The Polite Traveler

Special Cookies Not to Missed in Islands of Adventure Revised 4/2021 Everyone loves a good cookie and when on vacation, why not seek out the best.  Here I share with you the very best cookies I found during my most recent visit to Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure . Note : Follow CDC and park guidelines when visiting.  Always wear your face mask when in public. Pity the Villains who Dare to Enter the Marvel Superhero Island When I first entered Marvel Superhero Island, I wasn’t a fan.  Loud music and superhero posters lining the streets didn’t impress me.  My view completely changed on this recent visit.  Walking down the street in this area of the park is like being in a superhero comic book.  Only here, all the superheroes and villains are alive.     Besides the Green Goblin sightings – which are always fun, as he pulls pranks on guests – the golden “cookie” here shows up at the top of the hour.  Near the top of most h...

Sleeping with Martians in Arizona After a long drive, a motel sign welcoming “Aliens” brings a smile to my road-weary face.  Stopping for only one night, we found this  Quality Inn  exactly that: quality focused.  Why?  Follow along. The Location One of the biggest benefits of this and many other Choice properties is that guests can find the properties easily.  To search for the night’s bed after a day on the road is never fun.  An additional benefit is that it is near the freeway, but also quiet. The Lobby and Dining Room A spaceship could probably land in this lobby it is so large.  It is an interesting motel, as it serves—buffet-style—most of the breakfast in the lobby, but dining is in a spacious, comfy upstairs loft with large windows which allow guests to enjoy a view while munching on scrambled eggs, sausage, and waffles.  There are many other food items available as well.  Coffee...

Good and Bad Traveling Through Nevada Traveling for business can be a tiring, sometimes dreadful experience, especially when driving.  This trip was no different.  Once again, we drove thousands of miles from our hamlet in Davis, CA to the most northeastern corner of Arizona.  The reason for this trip was to present a couple of workshops for the Navajo students of Dine′ College, which went very well.  Our return trip ( post ) wasn’t quite so pleasant.  That said, our choice of the  Quality Inn  in Boulder City, NV was a good one. The Good Ah, finally.  After many hours behind the wheel, we found this motel, tucked behind a gas station, like a shining beacon of hospitality.  The setting was serene, even though near the highway.  As our room was overlooking the grounds and pool, it felt secluded, especially when sitting out on the spacious balcony.        ...

Photo doesn't show exactly how filthy this place is. Good and Bad Traveling Through Nevada For the last four years, we have been traveling south from Davis through California and into the most northeastern portion of Arizona to provide workshops for the students of the Dine′ College.   Every visit has been enjoyable.  However, since we are traveling thousands of miles—and we are members of the well-seasoned club—we tired of driving the same highways.   Driving through the Mohave, staying in Barstow and driving the arrow-straight Highway 40 was making me very cranky.  And no one wants to see me cranky .  Consequently, we decided to change it up by taking Highway 95 north through western Nevada and connecting with Highway 50 west for our return trip.  Our First Stop After seven hours of driving through a colorful, mountainous northern Arizona, we settled into a roomy oasis in Boulder City, Nevada.  ( Review ) Wit...

The Motel Next to The Sewage Treatment Plant Revised 4/2021 Dear Polite Traveler Traveling through Nevada stuck behind a long line of semis on the two-lane Highway 95 is not enjoyable, especially when one has food poisoning.  But that’s another story ( post ).  Let’s just say, I was looking forward to a nice quiet motel room at the end of the day.  Did that happen?  Ha!  This trip through the hell of high desert Nevada didn’t end well.  As if traveling with food poisoning without the typical roadside restroom options was hellish enough, our choice of motels that evening was...well, it fits in with the theme of the day. Note : Follow CDC and hotel guidelines when visiting.  Always wear your face mask when in public.    What is that smell?! Stomach cramps, road-weary and ready to shed my clothes to leap into bed, we finally arrive at our motel and are greeted with an overwhelming smell of a gigantic outhouse.  Yep, our mote...

My Nirvana, Our Nugget Market Revised 4/2021 Dear Polite Traveler, Nugget Market has been voted as one of the top 100 best places to work. I would not know it if I hadn’t read it. 　 Nevertheless, what I do know is that everyone seems to enjoy the day, every day. 　 And they are eager to help their guests find exactly what we want.   Note : Follow CDC and county guidelines when visiting.  Always wear your face mask when in public.   A Girl Must Have Her Rituals I have a ritual. 　 Actually, I have many. 　 However, this particular ritual involves a weekly visit to Nugget. Every Sunday my husband and I will stop in for coffee and a pastry. 　 It is typically terribly busy, even early in the morning. After all, they make the best croissants this side of France. Note : During the pandemic, self-serve coffee bars are not available. 　   No one seems to mind that I must absolutely mix my coffee at their self-serve coffee bar. 　 I liken it...

Food & Music Go Hand-In-Hand In New Orleans Revised 4/2021  Dear Polite Traveler, I’ve always wanted to visit New Orleans.  With its reputation for good food, foot-stomping music and penchant for celebration, I couldn’t wait to sample all of it.  And that’s just what I did recently.  What follows is my review of the Market Café . Note : Follow CDC and county guidelines when visiting.  Always wear your face mask when in public.   NOLA Street Music, Including the Market Café The Setting At the end, near, the famed French Market where one can find just about anything, the Market Café offers good food at reasonable prices.  Ample outdoor seating allows for people watching and close proximity to the ever-present jazz band—great music.    There is also comfortable indoor seating surrounding a well-stocked bar.  Street facing windows advertise various drinks of the day to passersby.  I understand that the drinks are exc...