City ❀ Country ❀ Beach
Ceviche del Rey This Peruvian restaurant, located in La Fortuna de San Carlos near the Arenal Volcano National Park in Costa Rica, has many food options that will leave you satisfied. It is was not crowded at all when we visited. In fact, we had …
You Ottawa Go Here, EH? Canada was like a vacation like no other. You see, I’m a tropical weather kind of girl and well, as you could have guessed, Canada is cold. And then Canada in December?!? Brrrr! It was -11ºF!!! I have never been …
Shooters Bar & Grill… is a wonderful restaurant that feels more like a diner. While we were on vacation in Ottawa, Canada, we stayed at Dickson Manor Resort in Calabogie which is about an hour and a half away. We needed a close place to eat. When you have two young & hungry boys and your husband’s stomach is growling (and mine too), you don’t want to go far. Shooters Bar & Grill was the closest restaurant we could find to our resort.
Please keep in mind, that I started “Mackintosh Travels” travel blog after we visited Shooters Bar & Grill. With that being said, we did not take many photos and did not take any food photos…I know…important! However, I am writing to give them credit because we had fantastic service and fantastic food to compliment!
Shooters Bar & Grill does not have a website, but you can find their menu, location, more photos, and everything you want to know when you visit their Facebook page.
If you’re a parent of boys, you can understand the following photos which were taken inside Shooters Bar & Grill.
Calabogie Peaks Resort is an escape of its own because it has everything you want in a vacation! Forget renting a car. You don’t need to! However, if you do rent a car, make sure to check out my post on what to do near Calabogie “Ottawa, …
The Three Mariners Located in Lancaster, this pub won’t leave you disappointed. The following is a great description from The Three Mariners restaurant website itself. As the oldest pub in Lancaster, The Three Mariners is steeped in history, located inside a Grade II listed building …
The London Eye is a basically an indoor ferris wheel that moves very slow. More and more major cities are starting to erect these and for good reason, too. It gives you awesome views of the city! As you look down, you see Parliament/Big Ben. Did you know that Big Ben is not the name of the building, but just the bell? If you have time, book ahead a tour of Parliament where the House of Commons and the House of Lords is located. Parliament Tours lists dates, times, and prices. We did this and it was history coming to life! I highly recommend this if you have a tween or teenager!
If you’re a big TV and movie buff like our family is, you will love this place. They have an extensive collection of props and memorabilia from your favorite sitcoms and movies. Since we are fans of Dr. Who, I chose these photos of course!
Since my husband, Bill, is a huge history buff, we just had to visit here. I’m not a huge history buff, but let me tell you something…don’t underestimate this place if you’re not! This place left me very impressed and had a lot of interesting information. It was designed to have each station inside to have an audio tour that captured my attention and kept me engaged. It makes for a great History lesson!
Here are a few things you can expect to see:
The British Museum houses many artifacts, holds special events and exhibits. This place can take a long time to look through and justly so. However, if you go in with a game plan having chosen ahead of time knowing just the rooms and/or artifacts that interest you, then go and do just those. Then if you have more time, you can go back and continue seeing more. Some of the artifacts that I personally wanted to see was the original Rosetta Stone. I am a Spanish teacher so, of course, this interested me. This building is A LOT bigger on the inside than what you see on the outside!!! I was shocked!
Hampton Court Palace is one of King Henry VIII residences. You will need a full day here because it’s on the about 14 miles away from city center of London. Don’t get this confused with the nearby London hotel named Hampton Court Palace Hotel. You can’t stay at THIS place overnight no matter how bad you want to! When you visit, you will feel like absolute royalty. There is so much rich history here.
The walking audio tour is definitely worth it! On the photo to the right is me, but I am not on my phone. I am using their audio tour piece in the dining hall.
Source from Wikipedia: “The Tower of London, officially Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle located on the north bank of the River Thames in central London.”
At the White Tower (a section of the Tower of London) consists of the past and present queen’s jewels. It is heavily guarded as you can see! Absolutely beautiful to see! It is located within a short walking distance of the Tower Bridge, so both can be done one right after the other.
There are also stories that prisoners were once tortured in drastic torture chambers and devices. The photo marks the spot of Queen Anne Boleyn’s execution among others. This is where the scaffold was. There are many stories regarding this eerie place. If you’re interested, you can read more on The Scaffold on Tower Hill website.
The Tower Bridge is NOT the same as the London Bridge. Many people get this confused. The bridge is also NOT the Tower of London. Many people get that confused as well. It is an impressive bridge with detailed architecture. It sits beautifully at the cross path of the Thames River. There is a a walking path to go across it away from traffic.
I love how these bobbies (police in Britain) had a fun attitude and let me photograph them!
Thurnham Hall Thurnham Hall in Lancaster, England (in between Scotland & London). It is a beautiful resort nestled in the beauty of Lancaster. Lancaster is a city with old beauty charm and reminds me of a time period long past. This resort is near some mom-and-pop …
Location: Have you ever wanted to feel like a prince or princess or maybe have watched “The Princess Bride” movie one too many times? Well, here is your chance to fulfill some of your dreams! Thurnham Hall is a country estate turned into a resort and …
Bonjour et bienvenue!
Come with me as I take you on a tour of our family vacation to Paris, France. It was summer 2013 when we left from London to Paris on the Eurostar. This is a high speed train that literally goes underground on the Channel Tunnel between the United Kingdom and France. It is one of the coolest ways we’ve ever traveled!
3. “Mona Lisa”
Notre Dame
(Source: http://www.notredamedeparis.fr/ )
More than a historical monument, this cathedral is above all “the House of God and the Abode of men” because this building is loaded with human and Christian experience.
Eiffel Tower
and now the iconic Paris building!
http://www.toureiffel.paris/
Ah, this iconic structure in Paris, France is a must see and do. There are many sites that sell Eiffel Tower tickets, but the above site is the official site where you can look up more information. It’s also best to book tickets before you leave home as they go fairly quickly, especially during the summer. You can purchase tickets for daytime, nighttime, and specify a time frame. This is worth it! We bought tickets for a daytime view and a nighttime view. The featured image at the top of this post was taken during our stay in Paris which was a national holiday named Bastille Day. The colors are from France’s flag. For more information on this national holiday see here: History and meaning of Bastille Day
Nighttime view from the top of the Eiffel Tower. It is absolutely stunning!
Sacré-Cœur
You will definitely get some cardio in while visiting this gorgeous church on a hill! You will get some of the best city views of Paris, France from the top. Their official website has some really cool information about the history and what it stands for: http://www.sacre-coeur-montmartre.com/
My hubby and I spent two afternoons wandering around enjoying the bistros, boutiques, Sacre Coure and the Musee de Montmartre. So much natural beauty mixed in with a cozy village atmosphere and of course the traditional architecture was often breathtaking.
Musee Rodin
In this museum you can find the real “The Thinker” displayed out in the garden. The museum is a lovely place to visit with numerous statues and interesting pieces of art like “The Gates of Hell” which is personally kind of creepy.
Les Catacombes
The history of the catacombes is very intriguing. Below you can read an excerpt from their direct site. In order to get to the catacombes you must climb down an equivalent of a five story building. It is deeper than their subway & sewer systems! Renovations have improved the lighting experience making paths easier to view while walking. I thought it was a pretty creepy experience to see all the dead from their past. This experience might not be suitable for the claustrophobic.
Source: http://www.catacombes.paris.fr/en/catacombs
The name of ‘Catacombs’ was given to this ossuary in reference to the Catacombs of Rome, a name originally given to an ancient cemetery situated not far from the Appian Way. The Cemetery of the Innocents (near Saint-Eustache, in the area of Les Halles) had been in use for nearly ten centuries and had become a source of infection for the inhabitants of the locality. After numerous complaints, the Council of State decided, on November 9th 1785, to prohibit further use of the Cemetery of the Innocents and to remove its contents.
Disused quarries were chosen to receive the remains; the City of Paris had in fact just completed a general inspection of the quarries, in order to strengthen the public highways undermined by them. Building work was done on the “Tombe-Issoire” quarry, using large quantities of stone, strengthening the galleries and completed by digging out a staircase, flanked by a well into which the bones could be thrown.
The transfer of the remains could begin after the blessing and consecration of the site on April 7th 1786, and it continued until 1788, always at nightfall and following a ceremony whereby a procession of priests in surplices sang the service for the dead along the route taken by the carts loaded with bones, which were covered by a black veil. Then, until 1814, the site received the remains from all the cemeteries of Paris.
Since their creation, the Catacombs have aroused curiosity. In 1787, the Count d’Artois, the future Charles X, made the descent, along with Ladies of the Court. The following year a visit from Madame de Polignac and Madame de Guiche is mentioned. In 1814, Francis I, the Emperor of Austria living victoriously in Paris, visited them. In 1860, Napoleon III went down with his son.
The Paris Catacombs re-opened on June 14th 2005, after several months of closure for building work. The lighting has been adjusted, the vaults strengthened and the walls of bones put back.
Musée de l’armée
If you love history and battles, you HAVE to go visit here. This museum has the burial place of Napoleon Bonaparte, a French military & political figure who rose to power during the French Revolution and was huge influence during the 19th century. Heavily armed battle artillery and artifacts encompasses this museum.
Arc de Triomphe
Ah, the famous Arc de Triomphe! The only way to get to it up close is to go downstairs under the city street, which is a roundabout street so you can’t cross it, and then go upstairs out of the street. You can go all the way up, if you like, but it’s a lot of stairs! It was very interesting to see that underneath the arc was a tomb of an unknown soldier. The lit torch under the arc symbolizes the respect and honor that the unknown soldier deserves.
Locks of Love
Dalton Arms is a mom & pop eatery with a lot of charm. If you want authentic cuisine, this is the place. It is also situated in a beautiful city for a nice after dinner walking stroll. It is quaint, quiet and there are also …
