Category Archives: Destinations

Attractions, Massachusetts, Nature, USA

Flat Stanley’s visit to Garden in the Woods in Framingham, MA

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One beautiful September Saturday, Flat Stanley, my daughter, and I went to a place called Garden in the Woods, a woodland botanic garden in Framingham, Massachusetts, 342 miles, or nearly six-hour-drive, from Stanley’s home in Charlestown, Maryland.

The garden is owned by the New England Wild Flower Society, which cultivates plants native to New England. The society  also offers instructional walks or hikes for children and families, as well as programs for adults  about horticulture and gardening, botany and conservation, and art in nature (photographing and drawing nature). Continue reading Flat Stanley’s visit to Garden in the Woods in Framingham, MA →

Attractions, Historic Sites, Portugal, Sintra, UNESCO

The Amazing Castelo dos Mouros (The Moorish Castle) in Sintra, Portugal

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First word of advice – if you want to visit Castelo dos Mouros (The Moorish Castle) in Sintra, Portugal – get there BEFORE the parks open at 9am (10 am in the wintertime) if you can, because right at 9am the cars and busloads of tourists start pouring in, and soon every spot along the road winding toward the castle and down into the city will be taken.

Second piece of advice – if you also want to go to the Park and National Palace of Pena (Parque e Palacio Nacional de Pena) – wear comfortable shoes with good, non-slip soles, because that will be a LOT of walking.

And last but not least – bring a jacket or a sweater, because even if it’s the middle of the summer and hot down below, it might be colder and windy up on the mountain. It was when we were there in July 2014.

Continue reading The Amazing Castelo dos Mouros (The Moorish Castle) in Sintra, Portugal →

Art, Attractions, Madrid, Museums, Spain

Learning more about Pablo Gargallo’s Great Prophet

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I admit, I’m not an art buff. We went to the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, because I wanted to show the kids the Guernica (they were not impressed).

But a few rooms over I noticed a really striking sculpture. Except I failed to write down the title or the name of the artist, whom I never heard of before. Luckily, thanks to #AskACurator day on Twitter,  I  now know  that it is a sculpture by Pablo Gargallo, titled Grand prophète (Great Prophet).

Continue reading Learning more about Pablo Gargallo’s Great Prophet →

Art, Attractions, Massachusetts, Museums, USA

The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston with Kids

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It’s the vacation week, and since I have time off as well, I’ve decided to take my eight-year-old daughter to a few local museums, starting with the Museum of Fine Arts.

"Think Pink" exhibit we saw in April 2014
“Think Pink” exhibit we saw in April 2014

She’d seen it several months ago when my friend and I took her to see the “Think Pink” exhibit. She liked the “Pink Room,” and spent quite a bit of time looking at the pink dresses, shoes, suits, and doll clothes, but didn’t care too much for paintings and other collections.

This time it was just me and my daughter, going with another girl, who supposedly really liked the Egyptian area, especially the mummies. Continue reading The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston with Kids →

Attractions, Gibraltar, Nature, United Kingdom

The Monkeys of Gibraltar

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The monkeys of Gibraltar are famous for their openness to human interaction and for their unique status as the only population of wild monkeys in Europe. Descended from monkeys in North Africa, they are one of the biggest tourist attractions in Gibraltar.

The territory of Gibraltar is just 2.3 square miles. It is located at the tip of the Iberian Peninsula and thus borders Spain, while Morocco lies across the Straits of Gibraltar. The straits separate the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea and have played an important role in world history. The territory of Gibraltar has been ruled by Britain since the early 1700s and is considered an overseas territory.

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Destinations, Florida, Orlando, USA, USA Florida Orlando, Where we stayed

Marriott’s Cypress Harbour in Orlando, FL, “next door” to SeaWorld

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If you’re planning a trip to Orlando, FL to visit the SeaWorld, or Discovery Cove consider Marriott Cypress Harbour Vacation Club property, located very close to the amusement park, at 11251 Harbour Villa Rd, Orlando, FL 32821.

That’s where we stayed exactly a year ago, in November 2013 though timeshare exchange program run by Interval International.

Marriott Cypress Harbour is part of the Marriott brand, but it’s not  just a single hotel. It’s more like a gated little village consisting of  several buildings with two-bedroom apartments that include a full kitchen and in-unit washer and dryer.

The Apartments at Marriott Cypress Harbour

The master bedrooms in the apartments at Marriott Cypress Harbour come with a large, king-size bed and a massive whirlpool tub. The second bedroom has a comfortable queen size bed, with a sofa bed, and a private bathroom. There’s also a large sofa bed in the living room. Each room has a TV, and the whole apartment has free WiFi.

Continue reading Marriott’s Cypress Harbour in Orlando, FL, “next door” to SeaWorld →