It's okay to be a tourist

If there's one opinion I have that's going to get me side-eyed, it's this: I like going to "touristy" places and doing "touristy" things. Everyone is always praising the sights and sounds "off the beaten track" and scorning the "touristy" stuff, but for first-timers, I think it's great! They are "touristy" for a reason -- because they are big and beautiful and iconic representations of a place.  

Saint Chapelle

When one thinks of cathedrals in Paris, the two that most probably come to mind are Notre Dame and Sacre Coeur. On this visit to Paris, I visited one that is much smaller, much lesser-known, but arguably more magnificent. The Sainte Chapelle is literally a hidden jewel in Paris' long list of architectural marvels.

Sainte Chapelle (or Holy Chapel) was commissioned by Louis IX and consecrated in 1248.  Its most amazing feature is the Upper Chapel, with thousands of panels of stained glass illustrating more than 1,100 biblical scenes. Spoiler alert: if you plan to visit and don't want to spoil the surprise, DO NOT click on the "Read More" link, ignore the rest of this post and read another one!

Monet's Garden at Giverny

I have loved the works of Claude Monet ever since I was a teenager, and every time I have visited France I have wanted to take a trip to his home and garden at Giverny. But there always seemed to be too many other things to do, and too little time. Finally, finally I got the chance to visit this summer, and it was everything I had dreamed it to be. It was literally Monet's famous paintings come to life! 

Dreaming of Newport Beach

If I ever win the lotto, I'm definitely buying a place in Newport Beach. We visited Newport Beach for the first time when dropping Jammy off at UC Irvine, and it has quickly become the seaside town of my dreams.  

Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disneyland

If you are a Star Wars fan (and who isn't??), you simply must visit Star Wars Land at Disneyland or Disney World! The level of attention to detail is simply amazing, and just walking around the place is an experience. You really feel like you have stepped into a galaxy far, far away. Every little corner is crammed with machinery, landscaping, equipment, and characters from the movies.

Madonna Inn and the famous restroom I never got to see

image credit: Wikimedia Commons

If you've read my blog for any length of time, you probably know that I am obsessed with themed restrooms. Doing one's business is boring stuff, so I appreciate any effort made to lighten the atmosphere or provide some amusement or distraction. Usually I confine my rave reviews to Disney-themed restrooms; however, the restrooms at the Madonna Inn are so unique and special, they deserve a post of their own.  

The Madonna Inn is one of those well-known places that no-one really understands why they are well-known, until they visit. Given that The Pea has been studying at UCSB for almost 4 years and we drive past the Madonna Inn each time we visit, I wonder why we haven't dropped by sooner. It's right off the 101 freeway in San Luis Obispo, perfect for a bathroom or coffee break (or both). 

The outrageous, kitschy pink decor, the gigantic bakery cakes, the yummy diner food in the restaurant, the lavish souvenir shops, all make this place worth a visit. 

But it's the restrooms that have really captivated people's attention. 

Santa Barbara Zoo

I haven't been to a zoo in decades, but on our recent visit to The Pea in Santa Barbara, we decided to visit the Santa Barbara Zoo. She has developed a passion for snakes (see: her new friend George, the banana python who lives in her room!) and recently became a member of the Zoo. 

We had a great time rediscovering the wonders of the animal kingdom, and the Santa Barbara Zoo is one of the best places to do it. The Zoo is very near the beach, and overlooks the Pacific Ocean. It is home to 414 animals representing 107 different species, spread out over 30 acres. The landscaping is lush and magnificent, with a variety of native succulents and ornamentals. Animals are housed in natural habitats, so they don't seem caged in. 

I lost count of the number of animals we saw: giraffes, gorillas, monkeys, snakes, butterflies, birds, alligators, the list goes on. Our favorite exhibit was the Australian Walkabout, where we got to see wallabies, emus, and kangaroos up close. The area is enclosed and the animals are just walking around!

Other Don't Miss Exhibits:

• Gorillas
• Giraffes
• Alligators

Photo credits:

• By Arnoldus13 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=21125578
• By Dakart at en.wikipedia - Transferred from en.wikipedia by SreeBot, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17737045

Beaches I've been to

Now that The Pea is planning her dorm room decorations (yes it has been a while but OMG The Pea is going to college where did the time go), I came up with a nice little "housewarming" present: a set of wall photo decals depicting all the beaches she's ever visited. That got me to thinking of all the beaches I've visited.  From the beaches I would spend my childhood summer vacations at to those once-in-a-lifetime trips, each one has their own beauty and charm.

Could I possibly name them all? I've decided I want to try, if only to help jog my memory once I really start to forget.  Many of these beaches are ones I've visited multiple times, and quite a few are beaches I've visited fairly recently, so I have no trouble naming them. But I've been visiting beaches since before I can remember; all my life, I've never lived more than 2 or 3 hours from a beach. When you're a kid, you don't really take note of the names of the beaches you go to.  And I'm sure there are beaches I can't remember visiting. Here are the beaches I've visited that I can remember:

Baybay Black Sand Beach, Roxas City, Philippines
Montemar Beach, Bagac, Philippines
Calatagan, Batangas, Philippines
Anilao, Batangas, Philippines
Puka Shell Beach, Boracay, Philippines
White Beach, Boracay, Philippines
SBMA Beach, Subic, Philippines
White Island, Camiguin, Philippines
a white sand island, Negros, Philippines
a beach in Cebu, Philippines
Alona Beach, Panglao, Bohol, Philippines
Pamilacan Island, Bohol, Philippines
Acapulco Beach, San Fernando La Union Philippines
La Union, Philippines
Carmel Beach, CA
Santa Cruz Boardwalk Beach, CA
Natural Bridges State Beach, CA
San Gregorio State Beach, CA
Daytona Beach, FL
Half Moon Bay State Beach, CA
Pacifica State Beach, CA
Huntington State Beach, CA
King's Beach, Tahoe, CA
Lahaina Beach, Maui, HI
Polo Beach, Maui, HI
Malo-les-Bains, Dunquerque, France
Barry Island Beach, UK
Blackpool Beach, UK
Lulworth Cove, UK
Durdle Door, UK
Bratten Beach, Styrso, Sweden

Can you remember all the beaches you've been to?

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Trading pins at Hong Kong Disneyland

There are six Disney parks around the world -- Anaheim, Orlando, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Shangai -- and each one is unique in its own way. One of the things that makes each park unique is the merchandise. When we visited Hong Kong Disneyland, I had a great time browsing through the shops and checking out what each one had to offer. Naturally, as pin trading enthusiasts, we paid special attention to the trading pins. We just couldn't miss the opportunity to discover and collect some one-of-a-kind pins! Hong Kong Disneyland's pin selection did not disappoint. Here's the rundown on the beautiful and unique trading pins we found at Hong Kong Disneyland:

5 reasons to visit a California Welcome Center

Heading out to California for winter break? Great choice! There is so much to do and see in the Golden State, it will take you a lifetime to do and see it all. I've lived here for over 20 years, and I'm discovering new things all the time. 

If you're spending winter break in California, you probably already know where you're going... but you may not know exactly what you'll be doing. There's no shortage of "Things to Do in CA" articles and blogs and websites. It's difficult to know where to begin! One resource I've found invaluable is the VisitCalifornia.com website. Visit California is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting California as a tourism destination. You can find tons of suggestions for things to do in California on their website. If you prefer to do your travel research on the sofa instead of in front of a computer, you can order a free visitors guide, a glossy publication filled with stunning photographs that will make you want to book travel arrangements on the spot. 

However far in advance you like to plan your California trip, be sure to carve some time in your schedule once you're in California to drop by a California Welcome Center. There are 16 centers scattered throughout California, and they're well worth a visit. On our recent trip to Southern California, we stopped by the California Welcome Center in Buena Park. It's just 5 miles from Disneyland, 15 miles from Huntington Beach, 20 miles from John Wayne Airport and 20 miles from Los Angeles. We were so glad we did. Here are five reasons why it's worth your time:

2017 Disneyland holiday trading pins

You know you're a Disney geek when you can spend a full day inside a Disney park without getting on a single ride. There are so many other things to entertain you: the shows, the parades, the shopping, the dining experiences... and the pin trading.

If you like Disney characters and memorabilia, you'll love Disney pin trading and collecting. Half the fun is shopping for bright, shiny, new pins, and the other half is trading pins. You can trade with other pin collectors, or you can trade with cast members around the park. We started collecting and trading pins in 2012, and have been enjoying it ever since.

Disney releases new pins year round, but I have a soft spot for the holiday pin trading, because Disney's holiday pin designs are so stinking cute (click here to view some of Disney's holiday pins from past years).  Also, I love the fact that you can't get these pins at any other time of the year. Here are some of the cutest Disney holiday pins that I ran into this year:

Sweet memories of the Musem of Ice Cream San Francisco

As a child, I always wanted to visit Willy Wonka's factory; today, I finally got the chance. I first heard about the Museum of Ice Cream (MOIC) last summer, but since I had no plans to visit New York, I had to watch enviously as visitors sniffed wallpaper, sampled ice cream, and buried themselves in sprinkles. When they announced their latest pop-up installation in San Francisco, I knew I had to go. If you like ice cream and selfies, this is the museum for you! Keep reading to get the inside scoop (yes that's an ice cream pun!) on San Francisco's latest destination for the cool (another ice cream pun!) set:

Finding our inner Katniss at Arrowland

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be Robin Hood, Merida, or Katniss?  Archery isn't the kind of sport that you can just do in your back yard or street corner (unless you live on acres of land). I've always wanted to try it, but never really got the chance until our recent trip to Manila. Archery and the Philippines aren't really two words that I associate with each other, but since discovering Arrowland, we've decided that every trip to Manila is going to include a visit to Arrowland for the chance to live out our Hunger Games dreams (just the archery part, not the killing tribunes part)!

McDonald's in Bangkok

McDonald's Thailand has its share of unique menu items, such as the Samurai Pork Burger and McFish Dippers; unfortunately, we never got to try any of them. We were in Bangkok for such a short time (3 days) that I decided to prioritize the wonderful native Thai cuisine. However, we did drop by a McDonald's for a late night snack (a soft serve ice cream cone dipped in a hard mango-flavored candy shell).

McDo Manila 2017

I've been eating at McDonald's Philippines since I was 12 (when they opened their first restaurant there), so this is not the first time I've blogged about McDo in the Philippines. Yup, we even have our own local nickname for it. Please note, it's not pronounced Mc-Doo or Mc-Doe or McDoh. The best I can come up with is Mc-Daw (rhymes with saw), except the vowel sound in "Daw" is extremely short (glottal stop), not drawn out the way it usually is in English. 

A few observations I've made over decades of eating and enjoying McDo:

1) Over the years, the menu has evolved from purely American burgers/fries/soda/milkshakes to more local menu items. My theory: in the beginning, McDonald's American-ness is what attracted customers, but over time, McDonald's had to keep up with local competitors.

2) Serving sizes are much smaller. A small size soda in the US would be a large size soda in the Philippines. A small size fries in the US would be a kiddie size fries in the Philippines.

3) Prices are much cheaper than in the US. A lot of that is due to the exchange rate, but I think McDonald's Philippines has to keep their prices lower in order to remain affordable for the masses. Most of their menu items are about 50 pesos or 1 US dollar, and I don't think there are any single items above PHP100 ($2), or any combo meals above PHP200 ($4). A plain soft serve ice cream cone is PHP10, or 20 cents!

Green Tea Ice Cream: all you need to know about McDonald's Hong Kong

McDonald's Hong Kong had quite a few additions to the menu beyond the usual burgers, fries, and nuggets, like chicken wings, chili chicken burgers, and side dishes like sweet corn.  Even if you don't eat a full meal there, it's worth seeking out a McDonald's in Hong Kong just for one item: GREEN TEA SOFT SERVE ICE CREAM. Check out the yummy local menu items below (or just scroll to the end for drool-worthy photos of the ice cream):

McDonald's and learning about local food culture

I've gotten a lot of grief from family, friends, and strangers for my weird desire to check out the local McDonald's restaurants when we travel. Don't feed your kids junk! Eat real food! You can get McDonald's at home! There are so many local foods to try! First of all, don't let your experiences with US McDonald's restaurants shape your perception of McDonald's restaurants abroad -- I've found the ones abroad to have food that is far superior to any of the ones in the US. Second, some of these places serve their burgers with a ton of crisp lettuce and tomatoes, as well as side dishes like corn and tomatoes, so it's real and healthy.

The only one of those arguments that has any merit with me is the last one. I realize that every time I eat at McDonald's, I'm forgoing the opportunity to sample local cuisine. But I would argue that the local McDonald's food is, in a way, local cuisine. For better or worse, Western culture has permeated other cultures; it's not like I had to look very far to find a McDonald's! The local menu adaptations give me a glimpse of what foods the locals love. I, for one, find it fascinating to see how McDonald's has adapted to the local culture!

Here are some unique McDonald's menu items that we saw from our summer 2017 trip to:

Hong Kong

Bangkok

Manila

Enjoy!

Tips for renewing your child's passport

The Pea's current passport is set to expire next month, so we renewed her passport today. Since she is under 16, we had to renew it in person. Renewing US passports in person has always been a tedious process, but this time, somehow, it turned from tedious to almost nightmarish.

It certainly seems like the number of passport applicants has skyrocketed. If you need to apply for or renew your child's US passport (or if you need to do it for yourself, and need to do it in person), read about our experience and learn from our mistakes! Or just scroll through to the bottom and check out my tips for applying or renewing in person.

Celebrate the holidays with Disney's Viva Navidad street party

 

Parades are one of the most popular attractions at the Disneyland Resort. Every day, people line the sidewalks of Disneyland Park's Main Street USA to stake out good viewing spots. It's not unheard of for people to get settled 60-90 minutes before the parade begins, taking turns with family members to get food or go to the restroom. We've done this many times, but now that the kids are older, they prefer to take advantage of decreased attraction wait times during parades. Besides, they've seen all the current parades anyway... or so we thought. At our most recent Disneyland visit, we discovered one of the resort's best-kept secrets: Disney California Adventure's Viva Navidad Street Party. It's festive and fun, and you can arrive with just five minutes to spare and still get a great viewing spot!

Saying goodbye to the Hollywood Tower of Terror

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror has always been my favorite ride at the Disneyland Hotel. No matter how many times I ride it, I always come out with my hands shaking and my throat raw from screaming. So I had mixed feelings when Disney Parks announced that the ride would be getting a Guardians of the Galaxy makeover in 2017. They'll be keeping the elevator-drop mechanism, but completely redoing the exterior as well as the ride visuals and sound effects. I've been through enough ride closures and openings to know that whatever they come up with will be nothing short of Marvel-ous, but I do feel a twinge of sadness at the loss of my favorite ride.