One of the first things that you see as you walk towards the pier is a gigantic whale bone.  It just sits there like a stalwart guard protecting the island from unwanted visitors.  The town is like something out of the past as if it was stuck in the quaintness of the Victorian age.

While the town invites you stroll amongst its rustic avenues, you are eventually drawn to Peggys Point and the lighthouse that sits atop the gray boulders.  The waters are so blue against its white and red frame.  The waves lap leisurely against the rocky shoreline.

As you stand amongst this rocky outcrop, it’s hard to believe that anything so tragic ever could have happened here.

One of the first things that you see as you walk towards the pier is a gigantic whale bone. It just sits there like a stalwart guard protecting the island from unwanted visitors. The town is like something out of the past as if it was stuck in the quaintness of the Victorian age.

While the town invites you stroll amongst its rustic avenues, you are eventually drawn to Peggys Point and the lighthouse that sits atop the gray boulders. The waters are so blue against its white and red frame.

The waves lap leisurely against the rocky shoreline. As you stand amongst this rocky outcrop, it’s hard to believe that anything so tragic ever could have happened here.

But, here’s my issue with house swapping.  I have cats.  I know that people often ask to have the roomers take care of the animals.  It’s just, how can you trust someone else around your animals?  Is it safe?  What if you get a bad swapper.

So, just curious, what are your experiences with swapping houses?  Good/bad?  Would you do it if you’ve never done?

The expansion of the Art Museum has been attracting visitors from all over the world. And, generally, it has little to do with the collection. They want to see the building. And, who can blame them? It’s definitely draws your eye for good or bad. (There’s controversy on both sides.)

While many tourists are heading towards this glistening prow, there is more to museums to see than just this mecca. One of the pathways that you can take from the DAM leads you across the street to the Colorado History Museum. Here you can participate in weekly children’s activities or just learn more about the State of Colorado.

Another road from DAM leads you to Civic Center Park, where you can catch the latest protest or politician, festival or art walk. Here, at Civic Center park, you can meander throughout the State Capital building or head to the fountain at the other end of the park, where you may catch the latest festival attendees bathing in the water. Without suits. Children beware. This part of Denver can be a mix of art, government and the hippie lifestyle. You just never know which one you’ll get on which day of the week.  If you’re doing your Denver trip planning, you may do better to stick to the children-friendly museums.

There has been plenty of talk lately of reopening Lady Liberty’s crown back to the public.  While I would love to see it reopen to the public, I can’t say that I will be taking the hike again.  When they talk about “safety concerns” as the reason that it has been closed for so long, I’m assuming terrorist attack.  But, when I was going up those stairs, I was more worried about falling over the side of a very small railing.

I think that a little explanation is needed here.  When you climb up the 354 steps to the crown, you are actually going up a winding staircase.  Even though I am better now, I’ve always been afraid of heights.  And, this was way before my “therapy rock jumping”.  (That is a story for another time.)  So, going up these stairs, getting higher and higher while the railing to stop you from plummeting to your death kept getting lower and lower.  All I could do was focus on that railing and the nothingness on the other side.

When I reached the top of the staircase, I don’t remember actually kissing the ground, but I sure wanted to.  I can’t remember the view.  I can’t remember looking across to Ellis Island even though I am told I did.  All I remember were those stairs.  So, when the National Park Service goes on about “safety concerns”, I sure hope that included making the railing higher.

So, the next time that you do some trip planning to New York, I hope that the Stature of Liberty walk to the crown is reopen.  I just won’t be in line behind you.

Islands of Adventures has everything that the Orlando area has been missing.  Great roller coasters and adult-geared rides!  I am a roller coaster addict.  While I love Disney and the other parks, I get park weary because most of the rides are geared towards younger kids. Doctor Doom’s Freefall starts inside and then shoots you out the top.  Dueling Dragons (go with ice – it’s faster) twirls around happy visitors.  The Incredible Hulk Coaster is an exciting coaster that the whole family can ride.

Islands of Adventures is almost the exact opposite.  There’s plenty of adult-geared rides.  Even those that are for the kids are more exciting.  The Spiderman ride is one of the best virtual rides that I have ever been on despite the constant breakdowns that the ride experiences.  Dudley Do-Right’s Ripsaw Falls is the only toboggan ride that I have ever gotten wet on.

Plus, the park is compact.  It’s easy to walk in a circular style.  And, everything is broken up into “islands”.  The main kids area is right in the front with Seuss Landing, Toon Lagoon and Marvel Super Hero Island.  If you’re looking for grand adventure, in the back near each other is Lost Continent (Dueling Dragon) and Jurassic Park (Jurassic Park River Adventure).

And, with all the fun to be had, you can also save money.  Universal Studios has been offering deals on tickets left and right.  And, you can find plenty of affordable vacation rentals.

But, the thing that needs to be said here is that she learned how to snowmobile on a FLAT area. I, on the other hand, learned how to snowmobile on an itsy, bitsy, teenie, weenie (to quote Gilda Radner) hiking trail. And, when I mean small, I mean that I think my bike tires are wider than the bumpy, dirt trail.

Still, I took the challenge and went for it. Well, not really went for it, but closed my eyes and hoped that I was still on the trail at the end of it. At one point, however, this wound up not being the case. I had taken a short cut. A short cut that led me over the side of a mountain cliff, down through the trees and into a snow bank. And, this wasn’t some nice, easy angle. Oh, no! I picked the area to lose control where I was basically look at something closer to straight down. Not 90 degrees, but close enough to see my life flash before my eyes!

At the bottom, I was wet, cold and my bum hurt. But I surprisingly survived with not even a scratch on me. Even the snowmobile got through unscathed, but I was glad that I had taken the insurance just in case. It would have been doubly painful to hit the posterior and then have to worry about being hit in the pocket book.

I’m glad that I took the trip. The mountains were beautiful. But, since this little incident, I’ve avoided getting on a snowmobile. I prefer to use snowshoes and maneuver under my OWN power.

For a podcast of my eventful trip, check out Viscape’s latest weekly podcast.

While there were no bike rides, and I didn’t chop off all my hair, I did take a similar path around the city.  We found the Fountain of Truth, where Peck talks a shy Hepburn into sticking her hand into the fountain.  I too stuck my hand in the fountain.  It wasn’t cut off either, just made for some silly pictures.

I traversed the Spanish Steps, but did not take the guidebooks advice about stopping halfway up to take a picture.  I would probably have been trampled to death.  Even though it was early May, the tourists and locals alike were on the move throughout the city.  It was packed.

At the Trevi Fountain, I decided that I didn’t want to toss Three Coins in the Fountain (to quote another famous movie).  Again, the piazza was packed, and I had nearly been pick-pocketed twice.

I decided that if I should ever come back to the Eternal City that I would do it in the dead of winter.  No more fighting crowds for me.  Or, I could definitely handle traversing the city on a bike ride behind a famous movie star.

For your own Roman holiday, start your trip planning today.

Paris has always exuded the old world grace and a longing for past glory. Just walking down the street transports you to another plane of existence as if you could still pass Louis XIV or Marie Antoinette just across the street. My favorite place to go in Paris, however, are not these well-worn paths.

As a museum-lover, the Louvre always beckons me to come and get lost in its polished marbled and sacred walls. I thought that I was not a fan of the Mona Lisa until I saw her phantom smile. She has the ability to draw you in and make you wonder what has captured her attention and why she grins so. Then there’s the hidden Louvre that is often missed by those that come to see her hallowed halls.

The last floor of the Louvre holds some mysterious. No, it’s not some mummy from antiquity or a Grecian urn that holds the ashes of some great emperor. It’s the foundation of some medieval castle, which overpowers the viewer as you twist and turn through the rickety bridge that croses over the foundation of this once formidable building.

The Louvre and Paris is worth a visit. Check out these Paris affordable vacation rentals now!

What is your favorite vacation spot?

I would go for Queensland in Australia, beautiful white sands, great for snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, and hiking in the Cape Tribulation National Park. Another favorite is the Eastern European city of Prague….

What was your worst travel experience?

Passengers being stranded abroad because they missed their flight, holidaymakers having to pay out thousands of pounds in medical bills because they had not taken out travel insurance…

Any final thoughts or travel tips for us?

1) visit travel rants if you want to get something off your chest, leave a comment, or email me, I love receiving emails from readers 2) using your credit card abroad..

To read the full interview, stay turned to My Sweet Viscape. And head to Travel Rants to learn what latest complaint or suggestion that Mr. Cronian has for you!