Hanna's Travel Notes

Rome

September 29, 2019

We had an awesome beginning to our vacation in Paris and were excited to end our adventure in Rome. After five nights in Paris, we flew to Fiumicino Airport from Charles de Gaulle to enjoy five nights in Rome. For planning information, see my post on Paris. I followed reviews and ratings on Tripmasters.com for choosing our accommodations in Rome and was pleased with our choice.

Tips:

I recommend purchasing the Roma Pass, which has two options: 48 hours for €28 and 72 hours for €38.50. The 48 hour pass allows free entry into one museum or archaeological site, while the 72 hour pass allows free entry to two. Both passes include free public transit for the duration of the pass (not including metro transit to the airport). If you’re interested in purchasing Rick Steves’ Rome book, you can find it here.

Although the Colosseum is covered by the Roma Pass, you must make a reservation for a €2 fee for entry. We thought we could show up to the Colosseum and walk right in with our pass. We were wrong and had to come back another day after we made reservations. This is a new requirement that started in March 2019.

If you are interested in touring Borghese Gallery, you will need to make a reservation online ahead of time. We booked about a week in advance and the earliest morning time was sold out. A maximum of 360 people are allowed to enter at various two-hour time slots throughout the day.

For most of the sights in Rome, it seemed beneficial to have a tour guide, if only for priority entry. If you’re interested in guided tours or for using the tours as a quick way to get inside, find an official reputable one since there are so many choices. We didn’t use a tour guide but could see the benefit for easy priority access. Tour groups skip the ticket-buying line and typically had a special line for security.

Modest dress, no shorts above the knees or bare shoulders, is recommended for most, and required for some, entrance to churches. Keep that in mind when packing for your trip.

Food:

Yep, you guessed it, pizza, pasta, and gelato! We stopped for gelato at nearly every opportunity, and we don’t regret it. We even found our favorite gelato gem called Il Capriccio di Carla. Look for gelato that is in covered metal containers with natural colors and natural ingredients to find the best!

Strawberry gelato from Il Capriccio di Carla

You can’t really go wrong with pizza and pasta, and nearly every restaurant we enjoyed offered varieties of them. We noticed food prices in general were cheaper in Rome than in Paris.

Accommodations:

We stayed at Relais Santa Maria Maggiore, and the hotel was really nice. It included a good breakfast of assorted meats and cheeses, fruit, pastries, and cereal. Our room was just around the corner from the breakfast area, so it was really convenient to grab a quick bite on our way out for the day. Our room was a nice size and had air conditioning. To reach the hotel, we took the Leonardo Express train from the airport to Termini Station. Tickets cost €14 each way. Termini Station was shockingly crowded, but we made our way out and walked ten minutes to the hotel. We had dinner the first night at a cute restaurant called La Forchetta d´Oro that was just around the corner.

Sights:

The Colosseum – You can’t picture Rome without the Colosseum. Like I mentioned above, make sure to have a reservation before you arrive. You can choose to print your reservation or pick up a ticket onsite. There is a small area by the entrance to the Roman Forum where you can collect the reservation ticket (look for signs). If you choose the “print it yourself” option, it will be sent as a PDF to your email that you can show for entry.

The Colosseum was a 15 minute walk from our hotel. We spent about an hour walking around the Colosseum and reading the exhibits. The Colosseum is undergoing long-term renovation to restore the ground level, and you will likely see scaffolding and other various construction work.

Fun side note – we heard a story of three cats that live at the Colosseum. We had the pleasure of meeting the black one, who we were told likes to say hello to tourists by swiping at their feet.

Local resident of the Colosseum

Roman Forum and Palatine Hill – The Roman Forum and Palatine Hill are located right next to the Colosseum. We used our Roma Passes to enter and did not need a reservation. We entered the Forum area at the entrance located on the Colosseum side after waiting in a lengthy line. When you use that entrance, the best way to explore is to turn left and start with Palatine Hill, then come back down to the Forum area.

Vittorio Emanuele II Monument – We exited the Forum across the street from the “Altar of the Fatherland.” The sheer size of the monument is one to behold. It was built in honor of Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of a unified Italy, and was completed in 1935. A lift to the roof can be found inside that allows visitors 360 degree views of Rome for a small price.

Capitoline Hill – We walked up Capitoline Hill behind the monument on a winding road and wandered through the Capitoline Museum, which the Roma Pass can be used for. The area has cool statues and architecture. The museum wasn’t very interesting for us, so we didn’t spend much time there.

Pantheon – From Capitoline Hill, we walked over to the Pantheon (long day!). Entrance to the Pantheon was free. It was crowded but not too overwhelming. Modest dress is recommended. We walked around for ten minutes and went on our way.

Trastavere – We followed the Trastavere Walk outlined by Rick Steves and thoroughly enjoyed experiencing a less touristy side of Rome. The streets were quiet, laundry was hanging on balconies and windows, and the atmosphere was enchanting.

Make sure to stop by Biscottificio Artigiano Innocenti – a traditional cookie and pastry bakery that has been around since the 1940s. The sweet woman we spoke to, Stefania Innocenti, baked all of the cookies you see. We asked her what her favorite cookie was, and her reply was that she loves all her cookies. We could definitely understand why. They were all delicious, and you should make sure to buy any that strike your fancy.

Cookies from Biscottificio Artigiano Innocenti

Charming Italian street in Trastavere

Vatican City – Reservations are highly recommended for the Vatican Museums. We chose the open tour of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel. We took an Uber to reach Vatican City. We arrived around 10:00, and the ticket-buying line was quite long. With a reservation, you are able to go straight to the security line. It took us less than 10 minutes to get inside. You could spend a lot of time here exploring the gardens, museums, and churches. If you plan to visit St. Peter’s Basilica as well, make the Sistine Chapel your last stop before you are ready to leave. There is an exit in the back right corner of the Sistine Chapel that will lead you directly to St. Peter’s Basilica, however, it is sometimes closed.

Sistine Chapel – The Chapel draws quite a crowd, and it’s easy to understand why. It contains Michelangelo’s ceiling and his famous Last Judgment. The Sistine is the personal chapel of the pope and the place where new popes are elected. The modest dress code is strictly enforced here – no bare shoulders or shorts/skirts above the knees. No pictures are allowed inside. It was very crowded, but if you wait long enough you will be able to find a seat along the walls to take in the impressive paintings.

St. Peter’s Basilica – Entry is free for the basilica and the crypt. You can choose to climb to the top of the dome – €8 for the stairs or €10 to ride an elevator partway then climb to the dome. Cash is required to pay for the dome climb. If you choose the stairs, you’re looking at a total of 551 stairs to the top. Taking the elevator will have you climbing 320 stairs to the top of the dome. The climb is extremely narrow, winding, sweaty, and claustrophobic. Prepare yourself. The top of the dome was crowded, but the views were beautiful. There is a restroom on the rooftop on the way down. The exit from the dome climb opens into the basilica.

View from the dome at St. Peter’s Basilica

Heart of Rome – We followed Rick Steves’ Heart of Rome Walk starting with dinner at Campo de Fiori at one of the many restaurants lining the piazza. The area was lively, with musicians and children playing in the square. The evening was a great time for this walk to experience the nightlife of Rome.

Piazza Navona – We reached this piazza right at sunset, and it was a blast walking through here admiring the beautiful fountains and cheering on dance performers. I definitely recommend spending a few minutes in this area enjoying the atmosphere.

Trevi Fountain – So crowded but so beautiful. There were a lot of people gathered around the fountain, so you’ll have to muscle your way through if you want to get up close and personal. It’s worth seeing if only for a few minutes.

Trevi Fountain

Borghese Gallery – This was one of my favorite museums. The art and sculptures were beautiful, and it was really nice to slowly wander through the rooms enjoying each piece. Reservations are required, and your visit is limited to two hours. Only 360 people are allowed to enter at a time, so the crowding is kept to a minimum. You will need to pick up your ticket when you arrive, then line up outside the second floor entrance.

Rome was a great vacation destination, and I’m happy we had the opportunity to experience yet another culture! The five days we enjoyed there were busy but full of gorgeous sights and delicious food. We hope to explore more of Italy in the future!
Paris

September 14, 2019

Ah, Paris, the city of love and romance (and more importantly, baguettes). Paris is truly beautiful and full of history and culture. We thoroughly enjoyed experiencing Parisian life for a week and can’t wait to go back.

Planning:

Through a little research, I found that it was most cost-effective for us to bundle our vacation into a package that included flights and hotels. The site I used for our Ireland trip no longer offered services without a travel agent, so I found a website called europeandestinations.com. I admit, the website looks a little sketchy, but it worked out great. They offered a multitude of options for flights and hotels along with ratings and reviews to help the decision-making process. We purchased travel insurance when we booked since it was reasonably priced.

A family friend offered great advice and pointed us in the direction of the area to stay in Paris. She also recommended purchasing the travel books written by Rick Steves. He is a pretty famous travel writer; we saw several people on our trip carrying his books. He has great information about every aspect of your vacation and includes maps and itinerary ideas. I would recommend picking up his Paris book and felt like it was helpful for us.

Tips:

Through the information gleaned from Rick Steves, we purchased Paris Museum Passes at the airport when we arrived. Don’t bother purchasing ahead of time online. It’s costly to ship to the States and easy to find in Paris. Three options are offered: two days for €48, four days for €62, and six days for €74. Here is a list of attractions covered by the pass. It is your ticket for entry to most of the major tourist sights and allows you to skip the ticket-buying line and go straight to security, saving a lot of time. The time frame for the pass begins with the first use. The Eiffel Tower is not included in the Paris Museum Pass, and I recommend purchasing your tickets ahead of time online. I purchased our tickets about a week in advance, and the time slots were already limited. If you have a specific preference for time of day, buy as far in advance as possible.

We did not rent a car in Paris and are so thankful we did not attempt driving. The drivers in Paris are intense! I think most Parisians would agree since it seemed like a majority of the population used bicycles and scooters. We used Uber to cover long distances and walked for everything else. We never had to wait for a ride more than ten minutes, and it was always reasonably priced. Our average ride cost about €10.

Food:

The French have mastered bread and pastries, and you can’t convince me otherwise. Stop at every boulangerie et pâtisserie and try a little something; you won’t regret it. You won’t get very far before crossing paths with a Parisian munching on a baguette at any time of day. They do this for good reason: they are delicious. Our favorite bakery, Douceurs et Traditions, was less than five minutes from our hotel, and we started each day with éclairs, crêpes, and ham and Swiss sandwiches.

An adorable crêperie called À Louest was right around the corner from our hotel on Rue Surcouf. The atmosphere was inviting and intimate, and of course, the crêpes were great.

There are plenty of cafés to choose from for lunch or dinner. Rick Steves offers great suggestions based on what area of the city you’re in. One important note: most of the cafés we encountered did not serve dinner menu items before 7pm.

Accommodations:

A friend recommended we stay in the Rue Cler area of Paris. Rue Cler street is full of cafés and shops, even fresh produce at market stalls. We stayed nearby at Hôtel Le Pavillon on Rue Saint-Dominique and were pleased with the quality of the room and the hotel’s location. It was within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower as well. The room had air conditioning, which not all accommodations offer. The room was small but suited our needs. The area around the hotel was quaint and enjoyable to explore. We had breakfast at the hotel the first morning and weren’t impressed. It was expensive and below average. We wised up the rest of the week and started our day with Douceurs et Traditions.

Sights:

Arc de Triomphe: The Arc was the perfect beginning to our Paris sightseeing adventures. It was stunning and smack dab in the center of the craziest roundabout I have ever witnessed. One of the most famous shopping streets in Paris, Avenue des Champs-Élysées, stretches between Arc de Triomphe and Place de la Concorde.

We started our day at Arc de Triomphe around 9:15am. We walked around underneath the giant arch and admired the architecture. The entry line began to form around 9:45am for access to the terrace. To reach the terrace, which I highly recommend, you must climb 284 narrow, cramped, winding stairs. But it is totally worth it, I promise. The view from the top is one of the best in Paris. Arc de Triomphe is covered by the museum pass.

Avenue des Champs-Élysées: We strolled down Avenue des Champs-Élysées after visiting Arc de Triomphe and admired all of the fancy expensive stores. We even walked into Louis Vuitton just to read a few price tags! There are plenty of cafés for dining, but we chose to have lunch at Petit Palais, which was not far off Champs. Petit Palais was a really cool gem that was interesting, beautiful, not time-consuming, and free! It’s a great place for a meal with a café and restaurant located by the outdoor garden.

Continuing down Champs-Élysées will take you to Place de la Concorde and the Luxor Obelisk. The obelisk originated from the Luxor Temple in Egypt, and apparently France traded a broken clock for it, which is still broken to this day in a clocktower in Egypt. Just past Place de la Concorde is…

Musée de l’Orangerie: One of many museums in Paris and likely a must-see for those interested in painters such as Monet, Picasso, Renoir, and many others. We were not among those people, so we made a quick stroll through the museum. At l’Orangerie you can see Monet’s famous Water Lilies. Entry is covered by the museum pass.

Sainte-Chapelle: Located in the heart of Ile-de-la-Cité, this beautifully decorated chapel was used by the king and his close friends and family. The upper room is surrounded by stained glass depicting 1,113 scenes of the story of mankind from creation to Christ’s resurrection. The room was quite a marvel to take in, so take some time studying the stained glass stories. Sainte-Chapelle is covered by the museum pass and is not a lengthy stop, so I would definitely recommend it.

Conciergerie: Located next door to Sainte-Chapelle, the Conciergerie was a pretty quick stop for us, and I wouldn’t deem it essential. The Conciergerie started as a royal residence in the 6th century, and in the late 14th century part of the palace was converted into prison cells. Its most famous prisoner during the French Revolution was Marie Antoinette. It is also covered by the museum pass.

The area around Sainte-Chapelle and Conciergerie was fun to explore, so we spent the afternoon walking around and shopping. We walked past Notre-Dame and were able to appreciate the beauty of the outside of the cathedral from across the street. The entire property was fenced in and guarded.

Luxembourg Gardens: A huge beautiful garden right in the city…it was a great area to sit and relax and enjoy the scenery. There was a cute café in the park for lunch. It was a perfect reprieve from the bustle of the city to sit in the shade and enjoy a book.

Evening Cruise on the Seine: Highly recommended! We boarded a sightseeing boat near the base of the Eiffel Tower around 8:30pm and spent an hour cruising the Seine River and enjoying the sunset. There are several companies that offer sightseeing cruises. The company we used was called Vedettes de Paris. They offer a few different options: a one hour sightseeing cruise, a thirty minute one way cruise, and options for food and drink. We purchased tickets ahead of time, which were relatively cheap, and we had a good experience. Seeing the Eiffel Tower and the city at night from the river was just beautiful.

Louvre: Wow, a truly iconic piece of French culture and the largest collection of history I have ever seen. The sheer size of the museum is overwhelming, so I recommend doing some research beforehand to have an itinerary of the art pieces you most want to see. It’s impossible to see everything in one visit, so pick out your favorites! The Louvre is the home for Mona Lisa, and she sure draws a crowd. I’d recommend taking some time to see The Winged Victory of Samothrace (so cool) as well. Audio guides are offered for a small fee of €5 and are easy to use and include a map. Entry to the Louvre is covered by the museum pass, however, you need to book a time slot reservation online for a smooth entry process. Also of note: the Louvre is closed on Mondays.

Eiffel Tower: Another iconic piece of French culture! The landscape of Paris would be incomplete without the Eiffel Tower. As I mentioned before, I recommend purchasing tickets online ahead of time. When you book online, you will choose your entry time as well as route of ascension (stairs or lift) and destination. The lift is the only option to reach the top from the second floor. If you want to take the stairs to the 2nd floor, prepare yourself for 674 steps. You can even enjoy a pricey meal at restaurants located on the first and second floors, again reservations are a must. The Eiffel Tower has a delightful light show every hour on the hour that lasts for five minutes. We ascended to the 2nd floor at 9pm via the lift, and the view did not disappoint. It was breathtaking (and windy!). We then took the stairs down to the 1st floor to enjoy a different perspective. We arrived at the base around 8pm to allow time for security.

Sacré-Cœur Basilica: We arrived here around 7:30pm to enjoy the view at sunset. However, I didn’t plan as well as I should have! We intended to climb to the top of the dome to see the city, but we arrived too late. Ticket sales for the climb ended around 7:45pm. The Basilica is open from 6am to 10:30pm and is free to enter. Access to the dome is outside the Basilica on the left. There are 300 steps to climb to the top of the dome and no lift. The dome climb is open from 8:30am to 8pm.

That’s a wrap on our time in Paris! We definitely plan to go back and enjoy many more baguettes and pastries. As always, feel free to contact me if you have questions about our trip. Stay tuned for my post about the second half of our vacation – Rome!
Yellowstone National Park

March 2, 2019
Yellowstone National Park is such a magical place that has so much to offer, from fishing to hiking and even snowmobiling. The outdoor recreational activities are endless. But you don’t even have to get out of the car to enjoy the breathtaking scenery. I love animals and absolutely adored the wildlife. It is their home, their park; we are fortunate to be visitors. I will discuss the city of West Yellowstone as well as my experiences in the park. Be prepared for many pictures throughout the post!

West Yellowstone, Montana:

It was a short jaunt of five hours north from Salt Lake City to West Yellowstone. I stayed at Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park and Cabins, just five minutes from the West Entrance. If you don’t travel with a camper or want to stay in a cabin, there are a few hotels in the city but book as far in advance as possible. The city is small but has a quaint charm to it. We saw Newsies at the Playmill Theater, and it was great entertainment for the night. However, I would recommend buying tickets in advance as they tend to sell out.

Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center was an enjoyable experience and an opportunity to see grizzly bears and wolves. Depending on the time of year you visit and your luck, you may or may not see many animals in the park. I don’t consider the Discovery Center a must-see, but if you are looking for something to do outside of the park, this should be a consideration.

– Food:

Bullwinkles – The food here is delicious albeit a tad pricey. We indulged in homemade huckleberry cheesecake, and it was delectable. We liked it enough to go back for more the next day. I have had elk ravioli and baby back pork ribs, both of which I would order again.

Campfire Lodge Resort – Cinnamon rolls. That’s all you need to know about Campfire Lodge. It is a short drive outside of West Yellowstone, but the food is to die for. It is a very small lodge that gets extremely busy for breakfast. If you want to go, I’d suggest getting there early. Campfire Lodge is also on your path to Earthquake Lake if that is of interest. There is a visitor center, but check visiting hours ahead of time as we went when it was closed (oops!). The history and scenery of the area is amazing, and if you are out at Campfire Lodge, you may as well stop by the visitor center. And yes, those pictures are actual size. Don’t worry, you can eat it all.

Earthquake Lake area

Wild West Pizza – Great pizza, great macaroni and cheese – what more do you need?

Macaroni and cheese with bacon at Wild West Pizza

Weather:

The National Park Service has a great site outlining the “expected” weather during your visit. I say “expected” as the weather in Yellowstone is rather unpredictable. As the website relates, “Expect big temperature swings, rain, or snow during every month of the year. No matter when you visit, bring a warm jacket, rain gear, and lots of layers.” I strongly agree with this advice. My visits were at the end of May, and I wore gloves, hats, jackets, and leggings.

The Park:

There are five entrances to Yellowstone National Park:
- North Entrance – through Gardiner, Montana
- Northeast Entrance – through the Beartooth Mountains
- East Entrance – through Cody, Wyoming
- South Entrance – through Grand Teton National Park
- West Entrance – through West Yellowstone, Montana
I’ve had the privilege of visiting the park twice (May 2017/2018) and feel there is still plenty to explore. Both of my excursions were over Memorial Day weekend, so needless to say, it was quite crowded. The park is easy to navigate with a map, and there are a lot of road signs. We packed lunches and spent long days in the park and still left with areas unseen. As you drive through the park, you will often come across areas with several cars pulled off the road. This is a good indication that an animal has been spotted, and if you want a peek, then get in there! But always, always maintain a safe distance from the animals. I’ve seen too many people get way too close for comfort. Usually, if it’s a bear sighting, a ranger will show up shortly to disperse the crowd.

North – The North Entrance, the original and only year-round entrance, is in the city of Gardiner, Montana, and is framed by the Roosevelt Arch. There are shops and restaurants in Gardiner, but we didn’t spend much time there. As you keep driving, you’ll reach Mammoth Hot Springs – an enjoyable small town. You will quickly realize elk line the streets. There is a historic hotel in Mammoth Hot Springs that is available for lodging.

Elk among the people

Roosevelt Arch at the North Entrance

With equal access from the North and Northeast Entrances, you can drive over Dunraven Pass between Roosevelt and Canyon Village. Dunraven Pass is one of the most beautiful, scenic drives in the park. It offers spectacular views at the highest highway elevation in the park and a popular hiking trail to the summit of Mount Washburn with an elevation of 10,243 feet. Dunraven is one of the final roads to open in the spring and the earliest to close in the fall due to snowfall. Grizzly bears frequent the area, so be on the lookout!

Northeast – I haven’t had the opportunity to explore much of the area around the gate. I heard from a family friend that the drive through the Beartooth Mountains is unforgettable. We drove around the entrance briefly but not through the mountain pass. It was very wooded with the fresh scent of evergreen. I would love to go back and explore more.

The Northeast Entrance gives you the best access to Lamar Valley, notorious for its abundance of wildlife including bison, elk, grizzly bears, and wolves. Lamar Valley is my favorite area of the park. I have been very fortunate to see a variety of animals including grizzly bears, black bears, moose, gray wolves, pronghorns, mule deer, osprey, eagles, marmots, bighorn sheep, elk, bison (You won’t get far in Yellowstone without seeing bison.), and coyotes. We woke up before sunrise one day to make the trek from West Entrance to Lamar Valley (about 1.5 hours) for a chance to see a gray wolf. There was word of a den with puppies, and we headed straight there. When we arrived, we were greeted by the chilling and beautiful sound of howling from a nearby pack. We then spotted the den with a few puppies about 3/4 mile away on a hillside. It was one of my favorite experiences of Yellowstone. Once we decided to continue journeying, we quickly pulled off the side of a road to watch a small pack of gray wolves attempt a short hunt of a baby bison. Yes, it was unbelievably amazing.

Bison

Pronghorn

Marmot

Coyote

Black bears

East – The East Entrance brings you right to Yellowstone Lake. It’s the largest mountain lake at an elevation of 7,733 feet. Yellowstone Inn is a bright yellow beacon situated along the lake. I’d recommend stopping there to take a peek at the gift shop and snap some beautiful photos of the lake. There have been many fires in the east area, so some of the landscape is burned and still recovering.

South – Prior to entering the South Entrance gate, you will have an opportunity to experience Grand Teton National Park as well as historic Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The Grand Teton’s are majestic and truly a sight to behold. We drove through Grand Teton National Park on our way to Jackson Hole, which is a really fun town to explore if you have time. There is a National Elk Refuge in Jackson Hole that is home to one of the largest elk herds on Earth. Pretty spectacular. But be prepared to drop a pretty penny in town – it’s not cheap!

Grand Teton National Park

West – The West Entrance is where you will want to explore if you are looking for geysers, mud-pots, and steam vents. It is the busiest entrance, so prepare for a long line to enter if it’s during peak times (usually after 9:00 am). My word of advice is to get in the park as early as possible for greater chances to see wildlife and to avoid the traffic.

Fourteen miles from the West Entrance you will find Madison – a major crossroad for navigating through the park. Along the road from Madison to Norris, you will find Gibbon Falls, a popular, and often crowded, viewing area for pictures. We saw a mama grizzly bear and two cubs across the road from Gibbon Falls. Continuing north will take you to the world’s tallest geyser, Steamboat Geyser, at over 300+ feet. Many years may pass between eruptions at this geyser, but it has been rather active over the past year.

Grizzly bears near Gibbon Falls

Going south from Madison will put you on the path to Old Faithful, a must-see for most. There are numerous areas to stop and get up-close and personal with geysers on your way south. The area around Old Faithful is consistently crowded during peak season. Old Faithful Visitor Education Center is a fun way to pass the time while you’re waiting for the next eruption, and there is a clock inside with the next eruption prediction. Old Faithful Inn was built between 1903 and 1904 and is a beautiful historic log structure worth exploring.

Crowds waiting for Old Faithful

If you continue south past Old Faithful, you will come across Kepler Cascades along Firehole River. Kepler Cascades was one of my favorite stops in the park. It wasn’t overcrowded, and the sound of the water and the fresh scent of the trees was mesmerizing.

Kepler Cascades

One of the last areas of the park I’d like to mention, and one of the most famous, is the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. You will come across it along the road between Canyon and Fishing Bridge. Three spectacular waterfalls can be found in the Canyon: Upper Falls, Lower Falls, and Crystal Falls. There are hikes throughout the area. The Falls are always crowded, but the views are absolutely breathtaking. I consider it a must-see of the park. There is a platform that allows you to stand beside the Upper Falls and feel the impressive power. It’s a remarkable area.

There is so much more to Yellowstone than what I mentioned in this post. Yellowstone is really a magnificent area of the country. Please feel free to comment and share your experiences in the park. I can’t wait to go back and explore!
What’s Next?

February 22, 2019

It has been quite some time since I wrote my first post on the blog. I created this blog for our travel escapades rather than our day-to-day. We ventured to Ireland in September of 2017, which ignited our wanderlust. In early 2018, the building of our first house was completed. A couple months after moving in, we brought home a rambunctious, amazing puppy. Those were our adventures for 2018, and it was, without a doubt, a great chapter in our lives. Now here we find ourselves, staring down 2019 and wondering what awaits us. I visited my best friend in Missouri last month and found myself lost in thought. As I sat on the plane gazing out over the clouds, my mind was focused on the possibilities of distant lands to explore. It all seems so endless when you’re flying above the clouds.

There were many conversations over the last year of our top travel destinations. We concluded we definitely wanted to explore more of Europe. Our thoughts rested on London, Paris, and Rome. We’ve been able to dedicate ten days to our vacation. We know it’s not enough to enjoy each city fully, but it will give us a good taste! Our plan is to fly into London, ride the train to Paris, ride the overnight train to Rome, then fly home. It will be a whirlwind vacation with so much to see and do. I’ve already started counting the days until we leave. It’s still a few months away, so check back later for my post with all our travel details and pictures after our return!