Archive for October, 2008

One of the best parts of traveling is experiencing new cultures. Another aspect of that are the types of food that are available.

Some travelers are more than willing to try new and exotic tastes and ingredients, but others like to stick to tried and true, familiar American dishes.

Those people are missing out on a great experience. Trying old favorites in fresh ways can be one of the best experiences of your trip.

Coffee

Coffee is a staple of the American morning. It is only recently that flavored coffees are hitting mainstream America.

In the Caribbean, it is not unusual to drink coffee flavored with vanilla, mocha, cinnamon or coconut. When traveling to Italy, try their authentic espresso and cappuccino as the American counterpart cannot compete with the real thing.

The Greeks favor heavy coffee or Kafes Varys Glykos. It is made with water, coffee and sugar and it is heated in a “briki.” It is a strong and frothy after dinner beverage that will tantalize the taste buds.

South America is the Mecca of coffee as much of coffee that is consumed in America comes from the nations of South Africa.

This is the cradle of patriotism, the site of Paul Revere’s historic ride and home to the USS Constitution.

But it’s also home to a new greenway, high fashion at low prices, discount theater tickets, great public transportation and cool places to eat well on a budget.

The combination of old and new, historic and trendy, gives Boston its unique personality — and provides limitless opportunities for a visit that doesn’t require help from one of the city’s leaders in venture capital.

Here’s the secret of why Bostonians “pahk their cahr in Hahvid Yahd” — because it’s too expensive to park it in the city.

If you plan to stay in Boston, there’s no need to rent a car. The city’s public transit — known locally as “the T” — is an easy-to-follow color-coded system that is safe and inexpensive, just $2 per ride, with kids free.

In good weather, the most affordable and efficient way to navigate Boston is on foot. And the best way to see the most historic sites — for free — is along the Freedom Trail.

There are plenty of remnants of civilizations that have faded into obscurity or mysteriously disappeared and none hold a mystique like the Mayan Indian culture.

The sacred sites of the Mayan people hold a fascination to all that are lucky enough to visit them.

Mayan ruins can be found in a variety of countries and Mexico is just one of them.

Go Back in Time

Accept the offer that Mexico extends to you. Step back in time more than 1500 years into the ancient past of Mexico.

Long before any European set foot on the soil of the America’s, the Mayans were rulers of the Yucatan Peninsula. Entire cities existed in the rainforests with populations in the hundreds of thousands.

The Mayans could boast knowledge in the areas of geometry, the ways of the natural world and astronomy, not to mention their close connection to the metaphysical plane of existence. It is said that their awareness in this area far exceeds our own understanding of the metaphysical world today.

The People of the Mayan Culture

CAPE TOWN, South Africa — One of the world’s most beautiful cities is probably one of the cheapest.

Cape Town, the sparkling jewel in South Africa’s tourist crown, regularly wins international travel awards.

It combines excellent infrastructure and hotels with magnificent beaches, wildlife and winelands, making it a favorite among business conventions and wealthy surf and safari seekers.

But even for those on a budget, the so-called Mother City is as welcoming as its name. Best news is the weakness of the South African rand, which make dollars and euros go further.

Getting there

Only a few airlines fly straight to Cape Town, so direct flights from London are full and discount fares rare. Delta flies from New York via Senegal. Emirates via Dubai often has bargains.

In addition to South African Airways, budget airlines like 1Time and kulula.com fly from Johannesburg into Cape Town.

The airport tourism information desk arranges bus shuttles to the city at $12 per person and less for subsequent passengers.

The Backpacker bus charges $15 and its website has good tips on travel and accommodation. Or ask your hotel or guesthouse to meet you.

Everyone looks forward to their vacation time. Deciding where to go and what to do is usually the most difficult part.

Taking a cruise [Cruise Traveling] allows one to enjoy a variety of activities and destinations and it is the perfect getaway for the entire family.

1. The Food

The food on a cruise ship is renowned for its taste, abundance and variety. You can be eating Eggs Benedict in the morning; Panini’s for lunch, tacos for a snack and having dinner at an authentic French restaurant. Perhaps you will end the day with ice cream sundaes, popcorn, cotton candy or even sushi.

2. The Ports of Call

Only on a cruise can you enjoy multiple destinations. Depending upon the length of the cruise you can visit a variety of ports of call. Whether you choose a Western or Eastern Caribbean cruise, a cruise to Alaska or through the Panama Canal, you get to experience a wide range of cultures and cuisines when you ride the waves on a cruise.

3. Never a Dull Moment

Baltimore, Maryland is a great destination for a holiday weekend or an extended visit.

It can be tough to decide what to see and do when you are in a new place with children along so here is a list of 5 must-see attractions for those that are planning to visit the Baltimore, Maryland area.

1: Port Discovery

This is a great family attraction. The little ones will enjoy a variety of hands on exhibits while parents may learn a thing or two themselves.

There are three floors for parents and children to discover such wonders as pyramid mysteries, a crane where children can relocate bales of hay and even a soccer field to expend some energy.

2: Baltimore National Aquarium

Who doesn’t live to explore the mysteries of the deep? Baltimore Aquarium has something for all members of your party no matter how young or old.

There are more than 650 species that make their home at the aquarium where you will thrill to the sight of crocs from Australia, blue crabs from Maryland and the always scary piranhas from the Amazon as well as the alleged best dolphin show on the upper East Coast.

Las Vegas is known for a lot of things but did you know they really step it up when it comes to Halloween? Sin City rolls out the carpet for howling horrors and things that go bump in the night. If you are ready to experience some thrills and chills, head to Las Vegas this Halloween season!

What to See & Do

Haunted houses are in abundance. Check out the Vampire’s Blood Feast, Hillbilly Hell and the Circus of Horrors. Fright Dome is the biggest attraction and can be found at Circus Circus. Meet a Santa that you wouldn’t want bringing you presents at the Hex-mas Nightmare. Christmas gone bad has never been done better.

Elves that greet you cheerily turn into hellves as the chaos gets underway. Animatronics and actors bring the vision by Jason Egan to life or should we say, “Death!”

History of Horror in Las Vegas

In 1992, Duke Mollnar opened the city’s first Halloween attraction. His company is called Freaking Brothers and now is owners of at least 3 houses of horror. He stays away from zombies, blood and guts and instead finds other ways to make his customers scream.

The failure of major financial institutions last month followed by weeks-long chaos on Wall Street has caused many companies to re-evaluate their solvency and spending, particularly in a line item that few employees want to sacrifice: travel.

While cutting back on business travel has been a concern this year given the rising cost of airfare, the recent turmoil has provided an added urgency, according to experts in the business travel industry.

To address the issue, travel managers are considering everything from curtailing trips that aren’t revenue-generated to renegotiating contracts with hotels to include free Internet or gym access to asking employees of the same sex to share hotel rooms.

“There’s a lot of shock, a lot of gallows humor,” says Susan Gurley, executive director of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives, a nonprofit association based in Alexandria, Va. While at an ACTE-sponsored conference in Rome last week, Gurley overheard executives debating different cost-cutting strategies.

“People are trying to figure out what trips are critical,” she says. “It seems like an easy thing to know, but they’re analyzing it over and over again.”

The deep-thinking is bringing about changes to the travel policy at many corporations or emboldening executives to enforce those rules.

Most travelers expect to have virtually no control over whether their flight departs on time.

That’s especially true during the holidays.

Last year, the number of on-time flights in November and December dropped to their lowest levels in five years.

But a piece of information printed on one’s ticket can actually help predict the likelihood of a delay-free trip this season: the scheduled arrival time.

In the past five years, 86.2% of November and December holiday flights that were scheduled to arrive between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. arrived on time.

The breakfast hour had the highest punctuality of any Department of Transportation-measured time slot.

Fast forward 12 hours, and it’s a different story. When flights were scheduled to land between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m., only 67.5% made their target, proving the old saw about the early bird and the worm.

“Getting up early and catching that first flight out is still the best thing to do,” said Doug Church, communications director for the National Air Traffic Controller’s Association. “If you can stomach it.”

Other good times to arrive include between 6 a.m. and 6:59 a.m., and 1 p.m. and 1:59 p.m. Flights between of 4 p.m. and 4:59 p.m. are less likely to arrive on time.

Going on vacation [vacation planning] can be an ordeal if you suffer from a physical disability, but by checking out facilities which cater to special needs, you can make your dream holiday come true.

Make it as smooth and comfortable as possible by following these tips:

Vacation plan for disabled people:

Create a travel profile, which explains the nature of your disability, as well as special travel and accommodation requirements.

Reserve air, train and bus tickets in advance to get special discount offers and services. Always keep your disability certificate with you to ensure you get assistance.

If you use a wheelchair, have it serviced or repaired fully before you leave. If you have an artificial limb, buy an extra pair of prosthetic socks and socket liner.

Get travel insurance for safety and emergencies. Carry two medical prescriptions with you always. Keep one with you and the second one in your suitcase.

Air travel: Get to the airport at least 90 minutes before and inform the airlines staff of your needs. Airlines generally provide effective services like wheelchairs for people with disabilities and oxygen equipment is always at hand. Be assertive and let the airline staff know of your dietary needs beforehand.