At Universal CityWalk in Hollywood

For travel post this week, I am sharing the photographs from Universal Studios in Hollywood. After working for 10 months, I went for a 10-day vacation in California. I visited a friend and it was a blast mostly on church activities and road trip to San Francisco. On this particular day, we decided to check out Universal CityWalk.

It was chilly at night time and we had dinner at Tony Roma's Ribs-Seafood and Steak restaurant.

There was a live band after 6 and I noticed, night time is more crowded. There are many places to check out for dining here. More than 30 places to eat and six nightclubs. This place also has 19 screen theaters with state of-the-art IMAX.  There are also more than 30 unique shops for your shopping needs.

I forgot how much we paid for parking but, we did find a good spot.

I love this place and I would definitely comeback someday.

This is the favorite of kids ... and kids-at-heart hehehe.

The Tony Roma's Restaurant is on the left side of this photo with red signage.

We had a great time taking pictures and we stayed here for awhile. It was a gorgeous day. A bit chilly but, I love it.

There's so much to see here and I thought, we did explore the shops good. After dinner, can you believe that we still have the energy to check out the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Santa Monica Boulevard? Oh yeah, and it was really chilly. We did not stay longer and we head home.

My 10 days vacation seemed one month. The days were dragging as if the time was frozen but, on my advantage.

When I return to California in the near future, I will visit CityWalk again. hopefully with my mom, brother and his family. I hope that day will come. Thanks for stopping by. Enjoy your Tuesday.

Let's Travel Morocco in Epcot

Oh the joys of seeing new places and learning the ways of life of other cultures has always been exciting and awe-inspiring. Yet, not all of us have the pleasure of traveling to places for some obvious reasons. The deterrent is Time and Economic reason so; to alleviate that, Epcot extravagantly showcased 11 countries in their park so; their guests can enjoy exploring these places. Isn't it exciting? The best place to travel 11 countries in one day is thru Disney World's Epcot themed park.

"I can show you the world

Shining, shimmering, splendid

Tell me, princess, now when did

You last let your heart decide?

I can open your eyes

Take you wonder by wonder

Over, sideways and under

On a magic carpet ride

A whole new world

A new fantastic point of view

No one to tell us no or where to go

Or say we're only dreaming"

Most children and kid-at-heart know Aladdin and Jasmine. I bet you already humming that song lyrics above which is good for you still remember it. If you and your children wanted to see Aladdin and Jasmine, visit Morocco in Epcot and see the schedule of their photo and autograph signing.

Last Thursday, hubby and I decided to visit Disney World because our pass will be over the next day. We thought of using it in Epcot to see the #FoodandWineFestival and we did! We went in at 3PM and right away look for food and wine to taste.

Visiting Epcot's World Showcase is fun but, if you hate walking, you should plan ahead which country to check out for that day. As for us, we selected at least 5 , dine in France and check out the rides in Future World and off we go home.

The photo above is a restaurant in Morocco area. If you wanted to try the cuisine famous in Morocco, you should visit this area. In Morocco, you will find Restaurant Marrakesh and Tangierine Cafe'.

Morocco is a diverse country, and rich in culture and civilization. This country has been influenced by Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Jews, Arabs, Sub-Saharan Africans, Romans, Vandals, Andalusians, Moors and Jews, and they all play vital on the social structure of Morocco in line with their beliefs. Check out the style of the building, Jewish and Arabic cultural heritage is pretty obvious.

Here I am checking their Brass Bazaar and Casablanca carpets. If you have children who loves crafts and painting, check out inside. I am sure they will find it interesting and fun.

This is the front of Morocco area.

Hubby and I enjoyed our visit in Epcot that day. Oh, we were able to watch a concert by Air Supply and it was such an amazing experience.

Grills Seafood Deck and Tiki Bar

Last week, a friend wanted to have lunch with us. She decided to meet us at the Grills in Cape Canaveral. This is about 20 minutes from our place but, it's more than an hour from her since she lives in Orlando.

Our friend loves to hang out by the Space Coast especially in Cocoa. Before we meet, she went to the beach to relax. We arrived here first and it was already crowded. It was a gorgeous day! We ordered when our friend arrived.

This place in nearby Port Canaveral in fact; when the cruise ships sail to their destinations, they pass along the waterways in front of these restaurants. While dining, we can actually see the Disney Cruise Ship, Carnival Cruise Ship and others sail away. The tourists wave at us ... well, they usually do that. It is common that diners wave back at them too.

The food here is great! The price is just right.  Their servers are good. You should check it out!

Next time, I will try to take photos of how it look like inside.

It was crowded so; we parked a bit further. Good thing we found a great spot here.

Great landscape!

The parking space is not a problem here. Would you like to visit thie Grills? Here is the compete address:

Grills Seafood Deck and Tiki Bar

505 Glen Cheek Dr Cape Canaveral,

FL 32920

(321) 868-2226

By the Indian River

We live just 5 minutes away from Indian River. Early morning, hubby and I love to come here to watch the sunrise. There are few people who comes here early as well pulling their boats. If it is holiday or weekend, they tag along their kids and enjoy boating in Indian River. Watching the sunrise on their boats must be an awesome experience.

Early Morning

This is me one afternoon while I was watching the VAB or Vehicle Assembly Building of the Kennedy Space Center (the tiny building across the river) when suddenly, dolphins shows up.  I posted the photos of the dolphins in one of my blogs.

One Afternoon

Here I am again having my exercise and enjoying the view of the Indian River.

Doing Exercise

Hubby was with me but, he was just sitting under the shade talking to his friends on his phone. I love doing my exercise down here. There are times that the river smells bad because of the algae but, on these days, the weather was great and the breeze was fresh.

The Segui-Kirby Smith House

If you are interested in American History, visit Saint Augustine Florida and you will find some interesting facts about the US. This house is the birthplace of Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith. He is the last Confederate general to surrender. His mother, Frances Kirby Smith, lived in this house until she was exiled from the city for spying.When we tour the area and arrived in this place, it was already closed and it was getting dark so; all I did was take this picture. This house is now called, St. Augustine Historical Society research library which is open to the public for research. This library has the files and books on Florida history including those on the Civil War period and the Kirby Smith family. There are two bronze statues in the garden and a plaque inside commemorating its famous former residence.

Ferry Ride to Magic Kingdom

Visiting Disney World is always fun especially when your family is with you. Make sure that you have a camera and a tripod with you and extra battery too. If you want to visit one park in one day, that is a wise plan. But, if you still have the strength to move on to another park, why not right? Children loves Magic Kingdom so; be there early.

There are two ways to go to Magic Kingdom it's by monorail which is fast and ferry boat if you want a scenic ride. If you are not in a hurry, take the ferry boat and enjoy the view by the lake around Disney World property.

If you want to take pictures, the second floor of the ferry boat is the best seat there is. You can get a good scenic shot from there. It's not that far but, I can assure you that you will enjoy the ride. Make sure that you have your itinerary on which attraction to go first in Magic Kingdom.
 
Let the kids decide where they want to go first. Cinderella Castle is located at the heart of Magic Kingdom. This park is huge, about 107 acres with the following whimsical lands: Main Street, U.S.A., Adventure land, Frontier land, Liberty Square, Fantasy land and Tomorrow land.

If you love fast rides and adrenalin pumping attractions, check out Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, Mad Tea Party and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. I love the Haunted Mansion, Jungle Cruise, Main Street Vehicles, Pirates of the Caribbean, Transit Authority People Mover, and Railroad.

To save your time, get the FAST PASS but, you can only use the fast pass once in a specific time. Say, you take a fast pass at 10AM for three attractions. It will only work to one attraction. You need to get another fast pass in another time. It's free and you don't need to wait. Have fun!

Do you Consider Living in Florida?

Would you like to live in Florida? The state of Florida is situated on a peninsula between the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean and the Straits of Florida. We have two time zones: it extends to the northwest into a panhandle and extending along the northern Gulf of Mexico. On the North, the border states are Georgia and Alabama. Several Caribbean countries are just nearby especially the Bahamas and Cuba. I love living in Florida and I am proud to be a Floridian. All photos here were taken by me of course while we were at Blockhouse Beach 45th Space Wing along the South Atlantic Avenue.

I read online that Britton Hill is the highest point in Florida and the lowest highpoint of any U.S. state. That could be true because Florida is really flat compared to other states. Most of Florida has an elevation of less than 12 feet and that includes the many populated places including Miami down south of Florida.

The climate in Florida varies in places. Some areas have prevalent climate like humid subtropical while coastal areas down the south have a true tropical climate. I really do not know the difference. I live in Orlando and it is super hot especially in summer time.

The mean high temperatures for late July are primarily in the low 90s while the mean low temperatures for early to mid January is usually from the low 40s to above 60s. The average daily temperature is 70s. That is the reason, winter season is my most favorite time of the year. It is truly hot here in Florida especially at summer time where temperature could exceed 100 degrees. Freezing? I don't recall that we ever have one.

There was a record that shows the coldest temperature was −2 °F but, that was on February 13, 1899 near Tallahassee according to what I read in Wikipedia. We have no snow here Florida ... or/ rarely receives snow but, we have frost here which is common during the winter months.

Frost is a huge problem especially for Citrus farmers here in Florida. Anyway, do you consider living here in Florida?

According to the 2010 U.S. Census, Florida had a population of 18,801,310. Here's the breakdown of race and ethnicity:

75 % are White Americans comprising 57.9% are Non-Hispanic White and  17.1% are White Hispanics
16 % are Black or African Americans
0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
2.4% Asian American
0.1% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
3.6% from Some Other Race
2.5% Multiracial American

If you visit Miami, you should learn to speak Spanish because most people living there speaks bilingual. Some only communicate with Spanish language.

Why I am showing you these photos of the beach? It is because when you live in Florida, the access of the beach is in every direction. You can choose the Gulf Coast or the Atlantic, take your pick and it is very accessible. Weather is great here all year-round well, unless if there are hurricanes. Living in Florida is a perfect place to enjoy the sun, the beach, and the pleasure of having a sunny weather most of the time.

The Space Shuttle Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center

As promised, here is one photo that my husband took with me while visiting the ATLANTIS at the Kennedy Space Center here in Florida last July 4. Hubby and I agreed to just go to one attraction, the Atlantis which is the baby attraction of KSC, newly opened last June 29, 2013.

It was my birthday in 2011, when Atlantis had its final mission/launched. It was a symbolic event because it was the final mission of the American Space Shuttle Program. A sad day to most people in the Space Coast because it means losing their job as well.

The final launch of Atlantis was known as STS 135 and its mission was ISS-International Space Station logistics. The cargo on that launch are "Raffaello Multi-Purpose Logistics Module" and the "Lightweight Multi-Purpose Carrier" (LMC), delivered to the ISS. On this mission, STS-135 had 4 astronauts on board. They safely went back home on July 21,2011.

This baby has a total of 33 missions, 207 crew members, and deployed 14 satellites. The first flight of Atlantis was October 3 in 1985 and came back safely to Earth on the 7th.

You should come and visit the Kennedy Space Center, and see the Space Shuttle Atlantis on display. It is worth the money you are paying for, I can promise you that.

Myself Under the Apollo/Saturn V Rocket

Whoaaa... Oh yeah, this is me standing below the gigantic Apollo/Saturn V Rocket. This was taken years ago and though I live about 15 minutes away from Kennedy Space Center, I never get the chance to pose another photo like this. I have been here many times and took pictures but, without me. That's the sad reality for photographers; no one takes their photos exactly as they want it. Anyway, this is the Apollo and Saturn V Center where guests can touch a moon rock and stand under the largest rocket ever built.

 

View of the Banana River

My husband and I were heading back home from the beach, passing Banana River along Cape Canaveral. While we were routing the 528 road, I just can't help but focus my camera on the wide blue skies. It was a gorgeous day and I have seen people kayaking, boating, fishing in the waist deep water (not afraid of gators) and surfing. At the far right of the photo is the Port Canaveral Cruise Terminal. There were cruise ships waiting for their schedule to depart. We were thinking, it would have been nice if we have a jet ski. What a great day to enjoy the outdoors!

Things to Do in Aruba

This post brought to you by Aruba Tourism Authority. All opinions are 100% mine.

After cruising to Freeport and Nassau in Bahamas, the husband and I planned to have a relaxing and exciting Aruba travel. We are drawn to its beautiful beaches, sunny skies, and warm temperature.  Aruba is a perfect place for sun bathing and water sports activities because to sum it up, Aruba has the perfect weather. One of the widest and most attractive beaches in the Caribbean can be found in Aruba. Their beaches are open for public but, despite for this easy access, Aruba is beautiful and their beaches are one of the cleanest beaches in the Caribbean.

We would love to experience snorkling in Aruba. Based from what we heard from friends, Aruba is one of the best places for snorkeling especially when the dive goes to Catalina Bay where one will experience swimming with the fish.  Antilla Wreck is another destination great for snorkeling, home to exotic fish such as butterfly fish and green moray. The Arashi Reef is also abundant with colorful tropical fishes like the parrot fish and angel fish. I would definitely do this activity with a guide for safety precaution though.

There are so many activities which Aruba can offer in both land and water. We would also want to experience the Sunset Sails or just a short sail on a Catamaran. I prefer sailing on a Catamaran minus the engine powered ride. It would be exciting to experience sailing on a sailboat and off with the wind.

How about you? Would you like to try snorkeling in Aruba? What interesting travel activities you have heard in Aruba? Please share your thoughts and I would be happy to publish it.

Please check out the video above. Would you consider traveling to Aruba one day?

Veteran's Memorial Park in Merritt Island

Whole day yesterday hubby and I decided to just drive around  scenic route in our area. We made three stops first, the Veteran's Memorial Park, a boat dock along Port Saint John and Home Depot ... scouting for a lawn mower ^_^ . I took some photos for you dear readers to see what's in Veteran's Memorial Park in Merritt Island.

The Veteran's Memorial Park is located at 400 S Sykes Creek Pkwy Merritt Island, FL 32952. The location is near the Merritt Island Mall and along the banks of Banana River. If you wanted to know the direction by phone, call them at tel #(321) 453-1776 a standby officer will be there to assist you.

I was never been close to this for real. What a humungous thing!

My husband rode to this type of helicopter while he was assigned  in Vietnam.

This memorial park is really nice and peaceful. A good place to remember the heroes of war.

If you happen to visit Cocoa Beach, Meritt Island or Titusville, pay your respect by visiting to this place.

This is located near the Banana River too.

It looks ordinary looking from this point. Once you get out of the car and walk to the park, it is different. It feels peaceful and nice.


Don't forget to check out the memorial park in your area and share the photos as well. God bless everyone!