Grenada - Isle of Spice and so much more!

From my Disney Southern Caribbean Cruise - 08 Oct 2014

The third port of call on our Disney Southern Caribbean Cruise was St George's, Grenada and this would turn out to be my favorite island of the six we visited.  Grenada was the most exotic, the most beautiful and the one I most desire to return to.  The only drawback I have been able to find in cruising is that when you find a place as magical as Grenada, it's hard to leave after only one day. Grenada is an island I could spend weeks exploring the lush rain forests with its aromatic spice trees, pristine waterfalls and tropical flowers and miles of unspoiled beaches with white sand and colorful buildings as a back drop.

St George's, Grenada

Back on the Disney Magic, my husband, Mike, and I woke up bright and early at 5:45 am in order for our customary viewing of the ship pulling into port.  As we approached our third new Southern Caribbean island in three days, we watched Grenada pull into view.  I could see the island was green, lush and mountainous with a very similar look to St Lucia, yesterday's island.  After docking, we ate breakfast at Cabana's and sat above on Deck 10. We considered this our private deck because no one else had apparently discovered it since every morning we were the only ones there.  We enjoyed a healthy breakfast with gorgeous views of Grenada before getting off of the ship.

View of Grenada from Deck 10

Instead of a Sandals resort tour like we had done the previous two days, we were scheduled for a ShoreTrips tour, the Seven Sisters Waterfall Hike.  We followed the directions to get to our meeting point but did not see our guide anywhere.  Plenty of friendly locals asked us if we needed help and we finally accepted when someone offered to call the phone number on our tour slip.  I was glad for the help because our tour guide was having trouble finding us as well.  The phone call bridged the gap and we found our tour contact, Charmaine.  

Apparently a law was recently passed where tour guides could no longer hold up signs with names on them, making it extra hard to find who you are looking for in a busy place.  Go figure! Charmaine was pleasant to chat with while we waited for our tour guide and she had just brought up the 1980's U.S. invasion of Grenada when our guide arrived. An interesting note to end on, we joined our tour with Danny, our guide, and 5 other people who happened to be from England. I found their English accents delightful as always and tried to keep them talking on the bus ride.

View of Caribbean Sea from above

Danny took us on our way up a very narrow winding road climbing the mountain with stunning views of the sea below and the green mountain side.  The buildings looked much nicer and newer than St Lucia and Antigua (our first 2 ports of call) and I figured this was probably due in part to the re-building done after hurricane Ivan hovered over and decimated the island for 16 hours in 2004.  Our guide, Danny, spoke quite a bit about Ivan and was clearly still affected by it 10 years later.  I could feel the island's scars through his stories.

Tropical trail to Seven Sisters Waterfall

Seven Sisters Waterfall is located in Grand Etang National Park, Grenada's largest forest reserve, and the hike to the falls was a lovely mix of tropical flora and fauna.  There were lush, green plants all around us as well as colorful, tropical flowers.  We saw palm trees, ferns, bamboo, cashew trees, nutmeg trees, cinnamon trees and so much more.  

The trail was very muddy and quite slippery on the steep downhill portions.  It was made worse by equipment coming through to clear way for a zipline. It saddened me to think that this unspoiled paradise would soon be tainted by mass tourism.  I believe there is a place for ziplines but this wasn't it.  I took solace in knowing I would get to enjoy the waterfall  in its natural state even if I would be one of the last to do so.  

On our way down the trail to the waterfall, we passed the Disney Cruise Line tour group.  I counted 20 people and compared that to our 7 and was happy with my choice in using ShoreTrips and even happier to see that their claims of smaller tour groups were accurate. 

My husband and I at the falls

We finally made it through the treacherous mud and miraculously I didn't slip and fall in it.  The Seven Sisters Waterfalls were as beautiful as I imagined and looked like they could be straight out of a movie.  There are a total of 7 falls but we only got to see 2 of them. We did get to swim in the pool below the bigger of the 2 falls and I was the first one to swim up to the fall.  It was exhilarating to feel the force of the water falling on my face and the water was so cool and refreshing after a hot and sweaty hike. 

Our refreshing swimming hole

Others arrived at the fall and my moment of oneness with the falls ceased. We noticed a little crab  watching us from the side of the pool and laughed at his intense stare.  It was fun to swim in the falls and let it push us back into the pool of water.  It was amazing to be a part of nature especially in the midst of such sheer beauty.  I felt completely refreshed and rejuvenated after my swim. It was a feeling of life I have seldom felt and I embraced it.

View of Disney Magic from water taxi

After a wonderful time spent in the rain forest, we still had hours to spend on the island so we chose to go to the beach. The tour guide took us back to the cruise port where we caught a water taxi for $4 each to Grand Anse beach. The water taxi took us around our mighty ship and through parked sailboats on a lovely 10 minute ride before we arrived at the beach.  We were told that many consider Grand Anse beach to be the best in the Caribbean. Indeed, it was spectacular with 2 miles of white sand, swaying palm trees and gentle waves. While, I do think I've been to nicer beaches, this one definitely rates high.

Grand Anse Beach

We were hot again so we were anxious to jump in the water. We tossed our bags under the shade of a sea grape tree and took a swim in the glorious Caribbean. While swimming, the seagulls were fishing for their afternoon snack. They dove down like a torpedo and then popped back up on the water before returning to flight and diving again. It was a fun show to watch while swimming. After our swim, we walked up and down the beach a bit to take in the lovely views. Exhaustion and hunger finally took over so we caught a water taxi back to the ship where lounge chairs and all the food we could eat were anxiously waiting for us.

Click here for more pictures from my adventure in Grenada!

I hope you have enjoyed reading my entry from this Traveling Travel Agent's travels.  I am a travel agent because I love to travel and I love helping other people travel! Through strategic partnerships, I offer my clients preferred rates, complimentary upgrades and extra amenities like wine or shipboard credit. If you would like to receive weekly travel offers from my agency, Purple Palm Vacations, please sign up for our Exclusive Travel Specials.

Happy Travels!

St Lucia - Beaches, Rain Forests, and Volcanoes

From my Disney Southern Caribbean Cruise - 07 Oct 2014

St Lucia was the second stop on our Disney Southern Caribbean Cruise and one of the islands I was most excited to see.  I had long read about it's twin peaks, the Pitons, and the world's only drive-in volcano.  While I was dying to check the drive-in volcano, I opted for another Sandals resort tour because I have come to understand that I can do a much better job as travel agent when I've physically been to a property.  I made the right choice because I found that Sandals Regency La Toc is a place one cannot truly appreciate from a brochure.  It is a unique resort that simply must be seen to be understood. 

St Lucia's famous twin peaks, the Pitons

On board the Magic, we woke up at 5:45 am to watch us pull into Castries, the capital of St Lucia.  I always enjoy watching the ship slowly pull up to a new island as the sun rises over our destination. It was so exciting to get my first glimpse of St Lucia and it was just as beautiful as I imagined with dramatic mountains rising from the sea, covered in lush green rain forests.  Our ship entered a small bay and then proceeded to do a 180 degree turn in order to dock the ship pointed straight out. It was an amazing engineering feat and at times, I thought for sure we were going to hit land turning that mighty ship in a relatively small bay.  

Goofy on the back of Disney Magic

We got off the ship at 8:00 am and walked to the end of the dock to get picture of Goofy on the back of the ship and then decided to walk into town before heading to Sandals.  The walk to town was lovely, right along the bay and only about 15 minutes.  I was not impressed with the town of Castries as it was lacking in the Caribbean color I have become accustomed to and seemed old and rundown. We walked through a very old craft market and bought a quick souvenir. We were the only visitors and I could feel the vendors hunger for sales, so we didn't linger long.  We proceeded through the fruits and vegetables where I have never seen so much produce in one place.  The fruit looked fresh and delicious, yet unfamiliar.

City of Castries

We decided it was time to take a taxi to Sandals when we were approached by an overly friendly local who wanted to give us a personal tour of the island.  Just as flashbacks from our Jamaica "tour guide" taking us for fools by taking our money and our pride in one fell swoop started to enter my mind, the cab driver we had previously met, came to our rescue.  Ricky whisked us away and told us we didn't want to be taking this man's tour.  We said we had been "taken" by such a tour in Jamaica and weren't about to fall for that again! 

Ricky drove us up the green mountain side and then back down again to the entrance to Sandals Regency La Toc. The drive was quite beautiful and Ricky told us that as a kid, he used to climb down the same mountain in order to swim at the same beach that Sandals was now located on.

Stunning views from the pool

We checked in with the staff at Sandals and after a warm hug from the Sales Manager, Shamaine, we were told to come back at 11:30 for our tour.  This gave us time to have some breakfast and walk around the property to get photos. The first thing that struck me was how different this Sandals was from Sandals Grande Antigua which we had toured the day before. At first I wasn't very impressed with Sandals Regency La Toc. The beach was smaller, the sand not as white and the water not as green but as we walked up to the cliffs, I realized that this resort was not about the beach.  It was about the views.  It was about the tranquility. It was about he intimacy.  I ended up falling in love with this resort that was unlike any other I had every been to.

Another great view from another pool

There are 3 different Sandals resorts on St Lucia and it was hard to decide which one to visit. I ultimately decided on Sandals Regency La Toc because they are the only Sandals that have  the famed Millionaire Suites.  I suspected a resort tour may be the only way to see them but I also knew that they are booked 1 to 2 years in advance so I would need luck on my side. We met Kerishma for our tour and she informed me that she only had one room category that she could show me and that it was the Millionaire Suites!  I couldn't believe my good fortune!  

Millionaire Suite 2-Level Balcony with Infinity Pool

The Millionaire Suite lived up to its reputation with its jaw dropping 180 degree views from a 2 level balcony that includes an infinity pool, whirlpool, outdoor shower and lounge chairs. I could very much imagine myself in that suite, living like a Millionaire, and enjoying those views with my husband in our on private sanctuary.  Who knows, maybe someday!

Neptune's where we had lunch

After a thorough tour of the sprawling 220 acre property that wraps around the side of a cliff and tapers down to the quiet beach, we had lunch at Neptune's and enjoyed lovely views of the cove.  Finally, it was time to take a swim and we were more than ready with all of that Caribbean heat and humidity. Just as we got changed into our swimsuits, it started to rain. I figured we would be wet when we swam anyway so why let a little rain stop us. We waded in and it was fun to swim in the rain. The great thing about this beach is that Sandals is the only resort on the beach so it is very secluded. After a half hour of carefree swimming in the rain, thunder chased us out of the water.  

The lovely beach at Sandals Regency La Toc

We changed into dry clothes and sat in the gorgeous open air lobby and watched the downpour. There was no longer any sign of the lush mountains, only gray rain meeting the gray sea. It may have been tempting to let the weather rain on our parade but we didn't.  Instead we decided to try the drink of the day, the Millionaire Special.  It seemed appropriate after getting to see the Millionaire Suite. And I felt like a millionaire sipping the Millionaire Special gazing out into the Caribbean Sea with recent memories of the Millionaire Suite playing in my mind.

Caribbean Sunset at Sea

Our cab driver, Ricky, came to get us early so we left Sandals and headed back to our ship. The traffic was very slow getting back to the port and I enjoyed the beautiful scenery. At the cruise port, we perused the shops which were all the usual suspects.  Back on the ship we got ready to sail away and were treated with an amazing show.  On the port side of the ship we watched St Lucia slide by with increasingly good views of the Pitons and the almost full moon shining overhead, while on the starboard side we saw a magnificent Caribbean sunset. The rain had departed and left us with a gorgeous night to remember.

Click here for more pictures from my adventure in St Lucia!

I hope you have enjoyed reading my entry from this Traveling Travel Agent's travels.  I am a travel agent because I love to travel and I love helping other people travel! Through strategic partnerships, I offer my clients preferred rates, complimentary upgrades and extra amenities like wine or shipboard credit. If you would like to receive weekly travel offers from my agency, Purple Palm Vacations, please sign up for our Exclusive Travel Specials.

Happy Travels!

Antigua - Beaches Galore!

From my Disney Southern Caribbean Cruise - 06 Oct 2014

Antigua will always hold a special place in my heart because back in 2000, it was the first Caribbean island I ever visited.  It's the place where I fell head over heals in love with the Caribbean and the island that started a 14 year love affair with this magical place of swaying palms, white sand beaches, and clear, turquoise water. It was also the first of five islands in five days on our Disney Southern Caribbean Cruise aboard the beautiful Disney Magic sailing from San Juan, Puerto Rico.  My first time in Antigua was a one week stay at an all-inclusive resort so this would be my first time checking it out as a cruise port, to see what it has to offer cruisers. I already knew it had a lot to offer beach lovers!

My husband, Mike, and I on the Antigua pier

On board the Magic, we woke up at 6 am to watch our mighty ship pull into port. One of the hidden gems in cruising is watching the ship sail up to a new exotic island each morning.  For anyone who appreciates modern technology, it doesn't get any better than watching a ship that's as long as the Eiffel Tower, maneuver into a parallel parking space. The sun had just risen over Antigua when we got ourselves up to our preferred viewing deck, deck 10, with our delicious, included coffee.  At first the sun was behind a thick layer of clouds on the horizon but as we drew nearer to the island, the clouds opened up and the sun shone through as if heaven itself had opened up to welcome us.  It was a beautiful sight!

Heaven shining down on Antigua

The reason I have dubbed myself the Traveling Travel Agent is because I am committed to finding the best vacation spots for my clients and I have found in my experience that no amount of reading can compare to experiencing a place firsthand.  So in addition to my research on Antigua as a port of call, I arranged a tour of Sandals Grande Antigua. This sprawling tropical paradise has the honor of being awarded the "World's Most Romantic Resort" for the last 14 years and I wanted to see for myself if it measured up.  Oh boy, did it ever!  From drop-dead gorgeous views to sprawling tropical grounds to one of the nicest beaches in the Caribbean, this resort is a lovers paradise.

View from the lobby of Sandals Grande Antigua

My official property tour didn't start until 1:00 pm and we had arrived at 9:00 am so we had time to enjoy the property or more specifically, check out the beach! We changed into our swimsuits in beautiful changing rooms and headed for the water.  The beach took my breath away.  It was the whitest, softest sand I have seen anywhere and it was immaculate. The sand felt so soft and warm beneath my toes, it felt like heaven.  I would be remiss not to mention the color of the water.  The light blue green looked almost fluorescent has it shimmered back at us.  I could gaze out at its beauty forever if I had the time. The beauty of the Caribbean is food for my soul and even 10 days later as I write this, I still feel nourished.

One of the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean

After a glorious swim, we worked up an appetite for a 2nd breakfast and headed to the buffet at the Bayside Restaurant. We enjoyed probably the best smoked cheese I have ever had and indulged in mimosas since after-all, it was all-inclusive!  There was still plenty of time before my property tour so we went back to the water to work off some of the food by way of another swim.  We then went back up to our lounge chairs to relax to the sound of the gentle waves.  I should note that there were vendors on the beach but they were not at all pushy and responded to our "No thank you's" with a "Have a great stay."  It was refreshing compared to some Caribbean beaches I have been to.

Bayside Restaurant

It was finally time for the property tour so we went back to the changing rooms to get dressed and met Marcia for our tour.  She was a gracious hostess just as the rest of the Sandals staff had been extremely friendly and accommodating.  She showed us a few rooms and walked the entire resort with us, giving us the highlights.  I won't bore you with every last detail but you can see my tour through pictures here.  My overall take-away from the tour is that this resort is indeed a place for romance.  I could feel the love in the air as we walked by couples enjoying their stay. From the beautifully manicured, tropical grounds to the picture perfect beach, the resort was made for couples in love.

Honeymoon Romeo & Juliet Suite's Over-sized Balcony

After the tour, we had a little more time before we had to get back to the ship.  We put our swimsuits back on and went to the swim-up bar at the largest pool in the Eastern Caribbean. After all, it would not be a proper property tour without testing the swim-up bar!  They passed.  They made us a delicious rum punch with Appleton Rum (only premium liquor is used and it's all included), and they didn't skimp on the rum. That's a good rum punch in my book! We sat at an underwater table and sipped our tropical drink while watching couples swim by, talking and laughing.  It was delightful and I was sorry our time there was about to end.  

Largest pool in the Eastern Caribbean

We had met the nicest taxi driver on the way to Sandals and had arranged for him to take us back to the ship. He was waiting for us outside the lobby and took us back as planned. His name was Cutty with Jus Nice Taxi and he was great! I left my camera in his van and when my husband went back for it, he was waiting for us so he could return it. We slowly walked back to the ship, enjoying the walk and the scenery. The shops were colorful and inviting.  Once back at the pier, I experienced a peacefulness I have not know before. The way the light was shining on the bay and the calmness of the water gave me such a sense of well-being.  It was almost miraculous the way lighting like that could have such an peaceful effect on me.

Colorful shops at the Cruise Port

Overall, it was an amazing day and I couldn't have asked for more.  With 365 beaches to choose from, Antigua is a terrific cruise port for the beach lovers out there. To get to the beach, its easy to hop into one of the many waiting taxi's at the cruise port. For history buffs, there is something for you too. Nelson's Dockyard and Shirley Heights are historic sights giving you insight into the islands British history. Sandals Grande Antigua is an amazing place to spend a week in luxury with the one you love. A great option for couples cruising is a day pass at Sandals Grande Antigua. There you have it, my day in Antigua and my findings!

Sailing away from Antigua

Click here for more pictures from my adventure in Antigua!

I hope you have enjoyed reading my entry from this Traveling Travel Agent's travels.  I am a travel agent because I love to travel and I love helping other people travel! Through strategic partnerships, I offer my clients preferred rates, complimentary upgrades and extra amenities like wine or shipboard credit. If you would like to receive weekly travel offers from my agency, Purple Palm Vacations, please sign up for our Exclusive Travel Specials.

Happy Travels!

Old San Juan - Charming & Delightful

From my Disney Southern Caribbean Cruise - 04 Oct 2014

From the moment Disney Cruise Line announced they would be sailing out of San Juan for the first time for Southern Caribbean Cruise Sailings, I knew I needed to be on one of these voyages.  I had never sailed the Southern Caribbean before and I have long desired to visit Puerto Rico.  I also knew Disney would do it right.  They didn't disappoint!

My husband, Mike, and I left Denver at 10:37 am with a 2 hour layover at JFK. After a long day of travel, we finally began to approach San Juan.  I was a mixture of tired and excited as I saw the city skyline lit up in the darkness and noted it was bigger than I expected. Suddenly into my head popped, "I love San Juan."  I had barely just met her and wondered where that thought came from and if it might prove to be prophetic. A minute later we landed and the passengers erupted into an enthusiastic applause. The landing was nothing spectacular so I wondered if this was tradition. If so, what a nice way to thank the pilot for a safe trip.

We landed a half hour early at 10:30 pm and I was still full of energy despite the over 10 hours of travel. I am a born explorer and nothing gets my juices running like discovering a new destination. We easily found our luggage at baggage claim and I noted how nice it was not to go through customs since Puerto Rico is a US territory. The taxi stand was as easy to find as the luggage and we hired a driver for a fixed rate of $19 to take us both to the Sheraton Old San Juan. Driving on the wide multi-lane highway, it was hard to tell we had left the US.

Sheraton Old San Juan

At the Sheraton Old San Juan, the hotel clerk at the front desk was very friendly and my late night enthusiasm was rewarded with a free upgrade to a partial view ocean view room. We were very pleased (we had also gotten upgraded on the first leg of our flight, things were looking good!) and headed up to our room.  It was getting late by this time but I knew I was too excited to finally be in Puerto Rico to even think about sleeping. 

We decided to go outside and walk along the water which was just across the street from our hotel. After crossing the street we found El Malecon, the waterfront boardwalk, and walked east along it. It was wide, well-lit and felt very safe. The night was lovely, with a bright half moon shining on the water and couples enjoying their love and the night, just as we were. Both Mike and I were very impressed with the boardwalk. We followed it until the end and then turned around and went the other way a little beyond our hotel. I finally felt I could get to sleep so we turned in for the night.

The colorful shops of Old San Juan

I sprung out of bed at 6:15 am the next morning and hopped on my computer to finish up the work I needed to get done now that we had wifi. We then went downstairs and checked our bags to be stored while we explored Old San Juan before our cruise. We asked the attendant where a good place for breakfast would be and he pointed us to La Mallorca. We headed out for our first glimpse of Old San Juan in the daylight and I was charmed and delighted with boldly colored shops lining narrow cobblestone streets.

Hacienda Isabella

We failed to find La Mallorca but found a charming little coffee shop called Hacienda Isabella instead.  We walked into a small, well decorated, cheerful coffee shop and were greeted by its friendly owner, who's pride for his business shown through his hospitality. He invited us to sit anywhere we liked and offered us free mimosas and we happily accepted! We ordered lattes and breakfast and I decided to try the local pastry for which our first place was named, mallorca.  It proved to be delicious and was similar to a donut but sliced with butter and not quite as sweet. We had a delightful time at this quaint local coffee shop and even bought some of their locally grown coffee before we left, which turned out to be delicious!

At breakfast we had studied the map of Old San Juan and I realized that all of it was walkable. This pleased me because that meant we could walk to the famous fort I see in all of the pictures of San Juan.  We chose the San Felipe del Morro, or El Morro for short, out of the 3 on the map because it looked the biggest and most important. We were right!  El Morro was impressive on so many different levels. Literally, it is 6 levels of a military engineering masterpiece that has stood proud from the 1500's to the present.  The fort is massive but intricate and very well preserved.

One of many cannons at El Morro

A sign inside the fort says, "Castillo San Felipe del Morro has stood watch over San Juan harbor since 1539.  To pass through these gates is to step into the past."  To me that sums up the feeling I had as I explored the massive fort built by Spain to protect San Juan Bay's deep harbor from attack by sea.  It protected Spain's access to New World wealth for almost 300 years and I could almost see the generations of soldiers standing guard at the cannons and walking the labyrinth as part of their daily lives. It was enriching yet hot!  Had it not been for the extreme heat and humidity, I could have wandered for hours more.  As it was, I was a pool of sweat and the cruise ship's pool was sounding very refreshing.

We left the fort via the back and found a beautiful trail along the ocean offering both views of the sea and the outside of El Morro. The outside gave us a better appreciation of just how tall the walls really were.  We walked back to our hotel and enjoyed more colorful buildings and the blue adoquine stones that paved the streets. We picked up a bottle of Don Q rum for the cruise then picked up our luggage at the hotel and grabbed a taxi.  It was cruising time!  Our taxi driver was the kind I love, very animated and full of stories.  There is no better way to know a destination than to listen to the stories of the local people in my humble opinion.  Our much anticipated Southern Caribbean Cruise aboard the beautiful Disney Magic was about to begin.  Stay tuned to see how it turned out!

The beautiful Disney Magic

Click here for more pictures from my Puerto Rican adventure!

I hope that you have enjoyed reading my entry from this Traveling Travel Agent's travels.  I am a travel agent because I love to travel and I love helping other people discover our big beautiful world! Through strategic partnerships, I offer my clients preferred rates, complimentary upgrades and extra amenities. If you would like to receive weekly travel specials from my agency, Purple Palm Vacations, please sign up for our Exclusive Travel Specials.

Happy Travels!

County Wicklow Ireland - Picture Perfect

From my Ireland Vacation in May 2010

Selfie in County Wicklow

After taking an "easy" day yesterday and only walking 7 miles, I was quite relieved to be transported by bus for a tour of the famed Wicklow Mountains.  I had signed up to do a tour of the largest castle in Ireland, Trim Castle, but that tour was canceled since I was the only one booked on the tour.  I'll take just about whatever comes at me while on vacation though because I figure its all bonus anyway, so I didn't let the change in plans phase me.  Besides, no matter what tour I was on, I would have a tour guide talking all day long with that great Irish accent and I still couldn't get enough of it! Our guide, Martin, did indeed have a lovely accent and was packed full of information, from what various names meant in Irish (for example: Wicklow in Irish literally means toothless church) to different movie locations that we passed on our journey. 

Guinness Lake

The Wicklow Mountains are 420 million years old, therefore, they are rounded and look more like big hills (at least, to someone who lives with the mighty Rocky Mountains as a daily backdrop).  They are covered with heather which is a grey brown when not in bloom so they are not nearly as green as I had expected. Apparently when the heather is in full bloom, it is purple which I imagine would be beautiful. We stopped to look at Guinness Lake which looked just like a glass of Guinness with its dark water and tan sand at the top.  The Irish do indeed love their Guinness and even nature cooperates!

After a lunch stop at a pub featured in the movie Leap Year, we came upon the main event, Glendalough, which is an early medieval monastery founded in the 7th century by hermit priest St Kevin. Situated in a magical location between Upper Lake and Lower Lake, the Irish name Gleann Dá Loch appropriately means Glen of Two Lakes. Glendalough lived up to the hype in my mind because it was absolutely beautiful with countless shades of green shimmering in the sunlight and a peaceful feel like few others.   

Trail between the lakes

We had an hour and a half to walk around to hike the many trails around the two lakes.  A beautifully green and lush trail led me from the Lower Lake to the Upper Lake.  The trees created a lovely canopy above me and my views were breathtaking with the sunshine creeping in where it could.

Once to the Upper Lake, I chose to take another trail, again with completely beautiful scenes to overwhelm my senses, to the Poulanass Waterfall.  I am always a sucker for a good waterfall. 

Stairs to Poulanass waterfall

Unfortunately, the rain totals were down for the year so it was much smaller than usual.  It was still nice and the hike beyond the waterfall was wonderful.  There were two different streams that fed into the waterfall and I was able to get close to them, throw in sticks and watch the sticks pick a path and flow away.  It was very therapeutic, and for me a nature bonding experience with the wonderful country of Ireland.  The trails, the lakes, and all of those shades of green captivated me so much that I never made it to the monastery itself!

The Upper Lake

View of Monastery

Upon return to Dublin, my husband and I went in search of more good live Irish music.  After a delicious dinner of Fish & Chips and some souvenir shopping, we found our music at Gogartys.  It was cleverly hidden upstairs so we never would have known about it had I not asked.  We went upstairs to a small quaint, well lit bar with seats available (which rarely happens when a good band is playing).  There were two men, one playing guitar and one playing the flute.  With the flute in the mix, the music was softer than what we'd heard during our past evenings.  We still enjoyed the traditional Irish music so we sat down and ordered dessert, an Irish coffee.  Half way through our Irish coffee, the fiddle player showed up and the band got really good.  As soon as the fiddle started, people started clapping and the music became the lively toe stomping music we had become accustomed to.  When it was time for a break, one member would get up and leave while the other two played on, thus never leaving us without live music.  The beers were flowing, both in the crowd and the band, and everyone had more and more fun as the night went on.  Our newly met friend from Toronto was clapping enthusiastically to the beat of the music, our waiter from Brazil was smiling at every turn, and the band kept downing the beers and playing great music.  No one in that pub had a care in the world including me and I knew this was a night I would hold in my heart forever.  I love these travel moments that I know I will always look back on with a smile!

I hope you have enjoyed reading my entry from this Traveling Travel Agent's travels!  I am a travel agent because I love to travel and I love helping other people travel! Through strategic partnerships, I offer my clients preferred rates, complimentary upgrades and extra amenities like wine or shipboard credit. If you would like to receive travel offers from my agency, Purple Palm Vacations, please sign up for our Exclusive Travel Specials.

And please add comments from your own travels in this big beautiful world!