Category: Travel

Travel

A Day in Honolulu

Lori Martin

You may have noticed that this post is NOT titled “Day 2 Itinerary”, and I will explain why. Everyone will have a different pace that they need to follow. You and your travel partner may be ready to roll on Day 2, but another person might have slept poorly and is feeling exhausted on their first full day. The remainder of my posts will be sample “what to do in a day” posts. You can pick and choose what you want to do from these or follow them to a “T”. It’s your trip and it’s 100% up to you.

No trip to Honolulu is complete without a visit to Pearl Harbor. Well, if you’re traveling with really small children, maybe this is NOT the activity for you, but other than that, it’s a really moving experience. What follows are my tips for a day of Pearl Harbor.

First up, eat a good breakfast. You’re going to have a big day, so start it off right and fuel your body. You know your body best, but I do suggest having a good balanced breakfast. Yes, the French Toast with whipped cream, strawberries, and popping boba SOUND great, but that’s a big sugar spike – only to be followed by an even bigger sugar crash. Maybe today you opt for a few eggs (protein), some healthy fats (avocado), and some carbohydrates (toast or breakfast potatoes).

NEWSFLASH – there is a traditional Hawaiian dish called the Loco Moco. I’m NOT a fan of mixing foods together so I was super hesitant, BUT, I tried it and ohhhh myyyyy gravy. WOWZA! Who’s now a Loco Moco fan? This girl right here! What’s IN a Loco Moco you ask? It starts with a bed of rice (you can get white or fried rice, I prefer white for this dish). That’s topped with a ground beef patty, Portuguese sausage, sautéed mushrooms and onions, topped with brown gravy – and with two eggs (cooked your choice of ways) on top of all that.

The Loco Moco from Eggs N Things (Saratoga)

Once you’ve fueled, head out to Pearl Harbor. You have many transportation options (Lyft, Uber, city bus, rented car, taxi). Our Lyft XL from near the Honolulu Zoo to Pearl Harbor cost about $50. There were four of us going together. Cost for Lyft and Uber vary by time of day, so your results may vary!!

I suggest you plan ahead for Pearl Harbor and buy your tickets online. We had done that, and had tickets for visiting the Arizona Memorial at 1:00 and everything else was at our discretion (time wise). We allowed a half day and that simply wasn’t adequate. We visited the Arizona Memorial and after that the guys went on the submarine to tour that. I’m not a fan of tight spaces, so I opted to walk the grounds while they were on the sub. After that we boarded a shuttle out to the USS Missouri. Unfortunately they were closing within an hour and a half of our arrival, so we really had to hustle through. Was it worth it, even at a rush? ABSOLUTELY!! But, as it was our first time, I could’ve easily spent an entire day there, and the hubs agreed. I’m not going to share a lot of photos from the “destinations” because honestly, you want to see it for yourself. The Arizona was deeply moving to all of us. Over 80 years later, and there is still oil bubbling up from the wreckage. I heard one woman remark that they call those oil bubbles “black tears” and that seemed quite fitting. The hubs had a neighborhood “Mom” during his childhood who had a brother die on the Arizona. It was really something to look at those names and see Mrs. K’s brother’s name up there.

May they all rest in peace
I had no concept of the size of these ships until we saw one in person. They are absolutely massive. To think that a ship this size was hit by an 18″ bomb and came
completely out of the water is simply mind boggling.
Beautiful – Inspiring – Emotional – Solemn

Our visit to Pearl Harbor left me feeling very emotionally drained. I thought a lot about my Dad and uncles as we visited. I wondered how visiting PH had impacted my Dad, as his knowledge of the attack on Pearl Harbor was a lot closer than mine. We all would’ve liked to have had time at the Aviation Museum, but time had gotten away from us and we had to go. Again, this is why I’d 100% suggest you allow a full day for Pearl Harbor. I don’t think you’ll regret it – UNLESS you’re traveling with small children and frankly it’s just going to be too much for them. You know your children better than anyone but I definitely wouldn’t want to subject the youngsters in my life to a full day at a military memorial.

Our Lyft back to the Waikiki area was less expensive than our one out. However, my Lyft account shows that it was a standard ride vs. XL. The ride back was $25.

You may find yourself needing a short rest and/or refresh after a day at Pearl Harbor. Depending on the day of the week and crowds at the time of your travel, you may want to make reservations for dinner. As of February 2025, Open Table seems to be the most commonly used app for reservations in our experience. Choose something for dinner and discuss your experience at Pearl Harbor. Dinner is also a great time to discuss plans for your next day. Perhaps after Pearl Harbor you’re wanting something a little less emotionally taxing. In my opinion, nothing heals the soul as much as good old Vitamin Sea – so maybe a day at the beach is what’s next on your agenda! Don’t forget to enjoy the sunset and take a stroll along one of Honolulu’s bustling sidewalks! There are great restaurants inside the Royal Hawaiian Center, with a range of price points. We enjoyed Noi Thai Cuisine, which offers their dishes on a 1-5 scale for spiciness. For a complete list of restaurants inside the Royal Hawaiian Center, click HERE. It’s a beautiful spot to walk through before and after dinner! Remember my thoughts on going to bed on a full stomach! Get that post-dinner leisurely walk!

If you’re still ready for fun, stop in one of the hotels or restaurants for a drink. The Sheraton Waikiki has a bar/restaurant called “Rumfire”. In the spirit of research for the blog we tried the Mai Tai flight – and discovered that our favorite was the Rumfire Signature Mai Tai. We enjoyed it so much, we tried it again just to make sure it was as good as we believed. And then we went back at least one more time – just to make sure! As of 2/2025, Rumfire offers a dinner menu from 4:30 pm – 10:00 pm, last call for cocktails at 10:45 pm, and last call for food at 9:45 pm. They also offer Happy Hour from 3:00 – 5:00 daily. And, in case you’re wondering, the Mai Tai is $9 during Happy Hour. They have a good selection of food on their Happy Hour menu as well as those delicious beverages!

Pro tip – don’t drink a bunch of Mai Tais and make an impulse buy on your way back to your hotel. Although, this hat might be my favorite Waikiki souvenir!

My sister-from-another-mister always helps me make questionable decisions!

To be clear, YES – I bought that hat and NO – I regret nothing. But, I’m not sure how I’m gonna get that sucker back home. I may have to ship it. The hubs says he’s gonna wear it on the plane. I think he’s bluffing. Kinda.

If you try any of these suggestions, leave a comment and let me know! Heck, if you READ a post, leave a comment and let me know! I dunno if anyone is even out there….helloooo……????

Travel

Day 1 Itinerary

Lori Martin

You landed in Hawaii and you’re ready to GO! Except you’re not. You’ve likely been traveling since the wee hours of the morning (Hawaii time) and now you’re ready for bed and it’s mid afternoon. My tip for Day 1 – and I’m counting the day you LAND in Hawaii as Day 1 – is to give yourself some grace!

Get to your hotel, Air BnB, resort, etc and get settled in. BUT – DO NOT – I repeat DO NOT – take a “nap”. Normally I’m a big proponent for napping, but in this situation, NO NAPS!!! Put on some walking shoes and head out to explore. You may want a quick shower after travel, but DO NOT nap!

First up, explore the area around where you’re staying. If you’re on or near the beach (and that’s a pretty good bet) take a walk along the shoreline. There are wonderful sidewalks, lots of people to watch, and there is NOTHING as invigorating as the sea breeze blowing in your face. Don’t let the sound of the waves lull you to sleep – but let the activity of the beach get you enthused for your Hawaiian vacation!

You’re gonna see ABC Stores – go ahead and just go in one and check it out now! Pretty much anything you need, an ABC is going to have it, and you can find one on just about every block. Remember to throw a reusable shopping bag into your bag or back pocket, because you’re going to pay for every bag in Hawaii.

If you need a snack or a drink, pop into one of the many establishments that you pass as you walk and enjoy. You’re in Hawaii, so as a wise man once told me – “If you go to Hawaii and DON’T have a Mai Tai…did you REALLY go to Hawaii?” Ha ha. Explore, have a drink, grab a snack, and start looking for where you’re going to have dinner.

Killah Dragon at LuLu’s Waikiki – they have a great selection of Gluten Free items and their
Happy Hour is from 2-4 pm (Monday – Friday)

Day 1 – it’s PROBABLY going to be an early dinner. If you’re traveling to Hawaii from anywhere in the mainland US, it’s much later “at home” than it is locally. Please just accept the fact right now that you MAY be ready for “dinner” or “supper” at 4:00 pm in Honolulu. No, that doesn’t make you old. Matching clothes makes you old, but I’ll get to THAT later. The GREAT news about being ready to eat so early is that a lot of places have “Early Bird” specials from 4-6, so look at those menus as you walk by and pick out your first Early Bird spot. Do what makes YOU comfortable, but I like to try new stuff when I travel. There are a lot of chain restaurants that we have on the mainland right here in Honolulu. But, for ME, it’s a hard pass to eat at PF Changs or the Cheesecake Factory. I mean, MAYBE, but it’s not my first pick. It’s a 100% hard pass for McDonalds or other mainland fast food. I am not here to experience the stuff I can get at home. That’s just me, so if eating dinner at Denny’s helps you because it’s familiar, no judgement from me. Just don’t ask me to join you for dinner, because then I’m probably going to judge you. Ha ha – kidding – kinda.

Eat a nice meal and have a cocktail if that’s your thing. You’re on VACATION baby! And not just vacation, but a HAWAIIAN VACATION!!! That’s super special in my book. Order the dessert. You’re doing a lot of walking!

We are tired, but we’re walking, because we cannot go to bed at 6:00 pm, no matter how much we want to! Enjoy the walk, enjoy a meal, and then get ready for a good sleep!

Now, once you’ve eaten and you’re all stuffed and happy, take a leisurely walk back towards “home”. Maybe walk a little past “home” and then turn around and head back. Just give yourself a little “digestion” time, because nobody I know feels great when they go to bed with a full belly. Before you go to bed, drink a glass of water – because HYDRATION! You’ve had a long day of travel and your body needs water! Pay attention to the local time, and my general rule of thumb is that as long as you make it to 9:00 pm LOCAL TIME, you’re good on Day 1. You’re likely exhausted, so making it to 9 pm may be a stretch, but give it the ole college try!

Our first – of many – Waikiki sunsets

Get a great night’s sleep because much adventure awaits tomorrow! If your Hawaiian “home” is near the beach and the temperature cooperates (which it almost always does), open the windows or slider and fall asleep to the sound of the waves. Ahhh – there’s just nothing better in my mind!

Travel

Getting to Hawaii

Lori Martin

One of the biggest expenses when planning a trip to Hawaii will be your travel there. Airfares have been steadily going up since 2023, and fares to Hawaii are no exception. The hubs and I flew to Hawaii for less than $50 total (for both of us). Yes, you read that right. Let me explain how.

I take FULL advantage of reward programs. So, we have the Southwest Visa card that we use for absolutely EVERYTHING. Now, this takes some discipline, because I’ve seen people do this, and they don’t SAVE the money they’re spending so when that credit card bill comes every month, they don’t have the funds to cover it. DO NOT DO THAT!!! It’s SMART if you’re fiscally responsible! Don’t go buy random crap to get miles! Here’s what we do.

Everything possible goes on the Southwest Visa card. I’m talking EVERYTHING!! Utilities, insurance, groceries, gas, etc. If they accept a card, I use that card. Then at the end of the month I go and pay the bill off. If you’re unsure about being disciplined enough to save the money for the bill, here are a couple tips. One is to pay the card every time you use the card. You could do it daily or weekly if that helps you budget easier. You could also move the money from your primary checking account into a savings account daily or weekly, as you spend on the card. However you do it, just remember that you DO NOT want to roll a balance from one month to the next.

I use that card for everything until the Southwest Companion Pass is achieved. Not only am I getting Southwest points on every charge, I also am working my way towards a Companion Pass. Now, perhaps you don’t know what a Companion Pass is. Southwest Airlines has a program where if you earn the CP, someone that you designate as your Companion flies with you for free – you pay the taxes which currently run $11.20 for a round trip flight. There are rules and restrictions for the CP program, but we have had really amazing luck with it. If you’re interested in a Southwest Rapid Rewards Chase Visa, click HERE and not only will YOU get bonus points for joining, but I’ll get some points for referring you! As of 2/14/26, you can use the link to earn a CP valid through 2/28/26, plus 30,000 bonus points! If you’re a business owner you get even more points with the Premier Business Credit Card!

Now, because the hubs and I are business owners, we also have a Southwest Rapid Rewards Business card that we also use. Once the CP has been earned for ONE of our RR accounts, we switch and start using the other card in order to get the CP for the other person as well. Then, if we’re both flying with 2 guests, the guests are free. Please note there are rules and regulations for changing your companion, but it’s pretty straightforward and as long as you pay attention to the rules you’ll be golden!

Now, another concern is “ewwww….flying to Hawaii takes SOOOOO long”. Honestly, it was NOT bad! We flew from St. Louis to Las Vegas. It was an early morning flight and I never sleep great the night before a flight so I was ready for a nap. Anyone else get paranoid they’re going to oversleep and miss their flight?

Once we got to Vegas, we had enough time to hit the restrooms, grab some food, and board our flight to Honolulu. I ate my sandwich, knit for maybe 30 minutes or so, had one cocktail, and then it was off to sleepy land for me again!

We saw the Sphere when taking off from Vegas!

Yes, it’s a 6.5 hour flight from Vegas to Honolulu, but it was not bad. A couple tips –

  1. HYDRATE! Take a refillable bottle of water with you and fill that baby up at every stop. Liquid IV packets are a great way to help get the water down and balance your electrolytes.
  2. Get up at least 3 times during your flight (that’s about once every 2 hours) and walk to the restroom. It’s good to get some blood flowing in your legs and give yourself a stretch, as well as empty your bladder from all the water you’re drinking (see #1 above).
  3. Pack things to keep yourself entertained on a long flight. I loaded up my Kindle with books, I had a knitting project, and I had music on my phone. It was nice to have distractions from sitting.
  4. Here’s another product recommendation and I don’t get anything from this one! Just sharing the love! The hubs and I both get sore legs after prolonged sitting. I had read about Firefly nerve stimulators and decided we’d give it a try for our long flight. Once on board the flight we both put them on and started them up. I can honestly say I feel like they REALLY made a difference for me and I will not only be using them on our return flight, but I’ll also use them on future long car rides (anything over 2 hours tends to make my legs hurt). You can order HERE. Again, nothing gained for me by you buying them. But, anyone who knows me knows that I would never recommend something unless I had experienced a benefit and really believe in it! For our trip I ordered “The Ultimate” so that we both had a pair of devices and straps. You are able to turn the device off when not in use, but once the battery dies, the device must be thrown away. At this time they do not have a rechargeable device.

Now, there are LOADS of airlines that fly to Hawaii, lots of deals to be had, etc. I’m giving you OUR experience, which was with Southwest. If you’re really bougie and want to fly first class, treat yourself! I’m a little bougie and would’ve loved first class tickets, but MAN, I’m also a bit practical and two people round trip for less than $50 – even I’m not passing that deal up!

Once you GET to Honolulu, you need to get from the airport to your hotel, resort, condo, etc. We chose to get a Lyft because we were tired, lugging a lot of luggage, and didn’t want to mess with having to think too much. Lyft and Uber are great options.

You can take the public bus. We have used it a lot since settling in, but did not use it to get from the airport to our condo. I would suggest that if you have the time to plan, order your bus pass ahead of time so that you have it and are ready to go when you land. You can get the bus pass HERE, but remember to allow enough time for the actual physical card to be shipped to YOU at your home address! You can add funds to your card once you get it. At the time of this post, as far as I know, there is not an app on your phone for the bus system. But, I will admit that getting the bus passes was a task I asked the hubs to handle and I don’t know much about it. I just was handed my card and scan it when I get on/off the bus.

There are private taxis and transfers that you can also schedule to get you and your party from the airport to your hotel/condo. Viator has some options. I’m sure you can also find good ones on Google. Just make sure that no matter what you choose you check the ratings!!!

Some people prefer to rent a car for their stay. Parking, however, will be your biggest hurdle for renting a car. Know before you go if parking is available at or near where you’re staying, and how much it costs per day. Parking CAN be very expensive and in our experience thus far, we have not had a need for a car every day.

Check back soon for my first “full day agenda” for adventure on Oahu! Until then, Mahalo friends!

Travel

Travel feeds my soul

Lori Martin

Adventure. Exploration. Wanderlust. Discovery. No matter what you call it, there is nothing as invigorating as traveling to a new place and discovering new things.

For most of February, the hubs and I have had the privilege of being in Honolulu. A week here is an indulgence, but a little over 3 weeks is an insane opportunity that we just could NOT pass up. I’ve decided to create some posts about our time here, including tips for traveling that made our travels easier, sample agendas for different day trips, and some of the restaurants that we’ve really enjoyed. I’ll sprinkle in photos from our travels as well. So, if you are stuck in cold weather and don’t want to hear about it or see absolute paradise, I suggest skipping the posts tagged with #travel or #Honolulu. Ha ha.

Sunset on Waikiki Beach 02_14_2025

But, if you’re interested in travel or think you may want to visit someday, follow along for what hopefully will be an inspiring and educational trip!

Mahalo (that’s “thank you” in Hawaiian)…

Lori

Travel

…and more Venice

Lori Martin

Venice was just too awesome for one post. Day two was more exploring, eating, drinking – repeat. We saw some gorgeous spots. One tip for traveling when it’s hot (and you’re not sure you’ll have easy access to laundry) is WoolX shirts. Seriously! They’re made of Merino Wool – but they’re NOT hot. In fact, they’re soft, moisture wicking, and don’t get stinky. They are quick drying, so if you get stuck in a downpour or decide that you want to wash it out in the sink after several days of wear, these shirts will easily hang dry overnight! I have two of the Mia V-neck shirts and absolutely LOVE them! You can save $20 on a $50 order by clicking HERE! You can thank me later! They’re incredible. I’ve already ordered long sleeve shirts for our May 2024 Alaskan cruise!

OK, back to Venice. We had a washer, but no dryer in our apartment. I guess that’s what made me think of the WoolX tees. I washed my stuff on day 1 and then had everything hung about the apartment hoping it would dry. My jeans and heavier items did NOT dry easily, so those had to be soaked and washed once I got home. I will say had I been comfortable enough to leave them out in the courtyard on the drying rack in the sun, they likely would’ve dried just fine, but I was afraid I’d return and someone would’ve stolen my “Mom Jeans”…which in hindsight, really was not a valid concern!

I’m a big fan of the Aperol Spritz – even located Aperol at home!
Food and drink – amazing!

One thing that was a “must find” while I was in Venice was the Lellabella yarn shop! I had decided that, as a knitter, a cool souvenir would be yarn from my travels. Drake brought yarn back from Scotland for me, so I was on a mission to locate this mother-daughter owned shop that is packed with amazing yarns. I was like a kid in a candy store!

Drake picked out a merino wool/cashmere blend yarn for a scarf/hat combo and then I just bought random things for random projects. The ladies were so lovely to help me and we were able to work through the language barrier fairly easily. While we were there a few local customers came in with their projects seeking help from the owners, which then inspired me to buy more yarn once I saw what it looked like when knit up!

I’m VERY happy that I found the yarn shop!

We walked along, stopping in shops that interested us, taking photos of the beautiful surroundings, and of course – eating and drinking when needed!

For our final full day in Venice, I told Drake and Sara that I was going to get up early, have breakfast at a neighborhood cafe and then head out to Burano for the day. They were welcome to join me or they could do something else, but I wanted to meet up for a nice dinner for our last night. They decided to stay there, so I headed out on the morning of May 23 for Burano. First up was a cafe just around the corner from our apartment for an AMAZING breakfast.

Tiramisu pancakes with a cappuccino – SO DELICIOUS!

I felt like a savvy traveler, navigating the public water bus system and getting myself out there! I had to change water bus lines a few times in order to get to Burano, but I made it.

The trip to Burano included a line change at Arsenale, gorgeous scenery from the boat, and an adorable Venice pup who had a very “Scruffy-like” face and reminded me of home!

Burano is a gorgeous island, full of brightly painted buildings and amazing shopping. Before I got too engrossed with the shopping I stopped at an outdoor cafe and enjoyed a few drinks and some amazing food.

Best spaghetti I’ve ever had. Limoncello spritz vs. Midori spritz – both were delicious and refreshing!
Such vibrant colors, luxurious fabrics, and lively music – it was truly an experience for all your senses!

After enjoying my day on Burano I headed back to the apartment to meet up with Drake and Sara. I knew that at this point, an entire new suitcase would be required to get all my stuff home, so dinner and finding a suitcase were on our agenda for the evening.

We decided to eat dinner at an outdoor cafe on the Grand Canal near Rialto. The food was decadent and delicious – as always – and we were able to sit and leisurely enjoy our meal as well as the sights and sounds of Venice. We enjoyed a delicious appetizer of Buffalo mozzarella and prosciutto and then I had a pasta with freshly shaved truffles on top. Molto bene!

After an amazing dinner it was time to get packed up and ready to head home. The red suitcase is also a “souvenir” from Venice! Pro-tip – pack your suitcase and put it INSIDE another suitcase so you don’t have to buy one on vacation!

We did public water bus transport to the airport, and it was quite easy. I had been watching when we were taking the water bus and knew there were a few that were dedicated Marco Polo lines. We got to the airport, got checked in, and soon boarded our flight back home. It was a wonderful trip! Our flight went from Venice to Atlanta, which is where I left Drake and Sara. Our company had a show in Atlanta that week, so I stayed in Atlanta and met up with the team. Drake and Sara flew on to Nashville and then drove home.

You always see this stuff and it’s easy to say “yeah, I’m going to do that” but not many of us actually do – TAKE the trip, VISIT the places you want to see, DO SOMETHING spontaneous, SPEND TIME with your loved ones. This trip was a great reminder to me that there is an amazing world out there, full of incredible sights…and we are on limited time. This trip reminded me of that and ignited the desire to go, do more. See more. Experience more. Live more.

So, friends – if you’ve made it this far…well, this is just the beginning. More experiences, more new adventure, more fun times are ahead…and I hope you’ll join me in these adventures as well as the average daily life!

Travel, Uncategorized

Venice

Lori Martin

Once our amazing cruise was over, we were back in Venice for 4 days and 3 nights. I had rented a 2-bed/2-bath apartment via Air BnB, so once we got back to Tronchetto we made our way to the ACTV ticket station and got a pass (I believe it was for 72 hours) and found the vaporetto line that we needed in order to get to our apartment.

Venice is divided into six districts – San Marco, San Polo, Santa Crose, Cannareggio, Castello, and Dorsoduro. We were staying in San Polo and our host had told us to meet him at Campo San Polo, which is essentially the town square for that district. We were early, so we sat down at a lovely cafe and ate a delicious meal. It was probably here that I remembered how differently – and wonderfully – Europeans eat, compared to Americans! Europeans enjoy their meal – they are not squeezing it in between tasks, rushing through it to get to the next “thing”…they savor it, taste the food, enjoy the food, enjoy conversation, relax and take their time. The whole experience is so much more enjoyable when time is the LAST thing on your mind!

We met our Air BnB host at the apartment so that we could drop our luggage off. Because we were early, the apartment wasn’t ready, so the host asked if we could meet him in 20-30 minutes and he would be able to give me the key. Of course that was fine – we were happy to be relieved of our luggage, so the three of us walked into the neighborhood and decided we’d get some gelato while we waited.

This is where things could’ve gone really bad. Remember in an earlier post about this trip I said I had a crossbody bag that I use for traveling. It has a lot of great safety features and I’ve had my bag for several years. My bag isn’t huge, but I can pack a lot of stuff in there! That, combined with the foldable backpack, and I’m good to GO!

We found a gelato stand and ordered. Sara and Drake were next to the counter and I was behind them. I handed Sara my card to pay for the gelato – and here’s where I went wrong. Normally I’d USE the safety features of my bag and zip is closed, and attach the zipper pull to the “D ring” on the bag….but I didn’t. I left my bag unzipped. Earlier I had my jacket on so I had the bag strap short so that the bag didn’t hang below my coat. Because of that it was up high, basically right between “the girls”. I was handed my gelato and was standing there in gelato heaven, waiting for Sara to hand my card back to me. I felt movement and looked down to see a hand in my bag!

I wish I had a really clear depiction of what took place next, but it was basically a shit show. I started yelling at the man to my left, who was VERY close, and had a heavy jacket over his left arm. He started yelling at me because I was accusing him of pick pocketing. I looked into my bag and did an inventory of my things – everything was there – but that’s when I noticed the pocket INSIDE my bag. The zipper was open and the wad of cash I had in there (which was mostly $5’s to use for tips and such) was up high in that pocket, basically above the zipper. I KNEW I had not left it like that, because I had handed Sara my card, not gotten into the cash pocket.

The man and I continued to “share heated words” (that’s the PG version) and then he yelled something about me not being normal and my level of “losing my shit” went from about a 3 to a solid 6. I yelled at him that I was in fact VERY normal and what isn’t normal is stealing from people who are trying to enjoy a vacation. He kept saying I was not normal and then I offered that perhaps we should have the police come check that bag under the coat on his arm and see WHO the normal one was. He quickly turned and disappeared into the crowd.

What the actual hell??? Thank goodness my bag was up high, because otherwise I don’t think I’d have felt it. Lesson learned – the safety features of a bag (or anything, for that matter) do not make a difference if you do not USE said safety features! From then on, the bag was opened to retrieve payment method, zipped up, and then reopened to put the card or change back into it’s pocket. I always clipped the zipper pull to the D-ring for extra protection.

Basically, I got really freaking lucky. I got lucky that I caught him, I got lucky that he didn’t get anything, and I got lucky that nobody was hurt. Yelling at a thief is probably not the smartest thing I’ve ever done, but I didn’t really stop to think of that in the heat of the moment!

After that, we went back to the apartment to meet the host to get the keys and then decided after that excitement perhaps we’d unpack, rest, and plan out the day. We got familiar with the apartment, which had 3 “balconies” with windows that opened and lower doors that opened for hopping into your boat. It was very “authentic” Venice and pretty cool – until the first gondola goes gliding by with the gondolier explaining the area to his passengers – and then it was TOTALLY COOL!

After unpacking a bit, some rest, and checking in with home (back in the land of reliable wifi) we decided to head out and walk around a bit. We headed toward San Marcos Square.

Drake, doing his best to continue his tradition of flipping the bird (although more subtly in this one) in every photo – our cruise photos were hilarious – no subtlety in those at all!
I’d like to say I’m such a savvy traveler and fashionista that I coordinate my outfits with the scenery, but the truth is, I’m lucky to walk out of the house with shoes and pants on!

Now, you might look at these photos and wonder if I’m insane or what…who could have fun and feel safe after an attempted pick-pocketing??? Well – I’m in Italy to have fun, and I’m not about to let that asshat ruin my time. It was a good lesson to be more aware of my surroundings (even when surrounded by amazing food and drink) and to USE the safety features of my bag. I can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed Venice, even after the incident!

Venice is SUCH a beautiful city. We could’ve scheduled things to do, but we just explored and stopped to eat/drink when we felt like it, and then explored some more. There’s nothing as refreshing (to me) than an Aperol Spritz when you’re starting to get a little sweaty and tired! We had ACTV (public water bus) passes so we could just hop on one and ride for a while, get off and walk around and explore. It was a great way to just have freedom to go wherever and do whatever. Might we have seen some really amazing things had we scheduled tours or museums or shows….of course, but we had a great time doing what we wanted to do!

Doesn’t Drake look THRILLED that I’m taking a video? Ha ha!

We spent a few more days exploring, shopping, eating, and drinking our way around Venice. It was so lovely. Stay tuned for the next, and final, post on Venice – where I show more photos from our adventures around the city, including my trip to Burano on our last full day in Italy.

Travel

Lovely, Lovely Mykonos

Lori Martin

On May 18th the Explorer of the Seas arrived at the port of Mykonos, Greece. We got off the boat and got a ticket for a boat to Mykonos. The views from the boat were breathtaking. The water is the most amazing royal blue while the shore is dotted with white homes and buildings, sandy beaches, and a lush green hillside.

Drake, Sara, and I had no plans other than exploration. We looked around once we got off the boat and decided we’d follow the shoreline in the general direction of the windmills. No need for a bus here – Mykonos is very walkable. We leisurely walked around, exploring the beautiful island and admiring the incredible scenery. We stopped at a few shops, made some purchases, and wandered on.

Exploring the windmill area

Mykonos is a place I would love to go back to and stay a few days. While we were exploring we found a small beach tucked in between hillsides. There were a few people who were prepared and had their swim suits on. The water was so beautiful – if I’d have had my swim suit the kids would’ve lost me for the day! We watched as one of the ladies in the group swam out and you could see how incredibly clear the water was.

I loved Mykonos! Ready to go back any time!

It was amazing to walk around and seamlessly go from residential to commercial areas. A lot of the homes are painted in the stark white but they paint the trim, doors, shutters (etc) in a bright contrast color like red, blue, or even yellow. We saw gorgeous mosaics made from stones. A resident with a green thumb must get creative to have their green space, as there aren’t many “yards”, so you see a lot of potted plants on the front and in window boxes.

This patio had a gorgeous mosaic, made from stones that were laid on their side.
This resident made their own green space with plants and trim paint – and you can see the bright blue accents on the home next door. The contrast in the colors is striking.
Sara and Drake – Mykonos

We found a beautiful cafe on the shore and enjoyed a delicious lunch. Drake and I had Gyros, which were amazing, but nothing like what we have at home. The meat was pork, but more like bacon than tenderloin or another cut. It was served with a few small pitas on the side, used mainly to help scoop up the delicious crispy meat.

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It was a really relaxing and mellow day. We walked along, stopped in shops that grabbed our attention, made some purchases, and had great food and drinks. I purchased a ring in one of the shops as a souvenir of our wonderful day on the beautiful island.

After a gorgeous day shopping and exploring our way around Mykonos we boarded the ship to set sail for Argostoli. I enjoyed our day in Mykonos but was ready to enjoy the ship a bit, so when we got to Argostoli the next day I decided to stay on board with my book, my knitting, and relax in the sun. Drake went out and explored Argostoli and said it was quite beautiful. I think we were all ready for a “do your own thing” day, and we each had a nice time independently. I took a few photos from the ship, but did not venture into Argostoli myself.

I didn’t realize my private yacht was waiting for me! Ha ha!

One of the items that was suggested to me as helpful for a cruise are the magnetic hooks. The walls are all metal, so the magnetic hooks are handy for items that might otherwise end up on the floor, bed, or couch. Drake brought hats and the hooks were great for hat storage! We also used them for jackets and sleepwear. You can hang these on the wall or from the ceiling.

It was a bit unbelievable to leave Argostoli and realize that our time at sea was almost over. Unfortunately, the port of Ravenna, where we sailed from, had experienced heavy rainfall causing flooding, so our ship was being rerouted to a different port. Royal Caribbean kept us informed and updated us when they had information. We knew we’d be docking somewhere other than Ravenna and that our shuttle (because it was booked through RC) would be picking us up where we disembarked and taking us to Venice.

In the meantime we just enjoyed the amazing food, drinks, and activities offered on Explorer of the Seas. We went to the casino (with Drake and Sara both being lucky winners), played bingo (with Sara winning), participated in some trivia and name-that-tune games, and explored the ship.

We were informed that we’d disembark in Trieste, Italy. When we woke up we realized that was a container port, not a passenger port. Desperate times call for desperate measures!

Each passenger was assigned a group number, luggage tags were issued for that group number, and your group had a specific time for disembarking. Thankfully our time was 0715 and not 0515! We had our bags tagged and packed and were ready to go at 0715. We stayed on our floor, but not in our room, and waited for our group number to be called. When our number was called we took the elevator down and were on our bus by 0820. The biggest issue causing time delays were people not following instructions and going to the disembarking area before their group number was called.

We boarded our bus and headed out. The journey was enjoyable. The countryside had beautiful farms, churches, and fields of flowers.

We arrived in Venice at Tronchetto at 1035. Now it’s time to enjoy a few days in Venice before heading back home. For this part of our stay we had rented a 2 bed/2 bath apartment in the San Polo district. The location was wonderful and offered us a central spot to explore the city.

Stay tuned for adventures in Venice – including catching a pick-pocketer in the act!

Travel

Athens, Greece

Lori Martin

May 17, 2023 – The Explorer of the Seas docks in Athens, Greece. We were ready for a day of adventure. Drake, who has Classics as one of his majors, seemed to be excited about Athens, given it’s rich history. He had spoken to a professor who made a few recommendations on what to visit in Athens. We packed up the backpack with the necessities for the day (sunscreen, water bottles, wet wipes) and headed out.

We located a “Hop on/Hop off” bus and bought our ticket, got on and headed for the Acropolis. We did the basic bus ticket which was about $22 or so per person. We got to see a little bit of Athens as the bus headed toward the Acropolis. Once there we got off the bus, got our tickets, and started walking. It’s so amazing to walk that hill, look around, and think that settlements at this site date back to the 4th Century BCE.

The first photo I took was of the breathtaking Odeon of Herodes Atticus. This majestic structure was built in 161 CE by Herodes Atticus to honor his wife, Aspasia Annia Regilla. It was used as a theater and is said to have been able to accommodate up to 5,000 people. In 267 CE, the structure was left in ruins by the Heruli. However, it is still used for cultural events to this day, which is just incredible. I cannot imagine how incredible it is to attend an event there.

The Odeon of Herodes Atticus in the photo at the top with different views of the Parthenon below it.

The Parthenon – absolutely stunning. It’s one thing to see places and items in textbooks, videos, or even photos online…but to see them in person is amazing.

The Parthenon was built as a temple to the goddess Athena. Construction on the structure began in 447 BCE. After 9 years the main structure was completed. The next 6 years were spent adding decorative touches and making structural improvements. The Doric-style temple is made of white marble.

Imagine that – a structure that is over 2400 years old, constructed of white marble, and you’re standing next to it, admiring it’s glory and the careful restoration constantly taking place! It was incredible.

Drake and I stopped for a photo at the Parthenon – beautiful wildflowers grow randomly on the grounds of the Acropolis – Drake and Sara on our way to the top – The view from the top was spectacular and a bit mind blowing!
I love this photo that I took of the Parthenon – it was truly a sight to see!

Also located at the Acropolis is The Erechtheum, which is also called the Erechtheion. This temple was dedicated to both Athena and Poseidon. This breathtaking structure was constructed between 421 and 406 BCE. As you can see in the photo below, the structure contains six female statues, which are placed as supports for the roof. These statues are known as the Caryatids, or Daughters of Athena. It was a gorgeous day, and the Erechtheion was spectacular.

Wandering around you never knew what you’d find. Sara found several gorgeous cats, one of whom was brave enough to get close enough to say “hi”!

Massive “gateways” stand, even through they are no longer attached to the walls that originally defined the boundaries of the fortress.

We saw piles of what seemed to be “like” items. I can only imagine that as they are restoring the various structures, pieces that are found are placed with other “like” pieces in order to hopefully return them to their original structure. It reminded me of doing Lego sets with the kids and we’d start by sorting the pieces into piles of the same color in order to help locate what we needed at each stage of the build!

Another fascinating thing for me was to focus on the cityscape below – the massive city of Athens fans out from all sides of the Acropolis, so packed together you almost forget that you’re looking at thousands of homes, businesses, schools, etc. Again, the photos don’t do it justice and it really is something to experience first hand.

When we left the Acropolis we made our way to the Acropolis Museum. We walked, as it was close by. As I’m often known to do, I got distracted by flowers – a gorgeous azalea bush that had trailed down a wall and was in full bloom. It was so vibrant and striking against the blue sky. The photos below show the “close up” and a view from afar, at the Museum entrance.

As you walk to the Acropolis Museum, you’re walking over a “dig site”. There are panes of glass in the pavement so you can see the excavation below you.

The sign in the photo collage below was interesting to me, as it illustrates how what we do today may survive long past our own lives. Will someone be viewing my blog in 2,000 years as an artifact from the 2020’s? Doubtful, I’m sure!

I don’t have much to say about the Acropolis Museum because I spent the majority of my time in their patio cafe, drinking a cold soda and handling a work emergency. They had wifi and I had not paid for wifi on the ship, as I wanted to focus on the trip and not on my phone. After this situation, I went ahead and got wifi on the ship so that anything work related could be handled before we got to port, at which time I put my phone back into airplane mode and enjoyed the day.

Now, just in case my husband and business partner reads this, please don’t feel bad that I missed out on the Acropolis Museum because I was trying to sort out the situation where you lost your cell phone, asked me to locate it from the Tile app, messaged via Facebook saying not to worry, you had found it – in the parking lot, where you had apparently ran it over with your truck. Now that I’m home, you have been added to our Verizon account and can purchase a phone, accessories, or anything else that you want without me being involved. But, I am glad that the technology exists which makes it possible for me to sit on a patio cafe in Athens, Greece and order you a new cell phone with next day delivery in Illinois. Ha ha – life is CRAZY!

All joking aside, there was some cool stuff in the museum that I saw before I made my way to the cafe to handle the phone issue. We saw some cases with handmade “tools” which were used to make it possible for the Athenians to work smarter, not harder as they built the incredible structures of the Acropolis.

After we were finished there, we leisurely strolled along, figuring we’d find a bus stop eventually. We did a little shopping and then located a bus stop and boarded our bus to head back to the port. It was a lovely day in Athens, and we were able to see some truly incredible sights.

As the Explorer of the Seas left port, we stood on the balcony and admired one last view of the unforgettable Athens.

Plenty of entertainment, activities, food, and drink awaited us on the ship as we set sail for what was my most anticipated port, Mykonos.

Until next time – make every adventure memorable!

Travel

Corfu, Greece

Lori Martin

On May 16th we sailed into the port of Corfu, Greece. A couple things of note about this arrival. One, the weather was complete crap. It was raining like mad. Two, we docked next to another ship. Given our stateroom location, if went onto our balcony it felt like we could toss something to the folks on the other ship (which, to be clear, we did NOT attempt).

Drake and Sara were ready to roll – Drake had a raincoat and Sara is more adventurous than I am, so I told them to have a great day and I was going to leisurely get ready and then see where the day took me. At one point I looked out and it was raining so hard it seemed like it was raining sideways. I was happy I had stayed on ship. I got ready, had a leisurely meal, and then looked out to see that the sky had cleared, the rain had stopped and it was a beautiful and sunny day. I decided I’d grab my bag, foldable backpack (just in case – it easily clips to my crossbody bag) and head into Corfu to explore on my own.

Now, let me be clear – this is NOT in my comfort zone. However, this trip wasn’t either, so it was time to break out of my comfort zone and do somethings that were out of the ordinary for me. I disembarked and walked along the pier to the spot that you went through customs. Once through that I walked and saw a “Hop On-Hop Off” tour bus. I stopped and got the information from a woman at the tent and decided this was a good way to see Corfu given the time I had available. The round trip tour would take approximately one hour (and cost about $20 USD), and given that I felt comfortable with a 2-hour window before I needed to head back, this worked for me. I got on the bus and away we went.

The HO/HO busses usually have earphones and channels with the “tour guide” in different languages. Unfortunately the connection was poor at my seat (and two others I tried) so I didn’t get a lot of the info. I was able, however, to follow along with the map they gave me with my ticket, so I was able to identify where we were and what we were looking at.

Corfu, or Kerkyra, is one of the Ionian Islands off the northwest coast of Greece. Before uniting with Greece in 1864, Corfu was under Venetian, French, and British rule – and Venetian fortresses can be seen towering over the city.

Had I had more time to explore, I would’ve gotten off the bus and checked out the fortress or perhaps had something to eat/drink at one of the waterside cafes. As it was, I was able to enjoy the sights of Corfu from the bus, which was a good option.

The architecture as well as the countryside were beautiful in Corfu. I’m thankful that I decided to venture out on my own and see it closer than from the ship! There were several ships at port that day, so depending on where you port, you may have a long walk to get to the area for tours and busses. By this time of the trip I was starting to get into that more relaxed state that Europeans seem to have, so I enjoyed my leisurely walk to and from the ship. This was a day where my hat with chin strap and sunscreen were both necessary as it was windy and sunny. I like that sunscreen as it’s not too heavy and doesn’t feel greasy, but is also free of oxybenzone & octinoxate. I try to keep the “face and body stick” from doTERRA in my bag to apply to my face as I’m very “fair skinned” and burn easily.

Take your time, enjoy the walk!

I got back to the ship well before the “last call” for boarding, so I went to the room to see if Drake and Sara were back. No sign of them so I sat on the balcony, enjoying the sun and the activity on the ship next to us. Drake and Sara got back and we compared our days in Corfu. They had gotten rained on but they’re young and adventurous, so they had a good time. As Explorer of the Seas started to leave Corfu, the ship next to us got into full-on party mode by the pool – live band and all! It was so funny being right alongside them. I felt like we should break out into Meatloaf’s “Paradise By The Dashboard Light” with each ship singing a part (If you’re too young for that reference, sorry!).

Off we went, sailing into the night, headed for our next stop – Athens. What did we do on the ship that evening? I should’ve kept a journal or notes, but honestly I hadn’t planned on enjoying it so much that I’d blog about it – but I can tell you we had as much fun as we wanted, ate great food, enjoyed a few good drinks, and slept well. We didn’t get to a lot of the entertainment offerings on the ship and were never bored, hungry, or thirsty!

One thing I will say – we had three to the room, so we had the beds combined for a King and then the pull out couch. I thought the couch was horrible to sleep on. It was really hard, even when we piled extra blankets on it for some padding. I’m generally not a horribly picky sleeper, but I give the couch in our stateroom zero stars! Thankfully, we were able to rotate sleeping arrangements a bit and everyone slept well.

See you next time – in Athens!

Travel

Boarding and Montenegro

Lori Martin

Mother’s Day – time to board my first cruise! It was an exciting day, but the weather was less than enthused. Oh well – I’m not letting the weather dampen my excitement. We waited on our bus until we were able to get off and queue up directly under tents to keep us out of the drizzle. Royal Caribbean representatives were on hand with umbrellas, which was nice, to help anyone who needed to get luggage and get to the tents.

We made it through easily, which I think is partly due to the fact that we had followed instructions. We had our luggage tags, our documents, and were smiling. These all may have contributed to the speed at which we went through the line, but regardless, we made it through the line quickly and were boarding the Explorer of the Seas.

We headed to our stateroom to check it out. Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised. Three of us were staying in the room and it was much roomier than I had expected – especially the bathroom! I had envisioned a shower that I could barely move around in, but that was not the case. We took a quick photo from our balcony – can you see how excited we are??? — and headed on our way to explore the Explorer of the Seas.

Here’s our view from the Port of Ravenna – I’m sure that it’s absolutely a gorgeous spot on a clear, sunny day. The town (from what I saw as we drove through on the charter bus) seemed really cute and quaint – a place I wouldn’t mind returning to and exploring a bit!

After exploring for a bit (wow – these things are HUGE) and kinda orienting ourselves to the boat (ha ha – we got lost about 2,000 times – thank goodness for the app and maps everywhere) we decided to head to the Main Dining Room, as we had selected 6:00 seating.

First Time Cruiser Alert – when you book a cruise on RC, you’re given the choice between choosing a set time for dining OR “My Time Dining”. We had no idea what the difference was, and felt like picking a time was better, even if it was early. For us – GREAT CHOICE! We could sit at “our table” #230 anytime between 6:00 and 6:30. The folks who did “My Time Dining” were always waiting. We had a table for 4, so if we didn’t show up by 6:30, someone who was waiting on a table for 4 would be seated at our table. But, we noticed that there was always a line at the “My Time Dining” spot and some seemed to wait quite a while.

My impressions of the main dining room were great. You have the same table, and the same servers, the entire cruise. The menu is set, so you choose a starter, entree, and dessert. There are options to “upgrade” to a few options (steak, seafood) but we never did the upgrade simply because all the options were amazing.

Disclaimer – I’m from the midwest, and beef here is like lobster in Maine. The first night Drake and I both ordered the menu NY Strip. I should’ve known better. I liked the steak, but it was more like a piece of beef I’d use for a stir fry or fajitas – it was thin but large. To me a NY Strip is at least 1 1/2″ thick and not as large as theirs. Don’t get me wrong, it was flavorful and tasty, but not what I’d call a NY Strip.

As far as all the other food, amazing. No complaints at all. Our server, his assistant, and the MDR Manager were all wonderful. They updated us on upcoming ports, any news we needed to know, etc. They also made sure we were well taken care of. My personal note on “Formal Night” is do what makes YOU feel comfortable. We skipped MDR for the first Formal Night and hit the Windjammer buffet. Our servers asked us the next night why they missed us. We explained we were not “formal” folks and they said to not worry about that at all. We went into the MDR on the next formal night, straight from coming back from an all day port exploration. We were sweaty, in shorts/tees/sneakers, and had one lady give us the stink eye from her table of elegantly dressed companions. Judge not lady, and enjoy your meal, as we just did!

After dinner we went to our stateroom and our luggage had been delivered so we unpacked a bit and then I decided to enjoy the remaining daylight, so I grabbed my knitting project, my headphones, and my phone with my audiobook and headed to the Solarium. I got a chair and, as you can see – enjoyed the view, my audiobook, and some knitting. It was a great way to relax and try to shake off the normal “hectic” state that I tend to live in!

I like to unpack on a trip (even short ones) so after the sun went down and I couldn’t see out I went back to the stateroom to unpack my things. We booked this cruise last minute, so after I booked it I started reading about cruising “do’s and don’t”. Apparently the first rule is “Don’t book last minute” – whoops. Spoiler alert – we had a great time. Would our price had been better had we booked months earlier – probably, but this was spontaneous and because we had some Delta credit to use or lose, we went for it.

During my “post booking” and “pre boarding” research time, I found some items that seasoned cruisers recommended. Here’s what I bought, what I used, and why they were helpful or not. Remember, if you purchase through the link I’ve provided, as an Amazon Affiliate, I may get a small commission, but I’m not promoting these products to support my family! These are things I’ve actually purchased and used, and I’m being 100% honest with my opinion.

IMO, a “must have” are the magnet hooks. A ship’s walls are metal, so magnet hooks help provide some extra storage. They’re available in a variety of colors and weight limits. We had the 27+lbs hooks and they were adequate for what we used them for. We hung hats, nightshirt, towels, and a scarf/wrap on ours. It was really helpful for the hats – we travel with a lot of hats, so Drake had two hooks and layered his baseball hats on those.

If you’re traveling internationally, you need electrical outlet converters. I bought two of these and used one all the time. Keep in mind that both Drake and Sara had done a study abroad, so they each had their own converter, otherwise both of mine would’ve been needed. A lot of posts indicated a shortage of outlets on the ship, so I had also picked this power strip up, but never took it out of the box, as we had more than enough outlets. But, not all ships are the same, and the box for this is very small, so I have kept it at the bottom of one of my “always goes” travel bags with other items I’ve determined to be “travel necessities” so it’s there if we need it!

I know I said the bathroom and stateroom were more spacious than expected, but there is no exhaust fan in the bathroom. As a kindness to my fellow travelers and in order to not have the room stinky, take this! It’s small enough I was able to keep it in my travel crossbody (see A Few of My Favorite Things) and then leave it in the stateroom bathroom once we were settled.

As a first time cruiser I was nervous about motion sickness. I took some Bonine chewable tablets but never opened those. These behind the ear patches did the trick for both Drake and I when we felt woozy. I will definitely be taking those on our next cruise. I also had Ginger lozenges from doTERRA, which I use normally when my stomach feels icky. I travel with several doTERRA products. My family teases me about it, but whatever! The Breathe, On Guard, and Ginger lozenges were very handy for my trip when something in the air triggered allergies and my nose was running like mad. I also had Oregano oil on hand, as it’s a natural antibiotic, antibacterial, antifungal and all around great item. Again, the link above is an affiliate link, so I may receive product credit if you purchase through the link, but I never recommend something I don’t use!

How beautiful and peaceful is THAT?!?!

On May 15 we sailed into Kotor, Montenegro. Being out first port, it was fascinating and beautiful, even though the weather was rainy and gray. We had booked an excursion through RC for this port, so we followed our instructions and proceeded to the “Tender” into Kotor. The “Tender” is a smaller boat that you board from the cruise ship, and it takes you to the dock at port. The ship as a whole was late getting clearance to start tendering passengers, so we got off the tender and were divided for our tour busses. The three of us must’ve been some of the last passengers on our charter, and each had to sit where we could find an empty seat.

The tour itself was fine for a rainy day. The guide was GREAT and very entertaining, especially given the gloominess of the day. The driver had MAD SKILLS. From the bay, Montenegro seems like a small port with a lush mountain behind it. Little did we know, a road, consisting of over 20 “switchbacks” lets residents and visitors explore the mountain and nearby villages.

Geography lesson time! Montenegro, meaning “Black Mountain” borders Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Kosovo, and Albania. It was really beautiful, even on the gray, rainy day we visited. If you’d like to learn more about Montenegro, there’s a great BBC profile HERE. I’m no history buff, but the tour was very interesting. Here’s one crazy fact our guide provided that still blows my mind – he has lived in several different countries, yet he has never moved!

Due to it’s remote location and beauty, Montenegro is becoming quite the tourist spot for celebrities. It seems to be a hidden gem on the Adriatic Coast. Because of the weather and time restrictions, our tour was expedited and any stops were “get in, get out, get back on”. We stopped at a small village and had some Montenegrin prosciutto and “black” (red) wine. Then we stopped at a museum for a quick look at some of the royal artifacts from the Montenegrin Royal family, led by King Nicholas I and Queen Milena. They had 12 children, many of whom married royals from other European countries, giving him the nickname the “father-in-law of Europe”. Notably, their daughter Xenia was a trend setter and pioneer in her own right. While many times “betrothed” she never married. In fact, the ending of her engagement to Alexander I of Serbia was so scandalous, diplomatic relations between Serbia and Montenegro were severed. She remained single, learned to drive an automobile, and was said to be “extremely wholesome…with a sunny disposition”. She did charity work and participated in athletic sports. As her father aged, Xenia served as councilor to him, assisting in governmental tasks. When she participated in an anti-Austrian protest, the Austrian government, to whom King Nicholas was indebted to for past favors, Xenia was exiled to France as “punishment” where she lived out her years enjoying life in Paris.

No photos were allowed in the museum, but I’m sure a google search will provide any history buffs with a plethora of information on Montenegro’s Royal family.

A few photos from our tour – and the view as we sailed away from the beautiful Bay of Kotor.

As luck would have it, the skies cleared as we traveled from the museum back to port. Again, it was beautiful in poor weather conditions, so I would not refuse a trip back, especially one that provided a few days to explore the areas beaches and villages, enjoy traditional Montenegrin food and drink, and see more of this beautiful country.

Sailing away for now – but next stop is Corfu, Greece!