Category: Travel

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When Cruising Returns

When cruising starts back you will see some changes. No one is being specific but they are giving some idea of the things to expect. The cruise lines are working with health experts and elected officials to return using the best and safest path for passengers and crew. There will be a “new normal”.

Ships will likely not return with full capacity. There will be limited capacity so physical distancing will be possible. There will probably be floor markers for distancing as well as plexiglass barriers and spaced out seating. There will also be areas of the ship that will restrict the number of guests allowed in at a given time such as bars, restaurants and entertainment venues.

Embarkation and debarkation will be staggered to limit the number of guests in an area. Masks (with your mouth and nose covered) will likely be required in public spaces and in situations where physical distancing isn’t possible.

Health screenings will be more comprehensive and required before boarding. Temperature checks will be commonplace – upon boarding, upon returning from a shore excursion and probably occasionally at least the first few days onboard. Some lines may require negative COVID-19 test result prior to boarding as many tourist destinations are currently doing. Crew members will be tested routinely.

Some cruise lines will do away with the beloved buffet. Some will have the buffet but it will be served to guests by PPE equipped staff. Frequent hand washing is one of the easiest ways to help prevent spread of disease so there will be more hand washing stations and hand sanitizer dispensers throughout the ship.

Shore excursions will be set up differently and likely limited in what a guest can do in a port. One cruise line that is already cruising in Europe for example, requires guests to participate in only their shore excursions and are not allowing them to go off on their own. They mean it too – one family group went off on their own after leaving with the ship excursion and when they returned to the ship, they were not allowed to re-board and their luggage was packed and brought out to them.

Muster drills will probably be via an electronic device (I’m in favor of that!) with guests visiting their assigned assembly stations to confirm their participation. This will be set up in a way to avoid the mass gathering in the ship. But they will have ways of checking your participation so don’t think you can get out of it!

Cruising will be different when we get back to it, but it will still be a great way to travel and still have fun!!

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The Hotel del Coronado

The Hotel del Coronado or The Del or Hotel Del is a historic beachfront hotel in the city of Coronado just across the San Diego Bay from San Diego, California. It is one of the few surviving examples of a wooden Victorian beach resort. It is the second largest wooden structure in the US and is a California Historic Landmark as well as a National Historic Landmark. We have  been to this hotel. It is worth a visit even if you don’t stay there.

In 1885 it was dreamed of and 4,000 acres were purchased. The 399 room hotel opened for business in February, 1888 as the single largest resort in the world. The original grounds had many amenities, including an Olympic-sized salt water pool, tennis courts, and a yacht club with architecture resembling the hotel’s grand tower. A Japanese tea garden, an ostrich farm, billiards, bowling alleys, hunting expeditions, and deep sea fishing were some of the many features offered to its guests. Today there are 679 guest rooms as well as 78 ocean-view cottages and villas, a wellness spa, beauty salon, fitness center, multiple pools, shops, beautiful grounds and lots of recreational activities and water sports such as deep sea fishing available.

This hotel has always been popular with almost all the US presidents as well as many celebrities staying there. Douglas Fairbanks, Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable, Errol Flynn, Mae West, Joan Crawford, Katharine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Ginger Rogers, Marilyn Monroe, Kevin Costner, Jimmy Steward, Whoopi Goldberg, Keanu Reeves, Brad Pitt and Oprah Winfrey are among the stars who have stayed at the hotel.

The hotel has been featured in at least 12 films including “Some Like It Hot” with Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis, in “Wicked, Wicked”. “The Stunt Man” with Peter O’Toole, “My Blue Heaven” with Steve Martin and Rick Moranis, and “The Neuron Suite”

Frank Baum did much of his writing of “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” while staying here. Other authors have used the setting in their works. Some of the storylines of “Baywatch” season 4 evolve in and around the hotel. And there is even a US Postage Stamp honoring director Billy Wilder with images of Marilyn Monroe and the hotel from “Some Like It Hot”. The Hotel Del is famous for having the worlds’s first outdoor electrically lit Christmas tree in 1904.

There are reportedly several ghosts in residence at the hotel. Kate Morgan was staying there in 1892.  She told the staff she was waiting for her brother. She was found dead on the steps leading to the beach three days later. She had shot herself. There is also the ghost of an actress who drowned in 1904.

To get to the hotel, you can drive across the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge, which is a dramatic two-mile long bridge with a 90-degree turn at its midpoint. Another option is to take the ferry which departs from the foot of Broadway in San Diego.

This is as eclectic as you can get, and is a highlight of any visit to San Diego. (A great town in its own right.)

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Hauntings in SC

The Coastal Region

There is so much history in our state! Part of that history is the stories we hear about ghost hauntings. Charleston and the coastal part of the state is inundated with ghost stories from parks to churches to homes and gardens. Lots of our stories are famous and some are lesser known. Until I was looking for stories, I had never heard the following one.

The Unitarian Church in is the second oldest on Charleston. There is a story about a young girl named Anna Ravenel. She fell in love with a soldier stationed at Fort Moultrie in 1827. The 14-year-old was to be married to an aristocratic young man, but she fell in love with 18-year-old Edgar Perry, who fell in love with her. Anna and Edgar ignored her father, often meeting together in the church cemetery.

Anna’s father separated them by locking Anna up and having Edgar transferred to a fort in Virginia. Anna became very ill and died before Edgar could get back to her. Anna’s father was so determined to keep them separate that he had six graves dug in the cemetery and buried her in one, not marking which was his daughter’s. Edgar never found out which grave was Anna’s. Anna’s ghost is reported to still appear around her grave, looking for Edgar. The interesting thing about this story is that Edgar joined the army before he was old enough and used a pseudonym. His real name was Edgar Allan Poe, who among his works, wrote a poem about Annabelle Lee which could easily have been a poem about his love for Anna.

The Old City Jail is said to be one of the most haunted buildings in Charleston and there are plenty of reasons why. Thousands of people died at the jail. Probably the most famous hauntings is from Lavinia Fisher, so called the first woman serial killer, and her husband John who owned a hotel. They reportedly killed over 100 wealthy men and stole their valuables. Another famous “ghost” is Jacque Alexander Tardy is best known for piracy and killing people on several ships, blaming the chefs on the ships. 

In the park near the Battery, called White Point, dozens of pirates were hung. Many left dangling from their nooses to deter other pirates from entering Charleston Harbor are rumored to haunt the park.

At the Edisto Presbyterian Church cemetery, Julia Legare is said to guard the family mausoleum. When she was a young girl in the mid 1800s, she fell very ill and the doctor declared her dead. Her family placed her in the mausoleum. 15 years later, when the family opened it to bury another relative, they found the cries that were heard after her death had been real. Julia was found at the door as if she had tried to escape. The mausoleum has been sealed again and again but the door is always found open. As if Julia refuses to be locked in again. 

Central SC

Hauntings in Central South Carolina are almost as plentiful as those in the coastal region. Lost loves are a big part of the stories. Quaker Cemetery in Camden is an example. Agnes from Glascow, Scotland stowed aboard a ship and came to the US in search of her fiance. He had been sent to the US during the American Revolution to fight the colonist. She heard he was in Camden and followed him there. He had moved on, she fell gravely ill, died and was buried in the Quaker Cemetery. Her spirit is said to be wandering around the graveyard, searching for him.

The University of South Carolina has many stories. Some people report seeing lights on at night in the South Caroliniana Library where a former president, James McKissick, who is buried in front of the library, is said to be wandering around the building and reading the books. Students in one of the dorms reportedly have seen a female with long dark hair. She is thought to be the daughter of Dr. Black who was murdered by a group of soldiers. She avenged her father’s murder by poisoning the soldiers. Her spirit and those of the soldiers now reside in the building.

The Congaree River  Bridge is apparently haunted by the restless spirt of a young girl sho stands by the side of the road trying to hitch a ride. She asks drivers to take her home. About half way there, she vanishes without a trace.

The State Museum is another place people report seeing a ghost. It is the ghost of a former mill worker, Bubba, who worked there when it was a textile mill. It is believed he died in an industrial accident. He is most often spotted on the fourth floor near the Old Country Store. Most of the time he is a real looking man wearing overalls but sometimes he is just boots and partial legs.

The Adluh Flour Mill is reported to be inhabited by a former longtime employee who died. It is believed that his soul is pinned to his old work cart which to this day has proved impossible to move.

The Keller Hall Bell Tower at Newberry College is where a love story is the source of the haunting. A female student reportedly jumped from the tower during the Civil War after finding out her Union soldier boyfriend had died in the war. Her ghost is spotted roaming the campus crying out for her beloved.

A search shows many, many more stories. Have fun looking!

In the Upstate of SC

Upstate South Carolina has it’s share of haunted places. Cry Baby Bridge is located in Anderson and is said to be haunted by the spirit of an infant who was thrown from the bridge by it’s mother. It is said that if you stop your car on this bridge at night and cut your car off, you can hear the baby cry and see it’s mom walking, looking for her child.

Hell’s Gate or Oakwood Cemetery is in Spartanburg and it reputed to cause issues with your cell phone during the day – battery draining, phone ringing when it is cut off, etc. At night it is said that you can see orbs, a white shrouding mist and hear the laughter or crying of children and hear disembodies voices. Photos have seemed to show small faces peeping from behind trees or headstones. Be careful if you go there at night because it has the reputation for being the site for grave robbing and Satanic rituals. These Satanic rituals have reportedly created a portal to hell so that evil spirts can mingle with the people buried there. 

Greenville’s Tuberculosis Hospital in Greenville has been a tuberculosis hospital, an insane asylum, and a prisoner release site. It has since burned but they say you can hear voices, sobs, footsteps and other sounds here. According to legend, sometimes rain puddles turn red, supposedly the blood of the TB patients. 

Woodruff is home to Seven Devil’s Bridge which can only be crossed on foot. Seven men were hung there are reputed to haunt the bridge at midnight. If you cross the bridge then, you will experience all manners of tragic experiences with most ending in screams of horror. 

The Shamrock House, at the base of Sassafras Mountain, built in 1925, was a family dwelling. Now it is a guest house you can stay in. According to stories, a young woman who died there haunts the house. Lights turn on and off and doors open by themselves along with the ghostly footsteps and cold spots. This house has also been used as a backdrop of “The Long Journey Home, a Big Foot Movie” and “The Hills Have Thighs” movies.

Another haunted bridge in the upstate is Poinsett Bridge. It is one of the oldest bridges in the state and is listed in the National Registry of Historic Places. It is no longer used for vehicle traffic, but it used to be part of the main route from Columbia to Asheville. There are two stories about the hauntings – by a slave who was hung while the bridge was being built or that it was built on Indian land and the tribe haunts the bridge. Most of the reports about this bridge include strange lights which seem to float on the mountain, voices, screams and apparitions. 

There are many other haunted sites in our state. Have fun checking them out!

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SC Walking Trails

How about a nice walk outside? South Carolina has many walking trails from easy to difficult. Some have waterfalls, some are on the beach, in the mountains, level ground, hilly, just about anything you want!

There are lots of river walks all over the state. River Park in Rock Hill is 3.5 miles of walking trails mostly along the Catawba River. Landsford Canal State Park in Chester County is also along the Catawba River. The Columbia Canal and Riverfront Park is 2.5 miles and part of the Palmetto Trail. While you are there, visit the West Columbia Riverwalk which is 8 miles of pavement and boardwalk along the Congaree River. The Waterfront Park in Beaufort or the Conway Riverwalk are both close enough to shops to walk for a bite to eat after your walk.

I could walk all day on the beach but if you want a little variety on your beach walk, try the state parks at Huntington Beach, Edisto, Hunting Island or Myrtle Beach. We also have beautiful marsh walks at Shem Creek Park in Mt Pleasant or Murrells Inlet.

The Palmetto Trail is a system of hiking and biking trails being developed in SC. The trails run beside lakes, in mountains, through forests, large and small towns and swamps. Begun in 1994, it will be 500 continuous miles from Walhalla in the Blue Ridge Mountains to Awendaw on the Intercoastal Waterway when finished. It is currently 350 miles with 26 passages raging from 1.3 to 47 miles. Parts are rated easy, moderate, or strenuous. It is one of 16 cross-state trails in the United States. We even have a trail head in Santee, behind the Town Hall Complex. This portion is 13.2 miles and goes through agricultural land, offering a number of activity options and is accessible year-round. The Southern part of the trailhead is at the Eutawville Community Center near Hwy 45 and 6. Each section is called a passage and include the Swamp Fox Passage, Santee, Fort Jackson, Lake Moultrie, Lake Marion and Capital City Passages. 

So, put on your walking or running shoes and explore our state!

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Port Fees and Taxes

What are Port Fees and Taxes on a cruise? Port Fees and Taxes are something you pay every time you cruise. It isn’t normally included in the quoted price of the cruise. Like gratuities, it is an additional cost of the cruise. This fee may include any and all fees, charges, tolls and taxes imposed on the cruise line, by governmental authorities, as well as third party fees and charges arising from a vessel’s presence in a harbor or port. 

Each time a ship visits a port, the local authorities charge the cruise line a fee in exchange for the right to dock there and the various services associated with the ship’s visit. These fees include inspection fees, environmental fees, security services as well as docking fees and  a fee for each person on the ship whether or not they visit the port. Those costs also vary from one port of call to another. A per passenger fee is generally called a head tax. The cost covers the passengers using the local port and typically goes toward maintaining facilities that tourist use – dock improvements, police, etc.
Then there is the pilot fee. Every time a ship docks at a port, even if it is just to change berths, they are required to have a local pilot on the bridge to guide the ship. The boat that approaches the ship as it is coming in has the pilot onboard.
Port Fees and Taxes include U.S. Customs fees which covers the cost of paying the people who are at the custom desks and all the people guiding you around in the port.
Every time the Center for Disease Control does an inspection, they assess a fee based on the ship’s weight for the cost of the inspection. And the United States Public Health does unannounced inspections twice a year. The cruise line is charged for this inspection also.
In short, there are a myriad of things the cruise line has to pay for that gets passed along to the passengers. Each port has a different fee. You are assessed the fee based on the inspections done on a regular basis, security and custom people as well as what each port charges for docking.
Remember the cruise line pricing for a cruise does not include the Port Fees and Taxes. Just figure that cost into the price of your cruise when you are working out your budget.

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Ye Old Fighting Cocks a British Pub

Ye Olde Fighting Cocks in the historic city of Saint Albans claims to be Britain’s oldest pub. During the COVID 19 pandemic this pub has become a Community Supply Point, providing groceries and offering free delivery to the elderly. They even deliver Sunday Roast dinners to residents. The pub manager said he looked to the past for inspiration of handling things with the current issues. The summer of 1348, which was centuries after the pub served it’s first beer, the Black Death appeared on the southern shores of England.

This pestilence returned repeatedly. There were at least three waves of the Black Death falling upon England over the century following 1350. One of the many repercussions was especially pertinent to establishments like Ye Olde Fighting Cocks: the rise of pub culture in England.

When the plague arrived in 1348, drinking beer was already a fundamental component of Englishness. Drinking was even enshrined into the Magna Carta of 1215, which “called for uniform measures of ale.”

Drinking pre-Black Death, though, was comparably amateurish. Society revolved around popular celebrations known as ‘ales’: bride-ales, church-ales, – gatherings where plenty of alcohol was drunk. Anyone could brew up a batch of ale in their home, and standards and strengths varied wildly. Home brewed ale was advertised with an ale stake, which consisted of a pole covered with some kind of foliage above the door.

The Plague caused a critical labor shortage; about 50 percent of the population died during this time. This proved to be a good thing for the peasantry of England. They could command higher wages for work and achieve a higher standard of living. As a result, the alehouses were replaced by more commercialized, permanent establishments set up by the best brewers and offering better food

In spirit, though, the pub was there. More ale was drunk, and beer (with hops) was introduced from the Low Countries. Brewing became more commercialized, with taverns and alehouses being gathering places for drinking and playing games and the English pub was born.

Over time these became “public houses”, regulated by authorities. In place of the simple ale stake, Richard II made it mandatory to erect a sign. Gradually, commercial brewers started to build bigger houses that became busy meeting places, hence the term ‘public house’. If you look at pubs today, you can see the community aspect that is the legacy of the alehouse, the architecture and sense of national heritage of the inn, and the tavern tradition of spending the evening with your peers.

For Brits, a pub has always been more than just a place that sells beer. It goes beyond heritage, it goes right into the core of their society. The pub itself defines England, remaining a focal point for their social lives even among nondrinkers. They have become community gathering places and involved in many aspects of community support.

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Vending Machines Around the World

We all use vending machines for getting crackers, drinks and chips but you can also get some very unusual things at vending machines all over the world. In Singapore, you can get fillets of frozen salmon from the fjords of Norway at 61 locations. Ars-en-Ré, France  has a vending machine that dispenses oysters in packages of two to five-dozen. The oyster lockers also offer other treats like paté and sea asparagus. Crab is such a popular dish in Japan and China you can get live crabs in a vending machine. They come with vinegar and ginger tea – essential accompaniments. 

Cedar Creek, Texas has a great idea! They have a machine that is restocked daily with homemade full-sized pecan pies and other sweet pecan treats. It’s probably a good thing we don’t have that around here. A crepe vending machine has a home in Kobayashi, Japan near the dessert maker’s shop.

Potatoes have a special place in the cuisine of Belgium, Germany, France and Scotland. Potatoes (like our french fries) and onions can be found in vending machines all over.  These fast food options are an economical way for farmers markets to extend hours without having to pay staff to be on duty. They also have fresh sliced bread as well as strawberry vending machines.

Another great idea is a “Cupcake ATM” which dispenses on of five flavors which change daily. The Cupcake ATM in Beverly Hills also stocks doggie treats. Or go to Aptos, California where they have a machine that will dispense a tray of 18 farm fresh eggs for $4 all while a chorus of animatronic chickens in seasonal attire cluck a version of Glenn Miller’s “In the Mood”. Much more entertaining than opening the refrigerator door at the grocery store. If you come across an Art-o-mat machine in the US, you can get a miniature masterpiece created by a local artist.

Dubai has a gift vending machine that has everything from scented candles to perfume and lingerie available at the touch of a button. It even comes out wrapped. In Japan you can feed your banana craving with a Dole banana from a machine. Or feed your intellectual side with a book vending machine in Singapore.

If you forget to take your bait when you go fishing, you might be lucky enough to be near a “Bait Bank” machine. These are stocked with minnows, mealworms, maggots, etc.

It seems that if people will buy it, it can be found somewhere in a vending machine. So, go out and explore our world and find a vending machine to feed your craving or need.

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Does travel make you happy?

Does travel make you happy? For most of us it does. We enjoy discovering new cultures, new ideas, new people and new food. Travel gives us the pleasure of discovery and the joy of meeting new people. It connects us to history of ourselves and our world.

Travel expands our mind and our spirit. It is usually a wonderful educational experience to meet new people with different ideas, different foods, or a different outlook on life. You can find vibrant cultures and cities or quiet beautiful countryside. Traveling is one of the best ways to learn more about yourself. Every day traveling brings a new set of issues and opportunities. The way you handle those also gives you insight into who you are. You’ll know yourself and your ability to handle things better, and with a fresh perspective on what you want out of life.

We see things through an expanded understanding of our world. If I had never been to Africa, I would never have appreciated running water as much as I do now. I would never have understood some of the hardships others face, thus giving me an appreciation of all I have. There are so many other cultures, landscapes, ideas and experiences available around the world and our own country. We just have to go there and open our minds to other experiences.

In our own country, we can experience history, the big cities, the small rural towns, the vast countryside. We can see beautiful waterfalls, visit museums and art galleries, ride horses in the water or in the fields. We can have a gourmet meal or local cuisine. We can experience many beautiful or fun things – the Grand Canyon, the family reaction to a funny happening, etc. Making memories is experiencing the joy in discovery or sharing the simple things with others.

Recalling memories of happiness can sustain a feeling of contentment long after the moment has passed. New experiences are memories that can stick with you forever. Every destination or experience has something to teach or remember. Immersing yourself in what you are doing is a great learning experience.

So, plan an experience now! You will learn many things!

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17 Travel Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

There are things we might not think about or know about until too late. You can make plans ahead and hopefully avoid unpleasant surprises.

For example, you never know when you might have to gate check your carry on bag due to overhead bins being full, etc. Don’t leave your most indispensable possessions in that bag. Pack jewelry, IPad, camera, house and car keys, medications, etc. in a pouch or small bag inside your carry on. If you have to gate check the bag, you can easily remove the items and carry them with you.

When you book a hotel or cruise for a special occasion, let your travel advisor or the hotel know the reason you are booking. Often you can get a free upgrade or they might provide something extra to make the celebration memorable.

Always check the U.S. State Department Travel Alert (https://travel.state.gov/) before you go overseas but don’t rely solely on those alerts. Also check with the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. The alerts aren’t written for tourists but also diplomatic officers and others who end up in places and situations everyday tourists do not.

If you have your heart set on visiting a particular port on your cruise, plan your cruise to start or stop there. If it is scheduled for mid-cruise, the unforeseeable may occur and the ship may not stop there.

If you see something you like, buy it as soon as you see it. You may not remember exactly where the shop is and it probably isn’t going to be less expensive at another store. You may regret it if you don’t get it.

Check your phone plan before you travel abroad. Make sure you understand the terminology and exactly how much the charges are. DON’T use “Cellular at Sea”. It is very expensive.

If you need to use different currency, the better option is to ask your bank ahead of time to get the currency for you. Otherwise, changing money at the airport is about the same as getting it in town. Sure, you will save a little changing it in town, but is it worth the hassle to not have the correct currency on the trip into town? 

Buy the travel insurance! You aren’t just buying it in case you don’t get to go on the trip. The primary reason is that you can’t afford to pay for medical care outside of the US and you sure can’t afford to pay for a flight home if needed. US insurance rarely, very rarely, pay for medical care outside of the US and certainly not the flight home.

Print out your reservation details and put it with your documents. You may have it on your phone, but you might not have instant access to phone service to check that information right away.

Notify your bank and major credit cards of the dates you will be gone and which countries you are visiting. You don’t want them to not honor a purchase you make due to “unusual activity”.

Your memories are one of the most valuable things you get from your trips so back up your pictures on a regular basis. You can back them up on a USB stick, internet site, etc.

Double-check your documents and reservations for everything from hotels, flights, trains, buses, etc. Always corroborate the time and location, and make sure they are scheduled correctly. Also, check that your name is correctly spelled especially on your flight reservation.

Have a hard copy of your documents (passport, IDs, travel insurance policy, credit cards) with you. In case you lose your original documents, copies facilitate your identity verification and quicken the renewal process.

Don’t try to do too much in one trip. Give yourself time to enjoy where you are and not just check things off your bucket list.

Consider the different time zones between home and places you are visiting. Consider the possible effects of jet-lag during your first days.

Use a guidebook but don’t rely totally on it. Just use one or two suggestions per day. Do your research!

If you see a lot of locals at a street food vendor, chances are it is safe to eat there. Don’t be afraid to try local food.

Don’t stay solely in the “touristy areas”. Wander some but keep an eye on your surroundings. You may find a fabulous local restaurant, shop, or meet interesting locals.