The next day was spent at the famed Los Angeles Zoo. We never knew that the zoo was as big as it is. We tried to pack it into one day, but could have easily taken two days to see it all. The Los Angeles Zoo was one of the kids’ most favorite parts of the trip. They still talk about the Gorillas at the zoo. We wish we had taken the time to find a guide who knew the zoo as the provided audio tour lacked any real information.

We spent a few days just hanging around the hotel before heading back out to take in the sights around the city. We went to Universal Studios in Hollywood for the day. We kept our eyes open for any stars, but we didn’t see any. The great attractions at the park more than made up for it.

He headed back home the next day, but we will be back soon and all decided that we’d take in more of the off-the-beaten path parts of Los Angeles with a private guide.

The International Spy Museum fits right into this city known for its’ share of spy scandals. It is located just a few blocks away from the FBI building.

There is even a monastery located in the city. The Mount St. Sepulchre Franciscan Monastery is located at 14th and Quincy Streets. This amazing piece of architecture features a replica of the catacombs in Rome as well as some of the best gardens in the area. Be sure to see the bones of Saint Benignus of Armagh.

The Old Post Office and Clock Tower is located at 12th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. This historic building was once the largest steel structure in the city. The building is now home to a number of quaint shops and eateries. The location is ideal for visitors to catch a bite to eat during the day before.

Washington, DC is city that is best explored on foot. Avoid the tour buses that offer tours of the city. Look through GlobalGuides.com and find a guide that offers individual tours of the city. Split the city into sections and try to see the best attractions in that section. The large museums can be crowded during peak tourist seasons, so be sure to plan ahead. Go early in the morning or late in the day and fill the time between with visits to out of the way, smaller museums and attractions.

It was Blue Waters in St. Antigua and the pool was calling everyone’s name.  No one was waiting around for anyone else at all.

We changed as fast as we could.  In the meantime, I ordered a few drinks to my room so that I could enjoy them on my balcony before rushing down to hit the water.  It didn’t take five minutes.  I wasn’t even unpacked.  The drinks were already to my room.

As I looked out over the clear waters in the distance, the beautiful pool on the grounds just outside my window, people having fun…I wondered how in the world I was ever this lucky.  I’ve always had a simple thought hit me at a reflective moment like that.

You never know when you are going to be back.  So, take advantage of every moment you get.

I finished my drinks and went down to the pool where everyone else was already wet.  A bar in the pool made relaxation that much more convenient while we swam.  I jumped in the pool and hung out pretty close to the bar all afternoon.

I did happen to break myself from that awesome bonus feature to drag myself down to the beach.  A lady I had been talking to at the pool wanted to take a walk.  So, I felt like I should oblige her on such a heavenly scroll.

It was a burden, my life was.  Beautiful lands, gorgeous women…I’m not sure how I survived it all.

We walked along the beach as if we had no particular place to go.  Her shoes were in her hands.  I didn’t have shoes.  In fact, I don’t think I wore my sandals the entire time I was there.  Looking out over the water, it was the clearest blue I had ever seen.

In brochures, they touch up the pictures of certain vacation spots so they will be more inviting.  Not on this beach.  I could have taken a picture of it and it would have looked as perfect as any brochure ever did.

To be continued…

We flew in early in the morning and were escorted to Blue Waters by a gentleman with an awesome accent.

“Can I get your bags sir? Where would you like to go mon?” I wish I could portray the thick accent because it was just plain smooth like Barry White after a trip to the Caribbean.

Awe, this is going to be a great weekend. We were there for three days and I knew to enjoy my first night as well as the next night because then we’d be gone and there’s no telling when we’ll ever be back. Another Marine Corps trip extravagana and no one knows where tomorrow will lead us.

When we walked into the hotel lobby, I just knew I was going to enjoy this stay. I could already see the crisp, blue water. The cool breeze coming off the ocean drifted through the lobby as the white curtains blew in the wind. Very nice.

As we each got our room keys, the clerk asked us all if we would like to purchase exchange cards. You carry a card around with you everywhere you go instead of needing money and you can just put the card on your room. The card was my first taste of how the great life could be.

The bar in the middle of the pool served every drink you could possibly imagine. They take your drink order and punch out circles on your card. When your money is gone on your card, you order another card on your room.

When you go to the restaurant, take your card. In fact, its all the money you are going to need for the rest of your stay. Your money doesn’t get wet, lost or stolen. Your card could, but you can get it reimbursed if you report it in time. You can’t lose.

Saint Antigua would have to be my first experience of what new travel accommodations would entail. And that was seventeen years ago. Just imagine how much has changed since then!

To be continued…

The next time I flew into Luquillo, Puerto Rico, we stayed at the Luquillo Sunrise Beach Inn. It was a few years after Hurricane Hugo and the place had been fixed up quite nicely. We took a limo from the San Juan Airport straight to the hotel.

But before you get any ideas, the limo was a van.  The military doesn’t give us stretch limos that have complimentary drinks in them.  But, we call them limos because it’s a nice service the Air Force and the Navy provides the rest of us.  They get us to our destinations in record time and we don’t have to wait around for a taxi.

The following day we were able to take in some sights of the Fiestas Patronales de San Jose.  Good food.  Interesting dances.  A lively parade.  The festival takes place in March every year.

But, the beach was calling my name.  The second day on this beautiful Caribbean Island, I walked to the Luquillos Beach and spent the day.  Some of the most beautiful people in the world were on the beach that day.  A young Marine in his twenties, I would have to say that was a good time.

If you ever get a chance, go to Puerto Rico.  It is a beautiful place with so much to do.  And it reminds me of another Caribbean Island.  But, that’s another story.

 Photo Courtesy of Illinois Institute of Technology

My first trip to Puerto Rico wasn’t a leisurely one. It was after the destruction caused by Hurricane Hugo 1989.  We flew in two times a day, every day for about a month.

I remember being a young Marine at the time and I  made my only mistake my first day.  One I will never forget.  What did it teach me?  Think ahead.

Normally after an eight hour flight, I would step off the plane and pour out the old coffee.  As soon as I did, the Engineer yelled at me, “What are you doing?”

I said, “I’m getting rid of the old coffee.”

“And where are you going to get new coffee?”

It was at that moment that I realized my mistake.  We were on relief missions to bring these people supplies and to take away pallets full of trash and debris.  Why would we come to them for coffee?  They needed all they could get.

I walked into the control center a little humbled.  I asked if they had any coffee and they were more than willing to make me some.  They made about ten pots from a Mr. Coffee coffee maker and it took about half an hour.

From their standpoint, we were helping them.  From my standpoint, I was supposed to be helping them.  That’s a humbling experience when the very people you are supposed to be rescuing are more than willing to give you what little they have to keep you happy.

I brought them about ten cans of coffee in my very next trip, which was later that day and I thanked them for helping me out earlier.  That made me feel a little better.

So, that was my first experience in Puerto Rico.  It got much better after that…

Photos Courtesy of Michael A. Grammatico

But, you just might want to get more than a few brochures before you leave. You won’t know anything about the vineyards of Virginia because they are just gaining notoriety. A guide would know. A guide would also know how to properly tour you through the Virginia Wine Month coming in October.

Photo Courtesy Stone Mountain Vineyards

If you didn’t have a guide, how would you know about the Cayuga Lake Scenic Byway. Taking a nice autumn drive is possible in New York when you get out of the city. From the Montezuma Wildlife Refuge to Ithaca, you’ll find plenty of beautiful places to visit or just stop and take in the scenery of the lake. It’s about a 90 mile drive that will give you an entire day of things to do. But if you stay, you might never want to leave.

Photo Courtesy of Cayuga Lake Scenic Byway, Inc.

If you’ve never been to Montana, ask your guide about Glacier Country. Going to the Sun Highway actually makes you feel like you are driving to the sky. Crossing the Continental Divide over Logan Pass, you’re nearly 7,000 feet. You can take the open-roofed Red Bus to catch more of the sites.  But, you can also drive for yourself to make the journey more of your own.

Photos Courtesy of Glacier Country Regional Tourism Commission

Autumn drives are really a spice of life.  I love this time of year when all the colors are going from green to red, orange and yellows.  The sun just seems to set a little different in the evenings.  It is magical.  I often drive through the back roads of Virginia and the mountains of Western Maryland.  But, I also love seeing different people in the regions they call home.  There is an instant connection, one you can’t shake.  The autumn drive, it’s a beautiful way to spend an easy Sunday.

Photo Courtesy of the Creative Commons. Distribution governed by the Creative Commons License.

A massive structure, the Cathedral of Siena has a wonderful history dating back as far as the 9th century and includes the election of pope Nicholas II as well as the deposition of the anti-pope Benedict X.

Over 800 years of documented history, the Duomo di Siena as it is also called is a masterpiece of craftsmanship. The facade pictured above has a higher part and a lower part that were built at two different times. Polychrome marble completed the lower level when it was built in the late 1200s. The upper level was started later that same year after the nave was raised. But, the upper level of the facade wasn’t completed until the 1300s after the nave had been raised yet again.

It wasn’t the only wonder I took in when I visited Tuscany years ago. But, it was the most impressive. The sheer magnitude and history of the cathedral astounded me. But, when you talk about Tuscany you can’t describe the place without mentioning the cypress trees, the intoxicating wines, the inviting farmhouses or the winding sandy roads. It’s a beautiful place that will make you fantasize about living there.

You won’t want to leave even when you must. And for the rest of your life, you will dream with a passion of going back. You will miss the feeling and at times, you won’t even understand what that feeling is. Tuscany…say it again! Tuscany! Just the name makes you want to go there.

It was the first thing I saw when I got to the hotel other than the lobby and the quick check-in that took place there. We had actually called ahead so they were expecting us, seven Marines on an incredible tour around the world. And getting paid to do it. You couldn’t beat that.

After getting my key, I made my way through the lobby to an opening where I could easily see the pool. My room must have been one of the best because it was right on the grounds. I had my own porch with seats and cooling shade where I could look out over the pool area at the sun bathing people there.

It was way back in 1989. So, I can only imagine that policies must have changed since then. But at the time, it was quite a nude pool area. Clothing optional and it was exercised by some really beautiful people.

The greatest kick in the head came when a waitress walked up to me and asked if I wanted a drink. She informed me that I could just charge it to the room and when I’m ready to sign, all I had to do was wave her over. I was stunned. I was going to sit on my shaded front porch and have drinks brought to me while I took in the beautiful view. I was in the Marine Corps. This is what they gave me.

If you ever want to go to a place that is so nice it makes others look shabby, try the Hotel Playa in Rota, Spain. But, hire a guide. There are great back street places to eat and night spots that you’ll never learn about from your travel agent. Only a guide would know.

I’ve often discussed my experience with San Diego. My first visit there and how surreal each sequential visit has been, I’ve had a history with San Diego even though my home is near Washington, D.C.

One of my most memorable moments was visiting the Hotel Del Coronado with a lady who was staying there. I had no idea at the time, but I was being invited into a bit of history. Hotel Del Coronado has been visited by Kings and Queens, Hollywood Celebrities and even one of America’s most famous ghosts.

In 1892, Kate Morgan checked into room 302 while awaiting her husband’s arrival to San Diego. It was thought for years that she killed herself while still a guest of the hotel. Her body was found at the bottom of a row of steps, gun in hand. The Legend of Kate Morgan by Alan May disputes this claim with very influential findings that include the fact that the caliber of the bullet does not match the gun she was found holding. The room is now numbered 3312 after renovations. But, Kate still roams around the hallway and makes “special” appearances in the room.

It’s legends similar to that one that excite me about a place. It doesn’t have to be a ghost story per se. It can simply be a story about a famous event that happened in the place where I am standing at the moment. I feel an instant bond. It may have happened in a different era altogether, but because of my presence I now have a connection.

Standing approximately five massive stores at the Hotel Del Coronado’s original Victorian Building, the expansive grounds include a California Cabanas and an Ocean Towers that sport a more contemporary feel. A most distinctive feature of the Del Coronado is the Ice-Skating by the Sea. An Ice Rink overlooking the ocean, a spectacular sight.

Hotel Del Coronado has the proud distinction of bearing the crest.

And I am proud to ever have visited its grounds.

Breaking tradition to observe 9/11 tomorrow, I’m writing this blog a day early. The next one will be back on track. That gives us a day to observe the tragedy that took place in 2001.