Cartagena de Indias, a Colombian Caribbean metropolis, blends beautiful beaches with gourmet gastronomy, historical attractions, musical entertainment and dancing. Founded in 1533 by Spanish conqueror, Pedro de Heredia, the city retains its traditions and Spanish colonial architecture and was named a UNESCO cultural heritage city in 1984. The San Felipe de Barajas Fort, Las Popa Convent, and colorful residences with blossomed balconies, all reflect the ancient history of this picturesque city. On my recent visit to Cartagena, I encountered friendly and happy Colombians, many dining at outside cafes and others […]

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The Greek Isles and Turkey is a voyage that is best experienced on a sailing ship. I had visited the Greek Islands and Turkey before, but never on a yacht with sails. This was also my first experience on Wind Star, a 148 passenger, four deck vessel with six self-furling, bridge-operated sails. It seemed as if the sea and the ports were custom made for this smaller ship allowing passengers to fully experience the areas just as they were centuries ago. In most of the ports, the Wind Star was […]

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Millions of flowering tulips in a myriad of colors can be enjoyed in a spectacular setting at Keukenhof Gardens in Amsterdam, but check your calendar because this dazzling display can only be seen in the spring during late March and April in Holland. A delightful excursion into this cornucopia of colors is made easy by riverboat.  My husband and I recently returned from a “Tulip Time” cruise aboard the AMA Prima, launched in 2013. The 9-day cruise began and ended in Amsterdam and visited the port cities of the Netherlands […]

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Branson is family-friendly destination Shows and scenic trails entertain visitors Photos above: Legends entertainers and the Ladies Room at the Tabuchi Theatre Musical entertainment reigns supreme in Branson. This family-friendly city has more than 100 shows, some in theaters with as many as 2,000 seats and the theme that runs throughout is one of patriotism, family values and religion. Veterans are acknowledged and asked to stand at every performance I attended in Branson. Family values and references to religion are included in most of the performances. That’s not to say […]

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There is so much to see and do in Charleston that it’s hard to squeeze so much fun into a four day weekend, but this baby-boomer decided to try! The four of us girls flew to Charleston on an early Thursday morning flight and took the last departure out on Sunday evening packing in as many delightful activities as possible while still leaving down time to enjoy each other’s company and share stories of previous travels. This was my third visit to Charleston, so I had a fairly good idea […]

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Time has stood still in Savannah with its 24 squares and picture perfect parks with homes dating to the 1700’s when General James Oglethrope arrived here to build a colony in the name of England’s King George II. Oglethrope and with city planner, William Bull of South Carolina established the squares and reserved them as public parks among the neighborhoods. One of the homes along the squares Monterey Square is home to Congregation Mickve Israel, founded in 1733, when 42 Jewish immigrants sailed to the city from London, England carrying […]

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The vibrant music, cultural and culinary scene in Puerto Rico offers vacationers of all ages a stunning array of activities. This was my third visit to this colorful and congenial island and I jumped right into the mix at the legendary El San Juan Resort and Casino located on a two-mile beach in San Juan’s Isla Verde district. At the El San Juan, I encountered the locals dancing to the beat of sassy salsa rhythms. This happening occurs on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. The magnificent marble lobby with its […]

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Thirty three beaches beckon tourists I didn’t see any Kentucky Fried Chicken or Burger King franchises on the island of Anguilla. In fact, I didn’t locate any chain restaurants on the island. A local told me that Subway once opened a restaurant on the island, but it didn’t last long. There also are no large cruise ships, no casinos and no nude bathing. Cruise ships can’t go to the island because there isn’t a port large enough to handle them. I flew to the island on Anguilla Air Services from […]

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Say goodbye to early seating and late seating on the Norwegian Cruise Line Epic mega cruise ship. There are 20 places to dine and you can dine at a choice of times on most of them. The 4,100 passenger Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) Epic entered service in July, 2010, and is based at the Port of Miami. The Epic and is the new flagship of NCL and the most innovative in the Line. It is also the biggest ship to date launched by NCL. My husband and I had a […]

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A bi-centennial celebration in Cartagena Ten tall sailing ships arriving one at a time, greeted by marching bands, native dancers and thongs of Colombians on the pier at Cartagena, Colombia provided the spectacular setting for the 200th anniversary celebration of South America’s independence from Spain that began in May, 2010. The Colombians love to celebrate and the festivities will continue throughout the year with much singing and dancing throughout the nation. Cartagena was founded in 1533 by the Spanish conquistador, Pedro de Heredia and was the first city in South […]

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It was a just a girl’s getaway. We chose Amelia Island at the northernmost corner of Florida because we heard it was a lovely retreat without the usual tourist trappings of clogged roads, traffic jams and busy shopping malls with the same stores we had back home. The island is located 32 miles northeast of Jacksonville. The ride from the airport was about 40 minutes. The area which includes Fernandina Beach is well known to its closest northern neighbors in the states of Georgia, the Carolinas and Alabama, but is […]

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