2017 Celebrates Lutheranism in Europe!

Travel guides and television hosts everywhere are gearing up to follow the celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation and the men who were at the head of it.  Martin Luther mostly, but also John Calvin.  There will be celebrations for several years, beginning this year throughout Germany and Switzerland.

If you ever wondered what the Reformation was, it was quite simply reforming Catholicism to make the scriptures and practices more available and comfortable to the masses.  Until this time, all scriptures were in Latin and the clergy of the church were quite often the only ones who could read them.  The clergy were also the ones who received communion during the services most of the time.

Martin Luther had a calling and joined the clergy, but what he did was unprecedented at the time.  He translated the Holy Scriptures into his vernacular, German so that everyone could read them for themselves.  It started a spiritual revolution across central Europe and changed the landscape forever.  It was only the start, but it was Earth shattering and by the time that Martin Luther passed, a whole new sect of religion had come to be.

This will be a great year to plan a trip and follow the Lutheran Trail and the lives of Martin Luther and his like minded revolutionary, John Calvin.  There are tons of tour companies that will take you on the whole trail or part of it.  You can also check out several television shows, like Rick Steve's.  There are many ways to learn and enjoy a trip through Germany and Switzerland, but this is the one that will stand out this year and probably for some years to come.

Wurtemburg, Germany is where it started and where Luther Ended his life.  It's a great little German town that has all of the wonders of Germany to offer, and it has a top spot on the Luther and Reformation Trails.  It's one of the spots that you will have to check out and they have festivals planned for the celebration as well.

Hamburg was another hotspot during the Reformation.  It was ground zero for a lot of conflicts between the Catholic Church and those who were challenging their ways.  Hamburg is still noted today for being a modern town with new thinking and cutting edge technologies.  They will be having celebrations during the Reformation Anniversary and are part of the tours along the Reformation Trail.

Zurich, Switzerland was home to more of the Calvinist Movement, but nevertheless are an important stop on the Reformation Trail.  While the city is noted for it's banking and high standards of living, they are part of the Protestant Reformation and will be celebrating the anniversary this year with festivals.

So, I have a lot going on.  I won't say a whole lot about this years long event.  I will be out for a while with a surgery.  I will be back, but in the meantime, check out the plethora of links that I have shared for you to learn about the Reformation and possibly plan an amazing trip to experience it and celebrate it's 500th anniversary.  There are many towns along the trail.  I've only mentioned some of the more prominent ones.  Check out the city and area schedules for festival dates and times.  Get a hold of a tour operator that is offering a guided tour.  I don't take them often, but this is one of those times.  Make your arrangements now, because the anniversary actually starts later this year, but it will be hard to make arrangements if you wait too late.  So, come and see Germany and Switzerland through the eyes of the reformers that made them who they are today.  Come and celebrate this year's 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation and the works of Martin Luther and John Calvin.  Come and be a part of history and enjoy!

http://www.hamburg.com/
http://www.vikingrivercruises.com/?utm_id=sem:Upper-Funnel-Europe-Search-USA-BMM&gclid=CLrjos6Lz9ECFRdYDQodyYwP0Q&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CLCh3s6Lz9ECFam5swodj7YHAA
https://www.luther2017.de/en/experience/travel-routes/travel-routes/
http://www.uncommon-travel-germany.com/wittenberg.html
http://selecttravel.com/tour_reformation_trail.asp
http://www.mygermancity.com/luther-trail
http://www.gocollette.com/en/tours/europe/germany/on-the-trail-of-martin-luther
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Martin-Luther
http://www.eurorailways.com/index.html
http://www.mygermancity.com/luther-trail
http://www.slideshare.net/LWFWeb/evangelical-lutheran-church-in-wrttemberg
http://www.booking.com/city/de/hamburg.html?aid=801942;label=yahoogemini-city-hamburg-QFQcwwLOUVBPkFiVjdiP0w&utm_source=yahoo-gemini&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Germany-Hamburg---UFI--1785434&utm_term=hamburg-germany-e
https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/video/tv-show/germany-hamburg
https://www.raileurope.com/us/rail/point_to_point/triprequest.htm
https://www.raileurope.com/index.html
http://www.lutherantravel.com/index.html
http://lutheranreformation.org/
http://www.biography.com/people/martin-luther-9389283
http://www.history.com/topics/martin-luther-and-the-95-theses
http://tourism-bw.com/
http://www.germany.travel/en/index.html
https://www.swiss.com/us/EN/Book/Flight?WT.mc_id=SEA_US&WT.srch=1&tmad=c&tmcampid=94
https://www.zuerich.com/en
http://www.myswitzerland.com/en-us/zurich.html
https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/en
http://reformationtours.com/package/reformation-heritage-trail/
http://religioustravelplanningguide.com/relive-the-reformation-on-collettes-martin-luther-tour/
https://www.luther2017.de/en
https://www.lutheranworld.org/program/reformation-anniversary-2017
http://www.visit-luther.com/explore-luthercountry/events/2017-500th-anniversary-of-the-reformation/
http://reformationtours.com/reformation-jubilee-2017/
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings
http://terri-dixon.pixels.com/
https://www.facebook.com/adventuresforanyone?fref=ts
https://www.fictionpress.com/u/530752/Nina-Kindred

I will be back soon and will have more to tell you about out there in the world and more reasons why you should go out and see it.  See you soon, Enjoy!

The Value of Travel

What do you picture as the meaning of life?  As I face some serious health problems, I find myself asking this question.  I've spent most of my life trying to get by.  My hard work and perseverance sometimes seems to be for nought.  I'm surrounded by people who put a lot of value on material things, and I worry that we've all lost sight of what's really important in life.  I won't argue the value of love and family, but I have to argue the value of fancy cars and big houses; Iphones and designer clothes.  I feel that the most important things that we can accumulate are memories and for the first time in my life, I can argue why.

I've been many things in my life.  I've been both rich and poor.  I chose to live my life as a middle class person.  I walked away from rich.  My friends, acquaintances, family and others around me are always talking about things.  Everyone talks about buying a big house, a fancy car, a great phone, a big TV, and so on.  All I ever wanted to do was see the world.  I've had a chance to see a bit of it, and the more I see, the more I want to see.  I always wanted to know if I was crazy because going places and doing things and having experiences was more important to me than who made my purse.  I wanted to be like people I know that spend their lives content with never leaving their country, their state, or even their city.  I thought I was wrong.  I don't feel that way anymore.

There's an old saying that you can't take it with you.  I've always liked that.  Most of us believe in some kind of spiritual life.  Whether you think that you're going to heaven, hell, purgatory, limbo or whatever; whether you believe in karma, reincarnation, or whatever; you cannot take material things with you.  In ancient times, they buried people with what they would need for the afterlife or for when they returned.  We're digging up the items that were buried with these people today.  You can't take it with you folks.  What do you get to keep?  Your memories.

My travels are some of the best memories of my life.  I never questioned that.  I love to share my stories of sitting on the Berlin Wall, going to church in Russia with the Pope, hiking in Iceland, walking in the Alps and many more.  I also love my house, my car, my new oven and many other things.  But, today I learned the value of memories.

I was talking to my mom.  That's right, just talking to my mom.  This is the time of year that makes her a little sad.  Two years ago today, my dad died suddenly.  My mom is still recovering.  My parents lived comfortably.  My parents also liked to travel.  I talked to my mom today, as I always do on days that I'm afraid may upset her about my dad's death.  She told me three stories that were adorable anecdotes from trips that she took with my dad.  She told me about a time that she got drunk in Cancun with him and how much trouble he had getting her back to the hotel room and putting her in bed.  She told me about the time that they were part of the crew on a schooner in the Caribbean.  She told me about the time that they went to Flagstaff and it snowed in the summer on top of the mountains there.  Her voice sounded happy when she was telling me the stories.

I realized that every time my mom talked about the house or the car it was a story of something that stressed her out.  She had something that broke and she had to get it fixed.  She had something that was just there that she didn't seem to want to think about.  Since my dad died, the house has given her no comfort.  The car has given her no comfort.  His gigantic clock collection has given her no comfort.  The only time that she sounds comforted when she talks about my dad is when she talks about their memories.  Most of their memories involve travel.  I thought about that today as I prepare to take care of some serious problems myself.  I wondered if I was losing my mind, or was it really more important to have great memories than to have a lot of money and stuff.

Life is a journey and travel is journeying.  It's pretty simple.  Explorers never seemed to talk of regret.  I have never regretted a single journey that I've taken.  I've been told that travel is a waste of money, but I argue that you cannot put a monetary value on irreplaceable experiences and the memories that they create.  Do I want to look back on my life and judge it on my possessions?  No.  I would rather look back on my life as a story of amazing experiences.  I would call that money well spent.   You can't get time back, so spend it well.  Don't tie yourself to a house and make that your life.  Go out and experience life.  A house can be a prison.  An experience can set you free.  Think about it.

Money spent on travel is money spent on making memories.  That's not a waste.  My mom has great memories.  That's what comforts her.  Those are the things that she remembers most.  This is a woman who once placed a great deal of importance on material things.  Now that she's missing my dad, her point of view has changed.  Facing my own problems and looking back at my regrets and my accomplishments I can say that I most fondly remember my travels.  I don't have a fancy house or a fancy car.  I don't have an Iphone or a designer purse.  I do have memories of traveling 17 countries and 37 states.  I have memories of romantic getaways with my husband.  I have memories of road trips with my son.  I have memories of European adventures with my family.  I have memories of hiking Iceland with my mom. I'll take my memories.  After all, it's the only thing that I have a shot at taking with me.

So, take some time and do some traveling.  Spend some quality time on the road with your family and loved ones.  Make the memories that will comfort you when your loved ones have gone.  Remembering is what we really have after our loved ones leave us, so make the memories that will comfort you later now.  See the world and enjoy!

http://greatsafaris.com/
http://www.trans-siberia.com/
http://www.silversea.com/landing-why-silversea-4/?campaign=USA_Bing_Search_Generic_PPC&s_kwcid=AL!843!10!73942175496573!118213009012&ef_id=WHsNwgAAAK6BiTrN:20170115055318:s&website=337dc751&77tadunit=69de49e2&77tadvert=73942175496573&77tkeyword=%5bluxury+cruises%5d&77tentrytype=s&77tentry=USA_22A
http://www.trans-siberian-travel.com/
http://safaris.com/
https://www.virtuoso.com/
http://www.besttravel.com/luxury-travel/
http://www.europeanrivercruises.com/?source=gemini&cn=rivercruises&ag=europe
http://www.trivago.com/?sLanguageLocale=US&iSemThemeId=10626&sem_keyword=luxury%20travel&sem_creativeid=75591433851438&sem_matchtype=be&sem_network=s&sem_device=c&sem_campaignid=180709571&sem_adgroupid=2549572898&sem_targetid=116345476997&cip=1221070201
https://www.adventuresbydisney.com/get-brochure/?CMP=KNC-FY17_ABD_ACT_DOM_General-Family_|NB|B|4176700.AD.AM.01.01|&d_psid=kwd-16671642320|dc|best%20places%20to%20+travel|4784937485|b|5046:10|&s_kwcid=AL!5046!10!4784937485!16671642320&ef_id=WHsNwgAAAK6BiTrN:20170115055058:s
http://www.crystalcruises.com/
https://www.exclusiveresorts.com/travel?cid=70139000001LTtA&rp=/discover39
http://www.luxurytravelmagazine.com/
https://luxuryescapes.com/subscription
https://www.expedia.com/Vacation-Packages?kword=trip!b.ZzZz.4840000736169.0.10595012132.luxury%20travel.trip&semcid=US.UB.BING.SEARCH.PACKAGE&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=USA:ENG:%:GT:GLOB:ALL:E:X::&utm_term=trip&utm_content=USA:ENG:%:GT:GLOB:ALL:XX:X:X:X:X:E:X:trip:
http://www.aroundtheworldtours.com/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/how-to-plan-a-trip-around-the-world/2016/04/25/190c8f80-f5d4-11e5-a3ce-f06b5ba21f33_story.html?utm_term=.881971cbc99a
http://www.nationalgeographicexpeditions.com/expeditions/around-the-world-jet-tour/detail
https://www.seabourn.com/
http://www.atwt.net/
http://www.abercrombiekent.com/?did=8568&utm_content=MQXIzpc9-d_pcrid__pkw__pmt_e_&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=A%26K+Brand_General&utm_term=abercrombie%26kent
http://www.statravel.com/top-multi-stop-routes.htm
http://www.vikingrivercruises.com/
https://oceanwide-expeditions.com/antarctica?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=03.%20Antarctica%20%7C%20USA%20%7C%20ENG&utm_term=Antarctic%20cruise&utm_content=Antarctica%20%2B%20cruises%20%2F1
http://www.polarcruises.com/antarctica?mm_campaign=485D87F841FB2962CDAE4DA47CAA0F31&keyword=antarctic%20cruise&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=Antarctica%20Cruises%20-%20Exact%20Bing&utm_term=antarctic%20cruise&utm_content=Antarctica%20Cruises
https://www.yampu.com/destinations/antarctica/antarctica/
http://www.quarkexpeditions.com/en/antarctic
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings
http://terri-dixon.pixels.com/
https://www.facebook.com/adventuresforanyone?fref=ts
https://www.fictionpress.com/u/530752/Nina-Kindred

There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays!

I've stayed closer to home this year and have spent a lot of time learning to appreciate the area that nearly 25 years ago I chose to call home.  It's funny how after a couple of decades somewhere you start to whine and complain about things and all but forget what drew you to the place in the beginning.  So, it is with great sincerity that I talk about the one place that is special in my heart, and especially at Christmas.  Torrington, Connecticut; my home.

I love Christmas and so does this crazy city.  Torrington is this amazing combination of a bunch of Italian folks, their relatives and friends, a few thousand wards of the state, a bunch of people who moved here from the Caribbean and southern Asian countries, and some of us that just like the view most of the time.  We have too many bars, too many liquor stores, and too much pizza; but this town has some amazing things.

For one thing, we are home to a thriving art community.  Yarn Bomb was the project last summer that took over the entire city.  Everywhere you went there were yarn creations.  They were even at the local synagogue and the park.  There are several art galleries in town and we even have a place where you can go and spend the evening painting with friends.  We also have a musical venue called Performance Hub that has all kinds of interesting music performances and projects.  We have a kids museum as well which is a great place to hang out with your kids.

We are the home of The Warner Theater too.  This place has all kinds of entertainment throughout the year and does four musicals each year that are civic theater and frankly some great productions.  It's partner is the Nutmeg Conservatory for the Arts.  This is a performing arts school that does focus on dance, but there are other topics studied there too.  This conglomerate is the Northwest Corner's artistic center.  If you do happen to come to town for a visit, however, there are also many other locales around us.  There's the Infinity Theater in Norfolk, and the Thomaston Opera House in Thomaston to name a couple.  There are a lot of arts in Connecticut's Northwest Hills.

This town has some quirky businesses, some beautiful churches, and a spectacular Victorian Park.  It's scenic around here.  Now, I know, I'm the first person to say that New Englanders don't always put out the welcome mat or want to make new friends; but this time of year really brings out the best in people here.  People give constantly here during the holidays.  There are food drives, toy drives, the Salvation Army and a whole bunch of other stuff going on.  Coats for kids, warm the children, and so much more.  Torrington is a city with some problems, and we all like to help with them when we can.  We have had entire tent cities among us here.  We do have a housing and unemployment issue.  We have drug problems and all kinds of stuff.  The amazing thing is that despite all that, it's not a dangerous place to live. It's not an ugly place to live. I can still walk right down main street in the middle of the night and it doesn't make me the least bit uncomfortable.  It's an odd little city, but it's comfortable, and the pros outweigh the cons.

Torrington  has a lot of restaurants, and the majority of them sell pizza.  The second best seller is Chinese food, and then you have some others like Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, and Irish.  There are any number of bars to keep you drinking, and liquor stores on almost every corner if you need more.  We are a shopping hub with all the discount stores you'd hope to see.  We also have trains everywhere.  It's a thing for now.  We were home to a college baseball team that played at our beautiful baseball stadium, Fuessenich Park; but I guess they won't be here anymore.  It's a shame.  We used to go to games whenever we got a chance.  They do still have music concerts in the beautiful Coe Park in the summertime.

Torrington is home to three state parks; Burr Pond, John A. Minetto, and Sunnybrook.  They are beautiful parks and great places to visit.  We have Mohawk Ski Resort just up the road for you winter people; and Ski Sundown is not far away either.

But I bring up my lovely quirky home at Christmas for one reason and that is that we do Christmas better than most here.  One of the reasons for that is Christmas Village.  This is not something that a local mall puts up at Christmas.  This is an entire village that is only open during Christmas time yet is completely built for Christmas and so that the kids can have an amazing place to go and see Santa Clause.  There are several buildings in Christmas Village.  There's a toy workshop with elves.  There are live reindeer in the stables.  There are sleighs and toys, and hot chocolate for everyone.  I took my son here every year when he was young, and it was one of the best places I ever saw for visiting Santa.  Locally, the place is famous and it's lovely, beautiful and warm on the inside.  New England's cold will get you between the buildings, but we're hearty people and we don't care about a little cold.  It's a great place to visit, even if you don't have small children; but it's spectacular if you do have small children.

Our other Christmas hot spot is celebrating 35 years this year.  It's the Christmas House.  This is a private home, and I've heard that the owner isn't necessarily a jolly old soul, but inside and out this place is Christmas on display.  Every evening during the holiday season these folks open their home for tours and the price of admission is only a food donation.  That's right, it's for charity.  Don't discount this.  It takes these people nearly three months to set up for this event each year.  That's dedication, and it's a great activity during the holidays.

So, welcome to my town.  Most of the year we're just a bunch of overworked cranky people, but Christmas brings out the best in most of the people here.  We love to celebrate, decorate, and donate.  Driving around town is almost as entertaining during the holidays as watching the Nutcracker at the Warner Theater.  So, if you've done all the rest, try coming to my town for Christmas.  We'll show you some good old fashioned Norman Rockwell style fun.  We go sledding, we put on the Nutcracker, we have a Christmas Village, we have a Christmas House, and we have an extremely festively decorated town.  So, come see me in my town and join in on a great time at Christmas.  Merry Christmas and Enjoy!

http://www.oconnorspublichouse.com/
http://www.performancehubusa.com/
http://www.warnertheatre.org/
http://gonewengland.about.com/od/ctforfamilies/ss/christmas-village-torrington.htm
http://nutmegconservatory.org/
http://www.outandaboutmom.com/2013/12/17/visit-santas-christmas-village-in-torrington/
http://www.torrington.info/christmas-events.html
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/10898
https://mommypoppins.com/connecticut-kids/christmashanukkah/our-visit-to-the-christmas-house-in-torrington-connecticut
http://www.booking.com/city/us/torrington.en.html?aid=306742&label=msn-LvVRjwvsoLUnD3vnbc9*1A-15773435165:tikwd-17101188630:neo:mte:dec:qshotels%20torrington%20ct&utm_campaign=CT%3A%20Connecticut&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=bing&utm_term=LvVRjwvsoLUnD3vnbc9*1A
https://www.hotels.com/?pos=HCOM_US&locale=en_US&PSRC=G21&rffrid=sem.hcom.US.bing.003.00.03..kwrd%3DZzZz.4kcurMqY.0.10418915358.10208iy29341.d.c
http://www.fivepointsgallery.org/
https://artwellgallery.org/
http://www.theartsdesirect.com/
https://www.yelp.com/c/torrington-ct-us/restaurants
https://www.yelp.com/search?cflt=bars&find_loc=Torrington%2C+CT
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http://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?A=2716&Q=325180
http://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?a=2716&q=325242&deepNav_GID=1650
http://www.ct.gov/deep/cwp/view.asp?A=2716&Q=435626
http://www.fandango.com/torrington_+ct_movietimes
http://kidsplaymuseum.org/
http://www.visitconnecticut.com/state
http://www.ctvisit.com/
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings
http://terri-dixon.pixels.com/
https://www.facebook.com/adventuresforanyone?fref=ts
https://www.fictionpress.com/u/530752/Nina-Kindred

The Latest from Foxwoods!

It seems to get bigger every year, and I don't always get to visit; but this year my husband and I opted for a little getaway to visit Foxwoods Casino in Ledyard, CT on the Mashentucket Pequot Indian Reservation.  Connecticut is ground zero when it comes to what we all call Indian Casinos.  Foxwoods was the first.  It was the groundbreaker.  And it is one of the biggest casino complexes in the world.  Being one of my local casinos along with the Mohegan Sun Casino Complex, I visit once in a great while just to see what's changed.

Let me explain Foxwoods.  This is one of those places that you do not visit looking for good deals.  You do not visit in order to win at gambling.  You don't go for the cheap seafood buffets.  This is one of those places where you go to spend money and enjoy time with friends and loved ones.  There are tons of stores, restaurants, shows, bars, and casinos.  It's like a mini Vegas in there.  You will walk a lot, you will enjoy the view most of the time.  Being someone who has been there a few times before, I tried out a new restaurant by Guy Fieri.  I liked the decor.  The staff was friendly.  The food was only average and in some cases below average.  It was also pretty expensive for what you got.  The staff, while friendly, did not get my order right, and in a way that seemed impossible to do. I ordered a salad.  It was interesting, but in the future, I will probably go to the buffet or the Hard Rock Cafe or the Noodle Bar.  It really wasn't worth it, and I should have known better, because I've been bitten by the celebrity chef thing before.

We did see some interesting things, however.  They have a machine that you can buy a cupcake from.  Never seen that.  Didn't try it because I'm dieting and well, it seemed a little odd.  If you want cake there is a cake company at Foxwoods where you can just buy a beautiful cake.  Saw a great wine cellar coming up from the steak house on the lower level.  It provides a great show for a bottle of wine.  We also saw many other things, like the new Tanger Outlet Mall.  There are a lot of great shops in there and it makes a great walk through from the Fox Tower Hotel to the casino complex.  We liked that we could walk inside out of the cold instead of having to take the shuttle around.  It gave me the option to leave my coat in my hotel room which is a great option.

This is an ever growing complex that becomes quite confusing.  Be very careful to follow the signs, or you will get lost.  But, that being said, it's a great place to spend time in the winter, because it's inside.  You never have to go outside.  In Connecticut it gets bloody cold and this is a great way to get away in the winter.  The holidays are great too.  The complex is festive and the deals at the mall are good.  There are holiday shows and holidays decorations.  You can even go ice skating between 9 am and 10 pm.  We stayed at the new Fox Tower, because they were having a great midweek deal.  We lived like royalty or a high roller for little money.  It was great.

Let's talk about Fox Tower for just a moment.  They are relatively new on the Foxwoods hotel scene.  We got a good deal which is the only time I tend to go out gambling at Foxwoods.  When we got there, we found an extremely luxurious, fabulously convenient hotel.  They asked me if I would like a view, and when I told them yes, I got a room on the 24th floor.  The view was magnificent.  The beds were luxurious and comfortable and the bathroom made me feel like a star with it's modern shower and it's phone in the toilet.  It was all very reasonable and comfortable and the staff was great.  We went to the casino complex and got sick of it fairly early, so we came back to gamble at our hotel's casino.  We had a much better time than in the main complex, and closed the bar there that night.  We had a great time, and we agreed that if we go back again, we will spend a significant amount of our time in our hotel again.  It was a really good time.  One more point I would like to make about this hotel is that they have many restaurants as well, so you don't have to get lost over at the main complex if you don't want to.  And my final praise for this hotel; I could figure out how to use the television remote.  That doesn't happen to me at hotels often.

Now, I have to say that with all the new stuff that is always being built at Foxwoods, make sure you don't miss the old stuff.  Don't forget to visit the older part of the complex.  They have interesting stores over there and man made waterfalls to look at.  They have the theater district and some great clubs, like the Scorpion Bar.  Check the website before you go bar hopping at Foxwoods too.  Some bars have happy hours and some don't.  You can find some great deals if you plan ahead.  Some bars have multiple happy hours during the night.  Also, check for the shows.  They have them in several spots on several days.  There are some good deals if you aren't looking to see only the biggest shows.  You have to stop and check out the Crystal Indian.  This is an artistic display that was a very big deal when it was first erected.  This amazing sculpture changes color and has a thunder and lightening display with it.  It's overshadowed these days, but it's still beautiful.

Things to look out for have to come with things not to miss.  Vue 24 and the Stargazer Casino.  Very expensive restaurant and players casino.  If you aren't in that league then don't waste your time on that elevator.  Make sure that you know when the Mashentucket Pequot Museum is open.  They do close for the season in the winter, so plan accordingly.  Penny slots are not necessarily penny slots.  Many of them require a minimum bet of 30 cents.  Make sure that if you are ordering free drinks that they are really free.  You may be surprised that if you order something complicated it will come with a bill.  Check the schedule and prices on restaurants.  It's not only the buffet that changes pricing with the time of day.  Be careful about that.  Know where the elevators are if you walk through the outlet mall.  When an escalator broke down, they blocked it off and we all had to look for the out of the way elevator to get back to our hotel.  Make sure you do your shopping during the day.  While you can walk through the entire complex all the time, the stores all close by 9 pm.  This is not Vegas.  Many restaurants close relatively early too.  Another thing to look out for is supplies.  I always like to keep water and stuff in my room.  There is nothing around Foxwoods, so locate the convenience stores within the complex so you can get snacks and drinks for your room.  Take advantage of whatever deals they are giving out with the Foxwoods Rewards Card that you will be using to gamble.  They give out coupons and vouchers when they issue them.  There are some really good deals.  You will only get the offers when you apply for the card, so take advantage of it.

Foxwoods is an amazing complex with a lot to see and do.  It's just a hop skip on the ferry from Long Island and only a few miles from Mystic.  There are lots of ways to visit the casino.  You can stay on the grounds.  You can take a bus trip from several locations all over the state and as far away as Boston and New York.  You can stay in Mystic and take a shuttle to either of the Indian Casinos.  Or, you can drive down for the day.  There's a lot to do.  If you choose to visit in the summer, they also have the Schimitzun, the world's biggest pow wow.  They have rodeos, and native demonstrations.  They have native art and gourmet burgers.  There's no end to the ways that you can be entertained at Foxwoods.  Just  make sure you do your homework and plan your stay.  If you do that, you will have a great time.  It's just one more way to enjoy the holidays.  You can even do your Christmas shopping at the mall.  Enjoy!


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