travelbynatasha

Montefollonico, Tuscano, Italy (and Natasha drives in Europe)

Posted on October 29, 2012 by travelbynatasha

City well in Montefollonico, Tuscano, Italy
©Jean Janssen

Yes, Natasha did actually drive (successfully) through these city gates into Montefollonico, Tuscano, Italy. There is a reason that I insisted that Boris get a small car with an automatic transmission. (FYI most of the car rentals in Europe are a manual transmission vehicle; reserve an automatic early if you want one.)
©Jean Janssen

Leaving the airport in Rome, I was driving. This is a first for me. I am usually the navigator and Boris drives. But since Boris hasn’t driven in 5 1/2 months and the last time he did so someone nearly killed him, we made the switch. He was actually a pretty good navigator and I actually got us there. We drove from Fiumicino, Rome’s major international airport and caught the loop, the GRA around the city and then headed north an the A1. The highway is actually quite scenic and if I had not been so sleep deprived, I would have enjoyed the view more on this easy-to-travel highway. As it was, I insisted that Boris talk or play the Italian radio stations very loudly to keep me awake. If we weren’t late to meet the house agent, I would have pulled over.

The trip to Montefollonico in Tuscany actually took us almost 2 1/2 hours even though there was very little traffic, I drove about 70 mph (roughly converted from km), and we made no stops. It was highway driving most of the way and then we drove through a couple of villages before arriving at the walled city. Due to Boris’ condition, we had special permission to park inside this medieval village. We passed through the city gates and made the loop around before realizing we were right the first time and just had passed it up.

The view from our garden just before sunset.
Montefollonico, Tuscano, Italy
©Jean Janssen

With a little doing, including disturbing our next door neighbors, we found the house agent and arrived at our home for the week just before sunset. We were two hours late, but her ceramics shop in the village was still open so she was nearby. Those of you that read the last post know that we were arriving without our luggage. We also needed to pick up things from the grocery store before it closed until Monday. Fortunately, the store was open until 8 pm. After completing the check-in, Boris and I went down to the village store and picked up food, drinks, and a few household items. The items found in the home rentals in Italy vary widely, but you will likely need your own shampoo, conditioner and soap, all of which are just easier to bring from home. You will probably want to purchase paper towels, toilet paper, and washing and cleaning supplies. Always check the rental first and see what is already there (and what isn’t). In other words, don’t buy microwave popcorn if there is no microwave or Cascade for the dish washer if there is none.

view from just outside the city walls
Montefollonico, Tuscano, Italy
©Jean Janssen

After dropping off supplies at home, we went out for dinner at one of the three restaurants inside the walled village. That is a surprising number given the small size. We had dinner at La Costa just across from our home. They have a wonderful terrance with an exceptional view, but it was too cold and too dark to enjoy it this evening. We opted for fireside. Boris had an appetizer of sauteed artichokes and the mixed grill with chicken, rabbit, and sausage. I enjoyed a homemade pasta course with onion, bacon, tomato, and peppers and then pork with boletus (porcini) mushrooms as my main course. We shared two bottles of sparkling (con gas or frizzante) water and a bottle of the house red, Abbadia, a locally-produced wine. Boris had a chocolate mousse for dessert (dolci); he always orders something chocolate because he knows I don’t like it and won’t try to take a bite or more.

Boris had a (big) local beer with lunch at La Botte Piena in Montefollonico, Tuscano, Italy.
©Jean Janssen

Exhausted, we went straight to bed after dinner. My body clock was off so I woke up at 3 am and couldn’t get back to sleep until sometime after 5 am. I woke up again at 10:30 am thinking I was just in time to meet the courier with the luggage. They had called the night before and told us it would be an eleven am delivery. Boris reminded me that was Italian time and the luggage arrived at 1 pm, “right on schedule”. I immediately unpacked all the bags and took a glorious shower and dressed in clean clothes.

It was a cold and rainy day and we were still jet-lagged so we didn’t mind not getting much touring done for the day. We tried another restaurant in the village, La Botte Piena, with a simple menu and a fabulous wine selection. A lot of people stopped in to try the sliced meat and cheese bar and the drink bar as well.

La Botte Piena is a charming spot for lunch or dinner, to have to glass of wine with a selection of sliced meats and sausage, or just to stop in to pick up a bottle of wine (or three bottles as Boris and I did).
©Jean Janssen

The walls were all covered with the wine selections and all the cabinets and counters were made from old wine crates. You could buy wine to go and they packed it in a wonderful handled-carrier. I had bruschetta with sheep’s cheese and bacon and a meat and tomato pasta. Boris tried the onion soup (this region is known for its flavorful onions) and a mixed meats platter. I had a glass of red wine and Boris had a local beer in a bottle as big as any wine selection.

Somebody here celebrates Halloween. The “guard dog” in the far left side of the picture didn’t start barking until I was leaving after taking the photo. Montefollonico, Tuscano, Italy.
©Jean Janssen

Boris had walked around the village in the morning while I was still sleep. Between that and the “super beer” he had at lunch, he was ready for a nap. I left him and the box of 3 bottles of wine that we purchased at our “villa” and headed out to tour the village with my camera. The village is small, but lovely. Most of buildings are made with brick and stone and are adorned with flowers. I even saw signs that Halloween is celebrated here (well at least by one family).

Chiesa del Triano, Montefollonico, Tuscano, Italy
©Jean Janssen

Just outside the city walls is the 16th century Chiesa del Triano (Triano Church); the views from this spot were breathtaking. There were lots of benches around and had it not been so cold I would have just sat and admired the view. It was Sunday and there were quite a few day-trippers milling around the town. With photos to download from my memory card, I headed back to our villa and found my blog spot at the kitchen table where I could download, type, and enjoy the view.

Boris decided he wanted to got out to eat again for dinner. Remind me why we rushed out for those groceries yesterday? He had spotted the third restaurant on his walk and didn’t want the day to go by without trying that one too. I wasn’t really hungry, but boy am I glad he talked me into this. We ate at Ristorante 13 Gobbi located to the left just after you come through the city gate. I spotted one of the specialties of the house on the menu that I wanted to try. I just didn’t realize how special it was.

Preparing the speciality of the house at Ristorante 13 Gobbi. Hot pasta is dropped into the large cheese and coated. It is served with crushed white pepper on top.
Montefollonico, Tuscano, Italy
©Jean Janssen

The chef brought out steaming hot bowls of pasta and dropped them into this large circular cheese and mixed. He then put it back into the bowls and served it with fresh crushed white pepper on top. Wow!! delicious!

I figured there was no way my entree could top that, but my beef filet with porcini mushrooms was excellent. Boris had a wild boar stew on toast. This was my favorite meal of the three and I have certainly made up for the skipped meals and then some. Of course we added a bottle of wine to dinner and I learned that the reference “nobile” means a better class of wine that has been aged in oak barrels for at least three years. If anyone tells you visiting Italy is not about food and wine, they have just not been here before.

View from my blog spot at the kitchen table. When it is not dark, cold, and raining, I have the door open. Well actually when it is dark and raining. If it is just cold, I put my coat on, suck it up, and leave the door open.
Montefollonico, Tuscano, Italy
©Jean Janssen

Tomorrow we plan an early start and some serious touring. Signing off from my blog spot at the kitchen table with a garden view of the glorious Tuscan countryside…

Posted in international | Tagged Chiesa del Triano Montefollonico, La Botte Piena Montefollonico, La Costa Montefollonico, Montefollonico, Ristorante 13 Gobbi Montefollonico, Triano Church | 1 Comment

To Tuscany with a wheelchair

Posted on October 28, 2012 by travelbynatasha

Boris was just released to transition from a wheelchair to a cane (after 5 1/2 months), so we are off to stay in Tuscany for a week. We planned this as a post recovery trip over the Labor Day weekend when his full recovery was anticipated in August. We could only make one postponement, so here we go wheelchair and all.

our Lufthansa air bus, obviously I did not take this picture

We are flying on Lufthansa. Before Continental (now United) changed it membership from Sky Team to Star Alliance, we made most of our connections for European travel (other than on Continental) through Amsterdam on KLM. This trip we leave Houston and connect in Frankfurt to Rome. Rocky drove us to the airport and with a porter with our luggage, I rolled Boris up to the gate in the lightweight, portable wheelchair we had bought on-line for the trip. (Boris is rather partial to this one as the smaller wheels mean that he can not roll it himself and I have to push him. It weights only 15 pounds.) After checking our bags and the wheelchair, Ricardo drove Boris, with me in tow, through the security process using the airport assistance service that we had requested through Lufthansa at no charge to us.

There were these cool under-the-stairs closets on our Lufthansa 380 air bus. Yes, a big deal when you have to fight for overhead storage. Since I got on first I snagged the overhead space, but saw the flight attendant storing all kinds of things from guitars to paintings in these closets. I pointed these out to Sharon and George for their storage.
©Jean Janssen

We completely by-passed the regular security lines and with minimal wait, completed the process. Ricardo handled everything for Boris and then came back and put his items through on a tray. I did the usual thing for myself through the same line. On the other side, Ricardo again helped Boris and he took us from security directly to our gate via various elevators. He was very friendly and advised us throughout the process. We waited at the gate and he returned just before the boarding process. One of eight wheelchair passengers, Boris and I boarded in the first group watching the end of the cleaning process.

My view into the cockpit from row 52 (the second row on the lower level) on the Lufthansa 380 airbus. We were on a new plane. On the right is the side wall of stairs leading up to the second level where first and business class passengers sit in rows 1-49. On the upper left is the screen for fight attendants where I watched the front camera view of our take-off and landing.
©Jean Janssen

We are on a brand new a 380 air bus. I was in row 51 of the multilevel plane, which was the second row on the bottom level. First and Business Class are on the upper level. The plane has 94 rows. The staircase I sat next to (which is only used at terminals with only one loading ramp) was not used, but had cool storage compartments below where guitars, walking sticks, and items for people in the first couple of rows (where overhead storage did not exist) were placed. From my seat, I could also see the screen for the camera placed in the front of the plane and watched our take offs and landings. If you walked forward from my seat and went up a different staircase, you reached the cockpit. We were told there was more than one cockpit on the plane.

New plane does not equal more room. In fact if anything, the space seemed smaller. (I am sure it is not that I am getting bigger.) I suspect you have to have a ticket to the upper level to enjoy a space advantage. New plane also does not equal more or better movies. I once flew on a (I think Singapore) flight with almost 400 movie/video offerings. This had so few. The only movie available in the drama category was The Rose with Bette Milder which came out in 1979. In thrillers, two versions of Spiderman were showing. I opted to watch a few sitcoms just before trying to go to sleep.

Sharon’s husband George took this picture of she and I on the Lufthansa air bus on our way to Frankfurt.

I occasionally see people I know on the plane, but on this flight the couple sitting next to me were friends. Well, I knew the wife and met the husband when they boarded. What a surprise. Sharon is someone who I have just gotten to know in the last year and a half and with a 9 hour flight someone I now know a little better. What are the odds? Her husband is convinced we planned this. They are also going to Italy, but connecting in Frankfurt to a flight to Florence. They are staying outside of Siena with 12 friends at a villa that sleeps 40, complete with winery.

Since Boris and I both like aisle seats, he sat a few rows back. This was most helpful when we boarded the plane and the flight attendant thought he was traveling alone and did everything for him. I just pretended I was on my own and was able to get situated before then regular fliers boarded. Boris and I are going to spend a whole week alone, so a little separate time on the plane is probably a good idea. We do this all the time to get aisle seats.

Our late offs and landings were so smooth and we reached altitude very quickly after take off. In North America, the a380 only flies out of Houston, San Francisco, and Miami. The flight was delayed one hour because it arrived in late and the cleaning of a 94-row plane takes a long time. We were a little concerned when we landed with just under an hour before our next flight, but knew we had wheelchair assistance in Frankfurt. Just before touch down we realized it was snowing outside the windows. We got a white welcome to Germany.

The new Pier A terminal in the Frankfurt airport. It had been open only 15 days when we arrived. And the people in this photo, or any people for that matter, were nowhere to be found.

We were literally the first people off the plane and the assistant was waiting for us. In spite of this, all his coordination assistance and phone calls took so long that we were the last people to leave the arrival area. I kid you not. The plane parked at a new section of the Frankfurt airport, Pier A, that has only been open 15 days. It was built to accommodate the new larger planes. Our “driver” has been offering assistance at the airport for the past 6 years, but was only one day off training in the new section and we were his first passengers to assist in this area. We went through several passageways, rode on the largest elevators I have ever seen, and saw almost no other person. If we had been in Georgia, I would be thinking Deliverance. At the passport checkpoint, we were only only ones there (not counting the two passport officials and the security guard). Oddly and in spite of the fact that this is a new section, Boris’ chair (airport issued) would not fit through the checkpoint row and we went around through an exit.

Our guide did comment on the distance to reach gates saying you probably need to schedule at least a two-hour layover for getting around the Frankfurt airport. He clearly is staying in shape and I got my workout trying to keep up.

We ended up at a special lounge, again deserted except for three hostesses. Our guide left us there letting us know someone would come get us when I was time to go to the bus. There were several rows of seats with glasses and bottles of water for you to enjoy while you waited. Lufthansa is set to release another large plane and when several of those are in service I am sure that this area will be busier. After just a few minutes we were taken downstairs via elevator where a special bus for the disabled picked us up and took us to the airplane. On the bus, we met a family from Holland, Michigan who are in their first year of three stationed in Germany on business who were also going on our flight. They were leaving Rome on a cruise of the Mediterranean.

So we ride the disabled bus to the plane to find that Boris has to climb the stairs up to get in. Does anyone else find this rather ironic? I don’t know what they would have done if he couldn’t make them. Carry him up? This is one of their apron gates where you are bussed to an exterior site and enter the doors from the front and rear via staircases. You would think with the tough winter weather in Frankfurt that they wouldn’t use this type of entry. Can you say jetway? The ridiculous thing was that they didn’t direct the regular passengers to one entrance or the other so you had people entering from the rear fighting there way up to row 7 and people entering in the front who sat in the last row of the plane. You can image the bottleneck in the middle. You are also seeing all the overhead space quickly filling up and you can not get any closer to your seat with people coming straight at you. I had foolishly thought the short layover would be our toughest problem on this flight.

At one point when people were still all over the aisles, the flight attendant announced that boarding was complete. I am sure she just meant that all the buses had arrived and that people were on the plane, but she got a pretty hardy laugh from the passengers. Once everyone was seated, we were told that we would have to remain stationary so they could de-ice the wings. After that delay, we were told that there were about 8 aircraft in front of us, but we were looking at at least a half hour delay because one of the two outbound runways was closed due to wind. When we finally made it to the takeoff position a mechanical de-icer came and treated the wings. (I know that some of you think this is not a big deal, but I live in Houston Texas and was wearing shorts that day before this.) I didn’t see anything like this the first time they told us they were going to de-ice the wings, but from my window position I saw this machine with eight big spotlights spray a thin green foam on the wings. The sprayer was spastic moving back and forth, but it covered everything. The good thing about the window seat was I got to see it; the bad thing was that I couldn’t crawl over the two German women next to me to get my camera out of the overhead in time. When we finally took off most of the foam was off the wings before we left the ground. We were an hour and 45 late.

So, what was my first thought? Well, we had about 4 hours when we reached Rome before we needed to meet the agent for our apartment. It was about a two hour drive away. Oh no, no lunch!! I don’t like to eat airplane food so I was pretty hungry. Little did I know that it was going to get worse.

When we landed, I watched the wheelchair that we checked in Houston being taken off the plane. They told us it would be brought to the gate and gave us a special receipt for it. As we exited the plane, they sorted out which chair was whose and we went down to collect baggage, Boris being pushed by an airline service person. He was able to point out an ATM, Bancomat in Italy.

This is what you ask for when you need an ATM in Europe.

These machines usually give you a choice of language, but the English button didn’t do anything on this one, so after several tries the man behind me tried to show me in Italian. That didn’t work either. Finally after watching him, I figured out the first number to put in was the code and the second was the amount. You also have to know the conversion so you are not asking for euros in an amount that exceeds your daily limit. Finally after watching him actually get cash out, I tried again and actually completed the transaction in Italian. Of course, there was no line when I got there and a line of about 10 people when I left. But I did it.

When we got to baggage claim, Boris stayed with the assistant and I went and got a cart (ask for a trolley) for transporting the luggage to the car rental spot. The trolley was 2 euros. Luckily I had brought some euro coins with us because the bancomat machine gives you paper money and the trolley machine takes only coins. We were ready for our luggage which-wait for it-did not come. So in spite of that long delay in Frankfurt, our wheelchair, but not our suitcases, made it to Rome.

Our assistant took us to the lost luggage claim counter and Boris started that paperwork and trying to figure out how to explain where we staying (an apartment in walled-city in Tuscany) to the representative. At this point I knew that we were missing more than lunch. We were at the counter so long that our assistant went off shift and another person came to help us to the car rental spot. (On the overhead monitors they tell you what luggage service is handling your flight. If you have missing luggage, note the name of the luggage service which will help you determine which counter to go to.)

The good thing was that Boris, in a wheelchair, looked kind of pitiful and told them that his bandages were in his checked luggage (true). That and the fact that he was trying to communicate in Italian, helped him to secure their commitment to bring the bags all the way to Tuscany that night. So we were off to find the car rental counter. Where we found out we had to go to the outside counter. The assistant was with us the whole way. She pushed Boris; I pushed the luggage. She actually stayed with us until we got to the car itself. Amazing. Yes, someone in a wheelchair could have done this on their own. Well maybe not the luggage part.

We had a 2+ hour drive, but only 25 minutes before we had to meet the rental agent. Good thing Boris can speak Italian. He called while I drove. So on to Tuscany…

PS I promise tomorrow there will more exciting pictures. Yes, I do realize that ATM pictures are not that fascinating.

Posted in international | Tagged a 380, bancomat, de-icer, Frankfurt airport Pier A, Lufthansa Air Bus | 2 Comments

Shopping at Marburger Farms and the Campbell Building in Warrenton

Posted on October 17, 2012 by travelbynatasha

So many choices, so little time

Emma and I like Marburger Farms as a middle of the road antiques destination. It is not as high end or as expensive as The Big Red Barn, but it is more upscale than the “garage sale” type wandering you do in the fields at Warrenton. There are entrances at the north and south end with the vehicle exit in the center. Headed south on 237, pass the north entrance and head to the south one. If you use the north entrance there are steps that have to be managed which is not easy with lots of packages.

Only the world’s most wonderful sister would be willing to pose for you outside the portable bathroom when you say it is for your blog.
©Jean Janssen

There is a $10 admission charge per person (highway robbery according to Mom) which includes your parking. Marburger Farms has the nicest portable bathrooms you have ever seen, well worth the price of admission. The vendors are set up in tents with wood shavings on the floor if the weather is damp. There are also a few small permanent buildings on the property. There can be themes to the tents-folk art, linens, chandeliers, but mostly the vendors are just all mixed up. This event is wonderful people watching too.

Emma heads into one of the tents
at Marburger Farms Antique Shows.
©Jean Janssen

We like to come on Wednesday, the first day of the regular show. The show runs Tuesday-Saturday. On the preview day on Tuesday, there are shorter hours and the cost is $25. It is mostly dealers, but is open to anyone and you get first pick.

These new vendors in the Folk Art tent at Marburger are a mother, son Dolan Geiman, and sister Brecken Geiman team offering unique artwork and jewelry.
©Jean Janssen

One of the interesting things about the shows in this area is that items can travel from one vendor to another with the price going up each time. Many items start out in the field in Warrenton, which opens a week earlier, show up at Marburger, and reappear at the Big Red Barn which opens a day after Marburger. I have heard about this for years, but last spring spotted a Big Red Barn vendor doing just that in Warrenton. Since we knew what items she specialized in we watched what she was buying and sure enough it was just what would reappear later at the Big Red Barn with a higher price tag.

And you were wondering where to find the rocket ships for your backyard carnival…
©Jean Janssen

Although the “Methodist Men” no longer sell bar-b-que there, Marburger does have a variety of food options for lunch with $1 refills for your iced tea and lemonade. I also pick up a bag of kettle korn for Rocky on the way out. (If I forget, we have another vendor in Warrenton we can visit.)

Mom took a break while Emma and I tackled the last three tents.
©Jean Janssen

Emma and I have been known to have to curtail our purchases because we are running out of space in the car. In fact, it was a big sacrifice to bring mom along this time because that meant giving up some precious cargo area. (See how much we love you Mom!) Paintings, Chandeliers, and furniture take up a lot of space in a small SUV. We ship the big stuff home. Marburger has a delivery service on site. Since we live close (about an hour and 45 minutes away in Houston), we get things pretty quick. They figure out the delivery route, which goes all over the country, after the show. Emma has had several things delivered and has always been pleased.

Mom and Beth Brown just outside the private apartment in the Campbell Building in Warrenton, Texas.
©Jean Janssen

Next we headed to the Campbell Building in Warrenton. This inside destination holds some of our favorite shops. If you love antique/estate jewelry, there is no better place to shop than the Queen of Heirs just inside on the left side (past the clothing). Robin has wonderful contacts and offers the best prices you will find in the area. Beth Brown has a booth just across from Robin (on the right side as you enter the building). She offers antique fine and costume jewelry. I never fail to find something at either of these two shops.

Mom tried on a few hats. I bought this one.
©Jean Janssen

The building is home to many vendors offering a variety of items. By the time we arrived, two of the vendors were already gone as a shop owner from New England had come and bought their entire inventory. (The prices are that good.) The Cat’s Meow has its vintage clothing museum here and Mom and I tried on a few hats. Steven Porterfield also has a new spot in one of the Marburger tents. I ended up buying a hat from him at both Marburger and Warrenton. Guess I need to have a dress-up Downton Abby party when season three premieres in January. Steven has supplied both to that series and to the film Titanic. He was full of great stories about the costuming.

Emma checked out Steven Porterfield’s new booth at Marburger Farms.
She bought several vintage bags; I bought a hat.
©Jean Janssen

Emma and I also like to shop for new clothing and decorative items at the Campbell Building. The Cat’s Meow is on the left side as you face the building. On the right side is Cottage Gatherings (clothing and shoes) and Urban Nest (home decor). These are shops from La Grange, Texas which is only 12 miles from Warrenton. The owner, Hayley Johnson, has a family home just minutes from the Campbell Building. She is always fully stocked for Antique Weekends and Emma and I go a little crazy. We are suckers for the Johnny Was silks and Old Gringo boots.

Danielle (who served as our personal shopper) and Hayley Johnson (owner) of Cottage Gatherings and Urban Nest at the Campbell Building in Warrenton. The shops’ permanent homes are on (and just off) the square in La Grange.
©Jean Janssen

There are also fabulous and unique home decorating offerings. Hayley always has the best displays. She once parked an old VW bug on the porch and used it to display clothing. Eye-catching to say the least. Hayley’s items start on the porch and spill over inside the building where you will find the shoes (lots of yellow box), boots, and most of the clothing. She has two cute dressing rooms with overhead fans blowing directly on them-very smart! Along the street and just in front of the porch, her son sells cupcakes and the best ice-cold lemonade.

checking out the red adirondack chairs in front of the Campbell Building after a long day of shopping.

After a long day of shopping if we don’t need to get back, we stay for dinner. Some of our favorite night spots are Las Fuentes on Jefferson in La Grange, The Oaks in Warrenton, and JW’s Steakhouse in Carmine. Most of the vendors close at dark (around 6 pm). After the Campbell building was secure, Robin and Beth joined us across the street for dinner at The Upper Deck fittingly named for an upstairs porch with a cool breeze where you can watch the sun set (or at least see the colors change).

The next Round Top/Warrenton Antiques Fair will be the first full weekend in April 2013. Marburger Farms opens on the Tuesday before; The Big Red Barn on the Wednesday before. The Campbell Building and the tents in Warrenton are open the weekend before. If you are traveling some distance, there are a variety of overnight accommodations but they book early. It is not too soon to make your reservations now. Happy Hunting…

Posted in domestic travel | Tagged antiquing, Campbell Building, Cottage Gatherings, Marburger Farms, Queen of Heirs, Round Top TX, Urban Nest, Warrenton TX | 2 Comments

Antiques Fair in Round Top and Warrenton, Texas

Posted on October 16, 2012 by travelbynatasha

Robin Lindberg, the Queen of Heirs, owns the Campbell Building in “Downtown” Warrenton, Texas.
Robin sells fabulous estate jewelry
and also has a store in a charming house at the corner of Locust and Second Streets in Bellaire, Texas.
©Jean Janssen

Emma and I make the trip out to Round Top and Warrenton each fall and spring for the biannual antiques fair. You can do your antiquing any number of ways. In Warrenton, you can visit vendors who have set up tents along the highway and in the fields. Behind the tents are the travel trailers where the vendors live for the two weeks they are in town. If you are lucky, you own a building like my friend, Robin Lindberg AKA The Queen of Heirs. The Campbell Building(with the wonderful red adirondack chairs out in front) is a landmark and offers interior shopping with real floors. Robin has a wonderful hidden apartment right in her building.

Robin’s private luxury accommodations.
©Jean Janssen

On the square in Round Top, you can visit crafts vendors who have set up tents for the weekend (both the first weekend in October and the first weekend in April). Across the streets is Royers Round Top Cafe famous for their pies. Definitely not your standard comfort food. Even if you can’t make it out to the fair, you can order their pies on line and they ship just about everywhere. Headed north to 290, you find shopping at the other extreme. The Big Red Barn offers high end antiques in an air-conditioned building. Some outside tents have been added in recent years and Royer’s has a lunch outlet there.

The term antique is sometimes loosely interpreted. We’ll just call this “folk art”.
©Jean Janssen

My first trip out to the fair was years ago when Rocky was in school and I took a commuter bus (as opposed to a school bus) from the church parking lot as soon as we dropped the children off. The bus was great; we enjoyed snacks and breakfast on the way up and wine and cheese on the way home. There was another advantage; if you bought something big you could slide it underneath. The trouble came when you got back to the church lot and someone had to help you get it home.

Lots of shoppers (and vendors) bring there dogs with them. This one was lucky enough to catch a ride.
©Jean Janssen

This is back when Emma Lee Turney was running several shows and you bought a ticket that got you into Rifle Hall, the Folk Art Tent, and Carmine, and the Big Red Barn. Emily retired and most of the outfits are independent now. Some charge admission like Marburger and the Big Red Barn, but others like the fields in Warrenton and Round Top Square are free.

You never know what you are going to find. I didn’t know I needed a rocking banana seat made out of bottle caps until I tried it out.

You’ll have to pay for parking in some places and I recommend driving the biggest vehicle you own. It is not unusual to see people pulling a trailer behind their Suburban (and both the Suburban and the trailer are full). It is not always the easiest parking and the roads can get very busy. My car was hit once by someone trying to pull out on the road. This was the occasion that I found out you could open a claim file right on the side of the road. Knowing my State Farm claim was open (and the other driver was in the wrong), I continued my shopping.

Mom at the Cat’s Meow Clothing Musuem in the Campbell Building in Warrenton. Steven Porterfield provides hats and clothing for the Downton Abbey Series and was also a supplier for Titanic.
©Jean Janssen

Sometimes Emma and I go looking for something in particular, sometimes we are just looking. Going for a day twice a year, we know our way around and enjoy returning to some of our favorite vendors. Frankly, I just enjoy spending the day with my sister. This fall we took our Mom along and she did great keeping up.

A beautiful display in one of the tents at Marburger Farms Antique Show.
©Jean Janssen

From Houston, we take I 10 to Sealy and then get off and drive through Bellville, sometimes with a stop at Newman’s Bakery. Then we take the back roads through Industry and Shelby before coming into Round Top at the square. There is a nice show at the hall in Shelby, but it has fallen off a little on our last few visits. This time we kept driving, passing Shabby Chic’s Rachel Ashwell’s new place The Praire which we visited last spring. It was a Wednesday, so the square vendors were just starting to set up for the weekend. We took a left on Hwy 237 in the direction of Warrenton and made our way to Marburger Farms, which sits roughly half way between Round Top and Warrenton. Let the shopping begin…

Posted in domestic travel | Tagged Campbell Building, Marburger Farms, Queen of Heirs, Round Top TX, Warrenton TX | 2 Comments

The New Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World

Posted on October 16, 2012 by travelbynatasha

Fall on Main Street in the Magic Kingdom, WDW Florida.
©Jean Janssen

Maggie (dressed as Russell from Up) at the entrance to the twin Dumbos in the Storybook section of the New Fantasyland.
©Jean Janssen

A new Fantasyland is on its way to the Magic Kingdom in Florida’s Walt Disney World. Disney has been openings sections as the work is completed. We visited a month apart-Labor Day and Columbus Day weekends-and even though the major construction is happening behind high green walls, you could see the progress.

A photo op at the new Dumbo ride in September.

By September, the iconic Dumbo ride had been moved to the other side of the tea cups. It has gotten a facelift and a second has been added to speed up the line of one of the favorites. Fastpass holders now have their own attraction. You enter the line at what looks like a carnival ticket booth and queue through the big top where a play area is available while you wait. Knowing the everyone wants a picture sitting in their own Dumbo elephant, the designers have added a stationary photo spot to speed up the ride turnover.

The Casey Junior water play area in the Storybook section of Fantasyland.
©Jean Janssen

This new Storybook area of Fantasyland also includes the barnstormer beginner roller coaster and an overhauled train station. New additions include a water park type play area for children with a Casey Junior Train theme and two more big tops. The big tops have only been open a week. The larger one, closer to the Storybook entrance, is a souvenir shops with unique items only available in this part of the park.

Fantasyland treats under the big top in the Storybook souvenir shop.
©Jean Janssen

In the center is a concession area with carnival type food offerings-candied apples, fudge, caramel corn, etc. The cast member uniforms are great and work perfectly with the theme.

These cast members offered what appeared to be popcorn boxes, but were actually a clever way to display pins available for trading.
©Jean Janssen

Emma with Barnstormer Goofy.
©Jean Janssen

The hidden gem in this section of Fantasyland is the meet and greet big top behind the souvenir tent. I am sure it will not take long for the crowds to find this, but for now go enjoy meeting the characters when they have the time to play along with you. Specially themed Disney favorites are there to sign autographs and share photos. Barnstormer Goofy is there with this bike crashing through the wall. We got a great one who flirted and played with us since there was no one behind us in line. I am not sure who had more fun, us or the photographer who laughed the whole time. After Goofy, you get to meet Snake Charmer Donald Duck. A great costume for this character.

Maggie as Russell with Snake Charmer Donald Duck.
©Jean Janssen

The line on the other side of the tent (and you have to stand in both separately if you want pictures with all four characters) is for Minnie and Daisy Duck. Daisy is dressed as a fortune teller and stands in front of her gypsy wagon. I am not a huge Minnie fan; she is too prissy for me. Daisy is adorable however. On our second visit to the tent (we had to see both sides), the lines on the Minnie/Daisy side were far longer. If you have to make a choice, go for Goofy and Donald. You’ll enjoy a shorter line and have more fun with the characters.

Most of the rest of Fantasyland is scheduled to open in December. The reservation line for passholders to try to get a spot for a preview opens at the end of the week. This is after a delay. We certainly saw lots of progress. The area where Dumbo used to be was an open area in September. A month later it was covered with the castle gates (which provided a great backdrop to our fireworks pictures).

Wishes fireworks show over the new castle gates in Fantasyland.
©Jean Janssen

The beast’s castle is lit at night; it is in the construction area. The reservations for Gaston’s Tavern are already sold out through the beginning of the year. They were gone within minutes of the phone lines opening. There will be a table service area for which you will need reservations and a quick service side. The quick service option might be the only way people will get to see it for a while .

The new castle gates in Fantasyland with mine train ride construction behind it.
©Jean Janssen

Ironically, the one attraction not scheduled to open until 2014 is the mine train ride following a Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Theme which is in the dead center of the new Fantasyland. I am not surprised that the preparation of this attraction will take longer, only that they would choose to open all the areas around it and have to try to hide it and work in the center.

Big green walls hide construction of the mine train ride in Fantasyland. We’ll be looking at these for a while. This attraction is not scheduled to open until 2014.
©Jean Janssen

Who knows? Maybe it is a way to heighten the anticipation.

Fall is a wonderful time to visit WDW. If you can swing it, try to visit Fantasyland now through mid December when crowds will be lighter and you can see the before and after. With Disney, there is always something to look forward to.

Cinderella’s Castle at the Magic Kingdom, Florida.
©Jean Janssen

Posted in Disney, domestic travel | Tagged Fantasyland, Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World | 2 Comments

EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival (and a Princess Lunch) at Walt Disney World

Posted on October 11, 2012 by travelbynatasha

Maggie and Emma with EPCOT’s iconic planet earth in the background.
©Jean Janssen

On a fall trip to visit Maggie, we were in Walt Disney World at the same time as the 2012 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival. I had no idea what a big deal this was. Obviously, people make this an annual event. We saw lots of groups in their matching tee shirts with the event name printed on it. There are actually 29 specialty booths set up around the World Showcase (the back section of EPCOT where the countries are located). This section of the park usually opens up at 11 am.

Princess Natasha sampling Escargots Persillade en Brioche (garlic and parsley snails in brioche) and Sparkling Pomegranate Kir in EPCOT’s France.

We picked up a festival Marketplace Discovery Passport at guest relations when we entered the park. You can also pick one up at any of the booths. The passport details all the booths and sets out a place where you can mark the food and beverages you try. We started with the idea that one of us would get something at each booth so we could all sample, but we only made it to eight booths before we were all full. Actually, we were full before that, but we kept eating and drinking anyway. The portions are sample-sized, but even samples in that number will get to you.

The passport also has a place for you to stamp each of the countries/booths you visit. I saw a few people stamping and not sampling, but I call that cheating. Besides, why would you not want to try things? Everything we ate was delicious and we are kind of picky eaters.

Why not have your bachelorette party at EPCOT?
This bride-to-be was here with all her attendants.

Fair warning. You can spend a fortune here. (Maybe that is why some people were only stamping) Most items were between $3 and $6; the drinks were higher, but they were full-sized. It is billed as a food and wine event, but I saw more beer than wine drinking. In EPCOT’s Germany, the food booth offers six varieties of wine and they have a separate booth for the eight beer offerings.

Maggie and I actually took a pierogie-making class in Poland when we visited there a few years ago, so we had to stop in and see what EPCOT’s Poland booth had to offer. (Kielbasa-Polish sausage-and Potato Pierogie with Caramelized Onions and Sour Cream as it turns out.) The Poland booth was one of the original entries in the festival and had one of the longest lines.
©Jean Janssen

The event, started in 1996, appears to be growing each year with new booths and the crowds to support them. On the sign at each booth, it tells you when it was established. Some of the items make repeat appearances, while others may be offered just that year. You can get a stamp of completion at the Information Booth in the front of the park, but in spite of our best intentions we just didn’t make it to all 29. What a great excuse to go back next year!

We went to EPCOT on two days trying to get in more booths, but ended up being so full the second day from our Princess Lunch that we didn’t add any stamps to our passports that day. On our September (Labor Day Weekend) visit to see Maggie, we all bought tiaras. Unfortunately, I have simply not had enough opportunities to wear it since coming home. It made the return trip to WDW with me and EPCOT offered us that Princess opportunity.

Street entertainers at EPCOT’s France. There was a platform with four bottles and the “waiter” added chair after chair and climbed to the top while his comedic sidekick engaged the crowd.
©Jean Janssen

I had spotted this on our September visit and followed up on Trip Advisor after I got home. The food at the Norwegian restaurant has always gotten good reviews, but is unusual enough that the restaurant was rarely full. Disney rescued it by turning the castle-like dining hall into a character buffet with the Disney Princesses. A tiara-wearing opportunity if I ever saw one!

We made our reservations the day before we went. A meal with the Princesses in the Fantasyland Castle has to be booked months in advance. This is a well-kept secret at EPCOT and a wonderful option for people trying to surprise their daughters or princely sons. The venue stays booked, but you can sometimes snag a table on the day of your visit. There were diners there just for the food and I enjoyed watching the Princesses approach their tables as much as seeing the character interaction with the children.

The “Princess Family” with Belle at EPCOT’s Norway. (The purple shirts are the specialty Halloween Party tees we bought the night before. Maggie has one too, but elected to wear her Princess Aurora shirt to lunch instead.

When you arrive you have an autograph and photograph opportunity with Belle. Then you are seated and invited to enjoy the appetizer buffet of salads, cold seafood, cheese, and bread. (It is actually more substantial than I am making it sound.) Before we had even finished our salads, the photographer’s assistant came by with our complimentary picture with Belle. There is a large photograph in a keepsake (cardboard) frame and four smaller ones per family. Nice for us; we will each get one. You order your entrée off the menu. Children eat off the children’s menu at a reduced price. The adult price is approximately $40. Not cheap, but it is for the salad bar, entrée, and dessert plus a nonalcoholic beverage. You will easily spend that much circling the world during the food and wine festival.

Snow White and Princess Natasha

The other four princesses go from room to room greeting each table and taking the time to sign autograph books and take pictures. We met Aurora, Snow White, Cinderella, and Ariel. Disney has this down. They have made sure you had your fix coming in the door meeting Belle. Then they fill the restaurant room by room so that the princesses reach people who arrived at the same time at the same point. No one gets overlooked this way.

Ariel and Princess Natasha

At some point there is a Princess Parade and all the children are invited to follow the Princesses through the castle on parade. The children loved it, waving to their families and strangers alike as they passed through each room. One of the cutest families we saw was mom and dad and their young Snow White and her even younger brother. The little boy was fully decked out complete with boots and a sword and was clearly having as much fun as his sister.

When the parade ended, the Princesses resumed their rounds. We had a blast. We made a bathroom stop before leaving the restaurant and that is where Emma heard that we were being referred to as the Princess family since we were all wearing tiaras. One woman admitted that she had a tiara and wish she had brought hers along.

Posted in Disney, domestic travel | Tagged EPCOT, EPCOT's International Food and Wine Festival, Walt Disney World | Leave a comment

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World

Posted on October 10, 2012 by travelbynatasha

Nobody decorates quite like Disney. Here the Magic Kingdom is all decked out for the fall.
©Jean Janssen

Starting in September when the Magic Kingdom at WDW starts to close earlier, you can add a ticket to Mickey’s Not so Scary Halloween Party. The September parties are definitely less crowded and cheaper. (Annual Pass-holders get additional discounts.) Parties are held on select nights during the week through November 2 (in 2012) and last from 7 pm to midnight. People really get into it.

Speaking of decked out (and not to be outdone)…here we are in the lobby of one of our favorite Disney hotels, The Animal Kingdom Lodge, dressed for the party. Maggie put together her own costume and went as Russell from Up. Emma was beautiful in a kimono. I rested my tiara for the evening and went as a tavern wench.

There are more adults in costume than children. The children’s costumes are often the package variety, many bought at the Disney Store. The adults however have thrown all their creativity into it. There are serious princess “wantabes”, some with more elaborate costumes that the actual cast member counterparts. (Disney employees are all called cast members.) I saw a young woman dressed as Cinderella turning people away because she, like them, was a guest. Kudos to her; I might have been tempted to let them take the picture and sign the autograph book. Of course, my days of being mistaken for a storybook princess are long over. The fairy godmother maybe, but no longer Cinderella.

This Disney cast member was a greeter at the entrance to the Magic Kingdom in special costume for the Halloween Party.
(I love the bat headband.)
©Jean Janssen

The Disney cast member greeters are in special costume just for this event. You are given a wrist band to distinguish you from the regular guests who must exit the park at 7 pm. Somewhere around 4 or 5 pm you can start arriving in costume. Although you will see small children in Disney costumes (usually a princess) year-round, adults are only allowed to enter the park in costume for the Halloween parties so they are not confused with the cast member performers. In addition to your wrist band, you are handed a bag so you can go trick-or-treating and a schedule of events. We got to the park in costume about 5:45 pm and the looks from the day guests (who were probably clueless as to the later event) were priceless.

“People watching” was a big part of the evening. It was fun to see the composition of the crowd change as the day guests departed and the costume-clad partiers arrived. I would say that 85-90 % of the party-goers come in costume. Right at 7 pm, the lighting in the whole park changed and special music was piped through the Disney sound system. Large free-standing pumpkin lights were set up to mark the trick or treat spots. This was Maggie’s 4th Halloween Party so she served as our private guide for the evening. No worries. Even if you don’t have a guide, the locations for candy are all marked on the park map. I really don’t remember the last time I trick-or-treated, but it was a hoot. Definitely not about the candy for me, just the experience. For those keen on a trip to the dentist, you are allowed to go back as many times as you want. On either side of the park, there are also trails with multiple candy stops along the way.

Maggie’s Russell costume was probably the most creative I saw all evening. She had all the details down and nailed it. I walked behind her and got to hear the reaction as people put it together. We posed with lots of characters and they all loved her costume. Russell and Dug sign autographs at the Animal Kingdom right next to the entrance to It is Tough to be a Bug. Wonder how Maggie got the idea for this costume?
©Jean Janssen

We went to the Villains’ Dance Mix & Mingle at 7:45 pm, just after dark. They do a short show on the steps on the castle and then you can take pictures with the villains (no autographs). You must know where your villain of choice will be because they are only out for 10 minutes and then go inside. This is the only time of the year that these characters appear in the park. Luckily with Maggie as our guide, we were able to snag a picture with Maleficent because we knew where she would stand. Stephanie, who was in front of us in line and dressed like a Mouseketeer, told us she had come the night before just so she would know where to stand to catch each of the villains. I told you; people really get into this.

Next was more trick-or-treating and then the parade. They do four villain shows during each party and the parade is run twice.

Mickey’s “Boo to You” Halloween Parade is not to be missed. Characters are in costumes unique to this event and the floats and parade themes are special. My favorite performers were the dancing grave diggers modeled after the Haunted Mansion attraction and led by the light-bearing caretaker and his dog.

The tavern wench meets Goofy

Next was…you guessed it…more trick-or-treating. For younger children, there are character dance parties on either side of the park with Woody from Toy Story and Stitch from Lilo and Stitch. Of course you can’t forget the shopping. If you are a collector, you might want to pick up one of the special tee-shirts or trading pins that are only available for purchase during the Halloween parties. Purchasing one also means you have a larger bag to fill up with candy. (I did not do this. Well the shopping yes, but not the big bag trick-or-treating.) At some point having had only candy for dinner, we decided to sit down and have some popcorn. Not the most nutritious evening.

Try as I might to convince her otherwise, my tour guide insisted that we did not have time for any of the rides. This in spite of the fact that most of the wait times were only 5 or 10 minutes on the major attractions. Maggie was right, we barely had time for all the special events. However, this is a great time for short waits if that is your priority. The only ride we did go on was The Haunted Mansion. I do recommend a stop there as they make a few changes/additions to celebrate the holiday.

There is a wonderful fireworks show unique to the halloween party, Happy HalloWishes. In addition to the lights in the sky, there are halloween projections on the castle. Best viewing for the whole show is facing the castle. However, if your just want to see the fireworks portion, you have a better view behind the castle in Fantasyland. Some people consider this the best fireworks show that Disney does.

The tavern wench with Minnie and Mickey

The tavern wench meets her prince. But for some reason this chick in blue just kept hanging around. What’s up with that?

Since we were all reliving our childhood on this trip, Emma bought us autograph books. We closed out the evening with a stop at the Town Square Theater (just to the right as you enter the park and pass under the train station) for autographs and photos with Minnie and Mickey who were in special costume for the event. There is a separate line for meeting the storybook princesses Cinderella, Snow White, and Rapunzel. What is special about a visit during the Halloween party is that their Princes are also with them. These “face characters” work hard to stay in character while reacting to your costume. Since I was dressed as a tavern wench, Prince Charming suggested I apply at Gaston’s Tavern which is set to open in the new Fantasyland in December.

A shot of the Magic Kingdom entrance as we left the park just before midnight. I will definitely be back for this party again. Got to get working on that next costume…
©Jean Janssen

Posted in Disney, domestic travel | Tagged Happy HalloWishes, Magic Kingdom, Mickey's "Boo-to-You" Halloween Parade, Mickey's Not so Scary Halloween Party, Villains' Dance Mix & Mingle, Walt Disney World | Leave a comment

Special Fall Events at Walt Disney World-The College Internship Program

Posted on October 10, 2012 by travelbynatasha

This is the first of several installments (at random, nonconsecutive, times) related to my fall travel to Walt Disney World in Florida. Although I did not go to WDW for the first time until I was 29 years old, since then I have averaged about 1.5 visits a year. It is not really Boris’ cup of tea, but Rocky loves it and is an expert on Walt Disney himself. Rocky was 3 1/2 on his first visit.

Therefore, while I have plenty of advice for beginners (email me), I am going to center my posts around some of the other events or programs that WDW offers. This is intermediate Disney. Although traveling with Boris has forced me to get up early while on vacation, I was a sleep-in-and-eventually-roll-out-to-the-pool-for-sunbathing kind of girl. Trips to Disney Parks (Florida, California, and Paris) have always been the exception and find me getting up early. Seasoned travelers know that the crowds are lightest first thing in the day or when the parks are open very late and you hang around to the bitter end. (Yes, I have been there for the 2 am closing.)

At the Animation Pavilion at Hollywood Studios you can take a drawing class that lasts about 25 minutes. Space is limited. A different character is done each time, so some people make several visits. This is me with my version of Sorcerer Mickey.

These trips were planned around Emma’s schedule. The first was during Labor Day weekend (we realized it) and the second was Columbus Day weekend (we didn’t realize it). Hopefully, the next trip will be at a time when it is not so busy. Why are we going so much right now? Well, I bought an annual pass. Why did I buy an annual pass? WDW and Disneyland have a college internship program.

My niece Maggie is a college junior and is spending a semester at Walt Disney World in Florida working in the college internship program. Only one in eight applicants is chosen to participate and we are all very proud of her achievements. She also got her first choice of assignments-Attractions. She is working at It is Tough to be a Bug in the Animal Kingdom Park*. This is a 3D show based on the Pixar film. She rotates through the various positions about every 20-30 minutes.

This is Maggie with her mom Emma on the first day she worked after “earning her ears” (successfully completing and passing her Disney training). She works all the jobs at It Is Tough To Be a Bug in the Tree of Life in the Animal Kingdom. Here she is a greeter at the entrance-her favorite position given all the interaction with guests.
©Jean Janssen

Maggie has met students from all of the United States and the world in this program. At her attraction alone, there are four interns from China. She lives on the Disney property at a special apartment for interns. Maggie shares a room with one other girl and eight girls share a common living area. She has free admission to the parks and discounts on purchases and special events. (If she books the room and stays with us, we even get resort discounts.) Maggie has also toured the tunnels. (Disney trivia people know that the park in on the second level and that a whole underground city is underneath.)

Maggie started in August and will be there until January 4, 2013. So if you are headed to WDW between now and then, stop by the Tree of Life* and if you see a tall blonde (yes, she is 6 foot 1) and her tag says Meagan, just tell her that Natasha sent you. You might just be in line for a “Magical Moment”.

*Of course if you talk to Boris, he will tell you that she works at The Tree of Bugs in the Jungle Kingdom. You get the idea.

Posted in Disney, domestic travel | Tagged Animal Kingdom, It is Tough to be a Bug, Magic Kingdom, Tree of Life, Walt Disney World | 1 Comment

Leaving the Philippines and the travel home

Posted on August 9, 2012 by travelbynatasha

In an effort to give my wet dive gear the maximum time for drying out, I didn’t pack until the morning of our departure. A fresh supply of baskets and sarongs (along with a few other items including the blow dart guns for Boris and Rocky) meant that the bags were pretty full.

I said goodbye to Vernie at the dive shop and then Marco took our group to the airport. Atlantis handled getting us all checked in. I am excited to see my family, but the departure was bittersweet and I shed a few tears.

We flew from Dumaguete to Manila on a regional carrier, Cebu Pacific, which serves the Philippines and select destinations in southeast Asia, namely Singapore and Hong Kong. On this airline, they play games during the flight for prizes. So you can win a prize, but otherwise nothing is free. You even pay for your drink.

There was no jetway when we landed in Manila. It was raining so as you left the door of the aircraft you were handed an umbrella. Then you fumbled down the stairs with your rolling bag in one hand and an umbrella in the other. Luckily, my purse was a small backpack-styled one. Unfortunately, we had to collect our luggage at the domestic terminal and re-check it with Singapore Airlines in the international terminal. The terminals were quite far apart and we had to be transported by van from one to the other. (Atlantis handled the transfer.)

The tricycles around the airport all had plastic coverings added to protect the driver and passenger from the rain. The plastic was so worn that I don’t know how anyone could see through it. I bet there are more accidents on rainy days due to the lack of visibility through the plastic than from the rain or wet streets. Not sure if I ever described the tricycles. They are basically a motorcycle with a covered sidecar. I have seen as many as 7 people in one, but others say they saw up to 12. They are used as a taxi when traveling short distances and each has a registration number on the back.

I saw these signs at passport control in Manila both coming and going. I have no idea what “Wang-Wang” is and frankly was afraid to ask.
©Jean Janssen

I really took advantage of my lounge privileges on the layovers between flights, enjoying Star Alliance Gold Lounges in Manila, Singapore, and Moscow. Singapore Airlines is very clever, offering a separate lounge for their own frequent fliers and another less posh one for the other alliance airline customers. In some cities, gold alliance customers and business class are in one lounge and first class in another. Either way, I enjoyed the unique food and drinks and the free internet service. I was able to email Boris and Rocky in each break city along the way.

My global entry status got me through passport control and customs quickly in Houston. You don’t have to fill out the entry form or stand in the passport control line. You insert your passport into special machines at immigration (there is a special stamp in your passport and the passport bar code has your program info) and are given a receipt which you use at the last stop at customs control. There is a separate line at customs too which means no waiting. I have seen it save up to 2 hours. Donna recommended the program to me. You apply for the global entry program on-line and a criminal background check is done. Once you pass the background check, you are called in for an interview where you are fingerprinted and told to be a good girl/boy in terms of what you bring into the country. Interviews are at the customs office in major cities, usually at the airport. The fee is $100 for a five-year “pass”. It is well worth it for frequent international travelers. Boris, Rocky, and I all have it now.

This is the last photo on my underwater camera taken in the Philippines.

After 43 hours of travel door to door, I am home from the Philippines. It is a lovely country with even lovelier people. Hope you enjoyed the entries and photos. Nap time and dealing with jet lag from a 13-hour time difference for me.

Donna and I on our last night in Dumaguete.

Posted in international | Tagged Cebu Pacific Airlines, Star Alliance Lounges | Leave a comment

Last Day of diving in the Philippines-Apo Island

Posted on August 8, 2012 by travelbynatasha

This is our last day of diving in the Philippines. In order to meet the time restrictions on flying after diving, we’ll do two long morning dives and come back to the resort for a late lunch. To allow us more room, we are diving off two large boats rather than one. I am once again on the Titan with the divas.

We are sailing to and then diving near Apo Island, considered by some to be the best diving in this area. On one side of the island the sea was extremely calm and the water beautifully clear. Definitely my favorite sites since arriving in Dumaguete.

Same groups today, with the divas and Tom diving with Marco and Vernie. All of us are doing better on air consumption, so we were able to stay down an hour and 15 minutes for the first dive and over an hour for the second one. I have definitely learned a few things from Marco and “see” underwater a little differently. I did spot one of the spiny oysters he showed me yesterday. This one was more brilliant, but it closed up on me when I tried to get a photo.

Neal adopted an alternative Johnny Depp look for his second day of entertainment on board. Vernie lead the dancing.
©Jean Janssen

By special request, our musicians have returned today and I am lucky to be back on the Titan to enjoy them. We had more dancing this time and Neal adopted an alternative Johnny Depp look. Just about the time the music was ending so we could dive again, we had visitors that arrived by outrigger canoe. Women with t-shirts and sarongs to sell came aboard our boat and spread out their offerings. The Divas totally got into it, but it was Martin who bought the most. I think Martin and Bill, who had both stayed at Atlantis and dove at Apo Island before, would have been the most disappointed if we didn’t have the shopping opportunity. Marco just laughed at us. (He also negotiated for me and got me a free sarong out of the deal. Always helps to speak the language.)

Apo Island women brought the shopping to us via outrigger canoe. The plastic bags are filled with t-shirts and sarongs for sale.
©Jean Janssen

Marco had amazing balance and always stood on the dive boats. He caught me taking this picture and smiled, but he usually stood with a serious expression and the divas all thought he looked like secret service.

I was not ready for the diving to end and let Marco know that on his slate during the safety stop on the last dive. I didn’t take as many pictures, but rather just enjoyed the diving on this last day. One more look at the rare creatures that are unique to this part of the world.

It was a gorgeous day and we enjoyed the ride back, knowing that our afternoon would be filled with cleaning and sanitizing equipment, the worst part of diving. Vernie helped out Donna and I by finding us a large bucket and we were able to do the extra cleaning step that avoids carrying back smelly gear. After getting everything hung up, we had a final lunch and then afternoon spa treatments. I opted for the body scrub and hair conditioning treatments. This time the shower (in the larger, regular spa in Dumaguete) worked and the scrub was less “invasive” than my scrub in Puerto Galera.

For our final evening, Atlantis went all out and hired special drummers and fire dancers for cocktails on the beach and patio. All the dive masters came and once again Vernie led the dancing. I got into spirit of the event and led the congo line (ah, memories of the Girl Scout national convention). After a first set, we had a special Filippio buffet with a roasted pig complete with apple in its mouth. Dive Mom acknowledged the special events we were celebrating, including my birthday, and the resort had special decorations. I had a “happy b-day JJ” at my spot, the only one with a special place setting. Since I had missed diving with her for my 200th dive (that was with Rocky in Bonaire on spring break in March), Dive Mom gave me recognition as an “Environmental Diver”. The drummers did a second set and eventually the dive masters decided to take their turn at the drums. We ended with cakes celebrating our occasions and accomplishments.

I want to take this moment to recognize the amazing staff at Atlantis Philippines and highly recommend diving with them. Their locker room, dive shop, and camera room is the best organized I have ever seen. The dive masters are well-informed, safe, and fun. The entire staff goes above and beyond and you are addressed by your name from day one. While I now know better than to dive in the Philippines during the rainy season, I have no hesitation about diving with Atlantis Philippines again. It will be hard to leave the new friends I have made and hope to have the opportunity to dive with them again.

Posted in international, Scuba diving | Tagged Apo Island, Atlantis Philippines, Atlantis Philippines Dumaguete | 1 Comment