The Amazing Stallions of the Lipica Stud Farm in Slovenia:
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The Lipica Stud Farm
Tag Archives | couple fighting
A Room with a View
We need your help. So we were fighting the other day. You have no idea how many times we have said that! But then again you are on this site. We were having a “discussion” on which of our fave hotels had the very best views? Hotel rooms are just that to us, rooms. What is important to us is what you can see from the room. Great views are travel porn. One of Luci’s all time fave shows is “A Room with a View”. In this “chic” flick, the heroine Lucy Honeychurch and bumbling chaperone Charlotte Bartlett find themselves in Florence with rooms without a view. In the end, she gets the man, and they get a room, oh and it has a view. As a result of this show, as we travel one of key requirements is an amazing view.
Our four contenders are: Conrad-Istanbul, Hiton-Nice, Cavalieri-Rome, and the Fairmont Zimbali Lodge-South Africa
Conrad-Istanbul
This is an amazing property! It lands overlooking the mighty Bosporus. (click on the pic below to get a better feel of the immense view) You can see two continents (Europe and Asia) with this view! How many hotels can claim that? The unique shape of the hotel makes for views of some amazing land and seascapes. What makes this hotel’s view special is your are treated to views with two senses: sight and sound. Every morn and night you are greated with haunting renditons of the call to prayer for nearby mosques.
Please click on photo to get the entire view!
Hilton, Nice, France
What is better than a view of the French Rivera? Nice offers some ob the best water and beach front on the globe. We understand the hotel sold to another chain. Can anyone confirm that? Regardelss the view of the swaying palms, the fine eye candy on the beaches and of course the azure water are not to be missed. You are literally a hop, skip and a jump to world class beaches.
Cavalieri-Rome
Ok we weren’t going to reveal which is favored by who to let you the reviewer an unbiased opinion. But this is Mike’s fave hotel in the world. The mighty Cavalieri is one of the ugliest hotels on the outside. It is about as glamorous as a cement box. But what it lack in outward appearance, the inside and of course the views more than makes up for. Located on a perch overlooking all of Rome and especially the Vatican, the view is breathtaking. As luck would have, as we opened the siding door to our patio, there was a rainbow over the city! The hotel is located in a 50 acre parklike setting. We understanding that during conclave, rooms go for astronomical prices. You could see the white smoke from your room!
Fairmont Zimbali Lodge-South Africa
Lastly, but certainly not least is the the Zimbali. While our room offered a jungle obstructed viewof the Indian Ocean, a few steps down the path to the pool affords one of the most impressive ocean front views! We visited the Zimbali at the end of our safari trip trough South Africa. The resort lodge is an oasis for the soul. The hotel has a number of freshwater pools right on the edge of the ocean. We timed our visit on the shoulder season and had the entire pool area to ourselves. Beat that view? I dont think so!
There are some many great locations out there: an African Lodge, a Mediterian escape or even take in Kensington apartments for that matter! Regardless if they are hotels, hostels, or even serviced apartments treat yourself to a great view!
Now is your chance to weigh in with your opinion. Which is the best view? Just leave a post below.
10 Things to Know for Your First International Trip
We put together a little cheat sheet for you folks who are attempting your first international trip. These little hints are the sum of all our knowledge from visiting a couple dozen different counties on 5 continents. These are the things that we wish we would have known, but were painful lessons learned out on the road.
1)Roll with it
Ok, this is your first trip abroad. You happen to be the type A, planner type. Take a chill pill! Regardless of how planned you are, things are going to be different than you expect. Roads don’t exist that are clearly on the map! This is a really good thing. Experiencing another culture, another language, and another environment makes you a better person. You can understand and cope with differences better after your return. You become more deep as a human being. Just to recap, things are going to be crazy. A lot of things are going to come at you fast. Savor every moment!
2)Speak the Language
If you are a loyal 1000 Fighter, you know that we always harp on this. It is so critical in order to really get to know a new country, you must, must, must know some of the language. You by no means need to be fluent. Its better if you are not. You do need to know enough to engage in a small conversation without relying on your native tongue. Our goal is always to know enough to chat up a taxi driver for 10 mins. Know how to talk about the weather. You don’t need to conjugate every verb, you need to know how to ask a kid their name, and how old they are.
Turkish Breakfast
3)Just Try It
This little nugget of advice applies on so many levels. Lets start with the food. As you departing on your first international trip, you are going to see menus that look Greek even if you are in China! When you walk into the food establishment, glance around, pick out something that looks interesting and give it a try. Why not? (If your are in Cusco, Peru- give the guineu pig a try!) You have never been on balloon flights UK? Follow rule number 3. Just try it! The beauty of experience days is stepping outside your comfort zone.
4)Ask a Lot of Questions
Luci is a real pro at this. It is her reporter background. Regardless if we are on a plane, in a museum, taking a nature tour, or just in a cab, she is always pumping anyone that will listen for information. Why? Frankly, you don’t know what you don’t know. There may be another bigger unknown waterfall just around the corner. There may be a cheaper place to buy your souvenirs just down the road. The taxi driver might have a brother that runs a better tour. All of these things have happened to us. Only because we asked.
5) Follow your instincts
Traveling internationally, trust your gut. One of our fave couple travel bloggers: Y Travel Blog recently did a post on safety tips for single female travelers, in this article Caz says: “Trust your intuition. It always knows best. If something doesn’t feel right, then don’t do it. There is a reason why you get that unsettled feeling in your stomach when you meet that strange person on the beach. Don’t freak yourself out by imaginary monsters, but definitely pay attention to those little messages our animal instincts give us.”
If you are in a place that doesn’t fell right, leave. Common sense kinda stuff. We must say, be careful of situations where your instincts are dulled: “see drinking too much barley pop.”
6)Smile
We give you permission to forget every other one of our hints in this post, please don’t forget this one. This is the most powerful hint to traveling abroad. The smile is the universal language. Attempt to speak Turkish, compliment them on their beautiful country and then grin ear to ear. Your feeble attempts at communication will be supplanted with the power of the smile. If you are struggling figuring out the exchange rate and what all of the multi-colored monopoly money means…flash a big toothy grin. No problems. Smile at everyone. Give the little children you pass on the street a warm smile, the old man in the chair in front of his flat a big one as well. The returns from this small gesture will pay huge dividends.
7)Be Prepared
The old boy scout motto applies to international travel. If you are going to the Amazon, buy some medical evacuation coverage. If you are going to Tahiti and you only wear a certain sun tan lotion, bring it. Think through things on a couple of levels. Put your money in a couple different places. Another couple of our travel friends, Cam and Nicole have a great story about this! “How I got robbed by a Thai prostitute on the streets of Bangkok.” Cam shared this story with us when we were up in Vancouver, BC this summer. We are still laughing. The moral of the story is always be prepared!
8) Don’t Follow the Other Tourists
It is soooo tempting when traveling abroad to do what everyone else is doing. But didn’t your mom warn you about doing this? If not, we are! Don’t go on a tourist bender. If you are prepared, and follow the other tips above, wander out of the norm. See the undiscovered sites. Are they still out there you ask? YOU BET THEY ARE. Will you get lost? We sure hope so. Some of our best moments traveling are when we get lost. Be a leader, not a follower.
9) Show me the Money
Every place you go, you are going to need rupees, pounds, yens, or coconuts…Be prepared. Exchange some cash at the airport. Have a couple different flavors of credit cards: Visa, MasterCard, and something else. Anywhere you go, money will flow. Have some. The law of travel we have found that is that ATMs are never close, and they are finicky. Having cards from different banks is literally a lifesaver.
10)Pack Light
We really hate to put this one in. How can we preach something we don’t practice? Mike is the all time worst packer. He packs a ton. He is a child of the 1980s so he has to match the seasons, with clothes for every event, restaurant, and setting. Don’t follow his example! Here’s why it is so critical that you follow this suggestion. Luggage is heavy. On every single international trip we have taken, we have ended up walking long, long distances with luggage. It WILL happen to you. If you pack heavy, you will be tired. Good decisions are rarely made when tired. Especially if you are traveling as a couple. You can always buy more clothes when you get there. In fact, this is a really good idea.
So that’s it! Our 10 ideas that will make your life a little easier making your first trip abroad. Now go and book those tickets. After you come back, please share with us the lessons you learned! We would love to hear your ideas and suggestions. Just leave us a comment below. Bon Voyage!
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New York +Rockettes+Christmas=FUN!
Image via Wikipedia
For everyone who thought that Christmas only comes once a year, think again!
The world-famous Radio City Rockette’s officially kicked off Christmas in August, unveiling the NEW 2011 Radio City Christmas Spectacular, the Rockette’s Magical Journey!
This year’s Christmas Spectacular includes 3 D! (The rockets in 3 D….we have Mike’s attention!) Not only that, the performance will include amaing special effects and more! Get you plane tickets now! The annual event will be showing November 11- Jan 2nd at the amazing Radio City Music Hall in NYC.
Avoiding the “Spa” Fight
Çemberlitas Bath-Istanbul, Turkey
Spa. Ah. Just the word makes you feel better. 1000fights likes spas. Let me clarify-the female half of 1000fights likes spas. The male half likes golf. So why not do both? Because we are both incredibly anal about money and equality, 1000fights has a rule. Equal money on vacation. That means whatever is spent on golf, is spent on the spa and vice versa. This policy of equality came after a fight in South Africa. We were staying at the Zimbali Lodge outside of Durban. Mike golfed. Luci enjoyed the pool. But Luci also started feeling very resentful because while Mike was spending fistful of South African Rands, Luci wasn’t. When she tried to book a treatment at the resort, there weren’t any openings. Lesson learned. Here’s a couple tips for the non-golfing ladies and spa attending guys to make sure you aren’t getting shafted on vacation.
Plan ahead. Don’t expect to be able to walk into the spa and get an appointment. If you don’t plan ahead for an appointment, you’ll be disappointed and mad.
Budget. Know what you want to spend. Often times hotel spas are overpriced and under deliver. You’ll spend three times as much on a massage at the hotel versus one at an independent business down the street.
Ask Your Hotel. I know this seems counter intuitive and often times the hotel will pimp their spa, but if you ask for a list of local spas, the concierge will oblige.
Get in on the social networking. Once you find a spa you want to visit both on vacation and at home, “like” them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. You’ll end up getting special deals.
Surf the group coupon. Living Social, Groupon, Amazon Local usually have a spa deal very two to three weeks. If you know you are going to visit a city, sign up for their deals. Purchasing group coupons means you get more for your money and twice the treatments.
Go web shopping. There are some really great Spa holiday links out there. These specialized websites drive deals just for Spa breaks UK and international spas. You’ll get better deals here than just approaching the property directly. You’ll also have the benefit of discovering several properties at once without having to look up each property individually. The best site I’ve seen is http://www.spabreaks.com. It makes me want to go to a spa now!
7 Questions with Here, There, and Elsewhere
Do you ever get a kind of insight when you meet someone for the very first time? You say to yourself, this person is going places? Is it charisma? Well we feel this way about our 7 Questions featured couple this week. They are really destined for some great adventures! So… meet: Bryan and Laura.
Blog: Here, There and Elsewhere
Twitter: The DeLuca’s (follow them as they have hit the “2000 barrier”)
1) How many countries visited between the two of you?
Team DeLuca has been to 22 countries collectively…Bryan having visited 12 and Laura ten. Not too shabby for a pair of (strong to quite strongly attractive) amateurs.
2) If you had to travel with someone else besides your travel partner, who would it be? (this person can be living, historical or mythical?.)
He Said: Morgan Freeman, so he could narrate my entire journey.
She Said: I would travel with one of my best friends, Katie. She and I met six years ago at an alumnae gathering where I proceeded to unknowingly make fun of one of her high school acquaintances, and we’ve been friends ever since. She and I have similar interests – could sight-see one day, then watch a Real Housewives marathon the next while ordering room service in our PJs – and get into quite a bit of trouble when we are together.
3)What has been your favorite destination in your wanderings?
He said: Switzerland because it’s so tranquil and picturesque. And the sheep are cute, too.
She said: I feel like such a typical girl when I say this, but definitely Paris. The sights, the smells, the random men in their underwear splashing around in fountains. It’s just delightful.
4) If you had to eat one last meal, what/ where would you eat?
He said: This is a tough one, but I’d have to pick steak and lobster at a really nice steakhouse. You know, man food.
She said: Hands down, I would have a Tex-Mex feast. A little queso here, some sour cream chicken enchiladas there, and a nice margarita to wash it all down.
5)How do you pick the places you visit? Spontaneous vs. planned?
He said: A little bit of both. I like knowing what I’m doing but I like getting lost, too.
She said: I spontaneously let Bryan plan most things.
6) If you could solve one problem in the world what would it be?
He said: Cancer, that bastard.
She said: Human trafficking, those bastards.
7)You knew it was coming….What has been your greatest travel fight/disagreement?
She said: Well, I was working until the 11th hour prior to a weekend jaunt to New Orleans. Apparently I was the cause of us not only almost missing our flight, but also our bags having to travel on a later one. Then I got food poisoning and my husband went to a vampire party without me. I’d say that was quite the travel adventure and fight. Oops!
He said: Fighting about the fight Laura just mentioned.
1000Fights: Wow! This couple has spunk! Ok, lets get the obvious out of the way. We know that they are likely the odds on fav for our Hot Blogger Contest. Luci says that they are going to make beautiful babies…I am not really sure what that means. Anyway. H T & E are headed on a whirlwhind trip and we wish them the very best in their travels and adventure together. As a parting shot, we want to share one of their recent tweets:
HTandE The DeLuca’s
30 minutes ’til our guests arrive, and my hubs and I just slow danced in our kitchen. #lovebirds
5:27 PM Aug 27th
Bryan and Laura-Come back and tell us when the fighting starts!
101 “Other” Things to to in Holland
One of our fave European cities is the “AMS” (Amsterdam, Netherlands). Amsterdam is a collage of different feels-old and young. After our first visit, Luci commented: “this is the youngest oldest city I have ever been.” She could not be more right. Despite the fact that the architecture is so historic, the population of the city is decidedly dominated by the 25-35 set. AMS loads of fun at all hours. We recently did a post on great layover plans for the city.
Many travelers today taint their view of the country based on two vices: Pot and Prostitution. Unlike other “escape” locales like Las Vegas, with AMS take away the “SIN” and you are left with an amazing “CITY”. Holland has depth. Holland has a multicultural, vibrant and rich history and tradition.
In part to counter the unsavory image being projected to the world, legislation was introduced recently to prevent foreigners from patronizing the “coffee” shops. To counter the notion that all the Netherlands is good for is a “weed-cation”, the Netherlands Board of Tourism enlisted New York comedian/filmmaker, Mark Malkoff to show Americans that there’s way more to do in Holland than smoking pot in coffee shops!
Here a four short clips from youtube that are hilarious!!! Watch every one, they are sooo funny!
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The 7 Sports Meccas
Another post in our Man-cation- Ideas Series
Visiting the Mecca’s of Sport
The definitive seven sacred shrines to sport: Olympia, Monte Carlo, the Old Yankee Stadium, the All England Club, the Roman Coliseum and St. Andrews. The nano-second that you step foot on the grass, pebbles, or tarmac of these hallowed sanctuaries of sport you FEEL the history ooze through your soul.
Does size mater?
Lets take a step back…what makes a sports mecca? Is it size alone? No. Of the 10 largest stadiums in the world, six are home to US college football teams (University of Texas, University of Michigan, Penn State, Tennesse, Ohio State and Alabama.) The largest stadium in the world is the May Day Stadium in North Korea, seating 150,000 people! In selection of our meccas, our first consideration was global recognition and significance.
Ok..lets take a look at each one of the meccas and why they were chosen:
Olympia
Olympia, Greece is arguably the birthplace of competitive sport. Olympia boast the inspiration for the modern Olympic games. The location saw it’s sports hay day peak from 776 BC to 400AD the longest period of athletic excellence of any location on the planet. Only a decree from the Emperor Theodosius 1st ended the games after he thought they had become a paganfest.
Visiting Olympia
Reaching Olympia is a little involved. It is roughly a 5 hour drive from Athens. The train service from Athens to the are has stopped. So your options are limited. As you can image, there are a number of tour companies that offer bus and overnight accommodation packages out of Athens.
Olympia offers so much more than just sport history. Due to the long history of human inhabitants in the area every stage of Greek Arctuture is on display. We understand that archaeological museum at Olympia is excellent.
The Olympic flame of the modern-day Olympic Games is lit by reflection of sunlight in a parabolic mirror in front of the Temple of Hera and then transported by a torch to the place where the games are held. When the modern Olympics came to Athens in 2004, the men’s and women’s shot put competition was held at the restored Olympia stadium. Wikipedia
Roman Coliseum
Perhaps the most recognizable location on our famed mecca list is of course the Roman Coliseum. The structure was the largest amphitheater built during the Roman age. Construction started around 72 AD. It was the brain child of Emperor Vespasian. Construction was completed in the year 80 AD under the direction of Titus. At its pinnacle of operation, the stadium could hold over 50,000 people. According to legend, each citizen of Rome was granted season tickets and an assigned seat.
The Coliseum’s primary sporting event was produced by the gladiators. Men would take turn killing various wild beasts and each other to the cheers of the wine bibbing throngs. According to historians on occasion the rink was flooded with water and famous sea battles were reenacted. The venue was truly a multi purpose facility; it hosted events including public executions, plays and concerns, as well as religious services! Even today, every Good Friday the Pope leads a throng of “fans” down to the old pitch.
Visiting the Coliseum
As they say…When in Rome! There is so much to see in Rome, with that said, any visitor must make their way to this ancient relic of sport. As you approach the structure, be prepared to be encircled by gladiator garbed goons attempting to solicit a pricy photo session with you. Take the audio tour that gives you a pretty in depth description of the form and function.
Image supplied by Your Golf Travel
St. Andrews
St. Andrews the town is located on the east coast of Scotland. There is much to see in this small borough. St. Andrews is home to the third oldest university in the world, the University of St Andrews. (It must drive them crazy to say GO USA!) The location is of course best known as the international home of golf. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club was founded in 1754. The rules of the game for the entire world are determined at a local pub. The Club hosts the annual Open Championship, by far the oldest major in golf.
Visiting St. Andrews
Of all the locations, visiting St. Andrews is perhaps is perhaps the most difficult. The best way to get to St. Andrews is to fly into the Edinburgh airport and then either rent a car or take the Airlink bus to the train station. Most of the St. Andrew facilities are within walking distance of the town center. How do I play the course? First of all, there are loads of courses in the area. Find one that fits your skill set, then swing hard!
A word or warning for you duffers: “If there is one part of the game not right, no matter how you try your hardest to protect it, the Old Course will find it.”
—Peter Thompson, on St. Andrews
Monte Carlo-
I know, I know, you think that the Indiana’s speedway belongs in this hallowed spot. You would be wrong. The Monaco Grand Prix is truly both the most prestigious and important automobile race on the planet. The race was first run in 1929, and was won by William Grover-Williams driving a Bugatti
The race is held on a narrow course laid out in the streets of Monaco, with many elevation changes and tight corners as well as a tunnel, making it one of the most demanding tracks in Formula One. In spite of the relatively low average speeds, it is a dangerous place to race. It is the only Grand Prix that does not adhere to the FIA’s mandated 305km minimum race distance. Wikipedia
The danger of the course, the international intrigue of the location, and the global field in the race makes the Grand Prix a mecca.
Visiting Monaco
Perched on the French Riviera Monaco is truly one of those special places. Nestled near Cannes, Nice and the border of Italy, Monaco is the heart of glamor, beach and luxury. Of course no visit to Monaco would be complete without a visit to the famous Monte Carlo Casino. The entire place is just dripping with luxury. Yes, you still need to wear a jacket to enter the “special” rooms of the casino. Ferraris, Bugattis, and Lamborghinis line the front entry. Amazing yachts line the harbor.
Old Yankee Stadium
“The House that Ruth Built.”
The old Yankee Stadium is located in the storied Bronx section of New York City, New York. It was the home of the New York Yankee Baseball team after its completion in 1923 to 2008 when it was replaced with a new monstrosity. The diamond hosted over 6000 baseball games over its 85 years of service. It has played host to a number of world series games and allstar games. It has also hosted a number of boxing matches and three Papal Masses! On June 21, 1990, a rally was held at Yankee Stadium for Nelson Mandela upon his release from prison.
Perhaps the most memorable moment in the venue’s history came on July 4, 1939, designated as “Lou Gehrig Appreciation Day”. Gehrig, forced out of action permanently by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and facing his impending death, gave a legendary farewell speech thanking his fans and colleagues for making him “the luckiest man on the face of the earth.”
A number of college football game were held in the stadium. This included the Notre Dame-Army games. One match up in particular found legendary Notre Dame coach Knute Rockne offering his “win one for the Gipper” speech. The 1946 Army vs. Notre Dame football game at Yankee stadium is regarded as one of the 20th century college football Games of the Century.
The New York Giants of the NFL played their home games at Yankee Stadium from 1956 to 1973. On December 28, 1958, Yankee Stadium hosted the NFL championship game, frequently called “The Greatest Game Ever Played”. The Baltimore Colts tied the Giants, 17–17, on a field goal with seven seconds left. Led by quarterback Johnny Unitas, the Colts won in overtime, 23–17. The game’s dramatic ending is often cited as elevating professional football to one of the United States’ major sports.
Visiting Old Yankee Stadium
You cant. The Stadium has been demolished.
All England Club
Our next to final Mecca is a mouth full: All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. It is located in Wimbledon, London, England. The storied club hosts the Wimbledon Championship. the Championship is the only tennis major to be held on grass. The club has just shy of 400 members. The patron of the club is H.M. Queen Elizabeth II, and the President is H.R.H. The Duke of Kent. The club was founded in 1868.
The facilities include 20 tournament level courts and 16 other gross courts. The gras can be used May till mid September, at which time a small number of clay and hard courts on premise can be used. For your information, the grass is cut to an exact measurement of 8mm, and is 100% perennial rye grass. Center court the largest, seats roughly 15,000 patrons.
Visiting Wimbledon
The Club will likely be on full display at the upcoming London Olympics. This is be a great chance to see the venue and the top players in the world on display. Wimbledon has its very own tube stop, so visiting the venue is extremely easy. The Lawn Tennis Hall of Fame and museum are also on premises and are not to be missed.
By now you probably noticed that we only mentioned 6 meccas. You are sooo good! We are leaving the 7th up to you our loyal “1000 Fighters”. So where/what do you nominate? Just leave a comment below and let the fights begin.
Army vs. Navy: A visit to the US Military Academies
In our series of articles on “Man-cation” Ideas:
The Battle of the Military Academies: Army vs. Navy
Besides being two of the premier war colleges in the world, Westpoint, NY (Home of the United States Military Academy at West Point) and Annapoilis, MD (Home of the United States Naval Academy) are fascinating places to visit! Both locations are steeped in American history and military tradition. We put together a primer for visiting both locations:
US Naval Academy
U.S. Naval Academy (Founded: 1845)
“There’s a huge crop of astronauts, captains of industry, and prisoners of war. And, although not every Naval Academy grad will be a war hero or the president of the United States, every grad can aspire to embrace the values espoused by our Distinguished Graduate Award recipients.”~ George Watt
Motto: EX SCIENTIA TRIDENS-From Knowledge Seapower
Talk like a local: Students= “midshipmen”, campus= “the Yard”, the restroom = “the head”, drinking fountain = “scuttlebutt”.
Famous Grads: President Jimmy Carter, Sen. John McCain, Football star Roger Staubach, Basketball star David Robinson, 52 Astronauts
Mascot: Bill the Goat
2010 Football Record: 9 and 4
Cool Traditions: Herndon Climb Cover Toss
Uniform: Midshipmen at the Academy wear service dress uniforms similar to those of U.S. Navy officers, with shoulder-board and sleeve insignia varying by school year or midshipmen officer rank. All wear gold anchor insignia on both lapel collars of the service dress blue jacket. Shoulder boards have a gold anchor and a number of slanted stripes indicating year, except for midshipman officers, whose shoulder boards have a small gold star and horizontal stripes indicating their rank. (Wikipedia)
United States Military Academy at West Point (Founded 1802)
“Duty-Honor-County. Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be. They are your rallying points: to build courage when courage seems to fail; to regain faith when there seems to be little cause for faith; to create hope when hope becomes forlorn.”
General Douglas MacArthur – farewell address, 12 May 1962 to the Corps of Cadets
Motto: “Duty, Honor, Country”
Key terms: Student= “Cadet”, We found an entire Website of terms!
Famous Grads: US Presidents Grant and Eisenhower; President of the Confederacy Jefferson Davis; Presidents of other counties: Anastasio Somoza Debayle of Nicaragua, Fidel V. Ramos of the Philippines, and José María Figueres of Costa Rica; Jim Kimsey, founder of AOL. Most importantly Gen. George McClellan (Mike’s ancestor that Lincoln fired)
Mascot: Mule
2010 Football Record: 7 and 6
Cool facts: Cullum Number Spinning the spur The West Point Military Reservation contains one of three U.S. Treasury’s gold mints.
Our visit to West Point:
We visited the campus on our recent trip to New York City. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, 50 miles (80 km) north of New York City. It is a great side trip for those interested in American History and militaria. West Point is not open for self touring per se. Visitors may take a nominally priced guided tour of the Academy grounds departing from the West Point Visitors Center. A valid photo ID is required for all adults 16 and over, and children must be accompanied by an adult. Check the center’s website for details.
We began our tour in the morning after taking in the visitors center. We boarded our bus, we had a very competent guide to explained the many traditions of the academy. He also pointed out the form and function of the many buildings on campus. The tour ended at the river side of the parade grounds. There you can take in statues and cannons celebrating the storied history of the place. While we were sitting in the grandstands the cadets assembled for lunch.
The surroundings and vista of the river is breathtaking. What a great place to go to school! The entire campus really has a New England prep school feel to it. Tree lined lanes. Monuments on every corner. Lacross players. You get the picture.
A little history from the West Point Website: “West Point’s role in our nation’s history dates back to the Revolutionary War, when both sides realized the strategic importance of the commanding plateau on the west bank of the Hudson River. General George Washington considered West Point to be the most important strategic position in America. Washington personally selected Thaddeus Kosciuszko, one of the heroes of Saratoga, to design the fortifications for West Point in 1778, and Washington transferred his headquarters to West Point in 1779. Continental soldiers built forts, batteries and redoubts and extended a 150-ton iron chain across the Hudson to control river traffic. Fortress West Point was never captured by the British, despite Benedict Arnold’s treason. West Point is the oldest continuously occupied military post in America.”
Our Visit to the Naval Academy
Like the Army installation, visiting Navy is also a great side trip. The 338-acre campus is located on the former grounds of Fort Severn at the confluence of the Severn River and Chesapeake Bay, approximately 33 miles (53 km) east of Washington, D.C. and 26 miles (42 km) southeast of Baltimore, Maryland. Unlike the Army, visiting Navy is more of a self guided experience.
We began our tour at one of the many gates around the campus. Security is just as tight as West Point. Be prepared with IDs for anyone 16year+. We recommend starting your site seeing at the museum. Here you can pick up a self guided tour listing all of the buildings, ect. If you wish to take a guided tour: The U.S. Naval Academy Guide Service is housed in the Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center, conveniently located inside Gate 1 at the end of King George Street.
In the museum you can check out “The United States Navy Trophy Flag Collection”, begun by an Act of Congress in 1814 and given to the care of the Naval Academy in 1849, now totals more than 600 historic American and captured foreign flags. Included are the famous “Don’t Give Up the Ship” battle flag flown at the Battle of Lake Erie, the first American ensign flown in Japan (1853), and flags and banners which have been to the moon.
One of our favorites during our visit was seeing the Chapel. On January 26, 1913, the remains of John Paul Jones were interred in the crypt beneath the Chapel, inside a sarcophagus made of 21 short tons of Grand Pyrenees marble. In the deck around the crypt are inscribed the names of his ships: Bonhomme Richard, Alliance, Serapis, Ariel, Alfred, Providence, and Ranger. It is flat out amazing!
During our visit the midshipmen were marching around the grounds which made for some really great pictures.
Both of these locations are worthy of their respective side trips. Both could be done in a morning or afternoon. It is truly a moving site to see these young men and women who put their lives on the line for the United States.
So which is the best? ARMY or NAVY? Leave your selection below!
Have you visited the service academies in the states or abroad? Leave a comment below and tell us about it!
Shhhh….Our Secrets to Discount VIP Travel
Image by 1000fights via Flickr
We thought we would let you in on a few of our VIP travel secrets…
Ask for the Moon
Have you ever asked for the Honeymoon Suite? It never hurts to ask. Most hotel managers will tell you the premium suites are vacant most of the time. During shoulder seasons especially– just asking often opens the door to some really nice rooms. High inventory cities are also prone to willingness to upgrade you if it is an “off” weekend, or better yet a weekday. “Large inventory” areas like Las Vegas, Atlantic City, Miami, Paris, ect are an easy target.
Getting an upgrade at a discounted rate can be cheaper than a standard room due to the amenities that come with. Upgraded rooms often have access to free: wifi, bottled water, hospitality rooms, ect. Don’t ever expect to get upgraded…Grandma’s rules apply: a little bit a honey goes a long way.
Another place to ask for the upgrade is at the rental car desk. We have friends that always book economy and play the upgrade game at the desk. This approach can be risky if the desk is swamped, they are out of cars, or if you find “Mr. NO!” behind the counter. Always ask about your options. Negotiate a price. Most rental car companies put a ton of miles on the economy and mid-size cars. They need to put some miles on those Cadillacs and Audis. For those that are a little fearful to ask: just say…”what else do you have?”
Trust me, those counter agents get asked all the time.
Book Early or Late
If you are catching the train to the airport then you might be able to afford to go first class if you book yourself a ticket early enough. Train and air lines often have early bird deals on their website, it might take a little bit more planning as they often require you to book your ticket some time in advance but it can be worth it if you get a first class ticket for negligible extra cost.
An old Chinese Proverb goes: Empty seats make no money. Again, during certain times of the year the best seats on trains and planes go empty. There is a load of websites out there that offer great bargains on last minute travel. This is certainly not for the faint at heart. For crazy planners like Luci and I, this option would never work. The fact remains there are deals to be had on last minute travel. Give it a try.
Airline Perks
The three words that strike fear and loathing to avid travelers: LONG LAY OVER. They are the bane of our exsisitence. How can you travel VIP if you have to sit in an airport lounge for hours on end? Enter the airline club rooms. Worth every penny for long layovers. Food? Yep. Newspaper and popular mags? Yep. Comfy chairs? Yep. A little privacy? Yep.
Back to rule one, why not just ask the desk, tell them that you have a long layover and do they ever offer discounted entry? If you happen to be female, entry barriers seem to be lessened if you find a bored gate attendant. They are often eager to help (wink).
Valet Airport Parking
We have found the way you start and end your trip make all the difference. If you are driving to the airport then you have a think about Airport Parking the options that are open to you. If you don’t want the bog standard park and ride service then you might be able to find a good deal on valet parking or even treat yourself to the most VIP option which is a chauffeur service. Valet parking can really add a touch of class to your journey as your own driver will meet you at the airport when you arrive, all you need to do is hand over your vehicle and your keys and they will take your car to a secure place for the duration of your stay.
On your return they will meet you when your flight arrives and have your car waiting for you right outside departures. It truly is how the other half travels. Prices are surprisingly affordable.
We hope these tips and tricks are helpful. Do you have any secrets to getting the VIP experience? Leave a comment below.
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- The best and worst airports in which to be stranded (prweb.com)
We are Mike and Luci.
