Book Review: The Postman Always Rings Twice

I loved how fast the novel read, it was easy to follow for the most part and was gripping in all the right ways. I liked how you as a reader wanted to root for Frank and Cora, even though they were kind of the actual worst. Nick never really did anything wrong, but you as a reader still want him to die so Frank and Cora can get together.

 

The whole part where Frank and Cora turn against each other while their fate is being decided after Nick dies in the planned murder/car accident situation confused me a bit as a reader. It added suspense to the story and a bit of a twist to the plot, but they come out relatively unscathed (and 10k richer). Then it comes back to bite them again it seems when Kennedy (I think was his name) comes back and threatens to clean them out in exchange for Cora’s confession. I was confused as to if Cora brought him back as a way to frame Frank or if it was just another part of the plot to draw the reader through the story.

 

I also thought the lady with the cats that Frank ran off with when Cora’s mother was sick could have been done better, she didn’t have a lot of character and Frank didn’t have a lot to say about her in his narrative, even though it ends up being a point of contention between him and Cora at a later stage in the story.

 

In the end, I saw it coming but still didn’t enjoy how it ended. But it seemed that based on the theme of the rest of the novel, Frank and Cora couldn’t live happily ever after, it just wasn’t the plan. The real kicker is the face that Frank isn’t sure if Cora thinks that he purposefully tried to kill her, even though he did indeed love her and was panicking to get her to the hospital to get the medical attention he thought she needed.

 

Overall, the plot – guy falls in love with wrong girl and ends up ending both of them because of that love, I thought was gripping. The story of the characters and their misfortunes was compelling and full of intimate details and description to bring the story to life. Although the characters didn’t have a lot of depth and development in my opinion, the story developed enough to keep a reader entranced for this short story.

Study Abroad: London Packing List

the run down.

Here’s the down and dirty what you gotta have to start off your time in the world’s most fantastic city, London. Almost everything is easy to purchase, but its nice to have at least the essentials when you first get there while you get used to everything.

the essentials.

1. laptop
2. cell phone (either get a pay as you go plan or turn off data and only use for emergency calls)
3. power converter
4. British Pounds (if you plan on changing dollars to pounds make sure you bring NEW bills that aren’t old otherwise they aren’t happy to change them)
5. credit cards with chip (an preferably no foreign transaction fees)
6. any important medications and toiletries
7. any favorite american food that you CAN’T live without (totally personal preference, I only brought some initial snacks so I wouldn’t starve if I couldn’t find a Tesco)
8. Passport and any documents you might need (don’t forget your ID/Drivers License!)
9. rain boots
10. A good coat

things you’ll need.

1. an oyster card (the tube is necessary my friends)
2. good walking shoes
3. I promise you you’ll need rain boots (wellie warmers are also nice to have on those cold english days)
4. layers of outerwear, make sure you have at least one waterproof outer layer.
5. The rest is pretty much up to you! Study abroad is what you make it 🙂

random tips.

Go exploring immediately, unpack the essentials and go out and be a tourist for a few hours. Figure out where the closest tube station is or bus stop. Find a Sainsbury’s or Tesco or what not (a food source). Explore the neighborhood you’ll be in all semester, check out the local pubs and restaurants.

Go see the big sites, bring out that camera and go take a ride on the London Eye, see Big Ben, Tower Bridge, Covent Garden, Leister Square, Piccadilly Circus, the Globe Theater ect. Some other fun touristy things to do are:

• London Walks (I recommend the Jack the Ripper and the Harry Potter walks!)
• The London Dungeon
•  Horseback Ride through Hyde Park (Ross Nye Stables is fantastic and located adjacent to Hyde Park and usually takes walk-ups and is a once in a life time experience that cannot be beat!)
• Hop-on-Hop off Bus (only do this if you don’t want to pay to use the tube for a day and want to be identified as a tourist)
• Boat ride on the Thames (some have packages with the Eye and other attractions).

If you plan on visiting any of the palaces (Kensington, Tower of London, Hampton Court or Kew) buy the palace pass- find a friend and buy the “couple/family” pass and it will be even cheaper and you can go again and again in case you go on a day with a few too many tourists. Also, whenever people come to visit you they can get in on the pass as well since it is a “family” pass.

Here’s a link for more information on the pass.

I hope you enjoy your time in London as much as I did and have fun exploring!

 

 

Be a Traveler not a Tourist: Part 1

go somewhere

So many people go on trips every year (sometimes more) and really don’t get anything out of it. Although I know that everyone has different ways of wanting to go on vacation, I hope that this post can give people an idea of how they can travel, let’s just say “better” than before. Not forcing anyone to do anything they don’t want to do, just wanting people to think about what happens in places where tourism is such a big part of that place. So many people go somewhere typical (which is fine) and just check off the things one should see in that location. Example, I’m going to Rome so I’ll see the Vatican, the Colosseum, and the Spanish Steps. Then I’ll go have some pasta and some gelato and perhaps some wine. Check, Rome is done, I’ve seen enough- maybe some day I’ll come back when I have more time. FALSE. Try something different, go outside your comfort zone.

I’ve been on a lot of cruises (which by the way are very cool and a great way to get a taste of so many different places in a very short time) and it is really hard not to just be a tourist on these trips. You are drug around in a group of individuals clad in walking shoes, D-SLRs around everyone’s neck, and of course the lovely walkie talkie contraptions or “whispers” as some guides call them also draped around one’s neck. You look foolish, but you get to see a lot this way. The problem is the only thing you are doing is SEEING a lot, you aren’t diving into the culture head first. The first time I went overseas I just spent a lot of time looking at the sights and I didn’t really get a lot out of the trip other than I saw a lot of cool things, basically all I was doing was following the tour group and seeing what was in front of me. I wanted my next trip to be something I got a lot out of both educationally and emotionally, but I’m different like that, I use travel as a way to express myself and learn more about myself. That isn’t how everyone likes to do things, but I’ve found I really come back from trips feeling overall better about myself if I really immerse myself into the locations I visit.

go somewhere and don’t just follow the leader

Let’s make this silly situation better! Let’s say you ARE on one of these tours and you aren’t off on your own (which I find is always the best way to see anywhere if you have more time and aren’t on a time constraint- if you are on something like a cruise I do think the shore excursions are the best way to get the most bang for your buck ), there are plenty of ways you can still discover what your destination is all about. Most trips give you some free time to eat or shop, take advantage of that! Find a map, wander down some side streets, get kinda lost and then figure out your way back to where you came from- it really gives you a sense of accomplishment to be able to find your way around somewhere completely foreign to you. It also makes you figure out what makes that place tick. Do the places to eat/drink get cheaper as you walk down side streets and get further away from tourist traps and closer to where people actually live? Usually it does. These are also AMAZING places to eat because it is where the locals eat, so usually a more reasonable price and you get the chance to talk to people who aren’t used to having THOUSANDS of tourists encroaching on their space every single day. From personal experience this is when I’ve really learned the most about cultures elsewhere is just by doing this little trick, going off the beaten path. Sometimes you don’t even have to go that far to find places with menus only in the local language (MOST of the time you can get by with English, but I find that it is polite to try to communicate in the local language first before going to English). Remembering you are a visitor to someone else’s home, be polite and be willing to try new things and talk to new people. You never know who will be willing to talk to you or what you will encounter. That is truly the beauty of traveling.

The times that I’ve strayed off the beaten path have been fantastic. I’ve found great hidden places to eat, lovely shops, and amazing people. I’ve wandered around places in Italy, France, Spain, Scotland, England, Ireland, Belgium, Holland, Greece, Monaco, Alaska, Canada, New York, Turkey, Malta, and so many more places. Each destination has something to teach you, my goal each time I travel is to discover what exactly I’m learning from that place. Holland taught me that I CAN find my way around a city I’ve only been in for literally minutes, Greece taught me to see the beauty in simplicity, Scotland taught me to appreciate the beauty of the world around me and England taught me that I can be so much more than I ever thought I could. Traveling really has helped me find direction and meaning to my life and traveling alone has helped even more.

go somewhere ready to try to “fit in”

Do research before you visit another country, learn how to say hello and thank you at the very least. I know so many people that complain about people who visit America or even move to America not being able to speak any English, give other countries the experience you want to have with foreigners, or at least try! Learning languages can be fun and a great family activity to do before embarking on a cruise or going on a trip if you are going somewhere as a family. Duolingo is a great little app that gets you started with the basics  Look into customs such as dress and body language. For examples there are cultures where one finger pointing not something you should do. Always be aware of things like that. Walk with a purpose, don’t feel bad about stopping to take photos, but be respectful of the people around you. Don’t stop in the middle of a busy sidewalk, go off out of the way so the people who live there can continue to go about their daily business.  Always carry currency of the country you are in, don’t expect places to “just take” the dollar because you think they should. (I’ve seen this happen in a few different countries, the end result was never a friendly exchange…).

This blog has mainly covered the basics of how to turn what would have been a straightforward tourist experience into something where you become a traveler and really start to learn about other cultures and places in a more personal and in depth way. Remembering everyone has their preferred way of traveling and I’m not looking to boss people around into changing how they vacation, this is purely food for thought and a reflection on how I like to travel.

Look for more in this series of posts, I hope it helps others prepare for travel abroad (and even in their own country). I’m aiming to help others grow through travel the way I have, it really is a way of life and once that travel bug bites you there really is no better way to learn more about yourself or relax.

Disneyland: The World of Color

The World of Color is a nighttime show in Disneyland Resort’s California Adventure Park. Projections on water screens, fire, fountains and lights make this show fantastic. If you’ve been to Las Vegas and seen the Bellagio fountains you kind of have an idea of what is in store, but in true Disney fashion they’ve taken the fountain and light show up a notch.

Dancing fountains towards the end of the “old” world of color show.

If you’d like to see the World of Color I would recommend either booking a dining reservation that includes a viewing area or getting a fast pass upon park opening for a viewing area. Then when you go to redeem your fast pass, be sure to get there early to get the best spot in line for your viewing section. (The fast pass kiosk is by the grizzly river rapids fast pass kiosk).

The ending of the “old” world of color with “World of Color” lasers. We saw the last old World of Color show before the 60th celebration show kicked off!

Keep in mind, this is a water show so the closer to the water you are the wetter you will get! We were front and center for the last old show and we got pretty wet!

The fountains after the show ends.

We were in Disneyland just as they were beginning to kick off the 24 hour event and the kickoff celebration for the 60th, so we got lucky and were able to see the brand new show after they showed the press the night before (and a day before it was officially set to start).

The new show features a projection screen on the Mickey Fun wheel as well as uses California Screamin’ to project things on as well! One of the beginning scenes with Walt Disney.

The new diamond anniversary show is a tribute to the rides and to Walt’s dream and some of the movies that have made Disney the huge success that it is.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is one of the first movies to be featured in the show.

The show rotates around the notion of staying “forever young” and having a child like outlook on life. Huge water screens, fireballs and beautiful projections and lights (including the mickey ears that light up along with the show) make the entire experience unforgettable.

Of course Frozen had to make an appearance in the tribute to all of the movies during the show.

Next the show commemorates Disneyland and all of the wonderful rides that make the park special. From the haunted mansion to the Tiki Room and everything in between.

The beginning of the “Disneyland” section.

Splash mountain was one of the rides featured in this part of the show!

Pirates featured fire shooting out of the lagoon, so hot you can feel the warmth!

This new show is just as fantastic as the old one was, it was an amazing experience to see it for the first public show. Everyone was singing along with the songs and the new Christina Perri song- “Forever Young” put a lump in your throat and made me wish I was still a kid again. If you happen to be in Disneyland in the near future be sure to check out The World of Color.

(All images are my property, if you would like to use one for any purpose please leave a comment)

Disneyland: Celebrating 60 Years

When we initially planned our Disneyland vacation we didn’t even think about the fact it would be the 60th anniversary celebration going on. So we were pleasantly surprised to discover on the internet that we would be able to see some of the special things they had planned for the diamond celebration, even though we left on the official kick off day.

Sorcerer Mickey hat outside of the Disneyland hotel decked out for the diamond anniversary was one of the first special things we noticed when we arrived at the park.

Soon everywhere we went we started noticing all the special details that they had been adding for the diamond celebration. We came in on the Monday before they kicked off the celebration and noticed added touches here and there with more being added throughout the week.

Signs found in the Disneyland Hotel

Upon our arrival (after a stop at Trader Sam’s to refuel and have a quick drink) we went to DVC to ask what special diamond celebration things we could expect to see before Friday (and we picked up our DVC lanyards of course). We were informed that we would not be able to see the special night shows but to keep an eye to the skies for the fireworks (because obviously there’s not a good way to hide those).

Just walking into the park on our first day we already spotted a TON of Diamond bling already out around the park, so of course I had to photograph all that I could find! I especially loved the banners they had on the light posts, I found those to be quite elegant.

All the decor I felt was very well done, didn’t seem too over the top since everything was blue and pretty classy looking and just made the park look like it was dressed up and we felt like we were experiencing something special the whole time we were in the park, so it was pretty fun!

The signs as you came in also were done tastefully and on the last day (Thursday) banners were added to the “D” over the “As you leave today…” sign, pictured below.

Next, let me show you some of my favorite photos I snapped of the castle all dressed up for the special occasion. I loved how they individually glittered some of the roof so it really shines and is really nice looking when the sun shines.

I love all the big blue banners with the silver lining, they really make the castle look elegant!

This angle photo of the back of the castle is one of my favorite shots I got, especially love the beautiful blue sky behind it 🙂

I love when Disney does special things, they always do it so well. Their 60th decorations are just stunning and I am so glad we got to see the parks all decorated for the occasion since we were thinking we would just miss the celebration stuff since we were leaving the day they started.

Disney California Adventure Park was all dressed up for the occasion as well! Using the same blue banners really was a great touch.

The other thing we were afraid we were going to miss out on was the 60th merchandise, and again we were pleasantly surprised when we got to see and buy some of it because it was released early on Wednesday!

The popcorn buckets already had the 60th design on them!

60th anniversary pins- of course we had to collect them all!

Another “must have” diamond anniversary Minnie ears.

My favorite out of all the pins!

I got to collect my first Alex and Ani and it is a special “Disneyland Forever” one!

Pretty Minnie ears that were for sale for the diamond anniversary!

The special bedazzled Mickeys you could buy!

They of course had to continue that branding into the stores as well! Loved spotting the diamonds!

There were even candied apples that were decorated for the 60th!

And cake pops!

And marshmallow sticks!

Unfortunately I didn’t try any of the food, but it was sure fun to see! Not pictured were the clothing items we bought with the 60th designs on them- I was able to get a kids sized t-shirt because the kids XL is the same as an adult small! So if you fit in that size be sure to check out the kids stuff too because it is a bit cheaper (just by a little bit- but hey, every bit counts!)

I loved the geotags that snapchat had for the park as well!

This was my favorite filter snapchat had!

Me wearing my Minnie ears on main street!

And then we started noticing a difference in the crowds and we saw the media come in- and there was a TON of media.

Media tents set up for radio stations from around the local area- they set up on Thursday.

We caught a glimpse of Mickey doing an “interview” for something!

The diamond got added to Mickey’s bow tie on Thursday as well!

And these signs popped up as well- can’t believe how long some people stayed up!

Signs telling you to use the hashtag #disneyland60 started appearing on Thursday as well

And finally, one last photo of the beautiful blue flowers they had planted. Fun that they matched the rest of the theme of the blue decor!

I hope you enjoyed my coverage of what we saw unfolding at the parks while we were visiting, we were very excited to be able to experience the 60th celebrations and were even more excited to be able to see the BRAND NEW World of Color on Thursday night!

Omaha Food: Blatt Beer and Table

Situated right across the street from the home of the Men’s College World Series, Blatt Beer and Table borrows from the former stadium that was the home of the CWS for so many years before. However, this pub like restaurant is anything but a sports bar. Having spent some time in Europe, this is one of my favorite places to grab a drink because they feature a ton of both local brews and  they have a ton of imports as well, including one of my very favorites that is hard to find elsewhere- I’ll tell you about that soon!

Let’s check out the menu- it is reasonably priced, you get a lot of food with any meal and you won’t leave feeling unsatisfied. Whether you pop in for lunch or dinner, or just want some drinks and snacks before a game or event downtown, there is something for everyone.

Starters and soups and salads- I gotta go back soon to try the Beer Cheese soup!

Main plates, sandwiches- I usually stick with the blatt burger as my go-to at this place, but for the blog I wanted to try something else.

And of course, the drink menu!

Every time I stop by the Blatt, which is not as much as it used to be since I no longer live downtown, I always am sure to order my favorite drink- Fruli. I discovered Fruli while I was studying abroad and it was a very pleasant surprise to find that I could order one of my favorite drinks here in Omaha!

A beautiful glass of Fruli

Fruli is a strawberry fruit beer brewed in Belgium. I first tried in a pub near my campus in London, imagine my surprise when I found a favorite back at home! I never thought I’d be able to order my favorite European drinks back at home, so far I’ve managed to find a few of my favorites.

I love the pub style of the Blatt. You walk in and seat yourself and a server will come to help you- there are seats at the bar, high tops, or just tables. In the summer a garage door opens so you can dine almost outside!

Glancing over the menu I decided I wanted to try something a little new, a little fun, something different. I’m not really all that outgoing when it comes to food, so when I try something new it’s a big deal for me! I decided to go with the chicken and waffles. Hand battered chicken and cornbread waffles.

Chicken and waffles!

Dixie-fried chicken strips, jalapeno cornbread waffles with honey orange butter, cracked black pepper gravy and maple syrup. Yum! I’m not usually one for a little spice, but this spice was quite nice!

Close up of the chicken.

The chicken was some of the best I’ve ever had. Lightly battered to perfection, a little bit salty, tender chicken, and a little bit of a kick! I’m not a big chicken strip fan, but holy smokes is this good chicken!

Cornbread jalapeno waffles

After scarfing down all of the chicken, I had room for one delicious and slightly spicy cornbread jalapeno waffle. Fluffy, slightly lemony and delicious!

I would recommend this dish for sure! I usually stick with the Blatt burger when I come here because I love the fries or their handmade salt and vinegar chips! I’m not sure you can go wrong with anything on the menu though, I love this place and I can’t wait to go back. Another great eat in Omaha!

Visit their site at : http://www.blattbeer.com/

Book Review: The Phantom Tollbooth

The Phantom Tollbooth is the kind of book you should read when you are younger and then pick it up again later down the road and you get so much more out of it. I was cleaning my room out a few weeks ago and came across this book and I couldn’t quite remember what it was about so I decided that I might as well read something for fun while I still can (I’m going to law school in the fall so I gotta read for fun while I still can).

At first glance this little book looks like a children’s novel, something that kids use as a stepping stone to longer chapter books. There are drawings scattered throughout the book and the plot initially seems silly. However once you get past the first few pages the words really start to hit home, this little book was exactly what I needed to read at this stage in my life.

Milo starts his journey

Just like Milo, I tend to focus on the little things instead of the big picture. I often forget to stop and enjoy the world around me. My favorite part of this book is when the author describes the symphony of the sun and how if not directed properly nothing goes correctly. This little scene I’m sure when I read it as a child I just read as part of the scene, this time I thought more carefully about everything.

The map of the world that Milo has his adventures through in the Phantom Tollbooth.

In the novel there is a world where numbers are the most important and a second world in where only words reign supreme. Milo ventures through a land where sound has been taken away because no one was using it wisely or enjoying the sounds anymore. Every “land” in the book reminds the reader how easily we skip over the finer little things in life. We stop listening to the beautiful noises of brooks babbling and the wind blowing through the trees and instead rather hear ourselves talk. We tend to get caught up in our careers or hobbies and sometimes become one sided individuals (like those in the land of numbers or the land of words choose to only use one or the other and not both).

Milo meets the Spelling Bee

The whole mission of this book is that Milo is brought into this backwards sounding and very literal world of Wisdom to bring Rhyme and Reason back from the floating castle in the mountains. The task is impossible Milo learns in the end, but because he thought it was able to be done and he hadn’t been told it was an impossible task, in the end is is able to complete his task and learn from his journey through the land of Wisdom.

Milo and the Humbug

To help Milo on his journey to return Rhyme and Reason to Wisdom there are two important characters we must talk about. Tock, a dog with a clock that ticks instead of tocks and the Humbug. These two help Milo throughout his journey and become his much needed friends in the land of Wisdom.

Rhyme and Reason

In the end, Milo is successful and learns so much more about life on his trip to rescue Rhyme and Reason. Milo finds that he has only been missing for an hour and that his life is forever changed from his little journey that the Phantom Tollbooth took him on. He learns so much on his little adventure that we too can take into account in our own lives.

Without a doubt, even if reading books for fun isn’t something you would normally do, I would suggest that any young adult or adult read or re-read this book- especially if you are going through some sort of transitional period or a confusing time. This book really grounds you and brings to life what really is important, it is a very important reminder of how easily we get caught up in the unimportant things and forget the most important things of all.

Happy reading!

Milo, Tock, and the Humbug venture through Wisdom

Omaha Food: Salt 88

Salt 88 is a relatively new branch of the “88” owned restaurants in Omaha. Located off of Maple street near the west Omaha branch of Hiro 88, this eatery is likely to surprise your taste buds and delight your senses.

Pictured above is the dinner menu for Salt 88, you can’t go wrong with whatever you choose but I will highlight some of our favorite choices from the menu. There also is a very reasonably priced happy hour menu that is sometimes available for some different choices.

The dining area has a very modern chic feel with sleek furnishings and large feature photos and an accent wall. There is a modern bar with televisions playing mostly sports games, so virtually mixing almost a sports bar type feel along with an upscale dining experience. The only problem I had at all was that when the dining area is completely full there is quite a lot of noise and it can be a little difficult to hear table mates, but only in maybe one of our visits to this restaurant has this been a problem, so don’t be too concerned.

Warm, fresh mozzarella. What could be better? If you are trying to cut some calories they will do a gluten free version with cucumbers instead of bread. The mozzarella is obtained locally and then warmed fresh just for you! The fresh bread that comes along with the cheese is to die for and if you’d like some more you can ask, but the cheese is fine alone as well, so if you run out of bread don’t fret! The best way to eat this cheese is to flip the bowl and then cut slices, otherwise you might need some scissors to serve this ooey-gooey and delicious buffalo mozzarella.

White sangria, possibly my favorite sangria in town. Very sweet and refreshing and perfect for a warm summer night or even a way to bring warmth to your taste buds even on the coldest of Omaha winter days.

Another fun drink we’ve tried is the Pink Elephant, a martini style drink that is also very tropical and refreshing. Worth a taste if you like a sweet drink!

Green salad (comes with the entree dishes). This is very similar to the salad you will have at the Hiro 88 restaurants. Great fresh greens, cucumbers and tomatoes garnish this salad. There are a variety of dressings available but I prefer to combine for the “party in a bowl dressing” of carrot and ginger and sesame dressing.

Another great way to start the meal, salted edamame (soy beans). Reasonably healthy and not very filling is a great way to snack before the main dish, could be instead of a salad or in addition to. A very reasonably shareable portion is given.

This dish pictured above is for sure the main event here at Salt 88. Plank fired Scottish salmon, melt in your mouth salmon with a woody taste. Served with grilled veggies and served on a wood board that the salmon was cooked on. This is their signature dish, but they do not brag a lot about it but if you ask about it your server should know a lot about the dish! The fish is fresh from a local market and the freshest you can get in Omaha, if you even kind of like salmon you should definitely give it a try.

Penne Asparago. An excellent pasta dish with asparagus, peas, chicken, and mushrooms all tossed in a light cream sauce. A new favorite of mine, very light and easy to eat even though it is a heaping portion I found myself almost cleaning my plate. This is a dish you could share if you’d like, but also not big enough that you could never eat it alone.

Lo Mein & Spicy Fish. My dad got this, it’s got muscles, shrimp, and swai all in a marinara sauce. If you like seafood and a bit of flavor this is the dish for you. Also a huge portion and comes gluten free! (There is a gluten free menu if you request).

Warm chocolate cake, basically a huge chocolate lava cake. Served warm and with a great chocolate sauce poured over the top, this is a great finish for the chocolate lover in the group, and this for sure is a great dessert to share.

Salted caramel gelato- there is a bit of something for everyone here and if you’d like something a bit less than a giant chocolate cake there is always a choice of gelato flavors to choose from.

There are also a few other choices, mostly cheese cakes, they all sounded delicious, I’m sure you can’t go wrong!

 

To top off the meal everyone is given free cotton candy! The flavor changes from time to time and it is always fresh and delicious!

To learn more about Salt 88 and what they offer please visit their website at: http://salt88.com/ 

I hope you enjoyed my latest edition of my Omaha food blog, can’t wait to see where I eat next that is just too good not to share with the interwebs!

Disney Cruise Line’s Private Island: Castaway Cay

The cherry on top of an excellent Disney vacation is most definitely Disney’s private island in the Caribbean, Castaway Cay. Situated in the Bahamas this picturesque island is sure to be the highlight of your Caribbean vacation.

The only way you can get to this little piece of paradise is by taking sail on a Disney cruise ship, there is no resort on this island and very few cast members permanently stay on the island, many of  the extra cast members come in by boat every day to maintain the island and help with recreational activities on the island.

While docked at Castaway Cay almost all of the staff aboard transfers to the Island. The best place to  get lunch on Castaway Cay day is on the island. There is however one buffet station open if you insist on staying aboard.  The food is traditional cook-out style bbq! Plenty of options for everyone and of course free ice cream!

If you look at the above map you will find there are an array of options for you and your family while docked at Castaway Cay! We prefer to just take the tram to the adult section of the island and stay there til either we get tired of the weather conditions or til we are ready to go in and change for dinner. Serenity Bay is just pure bliss. There is ample room to go snorkeling and searching for tropical fish, you can snooze the day away in one of the hammocks along the shoreline, you can relax in paradise with your toes in the water or you can go for a bike ride around the island if you wish! Also, just like the pools cast members will gladly bring you a tropical drink or a drink of the day to you to sip on.

There are tons of kids activities going on while on the island also- lots of fun beach activities, I remember seeing hermit crab races one time while we were walking by the family area and thinking how cute that was!

Everything on the island is relatively easy to find and if it is further away the tram takes you there (like Serenity Bay since it is on the other side of the island). There are fun things to rent like kayaks, paddle boats, big wheels for the water, or even a jetski!

Other Castaway Cay activities range from renting a cabana for your family for the day (extra charge), feeding stingrays (extra charge), beach spa treatments (extra charge), shopping for special Castaway Cay merchandise, character encounters, snorkeling (extra charge or bring your own gear),  extreme water activities like para-sailing (for a fee), Castaway Cay 5k, bike rentals, activity areas for kids, swimming, playing in the sand, or just plain relaxing and enjoying the beautiful island.

Cute little Disney touches surround the island, lots of photo opportunities and where else can you go to a beach and randomly see Captain Jack Sparrow wander down the beach wondering where his rum might have gone? Or pose with Mickey and Minnie in front of Mount Rustmore- a cute little tribute to four Disney favorites.

Shells can be found along the shore, but if you’d like to pick up a shell or two for a souvenir beware that if the crew finds them they will be thrown back into the ocean.

Buy the Seashore has some great keepsakes that cannot be found on the boat and are specific only to Castaway Cay, expect to find some Finding Nemo themed gear and some special Castaway Cay branded Disney Cruise Line gear. Of course things you might need while ashore for the day can also be found there- things like beach towels and sunscreen and water bottles.

Expect to leave the island either very relaxed and perhaps a tad bit sunburned or exhausted in the best way possible.

My recommendations for a day at Castaway Cay would be as follows:

Adults or Adult only parties- Go to Serenity Bay (adults beach) and stay there all day. They are very strict about no kids allowed, perhaps I’ve seen an infant once or twice but it sure wasn’t running around splashing water so I had no qualms. Drinks are available (both alcoholic and non) all day, there are hammocks, beach chairs and beach loungers and umbrellas to get out of the sun. There is a second eating area for adults right by the beach area and we usually keep our towels and stuff at the beach chairs while we eat lunch, then return to swim or sun bathe the rest of the day. It is the best beach day you can imagine! If you want a little more activity, rent bikes and go for a ride around the beautiful island!

If you have kids, I’m sorry, I can’t really relate to you what to do, but I can imagine that they would love spending the day doing kids club activities if you’d like to go off to the adult area. Or renting a cabana so you don’t have to fight over the closest beach chairs would probably be a good way to go if you are staying at the family beach. Also the stingray encounter looks great and a fun way to introduce kids to ocean wildlife in a safe environment- also could be used as an educational activity. I also remember that teens had their own set of activities too and special teens only activities- unsure what they are but I’m sure they are bound to be a blast!

No matter what you choose to do, I’m sure Castaway Cay will be a great way to cap off your magical Disney Cruise. Be sure to check the Cruise Line website for any new activities that might be offered since I have not visited the island super recently, I don’t want you all to miss out on any fun new things! Happy sailing!

The Disney Fantasy

Wondering which ship you should try to save up for to go on next? Can’t decide between a trip on the Dream, the refurbished Magic, the classic Wonder or the newest in the fleet- the Disney Fantasy? I’m here to give a little bit of a run down on what is great about Disney’s newest ship!

The grand staircases and a lovely chandelier graces the atrium and is a beautiful and welcoming sight when your family or group  is welcomed aboard to your floating home for the next few days! Both kids and adults alike will love the frieze of Disney characters that adorns the side of each floor in the atrium. Minnie mouse welcomes you aboard as well and graces the entrance to the boat as you first board as well, be sure to get a photo with Minnie at some point during the cruise!

I stayed in a balcony room, on the 7th floor I believe, cannot recall the exact room number, but we were pretty far in the back of the boat. A note about the Fantasy is that if you are further back on the boat there will be quite a lot of vibration. At one point we had things vibrating off the bed when were docking one of the days! We had no issues with that, but fair warning if you already don’t enjoy the motion of the ship- being in either the very front or very back will not be where you’d like to be! The chairs on the balcony seemed nicer than the ones we were accustomed to on the Magic and the Wonder- however the partial view balcony we had was one with half of the balcony was solid metal and you could not see the ocean from a sitting position, but the room was cheaper, so it was still worth it to have a balcony! (again fair warning about the location of the rooms). There is now room to put luggage underneath the bed and the pullout couch seemed much more comfortable than on other ships. Overall I could tell that what was used in the rooms seemed sturdier and nicer.

Satellite Falls. The only reason I would recommend the Fantasy for adults over the Dream would be for this reason. A private little adult sanctuary, the water falls over a bench and the water is wading deep. It is a beautiful quiet area that is often less crowded than even the regular adult pool. I spent probably 3/4 of my time on board in this spot and can tell you that they play the same 7-9 songs over and over and over again (and they have the same soundtrack for the adult areas on all the boats- LOL).

Europa is my second favorite place on board and an amazing playground of sorts for the adults. We had a great time going from bar to bar, my favorites being The Tube and Oh La La. The tube is a British themed bar, similar to Metamorphosis on the Wonder, and has creative seating and lots of space for more people to enjoy adult events. As usual there were not a whole lot of people who attended things like karaoke  but there were always lot of people who came to the adult cabaret shows (comedians, jugglers, ventriloquists and such) and the new bar area on board was a wonderful way to unwind after a long day of relaxing. Skyline was another great place to go and see the intricate details that went into that bar (look for mickey mouse in the windows and storm troopers walking down the streets in the cityscapes). Oh La La is a champagne bar that is what else but French themed of course, another great place to go get a drink and unwind while the little ones are sleeping or playing the night away at the kids clubs.

We peaked into the kids spaces and Bibbity Bobbity Boutique and they looked absolutely amazing, but were unable to test anything out as no one in our group was of the correct age. The expanded shopping was excellent but we were disappointed that there wasn’t a great deal more merchandise than on the other smaller ships. The food was 100x better on this ship than on the other boats we had been on at that point and the conversion of the buffet made a huge difference as well. I had things like lamb for lunch and although we didn’t go to Palo or Remy on that trip I can only imagine how amazing the meals are there since our regular dining experiences were absolutely delicious.

As always, fireworks at sea never cease to amaze and watching them on board the Fantasy is just as amazing as being on any of the other ships. None of the shipboard parties seemed super crowded or anything (I was concerned about the amount of people on board) and I found the boat to be a nice mix of classic and modern style.

Overall, the Disney Magic is still my favorite ship (it was the first cruise ship we went on) so it is sentimentally my favorite ship that I feel at home on, but the Fantasy is a close second because of the amazing adult spaces. If you are thinking about going on the Fantasy definitely look further into it and plan a trip you’ll never forget!

*As always photos are property of Julianna Zieno Photography*