John M. Edwards hunkers down in the hallway of his Caribbean concrete-block hotel to sit out a hurricane tempest more powerful than Peter Potamous’s “Hippo Hurricane Howler”! “BEE-HEE-HEE-HAW-HAW!” I impressively bellowed like Peter Potamous, the cartoon hippo on the Hana-Barbera animated series “Peter Potamous and So-So” (1964). I had every right to howl, now that almost all of the tourists on Tortola--in the British Virgin Islands (or … [Read more...]
Baggage Handlers Don’t Lie: 20 Tips from The Frontlines
Article courtesy of Travel Just 4U, an Australia Travel Agency that specializes in tailored tours of South America. We Australians tend to have to travel long distances just to get anywhere. So much so that we like to think of ourselves as wizened travelers who know the tricks of the trade. Here are some of our favorite travel tips from the frontlines of baggage handlers at airports. When we travel it’s easy for us to take for granted some … [Read more...]
Five Reasons to Visit the Dominican Republic
The Caribbean is one of the world’s most popular places for those in search of pearly beaches, lush foliage, high-end hotels, world-class hospitality, rich and traditional cuisine, great diving spots and water sports. There’s as much opportunity to party as to relax. You can find all these things and more on the tropical island paradise that is the Dominican Republic. Read on to gain a greater idea of what you can expect and experience in this … [Read more...]
Jamaica’s Coolest Joint
JAMAICA – Last Christmas I realized I needed a little sun. I regretted missing two invitations to go to Jamaica — here was my chance! I enlisted one of my best friends to share in the adventure. We chose Negril, the beach resort for locals on the island (it's their Malibu or Montauk). Negril used to be a hippie enclave and has slowly evolved into a boho jet-set destination with great Chris Blackwell hotels and restaurants — my music video … [Read more...]
The Other Side of Paradise
Warm winds, incredible sunsets, gently lapping waves—CUT! Please no, not another travel article about barefoot idylls on island paradises. Instead, let's consider how you (that being me) can have the cheeriest expectations of a balmy Caribbean house-sitting gig met with the miserable crush of the human ego, so that you (that still being me, but more embarrassed now) behave like a caged animal. Let's start before the howls: my girlfriend, who … [Read more...]
Finding the real Bahamas one drink at a time
OK, so I went to the Bahamas once before, as part of a cruise, putting in at Nassau and instantly clouding my view of the Bahamas as a whole, perceiving a place of giant cruise ships, sweaty tourists, over-priced gift shops and sheer sensory overload. Then most recently I visited Abaco Beach Resort and Boat Harbour Marina in Marsh Harbour on Great Abaco Island, a sedately unhurried resort, and was proven wrong. That, and having a Goombay Smash … [Read more...]
How Cuba Changed my Perception of Humanity and Restored Hope
I’ve taken a number of great vacations in my lifetime. Each vacation I’ve taken has left me with fond memories, valuable lessons, new friends, new-found knowledge and a new outlook on my surroundings and the world at large but one recent vacation, in particular, left me with more than I could ever imagine gaining from a week-long trip. I didn’t have to travel very far to this destination. In fact, I technically didn’t even have to leave the … [Read more...]
Our Family Glory in the Holiday Attributes of Punta Cana
Thinking of the sun and palm trees, one snowy and stormy weekend in Toronto, I decided to take my daughter Muna, along my grandson Mazin, and his wife Margarita, as a belated honeymoon gift, to the Dominican Republic. Now as we explored the huge Bahia Principe resort complex in Punta Cana, the Republic's resort par excellence, we were living our dream. As we walked the white sandy beach, Mazin remarked, "A great trip! I love your … [Read more...]
Learning to Fly at the End of the World: Travels Down the Yucatan Peninsula
A second huge palm frond hits my left shoulder, catching a little of my face this time. It smacks the woman behind me dead on. She squeals and leans down to her daughter, placing the girl’s little hand on the offended cheek. The salsa pounds and the colored flashing lights pulsate to the beat of the blaring music. The top of the bus sways as we follow the curve on this part of the Bahia Boulevard, a beachfront drive that snakes down the peninsula … [Read more...]
Bolongo Bay
Ever felt lost at a giant all-inclusive Caribbean resort? It’s not an unfamiliar feeling in a one-size-fits-all place with thousands of rooms and even more guests milling about where you’re a face in the crowd, a colored bracelet on your wrist. Not so at Bolongo Bay Beach Resort on St. Thomas. This super-cozy, 62-room resort has been run by the Doumeng family for more than 40 years, where they know your name the instant you arrive and use it … [Read more...]
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