Italy December 2010

I was lucky enough to go to Rome and Florence in early December. I went on a "Fam" trip with a group of travel agents and a couple guides, and it was awesome! We arrived separately in Rome, and were whisked away to our hotel in Rome - The Mediterraneo. It was a beautiful hotel, art decco style, and their service was wonderful. After a 30 plus hour flight they made me feel relaxed right away. They whisked me to their rooftop restaurant where I had Turbo with artichokes - delicious!

This is a picture of the Vatican Museum. I love how the ceiling looks like it is glowing. It was pretty cold during our stay, but the sun was out that day and it was streaming in the windows of the museum to create this affect. Gorgeous.

I did see the Sistine Chapel, which was spectacular, but obviously no pictures. This museum deserves hours of your time.

St Peter's in the afternoon. Apparently the square is never this empty, so we counted ourselves lucky. It is massive. The basilica is gigantic. There are markers on the floor where the Notre Dame would fit into it, and there is still tons of room left over. It is a gorgeous structure.

This is Michelangelo's roof at the Pantheon. Talk about gorgeous... apparently he pour the cement all in one go? I am not sure of the details, but I did hear that he was not responsible for the square effect, but the structure.

Me in Florence. I am getting pretty good at taking pictures of myself! I am in front of the Duomo, and in front of me are the Golden Doors. When I arrived in Florence I knew I was in Europe. I don't know if that statement does it justice, but it felt like the Europe of my imaginings. Cobblestones juxtaposed with trendy shops... even the storm drains are artistic in Florence.

I know I am jumping around in my trip, and I apologize. Here are the Roman Baths, and in front of them is the grounds where the Chariot Races used to take place.

This is the Roman Forum, and the pictures cannot do it justice. When i first caught a glimpse of the Forum i was overwhelmed... you get an acute sense of life from that time.... This picture does not show it, but when you stand overlooking the Forum from the back of the Capital you can see the Coliseum in the distance, so the entire way is right in front of you. The stage, the stalls for markets and crafts, the church... and in the background the sporting arena. These people lived and died here, and had many of the same hopes, dreams, and fears as us.

That's some of my trip. I apologize for my lack of photography skills... but i can assure you that i will go back!

View of the front of the Hotel Mediterraneo.

Yosemite May 2010

Yosemite - May 2010. Our first trip - yeah, i know, that is awful considering we are born Californians, but hey, better late than never! And we will definitely be going back. We tent camped in the Lower Pines Campground, and maybe next time we'll get a tent cabin.

It really did snow on us! This is a picture at the begining of the snow when the clouds started rushing in. I caught snow on my tongue and everything. It was bone chilling cold and beautiful.
The river was amazing! I felt energetic just walking near. It was so forceful that we felt the spray all along the trail, and the sound was awesome.
Bundled up at our cold campsite! It was perfect weather for campfires and coffee.
The scenery is amazing. There is something about Yosemite that makes you feel like you can really breathe.
Michael in the bear locker. Isn't he adorable? :) We saw one baby bear while we were there, and thankfully we were far from it.

Half Moon Bay and Pigeon Point Lighthouse November 2010

The light house as pictured in my sunglasses! Michael got all artsy, and i think it looks really cool.
It was a beautiful day - chilly, but not too much. have you ever gone to see Pigeon Point Lighthouse? It is a beautiful scene. There is actually a hostel there, so if you are looking for an inexpensive non camping option for the area that is a good bet.

Half Moon Bay - November 2010

Puerto Vallarta - September 2009

It is a bit late, I know, but I finally have pictures from the Puerto Vallarta trip that my husband, Michael, and I took for our second anniversary. It was hot, humid, and wonderful! We stayed at Dreams Villamagna in Nuevo Vallarta, but easily took a cheap bus ride to down town.

A view from our room - amazing! There were many pools that kind of linked together. The "adults only" pool started right below our room, and then there was an infinity pool tucked against the beach. It was a great place to hang out when the sun was going down.

Michael relaxing at the beach side palapa covered bar with swings.

One of the many statues that adorn the malecon (boardwalk) in Puerto Vallarta.

Our room - very modern, very nice. We found it comfortable and relaxing. There was also a nice couch with a chaise lounge. The patio had a hot tub, and yes, that is a tub in the room!

We ate breakfast in the room every morning! It was so tasty and the service was great.


The beach... we basically ran to it right after we checked in.



This is a shot of the hotel from the beach. It is a modern hotel, and relatively new. The beach was soft and the sand was warm.

There was this great restaurant called Pipis a few blocks from the beach - tucked away - and it was incredible! The food was amazing, and OHHH the margaritas! The owner kept coming by and asking if we wanted refills. Yes please! The food, the drinks, the live music - a can't miss!

Terri's Trip to Jamaica

The Pier at the gorgeous Sandals Whitehouse

This is a picture of the gardens at the resort. They were all very well maintained and fun to wander around.

Picture of a private sunset dinner. You pay a minimal charge to have a private dinner with a private butler/food server, and you get to sit on a small table on the beach. It would be amazing for a honeymoon or anniversary!!! How romantic.

During our stay in June it rained during the afternoon every day. This is a picture of the pool at Whitehouse with the clouds. The first afternoon when we arrived it rained so hard, and the front desk just told us to relax and enjoy ourselves until the rain passed. Jamaica time. Chill out and wait and relax! Eventually they took us to our room with umbrellas so our bags wouldn't get wet.

Okay, what do i even need to say about this? Perfection. Relaxation. There was never a problem getting a beach chair.

Northern California

Ocean Side - Occidental/Monte Rio/Salmon River

Michael and I visited a friend who lives in Monte Rio and this is a picture we took of the ocean in that area. A friend told us that the reddish ground covering you see right in front of the water is not native to the area, and has been quite a problem because it just grows and grows and grows... It was a struggle to comprehend because it is really beautiful... The colors of the so-called icicles are vivid and amazing against the golds, greens, and blues of Northern California.

Ahh, the city by the bay! This picture makes me want to meander up all those hills... and you will probably need to after all the food in the city. Great food, great people, great pubs...