John and I own a Disney World timeshare and believe me we get good use out of it especially now that we live in Florida we are season pass holders. We try and visit two-three times a year. We love hanging out at Epcot and going around the world trying all the different restaurants which are top notch. If you are interested in any recommendations since we are semi-pros, please message me, and I will be glad to help you out.
The pictures on this blog are not in any specific order. I hope you enjoy them
Maria & JohnOur good friends Ozzie, Erica and their daughter Emma
February 7, 2010
Today we saw the last night time shuttle and, it was the first time John and I saw a shuttle take off. It was spectacular to see how the sky lit up once the shuttle started to take off.
The shower in the shuttleSpacesuit
December 11, 2014 Today we saw the last daytime shuttle which was during the Obama administration.
September 23, 2012
Today we drove to Cocoa Beach, Florida to see an air show. This air show turned out to be the absolute best one we have ever been to. We had VIP tickets, and we met the pilots of The Osprey and the pilot of The Raptor.
December 27, 2009
John and I decided to take a road trip with Alx & Gabby to spend Christmas and New Years in Florida. Along the way, we decided to stop and spend a few days in pretty Savannah.
December 28, 2009
We decided to do a Haunted House Tour which was informative and fun they picked us up from the hotel in a hearse which added to the spookiness of it at nighttime.
December 29, 2009
Today we toured the city on a horse-drawn carriage which was also very informative and pleasant. Since we were leaving in the morning, we decided to take it easy and have dinner close to the hotel.
We were invited to our friend Nano Lopez’s art show at the James Coleman Gallery in Key West. When we booked the hotel, we booked it in advance, and the receptionist had told us we got the last room. John and I thought that was odd and asked the person if there was some convention going on and she said no it’s Fantasy Fest which happens every year.
As the days went on, we started noticing people dressed in risqué clothing and then our friends told us that this weekend at Fantasy Fest you make your fantasy come true whatever it may be. This was the best people watching EVER!!!!
We had a blast with our friends and three new artists we met. Not to name drop (but I will lol) if you know any of them they were all pretty cool and it was an honor to get a chance to hang out with such talented people. James & Lori Coleman, Bill Mack and his wife and Anna Sweet’s mom Connie Sweet.
Maria
John
John
Maria
Maria & John – with our good friends Nano & Mariya
His eyes are openHis eyes are closed he painted his eyelids to look like his eyes were open
Today we had a full day of tours of the Mayan Ruins. The first one we drove to was 2 ½ hours away and it was called Dzibanche with its pyramids and landscaped grounds, and the multi-leveled Mayan city of Kohunlich, surrounded by magnificent Cahoon palms. This town was once known for its beautiful pottery and splendid temples hidden within the jungle.
We had the chance to climb the tallest temple to get a view of the “Temple of the Owls” and the “Temple of the Captives” before it’s time to head off to famous Kohunlich. The next one we visited was the recently excavated archeological site of Kohunlich is named after the giant Cahoon palm trees that inhabit the immense site.
The next ruins we drove to were called Chacchoben, “The Place of Red Corn” Here, in this lush tropical setting, the excavated sacred temples and other structures gave us a sense of wonder picturing how it must have looked centuries ago when it was a thriving cultural center for the Mayans. We saw the original red paint on the stucco walls of one of the pyramids and the temple where a mural was found showing the astronomical positions of the planet Venus. We also had a chance to climb the Gran Basamento which took us above tree level and is where archaeologists found ceremonial offerings dating to around 1000 B.C.
Today is John’s birthday, and he doesn’t know that when we get back to our suite on the ship, the general manager had them decorate it with balloons. While off the ship we drove to the Big French Key Beach on a motorboat and relaxed on the sugar-white sand. John had a chance to go snorkeling on a reef that was nearby. Our tour guide told us that Big French Key hadn’t changed much since Christopher Columbus explored the surrounding Bay Islands in 1503 and he described them as “incredibly green and fertile.” While there are a few new buildings scattered about Big French Key, the nearly 12-acre island remains a lush, beach-rimmed paradise caressed by gentle trade winds which makes it private and unique.
We drove from the pier to a private dock and boarded a pontoon boat which is designed to navigate the coastal river system. We cruised through the Tortuguero canals.
This ride into the jungle habitat serves as an excellent prelude to your next stop in the pristine Veragua Rainforest. The rainforest adventure begins with a guided tour through several exhibits housing indigenous animals such as snakes, frogs, and butterflies. Next, we rode an open-air aerial tram that will carry you into the rainforest canopy. It’s a window into a world that we couldn’t have experienced otherwise. At the halfway point, we got off the tram, and we walked the Trail of the Giants, which is a jungle path that winds past towering 300-year-old trees to a 65-foot waterfall. Then, after riding the tram back into the canopy, we had a nice lunch before returning to the pier.
Today it was our turn to sail through the Panama Canal Locks we visited yesterday. This was a very cool experience because we took a tour of the Gatun locks and saw exactly how they work so being on the ship made it that much better.
I couldn’t believe how close we were to the wall on either side of the ship its pretty amazing.
Today we took a unique tour of Fuerte Amador. Just imagine traveling down the tracks of the first transcontinental railroad in a comfortable domed railcar, while viewing what is widely considered to be the 8th wonder of the world; the Panama Canal, as well as spectacular Gatun Lake. This was a cool experience of traveling from one ocean to another, crossing the amazing continent of the Americas in just over one hour!
Once we arrived at the Pacific side railroad station, we boarded the train for a 75-minute rail journey. The glass-domed car gave us an outstanding panoramic view while traveling through the lush rainforest.
Crossing the Continental Divide, we were on the Atlantic side, where we disembarked the train and got on a bus to the Gatun Locks. Once at the locks, we climbed the 78 steps to the observatory platform where we were lucky enough to see a cargo ship passing and observed the functionality of the locks.
Here’s a little history about The Panama Railroad was the brainchild of a group of New York Financiers who wanted to create an easy passage for the increasing gold rush traffic. The railroad took five years and eight million dollars to build and was completed in 1855. During its first 12 years of operation, the train carried over 750 million dollars worth of gold and silver and collected one-quarter of one percent of each shipment as the duty. The railroad was rebuilt in 1909 during the construction of the Panama Canal, and without it, the canal could not have been built.
