Our Lady of Paris is also known as this cathedral in Paris

Liz Hough on

If you keep up with the news you had seen that last week one of the most iconic cathedrals in Paris succumbed to a major fire, Notre-Dame de Paris or Our Lady of Paris. This medieval cathedral begun construction in 1160 and was mostly completed by 1260. For almost 500 years continual modifications were done, but during the French Revolution much of these modifications were either damaged or destroyed. Then in the 19th Century Napoleon I had his coronation in the cathedral, and the popular book The Hunchback of Notre-Dame was released. Seeing renewed interest in the cathedral, new projects including cleaning the facade from centuries of soot of grime gave a new look to Our Lady of Paris. 

12 million people visit this cathedral every year, making it the most visited monument in Paris. People come to see the arches and buttresses of the nave, the 19th century spire, the gargoyles, and the illustration of the Last Judgement all around the outside. Once inside the cathedral, seeing the North Rose Window depicting scenes from the life is Christ is breath-taking. The massive organ originally built in 1403 but was replaced in 1730 with a much larger organ, is one of the largest organs in Europe with more than 8,000 pipes. Bells, crypts, and galleries filled with priceless materials are also things people flock this beautiful building.   

On April 15th, 2019 many people watched in horror on various news outlets as a huge fire consumed the roof of the cathedral. Watching and waiting to hear what had been damaged made many people feel like they were on pins and needles. The thought of this iconic structure and all its priceless relics being destroyed was heart-breaking. 

After a few hours, the fire-fighters finally got the fire under control before determining that if the fire had continued just a few more minutes and the worst may have happened. A week later we are finding out that most of the facade, towers, walls, buttresses, the pipe organ, and stained-glass windows remained untouched. It was also determined that many statues and relics had been removed for cleaning purposes while construction workers worked in the area where the fire started. Sections of the stone ceiling had collapsed when the iconic spire came down.

It is amazing that this structure that has been around for almost 900 years had to go through this massive fire. However, I was thankful to hear that much of this iconic, well-known cathedral will be fine. Rebuilding will be the next step, with many billionaires already pouring in pledges of hundreds of millions of Euros to restore it.  With each end comes a new beginning, so I hope this Lady of Paris has a bigger and brighter spire ahead. 

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs.

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Want to really immerse yourself in the culture? Try this….

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Catacombs…

When visiting Europe, most people tell me they want to visit famous paintings and sculptures in museums and galleries, 500-year old churches and basilicas, taste wine from some of the most respected vineyards, and enjoy new spices and food. Yes, Europe is spectacular and has all these wonderful things. No matter how many times I visit Europe, I always see something amazing and learn about a new culture. One cultural difference that I have always found fascinating were how Europeans treated their dead. Burying them in vast chambers called Catacombs. 

The very first catacombs were a system of underground tombs in Rome where the bodies of the apostles Peter and Paul were said to have been buried. Since Rome originally created these tombs, cities thereafter also called their catacombs, Roman Catacombs. It wasn’t until after the early 1800’s that each city started to name their own catacombs including the city of Paris, which infamously holds the remains of close to 2 million people. 

My first time going to visit a catacomb was to the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo in Sicily. I wasn’t sure what to expect from these 400-year old catacombs. Quite frankly, I thought I was going to walk into a dark, chilly, and smelly underground chamber of bones. I was quite surprised. These catacombs were well lit with natural light from the outside and lights inside. There was a nice walkway with railings for support. Some of the dead were dressed in their burial clothes, while others were just bones. It was quite surreal to be walking around all these bones. At the same time, I felt a sense of togetherness. A culture that was keeping all their dead together, and were allowed to visit to see them whenever they wanted. 

This experience has taught me to open my eyes to new adventures. What I see on the television or through pictures is not the same as what it is really like when you are there in person. I am sure that not everyone enjoys going through catacombs, but for me it was an experience that I will never forget. I learned about another culture’s view of the death. I learned that it was not as scary as I thought it would be and that despite many catacombs being depicted as dark, chilly underground layers, it was quite nicely displayed. 

Various European Cities are well-known for their catacombs. Besides the most well-known ones in Rome and Paris, there are some in London, Czech Republic, Austria, Spain, Ukraine, Malta, Finland and Greece. There is even a catacomb here in the US at the St. Patrick Old Cathedral located in New York City. 

I get a lot of requests where people want to immerse themselves into the culture of the country they are going to visit. I recommend that one way you can do this is to go visit the catacombs in that region. This will really give you a good glimpse into how that particular culture views deaths and takes care of their dead. 

Some recommend tours in Europe:

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs.

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Kids Table Talk-Secret Places in Universal

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We talk about all the amazing rides at Universal Studios. Make sure to find out about one of our favorite “secret” places to go at Universal.

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0-4QtTKkk8&feature=youtu.be

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The #1 Visited Cathedral in Ireland!

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St. Patrick’s Cathedral

In just a few short months I will be taking a group of people through the Irish Countryside visiting castles, libraries, museums, ruins, and of course distilleries. Many times when people call me about putting together a trip to Ireland they want me to include Blarney Castle but one of the most iconic churches is never on the list. Is it forgotten or just off the beaten path? 

 St. Patrick’s Cathedral is the largest church in all of Ireland. This majestic cathedral has been witness to nearly 800 years of Irish history. Is St. Patrick’s Cathedral related to St. Patrick? Not so much a relation but it is believed that the church was founded on the site where St. Patrick baptized converts.  If you visit the church you can not only feel the presence of what happened on this spot, but enjoy exquisite stained-glass windows, marble statues, and medieval tiling.

 Besides this spot being a spot for literary pilgrims, the author of “Gulliver’s Travels,” Jonathan Swift once served as dean here and is now buried within its gray stone walls. If you decide to visit the castle and do an independent tour a guided tour, make sure to stop by to see all this amazing cathedral has to offer. You might want to make sure you opt in for the skip-the-line access to get into the cathedral. 

 

Things to Know Before You Go

  • Travelers can explore independently or take part in guided tours, which take place several times daily from Monday to Saturday.
  • The cathedral is wheelchair accessible.
  • The Dublin Pass includes cathedral entry.
  • Take time to stroll through the adjacent St. Patrick’s Park, a grassy square with perfectly framed views of the cathedral.

 How to Get There

St. Patrick’s Cathedral is located in the heart of Dublin city center, within easy strolling distance of several other big-name attractions, including Christ Church Cathedral and Dublin Castle. Ride the Luas Green Line tram to the terminus, St. Stephen’s Green; St. Patrick’s is about a 10-minute walk from there. Dublin Bus run several routes (49, 54a, 56a, 77a, and 151) to the cathedral.

Hours: Mon-Fri: 9:30am-5pm. Mar-Oct: open Saturday from 9am-6pm, Sunday 9am-10:30am, 12:30pm-2:30pm, 4:30pm-6pm. Nov-Feb: open Saturday from 9am-5pm, Sunday 9am-10:30am, 12:30pm-2:30pm

Admission: Adults: €6.50

 Some information provided by Viator.com

As always, Life is Better Traveling!

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

TableTalk : Disney’s Bounceback Offer!

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Our fifth table talk is about Disney’s Bounce Back Offer. You want to make sure you listen to this one as you can save thousands of dollars while on your next Disney Vacation with what we talk about.

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Vacation Rentals : Good or Bad?

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I recently had a person contact me regarding helping plan a vacation to Italy. Before wanting to work with me in planning this trip with them they had one question…”Do you book Air BnB? We want the Authentic Italian Vacation feel and we feel that staying at AirBnB places will do that for us.” 

Year after year, more and more vacation requests come in asking us if we book vacation rentals, specifically AirBnB. Even though there are many vacation rental sites, AirBnB has become synonymous with vacation rentals. With this request however, I was a bit unsure why it wouldn’t be authentic to stay in a hotel? After all, how can you get more of an authentic Italian experience then by staying in Italy itself.

I am going to be openly honest right now with spoiler alerts about vacation rentals. If you don’t want to know these spoilers because you like vacation rentals, then I recommend closing this email right now. If you are interested in finding out the truth, then let’s get started. There are many vacation rental sites out there just like AirBnB that you can book your stay for your upcoming vacation. It seems like a great deal that you can stay in a 2-bedroom apartment in New York city overlooking Time Square for $100 a night or rent out an entire Tuscan Villa for a week for just $800! 

I remember when I was little my mother always told me that if it sounded too good to be true it probably was too good to be true. Many times, these amazing deals that you find aren’t as they are advertised or marketed. Yes, you get the 2-bedroom apartment overlooking Time Square but the rooms are the size of a bathroom and over-looking means turn your head all the way to the left to see Time Square. Maybe the Tuscan Villa you rented doesn’t look like anyone has lived it in for 15 years and the beds are even older than that. If this is the type of authentic experience that you are looking for, then you won’t be disappointed. 

With so many vacation rental sites on the internet, many people will put their house, apartment, or villa up for you to rent. They go up so fast that my one concern is who is vetting these people or even going to the places. The worse part is that you won’t know for sure until you actually get to the destination if the place is going to work for you. Unfortunately, the amount of vacation rentals that go up a day is more than the company can actually verify. The best way to know if the place that you are renting is what they say it is, is by checking the verifications of the person who is renting. When someone stays at a person’s rental property they then can review the person and property on the vacation rental site. This helps give you a better understanding of who is actually legitimate and good to rent from for your stay. 

Once you have verified who you want to stay with, it is a matter of seeing availability and pricing. If the place is available then it is time to book it. This is where you need to read the fine print. Last year a friend of mine decided to rent a house at one of the Delaware beaches through one of these vacation rental sites. She picked her house, booked it, and was billed an extra $300 that was not part of the booking process. This additional $300 was “hidden fees.”  I would say they were more than “hidden,” they were really non-existent until she got her credit card statement. However, if you read the fine print it will tell you how much you will pay in additional fees to use these sites. 

Ok, now you have booked your stay and you have calmed down about the extra fees, there is still more fine print to read! Yes, there is so much paperwork involved when booking a vacation rental. Don’t forget to read what is actually included in the rental. Is Free Wi-Fi included, a cleaning fee, use of the pool if the property has one, use of anything else that the property may have you thought you could use, what time you need to be there to get the keys, and the list goes on and on. 

One of the main things in Europe when staying at a vacation rental is making sure that you are there at the exact time stated you need to be there to get the keys. The owner will only wait for a few minutes and then be gone leaving you with no place to stay for the night. Yes, this is a big compliant from vacation rental people. Many people just assume like a hotel the owner will be available for check-in when they are available to get there. This isn’t the case, so make sure to read the fine print as to what time you need to be there. 

Now that you have a bit more understanding of how vacation rentals work, and going back to my original request to book an AirBnb, Life is Better Traveling does book vacation rentals with our reputable suppliers. We do not specifically use AirBnb, which again, I know the name is synonymous with the term vacation rental. What we do for our clients however is also look to see if a nice hotel with breakfast included is cheaper than staying at a vacation rental. I have personally found for some of my clients that a 2-bedroom vacation rental is more expensive than staying at a hotel in town with breakfast included. You then also get all the amenities that a hotel provides including a check-in desk to check-in at your own convenience, a concierge, a place to store your luggage until you check-in or check-out, spa services, a gym, laundry, and the list goes on. 

If you are thinking you want to do some type of vacation rental either in Europe, the Caribbean, or here in the states make sure to contact one of our travel agents to help you find a great place with a reputable supplier. 

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Racecation lately?

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Have you ever paired your vacation with a conference or trade show you are attending?  Perhaps you take vacation before or after visiting out-of-town friends or family?  I have done both of these things.  I figure that if I am already in the area why not take advantage of it, especially when part of the trip is already paid for by your company.  This same holds true when someone is either doing a triathlon, a bike race, or really any type of endurance race.  These are called Racecations, a play on words of race and vacation.  I find it to be very catchy. 

 

With Life is Better Traveling, we do a lot of group travel and multigenerational travel.  I had a good friend of mine contact me recently because she is going to run the Disneyland Paris Half-Marathon in September 2016 and wanted to put packages together to sell to friends and those who follow her blog, Powered By Bling.  She previously ran the Princess Disney Half-Marathon in Walt Disney World and loved the energy of the people running the race and, of course, being in Disney.  She took her family with her and stayed a few extra days after the race to enjoy the parks.  She took a racecation!

 

After working with her over the last several months, I decided to talk more with her about her love for endurance races and Disney.  Her excitement and energy for both made a light bulb go off in my head, why not start a new travel company under Life is Better Traveling, called Magical Racecations.  We will just pair vacations with someone’s endurance race, triatholon, or any other race they may be competing in.  My friend loved it and couldn’t wait to be a part of this new team. 

 

 

                                               Welcome Cassandra Burke one of our new independent contractors for Magical Racecations, where we Pair Your Vacation Perfectly with Your Race. Below Cassandra has written a few tips on What to Consider When Planning a Racecation.  You can also find these tips on her website at www.PoweredByBling.com

 

 

Make sure to read more about Cassandra below…click here.

 

 

Join Magical Racecations on our social media sites for daily updates on Disney Races, and other amazing tips.

 

  Join us on Facebook

 

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  Send us an Email

 

 

Our Team and Contact Information:

 

 

Cassandra Burke, Racecation Consultant for any endurance race including Disney – cassandra@magicalracecations.com

 

 

Kathie Murray, Racecation Consultant

for Disney races –

kathie@magicalracecations.com

 

 

Mary Yohannan, Owner

and Groups Coordinator-

mary@magicalracecations.com

 

 

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

 

Druids and St. Patrick, oh my!

Liz Hough on

Every year on March 17th we celebrate St. Patrick’s day, but do most of us know the history behind St. Patrick’s Day?  We probably did at some point, but it has slipped from our memory.  Well, the Irish have been celebrating this day for over a 1,000 years!   It is the religious feast day and anniversary of the death of St. Patrick dating back to the fifth century.  St. Patrick was a key influencer in converting the pagan Irish into Christians, supposedly converting several thousands.  With the conversion of so many people, St. Patrick had many legends around him and became one of Ireland’s most well-known saints.  Even though Ireland is where St. Patrick did all of his work, the day is observed by many religions all around the world. 

 

Here are some fun facts about St. Patrick’s Day

 

1.  Wearing Green – It is customary to wear green and shamrock related paraphernalia.  The green is not because it is in the Irish flag or because the countryside is so lush in green color.  The shamrock is green and it is believed that St. Patrick used this three-leaved plant to explain the Holy Trinity.  Many times when you see St. Patrick portrayed in pictures you will see a cross in one hand and a shamrock in the other.

 

2.  Parades – this is a newer tradition upon which the Irish themselves did not do until the 20th century.  The parades are really a way for everyone to come together as most parades have a variety of organizations in them. 

 

3.  The food and drink! – Let’s be honest, who doesn’t enjoy a good pint of stout.  Ireland is known for their amazing ability to brew Guinness and when people think of Ireland they either think Guinness or Waterford.  Meat pies are also a well-known staple in the Irish diet.  So if you head out this St. Patrick’s day for an authentic Irish meal, make sure to try one of these delicious dishes. 

 

 

 

Enjoy yourself this St. Patrick’s Day or St. Patty’s Day and now you know why we celebrate this day every year!

 

Photos by our clients: James and Christine Sterganos on their Best of Ireland 14 Day tour. 

 

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Find out THIS about each Greek Island…

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One of my favorite places to help plan a vacation is to Greece.  Yes, it has a bit to do with me coming from a Greek family, but also my experience of personally having been to many of the islands. When I first started traveling to Europe, my husband and I picked a 12-night cruise around the Adriatic, Aegean and Mediterranean seas. It was so magical to see the various countries and islands in this area. 

One thing that stood out the most to us was how different the cuisines from one island to the other were. With the freshest ingredients to make sure any palate is completely satisfied, each island has their unique flavor, seasoning, or way of cooking.  Some islands prefer more of a sour taste to their food, and some island like to add more seasoning. I equate this to the way various states in the United States make barbecue, vinegar versus seasoned versus smoked. 

I recently came across this amazing article that helps you really understand what I am talking about. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and next time you eat some Greek cuisine you may know where the owners of the restaurant are from in Greece!

Remember, Life is Better Traveling is always here to help you plan an amazing vacation to Greek islands whether it is via cruise or island hopping. Give us a call when you are ready to plan. 

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

Windmills, Lions, Beaches, OH MY!

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When you think of Greece you think of the iconic white-washed walls and grey cobblestone streets.  You dream of sunny weather, clear water, good food, and Greek Yia-Yia’s (Greek for Grandmother) inviting you into their home for some dancing and fun.  OPA!

 

Well, when you visit the Islands of Greece you can get this experience minus the Yia-Yia inviting you into their home.  One of my favorite Greek Islands that I visited was Mykonos.  The moment we stepped into Old Town I felt like I was transported into a Greek Island photo that I see on the wall in the local Greek Restaurant.  White-washed buildings with grey cobblestoned streets.  The streets were just wide enough to fit a small car through, but you won’t see cars on these streets. 

 

 

Mykonos offers a variety of things to do on the Island including enjoying one of the many beaches.  Of course, I wanted to see the iconic windmills.  The windmills look down a small part of the Island called Little Venice.  Little Venice is a tiny quarter of trendy boutiques, churches and whitewashed fishermen’s houses lining the seafront in Mykonos’ Old Town.

 

 

The four signature windmills up on a hill overlooking Mykonos Town are the most well-know and signature to the Island. Capped with wood and straw, the three-story conical windmills were built by the Venetians in the 16th century to mill flour. They remained in use until the early 20th century. 

Did you know that there are actually two dozen windmills on the Island?  The Bonis Windmill overlooking Little Venice houses a folklore museum, while others around the Island now serve as very unusual homes. The views from the windmills over Little Venice and the harbor are stunning, especially at sunset. Sailing into harbor, the windmills are one of the first sights of Mykonos.

 

 

Even though the windmills may attract you to this Island, there are many attractions to see including the Terrace of the Lions which are dedicated to the Greek God Apollo.  Originally in 600 B.C. there were up to a dozen big squatting guardian cats lining the Sacred Way.  If you were to visit today you would see only seven remaining due to weathering.  The current lions are replicas, with the originals preserved in the site’s museum, a short walk east of the terrace near the visitor pavilion.

 

If you are thinking of taking a trip to Greece you may want to consider adding Mykonos to your list of Islands that you visit.  With several amazing beaches, museums, sites, and over a dozen windmills to see you will not be disappointed nor will you go away with an empty stomach!

 

 

If you are thinking of taking a European vacation, make sure to include Rome in your itinerary so you can experience the magnificent of this museum.  Simply email Mary and we can start to plan. 

 

 

Remember, a Life is Better Traveling Travel Agent is here to help make your next European vacation amazing!

Fill out the form below to get started planning your next European Vacation.  Looking for a motor coach tour, self-drive, or private tour, we can easily put together the perfect European vacation for you and your family’s needs. 

When you book your vacation with a member of the Life is Better Traveling Team, you are supporting local families and business.  Thank you to everyone who has supported us over the past 4 years, we have become an AMAZING travel agency due to your support!

Please understand we get several requests per day for European vacations. We provide experiences for our clients that provide a lot of value. If you are looking for a budget vacation, that is NOT us.

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