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travel

Best stops on I-5 and 99 for kids

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Are you driving with children from the Bay Area or Sacramento to Los Angeles or San Diego and looking for a place to let them play and get their wiggles out? Let me share with you the best stop of them all – Bravo Farms! They have two locations. One is located on 99 and one is located on I-5. The location is about halfway between LA and Bay Area. PS – not a paid article, I just wanted to share this tip because it really fantastic, especially for kids!

I-5: Kettleman City exit 309

Highway 99: Traver exit 106A

They have bathrooms, a playground, a shop for snacks, restaurant, fudge and cheese shop. They have animals! Traver location has Tesla chargers (I don’t recall if Kettleman city location does, by I do know there are other electric vehicle chargers nearby).

Enjoy your road trip!

check out their website: https://bravofarms.com/

check out my other travel posts about California here

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Children

Best Travel Stroller for Preschoolers

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I have been on the hunt for a lightweight travel stroller for my preschooler. Needless to say, I am sick of lugging my UppaBaby Cruz V2 around. It served us well for when my daughter was smaller, but now I need something lightweight. Even though she does do a lot of walking now, I am finding that on longer walks or when it is very hot out, she really wants to be carried. She is now too heavy and big for me to carry for extended periods of time… so enter: The Bugaboo Butterfly!

I spent countless hours trying to decide on the best lightweight travel stroller. I watched every YouTube video I could find, read every article and every internet review. I ultimately chose the Bugaboo Butterfly because it looked like it could hold the tallest, heaviest child AND go in the overhead bin in many airplanes. I am trying to max out how long I can use this stroller – hoping to get through ages 4 and 5 years old with this stroller. The color we chose was desert taupe.

Some quick facts about the Bugaboo Butterfly:

-50 pound weight limit

-17.6 pound weight limit in the basket

-weighs 16.1 pounds

-36.42″ x 17.72″ x 40.31″ unfolded; 17.72″ x 9.06″ x 21.26″ folded

-included carry strap and rain cover

-multiple position recline and adjustable foot rest

-it does have a ride-along comfort wheel board for a second child (sold separately)

–Car seat adaptable (sold separately)

Now, this stroller has the highest backrest and weight limit I could find in the lightweight travel stroller category! It measures 21.5″ from seat to the top of the backrest, and then 24.5″ to the very top of the canopy from the seat. The seat itself measures about 10.5″ from the back to the front. It measures 14″ wide in the seat. It also has an adjustable leg rest, which measures also 7″, although I find I have not needed to use it.

It has an adjustable recline. This is a little annoying to move up and down when the child is in it, but it is doable. It has a very generous canopy for sunlight and then a mesh panel too to help air circulate. I found the one-handed fold to be a *little* bit harder than every video I watched. It seems like you have to push the handle bar in a little bit first to get it unlatched. Overall, though, it is a minor complaint.

Cons:

price, it is not the cheapest stroller

it does not include a cupholder or snack tray; both are sold separately. It also does not include a bumper bar – we purchased the bumper bar, but it made folding/unfolding more challenging and less compact, so we returned it.

Bugaboo transport bag sold separately – we did purchase this to help prevent damage on airplanes.

The other strollers we considered and why I did not purchase it:

ZoeBaby Zoe Traveler (but it only holds up to 45 pounds) but the price is right.

Joolz Aer+ lightweight stroller (but the backrest is not as tall, so it does not hold as tall of a child).

City Mini GT2 stroller – holds a bigger, taller child than the Bugaaboo butterfly but it is not a lightweight stroller weighing 22.4 pounds, and cannot fit in the overhead bin.

Bob Stroller – if you are looking for the stroller that holds the highest weight limit at 75lb, this is your stroller. It though is not a travel stroller.

I think the Bugaboo Butterfly stroller is perfect for travel, Disney World, Disneyland, Europe trips, and cruises! And I know I will probably get some comment about why I’m not making my preschooler walk. First, it’s none of your business. Second, when we are traveling, naps and sleep schedules are messed up. Sometimes the little one is tired and wants to be carried, but we have places to go and see, so a stroller is needed. This allows for a nap or just a place to sit (out of the direct sun, too!)

I hope my review of what I think is the best travel stroller for preschoolers helps you. Check out my review of the Disney Aulani Resort

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Hawaii

Is the Aulani Worth It? Our stay in Hawaii 2024

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We recently were fortunate enough to travel to Oahu and stay at Disney’s Aulani Hotel in Oahu, Hawaii. Here’s a quick review of our stay at the hotel.

Since having a child, we have found that our view on vacations has changed from being DINKs (dual income, no kids). We used to sit at a peaceful zen like resort – those days for us our gone – and that’s okay! Now we are embracing our full inner child to play with our actual child – and that includes staying at the Disney Aulani!

The lobby is beautiful when you walk into the hotel – big, spacious, feels like you walked into a large Hawaiian resort. My only very minor gripe is that you can’t see the ocean very well right from the lobby. Check in was very smooth and our room was ready early. Then we headed straight to the pools.

The pools are the BEST part of the hotel. The lazy river is the best lazy river I have ever been on. I went around it more times than I could count. The hotel provides the inner tubes so you don’t need to worry about lugging any over. Plus, they have life jackets free for the kids to check out if you desire. Below is a quieter pool. They have many pools and 2 water slides. They also have a splash pad (pictured above). What I did not like about the pools is people save chairs and don’t sit in them. I never saw Disney enforce the “1 hour and we will remove your stuff” policy they have posted everywhere.

The beach the hotel sits on is a man-made lagoon so the water is very tame, which is perfect for kids. I read somewhere they have nets so there aren’t supposed to be any sharks either, which is one less worry. I personally prefer other beaches but the kids certainly love this one! The hotel shares the beach with the Four Seasons next door, a wedding chapel as well.

The food and surrounding restaurants I thought were mediocre. Granted, I am vegetarian and Hawaiian cuisine is not up my alley, so I am aware of that. We did a lot of cooking ourselves as we stayed in a villa with a full kitchen.

One thing I was worried about staying here is that it would be “too Disney” and not enough Hawaiian feeling. The hotel is not “in your face Disney” – you certainly don’t feel like you’ve walked into Disneyland. That said, they do have free character meet and greets. You can choose to go to them or not. I did see a character or two walk through the pool area, but it’s only for a brief moment, like below with Mickey walking by.

The other thing they have at the hotel is their own salt water lagoon. They have viewing windows so it’s like you’re visiting an aquarium! You can snorkel in the lagoon too but that is an extra charge. I saw the line to get a spot started early int he morning and then it was sold out. I think it is great for children who want to snorkel but perhaps aren’t quite ready for the open ocean. Our daughter was too small to do this at this time.

So, is staying at the Aulani “worth it?”

I would say yes – if you have kids. Is this a hotel I would have chosen to travel to without kids? No. But, if you are a Disney fan without kids then I would say yes, worth it. But Disney certainly knows how to cater to families and the Aulani is no different. The pools are absolutely hands down the best. The cost of the hotel is certainly a decision factor. We went during low season and rented DVC points through a third party company to get a deal. Would I go here during high season peak week? No, I would not.

Now, I’m going to share a travel must have for young kids… the best little suitcase! The kids can pull it themselves. If they get tired they can ride on it and you can pull them. It can unfold into a bed on the plane! It is FANTASTIC!

below in the widget to shop are some other finds. The travel set is wonderful for the airplane! I also found the perfect swimsuit for those wanting a little more coverage but don’t want to wear a one piece!

Check out my review of the Grand Hyatt Kauai.

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france

A Newly Renovated Chateau to stay in France – Domaine des Etangs

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Auberge Resorts adds the Domaine des Etangs to their growing collection in Europe. The chateau is originally from the 13th century. It was converted to a family chateau in the 1800s and became a hotel in 2015.
it is a 3 hour TGV ride from Paris. It sits on 2500 acres. You can stay in the main house or rent some of the cottages.

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france

Airelles – A new French hotel in Versailles to daydream about

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Now you too can claim that you’ve slept at Versailles like the King of France (or rather like Jacques Necker, Controller-General of Finances and last Chief Minister of Louis XVI… as that’s whose apartment you can stay in!). Airelles Palace of Versailles just opened and WOW what eye candy!

The hotel is in Le Grand Contrôle on the property, built in 1681, that hosted diplomats and ambassadors and other special guests. Just look! You can view the Orangerie from your bedroom and from a soak in the tub!

There was a four year countrywide hunt for antiques. 90 percent of the hotel’s furniture will be period-appropriate antiques!!

Wallcoverings and fabrics were made by Pierre Frey to mimic Marie Antoinette’s Petit Trianon!

Other hotel highlights:

Alain Ducasse Restaraunt

Valmont Spa

Indoor Pool

BUT the pièce de résistance is TOURS AND EVENTS for hotel guests only!! Before and After hours you will get private tours of different parts of Versailles! Just take my money now.

You can check out the hotel’s website here (and book me a room while you’re at it….) Images are all from Airelles.

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france

Notre Dame Before the Fire

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Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you most likely have heard that Notre Dame had a devastating fire.  It burned the entire roof, causing the spire to collapse.  The fire burned the church and a hole in the world’s hearts.

I am glad that I was fortunate enough to have visited the cathedral on several trips.  These pictures are from my trip in April 2015.  The day we visited was a beautiful day… 70s degrees. Really felt like the first day of Spring.  The Parisians were leaving work early on a Friday afternoon and were sitting along the Seine and all in the parks.  The spire collapsed.  The roof as you see it below is gone.  The rooster weathervane that sits on top of the spire was found however, in a street nearby. Partially damaged but likely restorable.

The front of the church is still standing after the fire.  The bell towers did not catch fire and the bells are undamaged!

This beautiful rose window survived.  

Most of the roof as you see it in this photo has fallen and is partially destroyed.  Now, not ALL of it is gone.  As you can see, the roof is made of stone.  Some of the roof below crumbled when the spire collapsed.

I wish I had taken more pictures on this trip… now of course I am upset I didn’t! I have visited several times – one time I heard the pipe organ playing! What a treat.  The pipe organ was not burned, but it will likely have to be repaired from the soot and ash that made its way into the pipes.

It is unknown how much damage there has been to the precious artifacts and stained glass. 

The main rose window below still stands! In fact, all three rose windows survived the fire.  These windows are from the 12th and 13th centuries.

At first there were reports the rose window below was damaged, then I read it did survive! They said they have yet to inspect for up close damage, but from far away all of the panels are present and do not appear to be broken.

Even though all three rose windows still stand, some stained glass windows are damaged.  I know in pictures some were broken.  The archbishop stated though the other glass windows that broke were much newer. Yeah,  haha, “new” from the 1800s… for France that is “new”!!! In fact the Archbishop said “These are windows of the 19th century, much less important that they could be touched, but not the jewels of the 13th century. That’s a little bit of a miracle. We are very relieved,” Finot said.

The front door to the church.  The intricate iron carvings deserve time to be admired as well. The door survived the fire.

This is the portico on the front of church.

It is unknown how many gargoyles survived.  We never did the gargoyle and roof tour as it cost more money…. now I am kicking myself we didn’t do it! 

I am happy that flying buttresses survived too, but alas there is no roof and no spire 🙁  What a sad day for the world to lose such a precious gem in a matter of minutes. I know they will rebuild it… but President Macron thinks it will be done in 5 years!  That made me laugh out loud!! I am certain this is at minimum 30 year restoration project!

If you want to see many more pictures of the church before the fire, including roof top pictures and see the beautiful wood beams that are gone, as well as gargoyle pictures, visit Check Out Sam.

I’d love to hear about your trips to Notre Dame!

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Italy

Quick Guide to Bellagio on Lake Como

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A quick guide to Bellagio on Lake Como – a recap of our day trip!

Getting There

Getting to Bellagio isn’t the easiest thing to do.  You can drive around the lake (uhh, the roads are curvy and somewhat scary… not for the faint of heart!).  The easiest way is to take the ferry.  We stayed in the town of Como and took the ferry over.   You can get to Como from Milan via train.  Or you can get to Varenna and take the ferry over to Bellagio.  You can get to Varenna via Train from Milan as well.

Things to Do

  1. Take a Stroll.  We strolled up and down the streets.  And by up, I mean UP. This town is on a hill.  The majority of the town is a pedestrian only zone because the streets came from ancient Roman times and were made this way so the rain runoff would go straight into the lake.

 

I’m going to let you on a secret.  There isn’t really anything “to do” in this town.  It is a small town with a few streets.  We actually toured the whole town in about 1 hour (we are speed walkers).  You just need to relax and enjoy the quaintness of this town!

2. Sit Back and Relax.  We sat by the Lake and simply enjoyed the view on a beautiful day.  It is vacation after all… who says you have to be in a hurry?

3. EAT!  Eat some good Italian food.

We dined at Ristorante La Barchetta. There is an upper terrace with a better view, or a few tables down an alley which serve the same food but at cheaper prices. We ate in the cute alley and enjoyed the food below. YUMMMMM.

The little alley we dined in. 

This wine bar below also is a popular place to eat.

4. Go on a Boat Ride.

Depending on how you got to Bellagio, you may not have been out on the lake yet.  I HIGHLY recommend going for a boat ride.  Here’s a huge money saving tip.  Just take the ferry and sit outside or by a window.  You don’t need to pay tons of money for a private boat ride.  The ferry does the same job for literally a fraction of the price.

There are a ton of tourists, as pictured below.  There are tons of shops, but honestly we weren’t there for shopping.  we were there just to enjoy the town!   While this town is beautiful, I actually enjoyed our impromptu decision to go to Varenna across the lake – and Varenna ended up being my favorite town on Lake Como!

I’d love it if you’d pin away!

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Italy

Visiting Villa Carlotta on Lake Como

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Our next stop on our trip to Lake Como was Villa Carlotta.

Villa Carlotta has beautiful gardens and has a museum inside.  The Villa was completed in 1745.

We went for the botanical gardens.  Isn’t it pretty??

The inside was beautiful too!  Why yes, I’ll take this tapestry for my house, he he…

I thought this ceiling was pretty.

A view from the Villa… you can see Bellagio in the distance.

To get to Villa Carlotta, you take the ferry.  You can get off at the stop Tremezzo.  Some of the ferries will stop at Villa Carlotta, but not all of them.  You’ll want to check the time table.  We got off at Tremezzo, ate lunch and walked a short distance to the villa.  Then, on the way back we hopped on a boat at the Villa Carlotta stop.

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Italy

Visiting Villa del Balbianello on Lake Como

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Continuing my Swiss/Italy trip recap today, you can read about our visit to a Swiss chocolate factory and Lake Maggiore here. We were up early the next day and drove to Lake Como in Italy.  It was just over an hour drive from Lake Maggiore.

The fastest way to travel to the various villages around Lake Como is to take a boat. They have a very great ferry system which surprisingly runs on time. Just buy your ticket at the office at the dock. We just told the boat dock guy where we wanted to go and he would give us the right ticket.  We parked at the Tavernola stop, which has free parking. 

Our first stop was the Villa del Balbianello. It is located off of the Lenno stop. After deboarding, you can walk from the ferry terminal to the villa which is uphill and apparently a 20-30 min walk.  Alternatively, you can catch a small private boat shuttle for €7 round trip. It leaves at the opposite side of the bay from the ferry dock.

First, we grabbed gelato because we were starving.  What we didn’t realize was how long it takes to get around the lake by boat.  It takes about 1.5 to 2hours if you are staying over by Como and are trying to get the touristy spots.

I recommend taking the boat shuttle to the villa because it’s quite romantic to arrive to the villas private boat entrance! You also get great views of the villa.

Below, the entrance via boat!

If the villa looks familiar to you, it may be because this villa is where they shot some scenes for James Bond Casino Royale where he is recovering. Star Wars Episode II Attack of the Clones was also filmed here. This was Padme’s house and where Anakin and Padme got married at the end of the movie.

The Villas gardens were pretty. I loved the big tree below! It was so pretty!

I also loved all of the floral pots!

You can tour the inside but we opted not too. The only option was a guided tour and we don’t like guided tours.

Then we took the boat back and caught a ferry to the next town.

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Italy

A Swiss Chocolate Factory and Lake Maggiore

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Last Fall we went to Switzerland and Italy.  I am just finally getting around to sharing our trip! On the first day we went to a chocolate factory in Switzerland and then drove to Lake Maggiore! Below is Lake Maggiore!


We landed in Zürich and then drove to Bilten where the chocolate factory is located.  The chocolate factory we toured is Läderach.  The chocolate factory tour was 10 CHF pp but then you get 5 CHF off at the factory store. The tour starts with the star of the show: the cacao tree! Did you know chocolate comes from these huge pods?

The pods are broken apart, leaving the nibs. Then the nibs get roasted and then ground.

Unfortunately not all of the machines were running when we were there.  We were all hoping for an I Love Lucy moment when she famously starts stuffing the chocolate into her mouth when she couldn’t keep up with the production line. Below, a look in the factory.  Lots of storage for cocoa beans!

Alas, we learned later that hey actually decorate the chocolate at another facility and the facility we were at was where they strip the cacao pods down into processed chocolate.

Next comes the best of the tour… the tasting!! First, you taste raw chocolate.  Have you ever had raw roasted chocolate? It is very bitter and honestly, horrible!

Obviously my favorite part was the chocolate fountains.  There are dark, milk and white chocolate fountains.  

You get your own chocolate tasting spoon.  I may have gone back a few times to decide my favorite.  I personally preferred the dark chocolate. We kept the spoons as souvenirs and use them to stir our tea and coffee at home!

After the tour, you get to shop! They have truffles and other goodies, but we love the sheets of chocolate like below.  So delicious!

Unfortunately they do not have any shops in the USA! I think there are only a handful of shops located outside of Switzerland. A selection of their cute chocolate figures! Läderach seriously has the best chocolate EVER. If you are ever in Switzerland, please do yourself a favor and try some.  

After stuffing our face with chocolate, we then drove to Lake Maggiore.  

Lake Maggiore is in the southern part of Switzerland and shares its shores with Italy.  This part of Switzerland is called Ticino, which is the Italian speaking part of Switzerland.  To me it felt more like Italy than Switzerland.

The views from our hotel were beautiful.  Below is the view from our room.  Hard to believe there are palm trees in Switzerland!!

We didn’t spend much time here. We were so jet lagged after being up for 30 hours. I don’t have many pictures since we essentially drove here, napped, ate dinner, then slept!

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travel

15 Tips for Surviving Jet Lag

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I have traveled many times abroad and each time I go the only thing I don’t look forward to is the jet lag.

Today I am sharing my tips for surviving jet lag.

tips for jet lag

Before the Flight:

Always fly non-stop if it is an option.

Try to pick a flight that will land at your destination later in the afternoon or evening – that way you only have to stay up a few more hours until it is time to go to bed.

The night before you leave, try to sleep as much as you can – because your next good night’s sleep won’t be for another 30 hours!  Many people recommend trying to adjust your body clock several days in advance. I have tried that, and frankly all that I find is that I’m even more tired because it never works for me. I recommend just trying to go to bed at a decent time and get at least 8 hours of sleep.

Once on Board the Flight:

Once on board the plane, adjust your watch and electronic devices immediately to the time zone of your intended destination. This helps you get in a mind frame… oh, it’s 2am, I should *try* to get a nap on the plane.

Drink caffeine when you need it – I don’t recommend drinking it right when you get on the plane, because in fact you want to do the opposite and want to feel tired. You want to drink your caffeine when it is time to wake up in the time zone of your intended destination.

Melatonin – many people swear by melatonin.  I have actually never used it, as I am of the mindset that when I’m tired I’ll go to sleep.  But I had to include it because so many people love it.

Bring ear plugs, an eye mask and noise-canceling headphones on the air plane.  I have this over-the-ear pair of headphones and these noise canceling earbuds. I love them both, actually.  This is my favorite eye mask too. These are essential.

Stay hydrated – drink lots of water before, after and during the flight. Being dehydrated worsens the symptoms of jet lag.

Wear layers on the airplane – if you are too hot or too cold you won’t be able to get any sleep! I also bring a pair of comfy fluffy socks to keep my feet warm and I kick off my shoes right when I get on the plane.

I strongly recommend the jet leg face mask when you land. It makes your skin feel so fresh! I love it!

Once You’ve Reached your Destination:

When you land, if it possible to check into your hotel, check in and take a shower! It will help you feel refreshed!

Whatever you do, I highly recommend NOT SLEEPING when you land.  If you take a nap when you land, one hour will turn into four and then pretty soon you’ve screwed up your sleeping schedule all over again.  If you truly cannot survive without some sleep, I recommend only one hour of sleeping – and yes set an alarm immediately and make sure you get out of bed. Then go take a shower and freshen up.  Whatever you do, do not keep sleeping! TRUST ME.  If you can avoid sleeping, it is really the best.

Go walking. My family and I call this “Zombie Walking”.  We zombie walk all over the city, because if you’re walking you can’t fall asleep.  We do a fair amount of sightseeing on the first day just because we know if we sit down we’ll start to fall asleep!

Stay in the light.  Choose activities that you can see the sunlight.  Seeing sunlight helps our bodies naturally adjust our body clocks.

Try to stay up until at least 9pm on the first night that you are there.  We have found if you go to bed any earlier, you’ll likely wake up at 2am wide awake.  And now you’re back to square one.

 

Did you like these tips? Check out my What to Pack for Vacation in Your Carry-On guide… it’s my #1 post!

 

 

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Christmas

A real-life Christmas Village

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Strasbourg, France transforms into a real life Christmas village.  I have been to Strasbourg before, but never during Christmas.  I now have to put it back on the bucket list!  I’ve rounded up some photos of this whimsical town!  The decorations are over the top and I love them all!  

via @travelandleisure
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Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!  I’ll be back with blogging after the New Year! 

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Germany

Cow Festivals in the Alps

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Have you heard about the cow festivals in the Alps? I hadn’t either… until I went to one.  I had so much fun and then I went to another!

Alpine Cow Festival - Almabtrieb

Every year at the end of Summer, the sound of bells can be heard ringing through little Alpine villages of Germany, Switzerland and Austria.  What does this mean? The cow herds are descending from their Summer pastures to their Winter pastures.

Alpine Cow Festival - Almabtrieb

The entire village joins in on the celebration and is decorated – the people wear their traditional folk dress and the cows are dressed up too! They wear special headdresses!

cow wearing a floral crown

The farmers lead their herd down the hill. It’s really funny watching the cows… they follow one after the other in a line, most of the time.Alpine Cow Festival - Almabtrieb

Except when they see green grass, then the line gets broken and they try to make their way to the grassy fields.  The farmers then use their sticks and wack them back into line!     Alpine Cow Festival - Almabtrieb

In addition to costumes, there is traditional Schuhplatteln dancing, Alphorn blowing and music.

Alpine Cow Festival - Almabtrieb

The locals wear their traditional costumes.  Love the little girl being pulled in the goat cart.  Sorry I blurred their faces as I don’t know European law about faces in pictures.

Alpine Cow Festival - Almabtrieb

Speaking of goats, there are often little goat herds in the festival too! They don’t get to wear crowns like the cows, but they all have little bells on them.  This little girl below was funny – she looked behind at her goat the entire time and kept her tight on her leash… perhaps she’s been known to eat through a rope or two?

alpine cow festivals

This ceremonial cattle drive is called the Almabtrieb, however in the Allgäu it is called the Viehscheid.

Alpine Cow Festival - Almabtrieb

The cows wear traditional “Fuikl”, which are special crowns worn only for the Almabtrieb.Alpine Cow Festival - Almabtrieb

The farmers create the crowns them selves, often from the fir and spruce branches and wildflowers.

Alpine Cow Festival - Almabtrieb

The cow with the biggest and prettiest crown of each herd is the Kranzrind, “The Crown Cow” and has a special job as it is the lead cow and leads the rest of the cows home.  Below, in between the two people you can see the “Crown Cow” – it has the biggest bell and the biggest crown.

alpine cow festivals

The loud bells around the necks of the cows are designed to protect them from “hostile demons” as they descend into the valley.

Alpine Cow Festival - Almabtrieb

There are two types of cowbells – “Glocken” which are cast and “Schellen” which are from plate metal.

Alpine Cow Festival - Almabtrieb

The locals really do party ’til the cows come home.  Hmm… wonder if this is where the saying originates?

Alpine Cow Festival - Almabtrieb

The festival pictures above are from two separate festivals in different years – one was in Switzerland and one was in Austria.

Alpine cow festivals in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland aka Almabtrieb and Veihscheid

Source for Article information is from Bavaria.by. 

Here are some websites that list the dates they occur:

Viehscheid and Almabtrieb in Bavaria

Viehscheid in Allgäu

Almabtriebe and Viehscheidtermine in Bavaria, Allgäu, Tirol, Austria, and Switzerland

Swiss Alpine Festivals

I do hope you enjoyed reading about the cow festivals in the Alps!  We liked going to these over going to the Oktoberfest.  I know many people travel to Germany for the Oktoberfest… perhaps you’ll find time to make it to one of these festivals!

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California

Visiting Laduree in LA

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Today I’m sharing a trip report about visiting Laduree in LA!  I have written many times about my love for macarons in the past, so I was very excited when Laduree opened a store in Los Angeles.

I had been salivating over when I was going to eat my next Laduree macaron and bothered my husband for quite some time (…every month since it opened…) to please go to LA so I could eat a macaron and some other pastries.

laduree macaron towerFinally we were able to clear some time in our schedule for our trip.  Laduree opened two locations in Southern California – one at the Grove and one in Beverly Hills.  We went to the one at the Grove.

Beautiful macarons galore! Sorry my pictures are not the greatest, I was sneaking pictures as I wasn’t sure if they were allowed!

laduree macarons

This pastry counter did not have as many people at it as the ones in France – good! More time for me to stare the delicious desserts!

laduree macarons

laduree macarons

Ok, let’s drag ourselves away from the pastry counter. Time to sit down and eat.

I love all of their logos!

I had wished we dined inside, but the opportunity to dine outside at the end of January when it was 80 degrees was impossible to pass up, so we dined outside.  We ordered “normal food” – I ordered a salad which was delicious but frankly it is not as pretty as pastries so no pictures of it! Frankly nothing special.

I ordered my favorite tea – the Mélange Ladurée tea. It is a mix of China black tea, Sri Lankan black tea, and rose petals. It also has essences of orange, caramel, vanilla, cinnamon, bergamot, and black currant. If you love Earl Grey, you’ll also love this blend! It is my favorite – you can buy tea to go home with. I tried to stock up but they were sold out.  That’s okay… I still have a box from that time I made us to go Ladurée in Zürich, Switzerland (that’s another story, but it involved parts of driving down a train track and a pedestrian zone, on accident of course).

I love their china – yes I was discreetly tacky and turned over the plate to see who made it.  It is by Bernardaud (of course) and this pattern is made special for Laduree.  My husband ordered a cappuccino.

Yes, they even have the mini Diet Cokes just like Paris – made me giggle so I took a picture.

Now for dessert!  Below, we enjoyed a crispy Dacquoise cake with hazelnuts, praline and milk chocolate topped with milk chocolate whipped cream.

Next, the rose raspberry Saint Honore.  It is rose filled choux pastry topped with rose chantilly cream.  The base has a raspberry compote hidden beneath the pillows of rose cream.  It is so beautiful – and the great part was that it felt “light” – meaning I still had room for macarons!

Alright, time for macaron pictures!  Having been there before, we knew which ones were our favorites.  The white ones are orange blossom and are our favorite!  Then there is raspberry and pistachio.

laduree macarons

I do confess I like to collect cute little boxes to use for decorating – tucked here and there.  I purchased this solely for the box, does anyone else do that? 

Below, an assortment.  Let’s see… raspberry, pistachio, rose, lemon, salted caramel and vanilla!

laduree macarons

Here’s my final review: The macarons, pastries and food taste just like they do in Paris.  But, the setting is not like Paris – there is nothing like dining on the Champs- Elysees!  That said, this is *much* closer and *much* cheaper for me to go to this location than to Paris!  Of course I’ll be back.

laduree macarons

Check out my review of the Laduree Tea Room located in Paris at the Champs Elysees! 

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England

Fairytale Towns in Europe

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Today I’ve put together a little guide of fairytale towns in Europe.  I have visited all of these picturesque villages and towns and their charm has lasted in my memory.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany

Located in northern Bavaria, this little village is like a walk back into the Middle Ages – minus the plague! It is located on the Romantic Road in Germany.  Many of the buildings age from the 1300s to the 1600s.  It is surrounded by a medieval wall and is German’y best preserved medieval town!  I’ll let the pictures to do the talking.

Oberammergau, Germany

This town located in the Bavarian Alps is famous for its adorable buildings with painted facades.  The facades depict fairytales, religious scenes, and trompe-l’oeil.  It is also known for hosting the passion play which occurs once a decade.   The play was first performed in 1634 and it is the result of a vow made by the inhabitants of the village that if God spared them from the effects of the bubonic plague then sweeping the region they would perform a passion play every ten years.

The village is also famous for its woodcarving.  The Bavarian State Woodcarving School is located here.

Ok, so this is not a painted building, but I had to include the chicken lace drapes!

The Cotswolds, England

This is a region in England. Cot means sheep and wolds is farm – so there are surrounding sheep farms in this area.  I couldn’t choose just one town to feature, so my pictures are a collection from various towns and villages. Not only are the buildings cute, but so are the town names: Upper and Lower Slaughter, Chipping Camden, Stow-On-The-Wold, Burford, Bourton on the Water.

It is known for its rolling hills, idyllic villages with surrounding farms.  Many of the houses are built of stone. This church is from the 12th century.

Like most things in Europe it seems, these little houses are from the 1500 and 1600s and still standing!

Also many cute storybook-worthy thatch roof houses here.

Colmar, France

This little village is located in the Alsace region of NE France, which sits on the border of Germany.  There are both French and German influences here.

It has belonged both to France and to Germany – depending on who won which war.  The timbered buildings are so beautiful.

I personally love the Alsace region of France – you can get both a fabulous croissant and a pretzel all from the same bakery!

Many of the buildings are from the 1500 and 1600s.  It is sometimes called little Venice since it is located on a canal.

Honfleur, France

This little town is located on the Normandy coast of France. It sits on the Seine’s estuary.  The townhouses are from the 16th-18th centuries.

It is hard to believe these old buildings are still standing and not all demolished from the war. 

This adorable fishing town was actually quite rich as it made its money from the port.

It is has been a favorite of many artists including Claude Monet.

Hallstatt, Austria

This scenic town sits on Lake Hallstatt in Austria.  I was there so many years ago unfortunately the pictures I shot are not up to par.   Hallstatt is located in part of the Salzkammergut region in Austria – where you literally feel that the hills are alive with the Sound of Music.

The town is full of 16th century traditional houses and is Austria’s oldest village. Nearby there are the Hallstatt salt mines – you can tour them in your bunny suit and slide down salt slides! It was so fun.  It is outside of Salzburg – and frankly, prettier than Salzburg! Take a boat tour and let the hills sing to you.

Honorable Mentions

Neuschwanstein Castle, Bavaria, Germany

I can’t write a fairytale town post without mentioning the ultimate fairytale castle, Neuschwanstein castle in Bavaria.  The inside isn’t that pretty to be honest as far as European palaces and castles go, but the outside is the one that inspired Walt Disney and I think is what most of us think of when we think of a castle!

Castle

St. Gallen, Switzerland

Ok, so there is a cute little town square here that I had to include mainly because I think this building is just the cutest thing ever.  St. Gallen has the oldest library in Switzerland, built in 937. I have no pictures of it as photography wasn’t allowed.  The library itself is a world heritage site. St. Gallen also has a textile museum and a beautiful rococo church.

Strasbourg, France

I was keeping this list limited to fairytale towns and Strasbourg is certainly no town – it is a major city and is actually the capital of the EU! But I had to include this picture since it is right out of a fairytale book!

I do hope you enjoyed my list of fairytale towns in Europe.  Have you ever been to any of them? Also, I’ll be including some more travel posts this Summer since everyone seems to be traveling right now!

If you like my travel posts, check out my travels to Germany, France, England and Switzerland.

Also, check out my guide on what to pack in your carry-on! It is my most popular post to date.

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