1st Post-Pandemic Road Trip

Update Dec 1: Turns out we weren’t post-pandemic after all, but we are gradually learning to live with Covid. Every road trip or adventure is planned with risk in mind. Hopefully the world can wrestle this virus to the ground soon.

Wild Lights Festival at Blank Park Zoo

Four of us “girls” travel together whenever we decide on where and when. We’ve been anxiously waiting for vaccinations and good weather so we could head back out into the world.

Our first adventure was at Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines. The Wild Lights Festival sponsored by MidAmerican Energy was beyond excellent. Lighted animal sculptures throughout the zoo were beautiful and the overall project was brilliantly imagined.

We spent several hours at the zoo during the day, enjoying our first trip in over a year and delighting at the sights and sounds of a nice family zoo. Then we checked into our room at the Hampton Inn near the Jordan Creek Town Center Shopping Mall in West Des Moines. We’ve stayed there before and were quite comfortable, AND there’s an Applebees a few dozen steps across the parking lot.

At dusk, we returned to the zoo for the main event and we were not disappointed. The best time to view the sculptures is at dark, but you want to arrive a little beforehand to get your bearings. The best photo images are before dark unless your phone has extraordinary effects that you have mastered. 🙂

We had the best time walking through the zoo in the dark, following the same path as we had a few hours previous, but discovering all the beautiful art pieces in every direction. Oooohs and Ahhhhs doesn’t begin to describe it.

On to Pella and the tulips bakery

The next morning we packed up, had a very leisurely breakfast in an empty breakfast area (They had pretty good pandemic choices!) and then pointed the car eastward toward home. The day’s plan was to stop in Pella, Iowa to see the tulips in full bloom with fewer people than will be at next week’s Tulip Festival.

Pella did not disappoint. There were plenty of people for sure, but nothing like the crowds on Parade Day. We were seated pretty quickly at the Windmill Cafe (always worth a wait) and had lunch. Hundreds and hundreds of tulip photos taken by the 4 of us before and after lunch, and several stops to poke into the shops to see what was new in the world. That alone was worth the trip.

Sidewalk line-up for the Jaarsma Bakery

Two required stops in Pella are: 1) Bakery 2) Butcher. We sort of did both. We stopped at the butcher to grab cold cans of Diet Coke to fortify us for the half block line outside the bakery. It was nice to chat with the people around us while we waited. They were enforcing the 6 ft rule and masks, but even before Covid, you wait in line to enter either of the bakeries on the square. Diane had a list of things to procure – her friends at home desired coffee cake and almond cookies. I just wanted a bite or two of sugar, fat and salt so I wasn’t sure what I was actually waiting for – just knew it would be good.

Once inside the bakery, we searched the coffee cakes for the flavors on the shopping list. Cherry was all gone but I spotted a pecan and thought I had arrived in heaven. I love love love pecan pastry and so I had my purchase in hand.

On the way home we were comparing the wonders of Pecan coffee cake from Pella with Pecan Kringle from Racine, WI. Yesterday I voted for Kringle since it’s been a favorite craving since our sailing days. But then today I had Pella pecan coffee cake for breakfast and I have a new vice.

I’m going to share links for the Jaarsma Bakery Coffee Cakes AND the Racine Kringle so you can try them both. The Amazon link is a paid ad and the Jaarsma Bakery site is not. Both pastries are AMAZING!

Here’s the Pecan Kringle Amazon link:

Amazon has Pecan Kringle from Racine, Wisconsin!

And the Jaarsma Bakery site:

Jaarsma Bakery, Pella, Iowa

Guide to Essential Italy

From The Great Courses Plus, we start the Guide to Essential Italy in Rome.

Continuing with my new class schedule, I give you “Guide to Essential Italy”, a tour of three famous cities of Italy: Venice, Florence, and Rome.

Statue with horn of plenty in Piazza del Campidoglio, Rome, Italy

Photo credit: my paid account at Depositphotos, which I love!

Advertising note: When I link to businesses and / or products, I make a real effort to get paid for that advertising. It doesn't change my opinion, but you should know that I might be paid for my referral.

I chose the image above as a representation of this first lecture in this class from The Great Courses Plus. Why? Because it made me twitch and giggle at the same time, which is an indicator of great art, no?

Our tour begins in Rome Italy

“The Essential Guide to Italy” begins in Rome. We took a virtual tour, walking through the ancient parts of the City. Being a huge Michelangelo fan, I was intrigued by the Piazza del Campidoglio, which he designed. Every detail came from his prolific mind.

I was reminded of a point that was made in a lecture I attended a few weeks ago about sculptures in Florence. The question posed was “Why are the statues always nude?” and the answer was because in that time period, the human body was considered the primary and most beautiful creation of God. I’ll go with that for now.

Body Worship in Rome Italy Art

The image above certainly depicts that worship of the male figure in spite of the name including horn of plenty in case you wanted an excuse to gaze for awhile.

I’m looking forward to further lectures in this class. Florence is on my bucket list for art and I can’t wait to understand Venice better. Our trip is scheduled for September and I’m really trying to prepare as though it will happen.

Cruising the Caribbean Ocean

Cruising the Caribbean- Love it? Hate it?

Advertising note: When I link to businesses and / or products, I make a real effort to get paid for that advertising. It doesn't change my opinion, but you should know that I might be paid for my referral.

Even though I’ve only cruised the big big ships once I’m have to say I loved it. And I have the next cruise booked. I’ve done lots more small yacht sailing – mostly in Lake Michigan and the Florida Keys.

My first big ship cruise was with Carnival, out of Galveston. It was even better than I expected and I was ready to go again even before we braved icy winter to get back home. The next reservation is for January of next year with Royal Caribbean and one of their huge new ships – Harmony of the Seas.

As I start making my lists and checking them twice, I’ll share what I’ve learned and what other more experienced cruisers share with me. I’m also in need of new luggage. I can’t decide whether to go overboard with the budget to get something that will last forever, or accept that the airlines and other porters are hell on bags and nothing is going to last very long. It’s a tough decision. My first “good” set of luggage regularly went through hell and back and lasted for a decade of hard use.

So I’ve left you with nothing helpful here at all, but I’ll get there. Promise.