Hallgrímskirkja: The Volcano Church in Iceland

This church has the bragging rights of being the biggest church in the country of Iceland. It is really large. It's actually one of the tallest buildings in the city. You can take an elevator to the tower up to the top, I left this for you dear reader.


The inside of the church had an amazing system of pipe organs, which I can only imagine sound heavenly during a service. There is a giant statue of Jesus and beautiful candles everywhere. The ceilings where the highest ceilings I've ever seen in my life. The windows went all the way up to the top and they were gorgeous.

Everything in the building was amazing. It was definitely worth the trip to see it. Here are some pictures. We did not go up in the tower, but there was a way to go up to the top.

Reykjavik, Iceland

My husband and I decided to plan a last minute trip to Iceland. Yes, you read that right, a random trip to Iceland. We are really lucky to be able to do this and I am so grateful we can travel this much.

Reykjavik is the capital. It's a busy little northern city on an island filled with volcanoes, waterfalls, hot springs, and rainbows. There is beautiful artwork, crazy graffiti, and museums like you will find no where in the world. Just taking a walk around this beautiful place will take your breath away. There are mountains in the distance and they are lovely snow capped giants overlooking the city blending in with the clouds.  Reykjavik's architecture is like nothing I've ever seen, it's as abstract as the landscape which surrounds it.

Many things in Reykjavik are very easily accessible by walking. There are also cab drivers everywhere if you really don't feel like walking, but they are expensive. If you are going to Iceland to see the northern lights, the city is not the place to see them generally. There are too many lights and it's better to go somewhere completely dark. We didn't actually see the northern lights until the plane ride home, they were amazing and they really do seem to dance all over the sky.



I have to be honest at this point. The food was not my favorite. I could hardly eat it. In fact at one point we tried the fast food, my hot dog had an unusual sauce on it. I had a peanut butter hamburger, it was pretty good, and definitely worth a try, but it was spicy.  Everything they do in Icelandic cuisine seemed to be very fancy (even the hamburgers) and I do not have the pallet for it.  I'm not really a fancy food eater (Foodie) but if you are- this place is heaven for you. My husband seemed to enjoy everything and he's a chef. I wanted to try eating whale, but I was honestly afraid of what seasonings it would have. There were spicy nuts that I ate a lot of, but I shouldn't have because it gave me heartburn. They were delicious and I regret nothing.





The city itself is extremely delightful. They have museums, indoor flea markets, casinos, and lots and lots of places to shop. I went to a vintage dress store and bought the cutest dress and pettie coat. The clothing everywhere was amazing and good quality.  The shopping could literally last hours. I had a lot of fun walking up and down the street and looking in all the shops. There was glassware, artwork, clothing, jewelry, shoes, anything and everything you could possibly want within a few city blocks.

There were also little places to take pictures along the way. The streets were slightly slanted because there is a lot of little hills. The sidewalks are mostly made of cobble stones and some are loose so you have to be a little bit careful with walking.





There is street graffiti and art murals. The people are really what makes a city and the people in Iceland are wonderful. I couldn't believe how friendly everyone was, they all wanted to help however they could and they were really, really nice. We got lost on the way to the airport and people were extremely helpful. I loved Iceland and recommend this as a must see travel destination, just make sure you understand how to get to the airport if you want to go home.

The name of this store is hilarious

The Theater

Blue Lagoon, Iceland

In Iceland we went to a place called "The Blue Lagoon". It was amazing. The water is a beautiful blue color and it's like a giant hot tub fed by natural geothermal hot springs.  The location is between Reyjkavik and the airport.  We rented a car and drove to it and we could see it far away because of all the steam coming off of the water.

When we arrived the entrance was a little confusing. There was a building where I think people hold their luggage. Then, there was a path surrounded by lava rocks. It looked like it was just cut through the rocks. Once we reached the building to check in, we saw some of the water. It is truly glorious. I've never seen anything like it and turquoise is the closest color by which I can describe it.

After we checked in, because we had made reservations in advance, we were led to the dressing rooms to change into swim suits. The dressing rooms are not very private. You have to change and shower before entering the water. The water has a lot of silica in it, so before you get in you have to put conditioner in your hair. If you don't, your hair will be unmanageable. I put it in mine and I think it helped, but my hair was still crazy the next day. My husband on the other hand, his hair was really soft.

In the lagoon there were places to get a silica mud mask and there was a place to get drinks. I had a blue raspberry slushie and Randy tried their beer.  The mud mask was incredible. It felt really good.

The pools were very relaxing and honestly, I think it's good for your health. I felt like I had a lot more energy and I slept like a baby when we got back to the hotel.

They had amazing oils, shampoos, and conditioner in the dressing rooms and they smelled great. After getting out and re-showering I used the moisturizer they provided and it was wonderful. The "gift shop" on the way out was full of all these beauty products. I bought some lip balm and a face mask and then we left. It was a wonderful experience and I highly recommend it.

Here is where we went:

https://www.bluelagoon.com/day-visit/the-blue-lagoon?gclid=CjwKCAjwmJbeBRBCEiwAAY4VVRnBNq9oYRgOrmM53Lz25DuT4V1v-WFzAgJrSsiKeksrkguRsDRE_BoCB_cQAvD_BwE

Retro Boat Rentals: Saugatuck, Michigan

My husband knows some pretty cool people. One of those people is Lauren Stanton. She used to be a news reporter but now she is part of a really cool business. Retro Boat Rentals in Saugatuck. You can rent a really cool "Retro Boat" and drive it up and down the Channel in Saugatuck.  (I attached a map from Google Maps and marked the location of the Rental place)


The Kalamazoo River Saugatuck goes to Lake Kalamazoo and the other way it goes into a cove where it's good to swim. This cove also has an outlet into Lake Michigan, you do not want to take a retro boat out there,  it's not a good idea. Lake Michigan is huge (Like a mini sea) The boats only go between 4 and 6 miles an hour. It is comparable to driving a golf cart on the water (the pamphlet actually says "As easy to drive as a golf cart"). The boats are old fiberglass boats from the 50's that have been rebuilt with a electric engine that runs on batteries.  You can only take them 4 miles an hour in the channel because it's a no wake zone. For those of you not familiar with boats it means "Don't make big waves" Basically keep it slow and steady because the channel is full of other people on boats.

Retro Rentals has a wide variety of retro boats to rent. You can take them out for 1 1/2  or 3 hours. It takes about 1/2 hour to get to the cove, where you can anchor your boat and take a swim. We brought sandwiches and bought water from Retro Rental. They supply a cooler and a blue tooth speaker for your vessel. They also have a liquor license, so you can purchase beer or wine to take with you.  (Don't drink and drive the boat please) The boats come equip with a fire extinguisher and life vests. (Safety first)

The selection of boats is great. They had this amazing purple one, I'm still kicking myself for not getting a picture of it. It was so cute. When we first took Ruby out (the boat has a name, I think all the boats have names), we wandered down the channel, looking for the cove. It wasn't hard to find. Navigating through the water was easy, stay to the right, just like driving a car, but the steering wheel is on the other side. The boat is electric, so it has a little electric key with a lever. The lever goes forward, the boat goes forward, the lever goes backward, the boat goes backward. The middle is obviously neutral.  It's amazingly easy. It reminded me of when you drive those cars on a track at amusement parks. Only there is no track to stay on you just have to stay on the right side of the buoys. 

Getting in and out of the boat isn't that hard, they give you a ladder to hang off over the side. It's much easier to get on and off the doughnut boat. The retro rentals also offer doughnut boats. They are round, you can have 8-10 people fit on them. It's more like a pontoon.  It's super important to wear sunscreen on the water. The Doughnut boats have an umbrella, but the Retro Boats do not.  I usually wear sunscreen, (I'm naturally a blonde and I burn quickly) but I did not. I got a killer sunburn and I regret not wearing it. Thankfully I wore a hat and did not burn my face.

It is very nice to take any of these boats out for a couple of hours, pack a picnic lunch, and park it by the beach in the cove. Just remember your sunscreen.....

This is where we went:
  https://www.facebook.com/RetroBoatRentals/

Sint Maarten: Airport Beach

 We have stopped at the island of Sint Maarten/Saint Martin, which is one island,  both French and Dutch. The Dutch side is Sint Maarten and the French side is Saint Martin. This time when we stopped on the island we did more than a sea sick inducing catamaran ride (the last time we came here that is what happened), we went to the airport beach. This beach is not famous for being a relaxing area to swim and play.  It is in front of an airport. Planes land and take off all the time. The bar in front of the beach has a sign with all the take off and landing times of planes and what airlines are flying them.

The airport has two fences because people were constantly holding on to one fence, getting blown away and standing way to close.  There are signs every where warning people about the jet fumes, the heat, and the fact they are taking a major risk standing that close. My husband still decided to stand in the road next to one of the fences proving he's a daredevil.

This island is worth a stop for more than just the airport beach. We went to a different beach to go snorkeling and I found a ton of green sea glass. The resorts looked amazing. They are still recovering from last year's hurricane and it wasn't hard to see how badly they got hit in some places.  They are still in recovery mode. We didn't go to the French side this stop, but many people told us the French side was a lot worse.


In summation: There is a lot to do. Great snorkeling. Great beaches.  Great drinks. Great everything.  If none of that does anything for you the French side has nude beaches and the Dutch side has brothels, so choose your own adventure.

Attached are links with more info about the island and a youtube video we took of a plane landing near the beach.

YouTube video:  
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iUlb4lKJl4

Additional Information:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Martin

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g3160017-d539433-Reviews-Maho_Beach-Maho_Sint_Maarten_St_Martin_St_Maarten.html

Friends Book sale: Algonquin Public Library

You may or may not know this, but pubic Libraries have these amazing book sales every once in a while. There is even a book sale finder online to find these book sales.  Volunteers and donors of local libraries are called "Friends". I've been to a couple in my area and there can be some amazing books. They are usually only a dollar and sometimes you can find rare ones. I decided to go to a book sale 4 hours from my home. That is not a typo: 4 hours. The book sale finder said it was "Exceptional". It was the only one which said exceptional, so I wanted to see what "exceptional" means.  The town was Algonquin, a suburb of Chicago. I didn't want to go alone so I asked my sister if she would go and she agreed. Trips are always better when someone fun comes along.

The special thing about this suburb was the small town feel. It was quaint and quite. It did not look like a place which would have a gigantic book sale. This sale was very different than the others to which I've been. Unlike other book sales they had a special buyers night. This means for a $10 admission you can shop the books the night before the sale starts.  The basement of the library is where all the books are kept. Upon entering and paying the $10 fee you are given a pink piece of paper with a number on it and a list of where all the books are held and what sections they are located. When the sale opened and people started walking down the stairs we entered the basement and some of the people flocked straight to a center book shelf like it was a Black Friday sale.  There were several shelves and also some special books which were old or signed. These were the ones I liked looking through. I love their smell. Some were so old.

My main question before the event was, "What kind of people show up this early for a book sale?" I found out. There were people who hand finger scanners connected to their phones and they looked like auditors. They basically scanned as many books as they could and determined the value to buy the books. I've never seen anything like this in my life. One lady even seem to pick a fight with a guy who was looking at books she was scanning. "Get out of my personal space" she screamed. (Using expletives I won't use here).  Most everyone was nice. The staff was exceptional. They knew what to do. They held customers items up front so they could keep shopping. They helped people with large boxes (Me) to their car (if you are reading this, thank you Rishi).

I spent $52. I got a ridiculous amount of books. I know I don't need them. I know the world and any information I need to know is at my fingertips with the internet on my phone, but I love having them. I love actually reading them. A giant books of pictures and descriptions of Russia and Ireland, or Nancy Reagan's autobiography, and even a couple of mysteries from writers I've never heard of, now grace the shelves of my personal library. I also know when I tire of them I will donate them to the next big book sale and the cycle will begin again.  Until then I will keep exploring libraries and library book sales, possibly avoiding ones that allow people with scanning devices.

Wonderland: Fine dining on Royal Caribbean

 Royal Caribbean has a really great fine dining restaurant, Wonderland. The theme is Alice in Wonderland. It was really incredible. Everything in it was really unusual.  First when you enter you are given a menu, but the menu doesn't have anything on it. It's a picture frame with a white background. You are given a paint brush and some water then you brush the frame to reveal the menu. The menu is based on wind, ice, fire, earth and dreams. It's a really fascinating menu too, because you don't pick anything. You try a little bit of everything. Like Tapas. They bring each dish to the table and the table shares it.

Each creation brought to the table was not only delicious but unusual. One looked like vegetables in dirt, but it was really crumbled up pumpernickel bread. Some food arrived on the table in test tubes, some with smoke under glass, and one even arrived with potatoes colored like stones.

Some of these foods did not taste the greatest. I have to be honest. There was one of these, it was tomato water, the one in the test tube. I was not crazy about it, but everything else was spectacular. I will put the rest of the pictures on this blog, they aren't that great, they are cell phone pictures, so please don't judge. However, our waiter, Peter, he was great. Here is a Youtube video of him describing the desserts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77jU-9Ne9Ek

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVPW30nuDkA

Bermuda

One of our stops on Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas was in Bermuda. This beautiful place has amazing beaches. They are pink or pinkish in hue. The beaches have sand from pieces of coral or something. I'm not exactly sure about the scientific reason these beaches are pink.  We went to a place called Horse Shoe Bay. It was a lovely place with a cliff we were not supposed to climb, but like they say, "everyone was doing it".

The beaches were slightly pink and they looked more pink the higher I got on the cliff. During different times of day or night the shade varies. Like I said, I don't know why, but I do know when I looked at it close up it had lots and lots of little pink specks in it. It really was a beautiful close up and the way the water brought it in and out it looked like stripes. The pink sand kind of stuck together.

Getting a taxi wasn't difficult from the ship, there were lots of them and it was only about $7 a person to go to and from the beach. Transportation was clear and there were schedules for buses and taxis all clearly marked if you want to find your own way around the island.

When we were done with the beach we cruised through the shops near the ship. Unlike most places we shop in the Caribbean the prices were mostly fixed and no one was trying to pressure sales or barter prices. I did buy a pair of lab created Alexandrite and they change color in the most dramatic way. They can be green or pink depending on the light. I love them and they were not super expensive either ($127). I thought I needed a little treat after all the illegal climbing we did that day.

Dragon's Breath Zipline: Labadee, Haiti

Royal Caribbean has a fantastic private island in Haiti. It's called Labadee and it has the most amazing zip line. The zip line is named, Dragon's Breath and it's very long. It goes over the water and over the jungle. It starts off on the side of a very large hill, (maybe mountain) and you cruise over green jungle and then on amazingly clear, blue water. The stopping can be a bit harsh if you don't follow the instructions. This zip line is so long and because of Royal Caribbean's commitment to safety you have to do a practice zip line before going on the real thing.  It's small and it was fun practice!

There are tons of other things to do on the island if zip lines are not your thing, you can swim, snorkel, they have cabanas and some inflatable place with stuff to jump on (We did not do that). There is trolleys to bus people around if you don't want to walk in between beaches.

If none of those things appeal to you, you can do what my husband did and absorb the Haitian culture by watching the local dancers, or as he did, participate.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=apdW14LpfMY




They do allow you to use a Go Pro on the zip line, so I have video from me and my mother-in-law (she has done this zip line twice, by the way...)  Follow the instructions and you will have an amazing time!


See the video here:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0PuYOv-nLQ




Visit Royal Caribbean for details on cruising!

London Eye

One thing that was fun last time I went to London was the London Eye. It's a giant Ferris wheel next to the Houses of Parliament. Some people say it's kind of an EYE Sore, because it is pretty huge and gaudy next to old buildings. I'm here to tell you though, it's a really great view.

I haven't been in London in a couple of years, so this blog is a little dated. I will check on the prices and verify the times, but other than that, I don't know how much has changed since the pictures were taken. It seems like London is always changing. There is always construction and every movie, TV show, or picture I've seen has constant change. 


My husband would not go up in it with me. As usual he stayed on the ground where he likes to be and missed out on an amazing aerial view of London.  I was also lucky enough to go up at Sunset so it was wonderful watching it go from dark to light.

The entire trip around takes about 30 minutes. It's not scary, unless you are afraid of heights, then I'm sure it's frightening. So, if you are scared of heights, don't go up.  The cars are glass and this makes the view even better. They put a lot of people in the cars, but there still seems to be enough room to move around.

It's $35 a person to take the ride. I remember having to wait in a line, so after you buy the ticket there is no assigned time. It's like a carnival ride where you stand in line. Then you get herded in with a bunch of other people. It's very touristy, but it's a lot of fun and if you're not scared of heights I highly recommend it. 

Hancock Building in Chicago

One Sunday morning while staying in Chicago I decided to visit the Hancock building. I'm pretty confident who ever is reading this probably saw it on Facebook. It's pretty well known for it's ride, TILT. This is a window in which you stand and it tilts out. Growing up living within a couple of hours of Chicago we would visit and go to Sears Tower, now known as Willis Tower. At the top of the building one of my friends (Or boyfriend, I can't remember) showed me that if you lean with your face against the glass you can feel the building move. I always liked that feeling. So I thought the TILT would be similar.

I got there early, around 8:15- the place actually opens at 9am everyday-but there was already a line. It may have been because it was a weekend, but I was so glad I got there early.

After I bought my $21 ticket for the 360 degree view (which only is just going up the elevator and walking around- you must buy the TILT ticket up at the top) I walked through several rooms meant to hold lines and saw all the informational videos and posted signs. There was a photographer with a green screen and then the Elevator.  The elevator had a cheesy ad for travel in Chicago and took about 2 minutes. Once on the top floor I quickly bought my $7 TILT ticket and went over to the area. I figured I would be able to see the views afterward. I was told the ride didn't start until 10am. No one told me this in advance. I walked around a little, looked out at the gorgeous lake Michigan beach below, which was covered in snow, and realized this was a much better view than the Sears Tower. Also, unlike the more famous Sears Tower, there were lots of places to sit. They have benches installed and it's a great place to sit and look at the skyline.  I made my way back to stand in line for half an hour because people were beginning to show up. Very quickly there was a very long line behind me.

When the ride opened there were 8 spots, I was in the first group for the day. There is no pictures allowed to be taken in that area, a photographer shows up to take your picture again so they can try sell it to you in the end. They play some very loud music, this masks the sound of the hydraulics of the ride, and it's kind of like doing a push up. You have to hold yourself up with these bars. It lasts about two minutes. It wasn't really scary or exciting. It was just kind of like a tip outward, then back. The next day I felt like I had done a bunch of push ups, so it's a good work out.

This is the TILT ride

The Hancock Tower is only one of many exciting places to see in Chicago, but the view is unbeatable.