We Made it to Cuba!

Sally and I have dreamed of visiting Cuba for years.  With the silly US embargo's US citizens were forbidden to travel there.  Obama has made it possible for us to go there with certain licensed travel companies.

We went in October 2012 and it was fantastic!

We found the Cuban people to be warm and friendly and we enjoyed their hospitality for seven days.  What an incredible place to visit, in fact we highly recommend you go there.  We enjoyed it so much we are putting a group together for 2013.

The everyday Cuban is not rich by any means, parts of Cuba seem very third world.  Even though the Cubans have been under a repressive regime for decades the Cubans are a proud and happy people.

We saw a lot of "bootstrap" type businesses or Cubans lifting themselves up with small business.

Culture:

You will see many different cultural influences in the "gene pool".  African, Spanish, British, German, Russian, USA and Latino.  Don't be surprised to even see very blonde and light skinned Cubans.

The music and dance is very unique to Cuba.  We found live music nearly everywhere we went.

Gallery:

 Labeling the Rum

 Cuban Cigars

 Small Pastry Business

 Beautiful Happy School Children

 Ernest Hemingway's Home

 1950's Chevy

 Enjoying Cuban Cigar & Rum

 Obispo Street (bishop street) Great Shopping

 Dale, me, Sally and Pepe our guide

 Hemingway's favorite little bar. Mojito's!

View from Libre Hotel Havana

You must go to Cuba!

Busy Year, Travel is Good, New Web Site Project

It's been a very busy year for Sally and me with travel! Sally has been to Jamaica three times, Riviera Maya last week and we are packing now to fly to Puerto Vallarta this Friday, Nov. 12th.

I actually tagged along with Sally on her last trip to Jamaica in August. We stayed at the Fabulous Sandals Whitehouse Resort.  This was a working get-away. We toured several Sandals properties while there. We had a wonderful time as guests of Sandals.

Me & Sally at Sunset Jamaica

Sally took several of her lady friends along with about 40 other women as they attended the W.I.N.O.S. (women in need of something) get-away to the Riviera Maya.



Our upcoming trip to Puerto Vallarta will be another working get-away but I think there will be some good downtime put into the schedule.  We will be touring some properties while we are in the area.  We will be staying at the Marival Residence and World Spa

Sally is looking forward to seeing her friend Norma who owns the Venus Sunshine Massage and Spa for another inexpensive excellent massage! I am looking so forward to meeting Norma and her staff of massage therapist for my first experience there.  Remember I was a professional massage therapist for 10 years and love my massages! Can't wait!!

We'll post our experience of this property and properties we tour as well as Venus Sunshine Massage when we get back.

Travel Tip St Martin St Maarten Island Caribbean

Here's a great travel tip to tuck away for your next cruise to St Martin Island in the Caribbean. If you are looking for free WiFi go the Greenhouse restaurant on the Dutch side of the island or St Maarten. 

Have a couple of cold Carib beers while you are there!

Celebrity Millinium - Great Cruise to Cozumel and Isla Roatan

We just returned from a great cruise aboard the Celebrity Millennium.  Our ports of call were Isla Roatan and Cozumel.

Millennium next to the huge Oasis

The Celebrity Millennium will be undergoing an upgrade shortly  It is currently a millennium class ship. There are for ships in this class. 

Celebrity Cruise Line says; These four award-winning ships are visually stunning and superbly designed. Marvel at the expansive atrium that spans 11 decks. Soak in the sophisticated ambiance resplendent with teak and glass accents. Ride the glass elevator along the outside of the ship. Take in endless ocean views. Retreat to one of the most luxurious spa facilities at sea. Every detail is designed to capture the romantic exhilaration of travel.

It will be upgraded to a Solstice class. Celebrity describes this class as; The most stylish ships at sea. Each, a destination unto itself, offers more unique experiences, more restaurants, and an entirely new approach to stateroom design. Currently, there are three in this class, with our newest poised to premiere in 2012.

Having been to Isla Roatan before we wanted to delve into the countryside and island life more this time around.  My wife, Sally, discovered a private tour company called Christopher Tours. Our one-on-one guide Charley met us just outside the gates at the cruise dock.  He was great! We told him what we wanted to experience and he custom designed our day for us.  We learned a lot about the political structure and history of Roatan as well as family life.

 Beautiful panoramic mountaintop views Roatan

We had asked Charley to take us to his favorite lunch spot before the tour was over.  We ended up at a great little restaurant.  His cousin was the chef.  We ate our huge bowls of excellent fish chowder right on the water.  Our waiter gave us even more insight into the political structure of the two governors of the island.  Great day, excellent company.

We do love Cozumel.  After the hurricane hit a few years ago they have really recovered.  It is really turning into a great cruise destination.  The diving and snorkeling are exceptional.  We always, always go to our dear friend Veronica's Cozumel Spa for the best massage treatments in the Caribbean.

 Our dear friend Veronica at Cozumel Spa

Veronica was kind enough to take us to the beach for the day.  Sally gave her daughter Dany a swimming lesson while they snorkeled looking for "big fish".  It was a wonderful day.  We can't wait to go back to this beautiful island and it's warm people. 

Dany and Sally looking for "Big Fish"

Punta Cana

Well I finally made it to the Dominican Republic. Our stay was in Punta Cana at the beautiful Gran Bahia Principe Esmeralda.

Apple Vacations sponsored our trip. We were joined by 110 of our fellow travel agents.  This is a great all-inclusive resort with nice beaches. I especially enjoyed all of the mature palm groves on the beaches.

One of our agents had suggested a company that supported a local grade school. She contacted them and arranged for each agent to bring a book bag with school supplies

 Later on Sally and I along with two other of our agents booked an excursion through this company, Jungle Outback Safari, to see more of the island. Part of the excursion was to stop in for a visit to the school they support.

We were allowed to donate more school supplies or candy but never money. They do not want to teach the children to beg. They told us many of these children walk five days a week 2-4 miles up rough country roads to get to school. There are two sessions per day. It's not unusual for the first group of kids to have siblings that attend the second session. They may even share uniforms.

If the parents are unemployed the children can not get a free education. There's a high unemployment rate here. Groups like Outback Safari step in to sponsor schools so these children can go to school. They also sponsor a clinic/hospital so that people in this area can have medical care.

This excursion was one of the most rewarding parts of our trip.

Loved this B&B and already planning return stay!

Garden Gate Get-A-Way Bed & Breakfast in Amish Country

Our review from Trip Advisor

Reviewed August 14, 2011

 

This beautiful bed & breakfast in the heart of Ohio's Amish country is a must stay! Off the beaten path, yet close to shopping and many wonderful Amish style restaurants.

Each room has it's own theme.

You will really enjoy the evening social hour around the traditional nightly "campfire". It was great fun to get to know guests from other parts of the country. Inn Keepers Herb & Carol kept the conversation lively. They know every road and buggy trail there is in Millersburg and surrounding area. They really are experts on the area and local culture.

You will love this place!

Room Tip: Google Garden Gate Get Away Millersburg Ohio to learn about the different room themes.

Top Ten Summer Beaches

With summer in full swing take a look at the viewers choices for the top 10 beaches for the summer!

• Lanikai Beach - Kailua, Oahu
• Horseshoe Bay Beach - Southampton, Bermuda (if you've never seen pink sand this is a must!)
• Rosemary Beach - Panama City Beach, FL
• Rialto Beach - Olympic National Park, WA
• Crane Beach - Ispwich, MA
• Orient Beach - St Maarten/St Martin
• Gold Rock Beach - Grand Bahama Island
• Smuggler's Cove - Tortola, British Virgin Island
• Paradise Beach - Cozumel, Mexico 
• Hapuna Beach - Kamuela, Hawaii

Summer is the time for beaches and many of these beaches are perfect even in "not so summer months"!