Luisa’s top family attractions in London

Posted on January 24, 2012 | Leave a comment

London is a great place to introduce kids and teenagers to a European family getaway. Children and teenagers do not have to struggle with a foreign language, yet they still get immersed in a very cultural, historical and fun experience.

Since London is frequently featured in children’s literature and movies, you may want to get your youngsters familiar with the city’s major landmarks before your trip by showing them classic Disney movies such as Mary Poppins, Peter Pan or a more recent one, Harry Potter.

The Trafalgar Family Experiences trip to London includes visits to top Harry Potter attractions in London such as the site of the magical train platform 9-3/4 and the red telephone booth where Harry and Mr Weasley descend into the Ministry of Magic. Outside of London, Trafalgar’s Castles and Kilts itinerary takes families to Oxford University’s dining hall which was the inspiration for Hogwarts Hall.

The following are some attractions that I suggest you see and do while in London prior or after your Trafalgar trip.

Tower of London
It doesn’t get much more British than this! From viewing costumed Beefeaters to glittering crown jewels and even King Henry VIII’s armor, the Tower of London is a place that kids of all ages will always remember.

Tower Bridge experience
Walking across Tower Bridge is as much of an once-in-a-lifetime experience as walking across the Golden Gate Bridge.

London Eye
There’s more than meets the “eye” when you bring your family on the London Eye! While kids will enjoy the huge ferris wheel, the whole family will revel in the amazing views the Ferris wheel affords of quintessential London.

Hamley’s toy store
Located in the shopping mecca of Regent Street, Hamley’s Toy Store is not to be missed. This classic toy store carries iconic characters such as Harry Potter toys as well as its own brand. Parents: You will probably want to give your child a spending limit before you enter this treasure trove!

 Parks
 London’s many parks are another option for kids and teens to let loose. The top ones include St. James Park, Regents Park and Hyde Park. These parks are great spots for strolling, running around or bringing a picnic lunch.

 Madame Tussauds
The first Madame Tussauds wax museum was established in 1835 in London and then moved to its present London location 127 years ago.  This long history is successfully combined with today’s stars and celebs for a treat for all ages.

Family experiences

View from the London Eye

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

By Luisa Frey
 As a family travel writer for 17 years, Luisa’s articles have been published extensively in print and online.

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Our Best of Eastern Canada Trip

Posted on January 17, 2012 | Leave a comment

Two Trafalgar holidays inside a month – how good is that!! After a few days in Boston, we followed our Enchanting Maritimes trip with a journey through Best of Eastern Canada. As we expected, there was a real contrast between the two holidays. Both were fantastically enjoyable, but on this one the French flavour added another dimension to the experience. We began in bustling Toronto – a great introduction to the many faces of Canada, with its mix of different cultures, its beautiful parks, stately historical buildings and soaring CN Tower. And the shopping was outstanding! Next, we were off to Niagara Falls. No matter how much you think you know about this famous sight, nothing can prepare you for its breathtaking vastness. We had a marvelous time viewing the falls from both above and below aboard the Maid of the Mist charter boat.

That evening, we visited a wonderful family-run winery just outside Niagara where we had a warm welcome by the owners who hosted our group on a private tour and wine tasting, including award winning wines and Vice – the world’s first vodka ice-wine martini. But the real highlight was the Be My Guest dinner that followed. Set in a beautiful spot overlooking the vineyards, with delicious food and the feeling of being welcomed like old friends, the whole experience was unforgettable. We wondered if anything could top Niagara… until we hit the Province of Quebec. The French influence here is so palpable, you could be forgiven for thinking you’re actually in France. In Montreal, we had a fantastic Local Guide who showed us the sights and told us the secrets of this lovely city.

Apart from being the largest French-speaking city outside France, did you know Montreal has one of the largest underground ‘cities’ in the world? This huge underground network links 20 miles of pedestrian walkways, subway stations, hotels and apartments, hundreds of restaurants, dozens of movie theatres, countless boutiques, two universities and one college! We never would have guessed such a vast metropolis was right under our feet if not for our guide’s local knowledge. We arrived in gorgeous Quebec City, which again felt so ‘French’, but this time, very old-world French with its traditional flower markets and artisan bakeries. We spent hours exploring the shops and cafés of the old walled city.

Two great days in Canada’s beautiful capital Ottawa capped off a truly memorable holiday – in no small way due to the knowledge and enthusiasm of our Travel Director, Christine. She made each day a delight, right down to the last leg of our journey when she revealed a Hidden Treasure – the town of Westport on the Rideau Lakes. We never would have found this charming town on our own, which was easily worth a day’s exploration. So, thank you Christine – and Trafalgar!

Anne and Duncan Ferries from Australia

Anne and Duncan Ferries at Niagara Falls

Anne and Duncan Ferries at Niagara Falls

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Rosalie’s Scenic Parks Adventure

Posted on January 10, 2012 | 2 Comments

My husband and I were planning our big dream holiday from Australia to the USA. One of the places that we really wanted to explore was some of America’s amazing national parks. Trafalgar’s Scenic Parks Explorer was the perfect choice for us; it included Yellowstone, Mesa Verde, and Grand Canyon National Parks along with many more.

The hardest part about this holiday was trying to decide which place was my favourite, after all that’s what everyone asks you when you come back home, I had to be prepared. Everywhere that I visited had a different vibe, but one place that really did jump out was Bryce Canyon. We visited the world’s largest concentration of hoodoos (tall spires of rock that rise from the desert floor), formed by wind, water, and ice erosion of the river. The rock formations and plunging canyons were absolutely magnificent.

Whilst at Bryce Canyon, our Travel Director Donard O’Neil surprised us with a visit to Fairyland Point. This Hidden Treasure is a hiker’s dream! Not many tourists know about this area and we felt like we were the only ones taking in the view – it was unbelievable.  Donard’s knowledge was incredible and there was never a dull moment, which made the experience unforgettable.

On Day 5 of our 14 Day trip we stopped over at Jenny Lake at Grand Teton National Park, where we explored spouting geysers, bubbling hot springs and mud paint pots. During our visit to the Grand Canyon we met Canyon Dave, a Local Expert on this area. We learned all about the canyon’s formation and what the different colours on the rocks signify. Then, we took to our vantage point to watch the magnificent sunset which followed – amazing!

I will never forget our Be My Guest experience in Billings, Montana, where we got a true taste of cowboy life and enjoyed an authentic barbecue style dinner. I couldn’t believe our host was a real cowboy! He entertained us right into the night with harmonica lessons, stories from the Old West and plenty of singing.

I decided to keep a daily journal during this trip and I’m so glad I did, because now every time I look back on it, I feel like I’m reliving this adventure all over again!

Rosalie Forrester from Australia

Rosalie with Trafalgar at Jenny Lake - Grand Teton Nat. Park - USA

Rosalie with Trafalgar at Jenny Lake - Grand Teton Nat. Park - USA

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Sarah’s insider experiences in France and Italy – Part two

Posted on January 3, 2012 | Leave a comment

From one piece of paradise to another – Provence to Tuscany – day four

Although we were all a little sad to be leaving the Provence countryside, we weren’t too disappointed as we were very much looking forward to our next destination…Tuscany! After saying goodbye to our French Travel Director, Jonathan, we had a short flight to Rome, where we were greeted by our Italian Travel Director, Marco. Tuscan born and bred, Marco was full of enthusiasm and life and loved sharing his world with us over the few days we spent in Italy.

We all enjoyed some relaxing downtime and reflecting over the changing landscape as we drove from Rome to our home for the next two nights, Hotel Villa Il Poggiale, located in the Tuscan countryside just outside of Florence.

The villa was incredible! Il Poggiale, is family owned and is one of the oldest and most beautiful villas in San Casciano, dating back to 1408. We felt at home as soon as we arrived and were welcomed with a glass of Prosecco and a fresh vegetable soup. One of the unique quirks of Il Poggiale is that each of the 24 rooms have been individually designed and decorated with their own flair and style, with some stunning, painted ceilings, antique furniture and handmade pastel tiles on show.

A morning with Libero and an afternoon in Florence – day five

Today we participated in a Tuscan cooking school in the Chianti hills. First things first, we headed into town and met our colourful chef Libero, who took us to the fruit and vegetable market of Sant Ambrogio in central Florence. The array of fruit and vegetable was incredible! In between shopping for our ingredients, I bought the most beautiful punnet of strawberries I have ever eaten; they were of a miniature size, however their fresh flavour and taste definitely made up for their small nature.

Libero was such a character and made sure we all had fun while we chose the best ingredients for the dishes we were preparing. Next stop was the kitchens of Libero’s restaurant, Tre Pini in the Chianti hills. We had an absolute ball making our own bruschetta, a delicious soup, pappa al pomodoro, panzanella, fresh pasta and a fresh locally grown salad. After a very well prepared lunch (under the guidance of Libero of course) we dined on beautiful food and wine, while singing and dancing to some amazing Tuscan music. Libero and his friends made sure everyone had a dance and got involved in the fun. Following a memorable lunch, we drove to one of Marco’s (our Travel Director) favourite Hidden Treasures, on the outskirts of Florence. Overlooking the beautiful city is San Miniato al Monte – a church just above the Piazzale Michelangelo which includes works of art by Brunelleschi. The church was stunning and so quiet and peaceful; it had a beautiful, historical ambience about it.

Guests of the Count! – day six

After sadly saying goodbye to our dream Tuscan villa, we set off to the much anticipated Be My Guest lunch at the home of Count Francesco Miari Fulcis, just outside of Florence, in the hills of Fiesoles. The Count owns an ancient olive oil estate which dates back to the 15th century, it was incredible. The Count welcomed us into his amazing estate and showed us around the stunning property. We even went inside the olive oil mill to learn exactly how olive oil is made. We wandered the gardens and checked out one of the estates incredible villa’s where the classic ‘A Room with a View‘ was filmed.

After some olive oil tasting and some beautiful Tuscan cuisine using ingredients produced on the farm and in the local area, we departed from our Be My Guest experience and headed off to one of the most beautiful cities in the world for our final evening together – Roma! We had a wonderful final evening together and (another) absolutely amazing meal at Cabiria Restaurant, located in the heart of Rome. The restaurant had specially prepared a huge long ‘last supper’ style table for our final dinner together. After dinner, the evening finished with a special tour of the Eternal City, taking in the illuminated sights including St Peter’s Basilica and the Colosseum. As the evening came to an end, we sadly said our farewells to our new friends, all departing with very fond memories of our Trafalgar Insider experiences and swapping addresses and contact details ensuring we all kept in touch – ready to plan our next Trafalgar adventure together!

 After some olive oil tasting and some beautiful Tuscan cuisine using ingredients produced on the farm and in the local area, we departed from our Be My Guest experience and headed off to one of the most beautiful cities in the world for our final evening together – Roma! We had a wonderful final evening together and (another) absolutely amazing meal at Cabiria Restaurant, located in the heart of Rome. The restaurant had specially prepared a huge long ‘last supper’ style table for our final dinner together. After dinner, the evening finished with a special tour of the Eternal City, taking in the illuminated sights including St Peter’s Basilica and the Colosseum. As the evening came to an end, we sadly said our farewells to our new friends, all departing with very fond memories of our Trafalgar Insider experiences and swapping addresses and contact details ensuring we all kept in touch – ready to plan our next Trafalgar adventure together!
Libero outside Sant Ambrogio markets

Chef Libero outside Sant Ambrogio markets

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Sarah’s insider experiences in France and Italy – Part one

Posted on December 26, 2011 | Leave a comment

The City Of Lights – day one

After watching the film Midnight In Paris, while en route to the city of lights, it was only appropriate that we started our amazing Paris & Provence experience, with a glass of champagne at the oh so 1920s bar Les Deux Magots (one of Ernest Hemingway’s most favoured hotspots)… at midnight of course!

This was the start of six days of delicious food and fine wine indulgence. Feeling like royalty, we had some of the most amazing and unique experiences, with Trafalgar Be My Guest lunches and incredible Hidden Treasures on our guided holiday throughout both France and Italy.

After our late night arrival, the following morning we were met by our Travel Director, Jonathan, at the Marriott Courtyard, centrally located in the very chic and beautiful Neuilly Sur Seine area of Paris. Jonathan is an absolute expert when it comes to France. He has been living and breathing it his entire life and was a superstar when it came to providing us with his secrets on where to eat, shop and sightsee in our free time.

After settling in, we met our fellow travellers and got to know each other over a Welcome Dinner at the oldest restaurant in Paris, tracing back to 1610, La Petite Chaise, located in in the famed Latin Quarter, where we got a taste of some well-known French cuisine, such as a delicious onion soup and foie gras.

From Paris to Provence – day two

From One of the unique points of difference about a Trafalgar guided holiday is that different modes of transport are often utilised. To get to our next destination, Avignon, we arrived at the Gare de Lyon station where we were hopping on the super-fast TGV High Speed Train. Before boarding, our Travel Director Jonathan insisted we all check out one of his favourite Hidden Treasures within the station, the Le Train Bleu an absolutely incredible restaurant with an amazing ambience and design which made us feel like we had gone back in time. Some of the travellers with us had been to Gare de Lyon station over a dozen times, yet they had never found this very special Hidden Treasure. After a delicious coffee hit (still a little jet-lagged), we hopped on our First Class journey south to Avignon. Provence is famous for its fine cuisine and we sampled the very best of it at the beautiful little restaurant – Les Jardins du Quai, located in the town of Isle sur la Sorgue. Owned by world renowned chef, Daniel Hebet, we were not only treated to a delicious lunch, we also experienced a very special demonstration on the art of making macarons by Daniel himself.

Next stop was the magical ‘City of the Popes’, Avignon. We wandering along the cobble-stoned streets and did a spot of shopping and finished the day with dinner with a view – overlooking the Palais des Papes, followed by a short drive to our elegant hotel in the heart of Aix-en-Provence, The Grand Hotel Mercure le Roi Ren.

Our first Be My Guest experience – day three

This morning was ours to relax a little and enjoy some free time. Aix En Provence is a university town, filled with quaint side walk cafés and beautiful locals just watching the world go by. It is the ultimate people watching destination! I chose to visit the farmers markets, where I pottered around tasting the delicious local fruit, breads and cheeses. We met up at lunchtime quite excited as we were off to our very first Trafalgar Be My Guest lunch at the absolutely stunning Chateau la Dorgonne. Upon meeting the owner Baudouin Parmentier, we learned about his family and hearing about the history of the chateau and chatted to him as we walked through the winery located on the property. We then were welcomed by Baudouin and his family into his very homely, warm chateau. Feeling very relaxed in a beautifully set dining room we grazed on a smorgasbord of home-made La Dorgonne Courgette Flan served with a cream, mint and herb sauce, provencal casserole, Luberon Goat’s Cheese and a delicious berry panna cotta. While we also sipped the chateau’s signature wine, the Blanc Château Dorgonne 2010, Rosé Château Dorgonne 2010, Rouge Château Dorgonne 2009. Some members of the group enjoyed the wine so much they bought some to take back home.

Feeling very relaxed after a lovely long Be My Guest lunch, we headed off on a drive through the peaceful Provençal countryside to the National Park of the Luberon. And just when we thought our day couldn’t get any better, Jonathan showed us his expert local knowledge by taking us to a tiny little village restaurant Hostellerie le Chateau, right on the rushing la-Sorgue river. Dining on trout caught from the river below us, we felt like we were having a truly authentic French experience. No other tourists in sight, just us and the locals. Another amazing day!

Daniel Hebet’s macaron demonstration

Daniel Hebet’s macaron demonstration

The Popes Palace in Avingnon

The Popes Palace in Avingnon

 

 

 

 

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An insider’s view of France and Italy with Jonathan Holburn

Posted on December 20, 2011 | 2 Comments

I specialise in France and Italy and have been working as a Trafalgar Travel Director for eight years.

What I love the most about my job is being able to tell people about the places and things I am most passionate about and actually taking them there so they can experience it first-hand. I get to be their ‘inside man’ to destinations I call home.

I love surprising my guests with Hidden Treasures and one of my favourites is meeting with a  local lady named Madame Therese at the Nice open air market. She makes the most amazing traditional ‘Socca’ dish – rather like a pizza base with cheese and caramelised onions on top, yum! Something only locals would know about!

Along with travelling the world for my job, I also have unforgettable experiences. On one occasion our coach was blocked in a tiny village on the Italian Amalfi Coast as someone had parked illegally. The offending Fiat 500 was so small and light that along with six Trafalgar guests we picked it up and simply carried it out of the way! Worth it for the round of applause we got from the other guests.

My top travel recommendations are:

  • Take the perfect photo in front of The Eiffel Tower sparkling, on the hour, after nightfall. You have to catch it quickly though because it only sparkles for five minutes.
  • Visit Florence’s San Lorenzo open air market when shopping for leather.
  • Best book to read while on holidays is Around the World in 80 Days’ by Michael Palin.
  • Try something new in every country that you visit.
  • Dine at Frenchie’s, Rue Du Nil, Paris. The French chef worked with Jamie Oliver, and his nickname became that of the restaurant.
  • When in France always smile and say bonjour as it will open more doors than you can possibly imagine.

People don’t want to be herded from pillar to post. At Trafalgar, we want our guests to not only see the special places we know, but actually experience them.

Jonathan Travel Director

Jonathan Holburn Travel Director

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My WOW moment in Ireland

Posted on December 13, 2011 | Leave a comment

Rolling green hills, bustling city streets. Pints of Guinness that flowed at every turn- all priceless memories I’ve taken with me since returning from our unforgettable trip on Trafalgar’s Britain and Ireland Delight vacation.

Our optional excursion to a local pub in rural Country Waterford promised tasting local brew and an evening of traditional Irish music. From the moment our awesome driver swung us into the parking I knew we were in for an amazing experience.

A spectacular view of the Irish Sea encircled us like a blanket. I’ll never forget the feeling of standing on the sand at sunset and gazing out at all that beauty. For all the truly unforgettable things we saw on our trip, that was my favourite moment. I felt completely at peace.

Megan Snider enjoying the Britain and Ireland Delight

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After befriending a local dog won over by my American charm, my mother and I returned to the Saratoga Pub and were treated to acoustic Irish music beautiful enough to bring tears to our eyes. My father, sister, mother and I toasted one another with our pints, finding it hard to believe we were so far from home – and in such an incredible place together. Now that my sister and I are adults, finding time to spend together can be difficult. This trip was a chance to reconnect and have incredible experiences we would be able to share for the rest of our lives

After enjoying the sounds of the performers at the Saratoga, one of the gentlemen told us he would be happy to teach us a traditional Irish dance – but would need volunteers. I learned long ago that the only way to really get the most out of your vacation is to say “yes” to everything

My partner was the gentleman; our instructor, himself – and he spun me around the makeshift dance floor, all the while bellowing to “hold on!”

I held on tight to his arm, laughing until tears rolled down my face. And though months have gone by, I’m holding on still – to the warm, golden memories from that unforgettable trip with my family.

Megan Snider

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Our Family Experience in Costa Rica – Part Three

Posted on December 6, 2011 | Leave a comment

Today we were going to visit the Arenal Hanging Bridges – what a wonderful experience discovering nature eyeball to eyeball high up in the rainforest canopy. We continued to the Eco centre, which we just loved – the butterflies were incredible. After lunch we were given the option of going back to the hotel or to join an afternoon Volcano hike. We decided to go back into town but most went on the hike, including the grannies of around 76 years and very small children. They were only a few minutes into their hike when the rain came pouring down. Thank heavens for our choice. We had a great time in town and then along with our rain-soaked fellow travellers went to the Tabacon Hot Springs. What an amazing place…loved our time in the natural springs, and dinner here was incredible.

Next morning on the way to Manuel Antonio, we stopped for ziplining. After being kitted out and briefed, we were ready to go and for the next two hours we had an awesome time. Flying along ziplines does make you work up an appetite and we ran straight for the snacks once we got back to base. The Parador Resort & Spa was to be our home for the next two nights in Manuel Antonio. This hotel was conceptualised from the traditional paradores (stopping places) of Spain and features old-world European architecture and an extensive private antiques collection. A beautiful beach is an easy walk away and nature trails through the property’s rainforest lead down to cliffs overlooking the ocean. Next day we, Kelly and Angie, decided to sleep late while Mum went on a guided nature walk through the national park. She told us later that a huge snake nearly fell on them! But everyone really loved the ‘scare’ and it was the highlight of their day.

While Mum was getting the fright of her life we had a lovely late breakfast followed by cocktails in the pool and then took a taxi into town. What a great little surfer town! It really is a must-do. We enjoyed a refreshing jug of sangria and seafood on the beach. Very, very cool. On our final night we celebrated our journey with a Farewell Dinner at El Avion – an amazing restaurant in an old converted plane. Despite the broad range of ages and interests amongst our group, we all agreed that Costa Rica was a fantastic destination!

Theresa, Angela & Kelly Szejwallo South Africa

Arenal hanging bridges

Arenal Hanging Bridges

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Our Family Experience in Costa Rica – Part Two

Posted on November 29, 2011 | Leave a comment

Time to make our way to Arenal via Sarapiqui and it was pouring rain. I guess we are in the middle of a rainforest! At tiny Sarapiqui we stopped at a pineapple farm, the only one of its kind in the world where they produce certified organic golden pineapples. The guide’s stories about how to choose the best pineapple in your local supermarket and the demonstrations were very entertaining. The tastings were lovely and we all had a great time.

Enjoying the Pineapple Farm

Enjoying the Pineapple Farm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next, we enjoyed one of Trafalgar’s Local Specialities, a visit to a Tico family home and palm plantation. The family were charming and the palm heart snack they prepared for us was absolutely delicious! The demonstration was really delightful and we wanted to buy some of this palm heart dish, but the lady of the house would not hear of it. She offered us some to take away free of charge, which was totally unexpected and a lovely warm gesture.

Our next stop was at a local market where Jorge suggested we do some souvenir shopping, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Later we had lunch at a tropical restaurant that not only offered great food but the most beautiful views. We even saw crocodiles in the river!

We arrived at the hotel in Arenal to find it was set in a lovely location and commanded a stunning view of the smoking Arenal volcano. Dinner was on our own this evening, so we went into the nearby town of La Fortuna with a few of the other guests. We enjoyed a delicious dinner of seafood rice at a local restaurant followed by a visit to the local bar where we chatted to the locals, enjoyed the musicians and had a fantastic evening! I absolutely loved exploring this great little town.

Arenal Volcano

Arenal Volcano

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Look out for part three coming next week!

Theresa, Angela & Kelly Szejwallo

South Africa

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Our Family Experience in Costa Rica – Part One

Posted on November 22, 2011 | Leave a comment

Pura Vida – Pure Life. In Costa Rica this simple phrase is a greeting, a way to wish someone well and a verbal manifestation of this tiny Central American country’s philosophy of environmental responsibility. My two adult daughters and I couldn’t imagine a better place to enjoy an exotic family holiday – one that not only turned on amazing experiences (and delicious cocktails!), but also gave us a new perspective on life.

After a night in the capital San Jose, we were on our way to Tortuguero National Park, where we were staying at the Laguna Lodge, accessible only by boat. The water was very low, so we had to travel very slowly. The ride was exciting as we had no idea of what to expect. The lodge was very charming and simple with lovely swimming pools and the frog ponds were great to visit too.

Our Travel Director Jorge asked us all to meet at 3pm for a get together with our fellow travellers – a diverse mix of people from grandmothers and parents to adult children, teens and young kids – and it was fun to meet everyone over a welcome drink.

We were thrilled to be able to go to a viewing of the turtles on the beach later that evening. At around 10pm we walked with the guide to the beach and sat quietly waiting for the turtles to emerge – it was so exciting to see them nesting. How they know exactly the right place to dig their nest and lay their eggs is simply incredible.

The following morning we went on an early excursion into the jungle. It was really worth the early start – we saw monkeys, iguanas, toucans and endless other wildlife – unforgettable! After an adventurous day of sightseeing it was nice to spend the afternoon just relaxing by the pool together – I can’t believe how my girls have grown up!

One of our highlights was visiting a local school in the small village of Tortuguero, which was very interesting to walk around. Only 700 inhabitants, very poor, but the people were friendly and we enjoyed purchasing small local hand-made items such as earrings and purses. I couldn’t get over how happy everyone was, and they didn’t seem to regard us as ‘strangers’. The town was spotlessly clean and we just loved the fact that even in this small town, they had their beautifully decorated waste bins organized between paper, glass, aluminium and other…wow.

Meeting the locals in Tortuguero

Meeting the locals in Tortuguero

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Look out for part two coming next week!

Theresa, Angela & Kelly Szejwallo
South Africa

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