Welcome to week number ten. For my final post I’ll be doing something a little different and instead of focusing on a travel destination, I’m going to be talking about house boating, which many of you may be unfamiliar with. A few summers ago, my family and I decided to try house boating for the first time after reading about it online. Basically we rented a boat and lived on it for the next 5 days. This was definitively one of my more memorable vacations just because of how unique it was. Aside from almost using up all of our water reserves on board and a few other difficulties we had a blast.

Lake Powell

House boating is most always done on a large lake. I went to Smith Mountain Lake in Virginia but there are plenty of destinations across the U.S. Check out the map below.

One of the best things about house boating is the opportunity to be out on the water for a few days. You’re a bit isolated from civilization so your just able to relax and enjoy nature without worrying about too much else. Lake Smith was quite large so we got to explore a huge area that I never would have seen otherwise. House boating is great for large family gatherings. Boats often range anywhere from 40 to 75 feet and can sleep upwards of 12 to 15 people depending on the setup. Additionally many house boats also come with amenities like a grill, hot tub, water slide, and sun deck. Most people also rent smaller motorboats for water sports like tubing, wake boarding, or water skiing.  On my vacation I tried water skiing for the first time and considered it an accomplishment that I was able to stand up for a few seconds. Now I’m going to get into some more general tips for house boating vacations.

Smith Mountain Lake

1. You Don’t Have to any Boating Experience

While it certainly helps to have some experience navigating out on the water, most rental companies will give you an extensive tutorial and safety training before you actually make it out on the water. Driving a 50 foot plus boat can be intimidating, but the only real difficult parts on docking.

2. Packing

Bringing enough snacks is a must. While some places have lake side restaurants that you could dock at, stopping to get food can be difficult and a real pain. Make sure to stock up before hand.

3. Keep driving to a minimum

Exploring the lake can be one of the best parts of house boating so I would definitely recommend spending a bit of time doing that. That being said, generally only dock pick a nice spot during the day and dock there for the night instead of moving around.

4. Rent a Motor Boat

As I mentioned before, these are great for tubing and far easier to get around in than a large house boat. The house boat is a pain to move once its been docked so if you want to go anywhere else a motor boat could come in handy.

Picture Sources

http://www.houseboating.org/Houseboat-Vacation-Lakes

http://www.houseboating.org/media/53-Foot-Deluxe-Keycraft-Cruiser-Houseboat-Media-1-800×600.JPG

http://www.lake-powell-houseboat-rentals.com/media/Lake-Powell-Panorama_23035_64599-1900×525.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/49/Tubing_wipeout_on_loughborough_lake.JPG

Welcome to part 2 of my review of Walt Disney World. If you couldn’t already tell I’m a huge fan of Disney parks and this week I’ll be providing some helpful vacationing tips.

Tips

New Fast-Pass System

Disney recently overhauled its fast-pass ride reserve system and park entry card system in a billion dollar move to introduce its new magic bands. These new bands, which are complementary for visitors to Disney hotels, are now used for entrance to parks, hotel rooms, and the new fast-pass plus system. With the addition of fast-pass plus, guests can now make reservations for up to 3 rides a day up to two months in advance and redeem their ride times using the new magic bands. Since there is a now an app for everything, Disney has created an app called the the MyDisneyExperience that allows you to make fast-pass reservations, review wait times, as well as make dining reservations. The result of all this change is that ride times for fast-pass users has become significantly shorter and the wait time for everyone else has increased dramatically. With fast-pass times spread out in increments throughout the day, there are fewer times to find rides with an unusually low wait, and non-hotel visitors especially will have to wait longer for everything.

Avoid Bus Transportation When Possible-

While Disney offers one of Florida’s biggest bus fleets to transport guests around its immense property, the bus aren’t always reliable. Some destinations like Animal Kingdom Park, the 2 waterparks, and Disney Springs are only serviced by buses, but the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios provide multiple transportation options to take advantage of. Of these the monorail that services the Magic Kingdom and Epcot is the most reliable and drops you off right in front of the park’s gates.

Go to the Parks in the Rain-

While this might sound like a terrible way to spend a day at a theme park, people tend to leave the parks when it rains. Low wait times and the fact that most attractions are indoors make up for the weather and Florida rainstorms rarely last more than an hour.

Try to Eat at Odd Hours-

With so many people at Disney at one time it’s inevitable that restaurants are going to be packet at normal dinner and lunch hours. Good luck finding a table without a reservation. It’s far better to enjoy the park while restaurants are packed and eat when the crowds die down.

Have Some Sort of a Plan-

Disney offers 4 theme park, 2 water parks, a Downtown district, mini golf, real golf, hotel pools, and even water sports and parasailing. It’s best to have some idea what you might do each day so you don’t miss out.

I’m going to end the post with a list of the best attractions offered at every park.

Animal Kingdom

1. Expedition Everest- A roller coaster that travels backwards and forwards that features the world famous Yeti.
2. Kilimanjaro Safari- A tour through the Disney created African Savannah in Florida.
3. Kali River Rapids- A raft ride on which you will get wet.

Hollywood Studios

1. Tower of Terror- The ride is different every time so you don’t know when the 12 story drop is going to come.
2. Rockin Rollercoaster- An indoor rollercoaster that takes you from 0 to 60 in less than a second.
3. Toy Story Mania- Arcade style shooting game in 3D.

Magic Kingdom

1. Space Mountain- A spaced themed indoor rollercoaster that never travels above 30 but special effects and quick turns make you think you’re going twice as fast.
2. Splash Mountain- Nearly a ten minute ride mixed animatronic characters from Song of the South and a giant drop at the end.
3. Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin- Very similar to Toy Story Mania above without the 3D screens element.

Epcot

1. World Showcase- Pavilions of 11 nations around the world. Like traveling without all the hassle.
2. Illuminations- Nighttime fireworks show on the world showcase.
3. TestTrack- Simulated auto testing ride in which you ride along for a number of vehicle tests.

Picture Sources

www.themeparktourist.com

http://www.wdwinfo.com/Photos/600-monorail.jpg

http://i.huffpost.com/gen/1812237/images/o-FASTPASS-DISNEY-facebook.jpg

Welcome to the Happiest Place on Earth! This week’s post is all about Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. While next week I will be going over some general travel tips, this week I’ll focus on some general information on the property along with facts and upcoming attractions.

Walt Disney World

According to Business Insider, the Magic Kingdom, the flagship park of Disney World, is the eighth most visited attraction in the world with an average of 17 million guests a year. After seeing the area outside his first theme park, Disneyland, being quickly developed, Walt decided to build a much bigger theme park in Florida to attract visitors from the east coast. Using fake companies like M.T. Lott Real Estate, Disney bought nearly 27,000 acres in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, nearly the size of San Francisco. Construction begin in 1967 after Walt’s death under the direction of his brother Roy Disney.

8 million acres of earth were excavated to build the Magic Kingdom, which is actually on the third story of an underground network of tunnels called the Utilidors. More than 9 acres of tunnels are located under the Magic Kingdom to allow cast members to walk from one area of the park to another without being seen. Rumor has it that the inspiration for this idea came when Walt saw a cast member dressed as a cowboy walking through the futuristic Tommorwland at Disneyland.

In 1971 the Magic Kingdom opened and later in 1982 Walt’s vision of a futuristic community of tomorrow was realized with the creation of Disney World’s second theme park, Epcot (Experimental Prototype Community of Tommorow). Today Disney World is home to 4 theme parks—Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studio’s and Animal Kingdom—which all rank in the top ten in the world rankings for most visited amusement parks. Additionally, the property has 2 water parks, 4 golf courses, 27 hotels, and a shopping and entertainment district known as Downtown Disney.

New Attractions

Star Wars Land

Earlier this year Disney announced the development of a new 14 acre Star Wars land at its Hollywood Studios Park. The land will largely be based on the new trilogy of Disney produced Star Wars movies. Episode 7 the Force Awakens will premiere on December 17^th.

Toy Story Land

Disney additionally announced at its annual conference this year that a new Toy Story land will be opening at its Hollywood Studios Park. This land will feature elements from all 4 Toy Story movies.

Avatar Land

Finally Disney also announced the opening of Avatar land at Animal Kingdom Park in 2017. This land will center on James Cameron’s Avatar and upcoming sequels and is designed to replicate the moon of Pandora. The release date for the Avatar sequel is set to be around the same time in early 2017.

Abandoned Theme Park

Interestingly enough Disney does have two abandoned parks currently on its property. The first was a former water park called River Country USA, which was shut down due to the opening of two other water parks on the property. The park was open from 1976 to 2001 and was never demolished due to cost.

The other park Discovery Island was a nature center before the animals were relocated to newly opened Animal Kingdom Park in 1999. Again the area was largely left intact with everything from photos to snakes in larges being left behind.

Both of these former attractions can be viewed from the Contemporary Resort and Bay Lake.

Fun Fact: With more than 70,000 employee, Disney World is the largest single site employer in the U.S.

Sources

http://orlandoinsidervacations.com/the-secret-underworld-of-walt-disney-world/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walt_Disney_World

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2015/08/star-wars-themed-lands-coming-to-walt-disney-world-and-disneyland-resorts/

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2015/08/toy-story-land-to-come-to-life-at-disneys-hollywood-studios/

http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/avatar/news/15aug2015-avatar-land-is-officially-named—pandora—the-world-of-avatar.htm

http://moviepilot.com/posts/2298198?lt_source=external,manual

http://www.aol.com/article/2015/06/09/shuttered-island-disneys-mysterious-abandoned-attraction/21193165/#slide=3508975|fullscreen

Picture Sources

http://www.leisurelink.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ll.jpg

http://orlandoinsidervacations.com/the-secret-underworld-of-walt-disney-world/

http://parksandresorts.wdpromedia.com/media/disneyparks/blog/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/BCC4489351.jpg

http://www.wdwmagic.com/attractions/avatar/news.htm

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2015/08/toy-story-land-to-come-to-life-at-disneys-hollywood-studios/

http://www.themeparktourist.com/sites/default/files/u5/river_country/Abandoned%20Whoop%20n%20Holler%20Hollow%20(2).jpg

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2015/08/star-wars-themed-lands-coming-to-walt-disney-world-and-disneyland-resorts/

http://www.floridasunshine.com/oakleyflorida/OakleyFamily_SubPages/1999-2000/DiscoveryIsland_files/Aerial.jpg

Arizona and the Grand Canyon

While in the last few weeks I’ve been reviewing destinations on the east coast of the U.S., this week we head out west to Arizona. My visit to the Grand Canyon three years ago was actually my first time leaving the Eastern Time zone. Unlike the densely populated east coast, Arizona is home to plenty of wide open spaces; upwards of 42% of Arizona is federal land, most of which makes up the state’s 22 national parks.

Grand Canyon

Undoubtedly, Arizona’s most famous tourist attraction is the Grand Canyon National Park. One of the natural wonders of the world, the Grand Canyon is around 270 miles long and 18 miles wide and was shaped by the Colorado River over millions of years. The river itself winds its way through the bottom of the canyon, sitting a mile below the rim in some places. American John Wesley Powell led the first expedition through the entirety of the Grand Canyon in 1869, but before that the area had been home to Native American tribes for thousands of years and is still considered a sacred place. No trip to the Grand Canyon can be complete without a hike and while the trails are steep and rocky it’s an unforgettable experience. The most popular trails are the Bright Angel and South Kaibab trails which take 9.9 and 7.4 miles respectively to reach the bottom. Many hikers choose to hike to the bottom and spend the night at the Phantom Ranch campground but keep in mind that this requires a reservation. I would also recommend hiking around the rim trails for an awesome view and trying to catch a sunset to make the most of your visit.

Hiking Tips

I’ve hiked both trails and I would say that both have about the same incline and difficulty level. Every year people have to be airlifted out of the canyon for dehydration and extreme fatigue, so don’t plan on going down to the bottom and don’t push yourself beyond your limits. Temperatures can reach upwards of 100 degrees, so hydrate and try to leave early in the morning. As a rule, it will take about twice as long to hike up as it did going down.

Bright Angel trail in Grand Canyon National Park

Hoover Dam

Just a few hours away from the Grand Canyon sits one of America’s engineering marvels, the Hoover Dam. The dam is actually situated so that one side sits in Nevada and the other side is in Arizona. Built in Black Canyon during the Great Depression, the dam diverts the Colorado River to provide power and water to most of the southwest. The thing that struck me most about the Hoover Dam was the massive scope of the entire project. The structure is made out of enough concrete to pave a road across the U.S. and is supported 45 million pounds of steel. In just around 4 years, 20,00 thousand workers moved thousands of cubic feet of earth and replaced it with a 700 foot high by 1,200 foot wide concrete dam. While the Hoover Dam is no longer the world’s largest, it is certainly an extraordinary American achievement and a tribute to power of human ingenuity.

Sources

http://www.deseretnews.com/top/2318/43/Arizona-From-03-to-811-What-percentage-of-each-state-is-owned-by-the-federal-government.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powell_Geographic_Expedition_of_1869

http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/trail-distances.htm

http://www.history.com/topics/grand-canyon

http://www.history.com/topics/hoover-dam

Picture Sources

http://www.history.com/topics/grand-canyon

http://www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/images/Hoover-Dam-slide3.jpg

http://www.hdrinc.com/sites/all/files/content/projects/images/246-hoover-dam-bypass-4270.jpg

http://www.grandcanyontourist.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Bright-Angel-Trail_92974882.jpg

http://www.thecanyon.com/assets/css/images/grandcanyon1.jpg

Great Smoky Mountains, North Carolina

This week I will review another popular destination in the Carolinas, the Great Smoky Mountains. Over the years, I vacationed many times in North Carolina; my grandparents have a house in the Waynesville area. A vacation to the Great Smoky Mountains is certainly not as relaxing as a visit to the beach, but the area is a fantastic destination for outdoor sports and activities including hiking, kayaking, white water rafting, and kayaking to name a few.

Zip lining

Most places have a good track record for safety. I’ve been multiple times and every time I’ve been required to wear helmets, harnesses, go through basic safety training, etc. Before going zip lining anywhere I would recommend reading online reviews. Many zip lining providers vary in the quality of course and the overall experience, so reviews can help you can a sense of what they have to offer. That being said, there are two types of zip lines. The traditional zip line guided tour, which usually puts you in a large group administered by one or two guides that remain with you for the length of the experience. In this format, the course usually consists of 8-10 zip lines of varying length that you complete with a group. Alternatively there are a number of high ropes obstacle courses in the area, which feature a combination of zip lines and elevated obstacles that you complete at your own pace. Personally, I much prefer the obstacle course as it provides a unique challenge as opposed to the zip line course which starts to lose excitement about half way through. Additionally, high ropes courses allow you to complete the course without a guide and the long wait for other members of the large group. For first timers I might recommend trying a traditional zip line.

Rafting

Once again most places take safety seriously and will require you to take a short intro lesson and take basic precautions out on the water. The quality of rapids greatly depends on the river and the length of the raft trip. As with zip lining, there are again two main formats. The guided tour and individual rental. Usually the guided tour sticks you into a large tour group that requires you to stay in the same raft as the guide or within a certain distance of the group. By renting from a company, you can take your own raft and proceed down the river at your pace. In my experience, there is always someone on the guided tour that either cannot navigate their raft or befalls some disaster on the way and everyone else is forced to fish them and their raft out of the water. For reference, white water rapids vary from class I to IV with IV being the strongest. Most rapids in the area are class I and II with a few rare class III rapids.

Hiking

There a large of number of hiking trails and state parks in the area. Grand Father Mountain State Park is one of the most popular hikes. One of the highest peaks in the Blue Ridge Mountains and the eastern U.S. at around 6,000, Grandfather Mountain is home to a nature preserve, mile of trails, and a mile high swinging rope bridge. The profile of the mountain also looks an Old Man’s Face.

Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a highway that winds its way from the Shenandoah Valley to the Great Smoky Mountains. It offers incredible views of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains at elevations over a mile high. Along the way there a plenty of spots to get out and admire the view.

Biltmore Estate

Located in Asheville, North Carolina, the Biltmore Estate was once America’s largest private home and has been converted into a museum. Built in 1889 by George Vanderbilt, son of railroad tycoon Cornelius Vanderbilt, the massive home features 250 rooms including 35 bedrooms and 43 bathrooms.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Ridge_Parkway

http://www.hikewnc.info/besthikes/grandfather-mountain-state-park/grandfathers-profile

http://www.biltmore.com/

Picture Sources

http://www.biltmore.com/visit/photo-gallery

http://www.hikewnc.info/besthikes/grandfather-mountain-state-park/grandfathers-profile

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3a/Clifftops4-7-07.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Ridge_Parkway#/media/File:Blue_Ridge_Parkway-27527.jpg

This week we’re heading back to the U.S. to the South Carolina low country to visit Charleston, SC. After many years of vacationing in nearby Hilton Head, I visited Charleston for the first time this past summer.  Founded in 1670, Charleston is one of America’s oldest cities. In colonial America, Charleston was one of the largest cities and ports in the colonies and it remains today one of America’s largest ports. Charleston is often listed as one of America’s most beautiful cities, because of its focus on historical preservation. The 500 acre Charleston Historical District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, stretches from south of Broad Street and features almost 1,000 properties. Many homes and properties built during the Colonial Period and Pre-Civil War Era are still standing today and appear exactly as they would have almost around 200 years ago. To preserve its history, Charleston enforces some of the toughest zoning laws in the nation and architectural review boards carefully review any changes to exterior and interior of these historic structures.  Walking through Charleston, I felt like I was in a bygone era of American history and I would recommend spending some time exploring the historical district on any trip to Charleston. Charleston also has some of the nation’s best seafood.  The area specializes in traditional southern favorites like shrimp and grits, crab soup, and southern fried chicken and most restaurants feature a wide variety of crab, oysters, mussels and other types of seafood.

Attractions

Carriage Tours        

Charleston carriage tours are an hour long guided tour that focuses on the history of Charleston and its historic buildings. Carriages are pulled by a team of mules or horses and interestingly enough one of 3 different routes is randomly assigned on a lottery system to prevent traffic jams.

The Battery

Charleston’s defensive seawall, the battery is a popular walk around the outer edge of the peninsula of the city. Charleston’s famous Rainbow Road, located on East Bay Street, is not far away and is one of the most photographic places in Charleston. The thirteen colonial houses range in color from pink to yellow and are somewhat based on a Caribbean design.

The battery also provides a view of Fort Sumter, Fort Moultrie, as well as some of Charleston’s largest mansions. At Fort Sumter, the first shots of the Civil War were fired by the south who fired artillery at the Union held fort from Charleston Harbor. The Battery features many replicas of Civil War artillery pieces similar to what would have used during the bombardment of Fort Sumter. Fort Moultrie was the site of an early American victory in the Revolutionary War.

The City Market

The historical marketplace of Charleston was built in 1790 and stretched nearly 4 blocks housing the city’s meat and produce market. As it is today, the marketplace was a hub of Charleston social life. Today the open-air marketplace is home to local artisans and restaurants.

Additional Places to Visit

King Street

One of the main streets in Charleston, King Street features the cities’ shopping and business district.

Museum Mile

The Museum Mile is a walking path that takes visitors past Charleston’s museums, historical houses, and public places. Additionally, on the trail is the 1713 Powder magazine the oldest building in South Carolina.

Fun Fact– Charleston is nicknamed the Holy City because of its high concentration of churches of multiple faiths and was the site of the largest American defeat during the Revolutionary War when the 5,000 colonial troops in the besieged city surrendered to British forces.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charleston_Historic_District

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_Row

http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h2767.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Battery_(Charleston)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Market_(Charleston,_South_Carolina)

http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/charleston/preservation.htm

Picture Sources

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Charleston-SC-pineapple-fountain.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_Row#/media/File:Rainbow_Row_Panorama.jpg

http://www.destination360.com/north-america/us/south-carolina/images/s/battery-park.jpg

http://www.visit-historic-charleston.com/images/Old-City-Market.jpg

http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2014-08-17-JJC_2400.jpg

http://www.oldsouthcarriagetours.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/box2.jpg

Rome Part 2

In this week’s installment I’ll be reviewing two of Rome’s most popular sites: the Colosseum and the Vatican. Both of these destinations were probably the highlights of my trip to Rome because of the history behind these landmarks and the grand scale on which they were built. Looking up at the arches of the Colosseum and the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica, there is no other response than to simply be in awe of the power, beauty, and scale of these creations.

Tips

Both the Vatican and the Colosseum are incredibly crowded especially during the high point of tourism during the summer. For this reason, I would recommend booking a guided tour to gain early access to the sites before the crowds pour in. Additionally, guided tours offer extended access to parts of the site that are usually off-limits to regular guests. While these extra perks are all well and good, tours give you the opportunity to fully understand and experience these destinations you traveled all the way to Rome to see rather than wondering what the heck you’re supposed to be looking at.

The Colosseum

The building of this gigantic amphitheater began under the Emperor Vespasian around 70 AD and was completed by his son Titus in 80 AD, who commissioned 100 days of games in the Colosseum. Built at great expense to the emperor, the Coliseum was a way to provide the masses with entertainment and distraction during a tumultuous period of rebellion after the reign of Nero. Over four centuries until the fall of Rome, the Colosseum was home to gladiatorial bouts, executions, animal hunts, and as I learned on my tour, the arena floor was occasionally flooded for mock naval battles. More than 50,000 people were able to fit into the three story arena that was organized by class. While the masses sat toward the 3^rd level, the boxes for the emperor and the senate were just above the stadium floor. A large cloth awning covered the top of the arena to protect viewers from the sun. On my tour I got a chance to see the hypogeum or passageways that run underneath the arena floor. There the animals were housed in cages and delivered to the arena floor by slaves via a series of trap doors. Today, only about one-third of the original Colosseum structure remains. The outer wall that once surrounded the entire amphitheater now only goes about half-way around. While weather and time have played a major role in the disintegration of the structure, like many Roman buildings, the Colosseum was heavily pillaged for its stone and marble, which went into building modern Rome.

Fun Fact- Gladiatorial bouts become a major business toward the end of the Roman Empire. At this time gladiators rarely died on the arena floor as they had become major celebrities and moneymakers. The sweat and blood of famous gladiators was even bottled and sold as cosmetics for the citizens of Rome.

The Vatican

The Vatican is the world’s smallest independent state and consists of about 110 acres located within Rome and governed by the Pope. The boundaries of the Vatican are mostly walled off with the exception being St. Peter’s Square, which is separated from Rome by a white line. Of the 800 residents of the Vatican, most are members of the clergy, the Swiss Guard (the personal guard of the Pope), and diplomatic administrators. My trip to the Vatican City focused on St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museum

St. Peter’s Basilica-

One of the world’s largest Christian Churches, St. Peter’s sits prominently in the center of the Vatican off St. Peter’s square. The church is supposedly built on the site of the grave of St. Peter, the first pope and namesake of the church. Completed in 1626 after nearly 120 years of construction, the current church is the second on the site with the first being the original St. Peter’s built by the Christian Emperor Constantine around 300 AD. Famous artists Rafael, Michaelangelo, and Bernini all played a role in designing the church.

One of St. Peter’s most defining features it its imposing dome. Designed by Michaelangelo, the dome is the highest in the world at 450 feet and stretches an impressive 130 feet across. In my opinion, St. Peter’s is one of the world’s most beautiful buildings. I was filled with a sense of amazement looking up at the grand architecture of the building and wall after wall of hand-crafted mosaics.  Looking up at the dome and its 6 feet lettering scrolled around the enormous opening made me feel very small in comparison.

Vatican Museum

The Vatican Museum is one of the world’s largest and most visited museums and is home to art ranging from the modern day to classical civilizations dating back to ancient Egypt. Memorable highlights include the Sistine Chapel Ceiling, painstakingly painted by Michaelangelo, which features scenes from the New Testament and the School of Athens by Rafael, depicting the great thinkers and philosophers of the classical era.

One of the neat things I observed during my visit was the level of sophistication in Renaissance Era art. The entirety of the hallway featured below appears to be covered in painted stone molding. In fact, everything on the ceiling is just paint on canvas made to appear to be sculpted in three dimensions.

Picture Sources

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/46/Sistine_chapel.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_School_of_Athens#/media/File:Sanzio_01.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_School_of_Athens#/media/File:Sanzio_01.jpg

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02448/colosseum_2448253k.jpg

https://photos.travelblog.org/Photos/17776/377676/f/3549886-The-Colosseum-arena-showing-the-hypogeum-1.jpg

http://www.geographicguide.com/pictures/map-vatican-city.jpg

http://www.learner.org/courses/globalart/assets/non_flash_386/work_183.jpg

http://mstecker.com/images/Europe/rome2011/spbidome-IMG_1608a.jpg

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Peter%27s_Basilica#Bernini.27s_furnishings

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vatican_City

http://www.history.com/news/history-lists/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-roman-gladiators

http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/colosseum

Thesis: While “Morning in America” and “Daisy Girl” portray vastly different futures for America, these effective advertisement utilize kairos to strengthen pathos and association based rhetorical arguments that make Americans see it as their civic duty to vote for a candidate.

Electoral Success

Johnson v. Goldwater

Voter data

Johnson wins 61% of the vote in the election

Regan v. Mondale

Regan wins 525 electoral votes and 58.8% of popular vote in one of the largest victories ever

The Future the Ad’s Present

Daisy portrays a dystopian future in which nuclear weapons destroy everything Americans hold dear to them. Representation- Little girl watches explosion then the screen turns black to symbolize nothingness.

Exigence- fear of nuclear war

Morning in America portrays a strong optimistic future built around a strong economy. Representation- People heading off to work, smiling children, marriages, Americans proudly hoisting American flag

Exigence- Rebounding economy after recession and rising inflation.

Kairos

Daisy Girl-

Context: Fear of nuclear war resulting from the Cold War and the spread of nuclear weapons

The Cold War- Tensions between the U.S. and USSR had escalated, any incident had the possibility of setting off nuclear war

Cuban Missile Crisis- Just two years earlier, Americans feared that the possibility of a nuclear attack on U.S. soil fueling minor panic

Vietnam War- August Gulf of Tonkin Incident leads to U.S. involvement

Oct. 1964- China becomes 5^th country to possess nuclear weapons

Daisy Girl is effective because it plays off commonly held fears about the use of nuclear weapons.

Morning in America

Context: Voters in the 1980 election were concerned mainly with the state of the economy.

During the 1970’s high unemployment and inflation led to stagflation, which seriously disrupted the U.S. economy.

OPEC oil embargos also led to rising gas prices and general inflation

Inflation decreases from 13.3% in 1979 to 3.9% in 1984

Increase in economic productivity

Early 1980’s recession leads to unemployment rate of nearly 11% around 7% in 1984

Overall a rebounding economy from the economic stagnation of much of the 190’s and early 1980’s convinced many voters that Reagan’s economic policy was helping to rebuild America.

Sense of power in Johnson’s narration-  words create a sense of urgency, do or die senario

Pathos

Daisy Girl- Appeal to pathos through fear

Use of a countdown builds as does the increasing zoom tension, and abrupt transition to explosion

Mushroom Cloud-symbol of destruction contrasts with the symbols of innocence, and peace in the little girl in the field

Americans easily identify with little girl as a symbol of innocence, age and innocence perpetuated by her difficulty counting to ten

Morning in America- Appeal to optimism and hope

Images- Americas heading off to work, proudly raising the flag, smiling children, happy newlyweds, bright lights, lots of red, white, and blue

Reassuring voice of narrator and use of extrinsic proofs provide reassuring stats on the state of the economy and nature

Cheery music, sense of building toward something great, best yet to come

Association

Daisy Girl-

Seeks to establish Johnson as a seasoned political veteran capable of handling the high stakes of foreign policy- Johnson known as an experienced politician, 1964 Civil Rights Act

Johnson’s narration serves as a guiding voice to viewers in the wake of unimaginable tragedy. Sense of power and experience in his words

Associates Goldwater with extremism and disaster- Builds on public image of Goldwater as a fringe politician and an extremist

Goldwater- known to be a war hawk, made a number of statements about use of nuclear weapons

Overall message: Can’t trust Goldwater with the capability to wage nuclear war.

Morning in America-

Paints Reagan as an economic savior to America undoing damage done during hard economic times

Reassuring voice of the narrator makes us consider how 4 more years under Reagan could get even better- Under the leadership of President Reagan, our country is prouder, stronger, and better.

Associates Reagan with all the positive change in America

Civic Duty

Daisy Girl

“Vote for President Johnson on November 3^rd the stakes are too high for you to stay home”

Call to duty at the end of the ad- makes viewers consider their civic responsibility to vote and to choose a safe candidate

Makers voters consider duty to country, community, and family

Morning Again in America

“Why would we ever want to return to where we were just four short years ago”

Vote has a possibility to ensure that American economy continues to thrive, suggests that by voting against Reagan we could return to hard economic times

Conclusion

While promoting different futures for America, both Morning in America and Daisy Girl utilize kairos to give weight to their pathos and association based arguments.

Sources

http://useconomy.about.com/od/Employment/a/Unemployment-Rate-By-Year.htm

the living room candidate

conelrad

Wikipedia election data

Rome Part 1

Benvenuto a Italia. (Welcome to Italy.) In this week’s post we will traveling to the Italian capital of Rome. This summer I explored Roma for five days during which time I toured the Roman piazzas, the Coliseum, the Vatican, the ruins of ancient Rome, and ate a lot of gelato. Rome is slightly more laidback than the hustle and bustle of cities like London and New York and the best way to spend the time is explore the city on foot. Rather than waiting in long lines for attractions in Rome you can stroll through the historical excavations and public squares at your own pace.

Tips and Things to Know

Rome Speaks Plenty of English– With zero knowledge of Italian before visiting, I was naturally concerned about the language barrier and my inability to communicate. Fortunatly, Rome has a sizeable tourist industry that caters to English speakers, especially at hotels and restaurants, and most public areas and tourist attractions have signs written in both English and Italian. With that being said it can be helpful and courteous to learn a few basic Italian phrases.

Hello- Ciao

Goodbye- Arrivederci

Thank You- Grazie

It’s Easier to Walk– Transportation in Rome is few and far between and far less efficient than London; for quick transport, I would recommend just taking a taxi than trying to navigate the unreliable Metro system. On a side note, most taxis can only seat four people maximum. My family of five eventually gave up trying to flag a taxi in the chaos of Rome’s tourist centers and rather than literally push for a place in line we chose to walk.

Say No the First Time to Vendors- Rome is city full of persistent vendors hawking everything from sunhats to selfie sticks. They will do just about anything to make a sale including throwing hats onto the second story of bus and putting hats on tourist’s heads. If you show remote interest in their products they will to continue to pester you into a purchase.

Don’t get caught by the tourist traps– If you’re going to go the bus tour route make so you do some prior research. Using the generic Rome city tour buses was the biggest mistake of my trip. While they sound all well and good on the brochure, thousands of other tourists inevitably have the same idea and we ended up waiting for hours in the hot Italian sun hounded by vendors while waiting for the occasional tour bus.

Gelato and Good Restaurants are Everywhere- There really nothing more to say there’s good traditional Italian restaurants and gelato on most every street.

Walk through the piazzas– Some of the best sights in Rome are located in the numerous public squares of piazzas throughout the city that usually feature amazing fountains, statutes, street artists, restaurants, and neat sections of the city to explore.

Piazza Navona, Rome

Now that we’ve covered some general tips, I’ll move on the history of Rome and its spectacular collection of ancient ruins

Legend has that Rome was founded by Romulus and Remus, sons of the Roman god of war, Mars, in 753 B.C.E.  After quarreling over control of the new city, Romulus killed his brother Remus and assumed power. Beginning in 509 B.C.E. the Roman Republic later becoming the Roman Empire lasted for 1,000 years and stretched from Italy to Britain, continental Europe, the Mediterranean Sea, North Africa, and parts of Asia. Roman views on government, engineering, and rhetoric have become important parts of western culture and had great influence on America’s founding fathers. As someone who is fascinated by history, I found walking amongst the ruins of one of the world’s greatest empires to be a surreal experience. In many areas the sites are excavated in such a way that you can view the almost 2,000 to 3,000 years of history through layers marking the different ages of Rome. I’ll conclude the post by highlighting the key sights in the historical section of the city.

1. Pantheon- Built by the Emperor Hadrian in 80 AD, the Pantheon was a temple dedicated to the ancient Roman gods. The defining feature of the Pantheon is the massive 142 foot wide dome and its central oculus. The Pantheon is an impressive testament to the Romans’ architectural and engineering skill.                                
2. Circus Maximus- The site of the chariot racing stadium that could seat over 150,000 people, the Circus Maximus was essential to entertaining to poor masses to keep them from revolting against the emperor. The track itself was nearly a mile around and featured impressive marble stands, while little remains of the imposing stadium today.                                                                                                                       
3. Palantine Hill- The Palatine was the site of the emperor’s palace that overlooked the ancient city. The elevated hill top reflected the status of the emperor and the impressive imperial palace complex included a massive courtyard that could have been used as a stadium.                                                                                               
4. Roman Forum- The Roman forum was the center of public life in the Roman Empire. The long rectangular structure housed a marketplace, government offices, and the Roman version of courts. Not much remains of the once great structure, but you can still get a sense of the achievements of Roman civilization.

Sources

http://www.rome.info/ancient/

http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/ancient-rome

Picture Sources

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/0/03/Flag_of_Italy.svg

http://www.hotelroomsearch.net/im/2014/11/rome-italy.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Piazza_Navona_1.jpg

http://www.crystalinks.com/PantheonAerial.jpg

http://www.ancient.eu/uploads/images/1276.jpg?v=1431030457

http://www.viator.com/photos/Rome/Palatine-Hill/d511-9921/5311291

• http://famouswonders.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/forum_romanum_rom.jpg

London Part 2

Welcome back. This week I will conclude my segment on London by reviewing three of my favorite attractions in greater detail.

1. Tower of London

The Tower of London is the oldest fortress in Europe. Begun in 1066 by William the Conqueror, the original structure was comprised of the White Tower and the remains of a defensive wall left-over from a thousand-year-old Roman fort. Over centuries, the Tower of London expanded into a massive fortress surrounded by two outer walls and a moat.One of my favorite features of the tower is that tours are given by the tower guards or Yeoman Warders, who are former British armed forces personal who live and work on the grounds.

The Beefeaters, as they are nicknamed, will tell you the about the many functions of the fortress as it served as a royal place, armory, treasury, mint, records office, zoo, prison, and the site of numerous executions. The site also features many exhibits ranging from a collection of royal armor, to medieval torture devices, to a history of the tower’s most famous prisoners.

Fun Fact: Seven ravens are kept at the Tower of London. Legend has it that if less than six are kept at any one time the Tower of London and England will fall.

The Tower of London is located on the River Themes next to iconic Tower Bridge. I would highly recommend visiting the viewing platform located at the top of the drawbridge for a skyline view of central London.

Wimbledon

Tennis fans may want to head out to the London suburb of Wimbledon, the site of the Grand Slam Tennis Tournament. Every summer thousands of tennis fans descend upon the quiet suburb for the two week tournament held at the All England Tennis Club.  The rest of the year, the club offers tours of the famous grass court complex and access to a museum dedicated to the origin and evolution of the sport of tennis. On my visit I got a chance to see the Men and Women’s singles trophies that are loaned out to winners after the tournament. Sadly, the tournament started just a day after the end of my visit to London, but I did a chance to see the practice courts where players were starting to warm-up before the tournament.

 Warner Brother’s Harry Potter Studio Tour

As a big Harry Potter fan this was arguably my favorite London destination besides the Tower of London. Located about an hour outside of London in Leavesden, the Warner Brothers Studio was the main filming location for all eight Harry Potter movies. The studio sound stages feature hundreds of sets and props used for the filming of the movies. Most notably the tour features sets of the Great Hall, Diagon Alley, the Hogwarts Express, and 4 Privot Drive. Additionally, the tour gives a behind-the-scenes look at how the movies were filmed. I learned that many of the scenes featuring Hagrid used smaller sets to make the half-giant appear larger and that and a giant wearable animatronic head was even used for some scenes. The highlight of the tour was a room-sized scale model of the Hogwarts Castle, which was used for all of the exterior shots in the movie.

Fun Fact- Most of the pictures in the movies featured members of the film crew.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_of_London#Restoration_and_tourism

http://www.britainexpress.com/articles/London/tower-of-london.htm

https://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/the-tour-experience/about-the-studio-tour

Pictures

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/Aerial_Tower_of_London.jpg

http://yeomenoftheguard.com/cyw.yg[1].JPG

http://travellingmoods.com/tower-bridge-bascule-bridge-in-london/

http://content.rolex.com/is/image/Rolex/tennis_wimbledon_0002_1680x10701418816383804ULB?wid=1680&hei=1070&qlt=85

http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/harrypotter/images/4/4d/GreatHall.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20120812171638

https://movies4kids.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/exclusive-reveal-of-the-hogwarts-express-at-warner-bros-studio-tour-london-1.jpg

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2109071/Incredibly-detailed-model-Hogwarts-Castle-used-Harry-Potter-film-revealed-time.html