More Italy and Florida Stuff

I need a blog post to show you all of the things that I wanted to show you that I could not fit into any of the blog posts that I already created. This post will be unstructured by nature, and will just be a photo dump of some things while I was in Italy and Florida. Anyways, enjoy!

Spending The Day At Universal Studios Florida

I already talked about my time in the Simpsons area at Universal Studios Florida but I want to talk about my time exploring the rest of the park. I have not been to Universal Studios Florida since I was a child, maybe around 9-10 years old. Over 20 years later, I find myself back at the same park. There has been so much that has changed at the park, but there are rides that still exist that I rode as a child that sorely need either a re-brand or have a brand-new ride at the same site. Here are the pictures I took as I show you around what was happening on a busy Tuesday at Universal Studios Florida.

Springfield, Universal Studios Florida

The Simpsons is probably one of my most beloved TV shows, and I have Seasons 1-12 on DVD ready for watching whenever I need it. When I first heard that there will be a Simpsons-themed area at Universal Studios Florida, I hoped that I would, at some point, make my way over there to check it out. I can cross an item off my bucket list because I got to experience Springfield at Universal Studios Florida. As a Simpsons fan, this was a dream come true.

I Took My Single-Best Picture (So Far) At Disney Springs

I was in Orlando for a few days, and I spent one of those afternoons/early evenings checking out Disney Springs. Disney Springs is an outdoor entertainment complex/shopping mall with many shops, restaurants, and other attractions. Disney Springs has been commonly referred to as the "free section" of Walt Disney World as you can explore the complex itself is free, though if you want to do anything there, be prepared to spend some Disney-sized cash.

The Southernmost Point In The Continental United States

I was in Florida a couple of months ago, and now that I posted everything I could about my Europe vacation, I can start sharing some things that I did while in the Sunshine State. Before you ask, no I did not encounter Florida Man while I was down there though I did notice some weird things going on because it is Florida.

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.

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.

Georgia Aquarium Media Gallery

I went to Atlanta, Georgia for a mini-trip about a week ago, and during my stay, I experienced the mild thrill of going to the Georgia Aquarium to see various aquatic life. The admission was incredibly steep at $45 USD for an adult ticket including tax, which will definitely scare some people from going. However, if you have any sort of interest in sea life, I would pay the admission to go just once, and then you will never have to go again. I compared this visit to my visit to the Ripley's Aquarium in Toronto, and it was essentially the same experience, with the Ripley's Aquarium being a bit cheaper, but also a bit smaller.

Video and more pictures below: