Cruise Ship Review: Celebrity Infinity

I came back from my trip sailing with Celebrity Cruises, which is a luxury-focused cruise line. I was on a 7-night cruise aboard the Celebrity Infinity, which sailed to Croatia, Turkey, and various ports in Greece. The Celebrity Infinity is a part of their Millennium-class ships, built between 2000-2002 and all recently renovated, though the Infinity definitely shows its age in its decor and furnishings. My perks for sailing on this cruise include the basic Wifi package, the classic drink package, and an onboard credit.

The Worst and Best of Air Transat

I just came back from my extended vacation in Europe, and even though there were too many tours and not enough beach days, I still had a good time. My trip was book-ended by two flights from Air Transat. The flight going to Rome was the worst flight I have ever experienced, while the flight coming home from Athens was the best flight I ever experienced. I will talk about both experiences in the first of my many blog posts from the Europe trip.

A "Little Canada" In Canada On Canada Day

On Canada Day, I spent some time at Little Canada, which is an attraction that recently opened its doors a couple of years ago at Yonge and Dundas in Toronto. Little Canada is a showcase of miniature-scale dioramas of various locations in Canada, including Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec, and beyond. Before I talk about my experience at Little Canada, I will share a personal anecdote of mine.

World Cup 2022 Musings + A Weekend in Tampa Bay

I just got back from an extended weekend in the Tampa Bay area to attend a wedding, and I got to say I had a wonderful time while I was away, and I am not talking about the warm weather. This is going to be a bit of a mishmash blog with my collection of thoughts I had during my time on the west coast of Florida where I feel like I am going to touch on everything. I feel like my mind is being more active, and I am bursting to get these thoughts on this blog post, so let us do this.

The Oahu Blog - Everything I Missed

Here is my blog on all of the other things I did while on the island of Oahu. Oahu is the most populous Hawaiian island and is the busiest island, mostly due to the capital of Honolulu being on this island. There were so many more things to do on Oahu than in Maui, and the city of Honolulu (and in particular, the area of Waikiki Beach) felt more lively with commotion and entertainment. I enjoyed my stay right beside the ocean in Waikiki Beach and there were a number of things I want to showcase during my stay in Oahu.

The Maui "Everything Else" Blog

I talked about all of the significant attractions on my trip to Hawaii, so now I want to spend this blog and the next blog talking about all of the other things while I was in Maui and Oahu. This blog will focus on Maui, but I want to talk about an observation I had visiting Hawaii in general.

It was no surprise to me that Hawaii is an expensive place to live, but I did not realize how expensive buying food was. In one grocery store, a standard loaf of bread can cost as much as $10 USD, which is crazy to me. You have to remember that Hawaii does not have industrialized food production to feed its citizens and the millions of tourists that visit. Most food has to be imported from elsewhere, which explains its high cost.

Pearl Harbor Media Gallery

One morning in Oahu, I went to the Pearl Harbor National Memorial Park. This was the site of the terrible 1941 attack on the US military by Japanese armed forces which brought the involvement of the United States into World War II. Pearl Harbor was also the setting of the equally terrible 2001 movie of the same name. Admission into the park itself is free, and you can visit the USS Arizona Memorial for free as well, but you need a reservation (which I did not have). There are other things you can experience on the Memorial grounds as well, for an admission fee.

The Road To Hana - A Scenic Drive Unlike Any Other

There is one attraction that tourists recommend to do when staying on the island of Maui. This attraction is the Road to Hana. The Road to Hana is a scenic drive along the north, east, and south coasts of Maui, with many winding curves, one-lane roads, and cliffside driving. There are many parks and other areas to stop and see all the waterfalls and the other numerous sights on this drive. Tourists recommend spending two days (with a night in the town of Hana) to see all the different attractions on the road, but you can do the drive and plan out the most important attractions you want to see in one full day. Tourists also recommend getting up early and hitting the highway by around 7am to avoid the morning rush.

Haleakala National Park: Above The Clouds

I am going to shift gears from what I did in Oahu and instead talk about what I did in Maui while on my Hawaii trip. This blog post and the next one will highlight the two major attractions on the island of Maui, and the first one I will talk about is Haleakala National Park. Haleakala National Park is a national park that consists of the dormant volcano of Haleakala and the surrounding wilderness area. This area is best known for watching sunrises and/or sunsets (though you must book a reservation to see the sunrise from the top of Haleakala National Park). I was not able to obtain one of the very few reservations available on the morning that we were going up, but this was not going to stop me from going after the reservation time.

Diamond Head: Breathtaking Views of Honolulu

While in Oahu, I spent a morning at Diamond Head State Monument, which is a crater formed by volcanic activity hundreds of thousands of years ago. It is one of the most recognizable landmarks on the island of Oahu and in the State of Hawaii. These days, most people go to this state park to hike up to the top of the crater lip to catch a glimpse of the views of Honolulu and the surrounding area.

Dole Plantation: A Hawaii Tourist Trap

Here is the first of my Hawaii blog posts, and I guess I will start off with the worst attraction of the trip, which was the Dole Plantation in Oahu. I did not have a bad time at the Dole Plantation, but I was surprised of the overall tackiness of the attraction. Going to the Dole Plantation was like going to one of the overpriced, tacky shops in Niagara Falls.

Parliament Hill Night Walk

On my last night in Ottawa, I went for a long walk around Parliament Hill so I can see what our country's main government building looks like at night. Also, according to Google Maps, The Library of Parliament is open 24 hours, so I thought the library would be worth checking out.

Spending A Rainy Day On The Rideau Canal

As a part of staying a couple of nights in Ottawa, I went for a boat ride on the Rideau Canal, which was certainly a unique experience. Right of the bat, I have to say that during the duration of the boat ride, there was heavy rain coming down from the sky. Thankfully, there is a covering over the boat, so I did not get too wet (except if you were sitting right at the side of the boat). The rain did not worsen the experience in any way, but rather made the experience more interesting.

Diefenbunker Museum Media Gallery

After my couple of nights at Mont-Tremblant, I went over to Ottawa to spend a couple of nights there as well. Before I was due to check in, I went to the Diefenbunker Museum for a tour. The Diefenbunker Museum is an underground bunker built in the early 1960s due to rising tensions stemming from the Cold War. In the event of a nuclear attack, the bunker can house key government officials (such as the Prime Minister) where they can continue to execute their duties. If the bunker is under lockdown, there is enough food to feed a staff of 535 people for 30 days.

Mont-Tremblant: The Rest Of The Highlights

I have written my posts about going up to the summit to Mont-Tremblant, as well as experiencing Tonga Lumina. However, this is my post about the other things that were going on while staying at Mont-Tremblant. I stayed two nights at the 'Place St-Bernard' hotel in the middle of the Mont-Tremblant village.

Searching For The Giant At Tonga Lumina

One of the major summer attractions during my stay at Mont-Tremblant was the Tonga Lumina walk held every night at the mountain. Tonga Lumina is a walk that is self-described as a 'sensory experience', in which you walk down a path with various lighting and sound effects. Tickets are $27.99 plus tax for an adult.

Catching My Breath Atop The Summit Of Mont-Tremblant

Over the August long weekend, I had the privilege of staying a couple of nights at Mont-Tremblant in Quebec. Mont-Tremblant is a town in Quebec just north of Montreal, but its biggest attraction is the mountain overlooking the town, as well as the resort at the foot of the mountain. Most people know Mont-Tremblant for its skiing and other winter activities in the winter season, but the area is just as lively in the summer season. On one early morning, I used the gondola ticket that came with my hotel reservation and jetted myself up to the top of the mountain.

Visiting The Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park

The last of my Atlanta blog posts saw myself taking a solemn trip to the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park. This is a space dedicated to Martin Luther King Jr., as well as the Civil Rights Movement in general. This area also has the home where MLK was born, his tomb, and the church where he would go. This park is a relic of history that is important to preserve as a reminder of how one group of people used to treat another group of people. This park also serves as a reminder for the oppressors never to devolve themselves into this kind of behavior. Parking and admission is free, so if you are ever in Atlanta, you do not have much of an excuse to go to this place.

Atlanta Civil and Human Rights Museum Media Gallery

During my stay in Atlanta, I went to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. This attraction was one of the highlights of my trip, and further opened my eyes on the continuing struggle for basic human rights across the world.

Trying Not To Roll My Ankle At Stone Mountain Park

I spent a day at Stone Mountain Park, which is the most visited attraction in the state of Georgia. Stone Mountain is essentially a large rock where guests can either walk up the side of the rock to the top, or take a cable car. However, Stone Mountain Park is not just for the large stone, as you can go check out historic buildings, hop on the locomotive that loops around the mountain, and experience laser and fireworks shows at night. Despite the mountain's checkered history of being a Confederate memorial, the attraction brings in people of all different lifestyles and beliefs.