First Wonder of Colombia – The Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá

The Wonder of Colombia Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá @DownshiftingPRO 1
The Wonder of Colombia Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá @DownshiftingPRO 1

How can you explain what a cathedral nesting in one of the largest salt mines in the world looks like? It is large. Huge, in fact. It was originally opened in 1953 and then closed in 1990. Another iteration of the cathedral was opened in 1995 after the extraction of 250 thousand tons of salt rock. This mine is the largest deposit of rock salt in the world and it is spectacular. With an estimated 600,000 visitors a year, The Salt Cathedral of Zipaquirá is considered the first of the Seven Wonders of Colombia.

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Why buy the Coastal Mississippi Attractions Pass – for the savings! #MSCoastLife #SecretCoast

Coastal Mississippi Attractions Pass @DownshiftingPRO 2
Coastal Mississippi Attractions Pass @DownshiftingPRO 2

Coastal Mississippi Attractions Pass

Known as the secret coast, Coastal Mississippi is beautiful. The sunrises and sunsets alone are spectacular! It is all beaches in small towns, with quaint shops and fancy casinos.  You’ll find luxury accommodations alongside family-friendly activities.  Linked for 62 miles along the Gulf of Mexico and overlooking the Mississippi Sound, Coastal MS spans three counties with 12 cities.  Everything you are looking for in a Girl’s Getaway, couples retreat or family vacation. All reason enough to buy a Coastal Mississippi Attractions Pass so you save on planning time and money!

Coastal Mississippi - Counties and Cities - Evacuation Map at the Maritime & Seafood Industry Museum in Biloxi, MS_ @DownshiftingPRO -
Coastal Mississippi

Within Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties, you will find a variety of activities from outdoor adventure, nature walks, a science/space museum and a very impressive art museum focused on one very interesting artist.  Since there are so many choices, you may want to consider buying a Coastal Mississippi Attractions Pass so you can cover the whole region for a fraction of the price.  At $45 you can see eight outstanding attractions and visit every county. 

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16 Essential things to pack for travelling

Essential things to pack for travelling @DownshiftingPRO

There are standard packing items and then there are essential things to pack for travelling. Whether e-reader or shot glass everyone has their own version of ‘must-haves’ for travel. What’s yours?

Ultimate Guide to the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama

Jet Ski and Parasailing tours are available in Gulf Shores Orange Beach Alabama DownshiftingPRO
Ultimate Guide to Gulf Shores Alabama
The Ultimate Guide to the Gulf Shores & Orange Beach

UPDATE TO THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE GULF SHORES & ORANGE BEACH: I recently returned to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach and wanted to update the activities which were available on your next visit to the area.

Although a well-established family vacation spot, you can also do a lot of fun and challenging things here as a couple or a girl’s getaway. During this visit, we were able to challenge ourselves by ziplining, making fragrant body products as well as created our own jewelry. We also decided to do a bit of shopping which included purchasing bras so we could add them to the collection hanging from the rafters at Flora-Bama. Clearly, you’ll need to read more to see what that is all about!

All new updates will be in BLUE! I know these additions will be helpful in planning your visit to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Alabama.

 

Ultimate Guide to attractions in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, Alabama.

When you think of the Gulf of Mexico, you are more likely to think of a stay in Florida, Texas or Mexico but there are hidden gems that are family-friendly and waiting for you to discover.  If you want to go where the sunshine is bright and the seafood is outstanding, there is no better place than the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach in Alabama.  Although the shoreline is only 32 miles long, it is some of the softest sand you have ever walked on. I kid you not, it reminds me of icing sugar (it is that fine). This area is very compact but has much to offer. Here is an ultimate guide to the Gulf Shores & Orange Beach.

Do Packing Cubes Work? YES, they do!

Do Packing Cubes Work @DownshiftingPRO
Do Packing Cubes Work @DownshiftingPRO

I am the type of person that unpacks immediately. I arrive in my hotel room and everything is either hung up or put away into drawers. I like to make myself right out home – fast. This was not a viable option on our trip to Spain and Portugal: we were moving often. No time to fully unpack. I quickly realized I needed to find a way to make this packing/unpacking routine more efficient. I cannot tell you how many different packing techniques I have tried. I have watched videos, read blog posts and asked for advice from fellow travellers. This begged the question: do packing cubes work? On this trip, I decided to give it a try.

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What’s Great about Stratford Festival’s Little Shop of Horrors

Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors at the Stratford Festival 2019

Little Shop of Horrors

Something that occurred to me as I came home after seeing the Stratford Theatre Festival’s production of Little Shop of Horrors is that musicals transcend the qualities of most stage plays. It begs the question: What’s Great about Stratford Festival’s Little Shop of Horrors?

Okay, hear me out.

What's Great about Stratford Festival
Audrey II in the Gift Shop of the Avon Theatre

I like musicals. Musicals are a cool, fun way to tell a story through an unconventional sort of medium. Because of constant singing, there’s an emotional disconnect of sorts. So long as the characters are singing and dancing, you can tell even a grim, morbid tale with glee and joviality.

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Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Paris at Arc de Triomphe – #Travel

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You cannot be in Paris without experiencing L’etoile. You will in the middle of the Arc de Triomphe where 12 streets converge and a huge roundabout take Parisians from one place to another. It is also a solemn place as the home of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Paris. We went during the busy evening traffic to find a great adventure. It’s best to get advanced tickets and take the elevator to the top. You will find more than a great view in the Arc the Triomphe as a hidden gem is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier museum. 

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