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Showing posts with the label Steamboat

A Fun & Delicious Day in Butler County-Part One

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I almost always use this blog for a story representing each day of a trip. The idea is to be able to talk about all the little things I don’t have a chance to put in published stories. Sometimes I need to break with tradition, and this trip was one of those exceptions. We had so many things to do, and I have so many photos, on day two that it deserves two blogs! One of the things I was told about Butler County before I arrived was that they have a Donut Trail. I’ve never been one to shy away from baked goods so this sounded like a scrumptious addition to the weekend. Heather, Teddy, and I got started with the trail first thing Saturday morning at Holtman’s Donuts in West Chester, just a few miles from the Marriott we were staying at. It became instantly apparent that this was going to be a challenge and I wasn’t backing down. The crew at Holtman’s was waiting for us with a box of donuts. I asked them, as I did on all the following stops, what their most unusual and popular donuts were...

Back to Hannibal with the American Queen

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The next stop for my friend Lynn and I on the American Queen Steamboat was a town I had visited before – Hannibal, Missouri.  The last time I was in Hannibal, it was very educational and a lot of fun. I was anxious to show the town to Lynn. Hannibal was once a lumbering town and starting point of the Pony Express, but its claim to fame is as the former home of author Mark Twain. The city displays its legacy everywhere and Tom Sawyer and Becky Thacher are celebrated throughout. It all starts at the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum Complex. It was where we got off on the Hop on, Hop off bus American Queen Voyages provided at every port.  We went through the Mark Twain Boyhood Home. I had been here before, but there is so much to learn and take in about the author and his books I felt like I learned a few things I missed the first time. There is also a lot to learn about the time period. There was a class structure as well as the ending of slavery.  Inc...

Arriving in Red Wing on the American Queen

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My friend Lynn and I slept well on our first night on the American Queen . We had a full day a head of us and we started with a quick breakfast at the Front Porch Café. One of the complimentary amenities of the cruise line was unlimited specialty coffees and we took full advantage preparing our lattes to taste with our eggs and pastries. The American Queen is all about conservation. Everyone was given a water bottle and there were water filling stations on every floor. There were no plastic water bottles available. Another thing available to all passengers at no charge were the hop on, hop off bus tours at every stop. It was nice to have the freedom to explore, with transportation that included taking my scooter on the bus, a guide telling us about the towns and attractions, and all admission fees paid by the American Queen Voyages. Our first experience with the tours was in Red Wing . I had never been to this Minnesota town before and I was looking forward to checking it out. ...