Here are my final photos of Las Vegas these photos were taken in the hotels Paris and Caesar's Palace.  I was amazed at the number of very very high-end shops in Caesar's Palace forum.  I enjoyed window shopping as it's rare to see Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Breitling and Chanel, Tiffany etc. all right next to each other. I found it really fun to take photos in all of the hotels I've visited in Las Vegas as there is so much detail.
   

 Well it's 2015 now and I hope you all have a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year. Here's to your New Year's resolutions lasting much longer than any troubles you have at least mine.  Take care my friends!

The ceiling at the Paris Hotel:

Thanks so much for visiting.  I would love to hear any comments or questions you have.  Happy New Year! 

~Michelle

The above photo is of the ceiling of the enrance to the Venetian hotel.  It is a replica of Michelangelo's ceiling in the Sistine Chapel in Rome, Italy.

The Venetian is probably my favorite hotel in Las Vegas.  There are so many wonderful hotels in Vegas including the Bellagio and Caesar's Palace.  Think I like the Venetian the most because I love Italy! 

I enjoyed strolling through the interior of the Venetian and watching the gondolas in the canals.  It reminds me of the time I sent in Italy.  I enjoy their mall as well and the big Christmas tree that changes colors during the Christmas season.  You can see the fire show or fake volano that shoots fire 100 feet into the air over at the Mirage from the balcony at the Venetian as well. 

I  find the Venetian to be much more reasonably priced and the Bellagio.  I don't think you can really go wrong with staying either of these gorgeous hotels.  They are very nearby each other and a hotel as grand as these in most other places especially in Europe would be A LOT more expensive!
The above photo is a restaurant I had dinner at one night
The above shows the "volcano" erupting at the Mirage

There are many cafes and gelato shops in his hotel as well




The above is a view of the strip in front of the Venetian
Here is the very large Christmas tree that changes color all night

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I will leave you with a short video of the very big Christmas tree changing colors at night.  Enjoy the rest of the holiday season my friends :)! 

~ Michelle

I've been, very, very busy moving over the past few weeks.  I would not recommend it to anyone.  I know it's a necessity in life, but lets just say I've had many more fun and less stressful times!

When I visited Park City Utah last year I wasn't really sure what to expect and quite frankly I thought I might be bored.  As soon as the plane landed I saw the beautiful mountains all around me and that is not a sight that I see frequently being a Floridian.  I suppose I felt "at home" having grown up in Vermont.

  I was brought to my resort at the Marriott Mountainside.  I just loved the resort as well as the little village that it is set up in.  Right behind the resort is where the Winter Olympians practice each winter and where the 2002 Winter Olympics were held.  Being late November, it was cold and the fireplace in my seventh floor unit made it seem so cozy. I had a great view of the beautiful saunas and pools that were heated below as well as the little fire pits to keep people warm during the freezing temperatures.  

I had hoped to see snow during my stay but I didn't really have high expectations because it still was a little early to be expecting a big snowstorm.  Many people in the area was really hoping for any amount of snow as opening day was happening that week and the area relies heavily on tourists and skiers.  A few days after my arrival and two days prior to opening day there was quite a big snowstorm that produced about a foot of snow!  I was on my way to see the Mormon Tabernacle choir perform practice and our driver decided to turn around because there were a lot of accidents and it was nearly white out conditions.  I would have liked to see the choir but it was nice watching the snowfall and it seem to make everybody happy back at the resort.  A bunch of us made s'mores over the fire outside when we returned. 

The air was full of good energy on opening day at the resort and around the little village.  All the shops were open and everyone was out and about enjoying themselves, sitting outside and or skiing.  It really was quite a celebration.

  I loved historic Main Street.  There were very pretty and nicely kept colorful buildings.  The shops were all very charming had quality products and items that were fairly priced.  There were some nice restaurants to dine at and the views were just spectacular in town.

There are only a handful of places I've visited that I think to myself, wow, it might be nice to live here.  Park city was definitely one of them.  Maybe I won't ever lived there, but I definitely want to go back and visit someday!

The following six photos are of the Marriott Mountainside resort and my view:

The following photos are of historic Main Sreet and the trolleys that are used as ublic transportation around Park City:




Opening Day and the snow storm:

You know that I couldn't resist photographing these guys!




Thank you so much for visiting.  Have you ever visited Salt Lake or Park City?  Now that I'm seeing photos of the first snowstorms around the country, I'd love to revisit. 

 Above is the Azure Window in Gozo - MUCH bigger than I imagined it would be!

Let me start this post by saying that in the future I am going to make an effort to write shorter and more frequent posts.  This is another post that I am writing from memory of my trip to Malta last summer.  I spent seven days on this beautiful Mediterranean island.  I visited a small nearby island named Gozo.   I also got a fish pedicure for the first time. I really enjoyed my time there.              

One of the things that inspired me to visit Malta was the architecture.  It has a very old European look to it.  The beaches are rocky, but beautiful and known for great snorkeling.  The island is known to  be very safe and the people are very friendly.  It is not a terribly expensive place to visit in comparison to some of the places I have visited in Europe, but I had just spent a week in Paris before my visit to Malta so that might have affected my perception!               

The nightlife in Malta looked to be very good!  It definitely is a place I would've enjoyed visiting when I was younger.  On my last day there I had to get up at 5 AM.  I walked across the street to get a cup of coffee and people were still out dancing and partying at the bars and restaurants.

Below is a photo of St. Julian's Bay on Malta:

Popay Village was stunning and I would love to see it again!

The roof top pool at the Intercontinental hotel where I stayed:
The following are photos of Valetta which I found especially beautiful!

Malta is part of anarchipelago that consists of three islands which are Malta, Gozo, and Comino.  The three islands have a total population of over 400,000 people. Malta is the largest island. 
Gozo is the second largest island and is more rural and is known for and subsists on fishing, tourism, crafts and agriculture.

Here are some typical beach scenes on Malta:

 My first "fish pedicure".  It doesn't hurt.  It just tickles and is not harmful to the fish.  You must wash your feet first.
The following are photos of my trip to Gozo.  It's only about an hour long ferry ride to get there:

Here I am with a girl named Nicole from Switzerland.  She was traveling alone as well.  We seemed to have a lot in common being really independent people.
Thank you so much for stopping by!  Have you ever visited Malta?  Please leave me any comments or questions.  Take care my friends!

~Michelle

 *Another post from memory only using a point and shoot camera.  I truly loved northern Maui so I wanted to write about it.  I would love to go back and fly into Hana.  The photo of me below is at a fruit stand in the "photo booth" on my way to Hana via the famous or some may say infamous Hana Highway.

I have been to Maui two times.  One time was for a whole month or close to it.  I was there for yoga training so I didn't have much time to see much on the island except the southern section in the Kihei area.  I have many friends who have visited Maui several times, and some that go every year. I am surprised at how many people only visit the south shore and never go to the state park.

I do understand why some people don't want to drive on the Hana Highway.  Although it is one of the most breathtaking rides I have ever been on, I can see the car rental companies don't want people driving on it.  There are many hairpin turns and you need to drive really slowly.  There are places where two cars can't fit through at once.   It is not a journey for the faint of heart or those who get carsick easily at all.  I highly recommend driving it ONLY in good weather and preferably during the daylight. 

If you do decide to drive the Hana Highway, I recommend allowing yourself plenty of time to see the beautiful sites safely.  I do have a friend who had to have a helicopter come pick her up because the road made her so sick.  I think that's rare, but if very curvy and hilly roads make you sick you might want to consider not driving all or most of the Hana Highway.

I would like to go back to Hana and fly into that airport so I can spend several days exploring that area.  I find the northern area of Maui very natural and untouched.  The flowers and trees grow so much bigger in this area.  I also enjoy the beaches which have larger waves.  There are less tourists and if you like nature than the northern part of Maui might be for you.  I do understand why some people want to go to the big-name hotels and lay on the beach.  Until I move to Florida, that's what I wanted to do when I needed a break from work.  It can also be less expensive to visit the northern shore of Maui.

Practicing Yoga at one of the many scenic spots along Hana Highway:
A storm approaching Paia Beach:
A rugged rocky beach area on Maui:
The "photo booth" at the fruit stand:
My friend and I having fun at the fruit stands "photo booth" in Hana:

You will see many beautiful waterfalls long the highway.  I wanted to stop and take photos of many, but that is not always possible on this road.  The road is very narrow in some spots and there isn't always a place to pull over for these scenic views:

Here is a photo showing how curvy the "Hana Highway" is:

The following photos are of Haleakalā National Park.  This is not a hard area to get to and does not take long to get there in a car.  It is about 10,000 feet above sea level so it's quite chilly.  I did not bring anything warm to wear as we and just been at the beach so I just threw everything on that I had in the car - which might be obvious :)
I felt like I'd landed on Mars!

Here are some photos taken from the restaurant we stopped at coming back from the park.  The views were stunning.  I don't remember the name of the restaurant, but there are so many good one on your way to Haleakalā National Park.:

We balanced our stay out with  few days at the Ritz Carlton on the west coast of Maui with a cute cottage in Haiku.  One of the benefits of staying in the northern section of Maui is the price of lodging.  Our cottage had wifi, a kitchen and was very comfortable.  We only paid about $80/night.  Many of the hotels in Southern Maui can be about ten times that amount.

The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua

Here is a photo of a view from our cottage window in northern Maui:

and with a storm coming...

Here is a photo of yous truly at Paia Beach.  I'm dressed inappropriately in a dress because we were supposed to be going out to dinner:

  Thank you so much for visiting.  Have you ever been to Northern Maui?  If so, I would love to hear about your experiences!  Take care and have a great week!

~Michelle