I have cruised on the open oceans and on rivers - I've been on several themed cruises including to Antarctica. The choices for destinations and types of cruises are seemingly endless. Where to start? For me, I start with warm weather! My favorite cruise destination in the world is the Caribbean. And I love visiting this part of the world after the hurricane season and when the weather starts cooling considerably in the Northern Hemisphere but … [Read more...]
10 Must See Beaches to Add to Your Bucket List
The world is a big and beautiful place with more to it than meets the eye. With so much to see and do it's almost impossible to experience everything - this is why many travellers create bucket lists. With this in mind, nearly every single one of us enjoys spending time on the beach with crystal clear waters, sunshine and warm sand between our toes. So, let’s take a look at 10 beaches around the world that you should definitely have on your … [Read more...]
Margaritaville Resorts Announces $250M Destination Resort in Nassau, Bahamas
Margaritaville at The Pointe Development is Underway: Will Feature Margaritaville Beach Resort, Luxury Oceanfront Residences, Marina, Water Park, Spa & More Orlando, Fla. – Margaritaville Holdings has announced the brand is bringing its authentic lifestyle experience to the Bahamas’ capital city with Margaritaville at The Pointe, a $250 million, six-acre development. Already under construction and expected to begin a phased opening in … [Read more...]
The Best Eats in Bermuda
Perhaps you’ve come to Bermuda for it’s pink sand beaches, blue sea and quirky knee-length shorts? Steal away from these worthy attractions and you’ll reap mouth-watering mealtime rewards. Bermuda’s food scene is discretely on fire. Islands of all sizes hold gustatory riches. Caribbean islands especially excel on the culinary front. They tend to be melting pots of flavor, attributed to the influences of centuries of invaders, pirates and … [Read more...]
Where’s the Steering Wheel? Driving Off the Map
Many years ago, I was a passenger in a ’57 Chevy driven by a maniacal friend. The steering wheel came off in his hands while he was making a turn—and he laughed. Though it seemed unlikely then (particularly because I thought survival was dubious), that wheelessness was a benchmark for unusual driving experiences to come, many of which produced the same sensation of bewilderment, shock and terror. Filter in the unsettling elements of … [Read more...]
A Food Lover’s Guide to Nassau and Paradise Island, The Bahamas
With its crystal-clear blue waters and heavenly beaches, vacationers appreciate the Bahamas for its abundance of sun, sand and surf. While it is a fine holiday for those seeking natural gifts of the aquatic sort, if you live to eat, this nation of 700 islands is a foodie destination par excellence. Nassau and Paradise Island are ground-zero for epicureans looking to titillate their taste buds. Surrounded by clean water, you know the fish is … [Read more...]
Five Ways Travel Helps Your Writing
Shwedagon Pagoda, Myanmar There’s a plummy quote from Thoreau’s Walden that must open this discussion: “Not till we are lost ... not till we have lost the world, do we begin to find ourselves … Henry David was centering on getting lost in nature there, and thus freed of some of the day-to-day material constraints and pressures, but the message applies well to writers, and to the value of getting “lost” in travel. Value sometimes in getting … [Read more...]
Cruising Holland America Line, ms Eurodam
One of my early childhood memories is visiting my grandparents as they left for an around the world cruise on a Holland America Line cruise ship - this must have been sometime in the late 1970's or early 1980's. I remember being allowed to board the ship with my family and running through all the hallways and eventually ending up in a room where they told children to go. I remember what felt like thousands of people (probably just hundreds) … [Read more...]
Half Moon Cay, Bahamas
There is a private island where the wind blows in the beach pines and the gentle surf laps on the silky white sand. A place that is much loved for moments that can be counted as too short and then left to it's natural state just as quickly. This place is Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas, a private island. Holland America Line has a 99 year lease from the Bahama government to manage the island and their ships exclusively anchor off shore and … [Read more...]
Bahamas Junkanoo Carnival: A Celebration of Life and Culture
“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.” – Oprah Winfrey These words capture the incredible nature of our existence. There is a lot to be said about the uniqueness of our humanity and the scope through which we view life. The fact that we hold “celebrations” to call attention to the different joys in our lives is one of the many reasons we are so special. Through our own creativity we have invented … [Read more...]