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in Bermuda, Cruise Ports, Cruises, Enchantment Of The Seas, Norwegian Dawn, Photography, Port Visits, Sightseeing, Travel, Vacation
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Bermuda Can’t Just Be A One Time Visit!

Here are some last pictures of when we sailed away from Kings Wharf in Bermuda on August 7th, 2012.

Kings Wharf, Bermuda

Let’s catch the Dockyards one last time through the port-hole window of the cruise ship! You will see the reflection of Clock Tower Mall.

And here is the Clock Tower Mall in all it’s glory!

Kings Wharf, Bermuda

We also saw the Norwegian Dawn yet again, and I just had to take pictures.

Norwegian Dawn in Bermuda

Well goodbye Bermuda, I will try to make it back to you so that I can take more pictures of your beautiful country next time. You certainly can’t be just a one time visit!

September 18, 2012

in Bermuda, Cruises, Enchantment Of The Seas, Port Visits, Sightseeing, Travel, Travel Insurance, Vacation
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It Pays To Have Travel Insurance

It can be quite costly if you travel without purchasing travel insurance, and something happens to you during your travels.

Count your small investment in travel insurance as a blessing and not a cost (it’s also peace of mind).

Spa – Enchantment Of The Seas

I am happy to report that I made the right choice when I purchased my trip insurance back in May. As you know, I suffered an injury in Bermuda (wrote about it in a previous post), and not only did I suffer an injury, but my camcorder got smashed up too around the lens. Accidents can happen anywhere, but imagine if I had gone to the hospital and had to pay out of pocket for the ambulance, guess who would have reimbursed me? My travel protection company! Luckily, I did not go to the hospital, so I did not have that expense. However, my camcorder which cost about $469 or so, was fairly new, and therefore, I put in a claim upon my return. I made a quick phone call, filled out a few forms, and supplied a copy of my receipt to Travel Guard. Imagine, to my delight, when I received a check in full. I thought I would have to get a repair estimate, but Travel Guard didn’t ask me for any of that, they just cut the check and I got it within two or three weeks or so of filing the claim.

Additionally, I want to tell you about a client who booked a cruise, and had an emergency come up one week before her scheduled cruise – her aunt had died of cancer. Understandably, she could not go on the cruise, and had to attend the funeral (which was scheduled to take place during the same time as the cruise). Luckily, she had purchased travel protection from me and she was refunded in full (since she had a reason that was covered, and could be fully documented). Remember, certain covered reasons allow a full refund when you have trip insurance, even when you would not get a refund from the cruise line because you are after full payment date (penalty phase).

So, please next time you travel…..whether on a cruise or on a flight, remember to purchase travel protection, and you will be protected.

September 15, 2012

in Beaches, CA, Photography, San Diego, Sightseeing, Travel, Vacation
6 Comments

Beautiful San Diego – Some Places You’ll Want To Escape To

It has been way too hot in San Diego this year. In fact, just today, it got up to 101°F on the coast in Del Mar. This weather is definitely unusual for us. We always have a nice breeze here by the coast. Where has the breeze gone to, and when is it coming back? Powerhouse Beach in Del Mar, and the Hotel Del in Coronado are just a few perfect places to escape to.

First, a glimpse of beautiful San Diego as seen from Coronado:

San Diego Skyline

San Diego Skyline from Coronado

Powerhouse Beach in Del Mar – this is an absolutely beautiful beach complete with children’s playground, palm trees, restaurants on the beach and much more.

Powerhouse Beach, Del Mar, San Diego

Powerhouse Beach, Del Mar

What better playground than this for kids? Play in paradise, swing overlooking the ocean….it just doesn’t get any better!

Playground At Powerhouse Park, Del Mar

Even dogs want to get in on the action at the playground.

Powerhouse Beach, Del Mar

Some people escape the heat to this place, and the words on the flag are so appropriate!

Wine Styles, Coronado

Some people still want to be active, and what better place than the beach?

Hotel Del, Coronado

You might know that the Hotel Del is my favorite place in San Diego (see my previous post on San Diego). Today, the sky was so beautiful and blue, there’s just no place like the Hotel Del.

Hotel Del, Coronado

People escape the heat, and go to the Hotel Del. Weddings take place here as well as on the beach all the time.

Hotel Del, Coronado

This beach is right in front of the Hotel Del in Coronado, and on this particular day in July – I saw two weddings on the beach and one occurring in the grounds of the Hotel Del. That place sure is popular for many!

Hotel Del Coronado Beach

Even though this picture was not taken at Powerhouse Beach in Del Mar or in Coronado, I just felt it was fitting to show it here – along with the other picture of the dog in this post. Dogs sure get pampered in San Diego!

Ruby’s Diner, Carlsbad

So whether you have a dog that appreciates the finer things in life, or whether it’s yourself, take a visit to America’s finest city, and you will find a place that will become your piece of paradise.

Please note, this is an addition: I just had to add La Jolla Cove as a place you’d want to escape to as well, here is the link: https://luchanik.wordpress.com/2012/10/12/incredible-san-diego-la-jolla/ . Also, please take a look at one of my other posts on Beautiful San Diego: https://luchanik.wordpress.com/2012/06/10/beautiful-san-diego/

September 11, 2012

in Beaches, Bermuda, Cruise Ports, Cruises, Photography, Port Visits, Sightseeing, Travel, Vacation
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The Pink Sands of Bermuda

Here are some photographs of beaches that I did not show in the previous post. Sometimes, I tend to include so many pictures in one post, that I thought I would divide them out. These pictures were taken on Day 2 in Bermuda.

Horseshoe Bay Beach, Bermuda

And now for Beach No. 3 (Beach 1 was Snorkel Park Beach, and of course 2 was shown above). We unfortunately did not get to go on Horseshoe Bay Beach, all the pictures that I took above were from higher up at a distance. I think cars can not drive down the hill, and of course, I couldn’t still really walk down a hill like that in my current state. However, the beach below is more accessible by car, and our taxi went all the way down, parking within feet of the beach. The beach is part of South Shore Park – it is Warwick Long Bay/Jobson’s Cove.

This picture shows the vendor that is right at the entrance.

Food Vendor, Warwick Long Bay Beach, Bermuda

Warwick Long Bay/Jobson’s Cove Beach, Bermuda

The beaches in Bermuda are well known for having pink sand, and this is a naturally occurring phenomenon. I asked the taxi driver why the beach at Snorkel Park did not have pink sand, and was told that that beach is a man-made beach. However, Jobson’s Cove and Horseshoe Bay Beach are both pink sand beaches, and certain parts of the sand are more pink than other parts. You can be the judge, and figure out which picture I have shown above best shows the pink sand. If you’d like a closer look at some of the sand from Warwick Long Bay/Jobson’s Cove Beach, see the picture below:

Pink Flecked Sand, Bermuda

Warwick Long Bay/Jobson’s Cove Beach, Bermuda

That’s me on one of the fantastic pink sand beaches.

Warwick Long Bay/Jobson’s Cove Beach, Bermuda

It sure is a nice place to relax and read, or to just look at the ocean.

Warwick Long Bay/Jobson’s Cove Beach, Bermuda

Well, I hope you enjoyed my pictures of Bermuda. Just remember, no matter how hard life is or what it deals you, all your worries can go away when you see a beautiful beach.

September 10, 2012

in Bermuda, Cruise Ports, Cruises, Enchantment Of The Seas, Norwegian Dawn, Photography, Port Visits, Sightseeing, Travel, Vacation
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Bermuda – Day 2 – Some Photographs

Well, no matter what…..you can’t be in Bermuda and not see it (my previous post will explain why I would say that). Therefore, after a relatively laid-back morning (and I would not have done this if I had been okay) – we got off the cruise ship at around 12:30 pm. I knew I could not walk around a lot. Therefore, I glanced at the Visitor Information board (shown below) and the prices seemed to be very reasonable, however, I did not have the ability to be adventurous as usual.

Visitor Information, Kings Wharf, Bermuda

Therefore, I talked to a taxi driver, and took the first taxi after the driver told me he would give us a two hour tour of the main sights, and beaches and drop us off in Hamilton at the ferry terminal for $40. I could have paid $24 (since Chandi had stayed behind at the Adventure Ocean kids camp for the day) – one adult day pass was $12 and two kids passes were $6 each, but the convenience of not waiting and not knowing how much I would have to walk made the answer in my mind very clear, it had to be the taxi.

I took some of these pictures from inside the taxi, I liked all the bright colors:

Bermuda

Gibbs Hill Lighthouse, Bermuda

Henry V111 Restaurant & Bar, Bermuda

Houses of Bermuda

It was after this point, that we saw the two more beaches other than Snorkel Beach. However, I am going to include them in my next post, and will go on to show you some pictures of Hamilton, which is the capital of Bermuda.

Marina, Bermuda

Hamilton, Bermuda

The Bermudian, Bermuda

Bermudian Shorts, Bermuda

Hamilton Ferry Terminal, Bermuda

Hamilton, Bermuda

Who’d have believed it? Good old Marks & Spencer’s – all the way from the UK – is now here in Bermuda! This certainly brought back memories!

Marks & Spencer, Hamilton, Bermuda

Hamilton, Bermuda

Oh, my gosh! I can’t believe it……these things are everywhere I go! I can’t seem to escape them now.

Hamilton, Bermuda

But, I passed by them with Flying Colors! Notice, how the spelling of colors is “colours” as spelt by the Brits, and also how I used to spell this word many years ago.

Hamilton, Bermuda

Pink Buses of Hamilton, Bermuda

Hamilton, Bermuda

We got into a ferry at around 5:30 pm to take us back to the cruise ship. It cost $4 for my ticket one-way, and $2 each for the kids. This is a little of what I saw from the ferry:

Hamilton, Bermuda

I took another picture of the Norwegian Dawn

Norwegian Dawn in Bermuda

I also got a glimpse of our ship from afar:

Enchantment Of The Seas, Bermuda

and from up close:

Enchantment Of The Seas, Bermuda

Just had to take this picture as we got back into Kings Wharf to remind me of where we had just been today.

Bermuda

Phone Booths, Bermuda

Kings Wharf, Bermuda

That evening as my kids were planning on going bungee jumping, I realized that I could get some photos of Kings Wharf right from the ship, these are the pictures:

Sunset over Kings Wharf, Bermuda

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines held an event over at Kings Wharf in the evening today called “Destination Dockyard Festival” at the Royal Naval Dockyard from 7:30 – 10:00 PM. However, I could not make it back off the ship – I was tired and my ankles would not allow for any more walking.

Kings Wharf, Bermuda

So even though, I had been feeling pain with every step, and had been wondering as I lay in my cabin last night as to what was going to happen in the next few days – some of these questions could not help but flash in my head: Would I be able to get off the cruise ship? Would I be able to see more of Bermuda? Would my kids have to enjoy three more days on the cruise ship on their own, and go around by themselves? I had persevered, and made it through. I had seen the pink sand beaches of Bermuda (see the next post) and even though I hadn’t seen all that I wanted to see, and feel sad that I did not walk on the sands of Horseshoe Bay Beach as I had on Warwick Long Bay, I feel happy that I did the best that I could – considering the circumstances. I hope you enjoyed my post, and thank you for reading it.

September 4, 2012

in Beaches, Bermuda, Photography, Sightseeing, Travel, Vacation
2 Comments

Harmony and Peace

Peace, so often eludes us, but can be captured best at the most innocent of moments. I could not help but take this picture of the couple on a beach in Bermuda – I think it captures the very essence of harmony and peace.

Harmony and Peace – Warwick Long Bay/Jobson’s Cove, Bermuda

September 4, 2012

in Baltimore, Bermuda, Cruise Ports, Cruise Review, Cruises, Enchantment Of The Seas, Food, Photography, Sightseeing, Travel, Vacation
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Enchantment Of The Seas – A Photo Review

Want to experience enchantment on the seas? Well, you might wish to consider taking a cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Enchantment of the Seas from Baltimore to Bermuda. We took a six day cruise from August 3 to August 9, 2012, and found it to be an enchanting ship with a lot of people of all different ages. I was quite surprised to see a lot of families with young children, and my pictures can give you a glimpse of just how many people were on this cruise ship, and give you an idea of the age range. This was definitely the right ship considering I have three kids – they felt completely at home, and Adventure Ocean was definitely not short of kids. This ship can hold about 2,446 people, and was truly packed! Here are some of my photos:

Enchantment Of The Seas

The Main Swimming Pool is on Deck 9, and is in close proximity to the kids swimming pool and splash area. That is a big bonus for families – it takes a lot of thinking to come up with the perfect solution where everyone can be relaxing and enjoying themselves in the same area.

Enchantment Of The Seas

Main Swimming Pool, Enchantment Of The Seas

The kids pool, and guess who loved it? Chandi had so much fun and the best part of this pool is that the kids pool is right next to the main pool. So often on ships, the kids pool is at the other end of the deck, but on the Enchantment, the pools are in close proximity, so that the whole family can have fun close by to each other, and the kids pool is very safe.

Kids Swimming Pool, Enchantment Of The Seas

: Kids Splash Area, Enchantment Of The Seas

Relaxation on the Enchantment Of The Seas

The ship also looks completely enchanting in the evenings.

Deck 9, Enchantment Of The Seas

In this picture, you can see the Rock Climbing Wall

Rock Climbing Wall, Enchantment Of The Seas

Other Areas of the Ship:

Orpheum Theater

Roots Vibrations Band, Enchantment Of The Seas

Captain Gus Andersson

Desserts on the Enchantment Of The Seas, that were served in My Fair Lady, which is the main Dining Room that spans two floors

Key Lime Pie, Enchantment Of The Seas

Sorbet, Enchantment Of The Seas

Ice Cream, Enchantment Of The Seas

Dessert, Enchantment Of The Seas

Tiramisu, Enchantment Of The Seas

My Fair Lady, Enchantment Of The Seas

Schooner Bar, Enchantment Of The Seas

Chops Grille, Enchantment Of The Seas

Some of the artwork on the Enchantment Of The Seas, the first two were taken by the staircases, and the last two were taken in the Spa:

Now to the Solarium, however, the pool is for adults only.

The Solarium, Enchantment Of The Seas

I was expecting to see the Park Cafe in the Solarium, and was so disappointed, as I just loved going there for breakfast on the Radiance Of The Seas. However, as the picture above and below show: there were other lunch options, as well as pizza, and snacks

The Solarium, Enchantment Of The Seas

Someone sure liked the ice cream on the ship, and she wasn’t the only one!

Ice cream on the Enchantment Of The Seas

Enchantment Of The Seas in Bermuda

Casino Royale, Enchantment Of The Seas

Floor near Casino, Enchantment Of The Seas

Boleros Lounge, Enchantment Of The Seas

Chandi often came back with her face painted, but she had so much fun and loved it at Adventure Ocean, the greatest place for kids age 3-11.

Adventure Ocean, Enchantment Of The Seas

Main Swimming Pool, Enchantment Of The Seas

The Shops, Enchantment Of The Seas

Midnight Party, Enchantment Of The Seas

Enchantment Of The Seas

Towel Art, Enchantment Of The Seas

Our Inside Cabin, even though it was a little tight for all four of us, served us really well, and we really enjoyed our cabin.

Inside Cabin on Enchantment Of The Seas

The Lobby (or Centrum as it is referred to on the ship):

Centrum, Enchantment Of The Seas

The decks are a great place to take a walk or run, and try to keep in shape.

Enchantment Of The Seas

There was a Cake Decorating Challenge on Day 6, and the Captain participated, and I believe he won.

Day At Sea, Enchantment Of The Seas

Two of the singers who are also great dancers from the Orpheum Theater, performed for us in the Centrum on Day 6.

Summer Breeze Music Concert, Centrum

On Day 6, we also had the International Parade of Flags, and this was such a fitting ceremony, especially since the Olympics were taking place during the same time

International Parade of Flags, Centrum

Want to learn how to create towel art? Well, on the Enchantment Of The Seas, they gave a demonstration of how to create the towel animals (however, I still can’t do it).

Enchantment Of The Seas

Do you like Ben & Jerry’s? Well, their ice cream is available on this ship (not included in the cruise fare) – you will have to pay for this, as well as for the premium coffees and pastries at Lattetudes, and for alcohol.

Ben & Jerry’s, Enchantment Of The Seas

Lattetudes, Enchantment Of The Seas

Now for some pictures of the Indian food – finally, I found it on Day 6 in the WindJammer Cafe. However, it was available every day on the menu in My Fair Lady, which was my assigned Dining Room for dinner at 6pm. There was always something that was Indian, and ranged from Sholay (chick peas curry) with rice and naan, to Aloo Gobi (potatoes and cauliflower) with rice and naan bread.

Indian Food, Windjammer Cafe, Enchantment Of The Seas

These pictures below are a 1) a delicious rice dish 2) Fish Tikka 3) Aloo Muttar 4) Tikka – Butter Chicken 5) Malai Kofta (also shown above in bigger picture)

I didn’t always have Indian food, and often opted for other dishes such as the chicken dish shown below

Food on the Enchantment Of The Seas

The waiters on the ship are absolutely fantastic. Our waiter is the one waving in the picture below.

Enchantment Of The Seas

Bernie Martini at the Schooner Bar – he is a fabulous singer!

Bernie Martini, Schooner Bar, Enchantment of The Seas

Balloons ready for a Farewell Dance Party in the Centrum

Centrum, Enchantment Of The Seas

Well, that evening the party got into full swing, and balloons were flying everywhere! Adults as well as kids were having a great time trying to catch the balloons.

Enchantment Of The Seas

The entertainers who usually entertained us in the Orpheum Theater, were now entertaining us in the Centrum, and there was such a party atmosphere, it was a truly nice way to end the cruise.

Enchantment Of The Seas

Closing thoughts on my cruise experience on the Enchantment Of The Seas. Well, I think it is a great ship for families, and there is a lot to do. There is bungee jumping, rock climbing, a jogging track, the gym, ping-pong tables, a Spa, and of course the Orpheum Theater for spectacular entertainment. Also, a really important bonus that is on many other Royal Caribbean ships is Adventure Ocean kids club, which made my family vacation really great, as Chandi absolutely loved being there.

To see some more photos that I put on my Facebook page, please click here: facebook.com/luchaniktravelandcruises

Thank you for reading my post, and I hope you enjoyed my pictures.

August 29, 2012

in Baltimore, Cruise Ports, Hotels, MD, Photography, Port Visits, Sightseeing, Travel, Vacation
4 Comments

Baltimore – it’s so much more!

First you might be asking, why the title? The answer is simple: because I didn’t take enough pictures – I arrived late from Washington, DC and then only had a few hours the next morning before taking the cruise. I know Baltimore is a beautiful place – I have been there a long time ago, but don’t even know if I have pictures from back then – would have to search for them. Here are the pictures of this recent trip to Baltimore (sorry, there’s only a few):

Baltimore, MD

It was at least 6:30 pm or so, when we arrived at the hotel, we stayed at the Homewood Suites, a Hilton property on President Street. This property is shared by the Homewood Suites and the Hilton Garden Inn.

Homewood Suites, Baltimore

Baltimore, MD

We decided to eat at the Harbor East Deli, since my kids love pizza. We ordered an extra large pizza that we all devoured – it was good! This was a three minute walk or so from our hotel, and we ate at around 8pm.

Harbor East Deli, Baltimore

The next day, went for a walk in the morning and walked past the Harbor East Deli again. All the pictures in this post were taken within 5 or 10 minutes walking distance of our hotel.

Harbor East Deli, Baltimore

Here are some other pictures:

Baltimore, MD

Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse, Baltimore

Baltimore, MD

Then we had to hurry back to the hotel, and we caught a taxi to the cruise terminal. It was a 8 minute or so ride that cost $18. In the next post, I will show you pictures of the Enchantment Of The Seas – the cruise ship that we took from Baltimore to Bermuda.

August 28, 2012

in DC, Food, Hotels, Photography, Sightseeing, Travel, Vacation, Washington
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Wonderful Washington, DC

I used to live in Washington, DC, just over 14 years ago. I recently went back to DC for the first time since I left the East Coast to move to San Diego, and it felt like I was there for the first time. This time I will spend almost three days in this wonderful city with my three kids. Below is a brief recount of my trip with some pictures that I took.

We flew from San Diego to Baltimore, Maryland and then caught an Amtrak train to Union Station. Once we got out of the airport, we had to walk just a few feet to catch a shuttle bus that took us to the Amtrak Station. There were trains just about every 20 minutes or so, and the train journey only took about 30 minutes or so, and the price was about $9 per person average (with a slight discount for kids). I had already made my reservation online with Amtrak. When I first stepped into Union Station on July 31, 2012, I felt some traces of familiarity – that this was a place that I had been to a long time ago, and that felt good – don’t know why. I was so excited in seeing this station again, and proud to show it to my children.

Union Station, Washington, DC

Another picture of Union Station

Union Station, Washington, DC

We stayed at the Grand Hyatt on H Street, NW, for two days, and I had decided that on the last night – on August 2nd, it would be safer to stay in Baltimore, Maryland, which was where the cruise we were taking on August 3rd was departing from. I had struggled with the temptation of staying in DC for an additional night instead, and taking my chances on the day of the cruise, but I decided that with three kids and luggage, I should not risk it – so on August 2nd, we would make the trip back in the evening at around 5:30 pm to catch the train back to Baltimore, MD.

That first evening we met up with an old friend of mine, and I saw her two kids for the first time. It was wonderful to catch up with her and for my kids to play with hers. We ate at a restaurant within walking distance of the Grand Hyatt called Zaytinya (a mixture of Turkish, Greek, and Lebanese cuisine) although it may have not been the best choice of dining, considering we had kids. Here are some pictures of the Grand Hyatt, which is a truly lovely hotel that is within walking distance of Union Station, the White House, the Monument, and many other sightseeing attractions.

The Grand Hyatt Hotel, Washington, DC

I have so many more pictures of this beautiful hotel, but I may do separate posts in the future, that I will include them in. That night, after eating out, we took pictures with my friend and her kids back at the hotel (not shown here), before they left.

The next morning, after breakfast at the Grand Cafe at the Grand Hyatt, we took in some of the many sites of DC. Here are some of my pictures:

The Treasury Department, Washington, DC

I’m not sure what this building was, but I was so happy to be here, and to begin my recording of memories, I must have liked the color, and the clock.

Washington, DC

When I used to live here in DC, you could walk into the grounds of the White House without a problem, but now it has all changed. Ever since 9/11, security has been tightened, and you can not go into the grounds without contacting your Congressman at least six months before the date of your desired visit. I did not know this, so unfortunately, we could not go into the grounds or into the White House. So, here is Chandi outside the White House:

White House

However, if you put your camera in-between the railings, you can get the White House without all those metal bars:

White House, Washington, DC

Old Executive Office Building, next to White House

Then, Chandi had to go to the bathroom, so Renwick Gallery, one of the Smithsonian Museums came to the rescue. Here is Chandi taking a look at the artwork:

Renwick Gallery

That’s me in front of a fantastic piece that I really loved. I think it may have been called “Autumn” or something similar – I just loved the colors, and stared at it for ages.

Renwick Gallery

Game Fish, Renwick Gallery

Renwick Gallery

The picture below was taken at the back of the Old Executive Building, which is on Pennsylvania Avenue, next to the White House

Washington, DC

This gave us another opportunity to view the White House from another angle, by just taking a short walk around the corner.

White House

Okay, now onto some different attractions, and other buildings that grabbed my attention:

The Monument

“Commerce Among Nations Should Be Fair And Equitable” – Franklin (as shown in the picture below):

The Commerce Building

It is so amazing that pictures can look so different from a different angle, or a few yards away.

The Monument

This Memorial below was not here when I used to live in DC, it is absolutely beautiful!

World War Two Memorial

Lincoln Memorial

National Museum Of American History

Near Federal Triangle Metro Station on the way to the Old Post Office Building to get dinner

Washington, DC

Do you know that we walked just about everywhere in DC? Well, at least to all the places that I have shown here. We walked from Union Station to our hotel, from the hotel to the White House, and from the White House to the Monument, and then to Lincoln Memorial, and also from Lincoln Memorial to the Old Post Office Building, and then back to the hotel. That was a sample of just one day’s worth of walking!

Back at the hotel

Grand Hyatt, Washington, DC

It is now Day Three, and our last day here in DC. These are today’s pictures:

Washington, DC

Edgar Hoover FBI Building

United States Navy Memorial

Washington, DC

The Capital Grille

Newseum

Washington, DC

The US Capitol

The Botanical Gardens near the Capitol

Chandi’s best place in DC was the Botanical Gardens, she was so happy here, and I didn’t have to ask her twice to smile, unlike in many other pictures!

Botanical Gardens

Botanical Gardens, Washington, DC

Botanical Gardens

near the Botanical Gardens, and the US Capitol

Washington, DC

Not the best of pictures, but this was at the entrance of the US Capitol.

The US Capitol

A lot has changed in regards to the entrance into the US Capitol too. Just like the White House, you can’t just go into the grounds or up the stairs. Now the entrance is all the way at the back, and I didn’t seem to recognize the part that we went into as I have been in this building before years ago. Now you can’t go into where Congress is passing laws unless you approach your Congressman (I believe six months in advance, just as with the White House).

We were lucky to get tickets for the guided tour (free), the last tour of the day was at 3:35 pm.

The US Capitol

The Capitol

This picture was taken in the taxi on the way to Union Station

China Town, Washington, DC

Union Station, Washington, DC

I know that some people can get bored of seeing the same places over and over again, but not I. I love seeing the same sights, and it seems that each time I see one of my favorite places again, it’s definitely just like being there for the first time. I did feel some nostalgia as I saw familiar places again (such as the White House, the Capitol, and Union Station – I’ve seen them all previously, but as I said before, it really felt like seeing DC for the first time – I just really enjoyed my visit.

And so the journey ends to Washington, DC for this time. However, I have a strong feeling that this won’t be my last time to DC – I just have to visit again. Thank you for reading, and I hope you liked my post.

August 27, 2012

in CA, Food, Photography, San Francisco, Sightseeing, Travel, Vacation
5 Comments

Super San Francisco

This was my second visit to San Francisco. I’m not going to write much here, but will just show you some of my pictures taken in July of 2012. Whether you visit for Fishermans Wharf, China Town, Little Italy, the Golden Gate Bridge, or whether you love chocolate and want to visit the Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory, there will be something for everyone to see here in San Francisco.

near Powell Street Metro Station, San Francisco, CA

San Francisco, CA

People put their underwear on display to dry in their windows (of all places).

San Francisco, CA

People’s other clothes go on public display out on the balcony. Here in San Diego, we are not even allowed to put things on the balcony when we are not even overlooking a public street – San Francisco seems to be a lot more laid back with its policies.

China Town, San Francisco

San Francisco, CA

Fishermans Wharf, San Francisco, CA

San Francisco, CA

Fishermans Wharf, San Francisco, CA

Little Italy, San Francisco, CA

China Town, San Francisco, CA

I did not get very good pictures of the Golden Gate Bridge, unfortunately. The lighting just did not work out for me, and plus it was overcast to some degree.