REVIEWS Archives | TRAVELS WITH TAM

My Exciting Adventure in New Braunfels, Texas!

March 28, 2018 By Tam Warner 9 Comments

adventure in new braunfels, new braunfels texas, new braunfels, spass walking tours, farmer's market new braunfels, farmers market — I stayed at the Courtyard Marriott New Braunfels, the nicest Courtyard you’ll ever visit!

I’ve always wanted to have an adventure in New Braunfels, Texas, but I had no idea just how fun and exciting it would be! I’ll be posting several blogs on this amazing Texas town, so consider this PART ONE. Thank you to In New Braunfels for hosting me!

Last year I made myself a promise that I would be exploring more and more of Texas during 2018. My husband and I drove through Gruene (pronounced Green) Historic District several years ago, but didn’t explore the area other than a quick walk and meal in Gruene. Gruene Hall is where the country dance scenes for the John Travolta film, “Michael” were shot. Fortunately, I recently spent a memorable weekend in New Braunfels, and had an amazing time. There is so much to do in the area! Two rivers to raft and kayak in, Schlitterbahn (a family owned park that has been the #1 Waterpark in the World for the last 20 Years. Located on the banks of the spring-fed Comal River in New Braunfels, Schlitterbahn’s flagship waterpark has 51 attractions on over 70 acres!), Landa Park, the cutest downtown filled with one of a kind shops and restaurants, a Saturday morning Farmer’s Market, and of course, Gruene. The offerings were more than I could do in one weekend, so you can be sure I will be going back!

New Braunfels is famous in Texas for its festivals, especially Wurstfest, a 10 day German festival in November. The town was named and founded by Prince Carl Solms-Braunfels from Braunfels, Hesse, Germany, and the German flavor is deeply embedded in the town and its people. During 1844, German settlers came with Prince Carl to the place where the Comal River and the Guadelupe River meet. New settlers in 1846 from Germany founded Fredericksburg, Texas, another place I want to visit!

I visited restaurants, bakeries, the Farmer’s Market, Krause’s Biergarten, and enjoyed the various historical murals of the town. I spent an afternoon with Judy, VP of the Chamber of New Braunfels, and a morning with Jan Kingsbury of Spass Walking Tours. When you go to New Braunfels, you should absolutely contact Jan! The walking tour was so much fun, which is what Spass means in German. I had such an interesting time with her. Check out my fabulous walking tour!

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The 8 biggest Waterslides in the World!

March 11, 2018 By Tam Warner 16 Comments

Check out the 8 biggest waterslides in the world! Summer equals sea and sun and most of the people choose as a destination a place with crystal clear waters all around the world. Some people, however, choose destination with water parks and huge water slides in order to feel more adventurous. The water parks are refreshing, relaxing and entertaining. If the prospect of adventure gets the adrenaline pumping and you are adventurous, there are some huge water parks all around the world that will surely make you reconsider your next holiday destination is going to be.

Insano (Beach Park, Brazil)

In Brazil, there are a lot of options when you want to have a really good time under the sun. Endless beaches with crystal clear waters make the dream vacation destination. There is also a huge water park that really worth visiting, the Insano Park. It is located 55 miles south of Fortaleza and is visited by those who need a solid dose of adrenaline. It has one of the world’s tallest waterslide, which is 42 meters long.

Brain Wash (Wet ‘n’ Wild Water Park, Florida)

This walk is sure to be unforgettable, accompanied by sounds, videos and lights, as well as a vertical 16-meter downhill that will most likely make your heart race. Florida is not only good for the glam style. It’s fun too.

Aqualoop (Terme 3000 Adventure Pool Complex, Slovenia)

In this wonderful waterpark in Slovenia, one of the fastest slides in the world can be found. It has a 360 degree turn that will surely confuse your senses as you go down.

Faser (Galaxy Erding, Germany)

Erding is a small town located just outside Munich. There is however a great reason for visiting this place even though you do not think of a small city in Germany when you dream of your vacation. Upon your arrival, you will catch a speed of 72 km / h in one of its most famous slides.

Jumeirah Sceirah (Wild Wadi Waterpark, Dubai)

In the heart of Dubai is this incredible water park. It has places especially designed for those who want to relax, but Jumeirah Sceirah is definitely not one of them. At your arrival you will reach 80 km / h on this slide.

Summit Plummet (Disney’s Blizzard Beach, Florida)

It is well known that the descent to Disney’s Blizzard Beach will make you reach 96 km / h. But if you want, you can have a speedometer with you and you know exactly the speed is at all times.

The Scorpion’s Tail (Noah’s Ark Waterpark, Wisconsin)

The park is located 55 miles north of Madison. If you find yourself there, you will get down 122 meters of slides in 5 to 8 seconds. Suitable only for those you do not have heart problems.

Leap of Faith (Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas)

This water park in Bahamas is unique for a certain reason, besides its great facilities. From the 18 meter slide in the air, the courageous will pass through a tube surrounded by a shark lake!

Waterbom Bali

Waterbom Bali is one of the largest water parks in the world, which covers a very long distance and which is on the south side to the city Kuta. It is the biggest and the absolute choice of all tourists who want to spend an unforgettable day. It offers moments of relaxation and intense fun in its friendly and cool environment and has attracted many millions of visitors over the years. If, you are brave enough, you should try the thrilling ‘Climax’. It’s an almost 30 meter slide, which takes you up and all of a sudden, drops you down causing you to experience 3G’s. You end up in the water through a near vertical dip. This slide should not be preferred by people who are afraid of heights and have heart problems. In Indonesia you can also relax in luxury spa Jakarta. It will feel just as if you were a child again.

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You Must Dine at the Amazing Monkey King Noodle Company!

January 25, 2018 By Tam Warner 5 Comments

monkey king, carrollton, downtown carrollton, monkey king noodle company — The Monkey King Noodle Co in downtown Carrollton, Texas! Is this cute or what? **All Photos courtesy of Alexandra Minton Photography.**

I had never heard of Monkey King Noodle Co until they contacted me on Social Media! As a matter of interest, I wanted to head over to Carrollton, Texas (a suburb of Dallas) and check out their old Main Street, which has been incredibly revitalized. Interestingly enough, one of the Monkey King Locations is in downtown Carrollton. I think it was meant to be, so I grabbed my daughter, a professional photographer (Alexandra Minton Photography and @SweetSweetDallas on Instagram), and we headed to Monkey King Noodle Co, camera and hunger ready.

My daughter informed me that it was her favorite noodle restaurant in its Deep Ellum location, and since she is a foodie, I was excited to try the Carrollton location. I was not disappointed!

Carrollton, downtown Carrollton, monkey king, monkey kind noodle company — Photo courtesy of Alexandra Minton Photography.

Adorable customer drawings. Photos Courtesy of Alexandra Minton Photography

First, the building is adorable. It is in an old garage, a Mercedes business, and it couldn’t be any cuter. It has an indoor space, but in the summer or on warm days, they open the glass garage doors and they have an outdoor seating area with picnic tables and an ordering window. I was so impressed with its originality, it truly is one of a kind. We were greeted by Xitlalli, and my daughter ordered for both of us. Since I am a vegetarian, she ordered me Spicy Garlic Peanut Noodles, which are wok-toasted peanuts and garlic, house chili oil, super-fresh cilantro and green onions. My daughter ordered the pork version of Spicy Garlic Noodles. We also had their scallion pancakes and Edamame Dumplings. Everything was very tasty and perfectly served. Monkey King Noodle Co is a northern Chinese food based restaurant, with hints of Chinese street foods and Taiwan cuisine. Their noodles are hand pulled, and absolutely amazing. Obviously, we took plenty of food home!

Angela Pellacchia, Manager, tells us that they also have pint nights and awesome Happy Hours! There are locations in Deep Ellum, Legacy Plano, and Carrollton downtown, so be sure to go to one, or all, of them.

Thanks to Angela and Monkey Noodle King Company for hosting us!

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The Gift of Monthly Travel Keeps on Giving! Give a Fun Gift this Year!

November 29, 2017 By Tam Warner 2 Comments

explore local box, travel monthly, unusual gifts, fun gifts, explore more — The adorable Portland box with wood coasters and soap holder, wonderful yogic tea, sea salt and more!

Monthly Travel would be a great gift, wouldn’t it? Even if you cannot physically get away, you can enjoy travel by purchasing Explore Local Box! I have written about this awesome local travel box! Instead of flowers, give a box of exploration to someone special for a birthday present, get well gift or just because. Choose a previously visited city that you would like to give and it will be delivered right to the recipient’s door with a custom card. Each month a new city will be added. Or give or get a monthly subscription!

explore local box, travel monthly, unusual gifts, fun gifts — Reclaimed Douglas Fir!

I have sampled Boston and Portland, and I’ve enjoyed them both. Here are the cities currently available, with details on the contents of the boxes. http://www.explorelocalbox.com/shop/all/

For the holidays this year, give the gift of travel!

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explore, local, explore local box — I cannot wait to use my Boston spice!

#4TravelChicas had an Amazing Tasting at Buccanos at Night, Cozumel!

November 5, 2017 By Tam Warner 14 Comments

Adventurous women also love good food! The #4TravelChicasinCozumel had the honor of a tasting at Cozumel’s Buccano’s at Night restaurant, and it is a tasting none of us will ever forget! The food at Buccanos was not only good, but outstanding! Ines Falkenberg and her two children, Carina and Bosco Barbachano are a trio of incredible talent. Ines and Bosco have incredible creativity when it comes to food, and Carina is an excellent artist and her art is very evident at Buccanos. She also does graphic design for the restaurant. (Check out her art at https://www.facebook.com/art.caribarbachano/.)

Why You Should Experience a Weekend in Wonderful Whistler, Canada!

October 15, 2017 By Tam Warner 8 Comments

whistler, canada, skiing, nature is amazing, featured, scenic — Photo Credit R. Barlow, Creative Commons

Guest Post by Emma Grant

Whatever the time of year, there’s always something interesting to do in Wonderful Whistler. During the winter, Canadians head to the slopes for skiing and snowboarding. The same ones come back again later in the year when the weather picks up for hiking, mountain biking, and relaxing. If you like the outdoors and want to get some fresh air, search the best Whistler vacation rentals and start planning your dream trip to beautiful Whistler. Here are a few more reasons to visit for those who still aren’t convinced.

Whistler in One of the Best Ski Resorts in the World:

Expect various slopes to suit any level of skill or ability in the 8000-acre resort. Some hills are smaller for the beginners. Instructors can also give you skiing lessons before you hit the piste for the first time. Others, especially on Blackcomb, are for the more advanced on challenging terrain.

People from around the world come to use the slopes in Whistler, and you’ll meet everyone from family vacationers to the pros. Snow begins to fall from October and stays at a consistent level until the end of February. Because of this, Whistler’s snow is some of the best in all of North America.

Whistler Village:

Whistler Village is everything you would imagine an alpine wonderland to be like. Small cottages line the streets with the towering mountains in the background. When the snow starts to fall, this really becomes beautiful. White snow covers the picturesque village as tourists wrap in layers to keep warm. The cafes are bursting at their seams as people crowd around the cozy fire with a hot drink watching the snow dance down from the sky.

Even if you’re not into skiing, Whistler Village makes a perfect mountain retreat to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the picturesque surroundings. Families from around Canada bring their children here for a Christmas vacation.

Whistler is a Four Season Resort:

So, we all know that Whistler is the place to be for skiing or snowboarding. But, many tourists love the other seasons too. As the snow melts, buds flower on the trees giving the area a colorful and vibrant appearance. Walking through the forests at this time of the year allows you to view the rebirth of the trees and the wildlife starting to come out again. Likewise, as fall approaches, the leaves change from green to golden colors and slowly drop from the branches. Hiking gives a different experience depending on which season you visit Whistler.

And then there’s summer. During summer, everyone comes to this mild mountainous region to take part in their favorite outdoor activities. Some bring their dogs and hike for days on end around the trails. Others come and visit the lakes or try to climb the peaks of Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains. Other outdoor activities are available to keep everyone busy from kayaking to zip lining.

Regardless of when you’re in Canada, Whistler is sure to have something to cater for your needs and interests. Each season is different and gives tourists a different experience.

Go Zip-lining:

Zip-lining is growing in popularity for adrenaline junkies around the world. Mainly, the sport consists of a wire being attached between two points, with one being higher than the other. The Zip-liner stands at the top and straps themselves onto the small seat before plunging off the edge. As they race from the top to the bottom, they get their fix of adrenaline.

In recent years, Whistler is starting to take advantage of this mild version of an extreme sport. In some parts of the resort, you can take part on several lines, some are suitable for first-timers and others should only be attempted by the more adventurous. Spending an afternoon on the zip-lines is a great way to pass the time for the whole family.

Excellent Food and Places to Relax:

A mountain resort that caters for skiers and snowboarders from around the globe should have a decent selection of food and restaurants. And this is the case in Whistler Village. The culinary experience at some of the restaurants ranges simple budget food up to world-class cuisine. You can find meals from a hot dog or spaghetti to veal.

Some cozy bars and cafes are in the village, where the skiers tend to hang out after a day on the slopes. You can find a selection of drinks from hot chocolate and tea to fine wine and top shelf liquors. Families are welcome too. Some hold shows in the evening, such as the fire and ice show, to entertain the children.

Family-Friendly:

One of the advantages of having such a versatile array of cafes and dining options is that you can hit the slopes for a few hours while the non-skiers enjoy the facilities in the village. This also applies for the summer months when parents bring their children for a relaxing vacation. Several parks and playgrounds will keep the little ones busy.

Whistler is a Wonderland All Year Round:

Whether you want to come in the summer to hike to Whistler Mountain’s summit at 2182 meters or spend hours snowboarding down challenging slopes on Blackcomb, Whistler has something for you. Bring the family and enjoy the picturesque setting in the village before indulging in the wide variety of dining options later in the evening. Whistler makes the perfect retreat at any time of the year and visitors always want to return.

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