Author Archives: cindybrownmiller
New Orleans, Louisiana February 1, 2017
I couldn’t leave New Orleans without walking through one of the city’s famous cemeteries. We took the trolley from the hotel through the Garden District to Lafayette Cemetery #1. It’s not very big – only about a square city block – but it has 1,100 tombs and over 7,000 souls. Double Jeopardy was filmed here, … Continue reading
Oak Alley Plantation, Louisiana January 31, 2017
We drove about an hour out of New Orleans today to Oak Alley Plantation. Oak Alley is a pre-Civil War era plantation on the bank of the Mississippi River. The most famous feature is a path of live oak trees between the River and the main home. It’s been featured in many movies and television shows, … Continue reading
New Orleans, Louisiana January 30, 2017
Today we took the Hop-on/Hop-off Bus to the French Market, French Quarter, and St. Louis Cathedral. At first I thought that many businesses and homes still had their Christmas decorations. But I quickly learned that this is Carnival season, which spans several weeks and ends with Mardi Gras. There are purple, yellow, and green decorations … Continue reading
New Orleans, Louisiana January 29, 2017
This is the first time I’ve traveled to Louisiana and I’m super excited! We’re spending three days in New Orleans and staying at the Drury Inn and Suites, which is centrally located in the Central Business District. The Hop-on/Hop-off Bus and trolley both stop right outside the hotel. They have a roof-top pool and breakfast … Continue reading
Flores, Indonesia October 18, 2016
We flew from Bali to Labuan Bajo, Flores yesterday so we could take a full-day tour of Komodo National Park. I didn’t want to come all the way to Indonesia and not see Komodo dragons. The dragons are found in Komodo National Park which stretches across several Indonesian islands. The easiest way to see them … Continue reading
Bali, Indonesia October 16, 2016
We started our day at Tanah Lot, a famous rock formation on the southwest coast with an ancient Hindu shrine. The rocks are popular at sunset, but we were there during the day at low tide when you could walk out. We then went to Gunung Kawi Temple, which was just down the hill from … Continue reading
Bali, Indonesia October 15, 2016
Today I hired a private guide from Bali Traditional Tours. Whenever we travel I like to visit schools and orphanages, so I asked to stop at an elementary school. We brought pencils, erasers, paper, stickers, folders, and Play Doh for the kids. It’s Saturday, so I wasn’t sure if the kids would even be in … Continue reading
Bali, Indonesia October 13, 2016
Today we took a tour of Sebatu, the village where our resort Puri Gangga is located. Our guide, Erma, was a young woman who grew up in Sebatu and was excited to show us her home. Erma took us to her family’s home where we met her grandma and uncle who make handicrafts to sell … Continue reading
Bali, Indonesia October 12, 2016
We finally made it to Bali! I’m pretty sure we’re on the exact opposite side of the earth. We flew over the Pacific Ocean – through Denver, Tokyo, and Jakarta – and the total travel time was 29 hours plus a night at a Jakarta hotel. If we’d flown over the Atlantic Ocean through the … Continue reading
Isla Mujeres, Mexico August 18, 2016
We took the ferry from Cancun to Isla Mujeres today. We hopped on the bus which stops right in front of Beach Palace and took it to Puerto Juarez from where the ferry departs. The bus is 10.50 pesos each way (60 cents) versus a taxi which is around $40 each way. I always like … Continue reading