity to see them live again. Needless to say by the end of the night we all felt as though we were definitely in their zone.
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| Jay-Z (stage closest to me) |
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| Kanye West (stage closest to me) |
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| Main Stage |
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Lake George-Camping
The long weekend was finally here. I had planned to go camping over Columbus Day weekend, but I did not plan on leaving work a day early due to being sent home from a cold that everyone was aware of. I headed straight for bed to get the rest needed to be better in time for camping the next day, but this is easier said than done when your kitchen is being redone and there is constant banging and drilling right underneath your bedroom. After the work day was complete, and the workers left my house, I was finally able to sleep. The next day was a struggle. I woke up early, finished packing, and headed towards NY to pick up my boyfriend. The rest of my family was to meet us at the rented cabin in Lake George, NY.
I drove to my boyfriend with a box of tissues handy, and tried to get there as soon as possible so he could take over the driving. Again, things did not go as planned. I was soon at a dead stop in traffic, making my commute an extra hour longer. I could not stop thinking about how badly I wanted to be in the passenger seat asleep already. I finally reached my boyfriend's and we were on our way to the cabin. This drive went a lot smoother for me. I slept half the way, and was starting to feel better. Before long we reached our destination.
We were of the first few to arrive and immediately ran to explore the cabin. It was perfect! I personally don't enjoy real camping, out in the woods filled with bugs and no electricity. This cabin was more my style: 3 bedrooms, two bathrooms, kitchen, and living room. I chose the bedroom with two beds, high off the floor. I marked my spot, and began to unpack. Soon, the rest of my family showed up including my gorgeous tibetan terrier dog.
Once everyone settled in, we began to make dinner. The grill took forever to get set up and actually start cooking the food, by the time it was done we were starving. Even though I was starving, my cold made me lose most of my appetite by the time the food was actually ready to eat. I was ready for bed, but the night wasn't over. We were soon back outside roasting marshmallows and making s'mores around a fire. Again, I didn't feel like eating, and had only one roasted marshmallow and made my way to bed.
The next day I was feeling better! While still having a few symptoms from the cold, I felt a lot better and was ready to get outside. The day was spent going on a canoe on Lake George (a short walk from our cabin door), playing volleyball, wiffle ball, and badminton. The highlight of the day was watching my 85 year old grandmother being given a ride back to the cabin from the lake, on the neighbor's ATV. Now that I think about it, my grandma got to ride an ATV, and this is something I still have not done! This all took place so quickly we were all a little surprised my grandma opted for the ATV ride. After playing, we started to prepare for dinner. That night we made chicken and beef skewers with vegetables on the grill, delicious! After dinner, again we made time for s'more making before heading in to play a few board games.
The next day everyone decided it would be fun to rent a boat. We made our way to a rental place, and stepped aboard our rented boat for the day. This was my dog's very first boat ride. I spent most of the boat ride cuddling with my dog, I should mention my dog hates being cuddled and the only time he allows it is when he is a little scared, which I took advantage of. It was a beautiful day of fishing and being in the sun, but not before long we had to make our way back to land. That night was pasta night! My sister made her homemade pasta sauce complete with peppers on the plate before serving, one of my favorite meals! However, my sense of taste was lost before being able to eat, due to my cold that seemed to never fully go away the whole weekend. At least my appetite had not been lost. After dinner, we rearranged furniture and enjoyed a movie with popcorn before heading to bed for one last night at the cabin.
The following day I woke up to find my boyfriend enjoying the neighbor's ATV, a bit faster than when my grandma was using it. After the fun, we packed up the car and headed home, but not before making a few stops on the way out. There was a lookout point that we were determined to find, and hiked our way up the hill to see the amazing views. My dog enjoyed every minute of it as well, but for a different reason. While sniffing around he came across a new friend, a smaller dog that seemed to follow him everywhere. They played for a bit before it was time to head back to the cars, and back home. However, we made one last stop before heading home. We bought sandwiches and enjoyed lunch at a nearby park. The park, complete with many climbing opportunities, was a fun way to end the trip. After swinging and climbing, we were finally ready to head home.
The traffic was quite annoying, but those extra hours in the car made being home even better!
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Japan Dolphins Day
Today, September 1, 2011, marks the beginning of a new month. It is also Japan Dolphins Day, a day that marks the beginning of a horrible event. Every year beginning on or around September first, fishermen begin their season of killing thousands of dolphins. This is a topic I feel very passionate about and believe it is important to raise awareness, offer my support, and urge others to help in any way possible.
I have always shared a love for dolphins. For as long as I can remember I wanted to learn as much as I could about this mammal. The more I learned the more I fell in love with this beautiful species. I continue to research information about dolphins in my spare time, and hope to one day somehow work with them, or work to inform the public about this amazing species.
When I first heard about the documentary The Cove I knew this was going to be one movie I would never be able to watch. For those who have not heard of the documentary, The Cove exposes the dolphin slaughter happening in Taiji, Japan. It has won awards, and is a great way to raise awareness about the dolphins being harmed in Japan. The dolphins are being slaughtered every year in Japan, as well as various countries around the world. Japan Dolphins Day is celebrated to help save the dolphins.
Every year, fishermen slaughter more than 20,000 dolphins between the months of September through April. While fishermen say the dolphin meat is a part of the Japan culture, this is not completely true. Yes, dolphin meat is sold in Japan, however the public in Japan is unaware of the slaughtering taking place. Dolphin meat is not desired in Japan, and is usually falsely labeled as whale meat. This is harmful to not only dolphins, but also to the people who eat the meat. The dolphin meat is highly contaminated with toxic chemicals such as mercury, methyl mercury and PCBs, which causes a serious health risk in those who consume the dolphin meat. Fishermen are not the only ones who take part in this event, some dolphin trainers have been spotted helping in the capturing of the dolphins. Dolphin trainers will help trap the dolphins so that they get their first pick of which dolphins to buy for their aquariums, and do not seem to care that they are aiding in the killing of thousands of innocent dolphins. As long as trainers continue to purchase captured dolphins, the less likely this horrible event will ever end.
I have learned a lot about the killing of dolphins over the past few days, and am trying to help in every way possible. Raising awareness is the best way to help, the more people that know of this deadly event the more likely we can stop the killing of dolphins. No dolphins are not endangered at the current moment, but if more than 20,000 dolphins continue to become slaughtered every year, they will become endangered, and that is something that I cannot allow to happen. I want to make it clear that no one is against Japan or the people of Japan, this is solely raising awareness in the killing of dolphins, that happens all over the world.
I hope to travel to Japan this time next year and join Ric O'Barry, the main character of The Cove, as well as the save Japan dolphins team who go to Taiji, Japan, at the Cove on September first of every year, the beginning of the annual dolphin slaughter there, to pray for the dolphins and to monitor the Cove. I have already signed a couple of petitions that will be sent to government officials and have purchased a couple t-shirts where the proceeds go to help the dolphins. I have only provided a small insight into a horrible event, please take the time to visit the links I provided to learn more, and to find out how you can help.
To learn more please visit: http://www.savejapandolphins.org/
Sign The Cove: Help Save Japan's Dolphins: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/724/210/624/
Sign Stop the Dolphin Slaughter in Taiji, Japan: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/3/stop-the-dolphin-slaughter/
I have always shared a love for dolphins. For as long as I can remember I wanted to learn as much as I could about this mammal. The more I learned the more I fell in love with this beautiful species. I continue to research information about dolphins in my spare time, and hope to one day somehow work with them, or work to inform the public about this amazing species.
When I first heard about the documentary The Cove I knew this was going to be one movie I would never be able to watch. For those who have not heard of the documentary, The Cove exposes the dolphin slaughter happening in Taiji, Japan. It has won awards, and is a great way to raise awareness about the dolphins being harmed in Japan. The dolphins are being slaughtered every year in Japan, as well as various countries around the world. Japan Dolphins Day is celebrated to help save the dolphins.
Every year, fishermen slaughter more than 20,000 dolphins between the months of September through April. While fishermen say the dolphin meat is a part of the Japan culture, this is not completely true. Yes, dolphin meat is sold in Japan, however the public in Japan is unaware of the slaughtering taking place. Dolphin meat is not desired in Japan, and is usually falsely labeled as whale meat. This is harmful to not only dolphins, but also to the people who eat the meat. The dolphin meat is highly contaminated with toxic chemicals such as mercury, methyl mercury and PCBs, which causes a serious health risk in those who consume the dolphin meat. Fishermen are not the only ones who take part in this event, some dolphin trainers have been spotted helping in the capturing of the dolphins. Dolphin trainers will help trap the dolphins so that they get their first pick of which dolphins to buy for their aquariums, and do not seem to care that they are aiding in the killing of thousands of innocent dolphins. As long as trainers continue to purchase captured dolphins, the less likely this horrible event will ever end.
I have learned a lot about the killing of dolphins over the past few days, and am trying to help in every way possible. Raising awareness is the best way to help, the more people that know of this deadly event the more likely we can stop the killing of dolphins. No dolphins are not endangered at the current moment, but if more than 20,000 dolphins continue to become slaughtered every year, they will become endangered, and that is something that I cannot allow to happen. I want to make it clear that no one is against Japan or the people of Japan, this is solely raising awareness in the killing of dolphins, that happens all over the world.
I hope to travel to Japan this time next year and join Ric O'Barry, the main character of The Cove, as well as the save Japan dolphins team who go to Taiji, Japan, at the Cove on September first of every year, the beginning of the annual dolphin slaughter there, to pray for the dolphins and to monitor the Cove. I have already signed a couple of petitions that will be sent to government officials and have purchased a couple t-shirts where the proceeds go to help the dolphins. I have only provided a small insight into a horrible event, please take the time to visit the links I provided to learn more, and to find out how you can help.
To learn more please visit: http://www.savejapandolphins.org/
Sign The Cove: Help Save Japan's Dolphins: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/724/210/624/
Sign Stop the Dolphin Slaughter in Taiji, Japan: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/3/stop-the-dolphin-slaughter/
Atlantic City
As we pulled up to the Borgata hotel and casino in Atlantic City I was excited as well as tired. I had slept for most of the car ride, which made me feel even more sleepy. However, I had a long night ahead of me. We arrived a little later than planned due to me having to work a half day before leaving, but I was not going to let that ruin the rest of the night. We pulled in the parking lot and carried all our bags to the lobby. I of course overpacked, I have an obsession with clothes, so much that I have to pack various outfits for each night in case I change my mind about what to wear. We proceeded to check into the hotel, and made our way up to the room. I immediately began to unpack. We had comedy show tickets, and I still had to shower and meet for dinner before the show. As soon as the unpacking was completed, I started getting ready for the night ahead.
I decided to wear one of my favorite go to summer outfits: a gray tank with an attached chain/beaded necklace with white shorts and wedges. While I was finishing getting ready I realized a lot of water had leaked out of the shower onto the tile floor of the bathroom. Upon a closer glance, it was clear that the glass shower door was not properly installed, and included a gap causing water to leak out every shower. I threw a bunch of towels over the spill and hurried to dinner. We went to the buffet in the Borgata hotel, which actually had a great selection of food. Being very hungry at this point, I thoroughly enjoyed the meal.
It was now time to head to the comedy show also in the Borgata hotel. I had never attended a comedy show at the Borgata hotel, and did not know what to expect. A few minutes into the show I couldn't stop laughing. The comedians, including one from the television show "America's Got Talent," were very entertaining. The show went by quickly, and it was soon time to shuffle out of the theater. The theater was packed with people slowly exiting, it seemed like forever before I was able to exit the room and make my way to the nearest bathroom. A couple glasses of wine before the show was not the best choice. After leaving the nearest bathroom crowded with a mix of drunken ladies and older women in power chairs, we made our way to the Gypsy Bar in the casino. The Benjamins, a great cover band I had seen play live once before, were already playing when we arrived. I was excited to see them play again, and made my way to the bar. After a few hours of listening to the band, drinking, and taking pictures with the members of the band, we eventually made it back to the room.
I intended to wake up early the next morning, but could not seem to get out of bed. I finally awoke and got ready for the day around noon. I put on my leopard print swimsuit, a tank top, and shorts and headed down to the lobby. The first destination of the day was the boardwalk, but not before having lunch. We ordered pizza at a little cafe in the Borgata hotel, which took quite awhile to be given. After lunch, we drove over to the beach area and made our way through a casino where we found ourselves in the middle of a mall attached to the casino. Of course we began to shop. About an hour later with a new zip up sweatshirt and sunglasses, we finally made our way to the boardwalk. The boardwalk was busy with people of all ages. We walked for awhile then stopped for a pretzel, and decided we were ready to head back to the hotel to enjoy the indoor pool of the Borgata. We finally made it to the pool, and soon found lounge chairs that were open. The pool seemed to be crowded with kids at the moment, so we headed towards the hot tub area. After a little time in the hot tub, it was time to lie down on the lounge chair and relax before getting ready for another night in AC.
That night I wore my new black mini skirt and one of my favorit white tank tops with a matching white sweater. We started with dinner at an underground italian restuarant. It was delicious! After we finished our meal it was time to walk back upstairs from the restaurant and head to the bars. I had a couple glasses of wine, and then found the slot machines. I decided to play the wheel of fortune slot machine and the roulette machine, where I walked away with around $200. I was happy to end my night after winning from penny slot machines.
The next day we continued our trip and were soon on the beach in Wildwood. The beach was packed and full of sun and cold water. After a few hours, we made our way to yet another hotel room, this time in Wildwood. That night we ate at a very crowded seafood restaurant, where I tried crab for the first time, and surprisingly loved every piece I ate. After the perfect beach trip dinner, we walked on the boardwalk. Soon after walking we decided to buy tickets and go on rides, I haven't been on any boardwalk rides in a long time, and was very excited to get in line. We started with the tilt-a-whirl, next was a pirate ship boat that took you for a ride around the boardwalk giving you great views of the beach. The swings were next, always a favorite ride, although being up in the air on this ride didn't feel so safe at the boardwalk, but soon we were back down on the ground and enjoying the bumper cars. Needless to say we fell asleep fast that night, and were ready to head home the next morning, but not before breakfast. We went to a cute breakfast restaurant in Cape May, and also shopped around the Cape May area, where we then decided to stop at the Cape May zoo on our way home.
The zoo was filled with beautiful animals, that I would have enjoyed seeing even more if it weren't so hot out. After a couple hours of wandering around the zoo, it was time to get on the road and head back home. I spent most of the three hour car ride asleep on my pink travel pillow, and before I knew it I was home, and it was the end of another jersey shore trip.
I decided to wear one of my favorite go to summer outfits: a gray tank with an attached chain/beaded necklace with white shorts and wedges. While I was finishing getting ready I realized a lot of water had leaked out of the shower onto the tile floor of the bathroom. Upon a closer glance, it was clear that the glass shower door was not properly installed, and included a gap causing water to leak out every shower. I threw a bunch of towels over the spill and hurried to dinner. We went to the buffet in the Borgata hotel, which actually had a great selection of food. Being very hungry at this point, I thoroughly enjoyed the meal.
It was now time to head to the comedy show also in the Borgata hotel. I had never attended a comedy show at the Borgata hotel, and did not know what to expect. A few minutes into the show I couldn't stop laughing. The comedians, including one from the television show "America's Got Talent," were very entertaining. The show went by quickly, and it was soon time to shuffle out of the theater. The theater was packed with people slowly exiting, it seemed like forever before I was able to exit the room and make my way to the nearest bathroom. A couple glasses of wine before the show was not the best choice. After leaving the nearest bathroom crowded with a mix of drunken ladies and older women in power chairs, we made our way to the Gypsy Bar in the casino. The Benjamins, a great cover band I had seen play live once before, were already playing when we arrived. I was excited to see them play again, and made my way to the bar. After a few hours of listening to the band, drinking, and taking pictures with the members of the band, we eventually made it back to the room.
I intended to wake up early the next morning, but could not seem to get out of bed. I finally awoke and got ready for the day around noon. I put on my leopard print swimsuit, a tank top, and shorts and headed down to the lobby. The first destination of the day was the boardwalk, but not before having lunch. We ordered pizza at a little cafe in the Borgata hotel, which took quite awhile to be given. After lunch, we drove over to the beach area and made our way through a casino where we found ourselves in the middle of a mall attached to the casino. Of course we began to shop. About an hour later with a new zip up sweatshirt and sunglasses, we finally made our way to the boardwalk. The boardwalk was busy with people of all ages. We walked for awhile then stopped for a pretzel, and decided we were ready to head back to the hotel to enjoy the indoor pool of the Borgata. We finally made it to the pool, and soon found lounge chairs that were open. The pool seemed to be crowded with kids at the moment, so we headed towards the hot tub area. After a little time in the hot tub, it was time to lie down on the lounge chair and relax before getting ready for another night in AC.
That night I wore my new black mini skirt and one of my favorit white tank tops with a matching white sweater. We started with dinner at an underground italian restuarant. It was delicious! After we finished our meal it was time to walk back upstairs from the restaurant and head to the bars. I had a couple glasses of wine, and then found the slot machines. I decided to play the wheel of fortune slot machine and the roulette machine, where I walked away with around $200. I was happy to end my night after winning from penny slot machines.
The next day we continued our trip and were soon on the beach in Wildwood. The beach was packed and full of sun and cold water. After a few hours, we made our way to yet another hotel room, this time in Wildwood. That night we ate at a very crowded seafood restaurant, where I tried crab for the first time, and surprisingly loved every piece I ate. After the perfect beach trip dinner, we walked on the boardwalk. Soon after walking we decided to buy tickets and go on rides, I haven't been on any boardwalk rides in a long time, and was very excited to get in line. We started with the tilt-a-whirl, next was a pirate ship boat that took you for a ride around the boardwalk giving you great views of the beach. The swings were next, always a favorite ride, although being up in the air on this ride didn't feel so safe at the boardwalk, but soon we were back down on the ground and enjoying the bumper cars. Needless to say we fell asleep fast that night, and were ready to head home the next morning, but not before breakfast. We went to a cute breakfast restaurant in Cape May, and also shopped around the Cape May area, where we then decided to stop at the Cape May zoo on our way home.
The zoo was filled with beautiful animals, that I would have enjoyed seeing even more if it weren't so hot out. After a couple hours of wandering around the zoo, it was time to get on the road and head back home. I spent most of the three hour car ride asleep on my pink travel pillow, and before I knew it I was home, and it was the end of another jersey shore trip.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Cruise-NYC
After Tortola there were a couple nights left on the ship before arriving in NYC. The next couple days went by in a joyous blur filled with swimming, eating, and drinking. Before we knew it, we were back in New York. After packing up, and stuffing our suitcases with souvenirs and clothes it was time to make our way home. After a lovely breakfast and waiting for our time to be called, it was time to say goodbye to the cruise. It went by too fast for me, I wished we had another 10 more days of cruising left, but that was not possible, and our taxi was already waiting to bring us home.
The ride home involved a little bit of traffic, and a lot of talking by our driver. He went on to state that he wanted to plan a cruise with his family, and continuously told us about the cruise he had gone on with a bunch of friends a few years back. We also heard about his family, and how he was quite upset that his wife just sold his motorcycle without asking. He was an outgoing person, and his stories were enjoyable, but it was clear seeing us after a cruise had convinced him to book a cruise himself.
Before long I was back home. I was very happy to see my dog and distribute souvenirs to my family. I was also excited to use my new coach purse I got on the trip as a late Christmas present. Every time I wear the purse I will always think of St. Thomas and the amazing cruise of new adventures. I cannot wait for my next trip, and the many adventures that are yet to come!
The ride home involved a little bit of traffic, and a lot of talking by our driver. He went on to state that he wanted to plan a cruise with his family, and continuously told us about the cruise he had gone on with a bunch of friends a few years back. We also heard about his family, and how he was quite upset that his wife just sold his motorcycle without asking. He was an outgoing person, and his stories were enjoyable, but it was clear seeing us after a cruise had convinced him to book a cruise himself.
Before long I was back home. I was very happy to see my dog and distribute souvenirs to my family. I was also excited to use my new coach purse I got on the trip as a late Christmas present. Every time I wear the purse I will always think of St. Thomas and the amazing cruise of new adventures. I cannot wait for my next trip, and the many adventures that are yet to come!
Cruise-Tortola
Tortola! It was the last island we were to visit on this trip, and the only place where I would swim with dolphins for the very first time! Let me start from the beginning. I love dolphins, I have researched as much as I can about the mammals and have fallen in love. It has always been one of my dreams to go swimming with dolphins. I actually wanted to study marine biology so I could one day work with dolphins, until I realized I was not such a big fan of studying science and math. Still, I was not going to let that get in the way of me enjoying their existence. I have even learned that pink dolphins exist, and the rare color is caused by being an albino of the species. Pink dolphins are rare, and it has become another dream of mine to one day actually see a pink dolphin in person. So, needless to say I was ecstatic about waking up in Tortola, and only being a few hours away from meeting a dolphin in person for the first time!
Rushing to get to the meeting spot on time for the dolphin encounter, we grabbed breakfast on the go and hurried off the ship. We made it just in time, and were soon on the "bus" ride to our destination. We arrived to a place with murky looking water with amazing dolphins swimming around! I couldn't wait!! We were given life jackets, and shown a safety video. After about a half hour of listening to instructions, taking pictures, and dividing up into groups it was time!! I was already jealous of the trainer who got to play with the dolphins for a living. We made our way to the platform and began climbing down the steps into this well to be honest disgusting looking water. Normally I would be grossed out, but I know that in the water was the one thing I had always dreamed of. A dolphin!! At first I was a little scared, due to the dark color of the water, you could not really tell where the dolphin was. It was not long that I forgot about being scared and became extremely excited and happy. It was my turn to swim with the dolphin. The dolphin's name was Venus, and she was 2 months pregnant! I would have loved to have seen a baby dolphin! So it was my turn, I swam to the other end of the swimming area and held out my hand, the dolphin came up behind me and i grabbed on to its two fins as she pulled me across the water swimming on her back. Next I got to hug the dolphin, kiss her, hold her, and shake her fins. It was absolutely amazing!
I was a little disappointed that the swim with the dolphin was so short, and that we didn't get the opportunity to do the "superman" move where two dolphins lift you out of the water, but I still loved every minute of it. I cannot wait to go swimming with dolphins again! After we dried off, right before it started to rain. We made our way inside where we purchased pictures and souvenirs. We were then dropped off to do some shopping. However, there were not many shops around. We walked through a flea market and a few small stores where we found a few gifts for people, and made our way back. On the way I also made a stop to take a picture with a donkey, where the owner realized we were tourists and made me pay him one dollar for taking the picture. I could've walked away without paying, but it was one dollar and I figured why not.
As we walked back to the ship, most of the crew was walking off to perform a routine drill on the lawn nearby. We finally made our way back and sat down to a nice lunch. Then off to another nap and another night of dinner, entertainment, and drinking.
Rushing to get to the meeting spot on time for the dolphin encounter, we grabbed breakfast on the go and hurried off the ship. We made it just in time, and were soon on the "bus" ride to our destination. We arrived to a place with murky looking water with amazing dolphins swimming around! I couldn't wait!! We were given life jackets, and shown a safety video. After about a half hour of listening to instructions, taking pictures, and dividing up into groups it was time!! I was already jealous of the trainer who got to play with the dolphins for a living. We made our way to the platform and began climbing down the steps into this well to be honest disgusting looking water. Normally I would be grossed out, but I know that in the water was the one thing I had always dreamed of. A dolphin!! At first I was a little scared, due to the dark color of the water, you could not really tell where the dolphin was. It was not long that I forgot about being scared and became extremely excited and happy. It was my turn to swim with the dolphin. The dolphin's name was Venus, and she was 2 months pregnant! I would have loved to have seen a baby dolphin! So it was my turn, I swam to the other end of the swimming area and held out my hand, the dolphin came up behind me and i grabbed on to its two fins as she pulled me across the water swimming on her back. Next I got to hug the dolphin, kiss her, hold her, and shake her fins. It was absolutely amazing!
I was a little disappointed that the swim with the dolphin was so short, and that we didn't get the opportunity to do the "superman" move where two dolphins lift you out of the water, but I still loved every minute of it. I cannot wait to go swimming with dolphins again! After we dried off, right before it started to rain. We made our way inside where we purchased pictures and souvenirs. We were then dropped off to do some shopping. However, there were not many shops around. We walked through a flea market and a few small stores where we found a few gifts for people, and made our way back. On the way I also made a stop to take a picture with a donkey, where the owner realized we were tourists and made me pay him one dollar for taking the picture. I could've walked away without paying, but it was one dollar and I figured why not.
As we walked back to the ship, most of the crew was walking off to perform a routine drill on the lawn nearby. We finally made our way back and sat down to a nice lunch. Then off to another nap and another night of dinner, entertainment, and drinking.
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