Category Archives: Family Travel

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Rhodes, Greece

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October 17, 2011

It was the first rain of the autumn in Rhodes. It had not rained for MONTHS!

Rhodes, Greece

I think we were all surprised how Medieval Rhodes was. The crusading knights who went to the Holy Land to deliver it from the Muslims decided to hang out there for several hundred years, and they built some medieval structures..

Rhodes City

One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, The Colossus, stood in the harbor several thousand years ago. It only stood for about 50 years, and it was toppled by an earthquake. Historians are saying that it did not strattle the harbor as depicted in many drawings because it would have hampered trade while it was being built, so, they say it probably stood at one side of the harbor.

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Athens, Greece

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Acropolis: The Porch of the Maidens (Ocbober 14, 2011)

The day had a nice coolness to it, the sky was blue, and the sun was shining. It was a pretty day in the city of Athens, Greece. However, it was so CROWDED! They may be in an economic crisis, but tourism is alive and well. The sites are ancient and wonderful, but it is so hard to step back and absorb the history that is around you.

Haven, Ammon, Carter, & Nana on the Acropolis

Acts 17:16-34 tells about Paul’s experience and sermon there. I particularly like verse 28 when Paul says concerning God, 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ The living and moving doesn’t come from Zeus, Apollo, Hera, Athena, Thor, Quetzalcoatl, Chac Mool, money, cars, television, or any other “gods”.

On our tour that day we also had some delicious, traditional foods: moussaka and baklava. It was quite an educational day.

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Santorini, Greece

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Welcome Santorini Fans! Isn’t it an exceptional & unique place!

October 18, 2011

 

 

 

On Friday evening, I was skimming through my photographs of last October’s cruise, and I could not believe that I had never shared about Santorini, Greece. It is a Mediterranean marvel. About 4,000 years ago, it was a complete, round island. However, a volcanic eruption blew off half the island and caused a huge caldera (a volcano crater).

Sean, Carter (can you believe he was napping?LOL), Ammon, & Haven

Our tour of the island was very enjoyable, and it included a black-sand beach. We also had a very good lunch, breath-taking views, and a tram ride back down to the ship that was phenomenal.

Notice the Star Princess anchored in the caldera

I hope you enjoyed this practical, real-life, look at Stunning Santorini. If you have a penchant for European Destinations, check out some of my other entries.
Give me a Google “Haven Caylor” for some of my other works and enjoy a few links as well.

Dollywood (Country Music Singer’s Theme Park) in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Christmas Hawk

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Costa Rica/Carter & Ammon look for Dora the Explorer

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Ammon & Carter in the Costa Rican Rain Forest

The more I see of Dora the Explorer from  Nickelodeon, her home in the rain forest, and parts of Central America, the more I think she is suppose to be from Costa Rica. A memorable part of Ammon and Carter’s recent cruise was a tram ride in the Costa Rican Rain Forest. It was so much like an episode from Dora where Dora and her friends play Hide and Go Seek.

Tram in the Rain Forest: Quick , was that Señor Tucán?

The last character to find in the episode is Señor Tucán (coincidence that it is Costa Rica’s national bird). The mode of transportation to find the toucan is a tram through the Rain Forest. Carter and Ammon got take a tram ride through the Costa Rican Rain Forest. The guide for Ammon and Carter’s tram was more interested in the flora, but the guide behind pointed out animals such as a sleeping sloth. Dora’s episode shows a sloth hanging upside down.

I think Dora is supposed to be a representative of all Hispanic children, but she does live in a rain forest. I have lived in the Yucatan near Rain Forests, and we did not have any trams, toucans, or sloths running around. Hey, Daddy H is thinking Dora is Costa Rican….we kinda have some proof now.

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Wrapping Up New York for December 2011

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We had a great and safe time in New York City. We finished up with our 2nd Annual trip to Toys R Us for a ride on the Ferris Wheel with our picture taken.

Nana, Carter, & Sean: December 5, 2011 at Toys R Us, Times Square

If I can, I will try to make a copy of last year’s photos to you all can compare 2010 with 2011.

Haven & Ammon: December 5, 2011 Toys R Us New York, Times Square

Sean and I had seen “Priscilla Queen of the Desert” last May, and we knew then it would keep Ammon and Carter’s attention. It did not let us down. All 5 of us went to see it Sunday evening, and the children did, indeed, enjoy it.

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Dubrovnik, Croatia: October 4, 2011

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Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik, Croatia is such a tourist treat. It is on the Dalmatian Coast (yep, the area of Dalmatian dogs) on the Adriatic Sea. In the past 10 years, it has become quite popular for summer vacationers who love to swim and sunbathe.  It does seem crowded in the downtown area, but that’s because the main attraction is the medieval walled city. Unlike many middle-ages walled cities, Dubrovnik’s walls (not built all at once  but fortified and added on to from the 12th to 17th centuries) were kept intact and are still utility to the city.

Downtown Dubrovnik

Cavtat, Croatia

It was our second time in Dubrovnik, and we even had lunch at the same grinding mill (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtRNp2Ub9Qg) where we visited in 2009. The embedded video in the previous sentence is from the mill.

The city of Cavtat was an additional stop this time. It is on the coast as well, but the rhythm of the town is much slower than the rhythm of Dubrovnik. The next time we go to Dubrovnik I hope it will be in the summer so we can all swim in the gorgeous waters of the Adriatic there.

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Venice, Italy: October 2 & 3, 2011

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Venice, Italy: Hard Rock Cafe & gondolas near St. Mark’s Square

Last October was our 3rd time to Venice. Our hotel room this time was our suite on the Star Princess.  We were in Venice October 2 & 3. Our #1 goal was to buy more Murano glass: angels, a Santa Claus, and a Christmas tree. We enjoyed adding to our Murano glass collection, and I will include the pieces in some Christmas shots soon.

I have seen a plethora of medieval architecture since 1984, and my favorite structure from that time period is St. Marks in Venice. I think it’s the combination of Byzantine mosaics and other Middle Ages art and architecture that make it so fascinating to me.

The sun sets on Venice, Sunday October 2, 2011

There was a complete horse-drawn carriage cast in the 4th Century B. C. in Greece. It is called the quadriga; however, the carriage has been lost during the past 2,400 years.  I was/am intrigued by it. First of all it’s over 2,000 years old. Secondly, it stood at Constantinople’s (Byzantium, then Constantinople, now Istanbul) famous Middle Ages hippodrome. The Venetians looted Constantinople in A. D. 1204, and carried the quadriga to Venice, Italy. They have been there ever since. Their copy stand over the St. Mark’s Square over the entrance to the basilica. The originals are on display in one of the many museums inside the basilica. If an inanimate object could talk, what AWESOME and FASCINATING tales those horses could tell!

File:Horses of Basilica San Marco bright.jpg

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Happy Birthday, Ammon!

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Ponte Vecchio: Florence, Italy

Happy 3rd birthday to Ammon! She is such a joy and a blessing from God.

Ammon, I love you so much as well as the whole family. Your
Daddy H

P. S. Birthday party pics on Monday!

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Florence, Italy October 6, 7, & 8

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Thursday

We stayed near the Piazza de la Repubblica, and it has a carousel.

Carousel: Piazza de la Repubblica Florence, Italy

Because we did not see it October of 2010, we put our bags down and headed straight to the Arno River with the Ponte Vecchio.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was so cool! I could just imagine ol’ Dante Alighieri running
over and over the bridge trying to catch a glimpse of his Beatrice….so close
and yet so unobtainable.

Dante’s Tomb a Santa Croce

 

As we headed back into Firenze, we stopped for some
delicious gelati (strawberry, hazelnut, pistachio…yum, yum, yum!). We strolled
around the Brunelleschi’s Dome and Giotto’s Bell Tower and listened to an accordion
player. We ate dinner at the Hard Rock Florence then Carter and Ammon rode on
the carousel at the Piazza de la Repubblica.

 

 

Friday

After breakfast, we went straight to San Lorenzo’s chapel
(Medici Chapel). It took me 25 years to see Michelngelo’s “Day, Night, Dawn
& Dusk”, but I finally saw them! Woo hoo! Around noon, Carter, Ammon, Sean,
and I went to the Mc Donald’s at the train station. It was a great stroll. In the evening we went to go to the Galleria dell’ Accademia to see “David”. It was absolutely colossal and impressive: sculpting perfection.

“Night & Day”

“Dawn & Dusk”

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Pope Benedict XVI Blessings

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St. Peter's Basilica Sunday October 23, 2011

On Sunday October 23, 2011, Ammon, Carter, and I got to see
Pope Benedict XVI. He was giving Sunday Mass at St. Peter’s Square at the
Vatican. We are not Roman Catholic, but we share Christianity as a common bond,
and our Lord and Savior is Jesus Christ. It was a special moment to get to see
him and think of the 1,600 year old traditions of the Catholic Church. It will also be cool to share this with Carter and Ammon when they understand the Pope and what he represents to the world.

Pope Benedict XVI on the "Pope-Tron"