What wine valley surrounds this restaurant?
Hints:
- The food is fabulous.
- The atmosphere is spectacular.
- November is a terrific time to visit.
Be the first to post your answer in comments. Check back on Wednesday for a post on this destination.
With a population of less than 800 people and geography of .2 square miles, Vatican City is the world’s smallest country.
This tiny country encompasses Saint Peter’s Basilica and is the world’s spiritual center for Roman Catholics. Vatican City is surrounded by Rome, Italy.
Visitors to the Vatican can obtain a panoramic view of Vatican City and Rome by climbing 320 stairs to reach the cupola at the top of ST. Peter’s Basilica.
See all of this week’s Photo Friday submissions for “Little” here.
Some other Photo Friday posts that you might enjoy:
Alaska is a popular cruise destination that is near and dear to us. Since Mr. Jones was born and raised in Alaska and we visit frequently to see family and friends, we get a lot of questions about Alaska. We also think visiting Alaska by cruise ship and/or cruise tour is one good way to explore the state. If you are thinking about a visit to Alaska by cruise ship – here are answers to the six questions we most frequently hear about Alaska.
Answers to Your Top 6 Questions about Visiting Alaska by Cruise Ship
1. Why should I visit Alaska?
Alaska is America’s last frontier – wild and rugged wilderness, glaciers, wildlife, and interesting people and yet visiting by cruise ship allows you to be pampered while exploring the 49th state. Here’s our 5 Top Reasons to Visit Alaska.
If you live near Kansas City, here’s Another Reason to Visit Alaska in 2012.
2. What do I wear on an Alaska cruise?
Do I need a parka and/or other special clothes? This is a frequent question. Check out our recommendations here: Visiting Alaska This Summer? 10 Tips on What to Pack.
3. What do I need to know about Alaska?
Many folks are curious about Alaska but all they know about the state is that Sarah Palin lives there. Read 22 Fun Facts You Might Want to Know About Alaska to learn about this gigantic state.
If you like to read books before you visit a destination, check out Visiting Alaska? 5 Books to Read.
If you prefer recommendations from locals, check out: 16 Insider Tips to Anchorage and 12 Tips from Local Residents.
4. Is it true you can sail up to the glaciers?
Yes, a cruise to Alaska gives you a close-up view of glaciers. One of our favorites is Glacier Bay, National Park and Preserve, Southeast Alaska.
5. Where can I see wildlife in Alaska?
I’ve run into moose while hiking on the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail in Anchorage while Mr. Jones has gotten up close and personal with bears while fishing on the Kenai River. Two places we prefer to see Alaska wildlife: the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and the Alaska Zoo.
6. Will I see the real Alaska from a cruise ship?
Yes, you can experience the “real” Alaska from a cruise ship and even more variety of Alaska from a cruise tour. Advance planning is key: Cruising Alaska This Summer? 10 Tips for Planning Your Time in Port.
A few cruise ships visit some less-visited ports such as Anchorage and Homer, Alaska. Check out our interview with Monte Davis, the Director of the Homer Chamber of Commerce “What traveler wouldn’t want to come to Homer?” A Travel Chat with an Alaskan Insider. Learn about one of Homer’s iconic destinations in the Salty Dawg Saloon.
While most people visit Anchorage as their starting or ending airport destination, it is possible to visit via a cruise ship from Seattle, Washington. See pictures in Views from a Sunny Day in Anchorage, Alaska.
Do you have a question about visiting Alaska by cruise ship? Post in comments.
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Alaska Airlines offers new service from Kansas City, Missouri
Today Alaska Airlines announced that it will offer daily nonstop service between Seattle and Kansas City, Missouri starting on March 12, 2012. These new flights will offer easy connections to Alaska.
“We’re looking forward to bringing our award-winning customer service and our smiling Eskimo to the “˜Show Me’ state.” said Joe Sprague, Alaska Airlines’ vice president of marketing.
Alaska Is Our Favorite Airline
A big adjustment for us when we moved to Kansas City– after living in San Francisco and Seattle for 12 years – was not having Alaska Airlines and its legendary customer service.
Born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska Airlines is Mr. Jones hometown favorite. It’s also a west coast favorite airline – with frequent flights up and down the coast from Seattle to Mexico.
Alaska Airlines Delivers Better Customer Service than Other Domestic Airlines
What makes Alaska Airlines so special? Well, you really have to experience it. The company’s excellent service is not any one thing – it’s a spirit and helpfulness of every employee who seem to be on “your side” to make your flight experience the best possible.
A Sixth Reason to Visit Alaska
Now, if you live in the Midwest near Kansas City (Chicago and Dallas Ft. Worth are also Alaska Airlines cities) you have yet another reason to visit Alaska in 2012 besides our top 5 reasons detailed here:
1. Wilderness – untamed, untouched wilderness, rare to find anywhere else in the US.
2. Wildlife While relatively few people live in Alaska, significant populations of wildlife do exist here.
3. Mountains Alaska is home to 17 of the 20 tallest mountains in North America including Mt. McKinley
4. Glaciers While ice covers only five percent of Alaska’s surface; the state contains more than 100,000 glaciers. Glacier Bay National Park by cruise ship is our favorite.
5. Tax Free Shopping Alaska has one lowest tax burden in the United States and no state sales tax. Oh, and Anchorage has Nordstrom’s/
6. Alaska Airlines flies from Kansas City, Missouri in 2012.
Introductory fares start at $99 each way. Here’s the new flight schedule from Kansas City to Seattle:
| Mar 12 | Seattle-Kansas City | 8:45 a.m. | 2:15 p.m. | Daily |
| Mar 12 | Kansas City-Seattle | 3:05 p.m. | 5 p.m. | Daily |
If you want to read more about Alaska, check out”;