Columbus has increased its direct flight options but there are still quite a few destinations that involve connections. So when a new route pops up, we definitely take advantage! And that’s exactly how we decided to take a trip to Portland, Maine.
We planned to spend a few days in Portland before making the drive to Bar Harbor to visit Acadia National Park. Renting a car and driving into town couldn’t have been easier. Portland is very pedestrian friendly and our hotel just outside of the Old Wharf, gave us easy access.
We flew up after work leaving us just enough time to enjoy the sunny early evening before heading to dinner at Central Provisions. Whenever I told anyone I was going to Maine, everyone had the same response, “eat all the lobster rolls!”. I never considered myself that big of fan of lobster and I’m definitely not a fan of mayo so I wasn’t sure what all the fuss could be about until I had my first bite. I started with my first roll at Central Provisions and never looked back! (I still say butter no mayo is the way to go.)
Eventide was on just about every list I’d seen for ‘must dos’ in Portland. We headed over for an early lunch to beat the crowd. While I had enjoyed the roll I had the night before, the roll at Eventide was a true game changer. The lobster, the bun, yowza it was incredible! I know oysters are very polarizing for people. (I love them, but I still don’t like to look at them too closely.) But if you are a fan of oysters, I’d say Eventide has some of the best. So, if you ever find yourself in Portland, put your name on the list and walk around the wharf. Trust me, it is worth any wait.
It has become a bit of a running joke that when traveling in the states, we have to hit all the breweries along the way. While I’m not a big beer person, Adam loves any establishment that makes an IPA. And our trip to Portland left us with ample options. The neighborhood of East Bayside gave us plenty to explore. We visited Austin Street Brewery and Rising Tide Brewery before heading over to a place more near and dear to my heart, the Blue Lobster Urban Winery. I’d say East Bayside is definitely worth spending an afternoon.
That evening we lucked into finding a recently opened restaurant, Helm Oyster Bar & Bistro. They maximize their access to local delicious seafood.
The next morning, we headed out to Bar Harbor. Along the drive we stopped at McLoon’s Lobster Shack, which is a bit of a Maine staple from what we read before arriving. Once again, a lobster roll that did not disappoint. McLoon’s is located in a beautiful spot along the peninsula where you can enjoy your meal before heading back out on the road.
The weather was absolutely beautiful when we arrived in Bar Harbor which only added to the town’s undeniable charm. There are a few hotels and a lot of B&B’. While normally not our choice as in all honestly, we tend to sleep through an early breakfast, we stayed at the Primrose B&B. It was the perfect location to walk into the center of town.
We stopped for drinks and I had a bit of FOMO for not staying at the Bar Harbor Inn. The views overlooking the water were stunning. We took full advantage of the trail along the property before heading back into town. We stumbled across another B&B with a quaint garden perfect for relaxing and having a cocktail. The Ivy Manor Inn Courtyard Bar is a great little spot right along Main street. That evening we did the tasting menu and Salt & Steel before calling it a night.
The next morning, we woke up early and headed out to beat the crowds at Acadia National Park. We started off with the drive to the top of Cadillac Mountain, (this requires a reservation so don’t forget to book ahead of time). We really lucked out with the weather for our visit; it was a beautiful bright blue day making the views that much more incredible. We then decided to do the ‘walk’ around Jordan Pond. It started off fairly simple but turned into a true hike which involved some rock scrambling. I assure you the term ‘rock scrambling’ was not one that I was familiar with until after we completed it. We probably should have done a bit more research before we started, but the 3.4-mile trail offered spectacular views and I may have chickened out had I know about some of the dicey areas of the loop. If you like to hike, I’d definitely recommend.
Of course, we had to reward ourselves with one thing after our morning adventures. You guessed it, more lobster rolls.
We enjoyed one last night in Bar Harbor and dinner at Havana before venturing over to witness low tide. At low tide, you can walk from Bar Harbor to Bar Island along the sandbar. This natural bridge accessible from around two hours before to two hours after low tide. Just keep an eye on the time and the tide so you don’t get stuck!
The great weather, the natural beauty, relaxed atmosphere and of course the lobster rolls make Maine a ‘must visit’ in my book.
After a year of road trips, Adam and I got our shots and grabbed our passports for our first international trip. It was a bit nerve wracking as I still wasn’t exactly sure what to expect but we were beyond excited to be traveling again.
We chose Costa Rica as we knew it would involve a lot of outdoor activities and sightseeing. We decided to stay on the Papagayo Peninsula at the Andaz Resort. We normally tend to bounce around to a few various locations but being our first trip back, we kept it simple.
Once we arrived on the grounds, it was easy to relax. The Andaz offers a variety of room styles and all-inclusive packages An all-inclusive isn’t normally our preference as we love to explore different neighborhoods and restaurants but due to the remote location of the hotel, this time it seemed like the right choice. And I have to say, we were impressed with the quality of food and the included alcohol options.
As people who are used to being on the go during our travels, I think it both took us a bit of time to adjust to a more relaxed atmosphere, but the Peninsula still gave us plenty of opportunities to explore. Andaz has its own island associated with the property so we took the quick complementary boat shuttle over to check it out.
We also left the grounds to dine at the beautiful Four Seasons property which is only a 10-15-minute drive from the Andaz.
We lucked into the perfect afternoon to explore Del Coco Beach; while the trip started off a bit cloudy, the sky cleared just in time for a spectacular sunset.
But knowing we had to plan at least one day trip, we decided to visit the Arenal Volcano via Sky Adventures. It was about a three-hour drive from the resort, but the roads were in excellent shape, so we made the trip without a driver.
Once we arrived at Sky Adventures, we started off with a rain forest hike and boy did that live up to its potential. The rationale side of my brain told me to take my rain jacket that I specifically packed for this exact event but since the sun was brightly shining I ignored that side of my brain and proceeded to leave my rain jacket in the car. About a half hour later it began to rain and rain and rain until it was a complete downpour. Note to self; take rain jacket.
Next up, we had a date with the zip lining course. I had done my research and knew the course included seven separate lines with one over a half mile long! Now, while I had been sitting home for a year being quarantined, I convinced myself that I was a person who was up for this sort of adrenaline rush. I seemed to forget that outside of roller coasters, most things involving heights tend to terrify me. Once they put my gear on, I went into full panic mode and the more I tried to calm myself down the more upset I became. Finally when we got to the top and I saw the first line I’d have to complete; I realized real quick that I had not become a different person during the lockdown and I should take the same tram right back down the mountain I had just come up. For a split second, I was disappointed in myself but that quickly turned into overwhelming relief. Living vicariously through Adam completing the course was plenty for me. And once he was done, he agreed that I would likely have needed to be rescued by helicopter after a line or two!
Once we both recovered from our adrenaline rushes (mine brought on my sheer fear and panic) we headed out on our drive back and found a great little Costa Rican brewery along the way. The views from the brewery/hotel were pretty incredible.
Our Costa Rica trip helped us get over some of our travel related anxiety and made us anxious to start planning our next international adventure. But after the zip lining, I just made sure to hint that I’d like it to include a little more city time and a little less nature for the next go round. So Labor Day 2021, France, here we come!
March 2020-Long Beach and the Cape Peninsula were meant to be a few relaxing days to finish out our trip. When we landed a day early, I was torn between disappointment that we may miss those sights and anxiety about just getting home. Looking back I can now say, as luck would have it, the United flight to Newark continued to be completely sold out. We booked an extra night at our planned hotel in Long Beach and decided to make the best of it.
And make the best of it we did; the drive from Cape Town to the Last Word Long Beach became more and more relaxing as we made our way out of the city. The Last Word (also a recommendation) was a little slice of heaven on earth. This was another boutique property with only six rooms that felt like it was a million miles away from everything taking place in the world.
Long Beach was pretty much my dream come true; an incredible sandy beach with mountain views and dogs. So many dogs. There is something about listening to ocean and seeing dogs happy at play that instantly puts me at ease. All the anxiety I had been carrying around for days was gone. If I wasn’t going to make it back; THIS was the place I wanted to be.
The next morning we woke up to a beautiful blue sky and took a walk along the beach with all our new dog friends. (I actually looked it up and it is common for the dogs that live in the area to take themselves on a walk before returning home.) We then set out to explore Cape Point National Park. On our way, we stopped to see the penguins and check our the adorable shops in Simon’s Town.
We first set out to see the Cape Point Lighthouse. Social distancing gave us the perfect excuse to walk rather than take the funicular. And the views!! In every direction there was so much natural beauty. I had read that the area could be quite windy but we had a calm and gorgeous day. Once we made it to the top, we took another walk out the Lighthouse Keeper’s trail. We ventured back and started on our way to the Cape of Good Hope.
The views were just a spectacular as they had been on the way to the lighthouse. And I couldn’t wait to climb the mountainous terrain at the end to get to the Cape of Good Hope sign; it marks the spot where the Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean meet. Except when we got to the top, we realized the sign actually sat next to the road we could see below! This suddenly made a lot more sense as I’d seen a lot of tourist pictures and was surprised so many had made the hike. After a good laugh, we made our way back. We stopped to grab a celebratory beverage to toast a day of good hiking and wisely drove for our picture next to the sign.
One other unbelievable sight at the park is the baboons! They want food and are pretty aggressive about finding whatever means necessary to get it, including sitting on your roof!
The next morning we set out to complete the Chapman’s Peak Drive. It was another day of beautiful blue skies and another experience that exceeded expectations. This last stretch of the trip had been breathtaking and so relaxing; it was a lot easier to push all the unknown’s to the back of mind. But we did still slightly alter our plans; while South Africa’s virus counts remained quite low, we did decide to cancel our last dinner at Foodbarn and did takeout from the restaurant’s deli instead. We figured this would give us another good excuse to come back and try the restaurant in person.
We spent the last evening taking in the beach understanding that this would likely be our last trip for a while. And when the flight from Newark left on its way to Cape Town, we were grateful that we knew we would make it home but also thankful we had these last few days in paradise.
The trip home was fairly normal but also surreal. I was so relived for the crew working to bring us back and also feeling guilty that they had to be there. We often joke about how chaotic the New York area airports are, especially the always under construction, LaGuardia. But landing in Newark and walking through an empty airport and 6:30AM on a Friday made me long for the normal days of chaos.
Our flight back to Columbus was very empty so it was easy to spread out and spend two hours thinking about the next time we’d be able to fly. When we were almost back, I looked out the window and spotted this rainbow. I know that it is going to take a long time before things go back to any sense of normal. But I have to believe that the day will eventually come. There is so much beauty in the world; I’m already excited to see where our passports will take us next.
Read more about the other segments of our trip here!
March 2020 – A safari was our motivation for out trip to South Africa. Adam had wanted to go on a safari for years and asked for it to be his present for his 40th birthday. Since he mentioned it a few months shy of his 40th, I couldn’t pull it off that year but knew it was a bucket list trip I wanted to plan. A good Chicago friend gave me recommendations on safaris she’d visited in Kenya and Rwanda and for a while we thought that would be our same plan. When United started a nonstop flight to Cape Town, we decided to change course and looked for a safari in South Africa. We knew this would cut down on our travel time and give us a few extra days to explore. As luck would have it, we received additional recommendations on safaris within South Africa. &Beyond has world class properties across Africa and we booked our safari with &Beyond Phinda. Phinda is a private reserve located on the eastern side of South Africa. The nice feature of a private reserve is that they may travel off the set path which isn’t always possible in a national park like Kruger. Another aspect we loved about &Beyond was their belief in conservation and in supporting the local communities. Being such an animal lover, it was very important to me to know that our trip was going to help to give back.
But let me be honest, while I was excited for our safari, I was still nervous. I knew that the reserve was going to be in the middle of nowhere. And while the middle of nowhere is a dream to many, I love to fall asleep to the noise of city traffic. Nature and I are not one. I do not like bugs, snakes, poisonous plants…you get the idea, so this trip was definitely going to be a bit out of my comfort zone.
On our way to our lodge we came across an incredible sight and we quickly realized we were somewhere special. Crossing the road ahead were zebras and giraffes just calmly grazing from the trees as they walked they past. We were now part of their world and it was remarkable to witness.
We arrived at our lodge and our butler, Michael showed us around the property. Vlei lodge has six rooms and a main house for meals, cocktails and meeting your game driver and guides.
Walking to our room, we stopped in our tracks the first time we saw the Nyalya huddled under our cabin. It is ironic how in a few short days, I thought of them the same way I thought of deer. They were everywhere! But the first time, it was a bit startling and exciting.
The suite was beautiful with its own private splash pool. We quickly changed into our swimwear to enjoy the amenities. While we did’t see it personally, we heard it was common to see animals, even elephants, drinking out of your pool! Michael, did warn us to make sure we kept our doors shut as the monkeys could be quite cheeky and love to get into rooms and eat all the snacks while causing a ruckus. More on those cheeky monkeys later…
Post our dip in the pool we walked back to the main lodge for lunch. One thing that doesn’t happen on safari, going hungry. Happiness, our cook served us a tasty lunch before we headed out for our first game drive.
We only had one other couple on our afternoon drive and they had seen all of the big five except a lion. Since it was their last night we set out to find a lion pride. We were very fortunate to end up with Wade as our ranger and Jabs as our spotter. They were incredibly knowledgeable and had a great team chemistry that often left us laughing.
As luck would have it, another ranger called about spotting lions and we sped off to find them. Upon arriving, I was blown away by what we saw; a few lionesses and cubs just sleeping out in the open! Wade explained to us that they had just had a large meal and this was common for them to sleep it off afterward. (I equated this to how I feel on Thanksgiving.) It was wild watching the cubs play and being so close! How could anything top this?
After spending some time observing, we drove a short distance to view the two male brothers of the pride. One had a scar on this face, and it felt like I was in a real life Lion King! At one point, one of the males woke up and walked extremely close to our vehicle. Wade said that as long as we didn’t make any sudden movements, the lions would not see us as a threat and in that moment I didn’t bat an eyelash. It was an incredible experience.
We stayed for a bit longer and had the opportunity to watch the pride get up and wander over for a quick drink. I still couldn’t fully wrap my head around seeing them in such a natural habitat.
We left the lions and we ventured over to a large body of water that contained a pod of hippos. Maybe because I am naturally drawn to any animal that takes on the overall shape of a chubby bulldog, I really enjoyed the time we spent watching the hippos interact. I loved watching them play in the water and seeing the babies partake in the fun.
By this time, it was starting to get dark so we stopped for cocktails to watch the sunset before trying to catch a sighting of some of the nocturnal animals within the reserve.
After making our way back to the lodge, we had cocktails and another delicious meal before heading back to our suite.
Even though you are sitting for a good portion of the day, Adam and I both found ourselves tired by the end of evening. Knowing that we had a 5am wake up call also made it easy to call it a night. Even though our suite was only 50 yards or so from the main lodge, we had a guide walk us back as it was pitch black and you don’t know what you may encounter on your journey!
After our next morning game drive and breakfast we came back to our room and had our first encounter with those cheeky monkeys. Cheeky is one way to describe them! They were quite mischievous and definitely not intimated by us. While we retreated to our room, they took over our deck wrestling and running around the roof!
The next few days on our drives were equally as incredible. We saw so many animals including a cheetah, warthogs, wildebeests, buffalo, scary snakes, and one of my favorites, African elephants. When Adam and I went to Thailand, it was really hard for me to visit the elephant sanctuary and learn how much the elephants had suffered at the hands of humans. Seeing the elephants at Phinda was emotional for me for all the right reasons. We found a herd of at least 20 elephants playing and living freely. It was such a wonderful experience to see them so happy and content.
In fact, when a rather large bull came out of the forest, we were the ones that quickly backed up to allow him to move on his way. The elephants at Phinda are definitely the ones in charge!
On our last evening, we came back from dinner to find warm bath waiting. The staff at the Vlei lodge really do think of everything. It was a wonderful way to relax.
We originally planned to spend four nights at Phinda before heading back to the Western Cape for our final few days. We left a day early in an attempt to get an earlier flight back to the States. The COVID-19 pandemic broke out while we had been traveling. When we left, for our trip, neither our home state or South Africa had any cases. 10+ days later, the world was a different place; borders were being closed and we thought it might be best if we attempted to get back early. The staff at Phinda was incredible and so helpful with the last minute change. They helped finalize our arrangements which included finding a driver for our three hour drive back to the airport.
I can’t say enough about our experience. While we were sad to cut the trip a day short, even a city gal like myself is looking forward to another safari. My anxiety was running high with all the uncertainty over the virus yet out on the game drives, with no cell service, it was easy to get lost in nature and wrapped up in the moment. Maybe next time I’ll even be brave enough to try the outdoor shower, but probably not. Thank you to everyone at &Beyond Phinda for such a wonderful experience!
March 2020- Being a wine lover, I had been looking forward to this part of our South Africa trip for quite a while. As we cleared the mountains, the sky literally opened up and Franschhoek was in sight!
A friend suggested we stay at Akademie Street and I owe him a case of La Motte wine for the recommendation! No matter where we travel, I’m typically the one a bit more obsessed with our accommodations. Akademie was the one exception. I’ve never heard Adam rave more about a hotel. While we were waiting to check in, I noticed hilarious, yet regal dog portraits along the wall when low and behold I spotted the bulldog. Obviously, Mabel would agree this was the hotel for us.
Checking into our room I began an instant Pinterest board in my head for design elements I want in our next master; bed frame check, soaking tub check, dutch door, yes please!
Declan and his staff made us feel instantly at home. We could sit by the secluded pool, grab a cocktail at happy hour or enjoy any of the other amenities of the property without a care in the world. And just beyond the doors, we were a quick walk to the center of town. We honestly can’t recommend Akademie Street enough. When we make it back, our only change will be to extend our stay!
Franschhoek is a wine lover/foodie dream! We bounced around town to do a few tastings and I managed to sneak in some shopping. One of our stops was Bovine, where we did an urban tasting from Woodstock Brewery and Black Elephant Vinters. Black Elephant has an event in their tasting room where they pair music with wines via a silent disco. You can see pictures of it on their Instagram account and it looks like it would be so fun to attend! But they are only open on the weekend so this was our next best option. And the fact, that Adam could do a beer tasting was an added bonus.
We spent some time enjoying the cozy happy hour back at Akademie Street before settling in for dinner at Le Bon Vivant. The tasting menu was delicious and at the end of dinner, you have an opportunity to donate to the local animal shelter! If this was an option in the US, I would do it every time.
The following day was a beautiful day for wine tasting; Ok, who I am kidding, I can turn any day into a good day for wine tasting but the beautiful weather was a welcome addition. We started the day at Haute Cabriere where we took in the views and grabbed a bottle of Rosé to enjoy in Cape Town.
We then headed to La Motte; this was definitely my favorite of all our tastings. We enjoyed it so much, we had a case shipped home! The grounds are worth exploring and although we did not eat there, we’ve heard the restaurant is also worth a trip.
Our next stop was Bablystoren. I’ll admit I didn’t know as much about their wines but I did have a slight obsession with their Instagram account. In addition to being a winery, it is a working farm with a boutique hotel and top rated restaurant, Babel. We enjoyed walking the grounds and grabbing a bite to eat while sharing a bottle of wine at their outdoor space, the Greenhouse.
On our way back into town, we stopped at the Franschhoek Beer Company which was just a pretty as all the wineries it was situated between.
That evening we enjoyed dinner at Protege which was conveniently located a few blocks from our hotel. This was one of my favorite meals of the trip. I loved the decor and open atmosphere of the restaurant almost as much as I loved the food!
We were excited to come back that evening and find we had the pool to ourselves! The next morning we said goodbye to our new friends at Akademie Street and drove to Cape Town.
When trying to plan so much into two weeks it became challenging to spend as much time as we wanted in all locations. We had two full days in Cape Town but I would loved to have had an extra day or two to hit all the sights we had on our list.
In terms of our stay, we went the practical route and used some Marriott points to book 15 on Orange which is located in the center of town. Naturally the first thing I did in our room was sneak a peak at the view of Table and Lion’s Head Mountain.
It was important to me that we visited the District Six Museum. It honors a Cape Town neighborhood that was destroyed during Apartheid. It was a somber reminder of the not so distant past. South Africa is a beautiful country but it has a very complicated history (much like other countries including my own) when it comes to the race equality. There is still much financial inequality that is present throughout the country. Personally, I did not feel it was appropriate for me to take pictures or tour a township, but I would suggest anyone who plans to visit South Africa to do their own research.
We spent the afternoon in the V&A Waterfront. I went in thinking I would find it too touristy but ended up really enjoying the area. One of my favorite stops was Watershed. While yes, I love to shop, what I really loved about Watershed was that all the vendors were local artist. On my own, I could have easily spent hours going from stall to stall but since Adam was with me I tried to make it through as efficiently as I could. (He would likely tell you, it still felt like I was there for hours!)
We ventured along the Waterfront so I could get a peak a the Silo Hotel; one of the newer hotels in Cape Town featuring the Zeitz MOCCA Museum. The building is pretty incredible but the rooms are definitely not cheap. Next visit, I need to figure out a way to take in the view from their rooftop pool.
That evening, we had reservations at FYN and we arrived just in time to take in a beautiful sunset before turning our attention to our tasting menu.
Dinner at FYN was delicious, super creative in terms of presentation and just fun! Sometimes, a “foodie” type meal can feel a little stuffy to me but FYN was the exact opposite of that atmosphere. We loved sitting at the counter and watching all the course presentations being created in real time. Adam and I both would absolutely recommend it! After dinner, we ended the evening with one final stop to the Gorgeous George rooftop.
The next morning, I had a detailed itinerary that started with a hike up Lion’s Head. Instead we woke up to a very low cloud layer. I had heard this was quite common but thought, “How bad could it be?”. Well, as it turns out, it can be pretty bad. Looking out the same window I had the day before, I couldn’t even see a hill let alone a mountain. So we changed plans and headed over to another item on our list, the neighborhood of Woodstock. We stopped by the Old Biscuit Mill for brunch and checked out a few of the local breweries in the neighborhood.
While enjoying a beverage we looked outside to see the clouds had all but disappeared. We didn’t have time to hike Lion’s Head, but we did have time to take the cableway to the top of Table Mountain. The views from the top were really astounding. Adam was a bit more daring in his picture posing but I definitely enjoyed all the sights from a safe distance.
We head back to Woodstock for our dinner at Potluck Club. Potluck is the sister restaurant to Test Kitchen which is also located in the Old Biscuit Mill. Test Kitchen is often named one of the top restaurants in the world and not an easy reservation to get. We knew we had to be up extremely early the next morning for our safari flight so we opted for an early reservation at Potluck Club instead. (While, an easier reservation to get, I would still recommended booking far in advance if possible.) Every dish as Potluck Club was quite tasty and I instantly became a fan of their specialty cocktails.
I would have loved to have had more time to explore Cape Town but it gives me something to look forward to on a future trip!
Bo Kaap from the car; on my list for the next visit!
Follow along with the rest of our South Africa Trip:
March 2020-South Africa is such a beautiful country that it can be overwhelming deciding what to see.We broke our trip down into four main segments, the Garden Route, Wine County /Cape Town, Safari and Long Beach/Cape Peninsula. Thanks to online research and wonderful recommendations from friends, we were excited to start our adventure along the Garden Route.After a long flight from Newark, we stayed our first night at Hotel Verde.Its close proximity to the airport made it ideal for our early morning flight to Port Elizabeth.
To celebrate our arrival!
There is a running joke between Adam and I about who does a majority of the driving at home (spoiler alert…it’s definitely me), but Adam stepped up to the plate and did all of the driving in South Africa.I’m so grateful as the opposite side of the road definitely takes some getting used to for the driver and passenger!
On our way to our first overnight stay, we stopped at Tsitsikamma National Park.The trail to the suspension bridges was quite easy and definitely worth it for the views!We were lucky to have such a beautiful morning to explore.
We spent our first night in Plettenberg Bay and stayed at the Sky Villa Boutique Hotel, which sits on a hilltop with breathtaking views of the town below.
We freshened up and headed into town to explore.The beach views made it an easy decision to stop and have a drink at the Lookout Deck.
For dinner, we made reservations at the Instagram dream known as Emily Moon.The property is stunning. We enjoyed a cocktail at Simon’s Bar, which has a lively happy hour atmosphere before enjoying a delicious meal in the main restaurant.
Thanks to the jet-lag, we were up early the next morning and caught a beautiful sunrise over our deck before soaking up the views at breakfast.
Our next stop was the lookout over the Knysna Heads and Lagoon. Couple selfies never being our strong point, we still gave it our best shot while taking in the incredible scenery.
There is a funny thing that often happens when you attempt to check weather forecasts for other countries via US sites; they are very wrong.While the projections we saw showed 70s it was definitely a lot hotter than expected in Knysna. It was closing in on 90F at 11am.So we found a cool spot in the shade to grab a cocktail and oysters.Spending time along the waterfront at Knysna Quays was a nice way to spend part of a day. I would recommend it for an overnight stay if you were stretching out the drive a bit longer than we did.
We made a quick stop in the Wilderness before arriving in Mossel Bay.We decided to stay in Mossel to shorten our drive the following day but it is a bit more industrial than the other towns along the Garden Route.I wouldn’t make it a “must see”. We still enjoyed our evening checking out the local establishments and landmarks.
The next morning, we had about a four hour drive to Hermanus.Even with cloudy weather, the drive was breathtaking as we moved from the plains to mountains back to the coast. Adam and I both instantly fell in love with Hermanus. We were not visiting at the right time of year, but Hermanus is one of the best places to watch whales from land during the prime season (June to December). Just google it and you’ll see the incredible pictures.But even without the whales and sunshine, Hermanus is easy to enjoy.There are plenty of boutique hotels and we chose One Marine.On our route to our room, I spotted this adorable pink hutch and told Adam I thought our future house should definitely include a pink bar but he’s still not sold.Just look at it!
We were both sold on the views from our room and all the little touches that they thought of from local maps, warm towel bars to sanitized remotes.
We left our cozy room to explore more of the town including the Cliff Path.While I can’t imagine how gorgeous this would be on a sunny day, we were both still taken by the beauty of the crashing waves and clouds.
Hungry, we stopping in to grab a waffle sandwich along the main promenade, before venturing off to spend a cloudy day in my favorite way, wine tasting.The Wine Glass was an ideal way to try a few local wines before venturing back to our hotel.
Adam and I both agreed we could have easily spent a few extra days in the area and already look forward to coming back to see the whales!
Cliff Path from above
Ficks
Another perfect little spot, we found on our wak. Ficks is worth a visit!
Do you see it?
I wish we would have been able to enjoy this cute pool area!
The next morning it was time to pack up for wine country but we made one quick stop along the drive to visit the Penguins at Betty’s Bay.
I count my time in dog years… and I’m the one who love you – Maggie Rogers
I’ve been counting my life in dog years since Mabel came into it in August of 2012. And the month of January 2020, tested everything I knew about that life.
January 6th was in some ways the first real day of the new year for Adam and me. It was a Monday and we were both back to work full time and Mabel was back to doggy daycare. I stopped to pick her up and she greeted me as normal; excited to see me, pausing for a treat/ head pat from the staff before heading on our way to the car. But as soon as we got outside, she wasn’t moving like herself. Some days, especially in the summer when she’s played in the water, she comes home tired and shows it on her walk to the car. At first, I thought maybe this was a similar case. But when I tried to pick her up and place her in the backseat, she let out a yelp of pain the likes of which I’d never heard. I was so taken back in fact, I wasn’t sure the noise came from her. When I attempted to pick her back up, she made the same startling sound; it was as if she didn’t want me to touch her abdomen. I instantly knew something was very wrong.
I called Adam on the way home concerned about Mabel’s behavior and we decided we would evaluate her together. At home, Mabel didn’t want to eat which is always a tell-tale sign she is not feeling like herself. As you can tell from her figure, Mabel is not one to miss a meal! And when she laid down, the look in her eyes wasn’t one of sleepiness from a day of playing but one of unease. As soon as Adam came home, we decided to take her to the ER at Ohio State.
OSU did an exam of Mabel and noted that she seemed a little tender but didn’t cry out in any sort of pain during the evaluation. However, I know how Mabel reacts to being at the vet. She becomes very stoic and I worried that maybe she was masking a bit of her pain in this situation. They suggested running some initial blood work and so we did and received very normal results. They sent us home with the diagnosis that it could be the early stages of pancreatitis, (which has very similar symptoms) and told us if she didn’t seem any better in the morning or her condition deteriorated to bring her back or take her to her normal vet.
The way she looked at me, when she laid on our bedroom floor sent a wave of panic throughout my system. I didn’t know what was wrong, but she was not herself. I felt it in my bones that this was serious. No one slept well that night. We wanted to give her the space she seemed to crave but around 4am she expressed an interest to lay in bed with us. My poor girl just couldn’t seem to rest so I did what my parents used to do for me when I was little and sick. I sang to her. I sang “You are my sunshine” through my tears and rubbed her little head until she finally fell asleep. I think I picked that song to comfort her and as a plea to the universe to let her be okay.
The next morning, I called her normal vet and asked to bring her in. Our normal doctor wasn’t in for the day, so I took the first available appointment. Normally, as soon as Mabel is seated in the vet waiting room she begins to shake. It always breaks my heart to see her nervous, but this visit alarmed me because for the first time, there was no shaking. She was sick.
I explained the same symptoms and again our vet performed the same tests and my little stoic friend showed some discomfort but held fast to her demeanor. Our vet suggested running a bit more blood work to try to identify if it was indeed the start to pancreatitis and suggested we could also conduct an x-ray. To be fair, I believe OSU suggested this the previous evening, but at the time with her behavior in the ER, it almost seemed as if it wasn’t necessary. Now sitting in the vet, I had no doubt that I wanted the x-ray…even if I was overreacting. It would at a minimum save Mabel another trip for more tests.
When the doctor came back in the room, she had a concerned look on her face. She mentioned that Mabel’s face looked so young that at first, she didn’t realize she was seven and a half years old. I was immediately alarmed. I could tell she was saying that the results in her hand along with her age were not a good combination. She explained that they couldn’t see any of the organs in Mabel’s abdomen on the x-ray. This was likely do to some sort of fluid or mass. She suggested that we schedule her for a CT scan and check the blood work when it was back the following day.
As soon as we were in the car, I immediately called back to OSU. To schedule at CT scan, I would need to wait until the middle of February. That clearly wasn’t an option, so we again went the ER route. I was back to OSU within 20 minutes and to OSU’s credit, they took my concerns for Mabel very seriously. In the interim, I called Adam to meet us back at the hospital.
While we were waiting on the CT scan, OSU also reviewed the x-rays and suggested trying to drain a bit of the fluid in her abdomen to help identify next steps. They determined it was blood and a very somber but empathetic doctor came in and told us that Mabel likely had a tumor that ruptured and often at her age, the tumor would be malignant. While I was very present in the moment, the exact order that we received the information is hard for me to recall looking back. I was in such shock; Mabel had seemed completely fine 24 hours ago and now we were being told she had life threatening internal bleeding and there was a high probability that bleeding was a result of cancer.
Before completing the CT scan, they did a chest x-ray. The rationale for the x-ray was to scan for other tumors; we would then know if it was cancer and it may change how we wanted to proceed. No one said it outright, but I knew they meant perhaps euthanizing her rather than doing a CT scan and trying to remove the tumor if the cancer had spread.
We did receive the best news we could hope for when the x-ray came back negative for other tumors. So, from there, we moved to the CT scan. Mabel would need to go under anesthesia for this scan and with Brachycephalic dogs (think smooshed faces), this is also a risk. I asked to see her before they took her back. She came into the room in pretty good spirits, happy to see us and I imagine running on a bit of adrenaline from all the change. I sat on the floor with her and sobbed. I told her she would be okay but also thanked her for the being my best friend. Adam and I took pictures with her; I tried to smile but I think my face still shows how utterly broken and scared I am in that moment. The OSU staff was so wonderful and just let us have our time to attempt to process all the new information.
They took her back for her CT scan and all we could do was walk the floors and wait. Adam stepped out for a call while I stared out the window trying to comprehend everything taking place. Feeling so helpless and out of control was overwhelming for me. In one way, I felt guilty as I realized this was the first time I was on the brink of such loss within my immediate family. So many people close to me have had to deal with tremendous loss within the past year and I realized how lucky I’d been. Yet I still found myself begging that this would not be Mabel’s time.
Mabel’s CT scan came back with a ruptured tumor and mass on her spleen. The scan did not show any other masses and we were notified that she was a good candidate for a splenectomy. I appreciated that the team was transparent throughout the process. They gave us the odds surrounding spleen tumors. Hemangiosarcoma was a word I’d never heard before that afternoon, but I quickly came to understand that is was a very serious type of cancer that was often found in two-thirds of malignant spleen tumors. Without treatment, a diagnosis of Hemangiosarcoma typically is equal to a one to three-month life span. There would be no way to tell what type of tumor Mabel had without the splenectomy. In our best-case scenario, Mabel would make it through surgery and the histopathology on the tumor would come back benign. We very quickly decided that it was worth giving our girl a fighting chance.
It was about 4:30pm when they took Mabel back to prep her for surgery. The surgical team met with us and told us that we would hear back results in a few hours once she woke up from anesthesia and that “no news was good news” until then. While it was excruciating, we made the choice to go home and wait for the call.
The moment I walked in the door, I saw the oversized lamb Mabel received for Christmas laying on the floor. I grabbed it and held on to it as hard as I could. I know it doesn’t make any logical sense, but I was holding onto it like I would have held on to her if I had been able. I wanted her to feel how much I loved her, and I know I needed to hold it for my own overwhelming anxiety.
Adam and I didn’t know what to do with ourselves, so we went for a cold walk in the dark throughout our neighborhood. I held on tightly to the lamb as we walked and shared stories about Mabel. I knew how much this stress was also impacting Adam but as always, he was my rock; letting me talk, vent and cry as I needed.
While it felt like a lifetime, we got a call around 6:45pm that Mabel came out of an uneventful surgery. The surgeon even chuckled that she was already up standing which came as a bit of a surprise to the team. They saw no other masses during surgery which was also positive news. They would send the tumor for testing and if all went well, we could see Mabel in the morning.
Adam and I were so relieved that Mabel came through surgery like a champ, but we knew we were not out of the woods. I had spent the last few hours focusing so much on Mabel’s surgery that now I was left with the great unknown on her cancer status. In the brief amount of research I’d conducted, I realized the odds were likely not in our favor and I was overwhelmed with the idea of thinking we only had one to three months left with her.
In an instant, I realized how much of my life revolves around Mabel. When Adam and I made the decision to not have human children, Mabel really became our version of a kid. We went out to dinner and recanted stories about her. We planned vacations where we could take her along. While she counted on us for food and shelter, I counted on her so much that I couldn’t fathom what life would be like so suddenly without her. While my rationale brain understands that Mabel is getting older and will not live forever in my heart of hearts, I really believed it should not be her time. I could dedicate a whole post on why I no longer practice the religion of which I was raised, but that night I spent a lot of time praying that God wouldn’t take her from me. That if he’d just give me more time, I would find some way to pay it back to the universe. I still held tight to her lamb and favorite blanket as I tried to get some sleep.
The next morning, I received a call around 8:30am that Mabel had a great night and we could come see her at 10am. Rather then wait at home, Adam and I both went into the office. I just happened to do so still holding on to a large stuffed lamb. The truth was besides showering, I had not put it down and regardless of how insane I looked, I decided I was not going to until I saw her.
I could not wait to see my girl. And when she came in the room to see me, with her little wrapped paw, I was struck by how much she reminded me of herself as a puppy. For as nervous as I had been, I made myself channel that away so I could be as calm as possible for Mabel which I will admit is not always my strong suit. I got her to eat a tiny bit of food which was a victory as it is impossible to get Mabel to take so much as a treat when at the vet. And with my promising that I could get her to eat once we left, her surgeon told me I could take her home.
We knew we had to watch her as she was not allowed to run, jump or climb stairs until her sutures were removed. Normally monitoring sutures would be a role I would politely decline but for Mabel, I was willing to do whatever it took. Between her pain meds and the toll of the surgery, Mabel was exhausted. I was able to get her to eat but only by hand feeding her which also broke my heart. I questioned putting her through so much for the surgery. Had we done what was best?
Ouch =(
Over the next few days, I barely left Mabel’s side. I told myself it was to in order to ensure she was safe and not endangering her sutures but subconsciously, I wanted to soak in every moment with her just in case our time would turn out to be limited. Her little snores beside me overnight brought me comfort while we waited for results. And over the next few days, she began to return to her normal personality. I was ecstatic the first time she walked over to the kitchen to beg for the food I was preparing. Our little lady was coming back.
And come back she did. Soon, our toughest job was just ensuring we were keeping her immobile. I don’t know how people keep dogs like Labs and Boxers calm for multiple weeks! And while, I can be prone to thinking of worst-case scenarios, I started to only visualize positive results. Mabel had bounced back so quickly; I just began to believe in my heart that she was going to be alright.
No cone for this gal! My years of dressing her up, finally paid off!
In what felt like an eternity, on Tuesday, we received the results back from the histopathology and Mabel’s tumor was benign! Adam was traveling and we immediately shared excitement and tears of joy over the phone. In a week’s time, we’d gone from surgery with a life-threatening diagnosis to the likelihood of a full recovery. The following night, I finally returned upstairs to sleep in my normal bed, and it felt like the best night of sleep I’d had in months. I think Mabel felt the same as she contently slept snoring on her bed right beside me.
Celebrating the good news!
Mabel’s stitches are out and minus the scar on her belly, you’d never know what she’s been through. But we know. Every time, she begs for cheese and every time she lays in my lap, my heart is filled with such gratitude. I’m glad someone was listening when I prayed for more time and gave me the greatest gift. I understand nothing is forever and I don’t know what the future holds but I’ve promised myself I’ll be much more present and soak in every moment we have together.
Leaving OSU after having Mabel’s stiches removed!
While I wouldn’t wish the last month on anyone, I’m grateful for all it taught me. I realized I could be strong for Mabel when she needed it. I realized to never take the mundane parts of life that I love the most for granted and I was reminded to trust my own instincts. I knew something was seriously wrong with Mabel and I kept pushing to be her voice. I’m proud of myself for fighting for her.
I count my time in dog years and I’m so lucky. I’ll always be the one who loves you, Mabes.
Special thanks to Ohio State’s Veterinary Hospital who took such wonderful care of Mabel and of Adam and me during such a stressful time. And thanks to all our friends and families who checked in on us; sent Mabel gifts! and best wishes. We’re grateful for all of you.
Whenever anyone asks me for my favorite place to travel, it doesn’t take me more than a moment to respond; Italy. Of all the beautiful beaches and cities I’ve visited, Italy has captured my heart. Each city has its own unique culture; the mountainous landscapes and breathtaking beaches provide the perfect balance regardless of your travel style. And I haven’t even mentioned the delicious food and incredible wine. Most of the best meals of my life have been in Italy. Being a red wine lover, Italy is my happy place. It is also one of the few places in the world where I’m the cheaper drinking date than Adam!
I’ve recapped our quick trip to Lake Como with its breathtaking views, but I really fell in love with Italy during our two-week honeymoon in the spring of 2016. We spent two weeks visiting Florence, Cinque Terre, the Amalfi Coast and Rome. I can’t possibly cover them all with one post, so I’ve decided to start with my favorite. As I’ve stated many times, I am a big city gal at heart, but the Amalfi Coast might be the one place that makes me want to change my perspective.
From Cinque Terre, we took the train to Naples and a car service to Positano. I’m glad we opted for the car service. The roads along the coast are filled with gorgeous views, tour buses and experienced drivers who speed along hairpin turns. I wouldn’t suggest trying to drive it on your own unless you feel comfortable in such a setting. Since we were able to sit back and relax, we could take in all the beauty of the area as we drove to our destination. We stayed at Hotel Marincanto which is located just around a small bend from Le Sirenuse, which is likely the most famous hotel in Positano. While I can see why Le Sirenuse is so beloved, Hotel Marincanto’s views are almost identical at about a third of the cost. I had seen pictures online of the Tyrrhenian Sea from the room balcony, but I was still in awe when I saw it in person. It is a spectacular sight. I didn’t take one picture that can possibly do it justice. I think I could have sat there for an entire day just taking it in. But we couldn’t sit there for a whole day because we had so much to explore!
We chose Positano as our home base for a few reasons, one as previously mentioned the incredible views and two, the streets are too narrow for tour buses. Now I realize this sounds a bit hypnotical; we were tourists complaining about other tourists. But it does make a huge difference when you are touring quant little streets and alleyways without busloads of other people. While Positano is still bustling with tourists, it takes on a bit more of a relaxed, local vibe especially as you progress into the evening. On our first day, we stayed in Positano exploring the shops in town and the gorgeous beach. At the time, I didn’t have any intention of documenting our trips in detail, so I don’t remember our exact itinerary and each place we stopped but a few standouts are hard to forget. We ate dinner at Rada and made sure to mention it was our honeymoon in hopes of landing one of the tables looking out over the water. It was the perfect place to watch the sunset.
The next morning, we set sail for Capri. A friend suggested Barbara Positano Boat Tours and our day with Barbara was one of the highlights of our trip. As we drank champagne at the front of the boat we definitely laughed to ourselves a few times not believing this was indeed real life as the scenery and setting seemed too good to be true.
Barbara had arranged for a driver to give us a quick tour of the island and it was the perfect way to take in most of the sights. Driving in Capri is part of the fun. The streets are unbelievably narrow and when I say you are often passing other cars and busses by mere inches, that is not an exaggeration!
Capri is filled with gorgeous views and incredible luxury shopping. Adam claimed that Capri was a little too crowded for him to want to stay but really I think he was worried about the damage I could do at all the gorgeous boutiques.
We opted to not see the Blue Grotto in order to spend more time on the water. Adam was brave enough to jump in the sea. Since it was early May, I was not as brave as the water was FREEZING. I was content to stay warm on the boat drinking champagne.
Barbara gave us a few options for lunch, but we couldn’t down the opportunity to visit Conca Del Sogno which is mainly accessible by boat. I remember my pasta dish being delicious and that once again I found myself in awe of the views.
The weather that day was absolutely perfect, and we soaked it all in while on our way back to Positano. There are some memories that just stick in your mind and our day to Capri is definitely one of those memories for me. I can close my eyes and it feels like yesterday I was watching the Italian flag effortlessly float behind us as we made our way back to town.
After a day of indulging we decided to get in a little exercise and explored The Path of the Gods. We took the local town bus to get up to the start of the path.
Perched up on the hill, Santa Croce was the perfect stop for lunch.
Our next adventure was to explore Pompeii. We again hired a car service to drive us as we planned a few stops throughout the day. As a child, I was always fascinated by volcanos and in turn was excited for the opportunity to visit Hawaii Volcanoes National Park while on the Big Island and Pompeii while in Italy. It is a popular place to visit so I would suggest trying to arrive early. Even seeing it in person, it was difficult to wrap my head around the idea that the eruption happened in 79 A.D.
From Pompeii, we traveled on to Ravello. As much as I loved Positano, Ravello was equally gorgeous. It is a charming town that is a must-see if in the region. We had lunch at Al Ristoro Del Moro and once again the meal and views were outstanding.
I hadn’t done much research on Ravello which added to it being such a surprise. Our driver was the sweetest man who volunteered to walk around the Villa Cimbrone Gardens with us so he could take pictures. We have more pictures together on this day than we do on most of our trips combined! Ravello is known for its summer musical festival and I’ve promised myself that one day I’ll make it back to attend.
We made a quick stop in the town of Amalfi before heading back to Positano for our last night. It was the perfect day and end to our stay before heading out to our last stop of our trip, Rome.
Visiting the Amalfi Coast was the trip of a lifetime. It was so hard to narrow down a handful of pictures and even those selected can’t even begin to represent its true beauty. I hope that anyone with a love of travel has an opportunity to see it for themselves!
In late July, Adam and I sat on our front porch discussing
plans for Labor Day weekend. Normally I’m not a big fan of road trips over a
short weekend, but this year I wanted to find a destination within driving distance,
so we could bring Mabel. A few weeks prior, my brother and sister-in-law had unexpectedly
lost Mabel’s brother Jerome, aka Biggie.
Mabel was technically his big sister and they still played like siblings
every time they saw each other. Well at
least for a few minutes; after all, they were bulldogs. You could usually find
them snoozing by each other and of course begging for the same piece of cheese.
I was upset over the loss over the loss of Biggie, but it reminded
me that each day, month, year I get with Mabel is a gift and I want to live
them to the fullest. I knew how much she
loved the beaches in Charleston and so I tried to think of a different set of
beaches we could explore.
Now the middle of Ohio is not exactly known for water access,
but I figured the western shore of Michigan would do just the trick. Since we were planning late in the season, it
was a bit more of a challenge to find a dog friendly place to rent in Saugatuck (which
was my initial choice). Luckily, we found a place to stay in New
Buffalo, which is just about an hour south.
As I started to do a bit of research for the trip, I realized
how little time I’ve spent in Michigan outside of Detroit. Michigan was literally
in my backyard the whole time I was growing up and a quick trip away during my
Chicago years, but this was the first time I’d really stopped to consider all
it had to offer. I was excited to explore this lakeside gem I’d overlooked for
far too long.
Mabel, as always, was a rock star in the car and in her
usual fashion slept almost the entire drive.
The drive was still easy one, just a bit boring over five hours. I know some people love to drive and see green
pastures for miles and miles; I am not part of that demographic. Podcasts and
Audiobooks are usually are my lifesavers.
After we’d booked, I realized some of the closest Michigan
beaches weren’t dog friendly(oops), so we took a side trip to the Indiana Dunes
where Mabel could get in a quick splash before we checked into our rental
cottage. Safe to say, she was a fan.
Our little Airbnb was located right in downtown New Buffalo. It was ideal for picking up supplies at the grocery store or grabbing a quick drink at the numerous bars and restaurants in town.
We had a beautiful first night so once we settled in, we grabbed a drink at The Stray Dog where I felt right at home with so many Chicagoans socializing on the rooftop.
A friend suggested Brentwood Tavern
and we decided to have dinner there Friday evening. The food was delicious, but I have to say it
was honestly the BEST jalapeno margarita I’ve had in my life and with my love
of all things spicy, I feel like I have a large sample population to compare! Brentwood
is tucked away in the Marina Grand Resort. I loved the aesthetic of the resort; it definitely looked like a
place where I would want to come back and stay.
Saturday morning, I
took Mabel out for a walk to explore the town and swung over to David’s
Delicatessen for coffee and bagels.
New Buffalo has its share of highly ranked breakfast establishments, but
Adam isn’t much of a breakfast person, so we didn’t check any out on this visit. Luisa’s
Café seems to top most list.
This trip wasn’t totally around Mabel; Southwestern Michigan also happens to feature quite a few breweries. We chose a few in close by towns to explore throughout the afternoon. St. Joseph has an adorable downtown where naturally I found a cleverly named pet store, FuzzyButz.
A lively farmer’s market and plenty of activity down by the Lighthouse kept us occupied while we waited for our table at Silver Harbor Brewing Company.
After a quick walk to Nancy’s for Ice Cream, because what is
a vacation without ice cream?, we grabbed a drink at Beer Church before heading
to Dinner at Brewster’s where I created a
custom pizza with sourdough crust. I would highly recommend!
The next morning, we made the drive to Saugatuck. A friend suggested the Farmhouse Deli and
it was the ideal location to stop with Mabel.
It is still on the main road into town so not only are the sandwiches delicious,
but we found parking and even scored a little table outside.
For the afternoon, I rented an electric boat from Retro Boat Rentals. I can’t recommend this place enough! They have a few dog friendly rental options,
allow you to bring your own snacks and you can purchase beer and wine. We opted for 90 minutes in their Jane boat
and it was an ideal amount of time for us.
Mabel absolutely loved it. Yes, I
made her wear a lifejacket (much to her humiliation around the other dogs, I’m
sure). Bulldogs aren’t exactly known for their floating abilities and at one
point she did try to do a little hop over the side! She even took a twenty-minute
nap which is ultimate sign of contentment for a bulldog.
Saugatuck is just as adorable as advertised. I wish I had
more time for shopping down Butler Street but still managed to hop into some
little gems like The
Brass Anchor. The town was absolutely
packed with visitors so do plan on arriving a bit early to locate parking if
you have any sort of reservation.
Since we had Mabel with us, we didn’t have an opportunity stay
for another meal but I’m looking forward to coming back and trying a few places
that were recommended including The Southerner, Pennyroyal,
Grow,
and Everyday People.
After a visit to Saugatuck Brewing Co., we stopped by Virtue Cider. The grounds were so pretty and it is another dog friendly location! I really enjoyed some of their ciders, so I stocked up for home. Virtue is an ideal stop for couples or a group of friends. It is located in Fennville, another town where we wished we had more time to visit. A trip to Waypost Brewing Co. is already on the list for next time!
I think all three of us would agree we had a very special day and made wonderful memories. I’d like to think we made Biggie proud in the way we honored his memory.
Adam and I both enjoyed exploring each lake town and left
wishing we had more time to venture to places we didn’t have a chance to visit
like Grand Haven and South Haven. In
fact, we liked it so much, we are already planning a trip back next Labor Day! We also want to fit in a trip to Northern
Michigan at some point soon, especially when we realized we can fly to Traverse
City and not drive. =)
I’ve overlooked all of Michigan’s natural beauty for way too
long so please feel free to send me any of your recommendations for our future
trips!
Long before I’d seen the movie, Crazy Rich Asians, I was curious about visiting Singapore. My husband, Adam travels there on a routine basis for work. From the pictures and stories he’d shared, I was interested to see the glitz and glamour for myself. As part of a trip to Phuket and Koh Samui, we spent a few days in Singapore. The flight to Singapore from San Francisco is a long one, clocking in at around 17 hours. Luckily, I had plenty of movies to watch and managed to get in a decent amount of sleep. But from the moment we landed, I knew Singapore was unique. While I’m use to airports with random buckets set out to collect rain water (looking at you, O’Hare…), Changi Airport was breathtaking. It was easy to see why it has been named the best airport in the world numerous years in a row.
On our drive into the city, I noticed the gorgeous flowers that covered the median. It felt almost as if I was in an adult Disneyland as everything was perfectly manicured. This wasn’t a total surprise knowing of Singapore’s abundant wealth and strict laws against crimes such as littering.
From a distance, I could already see the Marina Bay Sands; it is the unique Singapore hotel often featured in articles and TV shows. Adam and I once watched a documentary on the hotel and it was fascinating the number of people required and engineering involved to keep the hotel and casino up and running 24 hours day.
Once we
stepped inside, I was astonished of the sheer size. It smelled of orchids the moment you entered and
gorgeous flower arrangements were everywhere I looked.
We briefly checked out our room with its stunning views before heading to our key destination, the pool, AKA that surfboard in the sky. The pool can only be accessed if you are staying at the Marina Bay Sands but there is an observation deck that offers similar views to non-hotel guests. I woud guess this is to keep the crowd in control and allow everyone their perfect selfie. Even if you aren’t the type of person who takes a lot of selfies, this pool may be your one exception. It is truly unlike any other infinity pool I’ve ever seen and the views from it can’t be beat. And since Singapore is so close to the equator, it is always hot and always humid so a dip in the pool is always welcome. Even Adam, who wasn’t originally sold on what could be so great about a pool was a fan after experiencing it first-hand.
Post our first pool dip, we ventured over to Gardens By The Bay. Now, in full disclosure, I am not exactly one with nature. Between my allergies and uncanny ability to kill anything green in record time, my favorite type of flower/plant is typically the fake kind, but I was in awe of the Flower Dome. It smelled incredible and the intricate detail was unlike anything I’d ever seen. It was so beautiful, I almost thought about going home and trying hanging baskets for the 10th time. (I came to my senses…)
Next we ventured through the Supertree Grove which reminded me of a scene backdrop out of Avatar. The average tree is as tall as a 16 story building and they are meant to provide shade during the day while coming alive at night in displays of color and lights.
Everything about Singapore feels very modern and cutting edge. And expensive. Hotels, meals, cocktails; Singapore is not cheap. But if you do have any money left over, one thing you can do in Singapore is shop until you drop; literally. I would have needed a good night’s sleep before I would have been able to knock out all the available stores and neighborhoods. I knew Singapore had a reputation for extravagant shopping, but this was on a different level. Every high-end designer (Chanel, Goyard, Fendi, Celine) has at least one location and many have multiple locations on the same street! Orchard Road is a combination of New York, Paris and London squeezed into multiple shopping malls. It also happened to be the ‘Year of the Dog’, so this bulldog lover was in heaven with the window displays and merchandise. I also quickly realized why maybe Adam hadn’t suggested me visiting sooner. =)
Adam and I made a reservation at the Tippling Club. I am mildly obsessed with the show, Sons of Anarchy, and I got a kick out of seeing a similar logo behind the bar when we entered.
It was another unique experience as you selected your cocktail by smelling various paper straws, almost in the same fashion you would sample perfume or cologne. You were supposed to select your cocktail based on what smell appealed to you the most. While the drink ingredients were listed on the tiny scented sample, I wasn’t sold on this decision-making method, but it turned out to be delicious! Luckily, I didn’t have to smell anything to pick my entree selection. =)
During our visit, we also stopped at the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple. (Ladies don’t worry if due to the heat, you aren’t covered enough to enter. There are wraps you may borrow to cover your shoulders and knees.) What struck me the most upon entering the temple were the vibrant colors. Growing up, I attended Catholic Mass and most of the church interiors I remember were wood and marble of various muted shades. This temple was visually the complete opposite and spectacular to see in person.
Singapore was
the perfect high energy stop on our way to a relaxing trip in Thailand.
Postcards To Mabel 