"Welcome to Hong Kong. If you are connecting to another flight, we wish you safe travels. On behalf of my crew, we thank you for flying Cathay Pacific." The soothing -- we are here to serve your needs -- voice of the head flight attendant jolted me back to reality -- I had been staring blankly at the multi-colored seat in front of me. It wasn't her voice that caused the jolt; the official announcement that I had made it to Hong Kong was what … [Read more...]
Archives for March 2009
Matanzas
So here's the idea: We had been trying to get out of the hotel for weeks, and finally, an opportunity presented itself. We were going to Matanzas, a town in the countryside of Cuba. It was the center of the slave trade in the time of its existence and in keeping with the trend of that trade, it created some of the most intriguing musical and cultural styles of the area. It is also completely untouched by tourism and it came highly recommended … [Read more...]
Dave’s Travel Corner Announces FREE Travel Essay Contest
THE ESSAY CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED TO NEW SUBMISSIONS. WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON JULY 15TH. THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUBMISSIONS! (3/12/09) Looking to share your travels with others? Do you enjoy writing? Look no further. Dave's Travel Corner is holding a travel essay contest. Please see below for details. Please include your email address or some form of contact information at the bottom of your essay. This information will not be posted … [Read more...]
Acapulco: Litterly the Mother of all Mexican Resorts
I was walking on the Costera Miguel Alemn, Acapulco's main thoroughfare, with a colleague who had last visited the city in the early 1960s when he remarked, "I can't believe how Acapulco now looks! When I was last here all I remember is the grit, annoying peddlers, polluted beaches and unsafe streets. Look at it now!" He continued, "Now what some travellers once described as 'a dazzling resort spreading on the green towering Sierra Madre del … [Read more...]
Eight Great Small Escapes
Save time and airfare by driving or taking the train to a getaway near you ... Like most people, you're likely watching your wallet more carefully these days and a big trip may not be on your list for this year. But getting away doesn't need to be a big affair to an exotic locale. Sometimes the best trips are close to home, especially when they maximize your time off and minimize your impact on the environment; by choosing a leisurely car or … [Read more...]
St Patrick’s Day on the Emerald Isle
St Patrick's Day celebrations have spread worldwide; with fans of Celtic culture from New York to New Zealand donning green and drinking whiskey in honor of all things Irish. Originally a religious feast day honoring Ireland's patron Saint, the first parades were actually held in Boston and New York in the eighteenth century. Today, 150,000 people take to the streets of New York for the 'Paddy's Day' Parade, which draws two million spectators … [Read more...]
Wadi’s, Deserts, Ocean, Arabic Hospitality – Enjoying Oman
The following is taken from Dave's Journal regarding his time in Oman in which he covered parts of Muscat, several Wadi's including Tiwi, the fort town of Nizwa, the main north south highway, and many areas within several hours driving of Salalah in the south. We have driven over 2000 miles so far! I must say that Oman is TRULY THE PINNACLE of off roading! With its huge, steep, rocky, remote wadis, large sand dunes, and tracks anywhere you … [Read more...]
Heritage Hotel Fort Khejarla
Heritage Fort Hotel - Fort Khejarla, located 80 Kms East of Jodhpur, the Sun City of India but a million miles away from the traffic congestion, horns, and heavy population! Spread across 14 acres, this splendid site is easily accessible by most tourist attractions and cities of Rajasthan. The historic structure amalgamates with the golden tint of the desert ambience and the scenic setting suns in its most vibrant shades giving it a fairy tale … [Read more...]
Monkey in Hotel Room, Varanasi, India
Reluctantly we left Varanasi despite the naked people sitting in the dirty streets, the unbelievable amount of cow poop clogging the narrow streets, the CONSTANT power outages, the smelly garbage everywhere, the people urinating and defecating in open view along some of the ghats, terrible pollution, large bellied obviously malnourished children, incredible poverty, CONSTANT badgering and aggressive pan handling by the touts and "guides" (worst … [Read more...]
Luke’s Restaurant New Orleans – March 2009
Luke’s Restaurant New Orleans - Luke's is a fabulous brasserie (French for cafe which is also a restaurant) located in the heart of New Orleans's downtown area just south of the well-known Canal Street. It is one of several restaurants owned by famed chef John Besh. John operates an organic farm which provides some of the vegetables and meats for this restaurant. Start out your meal with a Sazerac, one of the oldest cocktails in the world which … [Read more...]