The above photo is of myself and my friend Lori of 25 years and the biggest reason I wanted to visit this Hawaiian island.  We both definitely have the wind blown look in this photo!  She was a wonderful tour guide and I was able to see and learn so much more of the island having a friend who lives there.

While visiting Oahu, Hawaii I stayed in the Ko Olina area at the Marriott Beach Club, but did spend a day exploring the north part of the island which is known for its beaches and great waves for surfing.  The north part of the island is a great place to get away from the city and the crowds.  I don't know a lot about the northern area of the island, but it's very picturesque so I thought I would share a few photos,

I visited the Aloha Tower on my way back and had dinner at a great place overlooking the water I love staying in Ko Olina but might consider staying on the north side of the island the next time I visit.  It reminded me of Kauai which is my personal favorite island in Hawaii and the northern part of Maui.

Below you can see a popular beach called "Eternity Beach" that requires one climb down quite a distance.  Unfortunately I wasn't dressed for the walk down.  I am tentatively planning a trip back to Oahu in 2016 and want to swim at this beach when I do!

Although there are many beautiful beaches on the northern part of Oahu, the water does get really rough and the tide is very strong so therefore is not recommended in many areas even for the best of swimmers and surfers. 

As you can see this area of the island is quite peaceful and definitely away from the busy city area of Honolulu


I didn't see any surfers, hike Diamond Head, or any of the other lovely areas on the Northern part of the island.  Those things will go in my bucket list for my next trip!


I visited the Dole Pineapple Plantation which has a great tour of the grounds and the cost is for adults: $8:50 children: (4-12): $6.50 and children under 4 are free.  They have a fantastic gift shop and restaurant.  I bought all of my souvenirs there.  I saw these fantastic su rays as I was leaving the plantation:
Here is a giant pineapple sculpture at the Dole Pineapple Plantation:
This cool sign is in the plantation's garden:

When you travel to the same area do you like to stay in a hotel which is tried and true or do you like to stay somewhere new?   If you think I should stay on the northern section of the island, do you have any suggestions?

Thank you very much for visiting I would love to hear any stories you have about your adventures in Hawaii or which islands you have been tempted to visit.   Have a great week!

~Michelle 

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I really want to give a nice review to a wonderful hotel I stayed at in Lake Garda.  this hotel is in the area of Sirmione and is called the Hotel Olivi Thermae and Natural Spa.  The views from the rooms were spectacular of the lake and I could see the Scaliger Castle  as well. 

Some of the best things about this hotel where the people who worked.  The employee who worked at the reception desk helped me book my trip to Isola del Garda.  The employees went out of their way to make sure I  was having a good time and was comfortable.  They brought me champagne on my first day as a welcoming gift.  I regret that I didn't take a photo of their presentation on a silver platter.  I decided to not accept as I rarely drink and wanted someone else to enjoy the nice gift. 

The breakfast buffet was spectacular and on Sunday morning they had a piano player who played so beautifully that it brought tears to my eyes.  I would recommend this hotel to anyone visiting Lake Garda.  I will share some photos of this beautiful hotel.  As you can tell from the name there is a spa which I did not use but many other customers said it was spectacular. 

Thank you Hotel Olivi Thermae and Natural Spa for a wonderful stay and vacation!

Here is a view from my balcony at dusk:

There were many beautiful and healthy looking fruit trees growing on the hotel grounds
There were mature grapes all over the premises!

There was a gorgeous outdoor dining area:

The view of the sunsets over the lake were spectacular:

Here are a couple of photos of yours truly.  I'm standing on my personal balcony.  As you can see the pool area is very spacious and attractive.  There is a restaurant that serves a full menu and drinks all day.
You could easily see Scaliger Castle from my balcony:

Here area few photos of the lovely town of Sirmione which is a just a few minutes walk from the hotel:

The spectacular Scaliger Castle was only a 10 minute walk away as well:

One night when I was eating at this hotel's restaurant I told the waiter I was thinking about ordering dessert.  I didn't have to order anything as they surprised me with this lovely array of delicious confections!

I will leave you with my personal favorite view from my balcony.  It is a photo of the ferry (that runs throughout the day) returning to Sirmione at sunset.

Thank you for visiting my blog.  Please feel free to leave any comments or questions.  Have a great week everyone!

~Michelle

I visited Italy for the second time in September 2015 I loved it the second time as much as I did the first time.  It really just made me want to visit a third time!  My first trip was to Florence, Venice, and Cinque Terre.  This last visit was to Lake Garda.  

To get to Lake Garda I flew into Verona and then went to my hotel in Sirmione.  I loved this little medieval town. I thought it was so charming and colorful with the flowers everywhere.  This was one of very few places that I have visited on my own that I felt safe going out at night alone. 

Lake Garda is very large and the only thing I would do differently visiting again, which I might do, is to spend time in other areas around the lake.  I will say that I am very happy to have stayed in Sirmione.  Everyone was very friendly and the food was excellent as always. I am also very happy to say that I didn't see any stray cats or dogs during my stay!

I was a little worried that visiting in September might be a little chilly, but it was actually quite warm during the day it was usually in the 80's (Fahrenheit).  At night it would get cool but not until very late.  There is a ferry that runs all around the lake which stops running at some point in October.  Otherwise I think October would be a fine time to visit Lake Garda as well.  

Wherever you walked in town the castle was usually in view:

I loved the colorful flowers and architecture:

 I found this pink villa when I walked off the beaten path that I thought was lovely!

There were grapes, lemons and lime growing all over as soon as you got out of the town:

 A garden I found not too far from the beach which is just a short walk from the town

 Here is the pathway beside the beach which makes for a nice walk:

I had heard that glass washes up on the shore of Lake Garda and I didn't believe it until I saw it for myself!

As with most areas of Italy there are gelato and pastry shops on every corner:

There were also many beautiful churches:
There were many fun shops and restaurants around town.  The prices were very reasonable!
The sunsets and sunrises were nice every night I was there as it only rained for a few hours during the ten days I was there:

Thank you so much for visiting.   Please feel free to leave any comments or questions as I value all of them.  Have a great week everyone.

~Michelle

Can you guess where I'm going this week?  I will be packing for some cooler temperatures than where I live in Southwest Florida.  I will be visiting family and friends and taking photos of course!  I've posted five photos as hints which I doubt will leave many of you guessing!

Here is my alma mater where I had way too much fun!
This mural is seen in the downtown area of the state's biggest city which isn't that big! 
I think this photo will be a definite giveaway!
I'm looking forward to some cooler weather!
Thanks so much for visiting.  I'd love to here your guesses below!  If you guessed have you visited this state in New England?

~Michelle

On my 12 day cruise from Tahiti to San Diego we stopped on the island of Nuku Hiva in the Marquesas Islands.  I think visiting the Marquesas Islands on a cruise is a good way to see them.  We were told on the cruise not to swim in the water because it's dark and that means there is a risk of sharks. The children seemed to be enjoying themselves playing in the water, but I have to say I was a little worried about them. 

The Marquesas Islands are incredibly beautiful, a good place to go for hiking, and like most islands in French Polynesia there is not a lot to do.  It is a good way to relax and get away from it all.  There are about 9,000 people on all these islands total.  Nuku Hiva is the most populous with ~2700 people.

As you can see from my photos, there was a storm brewing.  When the cruise ship sailed away that night, it was quite a rocky ride.  I felt intoxicated walking around and hadn't drank a drop of alcohol!

 






Thank you so much for stopping by.  I hope you are all having a wonderful week.  Take care my friends.

~Michelle