Photos from the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. More information here: http://en.jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp/ *All photos are the property of Charlotte Moore, unless stated otherwise, and may not be used without written consent
Blog Posts
NCL Port: Transiting the Panama Canal
My family and I recently went on a 10 night cruise, over Christmas 2016, on Norwegian Cruise Line. The itinerary was Miami –> Aruba –> Cartagena, Columbia –> Panama Canal / Gatun Lake –> Colon, Panama –> Puerto Limon, Costa Rica –> Miami.
This second post is photo post of our transit through the Panama Canal!
*All photos are the property of Charlotte Moore, unless stated otherwise, and may not be used without written consent
NCL Port: Cartagena, Columbia
My family and I recently went on a 10 night cruise, over Christmas 2016, on Norwegian Cruise Line. The itinerary was Miami –> Aruba –> Cartagena, Columbia –> Panama Canal / Gatun Lake –> Colon, Panama –> Puerto Limon, Costa Rica –> Miami.
This first post is about Cartagena, Columbia!
My dad, sister and I decided to book an eco-canoe tour through the mangroves. First we started off with a stop at the San Felipe de Barajas Fortress.
Then our bus headed to the La Boquilla fishing village via a beach road. From here, we’d be picked up in canoes for 4 people, plus the guy paddling, through the Cueva de Manglar. The canoes here have certainly seen better days, and required bailing periodically throughout our hour long canoe trip.
After arriving back to the dock, we were treated to a delicious coconut before heading back to the city and finally the cruise ship pier.
The cool thing about the Cartagena pier is that there is a small wildlife park which you have to walk through to enter/exit the pier.
*All photos are the property of Charlotte Moore, unless stated otherwise, and may not be used without written consent
Norwegian Cruise Line’s Private Island – Great Stirrup Cay
Great Stirrup Cay is Norwegian Cruise Line’s private island. The ships anchor offshore and passengers are tendered over to the island. There are plenty of activities to enjoy, including parasailing (that’s me in the photo above!), snorkelling, jet skis, zip lines, kayaks and lots more. There is a bbq lunch to enjoy as well as bar service. You can pay for everything with your NCL key card, aside from the local’s souvenirs shops which take cash in US dollars. There are also cabanas for rent.
The island recently reopened on November 20th, 2016, after being delayed due to Hurricane Matthew.
I really enjoyed this day on the island and would definitely recommend an itinerary with this stop!
Find out more about Great Stirrup Cay here:
https://www.ncl.com/ca/en/freestyle-cruise/great-stirrup-cay
(GIVEAWAY!) Enchant Christmas Light Maze – Vancouver
Enchant, the world’s largest Christmas light maze will be coming to Vancouver for its inaugural event, starting November 25th, 2016.
The family-friendly festival will include a 55,000 square foot maze of light sculptures, a 64-foot Christmas Tree, live performances, an outdoor fire pit, and a sprawling marketplace including food and drink vendors serving mulled wine, specialty coffees, and holiday beers. Enchant will run from November 25th and end on New Year’s Eve with a firework finale.
Enchant’s Christmas market will combine a variety of local vendors and artisans for holiday shopping, and guests will get a chance to browse speciality products from talented craftsmen/women, as well as enjoy delicious seasonal treats from 12 food trucks. There will also be a licensed eating area where of-age guests can enjoy a sip of their favorite holiday drink, including mulled wine, craft beers, buttered rum, eggnog, and much more.
Enchant will also feature a VIP lounge for private parties and holiday get-togethers. Guests can enjoy a private lounge with a beautiful atmosphere where they can relax, socialize and celebrate in style. The VIP Lounge includes an exclusive entrance into the light maze, a private bar, access to all of the food trucks, and customizable entertainment options.
Lastly, Enchant 2016 will debut a special new Christmas storybook written by local storyteller Leanne Johnston and illustrated by Sebastian S.C. The story follows the aftermath of a disastrous snowstorm that hits the North Pole the night before Christmas. Children around the world are asked to explore the enchanted light fields of the North and search for the missing reindeer in an attempt to help Santa and save the world’s biggest holiday.
Guests will be able to bring home this beautifully illustrated storybook as a souvenir of this unforgettable event. It’ll be available for purchase at the exit of the light maze or can be pre-ordered with tickets.
You can find more information here:
facebook.com/enchantchristmas
instagram.com/enchantchristmas
twitter.com/enchantxmas
http://enchantchristmas.com/
Event Details:
When: November 25th, 2016 to New Year’s Eve
Where: 1st and Crowe Street, between the Cambie Street Bridge and Olympic Village
Time: 4pm-10pm each day
Ticket Information: http://enchantchristmas.com/ticket-info/
And here’s the info about the giveaway!
Thanks to Enchant, I am giving away two pairs of tickets to the Enchant Premiere on November 24. These tickets are good for adult admission. Kids under 16 are free for the premiere (under 6 are free on regular event days). Giveaway closes November 13, 2016 12:00 AM PST. This contest is open to residents of the Greater Vancouver Area and Sea to Sky Corridor only! Winners announced November 15th, 2016.
Enter via the link here.
Weekend Trip from Vancouver: Victoria, BC
One of the best things about living in Vancouver is how many places there are to explore that can be done within a day or weekend trip. One of my favourite places is Victoria. Recently, my parents came up for a visit and we met in Victoria. I flew via seaplane from the South YVR seaplane terminal on Harbour Air, and they came across on the M/V Coho from Port Angeles in Washington state.
Our first stop was the world-famous Butchart Gardens. They have nearly a million visitors per year and it’s easy to see why, the gardens are impeccable and absolutely stunning. We spent a few hours here and enjoyed a picnic on the grounds.
On our way back to Victoria, we stopped at Sea Cider for cider tasting on their outside deck.
We stopped to drop off our things at the hotel: the Coast Victoria Harbourside Hotel & Marina. We were given a great room with a balcony overlooking the marina. After a quick break and a swim in the pool, we decided to head down towards Fisherman’s Wharf to check out the dinner options, as well as visit the houseboat community. There is a resident harbour seal community and you can purchase fresh fish to feed them. We had fish & chips (gluten free for my sis!), wandered around a bit, and headed back to the hotel for an early night.
The next day we had already decided to try The Blue Fox Cafe for breakfast. There was a bit of a wait, but was well worth it. We had booked afternoon tea at the Fairmont later in the day, so we spent the midday going around downtown Victoria, visiting various shops etc.
And soon it was time for afternoon tea at the Fairmont Empress! It was so yummy!!
Here is a photo of the view from our hotel balcony of the marina as the sun was setting – what a great Saturday!
On Sunday morning, we went off to explore Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site, and the Fisgard Lighthouse. This was the first lighthouse built on the west coast of Canada, back in 1860. You can explore the fort which includes gun batteries, guardhouses, barracks etc. This area is also a great birdwatching spot.
After lunch at the Four Mile House, we went around Beacon Hill Park before the trip back home. As always, the weekend was too short, but we did a lot and had a wonderful time.
*All photos are the property of Charlotte Moore, unless stated otherwise, and may not be used without written consent
Iceland – Reykjavik City Tour
Through Reykjavik Excursions, we booked a half day city tour to explore some areas of Reykjavik. First stop was Hallgrímskirkja, a Lutheran church which is 73 meters high and the largest church in Iceland.
We then stopped at the Grotta lighthouse, where there is an old shack that was used for fermenting shark.
Our next stop was the Nauthólsvík Geothermal Beach – a popular spot with the locals.
Then we stopped by the Perlan which is a landmark building in Reykjavik. It sits on a hill overlooking the city. The building has been added on top of hot water storage tanks. It has a viewing platform which goes around the entire building for 360 degree views.
We made a quick stop at Höfði House which is where Gorbachev and Reagan met in 1986 and ultimately their meeting ended the Cold War.
And, of course, we had to stop to see the iconic Sun Voyager! The sculpture was created for the 200th anniversary of the city of Reykjavik.
Finally, our last stop was the Harpa Concert Hall.
*All photos are the property of Charlotte Moore, unless stated otherwise, and may not be used without written consent.
Iceland – Northern Lights!
On the long drive back from the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon to Reykjavik, our bus driver and guide suddenly said that we were going to make an unscheduled stop as the Northern Lights were out. We couldn’t believe our luck!!
Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera tripod, but I was able to get some photos 🙂
*All photos are the property of Charlotte Moore, unless stated otherwise, and may not be used without written consent.
Iceland – South Coast and Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon
Another day trip from Reykjavik that we planned was the South Coast and Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. For this trip, we went with Gray Line Iceland, which was also extremely organised, just like Reykjavik Excursions.
Along the way, we stopped at two iconic waterfalls: Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss waterfalls.
About halfway to Jökulsárlón, we passed the Vatnajökull Glacier which is at Skaftafell National Park. Vatnajökull is the largest glacier in Iceland. And then finally, we made it to Jökulsárlón! The skies even cleared for our arrival 🙂 We had plenty of time to view the ice, and were also treated to an amphibious boat ride in the lagoon. I took way too many photos, but here are some of the best ones!
*All photos are the property of Charlotte Moore, unless stated otherwise, and may not be used without written consent.
Iceland – The Golden Circle
The Golden Circle is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Iceland. It consists of 3 major sites, all within a day trip from Reykjavik.
For this trip, we didn’t rent a car so we booked this tour with Reykjavik Excursions. Reykjavik Excursions is a well-oiled machine, with hotel pick-up to the main bus terminal working extremely smoothly, as well as hotel drop-off at the end.
Before we headed off to the main 3 attractions, we were treated to a bonus stop, a visit to the Fridheimer Geothermal Greenhouse.
Tomatoes can be grown year-round thanks to the geothermal heating. You can purchase various products here, as well as enjoy some tomato soup with freshly baked bread.
After this, we headed off to Geysir geothermal area. Here, the Stokkur geyser shoots up water 30 meters into the air at regular intervals. There are many smaller geysers and mud pits to view in the area as well.
Our next stop was the Gullfoss waterfall, which is considered to be Iceland’s most famous waterfall. Gullfoss translates to golden falls.
The final stop is Thingvellir National Park, a UNESCO world heritage site. This National Park is where the American and Eurasian tectonic plates are pulling apart at a rate of a few centimetres per year. Our bus dropped us off a short distance from the main visitor’s center and we walked along the fault line trail to the top.
*All photos are the property of Charlotte Moore, unless stated otherwise, and may not be used without written consent.
Day Trip From Seattle: Vashon Sheepdog Classic
The Vashon Sheepdog Classic in 2015 took place on September 10th to 13th at Misty Isle Farms on Vashon Island, WA. The competition happened Friday through Sunday, with Thursday being novice day. Each handler and their dog has the same course to complete with 5 sheep. They are allotted a certain amount of time to compete the course and are given a total amount of points to start off with. If sections of the course aren’t completed, then points are deducted accordingly. In addition, there was a Fiber Arts area set up with demonstrations and instruction about the various uses of wool.
Here are some photos of this fun day-long event!
Other tips: Bring cash! Bring a blanket or lawn chair and sunscreen!
More Information –
http://www.vashonsheepdogclassic.com/
In 2015, admission price was $8/person. There was a shuttle bus from the ferry terminal for $2 each way. I would highly recommend this over driving to Misty Isle Farms and trying to park.
Stay tuned to the website for information about the 2016 Vashon Sheepdog Classic!
*All photos are the property of Charlotte Moore, unless stated otherwise, and may not be used without written consent.
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