Moonrise over the Amazon
If you are looking for a truly memorable adventure, an awe-inspiring vacation, then set your sights on Brazil and the Amazon River.
At first glance, the dirty brown Amazon is confusing, but once you get into a small wooden boat or canoe, and head off down one of its tributaries, it will all come clear.
“Go ahead, make my day!”
We can’t bear heading straight home to our climate of snow and ice after spending weeks in the tropics. Having just finished off a 14-day adventure through the Caribbean islands and up the Amazon, we felt a short stay in the Florida Keys would help to ease the pain of transition. And so it did, in spite of the unusually cool temperatures.
Ambling up the Amazon River – It’s not a Disneyland Experience!
Traveling up the great Amazon River, now touted to be the largest river on the planet, is a slow murky process. Large chunks of verdant vegetation float leisurely by on water that looks as brown and as opaque as chicken gravy. Land can be seen in the distance, but these landmasses are islands, not the South American mainland. (According to our onboard naturalist, Hutch, the Amazon is composed of thousands of islands and we cruise in and around them on our way to Manaus.)
Have you ever spent a Christmas season in New York City? No? Then my suggestion to you, if you love a good old-fashioned Christmas complete with all the fixins’, is to spend a few days in the Big Apple when the spirit of the Christmas season is at its apex. There is nothing else that compares. I promise.
Read on . . .
Yes, drugs. And the accompanying side effects.
It’s not possible to travel to many countries today without first getting topped up with a variety of inoculations and prescription drugs. Take Brazil, for instance. Getting the plane ticket or the cruise ship ticket is the easy part. Then it’s time to roll up your sleeve. The sleeve on your needle arm, that is.
Read on . . .
Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia
Bored kids? Bored grandparents? Bored you? Is there a cruise line that is perfect for the entire family? Yes.
With the huge number of cuise lines to choose from, and the even bigger number of individual ships in the line, the task of choosing a ship that will be perfect for your family might seem impossible.
There is hope. And help. One of the Internet’s most popular social sites for cruisers has come up with it “Editors’ Picks” for 2008. Among the site’s conclusions includes the BEST family ships and the BEST ships for fitness buffs.
Read on . . .
Long gone are the days of simply buying a ticket and hopping on a plane; travel today is a much more precise science, especially if you are planning a trip into the Amazon, or other parts of Brazil.
When budgeting for a trip into Brazil, be prepared for all the extra fees you will encounter, fees that have nothing to do with your flight or your accommodations. Like the cost of getting a Brazilian tourist visa.
You may be living in a country that is exempt from needing a Brazilian visa, but if you are Canadian, Australian, or American, you must apply. (Citizens from countries like Germany, France, and Italy do not require a Brazilian visa.)
In addition, no matter what country you hail from, Brazil (especially the Amazonian area) is disease-carrying mosquito territory, and you must prepare. That means getting vaccinated for Yellow Fever, as well as Hepatitis A and B.
Read on . . .
Are you yearning for the open seas? A vista complete with swaying palm trees and exotic lands? Someplace that isn’t here (where you are at the moment)?
Then grab a cup of coffee and settle down with your computer for at least 45 minutes. You are about to go on an adventure, a cruise, the first cruise you should take before booking your real cruise.
Your first port of call? Vacations To Go.
Read on . . .
Some of us call it urban blight, some of us call it street soul, some of us call it a shame, while others of us simply call it, “beautiful.”
Is there a city or town in the world that doesn’t sport its share of graffiti? Our city in central Alberta is no different. And while our city has sent out its graffiti-removal brigade, thank goodness the cleaning squad hasn’t found all of it. This artwork, with its nasty invectives and racial slurs, especially viewed against the backdrop of the setting sun, can be very intriguing.
Read on . . .
San Antonio, Texas is, simply put, one heck of a great vacation destination. It is family-friendly, it is easy to navigate, it offers many activities and adventures, and there are no crowds right after Labor Day. But even when there are crowds (like on the Labor Day weekend), San Antonio is a must-see. And, a caution here, a couple of days just won’t be enough time.
Read on . . .
