<![CDATA[The Footprints we Leave - Blog]]>Sat, 04 Apr 2026 18:47:39 +0200Weebly<![CDATA[Normandy, France]]>Fri, 03 Apr 2026 11:20:22 GMThttps://www.thefootprintsweleave.com/blog/normandy-franceCome along as Mario, Sissy and I explore the sights that  Normandy, France had to offer.
Many, many years ago, I had the opportunity to visit Normandy. As with some guided tours, you just don't see everything. So it has been my plan to revisit. Since Mario, has never been, I figure what better time than Spring Break.

I would highly recommended visiting in the off season with less crowds and cheaper accommodation. The only down fall is since it is off season, things may still be closed and some attractions don't open until April 1 or later. We enjoy visiting places in the off season, since we don't love crowds. 

Day 1:

We left in the morning, so we would miss the holiday traffic. Traffic was light. When driving through France, there are tons of tolls! Some tolls you grab a ticket and pay later while others you pay at the gate. Credit card and cash is both accept. France is introducing new free flow tolls, which I will talk about later in the post. Just getting to our half way point cost $52.00 in tolls and gas was about $ 8 a gallon.
We drove a little over 5  hours to our first hotel and arrived right at check in. We stayed at Moxy Paris Val d’Europe which is a Marriott property. We got welcome drinks and used our food voucher to get breakfast for 5 euro instead of 18 euro.  There was free parking with tons of grass for Sissy. They also offer a water bottle filling spot, which is a bonus while traveling.
This hotel was super close to Disneyland Paris about a 15 minute drive or 30 minute walk. I  would recommend for anyone needing an affordable stay while visiting the parks. We walked around the area. There is a mall and the train and bus station within a few blocks from the hotel. We grab a quick meal at McDonalds and soon learned they use plastic cups and fries containers at their restaurants when dining in. ​

Day 2

We said good bye to Paris. Since we stayed on the outskirts of Paris, we had 3 choices to by bypass downtown Paris. We took the upper route where we did hit some traffic but once we got away from the city it wasn’t too bad. We took the A13 and A14 which have the toll free flow tolls where they take a picture of your license. You have 72 hours to pay it online. You must go to Sanef.com to pay toll. Once online you enter your license plate and the fee appears. It was super easy to pay. For us it was around $33.00. Gas wasn’t cheap either, a half  a tank was around $70.

I love driving through the France countryside and seeing the old towns. Just so beautiful! Our final stop was Mont Saint Michel. I wasn't able to see this last time I was in Normandy so I was excited to explore. Our views as we grew closer.
I wanted a hotel close to Mont Saint Michel, so once I parked my car I didn't have to move it.  There is small street with a few hotels and hotels on the island. No cars are allowed on the island. So you walk or take the shuttle when visiting and staying on the island.  

Since our hotel was inside the no parking zone, we received a code from the hotel to enter. Once we put our code in we got a ticket. This ticket we would use when exiting and would pay at the gate. I was 10 euro for 24 hours. 

We stayed at Mercure Mt Saint Michel and is the perfect location for exploring the abbey. Right in front of the hotel is the shuttle bus spot. The shuttle bus is free and comes every 12 minutes. There are other hotels and restaurants in this area. Most were still closed due to it being off season. This hotel is also dog friendly and I received points. 
After we checked in and waited for the rain to pass, we wanted to explore the abbey. Since shuttle was packed, we decided to walk to the abbey which took 40 minutes give or take. It was super crazy windy. Keep in mind dogs aren’t  allowed on the shuttle but good thing Sissy is small enough to hide inside my coat. Keep in the mind the tides, when high tide you can only walk to the end of the bridge.

​We got to the island around 4pm and started to climb up the steep road to the entrance to the abbey. The abbey was opened until 6, so I figured I would go and explore. Mario waited with Sissy outside since dogs aren't allowed. It was 13 euro a person to visit. Be prepare there are lots of steps and down. 

A little history about Mont Saint Michel. In the 6th century, Christian hermits settle on the rock. In 708, a shrine was built on the rock and soon become a major pilgrimage spot. In the 10 century, the Duke of Normandy established a community of monks, where the town grew below. Mont Saint Michel  has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.
After I explore we walked back down looking into gift shops and grabbing an ice cream. We decided to take the shuttle back which was a quick few minutes before we got off and went to our room.

Day 3

Today greeted us with a chilly but beautiful morning. We took one last view of Mont Saint Michel and the surrounding dam. This dam was updated to help with the flow of water and the amount of sediment.
Today we started our adventures into the heart of Normandy. As you drive this region, you will find memorials on the side of the road. 
A monument to the 101st and 505th American airborne divisions.They parachuted into the area to take two bridges just before D Day. This battle per square foot was one of the bloodiest of WW2 but was taken and held by the Americans.
Next, we visited the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment Memorial.
Next stop was Sainte-Mère-Église which is on the mai road to Utah Beach.. It was the first town liberated in France during WWII, secured by U.S. paratroopers early on June 6, 1944. From the he church, you will see a mannequin of a paratrooper suspended from its steeple in homage to John Steele. There is also a museum in town, but we didn't stop.
From there we travel to the Azeville Battery, which is located 7 km from Sainte-Mère-Église and 5k from the coast. It was part of the Atlantic wall fortification and build between 1942 amnd 1944 for the German Army. It's purpose was to prevent anyone from landing on the beach. It was equipped with 4 casemates and 800 meters of concrete made galleries and covered tranches which hid ammunition and provided shelter. The 17 soldiers there could travel from one part to the other without being seen.  The battery was taken on Jun e9th by the American troops with the help of the battle ship USS Nevada.
There is a small parking lot with restrooms. Dogs are permitted and it was 8 euro per person which  included a audio guide. We lucked out because this was the first weekend it opened back up, it is closed most of the winter. If you are in the area, I would highly recommended, it was very interesting. 
From there we headed towards Utah Beach, but stopped and took in the views first. 
On the way to Utah Beach, we stopped at another memorial near Saint Martin de Varreviile. I was able to walk to the shore and see an old tank trail.
We found parking and explore Utah Beach. We were not able to go down to the beach, but the area has memorials and a museum. We were able to carry Sissy into the Utah Beach Landing Museum, so we visited. I would highly recommend it. The museum was very informative and nicely done. It was 10 euro a person. 
From there we stopped in Sainte-Marie-du-Mont. This village was liberated on D-Day (June 6, 1944) by the U.S. 101st Airborne Division, specifically the 506th and 501st PIRs. It is close to  Utah Beach and was occupied by German forces who was using the church tower as an observation post. 
From there we drove to the place we would be staying. I came across the property while searching on booking. Since day one, the communication was amazing and throughout our stay. I didn't realize when booking our cottage we would be staying on a equestrian farm, Haras Du Ry, which trains show jumpers. This place was beautiful and would highly recommend! It is located between Utah and Omaha Beach in the town Carentan les Marais. We were greeted by Carol who showed us our 2 bedroom cottage and showed us the grounds. We would learn that this place hosts weddings, which I can totally understand that based on it's beauty. Since it was a B&B we could order breakfast for the next day by simply filling out this form and texting Carol before 5pm. 

Day 4

Our breakfast was delivered at 8am. After speaking with Carol the previous day we learned we could sign up for a tour of the horse farm. So at 9:30am, we headed to the reception. We learned the owner is from Australia who trains international show jumper horses. This place was amazing and definitely 5 star treatment. We saw the training rings, got to see inside a huge horse trailer, a horse using a treadmill and met a mom and baby.
We said our good bye to the horse farm and headed towards The Pointe du Hoc. I wanted to stop at the Maisy Battery but it didn't open until April 1 and we were there a day to early. Along the way we stopped at another memorial. 
We arrived at the The Pointe du Hoc. There is a parking lot and after a small walk you arrive. Dogs aren't allowed, so I carried Sissy in. It was super windy this day and just like I remember all those years ago when I visited, the memorial is till roped off. We took in the view and visited the surrounding bunkers. 
From there we headed towards Omaha Beach. Our first stop was the Omaha Beach Memorial.
Then we found the 2nd Infantry Division Memorial and Naval Combat Demolition Unit/Scouts and Raiders.
Then went to ​Native American Memorial Charles N. Shay.
Then we drove back along Omaha Beach stopping at another memorial.
Then headed to the Normandy American cemetery. Since dogs aren't allowed on the property, we took turn visiting the cemetery, so one of use could stay in the car with Sissy. There are over 3,00 American soldiers buried here. 
On the way, we stopped to get a picture of this church. 
Next we drove to  the Longues-sur-Mer battery. It was a super windy when we arrived, so explored on  my own.  This battery is a preserved WW2 gun installations, built by the Germans to defend France from sea invasion. I only explore a few casemate. These were interesting because they still had the guns in them.
From there we  headed towards Le Havre, which is a port city. It is said to be the birthplace of impressionist movement. It was here that Claude Monet painted his " Impression Sunrise' painting. It was almost completely rebuilt after WW2. 

We stayed  at the Hilton Garden in La Havre which was right on the harbor. We were upgraded to a one bedroom suite which gave us views of the harbor. Since Sissy was allowed in the restaurant we had dinner at the hotel. This hotel also left a welcome treat for her. I love when hotels are truly dog friendly. 

Day 5

Today we explored the city of Étretat which is on the northern coast. It is known for their chalk cliffs.  These cliffs were inspiration to many impressionist painters. Most of the town was closed still because it was off season but we found parking a few blocks from city center. Sissy and I climbed to the top where we took in the views and saw the Notre Dame De la Garde which was rebuild due to being destroyed in the war. the climb up was brutal but the views up top make up for the climb.
Then we headed towards Rouen, which is where spent the night. Rouen is the capital of northern France. It is located on the Seine river and was an important seaport in the Middle Ages. It was also here that Joan of Arc was tried and burned at the stake in 1431. We stayed on the outskirts of town and I totally forgot to take pictures of the hotel. 

Day 6

We drove to city center and found parking. First we saw the Saint-André Bell which was part of the old Saint-André Church. Then, we saw the Gros Horloge, which is a astronomical clock mounted into a passage way. The mechanism is from the 1300's and still works. There is a museum about the clock, but we didn't go. 
Then we stopped at La Croustille which has numerous yummy things you could order. There were simple donuts, then crepe, waffles all with toppings. We went with the yummy warm donut. Then walked to the Notre Dame Church of Rouen. I love visiting these old churches, the details on the outside of the building is amazing. I took a quick tour inside, since Mario and Sissy were waiting outside in the chilly weather. ​
On the way back to the car we saw the ruins of the ancient Gothic Catholic church of Saint-Vincent in Rouen, which was almost completely destroyed by bombing during World War II in May 1944.  The south portal is all that is left today. ​
From there we explored some WW 1 memorials. Our first stop was Ulster Memorial Tower. I learned after driving there, you must pre arrange the tours of the area and trenches. I look at the same museum and memorial room. This memorial stands on what was the German front line during the Battle of Somme from July to November 1916. It is tribute to the men of the Ulster who gave their lives fighting. 
From there right, right up the road was the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme. In addition to the memorial is a museum. 
While driving to our next stop, I stopped at the Caterpillar Valley Cemetery. It is one of the largest Commonwealth War Graves cemeteries in France. Over 5,500 casualties of the Great War are buried here, more than two thirds of them unknown. The Caterpillar Valley (New Zealand ) Memorial forms the boundary on the left hand side of the cemetery and commemorates more than 1,200 men of the New Zealand Division who died during the Battles of the Somme in 1916 and who have no known grave. 
Then we drove to Reims. We spent the night at the Hyatt Centric which was in city center and a few blocks from the cathedral. After checking in, Sissy and I walked to see the cathedral. I couldn't go inside because I had her. I also learned you can book a tour to explore the roof area. 

Day 7

Today we headed towards home. It costed about $25.00 worth of tolls in France.  Germany welcomed us back with a border check, road closures and traffic. Never dull driving in Germany. We arrived home late afternoon.  Another great trip in the books!
]]><![CDATA[Riga, Latvia]]>Thu, 15 Jan 2026 23:00:00 GMThttps://www.thefootprintsweleave.com/blog/riga-latvia
Come along and join me for a chilly weekend trip to explore the capital city of Latvia which is Riga. Latvia makes country 51!
My friend and I left after work on an evening flight where we took the train up to Frankfurt and then flew directly to Riga. We arrived a little before midnight one. Latvia is a hour ahead of Germany. You can rent a car, get a taxi or use the bus to get to Old Town Riga. They are in the process of building a train system. We chose the bus and it was super easy. Right outside the arrivals door you can get a bus pass. We got a 3 day pass for only 8 euro, there are smaller options. Super easy to buy and was in English. We waited a few minutes in the freezing weather before boarding the bus. Make sure to always activate your bus ticket when boarding the bus. It was about 25-30 minutes to the bus stop closest to our hotel. From the bus stop we walked about 10 minutes to our hotel. We would be staying at Hotel Justus, which was near Old Town.
The next morning, we enjoyed the breakfast offered at the hotel. Then we took the bus to a small market. While we waited for a friend who would drive us around the rest of the day, we walked around Lidl, a grocery store here. When the small outdoor market opens we explored the booths. It was mostly food but I got a goat/wool long cardigan which was super warm on the frigid morning and a new wool hat. 
From there we went to another food market which was inside. The main floor was food booths and the second floor was food places to eat. I had some pizza for lunch. From there we explored the thrift store we found in the basement of this building. On the way back to our hotel, we were hoping to go inside the  Riga library, but we couldn't find parking.  
We walked around the old town taking in the views. We stopped at a silver shop where I got some earrings and a necklace. 
​For dinner, we made a reservation at the medieval restaurant by our hotel called Rozengrals. It was once a wine vault mentioned in 1293 artifacts. For dinner, my friends got onion soup and I got backed eggplant with beans and herbs. It was super yummy. Then we tried our luck as the ruler. After dinner, we walked around taking in the views of Riga at night. 
The next morning, we headed out to explore more of the area. 
Then, we walked to Cruffin , which unique croissants. I had a cruffin and the Shu, both were very yummy! For the cruffin I got a apple pecan cinnamon cruffin and then a raspberry and pistachio filled shu. Both were very yummy! Definitely would recommend you stop here when in Riga! Once they sell out of their stock, they close for the day, so get there early!
As we walked towards The Corner House which was the previous KGB headquarter, which also has Museum of  the Occupation of Latvia displays. We had booked a tour for early afternoon. As we walked we took in the sights. We passed the Freedom Monument which is a  statue dedicated to Latvians who lost their lives fighting for independence between 1918 & 1920. We arrived for our afternoon tour. The KGB museum tour is in the building which was the KGB headquarter. It wasn’t heated so it was a very chilly tour. We had an amazing tour guide who made the tour very informational. ​
We stopped at the Riga Nativity of Christ Orthodox Cathedral on the way back to the hotel. Pictures weren't allowed to be taken inside. It was beautiful.
​Then we walked and found the city wall and stopped in stores to warm up. Then for dinner we had  Wok on walk, where I got Pad Tahi and it was super yummy.
We had an afternoon flight the next morning, so we spent some time looking in a book store and getting an early lunch at Street Fries. From there our friend took us to the airport. Riga airport is super small and since we had only backpacks, security was super quick like 2 minutes. Our flight to Frankfurt was about 2.5 hours and then we took the train back to Stuttgart and then another train to a train station closer to home then boarded a bus and walked home. A busy day of taking planes, trains and an automobile. But we made it home safely. Another great trip in the books. 
]]><![CDATA[Christmas in Croatia]]>Tue, 23 Dec 2025 14:12:29 GMThttps://www.thefootprintsweleave.com/blog/christmas-in-croatia
Mario, Sissy and I spent our winter holiday explore a new country, Croatia or Hrvatske. So come along for the adventure. Croatia makes country #50 for me and country #11 for Sissy!
Our adventures started with lots of traffic as we drove towards Munich. The German children holiday also started today so everyone was heading out of town like us. After many staus or traffic jams we finally made it to our stop. We found a Hilton Garden Inn hotel right off the highway which would help to shorten our drive for the next day. This hotel accepts dogs and had a parking large enough to accommodate my car. Included in our status we got an upgraded room and free snacks and drinks. I forgot to take pictures of this hotel. 
The next day we would drive through Austria and Slovenia which both require  vignette for their highways. You can order digital online at asfinag. You can also get your Austrian vignette right beofre the border at a gas station.  Along the way you will pay additional tolls for the two tunnels you will drive through. You can pay euro to a person or by credit card in the self service lane. The A10 toll was around 15 euro and the A11 tunnel was about 9 euro.
We arrived early afternoon at Hotel Jama. We chose this hotel because it is right next door to the Postojama Caves and 9km from the Predjama castle. Jama means cave in Slovenian. Hotel parking lot is right in front while the regular parking lot is small distance away. They do offer kennels for dogs, but not sure the status in the winter. In our room package I order tickets to explore the Postonja Cave and Predjama Castle, however there are other attractions you can book. Some were closed in the winter. 
 The next morning, Sissy and I walked around exploring the area.  
We had tickets to explore the Postonja Cave and Predjama Castle. We learned these tickets were good for 30 days, so we didn't have to see both on the same day. With it being winter, attraction hours are limited. The cave tours are only offered at 10,12 and 3. So we booked a tour for 10am. The tours are 90 minutes. Postonja Cave is Europe’s largest cave system.It consists of 5 different caves and around 3 million years old!
We started to board the train starting at 9:45. Once on the train it was a 15 minute ride deep into the cave. Then about an hour long walking tour which included a lot of walking climbing up and down in the cave. Then took the train out. My pictures are great, but it was really amazing in there. ​
​After a quick lunch in our room, we headed to Trieste, Italy to explore. It was a quick 45 minutes from our hotel. It was a beautiful day to explore. We found parking in city center and only had to wait a few minutes for spot. From there we explored the sites. 
Today was our latest day in Slovenia, so we checked out of our hotel and headed to Predjama Castle, which is a 13 century castle built into the stone face. This is the largest cave castle in the world. The winter hours are 10-4pm in and is 9 km away from the caves. Normally in the summer a shuttle is offered from the caves to the castle. In the winter there is not shuttle so we had to drive and pay for parking, which was small distance away from the castle.
​
We arrived right as it open and I basically had the whole place to myself. It was amazing to tour and see how the castle was built into the rock. You can sign into their WiFi and download a free audio guide to use when touring the castle. Each room has an information sign. It is a must see while in Slovenia!!
​From there we headed towards Croatia to see the church where my great grandfather Philip was baptized in. We took a lot of rural roads but finally arrived. The church was being restored so I couldn’t go inside, but I was able to get a quick picture of the inside. Then we drove through the town he grew up in. I love that I can see a piece of my family history.
​From there we took more rural roads which took us to Plitvice Lake National Park. We stayed at Hotel Jerez for 2 nights which is located  at entrance 2. 
Normally we would have stayed longer, so we would have had 2 full days to explore all of the waterfalls, but since it was winter, we only stayed 1 day. There are many different routes you can take to explore the park. You can explore the upper and lower lakes using the shuttle bus and boat which would take about 5 hours.

We decided with the weather being foggy and chilly, we would explore just the lower lakes. We got our tickets and then walked to the boat. The boat took us across the lake.  Once docked we took the path that had us walking along water and waterfalls. There were parts when the waterfall was cascades under the walkway. It was beautiful even in the winter. We walked to Veliki Slap or the great waterfall, which is the largest waterfall in Croatia.

Then we climb up the steep hill to caught the shuttle, which took us back to the hotel. There is a good deal of walking, so if your planning on exploring make sure to have appropriate shoes and be able to walk up and down hills and across plank walk ways. 
Happy Merry Christmas Eve
Today we said good bye to Plitvice National Park and the beauty it holds and  head to the coast. It started to snow over night, so the car was covered with a least 3 inches of snow. It was a wet snow so it was easy to clean. The first hour was driving in snow but then we went through a long tunnel and on the other side it was sunny, windy with some rain.

We stopped to enjoy the view near Krka at a rest stop. You can visit Krka National Park to see more waterfalls. They closed early on Christmas Eve, so will have to try and visit on the way back home.
We arrived before check in at the AC Hotel Split. Our room had a panoramic view of the city. This hotel is about 20-25 minutes walk to old town.
                                                                          Merry Christmas
Today we walked to Old Town enjoying the beautiful 60 degree weather. Since it Christmas, the attractions were closed. We walked through Diocletian's Palace which was a fortress like palace which was residence of a Roman emperors and military garrison. We stayed here two full days, but I feel one full day would have been enough.
Today, we said goodbye to Split. Before heading to Dubronvik, we decided to explore Krka National Park. It was an hour out of the way, but worth it. We arrived mid morning and it was busier than expected. There is free parking and toilets. Tickets were 7 euro each. Normally in the winter, the shuttle bus and boats don't run, but today we were lucky and the shuttle bus was working. 
After taking in the beauty of the falls, we started our drive to Dubronvik. We were able to take the newer bridge which prevents us from going through Bosnia and worrying about border crossing. Along the route, we saw the river delta . The route also took us along the coast, which was beautiful. 
We arrived in Dubrovnik around dinner time. We stayed at Hilton Imperial which was located right in front of the city wall. There is a parking garage, which is on the smaller side and was packed when we arrived, but my car still fit. We got a king suite with a huge balcony which provided amazing views of the city wall and sea. Our room also come with lounge access, which help cut down some of the food costs. The hotel was beautiful and would definitely stay here again. In the high season, the hotel is super pricey. 
After checking in, we explored Old Town.
Today we explored Dubrovnik. We decided to get the Dubrovnik City Pass. For the months of December to February, a one day pass is 20 euro, while the summer is like 40 euro. We got the three day pass for 25 euro each. First, we walked the wall and took in the views it offered. The Adriatic Sea is so beautiful. 
Then I explored the Franciscan Monastry of the Friars Minor Museum, which was part of the city pass. Then we visited aquarium which wasn't part of the pass and was 10 euro a person. It was small but enjoyed looking around. From there we stopped at a bakery and got some lunch. ​
Enjoyed the sunsets and sunrise off our balcony, couldn't have asked for better weather.
Today was another beautiful day here.  First, we climbed towards the Lovrjenac Fortress which was included in the city pass. It provided amazing views of the city walls and the sea. There wasn't much in there. We enjoyed the view of the Dubrovnik West Harbour.
From there we walked through old town. We stopped at The Memorial Room of Fallen Dubrovnik Defenders. It was very informative.  From there walk walked through the Dominican Monastery Museum which was 4 euro with the City pass. It reminded me of the museum in the monastery I visited yesterday. Then we found the Maritime Museum, whose entrance was in the wall. It was included in the city pass. It told about a shipwreck that was found and explained the trading route that come out of Dubrovnik. It was very interesting. 
Today we said goodbye to Dubrovnik. So I took in the sunrise one last time from our balcony. We really enjoyed our time here. We stayed two full days which was plenty of time to see the sites and wander the streets.

In the high season, prices and crowds do increase, so it would definitely have a different feel in the summer. In the summer, one might want to stay longer to enjoy the boat trips offered.
We enjoyed the view of the coast as we drove about 4 hours to Zadar. We arrived a little before check in at the Hyatt Regency Zadar.  It was located right on the marina. We got a king executive room with a balcony which provide a little of bit of a sea view. 
​After checking in, Sissy and I explored the area. First, we took a quick boat ride across the marina from the boatmen. It was a quick ride and cost 2 euro, saved us 20 minutes of walking. Then went to the  Sea Organ and Greeting to the Sun. You can listen to the Sea Organ below. As we walked along the water, we took in the views of the Adriatic Sea. Then we took the pedestrian bridge and walked back to our hotel.
Today was our full day in Zadar. We were originally going to stay 2 days but changed our mind and only spent one full day there. We took the boat across the marina. First, stop was the Roman Forum.  It is the largest forum in Croatia and was commissioned by the first Roman Emperor Augustus. It was the centre of the entire public life. 
 Then we walked back to the hotel. It was starting to get crowded,  it was New Year's Eve.
                                                                  Happy New Year 2026
Today we left in the morning and drove home. It was about 12 hours drive but traffic was lessen due to it being a holiday. We enjoyed the views as we drove. One day I hope to go back and see Croatia in the summer, but would highly recommended to visit in the off season. Another great trip in the books!
]]><![CDATA[China]]>Tue, 25 Nov 2025 23:00:00 GMThttps://www.thefootprintsweleave.com/blog/china
Over the Thanksgiving holiday I added my 49th country to my list, China! Since Mario couldn't go, a friend and I would spend 7 days exploring  the cities of Beijing, Xian and Shanghai. Come along for the adventure.

Things to Know:

  • ​Currency: Chinese Yuan which is about $1USD to 7 CYN. You will use your phone to pay. You can use either the apps Ali Pay or We Chat. I used Ali Pay for my purchases. You can download the app before arriving and upload your credit card. There is a small fee when using it, but super easy.
  • ​Electricity:  Some places we could use our 220v chargers, but some took a special plug, so plan ahead.
  • Visa: Yes, US citizens can get a 10 year visa. Since I was traveling with a tour, I only got the visa for the time I was there. I ended up using a company to get my visa approved. It wasn't cheap but once I uploaded all the documents, the company process everything. Make sure to leave enough time for the visa process. Your passport is used often to enter attractions and board trains, so keep it handy.
  • Time: It was 7 hours ahead of Germany. 
  • Language: Some spoke English, but using a translator app was very helpful.
  • Water: It is NOT recommended to drink the tap water. It has a high level of chlorine. We use our hiking water filter and drank bottled water. 
  • Weather: Weather at end of November differs depending on location. It was between mid 40-50. I wore leggings and sweatpants and brought a lite winter coat and was fine. 
  • SIM: I used Hola Fly for my digital SIM. I ordered and activated it before I went and had no problems when I was there.
  • Toilets: Be prepare there are squatting toilet and some places have normal toilets. Also bring toilet paper with you because most places didn't offer. All toilet paper get toss in the trash can and not in the toilet.  There were public bathrooms everywhere! Never had to worry about finding a toilet, which was great!
Our adventure started by taking the train to Frankfurt. We traveled with a local tour company and learned we were a small group of 9 people. Our afternoon flight from Frankfurt to Munich was delayed so we arrived at Munich as boarding started for our Beijing evening flight. From Munich to Beijing was 10 hrs 20 mins.

Day 1:

We arrived the next day around lunch time. We filled out our arrival forms on the plane then went through customs. After passport, we took a train to the baggage area and got our luggage. Then we met our guide, who lead us to our bus.
Beijing is a huge city with lots of cars and traffic so traveling to different spots took time. From the airport we traveled to the Summer Palace, which was built by the Chinese Empress Cixi as a pavilion for quiet retreat. 
After exploring we had a buffet dinner near a local mall and then checked into our hotel. We would be staying at Capital Hotel for the next 2 days.

Day 2:

The next day was a beautiful sunny day with no wind. Since we were close to some attractions we walked there. Our first stop was Tiananmen Square, which was built in 1651. There has been  cultural significance events which have happened over the years. There were security measures in plan and according to our guide they change the entrance for foreigners often or will close the entrance. So we had a very long wait time for security which was about 2.5 hrs. Every person had to get scanned into the system using your passport, which is your ticket for everything, then got patted down and bags checked. So we lost time to explore square and had to rush to the Forbidden City since since we had a time specific ticket. I was able to get a few pictures of the square as I rushed to our next attraction.
Our next stop was the Palace Museum which houses the Forbidden city. The museum was established in 1925 to house traditional Chinese art. 
From there we drove to the Temple of Heaven, which was built in the 15th century for Ming and Qing emperors to perform annual rites.
Then we  stopped at a tea shop.  It was nice to learn about the different tea and taste some.

Day 3:

 Today, the temperature dropped and was super windy but there still was some sun. We headed towards The Great Wall of China. We would be exploring the Juyongguan section. This section is  60km from downtown Beijing.There is 3.6km of the wall opened to explore, however, there is so much not preserved. 

We were given time to explore. There is two section you can climb the western and the eastern. I just read the eastern is more gentle to climb while the side I climbed is more steep.  There were a few people in my tour that walked the whole section in our given time. I climbed up about half way and took in the views. Along the way, I walked past a few fortress or watch towers.

​The former leader Mao Zedong, said "He who has not climbed the Great Wall is not a true man".
Views from the middle of the climb.
Walking up the stairs
Then stopped at a Jade shop and learned a little about Jade.
The Ming Tombs complex is shaped like a tree. The main road is the bark and the tombs are the branches. There are 13 tombs for Ming emperors but only 2 can be visited. The tomb construction started in 1409 and ended in 1644, when the Ming dynasty collapsed. The scared path runs all the way to Tiananmen Square in Beijing.

Our first stop was Shenlu Scenic Area and walked The Changling Sacred Passage. This passage leads to the other tombs in the complex. We started at the South gate and walked to the North Gate. As you walked down the passage, you see pavilion and columns. Then each side of the passage had statue of animals and people. 
From there we headed to the Changling tomb which is a joint burial mausoleum of Chengzu, the 3rd emperor Zhu Di of the Ming Dynstasy and empress Xu.
Then we went to dinner where we had duck. Then stopped in shop to get some snacks. The chips tasted just like cucumber, which were yummy!

Day 4:

​Today we said so long Beijing. Our day started with being dropped off at the Beijing train station where we would board a high speed train traveling to Xi'an which had speeds of 307km. In the Chinese language  Xi= sh. 

We meet our guide at the train station. Then, we boarded our bus and headed towards our hotel. Our time in Xi'an was short and definitely would like to come back and explore more. We stayed at the  Titan Times Hotel.
Our first stop, was Da Ci'en Temple with the Great Wild Goose Pagoda which dated to the 7th century. This Buddhist tower was built to house sacred scriptures. We did go into the tower but walked around the area instead. 
The city wall of Xian is 9 miles long and we only explored a small part but you can walk the whole thing.  If time permitted it would have been nice to walk it all. The Xi'an city Wall is the oldest and best protected ancient city wall in the wall.
​From there we walked the Muslim quarter and arrived at the GAO Family Mansion where we watched a Shadow puppet show. Then walked to catch our bus and saw the Drum tower.




​Small part of the Shadow Puppet Show
​Then for dinner we tried 15 different flavors of dumplings. Then we headed back to our room. 

Day 5:

​​We checked out of our hotel and headed towards Emperor Qin Shihuang’s Mausoleum, or better know as the Terracotta warriors. This was high on my bucket list to see and it was more amazing than I could have imaged. We started in Pit 1 which is the largest.
Then, went to Pit 3
Then Pit 2. There are exhibits that show Acrobatic performers, animals and musician which were found recently.
Then we headed to lunch. We tried a local sandwich and beef homemade noodles soup for lunch. Both were amazing! 
​The we drove to airport, where we learned that China recently changed their power bank rules for domestic flights. So head up if you flying domestic flights in China you will need  3 c power bank.
​
We boarded our flight on Juneyai Air and I’m glad I had an aisle seat, but it was still miserable for me. There was some turbulence due to the sand storm from the Gobi desert. Dinner was served and I got the  chicken and rice option. 

Welcome to Shanghai! After leaving the airport and headed towards our hotel, Lee Gardens Hotel.

Day 6:

Today we had a busy day of exploring Shanghai. Our first stop was visiting the Jade Buddha Temple. Photography wasn’t permitted in the Jade Buddha hall.

Then we took in the views of the financial district. I even found a moment to enjoy some Dairy Queen!
 Next, were the Yu Gardens, which were so pretty.
We walked through some shopping areas and then took a boat tour down the Huangpu River. 
We had a quick dinner then attended Acrobat show at the Shanghai Circus World. It was an  amazing show.

Day 7:

Today we traveled to Zhujiajiao, an ancient town located along water ways. We stopped at the rest room at the visitors center and there was a map of availability and light monitors to show which toilet were available. I have never seen this, but thought it was cool. We took a short gondola like ride down the canal taking in the views of the shops around.
​We were given some time to explore the shops. I came across a shop which sold mini vases with images painted inside. They were beautiful. I spoke with the shop owner via translator and I asked him if he would paint one using a picture of the dogs. He said it would take a couple of hours and didn’t get much tourist business due to length it takes to create. He said he would drop it off at our hotel. We stayed in contact through WeChat the whole time. During the whole process, he would send pictures. He traveled 2 hrs by train to deliver it to me. Since he arrived so late he won’t be able to take the train back home since it closed at 11pm. I gave him some extra money for a taxi. He was such a sweet man. I wish I would have gotten more pieces off him. 
Then we traveled to the Jin Mao Tower, which is a 88 story skyscraper. In this tower, there are office buildings, the Gran Hyatt hotel, stores and conference center and at the top an observation deck. We travel to the 88th floor and took in the 360 degree view  of the city below. 

Day 8:

We checked out of our hotel and took the magnet train to airport. The train doesn’t go all the way to city center so you would have to figure out how to get there from the airport. We left on a noon flight and arrived in Germany that evening around 7pm due to a hour delay in Shanghai. It was a non stop flight to Frankfurt. After taking the trains home,  I arrived home a little after midnight. Another amazing trip in the books!



Views as we took the magnet train to the airport.
]]><![CDATA[Madrid]]>Sat, 25 Oct 2025 14:57:47 GMThttps://www.thefootprintsweleave.com/blog/madrid
Mario, Sissy and I explored the city of Madrid over a long weekend. Mario and I have been to Spain before, but this is a new country for Sissy making Spain her 10th country!
We left on a mid morning flight with a quick layover in Munich,  we arrive early afternoon. Madrid welcomed use with a beautiful day.
There are many ways to get into city center. The airport sits on the outside of the city with a commute time between 20 minutes to an hour which all depends on traffic. One can take the metro line, shuttle bus, taxi or Uber. Since we had Sissy who did amazing on the plane, we come for a Uber.  We arrived around 2:30pm and then pick up area was insane. Always remember when taking the Uber the order a Uber Pet car.  Our Uber car was a Tesla which was cool in since I have never been. It took me a minute to figure out how to get into the car.  Due to rush hour traffic, our commute from the airport to our hotel was about 45minutes and in stop and go traffic.

​I picked a hotel close to Atocha train station,  incase we wanted to take some  day trips.  We stayed at the Atocha Hotel Madrid,  Hilton Tapestry Collection.  Mario and I  used our  Hilton free nights and additional  points which caused our stay to be free except for the pet fee for Sissy, which was like $85.
After checking into our room, I walked next door to explore the little grocery store. Then we walked a few block to the There Retiro Park. This park is often refer to the Central Park of Madrid. It was huge. It was so nice to wandering around the paths, taking in the beauty. There were benches to sit and people watch or join the locals and sit on the grass. There were a ponds and fountains. ​
For dinner, we decided to use Uber Eats.  We ordered Little Caesars which I haven’t had in years. It was more amazing than I remember.  After eating way too much pizza, we released in our room.

The next morning we enjoyed free breakfast at the hotel’s restaurants. It was small but enough to fill us up.  We decided we wanted to explore the center of town. So we decided to use the Metro.   We purchased the  plastic metro cards that you load with the amount of travel you want to do. We decided to add 1 day travel. Each person has to get their own card and you care charge for the card.  The metro was super easy to follow, as it was color coded. 
Then took the metro to explore another part of the city. We too the blue line from Atocha station at the Eastacion del Arte station to the Solo stop. We wondered around taking in the views. I love that the street sign were in tile, see the pictures below. We follow a few couples that travel and we learned about a few places we need to do while in Madrid.  Our first stop was San Gines which is known for their chocolate and their churros. We were able to grab a table and enjoy a morning snack. ​
Then we came across the Mercado de San Miguel, which is their food market. I wasn’t able to go inside since I had Sissy so I window shopping. Mario went in and got us a Jamon Iberia ham sandwich to try. ​
Then walked pass this shop which had Caganer which is a figure pooping which fertilizes the land which bring good luck. I just had to take a picture. ​
From there we made it to the main castle complex. First we took in the beauty of the Catedral de la Almudena (Cathedral of the Almudena). Mario stayed outside with Sissy go I could go inside. Wow! It was beautiful. The ceiling was so colorful. From there we took in the views of the Plaza Madrid complex.
Walked a few more blocks coming to another park which houses the Temple of Debod. I later learned you have to make a reservation to see the inside, which was unfortunate for me. Cool history behind why Madrid has an Egyptian temple. Read about the history below. We found a bench and took in the beautiful weather. ​
Later that evening, we explore more of the Retiro Park. 
The next morning, when walking Sissy we noticed the street our hotel was on was empty and most of it was roped off,  since this was a busy street.  We would later learn that Madrid was celebrating their Spanish National Day, which  focuses  on the country’s cultural and linguistic expansion beyond the European continent.  A parade is held to celebrated this day. We were planning on exploring a little flea market held on only Sundays but figured with it being a holiday it might not be happening, so we stayed to watch  the parade. We found a spot a few blocks south of our hotel, which was where all the soldiers waited. The parade would travel up the main road and at the end the king and queen would be there. The parade started with the king and queen driving by, then all the military vehicles and then fire and police rescue vehicle. Some fighter jets flew over.  Then all the different company of soldiers marched by. It was amazing to watch and I am so glad we got the opportunity. Another reason why I love to travel, to learn about other cultures.  We were able to watch a recap of the parade from our room.
​The next day we left right before lunch. We decided to take an Uber back to the hotel. There was some traffic.  After a quick layover in Frankfurt we made it home early evening. Sissy did amazing on all the flights. Another amazing trip in the books! 
]]><![CDATA[Nepomuk, Czech]]>Sun, 28 Sep 2025 12:33:24 GMThttps://www.thefootprintsweleave.com/blog/nepomuk-czech
Sissy and I, along with a friend, spent Labor Day weekend, exploring a new area of Czech.
We left after work and drove towards Nepomuk, where we arrived right as it was getting dark. We stayed in the Grünberg Post Office, which is now apartments. It was originally the family residence of the Knights of Hirchfeld. And it was a stage coach and post office in the 18th and 19th centuries. Check it out here.  There is also a little cafe behind the apartment where you can check in and grab a bite and a museum of vintage motorcycles and other machinery. We stayed in an apartment called Wilhelmina. Additional information attached below. 



We woke up the next morning, ready to explore. Today we would travel to Klatovy, which was about 30 minutes from where we were staying.  We expected the town square to be busy and when we arrived it was empty. We enjoyed our time exploring the main square and a few attractions. When visiting make note that on Saturday shops close early like noon or 1 o’clock.
After parking the car in the town square, we headed towards the catacombs or katakomby. We got an admission ticket for both the catacombs and the black tower.  The catacombs were filled with many relics and informative signs. There was a crypt which contained different mummies with informative signs explaining how they preserved these people. It was very interesting!
Then we walked to the Black Tower which consists of 226 steps to the top offering an amazing view of Klatovy. We were able to see the bell and how the clock on the outside works. The video show how the clock works.

After climbing down, we found a small bakery and got a morning treat. ​
Then we walked around, taking in the view and doing some window shopping. Then I looked inside the sanctuary of Jesuit church of the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary and St. Ignatius. You can only view this church with a tour. For lunch we found an Italian restaurant and enjoyed some pizza for lunch.

Then we walked off our lunch taking in the view of another church, the Roman Catholic parish of Klatovy. We were able to look inside the sanctuary. ​
Then we saw the White Tower, which in late renaissance style, dated 1687 and was the entrance to the archdeacon church until 1898.
On our way back to the apartment, we took in the views of the Czech countryside. We stopped to see a memorial on the side of the road. ​
Once back at our apartment, we decided to explore the castle on the hill known as the Green Mountain Castle or Grünberg Castle. We drove to the parking lot at the base and walked up a hill. We were greeted with a turn table entrance where we each paid  a $10 admission fee. Once we arrived and started to explore, we became very disappointed. After paying the entrance fee, there wasn’t much to see. It was very runned down and needed work. In 1951, one of the Auxiliary Technical Battalions (PTP) was established here at the castle. ​
From there we walked down the street and had dinner at Restaurace Sokolovna Nepomuk. We ate outside since we had Sissy and watched the tennis matches on the nearby courts. ​
The next morning, we decided we would drive and explore an antique shop called Antik Bazar in Mirovice.  We learned most are closed on the weekend and must visit during the week. It was about 45 minutes from the apartment, but we enjoyed the views along the way. When you arrive you must follow the gravel road along the train station. The antique shop is housed in an old grain train depot. The owner Eva was super friendly and spoke English. We spent some time exploring and I found a few things I needed to have. So after loading the car and bidding Eva good bye we headed back to our apartment. We traveled some interesting roads, as we made our way to Miroctice, where we had a late lunch. We arrived right before they closed. Many places take an afternoon break between lunch and dinner
Then we arrived back in Nepomuk and headed to the town square to explore. We learned that Nepomuk was a medieval settlement in the early 10th century. At the end of the 13th century, silver mining began. We took in the views of Archdeaconry Church of St.  James the Elder.
On the way to dinner, we explored The Pilgrimage church of St. John of Nepomuk.
We had dinner at Svejk Restaurant. While we were eating outside, we took in the beautiful sunset.
The next morning, we checked out. We wanted to do more shopping in Klatovy, so we stopped on our way home. We arrived around 9am and the place was super busy and we had to drive around to find parking. We left a little before lunch and stopped for lunch along the road. We hit some traffic and arrived home late in the afternoon. Another great trip in the books!
]]><![CDATA[Oahu, Hawaii]]>Wed, 02 Jul 2025 23:58:02 GMThttps://www.thefootprintsweleave.com/blog/oahu-hawaii
Aloha from Oahu. I spent 7 days exploring the island with my mom. I saw new sights and a few friends. The weather was beautiful and the ocean views were amazing. So come along and explore with us!
​
We flew from Pittsburgh to Honolulu​ with a layover in Detroit. Our flight from Detroit was 9hrs, so I spoiled mom and we flew business class.  ​
After getting our rental car and bags, we headed towards Waikiki where we would be staying 2 nights at Hale Koa, a military connected hotel right on the ocean. I wasn't able to secure a room for our whole visit, so we stayed at another part of the island the rest of our time. I booked an ocean front room but was upgraded to a deluxe ocean view room on the 13th floor. This room provided amazing views from the balcony. After a long day of flying, we had dinner at the hotel and walked to the beach, taking in the views.
The next morning, we got up early to head to our Pearl Harbor tour. I booked a 8:00 time slot. 
For booking, tickets open 8 weeks in advance from your date of interest. There is an another option where additional tickets open the day before you interested date. The parking lots open at 7am and we got there right after it opened, so we got a close parking spot.  Parking is $7 which can be paid at the kiosk or by using the QR code or website.
​
**I just read online that after Labor Day 2025, tickets are first come, first serve basic due to reconstruction work that need to be completed on the memorial. So definitely look into this before you plan you visit. 

We walked to the visitor center. There were informational boards all over and you can choose to tour other areas such as Pacific Fleet Submarine Museum, Battleship Missouri Memorial and Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum. If interested, there is a video that shows at the theater at every 30 minutes. We showed our tickets and after a quick safely briefing, we booked the shuttle ferry which was included in our ticket. It was a quick few minutes and we arrive to the USS Arizona. At the end of the memorial is as list of all the people who lost their life on Dec. 7, 1941 You can look out into the water and see the remains of the submarine below. Then took the ferry back to the visitor center. 
From there we explored the eastern coast of Oahu. Our first stop was the Byodo-In temple which translates to Temple of Equality. This Japanese buddhist temple is located in the Valley of the Temples. I have included some information signs below, if your interested in learning more.  It was established in 1968 to celebrate the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants to Hawaii.  The cost was $7 to get in. The hours are 8:30am-4:30pm. I would recommend getting their early. When we arrive around 9:30 and there was limited parking in the lot.
Then we drove down the coast and stopped at Waimanalo Beach Park and took in the views. 
Our next stop was the Makapu'u Lookout. Near by was a trail which takes you the lighthouse.
Our last stop was at the Halona Blow hole. We were lucky to find parking since the lot wasn't very big. As you watch the video, can you see the blow hole?
Then on the way back to the hotel. We stopped at a Leonard's bakery food truck and got an malasadas, which was super yummy!
Next day, we checked out and headed towards the North Shore of the island. Our first stop was at Kualoa Ranch. We would be taking the Movie Site Tour, however there are tons of tours to pick from on their website. This ranch has been the filming spot to many movies. which provided different tours. We learned this ranch started off growing sugar cane. Today it is a cattle ranch. In addition to their tours there is a market which sell items grown on the ranch. market store.  We picked a 9:50am tour. So after finding parking and checking in,  we waiting for our tour. Our tour took place on a school bus. Along the way we saw the filming sites to many movies. We saw a few WW2 bunkers and even got to go inside one that has been used for numerous movies. We stopped at the bones grave yard used in Kong Island.
From there we headed to the hotel.  We would be spending the next 4 days at The Ritz Carlton Turtle Bay property which is a Marriott Brand. We checked in, learning we were upgrade to an ocean view with a bigger balcony, on the 3rd floor. We were given our welcome lei. We took in the ocean views from our balcony.  Our room key is in a form a bracelet which is super convenient. In the room we were given water bottles to use. Each floor had a water bottle filling station which was very nice. Not sure if it was every floor, but our floor has laundry facilities. This hotel offers valet parking. You could text them that you want to car pulled up and it was ready by the time you reached the lobby. This was great so mom didn't have to stand to long while we waited for the car. 
We ate dinner at one of the hotel's restaurant. Mom got mushroom pasta and I got a cauliflower meal. Both were very yummy.
Happy 4th of July. Today we would visit my old student and her family. We met them at the Mid- Pacific Country Club where we swam in the pool, ate at the dinner buffet and enjoyed the fireworks from the 3rd hole.
The next morning, I walked the beach and enjoyed the views. I started at the cove and then walked to the tidal pool. Later that day, I headed down to Kailua Beach and sent the afternoon at the beach. Then we did dinner with friends. I totally forgot to take pictures of the beach. 
Our last day full day in Hawaii, I spent the morning see an old friend. We went to Waimea Falls. There is an admission of $25 per person, however with your military id, it was only $10 to enter. In order to access the fall, you walk on a paved lane to the falls. Along the way, there were different sections that explained Hawaiian history and about different plants. My friend Ashley and I went into the pool of water and went under the waterfall. It was great fun!
After we had lunch, Mom and I spent some time at the pool.  While there I explored the Opana Radar Site Memorial. Then we did dinner with friends.
We checked out of our hotel and headed to the Dole Plantation, which was on the way to the airport.
We left Hawaii on an afternoon flight and arrive back in Pittsburgh the next day. Another great trip in the books!
]]><![CDATA[South Africa and Victoria Falls]]>Wed, 25 Jun 2025 16:45:26 GMThttps://www.thefootprintsweleave.com/blog/south-africa-and-victoria-falls

​Come along and spend 13 days exploring Africa with my friend and I. We explored South Africa, Zambia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, which took my country count to 48!
My travels have taken me to Africa before when I visited Morocco and Egypt. This time I would be exploring Southern Africa. Once I decided where I wanted to go I started my research online and watched many YouTube videos which helped to build my itinerary.

Things to Know:

  • ​Currency: All the countries we traveled to accepted US dollars but each has their currency. We never pulled their currency and used our US dollars. I would recommend bring small bills like $ 1 or 5, since everyone wants to help you with your luggage and wants a tip. We never pulled any local currency, but if you plan on exploring more areas than we did or staying in the local areas, than local money would be a good idea.
  • ​Electricity: Most of the places we stayed had USB charging points but you may also need the 2 prongs European plug or the 3 point (not UK type). This adapter can be purchase at the airport, lucky for us a friend from work had one, so we borrow it and it came in handy! 
  • Visa: For US citizens: South Africa, Zambia and Botswana didn’t require at the time of our visit. Double check the length you can stay in these countries.  Zimbabwe does require a visa. You can get the Kaza visa which is for the 3 countries of Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana for those that need visas. Make sure to have a whole page free, since the visa sticker takes the whole page.  It was $30 for single entry and $50 for multiple entries. We got ours when arriving at the airport but you can get it at the land crossing point too.
  • Time: All the places we visited were in the same time zone as Germany, so no time difference. 
  • Language: English is spoken everywhere. 
  • Water: I would recommended drinking bottle water which was given at every hotel we stayed in. I did drink from the faucet from most of the hotels through, but would stay with water bottles.
  • Weather: Africa is in the southern hemisphere, so June is their winter. When in South Africa, the morning and evening were chilly where you need a small jacket and pants and during the day was a little warmer.  When we arrived in Zambia it was sunny and warm around mid 70's, which is cold to them since it gets super hot in their summer.  Since it is winter, it gets dark early about 5:30-6pm.

 Africa, here we come!

Our adventure started on an evening flight from Stuttgart heading towards Johannesburg, South Africa with a layover in Frankfurt flying with Lufthansa. We decided to make Johannesburg our hub. Since this was an overnight plane, we arrived the next morning. The flight was around 10 hours. The flight we took to Johannesburg from Frankfurt was a double decker plane, so we decided to sit up on top in seat 86. We had a late dinner and got to bed after midnight and tried to sleep for a few hours.
​After a quick breakfast on the plane, we arrived the next morning in Johannesburg. After deplaning, we went through custom which took about 20 minutes. Then grab our bags and headed towards the exit. Before exiting there is recheck bag counter for our next domestic flight, Airlink. It was nice because we didn’t have to go to the main check in desk.

​Then we went through security and then ate a quick lunch. This airport was very nice and clean. All the staff we interacted with were friendly.

​We took an Airlink flight to Hoespirit which took about 35 minutes in a super small plane, which landed into an even smaller airport. This is where we started our African safari!

Safari: 4 days, 3 nights

We stayed at the Kapama Private Game Reserve  which was established in 1986 and is 13,000 hectares of land,  located in the north east side of South Africa. Inside the Kapama Private Game Reserve are four lodges called Kapama River Lodge, Kapama Karula, Kapama Buffalo Camp and Kapama Southern Camp. We would be staying at the Kapama River Lodge. Our lodge entrance was right across from the airport. After getting our luggage,  we met our guide, Respect and then boarded the safari jeep. We traveled about 15 minutes before arriving at the lodge.
We stayed in a luxury room which had a balcony located on the ground floor. Included in our package was all meals and a variety of drinks, 2 games drive daily (morning and evening), access to the gym and pools, yoga classes and a bush walk. For our meals we were assigned a server for our whole stay. Our server was Valencia, who was amazing! We learned that the staff work and live on property for 3 weeks and then get one week off to see their families. After getting checked in, we headed to lunch. Every meal, every day had a different menu of choices.  Then we checked out our room.
At 4:00pm, we headed towards our jeep parked at bay 9 to start our first game drive. We were joined by a family of 3 from California. All pictures or video were either taken from my Iphone 16 pro max or my Canon EO3 R5 with my 100-500 len.
Big 5 Animals :
Lion
Leopard
Elephant
Rhinoceros
African buffalo
5 Ugly Animals:
Warthog
Wildebeest
Vulture
Marabou Stork
Hyena
Animals I ate while in Africa:
Ostrich
Ox Tail
Salmon Trout 
Springbook
Kudu
Kingklip fish
During our travels we were able to see each animal on the above lists!
Cool fact about Zebras: There strips tell if it is male or female. Thinner strips are male while female have thicker stripes. If there mane hair is standing up they are healthy. They kick and run fast and enjoy eating grass.
After our 3 hour game drive we came back to the lodge for dinner. I forgot my camera so no pictures of the menu or food. 
Our Daily Schedule:
Wake up call @ 5:30
Morning tea and coffee at 6
Morning game drive 6:30-9:30
Breakfast @ 8:30-10:30
Free Time
Lunch @ 1-2:30
Afternoon Tea and Snacks 3:30
Afternoon game drive 4-7
Dinner  @ 7pm
Morning Game Drive:
Breakfast
Lunch
Afternoon/Evening Game Drive:
Dinner
Morning Game Drive:
Breakfast and Lunch
Afternoon/Evening Game Drive:
Our Last Morning Game Drive
Our Last Breakfast
After breakfast, we checked out and headed to the airport. On the way we saw a kudu.​

Cape Town

We arrived in Cape Town around 4:25pm where we got our luggage and rental car. South Africa drives on the left side of the road.  We drove to our hotel which was about 25 minutes from airport. We stayed at the Canopy Hotel which is a Hilton property. It was on a busy side street with lots of restaurants and bars, so it was very busy and noise when we were trying to find the parking  garage. It was a nice hotel which recently opened. There are hydration stations on every floor which offered either still or sparkling ice cold water, which I though was super cool. We ate dinner at the hotel and had flat bread, Waldorf salad, sirloin with butter. Then the next morning, we had breakfast at the hotel before heading to our new adventure.
We left Cape Town and drove east along the coast. We stopped at a few look out points to get some pictures, but it was a rainy day. Our first stop in Betty’s Bay or BettysBaai was at the Stoney Point Penguin. It was pouring down rain, but that didn’t stop us. We paid our admission and walked along the boardwalk to see the penguins.
Our next stop was at Luiperds Kloof Antique's & Decor where I picked up a few things. There were baboon walking along the road. Our hotel was  The Marine which is part of Hilton property and located in Hermanus. It is located right next to a cliff path that walks along the shore. It is part of the small luxury hotels of the world.  It was beautiful, has that old charm and the staff were super nice. When checking in we were given a tour of the hotel and then offered a room upgrade to huge suite, which was beautiful! Definitely wished we stayed here longer. After checking in, we went swimming in the outdoor heated salt water pool in the pouring rain. Then got ready for dinner at the hotel dinner called the Pavilion.
The next morning after breakfast, we walked along the coast on the Cliff walk. The views were amazing. We went down to explore the tidal pool. Then we walked the Main Street back to our hotel and  did some window shopping. Hermanus was once a cow pasture but later become a fishing village located on the South Ocean. Hermanus is also known for whale watching which starts in June. 
If I had more time, I would have continue driving along the coast heading east and explore more of South Africa. I would have stop at the southern tip sign and lighthouse, explored Mossel Bay and visited the meerkats and ostriches in Oudtshoorn to list a few 
After lunch, we heading back to Cape Town and checked into AC hotel which is a Marriott property. Then, we took an Uber to V & A Waterfront. It has a large shopping center with tons of shops around, museum and restaurants. We ate at Cape Town Fish Market. Then took an Uber back to our hotel. 
The next day, we drove to southern point to see the Cape of Good  Hope and Cape Point where 2 oceans meet. It was such a beautiful day and we even saw an ostrich and baboons. 
On the way back to Cape Town we stopped in Simonstown. We had lunch and explored some shop one being a leather shop where we were given a tour of the workshop. Then we headed back to the hotel to have dinner. 
AS you know, the weather isn't always your friend. Next day was rainy and foggy so we couldn’t take the cable car and go visit Table Mountain and Robben island which where the prisoner Nelson Mandela was held is closed till August for renovation. So we took the water taxi from our hotel to the waterfront and walked around. Then took an uber back to the hotel and had dinner.

Zambia

After taking a 7am flight from Cape Town to Livingstone airport with a layover in Johannsburg we arrive early afternoon in Zambia. One can also fly into Victoria Falls airport. After going through passport control, getting our bags and then passing customs, we looked for our driver. I booked a round trip pick up from the airport to our hotel from Bushtracks which was $20 per person per way which was a little pricy, but I didn’t have to think about how to get it the hotel. Along the way, the driver shared information about the area.

We stayed at the Radisson Blu-Mosi-Oa-Tunya. It is know locally as Mosi-Oa-Tunya which means The Smoke that Thunders. Our room had a balcony which provided an amazing view of the Zambezi River.

Our hotel was on the outskirt of the city Livingstone. A little bit about why the town is called Livingstone. David Livingstone was a Scottish physician who became the first European to cross the width of southern Africa.  In 1855 while exploring the Zambezi River he came across the falls which were already known by the locals. He name Victoria Falls in honor of Queen Victoria.
After our continental breakfast we got ready for our tour with Green Safari. We would be doing the Angel’s Fall Living Life on the Edge Tour where you are able to get into the water and look over the edge. Our driver, Raymond, took us to the landing site and returned us to the hotel. 

Once we arrived we did some waiver paperwork. They provided towels and water shoes if you didn’t have any. Then we  got our life jackets on and boarded the speed boat which would take us to Livingstone island. The current of the river was strong. Once we arrived we dropped off our stuff in a locked box. We wore bathing suits and water shoes which was helpful when walking around and in the falls. 

The main falls always have water and is close to Devil’s Pool which is the alternative spot to hang over the edge when water is low and less strong which is normally mid August to mid January. But due to the water volume and currents it was closed during our visit. From the Zambia side you can look across and see Zimbabwe, which we would visit later in the trip. In September and October when the falls are dry,  one could walk along the edge of the falls., which  I think would be cool to see since I saw it with lots of water. Since Devil’s Pool was closed we were suppose to do Angel’s Pool but there was too much current so we did Rock Pool instead. It was an amazing experience and the views over the falls were awesome!! Disclaimer: Two guides were holding my legs when I was hanging over the edge.

After our tour we had breakfast. I chose a bacon wrap.Then took the speed boat back to the launching site.
​On the way back to the hotel, Raymond, our driver, stopped at a market and then stopped at a tree which gave views of the falls. As we were driving we saw baboon and herds of elephants in distance. If you’re in Zambia and need a tour guide or driver I recommend Raymond. He was amazing and would highly recommended! Attached is his business card. 
The next day,  we would travel to three counties to explore more of Africa. We left Zambia and headed to Botswana, from our hotel it was about an hour. After cleaning our shoes and getting our stamps we arrived in Botswana. 
At the border we meet our guide and driver who drove us to Chobe National Park for our river cruise on the Zambezi River. It was a windy day so water was super choppy. Since it was windy and I am still learning about my camera, so some of the videos aren't the best. 

Here are some things we learned:
  • We saw some hippos in shallow water eating grass. Male hippos are bigger than female and males have scars on their backs from defending their territory.
  • As we rode we saw the reeds on Namibia side which shows how the water level is dropping, as it does in the winter.
  • We saw Kingfishers who hover above the water and dive in to caught fish. Their homes are holes in cliff walls. They gave yellow beaks with lime green legs.
  • Along the shore we saw Impalas and Waterbuck. Waterbucks are quick swimmers and their coats are oily to repel off the water.
  • Then we saw the Marabou Stork is a vulture. Their feathers are black and white which them to absorb and reflect the heat.
  • There were tons of Crocodiles sunbathing. We learned the darker in color they are means they are older.  They are normally brown. They can live 80 plus years. Crocodiles scales are similar to our nails.
  • ​Baobab trees trees are soft wood and hollow in the middle. Sometimes it hold things such as grain or water.
We had a buffet lunch at a local resort and were able to see warthogs on the lawn as we were leaving.
From there we drove to the Zimbabwe border where we met our next guide and driver, who would be giving us a tour of Victoria Falls. You get the best view from the Zimbabwe side and can only see a small part from Zambia. Our guide told us touring the falls in the afternoon is less packed, which was great for us. We maybe saw like 20 people. 
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There are 16 viewpoints of the falls. The last few viewpoints will get you soaked! So, bring a poncho and sandals. Sadly I had the on tennis shoes and pants which got soaked. At some of the viewpoints you couldn't see the falls due to the water vapor off the falls. 

The views were amazing of the falls and it is crazy to believe that half of it dries up during the dry season. The main falls always have water through.
The next day we fly back to Johannesburg arriving around 3pm. I wasn't sure if we would have enough time to make our 7:30 pm flight, we would have had tons of time, so I decided to stay the night at the Intercontinental right at the airport. The next day we left on an evening Swiss Air flight arriving in Stuttgart the next morning with a layover in Zurich. Another great trip in the book!
]]><![CDATA[Munich]]>Wed, 28 May 2025 15:54:37 GMThttps://www.thefootprintsweleave.com/blog/munich
Mario, Sissy and I spent a quick weekend taking in the sights of Munich. So come along on this adventure. 
     Last time, we were in Munich we only spent the night as we were passing through and  stayed near the Olympic Park. This time we stayed right in the heart, a few blocks from old town and the main train station.
     Due to road construction and some rain, it was around 3 hours to get here, but the drive wasn’t bad. We stayed in one of Marriott’s Luxury collection hotels. This hotel provided parking and was pet friendly, two big things I look for when traveling. From the second we arrived, the customer service was amazing! Every person we interacted with were so friendly and Sissy was quite a celebrity with the staff. As we checked in, we learned we were upgraded to a junior suite which gave us view of the city. Thank goodness for our Marriott status. As we explored our room, we saw the mini bar was complimentary and refilled daily, this was a first! Our room's windows offered a sun shaded and black out shades, both were helpful during our stay. 

     After taking in the views that our room offered, we headed out to explore. In front of our hotel is a pedestrian street which took us into old town. The main train station is located behind our hotel by a few blocks.  As we walked we window shopped and took in the views of the old buildings.
     One place I wanted to explore was the Frauenkirche or the Cathedral of Our Dear Lady church.  The two towers this church host were amazing. Mario stayed outside with Sissy so I could explore the inside of the church. While taking in the views of the stain glass windows and listening to the organ music.  This church was bombed during 1945. I learned for 7.50 euro for an adult one can travel up into the South Tower which offered amazing views of the city, so I decided to explore. First, you climb narrow spiral stairs which leads to an elevator which takes you to the top of the tower. Once at the top, you can walk around viewing all parts of the city from the different windows.  Some of the windows had interactive maps which pointed out key places around the city.  After I explored, I waited for the elevator to go back down and then headed outside to find Mario and Sissy.
​From there we continue our walk and came across the town hall or Neues Rathaus. Wow, the detail! Below the clock or glockenspiel,  there are figures.  Since it was almost 5pm, we figured we would wait to hear the bells. Little did we realize that the figures move. After some research we learned, the historical figures and the 43 bells, play at the hours of 11am, 12pm and 5pm. From April to October. The show is about 15 minutes. There is a smaller show at 9pm too.  I posted two videos so you can hear and see the show. ​
From here we head back towards the hotel, stopping in the Harry Potter store on the way. The decided we would explore the park 2 blocks from our hotel. Whenever I traveled with the dogs, I always look for grass for them, it makes potty breaks so much nicer. This park or botanical garden was nice and was established in 1812. There were food trucks and music by the Poseidon fountain. Definitely can see people enjoying this space in warmer weather. Sissy enjoyed all the new smells. I went back the next morning and got a picture of the fountain with no one there. When we arrived back at the room we were welcome to a little thank you gift.
The next day started with breakfast which is located on the 9th floor of the hotel. While eating I enjoyed the view of Munich.
The next day brought sunny skies and a few clouds.   First, we headed back into Old Town.  Our first stop was to see inside the St. Michael Jesuitenkirch church. It was so pretty. From there we walked towards the Munich Residence which is the former royal palace of Bavarian Monarchs, ending at the park behind it. We enjoyed the fountain and nice breezy while relaxing on a bench.  We took in the view of the Dianatempel a 17th century 12 sided structure dedicated to the goddess Diana. Then headed to  the bottom section of the English Garden, which is Munich’s largest park. It was a great place to wonder around. We came upon a family of swan. Then walked towards the  Eisbachwelle, which is known as a river surfing spot. There was an accident in April of this year (2025) which has closed this spot. Just to walk next to it, the current was so strong. From there we head back towards our hotel and relaxed the rest of the day. 
Later that night we went back to the Town Hall to see it lite up. 
The next morning we left and headed home. As we were leaving the city, we drove by the BMW museum and Olympic Park. Our next time in Munich we will explore these two places. We arrive early afternoon! Another great trip in the books. 
]]><![CDATA[Lake Como]]>Sat, 22 Mar 2025 16:02:47 GMThttps://www.thefootprintsweleave.com/blog/lake-como-in-february
Mario, Sissy and I headed to Lake Como for our long weekend in February.
We left mid morning leaving the cold and snowy weather behind. The drive to Lake Como was about 5 hours from the house. We arrived to much warmer temperatures in Italy. It is always nice to visit places in the off season, there are less crowds and accommodations are way cheaper. 
We would be staying a few blocks from the lake at the Hilton Lake Como property. We were upgraded to a suite with view of the lake and received breakfast, thanks to Mario’s status. We checked in and enjoyed the beautiful view of the lake from our room’s balcony. ​
After resting, we walked down to old town Como which was about a 20 minute walk. The hotel is located on a busy street with a small sidewalk, but we later discovered there was a more direct route to the lake. We ate dinner at a restaurant facing the beautiful church.
 The next morning, we headed out to explore the Orrido di Bellano gorge, a natural george created 15 million years ago.  Learn from me and always double check the route the GPS is taking you. I realized too late that the route had us taking a ferry across the lake instead of taking the direct highway. We went a huge distance out of our way, which caused us to literally drive around the whole lake. We enjoyed seeing the small town and the views of the lake but added a way longer commute than planned. 

Once we arrived in Bellano, we found a parking lot right off the main road, with affordable prices.  We walked to the entrance of the gorge, got our tickets which were 7 euro a person. We took in the beauty of the gorge. It was small but still worth the adventure. Here is the link if interested. 
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From there we had a late lunch at a local kebab shop where I got pizza and Mario got a yummy yufta.
From there we took the correct way back to the hotel and made it back to the hotel in an hour. When we arrived back at the hotel,  we were welcome with a gift. 

After resting, we explored the Villa Olmo which is an open park which would have been beautiful come spring. Sissy enjoyed all the smells. It was so pretty walking along the lake, passing by many villas, imagine what they look like inside. We ate dinner again in downtown Como and enjoyed the views of the Church of  Santa Maria Assunta 

The next day was our last full day and we figured since we were so close to Milan, why not explore. It was about 1 hour to Milan from Lake Como. We were going to take the train, but I forgot to bring Sissy’s carrier. So we figured he would drive. There were tolls along the way but you can pay by credit card or cash. They weren’t expensive, for a few dollars. We found a parking garage close to Duomo, which is Milan’s cathedral. So glad we got there early because when we left at 11 the garage was already full.
The duomo was dedicated to the Nativity of St. Mary. Construction started in 1386 and was finished in 1965. There was a pause in construction until 1480 due to lack of money and ideas. It is the 3rd largest cathedral, falling behind  St. Peter’s in Rome and Seville’s cathedral in Spain.
It has been on my list to see for some time. You can tour the inside and then visit the rooftop terraces, enjoying the views of the square. The weather wasn’t very warm and I didn’t want Mario and Sissy to wait in the cold for me. So I took in the views from the outside. If it is meant to be, I will go back and see the inside and explore the tops of the cathedral. From there we headed back to the hotel and had a lazy rest of the day.
The next morning we left and headed home. We hit traffic leaving Lake Como and then missed our turn which caused us to go 20 minutes out of our way. But we finally got on the right road. As we drove home, we took in the beauty of Switzerland, which is pretty but so expensive. We arrived late in the afternoon.  Another great trip in the books.
]]><![CDATA[Lucerne]]>Sun, 09 Feb 2025 14:03:54 GMThttps://www.thefootprintsweleave.com/blog/lucerne
We spent a few days, exploring the city of  Lucerne, Switzerland.
Lucerne is about 3 hours from the house. The drive wasn’t too bad but we did hit some traffic as we got near to city. It was Friday around 4pm so we expected this. We arrived at our hotel around 6pm. Due to Mario’s status we received an upgrade room and free breakfast. We learned that most places are dog friendly. We called ahead to reserve street parking. We were a few blocks away from the main attractions.
After settling in, we went out to explore. Across from our hotel is a small park which was perfect for Sissy. It had a play area for kids, life size chess pieces and ping pong tables and lots of benches. Then we walked towards the river. We saw the train station and made our way to the Chapel Bridge, the whole reason I wanted to come to Lucerne. Then walked around and grabbed dinner from a Greek food truck.
Next morning, we woke up to a beautiful day. We learned Sissy was able to come to breakfast with us. This blows my mind since dogs aren’t often allowed in food places. We enjoyed our free breakfast.  We walked towards the river and then stopped at the chapel bridge. Then followed the river to the needle dam and other covered bridge. I wanted to  explore the Meggsburg which consists of 4 towers and a wall but unfortunately it's closed in the winter, so admired from a distance. We  walked towards the lion monument. Then grabbed a chicken gyro pita from the Greek truck again before heading back to the room to relax.

The next morning, we took one last walk to the Chapel bridge. Then we headed home. Since it was Sunday there wasn't alot of traffic. Another great trip in the books. 
]]><![CDATA[Meteora, Greece]]>Sat, 26 Oct 2024 12:02:47 GMThttps://www.thefootprintsweleave.com/blog/meteora-greece
Come along with me to the land of olives and Greek gods where I explored the monasteries of Meteora. 

​Meteora is located in the middle of Greece. A day trip of about 3-4 hours driving each way can be planned from either Athens or Thessaloniki.
My friend and I decided fly into Thessaloniki. It was a quick 2 hour flight from Stuttgart. When arriving we had to remember that Greece is an hour ahead of Germany. After getting our rental car, we drove about an hour to our hotel called Polys Guesthouse. It was almost midnight when we arrived but we were given a code to let ourselves into our room, which was simple but nice. It was a nice place to rest and break up our drive and a long day of work. Since we were only there one night, we got a twin beds room, but there are also suites available.

The next morning we woke up and had breakfast at the hotel, where we learned we were the only guests there.  The owner was super friendly and the breakfast was simple but gave us enough energy to start our adventure. Today we would be driving the rest of the way to Meteora. We had two options; the toll highway or the scenic route with no tolls. We decided to take the scenic route which was filled with crossbacks and beautiful sites.


After about 3 hours of driving we made it to Meteora. We got a little turned around trying to find our place but we finally found it. We would be staying at Meteora’s Unique Gem, a place we found on AirBNB which is located in the town of Kastraki which is right next to the monasteries. Since the place wasn't ready, we walked next door and had some lunch. Our place was a simple 1 bedroom place with a small kitchen, living room and bathroom. It was located next door to the family run mini market. This was great when we needed to grab some food for our hike the next day.
With parts of history lost, people think that in the 11th century monks and hermits first arrived at these rocks looking for refuge and peace. What first started as simple caves carved into the rock faces turned into monasteries. In the 14th century monks came to the rocks to escape the Turkish raids. There were once more than 20 monasteries but only 6 can be visited today. In 1998, the monasteries were added to the Unesco’s Heritage List.

With it being early afternoon, we decided to hike to the Monk’s Prison or The Hermit Cave of Badovas. It is unsure if this was truly a prison or just a place for refuge and peace for the monks. As we started the hike we were at the base of the rocks entering the forest.  One article I read stated you left like ants crawling in a stone forest and I agree. As we climbed up hills and over rocks, we enjoyed the views of the town below. We got turned around and soon learned we took the wrong path. Thanks to the helpful guide walking by, we learned we needed to take another path, but we weren’t able to see it because it was covered by a rock and trees and could only see the path from a higher view point. Once we were on the correct path, we still weren’t sure where to find it. Thank goodness for another helpful hiker who led us in the right direction. Once we locate it we climb up towards it. As I stood and looked up, I was in awe that the wood was still in its location after all these years. There were tunnels which we were thinking connected to the high level of the prison. Even though we got turned around often, it was a beautiful hike. 
As we headed back toward place, we saw the monastery of St. George Mantilas craved into the stone face. 
The next day we explored the monasteries. There are many ways to explore. You can book a guided bus tour or bike tour. You can drive yourself or walk like we did. Parking was limited at all monasteries and most still required climbing. Instead of climbing up an insane hill we decided to start with the monastery closest to our place.
All monasteries expected appropriate clothing. One can bring a scarf to tie, I had a tie skirt that I got in Thailand that I used. Women can’t wear pants so they must tie their scarf to form a dress. Each monastery did offer scarves to borrow. Each monastery had an admission fee of 3 euro, while kids 12 and under are free. 
Today there are paths and roads taking you to the monastery, however, in the past nets and rope ladders were used to get from the bottom to the top. 
The weather was beautiful with sunny sky couldn’t have ask for better weather.

The Holy Monastery of St. Nicholas Anapausas

It is the closest monastery to the town of Kastraki and a few minutes hike from our lodging. Once we arrived we started our climb up the top of the hill, taking numerous stairs to reach the top. 
This monastery was mentioned in history around the 14th century. The word “Anapausas” means rest. In the beginning of the 20th century it slowly came abandoned and suffered damage in WW2 but in 1960 it was repaired and restored.

After exploring the monastery we walked back down the hill. We walked a few distance on the main road before we took a path into the forest which would lead up a hill to the next monastery. We found a bench on the path and had a quick snack of crackers, salami and cucumbers all bought from the mini market next to our lodging.

The Holy Monastery of Varlaam

This monastery is also known as The Holy Monastery of All Saints. This monastery was settled around the first half of the 14th century. Once inside we were able to visit the lift tower and see the net and lift device used to raise the monks from the ground floor. In another room, you can see the wine cellar which has a huge wooden barrel used for storing wine. This monastery has a hospital/nursing home, bakery, and kitchen.  From there we walked around the road to the next monastery.

The Holy Monastery of Saint and Great Meteora

 This monastery is the largest and oldest monastery.
We grabbed a quick sandwich from the food truck and ate a quick lunch in the limited shade we could find. From there we started our walk to the next monastery. Along the way we ran into a very nice couple from Canada who would later stop and offer us a ride to the next monastery.

The Monastery of the Holy Trinity

​ It was found in around 1438.

St. Stephen's Holy Monastery

 No climbing required just walked crossed a bridge. 
We were planning on taking the path down into the town next to ours, but we ran into our Canadian friend who offered us a ride back to our lodging. We later realized we were staying partially right next door to each other. 
Today, we visited 5 out of 6 monasteries, we didn’t visit The Monastery of Rousanou because it was out of the way for us to walk down there and walk back to the other monastery.
The next day we decided to walk to the next town called Kalambaka. Along the way we enjoyed the views and were able to find some abandoned monasteries. 

 The Hermitage of St. Nicholas Badova

Hermitages of St. Gregory and St. Anthony.

​St Vissarion Holy Metropolitan Orthodox Church

​Holy Church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary

We stopped in a few shops and enjoyed some lunch before making our way back to our lodging.
That night our Canadian friends invited us to head up to the sunset rock to catch the sun set. 
The next day, we had an early evening flight, so we left  mid morning, which gave us some time to explore the city of Thessaloniki. On the drive back to Thessaloniki we took some scenic and tolls roads. All tolls accept either cash (euro) or credit card. The amounts were small like 90 or 1.50.
​
We found parking in a garage connected to city hall which was very clean and not too expensive. We found a restaurant facing the port where we enjoyed some pizza and the ocean breeze. We walked around seeing a few sites. 

Ruins of The Palace of Galerius

Triumphal Arch of Galerius

​Holy Church of Hagia Sophia

From there we returned our rental car and went through security which took like 2 minutes and then people watched until our flight. We arrived back in Stuttgart a little bit after dinner.  Another great trip in the books!
All facts came from the book: Meteora: The Holy Monasteries as a Place of Pilgrimage by Dimitrios K. Agoritsas

]]><![CDATA[Cyprus]]>Wed, 19 Jun 2024 15:35:42 GMThttps://www.thefootprintsweleave.com/blog/cyprus
Mario and I spent 5 days on the island of Cyprus, which makes country 44!
Things to know:
  • Currency:  Euro
  • Visa: No, you can stay up to 90 days without visa​
  • Charging outlets:  UK plug
  • Driving: Left side of the road.
  • SIM: We used our Google Sim and Google Maps to navigate around the island. 
We were suppose to visit Cyprus as part of our Jordan trip in March but with a cancel flight and limited time to explore, we postpone it till now. 

Our flight leaving Stuttgart was delayed but we arrived safely at Larnaca airport (LCA). There are two airports on the island, one of the western side and the one we fly into on the bottom eastern side of the island. We rented a car to get around  the island. Since our car rental place wasn't at the airport we had to take a shuttle. We learned that you leave arrival hall but have to go upstairs and outside to the departure drop off area and that is where the shuttle picks up. Luckily for us, the shuttle was waiting. Our driver was so nice, telling us useful information about the island and our rental. The staff at Enterprise was very friendly and we even got an upgrade. After collecting our car we drove 35 minutes ride to the hotel around at the hotel a little before 10pm. Thank goodness, Mario can drive on the left side of the road, I was white knuckles the whole way.
We will be staying 4 nights at a hotel east of the city Limassol,  in Pyrgos.
We spent most of our time relaxing around the resort's pools.  The weather was hot, like mid 90's.
With the hot temperatures and the stress of driving on the left side of the road, we only visited a few places on the island.
Aphrodite’s Rock (Petra tou Romiou) was about 45 minutes west of the hotel. There is a car park right off the road. There are stairs that lead to a tunnel so you can safely visit it. There was also a shop at the car park. I didn’t explore the shop so not sure if there was a restroom, I did see a shower and changing rooms. According to Greek mythology Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, was born from the sea foam near this rock.
From there we drove towards Pafos, where we would visit the Pafos Archaeological Park. There was a good size parking lot which was right next to the park and the admission per person was 4.50 euro. We walked around taking in the views of the different mosaics around. After we walked along the pier.
From there we drove a few minutes up the road to The Tombs of the King.  These tombs were used for the rich and state heads. We walked around the tombs which reminded me of the tombs we saw in Petra.
On our finally day, we took an evening flight which was delayed, but we arrived back into Stuttgart around 11:30pm. Another great trip in the books!
]]><![CDATA[Iceland]]>Fri, 07 Jun 2024 20:19:18 GMThttps://www.thefootprintsweleave.com/blog/iceland
Mario and I spent 14 days exploring the island of Iceland in a camper van. Iceland makes country # 43. 
We took a 9:15pm nonstop flight to Iceland landing at Keflavik Airport around 11pm Icelandic time. Iceland is 2 hours behind Germany, so we really landed at 1am Germany time, which made for a long day for me since it was my last day of work. After getting our luggage, we got a taxi which took us to our hotel. We spend the night at the Courtyard Marriott, which is a short 5 minute drive form the airport. That short taxi ride cost us 25 USD. Iceland is expensive, so be prepared!
Things to know:
  • Currency:  Icelandic Krona (ISK) : 1000 isk is about $8 USD. All the places we went to even the smallest shops all took credit card. We got some money out but ended up not needing it. 
  • Visa: We didn't need one for our time, but check if you want to stay longer.
  • Holiday: Iceland's Independence Day was June 17.
  • Weather in June: Normally cloudy and windy around mid 40 to low 50's. We had really nice weather given or take a day or two. Difficult recommend rain gear (pants and coat) and hiking books. 
  • Charging outlets: 2 pong European 
  • Driving: Right side of the road. Around the city and the highway 1 roads were good. But lots of roads with gravel or pure gravel roads when you left highway 1. So if your planning to leave the major highway, I would look into a 4x4 type car. All we needed was our driver's licenses to rent the camper van. 
  • SIM: We used our Google Sim  and used Google Map to navigate around the island. Our camper van did come with it's own WiFI which was a bonus.

Day 1:

Our day started with a shuttle picking us up from our hotel at 8:30am and taking us to our camper van. There are many camper van companies to pick from, but we decided to go with Camp Easy. Camper vans sell out quickly and the only way we got this one, was it was brand new this year. After registering, we got the keys to our van. We decided to go with the Luxury 4X4. Yes, it is big but super roomy and cozy for us to live in for the next 2 weeks. It has 3 beds, 2 refrigerators, gas stove, kitchen supplies and tons of storage. Under the back bed is a trunk, which was perfect to store suitcases. It comes with an IPAD loaded with trip itineraries, things near by to see and a chat option incase we needed to contact Camp Easy. It also has it's own WiFi, which has been great for me keeping up this blog. 
One helpful app was called Parka. In this app, you could pay for campsites and parking at numerous different attraction. It made it nice that I didn't have to grab my credit card at every parking lot. 

Water can be drank from any faucet or stream throughout the island.
​
​Before we left town we wanted to stop by the grocery story, Netto, but it didn't open until 10. So we decided to head 15 minutes out of town to see the Gardskaga lighthouses. Iceland welcomed us with super windy weather and low temperatures. With the winds in the teens it made it super cold day. Just days before the northern part of the island, got a crazy snow storm! So glad I packed warm layers. We found parking and walked towards the two lighthouses. The first reference to a lighthouse on Gardskaga peninsula was around 1847. Then in 1849, a lighthouse was built. The new lighthouse was built in 1944 because the ocean eroded away the shoreline of the original one. 
As we drove back towards town, we stopped at Giganta's Cave. Giganta was a character in a children book written by a former elementary teacher in 1959. Along the way to the cave, was lupines along the path. We would later learn lupines were brought from the USA and used a ground cover, so there aren't terrible wind storm. This made sense as we drove around the island. 
After getting groceries and eating a quick lunch at a burrito place similar Chipotle. We headed out of town towards Thingvellir National Park. It was added to UNESCO in the summer 2004 and made into national park in 1928. 

Our first stop was Öxaráfoss. Foss in Icelandic means waterfall. The story goes that their forefathers changed the course of the river in order to get better access to water. Drekkingarhylur or The drowning pool is  a deep pool in the river near the bridge in Almannagjá, formerly a place of execution. Up to the early 18th century, women found guilty of crimes such as adultery, incest and murdering infants were tied in sacks and drowned there. 

There are numerous parking areas to park, but you must pay to park. There is a kiosk or QR code option to pay. You type your license plate number in and type of vehicle and pay. It was super easy and took credit card. There was restrooms and a visitor center with a gift shop and eatery.
Our next stop was Bruarfoss​. A new road and parking lot was add which cuts the walking distance to the falls. I used the parka app to pay the parking fee here. ​
Our next stop was the see the Geysirs. At this stop, there were rest rooms, restaurant and a gift shop. 
Our final spot was the Gullfoss or "Golden Falls". It is in the river Hvítá, one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Iceland. It falls 32 m in two cascades. The canyon below the falls is 2,500 m long and 70 m deep, a magnificent sight. There are restrooms, restaurant and gift shop.
We had a windy and chilly day of seeing some amazing sights. We headed towards the campsite we would be staying for the night. In Iceland, it is illegal to park and spent the night in parking lots and side of the roads. So you must pay and stay at a campsite. I picked Flúðir Campsite, because it was right on our path. We found a spot and had to wait till 7pm to pay at the reception. It cost us about $35 USD to spend the night. It had a shower and toilet combo with hot water included in the price. We just showed up to the campsites, hoping to find room. We only pre-booked two campsites. We tired to arrive by 8pm at the latest because campsites do fill up. 

Day 2

During this time of the year, it is light 24 hours a day. Our van did have curtains which somewhat made it dark, at times we had to get creative on how to make it dark, this is where extra blankets and raincoats came in handy. Our first night sleeping in the van was comfortable, but we forgot to turn on the heat, so we were happy to have warm comforters to use but still were very chilly. We didn't make that mistake again. 

Our first stop of the day was Seljalandsfoss, which was about an hour drive from the camp site. This waterfall is one of the highest waterfalls in Iceland, though it has little water. The coolest part was being able to follow the path and walk behind the falls. Thank goodness for rain gear!
As we walked down the path, we pass one waterfall on the way to see and explored Gljufrabui falls. Go inside the cavern of rocks to get up close to the falls. 
We drove about 30 minutes down the road to our next waterfall, Skógafoss.  This one is  the highest in Iceland. Legend has it that the settler Þrasi hid his chest of gold behind Skógafoss. A huge staircase with many steps, brings you up to the top of the waterfall, where you can see the stream that feeds into it.  It was insane windy when we got there, barely could walk. You have the opportunity to spend the night at this site. There was a bathroom.
Our next stop was Dyrhólaey which is full of cliffs and rock formations. Dyrhólaey means "doorway hill island", is a cape or headland 110-120 m high, with perpendicular cliffs on the southern and western sides and a narrow arch rock protruding into the sea. It is nature sanctuary with a lighthouse on top of the cliffs. There were puffins flying all around. 
The next stop was Reynisfjara, the black sand beach. The beach was made up of small and large pebbles. The beach is lined with basalt column formations and caves. The sea is wild here. At the entrance to the beach, there is a safely level, and today's was yellow. You had to pay to park but the toilet was part of this fee. You could use your parka app or pay at the kiosk. Your parking ticket gives you 3 hours to spend at the beach. It was busy when we got there!
From there we headed toward Vik, which is where we would be spending the night and our meeting place for our Katla Ice Cave excursion. We booked our tour with Tröll Expeditions. We ate at Smiðjan Brugghús, which is a burger place for lunch and then rest for a bit before meeting our group. There was only 6 of us on the tour. We drove about 40 minutes to the base of the glacier, which was very bumpy. We stopped for a quick view of the glacier from afar. Then spent the next hour exploring and learning about how ice cave are made.  It is incredible to see the glacier ice up close. Since it is late in the season, we were able to see a ice cave at its end, ready to collapse any day now  and a new one still growing.
After our tour, we headed to Vik campsite, which is a right off the main road. We paid at the reception for a night stay which was about $35. There were washers and dryers and showers for an extra fee. 

Day 3

Before we started our day we got gas and a few things from the grocery store.

Our first stop was right out of town, as you can guess another waterfall! This one was called Uxafotafoss, which was off a dirt road. You had to climb a ladder to go and see it up close but it was beautiful. 
From there we traveled down the road for a few minutes, to our next stop, Yoda Cave. We drove down a dirt road to the parking lot, which was right next to the cave. You had to pay to park, which was about $20, which was a little pricy, but the land is privately owned.​
As we drove along highway 1 which takes you around the whole island, there is always something to stop and see. This time we stopped at Skaftareldahraun to see lava beds covered in moss. 
Our next stop was Fjadrargljufur. After a climb up another hill and at the end of an 1 mile hike, we saw a waterfall flowing down the western side of the canyon. There were numerous observation platforms where we stopped and took in the beauty.​
After exploring the canyon, we visited Stjornarfoss. It was a short walk from the parking lot.
Out next stop was at the Skeioara Bridge Monument. There is a small piece of what used to be a bridge which was destroyed by glacier flood.
We made a quick stop to see the Svinafellsjokull glacier.
From there we drove to our meeting spot for our Glacier hike tour with Troll Expeditions. When we arrived we were checked in and fitted for our gear. This was an amazing adventure where we hiked up and down a glacier. 
Our campsite for tonight was in the Shaftafell National Park, so we had to back track about 25 minutes. Along the way we stopped at a gas station and had an amazing hamburger and fries. In 1967, the land of Shaftafell was made into Shaftafell National Park. The campsite was really nice with showers, 1 washer/dryer, toilet, and a recycling area. All included in the cost of about $50 USD since we got electricity. I was able to use my scrubba to do some laundry. This one was one of our favorites.

Day 4

Our day started with a 3 mile round trip hike up another hill to see Svartifoss. This one we almost missed, but I saw it on a postcard at a gas station and had to see it. It was a good thing it was right at our campsite. The entrance to the trails were right next to the campsite. As we climb the hill, we took in the views and the waterfalls we passed. I'm glad we started early, because it got busy as we were leaving. 
We said goodbye to our campsite and headed towards the meeting point of our tour today. We would be taking a puffin tour ran by a local family called Ingólfshöfði Puffin Tour. While searching on Google Maps, I came across this tour and figured why not. After checking in and receiving two free postcards, we boarded a wagon pulled by a tractor. We traveled across what they call the wastelands, once a pretty green location is now all gray, black, rocky and sandy which was causes from a volcanic eruption. This wasteland area is own by the family. The cliffs where the puffins nest is a nature reserve. When we arrived at our spot, we had to climb up a sand dune. Once on the top we were offered amazing views. Then we headed towards the puffins. We were given a beautiful sunny day. Our guide said it is normally cloudy and windy and told us the weather felt tropical to him. He also said normally in nice weather the puffins are out the sea to hunt, but we saw tons of them!
After our tour it was lunch, so we decided to back track again and go back to our gas station and eat another yummy burger!

From there we headed towards our next destinations, Breidamerkursandur beach (diamond beach) and Jokulsarlon glacier. These were right next to each other. There were three parking lots in this area. The main one was filled by the time we got there, so we parked in the overflow lot. There is a walkway under the bridge to take you to see the glacier. There is a parking fee which can be paid via Parka app or the kiosk. 

First, we went to Breidamerkursandur beach. It is called diamond beach because when pieces of glacier breaks off they float from the lake out to sea and often land on the beach looking like diamonds.

​From there we walked to the lake to see the glacier ice up close. 
We stopped in Hofn for gas and to grabbed some groceries at the Netto. We were planning on spending the night at the campsite in town. But we decided to drive about 20 minutes farther and stay at the base of the Vestrahorn mountain. We spent the night at the Vestrahorn campsite. There was a cafe and  showers and toilets included in the fee. We paid extra for electricity making it about $50 for the night. 

Vestrahorn, is on the Stokksnes peninsula in Southeast Iceland with peaks reaching up to 454 meters (1490 ft), steep cliffs rising from the sides of a stunning lagoon, and black sand beaches all around.

After paying for our campsite we explored the Viking filming location which was used in the Witcher and took in the amazing views of the mountain. These sites were included in our campsite price. If your not staying the night, you have the pay the entrance fee of about $8 a person. You are given a QR code which you scan to open the gate. Then you drive to the sights. 

Day 5

We said goodbye to the beautiful views our campsite provided and headed towards our first stop which was Skútafoss. When you first park, you see a small waterfall which look like a dam, but as you continue to  walk on the gravel path, you see  two more falls. 
We were leaving the south cost behind and slowly making our way up north. So today we traveled along highway 1 along the eastern coast of Iceland. Most of the day we drove through foggy weather. Even in the fog the sights are pretty.
Our next stop was Djúpivogur, a village situated at the mouth of Berufjörður fjord, on the southeast coast. The primary industries are fishing, fish processing, trade and services. Trading started in the 17th century and an ideal place for bird watching.  We stopped at a cafe for a quick bite and bathroom break. 
Our next stop was Reyðarfjörður. This town was founded at the turn of last century because of herring fishing. We stopped at a gas station and had lunch. I had a veggie burger and it was amazing! Then we headed to Búðarárfoss. We parked in the war museum parking lot and took the gravel trail behind the museum which turned into wood chips. We follow this along the stream and then back onto a gravel path where we were rewarded with view of the falls. The reviews on Google Maps, helped us find the path up to the waterfall, so I always try to read the reviews of the place we travel to, never know what you learn. We weren't able to get close to the base of the falls but still have a great view of the falls. 
From there we drove into Egilsstaðir, where we would be staying the night. We stayed at Camp Egilsstadir and Egilsstadastofa Visitor Center, which was located right in town. I did book us a spot here ahead of time, because summer can get super busy! It was super nice. There were numerous toilets and showers. A kitchen area to cook and clean. There were washers and dryers for an extra fee. We arrived mid afternoon, so we took advance of no one there yet and washed some clothes. Then spent the rest of the day relaxing. This was one of our favorite campsites.

Day 6

Today we would continue heading north with our final destination being Husavik. Our first stop was Hengifoss. On the way we made a quick stop and enjoyed the views of Hölknárfoss. Then we continue to Hengifoss. We were expecting a short hike up to the falls but it ended up being a 2 hour round trip hike. It was another hike up a side of a mountain, this one was a killer, but so worth it! Don't believe Iceland when it says it is an easy walk!
On the way to our next stop, we stopped at a pull off stop to admire the Rjukandafoss. It was another hike up the side of the mountain. As you drive around Iceland, there are tons of waterfalls coming off the mountains. 
From there we headed to our next stop Stuolagil canyon. This canyon is one of Iceland's largest collection of basalt columns. There were two different viewpoints. One was right off the main parking lot and  the other one was across the canyon and required a little bit of a hike. The road to the canyon was gravel and being worked on, so at times it was a single lane road. It made for a bumpy ride, thanks goodness our van was a 4X4!
From there we headed toward Dettifoss which is the most powerful waterfall in Europe. A few days before to our visit, the roads and falls were closed due to the snow storm. There are two view points of the falls a west and east view road. The east road was still closed, but the west had opened back up. However, when we arrive we realized all the snow was still there. It was mess trying to walk to the falls. Some paths were icy due to people walk on it, other parts were slowly melting so you can fall into a puddle, which we did. It was an adventure to say the least.  Some areas still had up to 4-5 inches on snow or more. If the walkways were better, we could have gotten a better view of the falls, but I am grateful for what we saw and that it was open. We saw both  Dettifoss and Selfoss falls.
From there we headed toward Húsavik which is a fishing village known as the whale watching capital of the world. It is located just south of the Arctic Circle, in northern Iceland. It is also in the movie Eurovision. We spent the night at the Foss Hotel to take a break from the van. In the end, we decided we should have stayed at the campground instead because we preferred sleeping in the van better. Once we arrived at the hotel, we enjoyed a meal of the hotel restaurant. I got Arctic Char and Mario got a pulled pork sandwich. My fish was super yummy!
When we travel, we have the best dog sitter! She spoils them and always sends me pictures! Look at my fur kids... aren't they the cutest!

Day 7:

We originally had tickets to go whale watching but in the end decided to have a late morning and walk the town instead. We did see whales when we went to Alaska years ago.  Our first stop was the Whale Museum, which was very educational and I would recommend a visit to it. Then we saw the church which was built in 1907. From there we stopped at Ice Wear, sporting good store, where I got a few things. From there we got gas and grabbed a few things from the grocery store before saying goodbye to Húsavik.
From there we headed towards Grjotagja Cave, which is a small lava cave near Lake Mývatn in Iceland. Early 18th century outlaw Jón Markússon lived there and used the cave for bathing. Grjótagjá was a popular bathing site until the 1970's when the temperature rose to above 50c. Grjótagjá was used as a location for filming an episode of Game of Thrones, called "Kissed by Fire". Bathing is prohibited, but visiting and photography are allowed. 
Our nest stop was Goðafoss. It is called the "Falls of the gods. According to the Sagas, Þorgeir of Ljósavatn threw his statues of the gods into the falls when Iceland converted to Christianity in the year 1000, hence the name. 
From there we stopped a petting zoo farm, before heading into the Toll road Vaðlaheiðargöng West. You have 24 hour before or 24 hours after entering the tunnel to pay. You go online to www.tunnel.is. You put in your license plate information and it figures out how much you have to pay.  For us it was around $15.

From there we stopped in Akureyri and walked around. We headed to our campsite, which was on the outskirts of town. It had walking trails, mini golf, showers and toilets. It was super busy and probably my least favorite one, but it could have worked if it was less busy.

Day 8:

Today we continue to explore the northern part of Iceland which consisted of twisty and windy roads. Most of our day we rode along side the coast and the views were amazing!

Out first stop was about 1.5 hours from our campsite. We visited Grafarkirkja, which is the oldest church in Iceland. It was build in the late 17th century by a bishop. It was deconsecrated in 1765. The National Museum of Iceland had it rebuilt in 1953. It was a super sunny day, so I didn't get the best picture of the front of the church. The church wasn't open but was able to look in the window to get a picture of the inside. 
Right down the road form the chruch we visited the town of Hofsos. We went to ​Staðarbjörg Basalt Columns 
Then we headed towards the Glaumbaer Farm and Museum which is a old turf farmhouse. It is dated between 18th and 19th century. The turf style of construction was common in rural Iceland up until 1910-1930. There were 15 rooms that we could visit, I was really interesting going inside.
From there we stopped for lunch at the gas station where I had my veggie burger again! From there we visited the Víðimýrarkirkja (church).  We got the combo ticket so we could view both places. You can only pay and see the farm if you choose. Combo ticket was around $17 USD each.
For the next 1.5 hours we enjoyed the views the coastline had to offer while we travel to Hvitserkur which is a 15 m high basalt rock rising out of the sea and due to the ocean eroded it making it look like a 3 legged monster. The road there was very bumpy and gravel and took us about 35 minutes. In the end, I felt it wasn't worth it and I would have skipped it and saved some time.
After we got back on the main road, we drove to the Kolugljufur canyon.
From there we decided to drive another 2.5 hours to our campsite, which was in the northwestern part of the island which is know of the West fjords. This campsite took us closer to the things we would be seeing the next day. We stayed at the Hveravík campsite. It was really nice. It had a heated pool, 1 toilet and shower inside and one outside. A huge kitchen area with anything you would possibly need to cook with. The owner was really friendly and one we would definitely stay in again. 

Day 9

We left the campsite and headed to our first stop which was about 2 hours down the road. We were originally going to a seal look out but came across Litlibær instead. It was a farm built in 1894 and lived in until 1969. In 1999, the National Museum of Iceland took over land and rebuilt the building. It was open to the public in 2007.  Currently in the farm building is a cafe where we stopped for a little treat and the restroom. 
From there we drove to the Lambagil Waterfall. This waterfall had some off trail hiking required. We weren't able to get close to the falls because you had to do some climbing and chose not to, but we did get some pictures. 
Our next stop was a gas station in the town of  Ísafjörður. We grab a few things from the grocery store for lunch before heading out of town. There were 3 cruise boats at dock, so there were alot of people walking around. 
From there we drove to Dynjandi which was worth all the twisty and bumpy road we drove while in the West Fjords. Dynjandi is an abandoned farm and above it is the biggest waterfall in the west fjords. There are 5 waterfalls under the main one and wow they were amazing. We had to pay for parking using the QR code provided in the parking lot. There were restrooms. They are in the process of building a walkway and a viewpoint which will be nice when they are done. The climb up the falls was moderate due to them rebuilding the walkway but the views made it worth it!
On the way to the campsite, we detour to take in a few more waterfalls. This adventure was cut short do to an eroded road. Our whole day was driving through the westfjords. It was full of lots of twisty roads and some bumpy, gravel roads. Imagine your fingers are the peninsula  and you have the drive down and round to get to the next finger, no option of crossing the bay.
After about 2 hours we arrived at our campsite, which offered a view of a waterfall, swimming pool, showers, toilets and a community kitchen. A family runs it and the owner was nice. The parking spots had turf grass put down which would been nice in wet weather. Definitely would stay here again!

Day 10

Today we left the Westfjords behind and we are heading back to west part of the Iceland. The weather was cloudy and windy. This didn't stop us from exploring. Our first stop was ​Eiríksstaðir - Viking Longhouse.
We parked in the small parking lot at the base of Grábrók Crater. There were numerous stairs to climb before you were at the top. Once at the top you could walk around the top of the whole crater. It was super windy up top. This crater was formed in a fissure eruption less then 3,000 years ago. It is 173m above sea level. 
We were planning on explore the Glanni Falls, however, we couldn't find parking, so we didn't stay. The parking lot was right next to a golf course.

So we went to our next stop, Háafell Goat farm. There was an admission fee and then we were able to go into the field and pet the goats. We spoke with one staff member who gave us some information about the goats. We learned there is such a small number of them they are  endangered species.
We changed our itinerary a bit and decided to spend the next two nights at the FOSS Hotel in Reykholt. 

Day 11:

Our first stop was the waterfalls of Hraunfossar and Barnafoss. These waterfalls were right down the road from the hotel. 
From there we headed to the Troll Garden, which is based in the characters of a children's book written by a local. We paid the admission fee and walked around. We had lunch at the same resturant from yesterday.  Today was Iceland's Independence Day!
After lunch, we came back to the hotel. I walked around the hotel and learned about the area. It was another gloomy and cloudy day. The rain held off until I got back to the hotel. 

Day 12:

Our first stop was at the horse farm right down the street from the hotel called Sturlureykir Visiting Horse Farm. I emailed them about setting up a stable visit and they said sure come by at 9:30am since they had a tour coming at 10am. When we arrive we were given a small presentation information us about Icelandic horses. Then we toured the stables and saw how they make rye bread using geothermal heat. We were able to try the rye bread with butter, yummy!
Next, we stopped to see Þórufoss.  The is a 18 meter high falls used as a filming location in "Game of Thrones." There was a dirt path down a hill to get a closer view of the falls but it started to rain and didn't want to take a chance.
Next we stopped for lunch at Subway and grabbed a few things from the grocery store. We were planning at staying at a campsite in Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland. Mario decided that were spending the night at the hotel. We found a hotel that could fit our mega camper van. So we will be spending the next two nights in the Reykjavík.

After checking in, we walked around Reykjavík. Our first stop was Hallgrimskirkja (The Church of Hallgrimur). It is largest church in Iceland and houses the largest organ with 5,275 pipes. It is also a national monument dedicated to a sacred poet of Iceland, Hallgrimur Petursson. You can pay around $10 and take the elevator up to the bell tower. There are two different levels, which both gives you views of Reykjavík. The bells rings every 15 minutes.

Day 13:

Today was rainy but that didn't stop us from exploring. This whole trip we had amazing weather minus a day or two, so I am not going to complain. We got our raincoats on and explored more of the capital. Our hotel is right next to the HARPA, which is a concert hall and conference center. It is home to the symphony and opera. Then we walked to the Sólfar (Sun Voyager) statue. It is a steel sculpture by Jón Gunnar and is a dreamboat, an ode to the sun. 
Then we walked along the ship yard. Our next stop was the Saga, a history museum about vikings. You could try on costumes. The museum had wax lifelike character showing the history. It was very informative. An audio guide was also given which gave you additional information. I included a few information boards and wax figures to show you what the exhibits looked like.

Day 14:

Today is our last full day in Iceland. We checked out of our hotel and drove to the Blue Lagoon. Due to the volcanic eruptions, we had to take a detour. It should have took use about an hour but now it was an 1.5 hours. On the way to the lagoon, we stopped at the  Bridge Between Continents - Miðlína or Leif the Lucky Bridge is a walkway linking the North American & Eurasian tectonic plates.
 We had some time to pack up our things before heading to the lagoon. On the way to the lagoon, you can see the cooled lava beds, still smoking. They are rebuilding roads and making walls which would hopefully slow the lava down. 
They are currently fixing the areas around the lagoon. After you park in the main parking lot,  you must take a shuttle bus to the main entrance or hotel. So leave extra time, since the shuttle comes every 15 minutes. We arrived a few minutes after our entry time of 12. We got our wrist band which gave us access to our premium package which included entrance, robe, towel, 3 masks, and 2 drinks. We put our things in our locker. Rinse off before heading to the lagoon. It was a rainy and foggy morning, so add the stream from the lagoon and you couldn't see. We got some drinks, tried to face masks and stayed about an hour. 
From there we had a quick lunch and then dropped off our camper van.

It was an incredible 2 weeks of exploring the island. We got a shuttle ride from the camper van drop off to the airport arriving around 4pm. Sadly, our flight wasn't until 12:05 am, so we had tons of time to relax at the airport, but there were food places in arrival and we found seats. The time went by really quick. We booked our flight arrived back in Stuttgart around 6:30am.  Then we headed home to wash clothes and prepare for our next trip!       

Another great trip in the books!
]]><![CDATA[Jordan]]>Thu, 28 Mar 2024 12:02:13 GMThttps://www.thefootprintsweleave.com/blog/jordan
Mario and I spent 9 days exploring Jordan. We started in Amman  and ended in Aqaba. Jordan makes country #42 for me.
Things to know:
  • Currency:  Jordanian Dinar (JOD) which is 1 JOD to $1.41 USD. 
  • Visa: Yes, visa on arrival for 40 JOD, so $56 USD - fee waived if purchase the Jordan Pass and staying at least 4 days 
  • Holiday: Ramadan, which during the day limited traffic and people, but at sunset traffic increased.
  • Charging outlets: 2 pong European and/or 3 pongs UK
  • Driving: Right side of the road. Just needed our drivers license to rent a car. Be very aware while driving, often common driving law weren't followed like staying in one lane. Their highway had random speed bumps and were very bumpy.
  • SIM: We used our Google Sim which at times we lost signal or our GPS had us in a random place. There were many SIM places at the airport. At the end of the trip, I tried out the app Airalo e SIM, which lets you download a SIM from different places around the world.  We learned this from Mike & Ashley, You-tubers we follow. We will definitely use this as a Plan B in the future.
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Day: 1
We took an early morning flight from Stuttgart with a layover in Vienna, Austria before arriving into Queen Ali International Airport (QAIA) late afternoon. We exchanged money on arrival. Many places did take credit cards but many smaller places didn't. Make sure to have small bills on hand.

A visa is required and you can get it on arrival. If you’re planning on staying 4 days or more you can waive this fee by purchasing the Jordan Pass. This pass gives your free entry into over 40 attractions, including Petra. When purchasing the Jordan pass there are three different levels. We got the Jordan Expert level which gave us 3 days to Petra. I added on the visit to the baptism site, which I would later learn was a waste. This pass wasn’t cheap but super convenient. At attractions, I gave them our printed passes and  they scanned the QR code and we entered.

We got our visa and then waited to get our stamp which was slow since one person was working. Then we were told to go to the passport desk. The whole process took longer than it should have, since the airport was like dead. We finally got our bags and went to get our rental car. We rented from Enterprise but you had many choices in rental car companies. We got a mid size compact car.

We hit some traffic leaving the airport so the drive took us about an hour. We stayed at Hilton Amman for one night. Upon check in, we learned we were upgrade to a king deluxe one bedroom suite due to Mario’s status. We had dinner at Nasma, a Lebanese restaurant, in the hotel. We tried a few different things, which was yummy! 
Day 2:
We had a buffet breakfast at the hotel, which was huge and yummy! We checked out and headed toward our first stop which was the Amman Citadel, which was included in our Jordan Pass. With it being Ramadan it was a ghost town in the morning which made it nice for driving and exploring. The informational board were very helpful since we didn't have a guide. Definitely would recommend going to this one. 
Next, we drove towards our next stop which was Jerash. It took us about a hour to get here. We learned we needed to park at the Jerash Visitor free car parking and not at the visitor center. Since it was close to lunch time we decided to eat lunch. We ate at Old Roman Restaurant which was in the parking lot. We were the only guest but the food was good. I forgot to take pictures but Mario got a kebab sandwich and I got a falafel sandwich. The waiter was super friendly and even gave us some free bottled water! 
Picture
Most of the signs were in both Arabic and English.
After lunch we toured Jerash, which was part of our Jordan Pass. The ruins of a Greco- Roman settlement was a must see. There were information boards all over the complex and I would recommend seeing this one if you enjoy ruins and history.
Our next stop was The Ajloun Castle which is a 12th century fortress. This was included in our Jordan Pass. I wasn't too impressed by this one, but it was a close distance from Jerash, and Mario wanted to see if,  so we stopped. 
Then we headed towards Hilton Dead Sea where we spent the next 2 nights. We were upgraded to a king junior suite which a huge balcony overlooking the sea. We were given a food voucher for the restaurant 1312 which included a drink and appetizer because the executive lounge was closed. The hotel had a few pools but only one was heated. Since it was still "winter" a lot was still closed around the hotels we stayed at. We had dinner at 1312 and enjoyed the yummy food.
Day 3:
The next day we planned on seeing the Baptism site of Jesus Christ and Mount Nebo. We headed to the Baptism site, which was a quick 25 minutes from the hotel. We arrived right after opening to find it a ghost town. After tracking down an employee we were told we would have to wait for the shuttle and then take part in the 1 hour 15 minute tour. Since we were the only people there, who knows how long we would have to wait for the shuttle. I figured coming early would beat the rush of tour bus, maybe we needed to arrive later in the day. I was disappointed because I had paid extra to add this attraction to my Jordan pass, but I wasn’t waiting all day for something to happen.
From there we drove about 30 minutes to Mount Nebo. This attraction isn’t part of the Jordan Pass so we had to paid. It was only 6 JOD or $9 for the both of us. We walked around the area which was pretty small. 
From there we went back to the hotel and enjoyed the sunny and 72 degree weather. We did a quick float in the Dead Sea which was cold and dirty. Then swam in the heated pool, which is the family pool during the day so it was packed with families. For dinner, we used our food voucher again while enjoying the views of the sea.
Day 4:
We said our goodbyes to the Dead Sea and drove a little over 3 hours towards Petra. The views reminded me of driving from California to Las Vegas. ​
We spent 2 nights at the Movenpick Petra in the superior room which came with a huge balcony. We choose this hotel because it is across the street from the entrance to Petra. We grab a quick sandwich from a local restaurant right next to the hotel. Then we headed to Petra. With the Jordan Pass level we had 3 days to explore Petra. So we got tickets which activate our time. In the winter, it closes at 5pm, so when we arrive we had plenty of time to walk to the treasury. The walk through the canyon was breathtaking. It took us about 45 minutes to get to the Treasury. It was as magnificent as the pictures show! Tomorrow we would explore more of it!


Day 5:
Today we did the back door entrance into Petra. Keep in mind you have to get your tickets before you can do the back door route. We got up at 6am and enjoyed breakfast before meeting our taxi at 7 which we arranged the day prior with a taxi driver who was waiting outside the entrance. The taxi driver took us to Little Petra, a quick 10 minute drive. Since we were the only ones there, we took in the views. You can also get a shuttle from the visitor center but with it being the winter schedule it left later than we wanted to wait. 
You can walk from Little Petra to the Monastery, which takes about 3 hours. We waited until 7:30 for a 4x4 truck which took us a little closer in. Then we follow a local woman who was heading into her shop which was near the Monastery. There were some sign along the way but was way easier to follow someone. The views were amazing as we climbed up and down the canyon. It took us about 1.5 hours  to arrive at the Monastery. As we read up on the back door path, the reason is you can arrive at the monastery before the people who came from the front entrance. When we arrived there were probably about 6 people. 
*Disclaimer: The path from the entrance to base of the stairs up to the monastery is pretty flat gravel paths with some hills. We feel that by doing the back door way, we climb just as many steps as if we would have just have went the normal way. If we would have entered Petra at 6:30 and walked straight to the Monastery, we could have arrived pretty earlier. So we feel the back door entrance wasn't  our best choice and costed us additional money, but lesson learned. But the views and the emptiest the back door route provided was incredible. 
All along the paths in Petra are shop selling food and souvenirs. There were bathroom along the way and pretty nice, which surprised me. ​
We spent the next few hours taking in the sites and making our way back to the main entrance. We couldn't have asked for better weather. The morning started off chilly at around mid 40's and then warmed up to mid 50's, perfect hiking weather.
Before heading back to our hotel, we stopped at the Petra museum which is located at the main entrance. I highly recommend visiting it, it was very informative and a nicely done.  We had lunch at one of the hotel restaurants.
Day 6:
Today was our final day in Petra, so we decided to explore a little bit more.  We put our bags in the car and checked out and spent the rest of morning exploring more of Petra.
We had lunch at the hotel's bar restaurant. Then set off towards Wadi Rum. It was about 1hr and 45 minutes. 
We did hit a road closure which caused us to back track and take a side street which eventually connected us to the main road. We arrived at the meeting place for our night in the desert. We would be spending on night at the Bubble Luxotel hotel and staying in the King Suite. We soon learned there was no WiFi in the tent, only in the main building. Our tent was suppose to be covered to block out the heat but was uncovered when we arrived making our room super hot. Breakfast and dinner was included with the room. Dinner was a buffet and was really good. We realized after the point you needed to put our room key in the slot to make things work. Our room could have used some updating and to note hot water is only offered a specific times.  From our bed you can see the stars and moon. With the bright full moon and dogs barking all night, we didn’t get much sleep. The bubble did cold at night, but it added to the experience. ​
Day 7:
The breakfast buffet was ok. We had time before we needed to check out so we explored the area. We checked out and waited for the shuttle to take us back to our car. It leaves every hour. Even though we were there early, a whole group got in front of us. Since they had tons of suitcases there was no where for us to sit. So we had to wait for the driver to return. Mario wanted to spend the night in the desert, so we did it. But, I wouldn’t return or recommended. 
It was around 10:30am when we finally get back to the car. We headed to Aqaba where we would spent the next 2 days. The drive was about 1 hour 10 minutes. We weren’t sure if they would let us check in so early but we figured we would try. We stayed at the Al Manara, a Luxury Collection Hotel, a Marriott brand. Upon arrival, we were able to checked in early like 11:30 am and received a room upgrade to a suite with lagoon views. We were also able to get late check to accommodate our early morning flight.  Thank goodness for Mario’s status. We had a quick lunch at the pool bar. As we walked around we noticed the hotel had a dog beach. We spent the rest of the day relaxing around the hotel.
Day 8:
​Today was our last full day in Aqaba. After our breakfast buffet, we drove to explore the Aqaba castle fort, which was a 5 minute drive from the hotel. From there we headed back to the hotel and spend most of the afternoon relaxing by the pool. The pool wasn't heated and was freezing, since it was upper 80's it is still winter season here. 
Day 9:
We had our breakfast enjoying the options the buffet offered. Since our flight home didn't leave until 3am the next morning, we opted for a later afternoon check out. We decided to leave around lunch time, because we weren't sure what the traffic or weather would like on our 3.5 hour drive back to Amman airport.
We dropped off the rental car. After going thought the initial security, we learned at the check in desk, it was way to early to check in our bags. If we would have just had our backpacks we could have check in and spent the time around the airport in the lounge. The check in desk, which I think felt sorry for us,  gave us a voucher for the hotel down the street, which included meals. So we figure out how to get back through security which wasn't easy and figure out where to pick up the hotel shuttle bus. The hotel was a few minutes form the airport. It wasn't the best or cleanest hotel, but grateful for it.  we took part in the lunch and dinner buffet and tried to sleep for a few hours before we headed back to the airport at 11pm. When we arrived at the airport, we had to wait for the check in desk to open. This airport has flight coming and going 24 hours. The check in desk opened 2 hours before boarding. There were no lines at passport control or security. We would have slept longer but you never know when flying. We did spend some time in the lounge before boarding. 

Our flight left early at 2:50am, instead of 3:30am which is crazy to me, a flight leaving early! We arrived in Frankfurt at 5:30am and had to wait till 12:20pm to board our 28 minute flight back to Stuttgart. It was a very long day of travel, but we were glad when we finally got home and had access to lounge! Another great trip in the books!​
]]><![CDATA[Dover and Canterbury]]>Fri, 15 Mar 2024 15:50:59 GMThttps://www.thefootprintsweleave.com/blog/dover-and-canterburyCan you truly visit a city to often? I would say no! So when an opportunity happened to visit London again, I jumped at the opportunity! On this trip, Mario and I were able to visit the cities of Dover and Canterbury. 
We were worried our trip wouldn’t happened due to the plane strikes scheduled for the day of our departure. Luckily for us, we found an airline that wasn’t effect by the strike. We took an early morning flight which was a bit delayed, but we still arrived in London early morning.
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Waiting for the train. When in London, mind the gap between the train and the platform.
We took the Heathrow Express which is a quick 15 minute train ride into Paddington station. The tickets for this option are pricy, but you’re paying for the quick access into the city. We again would be staying at the Hilton Paddington, which is connected to the Paddington station. We were able to leave our bags and get early access to the lounge, thanks to Mario’s status, which was great since we hadn’t had breakfast yet. From there we started our day of exploring, we decided we would take public transportation as much as possible. So we loaded up our Oyster cards, which is a tap and go card, which we used instead of buying tickets for each journey. We got the Oyster cards many years ago and what I love is that we can add money when we arrive and it saves our funds for the next time if we don't use it all. If interested in learning about the Oyster Cards, click here.
​
Along the way to our first stop, we found Bunhill Fields Burial Ground. The information sign states, “it makes up one of the most celebrated historical burial ground.” Across the street was Wesley Chapel.
According to their website,” it was built in 1778 by John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. It was the first Methodist preaching house to allow for the celebration of Holy Communion.
As we continued to walk, we found a Chipotle for lunch.  After lunch, we arrived at our first planned stop,  St. Dunstan in the East Church Garden. The Church of St. Dunstan was originally built around 1100. It was damaged but the 1666 great fire of London and WW2. In 1967, the city decided to turn the remains into a public garden. It was a busy spot among locals and walking tours.
From there we took the train to our next stop which was the Word on Water bookstore. This bookstore is located on a barge in the Regent’s Canal. It was super cute and had a good collection of books. Sadly, I didn’t leave room in my backpack to buy books, so I just looked.
We headed back towards the hotel, where we found out we were upgraded to a Tower room. After resting, we took two trains to the Battersea Power Plant, which has been turned into a mall. As we walked around you can see parts of the old coal power plant. There was an exhibition room which explained the conversion from power plant to mall. We walked around and decided to eat dinner at Street Food, a Gordon Ramsey restaurant. Mario had the all the pizza you can eat combo and I had half rack of ribs. From there we headed back to our hotel, as the wind had started to pick up making it chilly to be outside. The power plant was lite up at night making it more magical.
The next day, we decided to head to Dover for the day.  We had some options on how to get there, either take a guided tour, a train or rent a car. We decided we would do it ourselves and take the train. So, I used the Train line app, and booked us open return time tickets, which was a good move because our train was delayed getting us to Dover.
When we finally arrived in Dover, we grab Subway on the way to Dover Castle. After climbing up many stairs to the castle and buying our ticket, we explored the grounds of the castle. Dover Castle sits above the White Cliffs of Dover and built around 1066. This site has had its shared of adventures and was part of the evacuation of hundred of thousands of allied troops from the beach of Dunkirk. 
Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to see all the parts and missed out on the Underground hospital and secret wartime tunnels.
First, we went to the Port War Signaling Station, where we sent a message in Morse Code. While there we climb to the top taking in the views of the White Cliffs and ferry terminal below.
Then we walked towards the Great Tower and the heart of the castle. First, we stopped the Roman Light house or pharos. According to the guidebook, “the pharos is an octagonal tower but of local flint and ragstone with brick dressing,  which dates back to probably the first half on the 2nd century AD.” ​Then we went inside the St. Mary in Castro, which has served military community for many centuries. The mosaic work inside was just beautiful. The light house and the church stand at the highest point within the castle.
Then we climbed the great tower and explored the inside. Along the way, I asked a staff member that best way to get to the cliffs. He explained you have to walk down a narrow and at times a very busy road. He advised us to ask the ticket booth for number to order a taxi. So after exploring, we left the castle and got the number to the taxi. We called and within 15 minutes it arrive and took us to the cliffs which was a quick 10 minute drive but would have took us at at least 45 minutes to walk.
When we arrived we walked towards the cliffs. Our first stop was the viewpoint at Langdon Hole , which offered an amazing view of the cliffs and the channel below. The weather was sunny and warm but windy.
Our next stop was Langdon stairs which took us to the bay to see the shipwreck. According to the National Trust site, the shipwreck is the steel hull and ribs of the iron-screw steamer the SS Falcon, which ran aground in 1926 after a fire. It can be seem during low tide. The climb down was steep and the ladder down to the beach was straight down. I am not scared of heights but climbing up and down that ladder had my heart pumping! It was interesting to see the wreck up close and take in the views of the cliff from the beach. It was difficult to walk the beach since it consisted of large rocks.
We climbed back up and planned on walking to the lighthouse. We wanted to stop and see the Fan Bay Shelter and second ship wreck on the way to the light house. But since both were closed, including the lighthouse and it was late in the afternoon, we figured it was best to head back to the visitors center. So we admired from afar. I did some research online and it states the above places open end of March, while we were there beginning of March.
We called for another taxi to take us to the train station. We arrived at the train station in time, to board our train back to London. Our train ride back to London was uneventful but so happy we opted for the open return trip. After taking the underground train back to our hotel. We decided to eat at Carriages which is the restaurant at the hotel.  Mario had pizza and I had chicken curry.
Our last full day in London welcomed us with another day full of sunny and warm weather,  but windy at times. We decided we would take the train to Canterbury to see the sites. We booked a train leaving from St. Pancras heading to Canterbury West. Canterbury does have two different train station, Canterbury West and East.  If we chose Canterbury East train station, we would have to get a train from Victoria station. It was a quick 53 minutes with no delays. We walked towards city center, taking in the views. We grabbed a quick lunch before heading  the cathedral. 
Your admission ticket to the cathedral is good for a year, so you can revisit often. When we enter the  cathedral, a choir was practicing. It was magical. The cathedral itself was beautiful but added a choir singing just puts it over the edge.  Additional information here
Down the street from the cathedral is St. Augustine’s Abbey, which is currently ruins. As you walked around there was information boards and an audio guide option. It was very nicely done and very informative. The staff on site were very nice and helpful.  Read some of the information board below to get some information about the current ruins. St. Augustine was a monk who came to bring Christianity to the English. This abbey was around before the cathedral.
We caught an early afternoon train back to London. We rested in our room before getting dinner at the hotel restaurant again. The next day I left on an early afternoon flight while Mario would be staying in London for the the next week for a conference. Another great trip in the books!
]]><![CDATA[Berlin]]>Mon, 15 Jan 2024 12:27:29 GMThttps://www.thefootprintsweleave.com/blog/berlin
Mario, the dogs and I spent a quick weekend in Berlin. Mario and I have visited before but still needed to see a few more things so we decided to return. Berlin is about 6.5 hours from the house. ​
Prior to us leaving on our trip, our local farmers were protesting about the recent diesel tax, which meant they took their tractors and blocked traffic. This happened around Germany and France. So I was worried we would face major delays, but we lucked out and only ran into one tractor blockage but was able to go around them to get off our exit. 
Our hotel was located in the middle of the city, close to a few things we wanted to see. When checking in we were upgraded to a room with a view of the church. We had high hopes for this hotel due to the fact we we close to things we wanted to see and that they accepted dogs and a Hilton brand. The breakfast buffet was good size and full of yummy choices. Unforeseen to us, the hotel would host 2 major events which took over the lobby making it very crowded and almost impossible to enter and exit the hotel.  After dealing with this for two nights, we left a day earlier than planned. So in the future, we sadly won't be staying at this hotel.
The next morning, we walked about 20 minutes to see the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. It is a place of remembrance for the 6 million Jewish victims of the Holocaust. It was opened May 10, 2005. It consists of 2,710 columns which created a maze-like memorial. Admission is free and there is an underground exhibition room.
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Next, we walked to the Brandenburg Tor (Gate) which is the symbol of German reunification. It is the  only surviving historical city gate. 
From there we walked about 40 minutes to the Berlin Wall Memorial. The Berlin Wall was 155 kilometer long and cut through the middle of the city center from August 13, 1961 to November 9, 1989. The Wall was designed to prevent people from escaping to the West from East Berlin. 
Since it has started to sleet, we took the train back to the hotel and spend the rest of the night with the dogs. We departed the next morning, and since it was Sunday we hit no traffic. 
]]><![CDATA[Stockholm, Sweden]]>Mon, 27 Nov 2023 16:45:16 GMThttps://www.thefootprintsweleave.com/blog/stockholm-sweden
Mario and I spend Thanksgiving weekend exploring the city of Stockholm. Sweden is country 41 for me!
We left on Thanksgiving taking an morning flight out of Stuttgart and arriving late afternoon to Arlanda Airport. We decided to take the Arlanda Express train into the city center. It is a quick 18 minute ride into the central station. This was great because our hotel was a few blocks from the central train station. You can get the tickets online ahead of time, at the kiosk or machine. We ordered our tickets ahead which saved us a few dollars. It was still pretty pricey for 2 round trip tickets cost us almost $80. Once you leave the baggage areas you follow the yellow signs which leads you right to the train. It was a very easy process. 

Sweden's currency is the Swedish Krona. So 100 krona is almost $10 USD. Things were very expensive here and most places are cashless place. So credit cards are a must while traveling here.

After arriving at the central station we walked the few blocks to our hotel and checked in. Then checked out the Coop, a grocery store, located in the basement of the central station. Then we took in the areas enjoying the view night provided. 

The next day we explored the ABBA and Vasa Museums, both are located a few blocks from each other. From our hotel it was about 40-45 minute walk so we decided to take the tram. We got our tickets from the ticket counter inside the train station but later learned we could have gotten tickets on the tram. We took gray tram for 6 stops which dropped us off right in front of ABBA museum. We arrived a few minutes after it opened. I ordered our tickets ahead of time, so we could just headed inside. This was nice because we were able to go around a big tour group and we ended up having the museum to ourselves.  It was a very nicely done museum full with lots of information. ​
From there we walked the view minutes to the Vasa museum which is home to the Vasa ship. It was amazing to see this large ship up close. In August 1628, Vasa on her maiden voyage sank in the Stockholm harbour.
After having a quick lunch at a yummy taco shop called La Neta and dessert muffins from the Muffin Lady. Then we walked around the Gamla Stan, the old Town and took in the views. It was crowded since there is a small Christmas market infront of the Nobel Peace Prize Museum.
The next day we walked towards Gamla Stan, old town. We stopped at the Stockholm Cathedral and toured the inside. Then saw the Nobel Peace Prize Museum from the outside.  We walked around looking in some shops. It was super snowy, windy and cold. We did caught the ending of the changing of the guard at the Royal Palace.
Our last day, we took another walk through Old Town, taking in the views with less people. Around lunch time we headed to the airport. After a delay we made it home late evening. Another great trip in the books!
]]><![CDATA[A covered bridge and a French Chateau]]>Sun, 12 Nov 2023 16:34:10 GMThttps://www.thefootprintsweleave.com/blog/a-covered-bridge-and-a-french-chateauMario, the dogs and I took adventure of our 3 day weekend by spending it in a French Chateau.
Our first stop was Bad Säckingen which was about 2.5 hours from the house. This city has a covered bridge which runs over the Rhine River connecting the cities of Bad Säckingen, Germany to Stein Switzerland.  This wooden bridge is the longest covered wooden bridge in Europe.  
From there we drove towards the Longecourt-en-Plaine, France which was about 3 hours. We would be spending two nights at the Chateau of Longecourt. I came across this propery when browsing on AirBnB one night. We arrived right at check in which is 5pm. Out host was very welcoming and show us to our room. We would send two night in the Louis XVI room.
The next morning I headed to breakfast which was included with the room. It had bread, jam and cheese. While  at breakfast, I was talking with the host. He said there is about 15 rooms total but currently only 6 are for guest. While I was out walking the dogs I notice a stain-glass window, so I asked him about it. He said it belongs to the chapel which he opened for me so I could see it. After breakfast I explored a little more of the hallways.
We decided to drive about 30 minutes to the city of Dijon. We walked around taking in the sites.
We left the next morning around 8am, arriving home a little after lunch time. We only hit a little bit of traffic. Another great trip in the books!
]]><![CDATA[Exploring Pennsylvania]]>Tue, 11 Jul 2023 12:52:44 GMThttps://www.thefootprintsweleave.com/blog/groundhogs-and-a-bridgeI took a quick trip to visit Punxsutawney and Kinzua Bridge State Park. Both places have been on my list to visit so I am glad I was able to see them. 

Punxsutawney

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Punxsutawney is shy of 2 hours from my mom’s house. It is home to the famous groundhog Phil who shares his weather predictions every February 2nd. The first stop was Gobbler’s Knob which is the site of the annual Groundhog’s Day celebration where Phil makes his prediction. The visitors center is closed on Monday and Tuesday, and I visited on a Monday, but you can still explore the area.  You can walk on stage or take a hike around the small trail near by. ​
Next I headed back into town to visit Phil’s Burrow which is located next to the library. All around town they have groundhog statues decorated. Phil and his wife Phyllis were sleeping away in their burrow. 

Kinzua Bridge State Park

While watching the show, Mysteries of the Abandoned, I learned about the Kinzua Bridge. 
The drive to the bridge was just shy of 2 hours. The visitor center is a great place to start. The exhibit hall provides information about the bridge. There is also a gift shop and restrooms. 
In 1882, the Kinzua Bridge Viaduct was completed. It took 94 days to build the 301 feet high and 2,053 feet long bridge. Over the years, freight and passengers rode these tracks. In August 2002, the bridge was closed for safety concerns, but in February 2003 work had started to restore the bridge. On June 21, 2003 at 3:15pm a F1 Tornado, with wind speed of 73-115 miles per hour, hit the bridge. Eleven towers were knocked over. Currently there is a skywalk which leads to a observation deck overlooking the valley and what is left of the bridge.
You can take the Kinzua Creek Trail to the base of the bridge however the walk down is intense. I did half and decided I better not push it since I left my water in the car. I was happy with the pictures I got. 

Zippo/Case Museum & Store

From the bridge it was about 30 minutes to the museum. The museum was really nice and informative. I had never heard of Zippo lighters and learned they are in quite a few movies.
From there I headed towards home and arrived early evening. Another great trip in the books!
]]><![CDATA[Thailand and Cambodia]]>Wed, 14 Jun 2023 13:49:12 GMThttps://www.thefootprintsweleave.com/blog/thailand-and-cambodia
Mario and I headed to explore Thailand and Cambodia which makes countries 39 and 40 worldwide for me!  

Day 1 & 2: Flying to Thailand

We took a late night flight out of Frankfurt leaving at 9:45pm using Etihad. We used this airline last summer when we did Maldives so we knew what to except. We enjoyed our business class seats, food and lounges. It was about a 6 hours flight to Abu Dhabi where we had a 4.5 hour layover. 
We arrived at 6am, so we enjoyed some breakfast at the lounge. I took a quick shower which makes you feel amazing after flying. We board our next flight and after 6 hours we landed at Bagnkok Suvarnabhumi airport around 8pm. We booked a Fast Track Custom package with transfer service to our hotel using IAsia. We had a representative waiting for us at our gate and walked us to the fast track line for customs. There was no one there, so we got right through. US citizens can stay for 30 days without needing a visa. Then headed towards baggage, exchanged some money and found our driver. This whole process was about 25 minutes. 
We would be spending the next two nights at the Millennium Hilton hotel which is located on the Chao Phraya River which runs right through the city. We learned upon checking in that we were upgrade to a family suite room on the 25th floor! Thanks to Mario’s Hilton status. We prepared for bed as it was a long two days of traveling. ​​
Things to know about Thailand:
  • ​Currency is Thai Baht so $ 1USD is 34 THB. So 200 THB is $6 USD.
  • Visa: None for US citizens as long as your staying under 30 days and can show onward or return flight. We did get an entry stamp stating when our 30 days are up. 
  • Time: Thailand is 11 hours ahead of the east coast.
  • Use Grab for taxi requests, it is similar to Uber. They also do food delivery.
  • Plugs are just like the European ones two probes.
  • Seven elevens are everywhere.. a good place to get some cold cheap water and enjoy the AC for a bit.
  • Most toilets have toilet paper but make sure you have some in your bag incase. Toilets are both squatting and regular toilets.
  • Drive on the left side of the road.
  • Hot and humid weather when we visited. Also very overcast with rain showers due to it being  the rainy season. Make sure to stay hydrated. Best time to visit is November to April, for the beaches March and April are best.

Day 3: Bangkok

We got a late start but enjoyed breakfast at the executive lounge before heading out to explore. Every morning for breakfast we were given a extra treat due to Mario’s  status. Today we took the hop on and off boat to see some of the sites. We got a day pass which was 150 baht each or $4, so 300 baht for both which was about $ 9. Our hotel is located right next to the ICONSIAM Mall which has a stop for the Hop On and Off boat.
Our first stop was the Grand Palace complex which was established in 1782 which has a royal residence, throne halls, government offices and temples.

There is a strict dress code policy, where men wear pants and women wear either pants or skirt and shoulder must be covered. After getting our admission tickets which were about $15 USD each we went  inside. ​

The weather was overcast with rain on the way but we were able to see the palace before the rain. 
We walked back to the boat and rode it to the Wat Arun stop. After disembarking we walked to the temple of Wat Arun. Ratchawararam which is the Temple of Dawn. Admission was 100 baht each, so about $6 and we were given a tiny bottle of water free of charge. We caught the afternoon storm but still able to see the temple.  ​
Next we took the boat back to the mall and walked around the mall. The mall has 7 floors, with each floor is divided into a theme like one floor was focused on active wear, technology, etc. It had any store you could think of, a lot of the design stores. We had lunch and dessert at James Boulangerie and a yummy cookie from Gee’s dessert. Then walked back to our hotel where we relaxed, swam in the pool which is located on the 4th floor and had some snacks at the executive lounge before turning in for the night.

Day 4: River Khwae or Kwai

Today we headed towards Kanchanaburi which is located on the River Khwae. We were originally going to take the train to River Khwae, but due to the high temperatures and humid and no AC on the train, we opted for a taxi ride instead. We used the app Grab which is similar to Uber. It was about 2.5 drive from Bangkok in an AC car was totally worth it.

For those interested the train leaves two times a day from the Thonburi station and cost around $3 a person, while a taxi starts around $45. You can either get off at the Kanchanaburi stop or the River Khwae stop.
There are many things to see in the area around Kanchanaburi. We saw only three attractions.
  • River Khwae Bridge is a historic bridge and rail line which was built by Japanese Prisoners of War (POW) during WW2.
  • Erawan National Park housing seven waterfalls.
  • Hellfire Pass Inerpretive Centre and Memorial  tells the history of Hellfire Pass. This pass was created so a railway could  connect Burma and Thailand. It was built by POW and given the name due to the horrible working conditions.
We arrived around 1pm to our next hotel, Cross River Kwai, where we would be staying for 2 nights. As we checked in we were greeted with welcome peach tea. While we waited for our room to be ready we ate lunch at the hotel’s restaurant, The Bridge Bar & Bistro. After lunch our room was ready so we headed down to our room. There are many different rooms here but we wanted to be on the river. We went with the X Float Luxe which had a resting net, 2 person kayak with life jackets and a roof sitting area.
After unpacking, we took a 20 minute taxi ride into town to see the Bridge.
​Then rested in our room until our dinner reservation. After dinner, we enjoyed our complimentary evening tea which consists of chamomile, mint and stevia… super yummy. Just what I needed after a long day of travel.

Day 5: Waterfalls and Hellfire Pass

We had breakfast and then went back to the room to rest until our taxi came at 9 am to pick up us. The driver that picked us up was the same driver who took us to the bridge last night. Our first stop would be to Erawan National Park which was a little over an hour away from the hotel. This park hosts seven waterfalls that you can hike up to see. One can also swim at the base of the waterfalls after renting a life jacket, safety first! We chose to just hike up. Hiking up to see waterfalls 1-4 wasn’t too bad but then the terrain got really rough and steep as we climbed up to see waterfalls 5-7. The waterfalls and the surround forest were beautiful. The weather was hot and humid, so were were dripping sweat and our clothes were drench by the time we got to the top.

The park does a cashless entrance fee, so we needed to download the app QueQ where we were able to buy our admission ticket. So for two people and parking for the car the total was $20, which I didn’t think was bad at all. Plus the bathroom were super clean and they had some shops to get snacks and food.
Our last stop was at the Hellfire Pass Interpretive Centre and Memorial Walking Trail​. This center and walking trail honors the prisoners of war who were forced to build a railway connecting Burma which is now present day Myanmar and Thailand. There are two different walking paths one can take, we chose the smaller of the two.
After a long day of touring, we came back for a late lunch and then a early dinner before relaxing the rest of the night.

Day 6: Back to Bangkok

We said goodbye to Cross River Kwai. The staff was super nice and friendly and were always willing to help. If you ever in the area, definitely check them out.  On our return drive to Bangkok, we booked the same driver, Mr. Game, who originally brought us to the River Kwai. After 2.5 hours due to Friday afternoon traffic we arrive at the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok where we would be spending for the next two nights. Our welcome drink was butterfly pea with lemongrass, it tasted like Trix cereal. We would be staying on the 12th floor in a king deluxe room with park view. Mario’s status got us free breakfast, food and spa credit with late check out, which we won’t use due to an early morning flight. 
We were able to get a quick lunch before they closed at 3pm at the hotel’s restaurant named Brasserie which serves breakfast and lunch 
After lunch we walked a few blocks to the Lumphini Park. As we walked we took in the views and caught a glimpse of the water monitor lizard that lives in the park.

Day 7: Day Trip to Ayutthaya

Today we headed towards Ayutthaya which is a little over an hour from Bangkok. This is the former capital of Kingdom of Siam and a UNESCO heritage site. Our tour entitled: Ayutthaya Anciet City Instagram Tour was through Forever Vacations. I found them by booking a tour through TripAdvisor. Then I contacted them directly to book some other tours. There communicate through WhatsApp was  incredible. We received a discount for booking additional trips with them. They offers tours in different countries, so I definitely plan on using them in the future.

Today was a super hot day with partly cloudy skies with lots of humidity. It felt like 107 Fahrenheit. We were sweat buckets of sweat! Our guide, Pa, made sure we have cold water and umbrellas to use to block the heat. 

Wat Chaiwatthanaram
​It was a royal temple complex during the Ayutthaya Period.
Wat Maha That
It is the royal temple that houses Buddha’s relics. You may know about it since it has the Buddha’s head in the tree roots.
Wat Phra Si Sanphet
It is a royal palace which has three main stupas containing the ashes of the kings (a father, son and grandfather).
Wihan Phra Mongkhon Bophit
It is a Buddhist temple.
Then had quick lunch break at a local coffee shop which had AC so it was nice to cool down.
Wat Yai Chai Mongkhon
It is a Buddhist temple. You can climb up the stairs to the top and walk around.
After a great day with our tour guide and driver Pa, we headed back to the hotel to relax. We used the app Grab to order pizza and enjoyed it while we watched a storm roll in. 
Picture
Look at those storm clouds.

Day 8: Phuket

Today we said goodbye to our hotel in Bangkok and headed towards Phuket. We boarded our 7:30am flight on Air Asia and landed a little after 9 due to a late departure. Since we couldn’t check into our hotel until after 3pm, I figured why not see the area around Phuket. So I booked a tour using the same company as yesterday entitled: Phuket Instagram Tour: The Most Famous spot. Once we landed our guide Bessica and driver, Mr. K were  waiting for us. 
Picture
Welcome to Phuket, Thailand.
Our first stop was exploring downtown Phuket. While exploring, one of our stops was at the hotel used in the movie The Beach starting Leonardo DiCaprio. 
Next, we visited Chalong Temple which is the largest of Phuket’s temples. Click here for more information.
Next we drove up a hill  to see Mt. Nakkerd Buddha Garden. The statue is  covered with white jade marble. Click here for more information. 
After driving down the mountain we arrived at Rock Beach. Our current car wasn’t able to go down the steep hill so we needed to get into a Land Rover to get us to Rock Beach. It was a bumpy ride!
Our final stop was taking in the amazing views at Karon View Point.
As we drove to our hotel we passed many beaches and different towns. The hotel we picked was a little out of town on a hill side which over looked the area and the beaches below. We would be staying at the Keemala for the next two nights. We bid farewell to our guide and driver who we would be seeing the next day. Since the hotel is on a hill we needed a golf cart to take us and our luggage to the lobby. We were given welcome tea and cold towels. There are different cottages and villas but we chose the Birds Nest Pool Villa. We would be staying in Villa 707. After exploring our villas we headed to dinner which was right down the hill from our villa so we were able to walk and didn’t need a golf cart.

Day 9: James Bond Island Tour

Today we took another tour with Forever Vacation, this time we would be heading to James Bond Island and the surround area. Our guide Bessica and driver Mr. K, picked us up from our hotel and  headed to the pier where we would be boarding a long boat for our day’s of adventures. We would be exploring Ao Phang Nga National Park. This park had small islands, caves and mangrove forests.
Our first stop was sea canoeing through the mangroves and caves. Mario and I shared a canoe along with our canoe driver. We just finished our tour as the rain started, super lucky. 
From there our long boat took us to the Diamond and Ice Cream caves. On the way, I had the pineapple which our guide picked up from the stand on the side of the road. It comes with sugar and chili dipping packet, I tried it and the spicy and sweet worked well together.
Then we went to James Bond Island which is named after the James Bond movie, The man with the golden gun, which was filmed there. 

Day 10: So long Phuket, Hello Krabi

Today we said good bye to Phuket and would be heading to Krabi for 2 days. We checked out and caught a taxi which took us to the airport. It was about 45 minutes. Then our new hotel, Phulay Bay, A Ritz Carlton Reserve,  picked us up and drove us to 2.5 hours to the hotel. Our driver came in a luxury van, which had cold water, snacks and sandwiches for us. There was also WiFI and massaging seats. Fun fact: Phulay Bay was used in the filming of Hangover 2.

The meaning behind the hotel name mean where the mountains meet the sea. The name was inspired by Thai words: Phu (Kano) meaning mountain, tha mean lay meaning sea. About 5 minutes from the hotel is the national park. We would be staying two night in the King Beach Villa where we booked the Beyond Phuket package which offered breakfast, spa credit, Hong Island trip pass, 24 butler and round trip transportation to and from the airport. 
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When we arrive we were greet and taken to the welcome pavilion where cold towels and lemongrass tea was given. Then we meet our personal butler named Aea who took us to our room by golf cart. We would be staying at beach villa # 2 which over looked the Andaman sea. We could walk a few places from our room, but still places still required a golf cart ride. 
From there we walked around and ate a quick dinner at the pool bar. Then around sunset we headed to the sunset bar where drinks and popcorn was served so you could enjoy while watching the sun set.

Day 11: Hong Island

We started the day off with breakfast at our hotel, which had a nice spread. Today we would explore the Hong Island. Our hotel, offers complimentary long boat rides to the island, but since it is a national park there is a entrance fee. It is 300 baht per person which is around $9USD each. As we drove towards the lagoon, we saw fisherman caught in jellyfish.  After the lagoon we went to the island.  We had 2.5 hours to explore the island. 
First, we headed to the outlook which consisted of climbing up 700 stairs to the top. The view were unreal. It was another hot and humid day in Thailand but the views made the climb worth it. 
We didn’t bring our swimsuit so we found a bench and relaxed talking in the views and beach breeze. There is a walking trail which goes around the island, but we decided we would leave that for next time. 
Once we got back to the resort, we had a quick lunch at the pool bar. After relaxing we swan in the hotel pool and then relaxed. Tonight the hotel was offering a manager’s cocktail hour which had free drinks and finger food. After cocktail hour we headed up to the reception pavilion which is lite up at night, we couldn’t stay long because it was set up for a private party. 

Day 12: So long Krabi, hello Bagnkok

We had an early morning check out before we drove 2 hours to the airport. Below is one last picture of our view. We would be flying back to Bangkok and spent the day relaxing before our flight to Cambodia. We stayed at Le Meridian Suvarnabhumi Bangkok Golf Resort and Spa, which is a Marriott property. It was about 30 minutes from the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport  which is why I chose it.

Day 13: Hello Cambodia

Things to know about Cambodia:
  • ​Currency is Cambodia Riel (KHR) but the US currency is wide accepted.  So $5 USD is 20630.00 Riel.
  • Visa: Yes. US Citizens can get a Visa on Arrival or an EVisa. We got an EVisa and it was super easy to do and made passport control super easy and quick. Our visa is for a single entry and we can  stay up to 30 days. 
  • Time: Cambodia is 11 hours ahead of the east coast.
  • Plugs are just like the European ones two probes.
  • Make sure you have toilet paper in your bag incase.
  • Drive on the right side of the road.
  • Weather generally hot and humid weather year around. Best time to visit is between November to May.
We took the airport shuttle to the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport International terminals. I wasn’t sure what to expect but we checked our bags, did security and passport control in under 25 minutes and we arrived around 8am. I wonder why can’t all international wings of airport be this simple. Since this process took less time than I expect we walked around the terminal. I was surprised to see a Diary Queen, Taco Bell and Subway there.

We soon learned that our flight from Bangkok to Cambodia with Bangkok Airways was on a small propeller plane. Thank goodness it was only a quick 55 minutes flight which I spent filling out our entry and customs forms.

Siem Reap is a small international airport, so we were able to deplane and walk right into the airport. There was no one in the EVisa line and within a few minutes our luggage was coming out. I did exchange some US for Riel but soon realized it would have been easier to keep my US dollars. I had booked us a driver for only $20 who was waiting for us and took us to our hotel.

We would be spending the next 5 nights at the Park Hyatt Siem Reap. We booked a Rooftop Garden Suite. We were to check in early at 1:30pm. Later that night we swam in the freshwater pool but the hotel also has salt water pool. Then did dinner at the Living Room restaurant.

Day 14: Phnom Kulen National Park.

Today we met our guide and driver who we would be travel with for the next four days. In the morning, we headed towards Phnom Kulen National Park which is the largest forested area in Siem Reap Province and it’s the primary water source. The entrance fee was $20 per person. As soon as we left the city the roads were  full of pot holes and dirt roads as we climb closer to the attractions.

Our first stop was the quarry where the got the rocks for to build Angkor Wat Temple. Our guide told us once they chiseled off the rock it would fall, then elephants would transport the stone to the river and then it was go down the river to the temple location.
Next stop was the River of 1000 Lingas. On the bottom of the river are carvings of Lingas, the phallic symbolic of Shiva. We would find these carvings in the different temples we would visit.
Next stop was the Reclining Buddha which is called Preach Ang Thom. It is the largest Buddha statue in Cambodia. The temple was built in 16th century..
Our last stop was the waterfalls, where you could swim.

Day 15: Visiting Temples

Over the next three days we would be visiting the temples of the Angkor Archaeological Park which is a UNESCO heritage site. The park contains the remains of the different capitals of the Khmer Empire, from the 9th to the 15th century. ​ Many of the temples have been destroyed by war or nature, but conservation work is happening to preserve these temples.The temples were built out of bricks, sandstone or lava rock.

In order to visit the temples you will need to get a ticket. There are 1, 3, 7 days ticket options. We went with the 3 days option which was $62 USD each. We got it right at the ticket office and was able to use our credit card. There is an option to preorder online, so you have it when you arrive. 

At the entrance of each temple they ask to see your ticket. Each day we visited, they hole punched that day. I put them in a protector so it was easy to pull them out, I saw many people wearing them on a landyard for easy access.
Picture
Here is my ticket, valid for 3 days of exploring.
Ta Prohm Temple
It was built in the late 12th century and made famous by the Tomb Raider movie. It was incredible to see how nature has taken over. Our guide said the tree grew  onto of the temples by birds dropping seeds. 
Ta Keo Temple
 It was built in the late 10 Century and is a temple-mountain. It possibly the first to be built entirely out of sandstone by the Khmers.
Thomason Temple
​ It was built in the early 12th century.
Chai Say Tevoda Temple
​It was built in the early 12th century.
Prasat Suor Prat
We saw this one from the road and didn’t get up close, so no name marker for this one. Our guide told us that they used to hang ropes from tower to tower and do acrobat.
Terrace of the Elephants
It was build in the late 12th century
Phimeanakas Temple
It was built in the ​late 10th century.
Baphuon
​
Bayon Temple
It was build in the late 12th century and a richly decorated Khmer temple. It was the official state temple of the Mahayana Buddhist King Jayavarman VII.

Day 16: Sunrise and Temples

Our day started off super earlier at 4:45am. We went to see the sunrise over Angkor Wat temple. We learned there are only 2 times a year in June and September where the sun is directly over the temple. Every other day is either on the left or right side. Sunrise was at 5:40am and there was a good amount of people.
Since we were at Angkor Wat, we figured we would tour it. Keep in mind it was 6:00am and the humidity was already 96%. As the morning went on, it did drop to 74% but was still miserable, but we pushed through. This temple opens earlier than the rest so we took advance of it.
Angkor Wat
 It was the capital city of the Khmer Empire. 
Preach Khan Temple
It was build during the late 12th century.
Neak Pean Temple
It was built in the late 12th century and  is on an artificial island with houses a Buddhist temple.
Ta Som Temple
It was built in the late 12th century.
East Mebon Temple
It was built during the mid 10th century.
Pre Rup Temple
It was built in the mid 10th century. I ​jumped out of the car to get quick pictures but we did not tour it. The heat was getting to me.
Banteay Kdei Temple
It was built during the ​late 12th century.

Day 17: Temples Take 3

Banteay Srei Temple
It was built in the  late 10th century and located about an hour from city center. Banteay Srei means the city of the women. 
Next, we stopped at the Cambodia Landmine Museum. It was $5 each to get in and was very informative. 
Banteay Samre Temple
It was built in the mid 12th century.
Lolei Temple
It was build in the ​late 9th century.
Bakong Temple
It was the late 9th century.
We saw a totally of 20 temples and there are so many more to see. All of our tour day were super hot and humid which made walking around the temples exhausting at times. Thank goodness for our AC van and ice cold water. We did picked a private tour so we could decide how long we wanted to spend at each temple and it was worth every penny.

Day 18: So long Cambodia

We left Cambodia on the same plane as we arrived, landing in Bangkok around 1:30pm. We only waited about 10 minutes in line for passport control to get our entry stamp.  We would be staying at Le Meridian Suvarnabhumi Bangkok Golf Resort and Spa again due to it’s close proximity to the airport. We would spend the night to rest up before you evening flight the next day.

Days 19/20: Travels Days

On Day 19, we took an evening flight back home to Germany using Etihad. We had a layover in Abu Dubai before landing in Frankfurt the follow day on day 20. After taking three trains home we finally made it back home!
​
Mario and I spend 14 days (minus travel days) traveling around Thailand and Cambodia. We took some amazing pictures, learned about history and new cultures and sweated more than we would like to admit! There are still more places around Asia we want to see so stay tune for our future adventures in Asia. Till then, another great trip in the books!
]]><![CDATA[Road trip through Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania]]>Sun, 04 Jun 2023 12:39:47 GMThttps://www.thefootprintsweleave.com/blog/road-trip-through-montenegro-bosnia-and-herzegovina-and-albania
A few friends and I spent 4.5 days exploring the countries of Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania by car which makes countries 36, 37 & 38 for me!

                                           Montenegro

Our first stop in Montenegro was the city of Cetinje where we saw the Cetinje monastery and the Castle church.
 Budva, a coastal and touristy city in the Adriatic Sea. 
From there we had two choices on how to get to our next hotel. We could either take the loop around the bay seeing Kotor and hitting some traffic or take the car ferry across. We decided to take the car ferry which was 4 euros to get across the bay. There are multiple ferries running. When we arrived we pulled into one lane and got a ticket.  
We stay in Herceg Novi for the night, which is known for their many steps. 
Ostrog Orthodox Monastery is built into the face of the mountain so you have to drive up many bending and twisting roads. Normally one has to walk from the parking lot up many steps but with the mobility of the people I was traveling with we were able to park right next to the monastery.
In Bar we saw the  Church of St. Jovan Vladimir. ​Then spent the night in Ulcinj.
From there we went to dinner at a local restaurant recommended by our host. We ate at Pod Volat where I had Goulash, which was yummy. 
We saw Orthodox Temple of Christ's Resurrection. Pictures were not allowed but it was beautifully painted.
We visited the Dajbabe Monastery, which is located inside a cave. When we arrived we had to wait for a baby baptism before we could headed inside the church. While we waited we looked in the little gift shop. The monastery is focused around Saint Simon. While looking one of workers open the coffin of Saint Simon. His funeral robe was beautiful and you could smell lavender incense. When we went to leave we were invited in for drinks, apple juice. We communicate the best we could due to the language barriers.
​We had breakfast at Luce cafe and restaurant. If you ever are in Podgorica, check it out! They also have lunch and dinner options. I have a fit omelette.

                                   Bosnia and Herzegovina            

First stop was Trebijine. We drove down a gravel road leading us to the Duzi monastery, which is located in small complex and was the church was unlocked by the locals. 
We explored Tvrdoš Monastery and then had lunch at Restoran Kukurića Vrtovi which overlooked the River and on the outskirts of town. While driving we saw water wheel in the river which was used to water the crops.

                                              Albania

The border crossing from Montenegro into Albania, was long but we finally made it through We drove through taking in the sites. We stopped at a gas station which had a pizza shop, so we had pizza for lunch. On the way back to Montenegro we saw Rozafa's castle on the hill. 
There is so much to see in Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Albania, I would love to definitely come back one day. Another great trip in the books!
]]><![CDATA[Egypt]]>Fri, 31 Mar 2023 06:36:55 GMThttps://www.thefootprintsweleave.com/blog/egypt
Ever since I was little, Egypt has been at the top of my bucket list. Prior to being a teacher I had dreams of being an archeologist and learning about ancient civilizations.

Mario and I spent 9 days exploring Egypt. We booked with Anton’s Tours, who handled everything expect our flights to and from Egypt, some food and drinks and tipping. We opted to pick our own hotels. Mario and I picked the luxury option where we had a private driver and guide throughout the trip.

We started in Cairo and finished at the Red Sea. Egypt makes my 35th country worldwide!
Things to know about Egypt:
  • Arabic speaking country where man dominate, definitely felt that while there. 
  • Tipping is a huge part of their way of living, so be prepare to pull money at airport since ATM restrict the amount which can be pulled. US money is widely accepted.
  • Everyone hassles you and excepts a tip. All information comes with a fee here.
  • At attractions be prepare to be hassled to buy merchandise especially from small children.  Don't engage unless you want to buy something. 
  • You have to pay to use the bathroom and get toilet paper (not freely given). Bring your own toilet paper and hand sanitizers!
  • Drivers are insane, especially in Cario! The lines on the road are pretty much optional and it's ok to reverse off an exit ramp and drive on the wrong of the road. Wasn't dull at all!
  • Poverty level, stray animals and overworked animals are real life here, so prepare yourself!
  • Bottle water is a must here but be careful some people refill with tap water. Like the water bottle says, if it clicks, it's safe to drink.
  • If you can afford it, go with a private driver and guide. It makes the experience way better!
  • Security check points are at the entrances of every attraction and hotels. You will have to put your bag thought the x-ray machine. Also there are security check points at the airports before you even get to the check in desks.
  • Police are staged everywhere so be prepare to see them with guns.
  • Temples and tombs would have be painted during the ancient times. It was a real treat to see a glimpse at what survived today!

Day 1: Traveling to Cairo

We left Frankfurt on an afternoon nonstop flight to Cairo. Once we arrived we met our tour representative who made the arrival process simple. He had already purchased the visa entry stickers, which is $25 USD each and has to be in US dollars. Once we put them in our passports, he took the passports to customs to get stamp. Then he lead us towards baggage claim. We waited only a few minutes for our bags. Then he lead us to our driver who would drive us the 45 minutes to our hotel. The airport and our hotel is one opposite sides of Cairo.
Egyptian Currency

Egyptian currency is the Egyptian pounds so 1 USD is 31 Egyptian pounds. So $100 USD is 3100 Egyptian pounds. When pulling money you look rich because there are so many bills.
​
One thing we learned was that we should have pulled money at the airport because ATMs will limit how much money you can pull. We were able to use both our debit cards and credit cards to pull money and only had 1 ATM scare.
In Cairo, we spent three nights at the Mena House, which is a Marriott brand hotel. This hotel is located right next to the pyramids and has been hosting kings, emperors, celebrities and now the Curtis Family! We would be staying in a one bedroom suite which gave us pyramid views and worth every penny.

Day 2: Alexandria

Before heading to Alexandria for the day, we enjoyed our morning views of the pyramids from our hotel. We had our breakfast buffet at Restaurant 139, which is open 24 hours, while taking in the views.


​Our driver picked us up at the hotel and drove towards Alexandria arriving in under 3 hours.  We met our guide, Shaimaa who showed us around the city.
Tomb of Kom El Shouqafa
Meaning "mounds of shards" in English, it is a type of catacomb burial. This tomb was found by accident by a donkey and dates back to the end of the first century AD. It consists of three floors. The lower level used to fill with water, but the groundwater lowering project has fixed this problem. 
 Tigran Tomb
The Serapeum and Pompey's Pillar
After a few minutes drive, we arrive here and explored the area. We saw a small sanctuary and library located near the pillar.
​
Qaitbay Citadel
Built on the location of the ancient lighthouse, which was one of the ancient wonders of the world.
Since it was Friday the library of Alexandra was closed, which was a bummer because I was hoping to see it. The current library is built in the the location of the ancient  library. After lunch at a fish market we headed back to Cairo.

Day 3: Pyramids and Museum

 Today started with thunderstorms and strong rain but cleared right as we met our guide, Dalida and driver. Since our hotel is next to the pyramids the drive was easy but super busy due to everyone else trying to get thought the security check point.  The Giza Plateau is the site of 4th Dynasty Pryamids complex. ​
Picture
Giza Plateau Complex Map
​King Khufu's Pyramid
This tomb is the largest pyramid and the last remaining wonders of the ancient world.  It took about 20 years to build and made of local limestone. The outside of the pyramids would have been covered with granite which was also local coming from Aswan in the south. 

To go inside this pyramid required an extra ticket. Due to the recent rains, the lighting wasn't working so it pitch dark. This didn't stop me as I climbed inside the pyramid heading towards the burial chamber using my phone's light.  It was tight and hot. The burial chamber is located in the middle of the pyramid. Even in the dark, I somehow got some pictures. I would definitely love to come back and climb it with the lights on.
King Khafre Pyramid
After a short drive, we arrive at Khafre's pyramid who was the son of Khufu and the middle pyramid. This pyramid is made of limestone and was once covered with granite. You could inside, but I opted out of it.  Three smaller pyramids were for his queens. Each pyramid would have had a funeral temple and valley temple but most are gone except for King  Khafre’s valley temple.
King Menkaure's Pyramid
This is the smallest one and is for the son of Khafre and grandson of Khufu which was King Menkaure. The three smaller pyramids were for his queens. He died before his pyramid complex was complete, hence why the granite on the outside isn't smooth.
Panorama View of the Pyramids
Great Sphinx
It is down the causeway from the pyramids. It shows a human head and body of a lion with a false royal beard and headdress.
Khafre's Valley Temple
The purpose of this temple was for purification of the mummy and used for mummification process of the king. It is build of limestone and covered with Aswan red granite. Each pyramid would have had one, but this one only survived.
Egyptian Museum
egyptianmuseumcairo.eg/emc/
It is the oldest archaeological museum in the Middle East. Our guide said it would take 6 months to see every piece! We spent a few hours and still had tons more to see. A new museum is in the works and plans to open soon. 

Day 4: Aswan

Some of the temples we would see in the Aswan area.

We took an early morning flight to Aswan, which is known as the Land of Gold. So happy we book business because the economy line was huge.  After two security check points we were at our gate with  time to spare. It was a quick 1 hour 15 minute flight. We got our luggage and met our driver and guide. Our guide and archaeologist, Simon, would be with us for the next few days. 
 Philae Temple
We took a quick boat ride to the Philae Temple which honors the Goddess Isis.  This temple used to submerged under water many months of the year but it was relocated it when the dam was built.
It was to early to check into our hotel, so we took a boat ride on the Nile River. We took in the views of Aswan and the attraction near by. We saw the botanicals garden, Nubian village and wild life.
We would be spending one night at the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Aswan. Author Agatha Christie based her book Death on the Nile and stay at the hotel often. We would be staying in the Palace Cataract Suite which provided amazing balcony views of the Nile. 
After dinner, we joined the hotel tour which showed us the Christie and Churchill suites which goes for around $6,00 a night.
Sunset over the Nile River

Day 5: Abu Simbel

Abu Simbel: King Ramessess II


​We woke up early and drive 3 hours towards Abu Simbel. We arrived before the big tour bus and had the place to partially to ourselves besides a few others tourist.

It is located in Egypt's southern border. The temple is for King Ramessess II of the 19th dynasty. It is known for it's four statues, one collapsed due to an ancient earthquake. Did you know?? The temple was built that on 2 days of the year 22nd of October and February the sun rays enter the temple crosses the main hall and light up the innermost statue. 

The next temple known as the "Small temple" was dedicated to the goddess Hathor and Ramesses II's Great Royal Wife, Nefertari.

This temple was relocated due to the building of the Aswan High Dam. ​
The Small Temple of Abu Simbel
Temple for goddess Hathor and Ramesses II's Great Royal Wife, Nefertari
We drove three hours back to Aswan where we would be boarding our Nile Cruise, the Le Fayan, which would travel up the Nile towards Luxor, stopping and seeing sites along the way. We opted for a junior suite which was located at the front of the boat.
Many of the temples and pyramids offer light and sound shows in the evening. We opted to go to the Light and Sound show at the Philae Temple, which we had visit the previous day. Shows are shown at different times and in different languages. The show told the history of the temple.
​During the night we sailed onward to Aswan and docked in the morning.

Day 6:
Kom Ombo Temple and Crocodile Museum and Horus Temple of Edfu

Kom Ombo Temple
Our first temple of the day was Kom Ombo Temple which  is dedicated to the crocodile god, Sobek and the falcon god Har Wer (Horus the Elder). We were able to walk to this temple from the boat.
After touring the temple, we visited the Crocodile Museum where we saw mummified crocodiles.
Edfu Temple
This temple is located on the west bank of the Nile and dedicated to worship the god of Horus. It was buried for many years and discovered in 1860.


​As evening came, we headed up the Nile River towards Luxor. We passed the Esna lock system which has the boat rise to the higher level of the Nile River.

Day 7: Luxor

Attractions to see in Luxor


In ancient times Luxor was called Thebes which was the capital of the Upper Egypt. ​We had a super day in Luxor.
Hot Air Balloon ride over Luxor
Our day started at 4:30am as we headed towards the Hot air Balloon departure point. The weather has to be perfect. Our guide moved the hot air balloon ride today to better accommodate our itinerary. So glad he did because the two days after it was cancelled due to the wind. We fly over different temple ruins as we watched the sunrise. At the end we receive a certificate of completion. 
Valley of the Kings
Located on the west bank of Nile which was known as the land of the dead. This area is where the farmers live who harvest wheat and sugar cane and is still true today.
There are 62 different tombs in the Valley of Kings and would take some time to see them all. Each tomb is given a number. The valley of the kings is divided into the east and west valley. The east valley has most of the tombs while the west only has a few.
Originally we were only seeing 3, but our guide gave us the option to add two extra tombs which required extra tickets. One of them being the tomb of King Tut!
Rameses IV ( #2)
​​
Rameses IX (#6)
Rameses III (# 11)
Rameses V/VI (# 9)
This tomb required an extra ticket, but was worth it. Tomb began for Ramses V but taken over by Ramses VI.
King Tutankhamen (#62)
This is King's Tut tomb and required an extra ticket. In 1922, King Tut's tomb was discovered by Howard Carter. When discovered all the treasures for the after life and his mummifies body were inside. With this discovery we were able to learn about this ancient king and his short life, he died at 19. Inside his tomb you will see his mummified body and his burial chamber. You can see his treasures at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
Alabaster Shop
We stopped at a local alabaster shop where we learned how the stone of alabaster is turned into different things. We decided to get a few pieces.
Temple of Queen Hatshepsut
She was a queen who become pharaoh and built this temple at Deir al Bahari on the west bank of Luxor. It is across the river from Karnak Temple. After her death, much of her temple was destroyed, which is present today. I recently finished a book about her and it was amazing to read how she overcame so much to become a king in a man's world. If interested the book is called The Women Who Would Be King: Hatshepsut's Rise to Power in Ancient Egypt by Kara Cooney.
Amenhetep III and Colossi of Memnon
Luxor Temple 
We visited the Luxor Temple at sunrise to see the temple lite up at night. This temple was the main venue  for the religious celebration known as the Opet Festical. It wasn't built from one single ruler but numerous. One can walk from Luxor Temple to Karnak walking along the Avenue of the Sphinx. Near the entrance of the Avenue of the Sphinx were information poster of different rulers. I added them below if interesting in reading about them.

Karnak Temple's Sound and Light Show

Day 8: Karnak Temple and Hurghada, Red Sea

After checking out of the Nile Cruise we headed to the temple of Karnak arriving at 8:15, before the tour buses. Our guide told us many day trips from Hurghada come for the day in Luxor and normally arriving at 10. He was spot on, as were leaving there were tons of people everywhere! We saw some of this temple the previous night during the Sound and Light Show. We toured some of the temple but would have taken us lots of time to see every piece. There was so much to see here but my favorite was the hall of columns.
We said our good byes and thanks to our amazing guide Simon! Then we started our four hours drive towards to Red Sea staying at Hurghada. As we left Luxor, we past the agricultural section consisting of small villages, crops and water canals. Then we drove in the desert for many hours. When we arrived in Hurghada it was super windy with sand blowing every where. We would be spending two night at the Hurghada Marriott Beach Hotel in the Apollo Suite. 

Day 9: Free Day in Hurghada

We spent our last day relaxing at our hotel, taking in the view of the Red Sea. It was super windy and chilly so I didn't swim. I did touch the water to say I have been to the Red Sea. 

Day 10: So long Egypt

We left on a morning flight out of Hurghada with a layover Cairo where we experience some delays but we finally arrived home late evening.  Another amazing trip in the books! A trip of a lifetime!

Information:
All information came from information board at the sites or egymonuments.gov.eg/
Anton's Tours: www.antonsegypttours.com/
Memphis tours Travel Guide: www.memphistours.com/Egypt/WikiTravel
]]><![CDATA[Finland]]>Sat, 21 Jan 2023 15:45:25 GMThttps://www.thefootprintsweleave.com/blog/finland
Mario and I headed to Finland for a few days of fun in the Arctic snow! Finland makes country 34 worldwide for me! ​We would be flying to the Lapland region and staying in Rovaniemi.
Our flight plan consists of three flights. Stuttgart to London Heathrow, London Heathrow to Helsinki and Helsinki to Rovaniemi.  For a future trip I would like to see if we could decrease the number of flights. It is important to keep in mind when leaving the EU and arriving in the UK and leaving to go back into the EU, you have to take additional steps. In London, we had to go through security and once in Finland we had to go through passport control. Make sure you are looking at what terminal you are arriving and departing from. While in London Heathrow airport, we arrived in Terminal 5 but left from Terminal 3. There is a shuttle bus which runs every 6-8 minutes and takes 10 minutes to arrive at the new terminal, a really easy exchange but something to remember when looking at layover times. 
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Sipping on some blueberry juice.
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Welcome to Apukka Resort
During our time in Rovaniemi, we would be staying at the Apukka Resort which is a quick 12 minute drive from the airport. We booked the It's All about the Aurora package which included transfer to and from the airport, daily breakfast winter gear rental and two tours to see the Aurora lights. We would stay in the Kammi Suite with a dome roof offering 360 degree sky view. We added some extra excursion to our package which are held at the resort. The resort does offer different type of rooms depending on your family size and price range.  Here is their website if interested.
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The resort offers two restaurants. The main restaurants called Aitta offers breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets and a la carte options after 3pm. The other  is a pizza place. We had the dinner buffet our first night. It was 32 euro a person so a little pricy. It had a nice selection of food. We didn’t try the lunch but the breakfast buffet was very delicious every morning. 
We would be staying in a Kami Suites which offers a double bed on a loft which offered 360 degree sky view from the glass dome roof. There is a small kitchen and sitting area. There was no TV because the resort wanted you to enjoy the outdoors. The resort offers wooden sleds that guests can use to  bring their luggage to their room. 
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Aurora Hunt on the Snow Train Excursion.
We went to get fitted for our winter gear for our evening excursion. Our winter gear options were a thermal overall, boots, wool socks and gloves. We were able to sign out the gear for the whole time we were there. 
​Sadly due to cloudy and snowy weather we didn't see the Aurora lights. But we enjoyed hot drinks, sausage and s’mores minus the chocolate by the campfire.
The next day we headed to the breakfast buffet. They had scrambled eggs, sausage, pancakes, oatmeal, yogurt. They had different drink options like juice, water, coffee and tea.  

Our excursion today was Ice Fishing Like a Finn. Our excursion took place on the resort's frozen lake. We received a quick demo from our guide and set to work to ice fish like a finn. We both were successful and caught a fish. We had some warm drinks and then headed back to our room. During the time were were there daylight was between 10:30am and 2:30pm and pretty much dark the rest of the time! 
Our resort had reindeers and horses. 
We spent the afternoon at Santa Village. Our resort offers a shuttle bus which run between the resort Santa Village and the town on Rovaniemi. It was 10 euro person each way. The time tables didn’t work so we decided to get a taxi which was very pricy. 
Across the street from Santa Village is gas station, so we decided to eat lunch in their little restaurant. Then we walked across the street and explored Santa’s Village. It is a huge tourist trap, but I got my picture with Santa, crossed the Arctic circle and mailed some postcards. 
For dinner decided to eat off the A la cart menu. For an starter we had reindeer and then I had a steak and Mario a chicken burger. ​
The next day we snowshoed in the snow covered woods. We met our guide and our group. It was a nice small group of only 6 including ourselves. We got fitted in our snowshoes and then walked to the woods. The woods where all the excursions take place is across the street from the resort. You simple cross the main road and you are there. We snowshoe around the woods took a little break and headed back to the resort. 
We got pizza at the Pizzeria Kota which is the other restaurant at our resort.
At 8:30 we went back into the woods to meet the huskies. Our group was shown how to drive the sled, how to stop and what hand movements to use. Mario and I both took turns driving the husky sled.  After about an hour we headed back to camp where we had hot drinks while learning about the huskies.
Our afternoon excursion was snowmobiling in the woods. At 1:30pm we headed to meet our group and get our gear. We walked to the snowmobiles and was given a safety demonstration and how to operate the snowmobile. We drove into the snow covered forest and the views were so beautiful. We drove half way and stopped for a quick cookie and warm drink. I did try and drive the snowmobile but it was too much for me so I went back to being the passenger. 
We took a 7:30am taxi to the airport, which was part of our resort package. The Rovaniemi airport is super tiny with only 9 gates. On our journey home we took 3 flights again with 3-4 hour layover, so we took adventure of the Finnair lounges. Another great trip in the books!
]]><![CDATA[Krakow, Poland]]>Sun, 11 Dec 2022 14:30:58 GMThttps://www.thefootprintsweleave.com/blog/krakow-in-december
I love having the opportunity to revisit cities in different seasons. I have previous visited Krakow in July, but this time I will be exploring it in December. I took an early morning flight out of Stuttgart heading towards Krakow, with a small layover in  Frankfurt. 
I would be staying at Hotel Wielopole, a property I have previous stayed and would recommend to anyone traveling to Krakow. The location is near main square and a few minutes walk to the Jewish quarter of town. 
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​We headed into the main square and explored the Christmas markets and the cloth hall which both are filled with vendors. I had a potato pancake and enjoyed the views. It was busy for a Friday night. After walking around we found a restaurant with availability since most places we booked. We found a place a few blocks from the market, where I had yummy pizza. From there we walked around enjoying the area and the falling  snow.
The next morning we had breakfast at the hotel and headed towards the Jewish quarter where we would be visiting a flea market. I got an old camera and an oil painting. From there we went into a cafe to warm up. I had some green tea and a caramel nut pastry. 
​After that we walked and saw more of the Jewish quarter. With the weather being cold we cut our exploration short. I will return agin to see more things within the Jewish quarter. We walked along the river and saw the dragon mural and headed back to the hotel to drop off our things, before heading back to the Christmas market for dinner. 
​The next morning we took a taxi to the airport and boarded our flights. Another great trip in the books!
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