Tag Archives: vacation

My Cruise Vacation 

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While on summer break, my family and I wanted to do something fun and exciting. After much thought, we decided we wanted to go on a cruise ship. The cruise ship we ended up going on was called the Carnival Firenze. The ship had an Italian theme, which included plenty of Italian art. The cruise ship lasted from July 21st to July 25th for a total of four days. In those four days, the cruise went to Catalina Island and Ensenada, Mexico. We were also able to explore much of the ship and experience most of its activities in those four days.

When we first stepped on board the ship we headed toward our muster station where they told us what to do in an emergency. Right after that, we went to our room which had a total of three beds, two bathrooms, and a television that had thirty-five different channels and a selection of free movies and some that you can buy. For the rest of the day, we explored the ship and did activities such as watching a show called Dear Future Husband and going on a ropes course. When I woke up the next day we were at Catalina where we just walked around and went shopping for most of the day. The next day we were in Ensenada. While in Ensenada we were on a tour that went to the second-largest blowhole in the world called La Bufadora and went to La Riviera, which is a historical place where celebrities would go to gamble. The next day was a day at sea. While at sea for the entire day, we played mini golf at the Sports Square, watched a gameshow that you could participate in called Deal or No Deal, and played a whole bunch of trivia games. On the final day, we ate breakfast at a restaurant called Michelangelo’s and then got off the ship. 

I had a ton of fun while on this cruise. They did a great job with entertaining guests. I highly recommend it for your next family vacation. I particularly liked the shows they put on such as an interactive Deal or No Deal game show and the constant trivia games, which include superheroes, movies, and music trivia, that anybody could participate in. Every worker on the ship was friendly and nice, which added to the overall enjoyment. The cruise also included a great selection of food options such as Guy’s Burger Joint and a buffet with a variety of food called the Lido Marketplace. Every meal I had didn’t disappoint since all of the food I had was very tasty and high quality even though most of it is free and included with the cruise. The two destinations we went to were also intriguing to me. Even though we didn’t do much at Catalina it was still nice to walk around and explore the island. Going on a tour in Ensenada was much fun since I learned about some history and saw many things that are new to me such as a blowhole.

In conclusion, the Carnival Firenze was a great experience and I recommend it to families who can afford it. The cruise has lots of activities to enjoy with your family. Some of these activities include going into some souvenir stores and listening to music played by many professionals for hours each day. The cruise ship even has multiple restaurants that provide free food such as a restaurant called the Medici where my family and I ate dinner every night. Once you leave the cruise you’ll be thinking about all of the memories you’ve made and you’ll miss being on the ship.

-Matthew R.

Lisbon Summer Vacation

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This summer, my family and I went to visit Lisbon. Lisbon is the capital city of Portugal and one of the oldest cities in the world. Its history is rich, and the city is filled with enriching museums and dazzling churches. The city is home to brightly colored buildings and the iconic Portuguese tiles that line the charming streets. 

My family and I spent a week in Lisbon, traveling from LAX to Montreal and then to Lisbon. We stayed at the Hotel NH Collection Lisboa Liberdade, located on the famous Avenida da Liberdade. The hotel offered a beautiful view of the city, including St. George’s Castle and the vibrant buildings. After unpacking, we explored the city center and enjoyed a delicious meal at McDonald’s. We then dined at Rubro, a restaurant that I would rate 9/10 for its filet steak and fries.

On the second day, we visited Belem, a historic district in Lisbon, where we saw the Marques de Pombal statue, the Estrela basilica, and the Empire Square Garden. We also visited the Jeronimos Monastery, famous for its intricate architecture and the resting place of Vasco da Gama. The Church of St. Maria of Belem was also a visit. We then visited the Monument of Discovery, where we took photos of the Tagus River and Ponte 25 de Abril bridge. We also visited the Belem Tower, which was closed by the time we arrived. After sightseeing, we returned to the hotel for dinner at a restaurant that served Fado, a traditional Portuguese music genre with a melancholic essence.

On the third day, we visited the Royal Jewelry Museum and the Royal Palace Museum, where we observed the royal palace’s unique rooms and tasks. We then took a hop on hop off bus to Lisbon, visiting the historic Águas Livres Aqueduct, the national park (Parque das Nações), and the National Tile Museum. The tile museum showcased detailed tiles, primarily blue and white, influenced by the Qing Dynasty. We then visited St. George’s Castle, built in the 12th century. We ended the night with dinner at a small restaurant called Taberna Anti Dantas, where we enjoyed sea bass.

On the fourth day, we visited the Lisbon Earthquake Museum, where we reenacted the 1755 devastating earthquake. We had lunch at Pastéis de Belém, a pastry shop known for their famous cream tart, Pastel de Nata. We also visited the National Museum of Ancient Art, which took about 3 hours to explore. We also took the Santa Justa lift to enjoy the stunning view of Lisbon. Lastly we ate dinner at Cafe Niccola, where I had a salmon filet with roasted potatoes.

If you are looking to take a vacation, I highly recommend looking into traveling to Portugal, as I enjoyed my stay heavily!

Travel books about Portugal are available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. They are also available to download for free from Libby.

Reasons Why You Should Chose Philippines For Your Next Vacation Destination

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https://guidetothephilippines.ph/articles/ultimate-guides/boracay-white-beach-guide

Imagine letting go of all your stress and letting yourself get engulfed in the feeling of relaxation as the sun beams its violent rays. I can guarantee you that this is one of the feelings you will experience in the beautiful country of the Philippines. The Philippines is a country located in Southeast Asia with a population of approximately 106.7 million people, and it is especially known for its breathtaking tropical beaches that draw in visitors worldwide, especially during the summer. You should consider going to the Philippines for your next vacation because of its popular tropical beaches, its dangerous but mesmerizing volcanoes, and its friendly citizens. 

One of the reasons why you should travel to this beautiful country of the Philippines for your next vacation is because of its very well-known tropical beaches. Because the Philippines is an archipelago, it consists of more than 7,000 islands, resulting in a vast variety of beaches in the Philippines. The Philippines has over a hundred beaches that all capture the beauty of the country. Many of these beaches have scorching sand due to the summer heat of the Philippines, but it is very soft to the touch. Not to mention, the oceans of these beaches are mesmerizing just by themselves. The beautiful teal and turquoise color of the shallow ocean as it transitions into a deep blue as the ocean gets less shallow is just a great sight to see. Some examples of these beaches are White Beach in Boracay, Nacpan Beach in El Nido, Palawan, Alona Beach in Nohol, and many more. 

Adding on, consider adding the Philippines to your next vacation destination because of the volcanoes there. The Philippines lies in the Pacific Ring of Fire, which is where most volcanoes are, which is why there are countless volcanoes in the Philippines. Although harmful and dangerous, the volcanoes of the Philippines are a sight to see. One of the most popular volcanoes in the world and the most famous volcano in the Philippines is Mount Mayon in Luzon. Since this fury-active volcano is dangerous to be near, you could stay at a hotel near Mount Mayon and still be able to take in the sights of this marvelous volcano.

Lastly, you should visit the Philippines because the people there are very friendly! Despite most Filipinos not being able to communicate with tourists because of the different languages, they still show their hospitality and kindness. The people of the Philippines are very sweet and very festive, whether in the Philippines or not. Filipinos are very full of love, and they are mostly very joyful. Even if they are not living the best life, they try to make the most of what they have and remain hopeful. It is unlikely that you will have a bad experience with the people of the Philippines during your vacation. 

In conclusion, you should keep the Philippines in mind for the next time you go on vacation. The beautiful tropical beaches of the Philippines are like magnets that attract people worldwide, and the various volcanoes in the Philippines are very dangerous but also alluring, just making the Philippines very beautiful. The people of the Philippines are so kind and warm-hearted that they make the Philippines more beautiful than it already is. Thus, you should go to the Philippines, or at least consider it for your next vacation.

Books about the Philippines are available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. They are also available to download for free from Libby.

A New Winter Destination?

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Brian Head, Utah is a cozy small mountain town that I recently traveled to for the second time. It is an amazing destination for both winter and summer vacations. There are so many different activities that are filled with fun for the entire family.

Housing: 10/10
There are a LOT of airbnbs up in the mountains as well as hotels. Many opt for housing on the mountain however, another option is staying in the small town of Parowan, a small town that is located next to the mountain. Most housing in the mountains are small apartments that are in small lodges but can comfortably fit up to 4. For larger families, hotels are next to ski resorts that can host more people or larger lodges that are booked per family. They can have up to 6 rooms and house up to 14.

Food: 4/10

There really isn’t a lot of food choices up on the mountain. However down the mountain with in the town, there are fast food options that include IHOP, Mcdonalds, KFC, Jimmy John’s and more. You can grab a quick bite to eat before heading back up the mountain. It really isn’t that convenient but there is a small store on the mountain that has microwavable meals including pizza and such.

Conditions: 8/10

There really wasn’t that much snow this year in december, but there was a lot last year. Powder is really common on the mountains but this year it didn’t snow a lot so the roads got icy really quick. As for the ski resort, the trails were really nice and powdery on the blacks as they were making artificial snow up there. It wasn’t too cold and the views were great.

Activites: 9/10

Activities in the winter time last until late march or early april so there is a lot of time to enjoy your annual ski or snowboarding trips. The snow is really great and there is a lot of diversity as for the trails on the mountains. Lessons are great and I really enjoyed the short wait time for the chairlifts.

Overall: 10/10

This is a must on any ski or snowboarder’s list. It is an 8 hour drive from California and it is worth every minute. Add this to your dream vacation list now!

Cruising – A Different Type of Vacation

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Have you ever gone down a waterslide, ridden a roller coaster, rock climbed or tried walking across a tightrope hundreds of feet above the ocean? Sounds crazy, right? But a vacation cruise allows you to have these sorts of adventures and more! With so many of us planning our next vacation after such a long time dealing with COVID having shut so many things down for so long, I encourage you to take a look at all that cruising has to offer.

With over 50 different cruise lines available with over 320 different ships to choose from in the world currently, there are TONS of options for every type of traveler. There are cruise ships that sail in the ocean and ships that are solely built for cruising along rivers. Cruises can be as short as 2 nights or, currently, the longest cruise is 274 nights and offers its passengers a trip around the world, literally.

I recently had the opportunity to take a short cruise out of the nearby port in Long Beach, CA and visited Catalina, CA and Ensenada, Mexico. It was a great adventure, as I had never been on a cruise before. Before your cruise even starts, you decide what type of cabin you want, and there are lots to choose from, everything from an inside cabin, an ocean view, a balcony or different types of suites. What you choose depends on your preference and also on how much money you want to spend. Many people think cruising would never be an option because it’s too expensive, but there are cruises available for less than the cost of a hotel per night, if you really look for them. You might have to be flexible on your accommodations, however.

Once you are on the cruise there are so many things to do. Whether you like sitting around relaxing by the pool, playing Bingo or trivia for fun prizes, watching a show, or even playing basketball or miniature golf, there will always be something fun for you to do. There are special areas just for kids and teens, broken up by age group so you can meet others on board your age. The rooms have activities geared towards the specific age group including games, activities and video games and special parties. There’s also a variety of restaurants on board including a buffet, a main dining room or even special fine dining restaurants where you pay an additional fee, otherwise most food is included, which may result in you eating way more than you normally do in a day.

Sometimes you choose a cruise just for the cruise itself, and sometimes you choose a cruise for the ports you will visit. My family chose our destination just as a fun getaway right before school started back up, so it was a little bit of both, just to experience what a cruise was like and to visit a few places. Once in port, you can explore the town on your own or take a tour to a location that interests you. Every person who goes on a cruise will have a different experience based upon your likes and dislikes, so next time you don’t know where you should head out on vacation, check out all of the available cruising options as a different kind of vacation, especially if you’ve never experienced one before. You won’t be disappointed!

A Trip Around Lake Erie

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Summer has just begun and now that Covid is clearing up many people are taking their long-due vacations. For vacation this summer, my family and I decided to go for a trip around Lake Erie which is one of the 5 great lakes in the northeastern part of the United States. During our time there we drove through 4 different states and a different country.

We decided to start by taking a four hour flight over to Cleveland, Ohio and from there we took a short drive to Cedar Point. Cedar Point is an amusement park in Ohio that my dad has been wanting to go to for years. We spent a couple days there, then went on a ferry to a little island called Put-in-Bay. Put-in-Bay is a village on South Bass Island in the middle of Lake Erie about a mile from Sandusky, Ohio. We spent a day there driving around in a golf cart and exploring the island. While the island is very small, it houses a US National Park called Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial which is a memorial to those who fought in the Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812.  After we got back to the mainland, we went to another amusement park called Kings Island in Mason, Ohio, and we spent another 2 days there.

After fully exploring these fun places in Ohio, we packed up and took about an 8 hour car ride towards Toronto, Canada. At the US/Canadian border we were stopped by border agents who asked us many questions about where we had come from and where we were going. They also made sure we had properly completed the ArriveCan app information which is an app required to enter Canada now due to COVID. We stayed in a small suburb of Toronto called Vaughan where Canada’ Wonderland is located.

All 3 of these amusement parks are owned by the same company that owns Knott’s Berry Farm here in Orange County. While the idea is the same, ride rides and eat lots of food, the environments and the experiences at each park were quite different. I enjoyed them all in different ways. When we were done with our amusement park thrills we headed over to Niagara Falls where we went on the Maid of the Mist which is a boat that takes you right up to the bottom of the falls. While they do provide you with ponchos our entire family still ended up getting soaked.  After Niagara Falls, we drove all the way back to the Cleveland airport through Pennsylvania and back to Ohio, then flew all the way back to California. It was a great adventure with a lot of new experiences including the theme parks and multiple thunderstorms unlike anything we have in California. While I enjoyed it greatly, it’s nice to be home.

Summer Plans

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With the end of the school year coming up, I’ve begun planning my summer break. With the stress of finals still looming but reaching an end, you begin to wonder what you’re going to do for the next three months. Of course, there is the usual hanging out with friends, going on family vacations, and soaking up the sun. But when the heat gets too hot and you can’t be outside any longer, I look for fun options that keep me in the house.

Of course as an avid reader, my first thought is to start reading. Now I find this not only fun but beneficial. Oftentimes when I head out on summer vacation, I don’t do anything “academic” for those three months and then come back to school feeling unprepared for the first few weeks. However, with my plan of reading this summer, I hope to not only find books that I love but also ones that will keep me at the level I was when I left school so I can come back ready to learn.

As I head into my last year of high school, I hope to continue this love of reading over all my summers as I know school only gets busier and busier from here. So when planning your summers, make sure to keep in mind any books that you’ve been eyeing as well as ones that haven’t come out yet. When you’re looking for something to keep you busy but isn’t in the sweltering heat, make sure reading is at the forefront.

-Danielle B.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Getaway by Jeff Kinney

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Diary of a Wimpy Kid is probably one of my favorite series, but Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Getaway made it official. This book is like all the other books times two. It shows the Heffley’s true nature as a clumsy, ridiculous, frazzled family. It is similar to The Long Haul, but different at the same time. The book also features some new, funny characters that increase the humor in the book a lot! This book also has a lot more interesting twists and turns than 1-9.

One thing that makes this book interesting for me is that it does not take place in Greg’s town at all. Most of the books feature Greg in his hometown, so this book helped mix it up a bit. Most of the characters the other books generate are not that likable or funny, their main purpose is to be stupid. But the characters this book makes, are always funny! Another good aspect of the story is setup. The book gives us a nice back round story on how Greg and his family get into this trip. This is a very good book overall, and I recommend you get it.

Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Getaway is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library.