This was our first trip to the San Diego Zoo. We loved it so much we spent the whole day there!
There were so many colorful and exotic birds throughout the zoo. My favorite was taking pictures of the unique animals like the adorable koala bears. We wanted to see the Pandas but there was a thirty-five minute wait. So we came back hours later when the line was shorter. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of the panda's cute face. There were too many people and the poor panda was shy. That’s alright, next time. We’ll be back!
We had a fun time visiting the Mob Museum on January 21, 2013. It's an historic building with 3 levels filled with a variety of exhibits. The museum also displayed the original court room where the hearings were held. Video was not allowed in the museum, however pictures were ok. The above is a slideshow of a few photos I took within the museum. I did however, take a small movie clip of our friend Grant pretending to be electrocuted in chair while Gordon flipped the switch, lol!
We visited Clark County Museum located on Boulder Highway in Henderson, NV. The museum has an indoor exhibit showcasing ancient times and an outdoor area with historic homes and old trains that they let you go inside. They even had a Print Shop, not the software I have on my computer…lol, but an authentic vintage news press room. The museum was a fun place to visit. Watch the above video.
Music Title: Easy Pickin
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Boy, was I surprise to see Mark Hall-Patton the Administrator of Clark County Museum there! He is famous for being one of the experts on the Pawn Stars.
It's been years since we were downtown Las Vegas. It sure has changed! Fremont Street has turned into pedestrian only. The lights appear to be more intensified. I really miss the charm of yesteryears when I use to go with my family 25 years ago.
The Four Queens use to be my grandmother's favorite casino.
We saw a pack of sea lions sunbathing on a platform next to the wharf in Santa Cruz. Enjoyed the morning filming and taking pictures. The sea lions are very interesting to watch.
Wishing everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving! Sorry I haven't posted anything for awhile, we've been busy painting and remodeling. I still have more footage left from last summer's vacation that I plan to post real soon. So stay tuned!
Again, wishing everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving!
We went to the Portland Japanese Garden with our Woodhaven friends, Ken & Betty on August 21, 2012. We took the tram up the steep hill to the entrance. What a beautiful place! A garden full of waterfalls, ponds, beautiful trees and quiet places to sit and reflect. The koi pond with the waterfall was one of my favorites. Watch the above video.
We also strolled around the International Rose Test Garden located across the street from the Japanese Garden. The purpose of the garden is to serve as a testing ground for new rose varieties. We took lots of pictures and enjoyed seeing a wide variety of beautiful roses from around the world!
On August 24th, 2012, we went on a 90 minute tour at the Oregon Caves National Monument. This was my first time exploring the underground world of caves. At the entrance we immediately felt the cool air, around 44 degrees Fahrenheit. Inside the cave we saw neat caverns and other interesting formations. It was spectacular to see millions of years of erosion that are like nothing above the ground. After our tour we hiked back down to a vintage lodge to have lunch. We truly had a delightful day! Watch the video.
On August 16, 2012, our trip to Canada has come to an end and now it's time to take the ferry back to Port Angeles. Comparing this ferry line to the Chelan Ferry, The M.V. Coho was much smaller, however we still enjoyed the ride. The boat rocked a little bit towards Port Angeles and I never once got sea sick…amazing!
On August 14, 2012, we went with Dan and Linda to The Butchart Gardens in Brentwood Bay, British Columbia, Canada, located near Victoria on Vancouver Island. The gardens were absolutely beautiful! I especially loved the Sunken Garden and The Ross Fountain (dancing fountain). If you love flowers, then this is the place to visit. We were so impressed! Watch the above video.
We totally fell in loved with downtown Victoria! Now I know why our friends, Dan and Linda, live on Vancouver Island. Around the inner harbor is so picturesque and has a lot of charm. The old majestic Empress Hotel is filled with history. The Capitol building sits over looking the harbor. The horse drawn carriages provide a memorable ride for tourists. We had so much fun watching all the activity in the harbor: The small water taxi jotting in and out delivering passengers, sea planes were coming and going and the ferry arriving and departing.
We finished the morning with lunch at the Bard & Banker Pub. The pub was an old bank that was converted to a restaurant. Watching the above video makes me feel like I'm there again.
On Sunday, August 12th we took the Washington State Ferry, Chelan, to Sidney, B.C. on Vancouver Island. It was the first time I ever traveled on a ferry and I really enjoyed the ride. The sea was calm and the path voyage wandered through the San Jaun Islands. It was a two hour ride to Sidney. When we arrived, our friends, Linda and Dan, were waving to us at the "Welcome to Sidney BC" sign.
Leo invited us to go on a hike and meet his daughters, Sue and Chris on Monday, August 6th. We had a great time with Leo and his daughters hiking the Penrose Point State Park Trail . Ruckus, a golden retriever, also joined us (Chris's daughter's dog).
We stopped at the Tillamook Cheese Factory located at 4185 U.S. 101 North in Tillamook, Oregon. It was a fun little excursion sampling the different cheeses and having a mint chocolate chip ice cream. The place was fully packed!
Did you know on average, a cow can produce six to eight gallons of milk per day? There are approximately 350 squirts of milk in a gallon.
We visited the Sea Lions Cave in Florence, Oregon. We were unable to go through the caves because the elevator was broken. The only place we could see the sea lions was outside from the look out on the cliffs.
Last month we went to Hy's Steak House for dinner with our friends John and Darlene. This was my first experience at this wonderful restaurant and I was very impressed!
The atmosphere was beautiful and the service was outstanding. I had the salmon that was out of this world! We also had Bananas Foster for dessert. Our waiter, dressed in a tuxedo, prepared this scrumptious dessert by our table side. What a show (see above video)!
While on vacation in Hawaii, I went to the Waikiki Aquarium. It was walking distance from where we were staying. I saw some amazing coral and jellyfish. I also learned about the different fish species in Hawaii's ocean.
My video of the live colorful fish aquarium almost looks like my mom's plastic imitation one I posted here: Fish Tank
Camera: Canon HD HV40 Mode: Auto Edit: iMovie 09 Music: Arranged in Soundtrack
Aloha from Hawaii! Now you know why I haven't updated my vlog lately. Didn't have time to edit and post videos, however, I did post a few pictures on Facebook and Twitter by using my phone. The above is a video clip teaser of the Aloha Festival Parade in Waikiki that I filmed from my iPhone and uploaded directly to YouTube. Isn't today's technology wonderful?
The Aloha Parade was awesome! This was the most entertaining and longest parade I ever saw. It was so long that I ran out of battery time on two batteries while using my HD camcorder. Unfortunately, I had to use my phone to film the last part of the parade. Notice at the end of the above movie you hear me say, "A good thing it wasn't my camera." What actually happened, I had placed my lemonade drink on the curbside next to my camcorder. A young man was walking by and accidentally stepped on my drink just missing my good cameras by a few inches. I'm so glad and relieved that my cameras didn't get stepped on (Now that was dumb...I shouldn't have put my cameras there in the first place)!
Anyone that knows me or who's been viewing my vlog from the beginning must think I'm a hypocrite. I mentioned I would never travel by plane because I was afraid. Trust me, I do not like flying, however, after two Dramamines and a soft pillow to lay my head on who cares. When my beloved dog, Pumpkin, passed away I was so depressed I needed to get away. That's when I decided to go with my hubby this year and visit our friends, John "The First American Dictator" author, and his wife Darlene, in Hawaii. They have a beautiful condo overlooking Waikiki Beach. Every evening we sit out on their lanai and watch the beautiful sunsets. I love this place so much I don't want to go home!
I've taken so many pictures and video on this trip that I don't have time to post them here until I return home. So stay tuned for another adventure!
