(Cheers! Drinking on the Disney Magic)

This past summer, our Mediterranean Disney cruise led us on many unforgettable adventures. Along with those adventures, we had lots of drinks! Tropical mixed drinks are synonymous with vacation, and for me, one of the best parts. I always love seeing what new and exciting flavor combinations are in store, and Disney doesn't disappoint. The Disney Magic has a Drink of the Day, which I tried many nights between our show and dinner. It was a fun time for J and I to visit different venues of entertainment, such as Sessions or Rockin' Bar D. Take a journey through the world of Disney Magic cocktails with me!

A Bahama Mama at Rockin' Bar D

The only night that we had an issue with the Drink of the Day was the first. The true drink of the day was supposed to be some sort of banana drink made with Bailey's, which I would have liked very much. Instead, our server at Rockin' Bar D insisted that the day's drink was a Bahama Mama. I obliged, and ended up enjoying the drink very much. The bamboo leaf was quite a special touch! J had a beer, and trust me, you will notice a pattern of that throughout our journey.

The Royal at Lumiere's French dinner.

The first dinner that we had on the ship was at Lumiere's, and it had a French theme. The drink that I ordered was off the menu, and it was called The Royal. It consisted of sparkling wine, creme de cassis and peach schnapps. It was bubbly, sweet and very delicious!

A Blue Margarita at Sessions

Sessions was one of my favorite venues to have a drink before dinner. The piano playing was fantastic, and boy did that man have a great sense of humor! He even took a break to come and talk with us, which was an absolute pleasure. On our second night, we attended Sessions and I had the Drink of the Day, a Blue Margarita. J, of course, had a beer. Notice the dark & white chocolates placed at the table. I loved it!

A Golden Slipper at Animator's Palate

The night's dinner was at Animator's Palate, and the theme was Prince & Princess. My drink was called a Golden Slipper, and consisted of peach schnapps, creme de cassis and sparkling wine. I'm only noticing now as I am writing this, that it's the exact same drink from the night before. This one however had a sugared rim, and I just love those!

Pool Drinks on Deck 9

On our third night, we had our drinks on Deck 9 so that we could enjoy the live music. There was a fantastic duo called Northern Lights, and we loved listening to them every chance we got. Unfortunately, I cannot remember what the Drink of the Day was! I remember it tasting very sweet, with a hint of lime. If you can guess what drink it is by the photo, leave it in the comments! Oh and no surprise, J had a beer.

The Renaissance at Animator's Palate

Our dinner that night was again at Animator's Palate, but this time we had the show to look forward to. It's really quite a fun experience, with everything starting out in black and white and then slowly changing to color along with the music. It was fun to guess what movie each song was from, and then look for that painting as it came alive with color. My drink was called The Renaissance; vodka, triple sec, raspberry puree, lime juice and sparkling wine. If the photo is any indication, I enjoyed it so thoroughly that I had to stop myself in order to photograph it. I'm really starting to notice a pattern with the sparkling wine here. Perhaps I'm as bad as J with his beer!

This smile could only come from nachos.

On our fourth night, we did not have any drinks before dinner. Our stop was in Rome that day, so many people were still at port during dinner time. We had gotten everything done fairly early and heard that there was a trivia contest in Diversions, so we headed there. We were the only couple that arrived for the game! One other couple said that they would join us, and so the game began. We lost, but I won't get into that. The best part though, is that J found that Diversions had a small buffet, and they had...wait for it...NACHOS! I thought I'd never eat another nacho until the cruise was over. What a relief!

A Melon Mojito at Parrot Cay

We had our tropical themed dinner that night at Parrot Cay. My drink was a Melon Mojito, and it was great! Very refreshing, but better than a regular mojito. I always like a little added flavor in a mojito because the mint can be a bit much for me, and melon is one of my absolute favorite flavors. It was a perfect drink for me.

Captain's Mai Tai at Sessions

It was finally Pirate Night! My favorite night on the Disney Cruise Line's schedule, Pirate Night is a blast. I love dressing up for the night, and I absolutely love the festivities in the dining room and on deck. The Drink of the Day was a Captain's Mai Tai - spiced rum and tropical juices topped with dark rum. It was so delicious, even Mr. Beer couldn't resist...

J forgoes the usual beer for a Captain's Mai Tai on Pirate Night

I actually thought that I would mix it up a bit for dinner, and got a glass of red wine. I believe that I asked for a Cabernet. I'm not sure of the exact wine, but it was very good. The pirate festivities were beginning up top, so we raced through our dinner to be a part of it! 

Taking advantage of the free drinks

Planning very wisely, Disney made our only day at sea into Formal Night. The second best night on the cruise ship directly followed the first! In honor of the captain, they were serving free drinks all night in the lobby. J and I took full advantage. There were times when we had too many drinks to hold between the two of us. What?! Don't judge, they were free. 

J loves anything free!

We drank....

  

                and drank....

I'm not even sure what we were drinking, to be honest.

With dinner, I had wine. Two of our beautiful table mates had drinks off of the menu. The left is called a Tuxedo; sparkling wine, vodka and Chambord. The drink on the right is the Red Carpet, and consists of bourbon, lime juice and cranberry juice. Both looked very good!

Chardonnay at Palo

On our final night, we dined at Palo. Both J and I had an Italian Chardonnay with our meals. A lighter drink is an absolute necessity at Palo, just because there is such an overabundance of food!  Our drinks were delicious and our meal very pleasant. It was a good ending to a beautiful cruise, but also a very sad one. 

I hope that you have enjoyed drinking through my Disney Cruise with me! Just a few things to note, as I have noticed some popular questions on a lot of discussion boards. First off, the Drink of the Day is not discounted, rather just a fun way to enjoy your time before or after dinner on the ship. The quality of the drinks are great, and in my opinion, do not skimp on alcohol at all. As far as the (many) free drinks are concerned, it did not seem that they were weak as far as alcohol is concerned. Undoubtedly, the drinks that you pay for have a more generous portion, but I do not believe the free drinks to be terribly watered down. I found that I spent more on a glass of wine ($10-12) than I did on a cocktail ($7-9) throughout our journey. 

Do you have a favorite drink on the Disney Cruise Line? Comment below!

Happy Boozing!

 

(Port Review: La Spezia, Pt II)

The train to Corniglia, with the village in the distance.

When last I left you in La Spezia, we were headed to the village of Corniglia, next on our hike through the Cinque Terre. I had explained that the pathway to Corniglia was closed due to some maintenance. In my tired state, this was such a relief. Thinking back, we hadn't even done that much walking (so in case I'm scaring anyone off, I just complain a lot). I'm not sure why I was feeling exhausted, but as I said, the train was a welcome mode of transportation. The trains are great and I would readily recommend them to anyone visiting any area of Europe. If you're not from a city or place that forces you to be familiar with public transportation, I'll bet you'll leave here loving it. It's clean, easy, and fast. While I found the trains in France to be the most beautiful, all encounters that we had were perfectly acceptable.

The 382 steps to Corniglia, with the train station in the background.

After a quick ride to the next village (upon which I was quite happy with myself for not having to walk), we made it to Corniglia. Imagine my surprise when I realized that the train station was at the bottom of the village, and that visitors must walk the famous 382 steps to reach it. I have a feeling J had done the research on this, and somehow forgot to tell me what lay ahead. If you visit during the hotter months, I absolutely recommend that you have a bottle of water to get you through this little hike. I know that I'm a bit sensitive to physical activity, but I saw many people sucking down their waters on the way up. I promise you though, the walk is worth it. Corniglia was one of my favorite villages along the Cinque Terre, and soon you'll see why.

A view from the top of the steps.

First off, there's the view at the top of the stairs. It's a great place to catch your breath, and I took full advantage. Inhale, exhale, enjoy the view. Get ready to move, because the walk to the village is still upwards!

For Sale: Smug, athletic husband who thinks 382 steps are fun :)

It was after noon, and we were starting to get a bit hungry. We didn't really have a plan for lunch, so were pleased to find a small market with fresh fruit to our right once we entered the village. I had been yearning to try some of the wine grapes, so grabbed some and brought them inside to pay. The man inside weighed the grapes and I believe that we paid by the pound. It was an inexpensive snack and a very refreshing one. Be careful though, the grapes have a lot of small seeds in them!

While Corniglia was remarkably similar to the other villages that we had seen along the way, I preferred its atmosphere and general feel. We saw a lot of hikers, and many people who had come to sunbathe along the rocks below. To fully enjoy the Cinque Terre, I think you need to do a lot more than we did, or at least have a plan. We didn't fully enjoy the foods that the villages have to offer, and we sort of breezed through.

I think that Corniglia was perhaps my favorite because it was the village that we spent the most time in. Also, because that is where we ate. Anything with food pretty much seals the deal for me!

We stopped in a small place that resembled somewhat of a bakery, and grabbed some sandwiches. I got salami and cheese on focaccia bread, and J had ham on the same. We got our sandwiches toasted, so they were served warm. I actually think I would have preferred the sandwich much more had it been cold, simply because salami gets a bit greasy when cooked. I can't complain too much about fresh sandwiches in Italy though, right?

My favorite part of the meal, though, were the chips! They were called Groggys, and I grabbed them because the photo on the package looked like a dinosaur. I really love my dinosaurs. In any case, it was a good thing I picked them because these things are delicious. They are light and airy, yet salty and satisfying (mine were flavored with paprika). They were definitely the best part of my meal, and if anyone knows where I can purchase them, do tell!

Once we were done exploring, it was back down the steps to the train station. Let's face it, you couldn't have paid me to walk to the next village, especially since I was told that it was a true upwards hike. If you plan on doing the full hike, come prepared! The 382 steps were much more friendly going down, and the benches at the train station were beckoning me for a nap. By the way, see the bottle of Coca Cola in the photo? It tasted weird. Like super sugary sweet, not refreshing (not that I ever recommend hydrating with soda).

The 4th and almost-last village is Vernazza, and this is the place where my grumpy attitude started to turn around. I think the fact that we got gelato had something to do with it. I got a watermelon gelato, and it was the most refreshing, energizing thing I had ever tasted at the time. It was like an instant spark of energy, a second wind. When ordering gelato, you do it by the scoop. If I remember correctly, the particular gelateria that we went to allowed up to 5 scoops, and each can be a different flavor if you so choose. I choose the aforementioned watermelon, alone with mint chocolate chip (a steady favorite of mine). J had something delicious and coconutty, as well as strawberry. Yes, I'm definitely double-fisting gelato in the photo above, and no, that's not even mine that I'm eating. I had to hold J's so that he could take a picture. I was helping!

Vernazza was definitely the most happening of the villages that we had gone to. There was tons of activity by the water, and they even had somewhat of a little beach! I enjoyed the atmosphere that Vernazza had to offer, and have been told by many that the final village, Monterosso al Mare is the busiest one of all, tourist-wise. I have also learned that the trail between Vernazza and Monterosso is by far the steepest, so unfortunately we did not venture out to do it. I had been fully exhausted from the day.

During the length of our trip, I had insisted that La Spezia was my least favorite port. I complained about the Cinque Terre and just thought about how exhausted it had made me feel. While I still stand by my statement that the stop was my least favorite on the trip, I am so thankful to have experienced it. For every complaint that I have about the Cinque Terre, I have a hundred amazing memories. I have beautiful photos that make people long to visit such a place, and I was in the middle of it all. I am so blessed to have been there, even if it isn't my favorite place in the world. Heck, thinking it over now, I might even want to do it again someday. Who knows? And if you're the opposite of me, which means you aren't lazy and you may even be athletic, you will probably really enjoy it here. It also may help to visit during a time of lower temperatures.

If you' have been to the Cinque Terre, or you'd like to go, tell me all about it! I'd love to hear about the adventures that you have had or hope to have!

Happy Hiking!

(Animal Kingdom: Nahtazu, A Love Letter)

Recently, J and I did some more exploring of our new surroundings and ventured to the Smithsonian's National Zoo. While most people would consider the closeness of one of the most prominent zoos in America a privilege, it was a realization for me of how truly spoiled I am, all thanks to the Animal Kingdom.

Now before I say too much, let me first preface this by saying that there is absolutely nothing wrong with DC's National Zoo. The animals seemed perfectly well-cared-for, there was an unreal collection of species including some that even Disney has not procured, and the zoo volunteers were friendly, helpful and more than willing to share their knowledge of the animals. Please take what I am about to write with a grain of salt, knowing that I have been fully Disney-fied.

photo courtesy of Wikipedia

During our time at the National Zoo, I got closer to more animals than I ever thought possible; in some cases, if it weren't for the glass, I could have easily reached out and touched them. Being so close to such exotic and rare creatures was really a treat. On the flip side, the way that they were presented to me was somewhat unsettling. Most animals were in very small cages, surrounded by glass or a wire fence. Almost none of them had a lot of space to roam, and their surroundings were very lackluster. I think that this is pretty common at a lot of zoos. Again, the animals did not seem poorly cared for at all. I just longed for the Animal Kingdom way of making the animals feel that they are truly at home.

the ostriches roam on Disney's Kilimanjaro Safari

 At the National Zoo, we got very up close and personal to an ostrich. I have never seen such a magnificent bird up close, it was awesome! There were a number of the animals in the same glass enclosure, and their surroundings resembled that of someone's back yard. They seemed like they were doing OK in there, but it's nothing compared to the very un-zoo-like surroundings for the lucky ostriches at Animal Kingdom.

Animal Kingdom's flamingos on the Kilimanjaro Safari, photo via Flickr.

An up-close visit to the flamingos at the National Zoo

Ihad the same thoughts about the zoo's birdhouse. First off, there was an incredible menagerie of birds and I could have spent a lot more time gawking at all of them. The one that caught my eye was my friend the toucan. What a gorgeous bird. Seriously, is there any way to stop your mind from being transported to a tropical location, or at the very least crave fruit loops when you see a toucan? I think not.

A beautiful, lonely-looking toucan at the National Zoo

I am sorry to say, my friend Toucan Sam looked very lonely indeed. While he did have a nice looking tree branch to perch himself on,  he had no toucan friends to keep him company. He just hangs out by his lonesome all day. Sad Sam :(

It's a tough day at the office for this toucan.

A few...what should I call them? Cages? Displays? Well anyways, a few spots down and there was another toucan, this time with a few small birds in the habitat with him. I was just thinking how much better that was...and then I looked up. Awful, awful 1980s office-like fluorescent lighting lined the ceiling on the cage. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but Disney would never do that. If they did, I believe they would at least try to disguise it.

The elephants roam - and get up close & personal - on the Kilimanjaro Safari.

Am I a zoo snob? Perhaps. It's Disney's fault, they spoil me. Bear in mind that the Smithsonian's zoo is free. It's a fantastic place for children to go and learn all about what's out there in the animal world, which has always been a topic very dear to me. They also do a lot of conservation, as do many zoos, and I think that without them, our animal friends wouldn't be quite so fortunate. So if it seems like I am doing too much complaining, I apologize. My purpose for this entry is to highlight the extra mile that Disney goes to make sure that the Animal Kingdom isn't just any zoo. And I think they do a tremendous job of that.

A prime example of those little details that Disney has perfected.

Attention to detail is my absolute favorite thing about Disney's Animal Kingdom. As far as I can tell, they never let anything go by the wayside. Habitats are perfectly pristine, and transport their viewers to opposite ends of the World. Check out this little beauty - how many times have you walked past this little detail without even noticing?

Do you know where in the Animal Kingdom this is found?

So the next time you're in the Animal Kingdom, remember not to take any little piece of it for granted! It's truly a place to spend the entire day wandering. It's OK if you start your morning with a run to Expedition Everest - just be sure that you come back to the beginning of the park and take your time exploring. You will be amazed at what you find. After all, it is truly nahtazu!

Happy exploring!