RSSJan|23|2011
Escape the Winter to a Brazilian Beach
Posted by as Americas, Around The World, Arts & Culture, Destinations, Getaways, Luxurious
The winter can be a wonderful season but the heavy snow isn’t exactly by everyone’s taste – some people still crave the hot Sun’s beams in the summer and wish they could find some relaxation on a beach and escape the winter. And the truth is, if you know how to get the most of your travels, you should be able to find a fantastic place for relaxation at one of Brazil’s great beaches.
However, you should never rush such trips. You can ruin all the magic of spending a winter on a beach if you aren’t properly prepared for the whole ordeal – and the best way to prepare yourself is to simply read up! Make sure you take a look at this list of the ten top beaches in Brazil, in order to get a good idea which places are worth visiting. Be prepared …
Dec|23|2010
Things To See And Do In Cuba
Posted by Noemi as Americas, Destinations, Features, Islands
With travel to Cuba in the horizon, many Americans are already looking forward to paying their neighbor a visit. If you are thinking of a possible visit to Cuba in the future, do you already have ideas as to what to see and do there? Here are some tips to get you started in your planning.
If there are two figures most attached to Cuba (aside from Fidel Castro), they are Che and Hemingway. Do as they did! Go to the Castillo de Farnes and have a beer or two, just as Che and Castro drank to the success of the revolution. You can also visit La Bodeguita del Medio, which was Hemingway’s old haunt.
Of course, you cannot miss out on a cigar experience when in Cuba. Visit various cigar factories and try your hand at …
Sep|24|2010
Dealing with Jetlag and Climate Changes
Posted by Zahir as Adventure, Africa, Air Travel, Americas, Around The World, Asia, Australia NZ, Business, Carribbean, Cities, Europe, Getaways, Health, Health & Wellness, Luxurious, Oceania, People, Tips, Transport, Trends, United States, Warnings
People who love to travel are already used to the different time zones that most countries have. Sudden changes in the time and weather may prove to be a problem on adjusting to such if a person is not used to such fast paced evolution and lifestyle.
For people, traveling to any part of the world such as the United States, Europe and Asian continents would need body clock adjustments as well. The cultural practices and traditions are not the only immediate things that globetrotters should worry about but rather their ability to cope up with change.
Climate also entails being ready for the level of health a person is able to sustain. Sudden changes like cold and hot temperatures would need standby requirements of medicine or clothing just in case to ensure that the human body does not …
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Jun|18|2010
America’s Coffee Towns. Part 2
Posted by Zahir as Americas, Cities, Food and Drink, Historical
In the meantime, Starbucks under Schultz mutated into an operation of 2,000-plus stores. To San Franciscans, the coffee-as-image attitude is evidence that Seattleites aren’t as discriminating about good coffee as they are.
In San Francisco proper, Starbucks has 67 stores to Peet’s 10 and local chain Martha & Brothers’ five, and all 67 seem to be thriving.
So what does the way Seattle obsesses about good coffee and the way the Bay Area takes it for granted say about those two places?
To quote Baldwin: “It’s a question of experience and maturity, if you put it into human terms, the younger athlete, let’s say, is much more aggressive about asserting himself because he has something to prove. In the ’70s, there were just a handful of decent restaurants in Seattle, and no one came to Seattle to eat or shop or see what was going …
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Jun|14|2010
America’s Coffee Towns. Part 1
Posted by Zahir as Americas, Cities, Food and Drink, Historical
Seattle, San Francisco. These two jewels of U.S Pacific Coast have much in common: a reputation as the coffee lover’s Nirvana. So who is the real pro?
Though the cities’ caffeine societies are distinct, their pasts are intertwined. San Francisco has a tradition of good coffee that goes back at least as far as the 1899 opening of Freed, Teller & Freed, the oldest specialty bean roaster west of New York.
Peet was Dutchman Alfred Peet’s modest little roastery, opened in 1966 on Walnut and Vine in Berkeley, that became the real epicenter of the gourmet coffee boom that has engulfed the Bay Area, Seattle, and, mercifully, many former Maxwell House strongholds beyond.
It may be purely coincidental that many of San Francisco’s independent coffeehouses have a similarly well-worn, unhi-tech atmosphere. But it is no accident that the first Starbucks, …
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Aug|22|2009
Traveling To Cuba
Posted by Noemi as Americas, Destinations, Tips, Transport
Previously, I wrote about the excitement being felt in the US travel sector due to the possibility of leisurely travel to Cuba. Unfortunately, it seems that a reader took things the wrong way – sorry about that. Jumping on a plane “to look at the poor suffering people in Cuba up close (as if you are visiting a circus)” is definitely NOT what I have in mind.
In any case, I have been doing my homework and looking at tips for traveling to Cuba. I found a very informative site called Go Cuba. It provides tips from packing to legal issues to getting around the country.
From what I read, when it comes to attire, you do not have to worry about being too formal. Casual attire is what’s in, especially during the day although if you …
Aug|19|2009
Cuba: Next Hot Travel Destination?
Posted by Noemi as Americas, Announcements, Cruises, Destinations, United States
When I hear talk of Cuba, I feel a strange emotion. I do not understand it because I have never been there, and I have no ties to the country whatsoever. But I do feel a strange sense of nostalgia. Maybe it’s because of the old movies and the books that I have been exposed to, but in any case, the recent news that President Obama is easing up the restrictions with regard to Cuba made me feel those weird feelings again.
Of course, this news means something else as well – travel to Cuba is in the horizon! Actually, I have been hearing about a lot of developments with regard to the travel sector in the US preparing for the opening of the doors, so to speak. Leisurely travel to Cuba may not be a reality …
Jun|01|2009
Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative Starts TODAY
Posted by Noemi as Air Travel, Americas, News, Tips, United States
In case you have not heard, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative takes effect today. If you are not an American or Canadian national, you would not have to worry about it as you already have other requirements that you need to meet. However, for Americans and Canadians seeking to enter or re-enter the United States, you now need to present valid travel documents. These include a U.S. Passport Book, a U.S. Passport Card, or any other documents approved by Homeland Security. Do take note that the requirements apply to people coming in from Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean.
Here is more information from the government’s web site:
AIR TRAVEL
• All U.S. citizens traveling by air are required to present a passport book to enter or re-enter the United States.
LAND AND SEA TRAVEL
On June 1, 2009, the U.S. government …
May|05|2009
Travel To Mexico: No Restrictions
Posted by Noemi as Americas, Health, News, United States, Warnings
Joe Biden may have announced his “fear” of traveling to the whole world during his interview in the Today Show, but travel and tourism authorities do not seem to share his opinion. While governments all over the world are telling everyone to be cautious and are taking precautions against the swine flu, they have not released statements to the effect that travel is to be restricted.
I think that this is an indication that the current problem of swine flu is very much under control. I was actually surprised to read that there are no travel restrictions to Mexico, but this is the case. In fact, Mexican travel authorities are going so far as to invite people over to their country, saying that there is no need for anyone to change their travel plans because of the swine …
May|03|2009
Biden Stirs Hornets Nest With Travel Comments
Posted by Noemi as Air Travel, Americas, Announcements, Health, News, People, Transport, United States, Warnings
A lot of people are on the edge these days. It’s not only due to the economic problems, but also other issues that crop up on a regular basis. The swine flu, for example; we know that this kind of occurrence will definitely affect the travel industry. This is even truer when people in authority release statements.
This is what VP Joe Biden did last week when he appeared on NBC’s Today Show. What might have been a personal opinion (I didn’t see the interview so I don’t know if he actually encouraged the nation to do as he said) has ruffled a lot of feathers. CBS News reports:
Transportation officials around the country found themselves scrambling this week to reassure worried commuters in the wake of Biden’s controversial comments Thursday on NBC’s “Today Show” that he …
