A Must See Video for Parents of “Moody” Teens!
Posted by admin in Travel Tips on 07 31st, 2010
read comments (0)Sensational Santorini, Greece
Posted by admin in Greece, Santorini, Uncategorized on 07 22nd, 2010
Santorini, Greece is an island located in the southern Aegean Sea, about 120 miles southeast of the Greece mainland. It is about 28 square miles and packed with beautiful landscape, which includes lava-layered cliffs with towns built right in. The beautiful sunsets alone make the trip worth every penny! Santorini is essentially the result of a gigantic volcanic eruption, which caused a separation of modern day Santorini from mainland Greece and also leading to the creation of the current geological caldera. While there are countless things to do in Santorini, I am going to highlight a couple that should be considered “Must See’s” when planning your trip.
HOT SPRINGS: Located at Palia Kameni, is one of the two volcanic islands in the middle of Santorini Caldera. The water temperature is around 90 degrees Fahrenheit and contains sulfur (which is good for the skin). You will have to swim from your boat into the into what looks like a muddy bay.
AKROTIRI: This is a very important archaeological site with well preserved findings due to a volcanic eruption that covered the town and inadvertently protected the buildings and their contents. As such, it has been called the prehistoric Pompeii of the Aegean and considered one of the most prehistoric settlements found in the Eastern Mediterranean. There you will see the elaborate drainage system, multi-storied buildings with breath-taking wall-paintings, furniture and vessels. There are also imported objects from other locals like Syria, Egypt, Cyprus and mainland Greece.
COACH TOURS: These are one of the best ways to experience Santorini. There are several options including the full day bus tour where you will take a guided tour of the Museum of Prehistoric Thera in Fira then on to wine tasting in Profitis Ilias and then onto a swim and lunch in Perissa. A traditional bus tour includes a visit to Profitis Ilias, Pyrgos village, Panagia Episkopi, wine tasting, and an opportunity to enjoy the famous Oia sunset. One of the tours I want to highlight is the Caldera trip, which includes a stop at what is considered some of the most popular and important sites of Santorini. Your day starts at the Old Port of Fira where you will view the active crater of Nea Kameni. You then go for a swim at the hot waters of Palea Kameni. Next you will go to Thirassia where you can have lunch at one of the traditional fish taverns, swim and visit the picturesque village of Manolas. The final stop is in Oia where you can stay and take in the breathtaking sunset (and then take a bus back to your hotel) or travel by ship back to the port of Fira.
GIALOS: Port located in Fira and sits about 900 feet below the town and under the caldera. To get there, you will take a donkey or mule down the winding steps (around 600 total steps). The other option is by cable car which can transport up to 1,200 people per hour.
PROFITIS ILIAS: Located between Pyrgos and Kamari and is the highest point of the island. It is named after the monastery sitting atop its peak. There you will take in a 360 degree view of the entire island.
BEACHES: The beaches of Santorini are absolutely gorgeous and diverse. Depending on where you are, you can walk on black, white or red sand, check out amazing land formations and partake in some fantastic water sports. The beaches of Perissa and Perivolos form the longest black-sanded beach on the island. These locals also have a variety of taverns, restaurants and hotels. The beach of Vlychada is amazing and has a “moonscape” landscape, The Red beach has unique vertical cliffs and the White beach is quaint and can only be reached by boat.
NIGHTLIFE: Most nightlife is situated in the main tourist areas of Fira, Oia, Perisa and Kamari. Fira has a lot of cafe bars or clubs which are situated along the Caldera. Some of the cafes offer amazing views over the famous Oia sunset. Searching for a lively nightlife in Santorini, Oia must be the quieter place.
Majestic Martha’s Vineyard
Posted by admin in Martha's Vineyard, Uncategorized on 07 21st, 2010
Martha’s Vineyard is an island off the south of Cape Cod in New England. It consists of the towns of Aquinnah, Chilmark and West Tisbury, Edgartown, Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven. The vineyard, as many call it, has a variety of activities that will enchant the young and the young at heart. It is also a fantastic place for the entire family, from taking a ride on a famous carousel to playing in the sand and water on one of the pristine beaches or taking a hike or bike ride down one of the many trails.
Some of the weekly events that you can take part in include street fairs, fireworks, farmers markets, the Agri-culture Fair, golf tournaments, art and music festivals. Check the local events calendars as you won’t want to miss out on any of these family friendly festivities. One highlight for the whole family is to go to the Farm Institute in Edgartown where the farm is actually ran by the kids! The farm offers programs that run from one day to summer long experiences where kids partake in activities like planting crops, feeding piglets, learning how to heave a hoe and then taking the fruits and veggies to the West Tisbury farmer’s market to sell.
There are over 40 miles of trails to explore on the island. Hiking and biking those trails are a favorite among the locals as well as the tourists. Bikes can be rented and you can even take a guided tour if you are a little timid about going off on your own.
Well you are on an island so it only seems fitting that you consider doing some fishing. Some of the fish you will find while reeling in your line include bluefish, striped bass, bonito, false albacore, and Spanish mackerel, white marlin, yellowfin tuna, football-sized bluefins, and shark are all within boat range. You can either stay on a pier or consider renting a boat or taking a fishing charter. The beaches on the island range from shallow and long calm stretches of water on the Northern and Easter sides of the Island to a rough surf on the South side of the Island. While enjoying the sand and surf, check out the myriad of water activities that include jet skiing, canoeing, kayaking, parasailing and diving. There are instructors available for most of these activities if you are a beginner.
5 Places to Go if You Love Live Music
Posted by admin in Music Festival Vacations, Uncategorized on 07 14th, 2010
Remember those days when you would travel for hours or even days to go see your favorite band? Think those days are over? They don’t have to be, even if you are traveling with friends or family that have other interests. Here are a few locations you should consider if you want to experience live music.
Grand Ole Opry in Tennessee: This started as a live radio show and is the longest continuous radio show in the US (since 1925). It is located in the Grand Ole Opry House which seats 4,400 and features live country music from not only current country artists but also from country legends. Some of the stars that have played at the Grand Ole Opry include Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Keith Urban and Brad Paisley. Tickets range in price from $70 – $400. Go to www.opry.com for more information.
Carling Weekend in Reading, England: The Reading festival has been around since 1961 when it stated as a Jazz festival. Currently it is a 3 day event that showcases genre’s including alternative pop, rock, rap and hiphop. Most folks (typically 60,000 fans) camp out for the 3 days; There are 6 stages for you to choose from, depending on what type of music you like. Something interesting happens to those artists who are not well received by the fans – they are barraged with empty plastic bottles. One year, 50 Cent had a lawn chair thrown at him! One interesting part of the festival is that if you love an act, follow it to Leeds the next day where a sister festival is held concurrently. Some of the prior acts that played at this festival include The Who, Eric Clapton, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Nirvana and Metallica. Standard day passes cost about £70. Check out www.readingfestival.com and www.leedsmusicfestival.com for more information.
New Orleans Jazz Festival in New Orleans, LA: AKA, Jazz Fest. This is a 10-day event with acts performing on 12 different stages which attracts about 650,000 folks per year. Music genres include not only traditional jazz music but also gospel, funk, zydeco, rock and Caribbean styles. Prior acts have included Fats Domino, Aretha Franklin, Miles Davis, Bob Dylan, Ella Fitzgerald, Santana, Paul Simon, BB King, Joni Mitchell, James Brown, Van Morrison, LL Cool J and Gladys Knight. Standard one day tickets are about $50 but more expensive VIP options are available. Check out www.nojazzfest.com for more information.
Dakar in Senegal: Artists have created an amazing live music scene in Senegal by creating a new type of music called mbalax, which is a mixture of Latin and Caribbean musical infused with African drumming. It is a heart pumping experience to see a 10-piece band playing music that can put you in a funky trance. There is a 3 day festival called The Coca-Cola Ebony Festival, featuring music by famous mbalax musicians like Youssou N’Dour, Baaba Maal and Didier Awadi. Also, international legend Seck hosts live “mbalax nights” at the Kilimanjaro club.
Vienna, Austria: If you love classical music, including Strauss, Schubert, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Schönberg and Mahler then check out live performances of these music greats in a festival that lasts from September to June (yes, that is correct). Additionally, there are nine other festivals each year. There are also events featuring the Vienna Philharmonic playing your favorite classical music in Wiener Kinzerthaus. Best part is you can be transported to this site for free by showing your concert ticket (only for the 2 hours prior to the performance).
San Sebastian, Spain
Posted by admin in San Sebastian, Spain, Uncategorized on 07 14th, 2010
San Sebastian is a vibrant and exciting city located on the Basque coast in north west Spain and only about 20km from the French border.
Beaches: The three major beaches in San Sebastian are Playa de la Concha, Playa de Ondarreta and Playa de la Zurriola. Playa de la Concha is the largest beach and the main location in which to partake in water sports like kayaking, canoeing, and sail boating. At night, the beach turns into a magical place where there are paths leading to the beach lighted by little fairy lights. Playa de Ondarreta is much smaller and a better place to watch sailboats versus actually swimming because the high tide often reaches the barrier wall very quickly. Playa de la Zurriola is a hot spot for surfers looking to ride the Atlantic waves.
Some great places to go see while in San Sebastian include Iglesia Parroquial San Salvador, which was a church that essentially established the territory on July 6th, 1397. The Palacio de Aiete is a palace built in 1878. It is surrounded by ponds and gardens and perfect for sightseeing due to its elevated location. The Funicular de Igeldo is a cable car that was built in 1912 that connects Ondarreta Beach to the Igeldo Amusement Park. Another couple places in which to view breathtaking sights of San Sebastian include Monte Urgull and Monte igueldo.
Food and Festivities are a primary activity in San Sebastian. The inhabitants of this area have their own version of tapas, called pintxo. Pintxos are typically bedded on small pieces of bread or on tiny half-baguettes. Topping the bread are mouthwatering mixtures of foods like seafood, marinated anchovies, squid, crab, pate or mushrooms. One of the best places to go if you are in the mood to party is Parte Vieja (Old Town). This area contains more bars per square metre than anywhere else on Earth. The folks of San Sebastian celebrate a custom called Poteo. This customer includes meeting up with friends after work for food, drinks and conversation.
Annual Events: Some of the favorite events that take place in San Sebastian include the San Sebastian International Film Festival in September, the International Jazz Festival in late July as well as the “Aste Nagusia in mid-August. This festival lasts an entire week and is filled with traditional Basque music, dancing, sporting events, fireworks and lots of traditional foods. It is a party you won’t want to miss!
Outer Banks, North Carolina
Posted by admin in North Carolina, Outer Banks on 07 7th, 2010
The Outer Banks is approximately 200 miles of narrow islands in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of North Carolina. There are four islands that comprise the Outer Banks: Bodie Island, Roanoke Island, Hatteras Island, and Ocracoke Island. Some interesting facts (found in Wikipedia) include:
-The Wright brothers’ first flight took place on the Outer Banks on December 17, 1903.
-The English Roanoke Colony—where the first person of English descent, Virginia Dare, was born on American soil—vanished from Roanoke Island in 1587. “The Lost Colony,” written and performed to commemorate the original colonists, is the longest running outdoor drama in the United States and its theater acts as a cultural focal point for much of the Outer Banks.
-The treacherous seas off the Outer Banks and the large number of shipwrecks that have occurred there have given these seas the nickname “Graveyard of the Atlantic.” The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum is located in Hatteras Village.
-Ocracoke Island was the home base of the pirate known as Blackbeard and also where he was killed.
Beaches: There are miles and miles of beaches to explore in the Outer Banks. Cape Hatteras is ranked #4 best beach in America by Dr. Beach’s Top Ten list. The beaches are kid friendly but the waves can get a bit rough. Of course this makes it a great place to boogie board, kite surf or simply surf. While OB is a major tourist attraction, there is an amazing amount of space on the beach so it doesn’t feel overcrowded! Lining the beach are great little rental houses so pack up the family and bring a few friends to share the cost. It is much more convenient to rent one of these houses than to find a hotel, especially if a major part of your vacation will be spent on the beach. There are also campgrounds, cottages and bed and breakfasts.
Activities: There are a myraid of air, land and water activities to enjoy! Since the Wright Brothers did make their first flight here, you will find some fun places to take flight. There are Air Tours where you can see dolphins and other sea life, shipwrecks, lighthouses, the Wright Brothers Memorial and much more. Another option is to go hang gliding over sand dunes or tandem to 2000 feet. Lessons from qualified instructors are available. Speaking of lessons, you can also take lessons for rock wall climbing, stunt kite, kiteboarding, kayaking, surfing and more. Also, there are several places in which to go parasailing!
If you want to stay on land, the Outer Banks has art Galleries, bike paths (you can even rent bicycles), Birdwatching, golfing, hiking, horseback riding, sight seeing OB Tours, shopping, tennis, skate parks and Theatre (definitely check out the “The Lost Colony”). Also, check out the Elizabethan Gardens (Highlights include the thatched gazebo, Shakespearean herb garden, flower bordered walkways, antique garden statuary and formal sunken gardens). There is also an aquarium to visit called the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island.
Since these are islands, you will find a lot of water activities, including crabbing, cruises, diving, fishing, kayaking and canoeing, kiteboarding, parasailing, pontoon boats, sailing, shelling, stand up paddling, surfing,
wakeboarding and Water skiing, waterfowling, waverunners and Jet Skis and windsurfing. You can take lessons or rent the equipment and venture out on your own.
There are several lighthouses to see when on the Islands, including Bodie Island Lighthouse, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse (tallest lighthouse in America, standing 208 feet), Currituck Beach Lighthouse, Ocracoke Lighthouse and The Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse.
If you are a history buff, there are some great Sites to explore, including The Civil War Trail, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site (home to the Waterside Theatre), The Freedmen’s Colony of Roanoke (Part of the Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Site), Outer Banks History Center, Roanoke Island Festival Park (An interactive family attraction that celebrates the first English settlement in America. There is a 1.5 hour tour aboard a pirate ship where kids dress up and look for treasures) and the Wright Brothers National Memorial.
There are a lot of parks to wander through where you will get up close to nature and wildlife, including the Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Jockey’s Ridge State Park, Nature Conservancy at Nags Head Woods, Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, Roanoke Island Festival Park, Roanoke Island Maritime Center, U.S.A.C.E, Field Research Facility “Duck Pier”
